The Kindle Fire Review

I’ve had the Kindle Fire for a few hours now and been able to play around with most of the features it has to offer. You can go on the web, download apps, games, books, documents, movies, videos, music.

My initial reaction upon receiving it was the weight. It’s not heavy, but it was much more than I anticipated. It weighed about a size of a medium paperback book to me. I wasn’t expecting that since the previous versions of the kindle have been extremely light and thin. It’s about 19cm x 12cm x 1cm; slightly smaller than a playbook.

Once I turned it on it was like heaven! The color, the features, is absolutely amazing. The screen is shiny like the iPad so there is some glare; unlike the commercials for kindle, you cannot bring this one to the beach and read it under the sun.

The kindle is set up with a main screen, which gives you your most recent apps/documents/books you were on. Then there are sub screens for Newsstand, books, apps, video, music and the web. Each of these sub screens are set up differently. There is also a search option, where you can search for anything in your kindle or the web.

For Storage – You can either save it on your kindle or the cloud. You are given 5GB free space and after that there is a charge.

Books – It’s set up just like the iBook application in the iPad. You can choose to see it by Grid or List View and filter by Author, Most recent or Title. It will tell you what % of the book you have already read and you can also bookmark pages. It is identical to the iBook application except that you can change font sizes and types.

Apps – It uses the Amazon App Store as its source so if you already have an android device it should be seamless. It automatically pops up in your cloud. If you already owned tablet compatible apps you can just download them onto your fire.

Videos – If you have Amazon Prime, you can stream TV shows and movies. You can also purchase movies and TV series to download on your kindle or stream. (If you download, you can watch them when you are not connected to Wifi)

You also have the option of downloading a Netflix app or a Hulu App if you don’t want to purchase Amazon Prime.

Music – You can either transfer MP3 files directly into your kindle or upload to the cloud. In order to upload to the cloud, you need to download the Cloud MP3 uploader. It manages the Music by Artist, Song, Genre.

Web – Accessing the internet on the kindle fire was always a question mark, since we didn’t know what we were expecting. It looks like its using a Google chrome like program, where it has tabs and remembers the recent sites you’ve been on. You can add bookmarks and manage your pages. The speed was fast. I was able to go on Facebook and go on a few websites at the same time and was fast as my computer would be.

Transferring files – It’s a breeze! You can just connect your kindle to your computer via USB and just drag and drop. I was able to transfer 400 books, 20 MP3’s, and 15 pdf files within 15-20 minutes. You can manage your files from your kindle or your computer.

When you transfer files into your kindle by computer, you are transferring to your kindle and not the cloud.

Pros:

-It’s a kindle!

-Lending Library – you can borrow a book a month for free from their library.

-Amazon App Store – if you have an android phone/tablet you can download onto your kindle automatically (if its compatible)

-It’s $199 for a tablet

-Fast processor. Can view websites and run apps like any other computer or tablet.

-Easy to transfer from your computer.

Cons:

-Need an Amazon.com Account

-Can’t find a versatile cover (iPad and Prior Kindle’s have covers which help with battery save/turn off when covered function)

-WiFi Only. Cant access the cloud all the time

-Volume is not high enough to listen to music from afar.

-No Camera so can’t take pictures and upload. (Also have not found a screen capture ability built in)

Overall the speed of the maneuvering within the kindle is very fast and easy. It has all the features a tablet would have except it does not have a camera. I think it’s under valued for what it does for you. I definitely think it will be a big competitor in the tablet market because of what it can do for the price ticket of $199.

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Chuggington: Terrific Trainee! Is a fun and easy-to-use iPad app for our little pre-school Choo-Choo aficionados. Elijah, my nearly four-year old all-things-trains expert was thrilled from the launch icon onwards. “Trains!” he exclaimed and tapped the app before we were even seated with the iPad safely balanced on our legs.

The app launches with a catchy tune and the choice between ‘easy’ or ‘hard’ and again, I didn’t even get the chance to guide his choice. He went with ‘easy’ because it was blue.

Now the big choices…do we ride the rails with Wilson, Brewster, Koko or Action Chugger? Eventually we ride them all on challenging missions! Elijah keeps sneaking in ‘one more round’ because he wants to ride all the trains. Each train takes you along the rails at a brisk pace and you have to have to tap traffic cones so the engines can jump them or drag your finger between rails lines so they can change rails and avoid obstacles. Each engine has it own unique animation and responds humorously to bumping and jumping the cones which amuses Elijah immensely.

Chuggington: Terrific Trainee! Is an ideal app for a pre-schooler who has used the iPad for basic pre-school games, has experience with the touch paradigm and is ready to get more anticipation and adventure in his game experience. I was surprised and thrilled to see that Elijah responded to the brisk pace with focus and giggles, following Vee’s (the games narrator!) encouraging instructions on how to proceed. The app offers a few activities which are fun to repeat as well as a ‘hard’ more advance level. Elijah was able to figure out what needed to be done and catch on quickly. Pressing, dragging, tapping actions are increasingly used as the activities unfold: honking horns, opening cargo doors and loading the special delivery car, collecting pick-ups and revealing each of your badges. The game remembers your scores and awards you a badge for each mission which then unlocks new adventures. The check marks and badges gave him a clear indication of accomplishment which he responded to.

In short, as a mom with a train-crazed boy, I like this app for the Chuggington characters but more so for the fine motor skill development and visual tracking skills development. I especially like the clear achievement indicators which encourage a health pursuit for improvement against ones own best and the silly animation which evokes the giggles and surprised expressions I relish sharing with Elijah during our shared play.

In one week’s time this App has made it to the Request-by-Name Apps that Elijah asks to play…it is a short list. This boy knows his mind, he loves his trains and adores this App.  If you know someone with a three to five year old boy and iPad, send them an iTunes gift of this App (all you need is their email address and your own iTunes account) for less than the cost of your latte or espresso shot.

The launch price for Chuggington: Terrific Trainee! is $1.99 (iPhone) and $2.99 (iPad) at the App Store.

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Two weeks ago Michael Reyes from HardwareGeeks.com let me hold his brand spanking new WD TV Live streaming media player, and I have yet to give it back. He probably won’t get it back either because it’s an awesome device.

The WD TV Live allows me to stream content from my computer, or network storage device and see it on my television. I can now easily show my friends and family pictures with out them hovering around my laptop’s monitor, or I can watch Netflix, Hulu (Oh man I used to love this show called Outlaw), rent movies from Blockbuster and CinemaNow, and even listen to music from Pandora or Spotify. You will have to update your Spotify account but it is well worth it. I can even check my Facebook without opening my laptop.

Setup was SUPER easy. I am not completely clueless when it comes to setting things up, especially a a device like this so I expected it to take me much longer than it did. Only two steps – Connect to television and then connect to Wi-fi. I was able to do it all in under 5 minutes.

If you are curious why did it take me the entire 5 minutes?
Minute 1 – 2: Connecting it to the TV, Wi-Fi and a Power Outlet (Not in that order)
Minute 3 – 5: Calling the cable company to cancel. (Who needs cable when you have HULU, NetFlix and Blockbuster) I’ll save myself over $120 a month! Haha – just kidding. I would have to confirm that with my roommate first but hey…

I would love to save $120 a month. I can also connect a hard drive to the WD LIVE TV and stream that content or content from off of my network.

Overall I love it and sorry Michael you will have to syndicate this review on HardwareGeeks.com because you are NOT getting this back.

I suggest you all head over to http://westerndigital.com and pick one up, it will make the perfect gift for any girlfriend, wife, sister or mother this holiday season!

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Ever needed a specific doctor/dentist and couldn’t find them?

Limited availability? Traveling for work? Living in a new city?

I’m sure you’ve said yes to at least one of those questions and have been frustrated by the runaround that some insurance companies give you, even if you’re searching online.  There is never enough information – either the phone number is missing, or you can’t see their availability.

The answer is ZocDoc.com – a good friend just told me about it this week and I’ve already used it.  It’s FREE, easy and reliable.

If you need a doctor, even a specialist, you put in your location, or desired location, your health insurance type and TA-DA! You’ll get a bunch of results that also include available appointment times.  You can book online and go to sleep with a smile on your face, instead of cringing at the thought of not ever finding a doctor for that crazy back pain you’ve been experiencing for weeks…Thanks AC!Oh and they have a free app!

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Any parent has been there. You need your child to do something, but that heart-aching cry from they protest with makes you cave in. Ok, so maybe some of you aren’t putty in your child’s hands… but I am.

My son, Landon, was not one for taking a scheduled nap. His father and I were on HIS time, and we had come to accept it. Why? Because we cave into tears and pouty lips. Then, Dropcam arrived at my doorstep.

Dropcam gives a good pitch- “Watch what you love while you’re away” And they allow everyone to do it in the most tech savvy of ways- your very own wi-fi internet video cameras. I immediately followed the quick step by step installation directions on the box (connected a cable to my router just for the initial set up, plugged the power cable in, went to www.Dropcam.com to enter my activation code, and added my wireless network) and BAM, we were live! At first, I used our Dropcam Echo for a few days in all the usual ways. I used it as security for our house, used it in our living room to check in on my family while I was at work, used it to watch my dog comfortably sleeping on the couch he isn’t allowed on when everyone was gone from the house, tons of ways. And I loved it! I could log in my account from any computer or use Dropcam’s Android and iPhone apps to check in day or night and get a live view of what was going on. I also would get audio and visual alerts if I opted to. Oh, yeah, and this little puppy can record!

Then, this past week, it hit me. Dropcam could be the ultimate nap time tool at our house. No more having Landon guilt me into opening his door and letting him skip a nap when he started to cry. I quickly unplugged the camera from where it was placed and planted it on Landon’s bookshelf to look over his room. I shut the door and watched him cry from the Dropcam app. I was able to see his sneaky look towards the door to see if he should continue to cry. No more wondering if he had hurt himself or if he was scared of something… I was at peace,doing house work, knowing he had been milking me all along. Once Dad came home I passed an account invite to him to shared the camera stream so we both could use our own emails to log in to the same account. It was a war we actually have been winning since we have placed the Dropcam in Landon’s room. Another bonus? No more waking Landon up at night when I try to sneak in his room at night and trip over a toy. Dropcam has become my at home nanny.

Not convinced you need a Dropcam? Here are a few other possibilities for the Dropcam I haven’t mentioned yet:
Caring for the elderly.
Securing a storage unit.
Keeping an eye on your yard or driveway.
Watching a new babysitter.
Worry-free vacations since you can look in at your house.

Visit www.Dropcam.com to purchase your own!

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You know that look on the face of a little girl offering up her latest artistic creation full of pride and anticipation of your response… “I made it for you,” she whispers as she drops that finger painting or play doh sculpture into your lap and plants a wet kiss on your cheek.  “Do you like it?” she asks basking in your praise…then she is gone and back again, this time dressed-up with your sequin shawls and stiletto heels, asking “How do I look?”… waiting for you to respond “Devine, darling!” Lesson here: Little girls want to create, they want to express themselves and they want to share their uniqueness with the world… and Fashion Playtes is a marvelous way to do just that and spend some quality time together at the same time.

Fashion Playtes a is new website, a new cyber-creative experience for girls that is all about letting her uniqueness shine through…and it is oh so much fun! Imagine the sense of pride and accomplishment as a girl discovers that she can design her own clothes, in her own size, in styles that you would actually let her wear out of the house and even to school. Imagine her glee as she realizes that her designs, those creative wonders of femme fashionista glam and glitz that she just created on-line, can actually be made into real clothes which she can wear, exactly as she designed them. She can even have her own designer label for the clothing she designs…

Honestly, as the mother of a diva-in-the-making, It sounded too good to be true but Fashion Playtes is the real deal. You sit down with your girlie girl and create a log-in so that you can save your designs…and then the fun begins! You pick a piece of apparel (that fancy for clothing!) together and then you select among available sizes and colors…then, oh then you can work with her or sit back and let her creativity reign selecting appliqués, rhinestones, ruffles, lace,  tulle trim and countless other frilly-silly-oh-so-girlie details that make her piece unique. The website has a simple interface which steps you both easily through the design process until her design is completed, then Fashion Playtes invites her to create her own label…her personalized brand. Plug in your billing information and the order process is quick and easy.

Maya could not wait to try out Fashion Playtes. I set up our account and then talked her through the clothing choices to select one piece, a “Samantha” camisole, and then I sat back and watched her work through her design selections offering guidance when asked and discussing how ‘costs’ are affected by her design choices. She needed to prioritize between a decal or a flower and choose between the embellishments based on how they can be combined according to some ‘behind the scenes’ rules that are build-into the design interface.

20 minutes later, Maya had proudly designed a dress (no no, a camisole) that was distinctly Maya. Maya named her ‘fashion playte,’ her label, her distinct and unique brand: “Beautifulist by Maya Elektra”…I love it! Once she was done reveling in her lovely design, she stepped back and I entered our billing and shipping information. Pricing is like pizza…a base price for each piece of apparel and then additional for each frill… like the toppings. Maya had a lot of ‘extras.’ Take a look….

Maya could not wait to share her design on my facebook account so her grandmother and aunt’s would see it. What a surprise when Maya’s first “Beautifulist” design was chosen by Fashion Playtes as one of their “designs of the week” and her design was featured on their Facebook page. When Fashion Playtes choses a girls design, they e-mail the parent to extend the offer to feature a photo of the young designer wearing her creation on their Facebook page (with parental approval, of course!). Take a look at some of Maya’s photos…she had a hard time deciding which to submit.

A few days after our order was submitted (and Maya was driving the post man crazy! waiting for her special delivery), I got a ‘Between the Seams’ e-mail which acknowledged our order and explained a bit more about the production process that occurs between the time Maya and I clicked ‘submit’ and the much awaited moment when our doorbell rings and the mailman hands over a package addressed to Maya herself. It is a great touch! I read it to Maya and we discussed a bit more about clothing manufacture and the concept of  ‘quality.’ I would love for Fashion Playtes to share a few videos about the production process so kids can see how their clothing is made.

On the day the package arrives…

This is it! You read the return address and know it is from Fashion Playtes so wait for them to get home from school before you open it…it will be worth it! Get the camera ready, because you don’t want to miss the expression of shear pleasure and pride as she tears into that envelope to find her creation wrapped in pretty printed tissue paper, sealed with a sticker and accompanied with a glittery Fashion Playtes Key Chain and a card just for her! Maybe she tears into the paper, or maybe, like Maya, she opens it ever so daintily…but regardless, once she recognizes her creation ‘in the cloth’ in her lap, she is going to scream, giggle and hug you all simultaneously. It is a thrilling moment to see the pride in her eyes… “Hey look what I made…and it’s just for me!” (but you still get the wet kiss planted on your cheek). Check out Maya modeling her Samantha Camisole (which I forgot was a camisole not a dress…so she will be wearing out of the house with capris!).

Fashion Playtes creations are well made. I pulled on the stitching and the lace, frills, tulle and whatnot. I scratched at the rhinestones and they remained intact. I will not dry it since the sizes are true sizes and I want to avoid shrinking it or destroying the design but I think it is sturdy enough for a day at the playground or around town. The embroidered flower is pinned on so it can be removed for washing (good thought!) and the seams are well done.

Base apparel prices are in the range of The Children’s Place and once you add your extra’s are in the range of Kids Gap but I the experience of designing an outfit with your girl is priceless. Watching her design her own Avatar on Fashionplaytes.com should be equally special. Maya and I have not done it yet but we will soon.

Fashion Playtes offers gift certificates and supports split shipping/billing addresses making it an ideal gift for any little girl you know. Fashion Playtes offers many apparel choices and accessories galore, but my all time favorites are the matching girl and doll ensembles. We have not ordered one of those yet but Maya’s birthday is coming up and that is what she wants most…an outfit she designs for herself and her American Girl doll. I may get her cousin a matching gift certificate so they can create matching outfits and maybe even a joint co-designer label. Since I am comfortable with Net-Meeting, Skype, Face Time and the like, we can set up a video work session between the girls to collaborate on their design even though they live far from one another.

My next favorite is called ‘the violet’ a hand dyed, personalized messenger bag which serves as a school bag, an overnight bag for slumber parties and a tech bag for when Maya needs to go out and wants to take a portable tech toy like the Leapster LeapPad or our iPad 2 and some headphones.

Maya loves her ‘Beautifulist’ design so much that she wanted to do her own fashion shoot. Here a a few shots…

If you want to see which one made the Fashion Playtes “design of the week” post, then check out their Facebook page.

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I love drinking sparkling drinks (agua con gas) like perrier and pelligrino but it gets to be an expensive habit. A friend recommended awhile back that I look into getting a home soda maker but I just never jumped on the idea…until this week. I just got a  SodaStream Fizz Home Soda Maker!

The Starter kit comes with everything you need to make you own soda at homes:  the Fizz soda maker, reusable carbonator that makes up to 60L and a reusable BPA-free 1L carbonating bottle. You can start with tap or filtered water based on your preference. The Fizz is available in four colors: black, red, blue and green…and naturally, I went with the candy apple red!

The Fizz is ready to use right out of the box. Assembly was very easy. You just need to pop in the carbonator, rinse the bottle and fill it with water, and then you are ready to start making homemade soda ‘a tu gusto.’  The sequential ‘getting started’ illustrations are very intuitive. I had a little problem figuring out that the silver bar under the name plate was actually the ‘carbonating lever’ and was getting very frustrated while abusing the poor reset button. It took a few deep exhales and flipping the page between the written instructions and the diagram for me to figure out that that part actually moved…not my brightest moment! So there are only two things to push, the reset button and the fizzy bar…easy. I made the first bottle with my husband and 4 hyped-up soda-hungry kids made bottles two and three.

I just got my machine set up less than a week ago and we have used it twice while entertaining (once for a playdate with Heather and Jason, once with grown-ups!) and everyday for ourselves…

I even went as far as taking Perrier off my shopping list this week because my hubbie makes me fizzy water just as I like it. The Fizz has a fizz-o-meter indicator that shows the carbonation level as you are making your drink and you can control just how fizzy you make your drink. I like my drinks alot fizzier than the kids do and I prefer lemon/lime or just plain fizzy water while my family likes fruity flavors.  Therefore, I find it useful to have at least one extra bottle so you can make a variety to suite everyone’s tastes, make extra if you are entertaining or make it to go…like for a picnic, weekend sports practice…you get the picture.

There is a variety of flavors and essences available to create many health and delicious sparkling beverages. SodaMix flavors are concentrated syrups which contain no high-fructose corn syrup and no aspartame, and are available with regular and diet flavors. Sparkling Naturals  are made from all natural ingredients and contain no artificial flavors, no artificial colors and no artificial sweeteners, nor preservatives. MyWater is an unsweetened, all-natural flavor essence for making lightly flavored seltzer or sparkling water.

The Fizz has a gas level indicator that monitors the amount of CO2 left in the carbonator cylinder, so you’ll know when it’s time to exchange your carbonator for a full one. You can order the refills on-line and have them shipped to your home so you never run out and you can take advantage to stock up on the natural soda flavors at the same time.

My entrepreneurial daughter has decided that she is going to put a soda stand outside of our building to make fresh fizzed soda and sell it as a fund-raiser in lieu of the messier lemonade stand…(that video to follow!)

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You have not seen just how much fun science can be until you put a compact digital microscope in the hands a curious child and tell them to go explore! The Celestron LCD Handheld Digital Microscope is an all-enclosed, totally-portable and utterly cool piece of tech that opens up your home, your world and your child’s mind to exploration in a whole new way. The microscope has a 2.4″ LCD Screen Panel for viewing magnified objects and includes a digital camera/video camera with 4x digital zoom so you can capture some of your discoveries, still or in-motion, and upload and share them with via USB connection to your PC. It also has 128MB Internal Flash memory and an SD Card Slot that can support up to 8GB for storing your discoveries.

Within minutes of unpackaging the microscope, my kids were studying the skin on each other’s feet and making lists of samples they wanted to collect…some of which I really had to pull the ‘mommy card’ and say ‘maybe not’ to…

This is a great little device to have around the house for hobbyists and novice explorers alike.  You can study your rock, stamp, coin or bottle cap collection in a whole new way. House plants and insects are fascinating to observe as are many common household materials and foods. I can think of a few practical applications I would use this for that it is not really intended for such as threading a needle (I would be able to see the eye!), fixing broken jewelry and checking to see if I got all the gunk out of the sippy cup tops after I washed them. I am sure that my imagined applications will prove dull in comparison to what the children will come up with. Maya was already used it to study the detailed artwork in some of her illustrated books.

We were able to use it right out of the package once we put in the batteries however, this device does require an adult to (dare I say it..) read the owner’s manual and complete a few steps, push a few buttons to configure it because the default setting may not be the optimal for you. For example, the out-of-the-box setting for auto shut-off is 1 minute to save battery life but that can be disturbing if you are using it and it goes off every minute, which it was doing for us, so you have to reset that value to one that better aligns to your usage behavior. I shut off the auto shut-off…we will use rechargeable batteries and we can explore unimpeded!

The Handheld Digital Microscope is a powerful yet intuitively easy device to use once configured. It has a simple focus knob, one touch photo and video and adjustable LED illumination powered with 2 AA batteries. It weighs less than 7 ounces, is durable, portable and ideal for exploring out-and-about, at the park, on vacation or anywhere. Our first field day with it will most likely be to the park or the zoo and then to the American Museum of Natural History’s Children’s discovery room where they have all sorts of bones, rocks and prepared slides that kids can view under a microscope…but not photograph or video…so we will get souvenirs! Then we may flip through Usborne Activities’ 50 Science Things to Make and Do to find a batch of kitchen-chemical reactions we can observe under the microscope (like crystalization)… oh what fun!

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I just received a Verilux HappyLight and I can not wait to try it out. In my quest to create a home-office ‘experience’ the HappyLight should fit right in. The Verilux HappyLight is a compact energy lamp that improves your mood and energy naturally by providing natural spectrum daylight to combat the effects of seasonal change, malaise, jet lag, shift work..etc. You use it for one to two hours a day and start to feel the affects after only 4 or so days.

Watch my unboxing to learn more and watch for my follow-up to see how effective I find it.

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I just got the Cobra PhoneLynx, Cell Phone to Home Adapter with Bluetooth Wireless Technology that allows you to use standard land line telephones with your cellular service plan.

Cobra PhoneLynx pairs your cell phone to your home phone so that when your cell phone rings, all the home phones ring, and you can choose whether to answer with one of the home handsets or with the cell phone itself. When you make an outgoing call on your home phone, the call goes through using your cellular service (and minutes if applicable). In short, you can make and answer calls on a normal home phone, even wireless handset leveraging the cell minutes you are already paying for as well as the free nights and weekends.

The PhoneLynx is really easy to setup. You literally just take it out of the package and plug it into the wall, connect the home phone to the PhoneLynx with a standard phone cord and then pairing your cell phone to the PhoneLynx/home phone combo just as you would pair any bluetooth device. It took me less than 10 minutes to connect.

The PhoneLynx is ideal for people who don’t have or don’t want to keep paying for their home phone service, those that have spotty cell signal at home or that, like me, simply forget to carry or turn on the cell phone ringer at home and miss a lot of calls. I especially like it because I can now take conference calls using a home wireless handset with a good speakerphone and dependable mute button. The call clarity is excellent and the price is affordable: about $60.

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Last week I was showing off my elegant new handcrafted Crocodile Embossed iPad/iPad 2 case by Graphic Image and many of my fellow iPad 2 owners oogled in envy of my posh pink and personalized leather folio. I spent the weekend daydreaming about accessories that could be fashioned to match my new case and serve vital functions for my personal and professional needs like for instance, a matching Nook case (for the Color Nook I don’t yet have) or a ladies briefcase… all in pink crocodile embossed leather… you get the idea! Well, Graphic Image wants those ideas…

Graphic Image wants to know what accessories your imagination spawns. It doesn’t have to be pink crocodile, it just needs to be something that you need or want in a leather accessory that aligns to their current accessory line…your inspiration could win you an iPad case just like mine! Read on to find out how…What do you need to do?

• Go to the Graphic Image Website and check out their current leather accessories and pick an accessory or a line as your inspiration
• Come up with one creative suggestion for an accessory that Graphic Image does not already have and add it as a comment to this posting
• We will announce the winner next week by flagging your posting so check back to see!

One lucky CuteGeek will win their own iPad / iPad 2 Crocodile Embossed Leather Case/Stand in the color of their choice, personalized with their initials.

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Dependable phone service is a necessity for a home-office professional. It is just not acceptable to drop off in the middle of a teleconference or get disconnected during a net meeting just because your cell service is spotty. Even having the top floor apartment and putting my desk next to the outermost window, I still experienced dropped calls on occasion, more frequently on one of my carriers than the other. Dropped calls are even more prevalent when to work from my living room where my cell signal isn’t as consistently strong. Rather than invest in a home land line and another monthly expense, I decided to try the Wi-Ex Zboost Cell Phone Signal Extender and was impressed to find that my AT&T service was consistently more dependable and consistently had more bars.

zBoost cell coverage extenders support all mobile devices using 800 and 1900 MHz frequency bands except those using Nextel. This includes your mobile phones, smartphones & wireless data cards. Since I have AT&T and Sprint in my home, that worked out just fine for me. I have had it installed for a few weeks now and like, a modem, it is a device that you are barely aware you have around, but that is working for you 24/7. It has made a huge difference with AT&T signal. I have less dropped and missed calls, my texts come in rather timely and my phone battery life is longer since it doesn’t spend so much juice ‘searching’. Unfortunately, since Sprint is a different type of network, I would need the zBoost-One YX400-P for help with the Sprint/Metro PCS service…and it does need help in my house.

My AT&T cell phone has now become my default phone, even for work because the zBoost has made it so much more dependable for my important teleconferences. The zBoost Metro YX540  boosts indoor signal up to 1500 square feet. It is designed for users in single story urban dwellings or businesses and doesn’t require an outside antenna placement. The set-up is easy, just place the signal antenna on a window where you get signal. This is great for apartments, possibly dorm rooms and small businesses (I wish my hair salon would install one…it is a one-bar zone which sucks my battery-life halfway through my usual treatment). zBoost Metro YX540 iP is the same model but is optimized for use with the iPhone. The zBoost SOHO extends indoor signal up to 3000 square feet for multiple users making it perfect for any house or office that needs a cell signal boost. It is great for any home that has low or inconsistent signal, be it a home or business.

zBoost packages up everything you need to create a zBoost ‘Cell Zone’ in the box, every wire, every suction cup, so there is no running back and forth to the hardware store. You can have it up and running in 10 minutes and the set up instructions where easier to follow then many of the preschool toys I get for my kids. If you live or work in a dead zone, you have my condolences, but if you live or work with spotty, inconsistent coverage then a zBoost could make all the difference for you.

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Expected to launch in November, Jillian Michaels’ Fitness Adventure on Kinect for Xbox 360 looks like a great fit for anyone trying to liven up their fitness routine. Jillian’s motivational coaching is going to spice up your ordinary workout in a jungle type theme with a fully customizable personal trainer experience.

The training allows you to reach your goals within the Fitness Adventure Mode, Circuit Training, and Fitness Training. Integrate your own equipment into the training program or use follow training that allows you to use your own body weight, Jillian Michaels’ Fitness Adventure has a fitness routine for whichever you choose. Another great feature is that best performers will be recognized and posted on Jillian’s Facebook page. Through Social Integration you will also be able to view you own online records as well as your friends. All of your data, including progress, your workout calendar, breakdown of calories burned, etc., will be available 24/7 enabling users to keep track of everything you would normally trying to keep track of in a notebook.

Take your workout to the next level and allow Jillian to train you at home engaging you to be more involved with your health.

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Sophisticated, Exquisite, Luxurious…are just a few words that come to mind as I run my fingertips over the hot Pink handcrafted leather of my new personalized Crocodile Embossed iPad 2 case and matching Smart Phone case designed by Graphic Image, creators of unique and beautiful leather-crafted expressions of practical and necessary accessories. Oh, these are so much more than tech accessories though… through color, texture, design..these cases make a statement about me…intelligent, beautiful, feminine and assertive.

My new handcrafted Crocodile Embossed iPad 2 case  has four leather wrapped corner straps to secure my iPad 2 in place and is designed to fold horizontally or vertically, positioning my tablet at a comfortable angle for typing or watching videos. The Crocodile embossed leather looks luxurious and feels so elegant in my hands. It is available in lime, pink and brown and can be personalized, as mine is… and is available to you with a 20% discount just for being a CuteGeek yourself! Read on to find out how…

Graphic Image personalized leather iPad2 Case and matching iPhone 3G/3GS Case, a 2012 Leather Agenda Book and a leather envelope style business card case personalized with Maya's name

Graphic Image is a family owned company with stylish and elegant personal and professional accessories, crafted with quality and care. They offer styles and textures ranging from stoic traditional (think university professor!) to young, hip and edgy (ummm…bright pink crocodile skin!). Receiving one of Graphic Image’s elegantly boxed gifts is an experience in and of itself.  Most Leather crafted accessories come wrapped in a soft protective cloth pouch, and can be personalized with full name or initials, making them very touching and appreciated gifts.

Bookmark their website for year-round gift ideas (for others or for yourself!) and take advantage of CuteGeeks’s special promotion code when purchasing through Graphic Design’s website. Just use the code CUTEGEEK to receive a 20% discount off your purchase.

For future product information and promotions, follow Graphic Image via Facebook or Twitter.

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Maya learns to how to install software from a CD on her Toshiba Satellite L635 Kids Laptop so that she can connect her Leap Frog Leapster II, and with Parental Guidance (and mom’s login and password) learn what ‘rewards’ she has earned through her educational play on the Leapster.

While the software installs, Maya tells us what she loves about the Toshiba Laptop and then regales us with her idea of what a ‘geek’ is!

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The Eton American Red Cross Rover, part of Eton’s TurboDyne Series of products that uses Hand Turbine Technology to power devices is a self powered tool which uses hand turbine technology to produce energy. This model is an AM/FM/NOAA Weather Radio with Flashlight and USB Cell Phone Charger. It is easy to use, durable and utterly necessary for home and car. This little device only needs a few hand cranks to power on the flashlight and radio in an emergency and to charge your cell phone enough that you can call for help. I like the white LED light source and the direct USB power transfer. It has a telescopic antenna to ensure maximum range of radio reception and a headphone jack. At less than 8 inches long and 13 ounces, it easily stores in a kitchen drawer, a utility cabinet, in a vehicle’s glove compartment, the side pocket of a dive bag….you get the idea.Check out my unboxing and demo video to see how the Eton Rover looks and works…

I wish I had one of these when I was in the Peace Corps but I am just as happy to have it now, living in a big city with two small kids. Having lost electric, lived through a fire in our building, and been stuck on the side of the road in a car, I appreciate having the Eton Rover on hand. I would definitely recommend one of these for boaters, driver’s, families and anyone who depends exclusively on cellular phones for home use.

Eton is committed to safety and preparedness at home, on the road and anywhere that life, love and family take you. Check out Etoncorp’s website for additional info and a full line of amazing self-powered products. Download the free Red Cross Preparedness Guide at Etoncorp.com, make a safety plan for you and your family, get prepared and remain informed.

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Maya went off to school today with the usual peck on the check for mommy and ominous but sweetly delivered warning to her younger brother…”Don’t touch my stuff!” As if words are going to make a difference to a 3 year old boy with a goal…which in Elijah’s case is to collect all the wireless mousse in the house (they look just like Zhu-Zhu Pets!) and play on Maya’s new PC!

He slips his little pajama’d butt into the desk chair and clicks all the powered-on mice buttons to see what will happen. The HP TouchSmart 310 PC doesn’t mind. Then he ever so sweet calls over his shoulder, “Mommy, I wanna pop the bubbles…” How can I say ‘no’? He wants to play Bubble Wrap, a simple but genius and highly addictive touch app on the HP in which you see how many bubbles on the wrap sheet you can pop in a given time. Who doesn’t love to pop bubble wrap?

After a few rounds he switches over to another favorite, touch app, Tap Tap Bear  where you have to tap the head of bears that pop up but avoid accidentally hitting the little girl.  Elijah has ideas of his own and tries to convince the HP that the game should be “Hit the Girl” without much success…

http://youtu.be/81uDMgsavm4

So he decides to draw instead, using the Paint It! Touch app which has a number of great brushes, colors and affects to keep kids and adults creatively entertained for hours. You can even edit and adorn photos that you import but Elijah is more interesting in creating a fireworks display of colors and then spinning the paper on the screen….

http://youtu.be/0chiyG_mYNQ

Where computers, smart phones and tablets are concerned, it is very tempting to take the standard parental stance…the one we use for the coffee pot and the Blu-ray player….”Careful, Don’t Touch, That’s a grown up toy…not for kids…it’s expensive, it’s delicate, it can break….” but there is a world of experience that is shut-down for our children when we say ‘don’t’…

Getting small kids on computers and other multi-media devices, in conjunction with (not instead of) traditional teaching, sharing and knowledge transfer techniques helps open their world of reference and prepare them for a life and a lifestyle where technology is integrated into their daily experience… to be used and appreciated so go ahead and touch! The HP TouchSmart begs to be used, to be explored, to teach through hands-on experience and wrong turns (launching Turbotax instead of turbo race cars…) that can be easily backed out of. The TouchSmart is an affordable durable and highly flexible computing experience, appropriate for any age.

I even like it for members of the older generations who are less familiar with computers and typing because it is intuitive, encourages a fuller range of motion through the use of the mouse, the keyboard and the touchscreen, and 3 year old Elijah can easily show his grandmother how to open an app and 7 year old Maya can show her how to find a find a website, google something like a chocolate chip cookie recipe or the show times for Harry Potter 5, or send an e-mail to an auntie’s smartphone to invite the cousins along.

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The HP TouchSmart 310 PC with HP TouchSmart 4.0 software gets today’s kids who are growing up with smart phones and tablets at home and Prometheus boards in the classroom. They get touch navigation and multimedia, mult-tasking, multi-everything with ease. Young kids drink in the universe through their senses and HP Touchsmart is an ideal feeding ground for them at home and in school. I knew I was going to love this computer for my children who are ‘different’ learners and I was fairly certain that they were going to master it with ease, but I did not expect to get sucked into TouchSmart 4.0 myself. I honestly can not get over how much I enjoy using this computer! This from a PC-for-work, Mac-for-pleasure girl…

The HP TouchSmart gets right-brained people like me. Its desktop actually resembles the way I use my own desktop (the wooden one with four legs!) I have sticky notes and post-its around, To-Do lists and a calendar, some photos…I have a thousand apps open (or maybe closer to 9) and then my Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, personal e-mail accounts and calendar…and I move and shuffle them depending on what visual cues I want for the next morning…When I have to run out to a meeting, I gather all my post-its and stick them on my keyboard before closing my laptop so I will see them as soon as I open it back up…imagine a computer that could make my sticky-notes superfluous and still keep me organized…

The HP TouchSmart can do just that! It has these cute magnets allow you to pin up lists (oh, how I love my lists!) and favorite photos and videos on your free-form desktop/refrigerator door/message board…it really is all of those things in one…with scrolling panoramic wall-paper and all sorts of eye-candy that just make the use experience optical ecstasy for the visually dominant and kinesthetics among us.

The easy touch and drag navigation allows me to move applications and content around freely so I can decide what needs to be at my fingertips. The app carousel task bar resembles those that you now see on the latest Smart Phones. It provides easy access to scroll through applications for quick launch and play. So, to be clear, you can install full application software and quick ‘apps’…tell me that is not the best of both worlds!

The HP TouchSmart is a natural family media hub for storing, managing and actively enjoying your family media. The clarity of the 20” diagonal widescreen display is nothing short of stunning so photos, videos, movies, Netflix and Hulu are all as enjoyable as on your TV. Web-browsing with a mixed mouse-click/touch interaction is a far more enjoyable experience and my kids ‘get it’ better since they are used to the tablets.

The HP TouchSmart gives me access to everything I get in a normal PC (as in non-touchscreen) but with a computing experience that is so much more…more intuitive, more reflective of my personal style, more fun for learning, gaming, working and with no trade-offs, no-kidding. The HP TouchSmart is fast with its AMD Athlon processor, the all-in-one design along with the wireless bluetooth keyboard and mouse makes for a clutter-free computing experience. The integrated webcam and 6-in-1 Digital Media Reader mean easier skyping, sharing and managing media with less gadgets. Did I mention the great sound quality? Did I mention how affordable the HP TouchSmart is?

It is really an ideal family computer, the only problem I can see are the arguments over which room to put it in for maximum benefit. The kids will want in their room for homework (yeah right!), watching videos, games and apps. I want it in the family room where I can use it for all that organizing, scheduling and list-making that I do…and umm…of course, for some light blogging in the late evening and maybe a little social networking! My husband is going to fight to get it in the kitchen where he can use it to watch cooking videos, using the recipe apps to store his favorites while streaming some horrible music he knows we keep me out of his way!

Honestly, The HP TouchSmart is the Oreo’s you swear you buy for the kids but always end up eating yourself! If you love the touch paradigm of a tablet or smart phone but are looking for a powerful and versatile computing experience or need an intuitive media-hub for the home, I would check out the HP TouchSmart. It really goes without saying that if you have pre-teens, this machine is THE best first full computing experience a child can have. Don’t take my word for it…ask Maya…

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Logitech’s Creative Spark computer accessories are artistically designed to personalize your computing experience with comfort and color. The wireless mouse, wireless keyboard, portable lapdesk and HD Webcam come in matching patterns. The elegant design, ergonomics and affordability make these accessories are excellent anyone that uses a laptop frequently. Logitech’s accessories are become even more affordable thanks to Logitech’s Upgrade and Save Trade-In Program (read on for more details….)
Personally, I love the Wireless Mouse M305 with the virtually unnoticeable USB nano-receiver. I just plug it in and forget about it is even there. I have had a Logitech mouse (candy apple metallic red) since 2005 which still works just fine despite 5 years of road-warrior wear-and-tear in the bottom of my computer bag. It is a great mouse but has a much larger dongle. Now that I am working from home, I have noticed that I tend to remove the dongle and work without the mouse when I move from my desk to my beanbags or the sofa, which is really bad for my wrists. With the new wireless mouse, the dongle is so small that I am no longer concerned (or even cognizant) that it is plugged in, and combined with the matching Logitech lapdesk, which has a mouse pad pullout, I can work anywhere at home or out and about and still enjoy my wireless mouse, good posture and ergonomics and a sweat-free lap.

The Portable Lapdesk has an anti-slip surface so the laptop sits comfortably on the lapdesk, on my lap without sliding around even as my keyboard-bashing typing bounces the laptop. I can even lean back and tilt the laptop desk on bent knees, opening up the viewing angle of my laptop screen and work slightly reclined because the pull-out mouse pad has a subtle lip which catches the mouse if you tilt but does not disturb your hand when you are using the mouse.

The laptop desk is small, lightweight and thin, so it can fit in many computer bags and sleeves if you want to take it with you for travel. As a temporarily pardoned frequent flyer, I can tell you that this lapdesk would be far more comfortable to use in an airplane than the pull-down, pull-out tables provided and it gives you the advantage of providing a mouse pad to use your wireless mouse. The lapdesk is also good for hotel room, hotel lobby and even working in the back seat of a car…yes, any of us have been there!

The Wireless Keyborard K360 is a sweet laptop or desktop accessory when you want to sit back and relax while typing or use your computer to access media. It has six hot keys and twelve programmable F-keys for instant access to music, e-mail, etc.

For older model laptops and desktop computers which don’t include webcams, you can purchase the matching HD Webcam C270 and encourage skyping for study and family contact when students are away at school or parents are on-the-road. Logitech HD Webcam’s have Fluid Crystal Technology which provides a smoother video experience with sharper pictures, richer colors and clearer sound in real-world conditions. There is even abuilt-in microphone that reduces background noise so you will be heard clearly.

Logitech even has an Upgrade and Save Tech Trade-in program. So if you already own Logitech accessories but want to get the matching bundle and upgrade to the latest tech, you can trade in your old Logitech gear and save on a new mouse, keyboard or any other item from Logitech.com. Just follow the instructions and Logitech will send you a coupon code that will save you 20% off most items at Logitech.com and 25% off most gaming keyboards, gaming mice and gaming headsets.

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Ken Murphy from Motorola talks us through the tech and features of the Motorola Droid X2 with Verizon Wireless. Watch what you can do with an HDMI cable and the Droid X2! You can connect the Droid to your TV and it becomes your mobile and agile multi-media host as well as your personal information device. Look at maps, play games, update a document with Quick Office, or watch a video on the TV with no resolution loss.

I like the look and feel of this phone in my hand. I can’t say it plainer than that. The weight is comfortable the size is not too big to grip and the screen is just right for what I want to do with my phone. Droid is fast to respond to my multimedia demands with his dual core processor and has the battery stamina to keep up with my constant use without forcing me to Starbucks for a Plug-in-and-charge. His robotic/androidesque voice when I power him is charming to me and I like his unique features the living wall-paper and the social media carousel. I can access just about anything with a thumb-swipe and a tap so I can intuitively reach for what I am looking for as I walk, talk and multi-task without having to stop, stand-still and grip the phone with one hand and finger-peck with the other to find what I need.  The Droid X2 and I get along just fine and I am not sneak-finger-swiping on other smart devices to compensate for anything. He meets my personal device needs.

Back to that multi-media host concept….I am big on sharing videos and photos with family and friends and I love to share a quick powerpoint with colleagues being able to shimmy up to any flatscreen, or anything that takes a mini HDMI connection really, is a big bonus for me. If you want to look under the hood, watch Ken’s video blurb or check out the specs at motorola.com.

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And how does a CuteGeek get into shape? With the help of her phone, of course! No matter if you are looking to download these from Apple’s App Store or Android’s Market, even Windows Marketplace, there is something for you.

SoftwareX Ltd. has five apps that will have you strutting your stuff poolside: Two Hundred Sit-Ups, Two Hundred Squats, One Fifty Dips, Hundred Push-Ups, and Fifty Pull-Ups. Even though they specialize in Apple development, their sit-up app also is available on the Android Market and their push up-app is available for the Android Market as well as the Windows Marketplace.

Rittr Labs has created three apps for the Android Market that will help you tone up for summer: Push Ups, Sit Ups, and Squats. The concept is the same as the apps from SoftwareX Ltd. but these are free, where SoftwareX Ltd. sells their for $0.99-$2.99, and Ritter Labs design their apps with more visual appeal the number of reps completed are “written” on notebook paper that is attached to a clip board, a very cute way to log your info. Another positive thing about Rittr Lab’s is that their apps are not set with a specific amount; you are able to choose from four different goals.

All of these apps follow the same theme. They start by giving you a number of reps you need to perform, once you have completed them you click the “Done” tab, and then you are given a certain amount of time to rest before the clock reaches zero and you do another set of reps. The idea is that you gradually work your way to your goal by shortening the amount of time between reps as you progress.

Download them today and tone-up this summer!

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Maya, with her little brother Elijah at her side, powers on her new laptop…

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Tablets, unlike smart phones, tend to be heavily shared devices and they need a ‘wardrobe’ to meet the habits and hazards of their users. I purchased an iPad2 in March of this year and was shocked to find that the only cover I could purchase at the Apple Store was the Smart Cover which only protected the screen. I left the store thrilled with my new tablet but weary of carrying it outside the home because it was under-dressed and vulnerable. At home, I only allowed the children to use it while sitting on my bed or on bean bags in an attempt to keep it safe until I could find the right case. I wasn’t the only iConsumer in this bind.

Incipio designed its ultra thin Smart Feather iPad2 case ($35) to fit with the Smart Cover and even created it in the same colors, so my tablet is lime green all around. It is thin, lightweight, durable, scratch resistant and I don’t have to forego the benefits and investment in the Smart Cover to get the ‘back end’ well dressed. Cudos Incipio!

If you already have a Smart Cover then the Smart Feather is an ideal mate for function and design. The shell clips on to the back of the iPad 2, wrapping around the aluminum rim but without covering the front bezel. Cutouts along the shell’s rim provide access to the headphone port, microphone, the sleep/wake button, side switch, volume control, speaker, 30 pin connector port and the rear camera. The case is designed to accommodate the magnetic spine on the Smart Cover. If you haven’t yet purchased the Smart Cover then consider some of Incipio’s full-bodies iPad2 cases.

Incipio also offers a full array of wardrobe options for all of your Apple gear, smart phones and tablets.

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Just days after a chic evening at gdgt in NYC, there is a Boxee at my door and I am all too thrilled to invite him in. He is small, sleek and edgy with his square lime-green monkey-face and he is a media magician, bringing all that I love about my smart devices and social-networking onto my TV. With the wave of my wand; the boxee remote or my iPhone with a free Boxee Remote App from iTunes, I am off to ride a media wave of my own design.

So, what’s a Boxee? It’s a device made by D-Link that gives you access to all of your favorite internet television and  movies, subscription services, RSS feeds and social media through your TV. Boxee allows you to set up multiple users and parental controls so each family member has a profile unique to their age and likes. Boxee can store or stream your music and media library to your TV. There is no monthly fee. None.

I usually dread anything that requires me to touch the intricate wiring of my TV, Wii, Router, Modem mesh but the Boxee’s promises of content on demand brought out the daring darling in me. And it was too easy to be true. I just unboxed the Boxee and connected it to the TV with an HDMI cable and to the wall with the power cord. Voila! With a push of a button on the Boxee and on the TV, Boxee was guiding me through a painless setup to calibrate the screen, find my Wi-Fi network and set up my Boxee account. With my PC on hand, I had my Facebook, Netflix, Twitter, YouTube, Mube and Play.me accounts linked in minutes and then I turned my attention to downloading the Boxee App onto my phone.

Within 15 minutes of breaking the seal, Boxee was at home in my entertainment center and streaming my favorite youtube video, My Little Dyslexic World, Isabella Ramos, a student of The Child School whom I have never met but who is one of my heros. This video always makes me teary-eyed and inspired on my phone, on my computer but wow was it impressive to see it consume my living room with her message of hope and tolerance. Then I was off to home videos, Pandora and other content I didn’t even know was available…I will be exploring for weeks.

New apps are constantly becoming available as Internet TV explodes through connected devices. Slingbox will be offering the SlingPlayer for connected devices including the Boxee, through public beta next month. The player launches and feels similar to the SlingPlayer mobile apps, as demonstrated at the gdgt event. If you are interested, then sign up at Slingbox

If you don’t want to buy a Boxee, you can make one and Boxee tells you how. Download Boxee’s free software and install it on any computer capable of being connected to a TV. Add a cable (which one depends on your TV and computer) and use an iPhone or Android to control your Boxee (or buy a PC remote).

Boxee brings a family together to share media experiences usually relegated to personal devices like computers or smart phones. With Boxee, I am able to share video clips from family and friends, from Facebook and Youtube with my children in our living room. We can enjoy our music collection as a family and access the internet together. Profiles allow us to have individual and shared experiences and regulate content for each family member. Boxee belongs in my home.

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Have you ever had one of those moments in life where you felt like you were the star of your own movie, or in the mist of something so spectacular that you didn’t even bother to pull out your video camera because you knew what it captured would not do justice to the moment? I think we have all been there, and in the retelling, used phrases like ‘oh, if you could have seen what I saw’ or ‘if you were in my shoes…’ With the Kogeto Dot your iPhone 4 becomes a 360 degree panoramic video camera, allowing your friends and family to ‘see the world through your eyes’ and even see some of what you missed in the moment. The Dot snaps onto your iPhone 4, and looks like a retro-siren in a holster. To use, you just place it on a flat surface or carry it horizontal at torso-height as you walk. Dot can live-stream  your whereabouts and doings in real-time or archive the video on the iPhone for later upload and editing. Using  Kogeto’s free Looker software app, you can share  your videos via  facebook or twitter.

Dot’s technology is based on that of her big sister, Lucy, a professional-grade panoramic camera for video professionals, educators, and security. Lucy was originally developed by Kogeto Founder and CEO, Jeff Glasse, to capture and assess teaching effectiveness in the classroom.

Check out what Dot and Lucy can do by viewing sample videos. Dot is currently available for pre-order through Kogeto’s website or directly on Kickstarter.com for iPhone 4 and will eventually be available for Android. So,  as Kogeto, likes to say, “Put down the camera. Enjoy the party!”

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In my never-ending quest for tech that simplifies my life, I was googling on key themes that cause me strife. Spelling, believe it or not, is one of them…. “i” before “e” except after “c” is a mantra for me and yet I still can’t spell ‘their’ right the first time I type it each of the 20 or so times in a day…but I found a great piece of software to set my spelling straight…Ginger!

Ginger software products are designed to enable people with Dyslexia to effectively communicate but they are great for anyone who needs a smarter spell-checker. Ginger has spelling and grammar check with contextual spelling correction and misused words correction. Once you download the software, a little green button hovers at the top of your screen. If you want to invoke Ginger (sweet pet name!), you just select the text and click on the button. If fact, Ginger can correct in most common applications (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Internet Explorer and Firefox) you are using and alert you to the fact that you have made errors even before you ask.

If Ginger detects a potential error, the button will turn red and read “Mistake Detected.” If you choose to “Ginger It” then double-lined window opens that shows you the sentence you wrote and the how Ginger would like to correct it. You click to either accept or ignore. If you aren’t sure, Ginger has voice ability to read it out loud to you! This is great software for business professionals typing on-the-go e-mails and official documents (Ginger is watching out for me even now…) or kids learning to read and write. It is also an invaluable tool for anyone learning English as a second language. You can get a free trial download at Ginger’s Website.

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I spoke too soon last week. I have to take everything I said about not being sore back…approximately 24 hours after my run, I took a 3 hour nap after work. When I woke up from the nap, I realized I had worked out a lot of muscles the night before on my 7 minute (if that) run. The muscle, which I associate with sexy baseball players, above my knee, going towards the inside of my leg was extremely sore.

My inner thigh (front & back – just in case they are different ones) – both extremely sore.

My shin – extremely sore.

I would point to all of them and take pictures, but I can just take a picture when I get home, of the shoebox, which highlights all of the key muscles that it aims to work out.

I love these sneakers, have raved about them to those around me, and I just ordered my mom a pair! Go Reebook RunTone Action – while I still don’t enjoy running, I definitely enjoy being sore and feeling like I’m a lil’ closer to being tighter and toner!

(This is the cheapest place that I could find them online – Amazon.com is the best!!!! Look at the different color options to make sure you get the cheapest price, if that is all you’re interested in…also, don’t forget to sign up for Amazon.com’s Mom Club, to get Free Amazon Prime for a year, which means Free 2 Day Shipping for a year…$80 value)

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Since getting my Android Infuse last month, I noticed that I tend to use the phone rather than my tablet for quick and dirty web-searching and had to ask myself why. I have gotten addicted to Android’s 4G speedy returns and was frustrated with the 3G on my iPad 2. In the hectic haze of a typical multi-tasking, micro-device-at-my-fingertips day, I need dependable, flexible and fast WiFi at home and on-the-go, and these days I need it to support laptops, tablets and multiple smart phones. I also realized that I dread the looming warning e-mails that I am approaching my cellular data plan limits. Who needs that stress?

I spent some time considering my options and decided to leap into a newer 4G service called Clear.  For $45 per month I can create your my own personal portable 4G hot-spot anywhere and connect up to eight simultaneous wi-fi enabled devices. This is “super fast take-it-with-you internet” for on-the-move professionals with a pocketful of wi-fi enabled gadgets. The way I see it, this service may pay for itself if it lowers my exorbitant monthly Starbucks tab by freeing me from the enticement of free wi-fi.

Clear is offering a web special right now where you get their new Rover Puck for $25 with carrying case, free activation, one month free and free shipping (usually next day) with a two year service agreement. They offer the same low price for month-to-month verses contract but the only the contract comes with the freebies and discounted modem.

It only took me minutes to sign up for the web special over the phone and I am one day away from my own personal hot-spot! It should work right out of the box with registration and it will be password protected so no one can steal my wi-fi but I can offer to share it! I will be the girl at the park getting work done on a breezy day, or the mom at the playground on a video conference or the friend at the waterfront café chatting on FaceTime with family in South America while she waits for you. More to come on where my new hot-spot will take me…

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I have never stayed at work as late as I did yesterday, without doing work that is, but the fact that I ‘wanted’ to test these bad boys out made me find all the things in the world that I had to do…I eventually went ‘home’ – aka my hotel, and I changed into my workout clothes, dreading its tightness, as I reminded myself ‘I need to do this – you are going to Miami and have too many summer trips planned. Only Jell-o should jiggle…’

I put on the sneakers, took a picture…a before…and can say from the moment I put them on, they felt like a world of difference. I have Nike running sneakers but I bought them over 2 years ago, and while running sneakers are supposed to be upgraded every X number of months – I don’t really run, so I still have them. The RunTone’s are extremely light, offer tremendous arch support, even for those with flat feet, it felt nice. They came laced, which I think is common now, but I’m ol’ skool and barely buy sneakers, so I remember having to lace mine up. Whoever laced these knew they were going to be mine because they felt perfect – they were a perfect fit.

I jumped around a bit to feel the ‘balance ball inspired’ tech in action, and because I didn’t have my other sneakers I can’t really explain the difference, but the weight of the sneakers was. I went running outside, in Hopewell, NJ – the center of fun in South Jersey…and I didn’t run more than 1.5 miles because I was running on a road, leading to the i-95 and it just felt weird. I need trees and people, and not military helicopters flying above me.

The run went well, and probably would’ve lasted longer had I not cramped up on my right side of my rib cage/lung/that area of my body. I felt like I had some pep in my step, but many people say running is mental, so maybe the fact that I had these new sneakers made me want to run. It was fun and bouncy though – that wasn’t mental…The lightness of the sneaker and the ‘bounce’, if that makes sense, made it more enjoyable. I was running on cement, not a nice track or anything but I didn’t feel any discomfort what so ever – except when I started running on what I thought was flat grass, and ended up on bumps and random holes in the ground…minus my close call with the ground, I enjoyed myself. I went home and had my tank top wet from the sweat, which is a nice indicator of getting something done, and I was red for about an hour after…woohoo to my heart rate being super high!

As someone who does NOT run, I would like to say that these sneakers are a motivating factor to my future workouts. That decision is solely based on the comfort it provided. After my run I also went bike riding for a while, because it was still light outside and I figured I’d take advantage, so today, while I did not wake up feeling all kinds of soreness on my leg muscles, I did feel some soreness, but it was from biking. Even after my run, my legs and feet felt good and that’s something that I wasn’t used to. Some recommend buying running sneakers half a size bigger, to alleviate some of the pain, or tightness that one feels after running, but my toes felt great before, during and after the run.

The best part of working out is feeling the pain leave the body, as you wake up sore, meeting muscles you never knew existed. Although I am not sore today, I can imagine tomorrow, or the day after I will be, especially if I continue trying to run longer distances. The sneaker has a net-like fabric in the front, allowing your feet to breathe and something else that was interesting is that everything is seamless. I couldn’t find anything in the sneaker to potentially cause some pain…but it was my first run!
I recommend these sneakers that ‘tone and strengthen key leg muscles with every run’. I purchased mine on RueLaLa.com, but you can purchase them close to anywhere – and they have a bunch of nice colors. I stuck with black because the pink ones were sold out.

Strutting my stuff!

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The GoFlex Satellite Mobile Wireless Media Storage Drive is the ideal gift that you will want to borrow back from your man. This Father’s Day wow him with the altruism of a tech toy instead of a tie and simultaneously, get back at him for the kitchen appliance he gave you for Mother’s Day! With 500 gigabyte capacity, this little 5 inch drive:

• stores over 500 of your favorite HD movies
• has it’s own WiFi to stream content to up to three WiFi enabled devices simultaneously
• automatically syncs media and docs from your computer
• fits in your purse!

Imagine all the possible scenarios in which you could put this sweet device to work for you. Long car rides with one kid streaming a movie on the iPad, another is streaming music to their iPod Touch and you on your Smart Phone streaming photos to organize and post to Facebook. It works with other tablets and Androids too. Think long flights, think airport time, think about anywhere you spend a lot of time waiting with others and could leverage that time to simultaneously read, watch, listen and work.

You can even stake your claim on some of those gigs before it gets into his hands by doing the set up and loading it with your media in advance. This way you can demo it as soon as the bow comes off.

Setting up the GoFlex Satellite is as easy as opening the box, connecting the device to your computer with a USB cable and following the instructions on screen. You will be ready to migrate your media in minutes! The drive comes partially charged and WiFi-ready right out of the box. All you have to do is point each of your Smart Devices to the GoFlex in the WiFi Settings. Apple Users can download the free GoFlex Media App from iTunes / App Store and Androids and tablet users (including the iPad) can access the content by going the www.goflexsatellite.com once connected to the devices WiFi. If you are tech-gun-shy, do the setup on a weekday so you can take advantage of Seagates standard business hour tech support and 30-day warranty.

My Seagate GoFlex is the perfect content hub since I work between PC and Mac environments at home (the home-home office and the home-work office), am constantly on the go for work and play, and love to share my photos and videos with family and friends but don’t want to keep it all stored locally on my phone where other family members don’t have access to them. The city girl in me loves that I have finally found a way to watch movies on long subway rides without filling up my phone and using earphone splitters for the kids because they can be on their own devices streaming alongside me.

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Scene It? Movies 2 is an engaging way to test your knowledge of the last 30 years of Hollywood movies alone or with friends via AirPlay. While I consider myself to be pop-culture challenged and current-events-impaired, I fared pretty well against the ‘put your money where your mouth and wager’ option….of course, for me that means I attempted 10 questions before I lost my shirt!

Seriously though, I was surprised at how much I did know and how much fun it was to rack my brains for movie trivia. Playing Scene It? Movies 2 also gave me a few good titles to add to my Netflix Queue and was a more entertaining way to do it then surfing the cover art! The App is available via iTunes for both the iPhone/iPod and iPad.

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On Cinco de Mayo, I attended a Samsung/AT&T Event to launch the new Samsung Infuse with my colleague Mike Reyes of HardwareGeeks.com. It was all about fajita’s as-you-like-them, best Guacamole on the upper west side,  soft-pink margaritas with a kick AND the chance to touch and play with the new Samsung Infuse, the latest in Androids running on 4G….and they sent me home with one!

So why did I wait so long to tell you all about it? Well, I wasn’t sure how I felt about my new Android. I felt like I was cheating…on my iPhone 3GS. I needed time to get over the awe of the wow-me-better-than-my-tablet video graphics, the subtle thrill of the keyboard touchsense and convince myself that it was truly love; that Andy and I (Yes, it is nickname worthy!) could have a productive, fulfilling and fun relationship and that I, a committed iPhone user, could get with an Android and be as content with my ‘smart’ experience.

I gave it a chance, carried it around this month, setting up a Google Voice phone number so I could 50/50 respond to calls and text on my two phones. Both are on AT&T wireless service and it seems unfair to pit my 3G-powered-second-husband against a 4G-bad-boy that I just met over Margarita’s …but that is life, right? That is how we upgrade and change phones. No guilt, no qualms…it is all about me! What is that phone going to do for me and how much am I going to love doing it and being seen doing it…and talking about how and what I did and do with it… It is a relationship. My phone spends more time on my person than well…anything and/or anyone that demands my attention so I demand fuller sensory engagement and the Android Infuse delivers.

I made those boys fight for my multi-tasking attention and vie to serve my entertainment, distraction and multi-media needs. I took them both abroad on an impromptu-central American get away weekend to see how much of a companion they were without voices (I had on airplane mode to avoid hefty AT&T roaming charges).

So where do Andy and I stand?  I am mildly awestruck with vibrant colors and almost-3D video quality and am thrilled to have Quick Office (think MS Office) in my pocket on a display large enough to actually use it. Truthfully, the look is sleek, thin and sexy BUT (there it is..there is always a ‘but’) the Android Marketplace experience, which is a crux of being ‘SMART’ is not as easy, enticing and informative as the Apple App Store and I can’t get my Netflix on it yet (just edit my Queue…what a tease!). Part of being ‘all about me’ is being all about my Apps, so I think I will remain married to Apple for now because I know and trust the in-laws…and I feel safe in the Apple community in terms of add-ons, accessories and security… but I am going to keep my eye on what the Android gets up to in the next few years because it may well entice me away once the Android eco-system is as provocative as the Android Infuse itself.

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My new HP Officejet 6500A Plus all-in-one color printer/scanner/copier/fax is my new best friend, assistant and nanny all-in-one. Within ten minutes of completing the setup, I was able to print from my Macbook Pro, My Lenovo X200, and scan from the printer to both computers and to my iPad. I can also print from my iPhone using HP iPrint Photo and HP ePrint Service apps. The HP ePrint center provides a document dashboard where I can determine who can ePrint and I can download free apps that provide legal and business templates, games for the kids, coupons and goodies I have not even begun to explore. No kidding! I can color print from anywhere in the world just by e-mailing my printer. I feel like I am living with the Jetson’s because all my gadgets talk to my printer and it even has it’s own contact entry (complete with photo!) in my iPhone contacts…I think I may need to give it a pet name!

The print quality is smooth, crisp and the ink costs half what I pay for my current printer. I am really excited about the sheet-feeder for scanning documents which will save me a lot of time given the amount of document scanning I do. Oh and the scanner is so ridiculously easy that my 7 year old daughter mastered it within minutes of me getting the HP on-line. She scanned some of her own artwork from the printer to the iPad with the touch of a button and the mischievous glint in her eye that I glimpsed as she started to realize the endless possibilities …rang true for me too.  Check out my daughter, Maya Wirelessly Scanning Artwork using the HP Officejet Wireless Printer. I can not wait to return the favor to all those facebook junkie friends of mine who posted prom or 1980’s Halloween costume photos. My archives are going digital!

Faxing…something I need to do but not all that often and certainly not often enough to warrant the investment in a telephone line. I am going to research eFax options for sending faxes using http://www.faxcompare.com/ and will forward received faxes to my printer using the printer’s e-mail address.

Now to give some context to my gushing, I am only 10 minutes removed from my third 2 hour HP customer support call in the last 20 hours to get the printer set up and connect to my home WiFi [exhale…..ahhh]. To be fair to HP, apparently only 5000 of every million printers sold actually have the new owner call in, and no one needs six hours of support to get it up beside me. Could happen to anyone…but let me share a few pointers so it doesn’t happen to you! Your wireless router can not have WPA-2 Security and the router name can’t have non-alphanumeric characters nor spaces. I was hosed by the creative Spanish phrase I had assigned to my Netgear Router. The general advice that I got was to download the printer drivers from the internet regardless of the operating system and to update the firmware on the printer from the outset. Doing that would have saved me 6 hours of tech support! If you have a Mac, you will have an amazing customer service experience…if you don’t…lie.

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The SRS iWOW 3D seriously enhances the listening experience on the iPhone, iPad and iPod. I put this four-inch audio attachment to the test by launching Netflix on my iPad 2 and loading the most recently played item in my queue, The Pink Panther. I could feel little Inspector Jacques Clouseau rolling his smooth nasal french R’s! I was surprised at the difference in the sound clarity with and without the iWOW. It was easy to experiment with since the gadget has a handy little “wow me!” on/off button. Off to a bigger sound experience…I plug my Skull Candy Smokin’ ear buds into the iWoW on iPhone, launch episode 12 of Heroes and absorb the theme song resonating through my body. I am so immersed that I don’t hear my doorbell ringing and my girlfriend has to text me to get my attention…Oops.

The setup took me less than 5 minutes and was as simple as downloading a free app, powering down and then back on, plugging the slinky little iWOW gadget into the 30 pin connector at the base of my iPad and connecting the head phones to the iWOW. I hooked it up to my iPod and iPhone 3GS with the same ease and was equally thrilled with the sound. The free SRS iWOW App offers advanced settings to control audio preferences like Wide Surround (wallowing in it!), Deep Bass or High Treble and you can enable all or just one to create your own audio pleasure. Lilly Allen droned with fuller apathy and Massive Attach was a beyond trippy! The iWOW gives a nice boost to on-the-go listening experiences and has a permanent place in my purse alongside my earbud pouch. Better yet, it works great with my Gigaware headphone splitter so I can share the experience whether it be a movie, some music or a great audiobook.

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You know I love my gadgets and the time they save me but I also love the do-dad’s that bring pleasure and joy into my free-time and that remind me to just simply stop…breathe…smile and to appreciate the magnificence of being me, being mom, and BEING in the moment!

The Kikkerland Solar-Powered Double Rainbow Maker is a great-for-the-whole-family gadget that makes any on-the-go multi-tasker stand still and gape in wonder…BE in the moment…and challenges even the most inattentive grump to not exhale in wonder. It is a window hanging with two Swarovski crystals and a small solar panel that, when hit directly with sunlight, will rotates the crystals to create a world of rainbows gliding along the walls of your room…like magic. Mine has been hanging in my living room for over 18-months and it never fails to amaze me, my kids and guests when it is suddenly triggered by a ray of sunlight at an unexpected moment.


Imagine the magic a rainbow maker brings to a nursery, a children’s room or a hospital room..It is my absolute favorite baby shower or get-well-soon gift. We purchased ours at The MoMA store but you can get them on-line at Amazon. The unboxing is almost as much fun as seeing the rainbows for the first time! People open it, scratch their heads and smile awkwardly muttering ‘um..thanks’… not-quite-getting-what-it-is-but-grateful-you-thought-of-them-nonetheless. I have given them in person, sent them in care packages and even secretly hung one in a depressed friend’s home unbeknownst to them and the reaction was always the same…wide-eyed wonder and amazement…a moment in the NOW. How many gadgets can do that?

