Welcome to another State of the eBook! This will be a short post this week, as it seems there will be some sort of exciting announcement this Tuesday. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Google has written frequently about accessibility in the past in a variety of locations. Yesterday, they announced a new website that brings all of their accessibility information into a single location. Google has always considered access to information part of their core mission. This includes being able to get your data into and out of Google products via the Data Liberation project site. The new Accessibility at Google site is their new home which focuses information on Accessibility from Google products in a single location.  In addition to highlighting information on official Google products, they also showcase third-party developer applications, such as a Talking RSS Reader for Android Continue reading on Gear Diary …

There’s nothing worse than losing your car keys. Unless of course you lose someone who has Alzheimers. It can be difficult to remember just who has watch duty on what day so why not relieve some of the stress by strapping on on a EmFinders EmSeeq wrist watch. Comes in one snazzy color – black – so it never needs cleaning. Monthly service is $25 or $275 for a year. Presently it works in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana so if your outside those areas you may want to give a whistle as a backup. Uses advanced cellular triangulation techniques to determine location of the person wearing the device. Available in 8 1/2″ and 9 1/2″ bands. EmFinders Continue reading on Gear Diary …

If you’re always on the go all year round then chances are this Satsports Multi-sports GPS might be of interest. Included are GPS applications for running, golfing (including course layouts), biking, hiking, skiing (trails), snowboarding, mountain biking and walking. Versions are available for Android and Windows Mobile as well as a standalone GPS application. Check their site for a complete list of the golf and ski resorts that they map for you. Statsports – $490… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Speck makes a host of great cases for all kinds of devices, and they’ve just updated their line for the new 5th generation Nano and iPod touch. The new cases include…… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Hard to believe Halloween’s only weeks away. Slacker online radio kicks the partying off early with a dedicated Halloween channel playing creepy music. Think of it as your 24 hour Marilyn Manson – Alice Cooper channel. Their web client as well as iPhones, BlackBerrys, Macs, PCs, Sony TVs and Logitech devices are all supported. On BlackBerrys and iPhones check the “top stations” or “seasonal” music category. Slacker Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Meet WikiReader. Not only can you browse 3 million WikiPedia topics on a capacitive touch display. You can do so for under $100 and power the whole shooting match on two AAA batteries rated for twelve months. Search over 3 million Wikipedia topics all controlled by three buttons. Updates are available on microSD cards twice yearly for $29. WikiReader Continue reading on Gear Diary …

TOOB is the perfect multimedia tool for anyone who never believed their parents when they warned against sitting too close to the TV. Starting at about $3,500 you can get a 3′ x 6′ plastic half dome screen, 12″ reflector table and projector drawer with Mitsubishi HC 1600 720p DLP home theater projector and Logitech G51 surround sound 5.1 speaker system. Simply set the TOOB up on the floor and watch the picture nearly surround you. Larger 16′ screens are available for about $9,500. TOOB Continue reading on Gear Diary …

ICON Aircraft makes small, “light sport”, amphibious, aircraft that actually fold up small enough that it can be stored in your garage.  The wings are on levers that allow them to fold up for easy storage. The two seat, single engine planes weight 1,320 pounds and are capable of air speeds of up to 120 knots (138 mph). They don’t fly as high as most aircraft but are able to travel up to 300 miles. All that’s needed to fly the aircraft is a sport pilot license which you can pick up with a few weeks of training.  The new class of license… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Not all speaker sets are created equal, that much is certain.  Altec Lansing has sent me their latest — and what I consider their best — the Altec Lansing Expressionist Ultra Speakers. The Expressionist Ultra is currently the top of the Altec Lansing line.  This very stylish three speaker system boasts 200 Watts of power, and its tremendous sub woofer is bigger than the computer the system is connected to.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I first noticed this post on the Boy Genius Report’s blog about a loop hole in the EyeTV application for the iPhone which allows users to connect and stream live TV over a 3G connection.  Like the Slingbox application EyeTV works to stream your home television broadcasts over a WiFi connection only. Turns out when you receive the error message that a Wifi connection is required when trying to connect over 3G all you have to do is tap on the text of the message instead of the OK button and your connection initiates.  The image above shows my EyeTV connected over 3G… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Last week, I took a look at MotionX GPS Drive.  The hits just keep coming, and this week a big player stepped into the ring.   MapQuest comes to us with a new off-board (maps are loaded over the Internet on the fly) navigation app which they have kindly allowed me to test drive. With the iPhone Navigation market getting quickly populated, I was curious to know how a big player like MapQuest would do in this space, especially given their long experience in mapping and route navigation.  So let’s take a look!… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

There are few names more closely associated with hardcore PC RPG games than Bioware, and in particular their classic Baldur’s Gate series. Over the past several years the excitement and anticipation for the so-called ‘spiritual successor to Baldur’s Gate’, called Dragon Age Origins, has been building. In August EA and Bioware announced both the pre-order program and also the Collector’s Edition contents. For PS3 & XBOX360 gamers this meant 3 choices … but for PC gamers it is like navigating a maze! Read on as I try to figure out how to get the most stuff for the least money!… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

With incredibly fortuitous timing – since I just talked about my own Impulse Buyer’s Remorse the other day, the NPD has just come out with a survey of Canadian gamers showing that 40% have made impulse purchases in the last 6 months.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I am 100% a child of the Jersey Shore…I have fond memories of begging my parents for a handful of quarters, which I then immediately blew on Skee Ball and Whac a Mole. Skee Ball was fun, but I have a terrible throwing arm, plus Whac a Mole would arm me with a hammer! So when Kiloo Apps offered Gear Diary the chance to review Whac a Mole for the iPhone, my inner 5 year old volunteered immediately! How did the iPhone game measure up to the real thing? Read on to find out!… Continue reading on Gear Diary …