Are you a fan of Facebook? Addicted to Twitter? Compulsively checking your Myspace 100 times a day? Wish you could check all three at once, on a half baked application provided by your carrier? If you’re on AT&T, congratulations, it’s your lucky day…AT&T has debuted “Social Net”, a program designed to give you one-stop access to Myspace, Twitter and Facebook. It’s only available on branded AT&T handsets (ones that come with Media Mall).… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

The Technologizer has an article on cool and innovative, but ultimately doomed, technology over at their site.  Its definitely worth a read, especially if you like trips down the road to yesteryear. While you might think this includes things like the Newton and Sony Betamax, it doesn’t, it specifically avoids them. For this article, I intentionally skipped some of the most legendary magnificent failures, such as the Apple Newton, Commodore Amiga, and Sony Betamax–they’ve been celebrated more or less continuously since their untimely passings, and I wanted to devote more space to lesser-known contenders. I figure you’re going to reminisce about your own favorites in the comments anyhow. There are some pretty… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

While I still love my Amazon Kindle and enjoy using it my frustrations with it are also well documented here on the site. I like the device well enough but many of the limitations have quickly become clear. At the same time, while I’ve been reading numerous books on the device I’ve also found myself reading some of the old books I had from eReader and Fictionwise. And while I would love something larger, I find reading on the iPhone and the iPod touch a nice experience. It’s for these reasons that… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Here’s a chance to score some extra savings via Gearsponsor Logicbuy on several different HP LCD monitors ranging in size from 18.5″ to 27″ HD. Use coupon code SV2132 or MT8757 while checking out to score the extra savings. HP w1858 18.5-inc 16:9 LCD Monitor $119.99 using SV2132 HP 2009m 20-inch 1600 x 900 LCD Monitor $139.99 using SV2132 HP 2159m 21.4-inch Full HD HDMI LCD Monitor $169.99 using SV2132 HP w2338h 23-inch Full HD HDMI LCD Monitor $219.99 using SV2132 HP w2558hc 25-inch Full HD HDMI LCD Monitor $399.99 using SV2132 HP 2709m 27″ Full HD 1080p HDMI LCD Monitor $399.99 using MT8757 Continue reading on Gear Diary …

We are all feeling the financial pinch!  Blue Plate Special is a weekly review of bargain apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Nothing over $.99. From the developer: Nano Rally is a fun, beautiful and addictive top down driving game, in which you drive miniaturized cars around various tracks, all based on different household environments, to see what time you post.  One minute you could find yourself power-sliding around the end of a spring onion, then falling off a precariously balanced ruler the next. As with any rally, races are time trials, with points allotted for the top times.  Make your way through the different rallies/environments and stages, and if you get enough points you will end victorious. The game begins with only the Kitchen Rally unlocked, by playing in championship mode players can unlock further environments by placing in the top 10 at the end of the each Rally. Featuring: * Beautiful, pre-rendered design * 6 Environments: Kitchen, Bedroom, Office, Garden, SECRET and SECRET * 25 different stages/tracks, each with their own difficulties * 100+ different obstacles, including everything from iPhones to candy bars to fish ponds * Customisable car setup, such as acceleration and handling, to suit [...]

