This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of a third party. There’s a big problem that isn’t just coming; it is already here. The problem? The Internet is running out of IP addresses. Since 1981 IPv4, internet protocol version 4, has been the foundation for most of our Internet communications. It has worked just fine for 30 years but the rapid growth of the Internet has resulted in a huge number of IP addresses being used up. The demand has finally reached the point that there is a greater need for IP addresses than IPv4 can provide. In other words, we’ve run out of IP addresses. That’s where IPv6 comes in Continue reading on Gear Diary …

When Ford rolled out its new powertrain lineup for the 2011 model F-150 pickups last fall they gave us autopressjocks a full day of driving the various engine offerings in a variety of situations. Most of that day was devoted to the new EcoBoost engine but since that time I have gotten a bit of seat time with the base V-6 and new 5.0 V-8 offerings. As Ford has announced the disappearance of the Ranger pickup from their upcoming lineup they are hoping entry truck buyers will flock to a base F-150 outfitted with the new 3.7-liter V-6. Wearing truck attire the engine produces a peppy 302 horsepower, more than enough to achieve everyday duties in… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I saw the Sony Alpha NEX5 up close for the first time a few weeks ago and boy is it a nice little camera. It is small, it is light, it takes great pictures and HD movies and, thanks to our Gear Sponsor, it is today’s Gear Deal! The Sony Alpha NEX5 offers interchangeable lens, 14.2MP, a 3″ LCD display, full HD movies, up to 7 fps shooting, a 10 x Zoom, a built-in speaker, face detection, HDMI output, an SD Memory Card slot, and more. With this deal the Sony Alpha NEX5 comes with an 18-55mm lens and 16mm f/2.8 Wide-Angle Lens. Usually this Sony Alpha NEX5 bundle would cost $954.99 but with this deal… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Nintendo has made it clear that they are trying to make the 3DS about more than just isolated gaming. The 3DS Store is much better than the DSiWare store, online gaming is better, and in general everything is done to make the 3DS feel more like an integral part of an overall media experience than just a gaming device with a gimmicky 3D screen (oops, did I say that out loud?!?). Today Nintendo and Netflix announced that 3DS owners can begin streaming Netflix content wirelessly on their devices – provided they have a Netflix account, of course. “The new Netflix application looks great, plays great and is a fantastic consumer experience,” said Nintendo of Continue reading on Gear Diary …

It’s a sad day for rock fans in the New York/New Jersey area. 101.9RXP, the only rock station in the area, is going off-air as of tonight. They’ll still exist in website form, but that doesn’t do much good for those of us who relied on RXP to control road rage during rush hour. I’m bitterly disappointed. Honestly, I am not a huge music person, and mainly listen when I’m in the car driving to and from work. However, I really, really, really hate pop music. The only genre I generally enjoy is rock, and left to my own devices I’d probably spend all day listening to early and mid-90′s punk and riotgrrl bands… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Despite using MOG quite a bit recently (It replaced RDIO for me.) I’m still a huge Slacker Radio fan. I like the interface, the customization and the catalogue. And now that you can cache music AND selectively grab tracks or albums it is just awesome. Unfortunately it still doesn’t integrate with my Sonos audio system so, at home at least, it is either MOG or Pandora. Hopefully I’ll have yet another choice before the day is out. Spotify went live in the US this morning and I’m waiting for my invite to arrive so I can try out the long-awaited streaming music system for myself. When it does music from spottily will… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

My experience with Monster’s iSport waterproof headphones made me a huge fan of Monster’s audio line. Now Monster has worked in conjunction with Lady Gaga to create the Heartbeats by Lady Gaga. The headphones were designed by Lady Gaga herself. As the Press Release explains: The uniquely styled in-ear headphones were inspired by leather and studs and feature the ultra-crisp sonic technology expected from the Beats by Dr. Dre line of products. Heartbeats provide a sound that transcends ordinary headphones and a fashion-forward style to provide the ultimate music listening experience for fans of Lady Gaga. Not only do the… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

EA Sports blends the college football experience with several new feature, high quality graphics, and individual role-playing elements in NCAA Football 12.