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While in Vegas for the CES conference this past Janurary, I was introduced to Yurbuds. I’m not a tri-athlete…yet, but I do try to exercise on a regular basis so naturally, I was very excited to test these out. Plus I’m always looking for the best and newest headphones.

What do you get when you buy Yurbuds?
·   Yurbuds Ironman Series Earphones – Fitted with red yurbuds – Light style
·   Extra red yurbuds – Intense style
·   Red Ironman nylon carrying case – Zippered pouch
·   Ironman trading cards – Inspirational stories of personal triumph
·   Quick-Start guide – Installation and care instructions

When I first opened them up, I immediately noticed the soft plastic that they’re made of. It’s for extra soft comfort! I used the Quick-Start guide to see how to use them, its a small card that shows a pictorial view of how to angel the headphones into your ears. At first I thought, “man these are too big for me, I’ll never like them.” Half a song into my jog, I forgot they were there. I’m not even exaggerating! It was like I was in my own little music room! They didn’t move, I could hardly feel them, they were plain amazing.

Since I tend to be a skeptic, I had to keep using them to see if my satisfaction wasn’t a fluke. I am happy to report that as of today, I have used the Yurbuds  over 20 times while running, resistance training, elliptical-ing, and for general activities (work). Only during one of my workouts did one of the ear-buds shift and I had to adjust it.

Now I can’t imagine working out without these. I have always been an ear-bud  kind of girl because they’re the most comfortable while exercising but sometimes they tend to fall out and Yurbuds don’t and that makes me very happy. (oh! and they don’t hurt)

The acoustics are really good as well. They help me focus on my workout and not the person on the machine beside me. They make your music sound great and help to tune out the outside world by just the perfect amount.

Another thing to mention, I truly love the cord material. Its soft, pliable and doesn’t get kinky no matter which way you roll, wrap, or tangle it. Which is more than I can say about all of my previous headphones. The little zippered pouch is convenient to throw into a bag too.

Yurbuds – Ergonomically Brilliant
Ultra-Soft Comfort and Extreme Fit Guarantee
Richer Acoustics
Bluetooth® Devices (Enhancers are  compatible with Jawbone® ICON & Jawbone® Prime headsets)
Universal Compatibility
Designed by a Triathlete
Sweat Proof

You can get a pair of the Ironman Performance Raising Yurbuds for $49.99.

Check out Yurbuds and their other products on their website. Free shipping when you purchase from www.yurbuds.com and use the code CUTEGEEK at checkout!

Forewarning, you’ll never go back to your other earphones/earbuds/headphones!!

YurBuds are available for purchase for $49.99 at Amazon.com and BestBuy.com

One last thing: Our own Cutegeek Radiris wore her Yurbuds during a 10k race in Puerto Rico just this past weekend! Congrats to her!

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Earlier today I accidentally opened my Mozilla Firefox browser. I say accidentally because ever since I downloaded Google Chrome, I have primarily used that and ONLY that. The only exception would be when a website looks all funky in Chrome I will open Explorer (because it’s the default and I’ve learned from experience that it will look best in those situations).

Chrome is soooooooo fast, and if you need a reminder of how fast it really is, click on your Mozilla or IE shortcut. Test it out!

I use the Proxy Switchy plug-in to manage and switch from personal, work and client proxies, and…SURPRISE it works! I also have the Foxy Proxy plug-in on Mozilla which is designed to automatically detect which connection you are using and then it changes the proxy accordingly…or at least that is the theory. It works, but not all the time and I have gotten so frustrated with fixing the settings that I have moved away from using Firefox.

I like the “New Tab” page and how it displays the website you frequent most, and the most recent closed tabs (this way if you restart you don’t have to worry about where you found those amazing shoes after web browsing 2 hours, I kid I kid).

Google Chrome has changed my web influenced life.

Since the browser has been out for quite some time, do you use it? What’s your favorite feature?

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It have spent approximately two months with this beauty and I love love love it. I wanted to review the things that make this laptop special and different from all the rest out on the market.

The notebook itself is small but it has one powerful set of speakers! Thank you Harman/kardon and dobly advanced audio. I like to stay entertained and when you live by yourself it’s nice to have some background noise.  With this laptop it’s less noise and more sound (yes corny but true). I like to listen to music while I am cooking but lack the counter space to have it in the kitchen. With this laptop it doesn’t matter because I can hear it from the other room and the sound is not distorted!

Next, let’s talk about the HDMI port. I had a small problem playing my yoga DVD at first, but after a little fidgeting I had no problems at all! The laptop is very user friendly and by pressing the function button down along with F5 you get numerous options for displaying your screen on your TV. Let me tell you, it is MUCH easier to follow a yoga DVD when you can actually see what the person is doing. I was slacking on my yoga until I plugged the HDMI into this laptop.  (You’d think I had a working DVD player like a normal person but alas, I do not)  Also, this is great for playing shows off of websites or displaying pictures for the family to see. Did I mention this comes with a built in Blu-ray player?

I also used skype for a few work meetings, the sound, again, was perfect.  I even managed to use the built in camera to catch a scrub-muffin picture of myself hard at work!

The sleep and charge function on the laptop is yet another great feature. I can charge my phone without having to hunt down the wall plug for my phone!

The SD port in the front is very fast and convenient considering it is a standard used by most cameras and we live in the age where we all tend to be obsessed with photos and capturing those memorable moments.

Overall, the notebook is fast, portable and the brightness of the screen is nowhere short of amazing. The only thing I missed about my personal laptop where my saved bookmarks.

I call the Toshiba Satellite M645 Cutegeek approved.

The M645 starts at $729.99, check out the available models here.

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Ford Motor Company loaned Michael Reyes of HardwareGeeks.com the 2011 Lincoln MKX for a week, fully loaded I might add. While he wouldn’t remove himself from the drivers seat so I could drive, he did show me all the features the car had to offer.

Check out the video we made below.

I really enjoyed the car even though I wasn’t allowed to drive it. Michael did tell me it handled well. I may just head to the Ford dealership and get a test drive of my own.

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You don’t have to be a mom – read it before scrolling down…

I do a lot of shopping on Amazon.com – simply because the shipping is usually free on so many of the items that I buy (books, kid stuff, etc). Well, this week, as I did some last minute shopping I came across Amazon.com/mom. Despite not being a mom, I have many children in my life and having ‘someone’ offer gift ideas, or give me special ‘sales’ tailored for children or parents seemed really cool.

You can sign up to join this ‘club‘ for free and the best part is…YOU GET ONE FREE YEAR OF AMAZON PRIME…You don’t have to be a mom or dad – you just need to have some children in your life.

It means you no longer have to buy $25 bucks worth of stuff to get (slow) free shipping, you’ll get free 2 day shipping all the time…for free.

Even if you don’t shop on Amazon.com a lot – it’s a great deal. You have nothing to lose, and a whole lot of nothing to spend.

One last thing – if you buy certain items on a frequent basis, you can ‘subscribe & save‘. This special (beta) service gives you an extra 15% off your items when you sign up…if you’re a parent you know diapers will be on your list, for all others – toilet paper is something you shouldn’t live with…what are you waiting for!? Set up the frequency & enjoy the savings/free shipping

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I don’t typical post these on a Sunday but I absolutely had to because the best sales of the year (besides Black Friday) come right after Christmas and today & tomorrow are the last days to take advantage of most of them.

AFrugalChick.com is a good site to bookmark, and check on a frequent basis because of the plethora of deals that they post.

I don’t know anyone who loves to throw away money, but I do love to get a bang for my buck so I had to share this e-wealth.

Enjoy

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3. Favorite Website of the Week: CyberMonday.com

Technology not only changes how we work but how we live, how we shop, and don’t forget…how we exercise!  Ever evolving technology has provided us with many tools to help us get in to shape. There is a plethora of gizmos with variating methods to help reach personal fitness goals.

Here is a list of 10 gadgets for the fitness addict on your Holiday shopping list:

1.  Apple Nike + iPod nano ($99): I know I know, many of you have heard of this or perhaps even own it. When Nike first put this on the market, I actually bought a iPod Nano so that I could use this. Back then I had just started running, I traveled a lot to various work locations and Nike+ was really useful. You can calibrate it to your running style (go to a local high school track to set it up!). It allows you to set power songs for the extra motivational push you might need and after your run you can upload your stats to the Nike website so try and beat your time or distance. I’ll let you in on a little secret…you really don’t require the specific Nike shoes.  SHHhh!! I won’t tell if you don’t! What I did was put the sensor as horizontally as possible under the tongue of my sneaker, you can hardly feel it and still works great!  The iPhone 4 has apps that track your exercise as well, but if you already have a nano and an extra 30$ you’ll save some cash instead of getting a new phone for much much more.

Fun Exercise Tip: If you want to challenge your friends and their gadgets you can set it up on Nike.com. Check this one out: “Nike+iPod vs Nike GPS”

2. Garmin Forerunner® 410 ($324.99):  If someone on your list is an avid marathon runner or is currently training, I guarantee that this is the gift they are secretly swooning after!  The Garmin Forerunner watch is GPS-enabled and accurately records your time, pace, distance, heart rate (if you purchase the optional heart rate band), elevation and more!  My best friend is buying this and after reading the description I started drooling over it myself.  The watch has a touch bezel that works in all types of weather, of course you can download the data and view it 30 different ways of your choosing. But HOW do you download it? Wirelessly of course!  It uses Garmin Connect to download data, it works via the ANT+™ wireless technology and the USB stick that comes with your watch.  Pretty impressive!  For many more details on this beauty go to the Garmin website.

3. FitBit ($99): I keep seeing these all over the intrawebs!  The gist: you wear it all day like a pedometer.  It tracks your calories burned, steps taken, distance traveled and sleep quality. It records motion using motion technology similar to the Nintendo Wii.  According to the website, you can wear it pretty much anyway you want, on your wrist (with the wrist band), in your pocket, or on your waist.  It comes with a docking station that downloads your information to a website whenever you walk by the sensor.  This little machine has sparked my interest greatly!!  I would love to get my hands on one of these to review!

4. Nike+ Sportband ($59):  This is a play on the Nike+ iPod, but sans iPod. The sportsband is water resistant for running in the rain, it links to Nike+ to save runs (plug-in the USB), features one touch start/stop, and gives feedback on easy to read screen.  You can also set up training programs online at Nike+ to track and set up progress plans.

5. Phillips DirectLife ($106 for 4 mths/ $12 monthly thereafter):  This is similar to the fitbit, except it is a 12 week program.  Your information is downloaded to a personalized website where it is reviewed by a professional (ie. coach).  The coach communicates with you through email to help you with your plan, answer questions and helps set goals.

Sidenote: Wouldn’t it be cool to set up a challenge against the FitBit and DirectLife?  See how they defer?  Compare websites? OOoo What a marvelous IDEA!

6. Phillips Activa ($130): A music player with a brain!  Activa helps you stay motivated with ‘boost’ songs, but it also analyzes your intensity with each song.  It allows you to creat playlists and TempoMusic to help maintain pace or increase pace/intensity of your workouts.  Displays distance, calories burned on the go and allows you to track progress in their simple to use application.

7. Incase Sports band ($25-40): I have one of these for an older generation nano.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!! It fits, it’s washable, it’s reflective and keeps my nano from getting too beat up.  See Variations here.

8. Sennheiser MX85 Sport Series Headphones ($25-45): These twist in earbuds stay in place during your entire workout, plus they are water-proof and sweat-proof (and provide great sound…they are headphones after all).  A good set of headphones for working out is very important!  You would be surprised as to how many people complain about ill fitting styles (me included).

9. Tweet What You Eat! ($0): If you’re into social networks, facebook, twitter and the like, then you may find success with this program.  This website connects with social networks (twitter and facebook) to broadcast what you’re eating to all your friends and family.  Which, if you follow correctly may guilt you into eating better.

Have you tweeted what you ate? I want to hear if it has worked for you!

10. This last one may not count…mostly because it’s the coolest! (and also because I cannot seem to find out if it is available for purchase..yet)
Dancepants Kinetic Music Player ($ ?):  This is INGENIOUS!  When you move it plays, if you stop so does dancepants.  Talk about motivation!  I’m a person that needs tunes to exercise to, if I don’t have my mp3 player I quit (seriously…game over).  A music player that is powered by kinetic energy?  It’s a geek girl’s DREAM. hehe After searching the interwebs from end-to-end, I still could not seem to find dancepants for sale anywhere.  I’m going to make the assumption that it is still in a preliminary development stage.  Once it is released we will all be thin and eco friendly! You truly can’t beat that!

If there are any fitness gadgets I have missed or ones that you simply can’t live without,  email me!

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I just received the Toshiba Satellite M645 and I’m very excited to see what it has to offer.  This baby has a Blue-ray Disc Player, the premium sound package and something called Toshiba sleep and music.

Toshiba sleep function allows you to charge your USB devices while it is in sleep mode.  Even when it’s not plugged in!

The laptop is geared for music geeks and features harman/kardon® stereo speakers!  Which I must say are quite impressive for a little bitty laptop.  It also has a built in web cam, microphone, wi-fi, ethernet port, HDMI out port, 2 USB ports, memory card reader and RGB Monitor port.

General Product Specs:

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While the AOC e2237Fwh doesn’t have the best name, it’s certainly a pretty alternative to most of the monitors on the market today. The front of the monitor has a clear plastic border and on the whole, the monitor is remarkably thin. It’s held up by a circular foot stand that had me worried about stability at first. It’s a pretty small stand for a 22” monitor, but it held up and never toppled over.

As for the picture, the monitor did have the slight blue-green tint common with many monitors these days, but it wasn’t too noticeable. I used the eco settings so that the brightness of the screen adjusted to my office and home settings in the morning at night. I used the monitor with both DVI and VGA cables and they worked equally well. The monitor has a great resolution at 1920×1080 Full HD, which was the same resolution I had on my current 24” monitor.

The super slim profile with the design twists of the clear plastic border and circular foot stand got a lot of compliments and the price is not too shabby either at $199.99 on Amazon.

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Picnics, small BBQ’s, Beach Outtings…oh my.

Food (check) Drinks (check) Games (check) Music (Memorex Party Cube)

This little box can definitely start a party wherever you take it. It’s an iPod/iPhone (both 3 and 4) Dock that also has digital AM/FM radio (you can preset stations), and an option for a line in (auxiliary cable not included) . After testing it in my apartment and outside stoop and backyard, the sound quality was surprisingly GREAT!! And another great advantage: RECHARGEABLE BATTERY. All you need to do is plug and connect. It can hold enough life for 4 to 6 hours of continuous play. Its small and compact, you won’t have any problems storing it in your apartment, trunk or even beach bag.

Even though you may find variations for a cheaper price (like on Amazon.com), spending the $99 is a great investment to making sure you that you’re getting the best sound quality to EVERYWHERE that you go to.

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I’m not sure who told me about Kayak.com but whoever did has saved me, and I’m sure everyone else they’ve told – lots of money. This site, unlike many others, compiles various airlines, and allows you to customize everything from traveling to different airports, what time you arrive, the number of non-stops you prefer, etc. It uses other websites (the traditional travel ones – Orbitz.com, Travelocity.com and also airline websites) to give you the most competitive prices available.

This is the best website to use for buying flights. Although I’ve never used it to book a hotel, or a car, you can also use this site for those services. Bing.com is Microsoft’s way of telling us-we’re bigger and badder than Kayak because we can predict the future (farecast predicator) – Ooooohhhh! Ahhhh!

Bing has all the features Kayak has + the added benefit of letting you know, visually, the price patterns of a specific search that you’ve just entered. Kayak shows you on their main page, how the prices vary from date to date, so if you’re flexible it helps a lot. Going to Bing.com allows you to choose what you want to do – but if you click here you’ll get to go straight into journey of finding a cheap flight.

(FYI – I like to think I am a travel expert…I do it too often and have a lot of experience so if you EVER have questions – feel free to email me at radirisd@cutegeek.com – I’ll help answer any questions – especially if you don’t want to ask Google)

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So being a cutegeek living on my own,  I try to keep my apartment tech’ed out. Waiting for my own house, I can already envision the kind of REAL media center I would have in my living room that would definitely include a 60″+ TV (or a drop down projection screen) with surround sound in the walls and WD TV Live Hub.

Western Digital created this small box that would make any media center complete. Going to WD TV Live Hub’s Launch event, I was told about the Top 10 Things that makes this small box a must in anyone’s living room (not in any order):

10. Includes 1TB of storage (that’s 120 hours of HD Video)

9. It will become your central media server bring EVERYTHING to your TV including videos, pictures, music from any computer/laptop connected to your network or any other device connected via USB.

8. Number 9 includes IPAD!!

7. Bring your Netflix/Blockbuster to your TV without having to set up your account from your computer, but directly from your TV

6. It is full HD 1080p video compatible

5. Bring up YOUTUBE videos to your tv

4. Listen to your customized Pandora Radio Stations

3. Update your status, post on walls, comment on photos, UPLOAD to your account…. just in case: Facebook

2. Easily customize what you see as a background and how you navigate your screen (you even program your remote)

1. And because of the size, you can bring it anywhere.

After getting a demonstration, I was sold. On top of seeing all of the above in full force, it is being sold exclusively at Best Buy for only  $199 (1tb of memory with perks!!). You are able to “upgrade” by using a wired/wireless keyboard with it. And they definitely got extra stars when they even thought of turning off the WD light in front….

Readers, please stay put… have to do some re-wiring in my apartment (my younger sister moved in so I lost my office) so I can give you a review. But if you can’t wait, I don’t mind if you go to Best Buy TOMORROW (Oct 31) in your halloween gear and pick it up.

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It’s all about speed and oh my do I see the difference. I can never part ways with my Kingston DT Ultimate 32 GB that Kingston announced last month. “That is a monster”, one of my friends shouted out when she saw this hooked up to my laptop. Being a teacher and a tech student and just a tech lover, I go through A LOT of different programs throughout the day and thanks to this “monster”, saving files and transferring files is not slowing me down. And truth be told, I love the fact that it is big and bright because with losing something like this, I would cry (it’s the girl in me).

It comes in 16gb, 32gb and 64gb capacities. It offers data transfer rates for USB 3.0 to 80MB/sec. read and 60MB/sec. write while USB 2.0 offers transfer rates to 30MB/sec. read and 30MB/sec. write. Also comes with a five-year warranty. Opening the actual package was the hardest thing in using it. It is backwards compatible with USB 2.0, so as soon as you get through the battle of opening up the package, just put it in your laptop/desktop and begin to feel the speed.

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The Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 4000 is a new series Microsoft rolled out in time for the holidays. The set has a “bold and sophisticated” selection of designs and colors, which really means 6 different patterns on the same mouse to choose from. The mouse I received to test drive is light pink with flowers, very girly. It’s not something I would have chosen for myself, but it’s not altogether unattractive either. First thing I noticed, before even unpacking, is that I like the click sound— I could feel and hear it through the package. Call me weird for differentiating between click sounds, but its kind of like a keyboard— the click sound could be sharp and loud, or dull and calm. This one has a nice, calm click sound that won’t be too distracting in a quiet place.

Out of the box, the mouse came with a Duracell battery (thanks, Microsoft!) which is supposed to last me 10 months, a couple of instruction manuals (really? For a mouse?), an installation CD, and its teeny USB dongle, which is has a very sci-fi name: the nano-transceiver. I have a Mac, and so did not open the CD, instead choosing to plug my USB dongle in and turn the mouse on— voila! It worked! I love Mac.

Some definite nice touches: the superb out of box experience with my computer, the cute little storage stow spot in the bottom of the mouse for my transceiver when I am on the go, and the selection of fun patterns (even if my pink flowers are not the most appealing choice for my personality— I think it calls too much attention to the idea that “this device is meant for GIRLY girls!” I prefer other fun, loud colors that just say “This device is meant for fun, loud people” instead.)

The new “BlueTrack” technology that’s built in allows for mousing atop almost any surface, including wood, granite, and carpet. It also provides a wonderfully blinding blue light right into your eye when you switch your mouse on for the first time while holding it bottom side up in your hand. Not that I know that from experience, or anything. At $40, this is a stocking stuffer or other casual gift for the traveling worker bees in your life. Also, the different patterns give a great reason to buy the same gift for different folks— just vary the patterns and tell them about how the one you picked just suited their personality “perfectly!”

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I like my music loud. Like bass throbbing, booty shaking loud. That’s why, sometimes when I’m cooking, I put the music on in the living room, where the media center is, really loud. It needs to be that loud because I can’t hear its full eardrum shaking, body bouncing rhythms well enough in the kitchen, over the loudness of the fan and the things I have sizzling on the stove. And then my boyfriend comes in and yells at me for not being considerate of the neighbors and listening too loud. Well, with Logitech’s Wireless Speaker Z515, that problem will be no more!

This little wireless speaker unit is compact but powerful– you can listen to music up to 50 feet away from your laptop (or iPad/iPhone, which it is also compatible with via Bluetooth!) Except for an occasional warbling of the sound, which can be due to any sort of momentary changes in internet connection or signal strength, the speakers sound great.

Don’t get me wrong—this won’t replace a proper speaker system for a party (I know, because I tried using a couple of these babies to power the sound coming from gaming consoles during a big work video game party— you could hardly hear them in the din of the large crowd and loud noise.) However, its an excellent speaker for casual listening around the house. It’s a little pricey for $100, but to get into the Wireless plus Bluetooth category, $80-100 is generally what you can expect to be throwing down.

Grand pluses are the fact that its wireless and touts 10 hours of battery life (on a rechargeable battery) and has Bluetooth, so it can play from my phone, where I can stream Pandora or some other app I enjoy. It is compact, has a generally cute design, has its own built in kick stand which conveniently covers up a storage space for the USB dongle.

One noticeable minus is definitely the sound distortion that comes through, even if the USB dongle is right next to the speaker.

