Smartphones & Gear

Traveling with the Nokia Lumia 928 – Good Enough to Be My Only Camera?

Before leaving on our recent trip to NYC, I was given the opportunity to try out a Nokia Lumia 928. I wasn’t expected to review the phone — Carly had already thoroughly done that. Rather, the idea was that I see how well the Lumia 928 could do as my primary camera while traveling, and to see whether I liked it better than some of the other phones I had also brought along on the trip. Ordinarily when traveling I’ll bring either my Canon G11 or 5D; on this trip I brought nothing but a bag-full of phones. Although I…

Gear Bits

Vertu Ferrari Ti Limited Edition – Inspired by the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta

I have owned four different Vertu phones over the past decade, and while I can’t quite bring myself to spring for another one (yet) — I’m not gonna lie — I miss owning one. There is something to their saying that “Nothing will ever feel the same”. Vertu phones are handmade of the finest metals, ceramics, and leathers, and they are basically works of art that also happen to be rock solid phones. The concierge feature is a big part of why they cost so much, but the odd thing is that even though I had access to the service…

Crowdfunding, News & Features

Ubuntu Kicks Off a $32 Million Edge Smartphone Indiegogo Campaign – Will it Work?

Engadget had a story about how Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, has kicked off an Indiegogo campaign to help raise money to build their first Ubuntu Phone, the Ubuntu Edge. You can donate at many levels, but if you donate at least $830 dollars they will send you an Ubuntu Edge once it’s built as well. The phone looks really sharp, and it has what sounds like a decent wish list of features. Specifications Dual boot Ubuntu mobile OS and Android Fully integrated Ubuntu desktop PC when docked Fastest multi-core CPU, 4GB RAM, 128GB storage 4.5in 1,280 x 720 HD sapphire…

Reviews

Logitech Harmony Smart Remote Universal Remote System Review

When I first had the opportunity to check out the Samsung GALAXY Note 8.1 tablet, I didn’t expect to think much of the inclusion of an IR blaster that allows the tablet to function as a smart remote for your tv and media system. Much to my surprise, I liked having the option to use the tablet to control my various entertainment systems. After all who needs to juggle multiple remotes when one device can replace them all? The Griffin Beacon (read about it) sought to do just that by turning your iPhone into a remote using an iOS app…

HTC One Screen Protector GLAS.tR SLIM Premium Tempered Glass

Gear Bits

Don’t Get the Spigen GLAS.tR for Your AT&T HTC One – Not Yet, Anyway

I have a GLAS.tR screen protector on my iPhone 5, and I absolutely love it. When I purchased an AT&T HTC One, I was very pleased to find out that the same excellent tempered glass screen protection was available for it. I purchased the GLAS.tR, installed it (it looked great, btw), marveled at how clear and responsive my screen was after the installation … and then was ultimately disappointed when I found that the back and home capacitive buttons on my AT&T HTC One no longer worked. I had noticed that the front of the GLAS.tR’s box said this ……

News & Features

Samsung GALAXY S4 Active Review – a Much More Rugged S4 with Few Tradeoffs

I’m going to surprise myself by writing this, but were I in the market for a new phone right now I think the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active would be at the top of my list of possibilities. It’s packed with power, it feels great in the hand, and it overcomes many of the issues I have with the Samsung Galaxy S4. Because the two phones are running the same operating system and have the same Samsung bells, whistles and capabilities such as Air View, Air Gesture and Smart Pause, I’m not going to run down those specifics. Instead, I will…

Reviews

Trident Aegis Case for the Nokia Lumia 928 Review – Bubble Wrap for Your Mobile Phone

I am loving my new Lumia 928. Windows Phone is slick, and I am enjoying the phone just as much as I did the day I bought it. However, the operating system isn’t the only thing that’s slick — the polycarbonate casing is very slippery, and I am very accident prone. Luckily for me, Trident cases released their Aegis line for the 928, and I quickly jumped on the case as a way to give my Lumia some solid protection against my personal chaotic field. Is it a good balance of protection and style? Does it make an already…

News & Features

Rayovac Redefines Mobile Charging Category with 2-Hour Power

As smartphones advance it seems there are fewer and fewer things to complain about – they are fast, responsive, thin and light, feature-filled, and the batteries … ok, so there is still one thing to complain about. Because with new features and more powerful chips, advances in battery technology have merely managed to maintain the status quo. So what do we do? Many have battery cases which are phone specific, and I also have a few external battery packs I can connect with a cable to my phone. These are great solutions, but can run into a fair amount of…

News & Features

HTC One mini Packs the One’s Power into a Smaller Package

It has been a long time since I saw Judie as enamored with a phone as she is with her HTC One. The phone is sleek, powerful, and it shows that one needs not compromise when looking for an Android handset these days. Now HTC has, as expected, pulled the curtain back on the HTC One’s smaller sibling, the HTC One mini. The HTC One mini, is a compact — but not small — version of the HTC One, and it brings everything that has made the HTC One stand out in an ever-more crowded marketplace. The HTC One mini…

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…

News & Features

The ChargeCard USB Charger for iPhone and Android Review

If you own a mobile phone, then you inevitably have needed to charge it when away from your desk or car. USB ports seem to be everywhere anymore, but not everyone wants to carry a loose Lightning or MicroUSB cable with them; the ChargeCard fits in your wallet or makeup bag, and it makes carrying an extra charger easy to do. Just stick it in and forget about it … until you need it. Originally a Kickstarter project started in July 2012, the ChargeCard raised almost $162K after asking for $50K. Obviously there were plenty of people other than me who…

