Images: Author The Cadillac SRX is all-new for 2012 – under the hood that is. The current generation luxury crossover came to life a couple of years ago after a complete transformation that brought SRX from a “don’t-call-me-a-wagon” wagon to a modern sport-luxe utility. Sharing the same platform as the Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain, the 2012 SRX now sports one engine offering, that being a peppy direct-injection 3.6-liter V-6 that cranks out 308hp and 265 lb. ft. of torque. This is sent to the front or all four wheels via a six-speed automatic gearbox with a driver-selectable Eco mode for enhanced fuel economy. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

(image courtesy Chemical Engineering world) I admit, I try to eat “real food” as much as possible, but I have certain weaknesses. For one, Pop Tarts. I have no idea why, since they have no flavor besides “overly sweet”, and I fully recognize they’re stamped out in a factory somewhere. Whenever I get really tempted by the siren song of rectangular strawberry-flavored goodness, I just remember the laundry list of chemicals and (usually) reach for real fruit instead. Luckily for me, iO9 has a very entertaining (and shudder-inducing!) list of the “10 Crazy Science Experiments That Wound Up In Your Kitchen“. I won’t spoil the whole list for you (trust me… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Today’s Gear Deal comes directly from Toshiba Direct and brings us Toshiba’s All-in-One 21.5″ DX1210-ST4N22 Touch Desktop. With an Intel Core i5-2410M processor this nice-looking all-in-one is on sale for $929. Plus, our Gear Sponsor has brought word of an additional $50 off. That brings the price down to just $849 and it will ship for free. If you need more power you can upgrade to the Core i7-2630QM. After all the discounts it is just $949. In addition it not only ships for free but it comes with an integrated TV Tuner. Both models have 4GB RAM, a 1TB Hard Drive, a 21.5″ 1080p Touch-display, Bluetooth, 802.11n WiFi, an integrated webcam, DVD super-multi… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Since the very first beta of iOS 5.0, there has been a useless icon that simply sat there. Yes, the Newsstand icon was there … and there was absolutely nothing you could do with it. You could not delete it because it is an iOS app. You could not shove it into a folder because… Well, because you couldn’t. And there were no magazines or newspapers to populate it. Such is the reality of using Beta software. Well, just now that changed… An update to Wired magazine moved my subscription into Newsstand. Look, I love Zinio, but having all my magazines in one place???? That sounds kind of… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I still remember when Amazon started in the computer games segment – it was all about small, cheap, casual games. Then they started branching out a bit at a time into somewhat larger games – but many of those were older adventures like Tradewinds that sold for a few dollars. Then suddenly (or so it seemed to me)they emerged into a full-fledged digital download force to be reckoned with … and I found myself with a pile of games from yet ANOTHER vendor! Now according to CNET they are prepared to make the next leap – offering pre-order of digital games. They offer great pre-order deals on standard games, so this… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

  Using the iPad as an in-car media system isn’t a new idea. No, it is as old as the iPad itself. (Okay, so that means it is kind of a new idea. Whatever…) We’ve seen a number of systems that allow you to use the iPad in just this way and, over the past week or so, I’ve taken a look at yet another one. The Cygnett CarGo Car Mount for iPad 2 might fall right in with the pack except for two things that stand out. First, it offers a quick-connect system that lets you put it in place or remove it in seconds. Second, it is adjustable so it will work… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

