Gear Diary » Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com Everyone can understand technology; sometimes it just takes a little translating. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:00:45 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Garmin’s CES News for Android Users, Golfers, Drivers and … You?http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/09/announcement-garmin-ces-news/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/09/announcement-garmin-ces-news/#comments Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:00:17 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=177664

Garmin, who seem to be going like gangbusters lately (including the addition of Navigon to their lineup last year) have released a preview of what they are showing at CES this week.  In their press release they are announcing some new and update products including: - Garmin Smartphone Link is the first Android app that provides live services to a PND utilizing the smartphone’s data connection. - The new nüvi® 3500 series: Garmin’s newest flagship personal navigation devices and the company’s first GPS navigators that combine the ultra-thin form factor with a large, 5-inch glass display. - Garmin® Approach™ G6 GPS takes golf to a whole new level with Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/09/announcement-garmin-ces-news/feed/ 0 Netflix, Qwikster, and Youhttp://www.geardiary.com/2011/09/19/netflix-qwikster-and-you/ http://www.geardiary.com/2011/09/19/netflix-qwikster-and-you/#comments Mon, 19 Sep 2011 20:00:31 +0000 Douglas Moran http://www.geardiary.com/?p=161175

Photo courtesy of Woman's Day

The news from Netflix starts off with an "apology" from the Big Kahuna himself, Reed Hastings:
It is clear from the feedback over the past two months that many members felt we lacked respect and humility in the way we announced the separation of DVD and streaming and the price changes. That was certainly not our intent, and I offer my sincere apology. Let me explain what we are doing.
Now okay, I just experienced a layoff, so I'm bound to be more cynical right now than is typical (and my default level of cynicism is pretty high, too), but that sounds like the opening of " Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2011/09/19/netflix-qwikster-and-you/feed/ 4 Rant: Trapped in Hell (Okay, Microsoft Support – Same Difference!)http://www.geardiary.com/2011/07/18/rant-trapped-in-hell-okay-microsoft-support-same-difference/ http://www.geardiary.com/2011/07/18/rant-trapped-in-hell-okay-microsoft-support-same-difference/#comments Mon, 18 Jul 2011 21:00:08 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=153122 image by signap

I haven't posted in a while.  Life has a way of getting in the way of the things you'd like to do sometimes.   I missed writing here - a lot - but the world is a crazy place (a new job, a new city, a new apartment).  Things are finally getting back to a semblance of calm and order.  I finally have some time to start writing again.  In a twist of divine comedy and coincidence, I have run into a support incident that has got me completely annoyed and provided me with an excellent platform from which to jump back to the the wonderful world of blogging. I am a Macbook Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2011/07/18/rant-trapped-in-hell-okay-microsoft-support-same-difference/feed/ 2 Gear Diary 2010 Gear of the Year and Predictions for 2011http://www.geardiary.com/2011/01/02/gear-diary-2010-gear-of-the-year-and-predictions-for-2011/ http://www.geardiary.com/2011/01/02/gear-diary-2010-gear-of-the-year-and-predictions-for-2011/#comments Sun, 02 Jan 2011 21:00:52 +0000 Joel McLaughlin http://www.geardiary.com/?p=124256

The past year has seen interesting developments in the gear we all use: the term iOS replaced iPhone OS as the OS that started on iPhone was also on the new iPad when it took the world and Gear Diary writers by storm, Android phones blossomed and became real competitors to the iPhone, and the iPad got its first real competition in the Samsung Galaxy Tab just a few months before 2010 drew to a close.  While there's much more that happened in the past year, I thought let's ask the following questions of the Gear Diary Team. 1. What was your favorite gear in 2010 and why? Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2011/01/02/gear-diary-2010-gear-of-the-year-and-predictions-for-2011/feed/ 5 How ‘Just a Big iPod’ Changed Our Computing Lives!http://www.geardiary.com/2010/12/01/how-just-a-big-ipod-changed-our-computing-lives/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/12/01/how-just-a-big-ipod-changed-our-computing-lives/#comments Wed, 01 Dec 2010 20:00:30 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=117605

For the second time in two days I was giving a technical talk: one at night in a public setting, the other to a project team at work. In both cases I needed to note some questions, discussions, take contact info and jot down some ‘to do’ tasks and follow ups. It was only when someone said something in each case that I even realized – all I brought with me was my iPad. It has been nearly 8 months since the release of the iPad, and I cannot imagine going anywhere without it. Through numerous discussions I know that many of the other Gear Diary folks feel the same way Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/12/01/how-just-a-big-ipod-changed-our-computing-lives/feed/ 11 iPhone Accessory Review: Magellan ToughCase for iPhone 3G/3GS and iPod Touchhttp://www.geardiary.com/2010/10/28/iphone-accessory-review-magellan-toughcase-for-iphone-3g3gs-and-ipod-touch/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/10/28/iphone-accessory-review-magellan-toughcase-for-iphone-3g3gs-and-ipod-touch/#comments Thu, 28 Oct 2010 22:00:36 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=114876

I'll admit it. I'm tough on my electronic devices - especially my phones. After a couple of years with me the cases are usually scuffed and marked. Amazingly, I've been lucky and not had major problems with screen scratches (even though I do NOT use screen protectors).  I think my phones survive, however, because I always make sure I use some kind of protective case as a daily driver. When Magellan offered us the opportunity to review their ToughCase, it seemed right up my smartphone-abuse-laden alley. Not only did it offer a strong rigid case, but also GPS signal improvement, and an extended battery! So let's take a closer look...

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/10/28/iphone-accessory-review-magellan-toughcase-for-iphone-3g3gs-and-ipod-touch/feed/ 3 Shanghai Mahjong for iPadhttp://www.geardiary.com/2010/04/22/shanghai-mahjong-for-ipad/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/04/22/shanghai-mahjong-for-ipad/#comments Thu, 22 Apr 2010 21:00:45 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=88858 Mahjong is one of those games that has always fascinated me - both the solitaire version that most PC gamers are familiar with and the competitive version of mahjong (sometimes called the "real" mahjong). Shanghai Majong is one of the former - the solitaire version of the game. For those who have never been exposed to the game, the idea is simple - a number of tiles are places in a stacked pattern on the board and you need to find open (free on one side) pairs in order to remove the pairs from the board. The goal is to remove all of the pairs from the board. Shanghai Mahjong is one of the first I've seen on the iPad. So Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/04/22/shanghai-mahjong-for-ipad/feed/ 11 Learning a Language on a Budget: Episode Seven – Enter the iPadhttp://www.geardiary.com/2010/04/21/learning-a-language-on-a-budget-episode-seven-enter-the-ipad/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/04/21/learning-a-language-on-a-budget-episode-seven-enter-the-ipad/#comments Wed, 21 Apr 2010 23:00:45 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=88018 Creative Commons License photo credit: woodleywonderworks

I recently obtained an iPad and moved a healthy portion of my daily personal computing work to it. I love its convenience and portability. I also like that most of my iPhone apps work on it as well, including my language apps! But when I started moving and working with my iPhone apps, it became clear that most of them haven't been fully converted (they are running in compatibility mode).  The apps run, which is ok, but Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/04/21/learning-a-language-on-a-budget-episode-seven-enter-the-ipad/feed/ 4 Contest: Gear Diary and Navigon want to help You Navigate the Roadways!http://www.geardiary.com/2010/04/16/contest-gear-diary-and-navigon-want-to-help-you-navigate-the-roadways/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/04/16/contest-gear-diary-and-navigon-want-to-help-you-navigate-the-roadways/#comments Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:00:54 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=87952 squared circle: compass rose Creative Commons License photo credit: Thom Watson

Last year we told you about a contest where you got to tell about your worst business travel experience. Now, together with Navigon, we want to hear about your most interesting or unusual road trip experiences. For the winners, we have copies of Navigon's Navigator for Windows Mobile (Windows Phone).

By way of an example, I had friends who were road-tripping while hauling a travel trailer, and by misreading their paper map they found themselves trapped at the end of a narrow road at a river - with no good

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/04/16/contest-gear-diary-and-navigon-want-to-help-you-navigate-the-roadways/feed/ 6 Quick Look: SPB TV for iPhonehttp://www.geardiary.com/2010/04/15/quick-look-spb-tv-for-iphone/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/04/15/quick-look-spb-tv-for-iphone/#comments Thu, 15 Apr 2010 19:00:37 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=88083 SPB has had their SPB TV product out for WIndows Mobile devices for a long time, and it's always been considered an excellent app.  Recently they released it for the iPhone - something many people were eagerly anticipating.  Let's take a quick look at this latest release for the iPhone! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/04/15/quick-look-spb-tv-for-iphone/feed/ 7 Another Day, Another iPadhttp://www.geardiary.com/2010/04/09/another-day-another-ipad/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/04/09/another-day-another-ipad/#comments Fri, 09 Apr 2010 22:00:21 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=86907 Branded Creative Commons License photo credit: powerbooktrance

