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We packed a lot of topics and subjects into the 35 minutes we spent talking. The full list is below. But here are some questions that we answer on the show:

• Where and what did CC do on vacation?
• Is SpongeBob on a cave wall somewhere?
• Which dad carries a stuffed animal when they travel?
• What do Kenmore and Intel have in common?
• Why is it good to get a pocket breathalyzer?
• What are some good designated driver techniques?
• What is making Daddy Brad so dang happy?

Also, please be sure to read about Colin Bower and his quest to get his children (Noor & Ramsay) home. It’s a tragic story that people should learn about. We are all hoping for a happy ending to this story and we believe that by spreading awareness of it, it will indeed end happily. It also makes you think about how important the family unit is and about protecting it at all cost!

The Topics

Here are the topics we covered in Episode 30:

• Unplugging on vacation
• C.C.’s Napa Valley vacation
• Milliken Creek Inn & Spa
• Brad’s trip to Devil’s River
• Pictographs
• Guys & Teddy Bears?
• Kids & their blankets
• Losing the pacifier
• Too many stuffed animals
• C.C. attends Kenmore Blogger Summit
• Sass take part in Intel Insiders Program
• Cooking by the Book
• Beer Can Chicken
• BACtrack S75 breathalyzer
• A Dude & His Bike as your designated driver
• Picking up your kids, no questions asked
• Help Bring Noor and Ramsay Home
• Colin Bower on Digital Dads TV
• The start of NCAA Football!
• 2010 School Year is Starting

The Audio

As always, the full podcast is available on CastofDads.com and on iTunes. You can also listen to the podcast below:

Cast of Dads – Episode #30 “Back From Vacation”

Requesting Feedback

If you have questions or ideas for topics that you would like us to cover (remember, between all of us we have 13 children ranging from newborns to young adults), just send us an email to castofdads@gmail.com or tweet us at @CastofDads! Also, our podcast listener base is growing! If you are interested in sponsoring our podcast for an episode or a month, be sure to contact us!

If you are interested in sponsoring this podcast, please leave a comment on the Cast of Dads site, send an email to castofdads@gmailcom or leave a question/comment on my Contact form.

Cast of Dads is a group of podcasting and blogging dads who gather to gab about fatherhood. The cast of dads includes C.C. Chapman , Jeffrey Sass , Max Kalehoff , Michael Sheehan , and Brad Powell, who collectively represent 13 kids from the youngest of babies to full grown adults. Each of them brings a unique perspective to being a father.

HTD says: What was your favorite topic in this episode? Leave a comment and let us know!

This time I thought I would lead off with the comparison video first and then move on to the specifics of each device. Also, much of the content of the Kodak Zi8 is from my previous post.

The Sony Bloggie

I have used the Sony Bloggie on and off for the past couple of months now. It definitely feels a bit more like a polished gadget than the Kodak, which feels a bit cheap in comparison. However, the important thing to remember about these types of devices is simplicity and ease of use, coupled with good functionality and clear pictures and videos. For the most part, the Sony does this, but it has some design decisions that left me scratching my head a bit.

Feature Highlights of the Sony Bloggie:

• 1920×1080 HD recording – records in H.264 format
• 5 MegaPixel CMOS sensor – can take 5 MP still images & HD MP4 video
• 2.4″ LCD screen – for full-screen video and photo playback
• Rotating Lens – 270 degrees of rotation with instant on
• Image Stabilization – using SteadyShot reduces blur due to a shaking camera
• Face Detection – automatic face recognition for optimization of videos and stills
• Dedicated Movie & Photo Buttons – easy snap photos or video at the push of a dedicated button
• Media Slot – support for Memory Stick Duo/Memory Stick PRO Duo/Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo as well as SD/SDHC media
• USB 2.0 Upload/Charging Dongle – easily charge and transfer video/photos from the Bloggie to a Mac or PC
• 4x Digital Zoom – zoom in to get those close up shots
• Various Video Resolutions – 1920×1080/30p, 1280×720/60p and 1280×720/30p (HD) or 640×480/30p (SD)

