Gear Diary » Apple iPhone and Touch Gear

Where Can The Case-Mate Phantom Travel? Just About Anywhere!

Carly Z — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 14:00:02 +0000

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 ...

Announcing the Winners of iPhone Cases For Country Boys Case Mate Giveaway!

Travis Ehrlich — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 03:18:26 +0000

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 ...

Sena Creativo Pouch for the iPhone 4S review

Dan Cohen — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:00:21 +0000

I have never been a huge fan of smartphone pouches preferring, instead, cases that protect the device full-time. After all, at the moment you pull a phone from its pouch you remove it from its protective enclosure and suddenly face the possibility that the now-exposed device will tumble to the ground. Kind of defeats the purpose doesn't it? But what if you had a pouch that was (a) so nice you wanted to find a way to use it and (b) was designed in such a manner as to reduce the frequency of having to remove the phone in the first place? That is exactly what Sena has done with the Creativo Pouch for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S so lets take a look. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Gear Giveaway- Win One of Two Bodyguardz Discount Codes

Dan Cohen — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:59:11 +0000

Bodyguardz offers some slick options for using and/or enhancing your various mobile products. Sure they offer their BodyGuardz UltraTough Clear Skins but they also offer a line of BodyGuardz armor skins (my favorites!), cases and even their own brand of earphones, the earjax. (I have a pair of the earwax that I bought on CyberMonday and they are great!) Well, Bodyguardz has been kind enough to provide two discount codes for use on their site and, this weekend, we'll be giving them away. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Announcing the Winners- Speck FabShell Cases for iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S Giveaway

Dan Cohen — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:00:29 +0000

'Custom patterns, extra protection and a super-slim fit are what make this iPhone 4S case so “fab.”' That's how Speck describes their FabShell cases for the iPhone 4 and 4S and I have to agree. The cases are quite nice. Fabric patterns give a personalized look and feel and the extra texture helps you keep your grip on the otherwise slipper iPhone. You can check out all the FabShells here on Speck’s site. You can find the special holiday series here on the site. We thought we would give away the three review samples in the picture at the top of this post and here are the winners. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

REMINDER Case Mate Giveaway Ends TODAY!

Travis Ehrlich — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:00:53 +0000

Friendly reminder that today is the last day to comment on the Case Mate Tough Case with Realtree designs review for your chance to win one of two cases. Just let us know what kind of other outdoors products you might like to see more information or reviews on. Winners for the cases will be announced soon!

All you have to do is head here and leave a commend, two winners will be chosen at random!

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

iPhone Backs from The Brooklyn Bakery Store Will Make You Swoon

Judie Stanford — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:15:08 +0000

If you hate putting your iPhone in a case, but you still want it to look unique and interesting, then you might want to consider one of the imaginative adhesive leather backs from The Brooklyn Bakery Store. Made to resemble natural and unnatural skins, these leather objects of art will really make your iPhone stand out. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

GuitarJack Version 2 for iPhone and iPad Review

Travis Ehrlich — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:00:02 +0000

iOS devices are becoming increasingly more versatile and even specialized if chosen to be. I am blown away by the uses for my devices with my guitars. From tuners to chord libraries and tabletures to effects pedals. There are numerous hardware interfaces available for iPhones and iPads allowing users to connect an electric guitar and output the sounds. I am sure some savvy musicians are even finding a way to use their iOS devices to record records and even use during live performances. For me, I love the ability to be mobile and easily practice my guitar with headphones so I do not disturb my wife and kids. The GuitarJack from

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

iPhone Cases For Country Boys! Case Mate Review and Giveaway!

Travis Ehrlich — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:00:35 +0000

Yes, it is true! Country boys do have tech gear and iPhones! In fact, as you will see with the Gear Diary Outdoors series, gear and the outdoors are actually a wonderful match. We use camo gear for just about everything. Of course, I mostly use it when hunting, but it is also a bit of a style for us outdoors nuts. It really is something you only understand if you live in the country and live that lifestyle. I by all means do not run around in full camo gear all of the time, but some items are fun and stylish to use daily. Case Mate has produced some cases which perfectly fit the bill for those of us who love to hunt and fish by using designs from Real Tree camouflage as well as some of your favorite animals. After the review find out how to win one of the Case Mate Tough Case With Realtree Designs used in this post!

