Smartphones & Gear



Review of the LG V30 – Not Quite Perfection

A few weeks ago, Judie asked if I’d like to review the LG V30 for Gear Diary.  I jumped at the chance.  I’d heard many good things about LG’s latest flagship and had also read some concerns about it.  But the chance to use it was on offer, and I took advantage of it.


Naztech Alloy Advanced Magnetic Earphones Deliver

I am a huge fan of wireless earphones. One issue I often have with these products is what to do with them when not wearing them for a bit. Naztech has addressed this problem with the Alloy Advanced Magnetic Earphones. The $69.99 earphones add a new twist to wearing wireless, Bluetooth earphones. Let’s take a look.


BONX Grip Is Like a Walkie-Talkie, but Better

If you participate in activities where you want to communicate with your friends, but you need to be completely hands-free, then you might want to check out the BONX Grip. It uses your phone (and it’s 3G/4G/WiFi signal) to allow communication between two people (up to 10) without touching any buttons. Think of the convenience when fishing, biking, or hunting!


Cover Your Samsung Galaxy Note8 with a Toast Wood Veneer Skin

I just bought a Samsung Galaxy Note8 to replace my iPhone 7 Plus. So far, I love it! One of the first accessories I was excited to try was a customized Toast Wood Veneer Skin. Toast makes wood veneers that are both beautiful and protective; I’ve had one on my 13′ MacBook Pro retina for years, and it’s been great.


Kids Will Absolutely Hate This ‘Pause Feature’ from Comcast

If you believe that disconnecting from your device during meal-time improves family bonding, then you aren’t alone. 98% of the parents surveyed by Wakefield Research agreed that “disconnecting from devices during mealtime improves family bonding”, but 42% said they couldn’t remember the last time that their family had a device-free meal. That’s messed up.





Stranger Things Game Will Get You Lost in the Upside Down

Stranger Things is coming in just a few weeks! If you live under a rock, “Stranger Things” is a horror-ish drama from Netflix that is an homage to the 1980s. It has evil scientists, parallel dimensions, plucky pre-teen heroes, and Winona Ryder screaming at Christmas lights. Now it also has a companion game, and it is incredibly addictive!



Huawei: More Than Mobile Phones and Bigger Than China

I like to know how things are made, and I get a special thrill when I’m invited to take a behind-the-scenes look at a product — especially something that I regularly use — being made from start to finish. Recently, along with a small group of writers, I went to Shenzhen and Beijing, China for a behind-the-scenes look at Huawei.







Zipbuds 26: A Unique Approach to Bluetooth Headphones

If you are a huge fan of bluetooth devices, or you have one of those smartphones that inconveniently does not come with a headphone jack, you should check out the Zipbuds 26, a truly dynamic pair of headphones that are not just great for casual listeners, but for fitness advocates as well.


Nomad Universal and 4-in-1 USB C Cables: Everything you need!

If you’ve got an iPhone, or one of the newer Android phones, a MacBook, or many of the newer Windows computers, then you need all of the USB Type-C cables you can get your hands on. When you’re ready to upgrade to the best, Nomad has you covered with their new Universal Cable and 4-in-1 USB C Cable.


LG V30: A Peek at What’s to Come

Can we all agree that this has been a banner year for smartphones? The other day we finally got all the details for the iPhone 8 and X; Samsung has come out with their S8 and S8+ and the Note8, and now we have the LG V30 to look forward to. The darling of IFA, LG’s newest Android flagship phone is impressive.