Gear Diary http://www.geardiary.com Everyone can understand technology; sometimes it just takes a little translating. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:00:36 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Find Partners with SinglesAroundMe Apphttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/13/find-partners-with-singlesaroundme-app/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/13/find-partners-with-singlesaroundme-app/#comments Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:00:36 +0000 Douglas Moran http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183365

Once you graduate college or high school and start moseying out into the real world, you start to notice: finding dates is hard.  You are no longer surrounded by potential partners just your own age; you're surrounded by, well, everybody.  Including old pharts like yours truly.  So how do you find a partner? Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/13/find-partners-with-singlesaroundme-app/feed/ 0 Need Your Kids’ Health Records? Find ‘em Online!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/13/need-your-kids-health-records-find-em-online/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/13/need-your-kids-health-records-find-em-online/#comments Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:00:10 +0000 Douglas Moran http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183463

In my dreams, the way it works is this:  you have a card that you carry, which contains all your medical record information (encrypted, of course).  You back up this information on your system at home, and when you go into a new doctor's office, instead of spending 15 minutes filling out a whole bunch of forms that are identical to the forms you've filled out before, you just hand them your card, they zip it through a card reader, you enter your PIN code, and bango, they have the info.  No need for forms, and you have access to your medical records whenever you need them.  In my dreams. But some people are at least making some decent first steps in that kind of direction.  Like MotherKnows: Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/13/need-your-kids-health-records-find-em-online/feed/ 0 Gear Deal- OCZ Agility 3 2.5″ 90GB Internal Solid State Drivehttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/13/gear-deal-ocz-agility-3-2-5-90gb-internal-solid-state-drive/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/13/gear-deal-ocz-agility-3-2-5-90gb-internal-solid-state-drive/#comments Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:30:57 +0000 Dan Cohen http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183543 I love starting the week with a super Gear Deal and this is a Super Gear Deal! BUT, and this is important, this deal is good for today only. OCZ's Agility 3 2.5" 90GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive is normally $150. With this deal you can get it for $99.99. Plus, it will ship for free and there is no tax in most states. If you have never seen the speed that comes with a solid state drive this is a great way to get started. And while 90GB isn't a huge amount of storage capacity, with cloud storage increasingly cheap there's never been a better time to swap out a traditional Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/13/gear-deal-ocz-agility-3-2-5-90gb-internal-solid-state-drive/feed/ 0 Gear Chat 2012 Episode 2, Tablets, Apps and Games… Oh My!!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/13/gear-chat-2012-episode-2-tablets-apps-and-games-oh-my/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/13/gear-chat-2012-episode-2-tablets-apps-and-games-oh-my/#comments Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:00:58 +0000 Dan Cohen http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183531 We're back with the next edition of Gear Chat. This time out Mike is bringing us some gaming news and Thomas and I talk tablets, apps and iPad 3. Listen below or click here to download.
Your browser does not support the audio element. Podcast Powered By Podbean
Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/13/gear-chat-2012-episode-2-tablets-apps-and-games-oh-my/feed/ 0 RIP Whitney Houston, One of the Truly Great Voices of Popular Musichttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/rip-whitney-houston-one-of-the-truly-great-voices-of-popular-music/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/rip-whitney-houston-one-of-the-truly-great-voices-of-popular-music/#comments Mon, 13 Feb 2012 03:30:20 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183443

