Smartphones & Gear

Music Diary, Reviews June 14, 2012

iLuv Premium Audio Cables Review

You know you have hit true geekdom when you get excited over cables. Yes, I hit a new “tech low” (or is it “high”) when I heard about iLuv’s new line of premium audio and charge/sync data cables and I actually got excited about them. (It is like Elana getting excited when she received her first piece of Le Creuset cookware. I just could not understand it.) And while I have to call the company out for Press Release hyperbole such as “iLuv’s audio and data cables revolutionize the market in quality and design” (“revolutionize the market”?? seriously?), now that…

Reviews June 10, 2012

Satechi Audio Cube Portable Bluetooth Speaker Review

I love my iOS devices and use them constantly– but I have one problem. The speakers on the devices are terrible and I love to listen to podcasts, especially when writing for Gear Diary. Headphones or speakers are nearly a must, even in a quiet room. Maybe it is too much blasting of speaker systems in high school, too many car races or too many guns, but, for me, ambient noise washes out a voice on a podcast. Given the choice, I would always prefer to go wireless. (And once you have used a wireless speaker for a time wired…

News & Features June 5, 2012

Nokia and Warner Bros. Bring Fun Lumia-Movie Mashup

I love the cool product mashups that have been increasingly common these days. Just as chocolate and peanut butter go together to make a delicious peanut butter cup, so too can two other seemingly different products combine to do something neat. For example, Nokia and Warner Bros. have teamed up for an exclusive partnership that brings the awesome Nokia Lumia smartphones together with The Dark Knight Rises. That partnership kicks off today (in the US) with the launch of The Dark Knight Rises (TDKR) mobile app. It is exclusive to Nokia Lumia devices. The app lets fans access film trailers,…

News & Features, Travel June 3, 2012

AViiQ Portable Charging Station with Cable Rack System Now Avaialable

We reviewed AViiQ’s portable travel station last August (read the review). It is a great way to charge and sync numerous devices from one wall outlet. It also is a convenient and “clean” way to carry a charge/sync hub in a compact accessory. It was not, however, without it’s faults. Primary among the issues I found was the fact that the cable management system, consisting of overlapping fabric slots, wasn’t the easiest way to keep everything neat and tidy. Now AViiQ is back with an updated version. It costs a bit more than the original (which appears to still be…

Crowdfunding, Reviews May 30, 2012

Hand Stylus Review, Kickstart This!

Using an iPhone and or iPad throughout most days, there is one thing I have learned. My hands can sure make a touch screen smudged up and grimy. While coaching my high school softball team this year, we used the iPad to collect all of the game stats. While this was awesome, I found myself cleaning my iPad after every game just to be able to see the screen. At one point I thought using a stylus might be best to keep it clean while also making the stat keeping easier, but did not have one to use. Recently I…

Gear Bits, How to Do It Yourself! May 30, 2012

Go Custom with Skinit’s Infinity Case for iPhone 4

Tired of going to Best Buy and looking through hundreds of boring, repetitive case designs? Skinit.com thinks they’ve got you covered. Today, the website launches an innovative line of customizable cases for the iPhone 4 and 4S. As a site known for their high-quality protective skins and casings, the company’s aptly named Infinity series offers up a two-part accessory featuring a protective skeleton and a fully personalized “Switchplate.” As seen in the image above, the switchplate locks directly in to the casing, and is both removable and completely interchangeable. Once you’ve got the case, you can purchase additional switchplates separately….

