Mothers Day - We Called It

Gadgets Archives

Insignia® - Digital Camcorder NS-DCC5SR09
December 20, 2008 | | TrackBacks

Insignia are at it again.. a lean and mean product.. You can almost immediately that this lil gadget is dedicated to doing one thing very well.. capturing quick video. Now that we've got YouTube and other sites where people do nothing but upload quick videos capturing the smaller/impromptu things in life that cant be bothered with a full heavy-duty traditional camcorder.. this allows one to simply pull it out of their backpack / purse.. capture the event / subject.. and go on with their day.

I will admit - the camcorder came with bare minimal documentation - and what it did have was very general in nature - which i was perfectly fine with. It comes with the following: 2 AA alkaline batteries (YES!), USB cable, A/V cable, earphone, wrist strap and a pretty nice black carrying pouch.

I played with it for a good full day - taking videos / pics / just audio recordings and transferred them over to my machine without any problems and the videos showed up perfectly. No need to convert or anything like that - so standard codecs seem to be used which makes life so much simpler. I also tested the videos on YouTube and they showed up perfect. Now granted this is a standard-definition and therefore does not capture anything in perfect high-def quality - this is a fun cam and in a well-lit environment can do the job very well.

It is cool to know that it does accomodate for a SD card and has 64MB internal memory - which is more then enough for a couple of days worth of picture snapping and recording... just remember for around $60 this is a quick and simple camcorder. If you want something light and simple to use - seriously consider this device. Perfect gift for the budding YouTube fan and we all know one.

V_BOT by The Learning Curve
December 11, 2007 | | TrackBacks

Now why couldn't I be a kid in this day and age?! Not only do I have before me a 15" tall and decently weighty transformer robot (reg $129) but this guy has the ability to truly transform into a fully functioning remote-controlled vehicle that even comes with an MP3 adapter to hook up and blast tunes off your mp3 player.

I really do like how with a push of a button on the remote control, the bot transforms very nicely into a nice decked out SUV looking vehicle. The bot in car mode actually has the ability to take off! Definitely able to give your small pet dog a good chasing around the house. Granted the turning radius isn't that great but for the size/functionality and attractive stylings of the product I can easily over look something as small as that.

Johnny (yes I gave it a name) has the ability to perform 100+ action moves.. they range from a nice karate chop type action to being able to dance while playing your mp3 tunes through it!. Its funny how with certain products you can just expect consumers to personalize them in some way.. I definitely think that this is one of those type of products. You'll probably start seeing lots of YouTube videos showing off how their V_Bot can rock out to certain popular tunes.

Make sure you are well equipped with rechargeable batteries and of course a battery charger. This big guy is going to keep everyone occupied and drooling over the million functions it can perform.

Important Note: Show V_Bot to anyone and they will want one! This has extreme appeal on multiple levels so be prepared to handle their demands.

Philips Digital Photo Frame - 9FF2CME / 37
May 1, 2007 | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks

I work in a very large company where too often I keep getting moved whenever I get re-org'ed/promoted/whatever else that may cause me to move my office to a new location. With each of the moves, more and more of my belongings have stayed in boxes unpacked, along with pictures of family which have now become extremely outdated.I also tend to friendly inquire, whenever I visit anyone's office where they have family pictures up, as to whom is in those pictures and get an appreciation for everyone's unique backgrounds and proud moments. Unfortunately it seems too often that these pictures are usually at least 2-3 years old, and one person had some going as far back as 7 years only because they just gave up on the 'updating the pictures' game.

Philips Photo Frame comes to the rescue! Now you can have a single digital frame which contains all your updated pictures amongst your older pictures to make you feel like you're on top of the picture game. Everyone's purchased digital cameras so why are you resorting to using traditional photos for showing off your proud moments/loved ones? Copy those digial pictures directly to the Philips Photo Frame by connecting it to your computer via a USB cable (has an internal memory capable of storing 110-150 pictures) or simply plug in a memory stick (Compact Flash-CF, Sony Memory Stick, Secure Digital-SD and xD card compatible).

