I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a home body. I’d rather be home than anywhere else in the world. Sometimes I think that I would be perfectly happy as a hermit. Of course I’m not a hermit and I don’t keep myself barricaded in my house 24/7. I go to work every day, go on vacations, etc. For those times when I’m away from home, I like to be able to check up on things remotely. I want to know if my cat Max is up in the windowsill when he’s not supposed to be. Or if the Fedex guy dropped off a package. Wireless network cameras like the D-Link Wireless N Day/Night Home Network Camera (DCS-932L) let me do that with a computer or a smartphone.

Note: Click the images in this review to see a larger view.

Package Contents

D-Link DCS-932L camera
Ethernet cable
Mounting screws
AC Adapter
Installation Guide
CD-ROM with D-View Cam Software (Windows)

Hardware Specifications

Built-in Network Interface – 10/100Base-TX Fast Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n WLAN
Wireless Connectivity – 802.11b/g/n Wireless with WEP/WPA/WPA2 security
Video Codecs – MJPEG, JPEG for Still Images
Resolution – 640 x 480 at up to 20 fps, 320 x 240 at up to 30 fps, 160 x 120 at up to 30 fps

This D-Link camera is very similar to the Dropcam Echo wireless camera that I’ve been using for over a year now. The main hardware difference is that the D-Link camera has night vision.

The camera itself is made of white plastic. There’s a small LED below the lens that lights up Green when you’re connected to the network and Red when you’re not.

The camera is connected to a base that can be mounted on a wall or any other flat surface. It’s not necessary to attach the base to anything though as it is heavy enough to stand on a table or shelf.

On the back of the camera is the power connector, Ethernet jack, reset switch and a WPS button. WPS stands for Wi-Fi Protected Setup. Some routers have this feature to allow you to easily setup the D-Link for wireless viewing. Sadly, my older Linksys doesn’t have this feature, so I had to go through a little more work in order to get the camera to work wirelessly.

The camera comes with a CD for Windows users, but I had to download the setup app for my Mac from D-Link’s site. The setup wizard allowed me to easily get the camera up and running as long as it was connected to my router with an Ethernet cable. I had to go into the advanced options to set it up for wireless use. This wasn’t difficult, but the instructions do not mention how to do it or where to look for the settings.

One thing to note is that once the camera has been setup, you don’t have to have any computers on to use it. As long as your router is powered on, you’ll be able to access the camera from the web or your smartphone.

As part of the setup procedure, you create a free mydlink account. With this account you’ll be able to remotely view your camera and change the settings. I found the mydlink web interface to be a little slow to load. It installs a Java applet every time you login, which can take a few seconds.

From this web interface you can watch live video, digitally zoom in and listen to audio through the microphone built in to the camera. Video quality isn’t bad, but it’s a little fuzzy and the audio quality tends to have a lot of static / white noise. You can hear things, but the static in the the background gets annoying quickly, so I almost always turn it off.

Advanced settings allow you to adjust various options for image quality.

By default, the video size is set to 320×240 medium quality. I adjusted it to be very high quality which improves the slightly fuzzy image quality.

Motion detection settings give you the ability to mark areas of the image to watch for changes. By clicking squares on the grid, the software will keep an eye on those specific spots and will notify you via email when motion is detected. You can set it up to send you one image or have it send 3 images before the motion was detected and 3 images afterwards.

You can also specify the day and time period that the software can send email notifications.

The great thing about the D-Link camera is that you don’t have to pay a monthly fee for the email notification feature.

By default, the camera will automatically switch back and forth between day and night vision depending on the level of light. But if you would like to manually schedule when the camera will switch between the modes, you have that ability.

In addition to viewing a live feed from your camera on any web enabled computer, you can also view the feed with your Android or iOS device.

Here we see the free mydlink lite iOS iPhone app. It has a simple interface that loads quickly (much faster than the web browser viewer). There’s also a 99 cent mydlink+ version for the iPad that is full screen.

Turning the phone to landscape orientation provides a larger view. As you can see, the image isn’t exactly crystal clear. It is noticeably fuzzy. It’s not as bad as some network cameras I’ve tested, but isn’t as good as the Dropcam.

Tapping on the display will bring up a few options such as the ability to take a snapshot, toggle sound, and zoom. Like with the web viewer, audio through the smartphone app has static.

This is what the picture looks like when the camera is in night vision mode.

Here’s an example of what the camera shows in a normally lit room. This happens to be my utility room, which has florescent lights in the ceiling. I had one set of lights turned on when I captured this image with the iOS version of the mydlink app.

This is what the camera shows when all the lights are off and the door is closed. The room is in almost complete darkness. The image turns black and white, giving it a Ghost Hunters vibe. The D-Link uses infrared (IR) illumination for night vision up to 5 meters (16.4 feet).

You can also record video via the D-ViewCam interface if you have a Windows PC. At this time, there isn’t a Mac version of the D-ViewCam software. I tried to test D-ViewCam on the only Windows machine I have (an HP Mini netbook), but didn’t have much luck because it requires 1024 x 768 resolution which the Mini can’t quite do.

That’s one feature that the D-Link lacks, a DVR feature built in to the mydlink web portal. Dropcam has this, but they charge you a monthly fee for it.

I wish the picture was sharper, but all in all, the D-Link Wireless N Day/Night Home Network Camera (DCS-932L) is a good choice for an easy to use wireless networked camera. It’s not too expensive and offers decent control over motion detection and email notifications without having to pay a monthly fee.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, Reviews, Wireless

Tagged: Surveillance

D-Link Wireless N Day/Night Home Network Camera (DCS-932L) Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 6, 2012 at 11:00 am.

Samsung has a created their own version of a robotic vacuum called the NaviBot.  It is to offer a more efficient and intelligent way of cleaning your home.  NaviBot features a visionary mapping system, multiple cleaning modes, a triple brush system, and auto recharge and resume.

The Samsung NaviBot is engineered with 38 sensors, which features three cliff sensors to detect the edge of stairs and other surfaces, three anti-tangle sensors that automatically unwind cord or carpet tassles if it encounters them, and auto-stop at lifting sensor to immediately shut the NaviBot off if it falls over or is lifted up.  It also has a self-adjust function that allows it to overcome obstacles of up to 1.5 cm and can automatically adjust for different types of flooring.

It is also equipped with an onboard camera that captures 30 frames per second to create a virtual map of the home.  It captures a picture of the ceiling in the room it is about to clean and then can analyze the space it is to clean. The picture is then utilized by the NaviBot to create a virtual map and create the most efficient route to clean the entire floor.  Just set it to go as you walk out the door, or use the delay function to start at a specified time during the day.  It has a “virtual guard”  feature, which can make an imaginary barrier and not enter other rooms.

The NaviBot features a rotating triple brush system underneath to work efficiently on picking up dirt, dust, and hard to capture pet hair.  The NaviBot effortlessly picks up hair and fluff without it wrapping around the brushes due to Samsung’s patented pet hair care system.  It can hold up to 600 ml of debris with its bagless dust collection and is equipped with a HEPA filter.  The noise level is at approximately 73dBA.

There are various cleaning modes to the NaviBot.  They include:  Auto, Max, Manual, Spot and Edge. The edge mode uses the spinning brushes to clean along walls and other hard to reach places.  The delay start mode can be used before leaving the home so it runs through its routine hours later, or you can rely on the daily schedule time to create a specific time of the day to run.  The manual mode allows you to control the robotic vacuum with its remote control.

The Samsung NaviBot needs minimal human intervention.  When the battery is running low, it will automatically return to the charging station.  It can even resume cleaning where it left off before recharging.  The NaviBot  SR8855 has up to 90 minutes run time when fully charged, and the charging time is to be 33% faster than other robotic vacuums.  There is also a Samsung NaviBot SR8845 available, and a more quiet-to run-version is a new addition to the line.  Samsung’s robotic vacuums have a suggested retail starting at $599, price varies with each model.

