If you still weren’t convinced that Apple’s desktop/laptop Mac OS X operating system and their mobile operating system iOS were moving closer and closer to one another here’s yet one more example.
If you have a Mac go to software update and download the Airport Utility update. Once you do you’ll be greeted with a utility that will be rather familiar if you have used the recently release iOS Airport Utility.… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...
realtime throughput of their prototype AC routers on a large flat screen TV
I really don’t know many (if any) people these days NOT running a WiFi network at home. Most Internet Service Providers (ISP) now provide a WiFi router or router/modem combo when you sign up for service. WiFi-N has pretty much become the standard over the past few years, with speeds capable of up to 150Mb/s and in almost all current electronics. The next standards have been announced and are called 802.11ac, which pretty much more than doubles WiFi-N on it’s best day. If you have no idea what I’m talking about then pretty much what I am saying is… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...
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 ...
My biggest personal tech find of 2011 has to be the Sonos home audio system. I got a review loaner and bought one within a day. I was that impressed with it and continue to love it. You can read the the initial review here and read the review of the new, smaller PLAY:3 here.
During the inaugural Gear Fest last summer I had Carly film a quick walkthrough of setting the Sonos system up. It never made it into a post… until now.
Back in July we took a look at the uber-cool Sennheiser OfficeRunner Headset. It comes with a base that was designed by someone with a keen aesthetic sense and it sounds great. In fact, I’ve been using it at the office ever since. It does, however, offer a few significant downsides. It takes up a bit of desk space, has a few too many cumbersome wires and it is pricey! The one we reviewed included the handset lifter and was close to $400. (The unit alone is $299.95 in our Amazon Affiliate store.) Jabra has also released a line of headsets for wired phones. They are lighter, a bit less complicated and a… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...
This year Gear Diary’s CES base will be a suite at the MGM Grand. All of us will be bunking together which means we will be able to get even more writing done early in the morning or late at night. Of course that presumes we have the wireless connectivity to go online and post. 
The suite comes with free internet connectivity. That SHOULD mean both wired and wireless connections will work, but we won’t really know until we get there. Add in the fact that during CES there is such a huge demand on wireless systems and… we need a Plan B.
Meet CES Connectivity Plan B, the Belkin Wireless Dual-Band
One of the coolest features in iOS 5 WiFi syncing, which I now use far more often than USB syncing. Being able to hit “Sync” on my MacBook for my iPad while it’s still in my bag (it only needs charging every few days) makes me giggle every time I do it. It’s just so simple, and works so effectively every time. With it, new music, an updated playlist, and a few new apps are just a click away.
Obviously this functionality is normally used over a WiFi connection at home or the office, but it turns out you can actually use WiFi sync when you’re mobile too.
As a regular user of the Personal… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...
Last month I reviewed the TruConnect ‘pay as you go’ mobile broadband solution, saying:
TruConnect absolutely delivers on their claims of a simple device, easy setup and configuration, and clear pricing of as little as $4.99 per month. Beyond that, every person needs to make their own value judgement in terms of the data fees. For light or occasional use, you can get 250MB for less than $15 a month, but once you break 1GB of monthly data you might be better off with a full access plan. The good news is that you have no contract and no termination fees – you own the MiFi (or USB access point), so you cancel
Every now and then you hear about something – the $100 laptop, the $35 tablet, the $19 smartphone plan – that seem to good to be true. And in some ways they are – there are limitations and compromises and caveats. In terms of the $19 smartphone plan, this week Republic Wireless unveiled their rumored plan – and it is both good and bad.
The system is based on controlling the hardware – you need to use one of their special LG Optimus phones – and shifting much of the ‘heavy lifting’ to WiFi. So if you need the latest phone or are constantly on 3G with no WiFi in sight, or… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...
Recently I stopped carrying a laptop with me when we do family travel: my Android smartphone, iPad and iPod are enough to allow me to do everything I need wherever we go. There is almost always free WiFi available, and if not I have my smartphone.
But what about those in an area without WiFi access, or those who want to use a laptop or tablet in a car? For them there are wireless hotspots such as the MiFi available from most carriers – but those all require expensive monthly access charges with huge overage fees.
What about the lighter user who wants the access – but not the $50 monthly fee… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...
I have spent the majority of my life in stadiums. Some are big, some are small; in some I am a fan, in some was a player, and in some I am coaching. Bottom line is that I feel comfortable in a stadium. It is just who I am. My father went to high school in Houston, so while growing up we made many a trip to stay with my aunt who happened to live just a few miles from the Astrodome. By the time I was in Jr. High, I knew the dome like the back of my hand. We would come to town all summer and catch the Friday, Saturday and Sunday… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...
One of the standout piece of consumer electronics I have discovered over the past few years is the Ooma phone system. The system brings an unusual business model to the business of phone service. Instead of charging a monthly fee Ooma sells the hardware that connects to your high-speed internet service and then lets you have your phone service for free. Sure they sell a number of useful accessories and there are some value-adding services to which you can subscribe (Ooma Premier is one of them and is totally worth the price) but you don’t HAVE to do so to get the value out of an Ooma system. Here’s our review of the Ooma
Sig Hansen photo courtesy of Fresh from Florida
If you sit in an office all day, then you are used to having plenty of options available for surfing the internet, communicating with your co-workers or a loved one, or discussing strategies with your key team members; it’s something we take for granted. But what if your office was a ship in the middle of the sea, and you were well past any 3G or even EDGE coverage areas? That’s when something like the Fleet Broadband for Fishing by Inmarsat would come in handy. If you watch the show ‘Deadliest Catch‘, then you will recognize their newest spokesperson, Captain Sig Hansen… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...
Photos: Author
Having never been blessed with children of my own, I never quite got a grasp of everything new parents had to worry about nor how extensive their “to-do” list was … until last Christmas when we got word of the impending arrival of my wife’s first grandchild.
Fast forward to July 26, and Baby J arrives in fine fashion. In no time I begin hearing “I can’t wait until we can start babysitting him over here.” What? The baby is coming here? “I’m not ready.” “The house isn’t ready.” “Where did the time go?”
The very next day Gear Diary Team Members find an inquiry in their mailboxes… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...
Well, July is over. The heat keeps coming, kids are getting read to go back to school and there’s no shortage of gear news and reviews. Here are a few posts you may have missed but are worth a look…
Gear Diary’s Back to School Gift Guide and an ARCHOS 70 Android Internet Tablet for You to Win!
It’s time to start thinking about the supplies you are going to send your kids back to school with, and we are here to help! We’ve gathered together a collection of goodies that any student would like, and while there are plenty of practical items, we didn’t forget the gear that
