When most of us think of a beaver dam, the image above comes to mind. But CBC News brings us the story of what is reportedly the world’s biggest beaver dam – 850 meters long (~2800 feet!). Check out the satellite image from Google Earth: Image courtesy of FreshBrainz Apparently the massive dam was first found in 2007, but has gotten even larger than before, and the ease with which it is found on Google Earth is stunning. Researchers estimate that the dam has been under construction for 20 years! “[Beavers] are one of the few species that really Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Portable hard drives have been out for a while now, but sometimes they aren’t very fashionable and look like little more than a box with a wire hanging out.  A-Data has a new line of external portable USB hard drives that not only have storage, but look good too.  There’s even a pink one for the ladies. A-DATA SH02 2.5” Portable Hard Drive is stylishly crafted in 3-dimensional chic patterns, making it an in-style digital accessory for the fashionistas. Using the advanced IMF surface treatment, SH02 beautifully presents itself with sensory appeals that can be vividly felt through both your eyes Continue reading on Gear Diary …

While I have given decidedly different reviews of the Mac & PC/Console versions of Dragon Age: Origins, one thing should be very clear – I absolutely love the core game. Now there is a new reason for me to get back to replaying Dragon Age again – a new expansion called The Darkspawn Chronicles! From the official site: You now fight as the Darkspawn! The city of Denerim, jewel of Ferelden, girds itself for war. As a hurlock vanguard, you alone hold the power to make thralls of your fellow darkspawn and drive them into the heat of battle. Heed the archdemon’s call—Denerim must burn! * A look at an alternate history Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Parents today… as if it wasn’t bad enough that my sister was letting my niece and nephew get iPod touches next week for their 9th birthdays (yes, I got a few emails telling me that 9 is too young) Patrick Jordan from Just Another iPhone Blog and Just Another iPad Blog is leading his 7-year-old daughter down the path toward iDelinquency. As he explains it in his post  My 7 Year Old Jailbreaker’s Demand: I Want Folders! My 7 year old daughter has been asking me for months when we could jailbreak her iPod Touch.  I did not want to go down the tethered jailbreak road, so until this week my answer Continue reading on Gear Diary …

My mother is a high school history teacher, and if you breathe the word Wikipedia to her she will give you an earful about students and plagiarizing. And about how peer-edited history articles are rife with errors. So if she got an eyeful of this service I think her head would explode. Yes, now you can save yourself the trouble of cutting and pasting into word, printing out your paper, and finding a nice plastic sheet for a report you’ve lifted from Wikipedia. Instead, for the starting price of $8.90, AND they’ll ship within two days! Tongue in cheek jokes about forging your thesis aside, by itself this is a bit bizarre. Is there really a large… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I like Flip’s products a great deal. I bought the original Flip and loved it. I loved the on-board software that let you edit and share videos as soon as you plugged it into a computer. And because the software was on the device it didn’t matter what computer I plugged into. I then got to review the Flip Mino and the Flip HD Ultra. Each got better and better. Then came the iPhone 3GS. It shot video. No, it wasn’t HiDef video but it did the job and, thanks to an assortment of apps and the ability to upload on the go the iPhone (and other similar smart phones) posed a… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Hi Scott- Since its review, the Waterfield Muzetto is the bag I have been using exclusively. I have been carrying it with me pretty much everywhere, and I’m more impressed now than I was when I first got it for review. I’m really quite happy with the purchase and, as usual, I’m finding Waterfield’s products to be second to none. The Muzetto Portable is the right size for carrying my iPad and just a few items. I haven’t found myself lacking space, which was something I was a bit concerned about when I first got it. Apple’s case fits inside of it perfectly with room to spare. As far… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

There’s another entry in the “appification of ebooks”, this time with the creatively named “Moooks“. Parent company mifiction is calling it “interactive fiction”, but from a cursory run through a freebie book these are basically electronic versions of Choose Your Own Adventure novels. They seem pretty fun so far, but I couldn’t determine how you could download them to your mobile phone, as the company claims. The story portions seem pretty bite sized too. However, for a kid who doesn’t want to read much, or who prefers reading in small doses, they have a lot of potential! Fiction takes an interesting new twist Continue reading on Gear Diary …