Filed in categories: Gear, Home Tech, News

Tagged: robotic vacuum

Samsung’s Take On Robotic Vacuums – The NaviBot SR8855 originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 4, 2012 at 10:13 am.

With a traditional baby monitor, you have a camera for the child’s room and a monitor that you carry around with you so you can see what’s happening with the baby.  You’ll need a power source for the monitor, and that means finding an outlet in the room you’re in or keeping the monitor supplied with batteries.  With the BabyPing monitoring system (from a newly-created division of Y-cam Solutions Ltd), you won’t have to worry about lugging around a separate monitor.  Place the BabyPing camera in the baby’s room, connect it to your home WiFi network, and use your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch as your monitor.  The free app “offers a wealth of security and safety features which include double-layer security and alerts to inform the user if the baby cries, if the Wi-Fi connection has been broken or if the monitoring iOS device is out of range.  Using specially developed technology, the Smart Filter™  cuts out the background noise and static normally associated with baby monitors, while Constant-Connect™ acts as a permanent tether between the app and monitor, instantly notifying the user when the baby is upset or if the connection is broken at any point, ensuring parents can put their trust in this new technology.”  The BabyPing will be available in the UK starting in February for £149.99 (about $230).  You can sign up at the BabyPing website to be notified of availability.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: baby monitor, Security

Use BabyPing and Your iOS Device to Monitor Your Child originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 18, 2012 at 10:00 am.

If you have used a video monitor around your home then you know the peace of mind that it offers knowing that you are seeing what the camera is seeing. However, you have to be home to view that monitor. But with the Lorex Home Video Monitoring System, you don’t need to be home to do that. Thanks to Lorex‘s Live Connect and the world-wide web, you can view the area that the camera is monitoring with the use of a computer, smartphone, or tablet.

Having a video monitor in your home is like having an extra set of eyes. You can use it to monitor the baby sleeping, to watch the kids playing, to see who is at your front door, and even see if the dog is getting on the couch. When you have that sense of security, it really puts your mind at ease.

Set up was fairly easy. Just plug in the camera and turn on the handheld monitor. That’s it.  The monitor comes paired to the camera right out of the box and can accommodate three additional cameras. That’s perfect if you need to have multiple cameras around the house.

The monitor and camera are powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and each comes with a MicroUSB plug to charge the batteries, or they can be kept plugged in for continuous power.

Speaking of pairing, you can pair three more cameras to the Lorex giving the monitor the ability to view 1 camera or a 4 camera split screen. The image was decent with the LCD screen being only a 2.4″ in. display and the screen resolution being only 320×240.

The camera and monitor work great in the day and just as good in the night thanks to its automatic night vision. The image quality is decent for a small screen. The image quality was comparable to a webcam image.  The picture shown is my daughter walking  in the center of the picture. There was significant motion blur so just know that you will see motion blur in anything you are monitoring that has fast movement in it.

The night vision is great for when you turn off the lights in the room where you are monitoring a sleeping baby, and like a standard baby monitor, the Lorex allows you to listen to audio. But a great feature the Lorex has is that you can record video or take a snapshot and save it to an SD card. The Lorex has a slot for an SD card so you take a picture with a push of the camera button on the handheld monitor or record video when you hold the camera button down for 5 seconds. Perfect for when you have one outside the house so you can record any unknown person or persons loitering around and have that footage later as evidence. But bear in mind, to record anything you have to manually press the record button. A nice add-on would have been motion detection; however, the Lorex does not have that much needed feature. The Lorex does come packaged with a 1 GB MicroUSB card.

Below is a snapshot from the Lorex handheld unit. Keep in mind that the capture resolution like the screen resolution is only 320×240 pixels.

Sad to say, you can’t record audio, which is just as well because the sound coming out of the small speaker on the monitor was not only subpar, but also had a big delay in it. The audio coming out sounded like a children’s toy walkie-talkie. I wasn’t very impressed with the audio especially when I was watching something on the monitor mainly because it didn’t sync up. Maybe from the years of video editing and syncing footage, but it just bothers me when the video and audio do not match up properly.

One thing that I especially liked about the Lorex is its portability.  The camera and monitor each come with a rechargeable lithium battery with a battery life of up to 5 hours making it truly portable. That’s perfect for a new mom and her baby who would go to a friend’s house without having have a baby monitor she could take along. Now, the baby can be monitored from any room of the friend’s house and without searching around for a wall plug. Just set up the camera, turn on the monitor and you’re done.  Pretty convenient. When I tested  the monitor and camera using only the battery, I got a really good amount of juice. I had them running at least 4 hours so I would say the 5 hour life could be expected. The monitor has a Power Save feature to help extend the battery life; the video portion will turn off when you set it . You can set it for 15 seconds, one minute, or it can be turned off all together. You will still hear the audio when it goes into Power Save mode. You just have to tap any button on the handheld unit to view the video again.

View from HTC EVO 3D

And speaking of convenience, what better way to monitor your camera than when you are on a computer, iPad, or smartphone. With the use of Skype you can connect to a live view of the camera through  Lorex’s Gateway. The Gateway is connected to your router via a RJ45  Ethernet cable. However, keep in mind that you need to have two Skype accounts for it to work. The Lorex Gateway needs to have a Skype account of its own so that you can connect to it through your personal Skype account whether using a computer, iPad, or smartphone. All that needs to be done is call up the Gateway through Skype, and you can view the image from the camera. I pulled up my Gateway on my HTC EVO 3D, and it did fairly well. Of course the smoothness of the video depended on the availability of network/Wi-Fi connection. When the connection was constant the streaming video was as if I was looking at the Lorex monitor unit itself.

Unfortunately, you cannot view video with the monitor unit and the Gateway at the same time. But that’s alright, chances are that if you are using the handheld monitor then you probably won’t be using the Gateway at the same time.

According to Lorex’s website, the camera and handheld unit have a digital range of 150 ft. indoors.  I had no signs of interference when keeping the camera on one side of my house and the monitor on the opposite far end on the house. Even without a clear line of sight, the video was  constant. Setting up the camera base was fairly simple. You can adjust it so that it can stand upright on its own or you can hang it from a nail or tack on the wall. Whether plugged in to the wall or battery-powered, there was no issue setting up either camera or handheld monitor. Simple.

But all in all, the Lorex Live View gets my vote for a convenient home monitor that allows for great portability and expansion. And it’s great for keeping an eye on your pet that you swear climbs on your couch when you are not at home, or for keeping a watchful eye on the baby, or even as a simple home security system.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Home Tech, Reviews

Tagged: baby monitor, Security system

Lorex Home Video Monitoring System Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 10, 2012 at 2:00 pm.

Dropcam announced this morning that they will no longer be using a third party camera vendor. Their new WiFi camera is completely redesigned to include HD quality 720p video, night vision, 2-way audio and digital PTZ. The online viewer has also been enhanced to increase user experience. They are claiming that the Dropcam HD will be the most full featured, lowest priced point camera on the market and the easiest to set up, guaranteed. I know that their previous version (see my review listed below in the related posts lists) was very easy to setup and I continue to use it on a regular basis to keep an eye on things at home while I’m not there. I can’t wait to try this new camera which will be available later this month for $149. Read the full press release after the jump.

Dropcam Shows CES Attendees How to Keep an Eye on Their Homes While They’re Away

World’s smallest Wi-Fi video monitoring camera with night vision, video streaming, mobile viewing and recording capabilities provides peace of mind when on the go

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (Consumer Electronics Show 2012), Jan. 9, 2012 –Dropcam today unveils the Dropcam HD Wi-Fi Video Monitoring Camera – its newest camera for the connected home. From initial setup to daily dependable service, the small, stylish award-winning Dropcam HD camera makes it effortless to use live and recorded video to check in on the kids, share moments of a new baby, keep an eye on a pet, or make sure your home is safe when you are away.The easy-to-set-up video camera integrates seamlessly with Dropcam’s enhanced online video streaming and cloud-based DVR services, which also go live today.

With access from any computer, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet, the live and recorded video from your Dropcam HD camera is available to you anytime, anywhere. When you’re not actively checking in on your home, you’ll still stay up to date with email and push alerts when motion or audio is detected. You can also take a look back through events with Dropcam’s DVR service, which can record up to 30 days of video. All video is encrypted using bank-level security standards to ensure user privacy.

Dropcam HD ($149) is now available for preorder on www.dropcam.com and will begin shipping later this month.

Dropcam HD enters the scene as the most full-featured Wi-Fi video monitoring camera in its category. Features include:

·        60-second setup – Plug it in. Select your Wi-Fi network. Personalize it. Your Dropcam HD is online in three intuitive, simple steps.

·        Watch and check in 24/7 – AC-powered Dropcam HD gives you reliable, quality video at all times. It’s plugged in, so you don’t have to worry about missing video due to drained batteries.

·        Night vision – Reasons to keep an eye on what you care about don’t stop when the sun goes down. The night vision mode turns on automatically when a room darkens to make sure you don’t miss a moment.

·        Talk back with two-way audio – Respond to what you’re watching as it happens with two-way audio. Ask who is at the front door, check in on the kids while chores get done, tell the dog (or husband) to get off the couch.

·        Digital zoom – Pick which part of the room to focus on. Zoom in on the baby’s crib, the front door, or one of the cars in the driveway.

·        Versatile placement – Dropcam HD is adjustable to quickly mount on a wall, stand on a table, or you can pop out the lens to create a smaller, more discreet profile that can be placed anywhere.

Breaking the Mold

To date, Wi-Fi video monitoring cameras have been designed as utilitarian and unattractive, and they were coupled with outdated video viewing software that was difficult to set up and understand. Thoughtful design with a focus on simplicity and usefulness was paramount in creating the new Dropcam HD camera and the accompanying online services. The camera’s monochromatic colors and unique shape blend naturally into a living room or office.

“Our users are our first priority – from the design of the camera through the easy product setup to the simple daily use of our video services. User experience is at the forefront of all that we create at Dropcam,” said Greg Duffy, CEO and Co-Founder of Dropcam.  “It’s an exciting time to launch Dropcam HD, a product that introduces quality hardware and intuitive user experience to a space that has missed it completely.”

Cloud-based DVR Services and CES Demo

Along with Dropcam’s new camera come best-in-class video streaming and DVR services. Video from your Dropcam HD camera is stored in the cloud, so it doesn’t slow your computer and you never have to worry about running out of memory on your PC. Unlimited real-time viewing from any device as well as email and push motion/sound alerts are always free for users.Recording plans to capture moment-by-moment HD video start at $9.95 per month. Your video stream can also be safely shared with friends and family for free by inviting them through a secure link, so they can share in the things you care about most.

Dropcam’s cloud-based viewing and recording service is all you need to access your Dropcam HD camera 24/7. There’s no need to keep a computer running – just connect to your Wi-Fi network. Dropcam DVR can record up to 30 days of continuous video from each camera.

See a demo of the Dropcam HD camera and online services during CES Jan. 10 – 12 at booth #3421 – LVCC, North Hall, and at the Pepcom Digital Experience media event Jan. 9 in the MGM Grand.

Also, join Dropcam CEO Greg Duffy on Jan. 12, 4:20p in the Mommy Tech area – LVCC, North Hall N256, when he speaks about “Moms as CEO of the Household.”

About Dropcam Dropcam, Inc. is an agent of change at the intersection of video, data, and the cloud. Its award-winningWi-Fi video monitoring camera and intelligent software services capture life’s moments, making it easy for users to check in on the things they care about from anywhere, anytime, on any device. Founded in 2009, San Francisco-based Dropcam is funded by Accel Partners and top angel investors. To learn more, please visitwww.dropcam.com, watch our demo videos on YouTube, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @dropcam. Dropcam, Inc. is located at 160 Spear Street, Suite 1700, San Francisco, CA 94105.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Home Tech, News

Tagged: Surveillance, Video

Dropcam will be launching a new camera at CES originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 9, 2012 at 9:00 am.

Another day, another media player.  Is it me or what?  Now micca has a new entry in the plethora of players available, the EP600 Premium Full-HD media player. This networked player is supposed to play all your media files on your HD TV from connected storage devices and streams from devices on your LAN.  We’ll give it a test drive and see what it really can do.

The hardware specs are fairly impressive:

• Hardware – Realtek 1185DD 500MHz Decoder/Processor – 256MB DDR2 Memory – 256MB NAND Flash
• AV Output – HDMI 1.3 (up to 1080p 60Hz) – Component Video (YPbPr) – Composite A/V – Coaxial Digital SPDIF Audio – Optical Digital SPDIF Audio
• Storage Supported – External SATA Drive Connector – 2 x USB 2.0 Host Port – SD/SDHC Flash Memory Card Reader
• Network – 1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet LAN – Optional 802.11n WiFi

Most importantly for a media player are the files types supported.  Here we also have a very comprehensive list of types:

•  Video Files – BDMV, BD-ISO, MKV, MOV, WMV, TS, M2TS, MTS, FLV, AVI, DVD-ISO, VOB, M2P, MP4, MPG, DAT, ASF, TP TRP, SWF
•  Video Codecs – H.264/AVC, MPEG1/2/4, DivX/Xvid, VC-1, and RMVB
•  Audio Formats – DTS/DTS-HD MA, Dolby AC3/True-HD, LPCM, ADPCM, FLAC, APE, LC-AAC, HE-AAC, MP3, OGG, WAM, WAV
•  Image Formats – JPG, GIF, PNG, BMP, and TIF

Here’s what you get in the box.  The cable at the top of the photo is for a SATA drive.  The cable below that is a special component video cable unique to the micca.  It has a mini plug branching out to 3 RCA plugs for the 3 component video inputs on your HD TV.  Be aware there is no HDMI cable or audio cable.  You’ll have to supply your own.

The front of the unit only has a power button which illuminates blue when power is on and red when off.

On the rear there are the connections for digital audio, composite and component video, a LAN port, HDMI connection and power input.  The small jack between the red RCA connector and the LAN port is where the special component cable pugs in.  Click on the image to get a better view.

On the left side are the connection for the SATA cable and memory cards.  There is a rubber piece that covers the SATA slot, but it fell off after the first time I put it back on and it’s disappeared.

The USB connections are on the right side of the EP600.

The device itself is solidly built, the case being made from aluminium.  With the exception of the SATA cover, all sockets held the cables with no problems.

To test the player out, I dug up an unused SATA hard drive plus a USB drive and plugged them in.  Theoretically, the EP600 will work with a BD-rom through the SATA port, but I didn’t have one.  I’ll just trust that it works.   With the player hooked to my tv using my HDMI cable and connected to my LAN using a Cat5 cable supplied by me, I fired it up.  The device will also connect via WiFi, but a dongle was not provided.  Because the SATA connection is on the side, there is no elegant way to position the hard drive.

Here’s the home screen.  As you move between the icons using the remote, a title pops up and the icon enlarges.  The first three are for the media libraries.  A feature of the EP600 is that it indexes all the drives connected to the device.  It looks for movie, audio and photo files.  This makes it easy to find a media file regardless of where it is.

For example, these movie files are split between the SATA and USB drive, but show up in one library.  There are duplicates in the list because I have the same movies on 2 devices.  To play the movie, simply hit the OK button on the remote and playback begins,  as long as the .ts file is in the folder with the movie.  You can also get to the media library via the buttons on the remote.

The second and third icon give the same results.  When the media library is created, it is just as easy to play a track or display photos from all the storage devices connected to the player.  The media library function will display the cover art for a file, if it is in the correct format.  I’ll be working on that in the future.

The file manager function allows browsing of media files on the USB, CARD, HDD and network.

Here my configuration has one SATA drive and is connected to the network.  From this screen you can also access UPnP servers and any NFS shares.  I was disappointed in the results using the UPnP option.  While it did recognize the Playon server on my PC, it would not play the streams.  This may be a function of Playon, but it would have made this device more useful if it worked.

My LAN has several computers and NAS devices.  These are accessible via the file manager function.  This allows me to display/play media files from these devices on my flatscreen TV.  You can access and copy files between micca and other LAN devices.

Another neat feature is that the device is DLNA compliant.   If you have a windows 7 system on the LAN, you can right-click on a media file and select the micca as a destination and your file will play on your HD TV.  I found this rather useful.

Also, by downloading an app to your smartphone you can push media files from these devices to the EP600 which will display on your HD TV.  I used iMediaSHare for my iPod Touch.  It has several channels, most of which I found useless, but hopefully they’ll be something more interesting in the future.

After selecting a channel, I was presented with the above display.   This allowed me to direct the media to a DLNA device for playing.

There’s also an Internet Media Service function giving access to network applications.

The web browser function, which brings up the Google page on the player, interested me the most, however, it was a big disappointment.  To use it, you’ll have to connect a mouse and keyboard to the two USB ports.  Unfortunately, the keyboard did not work in the Google search bar.  It only brings up an on-screen keyboard into which you can type commands.  When I did get a  selected page to display, it was cut off.  I gave up trying to make it work after a while.

Which brings me to my feelings about this device.  It seems to me that the micca EP600 is a work in progress.  I imagine that it was  put together from left over parts at a contract manufacturer.  The 12 page “manual” is short on any detail.   The device also exhibited many idiosyncracies, such as needing to be restarted after an update of the media libraries.  Sometimes it would not output a signal to the TV and I had to power cycle to get it to work.  And do NOT play with the TV mode function on the remote.  I toggled it and got a display mode incompatible with my TV and lost picture.  I kept toggling hoping it would come back, but I finally had to connect the player to the TV using a composite video cable.  This allowed me to see enough to switch the output to a compatible mode.

That being said, I actually like this device.  The best feature for me is the ability to play ripped DVDs by clicking the folder.  No need to fool around with .vobs and .ts files.  The media library function makes it very easy to access your media from on-screen.  There’s no need to know where the file is.  So, if you have some patience and $99, this is not a bad choice.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Home Tech, Reviews

Tagged: A/V, Audio/video gear

micca EP600 Network Digital Media Player Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 8, 2012 at 1:00 pm.

Having the ability to turn your lights on and off at predetermined times can be really useful for a variety of reasons. But wiring your house for X10 and other home automation equipment can be pricy and time consuming. A simple alternative is this Automatic Wall Switch Timer which fits right over a standard wall switch plate and allows you to program up to 9 separate settings per 24 hour period (a total of 63 on/off settings per week). The switch is powered by 2 AA batteries and doesn’t require any wiring modifications or plate removal. The Automatic Wall Switch Timer is priced at $34.99 and is available from Skymall.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, News

Tagged: Home Automation

Automate your house lights – No wiring required originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 6, 2012 at 2:00 pm.

A good label maker is one of those things that you do not realize how useful it can be until you have one. Pretty much every container, drawer, and file in my shop at work is labeled and it has made my life so much easier in so many ways (like trying to tell someone over the phone where a specific gizmo is.)

I had been using a pretty generic label maker, and was excited to try the more creative Epson LabelWorks LW-300 and play with all of its features!

The LW-300 is the more ‘home-based’ companion to the more ‘office-oriented’ LW-400. Both feature:

• 14 fonts, 10 styles, and 300+ symbols
• less margin waste than other brands
• memory
• multi-line printing (2 lines for the LW-300, 4 for the LW-400)
• wide tape capabilities (up to 1/2″ for the LW-300, 3/4″ for the LW-400)
• 7 languages
• quiet operation
• easy to apply ‘split-back’ labels
• specialty tapes from glow-in-the-dark to iron-on

The LW-400 can also print specialty projects like bar codes and cable wraps and on tapes that include fluorescent colors that do not come in the 1/2″ size used by the LW-300.

I was sent the LW-300 unit to try, and it is a lot of fun to use! It reminds me of when Print Shop originally came out and suddenly people were making signs with fancy fonts, borders, and clip art all over them. Sure, a lot of them were horribly ugly, but you could also do some neat stuff with it, as you can with this labeler.

Everything in the box

The labeler is packed in a box that, intentionally or not, makes a very functional storage box. It contained the printer, a warranty card, instruction booklet, symbols reference card, and a starter cartridge of 1/2″ black on white tape. I was also sent a roll of glow-in-the-dark, iron-on, and blue pearlized tapes to play with. It runs on 6 AA batteries or an AC adapter, neither is included.

The LW-300 is about 6″x5.5″x2″ with a QWERTY keyboard and several special purpose keys. Many buttons have another function when the ‘shift’ key is pressed. Most of the controls are labeled clearly enough and the unit is intuitive enough that you won’t need the instructions… most of the time. The default ‘enter’ key is the typical downward bent arrow, which keeps causing me troubles because it is also used to start a new line on this and other machines.

Front panel

Back, with cover off

Back, showing the big green 'cut' button, tape slot, and power jack

You can change the looks of the labels in many ways:

• 14 fonts, from Sans Serif to Roman to Script
• Character size, spacing, and width
• Styles such as italics, bold, outline, shadow, or combinations
• Label length
• Several frame options, vertical or mirror printing, and adding sequential numbers
• Using different tapes

Some possible variations

It can do so much that it is tough to convey it all on the controls, so you’ll want to keep the instructions handy for details on some features (or use the abbreviated reference sticker on the bottom). The screen shows a limited ‘WYSIWYG’ display- it will show the text and symbols, but not the font, frames, etc.

The entire back comes off easily allowing for very easy access to the batteries or to change the tape cartridge. A small window in the back shows you which cartridge is in place, and swapping tapes is very easy with the large index guide and a label path that is easy to get the tape into.

I was sent several samples of tapes to play with…

• The stock 1/2″ Black on White labels are very much like similar labels used on a variety of label makers. Like most of the tapes made for this machine, the backing is slit in the middle to make it easier to remove.
• Glow-In-The-Dark is a fun option. Like similar products, it charges with exposure to light. This tape will glow for hours, getting fainter as it goes. It would make an interesting ‘night light’ for kids, or be a handy way to label light switches or other things you may need to access in the dark. As the glow fades, it becomes harder to read the letters, so use bold fonts to get the best results.
• The Blue Pearlized labels were very pretty, but the black letters on the slightly dark background did not have as much contrast. On the other hand, they look great on projects like scrapbooks, etc. where you do not want such a stark or industrial look.
• I did not get a chance to try the Iron-On tapes for durability, but they did iron on easily and survived one washing without noticeable damage. This seems like a good choice for labeling clothing going to school or camp, etc., but it would also be an easy way to do things like personalize a work shirt, identify special purpose cleaning cloths (like ‘Glass Only’), and so on.

Tape samples

My primary use of a labeler is at work at a rehab center for adults with disabilities, where I use it to organize the shop. However, with the specialty tapes available, I can also tackle other projects, like attaching identification labels to seat cushion covers (Iron-On) and wheelchairs in the loaner fleet (Metallic or High Strength Adhesive), or identifying risks (Fluorescent).

But, as I play with this machine, I see more and more interesting uses, like…

• Customizing toys with the variable text options and sizes – trucks with door signs from ‘Mark’s Construction’, or signage in a toy town. You could even use the iron-on labels in small print sizes to put words and images on doll clothing.
• Return address label maker – setting up a memorized label with your address and city, state, and zip on the two lines, then tinkering with the settings to make a nice, legible, compact label you can print whenever you need one or ten of them.
• Make two identical vertical labels and stick them back to back on the edge of a page to make an index tab you can read from either direction.

Making labels for toy vehicles (Avatar(R) RC Helicopter- review coming soon.) "Guaranteed Delivery In 30 Minutes or Less, Or We'll Destroy Your House!"

Some special projects- photo album label, name tag, 'night light'. The page on the left is part of the symbol reference card

Like many printers nowadays, the base machine is fairly cheap (MSRP $39.99), but you can go broke on the consumables – the tapes range from $16.99 to $21.99, but the lengths also range from 5 to 30 feet. The basic black-on-white cartridge is $17.99 for 30′. Figuring two inches per label, you can get 180 labels from a roll at a cost of about a dime a label. On the other hand, the glow-in-the-dark tape is $29.99 for 5′, making each 2″ label worth about a buck each!

My two biggest complaints about this unit are both pretty petty. My older labeler did not let you press multiple buttons, so to get a capital letter, for example, you hit ‘shift’, then the letter. This unit requires pressing multiple buttons – shift and the letter at the same time. I also keep loosing track of which button I need to advance in the menu or to select the option I want.

Beyond those two nit-picks, this is a nice machine. It is well-built and passes the Gadgeteer Creak Test. It stores away nicely and goes a long time on a set of batteries. It is easy to use, and easy to figure out when you do get stuck.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, Reviews

Tagged: label maker, tape labeler

Epson LabelWorks LW-300 Label Printer Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 4, 2012 at 2:09 pm.

OK, I’ll admit to a fascination with robotic floor cleaners.  I’ve owned a Roomba since 2006, so when I had the opportunity to review the Mint Automated Floor Cleaner from Evolution Robotics, I eagerly volunteered.  The Mint would address a limitation of the Roomba, because it is targeted specifically at hard surface floors, something the Roomba doesn’t do well.  About a third of the floors in my house are either wood or vinyl, so I had plenty of area to test out the Mint.

The unit I have is the  model 4200, the original Mint.  There is now also a Mint with Pro Clean, a Mint Plus and a Mint Plus with Cradle.  The features for my model are:

• Sweeps and mops
• Multi-purpose cleaning pad
• Microfiber sweeping cloths
• Microfiber mopping cloth
• NorthStar navigation
• Sweeping run time 3 hours
• Mopping run time 2 hours
• Sweeping area per cycle (max) 800 sq ft
• Mopping area per cycle (max) 200 sq ft

In the package are the Mint unit, the navigation cube, a wall wart for charging the battery, 2 dry sweeping cloths, 1 wet mopping cloth and the instruction manual.

A closer look at the top of the unit reveals three buttons: power, sweeping mode and mopping mode.  The 3 indicator LEDs signify connection with the navigation cube.

On the bottom is the jack for the charger.  At the top of the photo is the removable cleaning pad.  It’s held in magnetically.

The cleaning pad can accept either the reusable cloths supplied with the unit or compatible Swiffer (not WetJet)  disposable dry and wet cleaning cloths.  I used both, but preferred the convenience of the disposable.  To save money I purchased the store brand.

The navigation cube (seen above) allows the Mint to hug the edges of the room.  Without it the Mint will still clean, but it covers a smaller area and doesn’t get along the edges.  To position the cube for best reception it should be put in the middle of the area to be cleaned, pointing away from the walls with a clear shot to the ceiling.

Before I could use the Mint to clean the dining room, I  moved most of the items on the floor.  The unit will snake around the chairs, but they have to be spaced so that it will navigate between them.  It was just as easy to just move them.  The following link has a short video of the Mint dry mopping my dining room.  In the above photo and the video you’ll see the navigation cube on the table.

This is what the disposable dust mop looked like after running over the dining room floor.  While it didn’t get all the dust bunnies in the corners, it did a reasonable job capturing dirt and cat hairs.

A bigger challenge for the Mint was our kitchen.  We’re blessed with twin 3-year-old grandsons and a 5-year-old granddaughter.  During their numerous stays with us, they’ll consume vast quantities of food and drink, a good portion which winds up on the kitchen floor.  Here I was able to give the Mint a decent workout, using the dry and wet mopping modes.  I used both the included reusable cloth wet mop and a disposable one.  They both performed the same, and unfortunately neither would remove yogurt and other liquids that the kids spilled.  I had to resort to a manual mop and elbow grease to clean several spots.  I also ran into an issue with the Mint’s wedge shape.  It jammed itself under the dishwasher and couldn’t back out.  I had to pull it out.

The hardwood floor of the kitchen area abuts our carpeted family room.  As the Mint contacted the carpet, it stopped and turned around.  The kitchen area also abuts the sunken dining room.  Sensors on the device ensured it wouldn’t fall over the edge.

The Mint is meant only for solid floors, so I also tried it on the vinyl flooring in a bathroom.  (Note the navigation cube on the seat.)  The Mint has enough power to service several rooms without recharging.  Again I needed to use a manual mop to remove footprints left by the ankle biters’ muddy shoes.  I also found  that the device is too large to get in smaller spaces and I completed the cleaning job with a hand mop.

As much as I’m fascinated with the Mint, a reality check is in order.  In the photo above you have a Swiffer on the left costing about $25 and the Mint on the right costing about $200.  Using the disposable pads the consumable costs are the same.  With the Swiffer I’m able to add muscle to the process to remove heavily soiled areas, something I can’t do with the Mint.  With the Swiffer I am able to get into smaller areas by turning it sideways, also something I cannot do with the Mint.  To be perfectly frank, in the time it takes the Mint to clean one of my rooms, I can do all the solid floors in my house with the Swiffer.

There is a place for the Mint.  For the D.I.N.K.s (dual income, no kids) among us, being able to set up the Mint to clean the floors while we’re out to work has its advantages.  This is a great device to use for daily touch ups, however, it’s no substitute for using a vacuum and regular mop.  If you keep on top of  the cleaning it may prove its worth and for the early adopters, it does have conversation value.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, Kitchen Gadgets, Reviews

Tagged: Home Tech, Vacuum

Mint Automated Floor Cleaner Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 22, 2011 at 11:00 am.

Along with gadgets and tech-toys, I like nice tools. Over the decades I have done countless home-improvement and construction projects,accumulating many very capable tools along the way. I have definitely learned that the ‘right tool for the job’ can save you huge amounts of time, money, and effort….safer too. Always looking to increase my arsenal of worthy equipment, I jumped at the chance to review Dremel’s new mini, handheld cutting tool, the Saw-Max.

A key component to a good or great tool is a nice, well-organized storage case. It is not an absolute necessity but it certainly is a perk for better storage and transportation. In addition, I find a good case keeps your tools/gear in better condition and running longer.

Fortunately the Saw-Max comes in/includes a nicely made, well-organized case. Not only is there a place for the Saw-Max and its power cord but a dozen or so saw blades and a few allen wrenches too.

Package Contents:

• Dremel Saw-Max SM20 tool
• TRSM810 Dust Port Adapter
• SM500 Multi-Purpose Carbide Wheel
• SM510 Metal Cut-Off Wheel
• SM540 Tile Diamond Wheel
• SM600 Multi-Purpose Flush Cut Carbide Wheel
• Allen Wrench
• Storage Case
• Instruction Manual

The Dremel Saw-Max SM20 is designed for one-handed use and can make straight, plunge, or flush cuts up to 3/4″ deep. It has the ability/horsepower to cut wood, plastic, laminates, drywall, sheet metal, and tile. This compact handsaw uses 3”-diameter blades embedded with abrasives (carbide, diamond, aluminum oxide) for cutting edges rather than cutting teeth like a typical skilsaw blade. The Saw-Max is powered by a 6 amp motor generating approximately 17,000 rpms.

Changing the cutting wheel is quick and easy, just depress the lock button on the top, front of the tool and use the included allen wrench to loosen the nut clockwise. Remove the bolt and pressure plate, swap the blade wheel, then replace the plate and tighten the bolt.

Features:

As stated above, the Saw-Max has the ability to adjust its cutting depth, down to three quarters of an inch. While the Saw-Max cannot replace your skilsaw or tablesaw, it can definitely do the more fine, precision construction/cutting efforts.

Even though it is not included with the Saw-Max, there is a hard-point for attaching a perpendicular handle for better, more precise control.

Like a majority of/all modern day hand tools, the Saw-Max not only has an activation trigger but an additional switch that must be held down for the saw to work. This safety latch is simple and easy to actuate but does help keep the saw from accidentally being turned on.

Also engineered into the handle, Dremel has included a lock-on button for comfort/convenience during extended use. It is well placed, out of the way so it does not get accidentally activated.

In my testing, I have used it to cut through wood, tile and metal. Overall, the Saw-Max did a good, if not great job, considering its size and all-purpose nature. When I first saw pictures of the Saw-Max, my initial impression was that it was too small and not rugged enough to withstand years of construction projects. That said, I have to admit that I was totally wrong. The Saw-Max is very well constructed and nicely sized, with a good overall design.  It is built to get the small to medium cutting jobs done.

For this review, I wanted to use the Saw-Max on one of my actual home-improvement projects. To give you a bit of background info, I have procrastinated all year on installing a metal roof on our pump house.  Since the skies have turned gray and stormy here in Seattle (fortunately I picked the one day in the next six months the clouds parted and did not rain), it was past the time to get it done. Typically I use a sawzall and metal cutters to cut metal roofing. But thought this the perfect trial for the Saw-Max and the included metal cutting blade.

As the video illustrates, the Saw-Max did a great job cutting through the thick gauge roofing. From a cutting perspective, it did very well…..stellar in fact. The Saw-Max enabled me to cut a perfect, relatively smooth line with little effort (definitely something a sawzall can not do). In the video above, not only am I cutting through the metal but a bit of the rock it is sitting on as well (nothing like a little operator error to prove a point ).

This type of abrasive cutting does cause you to use up quite a few blades during the course of a project (rate depends on the thickness/density of the material you are cutting). A fair trade considering the comparative easy and greater precision the Saw-Max gives you.

With the SM600 Multi-Purpose Flush Cut Carbide Wheel, the Saw-Max can do the sometimes difficult flush cuts needed for trim, flooring, doorways, and the like.

It’s handling characteristics were equally as surprising. The Saw-Max has a good heft/weight to it for its size and handles extremely well. There was little kickback or error caused by the torque of the saw’s operation. I have other small saws that I constantly have to be aware of them kicking back at me when cutting. While the Saw-Max did occasionally come back at me, it was rare and controlled.

The Dremel Saw-Max is a great little saw that can do many things a large saw cannot. With its excellent build quality, two year warranty, and reasonable price of $130, I would recommend this to anyone who needs a small, yet strong and versatile mini saw. I am very glad it has joined my army of tools .

Filed in categories: Home Tech, Reviews

Tagged: Power tools

Dremel Saw-Max (SM20-02) Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 18, 2011 at 12:34 pm.

Most bathroom tub and shower faucets don’t have any settings indicators, so you never know for sure if you have the water temperature adjusted to your liking before getting in the shower.  These simple, yet ingenious Temji bands from Dreamfarm stretch to fit most any faucet.  Simply use trial-and-error one more time to find the adjustment that’s just right for you, then fit the dial and indicator on your faucet.  To make things easier, there’s a red band for hot and blue for cold.  Temji is only $4.95.  You can order directly from Temji (in Australia) or use their store finder to find resellers near you.  (There are several resellers here in Greensboro, but I can’t tell if they offer the entire line of Dreamfarm products.)

Filed in categories: Do-It-Yourself, Home Tech, News

Tagged: Faucet, Home safety

Keep Things from Getting Too Hot with Temji Shower Temperature Dials originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 14, 2011 at 9:00 am.

Everyone occasionally wanders into a situation where they want or need to have an extra set of eyes watching their stuff.  There are a number of ways to do this by setting up a webcam, but getting a webcam where you need it can be difficult, and not everyone has the patience or know-how to configure such a thing.  Intellinet Network Solutions has what could be the solution to this problem in their NSC11-WN Network Camera.  But is it all it’s cracked up to be?  I got the opportunity to try one out and find out.

There isn’t much to the NSC11-WN upon opening the box.  Aside from the camera unit itself, there’s a mounting bracket, an AC adapter, a CD containing the admin software, and a user guide.  Setup is relatively easy; just install the admin software, plug the camera up to your network via ethernet, and then configure the camera’s wireless adapter to communicate with your wireless network.  Once that’s done, the camera can be accessed and configured in your web browser directly via its local IP address.  I had no trouble getting the review unit set up, and it was able to maintain a wireless connection throughout my home with no issues.

The configuration options are actually quite generous.  In addition to being able to have the camera’s image emailed or sent via FTP on a schedule, one can also configure it to email or FTP the image only when motion is detected.  Further, you can set up multiple “regions” of the camera’s field of view to watch for motion;  in this way, you can watch only certain areas of a room, so that, for example, it doesn’t trigger when curtains blow in the breeze from an open window or when a pet walks across the floor.  Unfortunately, this is about where the options end.  There is no local storage, nor is there any option for simply saving off photos or video to a network location, so if you will be saving lots of data locally, you will have to look into setting up an FTP server on your local network.

The included administration application lets you identify cameras on the network and find their IP address.

The image quality of the camera is nothing to write home about, sadly.  The camera is equipped with a sub-megapixel sensor, so even with the maximum image size of 640 x 480, images are anything but crisp.  In my tests, identifying faces was pretty difficult at anything more than fifteen or twenty feet away from the camera.  While this might be sufficient to identify if someone has been in a given place, it’s not going to be clear enough to identify who it is, unless they’re getting really close to the camera.

The web admin console allows you to specify regions for motion detection, but only in Internet Explorer. (Click to enlarge)

Aside from the image quality, I do have one major gripe with this product.  While both the website and the product packaging cite support for OS X, as well as the Firefox, Opera, and Safari browsers, neither the website nor the packaging indicate that you have to be using Windows and IE in order to get the most out of this camera.  The admin software is Windows-only, so unless your network configuration leaves the camera’s default IP address unused, you’re going to have a tough time during the initial setup.  Likewise, many of the features of the camera’s web console (saving photos/video directly to disk, setting up motion activation regions, etc.) are available only in IE, leaving OS X users in the cold.  Fortunately, Mac users can get around this by running Windows either in Boot Camp or in a VM (for the purposes of this review, I used Parallels), but that’s beside the point.  If a product states that it supports OS X, and no caveats are given, I expect to get all of the features available under Windows.  In this case, I feel sorely misled, and I’m not terribly happy about it.

A live view via the web console allows you to check in on things at your leisure, but the image quality is far from stellar. Here, we can sort of make out my dog taking a nap.

All in all, this is a decent product if you just need to stick a webcam somewhere that you can’t normally reach with one, but don’t really need much in the way of resolution or clarity, and as long as you have a Windows machine on your network, or a Mac with a Windows VM.  I suppose that the image quality is fairly appropriate for the price, but if I was in need of a wireless webcam, I’d certainly prefer to pay another $50-$100 for a camera with a higher-quality sensor and optics.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, Reviews, Wireless

Tagged: network camera, security camera, Wireless

Intellinet Network Solutions NSC11-WN Network Camera Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 9, 2011 at 11:05 am.

Knock knock!  Who’s there?  Now you’ll know with the PeepHole Viewer PHV1330 from Brinno, which records images outside your door onto a microSD card and has a 3″ LCD display on the inside for your viewing.

Regular peepholes are great, with a few shortcomings:  You have to be the right height to use them for one thing, and you don’t have a record of who comes to the door.  Brinno’s PeepHole Viewer solves those issues.

And if the intruder has a floating head and knife, you'll know for sure.

Box contents. Batteries included.

MicroSD card (not included) goes under a rubber flap.

Controls on the right side. Note the small slider switch for brightness control.

Feeding time! The PHV1330 takes two AA batteries. Note the small void in the upper half? That's for an optional motion or knock sensor.

The included peephole is fed through the washer and black lock ring. The PHV1330 attaches to the black lock ring.

PHV1330 on my front door.

How it works:

Brinno suggests using the included peephole, which gives a wide angle view, and fits into doors with a maximum thickness of about 2 to 2-1/4 inches.  I didn’t need to drill a hole since my door already had a peephole, but the included peephole needs a hole of about 1/2″ diameter.

Normally, the Brinno PHV1330 sits there.  The screen is dark.  If someone comes to your door, you press the button just below the screen, and the camera image pops up.  Still shots are recorded for a few seconds and saved to the microSD card.

Me, as captured by the Brinno PHV1330. Don't expect all your guests to be sleepy with bed head.

You’ll note that our main door faces a corridor in our condo.  Lighting is the same around the clock.  Still, I found better results if I had the brightness/gain switch set to “low light” mode (see icon in upper left corner).  There’s not a lot of detail; you can’t really make out the SF Giants logo on my orange shirt.  But the time/date stamp is a nice touch.

Speaking of the time/date stamp, read the instructions on setting it.  I spent about 3-5 min trying to set it myself without opening the manual and failed.

The Brinno PHV1330 did exactly what it says, but I’m not totally convinced it’s any easier than peeking through a glass peephole that doesn’t require batteries.  The PHV1330 takes a second to turn on when you press the button.  Peepholes are instantaneous.  But then again, peepholes can’t record images with a time/date stamp, either!

Filed in categories: Home Tech, Reviews

Tagged: security camera

Brinno PeepHole Viewer PHV1330 Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 8, 2011 at 11:00 am.

The Twine is created by Supermechanical , a pair of graduates from  MIT Media Lab, and is currently seeking ( well, they’ve actually already exceeded ) funding on Kickstarter. The Twine is a durable 2.5″ square that provides in-built wifi connectivity, internal on-board temperature and accelerometer, as well as an external expansion jack for other sensors ( such as moisture ).  Power is supplied either by an on-board mini USB or two AAA batteries.   Using the Spool cloud web app using simple English commands ( no programming skills required ) , you can easily monitor the status of your Twine and then when certain rules are triggered you can get an email, SMS Twitter, or configurable HTTP request.

Looks like a really kewl and easy to use concept.

Check out the video on Kickstarter.

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, Home Tech, News

Tagged: Gadgets

Twine – Strings the real world to the internet originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 29, 2011 at 10:00 am.

This post brought to you by Norton Small Business by Symantec. All opinions are 100% mine.

When I surf the Internet or read email, I always try to avoid places and situations that could be dangerous – I never open emails with attachments from people I don’t know, I never click on random links in emails, and I avoid sites that sound skeevy.  Still, I once got a virus from a website that I had been to thousands of times before.  That virus wrecked my computer so badly that it had to be reimaged, and I consider myself lucky that I didn’t lose any of my important files and that no one was able to steal my identity. I was foolish not to have Internet-security software on my PC.

Losing family pictures from a personal computer would be heartbreaking, but losing customer databases and financial records could destroy your business.  You’ll be careful, but you can you trust all your employees to be as careful?  And sometimes, simply being careful isn’t enough.  Norton Small Business by Symantec will constantly monitor your PC and stop viruses before they can be downloaded from emails or from harmful sites.  Click to learn more.

In a survey, about 28% of small-business owners say technology is of more concern to them than reducing labor costs.  And about 60% say they have experienced malware problems in the past 3 years, and half of them had to pay an expert to resolve the resulting problems.

Earlier this year, Symantec introduced two new products designed for small-business protection.  Both Norton 360 and Norton Internet Security 2012 protect against theft of your confidential business information so you can safely bank, surf, and do business online; notify you if a website or downloaded file is safe before your PC is infected; and protect your PC as you surf, email, and chat – all without slowing down your computer.  Norton 360 adds some important features: automatically backs up important files and documents to disk, USB, or secure Norton online data centers, and allows you to access them securely from any internet-connected computer; and keeps your computer running at top speed.

Best of all, Norton offers a 30% discount to small business owners.  Why not go learn how protect your Small Business from the latest online threats.  Or how it can protect important files and information on your personal PC, too.

Has your personal or business computer suffered losses from malware and viruses?  Let us know in the comments what Norton product could most benefit you.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, News

Tagged: Internet, Security

Protect Your Small Business with Norton Internet Security Products from Symantec originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 26, 2011 at 8:00 am.

Have one of those rooms that just doesn’t get enough natural sunlight ? Have a room where there’s no windows ?  Got a case of the Winter blues ?  Made of electroluminescent ( EL ) sheets, Makoto Hirahara’s Bright Blind simulates a window where none exists.  Turn the stick and control the brightness.  Measuring in at 39.25″ X 23.5″ X 1.25″ , there’s no price up on the Generate site as they’re hand made – but you do get free shipping

Filed in categories: Home Tech, News

Tagged: Home lighting

Makoto Hirahara Bright Blind originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 10, 2011 at 10:00 am.

This is for all the winos wine aficionados in the audience… The Corkcicle is an ingenious product that will keep your open wine at just the right temperature. It is less messy than a bucket of ice and can be reused over and over. It’s basically a fake icicle that you freeze in your freezer for 2hrs. It has a cork at one end to plug the bottle. Just freeze it, remove the original cork from the bottle and replace it with the Corkcicle. Easy. It works equally well for Red and White wines and can be purchased for $22.95 for 1, or $68.85 for a package of 3.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, News

Tagged: Beverage

Keep your Wine Perfectly Chilled with the Corkcicle originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 9, 2011 at 5:17 pm.

The Philips Saeco Xelsis Digital ID is a stainless steel high end automatic espresso/coffee machine that can brew espressos, American coffees, cappuccinos and more. Instead of pressing buttons to create your favorite drink, which would obviously take entirely too much effort, you can scan your fingerprint and it will recall your user profile. Up to 6 users can save their profiles to store their favorite beverage settings.

The Xelsis even has an automatic cleaning cycle that keeps the machine perfectly clean at all times. This machine sounds perfect for the caffeine addicted geek in your life. But don’t get too excited about adding this device to your Christmas shopping list though… because the price is a whopping $3199! I think I’ll just stick with my low tech method of brewing tea

Filed in categories: Home Tech, News

Tagged: Beverage, Coffee

Keep your Espresso Secrets Safe with the Fingerprin​t Recognitio​n Philips Saeco Xelsis Digi​tal ID Espresso Machine originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 9, 2011 at 12:00 pm.

Do you check the local weather on your smartphone or computer before you leave for the day?  Or maybe you turn on the TV to watch a meteorologist’s broadcast. Have you ever wondered why weather people called meteorologist’s? They don’t study meteors… Anyway, most of us like to know what it’s like outside so that we can dress appropriately for the day, or just crawl back under the covers when it’s dumping rain. The WMR86 Backyard Pro Wireless Weather Station from Oregon Scientific gives you all the weather info you need including temperature, wind speed and rain fall. Let’s take a look.

Note: Click the images in this review to see a larger view.

Package Contents

Base Station
Wind Sensor with mounting hardware
Temperature & Humidity sensor with mounting hardware
Rain Gauge with mounting hardware
Instructions
Batteries

This kit comes with everything you need (except for a screw driver) to setup on the inside and outside of your house.

The temperature & humidity sensor (top sensor in the image above) is powered by 2 AAA batteries and is easily attached to the outside of your house using the included plastic snap in holder and screws. There’s a small LED status indicator on the outside and a Celsius / Fahrenheit temperature switch in the battery compartment.

The wind sensor is powered by 2 AA batteries and comes with a plastic bracket and mounting hardware that will allow you to screw it into a flat surface or attach it to a post like I’ve done.

There are two parts of the wind sensor that move. On the top is a flag shaped arm that swivels to capture the wind direction. Note that after I took the picture above, I noticed that I had the sensor pointing the wrong direction. The instructions say to make sure that it’s pointed North and I had it pointed South…

The part on the bottom with the three cups rotates to record wind speed, so it’s important to locate the wind sensor in a relatively open area away from trees and other obstructions.

The other outdoor sensor is the rain gauge, which is powered by 2 AA batteries. The instructions advise you to mount it in the open 3 feet or so from the ground. I ended up mounting it on a bench on our back patio that we never sit on.

Inside the gauge is a little cup that collects rain water and automatically dumps it out when it gets full. In my infinite brilliance, I didn’t realize that the cup was taped to keep it from flopping around in shipment. I kept wondering why the gauge wasn’t working and finally took it apart to discover the tape. Moral of the story… even when you think you’re too smart to read directions, do it anyway

After all of the outside sensors are installed, you’re ready to start viewing their data on the base station.

The base station has a large LCD display (2.75 x 4 in) that includes a backlight button that lights the display for 5 seconds when pressed. The display is separated into 4 sections. The top section has a large graphic that represents the current weather status. As you can see, when I took the image above, it was a rainy day. Below the weather graphic is the current temperature and the humidity level. The arrow buttons cycle through channels 1-3 if you have additional temperature sensors. It will also allow you to see the indoor temperature and humidity level. Small arrows on the display next to the readings tell you if the temp/humidity levels are going up, down or remaining the same. In the image above, you can see that the outdoor temp is going down, but the humidity level is steady.

Below the temperature section of the display is the wind sensor area where the current wind direction, speed and wind chill info are shown. Pressing the Min/Max button on the base will also toggle between the last minimum reading and maximum reading, with time stamp.

Below the wind sensor section is the rain gauge section that displays the last 24 hours of rain fall data, barometric pressure readings and the last 10 hours of UV index info. Pressing the mode button cycles through these 3 screens in that section of the LCD display. I find this section the hardest to read because the graphs use a very small font to label each axis.

The bottom section of the LCD is reserved for the clock / calendar and moon phase display. The time and date are automatically via radio reception to an atomic clock which automatically adjusts for time zone and daylight savings. You can cycle through 3 ways to view the time/date. Next to the time is a graphical representation of the current moon phase.

I don’t have any complaints about this setup other than the rain gauge graphs area  bit hard to read on the mono LCD because they are so small. I’d love a full color LCD, but then the batteries would need constant changing.  Speaking of batteries, there is an indicator in each sensor section of the LCD when one of the outdoor sensor batteries is low. That’s a nice touch.

The Oregon Scientific WMR86 Backyard Pro Wireless Weather Station is easy to setup and easy to use. I like the large display that provides all the weather info that you need at a glance. I also appreciate the fact that all the components are powered by regular alkaline batteries that are readily available. Nothing irks me more than gadgets that use expensive and / or not so easy to find odd batteries. Now that Winter is almost here, I’m sure I’ll be consulting this device before I leave for work each morning so I’ll know if I’ll need gloves and a scarf.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, Reviews, Wireless

Tagged: weather, Wireless

Oregon Scientific WMR86 Backyard Pro Wireless Weather Station Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 4, 2011 at 11:00 am.

Samsung has introduced three new LED light bulbs that will help you in your efforts to reduce your daily energy consumption.  There are three different styles with different light output available.  Costs vary from about $17 to about $60 per bulb, depending on style.  Each bulb promises to deliver 20X the lifespan of a halogen light of the same style.  And each bulb is energy efficient – producing more light and less heat than the equivalent halogen bulb.  They are available at Samsung now.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, News

Tagged: LED lighting

Reduce Your Lighting Costs with Samsung LED Bulbs originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 2, 2011 at 12:00 pm.

Only in the last year did I finally replace my older than dirt mercury switch type thermostat with a programmable model. Although I’ve enjoyed the convenience of having the heat automatically come on in the morning before I wake up and then not come on while no one is home during the day, changing the program times is a big pain in the you-know-what. Doing so consists of pressing and holding a button till the info on the tiny LCD blinks. Then more button pressing is required to cycle through the days of the week, program times, etc. It takes a minute or two just to change the temp for a specific day and time. The Nest Thermostat looks like a much more elegant solution. It has a ring (sort of like an old style thermostat) that you rotate to adjust the temperature. After a few days of adjusting the temp, Nest learns to program itself to keep you at a comfortable temperature while also conserving electricity. At $249, the price is considerably more than other programmable thermostats, but if it works as well as it looks, I’d definitely like to give one a try in my house.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, News

Tagged: Home

Nest – A Thermostat for the 21st Century originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 1, 2011 at 5:20 pm.

The holidays are getting ready to hit again–somehow it seems like I just finished paying off the bills from this past holiday season.  Luckily Hasbro has a new toy out that is very cool and doesn’t put a strain on my thinning wallet–the Tonka XT Ricochet Trickster.

Last season’s R/C “it” toy seemed to be those copters–complete with warning labels about fragility and replacement blades.  When I see a name like “Tonka”, the first thing I think of is the classic sturdy Tonka truck.  That classic look and feel has been miniaturized in these Tricksters.  Kids can take control of their Trick car, perform three pre-programmed stunts including Rampage Flip,” the “Buzzsaw Spin,” and the “Zig-Zag Jolt”.  The cars are all two-sided, meaning they can flip off obstacles, fly off ramps, and even spin from one side to the other in typical tough-Tonka fashion.

The remote requires 5 AA batteries and includes a cable to charge the car directly from the remote.  A 20-30 minute charge provides 15-30 minutes of run time.

Tonka XT Ricochet Trickster is intended for kids 6 and up and is available through Target for about $24.99.

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, Home Tech, Kid Gadgets, News

Tagged: R/C car, tonka

Tonka XT Ricochet Trickster R/C Car originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 8, 2011 at 12:00 pm.

Bring a little pizazz to your organization system with labels printed with these new label printers from Epson.  You can create professional looking labels using the 14 fonts, 75 frames, and more than 300 symbols included with these LabelWorks printers.  They also use significantly smaller lead margins for up to 60% less margin waste.  Epson is offering more than 40 tape cartridges in traditional colors and in specialized media.  The LabelWorks LW-300 ($39.99) uses tapes from 0.25″ to 0.5″ wide and can store up to 30 of your most frequently used labels.  The LabelWorks LW-400 ($49.99) uses tapes up to 0.75″ wide, can store up to 50 labels, and has a 2-line back-lit display.  The LW-400 also has expanded specialty print modes that include custom barcodes, cable and wire wrap, and a function that prints a mirror image.  These two printers are available exclusively from Amazon.com and Epson.com.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, News

Tagged: label maker

Epson Introduces LabelWorks Label Printers originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 5, 2011 at 8:26 am.

This tiny iZon Remote Room Monitor from Stem Innovation lets you monitor any room from anywhere with your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad.  Download the free Stem: Connect app to set up the iZon to let you monitor sights and sounds from any room.  The iZon “broadcasts its own wireless network, allowing you to communicate with it and share your local network information securely, with no need for cables or a PC.”  You can set up a single iZon, or multiple units in different locations.  You’ll receive alerts when sound or motion is detected via push notifications, and you can stream to your iZon camera over Edge, 3G, or WiFi.  Record video and audio automatically to your free, private YouTube account — or record 30 second clips at the touch of a button.  The iZon camera is $129.99 directly from Stem; it’s also available at Apple retail stores and select Best Buy locations.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, News

Tagged: Security

Keep an Eye on Things with iZon originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 21, 2011 at 12:00 pm.

The problem with alarm clocks is that they wake you up in the middle of a dream, and not just you, but also all the people at your place. Furthermore, alarm clocks don’t know if you are already awake or not, and therefore they don’t know when to stop the alarm and when to continue with it. The Lark wants to change your awaking experience. The product consists of a wrist band, charging dock and an App for your iOS device (Android App will be available later). The functionality is simple, you set the alarm on the iOS device and then the wrist-band will vibrate and wake you up quietly. In addition to that, the wrist band also monitor your movements during your sleep and can provide you with details like, how long  it took you to fall asleep, how many times you woke up, how long you slept and the quality of sleep. You can use the ‘sleep coach’ software that enhances the lark to enable you to achieve your sleeping goals and to receive feedback on how to improve your sleep quality. The product was developed by ‘sleep and pro sport experts’ and it costs 99$ or 159$ with the personal sleep trainer bundle.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News, Watches and Clocks

Tagged: Clocks, iPhone

Lark wants to change the way you sleep and wake up originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 18, 2011 at 9:00 am.