Overall, this is a good choice for a speaker if you’re looking for something versatile, that you can put anywhere in your house, operate from anywhere else, and still connect with a wire if you need it for more conventional uses.

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I am very afraid of driving and talking on my phone. But I will be the first to concede that there are times where you just have to— like when you’re driving on a work errand that’s urgent and your boss calls you while you’re on your way…its practically a guarantee that that’s urgent too. So how to bridge the divide between my fraidy cat tendencies and needing to answer, a place which has me hurriedly accepting the call and then punching the screen near where it says “Speaker” before dropping the phone into my lap while I struggle to hear what’s being said? Why, a Bluetooth handsfree, of course!

I previously reviewed a Motorola handsfree device, the h17txt, for which its claim to fame was being able to read aloud incoming texts (with Android devices only, sigh…) This time I received the Motorola Oasis, which is a more high end handsfree device, both in design, and (just a bit) in price. This unit is Motorola’s lightest behind-the-ear design, and has dual mics with an extended boom for better noise cancellation. My first thought of seeing the device is that it resembles a very elegant hearing aid. I did not think it would be too comfortable based on the look, but once I got it in my ear, I was very much proven wrong. While it comes with several sizes of rubber ear molds, the medium size which came attached to it fit my right ear perfectly, and the headset sit on my ear in a totally comfortable way. I can see how people would forget this thing was attached to their head and just walk around all day with it.

Actually maneuvering it onto my ear wasn’t the easiest though, as I have an inner-ear cartilage piercing, which requires me to move the ring up every time I try to stuff something like an earbud into my ear. Doing that with two fingers while I fit my bud into my ear while trying to fold my outer ear into the device simultaneously is not the easiest motion, and definitely not a fluid movement sans fiddling, at least for me. Generally I wouldn’t deduct too many points for this since I believe in putting on the device as soon as you sit in the car anyway (because just in case!)

The back of the handsfree has 3 buttons and an on-off switch, which isn’t so easy to operate without any semblance of fingernails (I am a horrifying nail biter). The buttons are easy to feel out because they have raised nubs, 3 dots for volume up and 1 dot for volume down, etc. The  boom has it’s own button, the main “Go” button, where you can take calls, reject calls, give voice commands, and other things. A test phone call went well, with both the caller being heard loud and clear and my sound travelling the same way right back to him. I love that I can activate voice control by holding down the call button, tell it to “Call Leo” and have the Motorola Oasis’ advanced voice controls tell me that Leo has 5 different numbers listed in my phone book, and please choose which one to call! (The controls operator voice goes on to report the different number classifications I set for Leo, including his “GVoice, Work, Mobile, Main, and Other” numbers). Now I can call him from the car when I’m approaching his office, so he can come down and I don’t have to sit in the car for a long time, waiting for him to come out so we can grab dinner!

The out of box experience was pretty impressive too. The elegant device comes in an equally elegant black box with silver logo on it, which, when opened, displays the device sitting on its own little black satin pillow and TALKS to you! That’s right, the marketing folks at Motorola had a message recorded by a dude who has an English accent and is the Design Manager for headsets at Motorola, introducing your new purchase to you personally! What a cute touch, unseen in the real world except for those amusing singing greeting cards.

At $80, the Motorola Oasis is a very attractive, well built Bluetooth headset. If you’re on the market for one, and you’re looking for a comfortable, beautiful unit that also sounds good, this is a great option for you. However, if  you need other features like your texts read aloud, for those text-aholics, there are other handsfree devices on the market for you.

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My friends came over my apartment last week and saw this VTech unit sitting in its base on a counter. They recoiled, then said to me in surprise, “You have a landline?” Friends, I do not. I don’t actually know many folks my age who still do because, really, what’s the point? (Other than in the case of an emergency in a power outage, but hopefully the remaining battery in my cell phone and laptop will enable me to use the internet to send a call someone’s way.) The one funny quirk of only having a cell phone, however, is needing to carry it around with you in the house wherever you go, because if you get a call in one room while sitting in another, you can expect 42 worries voicemails from your mom when she can’t reach you and doesn’t know where you are.

The VTech LS6245 solves that problem, and in a pretty sleek and elegant way! It’s a beautifully designed cordless phone that has no raised buttons with a base station that has an etched dial pad and small screen for voicemail and menu options. It is Bluetooth enabled, and this is where the fun stuff comes in– you can pair the base station with up to two cell phones as well as connect it to your landline (if you have one), thereby recreating the “phone-in-each-room” convenience that you had before you moved out of your folks’ house. You can buy individual handsets and pair it to the base station (up to 12) and take calls from either of the three lines as they come in, anywhere in the house. Calls are first come, first served, so you won’t be able to talk on your landline and your cell phone line at the same time. When you pick up the phone to make a call, you can choose which “phone” you want to make the call from. If you hold your cell phone in your hand at the same time, you will notice that it is making the call when you use the VTech device simultaneously. The wonders of Bluetooth, huh folks?

Handy little touches that I like include different ringtones you can set for each of the lines you have working with your system, the new school-esque touch screen controls (completely smooth device and base, nicely backlit touch buttons), the ease with which it paired with my cell phone, and the units convenience factor. One Sunday morning, for example, I heard the base station ringing while I had forgotten that I set my cell phone to silent! As a result, I did not miss the call I got from my friend in NYC that I don’t get to catch up with often enough.

At $70 for the set, I would call this a solid buy for a couple with two cell phones between them and a multi-story home—the convenience factor of being able to extend the reach of your handsets is totally rad. It becomes even MORE of a value to a household with an actual landline plus the cell phones— you need phone devices anyway, they might as well be ones that connect with your cell phone, right? Definitely a recommended buy for the folks around the holidays— for $70, my mom and dad would love this idea!

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Unfortunately I do not have an iPad though I have tested accessories on my friend’s and demo’d them in the store (I live 4 blocks away from the Apple Store…how can a city girl resist). Admittedly I am an accessories junkie; send me anything that makes my user experience better and more personable the better.

A while ago I received the iLuv Flexi-Clear Case with stand for the iPad in the pink color. The casing has a dot wave shape design and comes in black, blue, pink, and clear. It is tear proof and damage resistant made with a light-weight flexible material. I tried it out on my pal’s iPad and it was pretty simple to put on. The ports were pretty easy to access and and the case seems durable. I intend on doing a second review once I get an iPad since I will be buying the different patterns of the iLuv Flexi-Clear Case with stand for the iPad. The only thing I don’t think I would utilize is the stand that comes with it; simply because it’s not made to compute on…merely just a stand for your iPad.

This product is perfect for consumers like me that are extremely hard on their products. The iLuv Flexi-Clear Case with stand for your iPad retails for 29.99 and you can purchase is here.

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This weekend I reviewed the HP SW450 Digital Camera. The HP camera features 12 megapixels and a 4X optical zoom. The SW450 included a blink detector, which would notify you if a person in the photo blinked and prompt you to retake it. There’s also a smile detector which will automatically take a photo when a subject is smiling.

The specs of the HP compare quite well to my current camera, the Nikon Coolpix S570 so I took a few photos with my Nikon and the HP camera to see which camera takes better quality photos. Both cameras were left on auto both times (mostly because I hate clicking extra settings buttons). Click to enlarge the photos for better inspection.

HP during the day

Good color turn out.

Nikon during the day

Color not as vibrant.

HP at night

Camera focuses on tree, giving accurate color.

Nikon at night

Camera tries to get everything in the photo, but leaves a white/blue overcast.

And then… there’s video.
While I could only capture this poor dog fighting against the outside on the HP, I thought you would enjoy it!

Overall, the only thing I care about with photos is good quality. I would have had to change the photo settings on iPhoto for the Nikon photos to have the same quality as the HP and that’s an added step I don’t want. While both cameras have similar pixelage, the HP clearly won this battle. It looks like I need a new camera…

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Since it’s back to school time it got me thinking how different things were back in my day. This may date me but when I was in high school we didn’t have MP3 players or cell phones…just beepers and the discman/ walkman. If you wanted your friend to listen to your mix tape (yeah I said it) or CD at school you had this awkward moment of ear cooties with your friend…and forget about portable speakers because back then I wouldn’t say they were exactly that portable (at least the affordable ones). Who wants to put that in your backpack on top of all the books we had to carry (b/c we didn’t have kindle back in 98′)?

Leap forward to 2010…I was sitting in my condo and I got a package from chicBuds which is a company that specializes in fashion forward electronics. The first little thing that stood out was the chicboom Keychain Speaker and immediately thought teenagers + back to school = genius ( AND why didn’t we have this when I was in HS school?!). In a world consumed of portable devices this seems like it would be ideal for any girl and it’s a key chain…how convenient and cool is that?! 

The small cubed key chain speaker is just over an inch by inch  in size. The faux leopard fur is wrapped around the casing of the speaker and the heart shaped speaker grill is bordered with rhinestones. It comes in pink or blue casing and includes a 3.5mm jack cord. The chicboom has a built-in lithium-ion rechargeable battery and has a battery life of 4 hours before it needs to be recharged. Cutegeek consumers can either charge chicboom Keychain Speaker via your PC’s USB port or an AC adaptor. The chicboom Keychain Speaker also has a power button located in the back and battery life indicator.

Truthfully I was a bit skeptical at first (obviously by my picture). I have reviewed allot of audio devices and chicboom Keychain Speaker aesthetically looked like it would deliver poor sound quality due to size. It was time for me to test out this little guy and see what it’s made of! I plugged it into the USB adaptor and charged away. After it was fully charged I simply plugged in my shuffle and cranked it up.

WHOA!

If that old saying great things come in small packages was true; I am here to report ladies that size doesn’t matter for the chicboom Keychain Speaker. It’s 2 watt amplified speaker was not only loud but clear as day with no distortion at all.

As usual I went on a mad hunt around the condo looking for anything with a 3.5mm jack I can stick this device into. I went to my blackberry first and tried it out…AGAIN superb sound quality. I then had an ingenious idea…I could use this for…wait for it…WORK!  Man I am a geek. Seriously I take notes weekly at our staff meeting with my livescribe and then listen back over the recording over and over and over again. It is so much easier to use a speaker and recap the notes then using earbuds (b/c anything in my ears seems intrusive).

Even though I am not into leopard print or the heart shape speaker with rhinestones; I was extremely impressed with the sound quality. It’s rare that you have an innovative product that is fashionable, hi-tech and delivers the sound quality of a larger product. The few things I suggest are that they have accessories made for the casing and more color options (for my queens:-)).

Personally, I have fallen in love with the chicboom Keychain Speaker! It retails for 24.99 and you can purchase it at chicboom Keychain Speaker.

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Although space is everything when you live in a big city, I didn’t think connecting a separate LED would make such a difference to my PC use at home. While I’m on the road I use a Lenovo T60 (not by choice, by obligation) – at home I have a Toshiba Satellite, and while the two are similar (they’re both laptops), I’m very much accustomed to using XP on my Lenovo and not Windows 7.

At home I use my personal PC to blog, to mess around with my plethora of pictures, Facebook and sometimes music. What I just described is the life of a multitasking social networker. Connecting the LG LED to my laptop made my life seem a whole lot cooler – the colors are vivid and more vibrant due to the innovative LED back-lighting (5,000,000:1 Digital Contrast Ratio).

The glossy monitor is huge (in comparison to my other screens) and quickly transformed into my messaging board, as I set up the Dual Screens so that I could have my IMs and Facebook on one screen, while I worked and surfed (who still says that?) the web on the other. Another cool functionality that the monitor has is that you can set it up to have multiple screens, so while I used the Dual Screen option – you can actually split this screen into more than one, to create the same affect.

After setting up my home office, I also used the LED to watch movies (in Cinema Mode of course – another perk), which in HD, because of its size, lets you forget you’re watching the movie on a computer monitor and instead gives you the full, in home theater feel (displays in 16:9 Wide). As someone who wears glasses, I also didn’t get a lot of glare from other lights in my room, so that was nice…many people don’t understand how annoying that can be, until you wear glasses.

The monitor didn’t come with a bunch of cords, varying in lengths (oh how I hate those!) – they were simple and clutter-free. The monitor goes great with my other black glossy appliances/gadgets in my room. The swivel stand (which I love saying, thanks to my Latina/Brooklyn accent) made the LED ideal for my desk because I could place it on two different levels, and still adjust it to optimize its viewing. The LED is very, very thin (less than an inch) and also mountable.

I honestly didn’t look at the directions – yet I know I can do more with the LED. I could connect it to my TV, stream movies, etc. It has 1 HDMI input. It has added ‘umph to my room, to my computer desk and no longer makes me feel like a Flintstones using my old school laptop. I absolutely love it – the colors really do make life look better and it was very cheap.

If I had a netbook, I would not hesitate in connecting it to this LED as soon as I got home, because I am positive that I would get tired of thinking my life can only fit on 10’1 inches. This screen is 23’ – imagine everything you can have on your screen! I also connected a keyboard to my laptop to really give it the big PC feel. It was nice. It’s nice to spread your fingers out, the same way my thoughts splattered on both of my screens.

The ‘green’ part of the LED comes in various ways – its form factors reduces CO2 emissions created while shipping, because it weights approximately 1/3 less than other similar models (it weight only 5.5 lbs), there was no halogen or mercury used in its construction (life’s good isn’t it) and it is also Energy Star rated – which guarantees some power savings (LG reports this can be up to 40%). It was one of LG’s first products to earn a pretty impressive award, through an independent third party – stamping it even darker with it being ‘earth friendly’. It met all of the IEEE 1680 environmental performance for consumer electronics criteria.

One of the downfalls of the monitor is that it doesn’t have built in speakers – so if you have a good set at home – don’t throw them out! It also doesn’t have a remote. It’s great for playing games, and while I am not an avid gamer, I’m sure these numbers will mean something to someone – the static contrast ratio is 1000:1 and the refresh rate is 60hz.

Ta-Da!!! Do you like the end result – I love my home office now

I recommend this LED for everyone – people that are tired of using laptops, who need to relax their eyes and actually view things at their eye-levels, for students with no space to have a pc and a TV, for professionals who work on massive spreadsheets who dread scrolling to the right, etc. Basically everyone – it’s very thin, extremely sexy, space and energy efficient and would look great in any room. The LED is competitively priced at $269. I would even jump the gun and say that this monitor deserves a couple of awards – like our Green Award and maybe others…I’ll discuss with the other cute geeks and we’ll decide. It’s a winner in my eyes…

**Here’s some inside scoop: LG is continuing to improve their line of slim, energy efficient monitors – their new E60 model is ONLY 12 millimeters thick, or .47 inches thin if you asked me! It also weights less than 6 lbs! More details to come, once its officially released-shhh!**

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As back to school is upon us once again, I know many folks are going to be on the market for new supplies and gear. When I needed my own printer to take to college with me, I lucked out in that when I bought a laptop, the back to school special at the electronics retailer I hit up got me my little Canon printer for free! However, if you’re on the market to actually pay cash money for a machine, I reviewed a unit from HP that I wanted to share.

The HP Officejet 4500 Wireless All-in-One is certainly a mouthful. Here are some key things to know: it is in fact, a true all in one device– it can print, scan, copy, and fax. It is modeled with an upper tray paper feed and a regular one, which makes it look a lot more like a “professional” printer than a regular home model. It has wireless capabilities, so you can hook it up to your home network and send documents to print without beng hardwired, which to me is always a plus. It’s quite pretty, aesthetically. Finally, it only costs about $95, depending on where you purchase it (that quote came from Amazon).  For the price, even if some of the “all-in-one” functionality were broken, you’d have a solid printer purchase!

However, I must remain unbiased by a good deal and tell you everything I know regardless. Setup was, while relatively painless, not the most intuitive. For example, the machine did not prompt me to connect to my network or key in my password when I turned on the wireless function. Likewise, it doesn’t come with a manual, (instead you have to download it from the web), so it was pure troubleshooting that landed me in the sub-sub-sub menu where I could connect it to my  home network to print wirelessly.

Additionally, for whatever reason, and maybe my unit was a lemon, the bottom paper feed tray was off in some way, causing the display to continually tell me I needed to load paper, no matter how many sheets I already had in there and fiddled with, shifting them left and right and up and down trying to convince the printer that it did, in fact, have paper in it already.

Officejet 4500 results are (disappointingly) on the right

The actual print quality of documents is solid. Pictures, however, is a whole different story. I printed the same picture from two different HP printers, this Officejet and a Photosmart, and the Photosmart came out considerably and very obviously better. I was surprised at just how great the delta was. Next to the dedicated photo printer, the Officejet did a terrible job! The colors were washed out and the picture looked like it was done in stripes.

All in all, I loved the look of the printer, and the solid feeling keypad. I appreciated the clarity of the choices you can make while you’re using it– the display shows you that you’re in “Color Copy” mode, and you can use the side arrows to move into “Black & White Copy” mode, for example. I think the price is right. However, I did not like the weird “no paper loaded” glitch that my printer had, as well as the photo print quality.

I thought the initial setup could have been smoother, at least in regards to coaching the user through the first setup of his wireless network. Finally, weirdly enough, it takes forever to “shut down.” (Which is apparently what is happening in the background when you press the Power button to turn it off.) Given my experience with it, I would still question whether this was the right printer for me. However, given the collection of comparable printers in the same price neighborhood, this all-in-one can still be a pretty appealing purchase.

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HP went and did it again. Just when you thought you couldn’t possibly keep packing funky new features into printers, they figured out a way to do it with the Photosmart e-All-in-One. I have seen printers with their own web apps (from HP), touchscreens (from HP again), and now, a whole e-printing functionality that assigns you and your printer a special email– that way, you can send things straight to your printer at home by emailing that address no matter where you are, whenever!

The functionality is called ePrint, and I can think of nothing handier when you’re studying in a library and use a foreign machine to look up some research. If you find something handy, you can email it straight to your printer! You can even send email with attachments (like .jpgs, .pdfs, etc) straight to the dedicated address you get when you sign up for ePrint, and boom– its all set and in your feeder tray when you need it.

Touchscreen...a "meh" addition from my perspective

The Photosmart e-All-in-One has a cute little touchscreen, which I don’t find a particularly compelling addition to the printer, but as long as it works, it’s fine for me. Setup was a breeze, as the instructions on the little screen coached me through the entire first time set-up process step by step, including the calibration of the cartridges and the wireless network setup. The photos I printed using the Photosmart were very clear and of a good quality– certainly a noticeably greater quality than a second, equally new printer offering from HP, the Officejet 4500.

The Photosmart does copy, scan, and print, but no fax (but be honest…have you ever faxed something more than, say, once a year? Do you even have a landline? I don’t. Electronic fax, guys. It’s the future. Now.)

At $99 retail, the ePrint functionality alone puts this printer over the edge as a great buy for any current student, or really anybody who ever finds themselves working outside of their home or office, browsing on their mobile phones or iPads, and find themselves needing to print. HP has your back!

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When I think of NETGEAR, I usually think of storage for IT professionals and businesses, not for the average home. The NETGEAR Stora is specifically made home users to store music, movies, photos etc. and share that data in a web browser interface via your home network. I have A LOT of music – about 16 thousand songs and counting. I have them all stored on my MacBook Pro and on an external hard drive in the case of a hard drive fail. I don’t really need the storage aspect of the Stora, but what I do need is a way to play that music all over my apartment. If I have a party or just want to play music in my living room, I have to drag out my laptop, connect it to my tv and try to hide the cords and laptop all behind my TV stand. If I download a show from iTunes, I have to do the same thing all over again. I also love to multitask while watching TV and if my laptop is stuck next to my TV to play a show, it can be a real pain. The Stora solves these media consumption problems for me making it quite the lifesaver.

Music
The Stora was easy to set up. When trying out the install CD, I noticed I couldn’t use Google Chrome with the device, which was disappointing, but I moved along to Firefox. First goal – get my music to stream to my TV wirelessly. It took a while, but my songs were soon streaming along through the embedded iTunes server. It worked just as expected, with easy navigation.

Movies
I tried watching some movies and they streamed perfectly! The black interface with white typeface throughout the software was appealing to look at. I’ve seen some Microsoft OS in blue displayed on TVs similarly and the Stora interface was definitely better looking.

Photos
This was the feature I was least excited about – I don’t particularly view my own photos very often and don’t find it necessary to view them streaming on a big screen, but the layout was nice. You get a free 30-day trial of “premium services” including support for Flickr and Cooliris. After 30 days, you have to pay $19.99/year. I don’t need to view my photos in a 3D wall on the big screen often enough to purchase the premium services, so I’m surprised they’re even charging for it.

Requirements
Systems: Windows Vista, XP Home or Pro, Mac OSX, Linux Router and broadband connection
Web Browsers: Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0+, Netscape Navigator 7.0, Safari 1.22+, or Mozilla Firefox 1.03+

Overview
For what I was looking for – streaming my music and movies wherever I wanted – this device was perfect. I can now download music immediately to my computer and play it throughout my apartment without all of the hassle. If you have too many devices to handle and consume quite a bit of media, the Stora is for you!

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My Roxio 3D glasses.

Roxio, the software company behind a variety of disc burning software (VHS to DVD, CDs, and probably the default program on your new Windows machine for burning media) just released a new media creation and editing software called Creator 2011. Creator does all the things a traditional media editor should, like editing and burning videos to disc, creating copies of CDs and DVDs, and what have you. One thing that’s very new, however, and worthy of a whole writeup of its own, is the new 3D capabilities of the program.

Converting my 30 second 2D video took a couple of minutes, and it worked! The depths of the shots suddenly were able to be seen, but its nothing *glaringly* smack-you-in-the-face 3D.

Roxio Creator 2011 allows you to create your own 3D photos and videos, from 2D images and normal video files. You can start from scratch and record right from your computer, or port in any video you have. I tested out the 30 second video of wildlife each new Windows 7 PC comes with nowadays. While the controls are by no means completely intuitive (I had to look up how to convert 2D to 3D even though just a week ago I had gotten a live demo from a Roxio rep!) once you DO look it up, or read the tutorial, the conversion process is pretty quick and snappy. The same applies to photos, where you can load in regular 2D photos, or 2 photos of the same image taken just slightly from different angles for more optimal 3D lineup. You can literally stand there and take one photo of your puppy while standing on your right foot, then take a second while shifting your weight to your left foot, and you would have two directionally optimal photos to blend together to create a 3D photo.

