Gear Diary » Microsoft Windows Phone Gear

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 ...

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 ...

SanDisk Announces and Makes Available 64GB Extreme Pro SDXC and microSDXC Cards; I WANT!

Judie Stanford — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 23:30:23 +0000

Holy cow ... we have been hearing about them eventually being available for some time, and now they are here! SanDisk has just sent notice that they have 64GB microSDXC and 64GB SDXC cards available for purchase now. Yes, you are going to pay an arm and a leg for them, but their prices don't come anywhere near some of the ridiculous sums many of us have paid in the past! [Like the 5GB PCMCIA drive that I paid over $500 for back in 2002! Oy.] If you are a photographer, then you'll want to take a look at the 64GB SDXC; this card Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Mobile Phone Accessory Review: the Oberon Design Cell Phone Sleeve

Judie Stanford — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 22:00:04 +0000

It's not very often that I can get excited about a universally fitting mobile phone sleeve, mainly because most of the ones I've reviewed in the past were pretty utilitarian. But when I received an email from Oberon Design, the company responsible for some of my favorite Kindle2, Kindle DX and iPad cases ever, asking if I'd like to review their new cell phone sleeve, I was happy to oblige.

Our cell phone sleeve is offered in twelve cropped versions of our most popular designs and accommodates many different smart phones and regular cell phones.

As in the past, the Oberon item arrived wrapped Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

PDAir Release Cases for the HTC HD7

Douglas Moran — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 19:15:55 +0000

The folks at PDAir are not ones to sit on their hands, no sir. The HTC HD7 has been out, what, 10 whole minutes now, and PDAir has already started releasing cases for it. So maybe you ought to honor their efforts, and take a look; right around MSRP of $30 for each. PDAir has the following cases for the HTC HD7:

Leather Case for HTC HD7 - Flip Type (Black)
Leather Case for HTC HD7 - Book Type (Black)
Leather Case for HTC HD7 - Horizontal Pouch Type (Black)
Leather Case for HTC HD7 - Vertical Pouch Type Belt clip included (Black)
Leather Case for HTC HD7

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Gear Must-Have: Gadget Genie Moisture Removal System

Dan Cohen — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 22:48:13 +0000

Judie knows gadgets. She's been blogging for years and has tried out hundred and hundreds of different items and accessories. Many of them get "ooos and ahhs" from her, but rarely have I seen a product draw such immediate enthusiasm as this one. No, this product received an "OMG Great Idea!!! I need some to keep on hand!!" What product caught her eye in such a big way? Is it a phone? Nope. Is it a tablet? Nope. Is it a new computer? Nope. So what is it? It is a bag. And no, it is not one of her fancy designer bags. This is the Gadget Genie, a simple looking bag that Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Review: iGo Charge Anywhere

Jason Reese — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 19:00:49 +0000

No matter how long you think your mobile devices can maintain a full day's charge, you're going to be put to the test. It's always going to be a race to find an outlet or to boot up your computer as your phone's battery starts to fade out completely. It's happened to me plenty of times. When I'm at a conference. When I'm at a meeting. When I'm rushing to catch a flight. No time is a good time, either. When that battery does go, you're in a lonely world. No email, no calls, no texts, no twitter or Facebook updates. Let's face it. Our mobile devices are our lifelines to friends, family and colleagues. They can help Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

PDair Releases Aluminum Case for HTC HD2

Douglas Moran — Tue, 11 May 2010 16:30:37 +0000

Just in case you think we're all about the Apple products here at Gear Diary . . . we're not! And to prove it, your humble news reporter is presenting to you the latest case from PDAir, the Aluminum case for the HTC HD2. You've gone with the big, bright screen of the HD2; now you want to give it a little protection. Maybe the PDAir case is the right one for you. Surf on over to the PDAir web site where it's available for an MSRP of $28 and check it out. Full information below.

