GeekSugar

Hot Gadget Predictions For 2008

GeekSugar — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 13:16:56 -0800

Wondering what's going to be hot and not-so-hot in the upcoming year? Here are some of my gadget predictions for 2008!

OLED Televisions: Surprisingly OLED TV's weren't overly popular in 2007, even though they created quite the buzz with their super-slim design, energy saving technology, and exceptional screen quality. I can't help but think they are going to make a huge comeback in '08. Be sure to stay tuned for Samsung's latest prototype, a 31-inch OLED TV.

More Sleek and Stylish Storage Devices: For those of us who carry our portable storage devices on us 24/7, keep your eyes peeled for some fun new USB flash drives in '08. Check out these new flash drives from PQI called the Traveling Disk i201 which come in strawberry, pink, banana yellow, and blueberry blue colors. Storage capacity ranges from 1GB to 4GB.

Portable Media Players: Now that downloading movies off the net has become so quick and easy, more and more people will be investing in portable media players. Philips new flash based personal media player is fresh on the scene and is going to be a hot buy. With 2, 4 or 8GB capacities, a 3.5" LCD display, built-in speakers, and a five hour video life, you can't help but wish you got one for Christmas!

Fashionable and Functional Gadget Accessories: Gel cell phone cases became a growing trend towards the end of '07, so I'm sure we'll see more colors and designs in '08. With the debut of Kodak's chic new camera cases which were also a hit, you're guaranteed to see alot more custom-designed carrying cases for electronics throughout the year.

eReaders: With the release of Amazon's Wireless Reading Device, the Kindle last November, I couldn't help but get absorbed into the eReader frenzy. These handy devices are simple to use, lightweight and can hold over 200 book titles. . .It's time to say good-bye to our paperbacks and hello to the world of electronic-paper in 2008!

Oh, Good. Another In-Flight Fire Hazard to Worry About

GeekSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:45:02 -0700

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.

The best way to keep devices from overheating, or worse, catching fire? Keep them out of overhead compartments, and turn them off completely before storing them for flight. Do you take special precautions when flying with gadgets?

Toshiba to Make Gadgets Blu-Ray Friendly

GeekSugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:22:07 -0700

Sony recently announced their latest Sony VAIO NW notebook, which comes fully equipped with Blu-ray disc technology and now Toshiba has just announced that they are next in line to create devices that support Blu-ray storage format.

From HDTVs to laptops to DVD players, Toshiba will start rolling out these new Blu-ray products sometime this year.

First Impressions of the HTC Snap

GeekSugar — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 11:04:24 -0700

The HTC Snap has been in stores since the beginning of June, but I wanted to wait until I got my hands on one to give you a run down on its features. At first glance, the HTC Snap has a BlackBerry look to it, more so a BlackBerry Bold than a BlackBerry Curve . . . but when you pick it up, you can definitely tell it isn't a BlackBerry.

If you're a Windows Mobile fan, this bad boy runs Win Mo 6.1, so you can easily sync up your contacts, calendar, and email. And with the one touch access keys, you can get to your camera, messages, and the Internet quickly and effortlessly. Other useful features include a two megapixel camera, a microSD card slot for additional storage, and GPS functionality. I also want to point out that it offers a full QWERTY keyboard with keys that are a tad on the bigger side for those who find BlackBerry's to be difficult to type on.

Thumbs down goes to the fact that it doesn't have WiFi or a regular headphone jack.

You can currently pick one up from Sprint for $150 (give or take your contract situation), or if you're with T-Mobile or Verizon, have a peek at the T-Mobile Dash 3G or the Verizon HTC Ozone, which are basically the same device as the Snap.

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Sony's Summer Activity Friendly MP3 Player

GeekSugar — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 07:31:18 -0700

As cute and as tiny as cord organizers are becoming, dangling wires can still be a nuisance. If you want a no-fuss workout, free from cords or anything else that could get in your way, Sony's W Series Walkman MP3 Player is a tiny music device that offers 2 GB of storage and is directly connected to Sony headphones.

Perfect for joggers or gym rats, this hands-free player even comes with a Zappin feature that will scan through your music and play a portion of the song so you can play it or skip it. And for simple charging or loading your tunes, it is sold with a handy charging dock. Priced at $70 each.

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Ask a Geek Girl: How Do I Sync My iPod to Three Computers?

GeekSugar — Tue, 19 May 2009 08:45:01 -0700

Dear geeksugar,
I use three computers. I have a desktop with all my old data, a laptop for home use and a work computer. Over the last couple of years my music library has spread across all three machines. How do I sync my iPod up with them all without losing my playlists and having to start all over?
Thanks,
Overwhelmed by All This Machinery

To see my guide to syncing your iPod to multiple computers, read more.

