Janet Cloninger - The Gadgeteer

Check Out and Read Library Books on Your iOS Device with OverDrive Media Console

By Janet Cloninger / July 25, 2011 / News / eBook reader, eBook Readers, iOS / 6 Comments

OverDrive is the service used by more than 15,000 libraries to provide digital and audiobook access to their patrons. The OverDrive Media Console is a universal app for iPhone/iPod touch and iPad that will let you locate a nearby library offering OverDrive books, let you search their offerings, and check out books using a valid […]

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Kenton Sorenson Handmade Leather Short Stay Bag

By Janet Cloninger / July 24, 2011 / News / Bags, Shoulder bag, Travel Gear / 5 Comments

Kenton Sorenson designs simple, elegant leather goods in his Wisconsin studio. His pieces are made from salt-cured, vegetable-tanned leathers from “unbranded male cattle hides raised by American ranchers – a type less than 1% of all available hides.” Each piece is “cut, oiled, conditioned with beeswax, and hand stitched using a heavy thread prior to

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Keep Your Laptop Safe with TechSafe

By Janet Cloninger / July 23, 2011 / News / Laptop Accessory, Laptops and Gear, Security / 1 Comment

If you use your laptop in public a lot, you’d probably benefit from having a means to secure it against theft. Griffin offers the universal TechSafe Cable Lock System that uses the laptop’s hinge as the attachment point, so it will work equally well with all laptops. You slide the patented hardened steel LockBlade through

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Zojirushi Stainless Steel Lunch Jars

By Janet Cloninger / July 22, 2011 / News / Food, Gear, Spotlight Gadgets / 8 Comments

Gadgeteers aren’t going to be satisfied with a plain brown lunch bag – where’s the fun in that? We want a lunch box that does something special. The Stainless Steel Lunch Jars from Zojirushi should please any gadget lover. They will keep your lunch hot (or cold) for hours, and they look cool doing it.

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Purse Organization with RFID Blocking

By Janet Cloninger / July 22, 2011 / News / Gear, RFID shielding, Spotlight Gadgets / Leave a Comment

These purse organizers were originally designed to keep women’s purses organized and to make it simpler to change bags, but I don’t see any reason why guys couldn’t make use of them in gear bags, too. This Travelon RFID Blocking Purse Organizer has a woven metallic fabric sandwiched inside the walls to protect RFID cards

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Snugg Magic Cube Virtual Laser Computer Keyboard

By Janet Cloninger / July 21, 2011 / News / Bluetooth keyboard, Computer Gear, Keyboard, Laptops and Gear, Tablets, Ultra Portables / 2 Comments

I’m not sure how this will be an improvement over the virtual keyboard on a tablet screen, but the Magic Cube Virtual Laser Computer Keyboard from Snugg will project a full-sized keyboard on your work surface. It can be used with tablets, smartphones, and any computer that can use a Bluetooth keyboard. It’s £169.99 (about $275)

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HomeSmart Offers a Low-Tech Way to Protect Your Identity

By Janet Cloninger / July 21, 2011 / News / Security, Spotlight Gadgets / 6 Comments

Instead of shredding all those papers with sensitive financial information, you can permanently obscure the information with the HomeSmart Black Out Security Stamper and Pen. It looks like one of those self-inking return address stampers, but the Black Out stamper uses permanent ink that can’t be erased or washed out to stamp a jumbled pattern

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Mophie pulse Video Game/App Enhancer for iPod touch

By Janet Cloninger / July 20, 2011 / News / Gaming Gear, iOS / Leave a Comment

With the Mophie pulse case for the 4th generation iPod touch, you’ll be able to feel the action while gaming. The pulse case uses ViviTouch tactile feedback technology to translate sounds into vibrations so you can feel the explosions or the impact of the bird hitting the pig. The pulse case also has stereo speakers for

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Apple’s OS X Lion and Updated Mac Mini and MacBook Air Now Available

By Janet Cloninger / July 20, 2011 / News / Computer Gear, Laptops and Gear / Leave a Comment

I saw that the Apple store was offline for a while early this morning, so I assumed that today was going to be release day for Lion. When the store finally came back online, I immediately purchased my copy for $29.99. It’s been downloading for a while now, and I finally see the slightest hint

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Explorer Touch Mouse from Microsoft

By Janet Cloninger / July 20, 2011 / News / Gear, Spotlight Gadgets, Wireless mouse / Leave a Comment

