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Latest Gear Live Videos
iPad mini with Retina display review
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Features, Handhelds, Product Reviews,
I've been using the iPad mini with Retina display for a couple of weeks now, and after using it as my primary tablet device during that time (setting aside my iPad Air) I think it's time to report back with my findings as it pertains to Apple's second-generation miniature iPad.
Last year, Apple introduced the iPad mini to the world at the same time as the fourth-generation standard-sized iPad. Essentially, Apple took the iPad 2 and forked it into two different products--the Retina display-packing full-sized iPad, and the iPad mini, which was simply an iPad 2 that had been reduced in size. Many (me included) expected that the next iPad mini would remain a year behind as far as internal chips and technologies go, leaving the cutting edge stuff with the larger iPad.
We were wrong.
Instead, Apple released two iPad that are, from a technological standpoint, virtually identical. You got the slimmed down iPad Air (see our iPad Air review), and the iPad mini with Retina display. Both pack the same number of pixels. Both sport the new Apple A7 processor (1.4GHz for the iPad Air, 1.3GHz for the iPad mini.) Same with the M7 co-processor, and the 10-hour battery life. So, the question as it pertains to an iPad purchase becomes, is it more important to you to have a larger display, or a more compact form factor? I've already given you my iPad Air review, now join me after the jump for my review of the iPad mini with Retina display.
Click to continue reading iPad mini with Retina display review
Gallery: iPad mini with Retina display review
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SOL Republic Tracks HD review
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Wearables, Features, Product Reviews, Videos,
These days, headphones are a large part of urban fashion, and SOL Republic is hoping to grab a piece of that with its Tracks HD on-ears. The Tracks HD is build to be tough, unique, eye-catching, and great-sounding. They feature the upgraded V10 Sound Engines--a step up from the V8 Engines on the regular Tracks model. They can also be found for an amazing deal on Amazon currently. Are they worth your time, money, and attention? Join us after the break for our full SOL Republic Tracks HD review for the answer as we break it down for you.
Click to continue reading SOL Republic Tracks HD review
Gallery: SOL Republic Tracks HD review
MacBook Pro (late 2013) review
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Features, PC / Laptop, Product Reviews,
A couple of weeks ago, Apple introduced the world to the iPad Air, but during the same event, the new 2013 MacBook Pro lineup was also revealed, going on sale that same afternoon. These new MacBook Pros would ship with OS X 10.9 Mavericks, the new desktop operating system that was also released that same day, completely free of charge. The 2013 MacBook Pro line sees some significant updates--things like a thinner body, Retina display, PCIe storage, and Haswell processors. So, how do all these changes come together at the end of the day, and is the end result enough for you to give it your attention? Does a thinner, lighter, cheaper, and more powerful package add up to more than the sum of its parts? We answer all this and more in our 13-inch MacBook Pro (late 2013) review.
Click to continue reading MacBook Pro (late 2013) review
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2013 Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway: Rdio streaming music subscription
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features, Music, PC / Laptop, Portable Audio / Video, Women, Men, Techies, Teens, Under $100, Under $25, Under $250, Under $50, Under $500,
They say music is the universal language, and as music lovers ourselves, we think it's one of the best gifts that you can give, and we're putting it in our 2013 Holiday Gift Guide. Rather than grabbing an iTunes gift card, or worse, a random CD from the bargain bin, we recommend hitting your loves ones up with Rdio gift subscriptions. Why? It allows the user unlimited access to the entire Rdio music streaming catalog. That means on-demand access to millions of tracks from the web, iOS and Android smartphones and tablets, and even your Sonos system. Rdio costs $9.99 per month for full access. We love it--check out Gear Live on Rdio!
We are giving away three 3-month subscriptions to Rdio to our readers as well! To enter, all you need to do is:
- Follow Gear Live on Twitter
- Tweet the following message: "Hey @GearLive - hook me up with that free @Rdio subscription! http://gear.lv/SEjTdi" (Click here to tweet this now!)
Good luck to all entrants, and be sure to look through the rest of our 2013 Holiday Gift Guide for more giveaways!
Read More 
| Rdio
Gallery: 2013 Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway: Rdio streaming music subscription
2013 Holiday Gift Guide: Ogio Renegade
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Wearables, Features, Men, Techies, Under $250, Under $500,
Here's a backpack that's worth of being featured in our 2013 Holiday Gift Guide: the Ogio Renegade. If you're like us, packing a ridiculous amount of gadgets with you when you leave the house, the crush-proof tech vault on the Renegade should pique your interest. There are also other compartments that are meant to keep your expensive tech safe, like the paddes camera pocket, tablet pouch, and the armor-sealed laptop area. The Ogio Renegade is as comfortable as it is durable, featuring ergonomic padded straps to make it easy to carry around. They're available in two colors: black and black pindot.
You can pick up the Ogio Renegade for $116 on Amazon.
Read More | Ogio Renegade Backpack
Gallery: 2013 Holiday Gift Guide: Ogio Renegade
2013 Holiday Gift Guide: Bracketron NanoTek Stand
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Smartphones, Features, Techies, Under $100, Under $25, Under $250, Under $50, Under $500,
Our 2013 Holiday Gift Guide needs more accessories, and we found a cool one for smartphones owners in the Bracketron NanoTek Stand. It securely grips your phone and desk without messy or sticky adhesives, and is forged out of durable, aircraft grade aluminum composite with an elegant matte finish. It'll hang onto your device in both portrait and landscape orientations, and the integrated cable management system keeps your cable handy for easy charging. They're available in both silver and black.
