Find Our Latest Video Reviews on YouTube!
If you want to stay on top of all of our video reviews of the latest tech, be sure to check out and subscribe to the Gear Live YouTube channel, hosted by Andru Edwards! It’s free!
Latest Gear Live Videos
Stanford Develops Longer-Lasting Batteries
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Science, Storage, Transportation,
Stanford researchers have figured out a way to extend the life of lithium-ion batteries up to 10 times. Silicon nanowires will soon turn a 2 hour battery into twenty for cellphones, laptops, cameras, MP3 players, and other portable devices. Yi Cui, leader of the group, feels that the applications could include cars and storage generated by solar panels. A patent application has been filed on the Li-ion and Cui is counting on a current battery manufacturer hooking up with the idea. We hope so, too.
Read More 
| nano techwire
Gallery: Stanford Develops Longer-Lasting Batteries
Advertisement
Spare Batteries Fly Under New Rules
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Cameras, Smartphones, PC / Laptop, Portable Audio / Video, Storage, Transportation,
There are now different rules if you intend to fly this year with spare batteries. Here are the basics from the our ever-wary government and the FAA:
- Spare batteries are the batteries you carry separately from the devices they power. When batteries are installed in a device, they are not considered spare.
- You may not pack a spare lithium battery in your checked baggage.
- You may bring spare lithium batteries with you in carry on luggage - see our spare battery tips and how-to sections to find out how to pack spare batteries safely!
- Even though we recommend you carrying your devices with you in carry on baggage as well, if you must bring in one in checked baggage, you may check it with the batteries installed.
While all this seems a bit too obvious to us, we figure that the elementary way of explaining the rules isn’t just for the casual business traveler. Check the site for more details.
Read More | Safe Travel
Gallery: Spare Batteries Fly Under New Rules
USB Holiday Flash Cards - the New Hallmark?
Posted by Lolita Beckwith Categories: Accessories, USB, Misc. Tech, Storage,
You know we’re a technologically-obsessed society when even holiday greeting cards are getting the USB treatment. Well, sorta. The folks at Walletex—known for their flash drives the size of a credit card—have come out with their Hanukkah and Christmas versions. They’re available in a large variety of designs, from dreidels to Santa, and from 128mb ($27 USD) to a roomy 4GB ($106 USD). You can even have the recipient’s name printed on the card! A very unique gift, and you can make it even more special by loading it with photos and music your intended will love.
Read More | Walletex
Gallery: USB Holiday Flash Cards - the New Hallmark?
Remember mixtapes? Not playlists burned to a CD, but real mixtapes on cassette, passed around among friends or maybe given to your crush. All the thought that went into choosing the songs, the agonizing over what to put on the cover, the finger crossing that the last track wouldn’t get cut off due to the tape ending… Mixtapes were awesome. Well, we’re not here to start a revolution (not a cassette revolution, at least), so here’s the next best thing.
The Mixtape USB Memory Stick has a capacity of 64 mb, which translates to about 12 tracks or 1 hour of music - just enough to get your point across musically. The stick comes packaged in a gift box designed to look like an honest-to-goodness mixtape. There’s even dedicated space to write out the track listing by hand, and spots to fill in To: and From:, so your BFF or crush never forgets who used those Phil Collins tracks to express their true feelings. Design house SUCK UK is responsible for this bit of retro brilliance.
Read More | SUCK UK
Gallery: Mixtape USB Brings Back the 80s
Consumer Report Rates AA Batteries
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Cameras, Misc. Tech, Portable Audio / Video, Storage, Toys,
If you are planning on giving battery-operated gifts for the Holidays, Consumer Reports has decided to help you with their picks of best non-rechargeable AAs. They tested quick, intense charges like those for cameras, as well as on a low current steady charges, such as for CD players. They found nickel oxyhydroxide batteries to be the best for cams, with alkalines as a less expensive alternative. They recommend the Energizer e2 Lithium, followed by Panasonic Digital Extreme, and Rayovac. Kirkland Signature alkalines, which is Costco’s brand, are a good deal if you are interested in quantity.
Read More | Consumer Reports
Gallery: Consumer Report Rates AA Batteries
Our buds at Vavolo have come up with two new foods in their “Freshly Baked Series 2.” The Fortune Cookie holds either 1 or 2GB of flash storage, can handle both 1.1 and 2.0 USB, and comes in yellow, blue, or green. Their Chocolate Donut has the same features and is offered in many different
models. Both will work with Windows 98SEME2000XPVista, have maximal data transfer rate up to 480Mpbs, and can be yours for $29.99 or $49.99 apiece, depending on the storage desired.
(Thanks, Cassily)
Read More | Vavolo
Gallery: Dessert Comes to USB
Geeky Yet Cool: The Circuit Board Cigar Case
Posted by Lolita Beckwith Categories: Accessories, Storage,
Wow, who knew the mild-mannered circuit board would become so trendy? We just told you about the Circuit Board Photo Album, now we’ve stumbled upon this, the Circuit Board Cigar Case. Holds 2 cigars, and according to the website, can also store Nintendo DS cartridges (yeah!) and for ultimate geekiness, USB thumb drives. Available in green (natch), red and blue. Available for $25 USD. Not into cigars? Check out the Cigarette Case or the Money Clip instead.
Read More | Fractal Spin
Gallery: Geeky Yet Cool: The Circuit Board Cigar Case
It’s a 256MB USB Flash Card…and a Calculator!
Posted by Lolita Beckwith Categories: Accessories, USB, Misc. Tech, Storage,
Avid readers of this site know there’s an endless amount of nutty USB-related gadgets out there. But here’s one that’s actually handy, in the office or on a business trip. The QMemory USB Card Disk with Calculator is pretty self-explanatory: it’s a wallet-ready 256MB flash card—that’s also a solar-powered calculator! It even includes security software to protect your files. No batteries, chargers or software required. Although we think 256MB is way too small in this day and age, we love it’s functionality and price of $15 USD. You can also order them in bulk, with your company’s logo.
Read More | Flash Memory Store via Chip Chick
Gallery: It’s a 256MB USB Flash Card…and a Calculator!
My DVR Expander Saves Extra Video
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Home Entertainment, Movies, Storage,
Now that all the holiday movies are coming out, this might be a good time to expand your TiVo or Series 3 DVR. Western Digital, the creators of My Book Hard Drive, has released My DVR Expander. It attaches to the eSATA port and gets automatically recognized. It will hold an additional 500GB for up to 300 hours of standard video or 60 hours of HD video. Western promises quiet operation with passive cooling and a minimal LED for less of a distraction. It’s available now for $199.99.
Read More | Western Digital
Gallery: My DVR Expander Saves Extra Video
Phone Prototype Features USB Port
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smartphones, Design, Storage, USB,
We got pretty excited before we knew this was only a prototype. Created by French Designer Vincent Palicki, it shows a USB port going into a Sony Ericsson Phone, an extremely clever idea. How nice to be able to download files, videos, and/or photos with only a flash drive. We think perhaps this will lead to the concept of doing the same with handhelds. Come to think of it, we could attach all those very cool USB gadgets to our phones like mini-Christmas trees or mini-fans on a cold day.
Read More | Yanko Design
Gallery: Phone Prototype Features USB Port
Advertisement
© Gear Live Inc. {year} – User-posted content, unless source is quoted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Public Domain License. Gear Live graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, videos, articles, blogs, forums, scripts and other service names are the trademarks of Gear Live Inc.