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Latest Gear Live Videos
Ask Andru: How do I convert cassette tapes to digital format?
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features, Music, PC / Laptop, Software,
With the move to cloud and digital content that's taken the world by storm, older technologies have fallen by the wayside. The problem, though, is that there are still plenty of great pieces of content that are relegated to VHS, film reels, cassette tapes, and records. Today in my Ask Andru column, we have a question from Janine, a kindergarten teacher who wants to know how to convert her books on cassette over to a digital format. Let's jump into it.
Q: I listen to your show and really enjoy all your tips. I teach Kindergarten and have many books on cassettes that my students love listening to. Some of the cassettes are getting a bit worn. So I thought I could convert them over to CDs instead of buying new books with CDs. Do you have any suggestions on what would be the best way to do this that is affordable?
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Apple, Nokia, and Google Map security brouhaha: fact or hype?
Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Apple, Corporate News, Design, Editorial, Features,
In the latest Apple Maps saga, The Verge is reporting some security concerns regarding sensitive military installations that appear on mapping solutions by Apple. as compared to Google Maps and Nokia Maps. The picture being portrayed is that Apple is showing more information than the other companies. While it may appear accurate on the surface, it lacks transparency and fairness. Case in point, we all can agree that Area 51 is one of the most secretive government military installations in the world. Coincidentally, or ironically, The Verge failed to report that Google's map offering shows a much more pristine image of Area 51 than Apple's map of that particular base, nor is it pixelated for security. I went out of my way to tweet the author of the post to get an explanation for the discrepancy. There are definitely more examples of similar discrepancies, this isn't limited to just Area 51.
Read More 
| The Verge
Gallery: Apple, Nokia, and Google Map security brouhaha: fact or hype?
How to unlock your iPhone 5 right now
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Features, Software,
It's been widely reported that the Verizon iPhone 5 ships with an unlocked SIM slot, which means you can insert any 3G nano SIM into its tray and you can use it with any carrier. The AT&T model isn't as forgiving, as all AT&T iPhone 5 (see out iPhone 5 review) models ship locked to that specific carrier. However, there are a few ways of unlocking the AT&T model for use with other carriers, like T-Mobile.
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iPhone 5: White & SIlver or Black & Slate? (gallery)
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Design, Features, Handhelds,
The iPhone 5 is the most beautiful iPhone that Apple has released to date (seriously - check our iPhone 5 review!) Since our review features both the white & silver model and the black & slate model, we've been getting questions about which is "better." The thing is, it's all a matter of opinion, although the black model is a bit more susceptible to scratches and scuffs. Since some people don't have an Apple Store nearby where they can check out the two color options for themselves, we've put together an iPhone 5 White vs. Black photo gallery. Check it out, as we have a bunch of comparison shots for your perousal. Let us know what you decide!
Gallery: iPhone 5: White & SIlver or Black & Slate? (gallery)
iPhone 5 review: This is the iPhone we’ve been waiting for
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Features, Handhelds, Product Reviews,
Apple unveiled the iPhone 5 to the world on September 12th, and just 9 days later, the smartphone launched. Pre-sales hit over 2 million in the first 24 hours alone, showing that there was massive demand for the newly redesigned iPhone. According to Apple, it's the best iPhone it's ever made, but does it live up to the hype? More importantly, os it worth your hard-earned cash? We've had a few days to use the iPhone 5 (as well as its built-in operating system, iOS 6,) and we’re ready to break it all down in our iPhone 5 review.
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iPhone 5 vs. iPhone 4S vs. Original iPhone in pictures
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Features, Handhelds,
Earlier today we gave you a look at our iPhone 5 black & slate unboxing gallery, as well as our iPhone 5 white & silver unboxing gallery. Since then, we've received a few questions about how the new iPhone 5 compares to the iPhone 4S from a hardware design perspective, so we figured we would put together a third gallery for you. In our iPhone 5 vs. iPhone 4S vs. iPhone Original gallery, we give you a look at the new hardware as compared to the last model, and we also throw the orignal iPhone into the mix for added measure. Head on over and take a look, and be ready for our exhaustive iPhone 5 review to drop later this evening!
Gallery: iPhone 5 vs. iPhone 4S vs. Original iPhone in pictures
Amazon Kindle Fire HD review (7-inch)
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features, Handhelds, Product Reviews,
When Amazon announced the new Kindle Fire HD, it took a firm step into its transformation into a major player in the consumer electronics space. Jeff Bezos sold the fact that Amazon was in the unique position that allowed it to create a device that was about more than just the gadget itself--Kindle Fire is all about the services that are tied to it, and the Fire HD in particular is the cream of Amazon's tablet crop. Then the price was announced, and at $199 heads turned and ears perked. A high quality tablet that is completely tied in to Amazon's ecosystem with a great display, rock solid Wi-Fi, and stereo speakers for $199? Is it too good to be true, or is the Kindle Fire HD the king of the 7-inch tablet roost? Read on for our full Kindle Fire HD (7-inch) review.
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Chevy and GM agree to replace our faulty 2012 Volt with new 2013 model!
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Editorial, Features, Transportation,
Remember our 2012 Chevy Volt that failed while driving and almost got me in an accident? We updated the story with the details about trying to work with Chevy and GM to get a replacement Volt since we no longer felt safe driving the one we had. After all, it had been in the shop for repairs every two weeks since we had picked it up the first time. Well, we are please to report that Chevrolet and General Motors did right by us, and agreed to replace our 2012 Volt with a newer, similarly-equipped 2013 model. Since this was a lease, it was a bit more complicated than a simple trade. Instead, we did what's called a VIN swap. The result? We keep the same lease terms and paperwork, with the VIN being the only change on the documents. It took a while since the 2013 Chevy Volt wasn't available until very recently, and once it arrived, we needed to wait for all the paperwork to be completed. Still, it was worth the wait. Stay tuned for our 2013 Chevy Volt review.
Gallery: Chevy and GM agree to replace our faulty 2012 Volt with new 2013 model!
Live from Apple’s iPhone 5 event!
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Corporate News, Features, Software,
Apple is set to take the stage in just about an hour to reveal its iPhone 5 smartphone to the world. We also expect updated iPod touch and iPod nano devices, as well as the announcement of iTunes 11, thanks to Apple's search engine leaking the details. It's an exciting day, and we will be covering all of the news as it happens, live. Jump past the break and follow along with us this morning. We are getting started right now!
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Watch the Amazon Kindle event (video!)
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Corporate News, Features, Handhelds, Videos,
Yesterday Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos took the stage to announce a slew of new Kindle hardwards, including the Kindle Fire HD, Kindle Paperwhite, a cheaper entry-level Kindle, and much more. We covered all the Kindle news live, but we wouldn't hold it against you if you wanted to see the event for yourself. You can check out our condensed version above. We figured that there weren't too many people who'd wanna sit through the one hour presentation, so we squeezed it down to 25 minutes, focusing on the main highlights.