Okay, okay.   I'm weak - I admit it!  I lasted nearly a week before I finally caved in, went down to Best Buy, and picked up an iPad which I now have been playing with for about 12 hours.   So of course, I now have a few observations and because the world hasn't had nearly enough iPad opinion pieces, I'm going to share with you! First - the device and it's potential really are amazing. Despite all the hype and the nonsense and even a few drawbacks, I'm really impressed with Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/04/09/another-day-another-ipad/feed/ 10 Navigon Pushes out MobileNavigator for iPhone version 1.50http://www.geardiary.com/2010/03/30/navigon-pushes-out-mobilenavigator-for-iphone-version-1-50/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/03/30/navigon-pushes-out-mobilenavigator-for-iphone-version-1-50/#comments Wed, 31 Mar 2010 03:00:35 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=83852

Last night, Navigon released another significant update to their MobileNavigator product for iPhone - version 1.5. In this latest update, we get some interesting features including social networking connections to Facebook and Twitter, we get the presentation of multiple routing choices (Navigon calls this MyRoutes), as well as the addition of a 3D terrain display called Panorama 3D View (for an additional fee).  I went right out and I bought the 3D update and have been taking a look at it as well as the other new features. So let's go take a quick look at the new features of Navigon MobileNavigator 1.5. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/03/30/navigon-pushes-out-mobilenavigator-for-iphone-version-1-50/feed/ 2 PDF Reader from Kdan Mobile Software for iPhone and iPod Touchhttp://www.geardiary.com/2010/03/26/pdf-reader-from-kdan-mobile-software-for-iphone-and-ipod-touch/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/03/26/pdf-reader-from-kdan-mobile-software-for-iphone-and-ipod-touch/#comments Fri, 26 Mar 2010 23:19:46 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=81061

This past week I did a review of Documents to Go Premium. I really like that product - it does a wonderful job of working with MS Office documents. But a lot but my main use of it is as a PDF reader - really a secondary function of that program. So when I saw a new stand-alone PDF reader program for only 99 cents I decided I had to take a look so I bought a copy and started playing. So how did it do? Let's take a look! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/03/26/pdf-reader-from-kdan-mobile-software-for-iphone-and-ipod-touch/feed/ 2 The Documents to Go Premium 3.1 for iPhone Reviewhttp://www.geardiary.com/2010/03/25/the-documents-to-go-premium-3-1-for-iphone-review/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/03/25/the-documents-to-go-premium-3-1-for-iphone-review/#comments Fri, 26 Mar 2010 00:00:21 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=72343

The last few weeks have been interesting. We saw the release of a lot of new products during CES earlier this year.  One of those products was the version 3.x of Documents to Go Premium from DataVis.  Now, quickly on the heels of that, they have release version 3.1 which adds even more improvements including Google Docs support!

On a personal note - my own life has been a crazy roller coaster with my day job sending me all over the place and then getting seriously ill, all of it ramping up to this past week where I had to rush three different people to the Emergency Rooms of three different hospitals on 3 different days (ok, ok - in the 3rd case I only had to MEET the ambulance at the hospital)!   Nevertheless, the level of general chaos in my life over the past couple of months has been huge, but, interestingly enough, at the same time, the iPhone version of Documents to Go entered my life and I was actually mostly able to continue to function throughout it all.    I really appreciated being able to work with my office documents on my iPhone, but I have to add that  it wasn't all wine and roses.

That said, let's take a look at this version of Documents to Go and see what there is to see!

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/03/25/the-documents-to-go-premium-3-1-for-iphone-review/feed/ 0 Learn a Little Irish for Free!http://www.geardiary.com/2010/03/17/learn-a-little-irish-for-free/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/03/17/learn-a-little-irish-for-free/#comments Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:10:02 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=80009

As a fan of language learning, I just discovered something very cool.   Through today, iPhone and iPod Touch users can download Byki's Irish language app from the App Store for free! Normally, most of the Byki apps are $7.99, so this is an excellent way to see how Byki approaches vocabulary and phrase learning while putting on a little Irish!

