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Gadgets
Oh, Good. Another In-Flight Fire Hazard to Worry About
In-flight fires caused by gadgets are back in the news after a recent piece in the New York Times warned of yet another risk: fires caused by the rechargable lithium batteries in handheld credit-card machines used by flight attendants to ring up purchases. The Federal Aviation Administration considers the batteries hazardous, and requires special training for flight attendants on airlines who carry spare batteries (some airlines, like Delta and JetBlue, don't carry spare batteries at all).
No fires from the readers have been reported, but according to the same article, in the last two years, a portable DVD has caught fire on a plane, a flashlight placed in a storage compartment exploded, turning into a projectile, and eight people were injured when a battery fell against a metal seat frame and exploded.
Blinded by the Light: Have You Been Fooled by a Commercial?
I was stoked after seeing a commercial for the Powermat, a wireless gadget charger that claims to charge any of your electronic toys without wires, cords, or trouble just by placing your device on the Powermat — finally a solution to my cord-management problems! A few days later I saw the Powermat at my local Best Buy and considered forking over the $100 listed on the price tag for convenience alone. But then reality (and an explanation from the sales rep) set in: $100 is not the bottom line on this super charger.
Some Shine Charger Juices Up Gadgets, Decorates Your Home
Unlike some other solar chargers that require special adapters to charge your gadgets, and, you know, the availability of the sun, the Some Shine Solar Charger allows you to juice up your gadgets at any time via a USB connector. How can you solar charge your phone without the sun you ask? Well, I'll tell ya.
Geeking Out in Japan: A Retrospective
My two weeks in Japan went by in a flash, but I have the memories to last a lifetime — and now I'm sharing them with you! My trip through the "Electric City" taught me a lot about gadgets in the land of the rising sun, and attending the Tokyo Game Show was one of the highlights of my trip. And even though I didn't get to see the massive Gundam statue in all its glory, I did get to check out the head at TGS.
How Much Are You Willing to Spend on a Gadget?
I gotta give it to Leica, they sure know how to make drool-worthy cameras! The Leica M9 was revealed this week, and not only does this bad boy shoot full 35MM quality in high-resolution digital format, but it's got intuitive controls, and comes with a license for Adobe Lightroom so you can snap and edit right out of the box. Plus, it's small and compact so you can take it anywhere, and don't even get me started on the picture quality.
GeekSugar's Labor Day Survival Guide
Today is all about getting outside and soaking in the last ounce of Summer before we head back to school this Fall. Since you can usually find a geek locked away inside her office, tapping away on a computer, I thought I'd give you all with social phobias a little hand. You don't have to completely give up your gadgets for poolside relaxation and outdoor barbecues (although it does sound pretty good to me) — you can take your tech with you.
How Much Do These Luxury Gadgets Cost?
We all know that gadgets can cost a lot of money, but some fall into my "look but don't touch" category. I'm willing to shell out a pretty penny if the gadget's cost per use is way low (like splurging on an iPhone — I use it everyday!), but I'll steer my pocketbook clear of these items! Find out if you're a good judge of cost character with this fun quiz.
Concept iPod Slide Is Tiny, Kind of Awesome
Although the iPod Slide is just a concept item that I found while cruising Tuvie, I would love to see this sleek MP3 player in production.
I like the tiny size of the iPod shuffle, but the thing I dislike is the lack of control. Sure, you can stuff all your favorite tunes into it, but you can't get to a song you may really want to hear when you want to hear it.
She's Done It Again: Violet May's Limited Edition Gadget Purse
You're killin' me Violet May! Not only was I obsessed with your hot silver snakeskin computer clutch, and your gold python BlackBerry purse, but you have to go and chum the accessory waters again with these new and limited edition BlackBerry and iPhone purses.
Just when I thought I could safely browse the Internet without pitting all other gadget purses against yours, you work your way back into my battered heart with your chic bags.
Change Gadget Settings to Help You Learn a New Language
I've heard that the way to learn a language quickly is to immerse yourself in it, and although you may not be able to move to the country of your choice, adjusting small things in your everyday life can help you learn and remember a language more efficiently. For example, did you know that PetSugar speaks Italian? Neither did I, until she told me she changed the default language on her iPhone to Italian.
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