Smartphones & Gear

BlackBerry Music Gateway Lets You Go Wireless with Bluetooth and NFC

We’ve looked at a few different accessories that turn your wired speaker dock or home audio system into a wireless audio powerhouse, but none have been quite as powerful as BlackBerry’s upcoming $49 Music Gateway. What makes the Music Gateway stand out? NFC (Near Field Communication)! Let’s take a closer look. From BlackBerry: The BlackBerry Music Gateway is a great new music accessory that allows you to play music from any Bluetooth enabled device. Also setting this apart from other music streaming devices is its NFC capabilities, which enables a quick and easy pairing option. Once connected, change tracks and…

Reviews

SuperTooth Disco 2 Bluetooth Wireless Speaker Review

I first reviewed SuperTooth’s Disco Bluetooth speaker about a year and a half ago. It is an interesting speaker with a design that stands out in an increasingly crowded market. The original Disco was long and low. Rather than having capacitive touch controls it had – get this — a physical knob for volume control and actual buttons for all other functions. Talk about old-school! When I first opened the box, I really thought the original Disco was ugly. However, over time it grew on me. And while I still don’t think it’s particularly attractive, I do like the physical…

News & Features

Verizon Snags the HTC DROID DNA

Just in case you had any illusions that phones weren’t headed solidly into phablet territory, here comes the latest fully loaded 5″ device to challenge your phone-carrying pockets. note the spiffy red racing strip on the DNA’s side Today the DROID DNA by HTC was announced, and it will be available before the end of the month. The DROID DNA by HTC features a vibrant 5-inch Full HD 1080p super LCD 3 screen that rivals traditional HDTV’s. At 440 PPI, the screen packs the highest pixel density available on a smartphone. Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core 1.5GHz processor…

Reviews

JBL Micro 2 Rechargeable Portable Speaker Review

Your iPhone’s speaker stinks, and so does your iPad’s; even the iPad mini’s stereo speakers, a first for an iOS device, are crappy. And your Android devices? They don’t really do much better. Yes, for a quick YouTube video or conversation the speaker on your mobile device is certainly adequate but it’s not going to win any audiophile prizes. And while you could keep a larger speaker such as the JawBone in your gear bag, that takes up space and adds weight. That’s where this diminutive speaker from JBL comes in. The JBL Micro 2 is small, light, and can…

Reviews

Epson Expression Premium XP-800 Small-in-One Printer Review

I haven’t been all too interested in printers for the last year and a half or so. The reason for this is quite simple — I have been making a concerted effort to be as “paperless” as possible. Thanks to my iPhone, iPad and the various apps that are now available for them, there is little I actually NEED to print. And on those rare occasions when I DO need something printed out … I just send an email to my assistant and ask her to print it using her laser printer. The result? I don’t have or need a…

Gear Bits

Samsung Ships More Galaxy SIII Phones in Q3 Than Apple Sells of the iPhone 4S

Yes, I am going upfront to call out the distinction that Samsung and Apple use different terminologies that reflect their distinct focus – Samsung is a handset supplier as just part of their massive and diverse business, Apple has the iPhone and iOS ecosystem at the core of their entire operation. So when Samsung talks about ‘sales’ it is really ‘shipments’ – how many have left their factory; for Apple sold means sold. This week we heard about how Samsung shipped more Galaxy S3 units than Apple did iPhone 4S in Q3. Three things to get out of the way:…

News & Features

Angry Birds Star Wars is EVERYWHERE!!!

