I love playing games on my iPhone and iPad but nothing beats the graphics, speed and immersive experience of playing a console game in a huge HDTV. Well, our Gear Sponsor found that the EA Store is offering a 30% off coupon code for select video game titles. Better still, this Gear Deal includes FREE shipping. Among the available deals that are part of the 30% off promotion… Dante’s Inferno for PS3 and Xbox 360 is $20.96 (normally $29.95) Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Ultimate Edition for PS3 and Xbox 360 is $41.96 (normally $59.95) Dead Space for PS3 and Xbox 360) is $13.96 (normally $19.95) Saboteur for PS3 and Xbox… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I love my iPad, but have yet to use it for heavy work, including writing my Gear Diary posts.  Typing on the MacBook is just so much faster because of its full-size keyboard.  Later today I will post a review for a credit card size Bluetooth keyboard that works with the iPhone and iPad.  Although that keyboard works really well, I have a hard time using a phone sized qwerty keyboard.  The same company, EFO has recently released an iPad case that contains a full size Bluetooth keyboard.  Now, you can easily carry your iPad, flip it open and type away. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Image courtesy of ComicRelief.net I’d like to thank all of the Veterans reading for your service, past and present. One way or another, you’ve all helped shape this great nation into what it is today. In my opinion, Veteran’s don’t get enough credit; some Veterans fought in conflicts and battles, some fought to keep hurricanes from devastating homes, and some now fight terrorism in far away places. Some gave all, but all gave some; so the bottom line is that everyone who took the oath to protect this great nation one way or another is a veteran, and they should be recognized for it. Everyone knows the quickest way to a… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Giving wrapped gifts in the box they came in is so lame; not only does the recipient immediately know what they are getting, but where’s the fun in it? Better to put their present in a box that will have them looking at you like you’ve lost your mind; use a Prank Pack and watch as relief and laughter follow when their gift box is finally opened and they see their real present. The holidays are coming, but this would be a fun gag for birthdays, graduations and anniversaries as well. $20 gets you three Prank Pack… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I have a pretty extensive watch collection which includes time pieces that range in price from very low to very high. While I do posses several “high-end” watches I find that I wear a digital watch most often. Part of the reason is my line of work – I just am too hard on anything I wear to worry about a pricey wrist accessory and part of it is the functionality a digital watch offers. A few weeks ago I took off my trusty Casio G-Shock while at the mall and gave it to my wife to hold. When we arrived home somehow she’d managed to “conveniently” throw out the watch in… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Touchscreens are awesome but they are also fingerprint magnets. As the above image shows, try as I might, I can’t seem to keep my screen pristine. And that’s just the aesthetic issue. Recent studies have shown that touchscreens tend to collect lots and lots of germs. That’s especially problematic now that it is flu season. Seriously… it is gross to think about what is squirming around on this screen. Yuck! That’s why I was intrigued when we received an e-mail from a new company, MOBiLE 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. I have developed a few preferences while gaming on my iPhone.  First, the games have to obviously be fun, but also something I can play in short spurts.  My life has become much too busy to sit around and work through levels and play for long periods of time.  About all the time available now is a minute here or two minutes there.  The IOS as a gaming platform is perfect for… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I recently did a review of a series of $1 iPhone Apps, and in that article I struggled a bit with assessing the value proposition of those games. After all, over the last decade iTunes has successfully trained us that $1 is pretty much a throw-away in terms of value. You are lucky to find a song for that much at iTunes or Amazon, most stuff in the vending machines at my work costs more, and forget about getting a cup of even basic coffee for $1 anymore! But still I was concerned … just what is fair to expect from a $1 game? As I hinted in that review, I break it… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

If you work for a major company, there’s a good shot somewhere in your employee handbook is a prohibition against blogging, facebooking or twittering about your employer. Most companies take a dim view of employees taking their internal grievances to the masses, no doubt distrusting how quickly viral news spreads around the web. Of course, the flipside is that what employees do on their own time with their own computer is free speech, and that’s the heart of a major employee rights case before the courts. According to the New York Times, an employee at an ambulance company had an issue with her supervisor, which she voiced on Facebook. She was subsequently fired, with… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

When I was a kid there were a few years when the only TV in the house had a 19″ screen. To add insult to injury it was black and white and remotes had not yet come on the scene. We eventually got a color tv and, over the years, the size and the quality of the screen got bigger and better. But who could have imagined that, some day, there would be 73″ 3D HDTVs available for under $1500? Well, that is exactly what is available now and it is today’s Gear Deal. The Mitsubishi WD-73C10 is a 73″ 3D Home Cinema HDTV offering 1080p. The 3D enabled HDTV has 3 HDMI inputs… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Cervantes Mobile has released a new portable bluetooth keyboard designed specifically for the iPhone, iPad and Android devices. The Jorno keyboard… …folds down to a compact size to easily fit in your pocket or bag, and includes a detachable cradle to hold your device in either portrait or landscape orientation. Bluetooth connectivity allows you to pair the keyboard to your mobile device and position the keyboard anywhere you like. The keyboard is also rigid when unfolded, allowing placement in your lap. With the Jorno Bluetooth Keyboard, you can write emails, take notes and enjoy an efficient, portable way to type on your mobile device . Continue reading on Gear Diary …

… but naturally won’t tell! Here is their story: We have some terrifying news for all good old gamers. Last night some Black Ops broke into the GOG.com office in order to take over our TOP SECRET release plans. They had to know we were planning a big release! We’ve managed to intercept video footage of the whole operation, which you can watch here. These events won’t stop us from bringing you more great PC classics, so stay tuned for our next releases! And here is the full video: The speculation is running rampant on the site: it seemed the easy bets were on Baldur’s Gate 2 (which is what I… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

TPU and silicone style cases for the iPod Touch and the iPhone are a dime a dozen. If you’re going to impress me with a soft case you’ve got to stand out from the crowd. And that’s exactly what the Pixel Skin HD from Speck Products does. This TPU style case features 6 DPI of high-definition grip in four stylish colors. The Pixel Skin HD is offered in Black, Yellow, Bright Red and Purple. The case doesn’t come with a screen shield. Speck isn’t offering their ShieldView for the 4th generation Touch just yet, so if you need a screen shield you’ll have to grab one elsewhere. The case itself is soft and flexible… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Barnes and Noble must need room in their warehouses for all the NOOKcolor tablets coming in soon! They are selling refurbished NOOK 3G and Wifi devices at a decent, if varying, discount. Normally NOOK 3G units sell for $199 and NOOK WIFI for $149, but for a limited time you can save almost $100 off a 3G NOOK! What’s a bit odd is their choice of venue. BN.com has no information on refurbished units, and they are only available through eBay. It’s understandable that B&N doesn’t want to stock cheaper devices next to the full price ones, but it is still surprising to see them selling refurbs through an entirely separate entity. These are certified… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

It is hard to believe (well, for me anyway), but we are fast approaching the 30th anniversary of the assassination of John Lennon, after just recently passing the 70th anniversary of his birth. We are also 40 years since the break-up of the Beatles, so in honor of all of these anniversaries going on I decided to take a walk through the Beatles official release catalog. The entire set was released just over a year ago fully remastered, and it is those versions I will revisit. This means that my brother’s copy of Meet the Beatles will be left unaddressed. It has been interesting listening to these recordings again. As a kid I had all… Continue reading on Gear Diary …