Thin, Lightweight and strong. Removable 360 degrees belt clip included. Anodized aircraft-grade aluminum prevents from scratches

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Review: WirelessGround Touch Screen Stylus, Reduces iPad Fingerprints

LarryGreenberg — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 21:00:34 +0000

Fingerprints. It's perhaps my biggest pet peeve about the iPad's glorious screen. It's one gigantic fingerprint magnet. Unless you plan on joining the Men In Black (they remove your fingerprints) it's something you just have to deal with. Unless of course you find some other way to use your iPad without touching the screen with your finger. Enter the WirelessGround Touch Screen Stylus Pen. The stylus, which is available in Black, Purple, Blue or Pink, features a soft tip which gives your more precise control when tapping on your screen and allows you to do so with using your finger. WirelessGround was kind enough to send me the black version Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Can a Redfly replace my macbook part 3

Carly Z — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 16:28:37 +0000

Yesterday was the last day of my "redfly experiment". I am very pleased that I did it, and enjoyed my experience immensely. This week gave me an opportunity to try a sort of uber-mobility; lightweight "terminal"+smartphone. It was great to just whip out the Redfly and go anytime I wanted to type an email, check facebook, etc. I got a few questions from friends, mostly wanting to know why I would try something like this, or why I didn't just "get one of those really little computers they sell in Costco now?" I plan to address that, but first I have a few more observations about use to share. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Can a Redfly replace my Macbook? Part 2

Carly Z — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 01:37:57 +0000

photo added in by Judie during editing

I am now on day 4 of using my redfly/epix combo as my exclusive personal computer, so I thought I'd put an update up of the good, the bad, and the ugly. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Can a Redfly replace my MacBook?

Carly Z — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 02:15:03 +0000

My smartphone holds my whole life. I answer my emails on it, balance my checkbook, manage my calendar, my tasks, browse the web, and even occasionally make phone calls. Sometimes I think my MacBook feels neglected, since I often reach for my phone to answer emails and check things, even when the computer is open and sitting right next to me. Now that I have a Redfly, my MacBook should really be sweating bullets. The Redfly fits absolutely perfectly into my smartphone world. I can pull out at work and answer emails on my lunch hour, I can be sitting in a waiting room and happily browsing my favorite websites, and I love being able to start working on my phone, plug in the Redfly, continue my work, and swap back over to the phone without skipping a beat. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Freedom Blade and the Freedom Clip Pack-Extending Your Range on the Range

Chris Chamberlain — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:20:25 +0000

The number one complaint I hear from new adopters of the latest God Phones is the problem they have with dropped calls. Battery life issues can often be fixed with firmware updates, but when you're out of range, you're out of luck. In an attempt to help address this problem, the folks at ARC Wireless Solutions have released the latest version of the Freedom Blade wireless signal booster for PDAs, cell phones and laptop wireless access cards. More info after the jump. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Celio’s REDFLY – The Ultimate Smartphone Extension Review Part 2

Clinton Fitch — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:55:13 +0000

In part one of my review of Celio's REDFLY, I covered the REDFLY's physical attributes. For part two I will cover the functionality of the device. First, it is important to remember that the REDFLY will only work with Windows Mobile 5.0 or 6 Professional (PocketPC) and Standard (Smartphone) devices and currently only a small subset of the total number of devices available. For a complete list of what devices are supported visit http://www.celiocorp.com/smartphone. Having said that, I did test the REDFLY with a number of devices including several that were not on the Celio website. All of them worked just fine although older O2devices did tend to have a little graphics trouble. All of the HTC devices I tested - The AT&T Tilt, the T-Mobile Wing, and HTC Advantage - worked fantastically well. The same is true for current MWg devices - Atom Life and Zinc II - although I did not test it with the new Atom V. More devices are being added as Celio does more testing but if you use a device not listed on their site, they will not provide technical support for that device and the REDFLY. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The OrionGadgets Mobile Power Accessories Review

Judie Stanford — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:10:18 +0000

People who are on-the-go will always appreciate portable syncing and charging solutions, which is why I was pleased to recently open a box from OrionGadgets that contained just that, along with a bonus. Inside I found a Retractable MultiCharge USB Sync & Charge Travel Kit and a 3.5mm Audio Extension AUX Cable (Male to Male). Let's take a look at them...