Many of the features listed above are similar to that of the Kodak. There are a few things that I want to point out though:

• Rotating lens – this is actually quite a nice feature to have. It is sort of related to the “front-facing” camera design decision that the iPhone had. It is great for taking videos of yourself or you together with your friends. And what is nice is that you can actually see yourself in the LCD when you have the camera pointed toward you. The pivot is definitely something that is a big positive.
• Odd LCD – I found it a bit odd that the the LCD is only partially used for the video and the rest is used for “information”. Also, when you go into the settings menu, you have to turn the Bloggie horizontally but then when you are filming or taking pictures, you need to hold the Bloggie vertically.
• Mixed Feelings on the Dedicated Buttons – the Bloggie had a button for taking pictures and filming video. This is good in that you don’t have to switch formats prior to taking a picture (like you do with the Kodak). BUT, pushing the button to take a picture is extremely awkward and you end up jiggling the camera quite a bit when taking the picture and there is a 1-2 second delay before the picture is taken (or I was simply not pressing the button hard enough)
• “Sony Personal Space” – this is Sony’s attempt at a social video and photo sharing community. Honestly, I don’t think that anyone can touch the FlipShare site and community. It’s the best out there for these types of portable HD recorders. The Sony site for sharing, however, is pretty feature limited.
• Included Software – the PMB software is fine for getting your photos and videos off of the Bloggie, but it pretty much stops there. There is no included editing software or movie making software. You can obviously download videos and photos and use other software to do it. And there are Mac and Window’s versions of PMB.

Here is a quick run though of the PMB software, from downloading a video to uploading it to the Sony Personal Space. Note, the software is in the Bloggie’s memory.

Your media appears, click on it to see options (Save to PC, Play, Email, Personal Space or Share Online):

You can play the video directly from the Bloggie without downloading:

If you click Email or Personal Space, you will be prompted to set up a user name:

The Personal Space lets you share without emailing videos around (much like the FlipShare):

Once you register, you can see some of the options available to you:

Here I am uploading the video:

And here I am sharing it with someone:

Once you upload it, it shows (downsampled) in the Sony site:

You can set up Share Groups as well:

Playback seemed to be a bit downsampled and pixilated unfortunately.

If you Share Online, there are a variety of services included:

I typically don’t use the built-in software that comes installed on these devices, mainly because I find them to be barely adequate and somewhat feature limited. The Sony software falls into this mix. I was, however, able to use the Bloggie directly with iPhoto to import in pictures and movies both. For the most part, the Bloggie is a pretty decent portable HD video recorder. However, read through the rest of the review for insight into the Kodak as well as the feature and specs comparison.

The Bloggie comes with a rechargeable battery pack, an A/V connecting cable, a USB cable, application software and a strap but does not come with a memory card which you have to purchase separately.

The Kodak Zi8

For the most part, the description below is from my previous review. I have tried to make some minor updates, more in lines with the comparison with the Sony (instead of the Flip).

I received the Kodak Zi8 about a little over a year ago. I had tried to stay clear of reading other reviews (a policy that I stand by in order to keep my own reviews as unbiased as possible). I had, however, looked over the product pages and mentioned that I would testing the Zi8 on Twitter. The tweets that came back to me were very positive for the Zi8. Even during the Apple iPod event, when Apple announced the new iPod Nano with the “free” video recorder in it, the feedback was positive.

As the Apple iPod Nano was announced, I tweeted out “The new Nano doesn’t do HD so I’m sticking with Flip UltraHD (and possibly Kodak Zi8)“. Within a few minutes, Robert Scoble (avid, blogger, vlogger, who I have met a few times and who I knew was a Flip Video user in the past), tweeted out “The new Nano doesn’t do HD @HighTechDad says. I agree, big winner is Kodak here. The new Zi8 totally rocks.“. That response plus a few other tweets I had seen started to convince me that that the Kodak was going to be a big contender for the leadership spot.

The Kodak Zi8 and the Sony Bloggie are about the same size and weight. The Kodak is glossy and polished (as is the Bloggie but the Bloggie looks a bit more “techy”). When you have glossy surfaces, fingerprints tend to stand out, which they do on the Zi8 and the Bloggie. Not a huge deal since a soft cloth wipes it clean.

The Kodak Zi8 comes with the camera, Kodak Li-ion rechargeable battery, HDMI & A/V cables, user guide and wrist strap.

One thing that the Zi8 does NOT come with is a SD or SDHC card. I found this to be really annoying as the 128 MB internal storage is good for about 3 seconds of HD video, hardly long enough to test. So I had to order an SDHC card from Amazon. Luckily, these types of cards abound. You probably should look for a Class IV (search) or Class VI (search) as they will perform a bit better supposedly. I picked up a Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 6 card for about $38 from Amazon. It is convenient to be able to immediately record with the Flip (which has built-in storage but no way to add additional memory cards) right out of the box I must say. But in retrospect, having the ability to quickly and easily swap out SD/SDHC cards makes the Zi8 (and the Sony) a bit more appealing.

The screen on the Zi8 is about 2.5″ diagonal, is clear, crisp and bright. Sound quality from the speakers is tinny (similar to the Sony) but you do get full audio and video playback on both devices.

The Zi8 has a series of buttons on the back including a red one that is for initiating recording. However the button is also a joystick that allows you to navigate and zoom (when the camera is active). On the Sony, there are many other buttons, including a dedicated photo/movie recoding button and side toggle zoom buttons. The Kodak has 4 other buttons (Settings, Trash, Video and Playback) that are dedicated.

Like the Sony, the Kodak has a pop-out USB connector. However, instead of being a rigid arm, the Zi8′s has one that is flexible and has a bit of a give to it. This is particularly handy if you are using a laptop that sits flat on a desk (although mine are raised using various USB cooling fans). The Sony’s (like the Flip) is solid and I was a bit worried about bending or breaking it as I connected it to a free port but does come with a USB cable to extend the reach. Both the Sony and the Kodak seemed to function fine on both the high-powered and low powered USB ports on my MacBook Pro. Also, both the Sony and the Kodak use the USB connection to charge the internal batteries. The Kodak, though, does include a handy USB wall charger which is great if you don’t have your laptop or computer with you. The Sony doesn’t.

A few other nice features that are built into the Zi8 is their “smart face tracking” technology which is supposed to ensure good lighting when it recognizes faces. The Sony has face detection as well. Also, the Zi8 supposedly has better low-light capabilities which is useful when filming in a dark room or at dusk. Lastly, the Zi8 also functions as a 5.3 MP still camera (as does the Sony). This is very handy to have and eliminates the need to have to carry around another point-and-click camera. Note though that there is no flash built in so it is only good for well-lit shots. There is a 4x digital zoom which works fairly well but in lower light situations, it can get a bit grainy and pixilated. Lastly, there is the option to connect an external microphone (stereo) which is a nice add-on, especially for face-to-face interviews and such. (I have not tested this yet.)

Kodak chose to use ArcSoft’s MediaImpressions for their PC video management software. For the Mac user, they simply relied on iPhoto for managing the video and photos (which was fine by me). Below are some screenshots of MediaImpressions in action. You are initially greeted with some basic sharing and management functions:

Once you download your videos from the Zi8, you can manage them (and other media) through the interface. You can tag videos and categorize them fairly easily. The ArcSoft software is contained within the Zi8 so you can install easily on any computer.

It’s easy to create movies with the included Kodak (MediaImpressions) software (something that the Sony seems to lack). There are a few more functions (like themes) and the places you can easily share to (like YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo and others) as well as the ability to quickly archive to DVD.

Lastly, MediaImpressions has the ability to convert and export your videos to other devices like Sony PSPs or Apple iPods/iPhones.

