Buy.com has the one of the last of the G4 iBooks [refurb'd] on sale for $399. So if you’ve been dying for an Apple netbook but don’t want to hackintosh, and you don’t mind being stuck on a G4 with Leopard, this the deal you’ve been waiting for…happy shopping! Buy.com 12.1 iBook, 1.33ghz processors, 1gb RAM, 40gb HDD Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Website Phone Arena has gotten their hands on an early version of the Samsung OmniaPRO B7330. This looks like an interesting Windows Mobile 6.5 based phone which could fill the gap left by Palm’s announcement yesterday that they’re leaving the Windows Mobile device market behind. Especially nice to see on this device is the 3.2 megapixel camera. Although the layout of the phone looks like it might be a BlackBerry competitor – Phone Arena wasn’t so sure. Read the full preview-review at the link below. Samsung OmniaPRO B7330 Preview Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Griffin announces a new type of headphones designed to protect children from damaging their hearing. Their headsets, called MyPhones, work by limited the audio output to 85 decibels. What’s intriguing about the headphones is they actually look like something kids would want to wear. The shells are swappable and customizable. Expect a kid-friendly price of about $30 when they are released in October. MyPhones via ipodnn Continue reading on Gear Diary …

A few weeks ago Judie asked the question “are you that guy?” She was posting about the NoJoke.com Shotgun KeyChain. Well NoJoke.com has another product, which although does have the ability to turn any can into a ready to shotgun chugger also has some really useful functions out on the golf course. The DivPro is 6 tools in 1; think of it as the Leatherman of the links.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

A while back I told you about some really cool Mac inspired, hand made pillows from Throw Boy. Now Throw Boy has come up with a collection of Halloween inspired Mac Icon themed pillows for you to rest your weary head on. The pillows sell for $29 each, or you can grab the whole set for $100. Click on to see them all.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

OttoSkins are protective decal skins which when applied to your electronic gadget provide protection from scrapes and scratches while offering you a personalized look. The skins are available in a variety of patterns and designs for a wide range of gadgets. From iPods to iPhones, netbooks, laptops and gaming consoles, there’s probably an OttoSkin for at least one device you own. Let’s take a look at a few of the skins OttoSkins was kind enough to send me to review. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Flat World Knowledge is combating the insane price of college textbooks by making open source textbooks an easier solution for colleges. The catalog for now is limited to a few titles per school but eventually they’d like to have more colleges adopt open source online distribution of textbooks. The company sells affordable alternative formats such as print-on-demand full color and black and white print versions, PDF versions, podcast and .mp3 versions, as well as Flat World Knowledge and user-generated study aides such as mobile flash cards and web quizzes to support the books. Naturally social media is in the cards and the company has plans to build student social learning networks around these free books. Instead of purchasing an entire book… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Despite having reviewed and played well over a thousand PC games through the years, I still have some that I’m extremely passionate about and even replay on a nearly annual basis. Those include some RPG’s like Baldur’s Gate and Gothic 2, shooters like Soldier of Fortune 2, and pretty much the entire Jedi Knight collection. That collection is now available as a set of digital downloads individually or as a collection on Steam!… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Looking to listen to your music while going for a swim? Until now your choices would be hindered by the need for cords and in-ear devices. Now FINIS brings their patented bone conduction technology to create a 1GB MP3 player that is suitable for in-water use! Bone conduction is “the direct transfer of sound vibrations from the cheek bone to the inner ear”. Be sure to check out Dan’s review from last month. “Current waterproof MP3 players are quite awkward for training in the water as athletes are hindered by straps, cords and earphones. We created the SwiMP3.1G specifically for swimmers so they could continually swim without having this cumbersome feeling of too many cords and Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I own a ton of games for my iPhone and iPod Touch, but I always seem to be looking for new ones.  Lately I’ve been looking for inexpensive games that don’t take long to learn or play.  Ones that although seem simple are both challenging and more importantly addictive.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of Madden 10 and Sandstorm but everyone needs a good time waster on their iPhone, too. Instead of taking tons of screen shots, I’ve decided to show you three of my favorite games of late on video. Remember, these games aren’t super graphically intensive and they don’t feature amazing sound effects. They’re simple, affordable, addictive games that’ll keep you coming back for more.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

The Blackberry Tour is the hot new corporate device and is also popular with consumers, but it is starting to make even more frequent appearances somewhere else – at the return desk! According to a new study published in Computerworld, the Tour is seeing a 50% return rate, though no carrier has gone on record confirming or denying this. Nearly 50% of Tours that Sprint sells are being returned, analyst David Eller at TownHall Investment Research wrote in the report. While the trackball problem is the primary reason for the returns, some customers are complaining about the sensitivity of the touch screen, he said. According to the article Verizon is looking to take action to ensure they… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Laptop coolers are everywhere.  Even Walmart has a few.  However most of the ones I have seen take up a USB port and/or power some noisy fans.  The Thermapak doesn’t take any USB ports and can be rolled up and put in your bag.  The ThermaPak is available in sizes from 13 inches to 17 inches in Black or Pink.  They are also available in a white color that is sized for use with MacBooks.  Pricing ranges from $27.99 to $34.99 depending on the size.  Check out the ThermaPak website for details… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Less than two weeks before I’ll get one in my sweaty hands, Sony has revealed to Yahoo! Technology News yet another reason why the PSP Go might just be the absolutely worst purchase idea for anyone to make this fall! Read on to see what they said!… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Starting today, students  can purchase/install Windows 7 Home Premium for $29.99. This deal is valid for anyone with .EDU email address now through January 3rd, 2010 and covers a single copy of Home Premium in either 32 or 64-bit. Microsoft has set up a special website – win741.com – specifically for this offer. If you don’t have a .EDU email address, the Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade will be available to the general public for $119.99 starting October 22nd. [via NoteBooks.com] Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Here’s an opportunity for Rock Band game fans to save a few bucks on a Sony PSP-3000 handheld gaming machine bundled with Rock Band Unplugged. This pack includes PSP, Rock Band Unplugged UMD game, School of Rock movie voucher, 4GB Memory Stick Pro Duo memory card, AC power cord, AC adapter & battery pack. Deal expires 9/22/09. Sony PSP-3000 Rock Band Unplugged Limited Edition – $170 shipped Continue reading on Gear Diary …