In case you didn’t hear, Angry Birds Star Wars releases today. For many who are tired of BOTH Angry Birds and Star Wars this represents a black hole of interest. But for everyone else, Rovio has made sure that they have made the game as widely available as possible to maximize sales while people are interested. Versions are out for iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets, Kindle Fire HD specific versions, Mac, PC and Windows Phone 8 (WP7.5 support coming later). Angry Birds Star Wars for iPhone and iPod Touch (Apple, $0.99) Angry Birds Star Wars HD for iPad (Apple,…

News & Features

AT&T Will Have the Nokia Lumia 920 for $99.00 and the 820 for $49.99; Preorders Begin November 7th

After attending the Windows Phone launch event last Monday, I came away with an idea of which new devices I would most enjoy using, and my first choice was the Nokia Lumia 920. I’ve got an HTC 8X in hand (review coming soon), and now we have solid availability information from AT&T. Today, Nokia has announced that the “highly anticipated Lumia 920 flagship Windows Phone 8 smartphone will be available exclusively through AT&T at a price of $99.99 with a new two-year contract, available on November 9th with preorders beginning November 7th. For a limited time and while supplies last, AT&T…

Gear Bits

A Visual Guide to the Freakin’ Huge US Cellular Samsung Galaxy Note II

In my review of the US Cellular Samsung Galaxy SIII (SGS3) last month, I noted that “there is no doubt about it – the Galaxy S III is HUGE. As in ‘sticks out of my pocket like a pocket protector’ big”. I have had the SGS3 fall out of my shirt pocket several times leaning over to feed the dogs, and have learned to alternate between my shirt and pants pockets depending on what I was doing. I have mostly adapted, but the SGS3 is a very large device … well, unless you compare it with the Samsung Galaxy Note…

Gear Bits

In Defense of Landlines

This week had a rough start here in New Jersey. Something like 80% of the state lost power, and we were no exception in our household. While we don’t have a landline, we do have cell phones, and were extremely grateful to never lose signal, even as cable and then electricity dropped. Our neighbor across the street wasn’t so lucky, and she barely had enough signal to send text messages. My parents somehow managed to keep both cable and AND electricity, but they had intermittent landline and cell phone issues all day. However, the one lesson I took from this…

Events

Windows Phone 8 Launch Event

I’m at the Windows Phone 8 launch event this morning in San Francisco, waiting in the lobby of the Bill Graham Civic Center with roughly 150 other members of the media. There are probably fewer in attendance than originally intended, due to Hurricane Sandy’s grip on the Eastern states, but the mood here is upbeat and we are looking forward to seeing how Microsoft will (hopefully) wow us this morning. I’ll have more soon, we still have 15 minutes before the doors open … And we’re in and seated. Joe Belfiore is on the stage, welcoming us and saying that…

News & Features

DomeSkin Bumps Up to iPhone 5

With the announcement of any new device come the announcements of matching accessories. And if the device in question is a new iPhone, then you get a LOT more accessory announcements, given the popularity of that handset. Skins for iPhones (and other devices) are nothing new, of course, but the announcement Gear Diary received from DomeSkin caught my attention because it sounded like a different design concept. Most skins are intended to be as flat and thin as possible, so as to protect a device from scratches without adding bulk. If it suits the consumer, the skin may also add…

Reviews

JOBY GripTight Mount & Micro Stand, Video Review

Every now and then an accessory comes along that ends up being far more impressive than expected. That is the case with the new JOBY GripTight Mount and Micro Stand. This small mount and tripod fold up to make a compact unit that can easily be carried on your key ring, but once opened up provides a great deal of useful flexibility if you use your smartphone for taking pictures or holding video chats. From JOBY: In yet another breakthrough in mobile photography, JOBY introduces the GripTight Mount & Micro Stand, a dynamic duo featuring the world’s only pocket-sized tripod…

Editorials

Whittling Down the ’50 Reasons Why the Galaxy S3 Is Better Than the iPhone 5′

This week I discovered a cool video over at PhoneBuff called ’50 Reasons Why The Galaxy S3 Is Better Than The iPhone 5′, which takes a look at a massive list of things they claim make the S3 better than the iPhone 5. Considering I have the Galaxy S3, it would seem I should agree … but I found the list lacking in many ways. Rather than making a separate list, I decided to go through their list an item at a time and give my perspective as a long-time Android user and current Galaxy S3 user. I will provide…

