There’s nothing like peer pressure to get you motivated.  Last week I told you that after hearing my plan to start the C25K program and write about it for the site both Judie and Dan eagerly joined in too.  Dan’s still on the sidelines with his wrist injury but Judie and I are plugging along, despite Judie battling illness and getting ready for her wedding! Well after seeing my week one article even more members of the Gear Diary staff decided they wanted in on the fun as well.  Starting this week with week one of the C25K were Travis, Joel, Jason, and Francis.  It’s a regular C25K party! Week 2… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Let’s start the week with a Gear Deal on an HP Pavilion dv7 Select Edition laptop! The base specs of the notebook include a Core i3-350M 2.26GHz, 4GB DDR3, a 320GB 7200RPM Hard Drive, 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470 Switchable Graphics, a TrueVision Webcam, a Fingerprint Reader, a 6-cell battery and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit OS. This configuration has an MSRP but our Gear Sponsor has found a coupon code that will save you $200 and you’ll get free shipping. That brings the price down to $799.99 shipped. The notebook is, however, customizable so you can upgrade to a Core i5 and Core i7 Quad and you can save up to… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I previously reviewed Sound ID’s last two headsets, the Sound ID 300 and the Sound ID 400. Both headsets were among the most comfortable and best sounding Bluetooth headsets I have used and both packed some nice features into rather small device. Well this morning Sound ID announced their next generation Bluetooth headset, and it is rather impressive. The headset packs in A2DP Technology, advanced noise reduction, multi-point technology and… get this… an iPhone app that works with the headset. The new headset, the Sound ID 510 will be available in black from AT&T (available in the store and online) on June 6 while a version in white, as well as the black… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Welcome back to the GearGames weekly video game release feature here at Gear Diary! After a pretty solid release list last week, this week is even more amazing! Blur is getting some amazing early looks, which will hopefully last through release. But the big star of the week is Super Mario Galaxy 2! The original 2007 game got outstanding reviews, and remains one of the best games of this console generation. The follow-up deals with the criticisms from the original and looks even better. If you have a Wii this looks to be a ‘must buy’. Two to avoid: UFC 2010 Undisputed and ModNation Racers. Both are bound to be decent games – I’ve been… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

My in-laws are currently in China touring for the next two weeks. For gear they took a point and shoot camera my mother-in-law’s new Kindle (well new to her thanks to judie) and… an iPad. Now this may not sound like a big deal to you but trust me… it is. You see, my father-in-law doesn’t even check his own email messages. Elana does. and when I got my iPad my father-in-law rolled his eyes and gave me a look that said, “Yet another Apple product Dan? You know there is a twelve-step program for that.” I proceeded to tell him that I thought it would be a perfect device for him. I got another eye-roll… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Finding the iPad case that is right for me has proven to be a difficult task.  There are so many options and styles, finding the perfect option is truly an exercise in trial and error.  I thought I would give the iPad Leisure Jacket by M-Edge a try since it is compact and provides a lot of protection from the environment.  The product has left me with mixed results.  Kind of an interesting idea that does not work. Features * The Leisure Jacket provides superior protection against sand, dirt, and     moisture by utilizing a read-through, clear vinyl cover. * Protective double closure zipper allows access to charging port without removing Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I’m back with another episode of Gear Diary’s Deal or Dud? This month I take a look at the Original Space Bag.  Several years ago these bags were all the rage.  You loaded them full of your most bulkiest sweaters, blankets and other items that you used seasonally, sucked all the air out to compress and them and then stored them neatly under your bed. In my continuing quest to create more closet space in my own home I snatched up a new version of the space bag.  The Original Space Bag promises to triple your closet space.  The one we’ll take a look at today actually comes with a hanger… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

JAVOedge has just released a series of iPad sleeves and they look great. The three styles, the Poppy Sleeve Case, the Kyoto Sleeve Case, and the Fiber Sleeve Cases are all “animal-friendly” (ie non-leather) with the Poppy Sleeve available in “sunny yellow”, “sky blue”, and “tangerine red”. As the company puts it, “The Sleeve Cases are nice enough to carry alone and show off.” They aren’t kidding. All three look both stylish and functional, offering good protection for your iPad while also making it simple to access it whenever you choose. Let’s take a quick look at each. The JAVOedge Fiber Sleeve Case for the Apple iPad is- …a modern, graphic alternative to traditional leather Continue reading on Gear Diary …

The lucky guys at Android Central got their hands on a demo of Kindle for Android, and it looks amazing. If you watch the video, there’s a brief force close (oops!), and a demo of some of the settings. Highlights for me were the ability to change the background colors and a brightness slider; when you’re dealing with a bright, high resolution screen, being able to adjust how you view an ebook is a must. After watching the video, this makes me want Kindle for Android now! Summer can’t come soon enough…note to Amazon: I’ll be traveling in June and July, so if you could release this in EARLY summer that would be super!… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Please join us in wishing Judie and Kevin congratulations on their wedding this evening. We wish them many many years of happiness together!!!!!!… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Update 04/02/11: This post was originally published with the title “Orbino – Great Leather Items, Zero Customer Service.” You can read why this title has been updated by clicking here. When I go to a fine restaurant I expect good food and excellent service. After all you expect better service at a five star Manhattan eatery than you do at Red Lobster. The same goes for a luxury retail store. If you go to Neiman Marcus you expect better service than, say, Sears. The same goes for on-line vendors although you would not know it from my recent dealing with the high-end leather goods designer Orbino. Fact is, dealing with… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

(All photos courtesy BMW) Stop the presses. An automotive journalist has been discovered that does not love, love, love the BMW 3-series. What is this heresy? Refusing to drink the Kool-Aid? Next they will be telling us this global warming scare is not all it is cracked up to be and that American automakers will be profitable despite all of the new fuel economy standards around the bend. I was really looking forward to my week in this BMW 335i coupe. I figured all I would have to do is drive it a few days and I would be able to regurgitate every word I have ever heard or read extolling the virtues of this industry icon.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

So, you’re hacking away at your guitar, and you think, “Yo, I should sing these here lyrics that I just wrote.”  And you open your mouth and start wailing away!  A sure-fire hit!  You’re set for life!  And then your dog starts howling and you think, “Okay, maybe my voice needs a little work.” Everyone trying to do music could use some ear training, and Christopher Sutton, the creator of Easy Ear Training, has put out an iPhone app to help you out.  With a game-like interface, it helps you train your pitch sensitivity.  Relative Pitch is available now via iTunes for an MSRP of $7.99 with a lite version available as well… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

T’would appear that slowly, slowly app creators for the iPhone are recognizing that the expansion mode on the iPad isn’t all that great, and are updating their apps for full iPad support.  Astraware–a game company that I personally quite like–has released an updated version of their 11-in-1 Casino app that provides full iPad support.  Available via iTunes for an MSRP of just a buck.  Check it out. Full information below. Try your luck with Astraware Casino – a collection of 11 of the most popular casino games all in one pack. Enjoy all the fun of a real casino without losing your shirt! Includes: ♠ Texas Hold ‘Em No Limit Poker ♣ Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Jen over at Pocket Goddess has filed a good retrospective of her first two weeks with her new iPad 3G.  The bottom line for her? For me personally, the iPad 3G is one of the best purchases I’ve ever made, and you couldn’t possibly pry it from my hands. But the whole post is well worth a read, and if you’re interested in iPad reactions, it’s really worth a read.  (Though she must have one heck of a big pocket if she’s thinking of fitting an iPad in it.)… Continue reading on Gear Diary …