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Each week Joshua Fruhlinger contributes This is the Modem World, a column dedicated to exploring the culture of consumer technology. It's funny how things come back around. When I was growing up in the '80s, music was looking back at the '50s and ...

T-Mobile's Galaxy Note has been one of the worst-kept handset secrets in recent memory but the one thing the carrier managed to keep close to its proverbial chest is when its customers could actually go and get their hands on one. According to CNET, T-Mobile will begin selling its version of Samsung's 5.3-inch phablet on August 8, for a cool $249 with a two-year contract. Of course, whether or not you should buy one is another story entirely. Sure, there's nothing wrong with the T-Mobile version per se -- it's nearly identical to the AT&T model, save for its lack of an LTE radio and the fact that it ships loaded with Ice Cream Sandwich. What really makes things dicey is the launch window that T-Mobile and Samsung have come up with.

There's no question about it -- as fun as mobile gaming can be, sometimes furiously pecking at a touchscreen just doesn't cut it. For those of you who long for the halcyon days of gripping hard, uncomfortable controllers while a conceptually-simple game runs on your television, the GameDock may be just what the doctor ordered.

The Kuratas Mecha robot is an art/aspirational nerd project by Suidobashi Heavy Industry. This full-sized Mech robot features a ride-in cockpit, "rocket" launchers, and a "smile controlled" BB Gatling gun. That's right: when you smile, this thing unleashes thousands of tiny plastic BBs. Unveiled at Wonder Fest 2012 in Tokyo, you can control the robot with either a set of master-slave joysticks or using a more fluid Kinect interface. It runs something called the V-SIDO (Bushido) OS and includes touchscreen support inside the cockpit as well as 3G wireless connectivity so you can control it via phone.

Despite early hiccups Apple's latest OS X release was downloaded more than 3 million times during its first 4 days of availability. The $20 upgrade brings a host of new features to compatible Macs including Airplay Mirroring, Game Center, system-wide sharing, and beefed-up iCloud integration, which now syncs iWork documents, notes, and reminders. While Apple doesn't speculate the reason for the huge download numbers, several factors likely led to the quick adoption rate. First, Apple priced OS X 10.8 to move. At only $20, the new operating system is a rather good bargain even if it doesn't boast a lot of new features. Apple also made upgrading to Mountain Lion rather easy, which also likely led to more users jumping onto the system.

Most people in America know Braun as the maker of some kitchen and bathroom items such as coffee makers and electric shavers. They also make clocks and watches. A new piece from the German brand recently won a Red Dot design award and is produced in collaboration with a clever watch designer from the quirky brand Ventura.

Ever since I/O and the unveiling of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, the blogosphere has been measuring Google's new Nexus 7 tablet. The verdict in almost every case is good, including our very own iPad lover's take. John and I thus found it only fitting to bring the little 7-inch tablet into the studio for Fly or Die. The tablet, with a 7-inch IPS 1280x800 display, a Tegra 3 quad-core processor, and the latest version of Android, didn't fail to impress.

Sure, the Pebble has nabbed its share of headlines and accolades lately, but that doesn't mean it's got the nascent smart watch market all sewed up. Case in point: veteran MetaWatch recently pulled back the curtains on its new Strata smart watch, and it's already picking up plenty of steam on (where else?) Kickstarter. Unlike some of the other smartwatch concepts that have been dreamed up in recent months, the Strata is the brainchild of a known quantity. MetaWatch has been tackling the problem of putting topical information on people's wrists for nearly eight years now -- the company's roots lay with the clothing and accessory mavens at Fossil, which produced a pair of fashion-conscious smart timepieces in May 2011 before the team split off and formed their own company that August.

I'm in absolute love. From the gorgeous wood cabinet to the technical capabilities, the little Vers' 1Q is simply perfect. The $120 price ($99 for Kickstarters) is just icing on the cake. It's rather refreshing to see a warm, nearly alive device in our world that's generally filled with modeled plastic and faux chrome trim. Simply put, the 1Q is a battery-powered Bluetooth speaker. A 2-inch driver provides the audio while, packed inside the walnut or bamboo casing, a 6.5W amp powers the audio provided from either Bluetooth or the 3.5mm jack. The included battery charges via microUSB and should last 10 hours on a charge. What more can you ask for from a small speaker?

We're very lucky that the creator of the Cerevellum is even alive. Evan Solida was a competitive cyclist until a major accident in 2007 left him unable to ride. After years of plastic surgery and physical therapy, he was able to get back onto his bike and now builds unique cycle designs, does contract work, and just released his first product, the Hindsight 35. This unique device is essentially a rearview monitor and race computer for cyclists. It connects to various sensors using ANT+ wireless technology and a small lens and light combo on the back of the bike gives you a full view of what's coming up behind you in brilliant color. The device also records the scene in five minute bursts and stops recording when you (or your bike) are suddenly interrupted by a collision. In short, it's a way for cyclists to find out what's behind them and, if they run into a spot of bad luck, see who's responsible.