The Philips Photo Frame is just amazing on so many levels. The classy silver frame, and the fact that it has a 9" viewable screen (pictures can be clearly seen across your office during the day) with great resolution is a smash hit. The menu is extremely simple to use, it only has 3 buttons and one joystick type dial located on the back to give you all the control you need. I really liked the fact that you could also program it to turn off and on at certain times during the weekday/weekend; therefore, you dont have to worry about turning it on/off as you carry about doing your work.
If I were to find a con, it would have to be that I would have to determine how to position the frame (portait or landscape setting) so that the pictures are utilizing the viewable area to the fullest extent. I just realized thats not really a shortcoming of the product but of perhaps how I've taken pictures in the past, so scratch that and I just need to learn to take better pictures.

The digital frame has a bunch of great functionality (dynamic collage creations/randomizing pictures) and ability to auto-sense how its setup to display pictures in portait or landscape mode. I thoroughly recommend the Philips Photo Frame, it might be a tad expensive ($200) but take a look at the competition and you'll realize its worth it.

Insignia 4gb Video MP3 Player
March 26, 2007 | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks

This is an amazing device! I've got a regular iPOD and was fully prepared to expect the same limitations.. unfortunately iPODs having become the norm when it comes to this genre. I went ahead and installed the software (Audible Manager - Sync; Arcsoft MediaConverter 2 - convertor; Music Store - purchase music online through Bestbuy.com ) and had no issues. I gave the device a good 3 hour charge (using the provided USB cable) and turned it on. The 2.2 inch display is bright! There are only 2 buttons besides the regular ipod-like jog dial wheel, and apparently thats good enough to navigate around on it. I was immediately surprised to realize the Radio FM, Video playing and recording features this player provides. I know its written on the box so I shouldnt have been surprised but still.. having been numbed by my iPOD I wasnt expecting much expect to play mp3s. Luckily the device comes pre-loaded with a couple of videos so I was able to quickly realize how great of an experience the screen provides for playing videos. Oh.. I forgot to mention something.. it does bluetooth! I grabbed my bluetooth headset I use for my cellphone and managed to pair the devices together and sure enough.. i can now wander around and leave the insignia player alone and no wires! The device on full charge lasts approx 20 hours, and thats with bluetooth turned off.. The menu system is tricky at first but its a simple set of menus so you cant go wrong. Oh and just to let you know.. I went ahead and plugged it into my computer and decided to launch up Windows MediaPlayer (as opposed to the provided Audible Manager) and it recognized the player and started synching per my command! I really am enjoying the Insignia Video MP3 player and for its price ($100-regular/$150-bluetooth). I should also make note that the player does allow for micro-SD card expansion.. so you're not limited to 4GB if you have tons of images/video/mp3s to entertain yourself with.

Giottos Rocket Blower
March 1, 2007 | | TrackBacks

Unwrapping the product, had my little girl thinking she got herself another toy.. I felt bad to tell her that it actually was something for me. As depicted, it's a rocket looking air blower.. can be used for a million purposes.. mostly for blowing dust off of whatever you want. My Nikon D70s over the year has delivered pictures with barely visible dust particles.. which was the reason for this purchase.. I want em rare dust specks gone!. I'm still not sure about the wet-cleaning solution, so I purchased this device as an alternative [and actually recommended according to the Nikon manual]. I was told that I could have just purchased a generic blower that would do just as well, but cmon!. Sensor dust is an issue when it comes to D-SLRs and especially when you want to use the smaller aperatures or capture smooth landscapes (e.g. sky). It's capable of delivering a decent level of pressure, and ultimately saves you from having to touch your sensor in any direct manner. Well designed, can be stood up so that no dust can set on the end of the nozzle, and the nozzle is a good 2.5" long spout allowing for it to clean the internals very nicely. It comes in 3 versions, get the big one and you'll be set ($15). Dont even think about creating your own 'cleaner' or dare using compressed air.

