The Gadget Panel

Protect Your Gadgets

Jeffrey Schiller — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:35:59 +0000

Originally created from material developed to protect military helicopter blades from wind, sand and the wear and tear of high-speed travel comes InvisibleSHIELD from ZAGG. This patented-pending protection is an ultra thin, ultra-tough transparent film that offers full-body protection for over 2,500 electronic devides such as: iPods, MP3 players, iPhones, smart phones, cell phones, digital cameras, watches, laptops and GPS units. The film is made to be resilient enough to withstand most sharp objects and is scratch-proof and stain-resistant. The company says it is so durable they are willing to back it up with a lifetime warranty. Now, how can you go wrong with that?
The product comes with all that is needed to install the custom made protective film on a specific model of an electronic device. www.invisibleSHIELD.com

Sangean Makes The Whole World Accessible

Jeffrey Schiller — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 03:32:36 +0000

SANGEAN‘s top of the line ATS-909 AM/FM STEREO/LW/SW World Receiver combines performance and many features in a compact and stylish package. The coverage includes all long wave, medium wave, short wave, and AM and FM frequencies.
Shortwave enthusiasts will love the ATS-909 because of its quality and the many features it provides. It is enhanced with a wide-narrow bandwidth switch and offers five tuning methods that are easy to use. It also allows 306 presets (260 shortwave, 18 AM, 18 FM, and 9 long wave plus priority). When the unit is powered, the clock will display at all times, even when tuning. It also has 42 world city times and offers 3 programmable wake times.
Other features include: battery and signal strength indicator, direct key to recall favorite station in one button, REC out and standby control output, and more.
The radio comes with a shortwave antenna, carrying pouch, ear buds, and a 6v DC adapter.
I gave this unit to an avid shortwave radio listener to test. His past experience with other brands, included bad reception in a high percentage of shortwave radios. The reception would be especially poor when a computer or other electronic device was being used in the vicinity near the radio. How disappointing…
After working with the Sangean ATS-909, he concluded the performance was rated among the best and noted the filters did a good job taking out a high percentage of interference. He went on to say he would recommend this quality product.
For those who have not experimented with Shortwave (World Receivers), there are great news stations and information accessible from all over the United States and around the world. Everyone should own one.
In our tests for quality and reliablility, we think Sangean has a winner! www.sangean.com

Picture This: Large Storage Space, Fast Speed & Reliability

Jeffrey Schiller — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 03:33:41 +0000

If you were to read my mind, you would be picturing SANHO CORPORATION’S new Hyperdrive Colorspace UDMA, the world’s fastest and most advanced photo backup device. It is now available in sizes up to 500 Gigabytes so there is no chance to run out of storage space!

The device is an LCD equipped hard drive (SATA), that fits in one’s hand, and allows the user to backup, store and view photos and videos from 14 different types of memory cards on the go, without the use of a computer or external power (battery operated). How convenient is that?

The high resolution 3.2″ color LCD screen displays JPEG and Raw images and zooms up to 100% pixel level with slideshow, histogram and EXIF support.

This versatile device can backup 2 Gigabytes in one minute with full copy verification (UDMA 40 Megabytes / second download speed). This is more than 2x faster than any competing brand. Its long lasting battery is capable of 250 Gigabytes of backups per charge.

It is also very reassuring to know the data is always safe with Real time CRC copy verification Hard Disk S.M.A.R.T. monitoring Memory card data recovery. Now that is amazing news! There is nothing worse than losing photos that can’t be replaced.

I was impressed by its ease of use and the clear instructions in the manual. The Hyperdrive Colorspace UDMA is an exceptional high-quality product recommended for serious photographers who demand large storage space, fast speed and reliability. www.hyperdrive.com

Bring Nature’s Treasures Up Close

Jeffrey Schiller — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 21:34:18 +0000

When I first got my CELESTRON VistaPix IS70 Imaging Spotter it came in a large protective carrying case. The product was larger and heavier than my DSLR. It seemed to operate like the binocular camera I did a review on over a year ago. I attribute that experience helped me figure how to use this camera without delving too deep into the owners manual.

First I want to go over some of the features to gain a better idea as to how different this $500 product is and how it can be best utilized. The VistaPix IS70 is a 3MP digital camera and a high quality spotting scope in one package. It is capable of taking still photos and video. The VistaPix IS70 features a 70mm spotting scope with 14x magnification and a 2” LCD screen to preview images. It offers a digital focus meter for quick, sharp focus; dual power for high magnification or wide field of view; and continuous video capability. And with its ability to focus up close, it can capture detail - good for getting up close with a variety of nature’s treasures both great and small.

My experience: I spent no more than about 15-20 minutes to learn how to use it. Not bad! I found the 70-210mm lens provided ample magnification (14x) and good lighting. I focused on some subjects at a distance and was able to bring them up close up and when I took the extra time to focus and adjust, the photos were clear and the lighting near perfect. To me durability is important. The camera is encased in rubber to help protect the body. It feels like a nicely built camera that will last for years.

Some of the things I would suggest to improve the overall function of the camera: The keypad located on the top of the unit needs a lot of pressure to change modes and to scroll around the menu. This takes time and energy getting used to. I also experienced a little difficulty getting the SD card out of the tight slot. I had problems positioning my fingers around the card to pull it out. A little more room in the compartment would remedy this. And lastly, I would like to see this camera in a 5+ MP model.

Overall, the VistaPix IS70 is a pretty nice camera that if the user invests the time to set up each photo and is looking for detail, but not overly large-sized prints, will find this camera can get the job done. www.celestron.com

This Time… It’s Mine

Jeffrey Schiller — Mon, 11 May 2009 20:55:38 +0000

CASIO’s Waveceptor (WVA470) series line of solar atomic watches for men are designed with a large case and stainless steel bezel and buttons and comes with a silver metal band that can be worn with either business or casual attire. This attractive timepiece also features: water resistance up to 100 m., world time, stopwatch and alarm, analog and digital dial code, calendar pre-programmed until 2099, power saving functions, and more.

Our tester was able to set-up and change settings with ease, using the owner’s manual. No more worrying about replacing dead batteries every 6 months. This is one of the best made solar atomic watches I have seen. www.mycasio.com

I’ve Got The Power!!!

Jeffrey Schiller — Mon, 11 May 2009 18:50:33 +0000

MEDIS TECHNOLOGIES introduces the eco-friendly, recyclable, replaceable Fuel Cell Power System, providing instant power for an LED flashlight and most mobile phones in an emergency (when power goes out). When the fuel cell is finished, recycle and replace with a new power pack.

The unit is easy to use and has a long shelf life of about 18 months BEFORE being activated. No need to worry about battery depletion and no pre-charging is required. Once activated, the Fuel Cell Power delivers immediate power to devices. The package includes a 14 LED flashlight, device adapter tips, a 1 watt charger, and a portable generator. www.medistechnologies.com

Clickfree Has Your Back(up)

Jeffrey Schiller — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 03:52:24 +0000

As one who experienced three hard drive failures where most of the data was lost, I learned how important it was to back up my data files. At the time, the reason I never backed up my information was because of the tedious process, so I kept putting it off… until soon, it was too late.

There is no excuse for not backing up YOUR data, music or video files. STORAGE APPLIANCE CORP. offers Clickfree Automatic Backup, designed for the non-technical persons who don’t have the knowledge or just don’t want to be spending a lot of time and effort installing software, configuring the backup, searching for content in order to back up their content. Clickfree is so simple to use - just plug in the unit with the USB cable into the computer and it will automatically find and backup over 350 file types. No software to install or setup needed.

My testing unit came with a large 160 gigabyte hard drive with ample space to handle approximately 35,000 songs, or 70,000 photos, or 160 hours of video, or 320,000 documents. (Portable backup hard drives go all the way up to 500 gigabytes).

The company also makes available a line of Clickfree Automatic Backup DVDs that combines a recordable DVD and backup software all-in-one. All is needed is to insert the DVD into the computer and it will automatically find, organize, and backup content onto the disc… it’s that easy!

