There are all types of laptop coolers on the market these days. There are coolers with fans that require an AC adapter, have fans powered by a USB port, have standoffs to keep the bottom of the laptop from touching any surface, others work on your desktop and still others that work on your lap. Today I am going to tell you about the ThermaPAK HeatShift Laptop Cooler. It doesn’t have built in fans and can be used on a desktop or your lap. … [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Laptop Gear

Tagged: Laptop, Laptop Pad

ThermaPAK HeatShift Laptop Cooler Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 10, 2009 at 8:02 am.

Like a lot of us, I travel for work fairly often, lugging my rotator-cuff rending Lenovo T60p (with extended life battery) and its builders-grade power brick through airports and hotels.  Because of this, I am rather fanatical about accessories that can help me save time, weight and space, both on my daily grind commute and on more adventurous voyages.  But, you may ask, does the Microsoft Wireless Notebook Presenter Mouse 8000 meet these goals?  Does the length of the product name correlate with the number of useful features?  Let’s find out. … [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Laptop Gear

Tagged: Bluetooth, Laptop, Microsoft, Mouse, notebook, USB

Microsoft Wireless Notebook Presenter Mouse 8000 Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 5, 2009 at 6:12 pm.

I’ve been using the HP Pavilion dv2 laptop off and on for about a month now. As it tends to go with most gadgets that pass through my hands, there are things that I really like about this device and then there are some things that cause me disappointment. … [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Handheld PCs / Ultra Portables

Tagged: Blu-ray, HP dv2, Laptop, Vista

HP Pavilion dv2 Wrap Up originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 26, 2009 at 9:41 pm.

Save precious desk space with these minimalist laptop stands from Deskstandz. $29.99 will get you a stand for your Macbook, Macbook Pro or any PC laptop up to … [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Laptop Gear, Spotlight Gadgets

Tagged: Laptop, Stand

Deskstandz let your laptop get vertical originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 17, 2009 at 2:00 am.

Using your laptop outdoors on a sunny day can be difficult because the sunlight can cause the laptop’s display to look dark or washed out. Putting on your normal sunglasses usually makes matters worse. Glarewear sunglasses are sporty looking glasses that have special … [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Laptop Gear, Spotlight Gadgets, Travel Gear

Tagged: Laptop, Outdoor

Glarewear – Sunglasses for outdoor laptop viewing originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 15, 2009 at 6:54 am.

Like a lot of people, if I have room for it while working on my laptop, I’d rather use a mouse than the trackpad. Most mobile mice seem to be created approximately equal, but recently Microsoft introduced something new to the field with their BlueTrack technology which claims to work more smoothly on more surfaces than the typical red or infrared laser systems of other mice. Microsoft is using BlueTrack in various products, but it seems to be an especially appropriate fit for a mobile mouse such as the Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 6000.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Laptop Gear

Tagged: Laptop, Microsoft, Mouse, Netbook, USB

Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 6000 Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 9, 2009 at 9:30 pm.

I’m a few days into my Mac vacation and so far I’ve only broke the rules once… I used my Mac / Photoshop to work up the images in this article. Gimp is nice, but I’ve been unable to figure out how to save jpgs at lower resolutions while having them still look crisp. Other than that little discretion, I’ve been true to the experiment and am using the HP Pavilion dv2 notebook as my main computer while I’m here at home.

In the last two days, I’ve noticed two things. First, I love the size of this device and second, this laptop is hot – but not in a good way. … [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Gear Diary

Tagged: Blu-ray, HP dv2, Laptop, Vista

The HP Pavilion dv2 is a HOT notebook originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 19, 2009 at 2:00 pm.

Ok friends, it’s honesty time. I have a secret to let you all in on and it’s a kinda big and I’m more than  a little ashamed to admit it. But I feel safe with you guys, so here goes… I’ve been pretty much all Mac all the time since July, 2005. I made the switch (after 3 tries) and never looked back. Now the bad part is, that after the switch, I became one of those annoying Apple converts that likes to say Windows sucks every time someone mentions a problem about Microsoft software. And even worse is the fact that I dismissed Windows Vista as crap without truly giving it much of a try. There, I said it.

So here’s what I am going to do. I’m going to give up my Macs completely for a week and am going to use a brand spanking new HP Pavilion dv2 notebook loaded with Windows Vista. Will this notebook steal my heart and give me a new respect for Vista? We shall see said the blind man, we shall see… … [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Gear Diary

Tagged: Blu-ray, Laptop, Vista

The HP Pavilion dv2 – A vacation from my Macs originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 16, 2009 at 9:25 pm.

Sleek. That is the word that seems to describe the Tekkeon MP3700 “myPower ALL Plus with Auto Detect” portable power unit the best. Boasting a smooth, nicely curved, shiny form with a simple button and LEDs on the top, this is one sharp-looking peripheral. Just looking at it, I knew this was going to be an exciting review. … [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Laptop Gear

Tagged: Battery, charging, Laptop, Power

Tekkeon’s “myPower ALL Plus” MP3700 External Laptop Battery Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 11, 2009 at 5:01 am.

With all the netbooks on the market in the last year or so, it almost makes a person wonder if the days of full-sized notebooks are numbered. Considering the economy the way it is, people are looking for a bargain and these little netbooks sure can provide one. I have been using an MSI Wind Netbook lately, but my true love was the HP 2133 Mini-Note that I reviewed last year. I loved its metal shell, 8.9 inch 1280 x 786 display and keyboard. The only issue with it was the fact that it came with Vista installed, ran warm and didn’t have the more efficient Atom processor.  Now it’s several months later and we have the HP Mini 1000. Let’s see if if is good enough to make me dump the MSI Wind as my travel computer. … [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Handheld PCs / Ultra Portables

Tagged: Laptop, Netbook

HP Mini 1000 Netbook Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 9, 2009 at 5:49 am.

Laptop Lifts are self-adhesive stick-on feet that will lift your laptop to allow better air ventilation. They are only $19.95, which isn’t bad. But I’m wondering… how many of you aren’t opposed to sticking things to your laptop? My Macbook Pro has visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Laptop Gear, Spotlight Gadgets

Tagged: Laptop

Spotlight Gadget – Laptop Lifts originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 30, 2009 at 11:47 am.

WiFi access points seem to be easier and easier to come by these days. Heck, even McDonald’s and Dairy Queen allow you to get your net fix while you’re chowing down on a burger and shake. But what do you do during the times when you need net access from your laptop and there’s no WiFi at your location? If you have Verizon Wireless cellular coverage, you could use the USB727 Modem.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Wireless

Tagged: Laptop

Verizon Wireless USB727 Modem Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 5, 2008 at 6:30 pm.

When I was a kid, I had a portable multi-band radio. I can remember plugging an
earphone (this was before earbuds) into it at night and slowing scanning up and
down the frequencies, trying to tune in foreign stations. I would always get
excited when I would tune to a station and hear people talking in a language
that I didn’t understand. Multi-band radios are still being sold these days, but
I have an alternative for you… The USB Internet Radio Jukebox from Aluratek is
a plug and play ‘radio’ that claims to will quickly allow you to enjoy music and
news from all over the world. Let’s give it a try…

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptop Gear

Tagged: Desktop, Laptop

Alurtek USB Internet Radio Jukebox Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 3, 2008 at 6:30 am.

I’m a minimalist. The problem is that I’m a minimalist that has too much stuff. ;o) For those of you that might be true minimalists, I have a nifty USB doo-dad to show you, that has the potential to allow you to ditch your High Def TV and DVR. It’s the PCTV HD Pro Stick (801e) from Pinnacle Systems. With it, you can use your Windows laptop or desktop computer as your TV and DVR. Let’s take a look…

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Audio / Video Gear

Tagged: A/V, Audio, Desktop, Device, Laptop, Video

Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick (801e) USB TV Tuner Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 18, 2008 at 8:21 pm.

More and more individuals own and travel with laptops these days. Matias has designed several laptop stands with them in mind. The iRizer and iFold are engineered for portability and better ergonomics for those on the road.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Laptop Gear

Tagged: Laptop, Stand

Matias iRizer and iFold Portable Laptop Stands Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 22, 2008 at 9:00 am.

The mStand by Rain Design is the ideal desktop companion for the Apple Macbook Pro (or Macbook) series of laptops. Constructed out of a single piece of thick, high-grade brushed aluminum, the mStand matches your MBPro perfectly. Even with my nearly seven pound 17″ MBPro, the mStand elevates my laptop effortlessly.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Laptop Gear

Tagged: Laptop, Stand

Rain Design mStand Laptop Stand originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 9, 2008 at 9:02 pm.

I love my 15 inch Macbook Pro when I use it at home on the couch, but my affection wears thin when I travel with it. Carrying it a gear bag slung over my shoulder and having to pull it out at various airport security checks, does get old. That’s why anytime I see a small computer, my interest is immediately piqued. When HP contacted me last week to offer me a look at their new ultra-portable HP2133 Mini-Note PC, I was happy to oblige. Here’s a quick look at it…

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Handheld PCs / Ultra Portables

Tagged: Laptop

HP 2133 Mini-Note PC Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 9, 2008 at 12:01 am.

I’ve always been interested in small, powerful computers, and when I saw the Sony U3 advertised in Tokyo, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on one. The dream was short lived, since I did not have $2000.00 for a machine at the time. I consider the Sony U series to be the beginning of the UMPC Revolution!!

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Handheld PCs / Ultra Portables

Tagged: Laptop

Sony Vaio PCG-U3 UMPC originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 30, 2008 at 9:38 am.

Paranoia seems to be the norm when it comes to security these days, especially computer security. I know that I have probably 30 password variations that I use for 50-80 different sites and systems, making password management essential. What if there was a different way?

One alternative is the use of a biometric security mechanism. Biometric, sounds like something from a spy movie but in fact it is just a technique to uniquely recognize individuals based on one or more intrinsic physical characteristics. Fingerprints & iris recognition are probably the ones that are most common.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptop Gear

Tagged: Desktop, Laptop

UPEK Eikon Digital Privacy Manager originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 25, 2007 at 5:33 pm.

Those of you who try their utmost to keep their electronics in nice/pristine/perfect
condition should consider a LappyMat
screen protector for your laptop. They are designed to protect your laptop
screen from the keyboard while traveling. I grant you most laptop manufactures
engineer their laptops to avoid the keyboard touching or scratching the screen,
but things happen. The LappyMats are a reasonably priced accessory designed
to reduce that risk.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Laptop Gear

Tagged: Laptop, Screen Protector

LappyMat Laptop Screen Protectors originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 21, 2007 at 11:00 am.

I think laptop users are luckier than desktop users because they can move their computer easily and quickly from one location to another. One minute they can be surfing at their office desk and in a blink of an eye, they can be surfing while sitting in their Lazy Boy recliner. I’m going to tell you about an accessory that can enhance laptop in both places. It’s the Futura laptop stand / laptop desk from LapWorks.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Laptop Gear

Tagged: Laptop, Stand

LapWorks Laptop Desk Futura originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 17, 2007 at 9:18 pm.

Last weekend I went a bit out of control and purchased a 17″ Macbook Pro replacing my three year old 15″ Powerbook. The screen of my old Powerbook has been somewhat marred by the iSkin keyboard cover I have used since day one. The marks on the screen are only noticeable when the screen is off, so I decided not to use an iSkin again. Having learned my lesson, I wanted true screen protection for the incredibly vivid screen. A few months ago MacWorld mentioned Power Support as having one of the best screen protectors out there. So, the day I bought my laptop I ordered Power Support’s Crystal Film for the 17" Macbook Pro.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Laptop Gear

Tagged: Laptop, Screen Protector

Power Support Crystal Film for the 17″ Macbook Pro originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 2, 2007 at 6:25 pm.

Recently my day job has required me to give numerous presentations to large groups. Of course, you always want to come off looking as professional as possible, so I found myself in search for a presentation remote that could assist me. JasperLaser recently released the Jasper Keynote presentation remote, so let’s see if that fits my needs.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Gear

Tagged: Desktop, Laptop

Jasper Keynote originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 31, 2007 at 9:10 pm.

If you read my review of the Slim Mouse, this review might seem a bit familiar because both mice have a somewhat similar shape and design. The mouse that we’re going to focus on for this review is the Twister Laser Mouse from Rocketfish. It is hands down better than the Slim Mouse though. Keep reading to find out why.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptop Gear

Tagged: Desktop, Laptop

Rocketfish Twister Wireless Laser Notebook Mouse originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 16, 2007 at 8:32 pm.

Mice come in all shapes and sizes these days. They are available in corded and non-corded varieties, using Bluetooth and other wireless protocols. Some run on batteries, some don’t. But all mice share a couple of important features… They have Left and Right buttons (ok, some Mac mice have just 1…), and they move the cursor around on your display. Today I’m going to tell you about the Slim Mouse. This mouse has those important features mentioned above, all bundled into an extremely thin package. Power Positioning (2P) actually claims that this mouse is the world’s thinnest. Is that a good thing? Let’s find out.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptop Gear

Tagged: Desktop, Laptop

G4 Slim Mouse originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 16, 2007 at 5:47 pm.