Reviews

zBoost DataBlast Review – Improve Data Speeds in the Home or Office

I currently am fortunate to have decent AT&T 4G service despite living in a primarily rural area. My service is not perfect, but I do get average speeds compared to spots just a few miles away. My dad, for example lives about 20 miles away and struggles to get data most of the time. The bad thing about connection problems for country folks is there is no real-time table for new towers and improved coverage. There can also be an issue with certain buildings not getting service in an otherwise good service area. Even though I have good service at…

Editorials

Checking Out the Latest and Greatest Smartphones – GearFest GearChat 2013

During GearFest 2013 Carly, Mike, Judie, and I — the Editorial Staff of Gear Diary — sat down to take a look at the current lineup of super phones on each of the major platforms. We laid out a dozen or so different smartphones and talked about some of our likes and dislikes. Among the phones discussed are the iPhone 5, the Samsung GALAXY S4, the Samsung GALAXY S4 Active, the HTC One, the Nokia Lumia 928, the Nokia Lumia 920, the LG Optimus G, the HTC One X, the Google Play HTC One, and the Blackberry Z10. We then turned…

Reviews

BlackBerry Q10 Review – The Return of the QWERTY King

The candy bar QWERTY has been one of my favourite form factors since I first laid my hands on the Nokia E71. It helped that the E71 was super slim, solid and had amazing battery life, but the tactile keyboard held me back from switching for quite some time. Since those days a glass slab has been my device of choice, be it iPhone or more recently Android. It’s easy to see why, considering the ratio of consumption over creation they are typically used for. Intelligent keyboards like the brilliant SwiftKey for Android further bolster the argument that the hardware…

Reviews

The JOBY GripTight GorillaPod Stand Review

I’ve long been a fan of JOBY’s various products. They tend to be simple, effective and well made. In fact, the very first GorillaPod tripod I reviewed is still going strong! For the past year or so, I have keeps a JOBY GripTight Micro Stand on my keychain. Just last week a person I was with said, “I wish we had brought a tripod…” I reached in my pocket, pulled out the GripTight Micro Stand and said, “Here, try this…” It worked perfectly. That’s the beauty of JOBY’s products- they solve simple problems in a variety of ways. Now the…

Gear Bits

Five Reasons Why the Samsung Galaxy S4 Is a Great Android Phone

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is the newest incarnation of the most popular Android phone series in the world; it comes jam-packed with state of the art tricks and tweaks, and it is definitely the phone to choose if you want to experience things that might one day be standard on all mobile phones without waiting for that day to actually arrive. Mitchell recently reviewed the S4, and I have been using the US Verizon version for a little over a month. I have become so well acquainted with the S4 that even though I recently purchased an HTC One, I have found…

Reviews

Spigen SGP Aluminum Home Buttons for Samsung GALAXY S4 Review

Do you need Spigen SGP’s Aluminum Home Buttons for Samsung GALAXY S4? No. Are they worth the $9.99 price of admission to get three of Spigen SGP’s Aluminum Home Buttons for Samsung GALAXY S4? That depends. If you want to bring a bit of customization to your Samsung super-phone or prefer a Home Button with a bit more tactile feel the SGP Home Buttons might be a good choice for you. If, on the other hand, you don’t need to add bling to your S4-thing you may want to save the ten bucks. Here’s a look at what they offer….

Reviews

Lumia 928 Windows Phone Review – Slight Learning Curve Leads to High Rewards

About a month ago, I made the radical decision to move from my iPhone to Windows Phone. I’ve always liked Nokia products, and when the Lumia 928 came to Verizon the temptation was overwhelming, so I took the plunge. You can check out my first impressions here. Since this was such a radical change, and since Windows Phone has so many proponents and detractors all by itself, I’ve broken this review down into two sections: Windows Phone itself, and the Lumia Hardware. Windows Phone: Before I get into the phone itself, I think it’s worth spending some time initially on…

News & Features

The New HTC 8XT Windows Phone Rocks HTC BoomSound

The HTC 8X is a terrific Windows Phone. I have one in hand and it looks and feels great. The just-announced HTC 8XT takes things up a notch or two and is coming this summer. The HTC 8XT is one of the first Windows Phone 8 smartphones to be available on the Sprint network and it is the very first to feature dual front-facing stereo speakers. The phone sports great sound thanks to HTC BoomSound, has an advanced camera that incorporates all of HTC’s camera expertise and it has HTC’s now-iconic design. HTC BoomSound is a big deal. As the…

Reviews

Spigen SGP Ultra Fit for the Samsung GALAXY S4 Review – Puts Your S4 On a Diet

If you are looking for a case that will give a bit of scratch protection to your Samsung GALAXY S4 while adding as little bulk and weight as possible, then you will want to check out the Spigen SGP Ultra Fit for the Samsung GALAXY S4. On Amazon for under $10, this case is just about as minimalist a case as you are going to find. No, it is not for the accident-prone S4 owner but those who tend to be careful with their smartphones and want a bit of extra protection will likely be quite happy! As you can…

Reviews

Eye-Fi Mobi Memory Card Review – Your Camera Wants One Now!

One of the big selling points of the Sony NEX-6 I recently purchased was the built-in WiFi that allows for wireless on-the-go transfers from the camera to an iOS device. (Yeah, I like the small size, awesome picture quality and interchangeable lenses too but this WiFi thing really caught my eye!) Fortunately you don’t need to go out and buy a new camera in order to get wireless on-the-go transfers of images from your camera to you mobile device. Eye-Fi’s new mobi SD card lets anyone add the functionality to just about any camera. And with an 8GB card running…

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