photo credit: nDevilTV As frustrated as I am with some of the moves that Apple’s been making lately I can’t help but become increasingly excited about the potential for the rumored Apple tablet. I used a Tablet PC for years and, during that period, swore by it. I gave my Fujitsu tablet to Doug a few months ago since he had never used one. He liked it well enough but realize that it’s not his thing. He sent it back and I have to say, I’m really happy to have a slate tablet again. I love being able to sit with it on my lap and write on the screen. And, thanks to its dual array mics, Dragon NaturallySpeaking version 10 works like a charm. (I’m actually writing this entire post with it.) Setting up the Tablet last night I had a bit of an epiphany. I think I know what one of the killer applications on the Apple tablet might be. And if I’m right it is something noone has talked about. What is the killer application for the new Apple tablet?… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Heading back to school shortly?  NPR reported this morning on textbook manufacturers moving toward releasing textbooks for the iPhone and iPod Touch.  Not a huge surprise, really, given the number of ebooks available for the small Apple devices.   Available through CourseSmart, a consortium of several of the largest textbook publication houses, digital textbooks are about half the cost of a normal hardbound version.  If you’re not crazy about reading on the small screen of an iPhone, you can also access the textbook files through any computer with internet access.  While the upside is the cost savings, the downside is that you only get to keep book for six months, after which you would lose your access… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

We are going to quickly tackle two apps in one tonight.  I was planning to bring you a look at SplashData’s SplashID, the only secure information manager available for the Palm Pre.  Unfortunately, I had terrible problems with SplashID on the Palm Pre and could not get it to load at all.  Every time opened it, it froze.  I know others have had much more success with this program, and I have enjoyed it on other platforms, but it just would not work on my Palm Pre.  So, that is all I have to say about this one.  If you have used SplashID on your Palm Pre, then write into the comments and let me know what you think.  In the meantime, let’s take a look at the first of several location based programs, Good Food.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I continue to be amazed by how much storage hard drive manufacturers cram into an extremely small space.  Not long ago, I looked at the MoreSpace drive, and was blown away by its full terabyte of storage.  So, you can imagine my delight when only a few months later, I was offered the chance to review a drive which uses half the space on my desk, but features double the storage…and it comes from Seagate, whom I already love.  The Seagate Freeagent Xtreme features a massive 2 terabytes of storage.  I think we are going to need a closer look at this one. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Try as I might I’ve never quite mastered the use of chopsticks. I can fake it pretty well but it’s embarrassing to see how fast others at the table can maneuver. Now there’s a cool alternative to the boring wood chopstick. These lightsaber chopsticks are clearly fashioned after Star Wars and are named after the characters – Darth Vader Saber Chopstick, Luke Skywalker Saber Chopstick, and Yoda Saber Chopstick. No word on whether these light up and make authentic sounds. Lightsaber Chopsticks via Akihabara Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I reviewed Sherpa yesterday.  While it was very good, it was slow as molasses.  Where GPS, or what most of my friends just call Where, is an app that does a lot of what Sherpa does and more.  It does it very fast. At the core, Where utilities your phone’s GPS in almost every aspect of it’s operation.  You can manually change to any location by entering in a Zip code, so you can use this for trip planning as well.  When you first launch Where, it asks if you are still where you were the last time you ran it.  It’s at this point that you can use the GPS to find your location or enter a zip to get information.  The nice thing about doing this upfront is it will not tax your battery as much as if it had to get a fix every time you tap.  … Continue reading on Gear Diary …

As lovers of gadgets, we are dependent upon the constant forward march of technology in the semiconductor industry. During the 15 years I spent working in that industry, I saw the price of a single tool to expose circuit patterns at the beginning of the process rise from ~$500,000 to ~40,000,000. Many of these systems are required in every wafer fab, and it is only one of many multi-million dollar tool required as part of the advanced semiconductor production process.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

As a huge fan of Tom Bihn, I read and follow the company blog.  Doing that, I pick up interesting tidbits…tidbits like the picture above.  This is of the Synapse backpack that Tom is currently working on.  It’s specifically for netbooks, as it is a very small bag measuring in at 15 inches tall, 11 inches wide, and only 7.9 inches thick. The current estimate on when it will be shipping is around the late September to October time frame.  No word on price.  Head on over to Tom Bihn’s forums to chat about the Synapse!… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

What about the iPod and iPod Shuffle is making case manufacturer’s think of food? Is it because the Shuffle is small enough to eat? Or is it because it’s about the size of a pack of gum? There are several food inspired cases available now for the 3rd generation iPod Shuffle. Here are just a few of the more unique ones I’ve come across for it and the iPod as well.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I’ve just received the welcome news that Skooba Design is introducing two new Checkpoint friendly bags to their Checkthrough collection: the Checkthrough Roller and the Checkthrough Backpack. Both are designed so that you can leave your laptop in the bag when passing through Airport security, and both look pretty darn good! Let’s peek… Checkthrough Backpack Continue reading on Gear Diary …

DataViz has released Documents To Go version 2.0 for Android. With this software, you can view and edit Microsoft Office 2007 & earlier documents right on your Android phone.  Formats supported are Word, Excel, Powerpoint and viewing of PDF files. There is a free version which supports viewing only; the full version will cost $29.99.  Both are available on the Android Marketplace.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Do you have a teen daughter or fashionista that regularly hits the mall and spends hours just looking around to find the latest hip and trendy clothes or accessories?  That is soooooo 2008.    Now your teens can simply use their iPhone to search for clothing by product (jeans, bags, shoes, etc), trends, or price.  Thanks to NearbyNow and Seventeen Magazine, there’s (now) an app for that! Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Now that we have Wolfenstein 3D and Doom on the iPhone, it was only a matter of time until the classic Duke Nukem 3D arrived! Well, based on the storied history of the now abandoned ‘Duke Nukem Forever’, perhaps arrival wasn’t inevitable! Regardless, it is here now for $2.99 for today, August 11th only. Early reports say it works pretty well, but there is no Lite version to try. So if you feel like trying out a classic FPS game, head on over to the App Store! One caveat – right now there are issues with this game installing on the iPod Touch despite compatibility stating it should work. Until you hear different, consider this an ‘iPhone Only’ game! Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Apple or AT&T. The buzz around the internet is that Sling Media has released its first update to its SlingPlayer application for the iPhone OS. The good news first.  The 1.1 update is said to include full 16:9 wide screen support when viewing content on the phone, meaning it’ll take up the entire screen.  And DISH Network users will be able to navigate using a touch-supported native browser. That’s all great. Now on to the bad news (at least for customers in the U.S.). The current version of SlingPlayer only supports streaming of live TV when the iPhone is connected to WiFi. The version submitted to Apple for approval is said… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Twelve South,  a company which has designed some of the more stylish looking accessories for Apple computers, has announced its newest creation. The Backpack is a shelf designed specifically to fit the Apple iMac and Apple Cinema Displays. The Backpack uses two adjustable clips and gravity to literally perch on the desk stand of iMacs and Cinema Displays. The adjustable clips allow users to position the BackPack at the desired height, so gear on the shelf is within reach. Because it is height adjustable, there is room for two BackPacks on one Mac. With two BackPacks in place, the lower shelf could be used to Continue reading on Gear Diary …