Retractable MultiCharge USB Sync & Charge Travel Kit

The travel kit is composed of the OrionGadgets USB Sync & Charge Cable and a Multicharge AC and Car Adapter. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Celio’s REDFLY – The Ultimate Smartphone Extension Review Part 1

Clinton Fitch — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 00:16:59 +0000

One of the challenges with using Windows Mobile devices, as with most mobile devices, is the size of the screen. It is great having Office Mobile on the latest and greatest device but doing a significant edit of a document on a 3.5" QVGA screen is, well... fun? Granted, on bigger devices that have VGA screens, the HTC Advantage comes to mind, it is a bit easier but you still end up doing a lot of side-to-side scrolling. Couple this with either a soft keyboard on the device or a small thumboard to type with and once again, doing big edits on a document is, well... fun? How then do you get around this quandry? With a colorful insect of course! The Celio REDFLY is designed to help resolve this difficulty for Windows Mobile users by allowing them to connect their device via a USB cable or Bluetooth to the REDFLY and gain an 8", 800x480 VGA display and full QWERTY keyboard. The REDFLY has no memory, storage or operating system itself. It is literally an extension of your device, utilizing the memory, storage and operating system of it. Even better, the REDFLY has a VGA output so you can display on an external monitor or projector straight from the device, something only a select few Windows Mobile devices can do natively. All of this in a package that is less than 2lbs. and 9" wide and under $500? If you a a true power user of your Windows Mobile device, you should seriously consider a REDFLY. It could save your eyes and thumbs! Figure 1: The REDFLY Closed Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Ready for the REDFLY?

Judie Stanford — Wed, 07 May 2008 04:51:00 +0000

Clinton has been salivating over the Celio REDFLY for a while, and we hope to satisfy his gadget lust with a Gear Diary review unit soon; but in the meantime, he and the rest of us can live vicariously through Jack Cook. Jack received "his" REDFLY before leaving for the Microsoft MVP Summit, and he used that trip as the perfect opportunity to put the device through its paces. Now just in case you are drawing a blank at all my REDFLY references, here's the scoop:

The REDFLY Mobile Companion is a sleek clamshell design that includes an 8" display, a full function keyboard, and a touchpad mouse. Measuring just 1x6x9 inches and only 2 pounds, the REDFLY Mobile Companion offers over 8 hours of battery life and boots instantly! It also adds three new features - instant VGA output, access to USB flash drives, and the ability to charge your smartphone via USB.

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Proporta Turns 12, but You Save 15

Judie Stanford — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 05:03:53 +0000

Congratulations are in order! Proporta is celebrating their 12th birthday today, but you get the gift. :-D Here are all the deets...

It’s party time… Happy 12th Birthday Proporta Everyone at Proporta HQ is in a party mood this week – not only because they’re generally just happy to be part of the great Proporta circle of life, but especially because this Wednesday 23rd April sees Proporta celebrate it’s 12 birthday. Yippeeee :o) And as a way of saying a great big thank you for coming to see them over the years, Proporta have decided to offer their lovely customers a 15% discount on all Proporta branded hardware products for just one day only.

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Review: PDAir Aluminum Metal Case for Sprint Mogul (PPC-6800)

Doug Goldring — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 20:52:08 +0000

As many of you know, I have been desperately searching for a case for my Sprint Mogul. I have tested cases by a variety of manufacturers, but never found the "perfect" case. Who knows, maybe it is simply not out there, but I am not ready to give up yet. Today, I have the fourth of four PDAir cases I was sent to review. While the other three were variations on leather cases (pouch, flip, and book styles) this one is a hard shell aluminum metal case. I like this kind of case because it offers the promise of significantly more protection. Let's take a closer look. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Vaja BlackJack Case On The BJII- Unlike The Other Accessories, This One Works!

