Remember Pleo that Judie and her kitty played with a while back?  Well it appears to be coming out of extinction and is now for sale at the Pleoworld web site!  So if you did not get a chance to order your own life-like dinosaur, then now is your chance!  He’s currently $349.  … Continue reading on Gear Diary …

NPR is reporting on the curious case of a gentleman who jury-rigged his La-z-Boy to become an electric chair with a lawnmower motor. It seems like a joke, but apparently it was quite real.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Chronic bloodlust is exactly as you might think. It’s an uncontrollable desire to drink blood. This usually hits the peak right around Halloween when companies are marketing all sorts of off-beat stuff list this Blood Energy potion. … Continue reading on Gear Diary …

At a certain age children who celebrate the Christmas holiday will wonder whether there’s any such thing as this Santa person who supposedly squeezes down a chimney with a bag of toys. In the past parents have tried to fool kids with half eaten milk and cookies under the tree and “disguised” handwritten notes. Now with this Santa Clues kit you can REALLY fool the kids. Kit includes: glasses, a torn piece of red suit, a large coat button, a boot prints, a sleigh bell on a red ribbon, a toy list, reindeer hoof prints and Santa’s glove. Place these items strategically near the tree and the kids will be mortified when they realize someone broke into their house overnight squeal with… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

BlackBerry OS 5 is scheduled to arrive with the launch of the Storm 2 on October 28. One of the hot new features of this operating system will be native synchronization of up to 10,000 contacts between your Google account and the BlackBerry OS 5. Sadly the contact synchronization is not real time instead it will synchronize every 4 hours. Two way wireless synchronization requires BlackBerry OS 5. More details on setting it up below. How to enable Google contact synchronization on BlackBerry OS 5 Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Tired of flash photography that makes your victims look like a deer-in-the-headlights? Here’s a cool photography tool designed for the everday picture taker. Place Professor Kobre’s Lightscoop over your camera’s built-in flash and it directs the bright flash upward instead of directly into the faces of your subject(s). This reduces that “spotlight” look and helps eliminate red-eye.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Recently I was preparing to take a business trip over a weekend for a conference, and figured it would be a nice opportunity to watch a couple of DVD’s that the rest of the family didn’t have any interest in seeing yet again – Akira Kurosawa’s ‘Ran’ and The Marx Brothers’ ‘Night at the Opera’. My assumption was that I would use the Mac program Handbrake, which has done very nicely getting video from our DVDs to our kids’ iPods for long trips. At the same time I had the opportunity to look at WinX DVD Ripper Free Edition, and I figured: what better way than to test the two free utilities side by side. I will comment on that comparison in a bit, but wanted to focus on a more recent opportunity to try out WinX DVD Ripper Platinum, based on a version supplied to me for free by the publisher.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

A 10 year $30 million study of portable cell phone use by The World Health Organization apparently determined that portable cell phone use might cause cancer. The study was carried out in 13 countries and interviewed 12,800 people. Their formal conclusion is expected by year end. It’s worth noting that a representative of the Mobile Operators Association says that more than 30 other scientific surveys found no adverse health effects from cell phone use. In the interim it’s recommended that users take advantage of Bluetooth devices – at least until they study whether Bluetooth causes cancer which at that point tin can and string use might be their recommendation. Information Week Continue reading on Gear Diary …

More computer peripheral deals courtesy of GearSponsor Logicbuy. This time there are savings on Microsoft branded peripherals such as this Wireless Laser Desktop 6000 keyboard/mouse combo for $55 (normally $100) and this Microsoft LifeCam Show for $46 (normally $100). If you’re in the market for replacement Microsoft keyboard, mice, webcam or any of their SideWinder gaming components – have a look at the list of links compiled by Logicbuy. Microsoft Keyboards, Mice, WebCams & Gaming Devices Continue reading on Gear Diary …

The newest Honda Pilot is something of a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.” Honda dubs it a crossover utility vehicle due to its not having a ladder frame architecture supporting the unit, but I feel this is about as close to a true SUV as one can get. Last year, Honda introduced us to a completely made over Pilot, one that offers eight-passenger functionality without sacrificing ability and agility. The new model is larger inside and out, boasts a stronger, more fuel efficient powertrain, is more stable on the road and offers all the latest comfort and convenience amenities as well as class-leading safety.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

X-Mini makes some really functional and really small speakers which are meant to be used with your multimedia devices. The company was kind enough to send over a both their X-Mini II & X-Mini Max II for review. Do these tiny speakers pack enough punch to rock out too? Read on to find out. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

This is the tale of how I almost stopped using my iPhone as a GPS unit and how the right app and a better idea of how to use it changed my mind. Here is what happened. When the iPhone gained its GPS capabilities I was excited to use is for navigation. Using Google maps worked well enough but certainly was not a replacement for standalone unit. Then a host of new third-party GPS applications began to appear and I became more excited about using the iPhone as my only GPS unit. That didn’t last very long. I was heading to a wedding I was officiating in New York when things went more than a bit array.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

The iPhone shoots video that is “good enough”. The Flip UltraHD shoots video that is better. That allows the Flip to maintain a slight edge over the iPhone but just slight. The HUGE advantage the Flip series had was the inclusion of built-in editing software. Once plugged in to a computer, the software popped up and allowed you to trim video and add credits. That key advantage is now GONE thanks to the $7.99 app ReelDirector. It is pretty impressive…… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I had the opportunity to have dinner with Judie and Wayne Thursday night. It was great to finally meet them in person and to discover that two of the people I spend a lot of time e-mailing and chatting with online are just as much fun to be with in person as they are from a distance.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

What better way to listen to Miles Davis music than with a new set of Miles Davis Tribute Headphones from Monster. Purchasers also enjoy an official 50th Anniversary boxed set of the artist’s seminal album Kind of Blue, featuring two music CDs, a DVD and a 24-page booklet. But the fun doesn’t stop there. Most notably, the specially crafted “instrument case” for the Miles Davis Tribute headphones features a plush blue velvet inlay with a gold-printed signature – which the company say’s is crafted to resemble Miles’ trumpet case. Miles Davis Tribute Headphones – $399 Continue reading on Gear Diary …