So Larry and I both have Nexus Ones to play with… and we are rather impressed thus far. Still, we aren’t getting rid of our iPhones any time soon and, no matter how nice the Nexus One may be we are still fanboys at heart…… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

One of our favorite case manufacturers, Waterfield Designs, has announced a new custom-fitted Suede Jacket case for the Nexus One. The minimalist design is made from scratch-free Ultrasuede and provides a snug but comfortable fit. I use a similar case for my iPod touch, and I love the fit and feel as well as the excellent protection it offers. The Suede Jacket costs $9; with a pocket it costs just $13. In addition, Waterfield Designs has announced that they will donate 5% of sales of the new case to help Haiti earthquake victims now through February 28, 2010. More information is available on the company site. Full Release Follows…… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

[image via Engadget] Hey DROID users, tired of waiting for Android’s 2.1 firmware to finally hit your handset?  Don’t want to risk bricking your phone by using a leaked or hacked ROM dump of 2.1?   Well, good news.  The waiting is over!   Looks like tomorrow you lucky DROID users will start to see 2.1 roll out from Verizon.  So, what goodies should you be expecting to super-size your smartphone? Live Wallpapers Three new home screens Google News & Weather widget Speech-to-Text (voice recognition for every text entry field) Speed (expect faster transitions and performance as 2.1 more efficiently makes use of that Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Once again automakers rolled out some eye candy at the annual North American International (Detroit) Auto Show. And once again it leaves many of us wondering which of the vehicles on display will actually make it into production, will they be affordable and are they really practical. Inspired by this, I am rolling out a list of 10 things to watch in 2010.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

(video courtesy of brandonnscott) Got an Android device, but missing that sweet multitouch goodness while web browsing?  Tired of double-tapping in front of your iPhone-toting friends? Well, if you’ve got an Android 2.0 or higher device — I’m looking at you Motorola DROID and Nexus One owners — you want to download the Dolphin Browser.  Aw, heck, we’ve even put the barcode right here in the post so you can download the free app right from our site … Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I got word a short while ago that Evernote 3.5 for Windows was out of Beta. The Beta version was released in late September. It represented a huge step forward as it included a User Interface makeover that made the client simpler and more like the superb Mac client experience many of us enjoy. Among the new changes were the ability to view thumbnails and three different notebook viewing formats. Since releasing the Beta, Evernote for Windows has underwent four iterations that included bug fixes, interface enhancements and FireFox support. All of this was in response to user feedback which is, after all, what a Beta version is SUPPOSED to be all about… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

No clue how they’ll do it yet, but WOW am I interested! A new digital distribution portal called Green Man Gaming is claiming that they will add value to your digital purchases by allowing you to ‘trade them in’, at which time they will re-sell them as used games. They are supposedly working with publishers to make this happen in a way that benefits everyone involved.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

So I was terribly excited the other day when the best DS & PSP game of 2009 – Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars – landed on the App Store. I said then that I was ‘just getting started’, which actually meant that I had bought it and it was downloaded but I hadn’t had time to install or start playing. Sadly, that night I discovered that I was not going to be able to play the game – because I own a first-generation iPod Touch.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

YouTube today announced that it is going to start offering movie rentals. The site is going to start small, offering some films that will be featured at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival, but hopes to branch out from there by working with other film distributors to gain access to their catalogs. According to the announcement: Independent filmmakers have been critical contributors to our platform ever since we launched our site, almost five years ago. In that time, we’ve increasingly come to understand some of the challenges facing these filmmakers: technology has made it easier and cheaper than ever to produce films; more films have led to more competition for audiences; more competition for audiences has Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Apparently someone noticed there was a gaming platform for which Final Fantasy I & II was NOT available! That obviously needed to be quickly remedied! So Square Enix yesterday announced via their Facebook page that the classic jRPG games will be coming soon to the App Store. So far that is the entire extent of the announcement – no details of price, release date, if they are the most recent version (i.e. GBA / PSP) or whether they will be released as a set (e.g. GBA version) or as single games (e.g. the over-priced PSP releases). Stay tuned – these classics are coming, and I’ll certinly be playing! Source: VGBlogger Continue reading on Gear Diary …

There are lots of ways to protect your precious MacBook these days. There is fine leather, strong plastic and everything in between. Twelve South has come up with something truly innovative. The BookBook is a unique new leather MacBook case that looks just like a vintage book. Designed exclusively for Apple MacBooks, BookBook features a hardback cover and a padded leather spine that keeps your Mac safe and secure as you shuttle it from place to place. Since it looks like a vintage book, BookBook also disguises your Mac, reducing the risk of theft. BookBook for 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro The distressed leather looks good while the design safely stores your MacBook inside. The BookBook has an MSRP of $79.99 and is available now from TwelveSouth. We have one on the way for review and look forward to sharing our thoughts… Full release follows…… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Verizon Wireless, possibly bowing to pressure from the FCC, has dropped 10 phones from their list that triggers the $350 early termination fee.  This is in contrast to when they raised their ETF from $175 to the current $350.  Why did they do this? According to a post over at CNet: In early December, the FCC sent a letter to Verizon asking the company to explain why the new fee is necessary and how it will be implemented. Verizon has provided some preliminary answers. The FCC hasn’t made any official comments on Verizon’s answers, but early indications suggest the FCC isn’t satisfied with Verizon’s initial answers. “Verizon’s response to the FCC [on early Continue reading on Gear Diary …

This GearDeal is pretty impressive! Our GearSponsor has tracked down a way to get a Lenovo All-In-One PC for under $700. Better still, it isn’t one of those stripped-down computers. No, this is a 23″ Lenovo IdeaCentre B500 that is sporting a 2.7GHz dual-core Processor. But wait… there’s more…it has a TV Tuner, IR Remote, WiFi, Bluetooth, and a Wireless Keyboard + Mouse. It also has an NVIDIA GeForce GT 240M, an integrated DVD+/-RW optical drive, a 320GB Hard Drive, a Full HD 1080p LCD and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit OS. Normally this base unit… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I must have missed this in all the post-CES catch-up, but late last week Apple introduced a free app that allows Mobile Me subscribers to access and share their Gallery from their iPhone / iPod Touch. Apple released a new app today that allows MobileMe subscribers to view their uploaded photo galleries. The app also allows MobileMe users to share links to their galleries with others via email and view the galleries of other MobileMe members. Features — View your entire gallery including password protected and hidden albums — Flick through photos and pinch to zoom in for more detail — Rotate iPhone to see photos in landscape — View your friends’ gallery photos and movies — Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Image from Mobilecrunch I was reading through Techcrunch/Mobilecrunch this morning and came across Nokia’s announcement first unveiled in the UK that Nokia is launching free Ovi Maps with Navigation.  A US announcement is scheduled for later today according to Mobilecrunch.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …