Technology
Technology
TV in Your Lap
August 12th, 2010
I’m not an advocate of replacing a proper TV with watching shows on a computer, but sometimes watching TV on a computer is useful. Many options exist, including network programming—old and new—on Hulu.com, or live sports on ESPN3.com. I’ve been playing with a third option, and it is pretty sweet and flexible, if somewhat flawed. This TV-watching gadget is called EyeTV Hybrid, and it’s a USB device that plugs into your computer and lets users tune in over-the-air channels and cable fare. For standard TV you need to attach an antenna—sadly, it doesn’t ship with one—and to get cable you need to connect the EyeTV Hybrid to your cable hook-up. Read more »
Technology
On the Case
July 29th, 2010
Unless you live in a cave with poor Internet service, you know that Apple gave case makers a very big gift in the iPhone 4. The iPhone 4’s antenna wraps around the outside of the phone, so if you touch it in the wrong spot, the signal weakens significantly. Admitting the problem, Apple is providing iPhone 4 buyers a free “bumper” to wrap the phone. Problem solved! Read more »
Technology
Look, Mom, No Hands! … Mom? Hello?
July 22nd, 2010
If you talk on the phone while driving, you should consider a hands-free Bluetooth device. I’ve tested dozens of models over the years and am particularly fond of offerings from Plantronics, Sound ID and Aliph’s Jawbone line. But if you don’t like putting things in your ears, speakerphone attachments such as the Jabra Bluetooth SP200 provide an affordable alternative. These units sell for about $40 and clip onto your vehicle’s sun visor. Other models use a FM transmitter to broadcast phone calls over your car stereo. Read more »
Tech
Swype It
July 15th, 2010
In the age of smartphones, two methods of typing have come to dominate: touch (iPhone) or physical keyboard (BlackBerry). Now there’s a third option, and it may just revolutionize how we use smartphones. It’s called Swype, and the typing technique is a key feature of the Motorola Droid X, a new Android-based phone that goes on sale July 15 at Verizon for $200 (after contract). Swype is also available on the MyTouch 3G at T-Mobile and the Samsung Omnia II (Verizon), and there is hope that an iPhone app will be introduced. Read more »
Technology
Picture Perfect
July 8th, 2010
It’s been about two years since I last reviewed a digital picture frame, and here’s why: I’ve come to dislike them. They’re bulky, awkward to set up and complicated when adding pictures. But a new wireless frame from Kodak is changing my opinion, making me think there is a place in my home for a digital picture frame. Better, you can put one in grandma’s house and not worry about her struggling to upload pictures. Just send new images to her frame via e-mail. Read more »
Technology
New Droid
July 1st, 2010
In the wake of the iPhone 4 frenzy, you may have missed a pretty significant smartphone launch from Motorola and Verizon Wireless: The Droid X. The two companies recently introduced the second in what appears to be a series of Droids. The first Droid, released last year, helped Motorola get its groove back and indicated Verizon’s desire to offer phones that compete with the iPhone, which is available exclusively through AT&T. Read more »
Technology
BlackBerry Blues
June 24th, 2010
Research in Motion’s BlackBerry defined the modern smartphone, but is the (barely) market-leading company losing touch with what consumers want? Data from Strategy Analytics suggest BlackBerry’s market share of smartphone shipments in the U.S. and Canada fell to 38 percent in March, down from 54 percent the year before. Meanwhile, Apple’s share climbed to 23 percent, up from 18 percent in 2009. Read more »
Gadgets & Tech
Selective content drives new era of digital curation
June 24th, 2010
When you hear the term “curator,” you may picture a condescending, meticulously dressed, librarian-type person in thick-rimmed glasses. Yet there’s a new breed of curator out there—content curators—and they range from being as well-dressed as a college dean, to as casual as a sweatpants-clad college student. Read more »
Gadgets & Tech
What’s on Dad’s wish list
June 17th, 2010
It’s Father’s Day and you’re probably searching for a great gift. Not sure what to get him? Well, here are some ideas for the gadget-loving dad in your life. Read more »
