With all of the tablet focus on the iPad 2 (and new rumors about the possibility of an iPad 3 release coming less than a year after a second generation device) it is easy to forget just how many original iPads are in circulation and serving their owners remarkably well. In fact, there are many people who don’t feel the need for the FaceTime camera and are opting to get a discounted first-generation iPad instead. (We were out to dinner last night with friends who recently bought refurbished original iPads for that very reason and have no regrets.) As a result it is certainly worthwhile to continue discussing some of the accessories that make… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

When I took the Oberon eReader Sleeve out of its packaging, Sarah exclaimed “That’s not a case, it’s a work of art!” It is a work of art, but it’s also a very functional sleeve case that fits Kindle 2s, NOOKcolors, NOOKs, and any similar sized eBook readers. From Oberon Designs: For those that like to use their E Reader without a cover, we’ve designed the Oberon E Reader Sleeve with extreme portability in mind. Lighter and thinner than our E Reader Corner Cover, our sleeve fits easily into a purse, backpack or briefcase. Our sleeve is leather lined and our magnet closure ensures the security of your device We Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I have two kids, and being professional, over-educated intellectual yaboes like Sami and I are, we naturally had to dispense with learned child rearing wisdom and read lots of books and get lots of toys and programs that were supposed to be both fun and educational.  Because, ya know, that’s how us 21st century parents are supposed to build the super-babies of tomorrow, right?  Well, right?  You, over there: didn’t you see Waiting for Superman?  (Actually no, me neither–I figured it would just depress me.) Honestly, I don’t know if those toys and apps did any good for my kids, but I do know that some of them are just fun in and of themselves and… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

LucasArts and Sony will end the Star Wars Galaxies game on December 15th, 2011.

I believe that it was Mark Twain who preferred using the term “horse sense” instead of “common sense.”  When asked why he responded (probably apocryphally) that if sense was common, then everyone would have it, whereas a horse knows what to eat and what to leave alone, a skill few humans possess Which is something you can see in its full flower in the results of GreatCall’s “Safety Survey”, wherein they find that, indeed, horse sense is hardly common amongst human being.  If we had horse sense, would we leave our doors unlocked at night, or job through scary areas, or not be sure what constitutes an “emergency”?  No, probably not. But take a Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I use Twitter, but there are times when I have to wonder if (or why) anyone cares about my random musings and shared links. Of course, my rationale for using Twitter in the first place is that many of my friends are all over the country (if not the world), and this is a great way to keep in touch. Mitchell sent this video to me, and I couldn’t help but laugh; although it was posted in March I hadn’t yet seen it, and I figured that might be the case for some of you, too. Peppered with offensive language and definitely a bit rude (and therefore possibly very NSFW), this… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

My Dad was an officer in the Navy, and so I grew up with all kinds of Navy paraphernalia around the house.  One of the things I found the most fascinating was a pack of cards that showed all the naval signal flags and what they meant.  While I never became a total code maven like some with the same sort of fascinations, I’ve never forgotten all that stuff–it was like a whole secret world, with a special language and everything. Morse code is in the same family.  And like everything else in the universe, there’s an iOS app for Morse.  PacoLabs says of their Morse app: You don’t have to be a Morse code addict to Continue reading on Gear Diary …

We start the week with a deal on a powerful desktop computer from HP. The HP Pavilion Elite h8xt comes with a Core i7 processor running at 3.4GHz. It features a brand-new design with metal surfaces, polished finishes, subtle curves and angles, and illuminated accents. It also has a built-in valet tray atop the tower for “easy cable management”, tool-free access to various internal components and a top-mounted 15-in-1 card reader. With this deal you will get a free upgrade to a 1.5TB Hard Drive ($100 savings), a free upgrade to Blu-ray ($120 value), a 15-month Norton Internet Security subscription, 35% off a 21.5-inch diagonal widescreen monitor ($70 savings) and much more. And… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

As a guy pushing 50, I have to say that I appreciate the fact that the Boomers are right ahead of me, since the very size of their generational group forces the consumer market to make adjustments for the fact that a huge percentage of their buying audience is, well, getting up there in years.  (And following right behind, I get to reap the benefits.)  For example, when I was growing up, one of the big advances in helping old folks park their mondo-sized Caddys were “curb feelers”, those springy things that scraped against the curb before your tires could. But this is the 21st century, and now we have cars with rear and side-facing cameras… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Welcome back to the GearGames weekly video game release feature here at Gear Diary! This week brings a few mid-level releases of interest but no big ‘tentpost’ releases after a week crammed with big releases. There is the puzzle game sequel Puzzle Agent 2, fighting game Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3, and the 3D game Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D. The PC also gets the expansion to the ‘grand strategy’ game Hearts of Iron III: For the Motherland, which adds to the great game I reviewed here. And while there isn’t really anything else big getting released, there are a few other releases this week – read on to find out!… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

The other day I was given the opportunity to review a headphone/MP3 player combination that are intended for use in damp and rugged conditions. For under $100 they certainly get the job done but, as I concluded, they didn’t sound particularly great and they certainly felt rather cheap. At the same time I was looking at that MP3 player I started checking out a new pair of headphones that are coming from Monster Headphones next month. The iSport headphones are advertised as “the athletes headphone” and they have the tagline “Tough. Waterproof. Stays fit.” They are unlike any pair of headphones I have used. First, they are bright blue. Second, they have an… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

If Apple were to release a wireless speaker system, it would probably look and function the way the Sonos Zone system does. Fortunately Cupertino doesn’t need to go to the trouble, since Sonos beat Apple to it — and there isn’t a whole lot of room for improvement. Sure, I understand that those opening sentences sound more than a bit fanboyish toward both Apple and Sonos, but hey, I love my Apple products; in the last month or so, I have also become a Sonos evangelist. How much do I like the Sonos system? Let me put it this way: I received a one month review system on Wednesday morning and immediately set it… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Save $291 on a Dell Vostro 230 Slim Desktop System with a 22″ Monitor! This New Gear Daily Deal is impressive but it won’t last. Grab it now and you can get a Dell Vostro 230 Slim Tower with a 22″ monitor is normally $690 but this deal nabs it for just $399.00. That’s almost $300 off the normal price! As Dell explains, From its thoughtful design to its “plug-and-play” compatibility with the latest Dell printers and monitors, the Vostro 230 desktop enables you to build an affordable small-business solution right out of the box. Just Your Size: Choose the form factor that fits your workspace: the expandable Vostro 230 Mini Continue reading on Gear Diary …

If you have watched the Grammy Awards in recent years, you could easily be confused by thinking they should be called the ‘Pop Music Self-Appreciation Awards’. I wrote about the uproar over Esperanza Spalding, an immensely talented composer, singer and bassist who ‘beat’ out the charming bubble-gum pop singer Justin Bieber, and the aftermath in how some thought Spalding winning was a bad thing because it showed that the Grammys would use Bieber and Eminem for ratings without ensuring them awards, and finally how the Grammys have been reconfigured in a way that marginalizes non-corporate pop … even worse than it already was. In this recent trend to pop-only… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Now  that summer is here, you’re probably gearing up to enjoy some much-needed vacation time.   Before packing up and hitting the road, one thing none of us likes to stop and really think about is how to keep watch over our home or business while away.   Luckily, Logitech has come to the rescue with an easy and portable solution that doesn’t require us to own a private jet to maintain digital home security. Does it do the trick?  Can Logitech Al turn an iPad into your private watch dog?  Let’s jump right in and see.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …