Welcome back to the GearGames weekly video game release feature here at Gear Diary! We are now starting to see the games that were delayed last fall leaking into the release schedule – although the one that is dropping this week is more of a THUD than a leak! Mass Effect 2 is the follow-up to the 2007/2008 XBOX360 / PC game from Bioware. Wait – didn’t they just release Dragon Age: Origins? Yep – they’ve been quite busy! The game looks to fix the many items criticized in the earlier game (which still scored ~95%) and make it more of a streamlines action-shooter-RPG. So far the early looks are saying they’ve succeeded.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Case-Mate blew us away a CES this year with their 2010 product line up. One case not even included in the mix at the show was their Mahogany Case for the iPhone 3G and 3Gs. The case, which is machine carved from 100% recycled mahogany is a stunner to both look at and to hold.  It’s smooth as silk and keeps your iPhone safely protected inside a thick layer of wood. The case is available for $49.99 directly from the Case-Mate web site here. Watch my video review to see this beauty live and in color. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

You’re a skydiver, and want to record POV video, but are tired of clunky, low-fi cameras.  You’re a hang-glider pilot, and want to share with you 80 year-old Mom the thrill of flying.  You’re a sail boarder, but you’re bff is scared of getting eaten by sharks.  You know what you need?  You need to be a Snow Crash gargoyle! “It’s not exactly like being a gargoyle. Remember when you gave me shit about spending all my money on computer stuff?” “Yeah?” “I decided I wasn’t spending enough. So I got a belt-pack machine. Smallest ever made. I’m walking down the street with this thing strapped to my belly. It’s really cool.” [Neal Stephenson, Snow Crash] Okay, well, maybe not quite yet.  But VHoldR is trying to get you there with their new selection of accessories for the (extreme sports) gargoyle wannabe.  VHoldR is offering a waterproof case, handlebar mount, vented helmet mount, and a lens kit to their accessory line-up for their ContourHD and recently released ContourHD1080p models.   The waterproof case gives you sail boarders (and hang glider pilots who flop into the ocean instead of landing on the beach) the confidence to know that, while you may be [...]

This is a joint review from Thomas and Dan. Dan’s comments are in black, and Thomas’ are in blue italics. Dan – Thomas was kind enough to send me his Blackberry Bold 9700 a few weeks ago. I have an AT&T branded version of the phone. His phone, however, had one distinct advantage over mine — because it is on T-Mobile it has a truly inexpensive international calling and data plan available. So I brought it to Las Vegas with me for CES and then carried it with me to the wedding I attended in Cabo. Because the connecting flights the trip included for different airplanes, numerous packing and repacking and everything in between. Such a situation is prime for carelessly losing or harming one’s electronics — especially if you’re carrying a lot with you. Taking someone else’s phone is nerve-racking at best. There are too many possibilities for it to be damaged or lost and this was on my mind much of the time I was using his phone. I’m certainly glad that I brought it with me as it worked perfectly from Mexico but I do wish that I had had one of these Otterbox Defender cases with [...]

Everki recently supplied me with the Beacon Laptop Backpack w/Gaming Console Sleeve to review. Since school started back up, I have spent the past few weeks using it as my main gear bag.  I am pleased with the style and ruggedness of the backpack with daily use; I am able to comfortably carry all of my gear and it is comfortable and looks great. Find out the particulars after the break… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

