Julie Strietelmeier

I created The Gadgeteer in 1997 as a fun way to share my passion for gadgets which began when I was a little kid. Some of my other interests include ukulele, photography, productivity hacks, and minimalism. Learn more about me and my favorite gear.

Verilux HappyLite Mini Ultra

Light therapy devices seem to be gaining in popularity these days. Having just reviewed the Litebook Elite, I was happy to take a look at the Verilux HappyLite Ultra Mini – a similar product. Unlike the Litebook, the HappyLite is not really a travel device as it does not have a rechargeable battery. It is better suited to remaining plugged in and on your desk.

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Let It Snow

We had 6 or so inches of snow today! Thought I would share some pictures that I snapped about halfway through the storm. I love snow when you can look out at it from inside a nice warm house ;o) Speaking of which, the high temperature here today was only 15 degrees!

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Litebook Elite

This time of year I always tend to feel a little blah. It’s not surprising due to the fact that the winter months here in Indiana can be cold (it is 13 degrees here today), damp (it’s snowing right now too) and gloomy. I get up and go to work while it’s still dark outside, then come home and sit in my basement office working on reviews all evening. That leaves pretty much no time to soak up any natural light. For some people, these winter doldrums can turn into S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder). While I don’t think I actually suffer with that particular problem, I didn’t turn down a review of the Litebook Elite when it was offered to me.

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Once Upon a Time

This summer, The Gadgeteer will hit a major milestone in its history. It will turn 10 years old. It’s really hard for me to believe that I’ve been writing reviews for a decade! But at the same time, it sorta feels like only yesterday since I started this site. It wasn’t like I was new

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FineDigital FineDrive M300 GPS

I knew that GPS units weren’t just for gadget geeks any longer when I found out that my Dad bought one for his car a few months ago. Don’t get me wrong, Dad loves gadgets. But if they aren’t easy to use, he gives up and returns them quite promptly. I was surprised when he actually kept the GPS (Garmin). I’ll admit, that it’s been awhile since I had the opportunity to test drive (ha!) an in-car navigation system. That’s why I was happy when the folks at FineDigital contacted me about their new FineDrive M300 GPS.

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Apple iPod Nano (2nd Generation)

The Apple iPod nano has received an extreme
makeover. Not that it really needed one though… The
1st generation iPod
nano
which was released approximately 1 year before the 2nd gen nano, looked
like a baby version of the full sized player. This new version looks more like
an anorexic version of the discontinued iPod mini. Are the changes all cosmetic,
are are there some other new bits under the hood of this very popular DAP
(digital audio player)? Let’s take a closer look.

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Bluetake BT400GL Bluetooth Headset

I want to start out by saying that I typically do not use a Bluetooth headset all that often. I’m not one of those people that you see in the grocery store walking around with a blinking plastic blob hanging out of their ear. The only time I really use a headset is when I’m driving to and from my day job. The headset that I’ve been using for awhile now has been the Cardo Systems scala-500. I’ve found this headset to be both comfortable to wear and easy to use. A few weeks ago, Bluetake approached me to see if I might like to test the BT400GL.

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