Yesterday we heard about the death of Whitney Houston, one of the all-time best selling female vocalists. She was extremely popular from the mid-80's through the 90's, but more than that she brought to the stage a voice that ranks her among the great all-time vocalists in popular music. Here is a bit from the news item:
Whitney Houston, who reigned as pop music's queen until her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, erratic behavior and a tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown, has died. She was 48. Publicist Kristen Foster said Saturday that the singer had died, but the cause and the location of her death were unknown. At her peak, Houston the golden girl of the music industry. From the middle 1980s to the late 1990s, she was one of the world's best-selling artists. She wowed audiences with effortless, powerful, and peerless vocals that were rooted in the black church but made palatable to the masses with a pop sheen. Her success carried her beyond music to movies, where she starred in hits like "The Bodyguard" and "Waiting to Exhale." She had the he perfect voice, and the perfect image: a gorgeous singer who had sex appeal but was never overtly sexual, who maintained perfect poise. She influenced a generation of younger singers, from Christina Aguilera to Mariah Carey, who when she first came out sounded so much like Houston that many thought it was Houston. But by the end of her career, Houston became a stunning cautionary tale of the toll of drug use. Her album sales plummeted and the hits stopped coming; her once serene image was shattered by a wild demeanor and bizarre public appearances. She confessed to abusing cocaine, marijuana and pills, and her once pristine voice became raspy and hoarse, unable to hit the high notes as she had during her prime.
She was criticized for as she said 'not being black enough', 'too pop', and so on. Her marriage to rapper Bobby Brown seemed to send her into a spiral that she never escaped. Her voice degraded, her appearance showed years of 'hard living', and she became erratic. Her recent attempts at a comeback were more sad to watch than anything else, as it was more of a reminder of how she had squandered a truly great talent through years of drug abuse. And I always felt bad for her daughter through the years. But as we mourn her passing, I would rather focus on all of the great happiness and joy she brought to the world through the years. So let's go! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/rip-whitney-houston-one-of-the-truly-great-voices-of-popular-music/feed/ 2 Announcing the Winners of iPhone Cases For Country Boys Case Mate Giveaway!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/announcing-the-winners-of-iphone-cases-for-country-boys-case-mate-giveaway/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/announcing-the-winners-of-iphone-cases-for-country-boys-case-mate-giveaway/#comments Mon, 13 Feb 2012 03:18:26 +0000 Travis Ehrlich http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183508

We want to thank all of you who commented on the review for Case Mate Tough Cases featuring Realtree designs. I have continued to use the deer design and love it. We hope to continue to broaden the amount of outdoors gear to make sure everyone has the best gadgets when they hunt, fish, hike and camp. Suggestions and requests are always welcome! The two winners were chosen at random, one by my 7 year old and the other by my 4 year old.

And the winners are...

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/announcing-the-winners-of-iphone-cases-for-country-boys-case-mate-giveaway/feed/ 0 Sena Messenger Bag for Tablets Video Reviewhttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/sena-messenger-bag-for-tablets-video-review/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/sena-messenger-bag-for-tablets-video-review/#comments Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:00:33 +0000 Dan Cohen http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183455 I carry my iPad with me pretty much all the time. And, increasingly I find myself carrying ONLY my iPad and my smartphone during the day. I don't carry my laptop. I don't carry a pen or even my Livescribe Echo SmartPen. I don't even carry an external keyboard for the iPad. And if I am going to go light I might as well carry a small, light bag. I've been on the hunt for something small and light that also had some style to it. So when I saw the Messenger Bag for Tablets on Sena's website I took note. But I had some questions about it. Would it be TOO small? Would it be too heavy? Would the silver plate on the front be too big and "blingy"? Would it look too much like a murse? Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/sena-messenger-bag-for-tablets-video-review/feed/ 1 Depth Hunter Game for PCshttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/depth-hunter-game-for-pcs/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/depth-hunter-game-for-pcs/#comments Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:15:14 +0000 Douglas Moran http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183437 When I was in College--back before the most recent ice age--computer graphics were juuuuust really getting started.  If you look at the graphics of "Project Genesis" in Star Trek II, you'll see what was, for then, the top-of-the-line:  graphics that were programmed in UNIX on a big ol' VAX, and then run out on a Cray SuperComputer.  I mean, that was smokin' for 1982.  Really! Nowadays?  Now, PC are powerful enough that you can render complicated underwater scenes . . . in games.  You young whippersnappers don't know how good you have it! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/depth-hunter-game-for-pcs/feed/ 0 Virtual City for the Kindle Fire Reviewhttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/virtual-city-for-the-kindle-fire-review/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/virtual-city-for-the-kindle-fire-review/#comments Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:00:37 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=182543

