gadgets

  • November 5, 2006

    GooSync

    GooSync

    GooSync is the 3rd party software I have been waiting for. Ever since I got my Treo and started using Google Calendar, I longed for something that could sync both of them. GooSync provides me with just that. Supporting a multitude of devices, GooSync seamlessly syncs Google Calendar over the air with your phone.

    With the Treo (or any Palm/Windows Mobile device), I needed an app to do it, which I am OK with. Once I put my log in info in the app, it quickly synced everything. And just what I hoped for too- Device to GCal, but not GCal to device. I have my class schedule on GCal, but not my Treo to avoid clutter. Now, all of my appointments are on GCal with the push of a button- I couldn’t be happier! Later.

  • November 1, 2006

    Creative Zen Vision:M

    Zen

    I recently got the Creative Zen Vision:M for my birthday and I’ve got to say I am very happy with it. It has been about 2 years since I got an mp3 player, and following trends, it was about time for a new one. I needed something first of all, that held more than 5GB. With a music library of over 15GB I’d like to have most/all of my music with me, I needed something that only held 1/3 of what I’ve got. The Zen Vision:M has 30GB. That was my only real requirement, though FM Radio was a nice feature I had tucked away in the back of my mind.

    The Zen Vision:M offers those 2 purposes and so much more. I can store not only music, but video and photos. The video quality is great- the videos appear really clear on the screen. Along with an FM radio it has an FM recorder, something that won’t be around much longer. I can also store files on it if I so desired. The surprising but awesome features include the ability to make play lists right on the device, and synchronization with Outlook (calendar, contacts, tasks). I find it particularly cool because it something I find pretty useful and didn’t think of.

    As for interface design, it is pretty intuitive and their alternative to the beloved iPod click-wheel is a pretty good one. It allows me to quickly cycle through my music collection and easily switch screens. It also comes with a search by letter feature or you can search by keyword with an on screen QWERTY keyboard. The software it comes with is also easy to use, and has a number of great features like Rip CD, Convert Video, and Sync music collection. The battery life is about 8 hours, which is fine for me and I think pretty good in general. The only problem I have found with it is the screen gets pretty scratched up if you don’t protect it. However, it does come with a nice little pouch. All-in-all, a nice device to check out, and a great alternative to the Video iPod. Later!

  • September 20, 2006

    The 2 year swing

    It is no secret that I am kind of a tech geek. What this means is I ‘need’ lots of cool gadgets all of the time. This also means I need the most recent gadgets all of the time. Laptops, Digital Cameras, amazing smart phones, etc. What this amounts to is what I call “The 2 year swing.”

    The 2 year swing is a term I came up with for about how long I will keep any given gadget. This summer’s new laptop came approximately 2 year after the tablet PC I had (and still have). My Treo came 2 year after my old phone (which was a matter of circumstance) and last good PDA, and now, almost 2 years to the day after I got my Nikon Coolpix 4100, I am in the market for a new digital camera.

    While I am very happy with the Nikon, and might end up keeping it, I want something more. As I get more and more into photography, I find that in some places my Nikon falls short. Most notably, in Optical Zoom. With 3x Optical Zoom, I am not getting the kind of picture quality I want at some places, like concerts. Last night while shopping around, I found the Canon Powershot S2 IS, with 12x Optical Zoom, and 5 megapixel photos. Based on some of the sample shots I saw, it also has a great shutter speed, which was a major player in me buying the Nikon. While I will need to try out the camera in a store before I buy it, I am looking for something very similar to that. Its only downfall is size, but that is a minor detail for me. Maybe I will see what my friend at Mekosh.Org will do. Later!

  • September 11, 2006

    Seidio INNOdock for the Treo 650

    INNOdock

    Recently, I purchased the Seidio INNOdock, a cradle for my Treo 650. I have been looking for a good cradle pretty much since I got my Treo back in March, and after some research I decided that the INNOdock would be my best bet.