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Win One of Three Speck FabShell Cases for iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S

Dan Cohen — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:15:09 +0000

We told you about the Speck FabShell cases for the iPhone 4S. We liked the case line a great deal and had this to say about it:

We’ve recently taken a look at a number of Speck’s offerings for the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 4S but I saved my personal favorite for last. The Speck FabShell is a low profile case that protects the back, sides, top and bottom of the iPhone but leaves the screen fully accessible The addition of fabric not only on the back but on the sides and bottom makes it a case that looks… and feels unique.

So why don't we give a few away?!! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Kingston Wi-Drive Review

Carly Z — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:00:17 +0000

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 ...

Shootout! Touchscreen-Friendly Gloves – iTouch Touchscreen Gloves vs. Agloves

Dan Cohen — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:00:23 +0000

Cold weather and touchscreen don't go together. More accurately, they did not go together until now. Yes, if you use an iPhone, Android device, Windows Phone or tablet there are now a host of touchscreen-friendly glove options on the market. We take a look at two such offerings in this video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

From iTouch Touchscreen 3 in 1 Gloves:

Stay Warm and Stay Connected: iTouchTM Touchscreen Gloves with conductive yarn in the fingertips allow you to use your iPod, iPhone, iPad, Blackberry, eReader Touch and other touchscreen devices without having to take your gloves off in the cold weather

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Kidz Gear Launches Kids’ Headphones Made Especially for Apple Devices

Douglas Moran — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 21:18:49 +0000

My daughter Maggie, getting gear for her isn't that hard; she's fine with the default iPhone ear buds. She's also not much of an audiophile; if it's pink, she's fine with it--I got her a pair of iHome rechargeable speakers for her iPhone, for example, and she loves them not because of the sound, but because they're pink. Such is the life of a parent. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

iGrill + Omaha Steaks’ Steak Time App = Meat Magic

Chris Chamberlain — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:00:28 +0000

Now far be it from me to tell a man (or a woman for that matter) how to use their BBQ grill. Like politics and religion, grilling is a topic where advice is rarely appreciated or even more rarely followed. I'm sure you're great at cooking a steak over charcoal or gas, and I wouldn't tell you to your face if I thought otherwise. A. because you're feeding me and B. because you probably have fire and sharp BBQ tools within arm's reach. Maybe you're one of those people who can judge a steak's doneness by comparing the surface of the meat to the firmness of the fleshy part of your thumb pad. Good for you then. (Please, oh please, don't cut into a steak while it's still on the grill to check whether it's cooked enough. Meat must rest after cooking or you'll just let all the good juices out!) But as techy types, gadget enthusiasts should strive to introduce some rigor into their grilling methods and cook to exact internal temperatures whenever possible. For example, I like my steak to come off the grill at precisely 122 degrees and allow it to come up to a beautiful pink medium-rare while it's resting. You are letting it rest, right? If we can employ some cool new iPhone technology to help out with these methods, so much the better. Enter the iGrill Bluetooth® cooking thermometer from www.igrillinc.com and the free accompanying “Steak Time” app from Omaha Steaks. So shoo the dog out of the kitchen and put your steak on a high counter to bring it to room temperature while we investigate these fun kitchen tools. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Incipio M&M’s feather Case for iPhone 4S Review and Giveaway

Dan Cohen — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:00:27 +0000

Aren't these just the cutest iPhone 4S cases EVER!?!?! These are the Incipio M&M's feather cases and they are more than just a tasty-looking way to protect your iPhone. The cases are based on Incipio's popular feather line of cases. The feather is "Incipio's answer for a low-profile protective cover. Measuring approximately 1mm in thickness, the feather is our slimmest case, offering sleek protection without the added bulk of traditional cases." Read on for a closer look and a chance to win one! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Case-Mate iPhone 4S Case Rundown- a Video Look

Dan Cohen — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:00:26 +0000

Carly is loving the Case-Mate Phantom. Judie stole the first Case-Mate DIY iPhone case with the words "I'm on a Deadline" and is still using it (although her iPhone isn't seeing much use right now). The bottom line is this, when it comes to cases for the iPhone 4S Case-Mate has a great lineup this year. Here's a video look at some of them and then more detailed descriptions of each. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Make Your iPhone 4S Case mykase with Bodyguardz New Case Offering

Dan Cohen — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:45:08 +0000

Bodyguardz has come up with a great way to change-up and/or customize your iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S case in seconds. The mykase line offers a base case in black or white as well as interchangeable back plates that can reflect your mood or dress. They'll even be rolling out an easy-to-use engine for making your own customized back plate. It is pretty ingenious and definitely worth a look. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Case-Mate Phantom First Impressions

Carly Z — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:45:02 +0000

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 ...