The line includes Digital Office Backup, Digital Music Backup, and Digital Photo & Video Backup. The DVDs hold 4.5 gigabytes of content and work with Windows Vista, XP and 2000 operating systems. These are EXCELLENT PRODUCTS! Now go back up your date! www.clickfree.com

One Touch Video Recording

Jeffrey Schiller — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:02:08 +0000

The PINNACLE Video Transfer unit is one of the easiest ways to copy video to either an iPod, PSP, or any USB 2.0 storage device, without the use of a PC. With a press of a button, you can: record TV shows and movies; digitalize home movies, back up vacation videos; and record gaming sessions from a favorite console to mobile devices.
Just place the video at the point where you would like to start transferring and press the Record button. It is that easy to use and the compact size makes it a good choice for traveling.
The unit comes with S-video, composite video and stereo audio analog inputs. The high-quality MPEG-4 encoding can record videos up to 720×480 resolution in Best Mode. Digitalized videos can be viewed on any TV with the included cables.
The complete package includes three RCA audio/video cables, an 110v-230v power supply and a Quick Start Guide. www.pinnaclesys.com

Creating Binding Memories

Jeffrey Schiller — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 02:13:26 +0000

PELEMAN INDUSTRIES is the manufacturer of Unibind PhotoBook Creator and Unibind “Green” PhotoBook Creator, made from natural and recycled materials. Both products are complete, cost-effective hardcover book binding solutions containing a binding machine, photo layout software, and a black-linen PhotoBook.
Using this kit and some creativity, creating affordably priced baby books, wedding or graduation albums, vacation scrapbooks, and more are easy and fast to produce. With the included photo layout software (or any software of choice), one can design their own pages on any type of paper. The pages are put into the spine of the PhotoBook and then placed spine down onto the heating element. It will automatically activate and a red light will appear. When the red light turns to green, the book is in its cooling phase.
Each PhotoBook binds up to 55 pages, is durable, has a wide variety of uses, and can make a great gift. www.unibind.com/PhotoBook/index-USA.html-USA.html

A Pocketful Of Memories

Jeffrey Schiller — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 23:18:18 +0000

DIGITAL FOCI’s new line of Pocket Album OLED 1.5 Digital Keychains makes it easy to take all of my favorite photos with me. The keychains can hold over 120 digital photos with its 32 MB of internal flash memory. With new high-quality OLED technology, photos can be viewed with a high contrast of 1,000:1 in its 1.5 inch digital viewer. For those not tech saavy, OLED technology is much brighter than traditional screens and provides sharper colors and a wider viewing angle. It displays photos clearly whether in bright sunlight or in complete darkness.
The Pocket Album OLED 1.5 includes user-friendly software that will automatically convert images of various formats from a computer to the photo viewer. It automatically resizes transferred photos for optimal storage and display on the viewer.
In addition, with the software, you can easily make photo slideshows with adjustable intervals and random option.
It comes with a rechargeable Lithium-Polymer battery with a lifespan of about 5 hours. With the included AC adapter or USB cord, the unit can be easily recharged.
As a professional photographer, I take a lot of photos and this little device is a perfect size to load in my favorite photos and enjoy them wherever I go. If I choose to, I can also pre-load photos and give as a holiday or birthday gift to friends and family.
Compatible with Windows 2000/XP/Vista, and Mac 10.4 and 10.5 users. Available in Ruby Red, Carbon Fiber or Warm Grey. www.digitalfoci.com

Better To Be Safe Than Sorry

Jeffrey Schiller — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 21:37:28 +0000

How many times have you gotten stuck because of a dead battery, or had a tire go flat while driving without a gas station in sight? Has this ever happened to you at night without you having any tools or even a flashlight, leaving your life in the hands of a stranger? It is a very scary thought (especially for you women) to be out all alone and be in this type of predicament. Here’s a product that can help you help yourself, if you find yourself in one of these situations.
UNIVERSAL POWER GROUP (UPGI) makes the All-In-One unit (UPG #71732) that includes a cordless jump starter, 200W inverter, 260 PSI compressor, 12 Volt DC power sockets, and a flexible light source.
The cordless jump starter works anywhere and has automatic polarity sensng that provides safe battery connection.
The 200 Watt inverter powers 120 Volt AC appliances and has a built-in 20 Amp re-settable circuit breaker for overload protection.
The air compressor comes with a flexible cloth covered hose that can inflate a flat tire within 4-8 minutes. It also sports an automatic cutoff and restart switch to guard against over-heating. The pressure gauage is easy to read.
The built-in automatic internal battery charger comes with heavy duty clamps with copper jaws that provide a solid connection.
A detachable LED flexible light plugs into either of the two 12 Volt DC sockets for light anywhere.
There is more to like about this product. It comes with a durable high impact casing and is practically maintenance-free.
One just never knows when a product such as this will be needed, but if and when that time comes, you will be glad you own it. (866) 892-1122; www.upgi.com

