I do not know about you, but I have collected quite the array of USB devices.  From iPhones and iPads to battery chargers, it seems that my life is constantly filled with charging via a USB cable.  For a while I did have a wall adapter with a USB port that I could use to charge some devices, but only one at a time, which was not working.  One day, my wife said, “look at all this junk we have sitting here waiting to charge, and you only have one plug?”  After explaining that none of it was junk, I kind of agreed with her.  It was becoming a pain in the neck to… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Good Old Games has been teasing us with the last release in the post-reopen Atari catalog roll-out, but as I said when they released Icewind Dale II nearly two weeks ago … I fully expected that last slot to be filled by perhaps the greatest of all RPGs and certainly one of the best games ever made, Baldur’s Gate II. Today Good Old Games confirmed this, The long-awaited final Atari-Hasbro release is here! Most of you have probably figured this out by now, but that release is only the best RPG of all time – Baldur’s Gate 2! The Complete edition contains the original Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn and its Continue reading on Gear Diary …

All images by author I finally upgraded to the iPhone 4 from Apple and my “hand-me-down” 3GS went to my new bride Tish. When Apple first began to release details of its latest phone I was eager to test the higher resolution 5 megapixel camera (versus 3ish of the previous phone). And with the last iOS update this new device now has the capability of HDR or High Dynamic Range photography. What a pleasant surprise. What is HDR? An easy explanation would be to think of it as “high-def” photography as the range of colors and tones displayed is greater. To an Ansel Adams apprentice wannabe such as myself I find this new feature simply stunning… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Last week saw post after post after post describing the Samsung Galaxy Tab as “the first real competitor to the iPad”. That may or may not be true but in one area it will actually trump the iPad— cost. U.S. Cellular has just announced that its version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab will hit stores and the company’s Web site on November 19 at a price of $399. Sure that price requires a two year contract and submit for a $100 mail-in rebate but still, the initial cost of ownership of the Tab is now $100 less than the 16GB iPad WiFi and $230 less than the least expensive version with a cellular data connection. In… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I have gotten in the habit of rounding up weekend deals, and the occasional midweek deal worth grabbing. But now we have two Monday morning deals so good I couldn’t pass them up! Amazon.com Amazon is having a Prelude to Black Friday sale, and today featuring ‘Buy One Get 40% Off Another’ game! These aren’t just shovelware, either – these are games you actually WANT to buy … stuff like Fable III, Fallout: New Vegas, and so on! GamersGate Continuing on with the great weekend sale, GamersGate has refocused on RPGs, with Gothic 2 Gold, SpellForce 2, Beyond Divinity and more! A Farewell To Dragons Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Welcome back to the GearGames weekly video game release feature here at Gear Diary! We are nearing the end of the fall game rush, with a big push on every platform – except the PSP, as usual – to get out solid games to sell for the next six weeks before the end of the year. There are several multiplatform releases, such as the high profile Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, arriving for XBOX360, PS3 and later to the PC. There is also Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, Create and Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity Gauntlet coming to various platforms. My biggest release is the movie tie-in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part Continue reading on Gear Diary …

J Dell has just released their 14″ Dell XPS 14. It is highly customizable and starts at just $899.99. That alone makes it today’s Gear Deal. If you configure the system to create the “flagship Dell XPS 14″ however there is an even better deal to be found. Dell’s new XPS laptops have a unique look that includes an anodized aluminum display back, a brushed aluminum palm rest and diamond cut trim around they keyboard and touchpad area. they have a “Skype-certified” 720p HD webcam, JBL designed and certified speakers with Waves MaxxAudio, an optional backlit keyboard, a 9-cell battery and an integrated TV tuner. They also include an HDMI port, a Mini DisplayPort, a 9-in-1 Card… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

