Gear Diary » Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com Everyone can understand technology; sometimes it just takes a little translating. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:15:51 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Where Can The Case-Mate Phantom Travel? Just About Anywhere!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/14/where-can-the-case-mate-phantom-travel-just-about-anywhere/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/14/where-can-the-case-mate-phantom-travel-just-about-anywhere/#comments Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:00:02 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183581

I have just returned from a weeklong cruise along Costa Rica and Panama, and of course my trusty iPhone came with me. It was safely swaddled in a Case-Mate Phantom Case, which I've had for a few weeks. My intention was to write-up the full review when I returned, but as the trip played out this review took on a bit of a different turn, so read on for more! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/14/where-can-the-case-mate-phantom-travel-just-about-anywhere/feed/ 0 Kingston Wi-Drive Reviewhttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/02/kingston-wi-drive-review/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/02/kingston-wi-drive-review/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:00:17 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=181741

There are some smartphone accessories that make you go "huh? Who would buy this?" And then sometimes there are ideas so smart you think, "Wow! Why didn't anyone do this sooner?" Finally, there's the "GREAT idea, poor execution" accessory. The Kingston Wi-Drive fits into one of these categories, but you will have to read to the end to find out which one! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/02/kingston-wi-drive-review/feed/ 4 Does Barnes and Noble WANT To Kill the Bookstore?http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/02/does-barnes-and-noble-want-to-kill-the-bookstore/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/02/does-barnes-and-noble-want-to-kill-the-bookstore/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:15:04 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=181790 20120201-105230.jpgimage courtesy Fundamentally Flawed

Barnes and Noble is taking an extremely strong anti-Amazon stance this week. Engadget is reporting that They've declared all books published through Amazon or in an exclusive deal with Amazon will not be carried in their brick and mortar stores, just online at BN.com. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/02/does-barnes-and-noble-want-to-kill-the-bookstore/feed/ 2 Verizon Customer Service Rocks!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/30/verizon-customer-service-rocks/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/30/verizon-customer-service-rocks/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:00:24 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=181608 20120130-153657.jpg

Sarah and I are planning a trip abroad soon, and on my to-do list was to call Verizon and add international roaming to my iPhone. When I called the customer service line, I was incredibly impressed with how helpful they were, above and beyond what I had expected! As soon as I explained the purpose of my call was to add international roaming, the customer service representative emailed me the Verizon rates for calls, texts, and data. She then waited until I confirmed I had it to review my options and move forwards adding a roaming plan, because she wanted to make sure I understood the cost structure. Even better, the email had dialing instructions with the country codes Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/30/verizon-customer-service-rocks/feed/ 4 Tiny Tower: My Shameful Obsessionhttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/30/tiny-tower-my-shameful-obsession/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/30/tiny-tower-my-shameful-obsession/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:30:44 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=181508

Have you heard of Tiny Tower? Chances are you have, at least if you use an iOS device. It was named Apple's 2011 Game of the Year, which is how I stumbled upon it while browsing the App Store. But now that I've discovered it, it has become my go-to game throughout the day. Worst of all, I've now gotten Sarah hooked on the Android version, despite the fact that neither of us can really point to what's so exciting about the game! If you're not super familiar with Tiny Tower, here's the App Store description:
Tiny Tower lets you build a tiny tower and manage the businesses and bitizens that inhabit it! ★Make money
Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/30/tiny-tower-my-shameful-obsession/feed/ 1 Life on iOS, 4 Months Laterhttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/29/life-on-ios-4-months-later/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/29/life-on-ios-4-months-later/#comments Sun, 29 Jan 2012 16:00:51 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=180587

(yes, I am very obsessive about keeping all my apps neatly in folders.)

