The other day I reviewed the Sena Folio for iPad. It has quickly become my favorite, and most-used, iPad case. I love the refined look, the flawless leather of it and the way it protects my iPad so thoroughly. Sena offers a wide range of options for the iPad. In fact, they have cases for pretty much every popular device. That includes the iPhone 3GS. And while the next gen iPhone is likely on the way 3GS owners are only a year into their contract. That means there is no time like the present to wrap your precious iPhone in a protective layer of leather. One great option is Sena’s Walletbook for iPhone 3GS. It is a great looking iPhone… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I remember many years ago an impassioned speech from a new Director of Engineering about how a former colleague who had become a VP at a competitor said they were opening a manufacturing site in the US and were going to ‘eat our lunch’. And while the symbolism and tactics used were generally less effective as a motivator than as years of joke fodder … the core issue remains: there is always some product / company / market that is getting ready to eat your lunch. Electronista reports on a study by Morgan Stanley that says this is being played out now: the iPad being the lunch eater, and netbooks being the… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

One of the coolest things about Indie game developers is that they tend to be VERY customer-centric. From design choices to integrating fans in testing and marketing, to very flexible pricing, it seems nothing is off-limits! Now Mike Smith, who works for Hidden Path Entertainment (makers of the excellent Defense Grid: The Awakening) and is also head honcho at Elecorn, is letting you decide what you want to pay for his award winning Caster game. What awards? Game of the Month and a Gold Award from GameTunnel, a site focused on indie and casual games. If they say it is Gold Award worthy … that means something! Anyway, check out the blog Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Good news for ebook reading iPad fans…the Barnes and Noble iPad app is finally out! It only took them an extra month over everyone else! Highlights appear to be a fancy interface and the extension of LendMe to the iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone. Also, if you read through the press release there is a reference to an Android version hitting in the next month or two. Dan was kind enough to send some screenshots from his iPad, along with these observations: It is fast. In landscape it does the “two page” thing the same way as the iBooks app. Love that. IU is not as polished but is good enough. Can’t figure out Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Remember the iWatch?  The iPhone inspired concept watch that we showed you a few weeks ago started out as only a picture.  Then days later the designer added a video commercial to the mix. Now ADR Studio, the Italian design house responsible for the iWatch concept, has taken it one step further and added retail packaging! Oh if only Apple would jump on this design and bring it to market. Fantasy over. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

As TVs (and monitors, for that matter) have gotten bigger and thinner, the need for new stand and shelf designs has emerged.  The folks at Sceptre have released an option that you might want to check out if you’re in the market for such an item:  The Fuzion series of stands/mounting systems.  With kind of a post-modern look, except warmer wood than your standard, guy-brand flat-black you often see. The new Fuzion TV stand series is available at Costco and NewEgg for an MSRP of $299. Sceptre, leading manufacturers of high-performance LCD and LED TV and PC monitors, has just announced its new Fuzion TV Mounting System featuring simple elegance, clean lines Continue reading on Gear Diary …

It’s big. It’s fast. It’s powerful. It’s today’s Gear Deal. The just released 17.3″ HP ENVY 17 has a huge screen but is just 1.25″ thick. It features a brushed aluminum chassis in carbon relic (metal) and weighs in at 7.5 lbs. For speed the ENVY 17 is powered by either a Core i5 or Quad Core i7 processor. Other features include a SuperSpeed USB 3.0 port, optional Blu-ray, dual hard drive bays with SSD available, a backlit keyboard, TrueVision HD webcam, Triple Bass Reflex Subwoofer, a mini DisplayPort, HDMI, Beats Audio and an optional high-resolution Full HD display. The HP ENVY 17 starts at $1,399.99. You can configure… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

