Are you sick and tired of people complaining that they can’t hear you during Skype phone calls?  Have people been telling you that you sound like you’re in a tin can? If so, then maybe this little microphone is for you.

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Are you the type of person who always asks what time it is?  Do you have a clock on your desk even though you have a clock staring you right in the face every time you look at your computer?   Do you always wonder why your office is so darn cold?  Do you need a USB hub?  Well if all of these apply, then the USB Fever USB 4-Port Hub with Thermometer and Clock is for you!

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Have you ever wished that you could have a little extra help when biking? That when your legs got tired an electric motor could kick in and pick up the slack? Here to make your commuting more pleasurable, potentially much healthier, and definitely more ecologically friendly are the OHM Hybrid Cycles.

The design is based on a standard bike wheel base, with a center mount battery pack to provide better balance and maneuverability. The technology incorporates a simple control console, microchip processor, long-life rechargeable lithium-ion battery and a brushless electric motor integrated into the hub of the rear wheel. The system automatically manages power distribution during pedaling – the more effort the rider exerts, the more boost the electric motor provides.

This looks like a great way to stay fit and save some gas money on short errands around town.

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Back in the day, about 20 years ago when I was in Boy Scouts, options for a lightweight lantern were rare;  you either took along a big fluorescent lantern or a propane lantern. Lanterns are better than flashlights because they provide a circle of light around your entire work area instead of just one spot. When car camping, this isn’t a huge issue, but if you’re a backpack-style camper, you’ve probably had to live with a flashlight only…not any more.

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Is it ever possible to be too obsessive about backing up your data? I’ve learned not to think so. Need I remind anyone of the events of March 1? Yeah, I thought not.

Since the crash I have learned exactly how obsessive some people can be when it comes to their backup methods. For instance, many of you read the transcripts - perhaps with some amusement - where Ewdi told me his method:

Here is what gives me piece of mind on our network: I use two hard drives, 1 is main and 1 is mirroring (in case 1 hdd dies, the server is still on) using raid. I have auto rsync backup to tapes weekly, I have auto iscsi backup to nas daily, and each month I back up the sites to my local hard drive - of which I keep 1 at home and 1 in a safety deposit box in my bank

My formerly sporadic method of backing things up once in a while just to be “extra safe” has quickly evolved into one that some might find redundant and more than a bit obsessive, but those who have suffered their own devastating data losses will understand. Whether it be your website, treasured family photos, or your entire MP3 music catalog, data is precious; just how precious is not usually known until it is gone.

So how can you make sure that your data is protected and backups are done in a timely manner? How can you ensure that your data will be still be around when - not if - disaster strikes? One of the tools I am using is the SimpleTech Signature Mini USB 2.0 Portable Drive.

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I love gadgets! I have no idea why I am such a gadget person but I have always had this desire for items that were different, unique, functional and fun. There was a time in my life that my friends would say “if it has buttons, Jack will buy it”. I used to laugh but upon reflection that sure seems to be fairly accurate. Over the years, I have amassed quite a collection of items that “have buttons”. Mobile devices are recent acquisitions to my collections but I have always had a desire for tools and flashlights. Whenever I see a different and unique flashlight, I always grab it and more often than not my wife will say, why do you need that one?

Most of you know that I have had the unique opportunity to spend half my time in Maine and enjoy the wonders of the Maine Coast. It has been an extraordinary experience and with that has come a myriad of opportunities to not only discover the coast but to garner new friends and experience new and different facets of life. Becoming involved in community and giving back has always been part of my being and living in Maine is no different. I have become an active member in our fire department and have gone through the required training each year to maintain my status. I would never have imagined that I would have done this with such fervor but then I thought about it for a while and realized that there are a heck of a lot of “buttons” on the fire engine. Maybe my friends were right about me so many years ago….

Each month we have mandatory training and last month was no exception. With the end of winter approaching and the breakup of ice on so many lakes, it was time for our cold water rescue training. This year we tried several different scenarios and training at night was part of this year’s agenda. Part of the gear we all carry in our turnout gear is a spare flashlight but I have never been happy with what we carry. It’s a spare, it’s small and does the trick in special situations and even though its size is a major factor, its inability to survive rough treatment is a major disadvantage. We carry a great light that is fixed to our Helmut but having a spare to use in that special circumstance is more important than you can imagine.

Energizer has a light that is the toughest flashlight that you will ever need. It’s weatherproof, will survive abuse, and has a 125 degree rotating head and 5 different light modes. It definitely looks “rugged” and has some unique features that will serve me well.

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[Ed. note: Just for fun - leave a count in the comments section of how many times the word "strap" appears in this review, and I will choose a random winner (of an equally random prize) from the correct entries on April 3rd. Update: questionfear is the winner!]

As summer is approaching, I often don’t have a handy pocket that I can stick my MP3 player into since I’m no longer wearing a coat. Sure, I can wear a shirt with a pocket on the front, but then I couldn’t wear a lot of my wardrobe since I have a plethora of polo shirts I wear to work. The StrapWrap from DLO is a handy instant pocket that you can put on any bag’s strap that you might be carrying.

Picture courtesy of DLO

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Sometimes, an item shows up in my mailbox for review that I REALLY want to work well. Maybe the description of the item just sounded so cool that I hope it lives up to the hype. Other times I’m rooting for the product because I believe in their mission and am rooting for the company to succeed. But in the end, the product has to actually work for us here at GearDiary to recommend it to you, oh gentle reader.

The Solio Solar Charger from CREDO Mobile is exactly this kind of gadget.

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Here’s a neat little gadget that is sure to satisfy your need for something cool with an interesting story attached…a tritium keychain. You can find them for about $10 on DealExtreme. You might be wondering what’s so special about it; well I’m going to tell you.

See the tiny little rod in the middle of the clear plastic casing? That is tritium, which according to Wikipedia “is widely used in nuclear weapons for boosting a fission bomb or the fission primary of a thermonuclear weapon.”

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I just missed posting this review in time for Texas’ Spring Break, but it should still be timely for everyone who plans on traveling this summer. I’ll warn you now though, in order to use this product you’ll need to give up one of your vehicle’s cup-holders.

Why would I ask for something so uncivilized?

Because by giving up a cup-holder you might just gain the means to charge up to three devices at the same time, all from a single cigar lighter or power port.

Intrigued? I was, which is how I came to be in possession of the Targus 100W Auto Power Inverter.

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