We’re baaaaack…. On Gear Chat #18 we talk about the delay in iOS 4.2′s release, share some of our favorite new iPhone and iPad apps, talk about the MacBook Air  and Larry makes a potential bet with Dan that involves SCOTTEVEST clothing and his (Larry’s) bank account… Intro Music- Lean On Me- Sounds From the Ground Solarstone’s Chill Out Remix… (http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/chillout-a-nettwerk-escape/id258464413) Powered by Podbean.com Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Here’s a news flash for everyone who’s looking for a quick fitness fix: there isn’t one. There is no magic equipment, no special pill, and definitely no pair of super sneakers that are going to get you in shape or zap away the weight. It takes watching what you eat and getting your butt moving! Of course, if you look around your local mall, every athletics store is touting some form of “toning shoe” that promises better muscle tone in your legs and back, and all you have to do is wear them! The first time I saw the shoes I cringed. I have a tendency to trip over everything barefoot, so the idea of being on… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

A number of weeks ago Case–Mate allowed me to create one of their do-it-yourself Tough cases for the iPhone 4. I played around with their online DIY case creator program and had a great time doing so. Eventually I settled on creating a case that used our site’s colors and had the Gear Diary logo on the back. After all, we recently passed 10 million unique visitors. I figured this was a great way to mark the occasion!! Well, this is the case that came in the mail. It does a great job of protecting an iPhone 4 and has a one of a kind design. You can design and order your own for just $39.99… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I don’t get this. I don’t get this at all. NOOK is Barnes and Noble’s flagship device. It’s how they plan to push for ebook dominance. So why are they selling their flagship device through a competitor AND with the competitor’s store preloaded? Books A Million is the third largest bookstore in the country, behind B&N and Borders. As far as I can tell, there’s no business connection between B&N and BAM beyond the NOOKcolor. Unless this is some bizarre foreplay before B&N makes a merger play for BAM I don’t see the benefit for either party. NOOK is a brand name that’s heavily associated with Barnes and Noble, so diluting it doesn’t help B&N’s cause. And… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Let’s face it: The outdoors can be dirty and dusty.  You go to the beach and try to lay a towel out and end up getting sand all over it.  You go for a swim and then get sand in your eyes when you dry off.  Not fun.  How do you cure this?  Cgear’s Sand-Free Multimat!  That’s how! The Multimat is made from a special technological material similar to what the military uses a to keep dust down when landing helicopters in dusty environments.  This also works wonderfully to keep the sand and dust on the ground where it belongs and away from you. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

At the end of last season my family started watching Glee, and we have been fans ever since. I wouldn’t call us ‘Gleeks’ since we miss episodes here and there and will watch other things in the same time slot on occasion – but we enjoy the show and look forward to it each week. This week’s episode was particularly good for a few reasons: it touched on homosexuality in a sensitive way, also looking at bullies and bullying, preconceived notions based on appearance, and other stuff. Oh, and there was the normal wall-to-wall array of high-energy songs and dance numbers! For me that is the big thing – I remember my kids being… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Companies like Apolis don’t come around very often.  After I had agreed to review their latest offering, a wallet style case for the iPhone 4, I went to read up and learn more about the brand.  What I read really made me stand up and take notice.  Work conditions at the Chinese factory that produces the iPhone have been all over the news of late and details on the numerous suicides by the Chinese workers are shocking.  We’ve all read the stories about the less than stellar work conditions in factories that product sneakers and other brand named clothing too. Apolis takes a utterly refreshing approach to they way they go about manufacturing their products… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

The last two weeks I’ve had Halloween and Daylight Savings Time to tap for clever titles … fortunately with all of the great sales I don’t need anything extra! As I mentioned in my post, Deals4Downloads is a great site for seeing who is offering what … and I have used their site to augment my weekly post! So let’s get right to it! Impulse Impulse Weekend Buys Sale, including … Majesty 2 – 75% Off ($7.49) Majesty 2 Kingmaker – 75% Off ($3.75) East India Company Collection – 50% Off ($14.99) Mirror’s Edge – 50% Off ($9.99, pictures at top) Continue reading on Gear Diary …