Wherever I go…VIDEGOs

Jeffrey Schiller — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 22:23:52 +0000

SUPER TALENT offers a line of VIDEGO28 Personal Digital Media Players loaded with many features and best of all, it is easy-to-use. Each player supports MP3/WMA music playback, MPEG-4 (AVI) and JPEG format (photos) and includes FM stereo and voice/FM recording with various repeat modes and equalizer settings. The VIDEGO28 tested is USB 2.0 compliant, comes with 4 GB of internal memory (also supports external mini SD cards for extra memory) and a large 2.8″ TFT LCD color touch screen.

These quality players make great gifts for any occasion! www.supertalent.com

Sometimes I Feel Like Sombody’s Watching Me

Jeffrey Schiller — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 21:57:07 +0000

P3 INTERNATIONAL’S (P7030) Camera Detector is a small device, the size of a cigarette lighter, that can be carried anywhere to expose hidden wireless cameras. It contains an advanced security tuner to scan various distances and multiple channels and can detect frequencies from 50 MHz to 3 GHz. When a wireless camera is detected, a LED green light will flash and an audible alarm will be heard.

It is best to be as close to the area being scanned as possible for best results. It cannot detect the presence of CCTV cameras or microphones.

Now you don’t have to feel like someone is watching you…Little device, big piece of mind. www.p3international.com

How Hot Is This?

Jeffrey Schiller — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 21:21:43 +0000

Q3 INNOVATIONS makes available a series of handheld gun style ThermoHAWK Pro non-contact infrared thermometers. The thermometers quickly and accurately measure an object’s surface temperature. Just point the unit within an 8:1 distance ratio from the measuring point and press the “test” button and hold. (The red laser light seen is used for aiming only.) The readout will be displayed on the digital screen. It will measure the temperature in as little as half a second.

Available in two models: Pro 630 and Pro 632. The Pro 632 model was tested and can measure temperatures from -4 degrees F to 930 degrees F.

The device is very useful and ideal to test surface areas in just about any place. www.Q3i.com

Better, Stronger and Faster

Jeffrey Schiller — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 04:38:34 +0000

NORTH AMERICAN BATTERY COMPANY offers a really nice package that contains 4 of their new AA Ultralast Innovations Hybrio Batteries along with a charger, USB Cable, DC car power adapter, and adapters to power Motorola and Nokia phones.

You may be asking why is this such an exciting product - to write about a rechargeable battery kit. Well, these batteries not only can be used right out of the box (they come fully charged), but they discharge very slowly maintaining more power for increasing energy needs. With everyday use, the batteries hold 85% of its charge after the first year and can be recharged up to 1000 times.

The product contains three different charging options to fit your needs: The quick 30 minute charge, 90 minute charge with LCD display, and the energy station charger that turns into a power source and can power cell phones, MP3 players and more through stored energy in the batteries.

This is an excellent product with many uses that was designed to power new modern devices. www.nabcorp.com

SiliconDust Hits An HD HomeRun

Jeffrey Schiller — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:02:03 +0000

At midnight on February 17, 2009 many television stations will be switching from analog to digital broadcasting. With HD HomeRun, manufactured by SILICONDUST, it turns any computer into an entertainment center. Watch, pause and record digital and HDTV with the included multiple tuners, from any computer on your network. Other features allow the user to watch and record live TV simultaneously or watch two channels at the same time. Record hours of TV shows on an internal or external hard drive or burn it to a CD/DVD. Commercials and other unwanted content can be edited out. Compatible with Windows, Macintosh and Linux operating systems.

HD HomeRun has won design and engineering awards when it was showcased at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). This innovative product is worth checking out! www.silicondust.com

Can Your Mouse Do This?

