Usually I open with some kind of cute or clever observation, but I want you all to hurry and just read this, because the offer expires at 1am EDT: Until March 24th at 5PM Japan time, when [you] shop at www.tokyoflash.com, 100% of the value of [your] order, including shipping costs, will be donated to the disaster relief fund at the Japanese Red Cross. So go!  Now!  Shop like the wind!  Because those folks in Japan need all the help they can get, and this is just one way–a small one, but a way even so–that you can help… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

If you have been looking to upgrade your HDTV or are looking to add another unit to your home we’ve got a great New Gear Daily Deal for you. With this deal you can Enjoy a breathtaking viewing experience with the 42-inch E421VA LCD HDTV from Vizio. This LCD HDTV delivers full 1080p HD picture quality and advanced audio. This flat screen LCD HDTV features 120Hz refresh rate for sharp clarity of fast action scenes, SRS TruVolume and SRS TruSurround HD audio for advanced virtual surround sound. Its 50,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio gives you a deeper blacks and brighter whites. Moreover, the four HDMI ports connect up to four HDMI devices to your TV. This Continue reading on Gear Diary …

We were pretty harsh when we reviewed Element Case’s Vapor for the iPhone 4; although all three of us absolutely loved the case’s form factor, we were appalled by the way that it slayed our iPhones’ signals. I even went so far as to scientifically test and verify the Vapor’s negative impact on the iPhone’s cellular antenna reception while attending an event at ETS-Lindgren. Fortunately the folks at Element Case were able to handle a bit of constructive criticism. and they reached out to us when their newest case, the Vapor Pro Limited Edition was available. Would the Vapor Pro have the same issues as its predecessor? Or would it finally be… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I have two watches that I wear; my everyday watch is a stainless and gold ladies Rolex Datejust (that I would greatly love to trade in for the midsize version), and the other is a gold David Yurman that I wear on dressier occasions. I’ve seen plenty of other watches that have caught my eye for whatever reason, but it has been years since I saw a watch — any watch — that actually turned my head; that’s exactly what the Phosphor Watches‘ Appear did. This is a much bigger and definitely flashier style watch than my others, but it has a geeky core that intrigues me, and when I was offered the chance… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

A recent note from Apptopus announcing the release of their new CollabraCam app for the iPhone and iPod Touch piqued my multimedia interest. Here is an app that allows for folks with a few Wi-Fi-capable Apple devices in their pockets to be able to shoot and direct a multi-camera video production with nothing more than this app installed on each device. Wow, production budgets just went out the window. Gone is the need for an elaborate studio space with several cameras tethered together via an intimidating switcher console. CollabraCam offers completely portable and remote (as long as there is a Wi-Fi signal) operation capabilities for production units and directors. On location just got a great… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Back in August we reviewed the IDAPT i4 Charging Station. The company described it this way: IDAPT I4 is an innovative charging solution that can charge up to 4 mobile devices simultaneously and is compatible with over 4,000 mobile electronic devices including the iPhone, iPad, Blackberry, Nintendo DS, PSP, GPS systems, digital cameras, and Bluetooth products. The IDAPT i4 features an interchangeable tip system making it completely customizable. It has 3 charging points and an additional USB charging point, allowing users to charge their electronics without the mess of tangled cords or the need for more than one outlet. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I am a Gothic fanboy, I admit this. After getting back into RPGs in 2003 with Neverwinter Nights to get ready for Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic, I was looking for stuff to play. Friends at RPGDot (now RPGWatch) recommended Baldur’s Gate 2 and Gothic 2. So I tried Gothic 2 and gave up after about 30 minutes! The controls were wonky and the difficulty was extreme – you were told that it was too dangerous to wander off the path, but in most games that is more like a challenge! But on advice of folks on the forums, I tried again and I absolutely fell in love with… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

For me, a big part of Android’s draw is the ability to use voice recognition anywhere you input text. Google’s voice recognition has greatly improved but, at least in my expereince, Nuance’s accuracy still runs rings around it. That’s why the first app I download to any Android device I am using is Nuance’s FlexT9 app. The app is four input methods in one. You can type, trace, write or speak all form a single keyboard. It works great and is worth the price. It is somewhat difficult to really understand the power and utility of the FlexT9 system, so I’ll let the official description explain each of the four input methods. Speak: Downloaded by Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I love combo-platters when I eat out and I love combo-deals when I shop. That’s what we have today as our Gear Deal. Yes, this is a combination deal that includes a powerful Dell XPS 17″ laptop AND an unlocked 16GB Dell Streak tablet. Here’s the deal- The 17.3″ Dell XPS 17 has a Core i7-2630M 2.3GHz Quad-core processor, 6GB RAM and a 1GB GeForce GT 550M Optimus graphics card. It is a powerful laptop that can replace your desktop with ease. It is bundled with a 16GB unlocked Dell Streak 5 Tablet/Phone together the laptop and Streak have a price of $1623.99. Thanks to our Gear Sponsor though, with this deal you can get… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

T-Mobile just announced a very sweet Android phone that has features that are making a few of us here at Gear Diary stand up and take notice. What makes it such an attractive phone? Read on for details. The T-Mobile G2x (by LG), not to be confused with the T-Mobile G2 (which has a hardware keyboard), is definitely an interesting handset. Some of the key features that Francis and I find interesting include: Two Processors – NVIDIA Tegra 2 Dual-Core 1 Ghz processor Two Cameras – an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash and autofocus, and a front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera Support for T-Mobile Continue reading on Gear Diary …

(Image courtesy of T-Mobile) T-Mobile keeps on reminding us rabidly loyal fans why we love their network so much. In addition to announcing the T-Mobile G2x with Google, they announced a partnership with Audi, but most importantly, they are further enhancing their 4G infrastructure, as they said they would. T-Mobile announced that they are planning on doubling their 4G HSPA+ network to theoretical download speeds of 42 Mbps! I can tell you that with my T-Mobile G2, I regularly get over 8 – 10 Mbps. And T-Mobile announced new devices today which will be able to take advantage of the upgrade to their network. Customers lucky enough to live in… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

The modern computer is an amazing thing. It is a work device, a communication device, a jukebox, and a video machine. I don’t know about you, but I probably watch just as many shows through either iTunes or Hulu or Netflix as I do on my HDTV these days. Yes, a huge amount of video entertainment comes through our computers now. The real challenge is getting that video, and the accompanying audio, seamlessly pushed over to a large television for enjoyment. Apple is making a huge play in this area with their AirPlay technology, but that requires you to use one of Apple’s devices and to stream it over to an Apple TV. I love… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Here’s a change from what we saw at Mobile World Congress, HTC has today announced three new US devices, and one of them happens to be a Windows Phone 7. Two of the devices are for Sprint, and only one is for AT&T. Let’s take a look at the HTC HD7S first, and then we’ll check out the EVO 3D and the EVO View 4G… HTC HD7S [AT&T] I’m glad to see an upgrade to the HD7 being released, but I’m surprised that this was the only Windows Phone 7 HTC announced — and it was on AT&T instead of T-Mobile (the carrier that the original HD7 debuted on). I guess if you aren’t on AT&T, there is no upgraded HTC Windows Phone goodness for you … yet, anyway! The Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I’m really loving the iPad 2. The reduced thickness combined with the small drop in weight makes a huge difference when carrying and using it. I’m also liking the leather SmartCover I got along with the iPad. It really is remarkable how one little accessory can make such a huge difference in the use-ability of a device. At the same time, however, I don’t like the way Apple’s ingenious cover leaves the back of the iPad exposed. After all, I enjoy using devices that are in pristine condition, not to mention there’s a lower resale value when gadgets show wear. When I saw that DODOcase had a protective back available for the iPad 2 I… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Waterfield has just announced yet another way to carry your iPad and a few key accessories secure in the knowledge that it is well protected. The iPad Travel Express is thin, light and has Waterfield’s usual quality and attention to detail. Even better, the Travel Express is universal and works with both generations of iPad AND the iPad 2 with the SmartCover in place. As the company explains … Ticket to Ride. The Travel Express is your all-in-one mobile office solution. Store and protect your iPad, iPad 2, or iPad 2 with Smart Cover, wireless keyboard, mouse, cables, power brick and accessories, and you’re good to go anywhere…fast. Soft, scratch-free pockets protect each item from bumps Continue reading on Gear Diary …