I’ve had a Yahoo! Mail account since before Google became a verb – or a noun, for that matter – and I still use it for certain purposes, so when Yahoo! recently announced improvements to the service, it caught my attention.  Available starting this week, Yahoo! has given iPad users of their Mail service a shot in the arm with a new, HTML5-driven mobile web interface.  Yahoo! released a similar update for iPhone compatibility around the beginning of July, so it only makes sense that the iPhone’s bigger sibling is getting similar treatment. As part of the update, Yahoo! promises: ·         Faster and more reliable: If you’re offline, Yahoo! Mail uses local caching capabilities to help you Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I have been a fan of Jeff Vogel and Spiderweb Software for a number of years, and have recently reviewed their latest game Avernum VI and covered their upcoming new franchise Avadon for Gear Diary. Vogel and Spiderweb are part of the classic wave of mid-90′s shareware scene, which has now recently re-emerged as the Indie Developer scene. What happened in between? Everyone got into larger companies, got bought up in dotcom booms, or simply didn’t see the value in being a small developer. And based on business cycles and dynamics as well as some of the ‘rock star’ lifestyles of highly ranked software stars, you can understand why! But for… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Chaco makes a line of shoes, sandals and flip flops with the assistance of a certified pedorthist.  They designed the contours of their footbed to control pronation and maximize performance. Their BioCentric footbed ensures a supported, comfortable stride in any activity and as a result, has been awarded the Seal of Acceptance by the American Podiatric Medical Association. Basically, to absorb shock, the foot naturally pronates (flexes and rolls). Over pronation occurs when the foot rolls too far inward, resulting in stress on the muscles and tendons of the foot. This stress can travel through the body causing injuries.  Chaco says that nearly 80% of the population over pronates.  Chaco BioCentric… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

OK, so perhaps I have not quite adjusted to the naming convention realignment that Ubisoft has instituted over the entire Might & Magic universe. It used to make sense – since 1986 we had the Might & Magic series of RPGs, then in 1995 we got Heroes of Might & Magic (descended from the original King’s Bounty, which itself has been rebooted), and other marginal spin-offs. The naming was clear: Might & Magic games were RPG, Heroes games were turn-based strategy. In 2003 Ubisoft bought the rights to the Might & Magic franchise from bankrupt 3DO (who had bought them from original developer New World Computing), and decided to reboot the franchise. This started with… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Remember the little black book?  Men around the word used little diaries to keep names and numbers of their women friends.  Little black books have been the subject of entire movies, fortunes have been won and lost over them and marriages ruined. First came the DODO case for the iPad.  The limited edition case, which is hand made and sells for $59.95, turns your iPad into a beautiful journal reminiscent of a Mole Skin journal. If you love the design of the DODO and have been hankering for something similar for your iPhone 4 or your iPhone 3G/3Gs then take a look at the “Little Black Book“… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Callpod who is the maker of the Chargepod, fueltank and other products for mobile phones has branched out into software now with the release of Keeper and Keeper Mobile.  These programs are password data vaults that run on pretty much every smartphone including iPhone, Android and Blackberry based phones.  The free version let’s you store your passwords on your mobile phone only.  With a $29.99 subscription, you are also able to use Keeper on your Windows, Mac or Linux Desktop. I will say I have not tried the software yet, but I am afraid to say I really don’t feel safe using it.  Why is that?  Well Keeper’s paid Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I was forwarded an email from my cousin Dusty this morning, and in it there were incredible carvings which had been done in the tips of pencils — some involving the lead (graphite) of the pencil, and some involving the wood around the lead. The name of the artist wasn’t listed, nor was the original source, but a quick Google search revealed both. Dalton Ghetti, a carpenter who lives in Bridgeport, New York, has been making his “miniature masterpieces” for about 25 years. From the February 11, 2007 New York Times article about him: “You could see how Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Our Friday Gear Deal is the Lenovo IdeaPad Z360. It  has a Core i3-350M running at 2.26GHz and ships with 3GB DDR3. It has a 13.3″ LED LCD, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, 802.11n WiFi, a DVD+/-RW and a 500GB HDD. The chicklet keyboard means that it is easy to type on and the inclusion of WiMAX means it offers total connectivity. With this configuration the laptop has a starting price of $849 however our Gear Sponsor has found some nice savings on it. You’ll save an immediate $50 and then add on a stackable coupon to save another $200. That will bring the price down to just $599 and it will even ship for free… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I have already reviewed the Darkspawn Chronicles and Leliana’s Song DLC for Dragon Age on the PC, but for those who were heartened by the recent patching and DLC releases for the Mac version of the game, there is yet another reason to be excited – these DLC are now available for the Mac! According to the official site: New DLC has arrived for the Mac! Enter the shadowy world of the bard and learn the truth, or at least a version of it, behind Leliana’s last mission with Marjolaine in Leliana’s Song! Experience the other side of the blight and help the Archdemon lay siege to Denerim in Darkspawn Chronicles! As… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

