Gadgets Review

Consolidate Your Credit Card Bills to make room for Gadget Shopping

Gadget_Geek — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:17:07 GMT

If you’re missing out on all the gadget buying fun because of your credit rating or because you just have too many loans, then maybe it’s time that you consolidate debt. Credit cards are the best way to use to buy your gadget, however, if you already have a huge amount charged to your credit card, your spending might be put on hold.

If you have a lot of credit card bills to pay, you can try to consolidate them into one loan. However, securing another loan might not go too well especially if your credit card bills have taken a toll on your credit rating. Most companies will require that you provide security for your new loan, which is usually your home. If you have equity in your home, putting up your home as a collateral would get you approved faster however, you can be at great risk for foreclosure.

When I used to be up to my ears on my credit card bills, what I did was not actually a consolidation but I opted for a low balance transfer credit card and transferred all my unpaid bills there. Interests for balance transfers are usually lower than the regular interest charged by credit card companies so you’re already saving a lot of money. I would recommend doing this if you’re still in good credit rating as you can be approved instantly for those low-interest balance transfer credit cards.

If you have poor credit rating and no equity in a home, there are still other options available for you. Try and visit bills.com.

Nikon COOLPIX S610c

Gadget_Geek — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 08:06:00 GMT

Using the latest product from Nikon, you may now transfer and share your files without the need for cables and other wires. The COOLPIX S610c has a one-touch Picture Mail button and a sharing and storage service that the users may conveniently take advantage of. With the help of my Picturetown, users may now share their photos directly to their family and friends. They may also easily publish the photos to their Flickr account.

The COOLPIX S610c ships with a Wayport subscription that can be used until 2011. Through Wayport you can have a Wi-Fi connection in more than 9700 McDonald’s restaurants as well as participating hotels all over America.

High Tech Trade Show Displays

Gadget_Geek — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:48:57 GMT

Let’s face it, there’s nothing that can attract a customer more than a bunch of LCD TVs and high tech gadgets on display. Go to any trade shows and you’ll see that the booth with the most number of people is the one with the better design and who wants to bet that the particular booth also has a large LCD display.

Audio and Video displays are replacing the traditional poster as an advertising material. More and more malls are utilizing video ads rather than posters as people will always do a double take if passing by a moving ad.

In your next convention, if you want your booth to stand out more, then why not try some of the audio and video trade show display from the Godfrey Group. Their designs are futuristic and high tech and will turn anyone’s heads. Check out the sample display pictured in inset.

Motorola ROKR EM30

Gadget_Geek — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:10:00 GMT

Last of Motorola's newest ROKR line of phones is the Moto ROKR EM30. The Moto ROKR EM30 makes use of the mode shift technology on the Moto ROKR E8, the only difference is that the Moto ROKR EM30 doesn't have a separate mode for camera since this is mainly a music phone. Features on the Moto ROKR EM30 includes: 3.5mm stereo jack, FM Radio with RDS, text to speech recognition, CrystalTalk technology, microSD slot, and a 2 megapixel camera with 8x digital zoom.

Sorry folks, no 3G on this one. This will probably go into the middle-end market. No word as to when it will be available as well as the price.

Running WMV without Windows Media Player and Opening DB Files

Gadget_Geek — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 10:40:07 GMT

The file extension wmv or windows movie files can easily be opened using Windows Media Player. However, the problem can arise if you’re not a Windows User, meaning, you have Mac or Linux running on your PC. This is because Windows Media Player is not a stand alone player that you can just download since it comes preloaded with Windows. Fortunately, thanks to community codecs, any free media player can now play WMV files. VLC Media player is my favorite player which can run almost any type of video files without the need to download any codecs since the codecs are already installed on the player.

Now the file extension db is a bit tricky. DB files are database files and you need to know the EXACT program where the db file is associated. There are however, programs that may open any database file such as FileMaker Pro or Microsoft Access but even with these programs, you can only view the database. Most of the times, if you have a db file in your PC, you might actually have the program that can open it but due to some events, you might have deleted that program. What I do is open the DB file with Notepad and look for some familiar words that might indicate which program the db is associated with.

Nikon COOLPIX P6000

Gadget_Geek — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 20:05:53 GMT

Nikon realized that the photographers who are always on the go need a camera that would meet the demands of their road life. That is why they have another product called COOLPIX P6000. It is a 13.5-megapixel camera that has a 4x wide-angle lens with ED elements.

By taking pictures, the P6000 will immediately know the location where the picture was taken. This was made possible by the integrated global positioning system unit. Because of the COOLPIX P6000’s GPS function, users may easily record the geotags of their location.

The GPS function of the P6000 works with maps of ViewNX and my Picturetown.

What to do when you bought a Lemon Car

Gadget_Geek — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 12:03:42 GMT

So you think you’ve just gotten the world’s best deal when it comes to used cars. You’re pretty happy with yourself, thinking you’ve outsmarted the salesman but one or two weeks later, the car just died on you. You take it for repairs but in another day or two you have to take it back to the mechanic. Anyways, to make a long story short, it turns out that the car is defective that it probably wouldn’t even sell in the used cars market.