In my recent Gear Games Weekly I highlighted that this week we get the The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion 5th Anniversary Edition. Oblivion is a game that divides the RPG crowd greatly, igniting passions between ‘old school’ (whatever that is) and action-fans, PC and console gamers, and so on. But most people – even me – who are genre fans have dumped dozens if not hundreds of hours into Oblivion (see what I did there?) and would regard it as one of the better open world adventures ever made. If, like me, you already have the game and both expansions on disk as well as the ‘GOTY Deluxe’ edition from Steam … then… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

  Image courtesy of Gawker.com I guess it’s like the old truism: it depends on how you look at it. Yesterday, Netflix announcing a new pricing plan.  Here’s how the Netflix marketing folks put it to me in an email: We are separating unlimited DVDs by mail and unlimited streaming into two separate plans to better reflect the costs of each. Now our members have a choice: a streaming only plan, a DVD only plan, or both. Your current $17.99 a month membership for unlimited streaming and unlimited DVDs (including Blu-ray access) will be split into 2 distinct plans: Plan 1: Unlimited Streaming (no DVDs) for $7.99 a month Plan 2 Continue reading on Gear Diary …

While my wife’s new work schedule over the last few months has played havoc with our daily routine and forced everyone to step things up to get everything done and spend time together, one benefit for me has been that I get to do much more cooking! So naturally I am always on the lookout for great recipes, and having apps on my iPad for cooking is one great way to keep on top of things. Now iCookbook has arrived for Android and it is the free app of the day’ on the Amazon Appstore for Android! Here is the description: Developed by Publications International, Ltd., publisher and seller of Continue reading on Gear Diary …

It seems like ages ago I wrote about the lunacy of ebook pricing … but things haven’t gotten much better! Today is the release of the fifth book in the critically acclaimed ‘Game of Thrones’ series that has been 15 years in the making, and the first book in six years! I have only recently started reading the mammoth series so I find myself in the position of not needing to rush out and buy the latest book. But that didn’t stop me from looking! And what I found was that although the ebook is at least ~$4 LESS than the discounted hardcover depending on retailer, it is uniformly priced Continue reading on Gear Diary …

We have seen novelty telescope attachments for smartphones in the past, but how about a different kind of attachment – one that works as a microscope and serves as a research and education tool to allow the viewing of the Malaria virus when there is no laboratory available. According to Smartplanet: After smearing a drop of blood from a small finger prick on the microscope lens, the app magnifies and analyzes the sample – taking a photo of it, detecting malarial parasites and ruptured blood cells, conducting blood cell counts for anemia, and quantifying how infected the sample is. “It actually draws a red box around the Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Today’s Gear Deal brings us a 24″ Dell monitor at significant savings. The monitor features full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution, 250nit brightness, a 1000:1 Contrast Ratio, an adjustable stand and a glossy front bezel. For connectivity you’ll get DVI-D (HDCP), VGA, and HDMI connectors. Normally $259.99 our Gear Sponsor found a 35% coupon code which means it will be on its way to you for just $168.99. It will even ship for free! Details and ordering instructions can be found here. Gear Deal- Save 35% on Dell’s 24″ 1080p LED-backlit HDMI LCD Monitor via LogicBUY Continue reading on Gear Diary …

After years of waiting and hype and false-starts, Spotify announced this morning that they are finally launching in the U.S., simply changing their home page to include “The award-winning music service that’s taken Europe by storm has now come to U.S. shores. Millions of tracks ready to play instantly, on your computer and your phone.” And also giving links to immediate access if you are willing to pay before you try. Yesterday many media outlets got the following email: Spotfy, the award-winning digital music service loved by millions of Europeans, will become available tomorrow morning in the United States by invitation and subscription. Spotify is a new way to listen Continue reading on Gear Diary …