Techstructions

Mind Control Technology

2011-12-20T13:30:00.000-08:00

Well it looks like I have my answer. According to IBM, mind control technology is the next big thing. Usable mind control technology may allow us to place a phone call or turn on the lights within 5 years. If this is accurate, this truly is a massive paradigm shift with how we interact with technology and the world in general.

By 2017, like all technology, the EPOC or other similar technologies will probably get smaller. So I can imagine it will have completely dry sensors, and I'd be wearing it all the time, perhaps embedded into a baseball cap, and with a finer range of thought patterns detected and connected directly to my mobile phone - allowing me to interact with the world just by thinking particular thoughts. In doing this I could wonder what the traffic will be like on the way home and this information would pop up in front of me. via dvice.com

However, I think that artificial intelligence must also improve dramatically within the next 5 years as well in order to take advantage of these new ways of interacting with technology. AI like apple's siri technology is very useful and impressive for a very limited set of tasks. I'm sure it will continue to get better and it show's great potential. But for a truly revolutionary "personal assistant" technology, there is significant work that must be done in the interpretation of these interactions so that more complex tasks can be performed.

The Next Big Thing

2011-12-13T12:29:00.000-08:00

I am at a point where I feel as though I have no gadgets left to buy. Sure, I don't have every smartphone available, but I do have a great smartphone and all in all the primary features are the same on all the great smartphones. The only difference is in the execution at this point. Not a small point, but one I believe to be generally accurate.

There are incremental improvements every year, but I can't think of an absolutely, blow-me away, innovative device since the iphone. The iPad was a great invention, but the paradigm for the iPad had already been set by the iPhone.

Thats not to say that I am not greatly enjoying the gadgets that I own. I just don't know whats next. Is it TV, voice control, robotics and AI?

If I am wrong, let me know, but I believe that we are in a tech gadget lull here.

My prediction is that AI will be the next big thing. Apple took a stab at this with the Siri personal assistant built into the latest iphone 4S. Its cool, and can be useful, but it has a long way to go before it truly becomes a significant life changer.

Xbox's kinect system is already integrating voice control systemwide in the latest xbox fall update. Its done well, but I do find that if there is background noise the system kind of breaks down and doesn't hear me well. I've heard rumors that Apple may add Siri support to the apple tv, which is cool, but again I can foresee the same problem occurring in a noisy room.

Google's car that automatically drives itself looks promising, but I believe it will be a very long time before I find this technology in my own vehicle.

A truly useful consumer combination of robotics and AI still appears to be many years away.

So I'll continue to write about the incremental improvements in our current technological paradigms. But I'm getting impatient for something more.

Delete All Downloaded Music from iCloud on your iPhone or iPod Touch

2011-11-29T08:28:00.001-08:00

Apple's new iTunes match service allows you to provide a matching song in the cloud for every song in your itunes library. It costs $25 a year and gives you a complete backup for your entire music library.

When you turn on iTunes match on your iphone, you can see every song in your iCloud library in your iphone, ipad, or ipod touch music app. You can then either stream or download the music onto your idevice. Its a great way to have instant access to your entire music library without having to constantly resync new music onto your iphone when you want it.

I've noticed, however, that I end up downloading songs that I listen to frequently to avoid using extra data. Eventually, those downloaded songs begin to take up a lot of space on your iphone, and it can be difficult to find and delete downloaded songs because they are mixed up with icloud songs.

Here's an easy way I found to show only songs that you have downloaded onto your iphone. In settings, choose music, then turn off "show all music." When you reopen your music app, you will only see songs that you have downloaded into your iphones memory. You can then select either songs, or albums, and swipe your finger left to right to delete those from your hard drive. This will clear up your iphone's memory to use for additional storage.

You can then go back into settings and turn on "show all music" to see your entire iCloud library again.

iTunes match released to the Public

2011-11-14T11:40:00.001-08:00

iTunes match has been officially released, allowing you to store up to 25,000 iTunes tracks in the cloud and stream or download instantly to iTunes or your iOS devices. The service costs $25 a year and works as advertised. I have been testing it for weeks. The only glitch I sometimes see is that the music does not always match the song title and album art listed when I shuffle all songs.

Reports are out that the servers are busy and not everyone is able to sign up right now. My advice, wait a few more days and save yourself the hassle of dealing with overloaded servers.

The Problem With the Kindle Fire

2011-11-13T18:06:00.001-08:00

I have yet to use the Kindle Fire, (affiliate link) but it honestly looks like an interesting tablet computer. I have been using an iPad 2 since March, and it quickly became my primary internet device in the house....that is until my daughter claimed it as her personal movie watching device. The iPad has proven to be a great media and internet device for use around the house, and the iPad has even become a pretty good content creation device too for the creation of music, video, and photos. In fact, here is a clip of Moe doing a live song using nothing but the iPad. Pretty cool.

Now, the Kindle Fire will not launch with anywhere near the app selection of the iPad. They recently announced that they will launch with some big ones...Hulu Plus, ESPN Scorecenter, Pandora, Angry Birds...etc. But the iPad has a massive library of 100,000 plus apps to chose from and is considerable more mature than the Kindle "android" app store. I recently read that the Kindle fire is projected to sell 5 million units in the 4th quarter which is respectable, and certainly the most formidable competitor to the iPad so far. This will certainly draw in more developers to create apps over time, but how many is yet to be seen.

The Kindle Fire is a smaller device than the iPad and has a less "high-end" look and feel to it from reports that I have heard. Think of it as a budget tablet. The Kia of tablet computers. Nothing wrong with that, if thats what you are looking for.

The advantage that the Kindle has over other non-iPad tablets is access to Amazon's excellent content library. This is where other iPad competitors have failed. Amazon sells digital books, music, and video. The kindle book store is the best digital bookstore in the world. Plus, an Amazon Prime subscription for $79 annually gives you access to a Netflix like library of unlimited movie and tv show streaming. Its a good price and it also gives you access to free second day shipping and 1 kindle "loaner" book a month at no extra charge.

But here is the problem, the Amazon Kindle Fire locks you in to their content library just like Apple does with the itunes library. Amazon videos need to be played through an Amazon authorized video player. Kindle books can only be read on a kindle device or kindle app. Mp3's are DRM free, but so are Itunes music purchases as well these days.......Its the same strategy that Apple has used for the iPad.

Here is the question then, who would you rather be locked in to, Amazon, or Apple? Its an interesting question. One could argue that Amazon is a bit more open than Apple. You can run a Kindle app on apple devices, but you can run ibooks on android devices. Video however, is stuck on a Amazon authorized app, just like itunes movies are stuck in the itunes universe. Same goes for app investments too. Once you start building up these libraries, its touch to switch.

I am fully immersed in the itunes universe because of the library of videos and apps that I have built up. Apple's itunes store is very mature and has an excellent selection of content. I also prefer the design and elegance of apple devices. The $199 price tag of the kindle fire is enticing, but take a while and think through all of the implications of that decision before you make a decision. If you are already highly invested in Apple, the $199 price may not be enough to lure you.

Amazon Best Books of 2011

2011-11-08T10:01:00.000-08:00

Amazon has released its list of the best books Amazon Best Books of 2011. (affiliate link)

Highlights include the new Steve Jobs bio from Walter Isaacson, which I am almost finished reading, and Erik Larson's In the Garden of Beasts.

I love lists like this because it gives me a nice new reading list of books to choose from.

Ebook Readers - Time to Trade-In your Paper Books

2011-11-07T11:28:00.000-08:00

If you haven't yet made the jump to ebooks, I'd like to take a few minutes to explain why you should. Ebooks, or electronic books, are digital copies of books that can be read on a variety of devices. You can purchase ebooks through companies like Amazon, Apple, Barnes and Noble, and Google, and there are also many free ebooks that you can download as well.

Ebooks give you the ability to literally carry thousands of books with you on one device. You can also instantly purchase and download from a library of over 800,000 books. The combination of instant access and a digital library that can be carried anywhere gives ebooks a distinct advantage over traditional paper books. And e-ink ebook readers provide a technology that imitates the look of paper on an electronic device. Its very simple to purchase a new book right from the device. No computer needed.

Another advantage of ebooks is that you can access your library from multiple devices. You could start reading on your kindle e-ink reader, read a few pages later on your iphone, read a few more pages on your laptop, and then pick back up on your ereader later in the day. Kindle keeps all of the devices synced up so that your device always starts on the last page where you left off.

I personally prefer the kindle system because they have a huge selection of books and you can access your library on many different devices. For pure reading, the kindle e-ink reader is the best experience because its the closest to reading on paper. There is no backlit lcd so it seems to be easier on the eyes for extended reading sessions. The only disadvantage to this device is that you do need a booklight for reading in the dark.

However, because I am so busy and always on the go, I find myself reading more and more on my kindle iphone app. I always have my phone with me, and the iphone has a very high quality retina display that produces extremely clear text. It was a little small at first, but text size is adjustable. I've gotten so used to it that I frequently read entire books on my iphone.