Apple iPOD Shuffle
February 20, 2007 | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks

Another iPOD review? Well yes I guess so. Following the lead of our dear Amy, I ran right out to buy an ipod. Now I don’t typically listen to a lot of music outside of my car, but with this new running activity, I needed something to drown the sound of my feet pounding the pavement and me gasping for air. Since I didn’t need anything real fancy, I picked up the iPOD shuffle ($79.99 at Bestbuy). And while everything Amy says about the iPod Nano can be said for the shuffle, the product just doesn’t match the price. It is super easy to load music, the 1 GIG of space allows for 240 songs, and the iTunes application is user friendly. But for $80 I guess I expected more, especially with all the other mp3 players out there providing so much more for less. The most impressive quality of the shuffle for me is how small it is, about the size of two quarters side by side. I won’t say stay away from it, but don’t pay retail.

Motorola SLVR L7
February 16, 2007 | | Comments (2) | TrackBacks

So the New Year has brought me several new electronics including Motorola's SLVR L7. I've been eyeing this little cell phone for quite some time. I like the very popular RAZR but I'm not a big flip phone fan so the SLVR seemed like the perfect solution. The SLVR gives me all the options that my other, very basic Nokia never could--MP3 ringtones, camera, video camera, iTunes, color screen, bluetooth capability. The list goes on and there's just no comparison really. The phone is a bit heavier than I thought and I've had to get used to the wider and thinner shape of phone when handling it. Not a complaint, just an observation. My only real complaint is that I can't use the songs from my iTunes library as a ringtone. Outside of that, I'm happy as a lark with my new SLVR!

Belkin Flip
February 15, 2007 | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks

It's a KVM switch that allows users to share a monitor, keyboard, mouse, audio and one USB device between two computers easily. It also features a small remote that can switch between two computers, pretty standard stuff and it looks like the designers were thinking iPOD like when they built this thing. My old belkin (late '90s purchase) sucks.. the second machine shows up with ghosting issues.. so I'm not sure why I purchased another Belkin product... maybe cause it was only $40. I like the fact that you can share speakers between the two machines and for the extreme KVM'ers you can get a wireless remote so that you can setup a nice fully automated data-center.

Sportsline Fitness Pro Pedometer Model 360
February 14, 2007 | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks

More exercise stuff? Who have I become? Anyway, the Fitness Pro 360 pedometer by Sportsline ($39.99 at Dick’s Sporting Goods) is another item I THOUGHT I needed. The 360 does have some good qualities, it keeps up with time, can work as a watch, counts steps fairly well, tracks mileage, and gives an estimated calories burned. It works well when walking, not so much when running. With a walk mode and run mode, which requires you to switch modes for accuracy, it’s more annoying than helpful while running. I have yet to get close to the same distance numbers when traveling the exact route while running, which either means I’m not wearing it correctly or it’s not picking up all my steps. And since the distance seems to be accurate while walking, I am going to go with the later. Mainly when running I use it for keeping time rather than distance which is the exact opposite of what I really wanted. However, since it does have a walk mode and it works well with that setting, I can’t give it a bad rating. So therefore, I’ll bite my tongue and say it’s a fair buy, but I’ll keep my eye out for something better.

RCA Navilight8
February 12, 2007 | | TrackBacks

Alright, Im kinda ticked off by this remote, but its not the remote's fault.. heres the issue.. having the Tivo box now part of our home theatre experience, we've now got 6 remotes on our coffee table. RCA Navilight8 was recommended to me because it does DVR (i.e. Tivo).. the ONLY thing that this remote doesnt do is the cable box menu guide option.. which is THE MOST popular function to use! I can use the menu guide which comes with Tivo but its just not as cool... so this means that I still need to have two remotes. I gotta say though that this RCA remote was extremely easy to configure for my other devices.. it's got a cool feature where the buttons light up, so no more squinting at night.. and again.. the ability to configure a device for it to operate was extremely simple. We've now reduced the total number of remotes down to 2! *cue the Aerosmith song* 'It's Amazing' ...but the only thing it doesnt do is the Guide option on my Pioneer Digital Cable box.. Im gonna call TimeWarner and see if I can get that box updated.

