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Archive for the ‘Product Reviews’ Category

The sales of digital photo frames are incredibly hot right now, but I’ve always wondered what to do with them when the novelty wears off. Maybe it’s a guy thing, but I don’t see myself updating that thing every week with new pictures. I know, the photos would be old anyway (in a traditional frame) and they are a great way to show off pictures without printing them, but I was doubtful. Then the fine people at FrameChannel sent me their free web application that allows users to program customized photo and RSS feeds to any Wi-Fi enabled digital photo frame. I can suddenly see a whole new use for these gadgets. As soon as my favorite content is announced, I see it on the frame, and I can easily send some pics from last week’s trip to the zoo if I want. My short attention span is getting excited.

I tested the Samsung SPF-83H 8-Inch Wireless Frame as well and is  compatible with this service.

Remember those old Sprint commercials? When I’m asked for my number one travel tip, I always say, “Great noise cancelling headphones!” Whether it’s to block out the noise of flying (I’m sure someone has proven that blocking out loud noise for four plus hours helps you feel less wrung out) or to clearly hear whatever’s on your iPod, or even to just block out the ambient noise to better concentrate, noise cancelling headphones are something you won’t do without once you try a good quality pair. My favorite brand lately is Able Planet, I think their Linx Audio technology does a better job than anything else I’ve tried. The True Fidelity headphones are a great model, and will even prevent hearing loss from turning up the volume in an attempt to make the sound more understandable.

Last is one of the best backup tools I know of – NTI Shadow . Shadow is a continuous backup, in that it backs up what you’re doing right now, all the time, so you don’t have to remember to schedule a backup later. Every time you save a file, Shadow creates a second copy. You can specify where to backup, and I use this frequently with a USB drive. Shadow is smart enough to only try to backup when there’s actually a drive in the computer, and I haven’t seen a big enough drain on system resources to find a reason to discontinue using it – especially for high-risk or special backup situations.

Cyberlink DVD Suite 6 Ultra is a fantastic group of 10 pieces of individual software, all centered around getting the most from your DVDs. Edit HD home videos or watch both HD and Blu-ray DVDs, get the best playback quality and more. Back up tools, photo tools, rip tools and design tools, all for any format imaginable. Must have gift for the movie lover.

VMware Fusion makes your conversion from the PC to the Mac flawless. Designed for users who have mission-critical PC-only software, Fusion allows PC and Mac software to run side-by-side on your shiny new Mac. Fusion is also designed for non-technical users, so it’s easy to use, and their Converter even sets up your Windows PC to run as a virtual machine on your Mac. The only thing between you and a beautiful new MacBook Pro is the trip to your nearest Apple store

Stay Safe From Q3, a self-described personal safety and monitoring devices company, come three handy gadgets all meant to keep you safe. And, out of trouble. First, the AlcoHAWK PT500 is a personal digital breath alcohol screener. I have to say that if you have to wonder what your blood alcohol is, there is no doubt you shouldn’t be driving, but I know there are some people you just have to convince. And, I’m dying to see how friends and family perform on a standardized drinking test. While safely in the backyard, of course.

Next, the RadarHAWK Speed Trap Tracker and the RadarHAWK Traveller II help keep your speed safe, no matter how you typically drive.

The STT model can spot speed traps up to two miles away, and I found the chirping to be a good way for me to check my speed, and it’s made me a lot more conscious of watching my speed around town especially, when you tend to just match traffic flow. Oh, and it’s one button on and off makes it  a breeze to use for the non-tech savvy.

The Traveller II talks to you in both English and Spanish, which pretty much speaks for itself.

So, I was chomping at the bit this year at CES to check out the much-heralded flash drives. Corsair sent me their FlashSurvivor 32GB to test, and I was like my kid at Christmas. While admittedly pricey, this baby can hold pretty much whatever you want to throw on it. The Corsair drives are also bootable, so you can store full versions of operating systems (worst offenders starting with “V” shall go unnamed) or otherwise use it to diagnose problems. The FlashSurvivor is also a true survivor, with some reviewers reporting that they washed, baked, froze, boiled and even drove over their drives. Me? I love mine too much.