I turned this 2D stock photo of penguins into a 3D photo: if you had glasses on right now, you'd see the *real* finished product...

Another cool bit is if you’re a 3D nut, you can watch any conventional DVD or Blu-Ray disc (provided your PC can read those) in 3D by launching the Roxio Creator 2011 program and filtering the movie through the 3D software. While you can’t make a 3D copy, watching it in real time with those oh-so-snazzy 3D glasses could be an interesting experience, if you’re particularly fond of 3D or so ahead of the curve that you already have your own pair of glasses.

And yes, it IS glasses that makes is possible to view the 3D productions you’ve made with your software. Each Creator box comes with one set of rinky dink cardboard 3D glasses, the kind with one red eye and one green that you could fish out of a cereal box back in the day when there were one day 3D specials on TV. I have mixed feelings about this– on the one hand, if you’re excited by the rising popularity of 3D media and want to make your own, you can, and share it with anybody in the world, as long as they have a pair of red and green 3D glasses to stare through. If you decided to upgrade your shades, you can purchase a slightly more sturdy set from Roxio for $20, and look like Neo from the Matrix but with 2 different color lenses. Alternatively you can completely splurge and get really high end 3D dedicated glasses that cost at least $100 a pair. Pick your ugly poison.

Overall, I found the software to be cool in concept, and in execution, but pretty  much lacking in any sort of “I want that!” reaction. It was clunky and complicated to use, but is very full featured and has a high learning curve (which probably produces great results, if you have that kind of time to sink into learning a media editing software from scratch.) It has a million functions, and the one video and one photo that I made did not even begin to scratch the surface of what the software could be used for. (For example, as an aside, you can use it to power a media server for your home!)

So many options! And this is just for Video! Imagine the learning manual.

The bottom line is this– regardless of how you feel about 3D, and ugly blue and red glasses, the Creator software costs $99. That means it can do everything your old media editing software can PLUS can convert things into 3D media, for just $100. Call me practical Penny, but this seems like a no brainer to me. Looks like Roxio will be able to maintain their majority share of the media editing software market share. Cool stuff, guys!

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It’s back to school time for many geeks out there and we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to review Toshiba laptops so that you can buy the best one for your needs. All of these laptops come with Windows 7, so if you’re a fan of the software, these are the notebooks for you. They also include Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 Edition to write all those papers. Let’s get into it!

Toshiba Satellite T235

Pros
Chicklet keyboard – extremely easy to type on and looks great.
Size – I almost thought it was a netbook at first glance. It’s small, light, portable and just plain cute at 3.9 lbs.
Trackpad – The buttons on the trackpad slant towards the edge and are pretty seamless.
Cons
Hand Rest – Some folks actually like this, but the beveled design on the hand rest that continues around the keyboard is a little much for me. I could do without it.
DVD Drive – This is a bummer-it’s sold separately, but if you’re like most young kids these days, you’ll probably be able to find what you want online
Overall
This is the perfect laptop for class and casual use. It’s my favorite of the new Toshiba pack.
Price and Specs: $549.99, 3GB RAM, 320GB Hard Drive, AMD Athlon II Neo Dual-Core Processor K325

Toshiba Satellite L655

Pros
Keyboard – large with separate numeric keypad, wish it was a chicklet keyboard though
Trackpad – seamless with the handrest, although the buttons overtly stand out
Processing Power – This laptop can take a lot. It has lots of RAM, Hard Drive space and an Intel Core i5 processor which certainly separates it from the pack.
Cons
Feel – Because of the size and white color, it seems cheaper than the T235
Large – while this version does boast the most computing power, it’s a little larger than I would like for carrying to class. If you don’t use the numeric keypad like me, a good 4 inches of space on the right side could go to waste.
Overall
If you need to do more than write papers and take notes (i.e. programming or running many applications at the same time), I would suggest sticking with the T235. Otherwise, this may be the right computer for you.
Price and Specs: $789.99, 4GB RAM, 500GB Hard Drive, Intel Core i5-450M processor

Toshiba Satellite C645

Pros
Price – the laptop with DVD Drive comes in at under $530 – a very good deal
Cons
I’ll come right out and say it – this was my least favorite of the bunch. For those of you going back to school, this is the kind of computer your parents would have. The build is matte black clunky plastic. It’s simple and nothing we all haven’t seen before. I like simplicity, but this is missing the magic factor.
Overall
I’d say skip on this one and stick to the T235 if you want a computer under $550.
Price and Specs: $529.99, 3GB RAM, 250GB Hard Drive, AMD Athlon II Dual-Core Processor P320

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1. Review: Toshiba Mini NB205-N313P

The Motorola Backflip is an AT&T smart phone running Motorola’s Android OS, called MOTOBLUR. The backflip has a pretty cool design– the front of the phone, which is a full glass screen that, when off and viewed straight on, looks a lot like a mini-iPhone, flips open by rotating towards the front (backwards from the usual way flip phones work). This makes for a pretty slick little device that you want to slide open and closed over and over, just for fun.

In its full open position, the Backflip has a backlit soft button keyboard, and a completely unique trackpad on the backside of the screen– when holding the phone, your index fingers could go behind the front screen to navigate the interface with the trackpad.The design feature’s backstory is that the trackpad placement allows for more on screen real estate, so that your fat fingers can stay behind the screen and not obstruct the view. Personally, prefer my fat fingers poking at the screen because its much faster than using a trackpad, and especially so with this trackpad in particular– its size and location made navigation slow and pretty unwieldy.

What’s different about the MOTOBLUR approach to Android OS is that it introduces a bunch of social widgets for the home screen desktop. The OS is supposed to be all about the social stuff, so the widgets grab social network updates, feeds, and inbox messages right on the home screen. In this way its also automatically updated, which is faster than opening and screening individual applications, but also not as handy as at any given moment, you see one update at a time from, let’s day, your newsfeed, so unless you’re staring at the screen all day, won’t make you feel “connected” to what’s going on like reading through a list of updates can.

Generally, the phone seemed a little slow. Trying to launch the camera (where from within you get to choose to use it for still photos or video) took a while, and I waited a good number of beats trying to get the video camera to record– in moments where you want to spontaneously capture a memory, forget it. The system is vaguely sluggish even when switching from screen to screen, which you can accomplish by swiping your finger to drag a “new” homescreen into place. This allows you more room for shortcuts to apps, where you can find the icon right from the desktop instead of having to search for it in the incredibly long apps menu that you can also launch from any screen.

The phone also has a microSD expansion slot, which can support a 32GB card– great space for all your music and video! The screen is a little on the smaller side at 3.1 inches, though, so it’s likely not going to be your top choice for watching flicks and clips.

Checking on AT&T’s site, a two-year service agreement on voice and minimum $15/mo data plan required. If you buy the phone online with contract then, its a cool $79, which is a very reasonable price for a smart phone!

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The Motorola H17txt bluetooth earpiece looks like many others– it hooks onto your ear with a relatively small form factor, and has a little boom that opens outwards from being folded in, which effectively turns the device on and off. It’s lightweight and pretty comfortable, in so far as when you have it in your ear, its easy to forget about it and leave it in as you exit your car (and thereby expose yourself to the people on the street as a potential “tool-with-headset-but-not-in-car”). One very special feature, however, makes this headset pretty unique– it has the ability to read out incoming texts to you, and when programmed correctly, respond to senders with an auto-reply that lets them know (via text) that you’re driving  but will get back to them when you finish.

The headset has MotoSpeak, what Motorola calls its text-to-speech technology. Once you install a free Motorola app to your Blackberry or Android phone (boo, no iPhone), the device will read text messages to you so you never have to take your eyes off the road. Interestingly, the headset is smart enough to read out acronyms like “lol” and “l8r” as actual words, and the feminine voice is pre-programmed to understand 150 of these popular abbreviated messages. In testing, I heard it say “Oh My God” for “OMG” and in hindsight,  totally should have tried ROTFLMAO to see if that would work… It also reads out incoming texter ID, plus it comes with a list of autoresponse messages.

Even if you don’t sync the little device with your Blackberry or Android phone, the headset works wonderfully as a hands-free device, which is what I used it as with my iPhone for a couple of weeks. The voice of the “operator” is smooth and non-robotic, and she’ll tell you when the phone is on or off, what your battery life is, and when a phone call is coming in. Unless you have the app installed, the headset will not read any caller ID information, which was not as cool for me because I found myself still reaching for my phone to try and find out who was calling when the headset beeped into my ear and said “Phone call on line 1.”

I enjoyed my time with the H17txt– if anything, testing the unit has convinced me of the utility of having a handfree device in the car while driving (as I otherwise just never answered the phone, letting calls go to voicemail.) For $99, I think the price is a good fit for ALL of the functionality, so Android and Blackberry users should definitely consider buying one of these puppies to pair on their phones. However, iPhone and other smart or feature phone users who want their headset to read texts to them need to wait for an upgrade or another headset to come to market, as this one won’t work for you in that way. For me, then, ultimately $99 is too much to spend on just the bluetooth headset without the text feature. Motospeak engineers– bring an app to the iPhone!

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Gamer Grub is the ideal snack for gamers because it is packed with essential vitamins and neurotransmitters that will be sure to provide you with an extra boost of energy and memory power to help you beat the next battle. It is also very easy to eat – you tear, tilt and enjoy. Its grease-less – which is greattttttttttttt! I won’t say you won’t get crumbs on you, but you don’t have to worry about having ultra shiny controllers. I tried some of them out – actually I tried all of them out and really enjoyed them. If you want to watch my initial response to tasting the BBQ ones – check it out below…

Gamer Grub is available in 4 difference flavors (BBQ, P&J, Pizza and Smores) and can be purchased at your local Barnes & Noble, Game Stop, etc. – for a list of fine retailers please click here.

Also, if you have the time, read how it was created – it’s pretty funny…(http://gamergrub.com/blog/index.php)

Here is a video of me tasting it for the first time.

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Wicked Audio makes a lot of trendy, ‘hip’, audio products that add that extra umph some of us need while rocking out to our latest tunes. The latest and greated in Wicked’s collection are their Metallics – which as the name suggest are their cute earbuds in metallic colors. I received a pink pair to try out and I liked them from the moment my eyes caught a glimpse. I immediately started wondering how much ‘better’ earbuds will have to get before they’re considered bad for us.

I can’t lie, I love having earbuds on. The freedom of being able to listen to my own music and sounds that bring me pleasure is just liberating – I love it. I really enjoyed trying these headphones out, they are pink (my new fav. color despite me not considering myself to be girly). I use them at work, on my commute to work (plane) and to work out.

My least fav experience was working out – I’m not a gym buff so my working out plan only consists of running, but man, after a decent run, in the beautiful weather of southern Cali – my earbuds were soaked! It felt so yucky!! The worst was when I stopped, because then I started ‘gushing’, or glistening at a much faster pace than usual – so they definitely came off.

The earbuds were very comfortable to wear. They were especially comfortable because I was given 3 different sets of cushions to ensure I found the closest perfect fit. I liked them except after a while my ears started to itch. Don’t get all weirded out folks, it wasn’t an itch like a bug in my ear, but an itch like if my ears could stretch out, they would, so I would have to ‘let them breathe’ after rubbing them for a few.

They are also very affordable and look great – they are available for less than $10 in varying colors. Check them out here for more info: http://www.empirebrandsinc.com/wicked/metallics

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Hey everyone, here are some quick thoughts/demo on the Shake Weight. I purchased it a couple of weeks ago and have loved using it. It’s an ‘easy’ workout, or so it seems. The summer is here – and less jiggle seems more appropriate each and every time it comes around.

Enjoy my video and good luck with your workout!

For more information on Shake Weight for women visit: tryshakeweight.com

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I tested three products designed to protect your iPad in various ways.  First I tried out the Speck Shield View, which sells for $24.95.  It comes in a 2 pack, and it’s supposed to stick to your iPad screen perfectly, protecting it from scratches and smudges.  Getting it on the iPad was fairly easy.  The product comes with instructions on how to get it on smoothly.  However, once I peeled the backing to expose the protective film, a couple bubbles showed up that I couldn’t remove.  Granted, they were just two small bubbles on the edges, but bubbles are still annoying.  I give it a B for application and an A- for preventing fingerprint smudges.

The second product I checked out was also from Speck – the Fitted fabric-wrapped hard shell case.  It gets an A for design in that it comes in 5 different fabric patterns, but I found placing the iPad in the fitted case difficult.  The frame did not perfectly snap in, and it took several minutes to get it on right.  Also, if you’re like me and you keep the iPad on its docking station, this case isn’t something you can keep on your iPad as it won’t fit in the docking station with the case on.  It’s also a little pricey at $49.95.

The best iPad protective carrying case I’ve come across so far is Case-mate’s The Express iPad Vertical Nylon Flip Case.  It’s made out of black ballistic nylon and it’s got a simple, practical design.  There are embedded magnets in the front flap screen to help keep your iPad secure.  At $34.99 it’s a good investment to help protect your iPad from scratches, dirt, and occasional spills.

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The Samsung Restore is bright green, and for a reason. It’s made of 27% recycled materials, comes packaged in fully recycled materials, has a low power drawing charger,  and when you’re done with the device, can BE recycled (well, 84% of it anyway.)

Its a slider text phone with a couple of extra features– the interface, a simple Samsung OS, has dedicated shortcuts for Twitter, Facebook, and (oh boy.) Myspace. The 2.0 megapixel camera can also record video, and there’s a setting for videos you plan to email, which I assume records them in lower fidelity. The slide-out hard QWERTY keyboard is great, with very little mistyping and really satisfying clicking sounds reinforcing the typing you’re doing.

The phone goes for $50 with a 2 year Sprint contract, which seems standard for a feature phone. A smart-phone its not, but with the angle of being earth-friendly (I mean, they even pre-programmed some “favorite sites” with a page about Green tips) the lime green Restore is a solid texting phone, with several cool added features that I think make it a great option for anyone in need of a phone that does more than call folks but doesn’t need a smartphone.

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Pretty snazzy, huh?

Dudes, if you’ve been reading my posts at all, you know I have kind of a thing for protective accessories. Call me crazy, but when you lay out a bunch of dough on a sweet electronic gadget, the last thing you want is scratches, cracks, or crashes to have their way with your darling machine. For this reason, I was intrigued to receive a Kindle Fitted case for my Kindle 2 in the mail from Speck– its a hard case with two pieces that snap together, fitting perfectly over your Kindle and providing it with a hard plastic home.

For my Kindle 2, I had been using a Belkin soft zipper case, which I still love. The Speck hardshell is intriguing, however, for several reasons.

1) It’s stylin! The back covers are SUPER cute. I have the white stripes pattern, but I think all of the options are really snazzy, and add a huge kick of style to an otherwise boring white Kindle.

I love the stripes!

2) It stays on the Kindle, whereas my soft cover zipper case was just a “holder.” In this way, the case is more of an accessory for the actual machine, versus just being the means for transport.

You can see from the pictures I took that the case is pretty attractive. There is a noticeable, and for me, pretty significant downer– it adds a load of heft to your machine! One of the hugely attractive features of a Kindle is how lightweight it is, making it easy to hold up for long periods of time. This case, when snapped on, made the Kindle feel significantly heavier! The Speck specs (hehe) list the case as a full 8 ounces! When your Kindle 2 is 10.2 ounces (I checked!), adding another 8 is no joke!

Coupled with the pretty steep price tag of $39.95, I would think hard about whether the looks, no matter how attractive they are, would be worth that kind of tradeoff. Think of your poor wrists!

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I Received the Parrot mini-kit slim bluetooth visor speaker phone a  while ago but  hadn’t been able to test it out since i didn’t have a car, (it was at the mechanics) but   as soon as i got my wheels back the first thing I did was try  it out.

I talk so much while I drive that I was able to test it out with in minutes of having set it up, and can tell you it delivers good quality sound and is very easy to configure.
What I loved for most part is that it syncs with your contacts and  identifies the  person who is calling you at the moment. It is also easy to navigate as it will speak the menu options and with just one touch  left or right gives you the option you desire.

Press the green  buttom to make a call  and  automatically asks you who you desire to call and red  to hang up the call. The parrot Mini- kit delivers  good volume, slim design,  hand free options and most of all  saves the hassle of other bluetooth car from visor mounts to in-ear headsets.

DEVICE SPECIFICATIONS :

• audio output via the vibrating panel
• includes Advanced Parrot NR3 noise reduction
• full duplex
• built-in omnidirectional microphone
• features AEC-2 echo cancellation
• includes DSP-2 signal processing algorithms
• pairs up to 5 devices
• features Bluetooth v2.0 + EDR
• range 10 meters
• over 15 hours talk time
• over 20 days standby time

For more information visit: http://www.parrot.com

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Last week, I received the Pantech Breeze II. At first, I thought this phone was more like a joke. A high school senior with this phone? Yeah, I didn’t see that happening. But to my surprise I actually grew fond of the Breeze II and all the features on it.

The Pantech Breeze II has a display of three icons right on the front cover; they light up when you either have a message, phone call, or you’re battery is being charged (it changes from red to green. Green is fully charged). I thought this feature was one of the best because you can just look down to see what messages you have or if your battery is about to die without even opening the phone.

There are also three shortcut buttons which definitely come in handy. You can assign a shortcut from speed dial to calculator to notepad. It helps to assign shortcuts you often use like the calendar and notepad for when you’re busy body like me and have a hectic schedule. The shortcuts are a lot faster than going to Menu, then looking for the category, then look for the application. It’s right at your fingertips.

Speaking of applications, the Pantech Breeze II can run over three applications at once. How awesome is that? When you exit an application like a game or the internet browser you can choose to actually exit or just push the app. to the background. This lets you keep whatever you are doing out of sight until you open it again, just like the tabs on your internet browser on your PC. The iPhone can’t even do that!

The phone has so many different applications that really spice up the phone. For example, the Pantech Breeze II has AT&T music. You can shop for music, listen to AT&T radio, search music videos, and even make your own tones! It also has Yellow Pages and GPS applications. This phone really keeps you connected to everything you need. Oh and you can Email and IM too.

The Pantech Breeze II also has this cool feature in Messaging. It allows you to keep messages from your contacts all in one conversation this feature is known as threaded conversations. No more wondering where to look for that text message your boyfriend or mother sent you an hour ago. The Pantech Breeze II will keep everything you have sent and received by your contact in “IM CHAT” like conversation.

Oh before I forget it also has a built in 1.3 megapixel camera that does both Video and Still images. The quality is pretty good just check out the picture I took of myself below.

That’s me and my friend Cianell (I’m on the right) aren’t we cute?

I guess you really can’t judge a book by its cover, or in this case a phone by its size or appearance. I would recommend this phone to anybody who needs or wants a phone.

The Pantech Breeze II is available in at&t wireless stores and on their website at http://wireless.att.com for $19.99 with a 2 year contract.

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I work at a tech startup in Silicon Valley, and one of the perks of the office is that dogs get to visit. If you know me at all, you know that I am absolutely nutso about dogs—I will talk to them, I will stop and meet every one I see on the street, and I would happily spend every waking moment nuzzling one (or two, or five.) The one place I do not appreciate evidence of a dog, however…on my keyboard!

Dust, dog hair, remnants of food and other random smudges—don’t you hate when you have to nearly floss your keyboard periodically to get rid of all that gunk? Well then you’ll enjoy this little doo-dad.

iSkin makes a pretty cool keyboard protector that fits like a glove over your keyboard (I have a Macbook) and comes in a couple cute patterns. The silicone cover makes the feeling of typing nice and squishy, which cuts down on the key-bang sound (and I am sometimes a banger.) Its really fun looking, too, and several co-workers have already performed double-takes when glancing at my Macbook because of the fun new design on the keys…the silicone is so flush with the actual shape of the keyboard, its pretty hard to tell you’ve overlaid a cover at first glance. I can dig that!

At $25 the cover is priced accordingly with the entire universe of Apple accessories—kinda steep at first thought, but reasonable when you consider how long you can use it for and the utility it provides. 2 thumbs up for no more fur between my keys!

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After nearly a year of rumor-milling, gossip-mongering, and speculation galore, the iPad debuted to a round of applause (and many an amusing joke about Boston accents.) If you’re one of the early adopting crowd that has in their possession, or are about to procure, a magical iPad for yourself, you’ve likely has a nightmare (or, at least, a bad daydream) about dropping that baby on the concrete or scratching it up when carrying it in your bag from place to place.

If you were in the Apple store looking for a case and were kind of disappointed with either their lack of stock (or the rate at which they seem to be selling it out) or the lack of a cute selection, I wanted to add an option to the pot that I think is pretty sweet.

Speck, maker of the popular candy hardshell covers for Macbooks (and iPhones, and iPads too now) has an iPad case in their product line that I think is tops. The Speck PixelSleeve Plus is a cute and protective case that the iPad zips into, and a handle for slick portability.

The case is made of stretchy neoprene, and the inside has a flexible and reinforced layer to protect your baby from scratches or other mishaps.  While I didn’t imagine I would need a handle for an iPad holder, its surprisingly convenient in moments of transport. Rather than grabbing the whole unit in two fingers and risk it slipping out of your hands, the handle makes movement of the entire thing pretty darn easy. That sounds trivial, but since the iPad is so gosh darned (and disappointingly) heavy, that extra handling ability really plays a solid role.

The case is a $39.95 investment, which can seem steep for a case. On the other hand, when you consider the cost of your iPad and the likely diagnosis of FanBoy/Girl that you have, $40 is worth it to protect your little piece of preshus.

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I bet you read that twice – you should have. I did. But that’s exactly what I was ‘greeted’ with when I received the new and improved We-Vibe II ™. It almost looked like a wedding invitation and all I could do was say “Awwww” because it was so cute, yet at the same time, I sat up a little straighter, adjusted my posture, crossed my legs, and flipped my hair a bit because it was very, very, sexy.

