Evernote is just announcing a major update to their Android app that brings it up to Version 2.0. As the version number indicates, this update brings some truly significant features and tweaks to the app. Among the key changes… version 2.0 has a new, more intuitive interface, it has a cleaner home screen, you will find a new search interface, there are new views with new options and the list goes on. It also brings simpler sorting and browsing, it is dramatically faster, it offers offline note storage and it brings background syncing. Over all this update brings many of the features on par with the solid and more “mature” Evernote for iPhone app while also Continue reading on Gear Diary …

We start the week with a Gear Deal on HP’s Pavilion dm4t Laptop. HP describes the 14″ Pavilion dm4t in this way- At just 1 inch thin and weighing only 4.4 pounds, the HP dm4 is the perfect balance between power and mobility. Its new design is wrapped in a brushed aluminum chassis with cool etched patterns. Battery life is expected to last up to 6.5 hours. Also features chiclet keyboard, Dolby Audio/Altec Lansing speakers, integrated DVD player/burner and TruVision Webcam. Optional upgrades include 512MB / 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470 SWITCHABLE graphics, GPS, Bluetooth, Mobile Broadband and more. So here… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Earlier this year I reviewed the “Beam N Read” light. It’s a great light for reading in the dark, knitting, camping, or tracking the dust bunnies under your couch. Overall, a very handy device. Over the summer they updated their 6-LED light with several enhancements. From their announcement of the refreshed device: The extra wide beam is designed for crafts, especially needlework such as quilting, knitting, and crochet. It lights up personal space anywhere including in a chair, car, plane, or even in bed without disturbing others. The extra bright light is also helpful for aging baby boomers, seniors, and others who benefit from brighter light for reading and other activities. “Beam N Read’s Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Welcome back to the GearGames weekly video game release feature here at Gear Diary! This week, in the aftermath of a very successful (at least hardware-wise) Kinect launch we have perhaps the biggest game of the year – Call of Duty Black Ops, arriving for XBOX360, PS3, Wii, DS and PC. Pretty much every other similarly focused game has smartly cleared a path for that release. Every other game coming out has a different target audience. That said, there are some cool releases across the board. For the song & dance crowd we have SingStar Dance, Just Dance Kids and Karaoke Revolution Glee. The other multiplatform release of the week is Monster Jam: Path Continue reading on Gear Diary …

The last generation iPod nano was a rather impressive device. It was small, held a good amount of music, let you watch video AND it had a video camera built-in. No, it was anything but a high-definition camera, but, in a pinch, it did get the job of capturing memories done. Sadly, Apple discontinued the design after just a year and replaced it with an awesome, but stripped-down, smaller version with a touchscreen. Still, there are lots of the iPod nano video out there and you can pick a refurbished one up on Apple’s site for a nice discount. If you do have one, or choose to pick one up, H2O Audio has a great… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

It’s no secret. I’m a big fan of the cases Speck Products had been churning out for the entire iDevice lineup. One of their newest offerings, The Candy Shell for the iPod Touch 4G recently arrived on my door step and I was happy to welcome it. I’ve owned the Candy Shell for both the iPhone 3G/3Gs and the iPhone 4 and have come to appreciate the hybrid style hard case for all it has to offer. How does the iPod Touch 4G version of this case fare? Read on to find out. Speck was kind enough to send me the “Moon Rock Gray” version of this case. But the Candy Shell for the… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Most iPhone users choose to protect their device with a case. A case not only offers a barrier between your phone and the outside elements but allows you to add your own personal design tastes to your mobile device. For me a protective case is only half of the equation though. How I carry my iPhone is just as important. I often choose to carry my phone in my front pants pocket but this can be uncomfortable. I’ve tested a few case/holster combinations but haven’t been particularly thrilled with any of them. The Primary Case Company recently released an entire line of leather holsters that are all meant to work with your iPhone while it’s in… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