A while agoI reviewed the iPhone and iPad versions of Virtual City, noting that my only real complaint was the lack of a sandbox mode - and the high initial price of the iPad version (which has been lowered). The game already took advantage of the high resolution Retina display which made it shine on the iPad, so my assumption was that there would be a minimal difference in the move to the Kindle Fire. Turns out I was right ... and wrong. Read on to find out what I mean. The Hype: Build a city of your dream - a residential paradise or an industrial center. Build dwelling Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/virtual-city-for-the-kindle-fire-review/feed/ 0 Tiny Bang Story HD for iPadhttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/tiny-bang-story-hd-for-ipad/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/tiny-bang-story-hd-for-ipad/#comments Sun, 12 Feb 2012 17:45:06 +0000 Douglas Moran http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183386 Puzzle games are some of my favorites, particularly puzzle games that have an anachronistic, steampunk, Myst-like sensibility.  Good ones are few and far between, unfortunately, and it's not like Broderbund is  cranking out iOS ports of the various Myst sequels in HD anyway, if you know what I mean.  So when I see game in this category, it does intrigue me: Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/tiny-bang-story-hd-for-ipad/feed/ 0 Is the iPad 3 in Your Future? A Gear Chathttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/is-the-ipad-3-in-your-future-a-gear-chat/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/is-the-ipad-3-in-your-future-a-gear-chat/#comments Sun, 12 Feb 2012 17:00:21 +0000 Dan Cohen http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183069

Yes, it is that time of year. The annual iPad announcement and release is likely on the way and, with it, the flurry of rumors are in full force. Moreover, as we have seen in recent year, these rumors are often accompanied by slightly blurry spy shots of various components. We saw a supposed back plate for the iPad 3 and today the supposed hi-res display has emerged. We do our best to stay away from rumor and innuendo (although sometimes we just can't resist) but that does not mean we aren't thinking about what we want in the iPad 3. Here's what the team had to say about it I asked: What do YOU want in the iPad 3 (that is also actually possible) and are you buying? Why or why not? Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/12/is-the-ipad-3-in-your-future-a-gear-chat/feed/ 2 Nexon’s “KartRider Dash” Speeds Its Way to Facebookhttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/nexons-kartrider-dash-speeds-its-way-to-facebook/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/nexons-kartrider-dash-speeds-its-way-to-facebook/#comments Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:00:37 +0000 Douglas Moran http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183372

I don't know why, but I find goofy racing games addicting.  Mario Karts, MicroQuad (on my lost, lamented Tapwave Zodiac), CroMag Rally, Sonic Racing . . . I just like 'em.  I don't like those realistic ones, where you get to zoom around in the latest Bugatti or Königsegg or Aston Martin--I like the goofy cartoony ones.  Don't ask me why. Not unlike KartRider Rush: Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/nexons-kartrider-dash-speeds-its-way-to-facebook/feed/ 0 Star Trek Game Releasing Near Movie Sequel in Q1 2013http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/gd-quickie-star-trek-game-releasing-near-movie-sequel-in-q1-2013/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/gd-quickie-star-trek-game-releasing-near-movie-sequel-in-q1-2013/#comments Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:00:21 +0000 Michael Siebenaler http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183309 Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/gd-quickie-star-trek-game-releasing-near-movie-sequel-in-q1-2013/feed/ 0 Demo for Indie-RPG Driftmoon Released!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/demo-for-indie-rpg-driftmoon-released/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/demo-for-indie-rpg-driftmoon-released/#comments Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:30:40 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183379

As I have said many times, while the mainstream gaming market seems largely bereft of creativity as they churn out sequel after sequel and pretty much every game becomes a cover shooter with a few RPG-lite skill trees, the indie game market is full of excellent games. One of the most highly anticipated games of 2012 for RPG fans is the indie game Driftmoon, and today they have released a demo for the game. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/demo-for-indie-rpg-driftmoon-released/feed/ 0 Announcing the Winners of ‘The Darkness’ XBOX360 Download Giveaway!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/announcing-the-winners-of-the-darkness-xbox360-download-giveaway/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/announcing-the-winners-of-the-darkness-xbox360-download-giveaway/#comments Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:00:02 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183291

OK - thanks to all that entered to win one of the TWO FULL GAME CODES for the XBOX360 version of the original Darkness game! Now that the contest is over, I have randomized the valid entries thanks to Random.org and ...

The winners are .....

Isiah 59

Doug

You have 24 hours to send your email contact information to contests@geardiary.com and your game code will be sent via email.

