So you just dropped a couple of hundred dollars on your new iPad right?  While there aren’t a ton of case options for your new device yet (many are starting to pop up, but the iPad is still new after all) those that are available are expensive.  You still need protection for your iPad though right? Still with me?  If you’re down to your last $20 because your iPad tapped you out what you need is an affordable case that protects your iPad from bumps and dings, keeps the overall form factor of the iPad unchanged and one that looks good too. Enter the WirelessGround Silicone Skin… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Though I’ve never had the opportunity to use a Palm Pre, one thing I know I would like from it is the optional Touchstone charger. The ability to just put down the phone and have it start charging, then pick it up when a you want to use it without having to disconnect cables is a great idea. When I was offered to try Uniden’s new wireless charging system I was looking forward to seeing how handy it really is. The Uniden Wireless Power kit consists of two components: the wireless base, and the adaptors that link the base to the charging port of your device. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

For an explanation of how May 12th is in April, see Valve Time. Back in March I wrote about the confirmation that Valve was releasing a Steam client for Mac, with the anticipation that it would arrive in April. Since then there was a closed beta test, which was supposed to have closed sign-ups but got leaked and … well, turned out to be a bit of a mess for a bit for those who were actually invited (who are supposed to still be under NDA so I’m surprised at some of what I’ve been reading!). Last night Valve announced that the Mac client will release on April May 12th, as… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I’m going to make this as brief as I possibly can in the hopes that you, the Gear Diary reader, reads through it and has time to leave me some advice by filling out the poll below. Here’s the deal. I have the WiFi iPad.  After having it for a week or so I picked up a Sprint Overdrive 4G hotspot.  I figured I’d use it along with the WiFi iPad until the 3G iPad I also ordered arrived.  Yes, I ordered both iPads. Now it’s decision time. The 3g iPad will be delivered 4/30. I need to decide whether to keep the WiFi… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Lately book pricing is a better drama than daytime soap operas. While the publishers have thrown their undying love and affection towards Apple, Amazon has been quietly maintaining their dominant position. Time and again, the publishers complain bitterly about ebook and book pricing, but the reality is they need Amazon far, far, more than they need Apple. And Amazon knows it. Reason one why you shouldn’t cross Amazon: Penguin has been a holdout on the agency pricing for ebooks, so they’ve been MIA in the Kindle store. Amazon has clearly learned from the disastrous showdown with Macmillan, and they found a new way to really get under Penguin’s skin. All sorts of new Penguin hardcovers are being slashed… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Got any plans for lunch hour? Let me show you one of the best dungeon crawlers you can start and finish before going back to work! It seemed that 2006 was the ‘year of the casual game’ … everyone was attributing the success of the DS and the allure of the Wii to the desire for quick, simple and fun gaming experiences. That isn’t a new thing, really – just ask anyone who has missed lunch playing Bejeweled or Zuma or Minesweeper. Now you can add FastCrawl to that list. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Closing out a week with some neat giveaways like the IDAPT I3 Charging Station and the Samson Go Mic Compact USB Directional Condenser Microphone we’ve got a nice pair of headphones from Urbanears. The Tanto headphones take the classic look of ’80s headphones and update them with today’s sound technology. The result is a headphone designed for maximum mobility without the compromise of performance. Urbanear’s Tanto is made for everyday use to be taken along wherever you go, like a good friend. With a fabric cord to prevent tangles, an on-cord microphone and remote, collapsible design, and an original palette of trendy colors to fit every style, Urbanears Tanto are the perfect pair of everyday headphones that look Continue reading on Gear Diary …

The Hype: Take control of the aristocratic demon known only as The Duke in an upwards-scrolling platformer and chase down fleeing monsters. The Reality: Let’s face it – if the title of the game “Monsters (Probably) Stole My Princess” doesn’t immediately intrigue you … you need to inject more whimsy into your life. And once you jump into the game you will find that same sense of style and whimsy pervades the entire game. You see a castle, a sleeping monster known only as The Duke who dreams only of his captive princess … and then he awakes to find that… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I make no excuses about my love of the game Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords. I originally bought the game for the Nintendo DS … then the PSP as soon as it came in stock locally (about a week later), then another DS copy to play with the kids, then the PC, the Mac, then the Wii, then the mobile version for my cell phone, and finally the iPod Touch version. Yes – I have bought this game 8 times! Back in early 2008 in my txa1265’s “Baker’s Dozen” Best RPG’s of 2007 I awarded the game “Casual Meets Hardcore and Loves It!”, saying: Every version except for the Wii is worth a Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Looking for an ebook reader? If you don’t need 3G, or you are on a budget, your choices are usually limited to simple readers with smaller 5 inch screens. Luckily, Woot! is swooping in with a great deal today. They are offering the Sony Touch Edition for $199! This is an awesome deal on a touchscreen reader that supports highlighting and annotations! It also supports Adobe Digital Editions, so you can buy from Sony, Kobo, or even borrow from your local library! So head over to Woot! Continue reading on Gear Diary …

So I think I have made my love for Star Wars Dark Forces and the rest of the Kyle Katarn saga pretty well known. The conclusion to my Netbook Gamer review of Dark Forces Dark Forces is an enduring classic for several good reasons: great story, game mechanics that have withstood the test of time, level design that continues to be at least on par with anything currently released, and missions that are quite challenging but made to be beaten without needing save-points. The game is imbued with loads of Star Wars lore and really does a great job of immersing you in the role of Kyle Katarn as Continue reading on Gear Diary …

(image courtesy Businessweek) We all know certain pictures, like the mouth-watering shot of Cocoa Puffs on the box, are retouched to look better. But do you ever think about the shot of that bargain hotel you found through Google? Does it really have an ocean view, or is it just bordering a street called Ocean View? Apparently this is a fairly widespread issue, so much so that there’s an entire travel site devoted to giving you the unvarnished truth about your prospective accommodations. Hit up Oyster and they’ll give you what they promise is an unretouched shot of the hotel, and the honest reviews of people who have stayed there. Now, we’ve all been… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

The Samson Go Mic is a compact USB directional condenser microphone designed for mobile recording a bit back. When I reviewed it I liked the small, compact, easy-to-use design. I also liked the good sound quality that comes in a small, relatively inexpensive package. The Samson Go Mic offers… * A folding, compact design that allows for easy laptop attachment or desktop placement * Professional quality performance, with multidirectional recording options for maximum flexibility * Frequency response of 20Hz – 18kHz ensures crystal clear recording quality * Plug & play MAC and PC compatibility with no required drivers for ease of use It is available at: BestBuy.com, Amazon.com, Sam Ash, Sweetwater, B&H, J&R. It has an MSRP of $89.99… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Each weekday we share with you one deal from our GearSponsor LogicBUY. They scour the net looking for some of the best deals out there and then present them in a format that makes it easy to search, read about and ultimately buy products at a huge savings. Since I began doing the post a few months ago I have purchased a number of items through them including a Sony camera that shoots in HiDef (its awesome and I saved a ton). I have also referred numerous friends to the site when they were looking for a new Windows notebook. The site is a huge convenience… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

One site I like to go to once in a while is Dynamism.com, because they have a lot of cool stuff, but also because they often have some offbeat stuff, like the Sushi USB thumb drives (or chopstick drives?) Another site that has some cool stuff is Pyramid Distribution.  And now, Pyramid is offering something that definitely hits Doug with the ol’ “Wow!” factor, even more than the Sushi drives:   Tiny, acorn-shaped, wooden, handcrafted speakers by Motz for iPods and other MP3 players.  They have a USB connector for charging, and standard jacks to… Continue reading on Gear Diary …