all photos by Kevin Mitchell reviewed the HTC Desire back in April, an Android 2.1 device which at the time was only available in the UK, Europe and Asia, but that’s since changed. US Cellular, a CDMA carrier, has released their branded US version. While in many ways it is basically the same device as the one Mitchell had, there are some differences worth noting. But first, we’ll start with the similarities. Some of the other phones we’ve seen released as both GSM and CDMA carrier branded versions can appear to be completely different model phones when placed side by side with their counterparts — the unbranded European HTC Diamond Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I’m a huge fan of cases and bags from Waterfield. Their designs tend to be a bit different from all of the other look-alikes. The materials and construction is second to none. And they tend to bring out new products shortly after devices are announced and shipping. That is the case with their iPad offerings. Within a few weeks of the iPad shipping they had a good number of protective systems available for it. Since then, they have rolled out new items on a regular basis. One of the most recent is the iPad Wallet. The iPad while it is a great way to carry your iPad if you need to bring along the… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

If you read my ‘impressions’ of the demo version of ArcaniA, you know that even though I pre-ordered the game I had several hesitations about the potential for the game to be any good, and even more reservations about it being a ‘good Gothic game’. Having now completed the game as both a mage and a warrior, I’m ready to render my verdict on both counts … The Hype: Arcania is a Fantasy Action game set in a rich world that invites the player to explore all of its innumerable attractions and details. Different climate zones, abundant flora and fauna, subterranean vaults, and cities and castles with unique architecture await the adventurous player. Clouds… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Another weekend, another group of sales! This weekend aside from changing the clocks in most places in the US, we have more great deals, some excellent price drops, and other special offers worth mentioning! So let’s get right to it! Impulse Impulse Weekend Buys Sale, including … Star Ruler – 50% Off DarkFall MMOG – 75% Off All Sims 3 titles – 50% Off … and more! Good Old Games: This weekend they are featuring Halloween titles from publisher DotEMU (yes, they also have a site of their own I’ve mentioned here before!) – and we’re back to 50% off the… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

One key reason that video game consoles have become the go-to platform for so many mass market games? Hardware homogeneity. If you market a PC game, you need to test across two major video card brands with many card types, configurations, and mobile offshoots … and that doesn’t even touch on the CPU brands/types/cores, memory configurations, operating systems and on and on and on! Getting a PC game to a reasonable ‘working’ state is not trivial. But if you want to check out your XBOX360 game … test it on a XBOX360. Done. Similarly, in the mobile game space, despite being around for more than three years now, the iPhone & iPod Touch present a relatively unified… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

SCOTTEVEST does jackets. SCOTTEVEST does shirts. SCOTTEVEST does pants. SCOTTEVEST does boxers. HUH?! SCOTTEVEST does boxers? That’s right, SCOTTEVEST just announced their newest product, the SeV boxers. These aren’t just any boxers. These are boxers done SeV-style. There are made from quick-drying material, and they have an anti-microbial quality so they are perfect for travel. They can double as shorts, so they are good to take on a trip when you need to pack light. And, because they come from SCOTTEVEST, they have… a pocket for your iPhone (or, *gasp* Android device). (Come one… don’t act surprised… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Jawbone makes some of the most innovative and cutting-edge bluetooth headsets. Now they are taking everything they have learned over the last few years and applying it to create the JAMBOX, “The World’s First Intelligent Wireless Speaker and Speakerphone”. As the company explains- In addition to delivering full spectrum audio, JAMBOX quickly and easily connects with mobile phones, computers, tablets, iPods® or any other Bluetooth® device, allowing consumers to seamlessly stream and share music, movies, games, phone and conference calls anywhere — all wirelessly, all in the palm of your hand. Like Jawbone’s other products the JAMBOX has a unique look… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

When I first saw today’s deal I did a double-take. I really thought it was too good to be true. After all, a new 4th Generation iPod touch with 32GB of storage costs $299. So how is it that today’s deal will nab you a 32GB touch AND a pair of Sennheiser SJ HD201 Headphones (a $70 value) AND a pair of Sennheiser HD-280 Pro DJ Headphones (a $99 value) for just $326.94?? But the deal is real and is available through our Gear Sponsor. That’s right, NewEgg is offering the Apple iPod touch 32GB MC544LL/A (4th Generation) bundled with Sennheiser SJ HD201 Headphones (a $70 value) and Sennheiser HD-280 Pro DJ Headphones ($99 value) for… Continue reading on Gear Diary …