Act Fast: This offer expires on FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5TH, 9 AM PST! Here are the basics: Facebook Game Giveaway : Sometime on Wednesday, November 3rd, we will be posting a new Facebook status. Anyone who responds to this very specific post with their favorite Chronic Logic game included in the message will win that game! This includes any single game sold on ChronicLogic.com as of November 3rd 2010 limited to one game per person. The promotion will last 48 hours and is open to new and current Facebook fans. Check out the official page with the details. Then head to Facebook to ‘Like’ them and leave a comment! Good luck!… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Vlogging is a very popular activity these days. If you’re not familiar with it, the process involves recording a video-diary of your life and then posting it online for the world to follow. It seems everywhere I look there’s someone who’s decided to record a portion of their life and post it on the internet. If you’ve ever tried to record yourself while “out and about” you know it’s not easy. Using a standard video camera requires what I like to call the “one arm reach” where you hold the camera in one hand and turn it around. Then you extend your arm as far out as you can and record yourself. This works fairly well… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

A number of weeks ago Case–Mate invited 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!! The next day I received notice that the case had shipped. I waited. And I waited. And I waited. The case didn’t come. About a week later I received notice that there had been a… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

My MacBook Air finally arrived. (I HATE delayed gratification even if it is just a week!) It is awesome. Small, thin, light but speedy. I love it. Were this seven months ago I would be bringing it everywhere. Since we are AiP (After iPad), however, I don’t see it going everywhere with me but I DO see taking it to CES in January and on other work/site-related trips. For those occasions I want something that can protect my precious Air while not adding too much bulk and weight. Waterfield has a great option for doing just that- the Suede Jacket Sleeve for MacBook Air. Waterfield’s new Suede Jacket Sleeve for both sizes of the Apple MacBook Continue reading on Gear Diary …

The mid-week deals are heating up! There are some that I nearly missed and some that just came in, so I wanted to get them out so you could take advantage! So let’s get right to it! GameTree Online Mac Monday 40% Off Red Alert 3 The Command & Conquer franchise of real-time strategy games has been a mainstay for the genre through the years, and Red Alert 3, while not the highest reviewed entry is still a solid game well worth playing. Especially at 40% off for the Mac! Here is the info: Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 for Mac at 40% off until Thursday at midnight! A consistent best-seller Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Icewind Dale II Complete Good Old Games just keeps on rolling! Since the site relaunch, GoG has added new games weekly from the classic Atari-Hasbro catalog of D&D-based RPGs. They started with Baldur’s Gate, moved through Planescape: Torment, Icewind Dale, Temple of Elemental Evil and Neverwinter Nights. And now …they are adding Icewind Dale II Complete! This is the last game made with the classic Infinity Engine, and the end of an era in Dungeons & Dragons games (Neverwinter Nights started a new era later the same year!). Here is the site info: With only one more Atari-Hasbro title left, Icewind Dale 2 Complete brings us perilously close Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Technology has been wonderful for musicians, especially guitarists.  I know purists think using guitar tableture is cheating, but those of us who are without formal training, tabs are how we learn new songs.  Many years ago when we were poor college students, my wife found a huge folder of tabs I had printed and put them by category in a big binder for me so I could easily find any songs I wanted to play.  Many devices, including the iPhone and iPad, allow players to read tabs, but sometimes it is difficult to read them or scroll through the song.  The i-tab is a stand alone device that not only carries the tabs, but… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

For me, genealogy has been as much a passion as it was a hobby; my maternal grandmother and my uncle started researching their Meador and Bridwell lines years ago, and when I became an adult I picked up where they had left off, expanding the search for my father’s family, the Lipsetts and Hublers, as well. Over the years I have spent countless hours online and in libraries researching and amassing a huge collection of data; I have truly enjoyed discovering information, pictures and stories that have helped me learn more about my ancestors’ lives. Genealogy has given names in old family bibles a chance to live again, even if only in my imagination… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Want an awesome media player with a gorgeous touchscreen that isn’t an iPod touch? Have we got a Gear Deal for you today!! This bundle offers a Zune HD PLUS a Zune HD Car Charger at a huge savings. Together they make using your Zune on the go a breeze. The Zune HD offers the digital experience that gives you access to premium entertainment and the latest technologies, allowing you to enjoy, connect, and discover content in a whole new way—the way you like it. Browse, stream, buy, and play all you want, including music, HD video, Podcasts, games and much more. It has 32GB of storage capacity, an HD radio, is HD-compatible so… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Our school finally recently replaced the teacher workstation computers with updated machines running Windows 7.  One thing they did not replace was the old keyboards.  I am not sure how old the keyboard I had was, but it was enormous.  I remember a few years ago when keyboard seemed to have the bigger is better phase and this was a remnant from that era.  The keyboard was so high that I had to use a wrist pad to raise my hands up to even use it.  I was not a fan of the large spring-loaded keys either.  (I know some of you love those.)  My Mac keyboard at home seemed so… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Using an extended battery which also serves as an iPhone case is a great way to keep your phone going all day, and it’s nothing new. But Tekkeon is introducing a new twist — swappable battery packs available in either 1200 mAh (the Ultra Slim) or 2200 mAh (the Ultra Power). So here’s how it works: the myPower Extended Battery Case comes with an Ultra Slim extended battery, and you can order extra batteries in either the Slim or the Power size; rather than remove the case when its extended battery loses its charge, you just swap out the depleted battery. Tekkeon myPower Features: •Delivers power for hours of extra play/work time through… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

While minivans have reserved a place in automotive history for themselves they are rarely the first (or second or third) type vehicle most folks think about when dreaming of a new car. Not to mention the minivan segment has shrunk considerably over recent years in response to that line of thinking (and buying). Toyota is one of a handful of automakers that has remained loyal to the segment and has given its 2011 model Sienna a significant makeover, along with quite the marketing campaign. Dubbed the “Swagger Wagon” the new Sienna has been given life in primetime thanks to entertaining TV commercials bolstered by a strong social media push. Toyota even sent a slightly modified… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

A few weeks ago we learned that jazz keyboard player T Lavitz died unexpectedly in his sleep at the age of 54. Lavitz was best known for his time in the jazz-rock fusion group Dixie Dregs, but also released high-profile solo works, and he also formed groups such as the critically acclaimed Players, as well as Jazz is Dead which was an ensemble of veteran jazz players reinterpreting works of the Grateful Dead. Lavitz was one of the many talented artists to come out of the University of Miami’s ground-breaking jazz education program of the 1970′s (including most of the Dixie Dregs as well as Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius, Maria Schneider and many others), and… 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. A strange thing often happens with IOS games.  Sometimes a simple, seemingly boring game can become completely addicting bringing joy, frustration and waste lots of time.  I recently found Catapult Madness at the top of the games list and it was on sale for free so I thought I would give it a try.  I was mildly amused at first, but kept wanting to extend the distance I threw the peasants so… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

This is an intriguing one, and a definite must if you are a fan of the Grateful Dead! Each day at Dead.net a new song is going to be posted for you to listen to and ‘vote’ on what you think it is (login required). You get to keep the song regardless, and the first correct answer wins a special prize: Each day, the first person to guess the venue & date correctly will get a Road Trips of their choice. If you’re not first but you’ve answered correctly, you will also be automatically entered for a weekly prize of THE WARNER BROTHERS STUDIO ALBUMS VINYL BOX (EXCLUSIVE EDITION) or a FORMERLY THE WARLOCKS boxed Continue reading on Gear Diary …