Recently Thomas commented that he had re-read my "Farewell, Android" post, and he wanted to know if I felt the same way since buying my 4s back in October. At the risk of ruining the surprise, the short answer is "Heck yea!" But that would make this a rather short follow-up, so read on for how life on iOS has treated me and whether I miss anything from my robot-loving days! The impetus for my initial decision to move to iOS was frustration with Android's fragmentation and how poorly my Droid aged. Nothing from Android in the last few months has made me regret that decision. The Galaxy Nexus is nice, but huge, and Motorola's DROID offerings have the shelf life of a carton of milk. Plus nothing HTC has pumped out on the Android side has been particularly intriguing. However, the iPhone hardware still feels solid, and I don't feel like the 3.5in screen is a limitation. So I don't feel like toting an iPhone has left me out in the cold as far as anything exciting! More importantly, and universally, let's talk software. Yes, I complained I missed the back button, but I've adjusted. I do find the homescreen-centric UI to be a bit limiting sometimes, but I get around it by using the home button double click and flipping through my most used apps. Most importantly, the apps I've encountered on iOS just seem more well-developed and fully baked than their Android counterparts. I feel more productive on iOS than on Android, and that says a lot. I did everything on my Droid, from email to calendar to writing Gear Diary posts and editing photos, but all of it is so much easier on iOS that it just blows me away. In some cases comes down to app quality while in other cases it is a matter of stability. Either way it makes me happy! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/29/life-on-ios-4-months-later/feed/ 6 Simply Audiobooks Launches Streaming Servicehttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/27/simply-audiobooks-launches-streaming-service/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/27/simply-audiobooks-launches-streaming-service/#comments Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:45:00 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=180939

I'm a big fan of audiobooks for long drives. Sarah and I usually head to the library a few days before a road trip and stock up on something we will both enjoy hearing, and on rare occasions we splurge for a download from Audible.com. In general, though, we tend to find it's faster and cheaper to borrow the CDs from the library than deal with a digital audiobook. Despite the format being perfect for the digital age, costs are still high and digital library borrowing is still a complete mess. That's where Simply Audiobooks thinks they have a plan with their new Audiobooks.com streaming service. Their blog sums up the program pretty Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/27/simply-audiobooks-launches-streaming-service/feed/ 0 Old Cables to the Rescue!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/26/old-cables-to-the-rescue/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/26/old-cables-to-the-rescue/#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:30:26 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=180745 20120126-105826.jpg I wrote yesterday about my first impressions of the Case-Mate Phantom for the iPhone 4s, and I pointed out that it was new and therefore in the "new accessory honeymoon phase". Last night I discovered a potential issue, but luckily for me, the legacy of the original iPhone came to the rescue! See, the original iPhone had a very recessed headphone jack. It fit normal 3.5in headphones, but only if they had a very slim plug design. Anything not supermodel-skinny didn't fit. Of course accessory manufacturers stepped right up, and when I had my original iPhone I used a $10 Belkin adapter to connect my tiny headphone port to my normal size headphones. So how did the original iPhone's Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/26/old-cables-to-the-rescue/feed/ 0 Case-Mate Phantom First Impressionshttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/25/case-mate-phantom-first-impressions/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/25/case-mate-phantom-first-impressions/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:45:02 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=180647 20120125-145448.jpg

I am hard on my phones. Really, really hard. Honestly, it is a miracle my iPhone is unscathed; by 4 months into owning my Droid it had gone down the stairs twice and out of my pocket multiple times. So far the iPhone has been lucky, but ever time I slip it in my SPIbelt for a run or fiddle with it while walking the dog, I feel like I am tempting the smartphone destruction gods. So, as soon as Case-Mate's Phantom arrived, fresh from Judie and Dan at CES, I slapped it on my phone. (Literally-I received it at 1pm today and my phone was encased by 1:05pm!) A full review will be coming once I Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/25/case-mate-phantom-first-impressions/feed/ 2 Starbucks Asks: Venti, Grande, Tall, or Cabernet Sauvignon?http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/23/starbucks-asks-venti-grande-tall-or-cabernet-sauvignon/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/23/starbucks-asks-venti-grande-tall-or-cabernet-sauvignon/#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2012 04:36:43 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=180286 Sure, you hit your local Starbucks for coffee, morning after bleary-eyed morning. And maybe on weekends you sit with the paper and a nice latte, people watching and catching up on the news. Pretty soon you'll be able to add happy hour to the list! Starbucks is adding alcohol to several stores as a test run, which in theory sounds like an intriguing idea. After dinner drinks like "irish coffee" would be a great fit for a cafe. But according to Bloomberg, Starbucks is apparently aiming for the after-work drinkers:
Jan. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Starbucks Corp., the world’s largest coffee-shop chain, will sell beer and wine at more locations to lure customers during the slower afternoon
Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/23/starbucks-asks-venti-grande-tall-or-cabernet-sauvignon/feed/ 0 One Good Earbud: One Brilliant Idea?http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/23/one-good-earbud-one-brilliant-idea/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/23/one-good-earbud-one-brilliant-idea/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:15:41 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=180046 I have said many times that running with headphones in is not a good idea. It's dangerous for multiple reasons; you can't hear cars, animals, or people coming up behind you. Even with the music turned down you lose a sense of what's around you. The common suggestion is usually to leave one earbud out, but then you're stuck with a mono listening experience. That's why One Good Earbud is such a smart idea. From their website:
One Good EarbudTM is the ideal way to safely listen to music, podcasts, audio books, and mobile calls while running, cycling, snowboarding, or working out at the gym. Our custom-designed earphone mixes both channels of sound from a stereo
Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/23/one-good-earbud-one-brilliant-idea/feed/ 2 Has iBooks 2 Cracked the Textbook Puzzle?http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/20/has-ibooks-2-cracked-the-textbook-puzzle/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/20/has-ibooks-2-cracked-the-textbook-puzzle/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:00:05 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=179715 20120120-100447.jpg After Apple's big iBooks 2 announcement, I went hunting for more info on prior digital textbooks; it occurred to me that most of the pilot programs and digital textbook stuff are aimed at college level students and up, with the most famous/infamous being Amazon's Kindle DX experiment with several universities. This makes sense, since college kids foot their own bill for hardware. So why is Apple targeting high schools? Did no one point out that schools are so poor they are firing teachers left and right? A class of 500 freshman starting high school would cost a district $250,000 before textbook costs just to get each kid an iPad, plus ongoing book costs each year. For college this is brilliant because Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/20/has-ibooks-2-cracked-the-textbook-puzzle/feed/ 4 If An eBookstore Falls in the Internet and No One Hears It…http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/18/if-an-ebookstore-falls-in-the-internet-and-no-one-hears-it/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/18/if-an-ebookstore-falls-in-the-internet-and-no-one-hears-it/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:00:53 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=179447 20120118-135913.jpg

