Laptop Buying Guide 2012 [affiliate link] is an eBook for readers who are getting ready to buy a new laptop and need help making a decision. This guide includes information on hardware, brands, and the experience you’ll have after the laptop is home. By the end you will be prepared with all of the information needed to make a smart purchasing decision.

There are a few hoops to jump through to get this guide, but it helps The Gadgeteer to earn some some affiliate fees that can help us to bring you more cool product reviews.

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Snag a copy of “Laptop Buying Guide 2012″ originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 24, 2012 at 12:00 pm.

To celebrate 30 years in hardware, Microsoft is running a contest on Twitter where they are asking users to share their favorite ‘80s memories with the hashtag #MSHWturns30 for a chance to win a very limited edition 30th Anniversary Arc Touch Mouse. Check out Microsoft’s past 30 years of hardware for more info. Contest details can be found at the bottom of this page.

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Microsoft Hardware Celebrates 30 Years originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 23, 2012 at 8:00 am.

While perhaps not the most stylish watch available, the Mutewatch comes with a touch sensitive screen, clock, alarm and time functions. Alarms can be set which vibrate rather than sounding and you have the choice between short and long vibration giving you discrete alarms. The Mutewatch also features a built-in motion sensor so that high levels of movement trigger an increase in the intensity of the vibrating alarm and a simple flick of your wrist activates the glowing display. The watch is charged via USB.

Available for $259 from Mutewatch in Charcoal Grey, Poppy Red or Pure White.

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News, Watches and Clocks

Tagged: Watch

Mutewatch – Muted Style originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 20, 2012 at 11:00 am.

Leading memory upgrade company Crucial.com is holding a contest where one lucky person will win a trip to California to have dinner with lovable geek hero Steve Wozniak at one of his favorite restaurants. To enter, go to http://www.crucial.com/mac2012 between now and June 15, 2012 and answer a few simple questions about your Mac computer usage. In addition to the grand prize trip to meet and dine with Steve Wozniak, entrants are also eligible to win a First Prize package consisting of a DRAM and SSD upgrade for their computer, as well as several runner-up prize packages that include individual SSD and DRAM upgrades.

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Mac Fans Can Win Dinner with the Woz originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 18, 2012 at 9:00 am.

If you’re visiting this site, you are probably a gadget addict. The problem with being addicted to gadgets is that you often buy something only to find out a week or so later that it either doesn’t do what you expected / wanted, or you just plain don’t like it. By then it’s probably too late to return it to get your money back, so you sell it at a loss. This can quickly become an expensive addiction. There’s a new service that hopes to solve this problem. It’s YBUY, a gadget subscription service where you can try the latest electronics, home and kitchen gadgets for 30 days. Don’t like it? No problem, just return it. Love it? Even better, you’ll get a discount on the retail price. What’s the catch? There are a couple. First of all, you have to be invited to become a member. There’s also a one-time membership fee of $49.95, plus $24.95 for each 30 day trial. But probably the biggest issue I see is that there isn’t a huge selection of gadgets to choose from yet. The majority of the gadgets are for the kitchen, like coffee makers, juicers and blenders. There are a few goodies in the mix though. They have the Fujifilm X10, Xbox, Fitbit and Nike Fuel. I think ybuy is an interesting service. Would you try something like this?

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YBUY – New Gadget Subscripti​on Service Goes Live originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 16, 2012 at 2:00 pm.

While most portable battery solutions will only give you 5V out which is useful for keeping juice up to your USB type devices, the minigorilla from powertraveller also supplies voltage settings  of 8.4v, 9.5v, 10.5v, 12v & 19v allowing you to keep power up to many other phones, games systems, GPSs, ereaders, MP3 players  and tablets even up to full netbooks. At 150 X 83 X 14mm and weighing in at 265g, the unit is small and light enough to throw into your gadget bag for those emergency situations. The minigorilla will give up to 6 hours on a Sony Vaio P-series netbook and an additional 8.4 hours for an iPad.

If the USB and DC output ports are empty or the devices attached are fully charged then  the unit shuts off automatically after 2 minutes. If not used for a year, battery capacity loss is less than 10%.  The minigorilla can be charged via mains power or if you’re really outback, via powertravellers solargorilla solar charger. The unit comes with a variety of tips as standard.

Might just be useful for when the monkey’s on your back of needing to charge your gadgets on the go. Note that a separate cable is required if you want to charge a new generation tablet that requires 5V 2A+

Available from powertraveller for £99.95 ($160)

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, Travel Gear

Tagged: External battery, Reserve battery

powertraveller minigorilla – Get the Monkey Off Your Back originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 16, 2012 at 8:00 am.

Cloud-based file syncing services like Dropbox and Box.net have really taken off in the past few years.  One of the newest on the scene is Cubby.  Download the app to computers and mobile devices, make any folder a “cubby” and share unlimited data between your own computers, or use the My Cubby cloud folder with 5GB of storage.  You can also collaborate with others by sharing folders.  It’s currently in Beta, so if you’re interested, sign up at the Cubby main page for an email invite.

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: Syncing

Cubby Offers Unlimited Sync Between Your Computers, 5GB of Cloud Storage and More originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 14, 2012 at 2:00 pm.

It’s Summer time, the weather’s hot, you’re working away and your butt’s getting hotter and stickier with every key stroke. Worry no longer, Thanko’s USB Cool Cushion plugs into your PC’s USB port and the inbuilt fan keeps your derrière cool, calm and  collected.  It’s not going to be a Marilyn Monroe moment, but  hopefully the small luxury might just see you through the day. Plug it into an auto adapter and your rear can enjoy the same comfort on the way home.

Available from Thanko for ¥1260 ($16US)

Filed in categories: Geek Toys, Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: fan, USB devices

Thanko USB Cool Cushion – Cooler Butt originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 14, 2012 at 8:00 am.

I’ve been reading through the entries for our current Gadget Grab Bag contest. To enter the contest you have to suggest a product that you’d like to see in a future review here on The Gadgeteer. I’ve noticed that there are lots of entries suggesting products that we’ve already covered, so I thought this might be a great time to give a quick tutorial on how to use our search feature.

If you look in the upper right area of each page on this site, you’ll see a Google Custom Search box. This search box works just like Google’s own search engine that we all know and love. That’s great news for all of you search ninjas out there, but for those of you that don’t yet have mad search skills, I’m here to help you with some quick tips. 

Say you want to find reviews of iOS photography apps. Don’t just type the word photography in the search box, that will end up giving you every article, news post and review that has that word in it. Which is way too much info to be useful. Instead, we want to filter our results by typing:

iOS+photography+app

This will just give you links to our news, reviews and articles that have all 3 of those words in it. You can even get more creative by using the not “-” character. It does the opposite of the and “+” character. For example:

iPad+case -leather

This will give you all the articles that have the words iPad and case in it, but not the word leather in it. Make sure you put a space in front of the keywords with the “-” character in front of them.

If you want to find an article with a specific phrase, use quotes:

“stylus review”

Note that your search terms are also searched for in the page URL and title.

Hope this helps you find what you’re looking for here on The Gadgeteer.

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News

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How to Find Reviews and Articles Using the Search Box originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 12, 2012 at 1:00 pm.

The Cuby Light from Osram is a cube shaped LED light producing 20 Lumens and due to its flexible and bendable clip can be used for such things as a reading lamp or attached to bars or handles for accent lighting.  Made from dirt resistant rubberized silicon the cubes are light and shockproof.  Rather than using disposable battery they are charged via USB and have a running time of around 3 hours.

Available now in “black label” (black) for  €19.99 ($25US) , it will be also available in the European Summer in  ”snow” (white ), “love” (pink) and “sky’ (blue)  .

Filed in categories: Home Tech, Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: LED lamp, LED Light

Osram Cuby Light – Cute and Cuby originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 12, 2012 at 12:00 pm.

If you are a regular here on The Gadgeteer, you know how much we love Saddleback Leather products. I received an email from Jonathan Munson who is the brother of Dave Munson – the force behind Saddleback - asking for our help.

My niece Grace was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 7. So now every year we raise money through JDRF(Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) for their artificial pancreas project which is coming close to being perfected! We are participating in a 100 mile bike ride (JDRF’s Ride to Cure) through Death Valley, CA this October. My brother Dave is riding this year, I’m riding as well as Saddleback CEO Chuck Bowen, among others. A total of 18 people are on Team Grace.

Saddleback is giving away cool leather JDRF bracelets to every person who goes to Grace’s JDRF donation page and donates. I attached a pic to this e-mail. Here also is the link for Grace on Saddleback’s site which has a very cool video we just produced about Grace and JDRF.