Mitchell Oke — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 04:42:13 +0000

In their infinite wisdom Samsung decided to make pretty much all the accessories for the original BlackJack incompatible with the BlackJack II. The data port is a different size and configuration, so headphones, USB cables and chargers don't work, and while the original BlackJack battery will power the BJII, it is the wrong size. But after reading Judie's review of the Vaja iPhone case, it gave me an idea: maybe the Vaja case I reviewed for the BlackJack last year will fit the new model! Since the case was for the BlackJack with extended battery it works great! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The Targus 100W Auto Power Inverter Review

Judie Stanford — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 04:38:16 +0000

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. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Review: The PDair Leather Case for the Sprint Mogul (PPC 6800)

Doug Goldring — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 03:00:17 +0000

Most of our frequent readers know that since I purchased the Sprint Mogul, I have been desperately seeking a good case for it. I have tried out numerous different brands, which I have reviewed both here and at Just Another Mobile Monday. Today, my quest lands me squarely in the hands of PDair, and their leather case. The leather case comes in three varieties: Flip, Book, and Pouch. We'll call this part 1 of my PDair case review. Part 2 will come sometime soon when I look at the PDair Aluminum Case. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The Proporta Laptop Battery Review

Judie Stanford — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 01:05:20 +0000

One of most laptop’s main limitations is their battery life, which can usually only be relied upon for a few hours. This hindrance is never more evident that when traveling, because finding a place to recharge in airports and train stations can be a major challenge. On January 1, 2008, carrying extended batteries will become a little bit trickier when traveling by plane, but it can still be done as long as the extra battery is packed in your carry-on luggage (versus in your checked luggage) and it is under a certain size. Copied verbatim from the US Government’s Safe Travel site:

The following quantity limits apply to both your spare and installed batteries. The limits are expressed in grams of “equivalent lithium content.” 8 grams of equivalent lithium content is approximately 100 watt-hours. 25 grams is approximately 300 watt-hours.

Debating the effectiveness of the new rules is a discussion best left for another day, but in the meantime the Proporta Portable Laptop Battery can be combined with other electronic devices carried while keeping the owner in compliance with these new rules (it holds 66.6Wh). Let’s see if carrying one would be worth the bother… Look at those smudges! I swear it only looks like this under my photography lamps! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The WirelessGround USB Leather Hand Strap Review

Judie Stanford — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 07:06:54 +0000

I never thought I would be one of those people that used a hand strap, but at some point over the last year, I decided that I really like having one. I’ve been using a little freebie strap that came with a PQI flash drive, but the WirelessGround USB Leather Hand Strap I was sent convinced me to try something new. Why would I want to add a 7.5″ long x 0.3″ wide leather strap with a 0.6″ square near its end to my Mogul? Well…check it out! Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Vaja Balance for Samsung BlackJack Review

Mitchell Oke — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 14:25:17 +0000

For years I have seen Judie review many a Vaja case for many a device. I have always wanted one of my own, to smell the leather, see the fit, and have the experience that is Vaja. I was delighted when they sent me a case for my BlackJack. I received a honey yellow case designed to fit the extended battery. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The ARC Wireless Solutions Freedom Antenna Review

Judie Stanford — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 05:38:43 +0000

I'm not sure what the problem is, but for the last month, my Sprint cellular signal strength has dramatically dropped when I am inside my home. This wouldn't be that big of a deal, except for the fact that my mobile phone is also my home phone and my business phone as well; in other words it simply has to work. Conveniently enough, I had a product waiting in my queue which promises to "Increase Your Cell Phone Reception 8 Times!", "Eliminate Dropped Calls and Dead Spots", and "Enhance Voice Clarity". If it can really deliver upon its promises, then sign me up for two, because nothing makes me madder than being in the middle of a call and either hearing static or losing the connection altogether. The product I will be looking at today is not one of those glorified circuit board stickers that you stick to the mobile phone's battery door, it is the ARC Wireless Solutions Freedom Antenna, an actual piece of hardware that connects to the external antenna jack on this list of compatible phones. If your phone isn't on the list, don't fret; you can also purchase various adapters for other phones. I was sent two Freedom Antennas and a Palm Treo adapter. Here's the front of the box... Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The Brando Ultra Clear Protector Plus Review

Judie Stanford — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 04:36:27 +0000