Thanks again to the great folks at 2k Games, the developers of The Darkness and everyone who entered. Be sure to head to 'Embrace the Darkness' Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/announcing-the-winners-of-the-darkness-xbox360-download-giveaway/feed/ 0 Journey Greatest Hits, Volume 2 Reviewhttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/journey-greatest-hits-volume-2-review/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/journey-greatest-hits-volume-2-review/#comments Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:00:01 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183048 Journey - Greatest Hits, Volume 2

When you look at some of the best 'greatest hits' collections, it is hard to think about augmenting them by going back to the same well a second time. The Beatles 62-66 and 67-70 are complete enough that a second set would feel superfluous, the same is true with the Rolling Stones Hot Rocks, The Eagle's Greatest Hits and so on. Journey's Greatest Hits is one of the top-selling collections of all time, posting more than 25 million albums sold through the years. Now we get Volume 2 of the greatest hits, encompassing basically the same years - which raises the basic question of whether there is enough material to make a whole new collection. Let's take a look. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/journey-greatest-hits-volume-2-review/feed/ 0 There’s an App for That, the Adele Versionhttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/theres-an-app-for-that-the-adele-version/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/theres-an-app-for-that-the-adele-version/#comments Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:00:04 +0000 Dan Cohen http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183302 As Mike recently pointed out, Adele is a phenomena who popularity exploded this year because… she has a great voice and the songs are great! She's had a rough time lately however thanks to throat surgery and a silent recovery. After a polyp was removed Adele was told not to speak for a month. According to an upcoming interview on 60 Minutes, Adele, who loves to talk, found the silence more difficult than the actual surgery. Fortunately for her she lives in the era of smartphone apps. As she explained,
I had an application on my phone that you type the words into it and then it speaks it.
But there's more. You see, most text-to-speach apps offer G-rated language and Adele is a self-professed potty-mouth. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/theres-an-app-for-that-the-adele-version/feed/ 0 GD Quickie: Appy Award Nominations Deadline Extended to February 17http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/gd-quickie-appy-award-nominations-deadline-extended-to-february-17/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/gd-quickie-appy-award-nominations-deadline-extended-to-february-17/#comments Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:30:57 +0000 Michael Siebenaler http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183271 Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/gd-quickie-appy-award-nominations-deadline-extended-to-february-17/feed/ 0 Grab Back to the Future Episode 1 HD for FREE on iTunes App Store!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/grab-back-to-the-future-episode-1-hd-for-free-on-itunes-app-store/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/grab-back-to-the-future-episode-1-hd-for-free-on-itunes-app-store/#comments Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:30:54 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183311

The Back to the Future games for the iPad did a great job of delivering the experience of the movie and the original PC game from TellTale. Now this weekend you can grab the first Episode for FREE! That is $7 less than the regular price! Here is the description:
Marty McFly & Doc Brown return in a brand new Back to the Future adventure! In Episode 1, Marty McFly is just getting re-acquainted with the 1980's when the DeLorean Time Machine he saw destroyed by a speeding train materializes before him. He finds out that Doc Brown is trapped somewhere in the past and that he must travel back in
Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/grab-back-to-the-future-episode-1-hd-for-free-on-itunes-app-store/feed/ 0 NGD Deal: Dual 21.5″ Monitor Bundle with Monitor Desk Standhttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/ngd-deal-dual-21-5-monitor-bundle-with-monitor-desk-stand/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/ngd-deal-dual-21-5-monitor-bundle-with-monitor-desk-stand/#comments Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:45:01 +0000 Dan Cohen http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183295 Today's New Gear Daily Deal brings us Dell's Dual UltraSharp 21.5" Widescreen Monitors and a stand to hold them. Better still, you'll save a bundle on this bundle. Here's what Dell has to say about the monitors.
Experience a revolutionary industry's highest-quality and the most advanced technology performance with the Dell™ UltraSharp U2212HM 21.5-inch Widescreen Flat Panel Monitor. Enjoy vivid and crystal clear images with its full high definition resolution of 1920 x 1080. With a high dynamic contrast ratio of 2 million:1 and a fast 8 ms gray-to-gray response time helps enable you to see crisp, razor-sharp and ghost-free images.
And here's what they say about the Monitor Desk Stand:
The Dual LCD Monitor Horizontal
Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/11/ngd-deal-dual-21-5-monitor-bundle-with-monitor-desk-stand/feed/ 1 A Real Time With Bill Maher Oops Momenthttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/a-real-time-with-bill-maher-oops-moment/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/a-real-time-with-bill-maher-oops-moment/#comments Sat, 11 Feb 2012 03:38:39 +0000 Dan Cohen http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183287 20120210-223509.jpg

Tonight on Bill Maher's Real Time program on HBO he did a cute shtick with Siri and Valentines Day. (The bit talked about gifts for certain kinds of favors and the cynical aspects of the V-Day and was a bit amusing.) Apparently Maher doesn't actually use an iPhone because...