Jeffrey Schiller — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 04:38:41 +0000

When I first heard that Belkin came out with its Washable Mouse I was intrigued. I had to see the demonstration for myself. After I witnessed the mouse being submerged in water, cleaned and yet still operational, I knew this was a must have product!

It is powered by a USB cable, features optical technology 1200 dpi, and comfortably works on a variety of household surfaces. Compatible with Windows 2000, XP and Vista as well as Oac OS X v10.4

I like the comfortable feel of the mouse and the versatility of being able to scroll vertically and horizontally with an easy touch. I also like having a nice clean mouse. www.belkin.com

Feeling Safe & Secure

Jeffrey Schiller — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 04:08:14 +0000

I am feeling safe and secure. Why shouldn’t I be? I am carrying my data in two of the most safest data storage drives on the market; manufactured by ATP ELECTRONICS.
ToughDrive is an extremely rugged and high performance USB 2.0 flash drive. It is made with a synthetic polymer outer housing where all the inside components are completely encapsulated, designed to withstand water, shock and dust. Its high speed capabilities can transer data at a fast 30 megabytes per second and allows for password protection of private data. ToughDrive is available in sizes of up to 8 gigabytes.
EARTHDRIVE was more than 15 years in the making. It is the first “bio-recyclable” high speed USB 2.0 flash drive on the market that is environmental friendly, while also being a dependable storage product. It has a compact design and is one of the most versatile. All components, like ToughDrive, are completely encapsulated protecting it from water, shock and dust, and has a built in security software that allows for password protection of private data. EarthDrive is available in sizes up to 8 gigabytes.
Both flash drives are solid, dependable and deliver fast performance. So, if you are looking for a high quality flash drive, ATP has you covered.

You Got Drive?

Jeffrey Schiller — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:43:02 +0000

ATP is a maker of high performance flash memory products. They outdid themselves by introducing an 8GB SD High Capacity (SDHC) 150X Professional Series memory card. For those of you just getting into digital photography or video recording that don’t understand the differences between memory cards, one needs to look at the transfer speed. When working with large files and time is very important, higher speeds are essential. The transfer speed on this SD (secure digital) card is up to a fast 22.5MB per second. Another great feature is that the memory cards are waterproof & shockproof and can stand up to the heat.
A digital photography student of mine tested this and was amazed by the speed of which her files transferred from her DSLR camera to the card.

For those of you with a camera that takes CompactFlash, ATP also offers its Pro Max II Professional Series 300x card with a speed of up to 45MB per second. This card is optomized for high speed UDMA cameras and devices. The Pro Max II is not only one of the fastest cards I have seen on the consumer market, but also has the great benefit of being waterproof, shockproof and can stand up to extreme temperatures. Available in different size capacities.
These are excellent products!

Unique Gift Idea for Her

Jared Tracy — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:05:08 +0000

Here is a great unique gift idea for her. Pearls are a great gift idea for any woman, but the Precious Pearl is one of the coolest gifts I’ve come across in a long time. Apparently, this has been around for years, but the first time I heard about it was not too long ago. A friend of mine told me about it, and I couldn’t believe it. I don’t know exactly how they figure out that the pearl is inside the oyster, but every one I opened had a very nice, beautiful pearl inside.

Every pearl in the world is completely unique. From what I’ve been able to tell, there are no Dolly pearls. In many ways, they are much like our fingerprints. The Precious Pearl comes in a box, black or silver. I personally like the black gift box. My friend over at Busted Daily likes the silver gift box.

Precious Pearl in a Black or Silver Box

You open up the box and pull out a can that has an oyster inside of it. There is also a nice silver charm necklace included in the package. You open up the can and pull the oyster out. The oyster doesn’t stink. In fact, the water smells like alcohol (The even include a warning label to tell you not to eat the oyster :-P).

Once you’ve got the oyster out, you’ll need to hunt for the little wedge they include in the package. Unfortunately, they made it out of clear plastic, so you might have some trouble finding the thing. Pry open the oyster and you’ll see the pearl inside. You might need to dig around in the mollusk to find it, but it is definitely in there.