iPod nano
January 26, 2007 | | TrackBacks

I love my iPod nano! I could just quit there and recommend everyone should have one (and yes, I am probably the last one to have one) but I can say a few more things. I sort of wish I had the video iPod. However I find that for one, I like the smaller size of the nano and two, I am usually doing something else while listening to the iPod which would not allow me to actually watch the video even if I had the ability. And even though I only have the 1GB, I find I have plenty of room for the music I currently want to listen to as well as several podcasts and then some leftover. I'm also happy with the fact that this does play podcasts as well as store pictures. Loading the podcasts and music from iTunes is about as easy as plugging in a USB cord and you can find just about any accessory you want seeing how popular they are.

Lightsphere 2 - Cloud
January 25, 2007 | | TrackBacks

So in one of my previous posts,I announced my new sb-800 flash device and how I was going to spend my time harnessing the power of flash and use it for good and not evil.. I got this Lightsphere II - Cloud, and think its helped me get closer to my goal.. It's very simple in concept, and looks like a piece of tupperware. Its a plastic diffuser which softens up the flash, by diffusing it all around and directly at the target by the inverted dome which is placed on top of the diffuser cone. I hope that doesnt sound complicated cause it really isn't and anyone could've made this thing in their sparetime and become a millionaire like its inventor (Gary Fong) has... but if you take a look at his blog you'll quickly realize how he runs with innovation and brilliance..

Tivo Series 2
January 24, 2007 | | Comments (2) | TrackBacks

Cons: I dont like how you've got to rig up a co-axial splitter to route another feed to your Tivo so that while Tivo is recording a show on one channnel, you can then surf and watch other channels and not be stuck to watching the one show you are recording.. makes sense.. but thats just lousy. Pros: It is amazing to pause TV, rewind to make sure you heard what that actor stuttered and continue on and not have to lose track by trying to ask others or figure it out yourself. Im ok with the $15/month subscription, only because they allow you to integrate it with your home network and upload/download movies and share them with othere devices. It allows you to download vlogs/podcosts off the internet on to your tivo to watch on yer telly! Rocketboom! yay!. I also find it cool to log onto Tivo Online from anywhere (i.e work) and schedule your Tivo to record something you forgot. Oh, and now I've got 5 remotes.. I need to get a decent Universal Remote.. suggestions anyone?

Nikon Sb-800
January 22, 2007 | | TrackBacks

My portrait shots have been suffering due to my non-flash preferences.. unfortunately that means I have to have the sessions done during the day or in a venue which has a LOT of lighting.. else its blurred or simply dull results. Im great at Photoshop but I prefer to get the bulk of my work done by shooting and not photoshopping. The sb-800 is the current top of the line professional version, with the sb-600 being the consumer friendly edition. It can definitely throw out a lot of power in terms of lighting, and therefore I have a lot to learn in terms of bouncing and diffusing the flash so that hard-shadows are not evident. So now my goal is to make my pictures look like they dont have profanely flash evident appearance to my shots. I know lots of others like non-flash photograpy, but I got to say that shooting at iso 1600 and working pictures with blurred / soft chracteristics is painful to constantly deal with.

DFX Professional Wireless Mic
November 28, 2006 | | TrackBacks

Im usually running around doing a couple of things at the same time.. and Im not quite ready to expose why Im needing a set of wireless microphones. My Canon camcorder doesnt have a great built-in mic nor the ability to accept a microphone input... for pro-sumer purposes I required the ability to clearly capture a persons voice without the irritating background noise. I talked to a pal in the video-processing industry, and he set me straight by pointing me to buying a pair of wireless laniere mics (DFX Professional WR-601) and recoding audio and video seperately and combining them both during processing. These mics were easy enough to use, so no need for bulky mics and all that jazz. I still recommend clearing the audio to strip background noise, but this does allow you to clearly capture voice that your regular camcorder just wont do.