Microsoft has added a new mouse to their Touch line. The Explorer Touch Mouse uses BlueTrack technology, combining the power of optical and precision of laser, for precise tracking on most any surface. There are five programmable buttons on this mouse, and the scrolling strip lets you navigate up/down or side-to-side with a flick of

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Versetta Prime Collection – Handbags with Built-in iPad Storage

By Janet Cloninger / July 19, 2011 / News / Gear, iOS, iPad cases and bags / 1 Comment

I like a good, rugged gear bag as much as the next person, but sometimes I just want to carry a handbag. I still need to take along my phone and my tablet, so I’ve been looking for that perfect bag that allows me to carry them both safely in one bag. Versetta, a purse

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Amazon Now Offers Textbook Rentals

By Janet Cloninger / July 19, 2011 / News / eBook Readers / 5 Comments

When I was a poor college student, I learned buying textbooks was a big part of my expenses. I would always buy used books whenever I could, and I would sell them back to the bookstore if they weren’t one of my chemistry books. Owners of the Amazon Kindle or reading apps are able to

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The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore App for iPad

By Janet Cloninger / July 18, 2011 / News / Apps, iOS / 1 Comment

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore iPad book app is based on the award-winning short film of the same name. The story tells of Morris Lessmore’s life after a hurricane and of his love of books and how they impact his life. Each page has a beautifully detailed illustration with text along the

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ZAGGfolio iPad 2 Folio Case with Keyboard

By Janet Cloninger / July 18, 2011 / News / iOS / 3 Comments

ZAGG has a new keyboard case for iPad 2. The exterior of the ZAGGfolio case has a carbon fiber design and the interior is a soft microfiber. The Bluetooth keyboard has its own 510mAh rechargeable lithium-polymer battery that ZAGG says provides a couple of weeks of normal usage between charges. The case and keyboard work

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Star Wars Costume Hoodies

By Janet Cloninger / July 17, 2011 / News / Clothing, Gear, Star Wars / Leave a Comment

Star Wars fans will want to buy these hoodies now so they’ll be ready for the first cold fall day. ThinkGeek is offering long-sleeved 60% cotton/40% polyester hoodies decorated to look like Boba Fett, Darth Vader, or a Stormtrooper. The hoodies have ribbed cuffs and bottom and two pockets on the front. The back of

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Sinjimoru Sync and Charge Stand for iPhone and iPod Review

By Janet Cloninger / July 16, 2011 / Reviews / charging dock, iOS / Leave a Comment

I have a habit of spilling my sodas on my desk, so you can imagine that I don’t like just laying my iPhone on the desktop as I sync it. I don’t usually have anything to drink sitting on my nightstand, but I don’t like just laying the phone on the tabletop because I’m blind

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Belkin ViewLounge for iPad 2

By Janet Cloninger / July 15, 2011 / News / iOS, iPad 2 stand / Leave a Comment

Although the picture seems to show an original iPad, the Belkin ViewLounge stand works with iPad 2. The base is a weighted beanbag that will mold to any surface, so your device stays stable. And the grippable texture helps hold your iPad on any surface. The stand accommodates the iPad 2 with or without a

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Get More Cash and Fewer Hassles Selling Your Unwanted Electronics with uSell.com

By Janet Cloninger / July 15, 2011 / News / 2 Comments

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of uSell for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine. When you’re a gadget lover, you often find yourself with unwanted “last year’s models” after you’ve upgraded to the latest and greatest gizmo. You have a lot of money invested in these things and they still

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Monteverde One Touch Stylus Pen Review

By Janet Cloninger / July 15, 2011 / Reviews / Gear, Pens, Styluses, Tablets, Ultra Portables / 6 Comments

Back in the day, all touchscreen devices came with a tiny little stylus that was hard to hold and easy to lose. Eventually capacitive touchscreens that respond to the touch of your fingers evolved, and most people rejoiced. Not everybody, though, because some people like using a stylus because they don’t want to smear their

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OtterBox Defender Case for Motorola Xoom

By Janet Cloninger / July 14, 2011 / News / Otterbox, Tablets, Ultra Portables / Leave a Comment

OtterBox is known for making extremely protective cases for electronics. Owners of the Motorola Xoom will be interested to know that OtterBox is now offering the Defender Case for their device. The Defender has a polycarbonate case that snaps around the Xoom and a silicone case that slides over the case. There’s a snap-on cover

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