Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

Blackberry users beware, now there is a real reason to keep your face hidden deep into your PDA.  Dig in with digby, a personal get anything at anytime shopping world stricly for Blackberry addicts. In thirty seconds you can search from cd’s and dvd’s to bling bling or really…anything. The program is free and the possibilities are as endless as your bank account is. Simply download the program on your Blackberry and enter a virtual shopping mall so extensive that even Eddie Griffin could be found..maybe looking for a new Ferrari Enzo after he totaled one this week.

Donwload [Digby]

News Corp, owners of the extremely popular social networking site “MySpace.com” has reared its ugly corporate head by removing the freedom to customize personal pages. Users of the pages can create photoblogs, slide shows, using any form of self-expression to let the world know just who they are as long as they or anyone else is not making money off of it. However other small companies have found ways to cash in by providing users with video clips embedded with ads or selling music without permission.

A music store called Hookah owned by INDIE911 out of Los Angeles has been added to certain pages in an effort to play music and also generate revenue. While this helps artists everyday on the music end of Myspace, it is considered a violation of terms and services between users of the site and News Corp. It seems Myspace is likened more to a child having room in their parents’ house versus a room of their very own. With rules and terms of services that only apply when it takes away from the father or in this case NewsCorp. I say Myspace should let it go, or maybe we were wrong all along and the “My” in Myspace really refers to NewsCorp telling us it belongs to them.

Read [NYTimes]

Everyone says it, no one knows where it came from, or what to attribute it too…but the phrase less is more could sum up the future of tech gadgets for the average user. I’m talking about your grandmother who doesn’t know how to turn on the computer but has no problem understand how to retrieve her email. How about the college freshman who found out the hard way that their professor talks faster then they can hand write notes? Much like our fast food restaurants and car dealerships we are being given more and more when all we really need is less. Why super size when the average does enough?

This brings me to my original point, enter the NEO. The NEO has been around for quite some time. It is a simple word processor it has a small screen to see what you’re typing as well as a keyboard that we are normally accustomed to. It may not be a hit for the mainstream college student or your average home user, it has been a love, and even an obsession, for smaller niches. It is light in weight, has an extensive battery life and can plug into your PC when you are finished so that you may publish your work.

Another nifty gadget which has put our famous phrase to good use is HP’s Presto mailbox printer which works much like a fax machine, instead of having to check your inbox for emails they will print out a varying points in the day (set to your specifications). A perfect example of less being more. Presto!

Case in point, while I’m writing this article I have lost three games of solitaire and still can’t figure out minesweeper, why can’t wel go back to the days of Go Fish.

Read [CNN Money]

In a manner of speaking the very same PS3 that burnt a hole in your wallet can serve more good than you ever expected. A Stanford program is asking all owners of PS3’s to volunteer their console for the good of mankind.

According to a press release from Sony, the Stanford program is focusing on how two-dimensional protein strands in the human body fold into the three-dimensional molecules that determine their biological functions, and why incorrect folding can lead to debilitating diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

This study requires vast amounts of computing power, this is where every PS3 owner comes in. By signing online with the console and accessing Folding@home via the PS3 ‘XrossMediaBar’, users will be able to share whatever processing power is unused. You machine will be tapped into by their system and you can actually watch all the simulations being conducted in real-time. Live interaction between yourself and the scientists are also possible via ‘XrossMediaBar’.
I believe the future of gaming has changed dramatically to the point where our consoles sole purposes are no longer used for entertainment, they are now being given a higher more valuable cause. Those of you interested in lending your machines processing power can start doing so on March 23, which also happens to be the launch date for PS3 Europe.

Read  [Cnet]

Wouldn’t it be grand if your cell phone, home phone, office phone, PDA number, online phone number…etc were all centralized into one phone number? With the start of a new company called Grandcentral.com the once impossible is not only possible, but it could take over by storm.

Hard to imagine that adding a new phone number will solve all your problems however, after registering your new digits with Grandcentral.com you can toss out all the rest. One phone call to the new numbers will automatically connect to every phone you registered it too. This means never missing a call, or a never ending headache, you decide. In the event that you fall into a black hole and you do not hear every single phone ringing or you prefer not to be bothered, Grandcentral will route all your voicemails into one box. It will even send you a text message or email reminding you of your voicemails.

Multitasking? While your reading this you might also be checking your email, drinking your coffee and making copies. If this is you then you can also check your voicemails at Grandcentral.com So what’s the cost? How does free sound! Well how does almost free sound? If only have 2 numbers to route then its free, however with a small $15 monthly fee you can route up to 6 numbers.

Read [NY Times] Site [GrandCentral]

Product: Viper 160XVL remote start
Price: $299.99
Rating: 7.9/10
Pros: Affordable, Comfortable to hold, Supports up to 1024 x 600 resolution, Makes using Windows XP on such a small device seem natural
Cons: Software keyboard is not usable for extended periods of time, would be nice if batteries lasted longer
Overall: With the type of weather we’re having, an autostart as reliable as this one is a pleasure to have. No matter the weather, knowing your car is ready to tackle the day before you are is a plus in my book.

Just in time for our crazy weather, this Viper 160XVL remote start is more like a piece of lazy heaven more than anything else.  In a world where we look to make TV better (HDTV) and make all the sweets we eat healthier (fat free cheese cake), why not make our mornings toastier? This is where my new favorite product comes in. Thanks to Direct Electronics who provided me with this remote start I don’t know the meaning of running outside in the morning to start my car, or have to worry about stepping into a car so cold that my CD player won’t even start. No my friends, with a radius up to a mile away, my car is already warming up before I get off the train.  The hardest thing about the remote start was getting is installed, but thanks to “Auto Image” in East Brunswick, NJ I had nothing to worry about. A gentleman by the name of Angelo greeted me at the door and while another, Gary Pastirik, took my keys. In no time, 3 hours in the realm of auto detailing, my car was ready.

One of my biggest concerns with the remote start was grinding, this occurs when your car is already on and you attempt to turn the ignition. The Viper160XVL has an anti-grind guard and I had nothing to worry about. This product is available at the “Auto Image” store as well as others such as Best Buy and 6th Avenue electronics.  I used to own a truck that was installed with an older “Clifford” remote-start and while it did its basic job, the features of the Viper can not be compared. You can view Direct Electronics website at www.directed.com At gadetel.com we realize how important it is for our readers to learn about the new products available however what I have realized especially with products falling in the automotive category, you want to be sure the company that installs it takes pride in their work. Auto Image takes pride in what they do and I thank them for helping us out.

Specs - 4-channel remote start/keyless entry system, 1 mile range with Spread Spectrum Technology (SST), Clone-Safe, Code-Hopping,  Parking Light Flash, Failsafe Starter Kill, Anti-Grind ,Bright Blue LED Status Indicator, Miniature XCRS (Extreme Capacity Relay Satellite), Defroster Output, Built-in Turbo Timer, Dome Light Supervision, Comfort Closure, 2 Auxiliary Outputs, Horn Honk, Two 4-button Transmitters.

Product: Nokia n93
Price: $699.99 (nokia.com)
Rating: 7.3
Pros: DVD like quality video camera, 3.2 mega pixel camera, optic zoom, adobe premier editing software, direct TV connection, Internet ready, radio play, great battery life, multimedia messaging.
Service: T-mobile, Cingular
Cons: Rather bulky, heavy, and changes images at slow pace.

Features - 8.0 - This phone is insane, fully loaded, and in my opinion has more elements then you will ever need in a phone. This phone can easily take the place of your mp3 player video camera and digital camera. Clearly my favorite feature was the video camera mode and I gotta tell you, I really was impressed. The picture was extremely clear, the sound was phenomenal and it felt great to hold an actual video camera that was smaller then any on the market. The optical zoom provided me with a great opportunity to get up close and personal regardless of how far I was. Recently I went to opening night at Madison Square Garden for the Knicks game. Sitting up in the club suites way above the court lent itself to a spectacular chance to test out the camera.

Performance - 8.0 - At first I was overwhelmed with the amount of functions on this phone, but after about ten minutes of testing the features and making phone calls, text messages, and multimedia messages, I gotta say I was hooked. My phone calls were crisp, sending a text message was simple and the buttons were thick enough that I could actually feel their smooth texture. I didn’t run into any dropped calls. The only issue that I noticed, and I alluded this to in the cons section above, was whenever adjusting the phone’s angles from video mode to TV mode and back to the standard flip view, the screen took a little longer to adjust then I would have liked. Not only did it lag when changing angles, but when typing a text message and switching the phone’s angle, I would leave my ‘text mode’ and automatically find myself switched into camera or video mode. However, my friends, do not get discouraged. Considering the average person would have no reason to switch from the standard flip view into the video view while sending a text message, this particular drawback should not affect the average user.

Design - 6.0 - What can you say about a phone that has everything, except it has to fit EVERYTHING. It may take one more generation of this phone to make it RAZR thin, but then again, there’s something to be said for taking video and feeling like you’re holding a camera. It looked great on the Nokia website and I was still impressed when I received it. As I stated earlier, it is a little bulky and wouldn’t be caught parading down the fashion runway; but who needs a fancy dress when you’re the one wearing the muscle?

Overall - A great phone; not meant for the average user - but certainly would not displease the average user. It packs a punch so if you’re not one to care about features, then this is not for you. The price may seem extreme, but if you were to take an iPod video roughly priced at $250.00, and 3.0 megapixel camera roughly priced at $200.00, and a Sony Handy-cam roughly priced at $500.00, this phone is actually a bargain.  If this phone was a celebrity, it would be a mix between Bill Gates and Steven Spielberg. It doesn’t have the looks, but it certainly packs the brains as well as the creative muscle with the introduction of the DVD style video, a high intensity 3.2 mega pixel camera, and even an option to listen to radio. With all of its features and an extensive imagination, there is nothing this phone cannot do for you.

Molto Bene! The best way to describe yesterday’s Pepcom event at the Manhattan Studio Center on west 34th street in NYC. With a wonderful sample of Italian food, Italian wine, and all the new toys and gadgets from around the tech world; today’s event filled my belly all the while filling my bag with business cards and press releases.

It took a matter of seconds from walking into the 7th floor banquet room until I encountered my first 3 tables and magnificent bar built entirely from ice. Knowing me…I had to check it out, five minutes later my tongue was still stuck on the bar (embarrassing but delicious).

It didn’t surprise me that many companies such as Belkin and Brookstone were showing off their new MP3 speakers; both wireless, indoor, and outdoor. We had your usual companies; Semantic, Nokia, Nikon—as well as some newcomers such as Twango, a multimedia sharing company who made their company public today and Peerflix a dvd trading website where individuals can post what movies they want and what they are willing to trade for them.

Another newcomer, a San Jose, California based company called Cellfire is single handily doing away with coupons you might get in the mail. I had the opportunity so speak with Brent Dusting, CEO of Cellfire and he told me that this new and FREE - might I add - service allows you to simply get your coupons texted to you via their online website. At Cellfire you can text the service to your phone and get coupons for free movie rentals to Hollywood Video, Bath and Body Works, and in the near future Papa Johns Pizza.

I know that I look forward to these events and Pepcom does a great job showing their appreciation by giving a nice gift to those who show up early. At the Texas BBQ event those early-birds received an autographed Bobby Flay BBQ cookbook. Tonight…a beautiful bottle of Dalle Terre Di Leonardo extra virgin olive oil from Tuscany.

Tonight’s event was a definite success. Ask any Italian and they will stress the importance of pairing great food with great wine…ask any techie and they will stress the importance pairing any great new product with…well ask me and I’ll say food. From NY to Tuscany and back in just a short couple hours I am exhausted, buona notte to all.

Nothing is safe these days, and to add to your psychoneuroticism “Pod Safe” has created the ultimate in iPod protection short of attaching a taser to it. The Pod protector is all the rage, ultimately stemming from the birth of the pocket protector which prevented your pens from leaking onto your shirt. Although the new pod protector can not make you feel as cool as the pocket protector, it will certainly protect your iPod from thieves. That is, as long as your iPod is attached to something that can’t be stolen in of itself.

Examples of a good place to attach it could be; your belt loop, book-bag. Bad places to attach your podlock; your dog, a pocket protector, your headphones. This device might work best for those of us who spend time commuting on the train or bus and inevitably fall asleep only to wake up from time to time finding a different person sitting next to us. Grab your “Pod Safe,” attach it to your bag and well it looks like you are all set. The lock does not prevent you from listening to your music, so your guaranteed a safe fulfilling trip to work. The only draw back is…well the Pod Safe wont wake you up for your stop.

Read [Newlaunches] Via[Wired]

Product: Inka Pen and PDA stylus
Price: $89.95
Pros: Very Portable, extremely convenient, key ring attachment, titanium body, writes underwater, writes upside down
Cons: unless you expand pen it will be uncomfortable,
Overall: You can’t go wrong with a thing like this. If your in the market for a durable long lasting pen don’t bother with your Monte Blanc’s, not even a simple Bic will do. Whatever you might thinka…just grab this Inka

No bigger than 2 inches, this pen sits quietly in your pocket - or attached to your key ring. Its titanium base and black covering give it a sleek stylish look.  Created to feel comfortable and be extremely convenient, the Inka titanium pen is an number one priority for travelers, writers, or just about anyone who might have a stroke of genius at the most in opportune moments. Whether you’re high above sea level in the Himalayas, or level with the sea floor this pen will continue to produce.  The ink cartridge sitting inside your pen has been created in a pressurized chamber surely to prevent air bubbles from forming, this will leave your last pen stroke looking as crisp as your first.  So if your putting in a journal entry on top of Mt. Vesuvius, or taking notes on the ocean floor, Inka knows how important your information is.

Read on for more about the Inka Pen.

The pen also doubles as a stylus, having a stylus on you whenever you need one will hopefully discourage you from using your fingers to attempt at accessing your PDA’s documents.

I’ve had this pen for about three weeks now and I use it every single day. 9 times out of 10 most people don’t have a pen when they need it most. Being able to simply pull the pen out whenever I’m in mood to jot down a note is a fantastic feeling. Those of you who rely on your notes and not your memory would agree.  Now if only I had paper on me at all times…

Having a pen on you is great, if you don’t lose it. The Inka pen is small so it could be easy to misplace, which is why they added an option keyring to it. My advice is to attach it to your car keys or something you have at all times…ie: wallet, blackberry, coffee.

It can hit you at 3 in morning, during rush hour traffic, or even in the shower. The perfect business proposal, your anniversary date, or a funny joke. At any moment a thought might hit you…will you be prepared?