If you want a multi-purpose e-reader, you will want to look at either the iPad, Amazon Kindle Fire (affiliate link), or a barnes and noble Nook Tablet. These devices are great for reading, but they also are full-fledged multi-media devices that allow you to watch movies, listen to music, play games, and surf the web.

The Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet, are low-prices at $199 and $250 respectively. They are a great bargain. However, they are smaller than the ipad at 7" and they do not have the massive app store that the ipad has for additional functionality. The ipad has a 9.7" display, and has its own ibooks bookstore as well as specific apps that give you access to the kindle and barnes and noble bookstore.

The cheapest entry point is the new $79 kindle with special offers (affiliate link). Its an e-ink reader that gives you access to the kindle bookstore for a great price. The special offers reduce the price by adding advertising to the kindle screensaver when you are not reading, so it shouldn't be intrusive. Plus, you can pay additional money and remove the ads at any time.

Anyway you go, these are all very good devices and should get you up and reading in no time. After a while, you may wonder if you'll ever buy a paper book again.

Teavana Blueberry Bliss Rooibos Tea: A Perfect Nightcap in a Tumbler

2011-11-06T15:49:00.000-08:00

This is not the usual tech post, but it does include a brief mobile iphone and android app review so I think it qualifies. I'm enjoying a wonderful cup of tea this evening so I thought I would share. I recently bought the Teavana Tea Rhapsody Glass Tea Tumbler and a few packages of loose leaf tea from Teavana. Think of Teavana as a high end national tea store. The variety is impressive and I've already enjoyed a number of new teas that I've never had before.

Tonight I am drinking the Blueberry Bliss Rooibos tea. It has no caffeine so its perfect for an evening cup. The flavor is delicious and I sweetened it will a little German rock sugar.

I use the Tea tumbler to brew the tea. Just add 3 tablespoons of looseleaf tea and a small spoonful of rock sugar to the bottom of the tumber. Then drop in the strainer, fill with hot water, and brew for the recommended brew time. Teavana has a great iphone and android app that lets you choose favorite teas and gives you instructions for how to brew, including water temperature and brew time. The app also features a built in timer with great graphics and exotic music.

Its delicious and its a lot of fun to explore the different teas. I highly recommend.

The Cloud: Where does your Music Belong?

2011-11-04T12:57:00.000-07:00

Backing up your music collection in 2011 is easier than ever. Whether you backup your music in the cloud or on a hard drive, a music archive is easy and inexpensive and its an absolute must if you have a large music collection.

Here is my roundup of the current options:

1. External Hard Drive - This one is pretty straightforward. Buy a cheap backup harddrive (amazon affiliate link) and copy your music files. If you are a mac user, I recommend setting-up time machine, which will automatically back up your music files as well as the entire contents of your computer hard drive.

For windows users, there are a number of backup software options available, including the built-in windows backup program. You can also just copy and paste your music folder directly into your external hard drive.

One recommendation - you may not want to leave your external hard drive plugged in at all times. If you have a massive power surge at your home, you could end up with a fried computer and a damaged external hard drive - and lose your entire collection.

2. Google Music - Music by Google is still in its beta, but for now you can back up your entire music collection at no upfront cost. If you get an invite, you can use the Google music manager to upload your entire music library.

The downside is that, depending on the size of your music collection, the process can take days or even weeks. My library took me 7 days to upload. Once uploaded, google offers a very nice web interface to stream your library. They also have a pretty good mobile app to stream your library on the go. Android users have the advantage of a Google music app to access their collection.

The other questionable feature is the inability to download music that you have uploaded to your library. The only current option to access your music is through streaming via google.

3. Amazon Cloud Player - Amazon offers a similar program as Google for backing up your music in the cloud. You can use Amazon's mp3 uploader to upload your entire collection. Again, this process can take a week or more to complete, depending on the size of your library.

Amazon does give you the ability to download your music files onto your hard drive and then load onto an mp3 player. They also have a nice web interface for streaming songs and an Android app. However, they currently do not offer a mobile web app for iphone users.

Amazon is currently offerring unlimited space for music for $20 a year plus an additional 20GB of general cloud storage included. However, they advertise these costs as a limited offer.

Another cool feature is that music purchased via the Amazon mp3 store is automatically and instantly available in the cloud.

4. Itunes Match - Itunes match is Apple's answer to cloud music storage. Its a different take on music backup in that it scans your music collection and provides a matching itunes AAC 256kbps file for every song that is available in the itunes library. This drastically cuts down the time it takes to "upload" your music collection. If a song in your library does not contain a matching itunes file, then Apple will upload your own digital copy into the cloud. For me, this was about 200 songs to upload instead of 8,000 songs through Google and Amazon. Plus, any song that you purchased via itunes is already available for you in the cloud as a backup.

