Gear Diary » Allen Hong

3rd Gen Nintendo DS Announced

Allen Hong — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:35:54 +0000

Nintendo has just announced the 3rd generation of Nintendo DS, the DSi. Not just a cosmetic remodel of the DS Lite, the DSi incorporates several physical changes. The DSi is approximately 2.6mm thinner and will sport bigger screens sized at 3.25 inches (previous models had 3 inch screens). As Nintendo said recently, the GBA (Gameboy Advance) is now a thing of the past, the GBA slot is no more, and in place of the GBA slot is a SD card slot. The SD card slot will allow for saving pictures taken from the two on-board digital cameras, one mounted outside and one mounted inside. Other things downloadable to the SD card will be music and games; I am

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Dance Off with the Star Wars Stars

Allen Hong — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:00:15 +0000

Love for Star Wars is tremendous, and this Youtube video I stumbled across proves it. Until I saw this video, I did not know that there exists something called Star Wars Weekends at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida. They have a show called, Dance Off with the Star Wars Stars. It is AWESOME and a must watch!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Video courtesy of MookieMovies

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Black Stealth R/C Helicopter by ThinkGeek

Allen Hong — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:06:03 +0000

ThinkGeek, the masters of bringing us awesomely cool geek toys, has just released the Black Stealth 3-Channel R/C Helicopter. YAY! This is not just another one of those tiny palm size helicopters with a different look; this one has the important third channel to allow full control of forward and reverse movement. Previous similar sized helicopters had only two channels to control the up and down, and they used weights to tune the speed of the constantly forward moving heli. In the looks department, the Black Stealth sports a plastic body instead of the foam ones used on the other two channel helicopters; this gives it a realistic appearance and actually resembles one of the more expensive bigger R/C helicopters.

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Knight Rider TV Series Coming This Fall

Allen Hong — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 17:21:41 +0000

When the made for TV movie, Knight Rider (2008) came out earlier this year, I had issues with the new KITT (see my post), and I had completely written off watching any future Knight Rider productions. Now based on the pilot movie doing so well in ratings (thanks to all of us being curious), NBC had green-lighted the TV series. Last week, NBC revealed the newly redesigned Attack KITT and released a preview of the TV show at Comic-Con 2008. It looks like NBC did take Knight Rider fan comments seriously, and they went back to the drawing board on how they could make the TV series better than what was seen in the pilot movie, as the one minute preview footage looks pretty cool. I don't want Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Indiana Jones and the Giant LEGO Boulder

Allen Hong — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 15:13:02 +0000

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was released recently, but I have yet to see the movie. Some of the people I know who have seen seen it said it was good, but some did not like it; I think I will wait until the movie is released via Cablevisions On-demand. Until then, this YouTube video will serve as a reminder of the movie which started the whole Indiana Jones saga...

Click here to view the embedded video.

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Kitchen Stadium in Your Nintendo

Allen Hong — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 21:30:19 +0000

Video game maker Destineer announced today that they would be releasing the game title, Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine for the Nintendo Wii and DS. The scoop so far is that Iron Chef America host, Mark Dacascos will appear in the game. Now, given the unique input hardware of the Nintendo Wii and DS, there should be some interesting and fun elements to the game play. Expected release is summer of 2008. Check out the announcement trailer:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Huge tracks of hard drive space coming to a laptop near you.

Allen Hong — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:34:52 +0000

Think you’ve got lots of hard drive space in your notebook computer with a 250 GB hard drive? Well, think again. 500 GB notebook hard drives are coming. Thats right, all the top players in the notebook hard drive industry have recently released 500 GB hard drives for installation in notebook computers; Samsung, Fujitsu, and Hitachi will be shipping the high capacity hard drives in Serial ATA configurations. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Definitely not the same Knight Rider

Allen Hong — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 17:18:04 +0000

The new Knight Rider is set to launch in 6 days on NBC, and all is not going well for the NBC production from my perspective. First there was the ruckus by the Knight Rider fan boys over NBC choosing to go with a Mustang. And now Will Arnet has backed out of the role of KITT. Will Arnet does the voice-over for GM car commercials, and was contractually restricted from voicing for the opposition. At two weeks to air of the movie, NBC hired Val Kilmer to provide the voice of KITT. Yes, that’s right. The Top Gun Iceman is now the voice of the new KITT! I am unsure if Kilmer will be able to provide the right voice for KITT. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

ASUS Eee PC 8GB Unboxing

Allen Hong — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 14:01:17 +0000

Somehow word of the ASUS Eee PC flew under my radar. I had no clue as to its existence until the first week of November (two weeks after the US launch) when a colleague at work informed me of this low cost ultra compact portable computer. After hearing the brief details and that the computer would come pre-installed with Linux, my reaction was WOW! That sounds way cool! I quickly searched for it on the internet when I got back to my office. After seeing the info on the ASUS and the EeeUser web sites, I just had to have one of these computers. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Johnny Lightning’s V_Bot Review

Allen Hong — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 13:41:23 +0000

At the same time that Gear Diary was approached to review the Johnny Lightning Battle Wheels, we were also invited to review the V_Bot. What is the V_Bot? Well, here is a clipping from the email describing it:

“V_Bot, the new high-tech hero, transforms from a sleek street vehicle into a giant robot loaded with action moves. This revolutionary RC toy captures kids’ imaginations with a giant robot that they can control, transform and drive. V_Bot even has a plug-in for an MP3 player.”