Mitchell and I recently reviewed the Proporta Advanced Screen Protector, a perfect example of a silicone-based adhesive protector with a matte finish providing anti-glare properties and a paper-like writing surface . Today I am going to go to the other extreme and take a look at the Brando Ultra Clear Protector Plus, which as the name implies is a very clear protector that provides an experience as close to that of writing on a PDA's naked screen as possible - without the worry of scratching. Let's take a look... Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Wild About OtterBox

Judie Stanford — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 17:48:01 +0000

Hearing about companies�that give�back to their communities always gives me a warm fuzzy feeling, and this story is no exception. What makes it different though, is that the direct beneficiaries of the philanthropy in question are the otters at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California. OtterBox, the popular ruggesdized PDA and laptop case company,�is supporting the Aquarium's�latest exhibit, Wild About Otters, by "giving away 200 complimentary tickets to Wild About Otters as well as donating sale proceeds to the aquarium during the year. The company plans to give away cases to visitors on �World Ocean Day,� June 9, as well as attend and donate cases during �Otter Days,� September 22 and 23. "

How can you say no to this face? Have you ever been to the Monterey Bay Aquarium? We went last year, and I can tell you that it's awesome. Just for fun, I've included some pictures from the trip. The press release also follows after the jump... :-)

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The Proporta Advanced Screen Protector Review

Judie Stanford — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 06:23:55 +0000

[Ed. note: For this dually, Judie's comments will be in Black, Mitchell's comments will be in italicised Blue.] One of the first things I started worrying about when I unboxed the HTC Advantage was how I would keep the humongous 5" diagonal screen from getting scratched. While it was nice that HTC included a screen protector in the box, I think you could probably tell by the expression on my face in the unboxing video that I wasn't too impressed with it, and sure enough - once installed, I saw that my unenthusiastic response was warranted. Don't get me wrong, the stock protector was better than nothing, and it did keep my screen safe until something better arrived; but it was a complete throwback to the sticky, thin, gouge-able, one-shot-at-correct-installation screen protectors of yore. At least you HAD a screen protector in the box! My Samsung BlackJack didn't have any screen protection in the box whatsoever, and based on the review unit I received a few weeks ago before I got my own, the screen definitely scratches and looks BAD. For the first few weeks I used a cut-down EXIM Dopod 838 Pro screen protector which while it was perfectly clear, it had uneven edges, didn't extend right to the top of the glossy display area, and was slightly crooked and peeling up on one side. Thankfully, a better solution soon arrived in the form of the Proporta Advanced Screen Protector (ASP) for the HTC Athena (or Ameo, Advantage, U1000, yeah...it goes by all of those names and then some, I am sure). Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The BeyzaCASES Universal Leather Case Review

Clinton Fitch — Thu, 31 May 2007 13:31:29 +0000

On the short list of accessories that Windows Mobile device owners need is a case. Cases not only protect your device but often put that device in a convenient and easy-to-access location (like your hip). In the not-to-distant past, most devices shipped with, at a minimum, a neoprene or vinyl slip case of some type. Unfortunately this has changed in recent years and now is more of an exception than a rule. A relative newcomer to providing cases for Windows Mobile devices is BeyzaCASES. The company, based in Istanbul, Turkey, provides a wide range of leather cases designed to custom fit a variety of Windows Mobile devices. They have been making cases for other companies to rebrand and sell for years, but in 2004 began selling cases under their own marquee. A few weeks ago BeyzaCASES sent me two cases to review, both designed for my O2 XDA Zinc. While these cases are technically universal cases - they will fit a variety of similarly sized devices - I have to say I am quite impressed with the cases. Not only do they fit nicely around my device but they look stylish and elegant. As Judie will attest, I am a huge Louis Vuitton fan (yeah, I'm a guy... got a problem with that?) so anytime I get something that comes with a dustcover my interest is already peaked! That is exactly what you get when you open up the box of your BeyzaCASES case. Inside the box is a small drawstring dustcover which contains your leather case. Open up the dustcover and you'll find the case is a supple, smooth leather with a rich aroma. Figure 1: The BeyzaCASES Box Continue reading on Gear Diary ...