20120210-223729.jpg

It was upside down. (Just look at where the print is.) "Siri, is everything alright?" "Bill, would you please stop holding me upside down? I'm getting dizzy." Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/a-real-time-with-bill-maher-oops-moment/feed/ 3 AT&T Set to Double Their Upgrade Fee to $36?http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/att-set-to-double-their-upgrade-fee-to-36/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/att-set-to-double-their-upgrade-fee-to-36/#comments Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:15:18 +0000 Bryan Eley http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183255

AT&T is reportedly slated to increase their device upgrade costs from $18 to $36 this coming Sunday, February 12.
Because the overall costs associated with upgrading to a new device have increased, effective Sunday, February 12, 2012, AT&T will change its upgrade fee from $18 to $36
Just my luck. I'm due for an upgrade, and I've been chomping at the bit to try a Windows phone, as evidenced by Dan and Judie's saga of their HTC Titan usage. Speaking for myself, it's just unfortunate that by the time I want to try out the Titan II or the Nokia 900 I'll be paying a lot more than I anticipated. In a message to Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/att-set-to-double-their-upgrade-fee-to-36/feed/ 0 February 10th – 12th Weekend Round-Up of PC Download Game Dealshttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/february-10th-12th-weekend-round-up-of-pc-download-game-deals/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/february-10th-12th-weekend-round-up-of-pc-download-game-deals/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:15:33 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183116

Welcome back to another weekend of game deals for you to enjoy! Things seem to be cranking up again on the deals, headlined by the awesome 75% off sale on the Jedi Knight collection at Steam. Take my advice, skip Jar Jar in 3D and spend the weekend with Kyle Katarn and Mara Jade! As a reminder, I have refocused on only those sites I feel bring great deals AND great customer experience to the table, including Amazon, Beamdog, Desura, DotEmu, GamersGate, Mac App Store and Steam. I have two 'featured' games from Get Games because they activate on Steam, so you avoid their silly install limits. Also, I am more tightly focusing on deals of 75% off or more, with occasional 50% sales, but in addition will also be trimming back to fewer than 25 deals per site to keep the list under control. I am continuing my 'top weekend deals' section where I grab my favorite 5 or so deals of the week and provide direct links! For these games I select based on how good the game is as well as how sweet the deal - but each week there are great games at fantastic discounts! And as always thanks to the crew at Deals4Downloads for their help finding everything. This week I am also going to start properly alphabetizing my list by store! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/february-10th-12th-weekend-round-up-of-pc-download-game-deals/feed/ 0 Check Out this Awesome Recreation of the Original Star Tours Disney Ride!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/check-out-this-awesome-recreation-of-the-original-star-tours-disney-ride/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/check-out-this-awesome-recreation-of-the-original-star-tours-disney-ride/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:45:39 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183060

Have you ever taken a ride on Star Tours at Disney? The first time we went as a family in 2001 was on a Star Wars Weekend, and taking the Star Tours ride was a major part of the fun for all of us. We rode it again the other two trips we made, and it possesses great memories, although it is clear that it is time for a revamp. This year the ride gets that revamp - but an independent film maker has recreated the entire ride in a 2D and 3D video experience! Here are some details:
In time to help celebrate Star Tours’ 25th anniversary at Disneyland, independent filmmaker Gregory Noacco
Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/check-out-this-awesome-recreation-of-the-original-star-tours-disney-ride/feed/ 0 REMINDER: Last Day to Enter to Win a FREE Copy of The Darkness for XBOX360!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/reminder-last-day-to-enter-to-win-a-free-copy-of-the-darkness-for-xbox360/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/reminder-last-day-to-enter-to-win-a-free-copy-of-the-darkness-for-xbox360/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:35:21 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183210

Just a reminder that the great folks at 2k Games have given us TWO FULL GAME CODES for the XBOX360 version of the original Darkness game! TO WIN: simply comment here confirming you have a XBOX360 with a XBOX Live account so you can use the code. That is it! The contest will run until TODAY Friday February 10th at 5PM, when winners will be picked from valid entries at random. As a reminder, here is the launch trailer for the newly released Darkness II (I'm playing it now ... and it is awesome!)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Head to Embrace the Darkness for more details! So Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/reminder-last-day-to-enter-to-win-a-free-copy-of-the-darkness-for-xbox360/feed/ 0 Google Music Has a Cool Grammy Sale that Also Reminds Us How Clueless They Arehttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/google-music-has-a-cool-grammy-sale-that-also-reminds-us-how-clueless-they-are/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/google-music-has-a-cool-grammy-sale-that-also-reminds-us-how-clueless-they-are/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:15:54 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183123