Overall, I found the Kodak Zi8 to be excellent in terms of its features and capabilities. My only complaints were that you can’t stand it on a table (like you can with the Sony) and that it doesn’t come with a SD card (even a 4 or 8 GB SD card would have been nice). The picture quality and audio are both quite good. The Kodak and Sony are very similar in many ways.

Head to Head

Below is a head-to-head comparison of the specifications of both the Sony Bloggie and the Kodak Zi8. Unlike the Flip Ultra HD, the Sony is much closer in many aspects to the Kodak. Dimensions, weight, storage, lens, megapixels, and video formats are either identical or very similar.

But all specifications aside, definitely take a look at the video at the top of this review. It shows the hands-on comparison of both devices as well as a side-by-side video output comparison. Both of the cameras were set on 1080p, both had image stabilization on as well. There are definite differences between the video output as well as the form factors and functionalities of the respective devices.

Summing up the Good & the Bad

As I mentioned, these two HD video cameras are very similar and both are within $20-30 or so dollars of each other in pricing. As with the Flip UltraHD, they are fairly straight forward to use, with the Kodak, in my opinion being just a bit easier and with a slightly better video output and better management tools. If you want a good community-sharing device, I think the Flip and their FlipShare service is hard to beat. But if you are looking at just downloading raw footage and editing it on either a Mac or PC, either the Sony or the Kodak are great. And I think both of these beat out the Flip when it comes to features and specifications.

• Tripod-less: The Bloggie stands up on its own, Kodak needs a tripod. Both have tripod connectors.Winner: Sony
• Focus: Both have auto focus. However the Zi8 has a Macro focus for close-ups. Winner: Kodak
• Microphone: Both have built in mics. Zi8 has a jack for an external stereo mic. Winner: Kodak
• Price: MSRP has the Zi8 slightly less, however discounts for Sony exist and the Kodak has been around for a while. Look at features!. Winner: TIE
• Lens: The pivoting lens of the Sony makes it unique in the space. You can do full 270 degree pivot (even for self portrait). Zi8 has a fixed, recessed lens. Winner: Sony
• USB connector: Both devices have pop-out USB connectors. Bloggie’s is rigid and Zi8 is flexible.Winner: Kodak
• HDMI: Sony has no HDMI out, only an A/V cable. The Kodak has HDMI and a cable is included. Winner: Kodak
• Zoom: Both have a 4x zoom. Sony has a slider on the side. Kodak has it built in to the “joystick”. Kodak has a macro lens toggle too. Winner: TIE (w/ slight edge to Kodak)
• Video formats: Both have similar formats. Winner: Tie
• Camera: Both devices can take pictures. Sony let’s you do it easier with dedicated video/photo buttons but they are very hard to push. Winner: Tie
• Image Stabilization: Both have image stabilization but the Sony’s is only available in a couple of formats. Winner: Kodak
• Storage: Both use removable storage cards. And neither come with them so be sure to buy some. Winner: Tie
• Picture Quality: The Zi8 seems to handle shifts from darks to brights better and and the colors are a bit richer. Winner: Kodak
• Power Up Time: Both seemed to have the same power-up times of about 2 seconds or less (which is GREAT!). Winner: TIE
• Community: Sony’s community is a bit more built out (barely) than Kodak’s. I wasn’t impressed by either actually. Winner: Both losers compared to the Flip actually

With a few exceptions, the Kodak, despite being an “aging” product still has the slight edge here but the Sony did have some features that were definitely noteworthy of mentioning, most specifically, the pivoting lens. If you can do it, go to a consumer electronics store and test both of these devices out (and you may want to try some of the newer Flips as well like the Flip SlideHD – which I have not reviewed – it currently retails for $279.99 and on Amazon for $243.76) and see how they all stack up. It comes down to a very personal choice here. For example, my wife really loves the Flip UltraHD for family videos, but I like the Kodak for a more “business ready” type of device. I’m trying to find a good categorization for the Sony but I would think that if you like Sony products, you will feel right at home here.

Disclosure Text : I have a material connection because I received a gift or sample of a product for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was/am not expected to return this item or gift after my review period. More information can be found in my About page as well as here.

HTD says: What HD video camera do you like the best? There are a few I haven’t tried so let me know!

The entire situation got me thinking about drinking and driving and figuring out when you have had too much to drink to a point where your judgment is impaired. Many people may have an idea as to what their limits are, but the more that you drink the higher that perceived range goes, to the point that when you are clearly inebriated, you judgment and logic are at a questionable level, frequently making you think and BELIEVE you are more sober than you actually are. And I, personally, had no clue how many drinks I could really have before I was at or over the legal limit. I thought that I knew but had nothing to back it up.

So this is where I decided to see if I could do a review a pocket breathalyzer. A few years ago, the only people that had these were those “protecting and serving” your community. Now, with the advances in technology, you can own one yourself! The one that I received was by a company called BACtrack and the model was the S75 Pro, their top of the line consumer model. BACtrack, a company based in San Francisco, does have many other models available, ranging from single-use to the S80 Pro (which is used primarily by Law Enforcement, Corrections Facilities, Military and Hospitals, for example). The key premise behind the breathalyzers produced by BACtrack is that they are “sleek, simple and accurate”, all at an affordable price. And I have to admit, if their top of the line consumer breathalyzer is only $150 currently on Amazon, it is well worth the money!

My (FUN) Testing of the BACtrack S75

Before I dive into the technical details of the S75, I thought that I would talk about the real-world testing that I did with my neighbors at a dinner party. The tests were definitely NOT scientific in ANY WAY whatsoever. I had received the BACtrack S75 the same day, and hadn’t had time to really think about a way to test within a controlled environment. Perhaps I will think of a way to do it in the future (a la MythBusters), but for now, it was simply a usability and fun-ness test.

I started my testing at home, as a “control”. This was prior to drinking any alcohol whatsoever. Once I had installed the supplied batteries and attached one (of six) plastic mouth pieces, I blew into the S75 for about 5 seconds. The process is actually quite easy. You press the “Start” button. The S75 displays the number of times it has been used and then does a countdown (on the LCD screen) of about 10 seconds. It then beeps, signifying that you need to start breathing in the mouthpiece and will continue to make a tone during the time you are supposed to be blowing. After a few seconds, you then hear a double beep meaning that you can stop blowing. It typically takes a few seconds for the S75 to analyze the blood alcohol level or Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) in your breath, and then the results are displayed on the LCD screen. It can handle a range between 0.000 and 0.400. My control test (obviously) showed a reading of 0.000. The reason for the longer breathing time of about 5 seconds is fairly common to breathalyzers as you need to draw air from deep within your lungs to gain more accuracy.

So armed with the S75 and 6 mouth pieces, I headed off to a neighbor’s house for a wine tasting dinner party. There were 5 couples and we were going to do a series of blind taste tests of the wines, trying to match them with descriptions. (I won with a perfect score, by the way.) It was an ideal environment to also test out the breathalyzer. So, throughout the night, we would stop between glasses and informally try to take readings of our BAC (Blood Alcohol Content). It was interesting to see how the BAC would change over time, based on how much you had eaten, how long between drinks and how time affected your reading on the S75.

The manual for the S75 says that you should wait 20 minutes before taking a reading after having a drink, eating food or having a cigarette. This was because it was highly likely that you would have a false reading registered. To test this, we decided to see how high of a reading we could get (not by drinking a lot but by drinking right before doing a reading). By drinking and swishing the wine around in our mouths, we were able to get it to register 0.5.000 (despite the range being to 0.4000). Obviously, if this were done with a proper reading, the person would be in an alcohol coma or very dead.

