Misc Gear

Twelve South HiRise Review – A Perch for Your iPhone 5 and iPad mini

Twelve South only makes products for Apple devices, and their newest offering is a fantastic addition to their lineup. The HiRise is under $35 ,and it is a dock that works with both the iPhone 5 and the iPad mini. It also lets you use either device with most cases! Check it out here. The HiRise is an elegant way to raise your iPhone 5 or iPad mini up off your desk or countertop, and it will securely hold, charge and, if so desired, sync with your computer. I love the look of the HiRise and it works exactly as promised. I…

News

MindShift Gear’s Contact Sheet – an Item Photographers Will Want

If you are an outdoor photographer, you may find times when you need a clean, dry place to lay out your gear. MindShift Gear’s new Contact Sheet lets you do just that. Pull out the lightweight tarp and you have a place to work anywhere you go. It is $39.99, and it is available here. MindShift Gear, a new company founded by the creators of Think Tank Photo and conservation photographer Daniel Beltrá, are ready to make a splash in the photographic accessory market. Their first accessory product (they also have two photographic backpacks available — more on them soon) is…

Gear Bits

The Traktorfahrn Tobago Pear Desk Organizer & Tablet Stand

This is the $79 Tobago pear – desk organizer & tablet stand by ETSY seller Traktorfahrn. It will hold your tablet and a few other desktop items, and it is made to work in several configurations. Evidently the maker discovered an unexpected benefit to the stand, too — the solid wood base “amplifies musik if [the] speaker is facing [the] bottom.” Handcrafted in Dusseldorf Germany from pear wood, which has a beautiful reddish grain, the Tobago Pear Desk Organizer & Tablet Stand measures 20 x 12 x 3 cm (7.9” x 4.7” x 1.2”), and it will fit the iPad2, iPad3, Samsung Tablet, ASUS Tablet as well…

Reviews

Waterfield CitySlicker Tablet Case Review – Protect Your 2013 Nexus 7 In Style

If you are looking to protect your 2013 Nexus 7 in style, then you’ll want to check out Waterfield’s CitySlicker Tablet Case for the Nexus 7. It is a gorgeous combination of leather and other materials, holds a few key accessories, and does a great job protecting the latest Google tablet. The Waterfield CitySlicker Tablet Case is a gorgeous case for carrying your 2013 Nexus 7 and a few key accessories. It might be a bit of overkill, but it is so nice to carry that the added bulk and expense may well be worth it. Here’s a look on…

Reviews

RAVPower RP-PB07 10400mAh Portable External Battery Pack Charger Review

External batteries are getting to be a necessity. If you want a great one, the RavPower and its 10,400 mAH capacity is one that you should look at. It’s only $34.99 on Amazon (with free Prime Shipping!). RAVPower was kind enough to send their latest RP-PB07 battery for review. Let’s take a look at it in terms of form and function. Form: This battery is simple in its design. It has a button on the front that allows you to check the current charge. On the back is the product label. The bottom of the battery has 2 USB ports…

Reviews, Yum Log

Yes, Virginia, There Are Some Great Food Products from the Commonwealth

This is a bit of a departure from my normal reviews here at Gear Diary, but I’ve come across some interesting and unique products from the commonwealth of Virginia that are worthy of sharing. Read on if you’re interested in nut butters from Reginald’s Original, hickory syrup from Wildwoods, or the latest release from AOL, Early Mountain wines. In my day gig as a food writer, I get lots of sample products to review. In fact, my UPS and Fed Ex guys must think I’m a lonely old drunk since I have to sign for liquor deliveries a few times…

News

Twelve South HiRise for iPhone 5/iPad mini Is a Perch for Your iOS device

I’ve seen and used a variety of different stands for my iPhone and iPad, but none have caught my attention the way the new HiRise for iPhone 5/iPad mini from Twelve South has. This brushed metal stand has the kind of refined lines that will compliment your iOS device while also adding to its utility. The HiRise is designed to work with Apple Lightning Cable, but it is a BYOC (Bring Your Own Cable) accessory. And, thanks to its thoughtful design, the HiRise works with iPhone and iPad when they are naked AND when they are in most current cases. The…