This summer has been interesting for my family: my older son had his first real date AND first kiss … but of course not with the same girl (oh the drama!), and my younger son is being pursued by the same 18-year-old camp counselor (and older sister of one of my kids’ friends) who chased my older son last summer. Fortunately I am into my third decade of not having to worry about dating … but for those troubled by this question, The Morning News is there to help! They have detailed out a ‘Can We Date’ chart in order to help answer a letter they received: I recently reconnected with my brother’s wife’s Continue reading on Gear Diary …

If you want proof that Android has matured into a solid platform, don’t look to a geek like me. I’m happy to fiddle, experiment and tweak away, but tinkering doesn’t sell phones. If it’s not easy to use with great features then all the high end specs in the world won’t matter. Want proof? Just look at the experience of my fiancée, Sarah, a new Android convert. Like I said, I like to fiddle. The first weekend I had my Droid I spent my time poking around the settings, playing with wallpapers and software, and learning every possible combination of radios and brightness for optimal battery life. I read android-focused forums, scoured reviews for app suggestions, and… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

… and the GamesCon goodies keep on rolling! Now we have word from Good Old Games that they are having a week-long sale to celebrate the convention! Here are the basics: Until Thursday, August 26 at 11:59 p.m. EDT you can grab 4 great games from JoWooD, including Gothic 2 Gold and Spellforce Platinum, 40% cheaper than the usual, while the Realms of Arkania games are all 25% off. The promo is not a bundle offer, so you get the discounts if you buy one or more games. As I have said before, Gothic 2 Gold is one of the best RPGs of the last decade. Spellforce Platinum is a massive RTS/RPG hybrid that… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I am a huge fan of booq’s various gadget bags. They are always thoughtfully designed and well-made from the best materials. The company recently announced a new bag specifically designed for the iPad. The striking Boa push iPad Bag is big enough to carry your daily essentials along with your iPad yet small and light enough to ensure that you aren’t weighed down by too much stuff. In designing the Boa push booq has gone for striking a balance between full laptop bags and “iPad-only” sleeves. As they explain Some iPad bags are more like a full laptop messenger bag, big and bulky, while others are just sleeves that barely hold the Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Have you got the need, the need for speed? Sorry; I couldn’t resist. One of our buddies at PlayReplay has emailed to let us know that Top Gun 2 for the iPhone will be out very, very soon on iTunes.  So if you have the need for speed, if you miss the pumping 80s rock and roll, the Tom Scott-inspired gamery, then you should keep your eyes open for it… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Image courtesy of Pocketnow.com Music royalties has been a hot debated topic in the past few years, especially with the developement of the Internet and Peer to Peer file sharing. A newly proposed mandate would force all cell phones made and sold in the US to include an FM radio tuner. This proposed mandate is still in its infancy, but if passed would make it one step closer to having Congress control how our cell phones are made and manufactured. This push is designed to generate revenue currently lost by streaming media apps, online music sales, and overall loss of the FM Radio audience. Currently Radio stations are not required to pay royalties to… Continue reading on Gear Diary …