Pearls are really beautiful gemstones. I remember picking up a pearl ring for my girlfriend when we took a vacation to Hawaii. The pearl I found inside this oyster is even more beautiful than what was on her ring. The Precious Pearl is definitely a unique gift that she’s going to love. And at 30 bucks, it’s a gift you can afford during this crappy economy.

You Look Mahvelous!

Jeffrey Schiller — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 14:14:43 +0000

Here’s a new product from Remington that can create a cleaner more confident look. The Remington Beard Groomer (MB-300) contains both a beard and mustache groomer with a pop-up detail trimmer to touch up hard to reach areas for precision trimming. There are nine built-in combs controlled by a wheel to select the perfect hair length desired. The unit is ergonically designed for a comfortable hold and the blades never need oiling. Another great feature is the cord/cordless design for home use or on the go.
My associate has tried other trimming products on the market and found the blades to wear out rather quickly. Not so with Remington’s titanium blades. They are strong, durable and long lasting. The Remington Beard Groomer (MB-300) was found to be a quality machine that performs well to trim, detail, maintain sideburns or to stylize. The user was very satisfied with the results! With Remington, it’s easy to look Mahvelous.

Oh What A Feeling

Jeffrey Schiller — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 06:46:07 +0000

What a nice feeling to have a clean soft face free of any short stubbly whiskers. I know over the years I have tried many kinds of shavers, but many of them didn’t give me a close shave and in addition left my skin feeling irritated. Remington has come out with a new technology that has really made a difference for me.
Remington Code (XT-100) is a new foil shaver and trimmer that can easily handle multiple day growth. Its adjustable comfort guard shields the skin while shaving. it comes with an LED panel that glows during shaving and charging. It has a 30 minute runtime with a low battery indicator. The battery takes 16 hours to charge.
If I haven’t shaved in a day or two I like to use this unit for its excellent trimming qualities.
The Remington CleanXchange (HGX-1) is the world’s only electric foil shaver with a disposable head. When the cartridge gets full, eject the shaving head and replace it. Every time the cartridge is replaced, it is like getting a new shaver.
The unit contains hygienic nanosilver coated foils scientifically proven to reduce redness and irritation. Silver prohibits the growth of micro-organisms.
The CleanXchange has has two ulta-thin foils, a pop-up trimmer, a 60 minute runtime and located on the side is a low battery and charging indicator. The battery charges in one hour. The unit comes with a 2 year guarantee.
The adjustable beard thickness proves useful. This is a great shaver to use every day. It gives a very close shave and leaves the face feeling soft and clean without the redness or irritation. Corded and cord free use. www.remington-products.com

These Are Not Your Ordinary Radios

Jeffrey Schiller — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 01:18:51 +0000

Whether on a camping trip or just relaxing at home, it is a necessity to have a reliable radio.
Eton makes available a full line of radios for just about every need. I had the opportunity to test two of their units.
The Grundig S350DL is a high-performance field radio. It is packaged in a durable body sporting military-style analog tuner controls, a digital display, and large speakers with rotary volume, bass and treble controls.
This model offers AM (530-1710 KHZ), FM (88-108 MHZ), 13 international bands of Shortwave (SW), a built-in antenna with an additional input available for an external AM/FM/SW antenna. The unit operates on an AC adapter (included) or 4 D or AA batteries (not included). It also features a clock, alarm, and sleep timer.

Eton just introduced its Grundig G4 World Recorder AM/FM/Shortwave With MP3 and SD Player. This is a versatile portable radio that features LW, AM, FM and Shortwave (3000-29999 KHZ) and digital tuning and display with 1000 programmable memory presets capability. The digital tuning methods include: auto-scan, manual-scan, direct key-in and manual tuning. On the side of the unit one can use the sensitivity switch for better sound.
What I really like about the G4 is its compact size and the addition of the SD player / recorder feature that one can record from the radio or microphone onto its built-in flash memory or external SD/MMC card. With the alarm you can wake up to an alarm, your favorite radio station or music from your SD/MMC card . The unit supports MP3/WMA decoder / MPEG 1/2/2.5. Another great feature is the display light located on the upper part of the screen making the digital display easier to read in low light situations.
The G4 is powered by an AC adapter (included) or 3 AA batteries. www.etoncorp.com