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The Silverlit Palm-Z Mini RC Indoor Airplane Review

Allen Hong — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 15:12:15 +0000

The call of duty beckons yet again, to review another RC aircraft. But, this time it is not another helicopter, it is an airplane. Specifically, it is the Silverlit Palm-Z Mini RC Indoor Airplane, available from Hobbytron.com. To date I have test flown the Hornet 3 Mini RC Helicopter and the RC AH-64 Apache RTF 4 CH Electric Helicopter, both also available from HobbyTron.com. With my RC helicopter flying experience would I be able to take on flying an airplane? We’ll see. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Chuck, the reluctant hero?

Allen Hong — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 14:00:46 +0000

When NBC released the trailer for their new comedy TV show Chuck, I did not know if I should be offended, accept the show for what it is, or just ignore it. Why did I feel that way? Well, it is very clear that the show is poking fun at geeks/nerds, something that could offend me, because I am a geek. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Gonna Buy Mii a Wii

Allen Hong — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 16:55:26 +0000

During the season premiere of Beauty and the Geek, there was a unusual geek who went to the auditions with a bunch of Smurfs, his name is André Meadows. André made it to the finals but did not get picked to be on the show. However, he did get 23 seconds of fame on TV, which was enough, as shortly after I found his audition video posted onto his YouTube channel, BlackNerdComedy and his videos became some of my favorites on YouTube. André’s newest video “Buy Mii a Wii - Black Nerd Music Video” is his best video yet! In the video, he proclaims his love for the Nintendo Wii. Disclaimer: This video is rated PG (Parental guidance recommended) - André gets a bit TOO friendly with his Nintendo Wii box towards the end of the video, and it might scare the children.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Johnny Lightning’s Battle Wheels Review

Allen Hong — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 13:23:20 +0000

When Gear Diary was approached to review the new Johnny Lightning Battle Wheels, I was going pass on reviewing them. I never really was interested in robotic combat. However, Judie convinced me to accept and do the review. And, I actually had fun, thanks Judie! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Allen Visits Digital Life 2007

Allen Hong — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 14:00:32 +0000

[A friendly warning, there are 100 pictures in this trip report, so you may want to wait until you have access to a fast internet connection before viewing it all] The last time I attended a show was several years ago for the New York Auto Show and the now no longer PC-Expo. Back then, I went to see new stuff and to get swag (stuff we all get). Fast forward to present day, my visit to the Digital Life show had a new mission, to find cool products to share with Gear Diary readers. Digital Life focuses on the ultimate in consumer technology, gaming and entertainment. I feel there is a broad range of products on display of interest to everyone. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

AntWorks – Space Age Ant Habitat

Allen Hong — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 14:09:15 +0000

Observing ants in your home used to mean obtaining the typical ant farm which used sand as the medium for the ants to live in. A modern development and improvement on the old sand ant farms are the AntWorks ant habitats. This habitat uses a special gel instead of sand. The gel setup was originally developed for an NASA experiment, in which ants were sent into space on board the space shuttle to study insect life in near weightlessness. Traditional soil-based ant farm tunnels would collapse from the intense vibrations during a take off. To solve the problem, NASA scientists created the special gel that would serve as home, food and water source for the ants. Fascinations adapted the gel setup for the product AntWorks. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

YouTube Star Tay Zonday

Allen Hong — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 16:46:59 +0000

I really did not notice Tay Zonday’s music until a few days ago when he released his latest song, “Do the Can’t Dance.” When I saw the new video, I thought Wow, Tay is really an awesome singer. And the theme of the song appeals to me as geeks can’t dance. I then checked out his other songs. His music is awesome! I am very picky about the music I listen to, so that says a lot about how good it really is.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

New USB Toys from USB Fever: Hub Not Included

Allen Hong — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 16:06:09 +0000

Usbfever.com, sellers of all USB things, just released some funny and unusual new products today. First up is the USB Green House. This 9 x 6.5 x 6.5 inch miniature green house contains an adjustable growth light. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Microwave Popcorn Can Kill

Allen Hong — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 16:14:03 +0000

In last week’s episode of Geek Girl TV, Eve Park mentioned that the delicious buttery smell of microwave popcorn can kill you. I was surprised to hear that. I asked her “really? ” And she replied that it is an additive, which if breathed in excess can cause lung cancer.

