One of the first things I noticed about my new FujitsuT4215 was that it gets pretty hot while running in laptop mode. See, there’s this vent on the left hand side, and it cranks out heat like there’s no tomorrow…and the bottom of the laptop get’s pretty warm, too. Which is why it seemed particularly timely when I received a review sample of the new Jetart NP7600W Aluminum Notebook Cooler.

Continue Reading

Here’s a new drool-worthy collection from Vaja which features similar stylish perforations to those which pepper the new line of Vaja Messenger bags. Take a look…

Vaja is proud to announce Caddie, its latest and exclusive collection:

Continue Reading

I got my MacBook Pro about a month and a half ago. Since then, it’s been a tender love affair, accented by long days spent together, just trying to get to know each other. So far, it’s been a really great time. However, there are a few things on the notebook that are missing. For example, such as a docking station port (another story for another day) and a built in card reader. The computer, does however, come with an Express Card/34 slot. However, between me and you, I don’t know how or why something as simple as a card reader was left off of so nearly complete a notebook; but that’s another rant for another day.

Suffice it to say, that without a way to get to any of my flash cards, I’d have to rely on either the USB connection between my PPC and my notebook; or the card reader on my wife’s desktop to read them. Thankfully, with the addition of the APIOTek 18-in-1 Card Reader Express Card, that would soon be a problem I had left behind me.

This is a stock photo of the card from the APIOTek web site.

Continue Reading

It’s a toilet unlike any you’ve ever seen.

Except maybe in your dreams.

photo courtesy of Roto-Rooter

Picture this: a luxury Kohler® toilet outfitted with a TiVo®, LCD flat screen TV, Xbox™ 360, iPod™, laptop, mini-fridge–and more.

Roto Rooter is having a sweepstakes to win this Ultimate Seat of Power – Roto-Rooter’s Pimped out John.

Here’s a portion of the press release:

Continue Reading

Here’s some pretty exciting news that I’ve just received from Frank J. Garcia*.

The first Magazine about UMPC that I know of in the whole World has been released today in Spain!
A group of UMPC enthusiasts have worked for 20 days to put together this first number in PDF format that can be downloaded here.

Continue Reading

Just a heads up to everyone who has been anxiously waiting for Apple to release their 802.11n Enabler, it is now available on their site for purchase for US$1.99, AU$2.99, 1.25GPB, or the equivalent in other currencies.

I have been checking Apple’s site daily waiting for this so that I can take the plunge into fast wireless. Those of you with 802.11n routers already can finally see the speed they were meant for

[Ed. note: I got an IM from Larry this morning saying "God!... forgive me please... someone got killed by me...".

Immediately concerned, I looked at the Flickr address he had included. Holding back the laughter, I read Larry's next IM, "don't call the police, please~~~".

Well of course not Larry! I'll post the victim here for everyone to see, instead.

Larry originally wrote this dissection for the Palm Is Life forum, but he has also translated it for Gear Diary. To see it in the original Chinese, click here.]

Here is the one which got killed…

Continue Reading

If you are having trouble naming all the bloggers in our latest contest, never fear; Astraware has goodies up their sleeve for everyone…

If you haven’t already, be sure to join Club Astraware. Members earn point which may be redeemed against future purchases, and they also get other special “club only” offers.

Perhaps one of the most exciting features that they are adding is the ability to get club points for purchases made over the years, even if you weren’t a member of the club at the time. This type of retroactive upgrade is pretty rare, and I am impressed by the offer!

Continue Reading

I’ve been a pretty satisfied user of Palm PDA’s over the years and have bounced around different brands such as the innovative Sony Clie models and especially the Tapwave Zodiac for the half-VGA (480 x 320) screen for eBook reading and the generous memory of 128MB and two SD card slots.

I’ve always subscribed to the comfort level of having two devices – one for datacentric purposes – contacts, calendar, eBooks & content and a straightforward cell phone for simply making calls and nothing else. When the Palm Treo 600 came out, I was not impressed with the lo-res screen and screen size. My thinking at the time was why downgrade from what I had been accustomed in using two devices coupled with the fear of losing a single converged device.