If you drink a lot of mass-produced cold beverages that come in bottles with twist caps, then you probably don’t often need a bottle opener. Similarly, if you drink a lot of beverages that come in aluminum cans, then you might have a bottle opener … located somewhere in your junk drawer. But if you like to drink bottled-beverages that don’t easily twist open, or if you regularly run into twist-caps that don’t seem to loosen easily, then you no doubt keep several bottle openers placed around your kitchen and back patio … and you have probably had moments when you have not been able to find a single one of them. =P Come to think of it, that must… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Having devices that are mobile are convenient and an important part of most of our lives. I carry my backpack gear bag nearly everywhere I go, carrying nearly all my devices. My iPad is now making the daily trip since I am able to get WiFi in my classroom. I have the original iPad so I cannot project for my students, but we use a document camera to be able to see the screen for the entire class. For instance, any Atlantic tropical activity is tracked using the Hurricane iPad app in my World Geography classes. Many of the kids have never seen or used an iPad, so it is a great teaching tool… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Amazon.com’s MP3 Store is great for monthly deals and everyday bargains on a wide array of music. But they also feature special themed sales on occasion – and that is exactly what is happening now! Amazon is featuring a great collection of 80′s music – 85 songs in all – for the low price of $0.69 each! The list features Madonna, Blondie, Debbie Gibson, ZZ Top, Phil Collins, Asia, Billie Idol, Prince, and many more! Here is the first 50 songs: 1. Walking On Sunshine – Katrina & The Waves 2. The Look – Roxette 3. Take On Me – a-ha 4. Hold On (Single Edit) (Digitally Remastered 00) – Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Yesterday we told you all about a shortage of the ADD/ADHD medication Adderall, that I had run into here in the greater Austin metro area.  I was unable to get through to the pharmaceutical company yesterday, as they are (apparently) in the Eastern timezone, and I live in Austin, which is Central Time.  However, I left a message with Barr Pharmaceuticals customer relations number and planned to call back today. Surprisingly, they called me at around 10am, for which I must give them props.  Tony, the nice gentlemen who spoke with me (quite patiently and politely) is a representative for Teva Pharmaceuticals, which purchased Barr several years ago.  Tony informed me that this was due… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Today’s Gear Deal brings us ViewSonic’s 24″ 1080p 3D-Ready LED-Backlit Display plus 3D Wireless Glasses. Not only does the display have a resolution of 1920×1080 (1080p) but it also has a 120Hz refresh rate, a 20,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and a 2ms response time. Connectivity includes HDMI, DVI, VGA inputs, and more. The deal also includes one pair of NVIDIA 3D Vision glasses. Normally this combination would be $599 but thanks to our Gear Sponsor you can save 19%. That brings the final price down to $479.99 and it will even ship for free. Gear Deal: ViewSonic 24″ 1080p 3D-Ready LED-Backlit Display plus 3D Wireless Glasses via LogicBUY Continue reading on Gear Diary …

iOS 5.0 is on the way shortly. I’ve been using it since the first beta, and I can guarantee you will love the new features. The ability to edit pictures in the photo app, iMessenger, macro typing shortcuts (ala TextExpander), iCloud, notifications, reminders, improvements to the email app… The list of improvements goes on and on. If you have an iPhone 4 or an iPad 2 you will want to update immediately. If you are using an original iPad or an iPhone 3GS, then I suggest holding off a bit. I’m using the Gold Master on a 3GS and while it works it is a bit sluggish. When you run Beta software you expect some apps not to work… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Image courtesy of Sell.com One of the huge differences between when I was a kid and now, is the massive increase in the variety of medications available.  For everything from new and better antibiotics, to psychiatric meds, to pain management meds, to drugs for HIV victims, it’s been remarkable.  I often wonder how my brother might have done had they had better ADHD drugs when he was a kid, for example.  (He’s fine now, by the way; thanks for asking!) But all these wonder drugs have a number of downsides, one of which is that if you manage to find a medication — or group of medications — that helps you deal with your… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I’m a big fan of Elgato’s EyeTV as it turns my Mac into a pretty impressive TV/DVR. I have also been trying out their software-only turbo.264 HD encoding software. The software lets you Convert any video file to a high-quality format that you can play on an iPhone and iPad and share with friends on the web. A versatile tool for anyone who enjoys making home movies, Turbo.264 HD software also offers a fast and easy way to transfer HD camcorder video to a Mac. Turbo.264 HD software uses advanced encoding technology to generate superior-quality video in a universal format that looks great on an iPad and on the high-resolution display of a Mac. My… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I’m not much of an artist–which is a polite way of saying that my drawing abilities totally stink–but even I think that stylus that you can see above is pretty durn cool.  And of course given that it’s from USBFever, it’s hardly the only thing that they’ve released this week, because that’s just the kind of bunch they are.  So without further ado, the full list of USBFever launches for this week includes: TUNEPENCIL DrawPro – stylus pen for iPhone / iPad / Smart Phones Twine Leather(Carbon Look) Case For APPLE iPhone 4 / 4S TUNEPRISM for iPhone 4S/4 case iSolider – The Mighty Stand for your iPhone Continue reading on Gear Diary …