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Aerobie Aeropress Coffee & Espresso Maker Review

Allen Hong — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 14:00:38 +0000

I enjoy a hot cup of coffee every now and then. But, I never had any interest in learning how to brew the coffee (cooking is really not my thing). I have always bought my coffee from restaurants and coffee shops. When I came across the Aerobie Aeropress Coffee & Espresso Maker while searching the web for interesting devices, it really caught my attention. The Aeropress is said to be easy to use and that it makes the best tasting coffee. This I had to find out for myself and we got an Aeropress to review. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Beatmix Bumblebee

Allen Hong — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 16:10:13 +0000

Yesterday, I found out about the Beatmix Bumblebee while browsing Amazon.com. The bot was shown under the “New For You” section on the main page. Since I love robots and Transformers, I clicked on the picture to find out more. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Clever Media iPhone Games

Allen Hong — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 15:36:11 +0000

The great folks over at CleverMedia have produced some very good games for iPhone owners to play. Gary Rosenzweig made the games and Eve Park (Geek Girl) made the pretty icons. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The Funslides Carpet Skates Review

Allen Hong — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 15:41:33 +0000

Recently, Judie did a post about the FunSlides Carpet Skates. Because of a technical glitch with our email server, I never got the team email about reviewing them. It was after Judie did her write up on the skates that I thought to myself, these may be just the thing to solve the problem my Robosapien robots have with walking on carpet. I mentioned this to Judie, and she thought it would be a great idea to let the bots volunteer. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

National Treasure Sequel Coming Soon

Allen Hong — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 18:39:59 +0000

Of all the movies that have come out of Hollywood, you can always count on Disney to put out quality entertainment for the whole family. National Treasure, which was released back in 2004, was the best Disney movie ever. I love this movie as it has everything that I like in it. There is action, adventure, an awesome heist, and there is an incredible story about hidden treasure. The film is also shot on location, so there are lots of scenes with historical importance as backgrounds. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Most Bizarre Works of Art

Allen Hong — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 16:21:44 +0000

I really don’t remember how I came across the art of Nate Hill, but his work really caught my attention. You see, his art supplies are very unique in that they are not the typical canvas, paint, clay or anything that you would think of being used for art. He uses animal parts that he finds in the garbage of New York City’s Manhattan Chinatown. Those with a queasy stomach or sensitivity to seeing weird works of taxidermy may not want to read on or click on the links provided; you have been warned. For those with a sense of adventure, click the link below to continue. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Awesome Videos I Found On YouTube.

Allen Hong — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 17:59:03 +0000

Over the last couple of months I have been hooked on YouTube. I visited the web site every day, watched more than 500 videos and even posted my own. On my travels through YouTube, I came across some really awesome videos that I feel Gear Diary readers will enjoy watching. I narrowed them down to a group of twenty and here they are: “I Love You Cause I Have To” The girls who post music videos under the username “HoiTahPoiSha,” make some of the best creative videos I have ever seen. The editing and choreography are great!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The HobbyTron.com Hornet 3 Mini RC Helicopter Review

Allen Hong — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 14:57:42 +0000

Radio-controlled helicopters are cool toys and the manufacturers are still making new models and evolving them to include new and better features. When HobbyTron.com approached Gear Diary to review the new HobbyTron.com branded Hornet 3 mini RC helicopter, Judie thought immediately of me and asked me if I wanted to review it. I said yes! So, I guess I am now the resident RC helicopter pilot around here. :D Review updated July 22, 2007: Added video of the Hornet 3. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

A Week with Transformers DS

Allen Hong — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 15:56:24 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, I posted “Transformers Invade the Nintendo DS”, about the coming games Transformers Autobots and Decepticons for the Nintendo DS. Well the games were released, and last weekend I picked up the games. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

iPhone Disassembled!

Allen Hong — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 16:40:41 +0000

While some may consider my disinterest in and not wanting a iPhone to be considered sacrilegious of being a geek, I do however find the iPhone disassembly pictures very interesting. I really like seeing how things are made and what hides under its outer casing. It appears the very same day that the iPhone came out, the guys at iFixit acquired a couple of units and disassembled one of them for the viewing pleasure of the curious. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Overcoming Anything With Subliminal Flash

Allen Hong — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 14:00:43 +0000

Last month, Ded Pyhto, a software company which develops psychological application software, released Subliminal Flash version 3.0. Subliminal Flash is a Windows application that runs in the background displaying messages at speeds that the conscious mind is unable to see, but the subconscious mind is able to. When I read the release information about the program and saw that it helps raise self-confidence, and helps get rid of complexes, and shyness. I thought to myself, this seems worth a try, as I have shyness issues and my self-confidence is not so good either. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...