Online Shoppers Blog - Become's Pocket Change

Remember the days when you would look around and see almost everyone who walks or runs by you with white earbuds in their ears jammin' out to their favorite tunes?? Well although those days are not over, the company who first started the earbud phenom is back at it, taking on a very similar product with one big catch to it. The Apple iPhone has made its way into the hands (and ears) of millions of Americans. The hype surrounding the iPhone really builds up the ipod+phone product. Not owning one myself, I have had many opportunities to experience the iPhone. In my opinion, it without question lives up to the hype. Almost all my friends have acquired one, including several of my co-workers here at Become. And yes, as I do get sick of all the talk and constant media and commercials covering the iPhone, I must say I am impressed. With the recent release of the 3g, people are running around crazy to get a hold of one. Additionally, it was announced the other day that Best Buy will begin to help Apple and AT&T sell the iPhone. So in the next coming months, the current 5-10 day wait period to get your hands on one should dwindle. On a side note, the little applications that are now available on the iphone are pretty nifty. Give your new favorite media player app a try. One day I'm sure I'll possess the iPhone, however right now its just not something I see myself needing, not to mention the college-fund-shrinking phone usage charges. But if you do have one, I'm sure you are pretty impressed with the gadget and couldn't be happier with your purchase. If you are looking to give your iPhone some flavor or screen protection, head over to our store and pick up some accessories. If you utilize the ipod part of your phone, browse our selection of sound docks.

And for all the iPhone haters out there, or the less fortunate, go pick up some pretty good iPhone alternatives.

iPhoneless,
Joe The Intern

Posted by Joe the Intern at 04:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

For those of you that live in either California or Washington, you have about 1 week left before the restriction on cell phone use in your car takes effect. Starting July 1st, it will be illegal to use hand held devices (cell phones) while driving in these states, along with other states and territories that have already implemented this ban. Take a look at these sites for details regarding the new law on cell phone restrictions (also CA DMV). Seeing how fines can total up to $500 dollars, it's fairly safe to say that purchasing a bluetooth kit is a sound investment.

If you're looking for a quality kit in a fairly inexpensive price range, I recommend the Motorola T305. The Motorola T305 comes equipped with noise reduction technology and version 2.0 bluetooth wireless technology, which reduces the number of dropped calls and cell phone interference. The best part about this set is that you can clip it to your sun visor so you can avoid wearing those little ear pieces that personally annoy the hell out of me. Although I'm not totally behind the idea of enforcing a new cell phone ban while driving, I can't argue the potential affect it will have on the safety of driver's lives.

So do yourself and other driver's a favor; pick up a bluetooth kit!

Brent

Posted by Brent at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Today was just another normal day where Apple introduces a product that changes the world. Steve Jobs and the Apple team have done it again by introducing the iPod Touch, along with major upgrades on the iPod shuffle, iPod Nano, and the classic iPod.

The iPod Touch, which was officially introduced to the public at 10:30 am this morning, looks like an identical replica of the iPhone that was introduced in January. Basically it is the iPhone, but without the phone. The screen is the exact same size as the iPhone, but the Touch is 8mm slimmer and also offers the multi-touch interface. Obviously the main inspiration behind the iPod Touch is music, but this new devise has a lot more to offer than just that.

The most exciting technology on the iPod Touch is the build-in WIFI, which allows you to browse the Internet thanks to the addition of the safari browser. And for all you youtube addicts out there, the WIFI browser allows you to view millions of free streaming videos. Go ahead and take you time watching all of these videos, because the iPod Touch has a life; 22 hours audio, 5 hours video playback.

Now that I've reviewed some of the features of the iPod Touch, you might be asking yourself if you'll have to take out a second mortgage of you house just to afford one. The iPod touch comes in at a resonable price of $299 for the 8GB and $399 for the 16GB. I'm guessing the prices are so reasonable because of the size of the hard drives, but now I'm just being greedy. The next generation of these iPod Touch's will most definitely come out with more memory.

Now if you thought that was all the new Touch had to offer, then you my friend are sorely mistaken. Along with the WIFI, the iPod Touch has an iTunes WIFI music store. This feature acts exactly like the iTunes store on your desktop, but now you can download and purchase music from your iPod whenever you'd like. And after you do that, the music with automatically sync to you iTunes.

So, I'm not sure about anyone else, but personally, I'm stoked. Besides the minimal hard drive space, this device seems to have anything I could ever want. And when my current iPod has its inevitable hard drive crash, I will be sure to look into the new iPod Touch. The iPod's should be available for purchase in the next few weeks.

Oh, and as a little side note, which shouldn't be overlooked by the introduction of the iPod Touch, The Office Season 3 came out on DVD yesterday. Even though I have already downloaded all the episodes through iTunes, this is one of those shows where you HAVE to purchase the box set. For those of you who have not caught on with this show, you should also check out seasons 1 and 2. Trust me, you will not be disappointed!

Brent

Posted by Brent at 11:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Sometimes you just want to make a statement, and what better way to do that than with a new set of speakers for your media center. All you have to do is plunk down $140,000+ and move around a few aluminum speakers weighing in at over 250 pounds each.

Hey, at least they’ll go well with your 24 carat iPod and sterling silver Xbox 360 faceplate.

Thanks to Engadget, Gizmodo, and Shiny Shiny.

Sean

Posted by Sean at 10:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If you’re dragging a backpack around town, why not collect some solar energy to power your cellphone and other devices while you walk? Domino Magazine is celebrating green in its current issue. They interviewed Graham Hill, founder of Treehugger, about his eco-friendly lifestyle. Graham carries one of Voltaic Systems' solar-paneled backpacks to juice his portables as he travels to his various power lunches. These packs come in an array of hot colors from silver to orange and green and your basic black. Styles range from classic backpack style to messenger bag and cost from $199-$249. They’re not for charging laptops, though: only small portable devices like ipods, cellphones, PDAs, cameras, etc. And they do require sunny days, which thankfully have been plentiful recently, at least around here.

Mimi

Posted by Mimi at 04:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

So my fancy new PDA phone got a scratch on the screen from the horribly abusive practice of being in my pocket, and stopped working properly. I'll save the gripes about the warranty process for another time; the salient point here is that I've been using a little cheapy phone for the first time in some years, and it's been an experience. It's some little Motorola number, and the user interface is fairly hostile, but at least it knows its limits. Terrifyingly for the geek in me, it's starting to make me question the extent to which I needed the fancy phone in the first place.

In any event, it primed me well for Charlie Booker's hilarious rant about his new phone and its attendant idiocy:

The whole thing is the visual equivalent of a moronic clip-art jumble sale poster designed in the dark by a myopic divorcee experiencing a freak biorhythmic high. Worst of all, it seems to have an unmarked omnipresent shortcut to Orange's internet service, which means that whether you are confused by the menu, or the typeface, or the user- confounding buttons, you are never more than one click away from accidentally plunging into an overpriced galaxy of idiocy, which, rather than politely restricting itself to news headlines and train timetables, thunders "BUFF OR ROUGH? GET VOTING!" and starts hurling cameraphone snaps of "babes and hunks" in their underwear at you, presumably because some pin-brained coven of marketing gonks discovered the average Orange internet user was teenage and incredibly stupid, so they set about mercilessly tailoring all their "content" toward priapic halfwits, thereby assuring no one outside this slim demographic will ever use their gaudy, insulting service ever again. And then they probably reached across the table and high-fived each other for skilfully delivering "targeted content" or something, even though what they should really have done, if there was any justice in the world, is smash the desk to pieces, select the longest wooden splinters they could find, then drive them firmly into their imbecilic, atrophied, world-wrecking rodent brains.

Word.

Via BoingBoing.

Aram

Posted by Aram at 05:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Dr. David Thorpe is easily my favorite Something Awful writer, and he's also got a gig writing for Boston's Weekly Dig. Browsing through the archives, I came across a great FAQ on iPod ownership.

Q. I’ve read many columns by other journalists/bloggers dealing with the cultural implications of the iPod. I have some ideas of my own, and I’d like to write some sort of a scholarly poststructuralist reading of the—

A. No.

Aram

Posted by Aram at 04:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Microsoft yesterday launched the Zune, their answer to the iPod. I haven't used it, and I've only skimmed the reviews, which are so-so. News reports are noting slow first-day sales figures, but that's just horse-race stuff. The real reason the Zune will suck eggs is contained in an interview that Robbie Bach, the president of Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices division, gave in the San Jose Mercury News yesterday. When asked why they built the Zune, Bach replied,

"When we looked at it, we said, 'Hey...that's a significant marketplace. It's a high priority given the momentum that Apple has. And this is something that we need to get after right away.'"

I'd much rather use a device whose inspiration was, "Hey, we can do this really neat thing!" rather than "Someone who always seems to do things better than us is making a killing doing this; we'd better do something, too, and quick."

Aram

Posted by Aram at 11:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm knee-deep in buying a new cell phone right now, and man, are cell-phone companies ever designed to be hostile to the consumer. For example, I challenge any one of you to provide me with a coherent explanation as to why Cingular has two "unlimited" data plans for mobile devices, one of which costs $20 and the other of which costs $40. (Let alone the BlackBerry-only plan that costs $30.) I've spent hours reading forums, and while I can now explain the technical differences between the plans, it's still unclear why they have them in the first place. Their website won't tell you why, and every customer service person I talk to tells me something different. It's designed to be opaque.

Their bizarre pricing schemes and incentive plans lead to the strange cases of sites like Wirefly. You can get great deals on phones there, provided that you're

1. Willing and able to jump through hoops. It's intentionally a pain in the butt because frankly, they're hoping you'll fail and they won't have to send you your refund.
2. Starting a new contract.

That means either switching from another carrier or letting your contract with your current carrier lapse and starting a new one, in which case your service is interrupted and you don't get to keep your phone number. See, cell phone companies give sites like Wirefly incentives for recruiting new customers, but not for retaining old ones. This means that once your contract with a certain carrier is up, it's to your advantage to switch carriers. Not for the standard freebie phones they give out, maybe, but for the whizbangy ones that nerds like me want.

The problem is that I don't want to switch carriers. Cingular is the only carrier that gets good coverage at both my home and office. So by having made the decision to remain loyal to Cingular, I've put myself at a disadvantage. This isn't just Cingular--this is standard across the industry.

What the hell is wrong with an industry that will give deep discounts to acquire customers, but will happily cede them to competitors once they've had them for a year or two? What kind of business sense does that make?

Grumble,

Aram

Posted by Aram at 05:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

The JVC Marshmallow earbuds are truly a miracle of modern materials science.

I bought them last weekend and when I put them in my ears to rollerblade home with, I had to go back to the standard iPod earbuds I rode in on. The Marshmallows blocked too much outside noise--they simply weren't safe in traffic. As I sit here at my desk, it's a truly bizarre experience; I seriously can't hear anything around me. The only thing I can hear is my music and my swallowing.

They have this crazy semi-stiff foam--I'd say it's about the consistency of a padded car dashboard, if that actually means anything. They block noise way better than the bulky $80 noise-cancelling headphones I bought last year, and for a quarter of the price. They're as comfortable as any other earbud I've used, although they do give you kind of a weird "full" feeling in your ear canal. Not nearly as full as sticking ACTUAL marshmallows in your ear, which, though it is a zero-calorie way to get marshmallows into your body, is probably not, on balance, worth it.

This is normally the part where I'd give you a link to JVC's site so you can go look at them, but strangely, JVC doesn't list them. Become to the rescue, I suppose.

Aram

Posted by Aram at 05:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Today Apple announced that a small number of their video iPods shipped with the Windows RavMonE.exe virus. Apple says, "As you might imagine, we are upset at Windows for not being more hardy against such viruses, and even more upset with ourselves for not catching it."

Now, I love Apple. I try to avoid all things Microsoft. I've turned down job offers because they wouldn't let me work on a Mac. I used to invite friends over to watch Steve Jobs' keynote addresses. I'm insane. I fully admit it.

But this is a low blow, a cheap shot. Apple should be classier than this. Their brand exudes classiness. Why muck it up with a jab at Microsoft? (It may be a Windows virus, but it was shipped from the factory on Apple's product.) The worst part is, it was utterly unnecessary. By calling it what it is--a Windows virus--Apple has already sullied the Microsoft name plenty. In fact, they mention "Windows" no fewer than sixteen times in their announcement. That should have been more than adequate.

Apple should be embarrassed.

For those of you who own one of these infested iPods and use a Windows box, be sure to run your virus software. (You do have virus software, right?) Mac users, sit back and relax. Enjoy one more reason why you made the right choice when you bought a Mac.

Teresa Torres
Product Manager

Posted by Teresa at 06:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Well, I suppose a more accurate heading would be "Battery with integrated USB charger" but that's much less punchy and likely to get you to click on the heading in your feed-reader, now, isn't it?

My affinity for USB-ing everything aside, the USBcell battery is pretty rad. It's not just a battery with a built-in charger, but a AA battery and therefore compatible with 30 year's worth of existing products. The website demonstrates a number of compelling uses: keep a pair plugged into the front of your XBOX 360 so you're never caught without batteries for the controller; or keep them plugged into your computer for when your wireless mouse runs dry. Simply the fact that you don't need a charger as long as there's a computer around is brilliant enough to warrant their use in any device.

Well, it would be. They're currently only available in the UK, and they're £12.99 for two--about US$24.40. Eek. Still better than disposables, but when a 4-pack of standard NiMH rechargeables goes for about 9 bucks, well, that's a heck of a premium. I'm no scientist (shoot, I was just barely a humanities major) but one would imagine that these hold less charge than a standard NiMH battery, since the actual battery part has to be smaller to make room for the charger.

(via BoingBoing)

Aram

UPDATE: Dang, these guys are good. Look how they're making the plug work on the smaller-than-a-USB-port AAA model.

Posted by Aram at 06:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Nintendo’s next generation console is being launched in time for the holiday season. Here is a questionnaire for you to determine if you should buy a Nintendo Wii (pronounced: weee!)

1) Do you like fun video games?
2) Is high end graphics *NOT* the most important part of video games?
3) Is saving money on game systems important?
4) Do you like trying new ways to play games?

If you answered yes to all 4 of these questions, I highly suggest that you get on a waiting list to get a Nintendo Wii. If you answered yes to 3 of these questions, I think you would enjoy the Nintendo Wii, though you may want to wait for the price to come down from its initial $250. Some people are surprised that it is being offered at $250. I personally think this is the right price for the system, though I also am pretty sure that the price will come down sometime after the holiday season. Even at $250, the Wii is the cheapest next generation game system.

To learn more about the Nintendo Wii, try out our research here.

Ben

Posted by Ben at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If you are horrible at directions just like me (I once got lost on the beach of Lake Michigan alone for over an hour and ended up calling for help), this is the solution for you--the Garmin Nuvi 350 GPS. (You can't buy it from their site, so blatant plug here.)

Not too long ago I bought my first car, which did not come with a navigation system. Not wanting to spend an extra $2000 was the main reason why I did not consider buying a built-in navigation system. From then on, I started searching for a GPS that would meet my needs- precise, simple, visible and portable (since I can get lost even when I am not driving). Suggestions from my friends included getting a GPS equipped cell phone. However, I really doubted the screen size of such a phone would meet my standards so I gave up on the search. One of my friends has a Garmin StreetPilot 2720, which I found rather nice. The only drawback is that it can be used only in a car. Since Garmin seems to produce high quality GPS units, I started doing research on their products. I found Nuvi 350 which had excellent reviews on Amazon and it turns out to be perfect for my needs. Here are the reasons why:

• Precise: It gives me the quickest way to my destination without any trouble. Not only that, it provides really detailed local information of nearby gas stations, malls and places of interest. The device comes in handy for locating that elusive Target store when you are in the middle of unfamiliar territory.
• Simple: Easy to use. (The manual is useless anyways.) The turn-by-turn voice direction function is extremely helpful.
• Visible: The screen size is just right, and the anti-reflective glass makes it easy to read.
• Portable: Compact pocket size is great for traveling. If you are going to Europe, buying an extra Europe map SD card can prevent you getting lost in a foreign country.
• Cool extras: It also functions as an mp3 player and photo viewer. Since I never have had a chance to try these features, I cannot vouch for their usefulness. The price comes down to $600 (much cheaper than a built-in GPS). For a person with a poor sense of direction, I think it is worth every penny that I paid for!

A friendly notice: this tiny magical machine is supposed to be mounted on the windshield while driving. However, it is illegal to mount anything on the windshield in California and Minnesota. To overcome this problem, this kit comes with a dashboard disk which lets drivers mount their GPS on the dashboard.

Patricia Huang
Intern

Posted by Patricia at 04:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Since my current cell phone contract ends next month, I’ve started to look into replacements for my poor banged up Samsung. I’m currently salivating over the Motorola KRZR and the LG Chocolate phone. The Chocolate phone got very good reviews on CNET, and I’m eagerly awaiting news on how the KRZR performs when it’s released soon. Anyone have any cell suggestions for a gal on the go? (We're experimenting with turning off TypeKey authetication, so there's no need to sign in. Comment away!)

Mercedes

P.S. This is my last post as an official Become employee since I start law school next week. Wish me luck!

Posted by Mercedes at 02:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

• Drink ample amounts of water and juice - check
  
• Wear light, loose fitting clothes - check
  
• Stay indoors - check
  
• Avoid strenuous activity - check and double-check
  

With temperatures soaring above 100°F in various areas around the world, I find myself ducking indoors for a bit of respite from the heat. When the usual tips for beating the heat are not enough, what is a person to do?

DUN-DUH-DUH-DAH!!!

Instacool Personal Cooler to the rescue! Designed to provide instant cooling relief, it works by applying the cold aluminum disk to the body’s pressure points such as the neck, wrist, or temple area. This portable relief runs on four AA batteries and is small enough to take on any outing or event. The Misty Mate Personal Mister is another great way to stay fresh this summer. Delivering a blast of cool air with a simple press of a button, the Misty Mate chills the air by releasing mist all around you.

The coolest of the cool award goes to the USB Air Conditioned Shirt. The USB shirt is powered by either connecting to a USB port or four AA batteries. Just plug in and watch in amazement as the shirt’s dual fans circulate air around your body and inflate you to look like the body double for the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.

Now, tell me who is cooler than the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man?

Jill

Posted by Jill at 05:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In my freshman year of college, several years before the dawn of the iPod, the guy across the hall from me took a power inverter and a small LCD screen and mounted a spare Windows 98 tower he had lying around in his Nissan Pathfinder. He jacked it into the stereo et voila: car mp3 player.

A scant seven years later, Chrysler is finally about to do the same thing. Sure, theirs may have satellite radio, Bluetooth, and a navigation system, (and probably leaves more room for the passenger in the front seat) but have they figured out that you can get a neat lighting effect in your room by filling up empty beer bottles with water and highlighter ink and turning a black light on them? I'm telling you: John was ahead of his time.

Aram

Posted by Aram at 05:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

OK, so I guess I thought it was some extremely bored activist group putting up these iSheep signs all over the place. Turns out it was a recently abandoned marketing campaign by Sandisk for their new portable media player, Li’l Monsta. Yes, they are challenging iPod and potential iPod owners to be a little more open minded. In particular, they are promoting the idea of “open versus closed music systems.” Pretty clever of Sandisk since they don’t operate their own music store.

The Li’l Monsta boasts a voice recorder, an AM/FM radio tuner, compatibility with all services (subscription and non) except the market-leading iTunes (or Macs in general…D’oh!). Odd name though. Is it, like, down with OPP or something?

I own an iPod, but honestly if I didn’t have a Mac, I’d be thinking seriously about Sandisk’s dimunitive beast. From what I’ve heard of their players—they’re good stuff. To me, the subscription service is very attractive for cycling through loads of music at will without having to refinance your mortgage or insure yourself (seriously) against the wrath of the greedy RIAA.

Sidenote: Sandisk isn’t the only consumer electronics company with a recently controversial ad campaign. Yikes!

Notice how I played right into their greedy L’il hands? I’m such an iDiot!

OK, I'm done now.

AJ

Posted by AJ at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Video cameras are getting smaller and more widely available. The government is dabbling more and more in widespread spying. Collection agencies keep calling me. Someone looked at me funny on the train.

