If you have a netbook then you know it can be a pain at times to use, thanks to the smaller keyboard and display.  Kensington has released two new docking stations that use DisplayLink technology to add a VGA or DVI monitor to your netbook and more.  The only thing you’ll have to connect to your netbook is a single USB cable, instead of connecting a monitor cable and some USB cables. The K33926US supports driverless install, where the K33930US will require the installation of a driver.  Prices will be $129.99 for the K33930US model that supports the Mac and Windows, and $149.99 for the K33926US which is Windows only. … Continue reading on Gear Diary …

This 4-port USB aeroplane does more than connect up to 4 of your USB peripherals to it’s fuselage. This nifty hub also makes airplane noises through a speaker located in the plane’s underside. The fan really works and could be useful for those offices that are always just a little too hot. Only $12.99 and the USB ports are 2.0 but do not seem to be powered so don’t try plugging any power hungry gadgets into these ports or the plane may lose an engine and crash. USB Aeroport 4-port USB Hub – $12.99 Continue reading on Gear Diary …

BlackBerry users with OS version 4.5+ can download upgraded versions of RIM’s Instant Messaging clients for BlackBerry. Versions are available for Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, ICQ, Google Talk and AOL Messenger. New to these programs is the ability to create a standalone contact icon on the BlackBerry Home Screen, search saved conversations and add contacts and display pictures or avatars to the address book to easily instant message, email, SMS, or call right from the address book or conversation box. For easy over-the-air downloading guide your Berry over to http://mobile.blackberry.com BlackBerry Instant Messaging 2.5 Continue reading on Gear Diary …

photo credit: s~revenge You’ve got to hand it to pseudoscience. Why? Because how else could someone like me – a person without an MD – have a chance to speak with absolute authority about things of which I know absolutely nothing. And there are even cool gadgets that you can use while practicing pseudoscience, things that can help make you seem professional and knowledgeable, things like the Uxsight 1.3M Pixels Portable Digital USB Iriscope. Allow me to digress for a moment… Back in the fall of ’86,  I went home from college with one of my sorority sisters for the weekend. Before we got there, Marcy told me to watch out for her step-father. Fearing that I might take it as he was some creepy old man that she should have warned me about before I agreed to come, Marcy explained that it wasn’t that he would do something to me that I might not like, it was that he might be able to tell me things about myself that I might not be ready to hear. Excuse me? Marcy said that I shouldn’t look him in the eye unless I wanted him to tell me everything that was going [...]

When I began playing the guitar in the mid-80s, I loved going to the record store in the mall to look at guitar tablature books.  Most of the time I would look up the song I wanted to play and try to memorize the chords or main parts then go home and figure out how to play it.  The internet brought the ability to look up tabs at home or even print them.  The addition of tablature software has revolutionized the ability to learn large quantities of songs quickly. The developers at Agile Partners which brought us Guitar ToolKit, have once again revolutionized the use of tablature with the iPhone with Tab ToolKit. Overview With TabToolkit, you can take your music tablature files with you. For the iPhone and iPod touch, TabToolkit allows you to view Power Tab, Guitar Pro, text and PDF files. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Here’s a quirky way to take out the trash. Instead of boring black or white bags how about these decorative goldfish trash bags. Fill the trash up and put the bags curbside for your neighborhood stray cats to admire . This kit includes 12 bags of 13 gallons each for $15.99. At this price these are definitely novelty items. Goldfish Trash Bags – $15.99 Continue reading on Gear Diary …

myKite is the Brightkite application for BlackBerry.  Previously known as “BrightBerry” when it was in Beta, the MyKite app is a social networking tool geared to simplify meeting people based on the places you go. The fact that it ties into other existing social networks  — like Twitter and Facebook — means myKite will compliment, instead of compete with, those more popular social networking tools. iPhone users have had a dedicated Brightkite application since October 2008.  I’ve had a chance to use myKite for BlackBerry since it was officially released last week.  Does the free application translate well to the BlackBerry platform?  Does it deserve space on your BlackBerry? Well, Let’s just see… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