Valentine-1 radar detector
November 21, 2006 | | TrackBacks

Leaving late on purpose simply so you can have an excuse to speed is considered stupid or crazy by many, but for me, its normal and how I am. I have a need, no make that a love for speed, and what kills speed? cops. Tickets and court dates are speed killers, while fast cars and crazy behavioral patterns help it. That brings us to the very best that money can buy, Valentine 1 Its simply the best radar detector that Ive ever had, and Ive had a huge arsenal of them in the past. It tells you which direction the laser is pointing at you, how many they are and what type of wavelength is used, basically its the best friend you can have against that donut eating, mood killing, hating police officer who is out there to slow me down, while trying to make your drive a sfaer one. If driving fast is a disease, then I have a terminal plague, and the best thing out there for people like me is the Valentine one, it doesnt cure my plague, it simply prolongs my life.

Nikon DSLR Remote Contols
October 26, 2006 | | TrackBacks

Remote control for a Nikon D70s DSLR. I didn't realize how sensitive camera's are to everything. Utilize a tripod whenever possible.. and a remote control actuator to get you as close to a perfectly still shot as possible (especially for Macro). I did ponder over whether to get the corded remote (MC-DC1 $23) or the wireless version (ML-L3 $16).. I got both. Both have their downsides.. the wireless receiver on the camera is located on the front, so you've got to be either in the picture of the shot or at an awkward angle above it.. naturally the corded con is that the bloody wire could cause you to trip or flip the camera. Having an SLR camera, its impossible to ask someone else to take my picture, so this is a great solution. As y'all will notice.. my picture on this thing has now been updated without a camera infront of my face.

Tom Tom 300
September 19, 2006 | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks

Comes in handy on long-trips and around town,  unless my computer geek husband hasn’t updated it, in which case I might make a wrong turn into ‘Its Just Hair’ as opposed to the salon I usually go to. I don’t need to tell you how disastrous that mistake could be. Tom Tom 300 can be programmed for many different voices, my favorite is Ken from Australia because he seems to be so supportive of me when he’s telling me to ‘make a U-turn ahead’ when I’ve doubted him and gone the wrong way.  The 3D effects make it easy to read, and fun to watch. The fact that you can check it at the airport and put in your rental car makes it great, especially for the directionally challenged like me.

Nokia 8801
September 16, 2006 | | TrackBacks

After breaking my Treo 650, I decided that I was done with the brick look and that it was time I got myself a phone that resembled more of my personality / image that I wanted to portray... that in turn lead me to the Nokia 8801. Its very simple in functionality, yet the sliding and clicking is absolutely unique (it slides from the top/screen). Ive gotten a few 'WOW's and 'what phone is that?' from others, and thats quite pleasing along with the fact that very very few people actually have this phone. Its hefty price (MSRP is around $800.00, although anything in the $500.00-$600.00 is a steal) along with the fact that it has to be bought unlocked takes away from the practicality of owning this phone, yet to be unique and to stand out this phone simply is worlds apart from your regular store variety thats supported by the local networks. The phone is a quad band and thus works with all frequencies. Like all other things in life, it costs to be set apart and this phone is no exception to that rule, I for one absolutely love it.nokia8801.jpg

Canon EOS Digital Rebel 8.0 SLR
September 12, 2006 | | TrackBacks

canon.jpgYou must remember what I am and what I am not. I am a mother of two small children who never stop moving. I am not a photographer on any professional or even amateur level. But I do take lots of photographs of those two fast-moving children. And my Kodak Easyshare was just not cutting it. I almost broke several ten commandments when I borrowed my uncle's Canon EOS Digital Rebel 8.0 SLR. I had to have one! I finally was able to afford the $900 price tag after a rebate offer at Best Buy. I have to admit it was a little harder than I thought to make the transition. Things weren't quite as easy as my point and shoot Kodak but when I got it right, it was worth it. Those funny faces my kids make and the silly things they do actually got frozen in time in a clear, high quality 8MP picture. And hey, being able to slap on my dad's (yes he HAD to have one too) telescopic lens was fantastic for taking great pictures of certain bald men at certain American Idol concerts I might have attended.