Itunes match can sync with your IOS devices so that you have instant access to your entire library at all times from your iphone, ipod touch, ipad, and itunes software. Music can be either streamed or instantly downloaded to your ios device for playback.

The service costs $25 a year and is scheduled to launch in the near future.

Whatever service you choose, I would recommend a combination of an external hard drive and cloud storage. I have tried all of these services so I currently have 3 cloud backups plus an external hard drive backup of my music collection. At this point, it would take a pretty massive disaster for me to lose access to my collection.

How to Access your Desktop From Anywhere

2011-11-03T13:35:00.000-07:00

Go To My PC Remote Desktop access is a really nice service that allows you to access your desktop from any computer with an internet connection. Its easy to install on your home computer and easy to access from a remote computer.

Once you have access, you will be viewing your home desktop as if you were siting right in front of it. This in and of itself is useful, but it also is a nice substitute for a VPN. I use it at the office to gain access to my work computer from home. I can then access all of the software and network resources that I need from anywhere.

Speed is pretty good, although I wouldn't try to use it for gaming or any processor intensive work.

There is also an iPad tablet out as well that allows you to view your desktop remotely via the iPad.

Very nice service and I highly recommend it.

Gmail App

2011-11-03T12:17:00.000-07:00

The gmail app for apple's iphone had a very public failure yesterday. It was released on the app store very briefly, then pulled because of serious bugs in the software.

There was quite a bit of hype leading up to the release of the gmail app, but apparently the app is nothing more than the standard gmail web app, which is quite good, wrapped in an iphone app skin with notification capabilities.

Now, I love gmail, but the only time I really use the gmail app is for searching old emails. For day to day checking and sending of mobile emails, iphone's mail app works just fine. And honestly, if all you need is push notifications, its easy to set-up gmail via exchange activesync and get push capabilities.

So its back to the drawing board for google with no clear timeline for how long it will take to get the app back up on the app store. In the meantime, use the webapp at mail.gmail.com if the iphone mail app isn't sufficient for you.

Ask Siri

2011-11-03T09:43:00.000-07:00

Siri is Apple's new "personal assistant" technology built into the new iPhone 4S. Its pretty impressive technology and very useful for a number of tasks. Here are are few of the things that I have found useful to say to Siri so far:

- "Text Jane and ask her if the dishwasher has already been run"
- "Schedule a dentist appoint for 10:30am on November 16th.
- "Is is going to rain today"
- "Read my new messages"
- "Play my toddler playlist"
- "Remind me to call my mom tonight"
- "Set a timer for 3 minutes"

I am loving the calendar function because it really is quicker. Texts are nice especially in the car. And the reminder function has saved me multiple times already.

How to Access Gmail from Any Device

2011-11-02T13:27:00.000-07:00

Gmail has certainly become the finest free web-based email program available, easily surpassing hotmail and yahoo with features and usability.

Today gmail released a significant update to its gmail web interface with an entirely new user interface. Its a cleaned up design with streamlined conversations, elastic density, smarter navigation, better search and new hd themes.

But you don't have to use the gmail web interface to use gmail. Gmail is accessible from a variety of devices including smartphones and tablets, as well as through traditional email clients on a pc using programs like microsoft outlook.

Here is a link for google for setting up gmail with a variety of email clients including: outlook, apple mail, windows mail and thunderbird.

Setting up gmail on the iphone is easy. Just go to settings, mail, and touch add account. Then select gmail and enter your username and password. You will now be able to send and receive gmail email's from your iphone mail app.

There is also a great gmail mobile app at mail.gmail.com using your mobile browser.

50 Best Gadget Gift Ideas for Christmas 2011

2011-11-01T12:43:00.000-07:00

I know this is early, but I was in Home Depot yesterday and they already had Christmas trees on display. So if they can do it, I can do it too. Here are my top 50 xmas gift ideas for gadget lovers in 2011.

If you can't wait to see what made #1 - scroll down to the bottom.

Here are the categories of ideas for Christmas gift ideas - Tablet computers, Laptops, Televisions, Music Systems, Digital Cameras, Smart Phones, Video Games, GPS, Musical Instruments, Appliances, Accessories

I have not personally reviewed all of these products so I rely on other reviews and information where available. I've also included Amazon affiliate links in the holiday gift guide for each of the products for purchase at Amazon.com.

