There are some hardcore Windows Vista fans out there, but for the rest of us, October 22 can’t come soon enough. That’s when Windows 7 is expected to be “generally available” to consumers – well ahead of its original schedule. Windows 7 will begin shipping to OEMs at the end of July, and by late October, you’ll be able to pick up a boxed copy or get it preinstalled on a new computer. Source: Reuters Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Here’s an interesting spare battery that can be used as a “his and her’s” charging kit. The Fueltank has two batteries (Lithium ion) which the manufacturer says have 7 times the capacity of the typical mobile phone. Each side of the dual charger can independently power up a device. The cost of the Fueltank is about $69 which includes one proprietary charging adapter. Additional adapters are available on the Fueltank site for $9.95. Fueltank dual battery backup – $69.95… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

The Ford Edge crossover utility vehicle paved the way to a new segment for Big Blue Oval to compete. The big story for 2009 is the new Edge Sport model, aimed at customers who want a fresher, hipper look – a more personalized vehicle.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Still looking to bring your parents or grand parents into the wonderful world of wireless communication, without needing to spend a month conducting a technical seminar covering how to use the phone’s features?  GreatCall, Inc. has just come out with the Jitterbug J cell phone, manufactured by Samsung, which offers a loud speaker, large buttons, and easy-to-use interface. The Jitterbug J is primarily geared towards the elderly and technophobic; but can be an alternative for anyone needing basic wireless service without paying for unneeded or unwanted  features never used.    Additional features and Rate Plan information available after the jump.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Cut from the same style of games as Chicktionary, Sextuple Word Challenge and Wurdle comes Wordulous from 99Games Online. Wordulous challenges you to make as many words as you can from a jumbled group of letters.  With “old-school” graphics, three different types of game play and a .99 cent price tag, there’s a lot to like about this game.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

With quirky, no longer will budding James Dysons have to move Down Under or enter humiliating reality TV shows, in order to bring their inventions to market. Quirky is an “online social product development company”. For a non-refundable $99 fee, you get to submit an idea for a product that, if selected (by the quirky community, ostensibly), will be developed (again, by said community) and sold on the quirky website. Profits are distributed amongst the “influencers” according to their amount of input. Pictured is their first product, a cable storage case called… the Slingback. We’ve all had our “Why Didn’t I Think of That?” moments, so if you… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

You’ll soon be able to rock out in the comfort of your own living room to arguably the greatest band in history.  The Beatles have announced the details of their upcoming release for the insanely popular consul game Rock Band. The game, which is slated for release on September 9th, will includes songs From “I Want to Hold Your Hand” to “Get Back.”  Every song in “The Beatles: Rock Band” comes directly from the Abbey Road master tapes. The song list spans the length of The Beatles’ career, including:  I saw her standing there, I want to hold your hand, I feel fine, Day tripper, Taxman, I am the walrus, Back in the U.S.S.R., Octopus’s Garden, Here… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

This has got to be one of the better unboxings of a computer game that I’ve seen. Here’s Whitney Liles who is a big SIMS fan and gamer enthusiastically unboxes her new copy of SIMS 3 which launches worldwide today on PC, MAC and iPod Touch. Whitney’s understandably excited by the new levels of customization built into the SIMS 3. You now can record movies of your SIMS and share them online with friends. The PC and MAC version is about $50 while the iPod Touch/iPhone version is $10. Larry will have a review of the iPod Touch and iPhone version in a little while. SIMS 3 Continue reading on Gear Diary …

This morning’s GearSponsor deal is a big $500 coupon and free shipping against the Core i7 HP Pavilion Elite m9600t Desktop PC. Free 4GB DDR3 RAM Upgrade and $50 instant rebate on the LCD moniro. There’s also a Card Reader for your media, Multimedia Keyboard, Mouse, Power Cord. Removing Vista and replacing it with Windows 7 would be one of my first suggestions. LogicBuy Continue reading on Gear Diary …

If there’s one thing that I love, its music and video. I’ve got a 60GB 5G iPod and an 8GB 2G iPod Touch. Neither have enough space. I want my entire collection of multimedia on my iPod so I can cart it all everywhere, with out worrying about what’s synchronized and what isn’t. My wish has come true… No, not literally. I don’t have one of these, but I sure wish I did.  Enter the 240GB (yes, that’s right… 240GB) iPod; and its available for Father’s Day! With Father’s Day right around the corner many people are banging their head against the wall trying to find an original gift, something other than a tie or tool set. Rapid Repair has the perfect solution- an upgraded iPod. This 240GB Continue reading on Gear Diary …

This 1.8″ TFT color screened Sansa e260 supports MP3, WMA and secure WMA formats. Boost up the memory via the included MicroSD slot (add your own memory card though). Includes an FM radio tuner which can record old school direct from the airwaves. Playback videos in MJPEG format. There’s a free converter for taking MPEG-4, WMV, DivX and converting to watchable video. For $37.99 shipped this qualifies as the bargain of the day. Sansa e260 Continue reading on Gear Diary …

The sad rumor that I heard this weekend was confirmed today on the Direct2Dell blog…Dell is discontinuing the Mini 9.  They are pushing the Mini 10 and 10v as the replacements to the popular 8.9 inch laptop, Dell’s first in the hot new netbook genre. I am pretty bummed about this, though I am glad that I got my hands on a Mini 9 before they were phased out.  I am constantly getting compliments, questions, and requests for netbook buying advice based on people seeing my Mini or knowing that I own one.  The fact that I have been able to Hackintosh it into a… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

One of the best technology purchases I made was the Nintendo Wii, which was a family present two Chanukahs ago.  It is a fantastic gaming platform, especially for younger children, and the motion sensitive controls are nothing short of amazing.  The only problem I found, though, was that the Wii remote can get in the way of the illusion of some games.  I initially found this when I was playing Star Wars on the Wii.  The Wii remote just did not approximate a sword or light saber very well.  Fortunately, at that time, DreamGear contacted me with a Wii lightsaber, which connected to the Wii remote, significantly enhancing the illusion. Not long ago, I found I had the same problem, to an even higher degree, with shooting games.  The Wii remote is simply not an adequate surrogate for the trigger on a gun.  The illusion was getting shattered, which significantly affected my enjoyment of this genre.  Fortunately, I happened to have been emailing with my friends at DreamGear, who offered to help solve this problem by sending along the DreamGear Rumble Blaster for my Wii.  Keep reading to see how it worked. … Continue reading on Gear Diary …

One of the most highly anticipated games to be released for the iPhone and iPod Touch is about to hit the iTunes App Store world wide. Just made available in Australia, Asia, and the UK The SIMs is set to be released in the U.S. App Store Tuesday June 2nd. The Sims was first released on February 4, 2000. By March 22, 2002, The Sims had sold more than 6.3 million copies worldwide, making it the best selling PC game in history The Sims focuses entirely on the lives of virtual people called Sims, placing the player in control of their virtual “world” and their daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, reading, and bathing. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Here’s a doo-dad that James Bond might appreciate and use: the LaCie iamaKey. Available in 4 or 8GB sizes, this tiny flash memory drive is neatly camouflaged as a key. To further the illusion, the iamaKey comes complete with a weighty slipring and fob. Continue reading on Gear Diary …