Interesting concept right – some seductive font and great paper quality made me feel sexy and made me want to be sexier. Imagine how I felt when I actually saw the product.

Confused.

That’s the feeling. What the ??? How the ??? With who??? How again ???

It was simple to figure out though. The We-Vibe II ™ is made from 100% medical grade silicone so it felt super nice and soft, like the handle of my favorite hairbrush. I stared at it a bit, rubbed it, felt every little rib or indention and thought – alrighty then, this will be fun.

I didn’t say that, but if I did, I could assure you that it would’ve been with a sarcastic tone.

These kind of reviews take a little longer to produce because you can’t just ‘review’ it anywhere, or at anytime. There’s a lot of prep work involved. That’s all I’ll say.

(This is how you turn it on…by pressing down on the top, thicker piece, and to turn it off you hold it down…you also can press to move to one of the nine tones)

Back to the product…

It’s purple with a glossy finish (go Lakers, go Barney – sharing is caring, etc…), weights only 2 oz, has a heavy-metal FREE rechargeable battery (it’s almost impossible to see the hole where you charge it – but it’s there. I promise) and comes with a beautiful lilac satin pouch for your convenient carrying. I would personally like a hard case, like those cases they may for GPS’s but the satin gives it that extra umph (here we go, feeling a tad bit sexier).

Instead of creating a ripple effect in the adult toy industry, it’s caused tsunami – winning awards across the globe, gaining recognition from all forms of the media (Oprah, Cosmo & the world’s sexpert Sue Johanson)…it’s amazing and receives my thumbs up.

The We-Vibe II ™ was created by a lovely Canadian couple – go Canada! I love you all a bit more now! It was the world’s FIRST dual (clitoral and g-spot) stimulation vibrator that could be worn while making love. The concept makes you do the Scooby Doo – huh?!? But it is real. I’m sure a lot of trial and error went into this masterpiece but while all the research and practicing to make this perfect was going on – do you know who else they thought about?? Our planet!

This product is super eco-friendly. The makers ‘believe in having a positive effect on the environment both inside and outside of the bedroom”. They are a carbon neutral manufacturer and use water based pigments, recyclable materials and ultimately – what this means to us is that this product is very high in quality, and will last a very long time.

The We-Vibe II™ has nine pleasurable play modes – low, high, throb, wave, pulse, ramp, tease, ascend and cha-cha (for you the Latin dancers or lovers – jk!). It can be used for about 2 hours (non-stop) or be on standby for up to 60 days. For those that know what this means it is <50 dB and its frequency is 50-80Hz. It is water resistant, requires no hands, is extremely flexible and easy to wear and also very comfortable (it may not seem like it is, but it contours to your body and the connecting piece between the two vibrators is actually a lot thinner than you may assume) and contains 2 ultra powerful motors.

I enjoy (notice no –ed) this product very much and so does my partner. It was a unique experience, so start training your mind to be a tad bit more open, it is not your traditional sex toy – but what the heck, aren’t we in a ‘We believe in change” state of mind – thanks Obama!

I recommend this gadget to everyone, couples and singles alike. It requires minimal thinking which is the best, doesn’t ‘feel’ intimidating in any sense, is intuitive to use, extremely easy to clean, a nice ‘different’ shape – different enough to not feel weird when traveling with it in your carry on, and more than one person can enjoy it at the same time.

Ladies and gentlemen (I hope you’re reading this too) – meet the Mercedes of Sex Toys – I say Mercedes because of the quality behind this product. You think Mercedes, and probably think sexy, sophisticated & a great ride…I think of the We-Vibe II™ and think “you’re damn right we vibing!” – I’m half-way kidding, but I also think of it being sexy, sophisticated & a great ride.

Prices vary amongst retailers but the We-Vibe II™ is available all over the world, online and in stores and the average price (which may change) is about $100. I have gone into many stores where this item is sold out, so order online if you’d like to save some time.

I think this would be the best gift to give a mom – or a dad – or a non-parent any day of the year! In the case that I haven’t already convinced you of how awesome this is – and want to hear and see me say it – watch this short video…

You can also watch their official instructional demo.
You can purchase a We-Vibe at Babeland.com

The We-Vibe II™ receives Cute Geek’s 5 Diamond Award and also our Green Award for the many ways they show their commitment to our planet.

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I was asked to review this retro Novophone Retro Handset for cutegeek and I at first laughed at the image. Imagine walking down the streets of San Francisco with this phone plugged into your cell phone. How many strange looks would you get?  I decided the best way to test this out would be to take it to my friend Jeff’s BBQ and have all my iPhone pals try it out…and per the pictures they got a kick out of it.

Though it is a tad clunky (time to bust out the big purses ladies) it is a novelty and a great conversation piece. The Novophone Retro Handset is designed to have clearer sounding calls plus reduce exposure to direct cell phone radiation.

It also includes an Answer/End and there are a multitude of adapters available. The Novophone Retro Handset comes in Red Black and Blue and retails for around $27.95 (you can buy it here).

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When my friends and family started playing farm town on Facebook I made fun of them (sorry guys!). I already own a dog and had a garden in Texas. There is no need for me to have a virtual farm nagging me about harvesting and animals. I vowed I would NEVER play one of the Facebook games till I had a demo for Platinum life in Beta. It’s a hip hop game on Facebook that let’s you battle it out as either a DJ, Rapper or Singer. I haven’t been to hip hop class in a while so Platinum Life in Beta seemed to fill the void.

You can dress up your character, battle friends or other players, and play different venues. I decided to be a rapper because I secretly think I should have been a rapper in my younger life (my fake name was Fast Forward). I think there are still a few glitches because I dressed my character up and it didn’t take…still though the game is addictive if you have nothing to do besides look for a job:-). The only thing that annoys me is the “juice level.”

Me: “Dang it I need more juice…”

Marco: “What the heck is juice…”

Me: (Unresponsive and annoyed)

Marco: “What is this juice you talk about?”

I looked over at him in a heated moment of frustration (plus in the middle of critical stages in the game) and in my head I thought:

“I invited you to play this game and you still haven’t accepted my invite! I am not telling you what juice is and furthermore your farm town sucks! HAHA!”

I didn’t say this out loud though I am guessing he will be reading this shortly. Opps!

Anyhow juice is how you get more playing time and points. I think the more time you accrue the more points you get. I have no idea how to get more juice (besides purchasing it…um NO!). All I know is I am at level 13, though I think you can go all the way to level 40…I mean I have a social life so I hope I don’t get that high…Then again I have only been playing it a week and up to level 13. If your into testing out a beta version of Platinum Life and want to live out your inner hip hop side check it out. Just try and battle me…

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When I found out I would be getting a new review for cutegeek I wrote on my Facebook that I was getting a Pogo Stylus for iPhones. My cousin then commented on my status…

Cousin: I miss my Pogoball…

My reply: Man I wish someone would send me that to review…with a counter of how long I could go…genius!

Cousin: counters…geez, you’re SO digital!

I know my cousin was probably being sarcastic but he made a good point. Every day I am always thinking of technology and how I can make something not digital into a digital product. Is there a flower pot that has a digital reminder so you don’t kill you plants? If not I should patent this! OR is there a waterproof blue tooth headset that you can use in the shower/ swimming/ rain for those times when you are on eternal hold or boring conference calls and need to multi-task yet not say a word?

Back to the review of the Pogo Stylus…

I again hung out with Aziz with Cabana Networks to test out the Pogo Stylus on his iPhone. I unboxed it and snapped on the clip that holds the stylus on the iPhone. It was pretty easy to put on and seems like it would not scratch the iPhone. I also tried it on his iPad and just starting writing my name in cursive…Ten times better looking then when I used my finger. When I got home I tested the Pogo Stylus on my HP TouchSmart and it worked so much better than using my finger which looks like a 4 year old child wrote it.

The tip’s material gives it the ability to function with iPhone’s multi-touch display. The tip glides over the surface of the display to give it the ability to sketch, draw characters, and slide to unlock. Its intent is to function like fingertip so that it moves easily through the touch interface.

Another great thing about the tip is it’s meant to keep the screen’s glass surface scratch and smudge-free. The stylus is made of a lightweight aluminum alloy with an anodized finish in four different colors (black, gunmetal, silver, or hot pink).

All in all I liked the Pogo Stylus and will continue to use it on my HP TouchSmart to write sticky notes even though it’s made for the iPhone. The one thing I recommend for this product is an adjustable clip for other touch technology devices. It retails for $14.95 and you can purchase it here!

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I think I am the last person on the planet that doesn’t have an iPhone and I have no idea what I am waiting for…Oh I know a day job:-). I asked all my iPhone friends if I could test the iSkin solo SE/ solo FX out on theirs and my friend Aziz from Cabana Networks kindly volunteered. Aziz also has an iPad so stay tuned for a review on the iPad and the accessories that I have been receiving.

The iSkin solo SE /solo FX is made from a material that looks and protects like a hard case however it feels like a soft case. The material was created to be heat and cold resistant, features shock and impact qualities, and cleans with ease (per the website). I quickly unboxed it and put it on his iPhone. Seemed easy enough and you can access all the ports which is great as some of the one’s I have seen you have to adjust the phone and case to access them. I also liked the look of the case and the brilliance of the colors. 

I then asked Aziz what he thought and he actually doesn’t use a case because unlike myself he isn’t hard on consumer goods. Plus unlike some of us women who just throw it in their purse items like this can sometimes catch while in a dude’s pockets due to the material.  This made me wonder if women use cases more then men due to the pocket factor.    

The iSkin solo SE /solo FX fits the iPhone 3G/3GS models with a pretty light weight and thin casing. It also comes with a screen protector which is something I should be using as I am constantly scratching my phone screen. The solo FX/ solo SE is made with Microban® antimicrobial protection to help with stain and odor causing bacteria on your iPhone.

The solo FX retails for $32.99 (comes in Lush, Vive, Sunset, Breeze, or Passion) and the solo FX SE from $34.99 (comes in Ice, Cosmo, or Onyx).

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I have yet to find Inner Earbuds that actually fit my freakishly small ear canals. I was skeptical when I got the Fauvette Faith, Hope and Love Inner Ear Retractable Earphones by chicBuds because I thought “Great more ear buds that won’t fit.” I loved the design though, on the retractable device it had the words Faith, Hope and Love…all things women should live by. (I have Faith the economy with get better, Hope that I get a day job soon and Love cutegeek . On the earbuds themselves they had I huge crystal covering the entire outside on each side. Who needs earrings when you have these little guys I asked myself!

I then unboxed the Fauvette Faith, Hope and Love Inner Ear Retractable Earphones and found 3 different silicon tip pads in different sizes of course. I tried the first two and (sad face) I was starting to get really bummed I couldn’t test these out like all the previous ones from before. Then I tested the last ones which seemed to be the smallest silicon tip pads I have ever seen! I quickly fit them on the buds and put the earbuds in my ear. EUREKA! They actually fit! Do you realize how happy I was?! The entire year while blogging for cutegeek I thought my ears were deformed! Talk about clearing up that complex!

I had to test them out on my run immediately so I left my condo and started walking to my running location. The entire walk I had a huge smile on my face! Yay they fit, there is nothing wrong with my ears I kept thinking! The bass was LOUD, in fact much louder then the Swarvoski chicbuds I tested. I can bump my Black Eyed Peas full blast to cancel all the sirens from the city…What a glorious day! I began my run which is pretty hard as it’s all hill work and jumping jacks. Not only did the Fauvette Faith, Hope and Love Inner Ear Retractable Earphones by chicBuds stay in the entire 45mins but unlike others I have tested my ears did not feel all wet and sweaty (I know that is gross but it’s true).

When I got home I emailed the folks at chicbuds about my experience and they told me that the Fauvette Faith, Hope and Love Inner Ear Retractable Earphones were the only ones on the market to date that are extra small. What luck! I got the only ones in the world that fit my ears! I do have to say that the retractable device still did bounce but the fact that they cleared up on earbud complex canceled that out. I wonder how many other girls have this issue? If you do you should get the Fauvette Faith, Hope and Love Inner Ear Retractable Earphones!

Below are the product specs and they retail for 19.99 (what a deal).

Compatible with:
iPods, iPhones, MP3 Player, Walkmen, Computers, Airplane Connectors… Basically any listening device!

Available in 2 Designs:

• Faith Hope Love
• Chic Love Pink

Item Includes:
3 Silicon Tip Sizes

Specifications:
3.5mm Jack

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So, dear readers, I have to apologize to you.  I signed on to blog for Cute Geek about 2 weeks before starting a new job. A job that involves an hour commute each way.  In addition, I’ve been trying to log more hours/miles in spin class/on my road cycle.  So combine being out of the house for 13 hours a day and the dreary weather here in PA and I havent had much mental capacity for anything but dinner & mindless tv. My apologies.

Today I bring you a few things. First of which is a review of Polar’s FT40 heart rate monitor.

I wanted to shed a few of those winter pounds I tacked on and train SMARTER for cycle season, so I searched around for a heart rate monitor that tracked HR, calories burned, retained workouts for later review, and had women’s specific models.  Polar has a fantastic reputation for HR monitors, because all that they make are HR/fitness monitors!  The FT40 is their mid-range Fitness & Cross-training watch, but they have options that are optimized for fitness, running, cycling, weight loss, multisport and weight training.

I chose the FT40 because it’s geared for “active exercisers who want clear guidance and to monitor their fitness level.” It has a men’s and women’s version, tracks everything I wanted it to and…to me the coolest part…can be hooked up to the computer and uploaded to www.polarpersonaltrainer.com to develop training plans, track progress and really educate yourself about your fitness.

I received my FT40 two days ago and set it up today in preparation for spin class. It’s a dark candy apple green watch (actually a much more pleasant color than in the picture above) accompanied with a chest strap and transmitter. Before first use, you have to set up your personal info – DOB, weight, height, gender, fitness level, max heart rate (if known) and VO2max (if known).  Many reviews said it was difficult to setup, but by following the directions it was not a problem at all – took me maybe 5-7 minutes.

Before strapping on the chest strap, you have to wet the electrodes on the inside with COLD water. This is what conducts the electrical current from your body to the transmitter.  I can imagine that on a cold day or when the gym is, inevitably, over air conditioned, this could be rather uncomfortable, but on an unseasonable 90-degree day like today, this was a welcome comfort.  The transmitter then snaps on to the strap and the strap is wrapped around your chest – just below the pec muscles.  For me, it sat underneath the band of my sports bra.  I thought that this would irritate me, but once I got moving I completely forgot it was there! Moving it down below the band actually caused more discomfort than having the band on top. The watch face itself, even in the women’s version, is a little big for my teeny tiny wrists (Seriously, most bracelets dangle down over my palm), but is comfortable enough.  The polyurethane band is a little uncomfortable on dry skin, but wasnt an issue once I was glistening (That’s right. I dont sweat. I glisten.)

A feature I didnt test out (b/c I was running late for spin) is the Fitness test.  On a day where you are not stressed or distracted and have not engaged in vigorous exercise, you run the fitness test – lay down for 3-5 minutes and relax. Your resting HR is measured and this is used to obtain your VO2max (which can be saved to your personal info, since most people dont know this #). Over time, this should help you actually visualize how your workouts are improving your fitness.  I’m going to try it tomorrow.

Once in class, you tap a single button twice to “start” your workout.  From then on, your HR, calories burned and the duration of exercise is recorded.  You can toggle between 3 different views: effect, HR and calories burned.  The HR view can be set up to be BPM or %of max (I chose BPM) and is really easy to see while you’re moving. The calories burned is also cool (620 in 52 minutes on an “off” day!) but my favorite view is the “effect”.

This is where the $179.95 watch really morphs into a nifty little computer.  The monitor has what’s called an EnergyPointer calculation. It defines the limit between low intensity (Fat burning zone) and higher intensity (Fitness zone) and will display which zone you are in based on your heart rate (today my EnergyPointer was 133, but at an average HR of 168 I was in the Fitness zone for 50 of 52 minutes).  To calculate this EnergyPointer the FT40 (and many other Polar models) uses your HR and HR variability, together with the previously entered personal info & fitness level.  The average EnergyPointer value supposedly corresponds to 69% of max HR (if you dont know it, the monitor will adjust after you’ve worked out some. I didnt know mine, but today it was 189, so that will be used for my next workout). I’m not sure how, but the EnergyPointer value apparently “varies as your daily physical and mental condition varies from day to day. Your training computer can detect your body’s daily state from your heart rate and heart rate variability and, if necessary, adjust the EnergyPointer accordingly.”  More detail at the Polar website.

So as I was spinning today, I kept checking my watch and toggling the views, but leaving it mainly on the “Effect” screen. This’ll probably prove dangerous if I’m on a cycle on the open road, but for now it works.  It was really invigorating to see how hard I was working. Next time I’m going to try setting limits so that it alerts me if I go outside of a range of heart rate (working too hard or too easy).  I also want to buy the Polar FlowLink to upload my workouts to www.polarpersonaltrainer.com.  I’ll post an update when that time comes.

Overall? I love this thing! It actually gives my workout MEANING.  I cant wait to really start tracking my progress (the watch itself holds 50 training sessions and 50 fitness tests, and shows weekly progress summaries).  I spend a fortune for my gym membership, this was well worth the investments to make my gym membership actually WORTH it!

I highly recommend this HR monitor if you are looking to start effectively working out.  Let me know if you have any questions or any experience with any other Polar products. daron@cutegeek.com

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When we go on road trips we always say “Damn I wish we had a portable radio!” Of course we always try Pandora on the cell phone but it’s never loud enough and if your on the beach you get bad reception. Well I found my portable solution and in a nice Pink color to match my shuffle in the iLuv iSP100.

The iSP100 comes with a nice black carrying case as well for your portable experience and is compatible with any device that has a 3.5mm jack. When you turn it on (after you put in the AAA which are not included FYI) there is a blue light indicator showing its on. I plugged in my shuffle and tested them out. Don’t be fooled on how small it is as the sound quality is FABULOUS!

I then took the iSP100 out to my roof top deck to see just how loud there were outside and in the noisy city of San Francisco. I turned them all the way up and hit play. They weren’t joking when they told me it had 360 degree sound from each speaker. that’s loud..I had to turn it down when I took it outdoors in fear of getting in trouble.

The the iSP100 retails for 34.99 and you can purchase it here. Below are the product specs for all you cutegeekers out there and a picture of me relaxing on the deck with the iSP100 from iLuv.

· Ideal for iPod, iPhone and any other MP3 players

· Powerful built-in speakers allow you to hear your music with depth and clarity

· Unique design brings 360 degree sound from each speaker

· Surprisingly loud high quality stereo sound

· Operates with three “AAA” batteries (Batteries not included)

· Power indicator light

· Compatible with any audio devices with 3.5mm jack

· Protective carrying pouch included

· Audio output: 1.8W_RMS x 2: 3.6W_RMS / 7.2W_PEAK @ 1% THD

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One day my un-boss/editor emailed me and said your going to get a box from a company called chicbuds. By now I realize I am the audio review cutegeek guru because I tend to keep getting speakers, ear buds, or headphones lately. So in a couple days my concierge emails me saying there is a package for me. I love mystery packages!! I ran down stairs and opened the box in the elevator like a kid on Christmas. Whoa! Pink Swarvoski ear buds and 4 more other fun products to test out from chicbuds. I got 3 different earbuds to test but my favorite ones were the ones with Swarvoski pink crystals in white that matched my shuffle (stay tuned for the other 2 earbud reviews as they are a different earbud styles). Initially I was thinking great I know these will fall off in a matter of days because we all know I am harsh on consumer goods. However like a girly geek I love Swarvoski and use to go window shopping there…when I had a day job that is.

What I liked about these chicbuds besides the Swarovoski crystals was that they fit my ears so I didn’t have to any earbud trauma like I do the silicon padded ones. Also being the feisty cancer that I am I will throw a fit when my wires get tangled. They come with a 3.5 mm jack so perfect for your iPhone, Smart phone, MP3 players and PCs. They also come with a retractable feature that eliminates (my) tangle drama. The crystals come in Blueberry, Grape, Watermelon, Sour Apple and Marshmallow and the headsets either come in white or black, perfect for every girls personalization.

As you can see in the picture (after I un-boxed them) the crystals are on the earbuds themselves and also on the retractable device. I have to be honest I kind of messed up at first and just pulled one side of the cords. Duh Nina, next time read the instructions (though I think its hilarious I had to read instructions for earbuds). Once I figured out to use them I was on my way to walk around the city.

I walk out my condo to torrential rain and wind…(dang it) but this is a good test to see if the Swarovski rhinestones holds up to water and earbuds hold up to the wind. I am happy to report after walking 2 hours in the rain they held up to the Nina challenge. I would like to point out it is rare for products to hold up to my consumer needs so great job chicbuds!

One thing I need to communicate to our readers is that the chicbuds sound quality is great however it’s just not the loud bass I am used to (though I have been told I listen to my earbuds way to loud). Also if you’re a runner like I pretend to be the retractable device bounces just a tad (not enough to detour me from wearing them but enough for me to notice). To be fair though I know I looked cute running with them and a few folks commented and checked them out…haha free publicity for the chicbuds. The chicbuds retail for $39.00 & recommend these for all my fashionista girls out. If you want to look good on the go and hate tangles like I do get the chicbuds!  Readers can buy them here and stay tuned for further reviews from chicbuds.

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I am one of the worst people when it comes to charging my consumer devices.  I am dumb founded each time my devices run out of batteries as if they are all the energizer bunny that keeps going…and going…and going… I think the reason this always happens to me is due to the fact I have so many different plugs for so many different electronics.

Alas the nice people at Callpod sent me the Chargepod which charges up to six different devices with one outlet you can plug into either your car via an input charge power or an input AC electrical power outlet. I unboxed it in my car because I thought it would be more fun!

I unboxed Chargepod and enclosed were 3 adaptors and they plus sent me two separate ones to try out well. Also with the set you get a free coupon to send in for an extra adaptor. NICE!