Reviews May 25, 2012

First Impressions from a Long-Time iPhone User Trying a Windows Phone

Yesterday, the HTC Titan that Judie is loaning me for this experiment arrived on my doorstep. I opened the box she had packed it in, saw the AT&T HTC Titan box inside, and I actually stared at it for a few minutes pondering how this process was going to be a lot of fun. But it was also likely to be kind of painful. After all, I’ve been heavily into the iPhone space since its initial release in 2007. I had Windows Mobile 6.5 before that, and in the meantime I have also had a couple of Android devices from…

Reviews May 21, 2012

SPIGEN SGP HTC One X Crumena Leather Pouch Series Review

The HTC One X is a beast… and I mean that in only the best way. It is big, it is beautiful, and it has a fantastic screen. The body of the phone is polycarbonate which means the white color goes completely through it. That, in turn, means scratches won’t be quite so apparent. The screen is made from Corning Gorilla Glass. THAT means the screen won’t easily scratch. In other words, the HTC One X is a tough phone. Despite being so tough, however, you ARE going to want to protect the device. One great option is SGP’s Crumena…

Reviews May 20, 2012

iWOW-U Universal Audio Adapter Review

Back in April we took a look at SRS’ MyTunes Pro app for iPhone, iPod touch and MyTunes Pro HD for the iPad. The apps do wonders to transform the music coming from your iOS device. The app is free to try and just $10 to unlock the full features. It works well, but itbhas two main limitations. First, it only uses the music in the native music app. That’s an issue for someone like me who is increasingly using Spotify or Rdio as my main source for music. Second, whenever you change your music library the app has to rebuild…

Editorials May 18, 2012

Me on a Windows Phone? The “Hot” Place Must Have Frozen Over (sort of)!

I’ve been considering something for a while now. Something that, for me, was almost unthinkable even a short time ago. But now I want to mix things up a bit and try something new. So after some internal debate, I’ve decided to try a new smartphone platform. Although the Android platform never offered anything that I found to be compelling in terms of end-user experience, Windows Phone has intrigued me since it’s debut with its completely different user interface paradigm. So I decided that I would follow Judie and Dan’s positive forays into the Windows Phone world, and I’d…

News & Features May 18, 2012

Tweet It! for Windows Phone Now Free until Tomorrow Evening

Yesterday was Khamidov Timur’s birthday. No, no, not the 14th century Turkic Mongol conqueror, but the modern developer of a very nice Twitter app named Tweet It! for Windows Phone, and you, dear reader, get the gift! For the next 36 hours or so his Tweet It! app is free! From the developer: Simple, but Powerful! Fast and awesome UI! It’s all about “Tweet It!” Tweet endlessly. Tweet comfortably! Tweet like no-one else before! Even if there is no Internet connection you can use built in drafts so your tweets will never be lost. It’s “Faster Tweeting!” feature lets you…

Reviews May 17, 2012

FlipStands Tablet Stand Review

If there is one negative aspect about having a tablet computer, it is probably how to hold the thing. As their form factor is super handy when on the go or playing a game, it is not always easy to hold them when trying to get some real work done. I have tried many products including cases that double as a stand, all with mixed results. Recently, I was able to check out a product called FlipStands. While it holds my iPad as several other gadgets do, the beauty is that it will work with virtually any tablet. Let’s take…

Reviews May 17, 2012

Bracketron Universal Power Dock Pro Flex Review

One thing that is true for all smartphone users is that an opportunity to charge the device must not be passed on! And the perfect time to power-up is when in a vehicle. I never drive anywhere without first plugging in so I can get as much juice as possible. When charging in a vehicle, there is always an issue of where to set the phone. Sometimes my iPhone ends up in a cup holder or on the seat, and at times it might even sit in my lap so I can answer calls or change songs if need be….

News & Features May 16, 2012

iLuv DualJack; Now, Why Didn’t I Think of That?