Quality Audio, Less Noise, & Peace of Mind

Jeffrey Schiller — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 18:51:13 +0000

The Audio-Technica QuietPoint ATH-ANC7 Noise Cancelling headphones feature a miniature microphone in each earpiece that listens for ambient noise and creates a signal to reduce up to 85% of it while offering superior audio quality. Ideal to use during a long flight, to avoid distractions in a noisy office, or to find peace and quiet in your living room. These headphones can also be used with MP3, CD, DVD, and in-flight entertainment systems. The 40mm drivers with neodymium magnets produce deeper bass, extended treble and higher fidelity.
A single AAA (included) powers the active noise cancelling technology. The headphones can also function passively without the battery.
Other features include lightweight design, adjustable headband, and swiveling earcups. The unit comes equipped with a detachable cable with 1/8″ mini plug, 1/4″ adapter, airline adapter and a durable carrying case.
A quality product with great sound and excellent noise cancelling abilities. www.audio-technica.com

Digitally Archive And Store VHS Tapes & More

Jeffrey Schiller — Tue, 20 May 2008 21:02:41 +0000

I had read many claims about a device manufactured by Neuros Technology. Could a little plastic unit called Neuros OSD digitally store and provide easy access to ones DVDs, VHS tapes, home movies and TV shows? And could the process be completed without the use of a PC? The answer to both these questions is a big YES. This is an impressive little device that exceeded all my expectations. Now, there is a learning curve to working with this unit that may take a little bit of figuring out. However, it is very comforting to know they do offer a toll-free technical support line. I found them to be very helpful and they can and do walk you through the full set-up and operation.
The Neuros OSD connects between the TV or home theatre system and DVD player, VCR, Camcorder, etc.. Using the included remote control the menus are easily accessed and within a minute or two the unit is ready to play or record. The Neuros OSD has a USB port that allows the user to read/write to and from many different USB devices, including external hard drives, video iPod, PSP, portable media players, mobile phones, flash/thumb drives, etc. Storage devices are not included. This is a good thing so one can choose which storage device works best for them.
One of the most important features of the OSD is the ability to record from virtually any video source into variations of the popular MPEG-4 format and with its small lightweight design it can be taken anywhere. The videos transferred were very high quality. A great way to share home videos with friends and family. A recommended excellent product!

Digital Music To My Ears

Jeffrey Schiller — Mon, 19 May 2008 03:20:50 +0000

I have written about a few different units that convert records and cassettes to digital format and they all are excellent products and work great. Here is another excellent product that proves to be very useful. A student of mine came across iMic from Griffin Technology and I had to get it. This $40 unit is simply amazing. It is designed for the both PC and Mac users to convert records and tapes to MP3. Griffin’s audio recording software Final Vinyl for Mac OS X is included. Recording old records and tapes through iMic is super easy, with several advanced features such as waveform-based cue editing and built-in 10-band EQ. Final Vinyl can also equalize LPs without having to connect a turntable to a pre-amp. For PC users it is recommended to use Audacity, a free, open-source audio recording and editing package.
The iMic can also connect virtually any microphone or sound device to an iBook, PowerBook, PowerMac or other Mac or PC system with a USB port to give CD-quality input and output. iMic supports both mic and line level inputs via a selectable switch, and provides a variable level output for connecting speakers or headphones.
Plug microphones and musical instruments into iMic, to make your own recordings. It is compatible with modern hardware to provide the perfect solution for almost any audio application.

Internet Marketing Genius Patrick Thona Joins the WordsCause Radio Show

Jared Tracy — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 02:54:59 +0000

Internet marketing genius is hard to come by. I’ve spent considerable time reviewing several of these supposed gold mines that promise fast money and Hawaii blogging for just $99.95. Many of them use the boilerplate template you see on ever so many websites. They’ll push you to join their email marketing circus, download their WordPress plugins, and purchase their teleseminars that do nothing for your website traffic. Yet, the promise is Internet cash riches!The reality is that many of them made their “millions” by selling their ten dollar ebook or plugin for Wordpress or teleseminar series. This is not to say that all ebooks, plugins, and teleseminars are bogus. I have dozens of each of these. Some are well worth their cost.