[image courtesy of android zoom] LogMeIn provides some great software to access your computer (Mac or PC) from your smartphone and access smartphones from your computer, if  you’re so inclined.   iPhone users already know how convenient it is to be able to log into their computer from their mobile — just see how much use Dan’s gotten from LogMeIn Ignition. Today, I got some good news in an email from the LogMeIn team.  Now Android users can enjoy  some good ol’ remote to your computers fun from Ignition as well. That’s right, the free Android Beta of LogMeIn Ignition just hit Android Market.   Being able to remotely access documents and files stored on a computer from my smartphone, is a terrific feature for any mobile user.   I just downloaded the app and will be giving it a spin.   Hope you do the same Read on to view LogMeIn’s Ignition for Android Beta announcement. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Game reviewers play so many games across various platforms and genres that it is often easy to forget one important detail – we all got started with a love of games and a passion stoked by games we loved playing to the point that we began sharing our thoughts with others in written form. So when the sci-fi shooter action-RPG Greed – Black Border came along, it was right up my alley as a PC shooter and RPG fan … so I had already pre-ordered it even before the review version came along. That adds some benefits as you’ll see later. The Hype: Hack ‘n slash your way through this science-fiction-themed action/RPG. In the… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

(image courtesy Daily Mail) I love the concept of time travel. Paradoxes, the concept of multiple universe outcomes, all that stuff just absolutely fascinates me. So I was super excited to read Stephen Hawking’s column on how he believes time travel is possible. Apparently the whole thing has to do with wormholes. All we need to do is enlarge a wormhole, drive a time traveling ship through it, and poof! We’re either on the other side of the universe or racing a T-Rex. And since it basically involves cosmic tunnels, I’m sure the NY/NJ Port Authority will find a way to charge an exorbitant toll and monetize the whole trip. Of course… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Most everyone immediately thinks of Bruce Wayne / Batman when they think of wealthy comic book heroes, but a new list at Ranker.com tells a different tale, looking at the Top 20 wealthiest comic book characters. It is amazing how some of these characters manage to run multinational corporations, have illustrious love lives, and still keep cities safe from crime! Heck, most of us have a hard enough time balancing work and family while finding a few spare minutes for fun … but I guess that is why THEY are superheroes and WE are not! Looking at the list we see the Caped Crusader only comes in at #4 on the top 20 list… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I love bundles. I really love them. I love the way I usually buy them to get access to one or two apps at an immediate savings and then discover one or two more that I would never have otherwise bought. Yup, some of my favorite Mac OS X applications were “discovered” because they were part of a bundle. Well there is a new bundle player in town and their first offering is a pretty good deal. The Macbuzzer Bundle includes 9 apps. It started yesterday at just $19.95 for all of them but that price will increase by a dollar a day while the promotion goes on. Translation, “If you think you want one or two… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Image Provided by Arrayent Imagine taking out your iPhone or Android based smartphone and using it to control your sprinklers, thermostat, dvr or anything you can imagine from not just your couch, but anywhere in the world.  If you have an idea and the knowledge, Arrayant has just the thing to get you started on building the product of your dreams. Arrayant’s Internet-Connect DevKit promises to give hardware developers the ability to internet connect any device with in a day. The Arrayent Internet-Connect DevKit is designed to be used by embedded system designers that know how to design a product around low cost microcontrollers.  They have a product concept around connecting a product to Continue reading on Gear Diary …

“Do you see life as half-full or half-empty?”  It’s so clichéd that it makes you want to slap whoever is telling it to you.  “Grumble grumble grumble” you say to yourself, holding back the Fist of Death and gritting your teeth desperately. Relax!  No need for unleashing that Fist of Death, or getting stressed out! The good folks at Find Me a Gift have the perfect solution:  the Half-full drinking glass.  It settles all arguments, and precludes all discussion.  Of course you have a positive, optimistic attitude; who else would have a glass like this, huh?  It’s visual proof!  Inarguable!  Question answered, baby!… Continue reading on Gear Diary …