Happy Shopping and Merry Christmas!

Sling Slingbox SOLO

50. Sling Media Slingbox SOLO (SB260-100) - Extend your tv anywhere with the slingbox. Watch your own tv system live on your laptop, tablet, or smartphone.
49.Cuisinart CSB-76BC SmartStick 200-Watt Immersion Hand Blender, Brushed Chrome - Inexpensive but attractive hand mixer from cuisinart.
48.Breville Barista Express BES860XL machine with grinder - High quality expresso maker from Breville has great reviews on Amazon.com
47.KitchenAid KSM155GBEB Artisan Designer Series - A classic mixer and always a welcome gift.
46.Keurig B60 Special Edition Gourmet Single-Cup Home-Brewing System - The ubiquitous keurig single-cup home brewing system for coffee lovers.

Keurig B60 Single-Cup

45.Casio PX-130 88-Key Digital Stage Piano - Amazon's top selling digital stage piano.
44.Apogee JAM Studio Quality Guitar Input for iPad, iPhone and Mac - Plug your guitar right into your ipad and rock out. Designed for use with apple's garageband app - now available for iphone and ipod touch too!
43.Apogee ONE USB Interface with Microphone - Great unit from apogee allows you to turn your laptop into a recording studio with high quality impressive results. Includes built in microphone.
42.TomTom VIA 1535TM 5-Inch Portable Bluetooth GPS Navigator with Lifetime Traffic & Maps - The standalone gps is a dying category with smartphone apps taking their place. That being said, for those of you without a smartphone, this unit has lifetime traffic and maps updates at a price under $200.

Garim Handheld GPS Navigator

41.Whistler XTR-140 Laser/Radar Detector with Exclusive Twin Alert Periscopes - Nice little radar detector for those of you with speed demons on your christmas list.
40.Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx Handheld GPS Navigator - Rugged unit for backcountry hikers tracks your position in tree cover and canyons. If your husband is an outdoorsman, then these are great gadget ideas for him.
39.Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver With Heart Rate Monitor - Heartrate monitor and gps receiver tracks your distance and heart rate while you exercise.
38.Garmin nüvi 1450LMT 5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator with Lifetime Map & Traffic Updates - Touchscreen garmin with free lifetime maps and traffic updates.

PlayStation 3 Move Bundle

37.PlayStation Move Starter Bundle - Sony's take on motion gaming includes a unique motion capture controller.
36.PlayStation 3 320GB System/PlayStation Move Bundle - Playstation bundle includes the move system.
35.Xbox 360 4GB Console with Kinect - Nice xbox bundle that includes the kinect sensor for full-body motion gaming.
34.Wii Console with Mario Kart Wii Bundle - White - Wii is starting to show its age but games like mario kart are as fun as they ever were.
33.Nintendo 3DS - Cosmo Black - Popular Nintendo portable system adds a 3D screen that doesn't require glasses. I tried this with the new starfox 3D game and came away impressed.
32.Kinect Sensor with Kinect Adventures and Gunstringer Token Code - Add this to your xbox for a whole new gaming experience. Turn your body into a controller.

LG Infinia 3D LCD HDTV

31.Panasonic DMP-BDT210 Integrated-Wi-Fi 3D Blu-ray DVD Player - Panasonic blu-ray player includes integrated wi-fi with netflix access and an iphone remote app too.
30.LG Infinia 55LW6500 55-Inch Cinema 3D 1080p 240Hz LED-LCD HDTV with Smart TV and Four Pairs of 3D Glasses - Enter the world of 3D with this LG that uses the same 3D glasses that you would use in a movie theater.
29.Panasonic VIERA TC-L42E30 42-Inch 1080p 120Hz LED HDTV - Internet ready 42" LED tv with a nice price.
28.Logitech Revue Companion Box with Google TV and Keyboard Controller - Google TV was recently updated with android apps and a much more simple menu system. The first version was disappointing but the new google tv shows promise.
27.Klipsch IMAGE S4 In-Ear Enhanced Bass Noise-Isolating Headphones (Black) - My personal favorite in-ear headphones have a sound that will wow you for a price under $80.

Klipsch MAGE S4 Headphones

26.iHome iP46 Portable Speaker System for iPod (Black) - Simple ipod dock and speaker system with good sound at a nice price.
25.Apple iMac 21.5-Inch Desktop - The most beautiful all-in-one desktop system around is also a speedy computer. Larger screens are available at a premium.
24. Jawbone JAMBOX (Black Diamond) - Another nice little bluetooth speaker system to wirelessly play music from your mp3 player or smartphone. Unique feature includes a built-in microphone for conference calls and 10 hour battery life for use on the go.
23. Bose® IE2 audio headphones - Unique earpiece design provides greater stability to go along with the signature Bose sound.
22. Bose SoundLink Wireless Mobile Speaker - Nylon - Bluetooth system from Bose allows you to wirelessly stream music from your smartphone or mp3 player or smartphone.

Apple iPod Nano 8GB

21.Apple iPod nano 8 GB Graphite - Newly refreshed nano is great for the gym and adds a few new cool watch themes for those looking to make a fashion statement.
20. Apple Mac Mini Desktop - New Mac Mini drops the optical drive...slick little desktop with decent power, very efficient with a small footprint. Its also the cheapest entry point into Apple's mac computers.
19. Toshiba 10.1-Inch Netbook (Blue) - Nice little inexpensive netbook. Not powerful, but decent option for entry level web access.
18. Samsung Galaxy Tab (10.1-Inch, 16GB, Wi-Fi) - Android's best attempt at taking down the iPad, however, the lack of apps is holding it back.
17.Acer Aspire 13.3-Inch HD Display Aluminum Ultrabook - Aimed directly at the Macbook Air, this sleek system from Acer is light and this with the latest SSD and processor for built in speed.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1

16. Bose® QuietComfort® 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling® Headphones - Great for airplane rides and zoning out to your favorite music at home. Noise cancelling system really does reduce external noise.
15. Apple TV (2010) - Elegant and essential for anyone who has bought into the Apple ecosystem. ios5 software update ads the ability to mirror your ipad, and iphone 4s screen on your tv...turning the apple tv into a legitimate gaming system. Try real racing 2 if you don't believe me.
14.Samsung Series 5 3G Chromebook (Titan Silver) - Slimmed down Chrome operating system limits the potential for this computer. Think of it as a computer that instantly boots up with a chrome web browser, but nothing else. Very simple...and honestly, don't you spend most of your time in a web-browser anyway?

Roku 2 HD Streaming Player

13. Roku 2 HD Streaming Player - Roku's latest shrunk down version of its popular streaming player. Get access to netflix, hulu, pandora, amazon video and more. Less refined than the apple tv but more content available.
12. Kindle, Wi-Fi, 6" E Ink Display - includes Special Offers & Sponsored Screensavers - New kindle wifi ditches the keyboard for a few buttons and a control pad. Take advantage of the special offers version for a discounted price of $79....the best deal ever on a kindle.
11. Nikon D3100 14.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens - Entry level SLR from Nikon has 14.2 megapixels and takes fantastic 1080p video as well.
10. Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera and DIGIC 4 Imaging with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens - Smartphone cameras are improving, but a good SLR camera will wow you with its ultrasharp high-resolution photos and great performance in low-light.

Nikon D3100 14.2 MP

9. Apple MacBook Air 11.6-Inch Laptop - Tiny, razor thin, but surprisingly fast with an SSD drive and upgraded processors. If the 11" screen is too small, upgrade to the 13".
8. Samsung Galaxy S II 4G Android Phone (AT&T)- Samsung recently became the worlds largest smartphone vendor because of phones like this.
7. Apple iPhone 4s (16gb, LOCKED to AT&T, BLACK) - Apples latest and greatest version of the iPhone. A great gift, but its kind of hard to buy somebody a phone due to carrier contracts...better check with your giftee before purchasing.
6. Kindle Touch, Wi-Fi, 6" E Ink Display - includes Special Offers & Sponsored Screensavers - In my opinion, the e-ink kindle is still the best device for pure reading. This year adds the touch version that ditches the keyboard for a full touchscreen. These are cool gadget gifts that make a big impression for a low price.
5. Nest - Automatic Learning Thermostat that is controllable via iphone or laptop. Definitely on my list. Plus, it claims to save you almost $200 a year on energy costs on average. Very cool.

Kindle Touch Wi-Fi

4. Barnes & Noble NOOK Color eBook Tablet - Barnes and Noble is expected to update their android based Nook color soon....and its a good thing because Amazon fired a pretty good shot with the Kindle Fire.
3. Apple iPod touch 8GB (4th Generation) - Black - Still a great little device, its pretty much an iphone without the phone. Perfect for teenagers and it truly is the best ipod ever.
2. Kindle Fire, Full Color 7" Multi-touch Display, Wi-Fi - Possibly the first true competition for the iPad. What does it have going for it - Amazon's fantastic library of books, movies and music, plus access to the android app store. And don't forget that killer $199.00 price.
1. Apple iPad 2 (16GB, WiFi, Black) - Perhaps the greatest gadget of all time. Yes, its a giant iphone. But its amazing how much more you can do with a larger screen. $499 for the 16GB wifi version. My 2 year old loves the ipad so these are also great gadget gift ideas for kids.

Apple iPad 2

iPhone 4s gets over 9mbps on At&t!

2011-10-31T19:09:00.001-07:00

The iPhone 4s has an upgraded "4g" radio that gets 4g like speeds on at&t's network. I've pasted a speed test below and I was able to get over 9mbps download and 1mbps upload in the Cincinnati area. I've pasted a screenshot.

This may not be true 4g but it is a definite upgrade over the 3G in the iPhone 4. Something to consider depending on the quality of at&t's network in your area.

iPad 3 - Retina Display?

2011-10-31T11:20:00.000-07:00

I'm looking forward to the iPad 3. Mostly because my 2-year old daughter has commandeered my iPad 2 and I'm back to using my iPhone 4GS for all of my news reading.

But I'm also looking forward to the possibility of an upgraded iPad display. 9to5mac.com is quoting a CNET report that a 2048×1536 display may be in the works. The only problem is producing these displays at a high enough volume to keep up with iPad sales.

Now, for the most part, I'm satisfied with the display in the iPad 2. But when I go back and forth from the iphone to the iPad, I can definitely discern the difference. For video, its not as noticeable. But for text I can easily see pixels in the iPad. Text on the iphone is crystal clear.

Its not a deal breaker but I've certainly gotten spoiled by the retina display. Lets hope they can ramp up production for a possible March launch of the iPad 3.

Smart Phone Addiction

2011-10-31T07:18:00.000-07:00

Interesting story from CNN on smartphone addictions. Guilty as charged.

Do these apply to you?

-- The urge to pull out a cellphone even when someone you're with is in the midst of a conversation with you.

-- Texting even while your child is telling you about his or her day at school, and realizing later that you can't remember the details of what your son or daughter has said to you.

-- Having the vague feeling that something hasn't really happened until you post it to Facebook or Twitter.

-- Feeling isolated and anxious if you are offline for an extended period of time.

-- Noticing that even when your family is all together in one room at home, each person is gazing at his or her own screen and tapping at a miniature keyboard.

I'm not a huge facebook poster but I have definitely pulled out a smart phone in the middle of a conversation with someone, which is admittedly quite rude.

Sounds like a good idea for a New Years resolution.

HDMI Cable Rip Off

2011-10-30T19:20:00.000-07:00

Don't get ripped off on HDMI Cables

Cnet has a nice article on the difference between expensive and cheap HDMI cables. Bottom line: according to CNET there is no difference. They are all the same.

I have always bought my HDMI cables from Monoprice.com. (FYI, I am not a monoprice.com affiliate) You can get a 6ft cable currently for $3.50. I've bought many of them and they all work great.

HDMI is a digital connection. If you are getting a picture that looks like a quality picture, then you are getting everything that you are supposed to be getting. All of the data is coming through.

Take Cnet's advice and don't get ripped off by spending $85 on an HDMI cable.

How Many Boxes Do You Have Connected to Your TV's?

2011-10-30T19:08:00.000-07:00

I love the idea of a simple TV set that has no external boxes connected to it yet gives me access to all of the content that I want to enjoy. Unfortunately, that dream has yet to be fulfilled. Right now there is no easy way to avoid having multiple boxes connected to your television.

Here are my 2 set-ups:

Upstairs TV - Wii, Apple TV, Directv HD-DVR

Downstairs TV - Xbox 360, Directv HD-DVR, Apple TV, Samsung Blu-Ray player

I find myself using Apple TV more and more because of its Netflix access and the ability to access all of my iTunes movies, Tv shows, and music...etc.

In both set-ups, I have all of my devices running through an AV receiver and then running an HDMI cable to the television. It cuts down on some of the clutter, but that still leaves a lot of cables and boxes.

I am constantly on the lookout for a simple solution but I have yet to find one. But as I see potential solutions I will let you know.

Here's a Samsung TV that has built-in Internet that lets you access Netflix, Hulu, Pandora and more. You will still most likely need some sort of cable box so while it cuts down on an internet connected solution like an Apple TV or Roku, its still not a perfect solution. However, it does look like a pretty sweet flat panel TV. Samsung UN55D8000 55-Inch 1080p 240Hz 3D LED HDTV (Silver) - Affiliate Link

iTV - The future of Apple TV?