Cutting through the clutter of real vs. fake success this Saturday, my co-host of the Words Cause Radio Show, Dean, and I are proud to have one of the most successful online marketers around: Richard Thona. He was behind the brilliant Internet marketing for the Jewish Social Networking website JDate as well as True.com. He’ll be sharing a very fascinating story about one of his latest endeavors. There will be much to learn as this master of Internet marketing spills the beans on some of the simple, yet hidden secrets of his trade.Be sure to catch us live on BlogTalkRadio.com!

The Gadget Panel Radio Show on BlogTalkRadio.com was a great success over the last year. And we will return! With several thousands of downloads of our regular shows and more than 70,000 downloads of our show about the MTV Movie Awards, be on the lookout for more Gadget Panel Radio in May!

Hair Gone Wild?

Jeffrey Schiller — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 04:11:17 +0000

Getting a haircut can be a hassle. Afterall, have you seen the prices lately? And then there is always a chance it won’t turn out the way we think it should. My thoughts come back to the saying, if you want to do it right, do it yourself.

SPECTRUM BRANDS offers many haircutting kits to achieve great results at home.

The REMINGTON PRECISION 200 (HC-8017B) is a corded model that comes with an 18 piece kit including a left/right taper combs, 6 guide combs, blade cover, salon styled scissors, styling comb, 3 sectioning clips, neck brush, cleaning brush, storage case and instruction book. I like the fact that the motor is very quiet and that the blades never need oiling. I have had good results with this unit and with the durable hard shell case it comes with, it should last for many years.

I also tried the REMINGTON NO-MESS HKVAC-2000 18 piece Haircut Kit. This unique corded model features a built-in vacuum with a hair collection compartment. No more messy haircuts with this machine. It does a pretty good job collecting hair as it cuts and empties easily. This unit comes with long lasting titanium-coated blades that do not require oiling.

I had an associate try the REMINGTON PRECISION PRO 300 (HC-921) with a 21 piece haircutting kit. He dreaded cutting his hair because of uneven cutting and inefficiency of his previous machine. This corded unit did such a great job that he actually enjoyed giving himself a haircut. It came out even and just the way he wanted.
The precision-ground titanium blades provide a smoother cut with less pulling. It has an ergonomic design for easy handling. The motor produces 3600 cuts per minute with reduced noise and vibration. The extra long 10 foot cord makes it easy to use. (800) 736-4648; www.spectrumbrands.com

PORTABLE SOLAR MEDIA PLAYER

Jeffrey Schiller — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 21:20:59 +0000

MEDIA STREET launches its eMotion Portable Media Player, with a 3.5″ TFT screen and powered by solar energy or with an AC adapter that charges the built-in rechargeable Li-Ion battery.
It comes with a 1 gigabyte of internal memory (a maximum of 2 gigabyte with a SD card slot expansion) that can transfer music, photos and games on and off the player. Not only can it charge itself, but can also charge most portable devices.
The game simulator supports FC/GB/GBC/MD 8/16 bit and is compatible with NES/GB/GBC/ Sega game ROM.
The audio supports the following formats: MP1, MP2, MP3, WMA, WAV, ADPCM and AMR.
The photo viewer recognizes JPEG, BMP and GIF.
Its video player player supports AVI files.
The record/repeat feature allows the use of the microphone and saves the recording. This is great for podcasting.
The device has a user-friendly menu with animated instructions. (888) 633-4295, www.mediastreet.com

Fanbox is SPAM

Jared Tracy — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 17:24:18 +0000

Have you been receiving emails from “people I know” that “have questions”, “want to share a picture”, etc? The links lead to a very elaborate phishing website: fanbox.com, which uses AJAX to make things look like a Windows desktop. It looks like a high-end web 2.0 application.

Make no mistake about it, Fanbox is SPAM. They will phish your password and SPAM your friends. There are a few bloggers out there helping to spread the word. Please do the same.

Spamhuntress

Steve Riley

Spread the word to your friends on Myspace, Facebook, Hi5, where ever you network. Let’s get Fanbox to have to change their name again. They used to be sms.ac, until they got ferreted out.