We tend to do a fair bit of banter via Skype. (It was even worse (better?) when we were together in Vegas.) Earlier today we asked… “Hey, what if we just hit the record button while we were chatting? What would it sound like?”. Well… it would sound like this… and so began our first podcast… Today’s topics- Larry and I  step into the world of Android thanks to the Google Nexus One, we talk tablets and we look toward iPhone OS 4.0…. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Image courtesy of Peta.org Syndicated columnist Amy Dickenson of the Chicago Tribune appears in my local paper, and last month set up a Twitter account called “santahatesme“. She encouraged readers to write in with the worst gifts they have ever gotten – and despite the ‘Santa’ label, she was looking for ANY gift, from birthdays to anniversaries and so on. There were some amazingly bad gifts noted on the list, and between that list and a couple of gifts WE got this year, I was inspired to ask the Gear Diary team to share their own personal ‘worst gift ever’.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Image courtesy of New Jersey Associates in Medical Weight Loss Management I joke about my middle-aged flab a lot.  I give a hard time to my boss — who is skinny — because he’s always cold while I’m plenty warm because of my “protective fat layer.”  “Does that come in middle-aged fat-guy size?” I ask people at the store.  I’m not fat, really; just typical middle-aged guy overweight.  And no matter what I can do — cut my intake, walk two-three miles a day, do isometrics at home, get one of those weird vibrating bar bells — I don’t lose weight.  Well, maybe I should try the new Weight Watchers iPhone App. The Weight Watchers people say that they’re here to help.  Their new app helps you compute, compare, track, and store “points” according to their system, helping you keep on target for your weight loss goals.  It allows you to create shopping lists from recipes, create and maintain “cheat sheets,” and gives you articles that contain tips and stories (to keep you inspired). So if you’re a middle-aged flabby person, perhaps you should give it a look.  After all, it’s free. Full info after the jump.… Continue reading on Gear [...]

Divine Robot has recently released a new scrolling shooter called “Eveningstar.”  The game is a sci-fi shoot ‘em up packed full of action and enemies.  The game includes nine exciting levels, each of which require different skills and puzzle solving skills.  Check out the video trailer here then read the review after the break. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

photo credit: Team Dalog Yes, it is the most wonderful time of year. It’s cold and gray. The trees have no leaves. It feels like spring will never be here. And Apple continues to amaze us with their ability to control the entire technology rumor mill without even opening up their mouths. Yes, all will be revealed on Wednesday (okay maybe not all), but then we will have to wait months to actually get our hands on whatever it is that Steve Jobs & Co. will be announcing. Cold, gray, and requiring delayed gratification — I hate this time of year.  I’m not going to venture any guesses as to what the tablet will or will not be except for this – Everyone is wrong. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

One of the main reasons for using an Android powered phone is, in my mind, the remarkably tight integration with Google Voice. The ability to have Google Voice take over the phone functionality of the device, so that outgoing calls come from it rather than there needing to be a callback is a homerun. It makes a huge difference if, like me, you are looking to move to Google voice full-time. That’s a good thing. Yesterday Jason posted about the new release of Truphone for Android. As a new Nexus One owner I was excited to see the availability of what I have found to be the best VoIP client for mobile devices. That’s a good thing too. Here’s the not so good thing…… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

(image courtesy Read an ebook Week) Do you love ebooks? Are you the person who evangelizes about your Kindle to all your friends? Then mark your calendar and get ready for Read an eBook Week, March 7-13th! What’s “Read an eBook Week”, you ask? From their site:… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

While at CES this year I had the opportunity to spend some time at the Blue Microphones booth.  One of the products which really “wowed” me during demo time was their “Yeti” microphone. The Yeti is being touted as the world’s first THX certified Microphone.  The USB powered microphone is the perfect tool for for a wide range of projects including podcasts, vocals, live or event recording, interviews, broadcasts, instruments, bands and more. Blue Microphones was kind enough to send both myself and Joel a Yeti for review and the following dual review contains both of our observations. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Awwwwwwww, No!  Looks like all the Moto DROID users are screaming foul after all the wide reports (yes, including my own) and rumors built up rabid anticipation for Android’s 2.1 release.  Yet, no over-the-air firmware updates hit.  At.  All.   Even when 2.1 was said to be slowly rolling and updating actual DROID handsets as early as Monday 1/18.    Then, KABOOM! Twitter hit with this message today from Motorola’s MotoMobile around 11:30am Eastern: For DROID users asking about an OTA update, we have not released a new one since Dec. update. Pls visit our support forums if Continue reading on Gear Diary …

My work here on Gear Diary has given me opportunity to try a wide variety of Bluetooth headsets. The biggest common denominator with all of them is the degree to which they have improved in recent years. They have, for the most part, become more comfortable, easier to pair, and they have much improved sound quality. Most recently I’ve had the opportunity to be using the Plantronics Voyager Pro UC. Plantronics describes it as “the most advanced noise canceling Bluetooth headset available”. In my experience over the last week and a half I can’t argue with that statement. It’s comfortable, easy-to-use, and offers superb sound quality.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …