Step right up – get your BlackBerry 8900 back on sale at Amazon for $49 after $100 rebate and 2 year T-Mobile prison sentence. I grabbed the 8900 when it first went on sale at Amazon for the $49 price. Later that afternoon the price doubled to $99. Here’s your second chance to get this BlackBerry for the bargain price of $49. What’s to love? 3.2 mp camera, T-Mobile UMA service that lets you make and receive calls over Wi-Fi, upgraded 4.6 OS. Anything to worry about? The keys are a little “pointy” compared to my Bold, the T-Mobile native cell service is the worst footprint of any USA carrier and the screen seems much smaller after staring at the larger Bold… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

If you’re in the market for a BlackBerry Bold case here’s an excellent review that spotlights the good and the bad about the Seidio Innocase. Reviewer Al Sacco liked the protection and good looks. Disliked the price ($29) and the way the side keys were partially obstructed. There’s a lot of nice pictures showing exactly how the case fits. Another good feature is that the case comes in multiple colors and has an optional holster. I’ve used Seidio’s on several of my BlackBerry devices and always found them to be of good quality. Crackberry Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I honestly think that Apple makes the best MP3 player on the market.  I know there are a lot of people that would like to debate that point, but in my mind, and in my opinion, even though they didn’t release the first player, they were the first ones to get the experience right.  They win; but again, that’s a personal opinion… Recently I bought my daughter a 4G (RED) Nano for Christmas.  Her grandparents “bought” her a white and red Samsung Propel (she got a Visa gift card that we used to purchase the phone).  It was a, uh-hem… Hard Candy Christmas, as most everything she got was white and red. Just before the Holiday’s kicked in here in The States, I was approached by Vaja and asked if I wanted to review their iVolution Grip Case for the 4G Nano, I jumped at the opportunity. Let’s take a quick look and see how things went with the case. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

After reading David Pogue’s New York Time’s article on the Kindle2 this morning (The Kindle: Good Before, Better Now), I posted the following tweet, which simultaneously updated my Facebook status: One of my Facebook friends, Tahelia Wagner, commented on my update by saying: I don’t get it. I completely understand the desirability of carrying multiple books around under one cover, but I want to read on my current devices (or a Fujitsu P1630, if I can ever afford one), not pay lotsa bucks for another device that essentially just reads books. Maybe it’s a good thing that Facebook deemed my response too long and chopped it off. I’ll reply here, and you all can weigh in with your opinions as well…… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

If you’re having trouble getting into Gmail via the web – you probably aren’t alone. My Gmail web access has been sporadically unavailable since about 5:30am EST. It seems like email is flowing to my BlackBerry and the service has been up – and then down several times. Both Gmail and Gmail for Apps appear to be affected. If you’re having trouble this morning with Gmail – it’s (probably) not you – it’s them. Gmail Continue reading on Gear Diary …

iLane is a device that connects to your BlackBerry (other devices coming soon) via Bluetooth. While connected, use your voice to command the iLane to read aloud your email as well as to reply to messages. Howard Chui has put the device to the test and comes away most impressed by the ability of the iLane to continuously listen for your spoken commands as well as the simple setup. The iLane has got to have the easiest setup ever. First; go to mobile.ilane.com on your Blackberry and download and register. Next I plugged it in and after waiting 30 seconds for it to boot, it started talking to me. It told me to pair my phone with the iLane and then to pair my Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Sprint’s sweetening the referral pot by upping the amount they’ll pay an existing subscriber for referring a friend. Previously this bounty was $25. Starting 2/23/09 and running through 3/31/09 the referral bonus is now $100 – and you can earn this up to 12 times. Unfortunately this amount is paid via VISA Debit card, though you can spend the card just like cash. 1. Use the Sprint email a friend link to share this offer 2. Encourage your friend to activate by 3/31/09 3. Tell your friend to call #REF (#733) from their new phone within 15 days or by 3/31/09 – be sure you share your Sprint number because your friend will be asked for it. Sprint Referral Rewards Program Continue reading on Gear Diary …

The idea for this post came from a little back and forth amongst the GearDiary team concerning getting better images to go along with our blog entries. Specifically, some were looking for tips to producing better images of tech gear with monitor screens, i.e. multimedia devices, smartphones, laptops, video monitors, etc.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

In the Mission Impossible series, Ethan Hunt (memorably played by everyone’s favorite Scientologist, Tom cruise) uses a host of high tech gadgets to solve mysteries…including completing his impossible mission.  So, how cool would it be if you could watch Ethan Hunt use all those cool gadgets on your own cool gadget.  Yeah, show people how high tech you are by watching the entire Mission Impossible trilogy…on your phone! Here are the goods.  All you have to do is head over to your local Alltel Wireless store (or mall kiosk) between now and April 16, and pick up the brand new Samsung Delve.  That’s it.  Mission Possible and Solved.  As soon as you complete the purchase, your friendly neighborhood Alltel Wireless dealer will hand you a 2GB microSD card containing the entire Mission Impossible Trilogy, suitable for playing on your new phone. This post will self destruct in 10 seconds….Oh and hit the jump for the full press release.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Nothing say’s “I’m a little unstable and have plenty of money to waste” like a Select Comfort Sleep Number Pet Bed. For $132.99 (on sale) you can give Rover his own air mattress with selectable firmness. Let’s face it, even well mannered dogs have an occasional accident – so you’re going to appreciate the soft micro suede waterproof cover which makes cleaning up messes a snap. If you regularly buy frozen dog treats out of the pet food aisle, this bed is going to be a must own. Select Comfort via CrunchGear Continue reading on Gear Diary …

According to a new report in the Wall Street Journal, Motorola is about to announce the sale of their Good Technology,Inc messaging division to Visto Corp. When Good first came out they were widely viewed as a competitor to RIM’s BlackBerry service. Their push technology (email, calendar, contacts) ran on a variety of hardware including the Palm Treo and seemed for a week that it might actually be a competitor to Microsoft and RIM. Then Motorola came along in 2007 with a $438 million bag of money and put a stop to that. Visto had started litigation against Good in 2006 claiming patent infringement. Motorola currently sells Good’s mobile email through wireless carriers in the US such as AT&T, Sprint, Nextel… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

It’s an issue that has been around since people first started carrying mobile devices: What’s the best way to carry your phone or MP3 player so that it will be easily accessible, less likely to be stolen, and less likely to be forgotten? An obvious answer might be to keep the device inside a case that attaches to the wearer’s belt, but some don’t want the hassle of a bulky case; they need something that offers a little bit more flexibility. With that in mind, say hello to the Rivet Clip System, specifically the Kingpin, Shift and GoClip. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

My relationship with the new fullsize GM hybrid SUVs continues to be a love/hate one. I love the fuel savings and cleaner emissions delivered by these “green beasts,” but I hate that consumers still cannot get one for less than 50 grand.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Whenever I’m out in the city for the day I see a lot of tourists trying to do the old “one arm” picture thing. It’s an awkward maneuver where you hold the camera out at arms length and try to get a group photo of two or more people. Trouble is that it never comes out looking like more than a distorted photo with half your arm in the frame and only some of your group. Here’s a great idea from quik pod. It’s billed as the world’s longest handheld and compact tripod. While it’s made for holding, the tripod can also stand erect using the included legs. Extending a full 38.5″ you are assured of getting everyone into your group… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Home Decorators Outlet has one and two arm Home Theater chairs on sale for $99 and $119 respectively. Amazon has these same chairs for about 4 times the price. From the web site: Our Theater Chair is one of the many seating selections – including chairs, sofas and love seats – available in our Soho Collection. This chair is specially designed for comfort while viewing a movie at home. This two-armed chair is meant to pair with the one-armed Theater Chair for a set of spectacular home theater furniture seating. Each is carefully handcrafted and features solid wood framing and foam padding for comfort and support. These chairs recline and include cup holders for the perfect viewing experience. Purchase a one… Continue reading on Gear Diary …