Tired of Boxy Bluetooth Speakers? Check Out These Q-i-sound Speakers From iharmonix

Dan Cohen — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:45:59 +0000

The Q-i-sound Bluetooth speakers from Qmadix leave the square, boring speakers that are so common in the dust. Available in black or white, they have an unusual shape that is sure to grab attention. Each speaker has its own rechargeable lithium polymer battery that charges in 3 ½ hours and gives up to eight hours of playtime. Standby time is up to 10 days. As the company puts it

Ultra portable speakers offer music lovers a great listening experience, as well as microphones for clear phone communication

It is also worth nothing that, once paired the speakers can be separated by up to 15 feet. A

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

One Good Earbud: One Brilliant Idea?

Carly Z — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:15:41 +0000

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 ...

A Visit with Gear4, and a Look at Their Current and Upcoming Prodcuts

Dan Cohen — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:00:27 +0000

Judie and I had a chance to visit with Gear4 in their suite at the Wynn. We've seen some of the company's products in the past, but I don't think that either of us realized how extensive their portfolio is. And it is going to get even larger in 2012. Needless to say, we came away impressed. Here's a rundown on the company and their current lineup ... Gear4 wants to "make things that are simple, enhance your life and are a pleasure to use." While all of that is highly subjective from what we saw they are doing everything possible to be true to their mission. Their docks look good, appear easy to use and, best of all, they sound excellent. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

JawBone JamBox: Out Since 2010 but Still Awesome- A Gear Diary Video Look

Dan Cohen — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:00:01 +0000

The JawBone JamBox was released in November of 2010. Yes, that's almost a year and half ago... ancient by today's tech standards. So you might be wondering why we're covering it NOW. The reason is simple: although it was released almost a year and a half ago the JamBox is still the best portable Bluetooth speaker on the market and, thanks to updates and additional apps for it the speaker just keeps getting better and better. Thomas was quick to buy one when it was first released but I held back and only got one a few months ago. I wish I hadn't waited because it really is an incredible little device. I like it so much in fact that I purchased one for Elana to use when she is training clients. Oh, and there is another reason we shot the video now... it was the first time since I got JamBox-ified that Thomas and I were together. So here's a quick video of Thomas and me talking about the device and why it's become one of our favorite gadgets. Yes November of 2010 was quite a while ago but this is one piece of gear that isn't even close to becoming long in the tooth. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Deal: Target – Get Free Sonos Bridge With Purchase of Sonos Play

Thomas R. Hall — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 02:00:02 +0000

We know that Dan is a big fan of the Sonos Wireless HiFi system based on his reviews last year of the PLAY:5 and PLAY:3, as well as his recent video showing how easy it is to set up the system. One thing that holds some people back from a Sonos system is the cost associated with it. Even though these are high-performance systems, the initial entry cost may be high enough to cause some hesitation in the purchasing process. (Though Dan has said to me that it is well worth it.) Well, Target is sweetening the deal for a limited time, so if you haven't yet made the jump and are interested, read on. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

First Look at the myCharge Portable Power Bank 6000

Thomas R. Hall — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 03:59:22 +0000