Reviews

Blue Microphone Nessie USB Microphone Review – Plug & Play with No Need for Post-Production Manipulation

A few months ago, we reviewed the Spark Digital from Blue Microphone. It impressed me with its design, features and quality. (I also really liked the way it looks.) The Spark Digital has an MSRP of just under $200. That’s not a bad price, but it also puts it a bit out of reach of most consumers looking for a budget speaker. That’s why the Nessie from Blue Microphone intrigued me. Judie and I first saw it at CES 2013, and we were impressed with the design, the quality, the onboard technology and, perhaps most of all, the price. The…

Crowdfunding, Reviews

Capture Camera Clip v2 Review – Carry Your Camera and Never Miss a Shot

The Capture Camera Clip v2 camera clip is one of the more unusual camera accessories we have had a chance to review. An update to Peak Design’s original Capture Camera Clip, the Capture Camera Clip v2 lets you keep your DSLR close by — on your belt or backpack strap. And while this might not look like the best way to carry and hold your camera it actually works well. Currently in the initial funding period over on Kickstarter, the initial goal of raising $100,000 has been eclipsed five times over, and there are still three weeks left before the…

News

Protect Your 2013 Nexus 7 the Waterfield Way!

I broke down and ordered one of the second generation Nexus 7 tablets the other day. As much as I love my iPad, I really wanted to see what the latest generation of Google’s tablet has to offer. Knowing it is on the way, I wanted to make sure I had a good way to carry and protect it. Thankfully our friends at Waterfield have some great cases that will keep the new Nexus 7 pristine when on the go. Let’s take a quick look at just a few of the cases that are sized perfectly for the slightly smaller…

Gear Bits

Leap Motion – the Future Remains a Work in Progress

ARS Technica has a hands-on look at using the Leap Motion Controller. If you aren’t familiar with this device, which just began shipping this week, it is a small box that connects to your Mac and allows your hands to act as input devices for your computer. Now in and of itself, that isn’t so interesting. After all, it is your hands on a mouse or trackpad that currently allow you to input and control your computer. The difference here is that the Leap Motion Controller allows you to simply wave your hands in front of the screen and control…

Reviews

Tweekaboo Virtual Family Diary Review – a Baby Book for the Digital Age

Sarah and I can probably repeat the story of the 24 hours leading up to our son’s birth by heart. We told the story to family and friends, and whenever our newborn got fussy we told it to him. After a few days, Sarah turned to me and pointed out that we should probably write it down somewhere since we will eventually forget all the details. Luckily for us, we had the opportunity to test Tweekaboo, an app that acts as a virtual baby book, letting us add pictures and stories and share them with family and each other. Is…

News

ContourRoam2 Action Cam – Reviewed and Still Used

We’ve reviewed a number of action cameras here on the site over the past year or so, and the one that rose to the top for me was the ContourRoam2 Action Camera. The Roam2 is simple to use. In fact, it is so simple that I actually had to read the manual to figure out just how to start the recording process. It turns out simply powering it on is all you need to do. (Read the original review.) Add in the fact that the ContourRoam2 is waterproof and is less than $200, and you have an action camera that…

Reviews

AT&T FinderCodes Electronics Lost & Found Kit Review – Lose (and Find) Yourself

FinderCodes is a QR-code based lost and found system that can be used with just about anything to which you can attach a sticker. The folks at FinderCodes — which is now a brand partner with AT&T, as you’ll notice from the logo on the box in the photo above — were kind enough to provide Gear Diary with a sample kit, which contained stickers and tags of several different sizes, as well as a set of instructions. The tags also came with a couple of small rings, so they can be easily attached to a set of keys or a…

