I doubt that anyone would seriously debate that we have lost significant freedoms in this country over the last decade, though it is generally presented with a caveat that what has changed was needed for enhanced security. Sometimes this is true, other times it is for the appearance of greater security, and other times it is simply an authoritarian power grab.

Which is why this story is so awesome! Last week I heard about the high school girl had gone to a ‘Youth in Government’ program event and had tweeted:

Just made mean comments at gov brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot

Although she actually didn’t speak out at the… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Okay, so as far as I’m concerned, the line between genetics and eugenics is ‘way too malleable.  Probably I’ve just read too much science fiction.

Or maybe it’s because I’m just a nervous nellie.  Or maybe it’s because I’m Jewish.  But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take advantage of the good stuff that modern genetics can offer, right?  Even I think so.  Which leads us to 23andMe, and they personal genome service.  Interested in analyzing your DNA and getting an idea of your health and ancestry?  That’s what these guys are up to.  And on Cyber Monday, you can get $25 off your genetic assay.  Check it out; full information below.

Special Holiday

I don’t know about you, but I have a lot of accounts in a lot of different places.  Google; Yahoo; Facebook; Skype; I don’t know what-all, frankly.  And many months ago I thought, “Yeesh; I sure would like it if all my IM accounts were in one place!”

And then ShapeServices asked me to review IM+, an app that allows you to access all your IM accounts in one place.

I’ll keep this short:  I use IM+ all the time, both the iPhone and iPad app version, and online via their web interface.  I find it an enormous help.  Maggie, my 16 year-old daughter, also uses it regularly, so you can see that it’s… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Last year, it was, we told you folks about EgoBook, a Facebook app that allows you to create books from your Facebook info (status updates, wall posts, and the like).  I guess they’ve done okay, because now the EgoBook folks are offering a new format, in hardback:  large format 8.25″ x 10.75″ (21cm x 27cm).  This strikes me as a pretty nice upgrade, honestly; if you’re wanting to create an EgoBook for yourself, why not make it hardcover?  Looks better, plus it lasts longer.  Seems like a good deal to me.

Here’s what EgoBook says:

EgoBook now exists in a brand new Large Format (21x27cm), with a rigid cover (hardcover).

The pictures are printed

Image courtesy of PocketBerry

I’m always happy to get a news item about a product with which I’m familiar, like the iFrogz cases, or the Mophie Juice Packs, or ScotteVest gear.  It’s so easy to say, “Hey, check this stuff out!” when you’re personally familiar with it, you know?

In that category is IM+, a central IMing app that lets you consolidate all your various messaging apps into one place.  I use IM+ Pro on my iPhone, my iPad, and via their online site as well, and it makes a huge difference in my messaging (although there are a few glitches in the online version with regard to Facebook, but honestly that’s a minor nit)… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

There are some folks a wee bit suspicious about Twitter and their recent moves to make it (let’s face it here) more difficult to develop and deploy nice third-party twitter apps.  Why are they doing these things?  Opinions vary, but one prominent one is that they want to hog the app development and sales to themselves.

But that’s not stopping people like Osfoora from developing some nice apps–not yet, at least.  And OneLouder is upping the ante by offering their software for use on the iPad.  So if you’re thinking you want to keep on tweetin’, but avoid the monolith that is Twitter, then maybe you should check out TweetCaster for your iPad, available on iTunes… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

I use Twitter, but there are times when I have to wonder if (or why) anyone cares about my random musings and shared links. Of course, my rationale for using Twitter in the first place is that many of my friends are all over the country (if not the world), and this is a great way to keep in touch.