(image courtesy nikdaum) eBooknewser reported today that Amazon quietly shut down Mobipocket, an ebook store that those of us with PDA roots probably remember fondly. Amazon purchased Mobipocket and still uses their format as the basis for Kindle books. After reading the post, I headed over to Mobipocket and found what appears to be the internet equivalent of a broken, abandoned storefront. There's no announcement that Mobipocket is gone, but the files appear to have all disappeared. Bestsellers, fiction, non-fiction, everything is just gone, with the exception of a handful of classics that appear on the main page. Meanwhile, things aren't exactly hopping over at eReader/Fictionwise. They haven't carried a new bestseller or mainstream Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/18/if-an-ebookstore-falls-in-the-internet-and-no-one-hears-it/feed/ 0 The Importance Of Documenting Family History [NSFW-C for Disturbing Images]http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/16/the-importance-of-documenting-family-history-nsfw-c-for-disturbing-images/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/16/the-importance-of-documenting-family-history-nsfw-c-for-disturbing-images/#comments Tue, 17 Jan 2012 02:47:19 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=179291

A few years ago, Sarah and I had lunch with my grandma, and she started pulling out photo albums to show us family pictures. Among her pictures were photos from her life before she came to America, everything from photos of her and her brothers to her life in the displaced persons camp where she met my grandfather after the war. We realized she was sitting on an incredible amount of history, and while it has taken a long time to get around to coordinating it, we finally got together with my aunt and started documenting her photos today. What we discovered went beyond just my family into a piece of much bigger history. First, a bit Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/16/the-importance-of-documenting-family-history-nsfw-c-for-disturbing-images/feed/ 5 Does Anyone Buy eBook Readers For The Hardware Anymore?http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/16/does-anyone-buy-ebook-readers-for-the-hardware-anymore/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/16/does-anyone-buy-ebook-readers-for-the-hardware-anymore/#comments Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:00:49 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=177663

There's an interesting (and honestly, inevitable) trend in the book world lately: no one's talking hardware anymore. Yes, there's new devices, and sales are touted when they're impressive. But the big announcements that come up again and again are "ebook sales are increasing by these triple digits/these authors are making this much money through ebooks/we have this many free ebooks, etc". Plus, all those lovely ebooks are available on tablets, computers, smartphones and dedicated ebook readers...so does it pay for a company to offer the hardware without the ebooks anymore? In my view, the answer is no, and I think 2012 is the year we see many of the unaffiliated hardware drop by the wayside. Sony, Ectaco Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/16/does-anyone-buy-ebook-readers-for-the-hardware-anymore/feed/ 2 Will Paula Deen Switch To Lite Cooking?http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/15/will-paula-deen-switch-to-lite-cooking/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/15/will-paula-deen-switch-to-lite-cooking/#comments Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:00:36 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=179154 (image courtesy memebase)

