I reviewed Astraware Casino for Symbian a few months ago, and really liked it. It’s a fun, addictive game. Now Astraware has ported it to the Android Marketplace…so there goes all of my free time! Because I enjoyed it so much when I tested it for Symbian, I downloaded it to my Droid right away. It looks a lot like it did for Symbian, though parts of take advantage of the larger screen and better resolution. I will follow up with more thoughts in a few days, but so far the touch interface makes it a lot easier to navigate! It’s currently $1.99 in the Android Marketplace, and you check out more details at Astraware’s website. Full press release below!… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Not to be outdone by other accessory manufacturers, Proporta has announced three cases perfect for protecting your shiny new iPad when it launches from Apple this March.  The Proporta cases are always stylish and fun, so I’m excited they’re bringing iPad accessories to the table early.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

If you run a small office/home office, then you know that there are certain things that you must do to make it competitive, and there are also certain tricks which will make your business (at least) appear larger, better organized, and more successful. One of the first things most SOHOs will do is add a fax machine and an 800 number; some will add a call forwarding system for their mobile phones, and some will even go so far as to hire an answering service. Adding all of the necessary equipment and services can get expensive, especially when you are just starting out. RingCentral believes that they offer a better solution. RingCentral Mobile is a Web-based telephone and fax service for professionals and small businesses. It provides a toll free or local phone number and advanced features not found in traditional phone systems. [You can] give additional toll free or local numbers to employees, departments, branches, or set one up as a dedicated fax number. All will be linked and tracked through your online management tools and real-time Call Controller. RingCentral always offers a free trial and plans that start at $9.99 a month; right now you can also get [...]

It seems to be a never-ending issue for me, having more devices that need charging than I have outlets available. The Callpod Chargepod touts itself as a “charging device that allows you to charge multiple cell phones, PDAs, headsets, and most other mobile electronics with a single power cord.” Without tripping a breaker or messing something up? This I’ve got to see …… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

We’ve seen a flood of announcements for iPad cases and accessories already. And why not? I mean, the device WAS announced a full day ago! One of my favorites so far, and the one I want to have day one of my iPad usage, is the newly announced kickBACK P Stand and Case from Scosche. The Polycarbonate and rubber hybrid case works as a kickstand for the device in both vertical and horizontal positions. It locks in position and promises to make viewing, and using, the iPad easier. What I really love about the design? The molded grips on the back which will make the iPad easier to hold and less likely to take a fall. The Scosche kickBACK will ship early to mid summer. We look forward to reviewing it here on the site. The full release follows…… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

The lucky guys at TechCrunch ran into Michael Dell at the Mobile World Conference, and he was kind enough to preview the Dell Mini 5 for them. Admittedly, it looks really slick, and the brief demo showed a very fast and responsive device. There’s bad news, though. TechCrunch says the UNSUBSIDIZED price will be $1,098! That is…a bit on the high side. Yes, it has a phone radio, but it’s a 5 inch Android tablet…it’s not that special. I hate to compare it to the iPad, but that’s the elephant in the room for this thing; you could buy two wifi-only 16gb iPads for one Dell Mini 5! And without just comparing it to the iPad, there’s also the Camangi Webstation, the… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Remember Gordon Gekko?  Well he’s back.  Oliver Stone is set to release the sequel to the popular 80s film “Wall Street.” The original starred Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko, a super rich, super powerful and super dirty Wall Street broker. Charlie Sheen plays the title role of a young and impatient stockbroker who is willing to do anything to get to the top. In one scene, Gekko is seen talking to Sheen on a “cell phone” while strolling along his beachfront property.  Of course the cell phone back in 1987 was a little different than what you’re used to now. Well Gekko’s back in the sequel and so is his old phone.  Watch at around the :39 mark to see for yourself. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Do you love racing games for your iPhone? How about classic platforms such as the Commodore 64? Well, now Manomio, makers of the Commodore 64 App I reviewed here, have announced a contest that will net the winner an original Commodore 64 home computer! Read on to find out the details!… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I tend to be a huge fan of notebook bags and cases. I carry my MacBook Pro with me most days and, as result, having a good, usable bag is important to me. Having a usable, well organized, high-quality bag that is also good looking is a bonus. And, thanks to my work here on Gear Diary, I’ve had the opportunity to get to know a number of superb companies and their products. One of my favorites is booq. Their cases are stylish, superbly designed and great to use. I have been using one of their newest — the booq Taipan Shadow. It looks like a relatively simple messenger bag but it is incredibly well designed and built. I’m really enjoying it. Let’s take a look. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Google Voice and Skype fans rejoice–the newest iPhone SDK has revealed that Apple has lifted the ban on using VoIP over the 3G network!… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

This is one of the games I have on my list of games for my Netbook Gamer series, but haven’t finished my most recent replay yet. Well, today that all changed, as I uninstalled my classic disc version, and bought and reinstalled a new one – from Good Old Games!… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

(image courtesy Kobo Blog) Well, while we’re all scratching our heads over what the iBook announcement means for other ebookstores, Kobo has come to the rescue with an answer. According to the email I received this morning, Kobo is working to have an iPad-ready version of their application available at iPad launch. Now, Kobo is the company that rose from Shortcovers, and I slammed their Android app…but I’m willing to give them another chance. Mostly on the strength of their business model, which takes the Amazon Kindle Whispernet approach to the next level. If you buy a book from Kobo, you don’t just download the file. Immediately, the book is available to… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Web browser-based games developed using Flash are very popular, as are social media applications. Now WebWars hopes to find success by bringing both together in a new LRG (layered reality game) called Web Lords. The game site is accepting sign-ups for the upcoming beta test for the game. From the press release: “WebLords is quite possibly the ultimate online strategy/role-playing game as it can be played anywhere, anytime with an Internet connection and an easy to download browser plug-in,” said Cindy Armstrong, CEO, WebWars, LLC. “Whether at home, in the office or on the road, layered reality games add new, exciting forms of entertainment to surfing the Web. We look forward to offering WebLords to players for Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Having a lost child is never good.  The amber alerts that now go out can save precious time in the recovery of a child, be it a child who is just lost or a child who is abducted by strangers or people who know the child.  Part of what makes this work is accurate information given to law enforcement agencies.  One way for parents to make sure this information is with them is by carrying a My Child ID from AmberAlert.com.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

InnoPocket has announced the availability of an all new case for the iPhone 3G and 3Gs made from 100% genuine carbon fiber. The CF Formula series of cases should appeal to car enthusiasts.  InnoPocket believes this is a case that will stand out in the crowd of boring and flimsy plastic accessories and it is a must have product for any car enthusiast or carbon fiber lover. The case is initially being launched in two colors, Diamond Black & Exquisite Black at the suggested retail price of $59.90. Features include: * Hand crafted with 100% REAL carbon fiber * Dream car material meets both emotional and functional… Continue reading on Gear Diary …