I have since warmed up to using a Palm Treo 650 for some time and have enjoyed the third party software applications that have complimented the usual benefits of a smartphone – email, web browsing and contact management in a tidy Palm OS user experience package. These third party software applications have included Handmark’s Pocket Express – news, weather and 411 lookups; TomTom GPS navigation, MobiTV, carrying various versions of the Bible, music via PocketTunes and voice dialing via VoiceDialIt, just to mention a few.

The Treo 650 became frustrating to use, as over time the 32MB of internal memory proved to be woefully inadequate. I would find myself unable to retrieve email, or fail to launch the TomTom GPS due to lack of memory. If I wanted to try a new program, I would have to delete an existing program just to experience a trial version. Thus, there were some sacrifices made along the way such as eliminating eReader or Documents to Go or travel programs such as WorldMate Professional residing on the Treo 650 as resident mainstays.

Continue Reading

Palm is Life Administrator (and Gear Diary Team member) Larry just sent several links to the latest information on the HTC Athena, or Dopod U1000 as she will be known in Asia. Larry said, “Athena will launch February 2007, at NT$39900.

Taiwan.CNET is offering the following specs and pictures, but the price – being approximately $1200US…is just…ouch.

Continue Reading

Thank you for your submissions – the contest is now closed. A winner will be announced shortly.

In the midst of all the craziness that is CES, I had the opportunity to enjoy a very entertaining lunch with John Phillips (of Astraware), Jack Cook (of Mobility Site & Experience Mobility), and Steve Hughes (of Boston Pocket PC & Techronical) at Quark’s Bar.

photo courtesy of Jack Cook, taken by John Phillips

Somewhere in the middle of that meal, John leaned across the table and said – quite seriously, amidst all of the laughter and story-telling – that he had something he needed to give me. I had no idea what it would be, and as I watched him pull out his wallet, my curiosity deepened…

Continue Reading

For years people have been waiting to Apple to release a competitor to Microsoft’s Tablet PC, but it appears they have been beaten to it by a company called Axiotron who have taken things into their own hands by producing a heavily modified MacBook that includes a new 13.3″ LCD with a hardened surface and a Wacom digitizer the offers all the benefits only a Wacom can (like pressure sensitivity).

This gorgeous tablet is now available for pre-order from Other World Computing in three configurations which adjust the CPU, RAM, HDD, Optical Drive. Every pre-ordered ModBook includes a GPS receiver, but after the offer ends only the two top configurations do.

The lucky guys over at MacWorld got to try one out, and Johnathan Seff has made a short video demonstrating the ModBook and its Tablet PC abilities. They have also posted a First Look article which goes into more detail.

Continue Reading

Last night I checked the Software Update panel on my MacBook Pro and found a few new updates available, one which updated the Airport Extreme card. I haven’t had any issues with it, but I figured I might as well update it considering its there. May improve speed or reception or something. WRONG!

Since the update my once rock solid connection to my Belkin 802.11G router is now extremely flakey. In my month of ownership I have NEVER had a dropped connection until installing this update. A quick search on Apple’s forums revealed I am not alone in my problem, with many reporting similar issues after updating.

It appears under the name AirPort Extreme Update 2007-001 on Apple’s support website, and the thread about the other unforunate casualties of this update is here. Unless you for some reason really need this update, I would recommend waiting for a solution to this frustrating problem.

Chris Davies of SlashGear fame has gone through a recent move which left him without reliable internet service for an excruciating two weeks, and believe me – I had to hear all about it from him, too!

So to back up for a moment…about the same time he received the Samsung Z560 review unit from T-Mobile UK, he also received a shiny new Palm 750v. Being more impressed with the 750v’s form factor, he set the Samsung to the side; being without high-speed internet made him reconsider the HSDPA enabled Z560. Hey, a man’s gotta have his priorities!

Continue Reading

eWEEK seem to have gotten a bit confused by what constitutes a Smartphone, because one of these phones does not belong.

Apple’s recently announced iPhone has been widely criticized for being a closed platform, not open to 3rd party developers, which rules it out as being a Smartphone in the true sense. While not a very comprehensive list, up till the last phone the gallery shows quite well the development of the Smartphone from an add-on card for a PDA to today with integrated 3G, push email and more.