When I think of Paula Deen, I think fried food. Lots and lots of fried food. And any number of satires about how unhealthy her cooking is. But if a rumor from The Daily is to be believed, Paula may be facing the fact that she needs to change her diet. Apparently she, like many Americans, has been diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. According to the report:
The Georgia-born chef — a Food Network star who has written five best-selling cookbooks — has been trying to keep her condition a secret, even after the National Enquirer reported in April that she has Type 2 diabetes, which is often
Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/15/will-paula-deen-switch-to-lite-cooking/feed/ 3 NBC Hates Money, But Will At Least Air Olympic Trials Highlightshttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/13/nbc-hates-money-but-will-at-least-air-olympic-trials-highlights/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/13/nbc-hates-money-but-will-at-least-air-olympic-trials-highlights/#comments Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:00:48 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=178788

(image courtesy Competitor.com) I know, this is totally running-nerd news. But if you follow the world of track and field, you're probably aware that the marathon trials for the 2012 USA Olympic team are this Saturday morning in Houston, Texas. Unlike other countries who choose their teams by prior race performance, in the USA competitors use race times to qualify to run the Trials. The top three male and female finishers in Saturday's marathon will be the USA Marathon team at London in 2012! Unfortunately, NBC will not be airing the Trials live, nor will they be streaming them online. I could rant about how stupid that is (I WILL PAY THEM TO WATCH Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/13/nbc-hates-money-but-will-at-least-air-olympic-trials-highlights/feed/ 0 Kindle Lending Library And Direct Publishing Program is a Home Run So Far!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/13/kindle-lending-library-and-direct-publishing-program-is-a-home-run-so-far/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/13/kindle-lending-library-and-direct-publishing-program-is-a-home-run-so-far/#comments Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:00:03 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=178775

The Kindle Lending Library and Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) program debuted this past fall, and so far they're off to a great start whether you're a consumer or an author. As a refresher, the Lending Library is available to anyone with a Kindle and an Amazon Prime account, and you can download one book per month free of charge through the service. The KDP program offers perks to authors willing to sign up exclusively with Amazon, including a share of a $500,000 pool per book borrowed through the program. Needless to say, the exclusivity clause has been a subject of debate among ebook fans, since it tightens Amazon's hold on the digital book market immensely, and Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/13/kindle-lending-library-and-direct-publishing-program-is-a-home-run-so-far/feed/ 0 Kobo Officially Part of Rakuten Nowhttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/11/kobo-officially-part-of-rakuten-now/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/11/kobo-officially-part-of-rakuten-now/#comments Thu, 12 Jan 2012 03:00:14 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=178649 It's official, Kobo is now a division of Rakuten, meaning that Kobo now has some deep parental pockets and an even stronger international reach. While they may still be number 3, they have an opportunity to grab more share in 2012, as B&N struggles to expand internationally. Plus from the sound of Kobo's press release they had an excellent holiday season! According to Kobo:
  • December 25th was Kobo’s best day ever for eBook downloads, with several ebooks downloaded every second by readers in over 150 countries
  • ·         Kobo saw a 10-fold increase in new customers compared to the company’s pre-holiday period
  • ·         Compared to last year’s holiday season, eGifting increased by 500%, eReader sales and eBook sales
Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/11/kobo-officially-part-of-rakuten-now/feed/ 0 Mimoco Announces Mimomicro USB Readershttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/11/mimoco-announces-mimomicro-usb-readers/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/11/mimoco-announces-mimomicro-usb-readers/#comments Thu, 12 Jan 2012 02:30:15 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=178665 Try saying Mimoco announces Mimomicro five times fast, and when you're done admire how cute these are! Sure, you can use a boring USB card reader, but how much better is it to transfer data from your microSD through Darth Vader, Wonder Woman or Batman? From Mimoco:
(Las Vegas, January 10, 2012) — Mimoco (www.mimoco.com), renowned makers of the MIMOBOT® line of character-based designer USB flash drives, has unveiled a new product line of fashionable personal data storage devices called MIMOMICRO™. The MIMOMICRO™ product line can best be described as a smaller, more versatile evolution of the MIMOBOT® collection. Not only can MIMOMICRO™ be used as a USB flash drive with interchangeable microSD memory
Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/11/mimoco-announces-mimomicro-usb-readers/feed/ 0 Baker and Taylor Partners With Blio To Bring eBooks To Ultrabookshttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/10/baker-and-taylor-partners-with-blio-to-bring-ebooks-to-ultrabooks/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/10/baker-and-taylor-partners-with-blio-to-bring-ebooks-to-ultrabooks/#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2012 02:15:15 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=178292