What can I do these days to enjoy my Victory Gin with some peace of mind? Thanks to the SpyFinder, a handy device that resembles Satan’s moustache trimmer (I saw it once. He left it on my sink the morning after I bet on the Yankees), I can avoid slipping into a state of digital age-induced paranoia. Through some kind of wizard-like technology based on “optical augmentation,” the SpyFinder will help you locate hidden cameras in your vicinity.

This should come in handy if:

1. Your roommate is looking for proof that you’ve been downing his Heinekens and blaming it on the dog.
   
2. You’re an intelligent beer-thieving dog trying to remain incognito.
   

Props, Popgadget.

AJ

Posted by AJ at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Forget about getting a Razr with a tiny wireless Bluetooth headset, I’m getting me one of these! Call the P*Phone headset retro, or maybe even backwards, but I kind of miss talking into the kind of phone that I was tethered to through my late teens. I also miss the ability to hold the phone between my ear and my shoulder since my current phone is too small and too slippery. I’m tempted to buy a P*Phone or the equally cool Penelope*Phone just so I can walk down the street with it and watch people’s reactions.

(Hat tip, Beauty Ninja.)

Mercedes

Posted by Mercedes at 05:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

So Apple has released a new version of the U2 iPod. I don't get it--I never have. It looks like it got to the Air Jordan party about 20 years late, and all you get for the extra $30 is access to an exclusive U2 video through the iTunes Music Store. Oh, and the autographs of the band members etched into the (now black) back, which will be scratched beyond recognition in a month anyways. (Hey Apple: a pox upon the planned obsolescence you've snuck in under the guise of shiny: use brushed metal.)

Aram

Update: OK, maybe not technically updating anything, but this is freaking hilarious. (From Good Morning Silicon Valley.)

Posted by Aram at 05:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

This is cool. USB makes everything better, doesn't it? I mean, yeah, if you already have a turntable, you could just plug it in through your microphone jack, but this has USB!

On a slight tangent: I love my iPod and all, but when I think about how much of my music taste was formed as a 10-year-old flipping through my dad's records, I really wonder how my generation is going to pass on our musical legacy to our kids. Clicking the "Santana" icon wouldn't have been nearly as appealing to me as picking up the big picture of the badass lion. Even CDs, with the reduced area for cover art, still provide a sense of ownership, and communicate that you thought this music was worth owning, and devoting money and shelf space to. With mp3 (or AAC, or ogg, or whatever you crazy kids are into) there's no token of ownership. Even if you did pay for them (and you DO pay for them, right? Right...)--and unlike with a burned CD or a cassette tape--there's no distinction between what you bought and a bootleg copy.

So you're left with a bunch of super-convenient yet impersonal bits on a hard drive. "Scrolling through Dad's iTunes library" just doesn't have the same emotional connotations. I can still smell my dad's records. If I can smell my iPod, something's gone horribly wrong.

Oh well. It can't be long before the people responsible for this come out with a can of "That Old Record Jacket Smell."

(via Random Good Stuff)
Aram

Posted by Aram at 03:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

“Dude, at this rate, Best Buy should go out of business soon.” My friends jokingly tell me that my apartment will soon become a warehouse for electronic gadgets. I’m beginning to worry that my “Compulsive Gadget Acquisition Disorder” (a close variant of AJ’s G.A.S.) will take over my life and my living space soon. Until that happens, however, I plan to fully enjoy my consumerist hedonism.

So here’s my next object of affection: Victorinox’s SwissMemory 512: it’s classy, useful (if used), and handy. SwissMemory® has 512 MB of USB storage and a few standard Swiss knife features, plus the guarantee and status of a Victorinox product. The same product comes with 1 GB, 256 MB or 128MB of storage space.

I recently bought an Apple iPod Shuffle (1 GB) to use as a USB memory stick, so I’m holding out on buying the SwissMemory 512--for now. I'll let you all know when I finally give in.

Mustafa

Posted by Mustafa at 12:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Malcolm Gladwell would love this. The orb sits in your room and gives you a visual indicator of any data that can be sent from the web. Some of the standard channels (pdf) include weather, traffic, the S&P, but what excites me is the ability to set up my own channel.