You can pick up the NanoTek Stand for $19.99 on Amazon.
Read More | Bracketron NanoTek Stand
Gallery: 2013 Holiday Gift Guide: Bracketron NanoTek Stand
2013 Holiday Gift Guide: Aquafarm
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features, Smart Home, Family, Women, Men, Under $100, Under $250, Under $500,
We love finding quirky, cool things that are worthy of being featured in our 2013 Holiday Gift Guide, and the Aquafarm certainly fits the bill. You get a pet and some healthy food, all at the same time. You don't even have to clean up after it! Thanks to magic aquaponics, the plants use the fish waste as food, keeping the water clean. Impressive, right?
You can pick up the Aquafarm from ThinkGeek for $59.99.
Read More | Aquafarm
Gallery: 2013 Holiday Gift Guide: Aquafarm
2013 Holiday Gift Guide: Apple TV
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Features, HDTV, Home Entertainment, Family, Men, Techies, Under $100, Under $25, Under $250, Under $500,
iOS devices like the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch will be big holiday gifts this year, make no mistake about it. The Apple TV is actually a fantastic complement to Apple's handhelds, worthy of being featured in our 2013 Holiday Gift Guide. A nice little device in its own right, the Apple TV gives you access to Apple's iTunes Store entertainment content right on your television. In addition, you get Netflix, Hulu Plus, YouTube, sports networks, and plenty of other entertainment options. Connect it to your iTunes Home Share, and you can use your iOS devices as remote controls for the Apple TV. The best part, though, is AirPlay. You can beam audio and video content right to the Apple TV with ease from your iOS device, or your Mac. You can also mirror the display of these devices as well, all wireless over your home network.
You can pick up the Apple TV for $99, or $94.95 on Amazon.
Honorable Mention: Roku 2 XS Streaming Player
Read More | Apple TV
Gallery: 2013 Holiday Gift Guide: Apple TV
Thinner. Lighter. Anyone familiar with Apple keynote events knows that these two words mean a lot to the company. In essence, Apple aims to reduce the bulks of its products, stripping away any unnecessary heft while simultaneously packing in as much power as possible. It's quite a task, really. The company has backed itself into a corner where it's now expected that anything that's a newer version of a previous thing will be smaller, thinner, and lighter.
Back in 2008, Apple did this with the jaw-dropping MacBook Air. Fully a Mac, but so thin you could slid it into a manila envelope. It was hard to believe that a Mac that thin, with a full-sized keyboard and display, was possible when PC makers were all focusing on grossly underpowered netbooks with cramped keyboards.
Now, Apple has done the same with its tablet lineup. Three-and-a-half years after releasing the original and iconic iPad, Apple has now made it almost impossibly thinner and lighter with the iPad Air. Sporting a new, slim design that borrows heavily from that of the iPad mini, the iPad Air bezel has been reduced by over 40%. Thickness has been reduced as well--20% thinner than the iPad 4 at 7.5mm. Perhaps most importantly, the iPad Air sheds almost half a pound of weight when compared against the two iPads that preceded it, all while maintaining the same impressive 9.7-inch Retina display.
So, the question now is, is the new iPad Air worth your time, attention, and hard-earned cash? Read on for our full iPad Air review as we explore Apple's latest flagship tablet.
Click to continue reading iPad Air review
Gallery: iPad Air review
The history of Mac OS X pricing: How we got to free
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Features, PC / Laptop, Software,
We had a few readers email in yesterday after it was announced that OS X Mavericks would be free, a first for a major desktop operating system release. It seems a few of you are curious about how Apple got here, and what the history is as it relates to the pricing of OS X. So, here's a quick history lesson.
- 10.0 Cheetah: Released March 24, 2001 for $129
- 10.1 Puma: Released September 25, 2001 for $0
- 10.2 Jaguar: Released August 23, 2002 for $129
- 10.3 Panther: Released October 24, 2003 for $129
- 10.4 Tiger: Released April 29, 2005 for $129
- 10.5 Leopard: Released October 26, 2007 for $129
- 10.6 Snow Leopard: Released August 28, 2009 for $29
- 10.7 Lion: Released July 20, 2011 for $29
- 10.8 Mountain Lion: Released July 25, 2012 for $19
- 10.9 Mavericks: Released October 22, 2013 for $0
So, as you can see, both OS X 10.1 Puma and 10.9 Mavericks were released as free updates, however, Puma was released just six months after 10.0 Cheetah, so that would have been ridiculous if Apple has chosen to charge for it. Other than that anomaly, OS X updates remained at $129 each until Snow Leopard in 2009, which sold for $29. The last $129 version of OS X was Leopard, which saw massive delays due to Apple pulling engineers from it to work on iPhone OS 1.0 (now known as iOS.) Lion was also sold for $29, and was the first version of OS X to be available as a digital download from the Mac App Store. The following year, Mountain Lion debuted at just $19--the best bargain in OS X release history until yesterday, when Mavericks launched for free. The trend has always been that OS X updates would cost the same as the previous year, or less--never more (discounting the Puma issue, which was a huge bugfix patch.) As this point, it appears that OS X has gone the way of iOS, where all updates from here on out will be available for free, on an annual basis.
You can download OS X Mavericks, for free, right now.