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News

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A Call for Saddleback Leather Fans to Donate to a Good Cause originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 11, 2012 at 10:00 am.

‘A Gentleman’s Read‘ is a free online lifestyle magazine for men, with contributors from Another Something, Dezeen, Gilt Taste, On Plate Still Hungry, Portable, Post-New, The Boilermaker and Trendland among a slew of others. According to their About page, the magazine is focused at:

We define the modern gent as someone who earns recognition through his clear willingness to put more into the world than he takes out; someone with a deep-seated desire to do something that genuinely matters.

At first glance I thought it was just another Pintrest or Svpply clone site, but there are articles to back up the cool products that they feature. It’s free, go check it out. And you don’t have to be a guy to check it out…

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: Men

‘A Gentleman’s Read’ – Online Magazine for Trendy Guys originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 10, 2012 at 12:00 pm.

Dell Streak 7 Touchscreen 7in 16GB Wifi + 3G Tablet (REFURB, Android 3.2) $189.99 Free Shipping

Apple iPad 2 16GB WiFi 9.7 in Tablet (Black or White) for $339.99 w/ Printable Coupon

Cowboom Flash Sale on Pre-Owned Tablets

Asus Transformer Prime TF201 HHI Keyboard Case w/ Stand Cover and $2 Future HHI Credit $11.99

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: Deals

This Week’s Hot Deals from TechBargain originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 6, 2012 at 12:00 pm.

This post brought to you by Gorilla Conferencing. All opinions are 100% mine.

Conference calls are a great way for businesses to reduce travel costs, but sometimes you still need to be face-to-face with customers for presentations or with other employees for team collaboration.  With Gorilla Conferencing services, you’ll be able to make audio or web and video conference calls at great rates.  You don’t need to worry that affordable rates mean poor customer service, though.  Gorilla Conferencing is known for high-quality, easy-to-use conferencing features and their superior service that all companies, like yours, deserve.  

Audio calling is available for as low as 2.5 cents per minute.  With audio calling, you have a dedicated dial-in number, immediate access to meetings, with no reservations needed.  Calls feature roll call, security code options, ability to lock and unlock the call, and even the option to add visuals to your presentation.  You can have subconferences for private meetings, create and download a recording of the call, and even disconnect all participants.  You’ll enjoy on-demand 24/7 access to calls and operator assistance, if needed.

Web and video conferencing adds a face-to-face component that’s so important to training and presentations where visual information is required.  You’ll be able to share documents and spreadsheets, even desktops.  You’ll be able to show PowerPoint presentations, use a “white board”, and include video, all with interactive “pass-control.”

In addition to these full-featured conferencing options, Gorilla Conferencing offers great customer support.  Simply press “0″ at any time during a call for help.  There are no setup fees or hidden charges; calls are toll-free.  International calling is available.  Sign up at the website to learn more about why so many companies are switching to Gorilla Conferencing.  If you simply can’t wait to get started, you can even sign up with your credit card to have instant access to conferencing calling.

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News

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Gorilla Conferencing Offers Audio, Web and Video Conferencing at Great Rates originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 5, 2012 at 8:40 pm.

This post brought to you by CDW. All opinions are 100% mine.

Your company’s computer and networking infrastructure contains not only information vital to your business and its financial health, it also contains personal and financial information about your employes and customers, too.  Protecting all this information is impossible when you haven’t identified all the threats.  A variety of factors complicate this task:  risks constantly evolve, making it difficult to keep your security systems up to date; technology is evolving and infrastructures are becoming decentralized; and the proliferation of mobile devices adds another layer of complexity.  Worst of all, most everybody has access to the Internet and many of them have sophisticated skills and a desire to prove what they can do – against companies such as yours, perhaps. 

CDW is a leading provider of technology products and services for business, government and education.  In addition to hardware and software, they provide services that help you get the best from your equipment and help you protect that equipment and the data it contains.  CDW has worked to identify threats against your systems, and they have created the 7 Identified Threats brochure that you should download and read to learn what you’re up against so you can implement a Data Loss Prevention program.

The seven threats identified by CDW are:

1. Malware - Malicious software, loaded onto your system by increasingly sophisticated methods, is designed to disguise itself from recognition as it captures passwords and sensitive data or perhaps just to be a nuisance that costs you time and money to identify and remove.
2. Attacks on Web Browsers/ Hostile E-Mail Attachments - Web-based services and e-mail have become so firmly entrenched that companies rely on them to do their business.  Both of these services are easily exploited with innocent-seeming pop-up windows, attachments, and links that lead to downloads of malicious software.  Spam can serve to deliver this malware, and the sheer volume of it can overwhelm and slow your services.
3. SQL Injection Attack - These attacks are an increasingly common threat that passes malicious code in a string to an SQL server, that then leaves your infrastructure vulnerable to vandalized or replaced web pages, theft of credit card and other private data, or even manipulated or corrupted databases.
4. Configuration Management / PC Lockdown - Internal threats to your infrastructure integrity.  Unexpected dangers are weak passwords used by employees or consultants, or the possibility of employees having unauthorized software on their laptops or external drives, employees who have access to systems they aren’t entitled to use – and employees with a grudge who are willing to pass along access or information to others.  Most surprising to me is that many companies don’t have an exit procedure to limit further access to company systems after an employee is dismissed, sometimes for days or weeks after they have left the company.
5. Passwords - are a weak point, even when a company tries to enforce strong password creation.  Employees leave sticky notes laying around with their hard-to-remember password displayed for all to see or even recite the password aloud when they have to recover it from IT.
6. Wireless Security - Wireless networking is required to allow smartphones, tablets, laptops, and even cash registers and barcode scanners, and other equipment to connect to the company’s network, and wireless networks are more exposed.  You have to not only consider security on the mobile devices, but on the wireless network itself.  Finding an unprotected network is as easy as walking or driving down the street while a wireless device searches for networks that can be exploited.
7. Loss of Mobile Devices - Mobile devices make it possible to do business wherever you are, but they contain sensitive data and are access points for your greater system.  If a mobile device is lost or stolen, your company needs to be able to lock, track, or remotely wipe a lost device.

All of this is a lot to consider, and it’s probably not something that everyone wants to tackle alone.  CDW provides services that can help you create a Data Loss Prevention plan.  They can help you evaluate your existing infrastructure and security methods, identify your weaknesses, and work within your budget to find and implement solutions to protect your company from these seven threats.  They can even provide continuing 24/7 support for your security solutions. Watch the above video, download the brochure, then contact CDW to see how they can help your protect your data, your customers’ data, and the financial security and reputation of your business.  You may even qualify for a free security assessment.

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CDW Teaches You How to Protect Against the Seven Identified Threats to Your Company’s Data originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 4, 2012 at 10:17 am.

Cloud storage abounds at the moment. We told you about Box and their free 50B and how to get the best out of using it.  And of course, there’s always Dropbox, Sugarsync, iCloud, and a plethora of other options.  Heck, even Google just released Google Drive.  My 25GB SkyDrive account has always been like my Box account; the web interface-only and the lack of an app to synchronise between devices left it purely as an archival tool.  Dropbox was my preferred product for sharing and synchronising files. Well, Microsoft has just upgraded their offering and included applications for Windows Phones, iPhone and iPad, Mac, PC, and Android.  Now you can sync data between multiple devices regardless of platform.

This added functionality however comes at a price, their previously free 25GB has been dropped to 7GB. Still, this is a good free capability when compared with other services, but not quite as compelling as it was. Plans are available for additional storage up to 100GB.  But wait, if you already have a SkyDrive account and were signed up before April 22 and have uploaded at least one file, then there’s an option to upgrade your account from your reduced 7GB back to 25GB for free.

This change may well see me moving away from Dropbox  as my free storage with 5GB – which is less than my 7GB SkyDrive, which is actually 25GB. Confused? Don’t be.  If  you’ve got a SkyDrive account, just login and check if you’ve got the option to upgrade after your downgrade (it may be under Manage Storage).  25GB of free synchronised cloud storage certainly can’t go astray

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: cloud storage

Microsoft Sky Drive Changes – 25GB Limit Now Reduced to 7GB, or is That 25GB? originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 1, 2012 at 10:00 am.

Another option for those who need more Cloud storage, Google has just released Google Drive. 5GB is available to all Google users free, and plans allow you to upgrade to up to 16TB.   With Google Drive, you’ll be able to create and collaborate in real time (it incorporates Google Docs as well), store your data and access it from anywhere, and search all your data (including OCR technology for scanned images). In addition, it will natively support more than 30 file types.  Currently, it supports PC, Mac, and Android, with iPhone and iPad support coming soon.

If you’ve got a Google account check it out here.

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: cloud storage

Google Drive – Another Option for Cloud Storage originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 29, 2012 at 11:00 am.

I like the AA battery style design of Duracell’s new 32 GB Rugged USB Flash Drive. They feature a solid, Black rubberized housing with the famous copper ring. You won’t have to worry about losing the cap because this drive has a twist mechanism like a twist flashlight that will extend or retract the USB connector from the body. It even has a corresponding ratchet sound when it’s twisted opened and closed. A 5-year warranty is also offered for each drive. It’s available in 16 GB and 32 GB capacities with prices from $12.54 – $24.60 on Amazon.

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: Flash Drive, USB

Duracell Flash Memory Introduces New Rugged USB Drive originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 26, 2012 at 12:00 pm.

Wrapping presents is one of those jobs I don’t enjoy.  And as bad as my wrapping skills are, it’s an added pain in my house because I can never find where the kids have left the tape. Worry no longer, one of those “Why didn’t I think of that?” gadgets is at hand.  The Scissortape from Neatoshop integrates both of these vital parcel-wrapping tools into one neat and safe unit.  The dispenser uses standard 1/2″ tape  refills.

Available for $9.95 from the Neatoshop store.

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: scissor, stationery

Scissortape – Another “Why didn’t I think of that?” moment originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 23, 2012 at 10:00 am.

Happy Earth Day!

After seeing many campaigns promoting Earth Day and how we can try to improve the longevity of our beloved earth I came across many helpful and thought provoking articles. Topics like recycling, planting trees, carpooling, electric/hybrid cars and more. It seems that there are many possible ways we can make Earth Day everyday.

One intriguing concept that I found made me feel like I was in high school all over again.  I was torn between feeling like I wanted to know more on a subject but wasn’t sure if I wanted to bother because it was only extra credit. But my curiosity got the best of me so I ventured to learn more. I came across a controversial technique to extract natural gas from the earth by means of hydraulically drilling into the dense earth and injecting it with water mixed with sand and chemicals. The result would cause the rocks and shale to fracture allowing natural gas to flow up to the earth’s surface. Since natural gas is a cleaner burning fuel, unlike some other fossil fuels such as coal or oil, it would be a more environmentally safe alternative for fuel. Of course it is not without its controversies. It has been reported that hydraulic drilling, or fracking, has caused tremors, earthquakes, chemical contamination in drinking water, and there have been reports of shale gas leaking into homeowners tap water causes the water to catch on fire.

Now since this is all fairly  new to me I haven’t yet formed my conclusion. I have researched and read and watched videos of people against and for this technique. I am a person that that has to have a lot of information on subjects like this before I come up with an opinion. As interesting as it is I don’t want to see it as just sensationalism but I can say I am very intrigued. Drilling companies claimed that it is safe, however, if it is done wrong, for instance, poor drilling techniques and poor practice, then the potential for the harmful side effects can happen.

I think if you are drilling into the earth purposely causing fractures then I would believe that fracking would be a cause for tremors and earthquakes. Plus the injection of the water and chemicals into the earth to cause the fractures doesn’t seem like it would be that helpful either. But I’m no geologist so back to my researching on the matter.

Hydraulic drilling can be done all over the earth but here in the U.S. some of the best areas for fracking are the Barnett Shale Field in Fort Worth, Texas area, the Antrim Shale Field in Michigan and the Marcellus Shale field which extends to parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and New York.

I wanted to contribute something that could have been funny or cute or something that we could share to help promote Earth Day but I figured after learning about fracking it was an issue that one day could be an influence on our earth in the future anyways. I’ve been reading opinions from both sides of this controversy but I feel like I don’t have enough information as of yet to believe either side. They all have their good points and bad points. If anyone has any solid information about fracking I’d like to learn more or if you could point me into the right direction I can look it up.

There is a documentary movie by a Josh Fox called Gasland about fracking. I think I check it out.

Here is a trailer:

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: drilling, Earth Day, fracking

Hydraulic Drilling or What The Frack? originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 22, 2012 at 5:00 pm.

April 22nd has been designated as Earth Day.  But taking care of our Earth doesn’t have to happen on only one specific date in a year.  This is our planet and Earth Day should be every day!  We must care for mother nature so that our future generations can grow and expand to a galaxy far far away. . .

Technology has grown to the point where consumer products actually require more resources to create than ever before.  But our planet has a limited supply of those resources.  And most of those rare earth minerals are situated in China.

When we were kids, we all learned the importance of recycling.  Recycling cans, bottles, and paper so that we can reuse them in other products like pens, toilet paper, etc.  But what about electronics that we don’t use any more? 

In the last 15 years, there has been a surge in recycling for electronics.  In the beginning, most consumers just dumped their used electronics in the trash which in turn was dumped in our country’s landfill.  The problem with that is those electronic components contain toxic parts which will decompose and get introduced back in to the environment.  These toxic components harm our environment and eventually the government thought of a “solution to our problem”.

The government “solved the problem” by shipping the toxic electronic components to China.  China has been booming in the last 10 years.  They are going through their industrial phase and expanding factories everywhere.  These factories need resources which we were providing as electronic components.  China then sends out its recycling workforce to disassemble and strip these electronic components to get at the plastic, metals, etc.  The problem with China’s way of recycling is that it also harms the environment and also its own people in the process.  So this in turn isn’t really a way to “solve the problem”.  Harming the environment in another country is still in fact harming the environment.  Also during this time, most places don’t offer free recycling.  Consumers actually have to pay to have their electronics recycled.  Not many consumers do that since why would you want to pay to throw something out?  So at the end most consumers just throw it out with the trash.  Problem not solved.

Now the last 5 years, many corporations are offering free recycling at their stores.  You might have noticed them at places like Best Buy where they have a few bins for you to recycle cell phones, empty ink cartridges, etc.  And some other places like Staples are offering incentives when you bring back empty ink cartridges.  So what really happens with those products being recycled?  I don’t have any concrete facts about Best Buy but I can provide some insight to what happens to those empty ink cartridges at Staples.

To a consumer, you might think that Staples ships those empty ink cartridges back to their respective manufacture to be reused or recycled.  That would be the logical thinking.  But the truth is that Staples just dumps those cartridges in their dumpsters at the end of the day.  Don’t believe me?  Take a peek inside their dumpster and you’ll see boxes of used cartridges just laying in there.  This is also verified by a Staples employee who was actually dumping those cartridges out.  Staples just uses the illusion of “recycling” and incentives to lure you in to purchasing new ink cartridges from them instead of their competitors.  Dumping these empty ink cartridges in the dumpster isn’t considered recycling and in fact will harm the environment.  Also it’s bad for corporate image.

So at this point in time, we can’t trust the government or big corporations to do it right.  In my opinion, the best recycling program is not to recycle but to reuse instead.  If you have an old computer that’s just too slow for you then don’t throw it out.  Give it to someone less fortunate than you, donate it to a church, give it to Goodwill or even just sell it on ebay for someone else to use.  Used electronics can be handed down to the next generation or given away.  You can also refill those empty ink cartridges at ink refill stores.  Even you can sell those empty cartridges on ebay for people that actually refill them.

Reuse IS recycling!

Filed in categories: Articles, Miscellaneous

Tagged: Earth Day, recycle

Earth Day and Technology originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 22, 2012 at 11:00 am.

Walmart Camera Bags: Case Logic High Zoom dSLR Case $8.58

Nikon D5100 16MP Digital SLR Camera Body Only (REFURB) $492 Free Shipping

Kodak EasyShare Z5010 14MP 21X Digital Camera w/ Batteries & Charger $99.99 Free Ship

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous

Tagged: Deals

This Week’s Hot Deals from TechBargains originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 22, 2012 at 10:00 am.

The Feinger system consists of an mount attachment for the back of your phone and a finger sleeve to attach the phone to your hand.  The neoprene finger sleeve is available in sizes to fit fingers of most sizes.  The mount has an adhesive pad that attaches to your phone or small, handheld device.  Snap the finger sleeve into the mount, and your phone will be securely held to your hand.  You’ll also get a keychain mount to store your finger sleeve when you aren’t using it with your phone, and you’ll get a unimount that you can use to attach the phone to your car dash, a wall, or other similar surface.  The Feinger is available for pre-order for $14.95.  You can purchase accessories, like lanyards to extend the usefulness of the Feinger system.

Filed in categories: Android related, Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: Phone Holder

Never Drop Your Cell Phone Again with Feinger originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 11, 2012 at 12:00 pm.

MobiSafe is a compact, high-impact plastic lockbox with a steel cable for security.

We write a lot about keeping gadgets safe from damage.  Cases, gear bags, screen protectors and the like are all subject to being damaged by something you may accidentally do. But what about preventing an unwanted transfer of technology (ie. theft)? We can’t all go around with safes and lockboxes strapped to everything, can we? Well, there is a company on the market now that tries to help you prevent an uncontrolled loss of gear access. FJM Security  has a series of products that can protect various items. Their MobiSafe  is a smallish plastic box with an attached steel cable and combination lock, designed to prevent anyone from walking away with your gear. Light and easy to open or lock, the high-impact ABS plastic case is held to any support that can be surrounded by a 2″ circle of steel airplane cable. I was sent one to test, and found it to be as described on their website. Let’s take a closer look at this little gadget!

MobiSafe next to an iPhone 4 for size comparison.

The basic construction is a clamshell case with a separate piece that contains a cable lock which clips into it, holding it shut. The cable can be released to slide around whole objects by sliding a simple trigger that is completely hidden from access when it’s locked into place. The airplane-steel cable that loops around to secure your goodies is covered with a clear vinyl coating, which will prevent rust and keep it from scratching things, should you attach it to a painted item.

MobiSafe can hold a wide variety of stuff - if it's flat and narrow.

While the case it thin and light, I think it would take a bit of work with a blunt instrument to remove the clip from the collar that holds it.

Usage is simple: Remove the cable assembly, open the case, fill with stuff, put the cable around something permanent or difficult to move, close the case and clip the cable into it. There is a pin in the end of the cable assembly that goes through a molded hole in each half of the clamshell, so there is no way to force it open without actually breaking the plastic itself. This construction greatly increases the strength of the storage compartment lock, but it also means you have to enter the code and remove the cable assembly every time you want to go into the storage area. It’s an irritation, but not as bad as having your ID or phone stolen, I guess. (This is why we can’t have nice things, people! Stop stealing!)

Details showing the pin on the cable assembly and the holes on the storage compartment. Note also the metal slide lock for the cable release on the far end of the lock.

There are two smallish holes on either edge near the cable housing, which allows you to have earbuds or a power cable going into your device. This means it would be nice for a display for, say, speakers, where you didn’t want anyone changing the settings or running off with your music source, but wanted music playing through the demo product. While a great idea, you’ll have to choose your connectors carefully, since most smartphones or iPods have their outputs on the top or bottom. This means the cable may not fit within the box while inserted.

The power or earphone cables may or may not fit into the MobiSafe when inserted.

The MobiSafe is shown on the website’s pictures on the beach, clipped to a railing at a ballpark, and to a chair at a poolside restaurant. While these places could be used, be aware that the case does not seal your devices from water, sand, heat, or humidity. Yes, it may be safe when you return from your romp in the surf, but it may also be covered in grit or seawater or spilled beer. I don’t think the plastic four-digit combination lock would work as smoothly with sand in it, either.

I enjoyed using the MobiSafe during bike rides and when at coffee shops or the like. It’s a hassle to balance everything when going to fetch your food order, or when ducking into the library to get your reserved books, and the safety afforded by this unit is quite nice. I’m sure, with the advent of tablets and larger smartphones, that this category will grow, and other units may have weather protection, etc. But, even as a start, this is a great case for those times when you’re just wanting to secure your phone, a few bills and your ID while you take a turn around the dance floor.

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, Reviews, Travel Gear

Tagged: Mobile gear, Portable storage, Security

MobiSafe Portable Secure Storage Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 3, 2012 at 11:00 am.

Taking good photos is very important to me.  Not only do I want to have good photos of family and friends, but I need good photos for my reviews here at The Gadgeteer.  The Adorama Learning Center has three eBooks that can help me improve my photo skills, and they are offering free downloads of all three titles.  The Adorama Guide to Snapshooting teaches you how to fix common point-and-shoot mistakes.  The Adorama Guide to Studio Lights teaches you about various kinds of studio lights and backdrops.  And The Adorama Guide to Family Photography teaches you how to best capture memories.  Each is available as either an ePub or PDF file.  All you have to do is supply your first name and an email address to download the books from Adorama.

Filed in categories: Gear, Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: Books, Photography

The Photography eBook Collection Free from Adorama Learning Center originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 1, 2012 at 8:00 am.