Just Wireless Mobile Swivel Charger
September 6, 2006 | | TrackBacks

Ok—Just when you think they have this wireless thing all tapped out, someone surprises you with another great idea.  As a cell phone junkie, I occasionally switch between my cell phones week to week, and after purchasing a new cell phone (Treo 650) I was looking to buy yet another set of accessories.  Stopping by Target to pick up a memory card for my phone I perused through the car chargers and as I was about to spend another $30 on a PalmOne Treo specific phone charger I happened to see the answer to the Middle East crisis (see ratings scale).   A phone charger which can accommodate more than one type of cell phone!!!  To my delight, I found a charger that would fit the Blackberry (6200-7700 series), Treo (650), and Motorola Razor (the latter two I own).  And what would I pay for such a great invention?...$12.99!!!  Though I have yet to find where I can buy just the extra phone connections, I have confidence it must be out there.  For those of us that have multiple brands of cell phones, this is a must have.  And at only $12.99 it gives you a reason to buy another cell phone.

Palm Treo 650
September 2, 2006 | | TrackBacks

treo650Breaking my previous cell phone (story of all my cell phones) this past April,  I decided to go with a company recommended and sold phone from Cingular. Not being very web savvy with phones in the past, I decided to change that and get the Treo 650. A full set keyboard, a large touch screen(2.6 inches), and somewhat compact considering the features, got me sold on this phone. Now, 4 months into using it and finally breaking it (ok, dropping it) this past weekend, I think the features I found somewhat prohibiting at first have become absolutely annoying. The phone is a mini-brick, not very cool if you have to hold it to your ear, even a bluetooth did little to help the image with a mini brick on your belt. So for who is this phone best designed? Its absolutely great if you spend more time surfing and text messaging than you do actual talking… definitely not for me. The Palm Treo 650 is available at Cingular for $199.00 after discounts and rebates.

Motorola Pink Razr V3m
August 27, 2006 | | Comments (1) | TrackBacks

Let me start by saying that the Motorola RAZR V3m (Pink) ($350) is the CUTEST phone I've had!. Everyone looks and/or comments on it, so if you're a narcissist like me you'll love it. But people, please get the light pink one, the hot pink is just tacky! and don't forget to get the matching pink H500 Bluetooth headset ($75). On the downside the battery life is not so great, texting isn't the easiest either and you sometimes scroll instead of hitting 'ok' or hit 'ok' instead of scrolling, because of the flat buttons... but c'mon aren't we in it for the cute?!

Infocus - X3
August 21, 2006 | | TrackBacks

Thanks to a mishap at my office, the old crummy projector blew.. the following replacement, Infocus X3 ($899) showed up and all of a sudden everyone had presentations to deliver. Interesting. I finally got my hands on the light portable contraption and it is *insert holy music* NICE! Powered by 750 ANSI Lumens, with a 2000:1 contrast ratio which is more than enough for a standard daytime powerpoint presentation. If you're ever working late at the office.. and you dont take advantage by hooking it up to your laptop and playing a DVD.. its your loss.

LG "The V"
August 19, 2006 | | TrackBacks


Walking into the Verizon store, I had no idea as to what they were offering to compete with the Treo.. I immediately walked up to the display case containing the VX9800 "The V" phone. For $200, this allows for a mini-SD card, has an equalizer which can be seen when you split open the phone and speakers capable of delivering an IT professional through the roughest hours of night during a production outage. Oh.. and I can now proudly say that Ive got a phone that looks like Simon Templar's from the movie The Saint. I'm off to perform a miracle..

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