    A must for whatever I bought was it had to connect to the PC and charge the phone at the same time. The INNOdock offers this via one USB cable, as well as a HotSync button on the right side for easy sync. The sleek and unique design makes it so little desktop space is taken up and I have full control of my treo, motion wise.The connector bends backwards, allowing the treo to fit nicely against the rounded back of the cradle. There is also a 3.5mm headphone jack (standard size) on the back of the cradle for head phones, speakers or a hands free set.

    I did run into one problem when trying to sync with my PC. But that was all fixed after I read this discussion board. All in All I am very happy with my new cradle, and I highly recommend it. Later!

  • July 16, 2006

    New Computer

    The New Lappy

    A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about getting a new computer. Well since then, I picked up the Gateway MX6455 Laptop and I couldn’t be happier. It’s much faster than my old one, bigger and lighter, with an incredible display. I have been able to run notepad, my FTP program, Photoshop, an IM client, Windows Media Player, IntelliSync, Firefox with 4-8 tabs and Norton System Works (plus whatever runs in the background) with no problem what-so-ever. And that is just the start.

    The battery life is amazing. Fully Charged, it gets 4 and half hours. EVEN with most of the previously mentioned programs running. And with Media Center, I can organize all of my music, pictures, videos, etc. and link them up to my Xbox 360 to view/listen on my TV. Plus, linked to my Xbox, I am able to watch web content, like Comedy Central’s Mother Load, right on my TV.

    The only thing I am a little disappointed with is that it does not play newer games (it looks terrible). Last night I downloaded the Prey Demo and I couldn’t play it. It would render with an infinite amount of black spots, even at the lowest video settings.

    Everything else about the laptop, though, I love. Four USB ports, an SD/Media Card reader, DVD Burner, etc. This is a great media and development machine, that has an awesome battery and does not run hot. I highly recommend it. Later.

  • June 7, 2006

    New Computer Time

    Superman Notebook

    So it is time for me to buy a new computer. How do I know? I want one. The one pictured is the snazzy new Alienware Superman PC that I really want but cannot afford.

    I do want something more powerful and considered getting a Macbook Pro, with the Intel Core-Duo processors. But I think I am going to go with an Alienware for their superior power, and lack of over heating problem. I will be keeping an eye out for some nice deals- in the mean time, you can let me know what you think! Later!

    UPDATE: I was in Best Buy today (6/10) and saw This Gateway. It has better specs that most of the Alienwares I was looking at and it is 1/2 the price. I have always said Gateways were good machines- they fell off for a little but are now back on track. It looks like I may go with this laptop and it’s awesome specs. An added bonus, it has XP but is Vista capable….

  • May 23, 2006

    MacBook and Me

    MacBook

    I’ve decided that this summer it is time for a new computer. I have had the trusty desktop for over 3 years now and the lappy is going on two. But this new computer is going to be different. It is more than likely going to be a Mac. I know some of you know of my distaste with Apple, but things can change, and they have made some major ones.

    First of all, with the new Intel Macs, they are leaving some of their hardware operations to other companies, making them less proprietary. Also, with Bootcamp, you can put WinXP on the Intel Macs. Dual Booting XP and OS X is the dream of many, and I am getting there. I am a Microsoft Fan Boy at heart, but The Macs are pretty awesome. OS X is also really nice for Multimedia stuff, which I plan on getting into on top of web design. I want to get a MacBook, but there is one serious problem.

    In all the reviews I’ve read, over heating is a serious problem. I have a laptop now that over heats sometimes with a cooling pad under it, and this laptop is not suppose to have an over heating problem. That does not bode well with me. I run a lot on my computers and expect a lot of them. Hopefully by the time I save enough money, the problem will be solved, because well, I REALLY want one. Later!

  • April 8, 2006

    Treo 650

    Treo 650

    My new toy. About 2 weeks ago, I was able to buy a new phone with the renewal of my Verizon contract. I decided after a lot of thinking to go with the 650. I could not be happier with my decision. On face value, the reasons I went with the Treo 650 over other phones was this: 1) it is made by Palm, and therefore trustworthy. 2) It is significantly cheaper than the 700, which also runs Pocket PC software.