Remember Blio? It's ok if you don't. Blio debuted at CES two years ago, and promptly disappeared off the radar as a serious threat. Don't forget, CES 2010 was the ebook gold rush, and history has shown that anything not labelled "Kindle" or "NOOK" turned out to be fool's gold. But the folks behind Blio are convinced they still have a fighting chance, and they've set their new sights on Ultrabooks. From the press release:
Baker & Taylor, Inc., the world's largest distributor of digital and physical books today announced an agreement with Intel, the world leader in computing innovation, to provide a comprehensive ebook solution for Ultrabook devices through Intel® AppUp(SM) center. "We are thrilled to
Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/10/baker-and-taylor-partners-with-blio-to-bring-ebooks-to-ultrabooks/feed/ 0 Fitbit Announces New Fitbit Aria Wifi Scalehttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/10/fitbit-announces-new-fitbit-aria-wifi-scale/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/10/fitbit-announces-new-fitbit-aria-wifi-scale/#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2012 01:30:10 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=178288

Dan and Judie may be facing off to see if the Fitbit truly reigns supreme at CES, but Fitbit isn't stopping with just your everyday activities. They're also announcing a new scale that syncs over wifi right to your Fitbit account! One of the toughest things about losing weight and keeping track is actually doing the data entry and work. Fitbit is aiming to make it as easy as possible for you! From their blog:
We’re excited to let you be among the first to learn about our newest product — the Fitbit Aria Wi-Fi Smart Scale.  Aria will accurately track your weight, % body fat, and BMI over time and sync your
Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/10/fitbit-announces-new-fitbit-aria-wifi-scale/feed/ 0 Barnes And Noble Offers Free And Reduced NOOKS With Subscriptions!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/09/barnes-and-noble-offers-free-and-reduced-nooks-with-subscriptions/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/09/barnes-and-noble-offers-free-and-reduced-nooks-with-subscriptions/#comments Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:00:10 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=177824 20120109-094313.jpg

Big news from B&N today! They're looking to push down the price of the NOOK and drive more subscription services, so they've combined the two! You can get a free NOOK Simple Touch or a $99 NOOKcolor with a subscription to the New York Times through B&N ($19.99/month). Alternately, if you are more of the entertainment news type, there's always a $199 NOOK Tablet with a subscription to People! This is potentially huge for the ebook industry. It turns the reader hardware into a commodity, not the main show. It also pushes prices down while also lining up ongoing cash flow for B&N and the periodical providers (who I assume are splitting the subsidy costs). Finally, this is a Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/09/barnes-and-noble-offers-free-and-reduced-nooks-with-subscriptions/feed/ 2 SolarKindle Cover Lets You Charge Your Kindle Without An Outlet!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/08/solarkindle-cover-lets-you-charge-your-kindle-without-an-outlet/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/08/solarkindle-cover-lets-you-charge-your-kindle-without-an-outlet/#comments Sun, 08 Jan 2012 18:15:36 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=177595

Ordinarily I am skeptical of "solar powered chargers", as they seem more gimmick than useful gear, but a solar powered Kindle charger is a stroke of genius! Kindles don't require charging more often than once a month or so, meaning finding sunlight to charge isn't an inconvenience. Plus a Kindle is one of the few devices that might get used regularly on the beach, or camping, or other places where outlets aren't available, but sunlight is free and plentiful! The specifications on the SolarKindle cover sound very impressive! From the press release:
Makes Unplugged E-Reading Come True
The first practical solar gadget that makes unplugged e-reading come true, SolarKindle is designed with the utmost
Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/08/solarkindle-cover-lets-you-charge-your-kindle-without-an-outlet/feed/ 0 Magellan Gets in the GPS Fitness Watch Business!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/07/magellan-gets-in-the-gps-fitness-watch-business/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/07/magellan-gets-in-the-gps-fitness-watch-business/#comments Sat, 07 Jan 2012 19:39:40 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=177520

The GPS watch market has been dominated heavily by Garmin. Ask a runner, "Do you have a Garmin" and they aren't going to wax poetic about their Nuvi...they'll know you mean a Forerunner watch. But Magellan is looking for a piece of that pie, and they'll be debuting two new watches, the "Switch" series, designed to appeal to runners as well as "crossover sports" (triathletes, bikers, and swimmers, presumably). Based on the press release, it sounds like the Switch will have very similar features to the competition, including the ability to race against a specific pace, mark laps and miles, and use a heart rate monitor. It should be interesting to see if Magellan can unseat Garmin Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/07/magellan-gets-in-the-gps-fitness-watch-business/feed/ 0 Barnes and Noble Reports Their Holiday Saleshttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/05/barnes-and-noble-reports-their-holiday-sales/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/05/barnes-and-noble-reports-their-holiday-sales/#comments Fri, 06 Jan 2012 03:15:42 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=177363

It's good news/bad news/WHOA! news from Barnes & Noble this evening. Everything good they had to say came with some bad news, and with some news that could go either way ... let's look at the good and the bad,21 here! First, NOOKTablet sales were off the charts, and B&N had a 70% increase  in sales of ebook readers. These are all really good things. Champagne for everyone at B&N! Except...apparently the NOOK Simple Touch "lagged expectations", and while B&N claims it's because of higher NOOK Tablet demand, that's still a worrisome comment. Especially if you consider that B&N's competition (Amazon and Kobo) are crowing about great sales, without any "except our newest product" caveat. That's the Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/05/barnes-and-noble-reports-their-holiday-sales/feed/ 0 Jogging Is Scarier Than Calorie Counting?!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/05/jogging-is-scarier-than-calorie-counting/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/05/jogging-is-scarier-than-calorie-counting/#comments Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:30:07 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=177330 20120105-105238.jpg If you've eaten in a major fast food chain (especially in New York), you are probably familiar with calorie counts being posted next to ads of Big Macs and greasy, delicious fries. The idea is to discourage you from wanting to eat too many high calorie/high fat foods. According to a research study done in Maryland, there's a more effective way-threaten to make people run! They found teenagers turned away from soda MORE when they were told drinking it would require 50 minutes of jogging to burn the calories. What really made my jaw drop was their logic:
Researchers monitored adolescents at four corner stores in West Baltimore, where low-income residents are at especially high risk for obesity partially tied to
Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/05/jogging-is-scarier-than-calorie-counting/feed/ 3 Gympact: Encouraging Health Or Just Another Gimmick?http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/04/gympact-encouraging-health-or-just-another-gimmick/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/04/gympact-encouraging-health-or-just-another-gimmick/#comments Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:15:11 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=177147

When I first read about Gympact I thought it was a joke. Pledging money if you fail to check-in at your gym for at least a half hour? Really? When I realized it wasn't, it got me thinking: would I sign up for this? If I wasn't already physically active, would this have led me to working out more? The answer to both is no, but for different reasons. As of now, I don't belong to a gym. We had a membership but cancelled it after realizing I only run outside, and Sarah prefers to hike and walk the dog in place of the gym. So we don't get to benefit from Gympact, even though Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/04/gympact-encouraging-health-or-just-another-gimmick/feed/ 0 C9 By Champion Flip Top “Glommit” Reviewhttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/02/c9-by-champion-flip-top-glommit-review/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/02/c9-by-champion-flip-top-glommit-review/#comments Mon, 02 Jan 2012 22:00:44 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=176729

It hasn't been too cold yet this winter, but I am sure now that it is January the cooler temps will be coming. And like every year, I'll have two issues. One, my hands get super cold when I run, but then they heat up in gloves, necessitating a gloves on/gloves off routine every half mile. Second, using a smartphone in the dead of winter is a huge pain. It's a juggling routine to free my fingers from gloves to tap the screen, then cover them back up before it gets too cold. I could use special gloves with capacitive fingertips, or carry a stylus, but I've found an accessory that solves BOTH of my cold weather issues Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/02/c9-by-champion-flip-top-glommit-review/feed/ 0 Chivel iPhone 4S Clear and Black Bumper Reviewhttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/02/chivel-iphone-4s-clear-and-black-bumper-review/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/02/chivel-iphone-4s-clear-and-black-bumper-review/#comments Mon, 02 Jan 2012 17:30:44 +0000 Carly Z http://www.geardiary.com/?p=176704

My iPhone 4S has mostly lived in a Speck Fitted case since it was purchased. While I like it, I am always on the lookout for other options. Ideally I wanted something that would offer some protection and grip, but still showcase the industrial style of the 4S. While bopping around Amazon one day, I came across a listing for a clear bumper with a silicon trim by a company called Chivel. It was only $2.99, so it seemed like the perfect way to try out a more minimal bumper style case. Is this an amazing price for a great case or a "you get what you paid for" case? Read on to find out!

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/01/02/chivel-iphone-4s-clear-and-black-bumper-review/feed/ 0