Mitchell sent this video to me, and I couldn’t help but laugh; although it was posted in March I hadn’t yet seen it, and I figured that might be the case for some of you, too. Peppered with offensive language and definitely a bit rude (and therefore possibly very NSFW), this… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

I’m not one of those parents who is totally panicked by the idea of all the kinds of scary things that are made available by new tech like cell phones, social media, and the like.  Yes, there are a lot of scary things kids can access or be sucked into via new technology.  But as a guy who spent his childhood in the late 60s and 70s, it’s not like it was a non-stop, safe party for us, either.   Yup, you can get talked into stuff by strangers over your cell phone, or via Facebook, or Yahoo IM, or some such; no question.  In my day, it was “talking to strangers” and whack jobs prowling the… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

(image made via Memegenerator)

I once attended a work event where someone explained how he knew the so-called “tech bubble” of the early 90′s was over and done. It was Christmas Eve, he said, and his retired, conservative mother-in-law asked if she should own shares of Amazon.com. As he told it, at that very moment he turned to his wife and said “That’s it, tech’s done.”

If we go by that logic social media is done. Yes, if that is the correct indicator the social media bubble is about to pop. How do I know? Simple, at a mother’s day brunch earlier today my grandma opined, “The kids today, they don’t realize what… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Twitter, so young and unassuming not long ago, is all grown up. Now it has millions of followers, has help start revolutions, has kept people in touch during disasters and more. Yup, Twitter is no longer just about “OMG, I just had the most delicious ribs at Outback Steakhouse”.

Yes, Twitter has matured and so have the apps that let you use it. There are lots and lots of offerings out there but which are best? Our friend Zara from ChipChick has some great suggestions. Some, like TweetDeck are likely familiar while others, such as twunfollow and Twistory may be new to you. All are worth checking out.

You can find the full… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Photo courtesy of the The International Business Times

When all of Iran seemed to be exploding in the wake of “President” Mahmoud Ahmadinejad‘s “victory” in the 2009 election, the news was noteworthy not just because a country struggling against authoritarian rule was trying to free itself, but also because of how the news got out:  Twitter.  Before cell phones integrated with digital cameras, smart phones, and Twitter, it’s possible that the world at large might have received no notice at all of the massive protests, deaths, vicious governmental crackdowns, and all the other info about Iran’s “Green Revolution”.

Now we’re getting some similar happenings in North Africa.  If you follow the… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Okay, now look:  usually when I read a product description that folks send in, I have something to say about it.  ”Cool!”  ”Not my thing, but definitely useful.”  ”Hey, I had a product like that once!”  ”Huh; seems like a logical extension of .”  (Or often, “Of course someone made that into an app!”  Or “Why the heck didn’t I think of that?”)  But every once in a while, something comes in that so, well, surprising that I literally sit there with my jaw hanging and my brain saying, “Wha’ ?”

This is one such time.  I’m interested in your all’s reactions, honestly.

What is it?  It’s a Tweet-ring.  You can now… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Image courtesy of CleanSlate and Better Homes and Gardens

I’m 47 years old–the “wedge” generation just after the Baby Boom, and just before Generation X.  I’m old enough to have owned a black-and-white TV (13″; it was my high school graduation gift!), had rotary dial phones (Michael just talked about these the other day!), one phone company for the whole country (Ma Bell!), three TV channels, and read the newspaper for news.

I don’t delve into this nostalgically–I love all my modern gear.  I have an iPad, iPhone, Lenovo Thinkpad T61, DVR, DVD player, a 1 Terabyte drive for storage (it’s nearly full), and all the software anyone could want.  I… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

I’ve always loved watching caricature artists quickly plot out their exaggerated perception of their subjects, but this new offering from Orange UK’s The Feed takes the art to a whole new level. They are offering “secret portraits” of twitter users based on a tweeted self-description. I am about to enter mine, and I thought you might want to give it a try, too.

1. Describe yourself in a tweet – and don’t forget the #secretportraits hashtag
2. If your tweet intrigues us, our illustrators will dive into your Twitter profile to find out more about you
3. They’ll draw a secret portrait based on

This is one of those interesting bits of information that has been floating around for months and yet no one noticed – even though it is from Apple and involves FREE STUFF! Then suddenly someone picks it up and it spreads like wildfire! In this case it is a good thing – because Apple is giving away 100 64GB iPads when they hit 1,000,000 followers on Twitter!

The Twitter account is appleincnews and here is the contest tweet:

Don’t forget about our iPad giveaway. We will be giving away 64 GB iPads to 100 of our lucky followers once we reach 1 million followers.

As of now they have… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...