I have the Byki apps for a few different languages on my iPhone and computer. The Byki language apps are really good at helping you learn vocabulary and phrases from a wide variety of languages and now Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/03/17/learn-a-little-irish-for-free/feed/ 2 Review: Memorize Words for Spanish for iPhonehttp://www.geardiary.com/2010/03/04/review-memorize-words-for-spanish-for-iphone/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/03/04/review-memorize-words-for-spanish-for-iphone/#comments Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:00:16 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=77604

Sometimes applications are big and splashy and exciting.   Sometimes they are quite, unassuming, and just do what they do very well.   But it's not often you run into applications that don't even really present you with a startup splash screen before going into the actual program.  Memorize Words for Spanish isn't flashy, it goes right into the program with out announcing itself via a title screen, and its name isn't particularly flashy or clever, but it clearly speaks to the thing that this application does - it helps you memorize Spanish words. I've looked at a lot of different language applications over the past year and the folks at Componica were nice enough to let me look at this application as well.  I have to say that there's a lot to like here. So let's take a closer look at Memorize Words for Spanish and see what's what! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/03/04/review-memorize-words-for-spanish-for-iphone/feed/ 3 Review: Navigon MobileNavigator for Windows Phoneshttp://www.geardiary.com/2010/03/03/review-navigon-mobilenavigator-for-windows-phones/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/03/03/review-navigon-mobilenavigator-for-windows-phones/#comments Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:06:17 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=77558

A few years back, I was a big fan of OnCourse Navigator version 5 running on Windows Mobile PDAs. The interesting things here is that OCN5 was really just the name for the North American release of Navigon MobileNavigator. And although OCN 5 wasn't terribly stable, it was one of the best-looking navigators out there at the time. So then they disappeared from the North American market. OCN 6 was actually a rebadged iGo 6, not a Navigon product anymore. So now, on the heels of a successful iPhone product, Navigon have reentered the market with MobileNavigator for Windows Phones.  So where did they go?   What happened?  More important, however, how does the new version of MobileNavigator stack up? Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/03/03/review-navigon-mobilenavigator-for-windows-phones/feed/ 2 The Perpetual Lateness of Windows Releases? A Gearchat…http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/18/the-perpetual-lateness-of-windows-releases-a-gearchat/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/18/the-perpetual-lateness-of-windows-releases-a-gearchat/#comments Mon, 18 Jan 2010 18:37:28 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=70915

(image courtesy Starpulse)

Think we're all serious and full of insightful posts? Of course we are. We're also a bit silly and prone to long debates behind the scenes. Tonight, the curtain is being pulled back, and you get to see the Gear Diary Team debate: Windows/Windows Mobile-Are They Ever On Time or Worth Waiting For? Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/18/the-perpetual-lateness-of-windows-releases-a-gearchat/feed/ 2 Quirky Cable Capshttp://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/14/quirky-cable-caps/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/14/quirky-cable-caps/#comments Thu, 14 Jan 2010 16:15:56 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=70352

Quirky, who use a community-driven process to determine which products to bring to market, and brings many products to market very quickly, have released their latest effort - Quirky Cable Caps. These caps, in 6 different styles, are designed to protect the (male) ends of USB cables and wrap up any excess cable as well.  They each have a wild-looking head which slides over the cable end, and a rubber band type of body used to tie up the excess cable. The six styles available are: Printer Man, Phone Dude, Camera Gal, Eye Baller, Egg Man, and 'Da Bulb.  They are sold in sets of 3 for $7.99 per set. Quirky Cable Caps are available for Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/14/quirky-cable-caps/feed/ 1 4iThumbs Tactile Keyboard for iPhonehttp://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/12/4ithumbs-tactile-keyboard-for-iphone/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/12/4ithumbs-tactile-keyboard-for-iphone/#comments Wed, 13 Jan 2010 02:20:03 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=67886

photo courtesy of cultofmac.comThe idea is pretty clever:  You take a thin clear plastic layer, much like a screen saver, and give it a few "bumps" to force your finger into the correct locations, and you will make typing on the iPhone a better experience. 4iThumbs has done just that.  They released their Tactile Keyboard for iPhone to help you in typing better and faster on the iPhone without obscuring your vision of what's on the screen.   Does it work?   Read on... Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/12/4ithumbs-tactile-keyboard-for-iphone/feed/ 5 PriceGrabber.com: Now In A Convenient App for iPhonehttp://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/08/pricegrabber-com-now-in-a-convenient-app-for-iphone/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/08/pricegrabber-com-now-in-a-convenient-app-for-iphone/#comments Fri, 08 Jan 2010 23:30:45 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=69201