Normally while in my car I run out of battery life so I definitely wanted to test the Chargepod in my car first. I tried my devices I had like my Motorola Endeaver HX1, PSP, HP Glisten, shuffle, and my Webbie (which didn’t indicate if it will charge but I was curious). The plug fit but unfortunately my Webbie is on the dying front so I can’t confirm or deny if it actually worked however the rest of the devices were fully charged.

I then tested it using the AC jack at home and plugged it into my PSP, The Motorola Endeavor HX1, HP Glisten, and my Canon Power Shot. Though it doesn’t indicate it can charge a digital camera it completely worked for my Canon Power Shot! Unfortunately I didn’t have an iPhone to test this out on, only my lil’ shuffle, but regardless this Chargepod is amazing. We love taking road trips and this Chargepod is perfect for all your road trippers out there! I am curious to see how this works flying and may do another review once I fly again. If you have several devices and always on the go I suggest to get the CallPod Chargepod. IT ROCKS!

See their website Demo video here and the specs below. It retails for around 39.95 and you can buy it here! This may now be my new best friend of gadgets to date…besides my Joby.

Electrical

Input AC Power
10V – 240V Frequency 50 – 60 Hz

Input Charge Power
6V DC – 3 Amps

Output Charge Power
6 Ports with charging capabilities of 500mA each

LED Indicator
Green/Red Power LED + 6 Blue Connector LEDs

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I had the chance to review the  http://www.aerial7.com/product/CHOPPER2/HYPE/my first review and I’m excited to say it was like opening a present on christmas.

The Chopper 2 are the ultimate experience of commodity, it eliminates the hassle of carrying around a Bluetooth and headphones  at the same time, they have a built in microphone which is just grand. Headphones with a cord that fits either the original iPhone or the iPhone 3G, 3GS, Blackberry as well, also provides you with a hang up bottom for your calls. You also receive in the box: A soft carry case in very cool colors (for fashionistas like me who carry their music around), adjustable ear pieces  and a headband in bright green and grey.

I honestly can say I’ve never seen this and was looking forward to trying them when I found out they were used by famous DJ’s such as Josh Madden Kid Fresh (Aerial 7 Ambassador’s) http://www.aerial7.com/ambassadors/josh/

They are very comfortable to wear due to their padding on the top part and earphones which totally isolate every single sound around you. They have a very sharp sound on Skype, iTunes and while using my cellphone – providing ultimate clearness and audio quality at it’s best on all three.  Overall if your looking for something comfortable and best sound quality you should get these. They retail for $90.00 which I consider a good price for the quality of the product, you can find them online at : http://www.aerial7.com/product/CHOPPER2/HYPE/.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver Diameter: 44mm
• Impedance: 32Ω
• Frequency Response: 5-20KHz
• Sensitivity (S.P.L.): 108±3dB (at 1KHz)
• Input Plug Diameter: 3.5mm iPhone®

ADAPTERS

• 3.5mm – 6.3mm (1/4″) adapter
• 3.5mm iPhone® – Skype™ adapter

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I had the opportunity to review the Shure SRH750DJ Professional DJ Headphones. I am not a DJ though I believe I have great music taste:-).  See the unboxing here. I do however have a turn table and enjoy listening to my orginal vinyl (recently found “Thiller” in the dollar bin). I put on the Shure SRH750DJ Professional DJ Headphones and WOW! The best sound I have had so far for head phones! The Shure SRH750DJ Professional DJ Headphones were so great in sound quality I couldn’t even turn  them up full blast for sake of my hearing.

We have heavy doors in our building and the headphones clearly canceled out all the “booms” I hear every hour on the hour it seems!

 I learned at Macworld that these Shure SRH750DJ Professional DJ Headphones were designed to last. For DJ’s and headphone users the 3m (10ft) coiled detachable cable is ideal as that is more replacable then the entire headphones since users tend to pull on them or catch on something. Furthermore the Shure SRH750DJ Professional DJ Headphones came with replaceable pads and an awesome case to carry them around. They also have an adjustable and collapsible headband with 90-degree swivel ear cups for one-ear placement. How could you not want these sweet headphones?! They retail for around 149.99 and you can purchase them from your local guitar center here. Below are the product specs.

High impedance and maximized power handling for DJ mixers

Enhanced frequency response tuned to deliver high-output bass with extended highs

Closed-back, circumaural design rests comfortably over the ears and reduces background noise

Adjustable, collapsible headband with 90-degree swivel ear cups for comfort and easy one-ear placement

Legendary Shure quality to withstand the rigors of everyday use

Bayonet Clip securely locks cable into ear cup

Replaceable ear cup pads ensure long product life

3m (10ft) coiled detachable cable provides plenty of length and easy storage

Carrying bag protects headphones when on the go or not in use

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As you all know I take a ton of pictures and video’s for cutegeek. I had seen the Joby Gorillapod before and was jealous of the owner; it is one of my favorite products right now! I received a cute pink one to test out and quickly began playing around with it.

What is so cool about the Joby Gorillapod you may ask? Well its has flexible and wrappable legs that you can attach to almost any surface for your digital camera or mini video camera. Though I love my huge tripod at home it is quite bulky to take on the go. The Joby Gorillapod has a quick release clip so you can easily take off the camera and also has a lock for that feature as well so your camera will not fall off. The Joby Gorillapod comes in 7 different colors for your creative and personalized pleasure.

I put the Joby Gorillapod to the test; first by attaching it to my refrigerator doors with my Sony webbie since I normally do my unboxing video’s in my living room (my kitchen overlooks the living room).  My webbie is pretty heavy and it stayed attached with no problems.

I then tested the Joby Gorillapod out on my family. I have to admit I am lucky to have friends and family that let me test things out on them. We took a road trip to the Jelly Belly factory and to Napa and while my husband was driving I set up the Joby Gorillapod and took a picture of us in motion.  

I then let my nieces take some pictures with the Joby Gorillapod on the table. Aren’t they cutie pies?

The joints are designed to bend 360 degrees which means you can connect this bad boy in all types of environments and terrain. It retails for the low price of 21.95 and you can purchase it here!

Of course in true Nina fashion I took a cutegeeky picture of me with the Joby Gorillapod on my head! I love my Joby!!!

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When I got this Hyperkin Baseball bat set in the mail I got flashbacks of how bad I was as a child playing softball. Fortunately with my Wii Sports I rock at it and there are no balls flying towards my face (I have received a black eye from playing Lacrosse in college).

The Wii Baseball Bat with Sound Plus lets you feel and hear every swing of your baseball bat as though you were hitting home runs at AT&T ballpark (Go Giants!). The Hyperkin Wii Baseball bat is made from a soft foam material so you won’t kill your TV if you loose your grip or in excitement throw your bat down running imaginary bases (I so would do that)! Below is me testing it out; I have to admit I almost felt like a baseball pro plus the sound made it believable.

Also this is made for all ages so it’s great for the entire family. It retails for around 24.99 and I believe it’s a great accessory for your Wii…so get it cutegeekers! Below are the product specs…

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I recently received the ScanSnap S1300 and did the unboxing video here!  I had a funny visual moment when I read that it was portable. I had a vision of someone walking around with a Netbook and the ScanSnap S1300 in downtown San Francisco on Market street computing and scanning.  I do realize that is not what it’s meant for though my mental visual made me laugh! The ScanSnap S1300 is made for business people on the go who need a quick scanner, portable users (I bet this could even work on a plane though I didn’t get to fly and test it) or for those who have a small work space and need a scanner. What I found intriguing when I did the unboxing is that you can power it via USB for the ultimate portable experience. Nice! I loved that it was very light in weight and realized why its made for folks on the go.

I quickly downloaded the ScanSnap S1300 software for the product which by no means took long at all and started scanning. I kind of put it to the test by scanning a very thick card board flyer and it worked! I scanned my cutegeek business card as well and though it was slanted going in it scanned straight.

With the ScanSnap S1300 software you can Scan to ScansSnap Organizer, to Cardminder, to a folder, to email, to print, to word, to Excel, to Power Point, or to Word.  The ScanSnap S1300 can convert scanned data into searchable PDF files AND users can use a colored highlighter on a black & white document to create searchable keywords. Sweet! I always need a search feature.  Also this works with PCs and Macs.

Here is a screenshot of the instructions that I scanned with the ScanSnap S1300 like a big geek! You can tell the scan turned out great.

I plan to have a MindTouch demo so I can also test out how their software works with the ScanSnap S1300.  This is part one of the ScanSnap S1300 review so stay tuned cutegeekers! Below are the product specs and it retails around $295.00…

1 

Scanning speeds may vary due to the system environment used.

2 

Requires simultaneous connection to two active powered USB ports on computer.

3 

TWAIN or ISIS® applications cannot be used directly.

4 

When hopper is closed.

5 

Documents measuring approximately 5.8 inches (148mm) in length or less are scanned in “Best mode” while other documents are scanned in “Better mode”

1 

These applications only support Microsoft Windows®

2 

Windows® Desktop Search (WDS) can be used with Windows® 7, Windows Vista™ or Windows® XP. Adobe® Acrobat® 7.0 or later (not included) is required in order to use the Adobe® Acrobat® search feature. Windows Vista™ users must apply the Adobe® Acrobat® update for Windows Vista™ before using the search feature.

3 

Service Pack 2 or later required.

4 

Service Pack 4 or later required.

5 

Scanning speeds may drop if recommended CPU, memory capacity and USB 1.1 requirements are not met.

1 

These applications only support Microsoft Windows®

2 

Windows® Desktop Search (WDS) can be used with Windows® 7, Windows Vista™ or Windows® XP. Adobe® Acrobat® 7.0 or later (not included) is required in order to use the Adobe® Acrobat® search feature. Windows Vista™ users must apply the Adobe® Acrobat® update for Windows Vista™ before using the search feature.

3 

Service Pack 2 or later required.

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While sitting at home wondering what my day will bring I got the Hyperkin Golf set product in the mail (I think my UPS man comes to my condo more that anyone else!).  When I got them initially I was excited because the Golf set was in pink!  I love my Wii because it makes me feel like I can actually play golf, baseball or bowl.

I have to be honest I was a bit out of it when doing the unboxing and couldn’t figure out how to attach my Wii control to the clubs. I finally figured it out. Check out my goofy unboxing here! Once I connected them I put on my Wii and tried them out. THEY WERE AWESOME! I loved that I could hear them hit the golf ball and how it felt like I was actually using a club. I also tried it on Wii Fit to practice my Wii swing and it was just as easy and fun to use (plus I got a work out). This is one of my favorite accessories for my Wii so far…until I try the bat that Hyperkin also sent (stay tuned for that review). I think the soft safe foam design is also perfect for kids (just don’t let your dog get a hold of it, HA). Below are the product specs and pricing.

Product Highlights:
·         Built-in Internal Sound Device
·         Accurately simulates the sounds of a baseball bat, tennis ball or golf ball being struck
·         Motion Plus compatible
·         Patent pending technology
·         Soft, durable and safe foam design
·         Available in White, Blue and Pink
·         Available: Now
·         Suggested Retail: $19.99- 24.99

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When I first got in the Applesac/ Colcasac in the mail I was confused on why would someone need a sleeve like this till I did my research and then I understood. It is made to be a functional sleeve that is created from premium heavy natural fibers (burlap) and 100% polyester sherpa fleece. Its’ surface is meant to handle the rugged world while its’ inside provides a scratch-free protection for your Apple’s surface. It fits snugly around your MacBook and suppose to act as a theft deterrent since no one associates burlap with a portable. Interesting…but correct as I would never think of the burlap sleeve / case as having a notebook in it.

I busted out the package and fitted my Macbook in the Applesac/ Colcasac. Easy enough and as the product said it did fit great. The front pocket is made for your power cords or any other wires you may need. They also sent a cover for your iPhone in the same material.

 It retails for 34.95 and is a new way of carrying your Macbook or PC.

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Ever wonder who took the dog out or when is the last time we fed the dog?  That actually happens allot in our household since we live in the city and have to walk the dog! Dog-e-minder sent me their product to check out for my dog, Chloe the cutegeek Chihuahua.  Dog-e-minder is an easy 3 button device that reminds you of when your dog needs to be walked, fed, or needs medication. When I first received the device I took out the battery to reset the Dog-e-minder.  As soon as I put the battery back in I was rockin’ and rollin’ (and what not!). This product is ideal especially when there are two people in charge of taking the dog out or feeding them.

Once it turned on I used the 3 buttons to put in the date, time, her name and my phone number. It was pretty simple to use and program. I then put it on Chloe’s collar and once I fed her I held down the button for 3 seconds and bazinga it was programmed!  Chloe didn’t even notice it was on though I think she did realize she got more attention with the  Dog-e-minder on. The Dog-e-minder comes in Pink, Red, Blue or Black and retails for $19.95 (plus 3.95 for shipping and handling)

 

Flava’ Flav! Teehee Chloe showing off her Dog-e-minder!

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]]> http://www.cutegeek.com/2010/03/15/review-dog-e-minder/feed/ 0 http://www.cutegeek.com/2010/03/10/product-review-tunebug-vibe/ http://www.cutegeek.com/2010/03/10/product-review-tunebug-vibe/#comments Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:18:54 +0000 Nina Pena http://www.cutegeek.com/?p=3330

Ever had a moment when you want your friends to hear a song you have on your shuffle and oh snap you don’t have speakers with you?! Fear not my fellow music lovers! I recently got the Tune Bug Vibe and instantly fell in love with it’s sleek design! I love any technology or kitchen appliances with brushed metal and the Tunebug Vibe has a nice small brushed metal housing case.

When I unboxed the Tunebug Vibe I was pleasantly surprised; it came with a USB charging cord! NICE! I love when you can charge your devices with USB and not have to deal with AAA or AA batteries!

After I charged and plugged it into my shuffle I tried it on different surfaces around my condo (like a huge geek). I noticed that with the larger wooden surfaces the sound was much louder than my kitchen’s marble surface. I believe just like the larger speakers with the wooden casing it just sounds better acoustically on wood surfaces.  Even though the Tunebug Vibe is tiny the sound boast the quality of a larger speaker. Per my picture below you can see the speaker is definitely small (yet powerful!).

I tried it with my shuffle, my HP Glisten Smart Phone, and 3 different Notebooks one of course being a Macbook. At first I had trouble with my Macbook (I am not going to lie) however after going into the sound menu on my Macbook it worked perfectly fine. If you looking for a small yet stylish speaker for your portable devices the Tunebug Vibe is made for you!

Below are the specs and more information about the Tunebug Vibe…

Specifications:

Size And Weight
Dimensions: 2.3”x1” (58.5mm x 25.4mm)
Weight: 5.3oz. (150g)
Connectivity: 3.5mm audio jack
Power And Battery
Battery type: LiPoly (450mAH)
Playtime (5 hours)
Charging cable (USB to 3.5mm)

Includes:

Tunebug Vibe
USB charging cable
Sound Base/case
3.5mm audio cable

Price: $69.99
Website: www.tunebug.com

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]]> http://www.cutegeek.com/2010/03/10/product-review-tunebug-vibe/feed/ 2 http://www.cutegeek.com/2010/03/09/ninas-favorite-website-of-the-week-www-shapeways-com/ http://www.cutegeek.com/2010/03/09/ninas-favorite-website-of-the-week-www-shapeways-com/#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:38:18 +0000 Nina Pena http://www.cutegeek.com/?p=3392

I received an email about trying out the www.shapeways.com website. I didn’t know what to expect as I had never heard Shapeways before. With Shapeways you can upload a 3D image you created, download their software, create it and within 10-14 business days you will receive your printed 3D product. They also have models that you can purchase as well if you don’t have a 3D image. Eventually I created a 3D cutegeek rubber stamp and an stylist with my initials (the minimum purchase is $25.00). I have yet to receive my products as I just created them but I am anxious to get them in the mail! And the best part…wait for it…free shipping!

I have been receiving continuous updates and looking forward to giving you all part deux of what I should receive.  Stay tuned cutegeekers!

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]]> http://www.cutegeek.com/2010/03/09/ninas-favorite-website-of-the-week-www-shapeways-com/feed/ 0 http://www.cutegeek.com/2010/03/08/product-review-character-flash-drives-from-the-bone-collection/ http://www.cutegeek.com/2010/03/08/product-review-character-flash-drives-from-the-bone-collection/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:08:08 +0000 Nina Pena http://www.cutegeek.com/?p=3357

 While I was at Macworld I had a chance to check out the Bone Collection’s products and the one the that stood out the to me was the USB Flash Drives. They had many shapes/ forms made from silicon material and they sent me samples for review of the Panda Bear, Mini iPhone (yes I had a Zoolander moments with it), Dinosaur (when I was a kid I was a huge nerd about Dinosaurs), and an elephant.

 In my creative humor we made a video of the flash drives; see the youtube here. One has to wonder what is going on in my head half the time…

 What is so cool about these flash drives you may ask? Well first off the material is fool proof; as far as I know and tested the silicon material makes it durable.  Each flash drive came with 2GB of memory and also the silicon cases are removable (just in case you want to be serious). Below are the product specs and I think for any Macbook users (or an other portable PC)  this is a cute accessory.

+ Support USB 2.0 and compatible with USB1.1
+ Windows: 98/98SE, Me/2000/XP, VISTA
+ Mac: OS 9.0/ 10.0 or later
+ Linux: kernel 2.4 or later
+ No external power needed
+ LED indication for data access
+ The cover will never lose
+ Anti-dustproof
+ Washable silicone (not including flash)
+ Change the coat for flash
+ Life time warranty

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]]> http://www.cutegeek.com/2010/03/08/product-review-character-flash-drives-from-the-bone-collection/feed/ 0 http://www.cutegeek.com/2010/03/05/product-review-phone-leather-from-the-bone-collection/ http://www.cutegeek.com/2010/03/05/product-review-phone-leather-from-the-bone-collection/#comments Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:56:31 +0000 Nina Pena http://www.cutegeek.com/?p=3334

 

Bone Collections sent me their Phone Leather 3GS Case for the iPhone recently. Have you ever been the last person on the planet to adapt to a gadget (which is rare for me)?! Admittedly I do not have an iPhone as I prefer to click actual buttons…crazy I know but I have shaky hands and it would take my friends days to decode my texts using an iPhone. Don’t get me wrong, I think the iPhone is an AMAZING product and endorse it to everyone plus the applications are phenomenal.

Fortunately I knew someone who owned one; my great pal Mel. She invited me over to make calzones with her (yes this cutegeek can also cook); I realized this is the perfect time to test this iPhone Leather 3GS case out. She currently owns a hard case which after she took it off realized it was scratching her brand new iPhone. I opened up the box for the Phone Leather 3GS case and since it’s a simple silicon case we slipped it on in no time.

I asked her what she thought and her first test was if you could access the 3.5mm audio jack since with her hard case she has to mess with it until it finally plugs in (that would annoy me BTW). With the Bone Leather Case  it was indeed easier for her to access it. She then tested the button functionality and how the case affects her usability of the iPhone functions. They worked great…She only had one complaint and it was not a big deal but the volume switch was harder to access then with her current hard case (volume buttons worked great I might add).

All and all she liked the product and thought the leather was awesome. I also think this product is much easier to use then a hard case and more stylish for your iPhone. Also I love that this product is 100% Bio-degradable!!! Cheers to you Bone!

Below are the product specs to the Phone Leather Case for your 3GS and a picture of our yummy calzones!

• Protect your iPhone 3GS away from dust
  
• Supreme genuine leather – classical fashion
  
• Leather texture for an exquisite feel
  
• Includes a free screen protector
  
• Washable silicone (Excluding the leather part)
  
• 100% Bio-degradable
  
  Dimension
  Size: 66x119x15 mm
  Net Weight: 25.5 g

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]]> http://www.cutegeek.com/2010/03/05/product-review-phone-leather-from-the-bone-collection/feed/ 1 http://www.cutegeek.com/2010/02/26/review-taipan-sleeve-for-15-macbooks-by-booq/ http://www.cutegeek.com/2010/02/26/review-taipan-sleeve-for-15-macbooks-by-booq/#comments Sat, 27 Feb 2010 01:45:32 +0000 Nina Pena http://www.cutegeek.com/?p=3211

When I had booq send me their Taipan sleeve I thought how the heck will I make this interesting…The Taipan by booq is simply a sleeve so what could I do to get our fans interested? Just descibe it and post as many pictures as possible was my easy solution. I believe sleeves are important because us ladies tend to throw our technology in our totes and purses.  I go through a notebook every 6 months to a year due to my wreckless behavior so this made me realize that I need a sleeve to keep my PC longer.

When I first got the Taipan sleeve from booq I realized I did not own a 15 inch but never fear I have a 13 inch Macbook I could use.  I got my little Macbook out and walked around my condo with the sleeve like a huge geek!  To be fair I have to test it out so I can be truthful to my readers. Unfortunately I couldn’t do the tote test  b/c my LV is in the purse hospital:-(.

Below are the products specs.

Durable 3mm neoprene offers a cushioned “skin” for your PC/ Mac

High-performance YKK zipper with two zipper pulls

Non-scratch interior soft lining

Contrasting interior fabric and accent stitching

Jersey trim provides a barrier between the zipper and the interior of the sleeve

No handles – slips easily into your favorite bag and protects your laptop against scratches

Limited 5-year Warranty

Retails for $29.95

To purchase the Taipan sleeve from booq; click HERE!

NOTE: This what not to use the sleeve as. Chloe the cutegeek Chihuahua is always getting into my products and videos.

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]]> http://www.cutegeek.com/2010/02/26/review-taipan-sleeve-for-15-macbooks-by-booq/feed/ 1 http://www.cutegeek.com/2010/02/25/review-cs40-headphones/ http://www.cutegeek.com/2010/02/25/review-cs40-headphones/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:19:06 +0000 Nina Pena http://www.cutegeek.com/?p=3033

When I got the request to pick up some iFrogz Ear Pollution CS40′s at