What you have is called a Lemon Car. Now if you live in the great state of California, you are not without recourse. There’s this so-called Lemon Law, where the buyer can ask for a refund or replacement of the vehicle he has purchased if the vehicle has been serviced four times or more and impairs the value of the car, or the defect in the car is likely to cause serious injury and even death, or if your car has been in service for thirty or more cumulative work days. If any of the above facts is present, the law deems it that your vehicle is a lemon and the Lemon Law gives you certain remedies. Read on some of the Lemon Law Facts from CLPLawyer.com, a Lemon Law firm.

Now if the dealer doesn’t want to replace your car or give you a refund, it’s time that you consult a California Lemon Law attorney so that you’ll know your options. Anyways, these are just some things you need to look out for when buying used cars.

MotoRoKR EM28

Gadget_Geek — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 13:04:32 GMT

Are you more comfortable using a clamshell phone than a mobile with typical style? The MotoRoKR EM28 is one of the latest products from Motorola that has a clamshell design.

The MotoRoKR EM28 is more than just a clamshell phone. A music lover who needs a mobile phone at the same time is perfect for this device. Users may control their music files with the use of the touch-sensitive keys of the device. You can close the phone while the music is being played. Once close, the artist’s name and the title of the song would appear at the front of the device.

For a better music experience, the bass can be increased up to 9 decibels.

MotoRoKR EM25

Gadget_Geek — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 08:57:55 GMT

Motorola has released a new music phone, the MotoROKR EM25. The MotoRoKR EM25 is not just a stylish mobile phone but a music player as well. The MotoRoKR EM25 can store tons of music files in different formats including MP3 and WAV. Moreover, it also has a built-in radio so you could listen to your favorite FM stations.

Users can easily access their music files through the device’s controls. These controls would allow them to pause, rewind, forward, and play the songs. The FMShare feature also lets the user share their favorite FM stations with their friends at the same time.

Features seem good, design still needs a lot of work.

IVYSKIN First Touch Thru Case for iPhone 3G

Gadget_Geek — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:16:22 GMT

Because of the popularity of the 3G iPhone, IVYSKIN recently launched its new product for the platform which is a touch-thru case, the first of its kind. To ensure that the users will still experience a sophisticated texture, the case was made from Polysilicon and Polycarbonate.

There are three kinds of cases from IVYSKIN to choose from namely the Xylo, the XyloDuo and the XyloT3. Aside from the case for the 3G iPhone, IVYSKIN also launched several accessories for the device including iGlass, XyloRefelct, SpyScreen and numerous body armors.

Each Xylo cases have its distinctive features. What they have in common is the luxury and elegance that they bring to the users while working as an efficient case to protect the 3G iPhone.

Online Animation Tool

Gadget_Geek — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 09:25:38 GMT

Have you ever wanted to make your own cartoons or anime but you lack the tools to do so? Well, Aniboom's Online Animation Software called Shapeshifter may just provide you with the right tools to get you started on your animation career.

Shapeshifter is easy enough to use. Of course, you have to make do with just basic shapes such as circle, semi-circle, triangle, and square. You can change the colors and add some basic changes such as the onion skin mode which allows the shape to take on a more transparent tone. Some might argue that you really can't do much animation with just basic shapes but you'll be amazed at what you can do if you have a lot of creativity.

In fact, Aniboom already has a collection of cartoons made from their shapeshifter tool and some are actually pretty funny and entertaining. It reminded me of the old stick cartoons that used to be forwarded in emails a lot. Anyways, if you want to kill time and at the same time exercise your creativity, you should definitely try ShapeShifter. In the meantime, here's a clip of one my favorite Shapeshifter movies.

New products from Duracell specially made for road warriors and music lovers

Gadget_Geek — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:28:05 GMT

Two new products were recently launched by Duracell so that frequent flyers and music lovers don’t have to charge their device on airports and other establishments while they are away from home.

The Duracell My pocket Charger has two different models. The first model is a connector that will work on the iPod Nano providing music lovers at least 24 hours of listening time on their music gadget. The second model is a connector that will work on Motorola and BlackBerry mobile phones, providing at least an hour of talk time.

On the other hand, the Duracell PowerSouce Mini is a small device that would allow you to connect your gadget to another device’s USB so that you no longer have to carry your charge cable with you all the time.

Nintendo-DS gets new puzzle adventure games from PopCap

Gadget_Geek — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:06:20 GMT

Two new puzzle adventure games from PopCap will invade the Nintendo-DS by winter 2008 namely the Mystery P.I. and the Amazing Adventures - The Forgotten Ruins. There will be different game modes, challenges, story lines, and locations compared to the PC game series. Each of these games would only cost you $19.95.

The Mystery P.I. allows the players to become private investigators that would track a thief to recover the missing pieces of a private collection. It can be played using the touch-screen and has a dual screen interface. The Amazing Adventure lets the player become an archaeologist that would follow clues leading them to the forgotten Mayan ruins. It includes an interactive journal to help the players finish the game.

Peggle from PopCap to Hit Nintendo DS this coming winter

Gadget_Geek — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 10:40:24 GMT

The CEO of PopCap recently announced that their mega-hit game called Peggle may now be played on Nintendo DS by winter 2008. For only $29.95 you can now enjoy Peggle on the most famous handheld gaming device in the world. To make this possible, PopCap collaborated with Q Entertainment. Q Entertainment said that they are now working on the Peggle for the Nintendo DS. So expect more from the new version of the Peggle. There will be tons of added features that are not present at the current versions of the game. The VP of PopCap, said that they know that the new version will give new experience to those who have played Peggle before and will attract new customers as well.

Free Gadgets...for real?

Gadget_Geek — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:26:53 GMT

Ever heard about those sites giving away Nintendo Wii, PS3, iPhone, or an HDTV for free? If you own an email account and if you've been checking out your SPAM box, chances are, you probably heard of these sites. At first glance, I'm sure any level headed person would say these are scam sites, I mean, who in their right mind would be giving away a free HDTV, right?

Well, according to this wired.com article, some of these sites are actually legitimate. Though I for one haven't actually tried it--yet. One of the main reasons is that not many of my friends appreciate me spamming their mailbox and most of these offers are for US residents only though there are also UK companies offering these kind of promos.

So, should you give it a try? If you have a lot of email contacts and you can afford to sign up for a few offers, why not, right? However, if you're as reclusive as me, then it would probably take you a year to complete an offer and by then you probably could have bought your own gadget.

Coby HDR-700 Portable HD Radio

Gadget_Geek — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:27:21 GMT

For those of you who still don't own an HD radio, now's the time to invest in one since Coby has introduced their new HD radio systems which are both affordable and stylish as well. The Coby HDR-700 Portable HD radio is a rectangular HD radio that looks more like a small speaker if it were not for the LED screen. The Coby HDR-700 allows you to receive clear FM/AM broadcasts at CD like quality without any subscriptions. It has an integrated rechargeable battery so you can take the Coby HDR-700 anywhere with you plus its splash proof housing means you can use it both indoors and outdoors.

The Coby HDR-700 also has an integrated 3.5mm audio line in jack and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

T-Mobile Launches Limited Edition Tony Hawk Sidekick LX

Gadget_Geek — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:57:06 GMT

After being exclusively released to T-Mobile Subscribers, the T-Mobile Sidekick LX Tony Hawk Edition is now available for everyone to purchase. Yes, that includes you, Tony Hawk fans. The Tony Hawk Sidekick LX still has the original features of the T-Mobile Sidekick LX which includes a swivel, 3 inch, 65k color screen, Quadband GMS technology, Bluetooth, microSD memory card slot, spacious QWERTY keyboard, 1.3 megapixel camera, music player, ringtone playback, and a music player.

The new T-Mobile Sidekick LX Tony Hawk Edition features a grip-tape texture, Tony Hawk graphics, some skateboarding related themes, and Bluetooth stereo A2DP support. For those who're thinking of taking their T-Mobile Sidekick LX Tony Hawk Edition with them on their skateboarding activities, you might try to download ringtones with skateboarding theme to get you in the mood and channel your inner Tony Hawk.

Palm Treo 800w

Gadget_Geek — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 10:27:48 GMT

Some Mobile Blog are already abuzz with the release of the Palm Treo 800w, Palm's newest entry into the smart phone market. The Palm Treo 800w is Palm's follow up to their Treo 700w which is also a windows mobile phone. The Palm Treo 800w sports the same design as the Palm Centro though only slightly wider.

Since they already have the iPhone 3G to comepete with, Palm made sure that the Palm Treo 800w is packed with features. Some specifications of the Palm Treo 800w includes: TI ARM1136 333MHz processor, 128MB RAM, 256MB user memory, microSD card slot, EVDO REV A compatible, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0, Infrared, 320x320 touchscreen, 2 megapixel camera, MP3 Ringtones playback, GPS, and WiFi.

The Palm Treo 800w will first come to Sprint though there are reports that Verizon will also carry it.

HP Touchsmart PC Now available

Gadget_Geek — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:08:36 GMT

HP has announced that their much awaited TouchSmart PC is now available through major consumer electronics retailers nationwide. HP's TouchSmart PC was introduced during HP's Connecting your world even in Berlin last month.

Features on the HP TouchSmart PC include: 22 inch diagonal display, Core 2 Duo Processor, integrated WLAN, wireless keyboard and mouse, and built-in DVD burner.

The HP TouchSmart IQ504 PC will start at $1,299 while the HP TouchSmart IQ506 PC with TV Tuner will start at $1,499.

New JVC HD Everio Line

Gadget_Geek — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 20:20:00 GMT

JVC has unveiled two new HD camcorders: the JVC GZ-HD40 and GZ-HD30. According to JVC, the new models are the world's first MPEG-2 dual-format camcorders. The GZ-HD40 has a 120GB hard disk drive while the GZ-HD30 has an 80GB hdd.

Both devices are capable of 1920 x 1080 full HD recording with CMOS imaging chips. More info for the JVC Everio lines here.