Reviews

The Nest Earbud Holder Redux – I Wish I Had Thought of Them

We covered the Nest Earbud Protectors from Digital Innovations back in September of 2012. At the time I wasn’t all too interested in the product. It just looked like the kind of thing that would become one more piece of clutter in my gear cabinet. Turns out I was completely wrong, and these are actually a great product that, although a bit overpriced, are worth having if you use in-ear headphones on a regular basis. Digital Innovations, the company behind The Nest, describes their product as an earbud winder/headphone case that protects your earbud-style headphones or earphones from tangling and…

Reviews, Yum Log

Tempour from Soiree Review – One Wine Tool to Rule Them All

As a food and drink writer, I get the opportunity to try out a lot of gadgets that purport to make my drinking life easier. Not that I don’t appreciate them, but the drawers of my liquor cabinet are full of things to cool my drinks, tools to aerate and decant wine, strainers, bottle stoppers, collars that fit around bottlenecks to prevent dripping and strainers to filter out the sediment in aged wines. It’s frankly getting to be a bit of a mess in there, and I usually just keep the drawer shut. So I was quite excited to hear…

News

Wilson Electronics’ 21st Century Tech Survival Kit

Wilson Electronics recently featured their electronic/technology products in a specially packaged “21st Century Survival Kit”. Gear Diary has tried Wilson Electronic products before, especially in emergency situations, and I recently tried out the six items in this well-chosen package – a great guide as you shape your own emergency tech kit. This 21st Century Survival Kit considers communication and sustenance ranging from minor snafus to major disasters to help yourself and others while communicating vital information to first responders. “We began thinking about what has changed in technology and society, and how that would affect what we would want to…

Health and Fitness, Reviews

Georgetown Dry Pannier from Detours Bike Bags Review – Keeps the Elements at Bay

I like to try to ride my bike whenever I can in an effort to burn off some of the extra pounds that I put on in my gig as a food writer. I have a Litespeed Titanium road bike that I ride for fitness, but it’s not very practical for in town use, especially since I use Speedplay pedal clips that make it almost impossible to walk in the specialized shoes when you’re not on the bike. So for just getting around town or riding to the YMCA and back (where I then go to a spin class ……

VitaSound Personal Audio Enhancer PAE 300-012

Reviews

VitaSound Personal Audio Enhancer PAE-300 Review – Hearing Help Where It Is Most Needed

There are several people in my family who have hearing troubles, some more severe than others. For instance, my mom started having degenerative hearing loss when she was in her early 20s, and for as long as I can remember she has worn hearing aids. My daughter, Sarah, has always had problems with certain tones; she has trouble discerning what people are saying if they don’t speak clearly or if they mumble, and she has used the closed caption setting on her TV to watch movies since she was 15 or so. I’ve had Sarah’s hearing tested, and although it’s…

Reviews

The Stinger Portable Bug Zapper Review – Swat and Fry Annoying Flying Pests

We’ve been enjoying a wetter than usual summer in my part of Texas, and although the rain has been extremely welcome due to the drought we’ve been dealing with for the past two-years, our warm climate has coupled with the rain to create a bug population explosion of unwelcome proportions. This might not be too big of a deal, if we could just keep those unwelcome critters outside, but alas. Our home has clear glass doors, and the bugs have been so bad that if we have a light on inside the house at night, whatever door or window is closest to…

PJ Reef Micro Saltwater Coral Habitat for the Marine Biologist in All of Us

Crowdfunding

PJ Reef Micro Saltwater Coral Habitat for the Wannabe Marine Biologist in All of Us

I’ve been fascinated by saltwater aquariums since I was a child. Although the few I’ve seen that weren’t in city-run aquariums were usually elaborate installations inside restaurants (like Rainforest Cafe or Todai), I have seen a small number of saltwater aquariums installed in private homes. Saltwater aquariums are a very different experience from what you’d see in a freshwater aquarium, largely because of the wildly diverse and colorful fish and sea-creature species that they can maintain. But there is a further differentiator that can only be found in saltwater: live reef habitats. In the ocean, a live reef is built…

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