    The reason I like palm better than pocket pc(ppc) is primarily because there is more freeware for palm than for ppc. It is also more stable and just seems less cluttered. PPC looks just like WinXP, which I am used to looking at on a 14+ inch screen, so when I look at it on a 3×5 inch screen, it’s a little cumbersome. But onto the phone.

    The Palm Basics: It has your calendar, contacts, todo, memos and prefs that come with all palm stuff. Sync it with your computer using hot sync and you are good to go. Then there is your run of the mill calculator.

    The Fun Stuff: So we know it has your basic stuff. It ALSO has a camera, camcorder, wireless hotsync and internet if you want the National Broadband Access service(which I highly recommend). It plays music and video and has an expansion slot for SD cards, which is great because that is also what my camera takes. Finally, it has the QWERTY keyboard making it easy to text. O yeah, it also has Bluetooth.

    Nice features: Here are some nice aspects of the 650. Its text messaging system is very much like an IM system- actually it looks just like one. The camera takes some nice quality pictures, esp. for it being a camera phone. You can find some of mine on my Flickr Site. Having the internet wherever I go is also a huge plus. And since is it always connected, if you are so inclined to set up an email account on it, you can get email anytime. (but really is that a blessing or a curse?? ;)).

    Pimp your Palm: Now one of my favorite things to do is download some nice freeware to make my palm better. Freeware Palm is the best for this. A couple of apps that I really enjoy having on my 650 are: the Palm Today Screen, which gives me the same kind of Today screen as ppc, without the clutter. It really makes viewing my appointments and tasks much easier and allows me to set quick icons. The other app I really like, which is only for the 650 is Call Log+, which I guess I only have the Trial of, but I didn’t notice. It allows you to write notes in you call log next to your recent calls. I find it great since I deal with a lot of calls from a lot of clients.

    So there you have it. A not so short overview and review of the Treo 650. I am very happy with it. Later!

    UPDATE: The fact that I got a play-by-play of the Yankee Game from my phone while out is absoultely amazing.

  • December 26, 2005

    Happy Holidays Indeed

    Well, I’ve got to say, the holidays were good to me. Most Notably, I got a Panasonic Video Camera is that absolutely tiny. I’ll be playing around with it in the next few days to see how cool it really is.

    I also got a multitude of games and DVDs. My Xbox 360 will be working over time. Madden ’06 (review coming soon), Call of Duty 2 (ditto) and Kameo will be occupying my time not spent on programming/computer stuff. I also got Family Guy DVDs and some other whatnot. Let me know in the comments some of your cool gifts!

    My next review will be King Kong, because I’ve been asked about it. Maybe later tonight?? Later!

  • December 26, 2004

    A very techie christmas…

    I had fun this christmas. Spent some time with my bros and the fam. The rest of the fam comes over tomorrow. Anyway, i know that you guys are looking for stuff to spend that christmas money on, so here you go.
    The Rio Carbon– an MP3 Player that holds 5GB of songs. That is alot of songs. I have 230 on mine, and still have 3.8 GB left on it. Its small, sleek, and has song organization features. It rivals the Ipod pretty well i think. Its $250 and gives u a gig more than the Ipod Mini.
    Stephen Lynch- Live from El Ray– I must have watched this dvd 10 times today. Hillariously funny. If you have never heard of Stephen Lynch, you are missing out!
    ASUS K8V SE- Its a motherboard. The sweetest fucking mother board i have ever seen. im reluctant to put it in the anti piece in fear that Win XP might Flip out and i could lose everything. Now i backed up all my files, but the software. i dont have cds of the software. For some odd reason….; )
    Some other things you might wanna look into- The Star Wars DVD set, Star Wars Battle Front, Halo 2.
    Ill let you know how the conversion turns out with the antipiece! Later!