I have an update to the short self-publishing piece I wrote this past December. My first calendars did arrive in time for gift-giving and they were a big hit! I only ordered a handful in the first batch but they were worth the effort and the (slight) shipping charges. In January I put my efforts into creating my first book, which I completed and titled “One.” … Continue reading on Gear Diary …

It’s official-Borders has filed for bankruptcy. They’re going through Chapter 11, which means they have the opportunity to renegotiate debts and restructure the company. Whether or not it works, the company that emerges from this process isn’t going to be the same Borders. That’s not necessarily a bad thing if it helps them survive long-term, but it does make me mourn the Borders I knew and loved. I’ve talked about this a few times before, but I worked for Borders on and off in college and in management after college. If you walked up to me seven years ago and asked me about my future, I would have sworn up and down Borders was it for me… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Today’s Gear Deal brings us the Envy 14 with an Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processor. The Envy 14 is “one of the thinnest and lightest quad-core Laptops for its size, measuring 1.1-inch thin and 5.25 pounds”. It features ATI Mobility Radeon discrete/switchable graphics, Beats Audio, a 14.5″ (1600 x 900) HD Radiance display that is 59% brighter than standard displays, up to 13.75 hours battery life, a backlit keyboard, a slot-loading optical drive, an HP TrueVision HD webcam, a mini DisplayPort, HDMI, optional WWAN/3G and up to a 256GB Solid State drive. Yes, the HP ENVY 14 is a powerhouse and, thanks to our Gear Sponsor, you can configure your own AND save… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Talk about a one-sided love affair! Many of us, consumers that is, love Apple but does Apple love us in return? Heck no. Apple loves market share and money. Yes, once again the company that once called on us to “Think Different” is using its new moniker, “We’re Apple, we don’t care, we don’t have to… And by the way that will cost you 30%”. Truth be told it is a little (LOT) frustrating. And dumb. Just as Apple’s momentum seemed unstoppable they are on the verge or being their own worst enemy… And ours. We’re here to help. This is a public service announcement to anyone and everyone… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Given how much I enjoyed the Mystery of the Crystal Portal games, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to review Treasure Seekers II: The Enchanted Canvases. Like the Crystal Portal games, Treasure Seekers is a hidden object game with a story that keeps you engaged as you go along. But aside from that, how is the game? The Hype: Help Nelly find and save her brother from a mysterious Romanian castle! Dive into the castle’s magical pictures and discover the secrets of the Philosophers’ Stone. Use your Hidden Object skills in Treasure Seekers: The Enchanted Canvases to break the spells on the castle and track down Tom. Find the… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Twelve South makes some great Mac products. They make the Compass iPad stand and the BookBook iPad case, along with a host of other Mac accessories. Well today they are rolling out a new product that seamlessly connects Apple’s Magic Trackpad to the Apple Wireless Keyboard to create one, easy to use, accessory. Judie recently reviewed a somewhat similar item, the BulletTrain Express (she loves it!), but while that created an arrangement similar to what you will find on an Apple notebook, the MagicWand creates on long keyboard/trackpad combination. As the company explains, What is Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Scosche’s Hybrid kickBACK g4 Case is a glossy polycarbonate and shock resistant rubber hybrid case for the iPhone 4 that features an integrated kickstand for FaceTime and landscape media viewing. The case features- Glossy polycarbonate exterior with flexible impact resistant rubber interior Integrated kickstand for landscape viewing Lay on the table design protects screen from scratches Flexible rubber protects volume and sleep buttons without reducing sensitivity Open design allows complete access to all connections and controls The case has an MSRP of $34.99 but we had a couple to give away to our readers. And those winners… jjb0070 who picked the following posts to highlight. 1) GD Quickie – The Angry Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Your smartphone is now your “point and shoot camera”. It works great but that doesn’t mean you don’t want a good, high-quality, DSLR. That’s where today’s Gear Deal comes in. The Canon EOS Rebel T1i features a 15 Megapixel, a 3′ LCD, records video in full HD, has an HDMI port, and much more. Yes, this DSLR is packed with features. As Canon explains, In addition to its admirable performance with a 15.1-megapixel Canon CMOS sensor, DIGIC 4 image processor, a 3.0-inch clear view LCD with anti-reflective and scratch-resistant coating, and compatibility with the EOS system of lenses and speedlites, the EOS Rebel T1i adds remarkable Full HD video capture at resolutions up to 1920 x 1080 Continue reading on Gear Diary …

(image courtesy Sound Eco Adventure) Rumors have been rumbling since the Sony Reader app was rejected that Apple was planning on making changes to subscriptions and in-app purchases. Today, Apple fired the first shot across the bow with a press release making it clear that all subscription options must be offered as an option through iTunes (complete with a 30% cut to Apple). Engadget is reporting that Rhapsody has already weighed in with their response, and it’s a big fat no. According to Rhapsody, 30% is simply too high to be sustainable. What’s really interesting is that in their press release Rhapsody explains they are used to (and budget for) a… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

As you know, Judie is in Barcelona for Mobile World Congress. It has been a quiet week for her… NOT. She literally hit the ground running and has not stopped. Yesterday she had the chance to preview some of the devices that are coming from HTC in the next months and today… today she got a close look at Samsung’s new barn burners- The Samsung Galaxy S II and the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Read on and make sure to check out all the pictures in the gallery that follows. The Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Mazda’s CX-9 is one of the automakers most award-winning vehicles, garnering North American Truck of the Year and the Motor Trend Sport Utility of the Year, amongst others. … Continue reading on Gear Diary …

This survival, sci-fi sequel creates paramount entertainment as Isaac Clarke awakens only to battle through horrifying memories…oh, and endless waves of human experiments gone bad called Necromorphs.

I have always admired Tokyoflash watches from afar. They have a look about them that just appeals to the geek in me.  That’s why I was pleasantly surprised when Tokyoflash was able to send me one of the newest designs fresh from their site, the Kisai Console Watch. The first thing you will notice about the Kisai Console is that it’s face is entirely dark most of the time.  The magic of the Kisai Console only happens once you press the button.  Then the entire face lights up and certain lights flash to indicate the time. To tell the time, you just look for the flashing LEDS.  For the… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

For the longest time I was a bad resident of Planet Earth. Yes, on any given day I might go through three, four, five or even six plastic water bottles. What a waste. What a complete and total waste. Some time ago I finally went out and I got an insulated, reusable water bottle. Now I don’t add to the growing number of bottles in landfills AND, because it is insulated, my water stays cold all day. Well it looks like my insulated water bottle is about to see a lot less use thanks to the Revolve Tap Water Filter Bottle. The Revolve Tap Water Filter Bottle is …a portable water filtration bottle designed Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Helena and I were able to spend some time at the HTC VIP lounge this afternoon, time that was well spent fondling the six devices introduced by HTC earlier today. Of course the one that most captivated us was the 7″ Flyer, HTC’s new tablet device. It will be shipping with Gingerbread instead of the newer Honeycomb, which seemed odd given that all of the other tablets and the majority of new phones we’ve seen have featured the newer version of Android. If it means that we can get our hands on it sooner (and that there might be a future update possible), then I suppose I can’t complain. Contrary to what I… Continue reading on Gear Diary …