Every now and then a product comes along that makes me say, “Why didn’t I think of that?” iLuv has new “Premium Audio Cables and Charging and Sync Solutions” available as part of their myLink collection, and one of them fits the bill quite well. Here’s what the company has to say about their new offerings. iLuv’s audio and data cables revolutionize the market in quality and design. They were designed to provide superior functionality and the stylish design consumers desire in their accessories. These durable cables were constructed with a number of enhancements in both form and function, and…

Gear Bits, How to Do It Yourself! May 16, 2012

When is a ROM Update an Official Update? The Verizon Galaxy Nexus Edition

As a Verizon Galaxy Nexus owner for merely a month, one thing that I have learned is that you can not expect to have the update from Google at the same time as the GSM version. Here I sit one month in, and it’s been five months since the launch of the phone on Verizon … and I still have Android 4.0.2. Why? Funny you should ask. I have too. In February, there were many posts about the Verizon version of the phone “losing” it’s developer phone status. Many of the posts were quickly updated as Google stated that it…

News & Features May 15, 2012

Why I Chose the Galaxy Nexus

About a month ago I was in the market for a new phone. My Droid 2 was at the end of its useful life, and I was ready for a new smartphone. There was a lot of debate between my friends over what would be better, and it came of shock to no one that I chose the Galaxy Nexus. The Screen The number one feature of the Galaxy Nexus wasn’t the 4G network; although that is a plus, the screen is what truly won me over. I say this knowing that the Nexus has a pentile screen. I, quite frankly…

Reviews May 10, 2012

DecalGirl Nokia Lumia 900 Skin Kit Review

I go through stages where I don’t want a protective case on my gear, but when I got the Nokia Lumia 900, I knew right away that there was no way I’d put that phone in a case. Why not? Well, let’s start with the 900’s size. The cases that I saw at the AT&T store, even the simplest bumper style, looked as though they would make the phone even wider; while the full-size cases looked as if they would make the phone much too thick. The Lumia 900 has such a beautiful polycarbonate body that I didn’t want to…

Events, News & Features May 7, 2012

Samsung’s First 4G LTE Windows Phone, the Focus 2, Will Be $49.99 at AT&T

Samsung wasn’t content to let HTC hog all the new device announcements this morning; they, along with AT&T have announced the Focus 2. This is Samsung’s first 4G LTE Windows Phone, and AT&T’s third. The Focus 2 will be “an affordable smartphone that will be available beginning May 20 in pure white for $49.99 (with a two-year service agreement). Featuring a 4” Super AMOLED display and front-facing VGA camera, the Focus 2 is sure to grab your attention.” You can read more about the Samsung Focus 2 on the Windows Phone Blog. You can pick yours up for $50 on May 20th at…

Events, News & Features May 7, 2012

HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE Revealed at CTIA

Were you under the impression that most Droids were made by Motorola? I’ll admit that for a while, when I heard Droid that was my first thought — probably because of the Motorola Droid commercials that used to constantly be on. But as you can see by the title (and by the past HTC Droid models), Motorola doesn’t have a lock on the name … evidently Verizon does, because they licensed it from LucasFilms. But I digress. CTIA kicked off with a bang this morning; not only did HTC announce their One S, they’ve also confirmed the internet rumors and…

Events, News & Features May 7, 2012

Latest HTC One Android Phone, the V, Coming This Summer

This morning HTC has announced the HTC One V, the latest of the HTC One series. We’ve covered the One X and the One S, and later this summer it looks like we’ll have another version to look forward to. If you like Android phones, these have proven to be some of the most exciting available. The One V will be running Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), and it will feature a a 5-megapixel camera with f/2.0 back illuminated sensor. The One V will have HTC Video Pic™, and will be able to capture “still photos while simultaneously recording HD video.” The One…

Crowdfunding May 6, 2012

LunaTik Touch Pen, the Evolution of the Stylus: Kickstart This!

The LunaTik Touch Pen is the second product from the team that brought us the very first Kickstarter project I backed- TikTok and LunaTik Multi-Touch Watch Kits for use with the iPod nano. That project was funded back in November of 2010 and was a home run for the company and for the “wear your iPod nano like a watch” market. Project Title: LunaTik Touch Pen: The Evolution of the Stylus Status: Funded Closing Date for Funding: Friday, February 10, 2012 URL of the Project: Find it here. From the Creatives: HELLO AGAIN!: Thank you for checking out our LunaTik…

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