Dear Overwhelmed by All This Machinery,
Fear not! This is a very common situation, but the answer is straightforward. I suggest you start by reading Apple's guide to using your iPod with multiple computers.

By default iPods are automatically set to sync with one iTunes library, or one computer. Luckily, you can manually manage files on your iPod across multiple devices by displaying iPod preferences in iTunes and opting to manually manage music. Then you can move files from your iTunes account to the iPod. Remember you can only authorize five computers at once to play songs purchased from the iTunes Music Store.

Un-Networked Computers:
Syncing two computers that are not connected via network (say your home and office computers) is relatively simple because iTunes is set by default to autosync with iPods. You must, however, be sure to switch to manual mode to avoid losing files.

Senuti allows you to unlock your iPod or iTunes and copy single songs, songs grouped by artist or album, or entire playlists from an iPod into iTunes. You can purchase the application for $18 or try a free 30-day trial. You might also check out MP3tunes, which provides syncing tools and unlimited online storage space for all your music files for $40 a year.

Networked Computers:
Synchronizing iTunes manually between computers can be a laborious task. SyncOtunes can ease the chore. It's designed to sync libraries and settings, provided that the computers involved can communicate directly over a network.

Do You Like the Shuffle's Controls in the Headphones?

GeekSugar — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 06:03:55 -0700

Yesterday's stealthy new iPod Shuffle announcement may have come as a small surprise, but it wasn't unwelcome; it seemed time to update the lightest, cheapest iPod.

While there are definite pluses (the low price, the 4GB storage, the new voice-over technology) you guys, I, and the Internet in general are in an uproar over the controls being in the earbuds.

Break 'em or lose 'em, you've got to get a new set of the earbuds if you want to use the iPod. Third party headphones? Sure, you can use them, but not without an adapter - which Apple will make, but that's another thing to buy.

I'm torn; aesthetically, the device does look very nice blank, but it seems a little irritating to have to either use (or harder for me, not lose) the earbuds the Shuffle comes with, or pay extra for something different.

What do you think?

Do iPods Offer Threat for Data Leakage in the Workplace?

GeekSugar — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 11:01:54 -0700

A recent survey on whether organizations are prepared for data breaches from iPods, MP3 players and USB flash drives, showed the small devices may be more of a threat than some expected. The survey found that although organizations see rapid growth in the use of these portable storage devices, few have a solution to prevent widespread data loss via these easy-to-lose devices.

86 percent of the people polled cited the USB flash drive as the device most often used to store data exchanged between computers; data-centric smart phones with SD cards came in second. But when asked to rank these devices as a source of data leakage, respondents thought the iPod was as much of a threat as the SD card/smart phone.
Use of the iPod at work is high - With 61 percent of respondents stating that they use their iPod when traveling or at work.

While I'll admit nearly everyone I know uses an iPod in the workplace for listening to music, I only know a handful of people that use the devices for their data storage. Do you use your iPod, MP3 Player or flash drive to store data and have you ever heard of anyone leaking data via such devices? Could this just be another side effect of ever-growing fears of office security as employees become more tech savvy?

Do You Give Gag Gifts?

GeekSugar — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:01:46 -0800

Giving gag gifts has become somewhat of a tradition in my family, ever since my aunt gave me a box of strawberry Jello on Christmas morning back in '88. So after 20 years of Richard Simmons workout tapes, boxes of Kleenex, and Tucks Medicated pads, I wanted to switch it up a bit.

After much searching, I think I found the perfect gift: The Hacked and Frayed Flash Drive. This 2GB flash drive is only 30 bucks, but it will be totally priceless since Auntie will think I gave her a broken cable as a gag, when actually it's a working storage device.

It's the best of both worlds - useful, and gag-worthy at the same time! Awesome.

Wireless Gadget Charging Pad - Coming Soon

GeekSugar — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:30:25 -0700

I think we can all agree that there is nothing more unsightly than cords and wires tangled together in a charging mess. Designs like the Multipot, which combines a sleek light with a storage space for your small gadgetry, may hide the problem, but it doesn't solve it. Lucky for us Wild Charge claims its upcoming device will launch a "wire-free electric power revolution."

The company is set to begin selling the official WildCharger, a sleek ultra thin pad that delivers full power to the WildCharge enabled device resting on it, on July 7.

The device will supposedly help us cure the madness of cords, chargers, adapters and congested outlets for our mobile electronic devices by offering a single pad that does it all. All you'll need is an adapter for the WildCharge. No word on the price, but it has to cost less than the 6-Way Chargepod, which requires pricey separate adapters for each device.

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