In the shadow of Apple pulling the GV Mobile and VoiceCentral, and word today that AT&T was behind Apple’s actions (surprise surprise!) 9to5Mac asks “Can VOiP apps be next?” They also had a bit of advice… If you were ever thinking of downloading a VoIP app, do it right now, before other apps start disappearing from of the App Store without explanation. Apple users: This is what “carrier exclusivity” buys you. Skype (iTunes Link) Fring (iTunes Link) TruPhone IM+ with Skype To add insult… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Today Twitter is unveiling a new home page that puts search of Twitter feeds front and center. Three classifications of topics are spotlighted on the bottom of the opening page (this will be seen by anyone not yet signed into Twitter). The three classes of topics are: Now, Today and this week. Defining a “tweet” for the uninitiated and explaining how to create an account doesn’t resonate with everyone. “Why would I want to do that?” is a common reaction. However, demonstrating the power of Twitter as a discovery engine for what is happening right now through our Search and Trends often awakens a sense of wonder which inevitably leads to a much more compelling question, “How do I get involved?” Twitter Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Evernote, my “go to” application/service for all things notetaking, document storage, screenshot grabbing and more, pulled yet another new trick out of its bag. PDFs that are uploaded to Evernote will now be searchable thanks to the company’s powerful OCR technology! As someone who has uploaded a huge number of PDFs to Evernote I’m really happy to see this feature added. Each new implementation may only be a relatively small, incremental step but, taken as a whole, the service just gets better and better at a pretty rapid pace. There was one thing about both the announcement and the demonstration video (embedded after the jump) that was especially striking to me….… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

As has been widely reported Microsoft and Yahoo are combining their search technologies in the hope of making one unified search tool that finally can put some hurt into Google’s dominance. Under a just announced deal Microsoft will get a 10 year license for Yahoo’s core search technologies and Microsoft’s Bing will be the exclusive algorithmic search for both companies. This new collaboration is intended to combine the forces of Microsoft and Yahoo to create a more potent challenge to Google’s search dynasty. I predict the one thing that it will create is one big project to integrate these two search also rans. Anyone want to bet how long it lasts? I say 3 years. More Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Sprint’s just out with an earning’s report and other than news that losses are not growing – there aren’t many happy surprises. The quarter showed a loss of $384 million and a total revenue decrease that measured 10%. Total subscribers slipped another net 991,000 subscribers which puts the total subscriber loss over the last 7 quarters at an eye popping 7 million. WSJ Continue reading on Gear Diary …

We often think of social networking — and the internet in general — as free reign; our own space to do as we please.  Many of us reconnect with friends, family, and colleagues via Twitter and Facebook.  We rarely think twice about posting a photo of ourselves or our loved ones — after all who else but our closest friends care about our recent vacation pics?  If you’re on Facebook, 3rd party advertisers do.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Most of our “gear”, that is, the stuff we carry with us all the time, is of the electronic kind. There is, however, something else that is a regular part of my gear…  water bottle. The world seems to be fascinated by the lowly bottled water with millions and millions making their way into landfills each year.  I, on the other hand, try to stay as far away from it as I can. I am a “re-filler”. If I do grab a bottle of water I make sure to use it more than once by refilling it from the tap or my Brita pitcher. That, unfortunately, still means wasting a plastic bottle after just a few uses. There are, however, other options. For those who like spending money US Canteen has some pricy alternatives to the lowly plastic water bottle. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Both CNet and iLounge speculated this past week that the iPod Classic, that venerable high-capacity iPod that in earlier forms more or less got the whole iPod market moving, may be a short-timer.  The speculation stems from last week’s Apple earnings call, which broke down the sales of iPods by model.  With the success of the Touch and the iPhone and their ability to run third party software, the Classic just doesn’t have the level of appeal that it once did.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Need to keep your vacation home, secret hideaway, or militia compound safe from intruders? If you have $600 burning a hole in your pocket, the All Weather Cellular Camera with Nightvision may be just what you’ve been looking for. The camera is completely wireless and uses GSM cellular networks, allowing you to view your surveillance footage online from any remote location.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

What’s more fun than a good puzzle? A good puzzle you can have with you all the time. Our buddy Clinton just did a thorough review of Spb Puzzle. Did he like it? Well this paragraph from his review speaks for itself… Having played with Spb Puzzle now for several months it is hard to find anything not to like about it.  The controls and intuitive nature of the game makes it fun to play without causing frustration.  The puzzles themselves can prove to be very challenging and the ability of the game to save on-the-fly without me having to create a save file is perfect Continue reading on Gear Diary …