As a statistician, I am always looking at data, and try to find new and interesting ways to look at new and interesting data. So I always appreciate when someone does something cool … read on to see what it is!… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I ordinarily shy away from posting anything remotely political or religious on this site, unless it has a direct tie to something involving tech, and every writer on Gear Diary has been instructed to do the same. I do not need to know how anyone voted in order to decide whether we can break bread together, nor do I need to know a person’s religion (or lack thereof) to be able to tell if they are a good person. But today something happened that made me decide that it was time to break my rule. I have finally. had. enough.… 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. AppBox Pro™ is huge set of applications which has 18 apps including, > Battery Life > Clinometer(Inclinometer) – Surface/Bubble Level > Currency Converter – 195 Currencies > Date Calculator > Days Until(Countdown) > Flashlight(Torch) > Holidays – 83 Countries > Loan Calculator > Periodic Calculator > Price Grab > Random Number > Ruler > Sale Price > System Info > Tip Calculator > Translator > Unit Converter – 17 Categories, 357 Units > Web Apps Links – Apps are configurable, Arrange, Show/Hide and Rename. New! – 8 New apps introduced, Battery Life, Flashlight, Random, Ruler, Sale Price, System Info, Translator, and Web Apps. – 357 Units in 17 Categories. Added! – Reminder Ability for Days Until. New! – Passcode Protection for Periodic Calendar. New! – Jump to Web Apps without having to open safari Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Over the past few days, I’ve been reading a lot on the rumors related to a Sprint/T-Mobile merger.  Honestly, I was really surprised when I initially heard this. From a business point of view, it makes tons of sense; but from a technology point of view, it really has me scratching my head.  Let’s stop and take a look at this for a moment… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

It is fairly amazing given the fairly thin release schedule for the PSP to think that there might have been two games released in the fighting genre in the last month … so it is simply stunning that we have gotten three! Alongside Dissidia: Final Fantasy and Soul Calibur PSP comes a fighting game from Capcom based on a Japanese adult graphic novel turned anime show called ‘Fate/Stay Night’. Each of these games provides fans of the genre with a satisfying array of the core elements required of any good fighting game, yet they are very different from one another. Matt and I will take a look at Dissidia in the coming weeks, but for now I take a look at Fate / Unlimited Codes.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I recently reviewed Nano Rally for the Blue Plate Special.  The game showed promise with great graphics and a cute idea.  There were a few things that I thought could be improved upon.  The controls and camera view were not very intuitive and took a lot of practice to master.  This turned me off to the game because my frustration level advanced faster than my driving skills.  I also wanted other cars on the track to  chase and race.  Well, the developers at Sauce Digital seemed to have listened to their users and recently updated the game. Here is a list of some of the updates. The new version brings in some much requested features :* Hard, Medium and Easy settings. * Racing lines, to make navigation easier. * Mulitple Camera modes: Rotate, Fixed Center, Pan * AI cars on track. * Improved controls & layout. * Landscape mode. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

WedgeWorks has announced a new stand for personal media devices. The MovieWedge is designed to prop up, rather than hold, mobile media devices. Its soft micro suede design means it can hold a wide range of devices on just about any surface. Features include… # Holds mobile devices in place on uneven and unsteady surfaces # Compatible with virtually any case or enclosure your device is in # Flexible design allows for varying viewing angles # Soft micro suede covering, perfect for wiping screen # Works with iPhone, iPod, Blackberry, Sony PSP, and most mobile devices The MovieWedge is available at an introductory price of $9.95 from Amazon or… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

At least according to Engadget and their ‘anonymous’ source. Of course, the iPod Touch camera was also ‘confirmed’ through multiple sources … and I still hold a grudge on THAT one. But this is just the latest of several rumors all pointing to one thing: that on Sunday September 27th, our newspapers will be filled with a variety of places to get the Wii for $50 less than we can today. I guess that – along with month after month of dismal sales news for the entire video game industry – is the final nail in the ‘Wii shortage’ coffin.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …