If you were one of the eleventy bazillion people that went to see Marvel’s The Avengers movie a couple weekends ago, congrats, you helped break box office records. But now that you’ve seen the movie, you are probably suffering from Avengers withdraw… Fill the void with more Avengers by collecting Dane-Elec’s character replica USB drives. Captain America, The Hulk, Thor and Iron Man are available in 8GB flash drives from Dane-Elec. They will soon be available individually from Amazon, but if you can’t wait, you can grab the whole set for $50.95 from Neobits.

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: USB

Marvel’s Avengers fight crime and move files originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 13, 2012 at 12:00 pm.

Janet has been posting some interesting reviews of cables kits that take up minimal gear bag space while still providing an ability to charge and sync data with our favorite USB enabled devices. Check the related links below to read her full reviews. Her articles have caused me to look for alternatives for my own disorganized cable collection. Ready Clips from AViiQ might be a good solution. The are USB cables for Micro, Mini and Apple’s 30 pin connector. Each cable is only 5.5 inches long and .25 inches thick. They are also completely bendable and feature a conveniently designed clip that allows it to be secured in any pocket, strap or notebook. The only caveat is the price, which seems a little high… They are available individually or in sets starting at $12.99

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: USB

AViiQ Ready Clips – Another Tangle-Fre​e Cable Idea originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 30, 2012 at 2:00 pm.

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.

Most computers and mobile devices have built-in microphones now, and they are fine for phone calls and video calls.  They fall short when you need a higher-quality audio for podcasting or recording music.  There are a variety of microphones on the market, from cheap stalk microphones to studio-quality mics costing hundreds (or thousands) of dollars.  The Meteor Mic USB Studio Microphone from Samson promises to be a “professional, large diaphragm, studio condenser USB microphone” at a reasonable price.  How does it stack up?

The Meteor Mic has a retro look that harkens back to the 1930s.  It folds up into a compact 3.75″ long capsule with an approximately 2″ diameter.  Its chrome-plated body and fold-away legs are sleek, shiny, and beautiful.  The legs have rubber tips to keep the mic from sliding.  When the legs are fully extended, the Meteor stands about 6″ high.  It’s small enough to take with you, and at 9.9 ounces it won’t be too heavy a burden.

It comes with a velveteen storage bag, an approximately 6-ft  USB-to-miniUSB cable, and a manual and booklets.

The Meteor has a dual-stage grill, as seen in the diagram above, to protect the 1″ diaphragm and to reduce wind noise and p-popping (the explosive sound you can get when saying words with “p” in them).

Technical Specifications

• Large (25mm) diaphragm condenser for rich audio recording
• Cardioid pickup pattern
• Smooth, flat frequency response of 20Hz – 20kHz
• CD quality, 16-bit, 44.1/48kHz resolution
• Fold-back leg design provides optimal mic positioning
• Durable chrome-plated body
• Plugs directly into any computer with a USB input, no drivers required
• High-quality A/D and D/A converters
• Compatible with most computer-based digital audio workstation software
• Stereo 1/8-inch headphone jack for no latency monitoring
• Headphone volume control with microphone mute switch
• Microphone mute switch for privacy, and to silence noise during playback
• Computer-controlled analog Input Gain
• Power, Peak, and Mute LED indicator

The back of the mic has a miniUSB port.  No external power source or batteries are needed with the Meteor.  There’s also a 3.5mm audio port with volume control for “zero-latency direct monitoring.”

The legs can be adjusted to find just the right angle for your audio source.

Or you can use the standard 5/8″ thread mount to attach the mic to any microphone stand.

The front of the microphone has a black plastic mute button.  The dial surrounding the mute button is the volume adjustment for the headphone output.  The LED shows blue when the microphone is powered, amber when muted, and it flashes red to show when the input signal is too loud and is clipping.

The Meteor works with both Windows and Mac computers, and it required no drivers when used with my MacBook Pro.  It’s also compatible with most computer-based digital audio workstation software.  I have GarageBand on my MBP, so that’s what I used to make some recordings.  I simply plugged in the Meteor Mic, started up GarageBand, and I was ready to record.  Because of the limited formats supported in WordPress, I saved all these files as MP3 files, at the highest quality available.

The microphone is suitable for recording voice (speech or singing) and various acoustic musical instruments.  For voice, you should position the mic so that the center line on the front is pointing to your mouth.  You can rotate the center line away from your mouth a bit to minimize p-popping, or you can use a microphone pop filter.  The closer the microphone to your mouth, the more the bass response increases, according to the user’s guide.

The microphone is short, and you may find it difficult to use it on a tabletop with just the built-in legs and still be able to have it the recommended 6-24 inches away from your mouth.  The legs don’t fold together enough to be used as a handle for the mic, but I still decided I’d use the front leg as a handle for my voice recordings.  I don’t have a microphone stand.

I made two speech recordings.  I made them sitting in the bedroom of my house, with everything as quiet as I could make it in the room.  Because my house is beside a busy, cross-town road (runs within 30 feet behind my house), there was the possibility of traffic noise that I couldn’t control or block.  Both recordings were made with GarageBand, using all standard settings.  I made one recording using the MBP’s built-in microphone and one with the Meteor mic.  When I listened to the recordings, I used my Sony MDR-NC200D headphones.  I turned on the noise-cancelling function so I that could block ambient noise while I was listening.

Voice recorded using the MacBook Pro’s built-in microphone: samson-meteor-mic-speaking-mbp-mic

Voice recorded using the Meteor Mic: samson-meteor-mic-speaking-with-meteor

You can hear a definite difference between the two recordings.  Both recordings seemed to be clear and static-free, but I felt the Meteor recording was richer and fuller, especially when I was holding the mic about 6″ from my face.  The built-in mic recording sounded more like voices sound over the telephone than when you’re talking face-to-face with someone.

I asked my husband, Butch, who is an amateur musician (trained pianist and a guitarist), to also listen to these recordings to see what he could hear.  He also used the noise-cancelling headphones for playback.  He agreed that both recordings were clear and static-free.  He said he could hear some background noise in the recording made with the built-in mic, and my voice sounded flat.  With the Meteor mic held six inches from my face, he said the recording sounded like my actual voice, and he said the recording was fuller and had a presence that sounds that of a radio announcer recorded in a studio.  When the Meteor was pulled away from my mouth, he said he could hear some background noises, but the Meteor recording still sounded better than the built-in mic.

I asked Butch to play some music for me to record so I could test how well the Meteor mic works for acoustic music.  We followed the instructions for placement of the meteor mic, and we set the MacBook Pro in the same position when we recorded with its built-in microphone.

Acoustic guitar recorded using the MacBook Pro’s built-in microphone:  samson-meteor-mic-acoustic-guitar-mbp-mic

Acoustic guitar recorded using the Meteor Mic: samson-meteor-mic-acoustic-guitar-meteor

Again, I listened to these files with my Sony headphones with the noise-cancellation turned on.  The guitar recorded with the MBP’s built-in microphone sounded too bright and harsh.  The guitar recorded with the Meteor Mic sounded more like the way it sounded when I listened as we made the recording.  I could still hear the highs, but the bass was fuller and warmer sounding.  Butch says in both cases, he could tell he “was playing an acoustic guitar”.  But with the Meteor Mic recording, he could tell he “was playing Rachel’s 3/4-sized guitar with the buzzing fret.”  With the built-in mic, he said the treble is artifically bright.  He says the Meteor Mic doesn’t lose any of the bass, and the recording sounds to his ears just as it sounded as he recorded it.

Butch also tried out the monitoring feature as he recorded the guitar tracks.  He used the same Sony headphones plugged into the jack on the back of the Meteor Mic.  He said there was no lag or delay in the sound through the headphones.

The Meteor Mic can also be used with an iPad.  You have to use Apple’s iPad camera connection kit to connect the mic’s USB cable to the iPad, and I happened to already have a connection kit.  I also already had GarageBand for my iPad.  I plugged the microphone into the iPad, as shown in the picture above, and I was ready to record.  I was talking as I took the photo, and you can see the needled is blurred because it was in motion as the photo was taken (click for a larger view).

I used all the standard settings and made all the same recordings on the iPad that I had made on the MacBook Pro.  GarageBand on the iPad has more-limited file format selections for saving, so I saved the recordings as M4a files.  These are supported by WordPress, but they may not play for all of you.  I’m including only one file recorded on the iPad.

Acoustic guitar recorded on the iPad using the Meteor Mic: samson-meteor-mic-acoustic-guitar-meteor

Butch and I both used the Sony headphones to listen to the files recorded on the iPad, some using the built-in mic and some using the Meteor mic.  We both agreed that there’s not a lot of difference in the recordings using the iPad’s built-in mic and the MBP’s built-in mic.  The Meteor mic files sounded very similar, regardless of whether they were recorded on the iPad or MBP, and in both cases, they sounded much better than the built-in mic recordings.  I remember saying during one of the voice recordings using the Meteor mic that the recording level needle was in the red zone, but we didn’t hear any distortion in any of the recordings.

Just one note about playback:  On the MacBook Pro, I could select the output source for monitoring/playback.  I could use either the MBP or the Meteor for playback.  On the iPad, I couldn’t find a way to change that, and only the headphone jack on the Meteor could be used for playback while the mic was connected to the iPad.

Whether you want to record vocals or acoustic instruments for music, voice for podcasts, or you just want to sound better for Skype or Face Time, you can’t go wrong with the Meteor Mic.  At a list price of $150, it’s a high-quality, moderately-priced microphone that will improve any recording or VoIP call you make.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Musical Gear, Reviews

Tagged: microphone, USB

Samson Meteor Mic USB Studio Microphone Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 9, 2012 at 11:00 am.

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

Is it possible to have a computer monitor that is too large? I think not! More is always better when it comes to screen real estate. But adding a 2nd monitor to your desktop or your laptop setup can be a hassle because they require a power cable and a video cable, not to mention that they are usually heavy and bulky. The Lenovo ThinkVision LT1421 14″ LCD monitor with Plastic Cover solves both of these problems beautifully. You can even carry it with you in your gear bag because it’s so portable.

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

I’m familiar with Lenovo’s high quality products as that is the brand of laptops, desktops and workstations that we use at my day job (Cummins Inc.). The ThinkVision LT1421 is a 14″ widescreen LCD monitor that is considerably different than other LCD monitors that I’ve used because it has been designed with extreme portability in mind. It almost looks like a tablet computer doesn’t it?

It comes with a plastic cover that snaps on the front to protect the display when you’re carrying it with you, and doubles as a tray for the adjustable stand built into the back of the monitor.

Together, the monitor and the cover only weigh 2.25 lbs, so it is very portable.

On the back of the monitor, you’ll find a Kensington lock slot, and a brightness adjustment button for 16 level brightness. The only connector is a USB 2.0 connection on the left side of the display when you’re facing it. That’s right, the LT1421 does not have a video cable connector or even a power cord connector. Both video and power use a simple USB cable.

This monitor lacks a VESA mount, so it’s designed just for use on a flat surface instead of mounting to a wall or a specialized bracket.

Notice the Red strip at the bottom center? That’s the foot of the adjustable stand.

The monitor can be used with or without the plastic cover, but it’s nice to have a place to put it when it’s not protecting the display.

The inside of the cover has slots that match up with the stand to provide a 12 degree – 40 degree adjustable viewing angle.

Connecting the LT1421 to your desktop or laptop is easy. Using the included USB Y cable, you can connect one end to the monitor and one (or 2) of the other ends into 1 or 2 USB ports on your computer.   I tested the monitor with my 27″ iMac, which only required one USB connection, but if you use this monitor with a laptop, it will most likely require that you plugin both cables. It’s also important to note that the LT1421 can draw as much as 5 watts of power, which may be a significant drain on your laptop’s battery.

The Lenovo ThinkVision LT1421 isn’t exactly plug and play. It comes with a driver CD that has to be installed first. I was a bit worried when I found out that the CD contains Windows XP, Vista and 7 drivers, but does not include Mac OS X drivers. Luckily I found that Mac drivers can be downloaded easily from DisplayLink, who is the manufacturer of the controller.

Once installed, you will see both displays and can arrange them and set the Lenovo to be a mirror of the desktop or as an extended desktop. I use mine as extended so I can put my iMessages app and Dropcam live viewer on it.

I have the LT1421 on the left side of my iMac. If I decide to move it to the right side, I can go into the settings and move the smaller box to the right side.

At first I didn’t realize that it made a difference if I had the smaller box at the top, center (as in the image above) or on the bottom, until I tried to move my mouse from the edge the iMac’s display into the LT1421′s display and it kept stopping at the edge. Setting as you see above allows me to move my mouse to the center edge of the iMac’s display so it will go “into” the Lenovo’s display.

The Lenovo ThinkVision LT1421 14″ LCD monitor has a max resolution of 1366 x 768. It has an anti-glare matte surface, good colors and decent brightness. I tend to have it set the to max brightness level which you see here. It’s not as vibrant as my iMac’s display, but it’s perfect for what I use it for. I’ve also been impressed with the viewing angle as I can read text on the display even when I’m at a right angle to it.

I think the Lenovo ThinkVision LT1421 14″ LCD monitor makes an handy companion for desktop and laptop computers. It’s especially convenient for the mobile warrior for presentations and other uses.

You can get a 10% discount on the Lenovo ThinkVision LT1421 14″ LCD monitor with Plastic Cover when ordered online using:

CODE: LENOVOMOMS (if you have a mom blog) or LENOVOTECHIES (if your blog is tech related).

Discount codes are valid 3/1/12 – 3/31/12 for part number 1452DS6

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptops and Gear, Reviews

Tagged: LCD, monitor, USB

Lenovo ThinkVision LT1421 14″ LCD monitor with Plastic Cover Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 19, 2012 at 2:13 pm.

It seems more and more gadgets, although they may have a wall wart, are ultimately USB-chargeable.  Replace a normal AC wall socket with the USB Outlet Quattro from CurrentWerks, and you’ll be able to charge up to four USB devices at once without using those wall warts.  With the Quattro, you have four standard USB ports in a single wall outlet.  The Quattro accepts 90-132VAC 50/60Hz 0.7A current and outputs 22 Watts 5VDC 4.4A (2.1A maximum per port).  CurrentWerks says the Quattro has been tested to UL standards, fits all standard single gang electrical boxes, and draws no vampire power.  It’s available in white, ivory, and light almond for $39.98; faceplate is included.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, News

Tagged: charging, USB

USB Outlet Quattro from CurrentWerks originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 7, 2012 at 1:00 pm.

Got a new Mac with the brand new Thunderbolt port but no accessories to connect to it?  The only accessories out now for the Thunderbolt port would be the $999 Apple Thunderbolt Display, a Thunderbolt to HDMI adaptor, or those pricey Thunderbolt External Hard Drives.  Don’t you just wish you could do more with that Thunderbolt port?  That’s where Belkin’s Thunderbolt Express Dock comes in.  Announced at CES 2012, this dock packs 3 USB 2.0 ports, a Firewire 800 port, HDMI port, Gigabit Ethernet jack, 3.5mm audio jack, and a pair of Thunderbolt ports capable of daisy chaining.  This will be something that I’ll definitely get for my Macbook Air 11” which only has 2 lonely USB ports.  As much as I would want this, the price of $299 is quite expensive for this dock.

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: Dock, thunderbolt, USB

Belkin’s Thunderbolt Express Dock originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 10, 2012 at 8:00 am.

Why carry around that big screen notebook or tablet or on the other hand have to put up with a small smartphone-sized screen when you can run Android on almost any device with a USB  or HDMI port and a screen?  The Cotton Candy from FXI Tech is a prototype USB-sized stick that allows a user to take their Android OS with them anywhere and have single and secure access to all their applications, including cloud services.

Powered by an ARM Cotrex A9 1.2 processor and fitted out with Wifi 802.11/g/b/n, Bluetooth, 1GB DRAM, and up to 64 GB microSD storage, the stick also includes HDMI output and  runs Android 2.3. It can also support Unbuntu as well as a virtualised client for Windows, Linux and Mac.

When hooked up and plugged in it runs Android (or other OS ) applications in a secure window, essentially creating a dumb terminal. Benefits touted by FXI include consumer friendly access to the Cloud, extending the life of consumer hardware, consistent experience across all screens, and  consolidation of personal digital data.

So carry it to your hotel room, whip it out of your pocket, and plug it into the 42″ LCD and voila, big screen Android (though for a TV you will have to carry a bluetooth keyboard, and mouse, and some form of USB power).

Interesting concept , maybe a bit impractical for television connection at the moment given what additional gear you’d have to carry with you , but perhaps a look into the future where everyone carries their personal computer on their keyring ?

FXI’s CEO expects to see mass release in the second half of 2012 for about $200. See more information at FXI Tech

Filed in categories: Android related, Geek Toys

Tagged: Android, USB

FXI Technology Cotton Candy – Sweet Android on a Stick originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 21, 2011 at 1:00 pm.

Kensington Computer Products Group is one of the old-timers in the computerperipheral business having launched their first product (Apple II System Saver) back in 1981. Kensington’s most ubiquitous product is the K-Lock security slot that is found on many laptops. As Kensington is an established company with a history of quality products I felt relatively safe in trusting my high-priced electronics to the AbsolutePower Charger. A bad/incorrect charger can ruin a battery or worse very quickly so it’s always a good idea to double check the power supply you’re going to use before plugging in your expensive gadgets.

While not the only device to have this issue, the Apple iPad introduced many people to the concept that not all USB ports are equal especially when it comes to providing charging power. Rather than go into a discussion on electrical theory and USB standards those interested may want to check out this article in MacWorld.

For the rest of us, just because your charging cable has a USB plug at one end doesn’t mean that all USB ports will be capable of providing sufficient power to charge your device. However, the Kensington AbsolutePower charger provides enough power to its two USB ports (one micro, one standard) to handle most power hungry devices like tablets (but not all).

What's in the box...

Kensington includes 10 charging tips with the charger that work with many laptops by Acer, Asus, Compaq, Dell, HP, IBM, Lenovo, Samsung, Sony and Toshiba among others. For a list of compatible devices check Kensington’s website. Most notably absent from the list are Apple’s MacBooks that use a proprietary connector (MagSafe) which is kept away from other companies by a slew of lawyers.

The AbsolutePower, like most quality chargers works with AC power of 50 or 60 cycles and from 100 to 240 VAC making it capable of handling most “wall” power available throughout the world. There are no international adapters in the box so I can only assume that when purchased in countries outside of the US either an adapter or different power cord is included.

Kensington claims that the charger is the smallest, lightest, most powerful charger in its class (when compared with similar in-class power adapters). The box lists the weight at 8 ounces (225g) and the dimensions at 4.3” long, 2.75” wide, and .73” high (110mm x 70mm x 18.5mm) or roughly the size (but thicker) than an iPhone 4s. Be aware though that Kensington didn’t include the weight of the power cable in that measurement (you gotta love those “marketing” specs). With both cables connected and an adapter tip in place, the charger weighs 10.8 ounces (306g). That’s still not a bad size or weight for a 90-watt charger.

A relatively small and lightweight charger that comes with a slew of adapter tips that cover laptops by almost every major manufacturer and two high-power USB ports…that sounds great…well, almost.

So, what’s not to like?

Just a few things really, but they’re pretty darn annoying.

The first issue I have is with the lack of a suitable case for the device. The AbsolutePower charger is marketed as being small and light and without a doubt it’s meant for use by travelers. Since it comes with 10 easy-to-lose power tips, a separate power cable, and a micro-USB to USB adapter it would have been nice if they had included a case for storage and transport. I ended up tossing it all in a ZipLoc bag…far from an elegant solution.

Exacerbating the storage issue is the fixed power cable on one side. The input power cable (one that plugs into an outlet) is not attached permanently to the charger making it easy to remove and store, however the cable that connects between the AbsolutePower and the laptop is permanently attached. This means that while the charger is small, the cable must always be wrapped next to it for storage. At $120 Kensington could include a case/pouch that holds all the parts compactly making it easy for customers to toss it into their briefcase or laptop bag.

Size matters!

I have another problem with that fixed power cord: it’s too darn short! It’s just 24 inches long forcing you to keep the charger on the table or desk close to your computer rather than on the floor. The charger has a hard plastic shell and no rubber feet so it’s all too easy for it to fall or be pushed off your work surface. This could cause it to come unplugged or even damage the laptop’s charging port. I would much prefer a cable that was long enough to allow it to drape off the work surface and have the charging unit on the floor. I realize that might make it a little harder to get to the USB ports, but USB cables are available in lengths more than long enough to make that a non-issue.

Nothing good can come of this.

Also be aware that the adapter tips are made with a 90-degree angle to the cable. While this wasn’t a problem with my laptop it’s possible that this type of connection could block access to a port or ventilation. Check your specific laptop and make sure you have at least 1.5” of clearance on one side of the power input.

Most people assume that setting up a laptop charger involves nothing more than plugging one end into an outlet and the other end into their computer. The AbsolutePower adds another level of complexity into the mix that some manufacturers (Targus and iGo) of similar devices seem to have done away with, and that’s a voltage switch. On the end of the charger is a small switch that sets output voltage at either 16 volts or 19 volts. The unit’s Instruction sheet states that the end user must find out the input voltage for their laptop and then set the switch accordingly. When I checked my ThinkPad I found a small sticker with typical micro-font that listed the input voltage at 20 volts. Fortunately, I looked at the side of the AbsolutePower box and realized that the 16 volt setting was actually good for 14 – 17VDC (at 5.0 Amps) and the 19 volt setting handled 17 – 21VDC (at 4.72 Amps). This information was not included on the rather sparse instruction sheet.

Power output, 2 x USB and voltage switch/power LED

The switch also doubles as a power LED and is inset (requiring a small screwdriver to move it) and with the voltage settings engraved by the switch as black on black many people will never know that it is a switch or a setting that needs to be selected. While you can clearly see the switch settings in my picture in anything other than direct light from a few inches away the settings are all but invisible. Requiring users to find their laptop’s voltage requirements is an inconvenience; not marking the switch clearly could potentially cause problems. Whether having the wrong setting would cause serious damage to someone’s laptop is questionable, but I’d argue if it’s important to make the choice it’s important to make the necessity and method for doing so a whole lot more evident than Kensington has done.

Finally, I was a bit surprised that Kensington didn’t include an Apple iPod/iPhone/iPad charging cable in the kit. Since the iPad is a primary reason people are looking for high-powered USB ports nowadays a cable would have been nice. Even better make the fixed power cord 48 inches long and include an Apple compatible cable to match!

Settings and power cord issues aside the charger does its job without getting very warm. After several hours of use the charger was barely over 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The AbsolutePower charged my Lenovo ThinkPad x220 laptop, Apple iPad and TMobile G2 phone simultaneously. Although, it did seem that with both devices plugged into the charger’s USB ports and the laptop running the rate of charging was a bit slower than if they were all on their individual chargers there didn’t appear to be a dramatic difference.

The HP TouchPad was the only device that wouldn’t charge from the AbsolutePower. Using the USB cable that came with the TouchPad the device warned that it might not charge when connected to the AbsolutePower’s micro USB port. When I connected the TouchPad to the standard USB port on the AbsolutePower there was no warning or indication of charging at all (swapping USB cables made no difference). The TouchPad’s own charger lists output at 5.3 volts at 2.0 amps which is slightly higher than the 5.0 volt/2.0 amp rating for the AbsolutePower and is higher than the iPad’s requirements.

I like the concept of the Kensington Absolute Power charger. Dual high-power USB ports in a reasonably sized package are a definite plus. After spending some time with the charger though the short power cable would probably make me look at competitors. I just like my power “bricks” to live on the floor. If that doesn’t bother you and you can figure out the voltage requirement for your laptop this unit is certainly worth comparing to the other top brands in the marketplace as either a replacement power supply or second unit to keep in your travel bag.

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related, Laptops and Gear, Reviews, Tablet Computers and Gear, Travel Gear

Tagged: Charger, power adapter, USB

Kensington AbsolutePower Laptop, Phone, Tablet Charger Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 21, 2011 at 11:00 am.

I’m all about my Big Band music. I have an Mp3 player full of it.  I stream it via Live 365 Internet Subscription radio.  I even have vinyl records of old recordings, and I have stuff older than that.  I can’t always play my records and in my area; Big Band music cannot be found on the radio.  So I lean on my Mp3 player and cell phone.

With the advent of Mp3 players and playing music through your cell phones, the need for external speakers has arisen.  Because let’s be frank, I don’t care what kind of souped up cell phone you have; the speaker on it sucks.  There are a lot of external speakers out there, but the Doodle Speaker Custom Speaker from Zazzle let’s you show your style.

Pictures in this review can be clicked for an enlarged view.

Now, I get that most of the iPod users use their icon-esque (if that’s a word) white ear buds for their players/phones.   But what if you’re in a situation where you cannot be tethered to your computer/cell phone/Mp3 player?

As I’ve mentioned above, I listen, for a majority of the time, two specific genres of music: Classical or Big Band.  When I say Big Band, I mean anything written and recorded from the 1910s through 1955.  Long before Boardwalk Empire became popular, I was already listening to any broadcaster who played music from the Tin Pan Alley and pre-Prohibition days.  I have to lean heavily on subscription streaming for this and I cannot always go about my day plugged into a set of ear buds.    Also, it’s unreasonable to expect to lug a set of booming speakers around with me but I still want to be able to hear the tunes.

Enter Zazzle.  Zazzle is a website that can pretty much customize anything from t shirts, mugs, even binders.  And they have a ridiculous catalog of images to choose from.  You’re not stuck with just pop culture, you can pretty much customize your item with images that truly reflect your personality, favorite color, hobby or even self expression.

Zazzle speakers use 3.5 mm headphone plug in or USB cable.

Zazzle produces the Doodle Speaker that is roughly the size and weight of your average Android Smart Phone.  It plugs in with either a 3.5 mm headphone plug in or even USB plug in.  You can connect it to your computer, cell phone or Mp3 player.

What I like about the Doodle is that it’s  small, portable, runs on AAA batteries or USB power, and you can plug it in to your computer . It’s also seriously customize-able.   I’m not your average individual who is happy with hot pink swirls, hippy flowers or the Jonas Brothers if I have the option to choose a design on something.  I’m not into skulls, Disney tween icons or some of the other stuff that your average 14 year thinks is hip.  In fact, I’m rather decidedly unhip.  I’m a retro girl in a high tech world.  And while I truly love my internet and streaming radio, I’m not a big fan of modern design.

Zazzle.com provides a huge catalog of retro images ranging from the antique to the quirky.  I chose (as seen) a retro 1940s radio as my image.  Considering the genre of music I’m usually playing, I found it very apropos.

Now, at prices ranging from $39.95 to $55.00, you’re not going to get the highest quality of woofers and tweeters here and you’d be ridiculous to expect that.  But the sound from the speakers is exponentially better than anything you’re getting out of the speaker of a cell phone.  I know this because I’ve tried it.

Plus, you just can’t put a price on the Coolness Factor.  Let’s face facts, the larger retailers cater to what’s considered “in” at the moment.  They’re not interested in the retro, the quirky, the Off the Beaten Path.  Large retailers take the Beaten Path.  It’s safer to glean their best foot traffic sales there.  Which is fine because Zazzle fills in the void for the rest of us. And for those of us who just can’t get on-board with what’s “in” at the moment, Zazzle provides us an individual way to personalize a common item into something one of a kind.

If I had to identify a con, it would be with the Zazzle site itself.  I had a gift certificate for a certain amount of money to be spent on a the site.  But when you go to enter in the code, there are no instructions to tell you not to enter in dashes or anything of the sort.  So after several tries to get the certificate code to take, customer service had to be the one to explain that although the code may come with dashes…don’t use them.

Also, if you are looking for a specific image, Zazzle does provide a search box but try to be somewhat specific.  I clicked on “retro” and wound up looking through close to 200 pages of retro images before finding the color of radio image I wanted.  I had seen the black image on the first page but wanted the more bakelite brown color.  Instead of clicking on the black and then having a drop down box to choose colors of that specific design, Zazzle features each design in whatever color they offer it in separately. What I should have done was type “Retro Radio” in the search box instead.   So, fix on your image, do a search and choose from there.

All in all, it was a positive experience and since I’m all about personalizing things, I’m really pleased with the speaker.

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

Tagged: Computer speakers, Customized, Portable speakers, USB

Zazzle Customized Doodle Speakers Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 28, 2011 at 2:00 pm.

Here’s another unusual USB flash drive to add to your collection. It’s the USB Bottle Opener Flash Drive II from Brando. It’s similar to the Lacie imaKey key shaped flash drive that we have reviewed. But, this one is shaped like a bottle opener. It’s made of metal and is available in 3 capacities: 2GB – $16.00, 4GB – $18.00 and 8GB – $25.00. What is your favorite flash drive?

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: USB

Copy some files and then pop the top on a cold one originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 22, 2011 at 10:00 am.

I really don’t understand this device.  Someone at Hijakker took a $20 16GB USB drive and added an open source bootable version of Xubuntu and then they sell it for $60.  Their marketing then states “Have your own portable Windows on a USB Flash Drive!”, but they forget to mention that you will have to supply your own full Windows operating system installation media to install on the USB drive.  I’ve been playing with it for a while, so this is my take.

Here’s what the good folks at Hijakker have to say about the device:

► Have your own portable Windows on a USB Flash Drive!
► Includes Linux with many pre-installed tools.
► Great for the road warrior!
► Use it for private web browsing that leaves no trace on the host PC.
► A handy tool for Help Desk folks for troubleshooting  and system recovery – just boot it up and access the host PC’s hard drive.
► Business Continuity experts can use to borrow / repurpose a PC and get back to their system s quickly during an emergency.
► Comes in eco-friendly packaging to minimize the plastic used.

The thumb drive does have an end cap and comes wrapped in an “oragami” envelope.  The envelope doubles as the instructions for using the Hijakker.

To use the Hijakker you’ll first have to find a PC that allows booting from a USB device.  Two of my 3 PCs, which are Dells, have that option, but the Toshiba Laptop doesn’t.  That’s unfortunate because I was hoping to repurpose the Toshiba. Having only 1 GB of memory it was running real slow under XP and I couldn’t rebuild it because my installation disks were corrupted.  In the end I downloaded a copy of open sourced Ubuntu and used it instead.

Upon boot up the above screen appears.  If this looks suspiciously like Ubuntu, that’s because it is.  Actually, it’s a pared down version of Ubuntu (Xubuntu) meant for hardware challenged systems and laptops.  It’s fully functional and is available free of charge on the web.  The only difference in the Hijakker version is their logo on the desktop screen.

The main reason I was interested in this device was the ability to run Windows from a thumb drive independently from the PC.  This can be done using an open source application called Virtualbox OSE which is preinstalled on the Hijakker.  The application is also available  free on the web.  Virtualbox will allow you to run Windows or most other OSes on the thumb drive within Hijakker/Xubuntu.  I did not test this feature out because I didn’t have a full installation package for Windows or any other OS for that matter.  I’ll take their word for it that it works.

When I attempted to connect to the web on my laptop, I had no connection because of a missing wi-fi driver.  After playing around for a bit, a window popped up saying it was downloading the required driver for my wi-fi chip.  This was interesting because I wasn’t hooked to the net, nevertheless somehow the driver was installed and I was on the web.

There’s nothing earth shattering about the Hijakker implementation.  People with a little Linux knowledge can purchase their own thumb drive and go to Pendrivelinux.com to install Xubuntu.   If you’d rather not, you can pay the premium and purchase the Hijakker.  Personally, I use a thumb drive with Portableapps.com software that allows me to bring my data and applications with me on the road.  It is not bootable like the Hijakker and needs admin privileges to run, but is much easier to use.

Finally,  I’m not too impressed the product presentation.  The packaging is tacky and they don’t seem to spend much on QC.  In the first paragraph of the getting started page they list their url incorrectly (www.hijacker.com).  The uses they list for the device are valid, but could just as easily be done without the device.

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, Reviews

Tagged: Software, Ubuntu, USB

Hijakker bootable USB Drive with Xubuntu Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 13, 2011 at 11:00 am.

From the same company that created the HyperDrive, comes the iFlashDrive. This is a 2-way USB flashdrive that can has a 30 pin connector that can plug into iOS devices like the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. On the other end is a standard male USB connector that allows you to plug it into a PC or Mac. A special app (free) on the iOS side will give you the ability to store, view and manage files. The iFlashDrive is an easy way to transfer files to and from the iOS device without using iTunes or WiFi. There’s also a built in music player, text editor and contact backup feature. The iFlashDrive is available in three different capacities of 8GB, 16GB and 32GB for $99, $149.95 and $199.95.

Filed in categories: iPhone, iPad, iPod related, News

Tagged: iOS, iPhone, Storage, USB

iFlashDrive – 2 way storage for iOS and PC/Mac devices originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 11, 2011 at 10:00 am.

The new IOGEAR 4-Port USB Sharing Station looks like an easy way for multiple users to share USB devices (printers, external hard drives, MP3 Players, flash drives, USB speakers, cameras, scanners and more) wirelessly with both Windows and Mac OS X computers in your home or office. One idea for using the Share Station would be to create a low-cost security system by connecting a webcam to the share station in an area where monitoring is needed. The only down side to this product is that it doesn’t support USB 3.0 devices yet. However, it does support High-Speed USB 2.0 and is backward compatible with USB 1.1 devices if you’re still in the dark age. The Sharing Station is available now for $99.95

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, News

Tagged: USB, WiFi

IOGEAR 4-Port USB Sharing Station Allows Wi-Fi Access to USB Devices originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 6, 2011 at 12:14 pm.

Brando is now offering a 300 dpi USB Portable Mini Scanner. It’s probably better suited for scanning business cards into your Windows PC (sorry, it has no OS X support) than scanning books and articles – although it certainly can do those things too. It comes with a business card scanning tray and PC software that allows you to organize and convert scans to text. The USB Portable Mini Scanner is priced at $66.

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptops and Gear, News

Tagged: USB

Brando Offers a USB Portable Mini Scanner originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 5, 2011 at 4:35 pm.

I’ve long been a proponent of Voice over IP (VoIP), having dumped the phone company over 7 years ago.  During this period I’ve used 2 major vendors and only  switched to the latest one because my former VOIP supplier was getting greedy.  The price performance has been outstanding and the quality has been more than acceptable.  I’ve never stood still and have continuously compared other VoIP providers offers, but I have not considered magicJack a serious player.  This is because the magicJack required your computer to be running for it to work.. That’s until now!   The new magicJack PLUS can be plugged into a router or broadband modem, just like the big boys.  Also, I got turned off by the extremely annoying video on their home page.

Before I get into the details, perhaps a little refresher is in order. To use the magic Jack, or any VoIP device for that matter, you’ll need a broadband Internet connection. For magicJack a minimum bandwidth UPLOAD speed of 128 kb/s is required.  This would probably be cable or DSL, but not satellite.  It doesn’t make sense for someone to subscribe to broadband just for the telephone capability, so Grandma and Grandpa may want to stay with Ma Bell.  You should also have a minimum understanding of your home network, because there will be times that you’ll have to reboot your modem and router to clear up problems.  You should also be aware that if you lose power or Internet connection, you’ll also lose your phone capability.  I’ve addressed the power issue at my house by plugging my cable modem and router into a UPS.  This gives me an hour before I lose telephone service and covers most short power interruptions.

Features provided by magicJack:

• Voicemail
• Caller ID
• Call waiting
• Call forwarding
• Your own phone number
• Unlimited free calling within the US and Canada

There’s really not much to the device.   You may not even need the smaller of the two cables.  It’s a USB extension cable and you may be able plug the magicJack into your computer without it.

I decided to see how idiot proof the installation was, so I plugged the device into my LAN, via a powerline Ethernet adapter, hooked up the phone and within 30 seconds had a dial-tone.  There’s no computer involved in the configuration, but to keep the device active, you’ll have to register the magicJack online within 48 hours of installing it.  To minimize the number of variables when testing this thing, I used a corded phone, so the sound quality wouldn’t be affected by cordless phone issues.

Here’s a closer look at the setup.  The magicJack plugs into the AC adapter, which plugs into the AC outlet.  On the left of the unit you have a socket for the phone cable and one for the LAN cable.  You could of course run the LAN cable from your router or switch.  I like using powerline Ethernet because I can locate the phone anywhere there’s an AC outlet.

Here’s the setup when using the magicJack with a computer.  Because of the clearance to my USB ports, I needed the extension cable.  If using a laptop, this probably wouldn’t be necessary.  This setup is simpler, in that all you have to do is plug a phone into the phone port.  Power is supplied by the USB port.  However, to run in this configuration, the computer must be on and the softphone magicJack application has to be running.

The first time you plug the magicJack into a computer, it loads the softphone application and has to be registered.  This process takes about 14 screens of selections.  Here you will get an online account and select a phone number.  Unfortunately there wasn’t a number available in my home state of New Hampshire, so I elected to get a California based number.  There is the option later of changing the phone number, for a fee, if one you want becomes available.

Be very careful when navigating the registration screens.  Most of them have an up-sell button and of course, it is the biggest.  If you don’t pay attention you could be signing up for more than you expected.  The above screen shot is one of the less egregious examples.  At the end of the process you should have a phone number and online account.  Also, be sure to use the address where you expect to use the magicJack, when you sign up.  This address will be used for the E911 service.

Now that we’re all registered, we can either leave the device plugged into the computer or plug it directly into a LAN port.  I’ve opted to use the LAN port option because it doesn’t require the magicJack application to be running.  However, when traveling I can take the device with me and use it with my laptop and when configured this way, I can either use a telephone plugged into the device or I can select to use the laptop speakers and microphone to make calls.  This is changed in the softphone application.

When plugged into the computer, the above screen will pop up for an incoming call.  At this point if you are using a telephone you pick it up and answer as normal.  If using the computers audio, you would click on accept and begin speaking.  You can also use the pop up window to place calls and listen to voicemail.

click image to enlarge

Regardless of whether you connect via the LAN or PC, you can access your magicJack account via a web browser.  Here you have some options that can be changed and you can access your call logs.  You may notice the switch for stutter tone at the bottom.  At first this didn’t work, but now it does and it triggers the voicemail indicator on my phone.

Now the question is “how’s the voice quality?”  I must admit I am pleasantly surprised at the quality of the conversations I’ve had.  With all the VoIP devices I’ve owned or reviewed, I’m used to echos and delays, but I’ve experienced none of that with the magicJack.  This runs counter to what I’ve read about the device in online forums.

In short, this latest version of the magicJack could make them a serious player in the VoIP space.  I now am considering dumping my current provider.  If you’re thinking about jettisoning your POTS phone, the magicJack Plus may be the way to go.  They do give you 30 days to try it out, so you don’t have much to lose.  Now if they’d only do something about their annoying home page and stop the bush league up-selling on all their screens.

Note:  The Gadgeteer is not affiliated with the Magic Jack company in any way.  We don’t provide customer support for them.  However, many of our readers seem to have chosen the comments section for this review as an informal peer support forum.  There are hundreds of comments with this review, and it’s likely that your question has already been asked and answered.  If not, and if none of the other readers can help you, you’ll need to contact Magic Jack directly.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, Reviews

Tagged: Phone, USB

magicJack PLUS Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 22, 2011 at 1:00 pm.

The Sewell MiniDeck is a small USB display adapter with drivers for OS X and Windows. You connect one end into USB and the other end into a monitor, and just like that you end up with another display without having to add a video card. The connected display won’t support 3D acceleration, but it does let you easily add an additional display to a laptop, desktop, or netbook. Read on to see how the device works, and how well it does driving a screen.

Out of the box, it’s a bit bigger than a deck of cards and easily travels in a laptop bag with the included carrying bag for the device, cables and adapters. There’s a USB port on one end and a DVI port that drives HDMI or VGA with small adapters. Configuration involves installing the Sewell MiniDeck drivers on the computer you’re going to use, then simply plugging it in. The CD included in the box is one of those Mini-CD’s that my drive doesn’t play well with, so I downloaded the latest drivers directly from Sewell’s website. I noticed the drivers were newer than what was printed on the CD, and because of this I recommend downloading the drivers instead of using the included CD.

Once the drivers are installed, you plug in a USB cable to one side of the SeWell MiniDeck and plug the monitor’s cable directly into the DVI port or the included adapter. The unit is powered over the same USB cable, so no power cables and the resulting cable clutter. Once the unit is plugged in, the monitor should start working immediately without any other action on your part. Audio isn’t supported on HDMI however, so you will need to supply audio using a separate cable while using HDMI.

Using the device with Windows 7 is pretty simple, provided you download the latest drivers and install them before plugging in the device. Once plugged in, the device activates and is controlled in Windows like any other additional display. You can mirror or span two ( or more ) screens, and there’s a taskbar app that allows you to select a special video mode for Sewell’s display. This video mode seems to blur the output a bit by making each pixel around twice as big, but does increase the video frame rate when playing large YouTube videos for example. You’ll definitely notice the larger pixels, but theres no questions is helps large videos play at a much faster frame rate. I had some issues with sleep in Windows 7, but removing and plugging the device into another USB port fixed this without a reboot.

The Mac OS X ( 10.6.8 ) experience is plug and play too after installing the drivers. Plugging in the MiniDeck activates the 2nd screen and the Display Preferences controls the settings, just like any other display connected to your Mac. There’s the standard fade out-fade in effect when you plug in the display and then your Sewell connected display is live. Display preferences allows you to arrange the placement of the display and tweak color settings the same way the internal video card works. Quality-wise, I couldn’t tell the difference between the internal video card on this MacBook and the MiniDecks’ output unless I had a full screen video playing, which I’ll talk about below.

USB Display adapters do have a few limitations regardless of the platform, like slowness when viewing video like YouTube and transitions with PowerPoint/Keynote content. Basically anything that involves 3D acceleration or huge amounts of moving pixels on the screen will run into the limitations. You’re also going to want to connect the adapter directly to a USB port on your computer, without going through a USB hub, to ensure a better experience. I had a couple issues when using the Sewell MiniDeck plugged into a generic USB 2.0 hub, and found the display much smoother when connected directly to a port on the computer. Basically, anything using 3D will be slow since there is no hardware acceleration. This most likely why transitions displayed at 720P fullscreen in Powerpoint stutter, but some transitions work better than others so you can get a decent presentation deck setup for viewing on a screen or projector connected to the Sewell MiniDeck if you experiment a bit with the different effects. The Sewell MiniDeck adds HDMI output, if you just want DVI output you can get the SW-8769 model priced at $79.95, but having the ability to plug this into any TV with an HDMI port is definitely worth it. I consciously set the resolution to 720p instead of 1080p because I’d rather a faster frame rate than higher resolution, and also because it’s easier for me to read small text at 720p on the TV I tried.

That’s an important tip: the fullscreen video slowness can be somewhat alleviated by setting your remote display to a lower resolution. 720P or even 1024×768 will allow for a much smoother presentation, or video playback for that matter, and to be honest the difference in picture from 1080P to even 720P was only clearly visible when sitting a few feet in front of the monitor. It was much less noticeable when being projected or on a TV from the distance an audience might sit. The bandwidth limit of USB 2.0 is most likely what we’re running into, 480mbit/sec isn’t that much when talking about video even if the signal is compressed. This is also another reason you don’t want to share that USB port with any other devices, reading from a flash drive connected to the same USB 2.0 hub would cause the display to slow down dramatically. Some laptops share USB ports too, where two external ports are connected to the same internal port, and I found it helpful to use a tool like SiSoft Sandra on Windows or System Profiler on a Mac to determine if the MiniDeck had exclusive access to a port.

There’s also the admirable ability to connect 6 monitors through USB ( 4 on Mac OS X however ), and along with the standard two ports on your computer that’s 8 displays! Although I’d most likely run out of unshared USB ports before I could plug in 6 MiniDecks on the computers I own, this could make a system surrounded by monitors possible for some interesting display setups. But the limitations, like the lack of 3d acceleration and slowness with higher resolutions, make this layout a bit impractical for everyday usage. With that said, it’s important to point out this is a way to add a digital output ( DVI/HDMI ) to an older laptop with only VGA output. Or add an additional display to newer computers that have limited display outputs like a netbook. It’s also great for servers connected to a KVM to add a display without unplugging everything, or headless units you only occasionally need to connect a display to, provided you install the drivers before plugging it in via remote desktop or a already connected KVM. VMWare machines can also use the MiniDeck, and the virtual Windows 7 machine I tried this with had full control over of the display connected to the MiniDeck – which creates another neat way to utilize the Sewell Minideck.

The MiniDeck is basically a low end video card in a box – You could add a screen to an older computer, connect to your TV via HDMI, keep it in a laptop bag as a fallback video card for a traveling presentation, use it on a headless machine, or even through a virtual machine. The Windows and Macintosh compatibility, USB power, and clean display quality make this an easy product to recommend as long you keep in mind you can’t play Call of Duty on the screen connected to it. The clean & crisp output and stable drivers make it even better, even with the limitations.

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

Tagged: Display Adapter, minideck, Seewell, USB

Sewell MiniDeck USB Display Adapter Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 21, 2011 at 11:00 am.

Black and Decker's PlantSmart plant sensor. Taking the guesswork out of gardening.

Fish Finders, to those who don’t know, are these electronic mechanisms that either assist greatly in not having to stop by the fish shop on the way home or are a blasphemy on the sacrosanct sport of fishing. Depends on who you talk to.

Electronic gardening equipment quite possibly could be seen in the same context…except by me.  Frankly, I’ll take all the help I can get.  Black and Decker does what the Farmer’s Almanac is too smug to do:  puts gardening into terms even I can understand.

Yes.  I, too, thumbed my way pathetically through every gardening manual only to wind up with spindly flowers, weak shrubs, bug eaten vegetables but a bumper crop of weeds.  So what if Martha Stewart featured dandelion pancakes on the cover of one of her magazines. (Oh yes she did!).  I’ve been schooled practically from birth to view dandelions as an enemy to be eradicated.  And despite RoundUp’s best efforts, apparently a bowlful of weeds is considered “House Salad” by the Rachel Ray set but who said Hollywood made any sense?

Black and Decker understands the Green Thumb Challenged and to that end, they’ve developed the PlantSmart PCS10 digital plant sensor.  The digital sensor is attached to a USB connector.  At the top of the connector is a sunlight sensor.  Inserted into the soil for at least 24 hours, PlantSmart takes into account everything happening in the soil surrounding your plant be it indoors in a container or outdoors in the ground or outdoors in a container.   After 24 hours, you detach the USB, plug it into your computer and you will get an hour by hour read out actual temperature conditions, soil moisture and sunlight exposure. By registering your plants online (http://plantsmart.easybloom.com/myplantsmart?key=1807ef0216e6dc09a0233a79a0fce27b) you can build a library of the plants, trees, shrubs, flowers, and vegetables in your garden.  You can track the moisture and sunlight levels in various parts of your garden and whether your indoor plants are receiving the conditions they need to thrive.

Instead of trying to determine your growing zone from color coded maps (and if you’re like me, your region falls on the cusp of two regions) you plug in your zip code and PlantSmart gives you  top recommendations of those vegetables, shrubs, trees and flowers that will thrive the best in your zone.

Everything that is included with the plant sensor: soil sensor, USB plug, USB cord, instructions, warranty card, flower shield, bag to store everything in.

What You Get:

Digital Plant Sensor
Flower shaped shield
USB Plug with sunlight sensor
AAA battery
USB computer cord
Instructions
Warranty
Store it all in a waterproof bag.

What You Do With It

Put it together (obviously) and pick your plant. Activate your sensor. Stick your sensor in the soil. (Sorry, I can’t think of a more graceful way to write it.) Wait 24 hours.  When time is up, go online, set up your profile and start viewing the conditions under which your plant lives.

Black and Decker's PlantSmart PCS 10 Digital Sensor gathering information from an indoor Zonal Geranium.

Now What?

I tested PlantSmart on three types of soil for three types of plants:  Blueberry bush, Delicious Apple tree and inside Zonal Geranium.

In all three test cases, the PlantSensor moisture levels were off of the charts.  Not surprising.  These tests were run in the final days of April in central Indiana where we’ve been experiencing more rain than Seattle so it’s pretty much a “Well duh!” moment.  The inside Zonal Geranium registered as over watered as well because I’d placed the plant outdoors at one point and brought it inside to run the indoor tests before the soil had a chance to dry.

The Sunlight Data chart above was taken outdoor in the soil where a two year old Red Delicious Apple tree is planted on Saturday, April 3o, a day of rare sunshine.

Temperature Graph for Zonal Geranium Indoor

The temperature graph to the left shows a steady temperature for the Zonal Geranium which was placed inside.  Temperature graphs for the apple tree and blueberry bush showed far more diverse temperature increases and decreases due to their soil exposure.   It’s one thing to follow the instructions on the tag that comes with your plant, it’s another to know exactly if you are correctly following those instructions.

In the case of the Geranium, the soil was far too wet and I need to increase the plant’s exposure to sunlight.

And that’s what PlantSmart helps you do.  In reading some of the consumer reviews on other websites and my own experiences with the PlantSmart forum, (oh yeah, there’s a forum to ask questions), it occurs to me that PlantSmart is both a very useful and perhaps misunderstood tool.   The sensor takes readings of the soil and measures four components: sunlight exposure, moisture, temperature and fertility.   If you’re like me, you’re not always sure that the spot you planted something or put a container is getting the proper amount of sunlight despite the fact that you think that spot gets all the sunlight possible which could lend itself to soil temperature but not necessarily so.  My geraniumwas placed in a westernmost window and my readings tell me that this plant is not getting the amount of sunlight it needs to get yet the soil temperature is steady.

A word about fertilization. The geranium, blueberry and apple plants were all planted in different soils.   The geranium was planted in a container, the apple tree in the hollow area in my front yard where a white oak once stood and the blueberry bush was planted in soil bought from a local vendor when I filled my raised beds in my backyard.  I took fertilization readings on all three and only the blueberry bush’s soil has the proper amount of nutrition in the soil.   Where I thought I had an issue was that the fertilization reading on the apple tree and the geranium was merely reported as ” Soil is lacking in proper nutrients.”   My first inclination was to ask, “Well ok, what fertilizer does this need?”   That’s up to the plant and what the plant’s tag says the fertilizer should be.  What is good for apple trees (soil that is light on salts) might not work on the geranium.   As in many cases, the plant’s tag gets lost.  PlantSmart’s library of plants, trees, shrubs, fruits and vegetables expands every day so you can look up the needs of your particular plant.  The PlantSmart forum is where I asked my question regarding the fertilization question being as how this reading comes at an additional fee. ($3.00 a month or $25.00 a year)

PlantSmart does take a lot of the guesswork out of what to do to ensure the best condition for your plant.  Where I see PlantSmart being misunderstood is that the device does exactly what it is reported to do.  I’ve read many reviews where the reviewer was disappointed that PlantSmart was not more forthcoming in more specific, detailed advice.  But the device was never advertised to do everything for you, just take the guesswork out of key components and provide precise recommendations for plants based on the customer’s zone.    And it does that.

I love plants.  I kill most of them unintentionally.  But I still love pretty trees and flowers and things that bloom and attract honeybees and hummingbirds.  But what I like might not grow unless I do my homework.  Books, articles, gardening magazines, these things all help.  But they do not address the immediate questions I have that PlantSmart does.

Black and Decker’s PlantSmart website also boasts a forum for troubleshooting problems with the device, questions about the readings and general discussions from other gardeners sharing tips and anecdotes.

At the end of the day ( or this review) the PlantSmart PCS10 will run you about $50.00 although you can purchase it at Amazon.com for about $47.99.  It’s worth it.  I have a sketchy background in gardening and little patience for soil testing kits found in hardware stores.  What I need to know, PlantSmart helps me find out.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, Outdoor Gear, Reviews

Tagged: digital sensor, gardening, Outdoor, plantsmart, Tools, USB

Black and Decker’s PlantSmart PCS10 Plant Sensor Review: The Gardener’s Fish Finder originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 18, 2011 at 2:15 pm.

The 70s are still with us.

Well…nothing.  That’s the point…I think.

For those of you who remember the kitsch from the 70s, the Pet Rock was…a rock.  No. Seriously.  It was a washed and polished rock that came equipped in a mini little pet carrier nestled atop some rafia.

Back in the day, it sold for five dollars.  Might not seem like much now but back then five bucks could buy far more than a gallon of gas.  This rock did nothing.  It sat there.

Oh, wait… it did do one thing.  It literally flew off the shelves.  Stores could not keep Pet Rocks in stock.  And it made the creator of the Pet Rock, Gary Dahl,  a millionaire.

I don’t know who invented the USB Pet Rock but the concept is still the exact same.

It sits there.  Plugged into the USB port of your computer or laptop…it sits there.  (Like you’re not using those ports for something else) It does not draw any power.  There are no bells, no whistles, no LED, no lasers.  You can’t even use it as a mouse unless you hack it.

And at twice the price of the original Pet Rock (roughly $9.99 from ThinkGeek), it’s probably making someone somewhere a millionaire. Go figure.

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, News

Tagged: Pet Rock, USB

But What Does It Do? originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 2, 2011 at 2:31 pm.

Plant Smart by Black & Decker: a whole new techie way of gardening.

Black & Decker has just found a way into my heart.   I love to garden!  I’m not the best at it.  But I really like it.   Let’s face facts… when it comes to all this blather about soils and additives and enhancements to make this grow or that grow or worrying about which zones are good for this or for that… I get overwhelmed.

Well, it looks like Black & Decker is taking the guesswork out of what will grow in your soil and, frankly, what won’t.

The Black & Decker PlantSmart PCS10 Digital Plant Care Sensor is the Fish Finder for Gardeners.   Equipped with sensors, you place the PCS10 into your soil or plant container or what have you and the sensors read and measure sunlight, soil moisture, temperature, and soil conditions.   It will make recommendations on what kind of plants will grow in that soil, health recommendations and will even tell you if the plant needs watering.  After 24 hours, you remove the top part which then plugs into the USB port of your computer and you get all the data right there.  There is subscription fee that will allow you to take it to the next level and give you feedback on your soil’s fertility.    Simply put:  I have got to have one!!!  $49.99 at Target and Ben’s Bargains.  $39.99 on Amazon.com.

Filed in categories: Home Tech, News

Tagged: Black and Decker, Gadget, gardening, household, USB

Black & Decker PlantSmart SO Cool! originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 31, 2011 at 2:00 pm.

Are you an USB gadget collector? Here’s one for you… the USB Telephone from Brando. It’s shaped like an old time rotary dial phone… but doesn’t make calls. The rotary area is a clock and the handset is a light with 12 LEDs. The only ‘bad’ thing is that the clock is powered by 3 x R14 batteries which are NOT included. I’m not even sure what R14 batteries are. If that doesn’t scare you away, you order one for $29.00.

Filed in categories: News, Watches and Clocks

Tagged: USB, Watches and Clocks

Brando’s USB Retro Telephone doesn’t make calls, but does keep time originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 16, 2011 at 1:00 pm.

The ScanSnap Color Scanner from Fujitsu is one of those products that surprised me when I first used it. It surprised me because it works so well. The scanning was surprisingly fast and the scanned images were a perfect copy.  I had to stop myself from scanning any picture and document I could get my hands on. Well, almost…

The ScanSnap from Fujitsu is their portable scanner in a line of  their larger models the S1300 and the s1500.

This model is the mobile version of the three. Without the need of a power adapter, the included USB cable is the only cable needed to power up the S1100 which makes this convenient to have in your bag, luggage or briefcase. As slim as the ScanSnap is it can probably fit into a large purse with no problem. This is perfect for the business person or traveler waiting in the airport that is sitting in one of those small round table tops in a cafe with only enough room for the sugar packets and ketchup but needs to scan a document or picture and send to a colleague, family member or whomever. It’s perfect for those tight small areas.

This feature alone makes it worthwhile to construct your mobile office anywhere.

The ScanSnap scans images to a PDF file, a searchable PDF (through ScanSnap Manager), and JPEG files.  It also has a few special features.  One of the features that ScanSnap has is the CardMinder. It can scan business cards and extract and export contact information from the scanned business card. There is also the ability to convert a document into an editable Word or Excel file. And for those cloud users, the ScanSnap allows direct scanning to Google Docs and Evernote. The CardMinder was a big plus for me since I have accumulated tons of business cards that I started filing them in a business card book. I will take the time to scan those business cards and digitize them so I can archive them and free up some room on my desk. The ScanSnap can also scan plastic cards and embossed cards up to 0.76 mm thick.

The ScanSnap has an included software that allows for different choices after scanning such as scanning to email, scan to print or scan to Word and more.

With a touch of the Scan button an average scan time takes around 7 seconds from start of page to end of page. This was pretty accurate when I tested it. The S1100 can accommodate documents as long as 34 inches and allows for Continuous Document Feeding so you can scan documents one right after the other. Documents and images are scanned at 300 dpi and can go up to 600 dpi.

The ScanSnap weighs in at around 12 ounces and its dimensions are 10.74 x 1.87 x 1.33.

The ScanSnap has two doors or trays that flip open. The front/bottom tray is where the user initially feeds the document and then exits out the back of the unit. The back/top tray is more of a convenience if you have little or no room behind the ScanSnap for the document to feed out. This tray directs the document to exit out the top of the unit. It’s very handy if you have objects or a wall directly behind the ScanSnap  that will impede the document to exit. However, if you are scanning something that is hard stock  such as a postcard, or a business card or plastic card then this is not ideal to do so. The cards will simply not accommodate the bend in the tray to exit. So you’ll have to keep the top door closed so the card can exit smoothly.

I scanned a couple of 35mm pictures and noticed that the resulting scan was a tiny bit soft but not by much. It could have been the pictures to start with anyways but it was still an impressive scan. I then scanned a colored flyer and noticed it was sharper. But that could have been the difference between a photograph picture and a flyer with blocky letters.  Naturally, it seems that a document with hard edges will appear sharper in contrast to a picture with more organic and softer lines. Either way, both provided a substantial clear and proper scan.

One thing I found helpful was the fact that you can open the ScanSnap in case of a paper jam or to clean the camera and rollers since it can accumulate dust and debris over time.

So if you are looking for  an ultra portable scanner that can fit in tight spaces, save images to a searchable PDF file, and can scan at high speeds and can than look to the Fujitsu ScanSnap S1100. You’ll find that using this scanner is a pleasant delight that takes little room and scans documents with a speedy quickness.

The ScanSnap comes with a DVD (driver and softwares),  USB cable, manual, and EZ set-up guide.  It is both Mac and PC compatible.

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptops and Gear, Reviews

Tagged: Cloud, Copier, Evernote, Fujitsu, Mobile, PDF, portable, Scanner, USB

Fujitsu ScanSnap S1100 Portable Color Scanner Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 23, 2011 at 10:30 am.

Remember the FlexUSB? It was a little USB adapter from IDEATIVE that allowed you to position a USB connector in a variety of ways when faced with a cramped space. Now, these same folks have a new product. It’s the Flipit! USB Charger, which will let you charge a USB device when you don’t have an available wall socket or a free USB port on your computer. No, it’s not magic, but it is innovative and possibly useful.

The Flipit is a small White plastic module that has a female USB connector on one end…

And a special power plug adapter on the back.

This plastic adapter looks like super thin wall port and can swivel 270°.

At first glance you might wonder how the heck the Flipit even works. I was scratching my head till I took a very close look at the top two slots in the rotating adapter.

If you click the image above, you’ll be able to see the very small metal contacts that line the top two plug slots. This is what carries power to the USB adapter.

All you have to do is slide a 2 or 3 prong cord into the Flipit adapter and then into an empty wall outlet.

Next plug in a USB cable (not included) for the device that you wish to charge. The Flipit provides 5V/750 mA of power. IDEATIVE plans to offer 1 Amp version very soon.

Like magic, the Flipit will charge the device  just as if it were plugged directly into the wall using its own USB enabled AC adapter. I tested this adapter with a Kindle 3, iPad, iPod mini, iPhone 4, and a Droid X.  All of the devices appeared to charge just fine except for the iPad, which displayed a “Not Charging” message in status bar. Unfortunately, the iPad requires more juice than this adapter can provide.

In addition to the iPad charging issue, I also found that the Flipit will not work well if you need to use it with a ”wall wart” adapter. Some AC adapters will work with no problems, but the larger ones are too big to fit in the Flipit adapter. The Blue part of the Flipit isn’t long enough to allow the plastic around some AC adapters to clear the body of the USB part of the charger.

One thing that might not be obvious is that to use the Flipit, you’ll need something already plugged in to an outlet to use it.

We can all probably agree that the Flipit is a clever device. But is it really all that useful? How often have you had the experience where you needed an AC outlet to charge a USB device and did not have one? Most of us either have power strips or a USB hub at home or the office. That said, I can remember instances where I have had to juggle outlets in a hotel room while traveling. But after such an experience I started carrying a very small 4 port USB hub with me that solved that problem. For that reason, I’m not sure the Flipit is the most cost effective solution for traveling since it only offers 1 additional USB port. If IDEATIVE offers a slightly larger version with 2-3 USB ports that can also handle charging a device like an iPad, I’d be much more likely to recommend it.

I still think it’s really clever and will probably keep this one in my gear bag just in case, but am not sure it will get used very often.

Filed in categories: Miscellaneous, Reviews

Tagged: Charger, USB

Flipit! USB Charger Adapter Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 29, 2011 at 2:00 pm.

If you have a need to move files around from computer to computer or just need an external storage drive for your numerous  files then you know having an external drive is a must. And having an external hard drive that is durable, slim, fast and portable isn’t so bad either. Introducing Cirago’s USB 3.0 500 GB external hard drive, the CST6000.

This hard drive is a nice sleek, durable portable storage drive. Thanks to the aluminum housing, this hard drive can withstand heat better than the plastic ones. However, I did not encounter any overheating while using this hard drive. But it’s a nice feature too have if it ever does get to the point of overheating. It has an Active LED Power Indicator and supports PC, MAC, and Linux operating systems.

This hard drive measures 3.25″ x 5.3″ x 0.5″ so it’s a nice size to tuck away in your purse, laptop bag or backpack without causing any bulk. It is nice and slim also. This is nice compared to other portable externals I have which are almost 2″ thick.

This hard drive is excellent for holding all kinds of data such as pictures, videos, music, and documents. I have many video files stored on mine and playback seems to run smoothly.

A nice feature the Cirago has is that it is backwards compatible with 2.0 and 1.1 USB. It is comforting to know that you can back up files from an older computer or laptop to this hard drive. The company claims that it has a high performance transfer speed of up to 5GB. I don’t have a 3.0 USB port so I didn’t have a chance to try out the 5GB speed. However, with just a normal 2.0 USB it seemed pretty snappy.

The hard drive supports Windows 7, Vista and XP. Naturally, the hard drive is plug and play so there is no need for an installation CD. The system requirements are 500 MHZ or higher, 128 MB of Ram or higher, and a USB port.

It comes with a blue USB 3.0 cable, an auxiliary USB power cable, and a soft black carrying pouch.

The USB power cable is there in case your computer’s USB port can’t provide enough power to support the Cirago hard drive. Just plug it in for added power. However, just be sure you have an extra open USB port if you should need that extra power.

This hard drive is also available in other capacities: 250 GB, 320 GB, and 640 GB. So if you are looking to expand your storage then this light-weight and portable hard drive is a perfect addition.

The CST6000 goes for $89.99. The other models range from $69.99 to $99.00.

Filed in categories: Desktop Computer Gear, Laptops and Gear, Reviews

Tagged: 3.0, Hard Drive, USB

Cirago USB 3.0 Portable Storage Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 22, 2011 at 2:11 pm.

The Christofle Galet from LaCie is a silver plated 4GB flash drive that is designed to make your favorite geek swoon. It definitely looks snazzy. It comes with a lanyard to put it on your keychain or even wear around your neck. But at $130, I think I’d rather have a Kindle 3 or something more useful. What about you? What are you going to get your favorite techy for Valentine’s day?

Filed in categories: Gear, News

Tagged: Spotlight Gadgets, USB

Give your geek a Silver USB Flash drive from LaCie for Valentine’s day originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on January 21, 2011 at 12:30 pm.