I admit it - I can be cheap sometimes. As such, I've used pricegrabber.com for years to compare prices on things - especially technology-based products.  Now it seems that it's made its way directly to the iPhone in the form of the PriceGrabber App for iPhone. The folks at PriceGrabber recognized that many people now use their cell phone as a resource to access the web, researching pricing and other information about products they may be interested in. So now with this new application you have access to the information on PriceGrabber.com with a nice application front-end.   You can see pricing comparisons, reviews, and even click through to purchase products from online retailer's sites. PriceGrabber.com has Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/08/pricegrabber-com-now-in-a-convenient-app-for-iphone/feed/ 3 ReaddleDocs 2.0 for iPhone Releasedhttp://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/08/readdledocs-2-0-for-iphone-released/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/08/readdledocs-2-0-for-iphone-released/#comments Fri, 08 Jan 2010 22:00:53 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=69146

Readdle has now released version 2.0 of ReaddleDocs.  At it's core, ReaddleDocs is basically a file manager, document reader, and an attachment viewer for the iPhone.   Readdle says this new version offers more than 100 new features. The new PDF viewer in version 2.,0 offers text reflows and embedded links (and supports password protected PDF files) and allows for large PDF files. ReaddleDocs 2.0 allows you to read password protected PDF files and even ZIP archives. ReaddleDocs continues to support features like iDisk connectivity (and WebDAV in general), reading MS Word/Excel/PowerPoint files.   It also reads TxT, FB2, RTF, and HTML files. ReaddleDocs 2.0 is available from the AppStore for $4.99 Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/08/readdledocs-2-0-for-iphone-released/feed/ 5 Boost Mobile Will Now Offer Service on Sprint Networkhttp://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/08/boost-mobile-will-now-offer-service-on-sprint-network/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/08/boost-mobile-will-now-offer-service-on-sprint-network/#comments Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:10:59 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=69124

Boost Mobile (part of Sprint Nextel), big in the prepaid cellular service market, has announced that they will be offering service on the Sprint network beginning on January 13, 2010.  Up until now, Boost has been utilizing only the Nextel (iDEN) network. Sprint purchased Nextel in 2005 to become Sprint Nextel, but they've continued to maintain the two separate networks. They are also planning to release new CDMA-based handsets for use on the network including their first Smartphone - the Blackberry Curve 8330.  Boost is planning to offer the Blackberry Curve for $249.99 with an unlimited plan including talk, tet, web, and email for $60 per month. The other phones Boost will be offering are the Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/08/boost-mobile-will-now-offer-service-on-sprint-network/feed/ 2 Mr. Puzzle Genius 3D Puzzle for iPhone / iPod Touchhttp://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/07/mr-puzzle-genius-3d-puzzle-for-iphone-ipod-touch/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/07/mr-puzzle-genius-3d-puzzle-for-iphone-ipod-touch/#comments Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:04:09 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=67885

It's no mystery that I'm a fan of casual gaming.  So I was excited when recently I was given a copy of Mr. Puzzle Genius 3D Puzzle for iPhone.  This game looked like it might be a real challenge with possibly lasting play value. So did it hold up to the hype? Let's take a look... Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/07/mr-puzzle-genius-3d-puzzle-for-iphone-ipod-touch/feed/ 4 Documents To Go for iPhone Adds PowerPoint Editing!http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/07/documents-to-go-for-iphone-adds-powerpoint-editing/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/07/documents-to-go-for-iphone-adds-powerpoint-editing/#comments Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:45:39 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=68767

