Gadgets, gear, games and more

December 2006

December 29, 2006

geekery

Think you're tough? Try writing with metal.

Authored by Dan Moren at 3:59 PM
Category | Geekery
Ink is so twentieth century. Nowadays, if you want your writings to last the ages, you'd better be using metal. Grand Illusions has created a writing implement that is made of a metal alloy that can leave a mark on...
home_household

Electric ice scraper handy for those of us without heat vision

Authored by Dan Moren at 3:59 PM
Category | Home & Household
It's been an odd winter so far here in the northeast. No snow to speak of, and temperatures in the 40s and 50s. Still, there has been a morning or two where I've had to scrape the old windshield off....

December 28, 2006

video

HD DVD's copy protection cracked open like a watermelon with a sledgehammer

Authored by Dan Moren at 3:59 PM
Category | Video
There has not yet been invented the copy protection system that dedicated hackers cannot break. The major reason for this, of course, is that you need to be able to decode the content to watch the video, and to do...
1 Comments | Digg it | del.icio.us |
home_theater

Plasma vs. LCD: the battle continues

Authored by Dan Moren at 3:59 PM
Category | Home Theater
We bought my grandmother a small LCD screen for her kitchen for Christmas, a Sharp Aquos 13". It's a pretty nice TV, marred only by the fact that it's still relying on analog over-the-air reception. My parents confided that they've...
home_household

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the drying rack

Authored by Dan Moren at 3:59 PM
Category | Home & Household
It's always good to ask yourself important questions, like: "do I need a heated dish drying rack?" It's also important to answer those questions honestly: "Yes. Yes I do." Our house does have a dishwasher, but his name is Dan...
camerasphotography

Underwater camera hardly fishy

Authored by Dan Moren at 3:59 PM
Category | Cameras/Photography
Why, hello there. It's been far too long, Gadgetboxers. I'd love to discuss where I've been for the past week, but well, it's not for me to say. There were spies, you see, and girls, and gadg—okay, I spent my...

December 22, 2006

music

Hottie Amplifier to make you a Guitar Hero?

Authored by Dan Moren at 3:59 PM
Category | Music
Here is my conclusion of the Hottie Amplifier, a guitar amplifier designed from the shell of classic chrome toaster: waste of a perfectly good toaster. I know pretty much zip about guitar playing, so you'll have to decide for yourself...
home_household

Clocky: for that every morning traumatized feeling

Authored by Dan Moren at 3:59 PM
Category | Home & Household
There are any number of cruel, torturous devices of the variety known as "the alarm clock." These sinister contraptions are designed to rip you from the arms of your restful slumber, and send you plodding about your quotidian duties. But...

December 21, 2006

geekery

Handy Drive puts "flash" in "flash drive"

Authored by Dan Moren at 3:59 PM
Category | Geekery
I'm trying to think of all the handy uses for US Modular's new self-proclaimed "Handy Drive." It incorporates a flash drive from 128MB to 4GB, a ballpoint pen, and a flash light. Crazy? Crazy useful. No more jotting down illegible...
phone_wireless

Jaw away with Aliph's Jawbone headset

Authored by Dan Moren at 3:59 PM
Category | Phone & Wireless
I did buy a Motorola Bluetooth ear piece a while back, as you may remember, but I find myself fairly dissatisfied with it. For one thing, it's big and clunky, and for another, its battery seems to wear out pretty...
home_household

Keep that key safe from burglars

Authored by Dan Moren at 3:59 PM
Category | Home & Household
When I was growing up, we used to keep a backdoor key in our garage, just in case I got locked out. That said, I did have to break into my house a couple times, though it was usually only...
phone_wireless

Detecting hotspots is elementary with Digital Wi-Fi Detector

Authored by Dan Moren at 3:59 PM
Category | Phone & Wireless
Wi-Fi detectors are handy little gadgets, but not all of them are created equal. Some of them just blink cryptic light messages at you, possibly in Morse code. And some of them outright lie. But this $70 Digital Wi-Fi Detector...


IDG IDG NETWORK:   CIO   Computerworld   CSO   Digital World   Digital World Tokyo   GamePro   GamerHelp   IDG Connect   Infoworld  
   JavaWorld   LinuxWorld   Macworld   Network World   PC World   PC World Canada   Playlist   Techworld