This could easily convey information that is useful for taking action right now. If you set it up for weather, the orb can tell you whether you'll need your umbrella today. If you set it up for tracking the stock market, the orb can tip you off on whether to buy or sell right now.

My excitement, however, is over the benefit of seeing the orb change over time. Having this in my room would allow me to subconsciously pick up on interesting trends and it would allow me to come up with predictions based on some knowledge of an event. For example, if I set it up to track visits to my band's MySpace profile, I can easily see the effect of gigs and various promotional campaigns (flyering, e-mail announcements, mentioning it in this blog). Of course, you could simply accomplish this with data mining and charts and graphs, but who wants to do that? I adhere to the principles of Smart Laziness. Also, what data mining couldn't accomplish is the ability to make connections that can't be captured with online statistics. Maybe people come play our music as an escape when there are depressing stories in the news? Only I would be able to make that connection over time with my Ambient Orb.

I’ve thought of plenty of other great uses for it:

• Volume of visits to my MySpace profile
  
• Daily price of gasoline within a range
  
• Number of Google news stories about the war in Iraq today
  
• Remaining balance in my online checking account
  
• Number of e-mails in my inbox
  
• Probability of the Red Sox beating the spread tonight based on a number of factors I specify and track
  
• The number of beers left in my fridge
  

AJ

Posted by AJ at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Choosing a satisfying, good-sounding set of speakers for your home is a lot like settling on a significant other. Call me a little too nitpicky, but I think it's significant. I don't want a noisy home with no harmony. And as with any other vital decision in life, some preparatory research/soul-searching always helps. Dr. Phil and CNET can give you some very useful general guidelines, but you've really got to spend some quality personal time with the entity in question to figure out if it's what you really want.

This last week, my monthly impulsive buy was due, and I had my eyes set on a good iPod docking system. I queried Become for "ipod docking system" (blatant plug!) and began my search for a harmonious alliance. Looking through CNET, Macworld and playlist mag gave me a good general idea of which systems were widely recognized as quality products, so I short-listed my decision down to three that were worth a look: The Bose SoundDock, Apple's new iPod Hi-Fi speakers and the Altec Lansing's inMotion iM7.

But I quickly realized that those sites, while being fine sources of objective information, had their individual takes on the more subjective aspects of sound quality, treble detail and bass depth; in fact, they often held totally opposing opinions on the three systems. However, doing this research online armed me with a very good sense of the general pros and cons of each product. So when I walked into the nearest Apple Store, I knew which qualities and pitfalls I needed to look out for in the 3 potential buys.

I eventually settled on Apple's iPod Hi-Fi system, persuaded by its more powerful yet smooth sound and its rich bass. Nothing's perfect, so I had to compromise a little on the treble detail. I did my research, knew what I wanted and went for it--and I did it all without a counseling session on national TV.

Mustafa

Posted by Mustafa at 03:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When I bought my first cell phone, it was all romance and no common sense. I was too young and stupid to heed the warnings of my family and friends. Now I'm on my 3rd plan and take it from me, choosing a cell phone carrier requires more caution than a non-celebrity marriage. The divorce can be almost as ugly.

Unfortunately, cell phone service is one of the hardest things to quantify accurately. These sites do their best:

• CellReception.com: Enter a zip code and see who offers the best reception in your areas of interest
  
• LetsTalk.com: Sporadic user reviews for each of the providers
  
• Consumer Search: Wireless Plan Reviews: A listing and description of service provider reviews from ConsumerSearch
  

The other difficulty confronting the aspiring cell phone owner is the tornado of features and specs that today’s mobile phone market has to offer. I remember when it was as easy as picking the one with the pretty blue screen--when random people would karate high-five me on the sidewalk for my technological awesomeness. “Blue screen! Extreme!!”

Today there are phones that can run Windows, shoot video, and start your car’s ignition. And if you're one of those people always competing for the most irritating ringtone in the office, I hear there’s a new one that jumps out of your hand and bites your coworkers in the face.

These sites will help you find the one for you:

• HowardChui.com: Professional reviews of phones on the market
  
• PhoneScoop.com: Find phones that meet your features criteria
  
• CNET: Cell Phone Buying Guide
  

AJ Magnuson
Researcher

Posted by AJ at 03:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)