Cygnett makes enough iPhone cases and styles to satisfy any taste. To kick off the launch of the 4S, they released three new cases, the Second Skin II, FlexiGel, and Ripple. All three are fairly low-profile cases that provide basic grip and coverage on the iPhone 4 and 4s. Cygnett was kind enough to send us one each to review, and I’ve spent time giving each of them a shot. There are some key differences in style and material, so let’s look first at what they have in common, and then what makes each one different. I have a clear favorite in the bunch, but what I like may not be what fits your taste! (top to bottom: Second Skin, FlexiGel, Ripple, iPhone 4S) As I said, all the cases are somewhat minimal. None of them are rugged, but they do offer some abrasion protection. Corners are covered, and buttons are either covered or recessed into the case. While the screen is somewhat protected by a slight lip on each case, the case doesn’t have any built-in protection. However, Cygnett includes a screen protector along with a cleaning cloth and instructions, which is a very nice addition! Also, from my [...]

Last week I reviewed the Binverse Usenet service, saying: Binverse provides a comprehensive and robust means of utilizing Usenet resources for whatever reason you might have – discussions, research, binary files, and so on. With a massive list of groups, excellent long-term article retention and high-speed and high-availability service, it is bound to meet your needs! As mentioned at the time, Binverse has provided FIVE accounts with a 50GB account usage that never expires for our giveaway. Tonight I chose 5 numbers at random from the valid comment entries, and used the good folks at Random.org to come up with a ‘top 5′. The winners of the entire giveaway are: Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Thinking about getting a Kindle Fire, or another Android phone or tablet? Then you definitely want to check this out! QuickOffice Pro, an app that provides compatibility with Microsoft Office files for your Android device, it the free app of the day on the Amazon Appstore for Android! Not only that, they are featuring both the standard smartphone version as well as the HD version for Honeycomb tablets! Here are the details on the app: Are you looking for a way to make your phone a powerful productivity tool? Quickoffice Pro takes mobile productivity to the next level with one of the most comprehensive suites you can find on Android. Create, access, edit Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Have you ever wanted to be a samurai for a day? No? Me either but apparently our friend Ali over on Chip Chick did and, thanks to LivingSocial, she recently had a chance to do just that. As Ali explains, Have you ever wanted to go whitewater rafting? How about shoot guns and enjoying some tequila afterwards? Or maybe just be a Samurai for the day? Well LivingSocial helps bring people together to share, save or have out of the box experiences just like these. Unlike Groupon, LivingSocial is so much more than a place to come to save money on shopping and restaurants. There is an entire side to LivingSocial that is all about adventures Continue reading on Gear Diary …

We start the week with a deal on this 24″ Planar 1080p LED-backlit Multi-touch LCD Monitor. Normally this monitor sells for $447.99 but thanks to our Gear Sponsor you can save $148 on it. That drops the price all the way down to $299.99 and it will even ship for free. And did we mention it is a multi-touch monitor?? Details and ordering information can be found here on the deal page. Gear Deal: Planar 24″ 1080p LED-backlit Multi-touch LCD Monitor via LogicBUY Continue reading on Gear Diary …

For many who have either been kids or had kids in the last 25 years or so, Reading Rainbow from PBS is an iconic show, and the theme song is easily called to mind. The show was produced and hosted by Lavar Burton, the star of Roots and Star Trek: The Next Generation, and was a whimsical look at the world of books.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Welcome back to the GearGames weekly video game release feature here at Gear Diary! This week we have ‘oh-no-it-is-almost-thanksgiving-and-call-of-duty-is-out-so-we-better-release-our-stuff-FAST’ week! This week we get The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Assassin’s Creed Revelations, Saint’s Row: The Third, and Need for Speed: The Run! And those are just the ‘blockbusters’! There are plenty of other big games, such as the cool looking Jurassic Park – The Game, which comes from Telltale Games, who has brought us Sam & Max, Monkey Island, and Back to the Future in recent years. There are other interesting releases like Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3, as well as Rayman Origins, as well as some others. Every platform has something worth checking this week – read on to find out!… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

From the Editorial Staff of Gear Diary: Is there someone in your life who loves music? If so, here are five gifts with which you can’t go wrong. We have to start this list with the 11″ MacBook air. It’s small, light, under $1000 and it makes working on the go a pleasure. You’ll quickly forget that it is as small as it is. Judie has one and loves it. Dan has one and loves it. Elana has one and loves it (and she NEVER raves about technology.) Get one at Apple.com Continue reading on Gear Diary …

  Just a reminder that we will be giving away a red Ribbz iPhone 4/4S case later today! All you have to do is check out the review and leave a comment for a chance to win. This case has been my daily carrier for almost a month and I love the protection it provides without any added bulk. Check out the post here and leave a comment, or you cannot win! Continue reading on Gear Diary …