Quick - what is the first requirement of having a Grammy Music sale? That is right - that music nominated for Grammy Awards is featured! So you should be able to look at the 'best song' or 'best solo' category and then find that song in the 'On Sale' list at Google Music ... right? Well, that is KIND OF how things work at the Google Music Grammy sale - and before I nitpick, let me just say that there is a load of Grammy-nominated music available at great prices. For example, I grabbed 'The Good Feeling' big band recording by Christian McBride. I have it on my MoG collection, but at $3.99 it was an instant buy! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/google-music-has-a-cool-grammy-sale-that-also-reminds-us-how-clueless-they-are/feed/ 0 Special Enquity Detail – The Hand that Feeds for Kindle Fire Reviewhttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/special-enquity-detail-the-hand-that-feeds-for-kindle-fire-review/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/special-enquity-detail-the-hand-that-feeds-for-kindle-fire-review/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:00:41 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=182548

Mix together a crime-drama mystery, puzzles, hidden objects, and tons of twists and turns and intrigue ... and you have the makings of one of the most compelling casual games made this year. The name of that game is "Special Enquiry Detail: The Hand that Feeds" from G5 Entertainment, and I reviewed the iPad release earlier this year. Now it is available for Android! Let's take a look and see how the port stands up to the original release! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/special-enquity-detail-the-hand-that-feeds-for-kindle-fire-review/feed/ 0 Gakai Allows You To Check Out The Darkness II or Other Games from Your PC NOW!http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/gakai-allows-you-to-check-out-the-darkness-ii-or-other-games-from-your-pc-now/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/gakai-allows-you-to-check-out-the-darkness-ii-or-other-games-from-your-pc-now/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:30:17 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=182956

I have already written about The Darkness II which launched this week on PC and XBOX360, which I am already starting to play for review. But if you are looking to get a taste of the demo and only have a PC ... you can head to Gakai to try it out! Gakai is a cloud streaming game service - similar to OnLive. However, whereas to play OnLive you need a client and there are speed tests performed ... with Gakai the game just plays. Here are some details:
Gaikai Inc., the innovative cloud gaming service, announced today that a free playable demo of 2K Games’ highly anticipated first-person shooter, The Darkness™
Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/gakai-allows-you-to-check-out-the-darkness-ii-or-other-games-from-your-pc-now/feed/ 2 FBI Releases File on Steve Jobshttp://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/fbi-releases-file-on-steve-jobs/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/fbi-releases-file-on-steve-jobs/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:30:05 +0000 Douglas Moran http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183170 Steve Jobs passed away several months ago now, and the burst of news at the event, followed by the (just days later) release of Jobs' biography by Walter Isaacson, has pretty much abated.  So what possible news could Jobs be making now, from beyond the grave? Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/fbi-releases-file-on-steve-jobs/feed/ 0 Star Wars Episode I The Phantom Menace 3D Hits Theaters Today … Are You Going?http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/star-wars-episode-i-the-phantom-menace-3d-hits-theaters-today-are-you-going/ http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/star-wars-episode-i-the-phantom-menace-3d-hits-theaters-today-are-you-going/#comments Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:20:51 +0000 Michael Anderson http://www.geardiary.com/?p=183183

I am an unapologetic Star Wars fanboy - my wife and I pulled our kids out of school an hour early back in 2005 to hit an early matinee of 'Revenge of the Sith', and we saw 'Attack of the Clones' in normal and IMAX formats, and of course we own all of the movies on VHS and DVD (we skipped the 'dead man walking' Blu-Ray technology) and watch them on at least an annual basis. We covered the initial announcement of Star Wars returning to theaters in 3D, and after all of the trailers and press releases I questioned the basic value of the 3D releases. Now Continue reading on Gear Diary ...]]> http://www.geardiary.com/2012/02/10/star-wars-episode-i-the-phantom-menace-3d-hits-theaters-today-are-you-going/feed/ 1