Gear Diary

Lose that beer gut and get ript with this t-shirt girdle for guys

Wayne Schulz — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 11:48:48 +0000

While the advertising claims this is a “torso enhancing” undershirt – I say it’s not much more than a $58 t-shirt girdle (Crew or V-Neck available) for guys with a gut. The site claims this body-sculpting undershirt is designed to support your core – though I suspect it’s worn mostly by guy’s who think a Core is a single can of … [visit site to read more]

Dell 2130CN color laser printer – $152.10 shipped

Wayne Schulz — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 11:26:30 +0000

Here’s an ultra-affordable Gearsponsor deal on a Dell 2130CN color laser printer. Normally priced at $499 – you can get the price down to a bargain $152.10 by adding the printer to your shopping cart, removing the duplexer and applying coupon code … [visit site to read more]

Say hello to my talking Scarface clock – $12.99 shipped

Wayne Schulz — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:45:13 +0000

This Scarface clock is sure to delight the diehard fan in your life. Each hour it plays a different quote from the movie. There are also 12 separate scenes to illustrate each of the hours. Powered by 3 AA batteries this Geardeal is only $12.99 shipped and thankfully has a control that shuts the noise … [visit site to read more]

How to force quit an application on the iPhone 3GS

Wayne Schulz — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:24:04 +0000

If you’re using one of the new iPhone 3GS models you may have noticed it’s no longer possible to force quit an application by holding the home key down for 5 seconds. This worked on prior models but now holding the home key down will only bring up the voice control. Instead to force quit an application running on an iPhone 3GS … [visit site to read more]

Rivet VERTICAL LEATHER BAG For Apple MacBook Pro 15″ – Review

Dan Cohen — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 18:49:02 +0000

Some people like shoes while others like jackets. Me… I’ve always had a thing for notebook cases. There is something about the combination of function and style that draws me to a new case when I see one. So when the opportunity to take a look at Rivet’s new Vertical Leather Bag came up I jumped. It looked nice and, perhaps more importantly, it looked DIFFERENT from the other bags available.

Let’s take a look…

… [visit site to read more]

R.I.P. – CompuServe 1969-2009

Wayne Schulz — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 18:11:44 +0000

I have many fond memories of time spent on CompuServe in the late 1980s. For those of you not familiar with the service, CompuServe was like a mini-Internet before there was an Internet. CompuServe was the online place that the cool geeks hung out while AOL was for the … [visit site to read more]

2009 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid 1500 pickup

David Goodspeed — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 16:30:08 +0000

My relationship with the new fullsize GM hybrids continues to be a love/hate one. I love the fuel savings and cleaner emissions delivered by these “green beasts,” but I hate that consumers still cannot get an SUV for less than 50 grand. I also hate the acceleration/deceleration whine produced by the transmission/generator unit while operating in electric mode at low speeds, but then, this is the tradeoff for new technology.

The good news is, these new trucks see a 40 percent fuel economy improvement in city driving thanks to GMs two-mode hybrid powertrain. … [visit site to read more]

Gadget P0rn: the N97 and N86 in Black & White

Judie Lipsett — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:23:03 +0000

Rita El Khoury (Dotsisx) of visit site to read more]

How Hot Is Your 3GS?

Travis Ehrlich — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:30:33 +0000

After reports of white iPhones changing color due to heat, Apple has addressed the problem. The reason? The summer heat wave! For what it is worth, my 32GB 3GS does get warm while in heavy use, but I have never experienced what I would say was “hot.”

… [visit site to read more]

Baby Crying Analyzer – because there’s a sucker born every minute

Wayne Schulz — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 02:40:08 +0000

The Why Cry Baby Analyzer claims to analyze “advanced frequency spectrum” and within 20 seconds tell you why your baby is crying. As a single dad who raised two infants let me save you the $99 and give you some advice. Babies cry when they’re sick (Tip: Don’t hold them over your head at 2am in the morning … [visit site to read more]

Review: PhatWare’s WritePad Notes, Affairs, and Events

Jeff Frantz — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:02:58 +0000

Phatware has been making handwriting recognition and note taking software for [what were called at the time] pocket PCs and smartphones since 1997. I’ve used PhatPad on my Windows Mobile devices for quite a few years now, and it’s often one of the first things that I install when I get a new device. When they announced their first products for the iPhone at the end of May, Phatware offered Gear Diary an opportunity to review their first three programs: WritePad Notes, WritePad Affairs, and WritePad Events. All three programs feature PhatWare’s handwriting recognition software for the iPhone, WritePad.