“Where do you use your iPad?” That’s one of the key questions you need to answer before you can make the right choice with regard to what case you buy and what accessories you order. If, however, your answer to the question “Where do you use your iPad?” is something like “Everywhere!” or you simply don’t want to make a choice, there’s a great option for you. The modulR system lets you use you iPad on the go, at home, in the car and everywhere in between. It might not be the most refined iPad accessory/case you can find but it certainly is one of the most flexible. Let’s take a look at the review sample of the modulR Anywhere Pack. From the Company: modulR – the most comprehensive iPad Case + Accessory System around. modulR offers more than just protection for the iPad. With a case that clicks-to-fit to an ever-expanding line of stands, mounts and straps, a modulR iPad can go anywhere and do anything. Made for the home, car, office and everywhere in between, modulR helps you get more out of the iPad.   The $69.99 Anywhere Pack is “For the person who wants to take their iPad anywhere, [...]

You have just been sent a LOLCat or ‘All Your Base’ by someone who honestly has no idea that EVERYONE online saw them five years ago or more, and are wondering HOW do you let them know gently that it is ancient. Well, now you can just let them know about IsItOld, a site that will check out how many times the site has been tweeted about – and how long ago it was first tweeted.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

From the Editorial Staff of Gear Diary: Is there someone in your life who would benefit from speaking their text rather than typing it? If so, here are five gifts with which you can’t go wrong. The key to accurate voice recognition is wearing the right headphones. Andrea Electronics SuperBeam Phones are just the thing. We’ll be reviewing the headphones over the next few days but they are already impressive. As the company explains SuperBeam headsets deliver Hi-Definition sound for all your social media and multimedia applications. The unique integrated array microphone system is designed for use with Andrea’s patented beam forming and digital noise reduction audio software, providing “Boom freed” convenience. SuperBeam also provides 3D Continue reading on Gear Diary …

As the News Guy for Gear Diary, I don’t do a lot of product reviews, and I especially don’t do reviews of games.  Michael is a game fanatic, and his reviews are stellar, so I just stay in my own little niche, usually. Every once in a while, though, I venture out and try something, and then I like to let you all know about it.  This week it’s the new game by Uppercut Games for iOS, Epoch. Epoch is a third-person shooter game set in a post-apocalyptic world–a city, as far as I’ve personally gotten.  Frankly, it reminds me a lot of the animated film 9–a combination of robotical future tech and disastrous cityscape. Epoch was developed by Uppercut Games, and uses the Unreal game engine made popular by Infinity Blade (and a few other games now).  The game-play “feel” of the game is very similar to Infinity Blade–swipes and taps predominate, and the game doesn’t use the “virtual controls” that so many games–”N.O.V.A.”, Sonic, and many, many others–try to use and that I, personally, absolutely hate due to their lack of tactile feedback.  The swipes and such are simple, easy to learn, and quite intuitive; I found myself [...]

The best part about the iPhone is that you can do practically everything with it. Watch movies, listen to music, send emails, tweet, surf the web, and of course play “Angry Birds”. All this great stuff, though, can do a number on your battery. If you want to really stretch your battery life you need an external battery pack, and that’s where the Mili Power Pack comes in! Does it boost your battery, and is it worth the considerable bulk? Read on to find out! Here’s what the Mili promises: Innovative design: Mili Power Pack 4 is a rechargeable battery contained within a thin, lightweight, and fashionable protective case Apple Certified: Officially certified by Apple Inc. as a “Made for iPhone 4” product! External Battery: Mili Power Pack 4 triples the battery life of your iPhone 4 iPhone 4/4S With Power Pack 4 Talk time up to 7 hours on 3G up to 14 hours on 2G up to 18.25 hours on 3G up to 39.05 hours on 2G Standby time up to 300 hours up to 975 hours Internet use up to 6 hours on 3G up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi up to 17.25 hours on 3G up to [...]

Finding a new game sometimes is tough.  You know what you like, and you would really like another game that is “like that”, but finding it can be a challenge.  I like games “like Myst”, but other than Myst and Riven, how many of them are there?  Or “Infinity Blade”; other than the coming-soon “Infinity Blade 2″, what else is there?  (Actually, there’s a new game called “Epoch” that looks pretty good; maybe I’ll do a write-up.)  But what if you like Tetris, or Bejewelled, or games “like that”? Well, Nextwell thinks they have a good entry:  JuiceIt, a game that combines the falling blocks style that people have been login’ since Tetris with the match three deal that games like Bejewelled have.  Except, ya know, they combine it with, um, fruit.  Hey, don’t ask me, but it looks hilarious, and I’m willing to bet if you’re a Bejewelled or Tetris fan, it’ll have real appeal for you.  Coming Real Soon Now™ to an iTunes store near you for a mere single U.S. George Washington dollar.  In the meantime, check it out on their web site.… Continue reading on Gear Diary …