It’s one of the most anticipated titles to reach the iTunes App Store.  Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction from Gameloft is now available for download for the iPhone OS. The game seeks to bring its popular mix of stealth strategy and shooting from its popular console format to the iPhone. Available for the iPhone and iPod Touch and priced at $9.99 the game isn’t cheap but what it promises is a third person shooter unlike any you’ve seen on the iPhone to date.  Featuring 11 different levels in 8 locations, superior graphics and an amazing depth. The game is available here. Check out a trailer of the… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I had a chance to review the V-MODA Remix headphones back in March and I loved them.  So when the release came in for V-MODA’s newest offering, I was thrilled. V-MODA has announced the launch of their Crossfade LP, the company’s first over the ear style headphone.  The Crossfades are made of lightweight metal and fabric and come in three colors:  White Pearl, Phantom Chrome and Gunmetal Black. The Crossfades retail for $249.99 and are available at Apple Retail Stores, the Apple Web Site or directly from the V-MODA online store. You can read the full press release below, and stay tuned for our full review soon. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

For many gamers who buy their first console, there is considerable sticker shock when they realize that it will cost them 25% of the price of the console and first controller just to add another player! I would advise those folks to stop reading now! OK, still here? The image at the top shows you the coolest new controller from the folks at Thrustmaster: the Ferrari Wireless GT Cockpit 430 Scuderia Edition. To me this is more than just a ‘controller’, it is a fully realized racing cockpit. It wirelessly hooks into your PC or Playstation 3 system and provides a fully realized driving control system unlike anything before it … of course the fact… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Yup, it’s coming.  In my house growing up, we thought of it as “Old Spice and tie day”.  Father’s Day:  the day kids everywhere crisp scrambled eggs, vulcanize some bacon, and bring it to the Big Bedroom, where they can spill coffee on Dad and watch while he tries not to bust a molar on the “food.”  Father’s Day! Now, Father’s Day has never been that big a thing for me.  My birthday is generally right around Father’s Day, and if I’m going to be fussed over, I’d rather it be for that.  But either way, I’m the kind of guy who has no need for after shave or ties–I’m a geek in the computer… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

OK, these are too cool. They look like nice, rather simple cufflinks, but they are much more than that thanks to a hidden surprise. That surprise? Each cufflink offers 2GB of storage. Pop off the top of either, plug it into a USB port and… Bam… Access whatever you have stored on them as you would with any USB flash drive. The cufflinks come in three finishes- silver, gunmetal and gold plated. They are available for pre-order now and begin shipping tomorrow (May 26th). Such techie fashion won’t come cheap however, as the cufflinks cost $199 a pair. Engraving costs $8 for eight characters and adds a one week lead-time. You can check Continue reading on Gear Diary …

“A brand new car!” Yup; that’s what’s at stake in Scion’s upcoming contest.  Starting on June 1, Scion is sponsoring a contest that is an 8-week interactive online and real world competition that puts players in the driver seat to win a real next-generation 2011 tC!  The online adventure begins June 1st at www.unlockthetc.com with daily instant-win prizes and action all the way to the real-world event in August.   Pre-registration for the game is now open and Scion will be giving out a bonus instant-win play for anyone who signs up before the game goes live June 1st. Surf on over and check it out.  I mean, after all:  a Brand New… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

We are all feeling the financial pinch!    Blue Plate Special is a weekly review of bargain apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Nothing over $.99. Working at a school allows me to see many different fads and phenomena.  Sometimes it is a certain clothing style, a catch phrase, a certain style of purse or shoes etc…  This year the craze seems to be a certain flash game.  The game is available on an educational website that is actually not blocked by the filter at our school.  There is a huge number of games to play but one… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

A long time ago I signed up on the Verve Music site in order to gain access to some ‘exclusive’ John Coltrane content. Since 2003 I have gotten more or less weekly emails from them, generally throw-aways promoting whomever was new, but with some occasional gems. Fairly typical for a music publisher and nothing obnoxious enough to make me unsubscribe. The last several months, however, have been a nearly daily stream of emails related to American Idol Season 5 runner-up Katharine McPhee and her latest recording “Unbroken”. Verve has been absolutely punishing my inbox with pseudo-personalized emails pushing me to check out this or that about the new release. The music itself is the… Continue reading on Gear Diary …