Last week when a video of a woman falling into a fountain at a Pennsylvania mall showed up everywhere, it was interesting … especially since I first noticed it on Windows Phone Thoughts where it was highlighted as ‘Windows Phone 7 Ad Comes True’. Microsoft, you might recall, has a new phone generation out (you are forgiven if you missed it, and the 40 people who bought them will probably not notice), and their commercials show people completely immersed in their phones to the point of missing out on real life. Here is the mall security video showing the event: Fortunately, you can immediately see that the person wasn’t seriously… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I have no idea when this started since I just got the email early this afternoon! But until 7PM EST today, you can get 50% off pretty much everything at the EA games store. For many games, you could do much better elsewhere (in the case of PC games, MUCH better through digital downloads). But for loads of games this is worth checking out – and they are also offering FREE SHIPPING! Great opportunity to pick up on some of last year’s games! Head on over to the EA Games store NOW! Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Welcome to another edition of Music Diary Reviews! This time around I look at a pretty broad mix of pop, rock dance & rap music. The title is a bit provocative, but recalling my recent article looking at the state of rock music relative to pop in 2010, it is pretty clear that dance-centric techno-pop ruled the airwaves last year. Listening to stuff like Ke$ha and the Black Eyed Peas really does hearken me back to the disco era of the late 70′s. I wonder if this music will suffer the same backlash as the music of that era? I have also looked at a few other releases: indie darling Arcade Fire’s recording… 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. When I play games on iOS devices, I usually prefer puzzle style games. I noticed Over The Rainbow was on sale for free so I figured it could not hurt to download and give it a try. Despite the cute, childish theme and design, it was quite fun for an old football coach. As you will see, the game is super easy to play, but becomes challenging and addictive as you work… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

When I got my iPad one of the first high-end bags for carrying that I got to review was the Waterfield Muzetto. I had wanted one ever since I had read Judie’s review of the laptop version of the bag. Her conclusion at the time: I have always been a fan of Vertical bags, in fact one of my favorite purses is the Louis Vuitton Musette, which this bag’s style greatly resembles. I really enjoyed carrying the Muzetto when I traveled to Seattle, and perhaps even more than that — I enjoyed all the comments I got from the other attendees who absolutely loved it, and that stranger at the airport. At least one Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Image courtesy of Cisco Cisco has just introduced their new Linksys E4200 flagship router into the world. This new router is a media streaming beast offering dual band Wireless N, 4 Gigabit ethernet ports, and a 6-pack of antenna’s for fuller coverage and faster speeds. The E4200 is designed to tackle high def  video streaming to all your wireless devices without compromising distance or reliability. The router also comes with a handy USB port that allows you to add external storage as well as future support for a Virtual USB port. Cisco wrapped up all this WiFi goodness into a freshly designed sleek-looking package and slapped it with an MSRP of $180… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Okay, yes; I admit that my brain is a junkyard of interlinked pop-culture references and allusions.  I’ll give you that one.  Even so, I’m still embarassed that when I see the word HEX, I think not of the tool, or of the company whose wares I’m about to notify you about, but rather and episode in the (absolutely awesome and not at all cutesy) anime series “Cowboy Bebop”, where the main protagonist is “Chess Master Hex,” or simply Hex. I do apologize for these references, but I aim to keep your interest, though my aim may be poor. In any case, “Cowboy Bebop” has nothing to do with HEX’s new product (unless Spike… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

With the arrival of the Mac App Store it is easier than ever to see and purchase Mac applications. Having spent some time perusing the App Store over the last few days I was pleased to discover that some of my favorite iOS app are also available for OS X. Of course there is the Mac version of Angry Birds (truth be told, playing it on a touchscreen device is MUCH more enjoyable), but there are also apps like SketchMee. It is the app that that let me make the above picture in a matter of seconds. I love being able… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I don’t know about you, but when I see the word Zeppelin, the first thing I think of is Jimmy Page wailing away on his guitar.  Next, it’s “Oh the humanity, the humanity!”  (If I mull for a few minutes more, I remember the Christmas morning scene in A Christmas Story where Randy gets a Zeppelin.  But I digress.)  I definitely don’t think of Apple’s AirPlay.  But then, I’m not working for Bowers & Wilkins, and they did. And boy, did they!  I mean, look at that sucker!  For their new updated Zeppelin, they’ve tweaked the drives, the amps, and the digital processing.  And let’s face it: it looks durn cool.  (And no, I’m sure… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Between pictures, music and movies the amount of digital content that sits on our computers and various hard drives has exploded. The problem is, how do you enjoy and, if you are so inclined, share them with others? That where today’s Gear Deal comes in. The Western Digital WD TV Live Hub 1TB Media Center features a 1 terabyte hard drive lets you… Watch the things you love on the screen you love. Collect your media in one place. Stream it anywhere in the house. Take your entertainment center to a whole new level of cool. File Formats Supported: – Video: AVI (Xvid, AVC, MPEG1/2/4), MPG/MPEG, VOB, MKV (h.264, x.264, AVC, MPEG1/2/4, VC-1), TS/TP/M2T (MPEG1/2/4 Continue reading on Gear Diary …

By now you’ve probably seen every blog post out there about Steve Jobs and his medical leave. It’s been a complicated situation, since being CEO brings with it obligations that a private individual doesn’t have. On the other hand, Steve Jobs is a private man and deserves the chance to hopefully recover in peace. We could debate this all day, but Businessweek’s resident ethics expert has stepped into the fray with a fantastic and clearly outlined explanation of both sets of obligations (that of a private individual as well as that of the leader of a major corporation who answers to stockholders). Dr. Weinstein’s best point, in my opinion, is #4: 4. Jobs’ medical condition Continue reading on Gear Diary …

One of the things that I enjoy in doing Gear Diary news items is seeing how quickly companies jump on various new products and trends.  (I know it probably seems ridiculous to you all, but when I’m in California, I’m a real geek in that I Have No Life™.)  For example, when the iPhone first came out–the year of  ”The Surge”, remember?–a lot of folks were saying “What the heck does Apple know about the cell phone market?  They’ll get stomped!”  Yes, a lot of folks disagreed, but gear manufacturers seem to hedge their bets; I was astonished at how few cases were available when the iPhone first went out.  Now, of course, you can’t walk ten feet in… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I did a full review of the Skadoosh iPad stand from Jadu Industries a short while ago. At $69.99 it is on the pricey side for an iPad stand but the build quality, ease of use and awesome industrial design make it one of the most desirable iPad stands I have seen. It is, in fact, the stand I personally use at home now. While we were at CES I passed by the Jadu Industries booth and stopped to chat with the owners/reps for a bit. They are some great people who are committed to bringing thoughtful quality products to market. I asked if they had anything new coming down the pipeline and was… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I have always been a bit wary of DSiWare, as it is too often full of cut-down versions of DS games. So when something comes along that looks unique and a solid value I immediately take notice. I had heard good things about 101 Shark Pets, which already slid quietly into the US store and is just about to launch in Europe, so I figured it was worth mentioning! Here is the basic description: Teyon, a Polish video games developer and publisher, is proud to reveal that 101 Shark Pets, a funny simulation game, will appear in Europe on January Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Sometimes you have to see a product up close to actually appreciate it. That was the case for me with regard to the MoGo Talk XD. Judie had mentioned this headset and case in on to me a few months ago and I scoffed at it. “After all,” I thought, “who needs a case that actually HOLDS the headset in it?” The idea struck me as an example of “just because you CAN do it doesn’t mean you SHOULD do it.” Then I saw the Mogo Talk… Continue reading on Gear Diary …