2011-10-28T10:50:00.000-07:00

iTV - Great article from 9to5mac.com speculating on the future apple tv set. Its been widely reported that Steve Jobs claimed to crack the TV issue in conversations with Walter Isaacson that later appeared in the Steve Jobs bio book.

Apple has always considered Apple TV a hobby because of the problems in changing the power structure of the television industry. AppleTV is a great little device but there are huge holes in terms of live TV and sports programming. Until this type of programming is made available, it will be tough to Apple to provide a legitimate contendor to the cable companies.

Yes, you can subscribe to MLB and NHL sports packages and stream live sports via apple TV. But, local blackouts often prevent you from streaming games in your local market even with a season package. Apple's airplay feature also opens a lot of opportunities to stream great programming from your iPad to your appleTv set and watch shows on your big screen. But this adds a level of complexity to watching tv that will be difficult for many people to use regularly.

I am very curious to see how Steve Jobs cracked the TV. I've been wanted to cut the cord for quite a while but my sports addiction has prevented this from being a realistic option.

Nest - My next gadget - Thank you

2011-10-28T10:29:00.000-07:00

The father of the ipod, Tony Fadell, announced what will certainly be the next most coveted gadget in my home. Nest.com is now offerring a pre-order for the coolest looking thermostat you have ever seen. It is a learning thermostat that requires no programming. It apparently programs itself. Not only that, you can control it from an iphone from anywhere with an internet connection.

They claim to be able to cut 20-30% of off an average home's energy bill. Pretty impressive. And a good-looking device too. Thank you nest for adding a cool-factor to the dopiest gadget in my home.

9to5mac.com

Directv iPad App comes aLive

2011-10-28T09:38:00.000-07:00

Directv has upgraded its already impressive iPad app to include live TV. There are currently 38 live tv channels available.

I had a chance to test it out and it works well. It integrates into the first page of the main screen of the app so you can scroll through the channels and touch whatever channel you want to view live. Plus, if you flick up on your ipad, whatever you are watching will pop up on your main directv-connected television

However, I would think of this as having an extra tv set with access to your directv channels (although limited to only 38 channels). You can basically use the ipad to carry your tv around the house. Pretty neat.

Quality is pretty good, although not as good as watching it using a directv box.

If you have an internet connected HD-DVR from directv you can also use the app as a very sophisticated remote control. You can set-up favorites, flick and scroll through a guide, and even bring up a mini-remote that mimics the standard directv remote. I like scrolling through the guide for a program without affecting what I am watching on the screen.

For this to work, you need to either run an ethernet cable from your router to your directv box or get a wireless kit that allows your directv box to get online.

The difference between Apple and Android

2011-10-28T06:38:00.000-07:00

I was discussing the use of flash in mobile devices with a friend recently and that made me think of a fundamental difference between Apple's IOS and Google's Android.

Apple wants to control and optimize the entire user experience. Flash drains battery and doesn't run well on mobile devices so Apple doesn't allow it on their device. They curate the experience for the user.

Android basically says its your phone, you can do what you want with it. If you want to run your battery down in an hour using flash thats your decision.

Which side you stand on depends a lot on your own personal preferences. Personally, I like having a curated experience. I'm happy to pay Apple to weed out the junk for me.

Blogger iPhone app

2011-10-27T18:59:00.001-07:00

I'm writing this post from the blogger iOS app. It has a very simple, clean interface with the ability to log into your google account and post from all of your blogs.

You can easily take a photo and add it to your post and include location data if your would like.

Not a ton of features but it's a nice simple app for creating quick posts on the go.

Using Evernote to Organize Office Documents

2011-10-27T13:22:00.000-07:00

I've been a little Apple heavy with my posts lately so I thought I would shift gears and discuss one of my favorite software programs.......Evernote.

Evernote is a free program note taking program that syncs everything to the cloud. Their slogan is remember everything. Its great for taking notes but it is also good for so much more than that.

My wife uses it to organize recipes. You can easily clip webpages and import them into evernote. Once their they are permanently saved and accessible from multiple devices including smartphones and tablets. You can organize notes in separate notebooks and then tag them to provide even greater accessibility.

You can also store pictures, voice notes, plan trips, scan and organize receipts and much more. I recently used it at work to organize thousands of dimension sheets for industrial products. Rather than looking through a thick folder for a document, we can quickly and easily pull it up within evernote...saving hours of time. Evernote uses OCR to identify text within your scans so that you can quickly find the document you are looking for.

You can buy a premium service for $5 a month that gives you additional monthly upload capacity and sharing capabilities to selectively share documents with other users.