Reviews, Vehicles & Gear

Cobra iRadar Smart Detection System Review

The iPhone is the great disruptor of personal electronics. It has crushed the stand-alone camcorder, taken a huge bite out of the point-and-shoot camera market and made buying an after-market automotive video entertainment system a ridiculous waste of money. And, issues with Apple maps aside, thanks to the iPhone there is less reason to buy a stand alone GPS unit. The list goes on and on. Yes, the iPhone (and other smartphones) turned many once must-have products into “why have” items of yesteryear. There are, however, some rare occasions when the iPhone not only doesn’t disrupt the need for a…

Reviews

BoxWave Type Runner Bluetooth Keyboard Review

Using my iPad as my primary option is still fairly new for me. We all know that the iPad is an amazing user experience for numerous tasks, but while it is easy to use and I can actually type pretty well on it, there are times that using the onscreen keyboard are not optimal. When I am completing work tasks or especially Gear Diary posts (which is not often enough during football season), it is much faster and less tiring to type on a physical keyboard. The only problem with this need is having to carry a full-size keyboard while…

News & Features

Use Protection with Heat Sensitive Rub & Reveal…Now for iPhone 5

All right, all right, have a chuckle. Get your sophomoric locker room humor out of your system. Take a deep breath. Better? Okay, for those able to stop channeling Beavis and Butthead, anokimobi has recently introduced their Heat Sensitive Rub and Reveal cases for the iPhone 5. The heat-sensitive cases are the first of their kind on the market using a special heat-sensitive ink imprinted on the case. When friction or other heat source (I would not recommend an open flame of any kind) is applied, the special ink alters its form and reveals a hidden image underneath. Simply slip…

Reviews

Aranez Book Samsung Galaxy S3 Leather Case Review

For me, one of the classic PDA case designs is the so-called ‘book’ cover. I had one for the HP200LX (and another one later for the Psion Revo) that was more like a pouch, than ones for the HP iPAQ 4355 and Dell Axim X51v that actually allowed you to use the device in the case and had slots for cards on the left side. It is this ability to carry more than just the device that always attracted me. Now I have had the chance to try the Aranez Book case for the Samsung Galaxy SIII. Let’s see how…

Editorials, News & Features

HTC and Motorola Remind Us that EVERY Android Sale is an ‘As Is’ Screw-Over

Apple is far from perfect, but if there is one thing they have demonstrated in the mobile space, it is how to ensure that nearly all users have the latest possible operating system revision as quickly as possible, and to keep updating those systems as long as the hardware is sustainable (obviously this is setting aside things like ‘Siri exclusivity’ and so on). Google and Android on the other hand seem to operate on a couple of different mantras – WYSIWYG and Caveat Emptor. In other words, do not ever expect anything except what you buy … and be careful…

Reviews

Jabra Solemate Bluetooth Speaker Review

I’ve had my Jawbone Jambox for well over a year, and I’ve loved it. It is small, easy to use, and it packs a punch! More recently I had the opportunity to review the Braven 600. It is about the same size, but it has a built-in battery that will also charge your mobile device even as it fills the space with music. Then there is the most recent entry into this category – the Jabra Solemate Bluetooth Portable Speaker. It costs $200, is a bit bigger than the other two speakers and, quite frankly, looks like it wants to…

Reviews

Mission Workshop R6 Arkiv Field Pack Video Review

We reviewed Mission Workshop’s Sanction Weatherproof Rucksack in November of 2011. (Read the review here.) This time out we are taking a look at the company’s R6 Arkiv Field Pack. The Mission Workshop Sanction Weatherproof Rucksack is one of the more unusual backpacks we have ever seen. In fact, it isn’t exactly a backpack. A more accurate way to describe the R6 Arkiv would be to refer to it as “backpackS”. You see, the R6 Arkiv is highly configurable and can be used in a variety of ways. Here’s our video look, the company’s description, and how you might end…

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