Things are winding down at CES 2012, which was nice for Francis and me, as we were able to walk around more freely due to less traffic and spend more quality time with some vendors. Luckily for us, we were able to stop by and visit our friends from myCharge and PowerBag. We have reviewed the PowerBag Messenger and PowerBag Backpack in the past, and Dan mentioned how useful a PowerBag can be. They also have a great brand called myCharge, which is a set of portable batteries for recharging mobile devices, including iOS and Android devices.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The team at myCharge was nice enough to provide Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

ifrogz Boost Near Field Speaker: pre-release first look

Dan Cohen — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:36:21 +0000

I stopped by the ifrogz booth during the first day of CES to see what new offerings they had. In recent years the company has been increasing its selection of ear and headphones and, this year, they are taking things a step further. I got to see their Boost speaker which, when it comes to market this spring will retail for under $40. The size of two or three iPhones stacked on top of one another, the Boost is an unusual item. The company uses the term "near field": to describe the technology employed but. as Francis was quick to point out, it is a rather loose use of the term. You see, if does't use NFC communications but rather contains a microphone that grabs the sound of anything placed upon it and amplified it significantly. It does't provide high-end sound but it is surprisingly good and surprisingly loud. All of us have been pretty impressed with it and appreciate their giving us one of the very first units for review since it will not make its way into retail until spring. Here's a first look we shot this morning. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Best of CES Innovations 2012: Smart office Phone by invoxia

Douglas Moran — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:04 +0000

So you know how it goes: you march into a conference room with a bunch of your co-workers, and there in the middle of the table is the Spaceship Honeycomb--a multi pronged conference phone that looks sorta spaceagey and cool, the vocal quality of which is . . . never all that great, no matter how many extra pods you attach to it and spread throughout the room. And in this age of iPhones, FaceTime, Skype, and loads of other audio conferencing tools, you probably sit there and wonder, "What the heck?" Invoxia thinks they have an answer--they've developed a high-end conference phone that contains a port for your iPhone, lots of speakers and Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

iLuv Adds to Their Product Line for CES

Douglas Moran — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:30:57 +0000

iLuv makes accessory-type gear. Cases for you phones and tablets; earphones; power adaptors; audio docks; stuff like that there. And like most tech companies, they have some new items that they are waving in front of our collective noses at CES, like:

A Kindle audio dock
New cables with charge and sync features
New Mac adaptors and cables
New charging solutions for your favorite gadget

I don't know what kind of gear you have, of course, nor what kinds of accessories you may need for said gear. But suffice to say, you probably need something, right? A new case for your iPad; power converters for your laptop; screen protectors; something Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

iBike POWERHOUSE Brings a Complete Fitness System to the iPod Touch and iPhone

Thomas R. Hall — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:10:20 +0000

I don't know about you, but for me, trying to get into and keep on a fitness plan is difficult. Unless you have motivation, it can be difficult to keep with it. Personally, one way I have found that works to keep motivated is to have a training partner, or use statistics to track my progress. Well, the iBike POWERHOUSE does both! The iBike POWERHOUSE is a fitness tool which combines an iPhone 3G/3GS/4/4S or an iPod Touch with a hardware device which:

A weather-proof / shock resistant patented smart case and sensors
The iBike POWERHOUSE app
Goal-specific plans developed by world-class fitness expert Hunter Allen

You simply start Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

YurBuds Ironman Pro Earbuds Stay In… Even If You Do Backflips!

Dan Cohen — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:49:21 +0000

Here at CES last year I was introduced to a new earbud company. YurBuds was offering their Inspire earbuds. The bright red earpieces stood out and promised a degree of comfort and "stay-putt-edness" that is in great demand among people who listen to music while doing a strenuous activity. I was skeptical but ended up impressed by their sound. Elana, who hates in-ear headphones, tried them on and within minutes co-opted the pair the company had given me for review. (The company kindly replaced mine.) A year later Elana's YurBuds are going strong and she continues to evangelize for them every chance she gets.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Apparently she is not alone. The company had a fantastic 2011 that saw tremendous growth and a significant expansion of the offerings. Among them are the Inspire Pro headphones. The build upon the original version in some significant ways and take good headphones and make them great. Once again the company was kind enough to provide a pair for review (I expect to lose these to her as well) so lets take a quick look at what is new. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Here’s an Original Use for the BenQ GP2

Judie Stanford — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:22:55 +0000

While visiting with Texas Instruments DLP PICO, we discovered that they had a familiar product -- the BenQ GP2 -- set up to do something we thought was pretty mind blowing ...

Click here to view the embedded video.

So you set an iPhone in the BenQ's cradle, and then you can use another iPhone or an iPod touch (connected by WiFi) as a gaming remote control, with the action being displayed on the wall for everyone to see. That's a pretty cool and offbeat use for what might otherwise seem like a very straightforward piece of equipment. What do Continue reading on Gear Diary ...