The folks over at DataViz have just released another version - version 3.0 - of their popular Documents To Go program.   First, they have renamed "Documents To Go with Exchange Attachments" to "Documents To Go Premium".  More important, however, is that they've added PowerPoint editing support!  That makes them the only mobile office app currently to allow editing of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents. Not quite stopping there - they also have added support for GMail attachment too (they already support MS Exchange attachments).  As a GMail user, that makes me really happy! Documents To Go already supports syncing with Windows or Mac.  They also support the viewing of PDF files and Apple iWork files (among Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/07/documents-to-go-for-iphone-adds-powerpoint-editing/feed/ 7 Learning a Language on a Budget: Week Six – Staying Motivatedhttp://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/07/learning-a-language-on-a-budget-week-six-staying-motivated/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/07/learning-a-language-on-a-budget-week-six-staying-motivated/#comments Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:24:49 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=64100 Creative Commons License photo credit: woodleywonderworks

So you've been at this language learning thing for a while now and you find yourself losing interest - or getting too busy - or whatever the case may be!   Now a few days or even weeks have gone by and you need to get yourself back into studying again.  One of the most important things in learning a language is to keep working at it and using it.  If you don't, you will start to lose what you've learned already.  So how do you keep yourself motivated?   How do you keep things interesting?   This week, I'll take a look at a few things I've learned to do along the way to help keep things interesting and keep the learning flowing! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/07/learning-a-language-on-a-budget-week-six-staying-motivated/feed/ 2 Navigon Expanding to More Platforms in North Americahttp://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/07/navigon-expanding-to-more-platforms-in-north-america/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/07/navigon-expanding-to-more-platforms-in-north-america/#comments Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:15:59 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=68787

Navigon, who've seen great success with their iPhone navigation application, are now expanding by releasing versions of their software for Windows Mobile and Android (later in the spring). Those of us who have been playing around with GPS and navigation for a few years may remember that they actually used to have their product in the U.S. market, but it was re-branded under the name OnCourse Navigator.  Later on, when Navigon chose to leave the North American market (but they continued to offer a Windows Mobile product in Europe), OnCourse Navigator changed to a product based upon iGo 6 (and later iGo 8 ) instead. Navigon has one of the nicest iPhone navigation apps out there and it will be interesting to see if Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/07/navigon-expanding-to-more-platforms-in-north-america/feed/ 6 Que Publishing Releases Windows 7 Your Way by Michael Millerhttp://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/07/que-publishing-releases-windows-7-your-way-by-michael-miller/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/07/que-publishing-releases-windows-7-your-way-by-michael-miller/#comments Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:40:27 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=68646

Just published is Windows 7 Your Way: Speed Up and Customize Windows  by Michael Miller from Que Publishing. This book promises to help you make your Windows 7 experience "faster, smarter, easier, better." They talk about removing bloatware, surfing the web safely, getting better performance and battery life out of your notebook, fixing some of the Windows 7 annoyances, and even finding alternatives to some of the built-in MS software.  Better still, they promise to help you with all of these things in a way that is easy to understand - no advanced degree required! Not long ago I reviewed Microsoft Windows 7 Unleashed, also from Que, and was pretty pleased with it. If you liked that Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/07/que-publishing-releases-windows-7-your-way-by-michael-miller/feed/ 1 Sygic Mobile Maps North America Gets an Updatehttp://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/02/sygic-mobile-maps-north-america-gets-an-update/ http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/02/sygic-mobile-maps-north-america-gets-an-update/#comments Sat, 02 Jan 2010 16:18:21 +0000 Christopher Gavula http://www.geardiary.com/?p=67547

Since its initial release, I've been suggesting that people watch the Mobile Maps products from Sygic. They had an interesting approach to navigation software and they seem very committed to making their products better. Now they've released Mobile Maps North America version 8.01 and refreshed the look and feel of parts of the app. Lets look at it it a little closer... Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2010/01/02/sygic-mobile-maps-north-america-gets-an-update/feed/ 2 Gadgets of the Year – 2009 Editionhttp://www.geardiary.com/2009/12/31/gadgets-of-the-year-2009-edition/ http://www.geardiary.com/2009/12/31/gadgets-of-the-year-2009-edition/#comments Thu, 31 Dec 2009 21:40:13 +0000 Joel McLaughlin http://www.geardiary.com/?p=65811 verizon-mifi-2000.jpg

Another year has come and gone.  I've actually heard some people say that this has been a slow year gadget wise, but I disagree and I am sure the rest of the Gear Diary team agrees.  Here is what we think deserves the title Gadget of the Year for 2009.  Note: I counted a mention if a team member said anything about it that is positive.  This is not scientific, and it is really just for fun. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2009/12/31/gadgets-of-the-year-2009-edition/feed/ 7