… [visit site to read more]

Are iPhone Apps now randomly begging you to rate them?

Wayne Schulz — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:44:22 +0000

Here’s something that I had not seen before. It may not be a new feature but I thought it was strange when my NY Times application presented a pop up window asking me to rate the application. I’m used to only seeing that prompt when I delete an application and not while I’m in the middle of using it. Let’s hope that … [visit site to read more]

The iPhone Is A…

Dan Cohen — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:36:25 +0000

As a quiet holiday weekend begins, it leaves more time than ever for random, mindless musings like this… what exactly IS the iPhone?

Sure it is usually lumped into the mix as a “smartphone” but it does so much more that I’m not sure the label actually fits.

… [visit site to read more]

4th of July Specials from WebIS

Judie Lipsett — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:23:46 +0000

Alex has just sent word that visit site to read more]

Mix Music On The iPhone… There’s An App for That

Dan Cohen — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:08:46 +0000

I read the other day that the group The 88 had used an iPhone and the iPhone app Four Track to record their song Love Is The Thing. That was pretty neat, but not nearly as neat as those groups who have recorded entire SONGS on the iPhone using virtual iPhone … [visit site to read more]

Review: Jaybird Tiger Eyes Earbuds

Joel McLaughlin — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:00:49 +0000

It’s been a while since I reviewed the JayBird JB-200 Bluetooth headphones. In that time, Jaybird has expanded their line from simply Bluetooth audio, and they have introduced two new sets of earbuds. Today I am reviewing one of those, the Jaybird Tiger Eyes Earbuds.

These are like the Altec Lansing BackBeat Pros that I just reviewed; they are the in-ear style. They are a little smaller than the BackBeat headphones, and they are not as noticeable as the BackBeat headphones when you wear them. One other difference from the BackBeat Pro is that these have a microphone and a handy in-line volume control. They are more like the Altec Lansing Backbeat Plus Mobile UHS206 headphones I reviewed a few months ago, just with the added volume control. … [visit site to read more]

Google Voice Lets You Dump Your Original Grand Central Number… For A Price

Dan Cohen — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:24:03 +0000

When I first got a Grand Central (now Google Voice) account the choice of phone numbers was somewhat limited. The result was that I had to get a number with an area code that was…. well, out of my area. In fact, it was such a jumble of numbers that it was almost impossible to remember. And when Grand Central became Google Voice this number went with it.

Well Google is clearly ramping things up these days with regard to Google Voice.

… [visit site to read more]

Why Gmail Rocks (and CSC is trying to Migrate Millions to Microsoft’s Business Productivity Online Suite)

Wayne Schulz — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:48:37 +0000

This morning I received an auto-response from a subscriber to a newsletter I publish for work. This person is without ANY email for 5 days while they wait for a replacement router that was damaged due to a … [visit site to read more]

GearDeal: Sony XPERIA X1A Silver Smartphone – $539

Wayne Schulz — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:20:34 +0000

Dell has this Sony XPERIA X1A Smartphone on sale for $599 after a $100 instant savings. Apply coupon code 22X6DLMFK6K92G and score another 10% savings for a net price of $539. If that’s not enough savings for you – then how about some free shipping. The Sony XPERIA features a 3-inch touchscreen, … [visit site to read more]

GearDeal: Batman Begins – Blu-ray Limited Edition Gift Set – $14.49

Wayne Schulz — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:03:04 +0000

Save $35 on this limited edition Batman Begins Gift Set. The Blu-ray gift set includes exclusive high-def content: The Dark Knight Prologue, Hollywood Movie Money to see The Dark Knight in theaters (a $7.50 value which will buy you a mini box of sno caps), 32-page exclusive Dark Knight Prologue book, 16-page comic book … [visit site to read more]