Here is a chart that appears in the S75 manual:

• 0.02-0.03% – Slight euphoria. Loss of shyness. Depressant effects are not apparent. Impairment possible in some individuals.
• 0.04-0.06% - Feeling of well-being, relaxation, lower inhibitions and sensation of warmth. Euphoria. Some minor impairment of reasoning and memory.Lowering of caution. Driving skills may be impaired at this level of intoxication.
• 0.07-0.09% - Slight impairment of balance, speech, vision, reaction time, and hearing. Euphoria. Judgment and self-control are reduced. Caution, reason and memory are impaired. Driving skills are always impaired at this level of intoxication and higher.
• 0.10-0.12% - Significant impairment of motor coordination and loss of good judgment. Speech may be slurred. Balance, vision, reaction time and hearing will be impaired. Euphoria.-Specific Effects
• 0.13-0.15% - Gross motor impairment and lack of physical control. Blurred vision and  major loss of balance. Euphoria is reduced and dysphoria (anxiety, restlessness) is beginning to appear.
• 0.16-0.20% - Dysphoria predominates. Nausea may appear.
• 0.25% - Needs assistance in walking. Total mental confusion. Dysphoria with nausea and some vomiting.
• 0.30% - Loss of consciousness.
• 0.40% and up - Onset of coma. Possible death due to respiratory arrest.

All fun aside (and by the way, drinking right before blowing into the S75 is NOT the way to do it) we were able to get readings throughout the night. BAC levels varied from males and females. Some people seemed to metabolize the alcohol more quickly than others and it definitely depended on how much you had to eat. The highest reading that I got was a 0.046 which is slightly over HALF way to the legally “drunk” limit of 0.080. If you are caught driving with a 0.08 BAC or higher, you WILL get a DUI. When I saw that reading, I was thoroughly shocked. While the reading above lists that level as “some impairment” of reasoning, memory and driving skills, I felt that I would NOT have been able to drive at that point. I was honestly surprised that I would actually be legally allowed to drive.

This was the most important lesson that I learned from this entire “experiment”. Despite being under the legal limit, most people are MUCH too inebriated to drive. I know for a fact that at the level that I was at, I personally would not have gotten behind the wheel of a car. Do note, the dinner party was local, 1 block away from our house so we did not drive, only walked, as did the other neighbors.

Some Tech Info

The S75 Pro is driven by a very accurate fuel cell sensor, which means that it is more accurate than semi-conductor breathalyzers. This allows for consistency should you take the reading of the same person over a short period of time. The fuel cell sensor also allow people who are diabetic or on a low calorie diet to use the S75 since semi-conductor breathalyzers may read with a false positive. Another issue with semiconductor models is that at higher BAC levels, those devices are less accurate.

The S75 has a front facing mouth piece which means that after you are done breathing into it, the LCD screen it right in front of you, making it easy to read and use, even in an impaired state. Also, I found the audio prompts to be very helpful when doing the testing.

There is actually a miniature air pump in the S75 Pro which collects air from deep in your lungs, thus the requirement to breath for about 5 seconds into it. You can actually feel the S75 filling up with air, especially towards the end. To me, it felt like I was breathing into a tiny balloon, even though you were actually partially breathing through the device. It was actually the air pump filling up the air chamber. You could feel it click when it was full (right around 5 seconds).

The S75 Pro is quite small actually, measuring at 2.3 x 4.8 x 1.0 inches and only weighing 4.4 oz (125g). It comes with 6 mouth pieces, 2 AA batteries, a wrist strap and a handy carrying case. The S75 Pro is FDA 510(k) cleared for personal use. It is about the size of a cell phone.

The Final Swig

I’m not sure why it took me so long to get a pocket breathalyzer. It is actually quite a handy device to have. If you go to a dinner party, you can see if you should wait an hour before driving home. If you have teenagers (or kids just under or just over the drinking age), having a breathalyzer may potentially prevent them from having a few too many drinks. If you tell your children that you will be testing them when they come home from a party or something, you might prevent them from having a bit too much. No guarantees though. Having a breathalyzer is a good way to add a bit of insurance. And more importantly, DRINK RESPONSIBLY and have a designated driver!

I have no way of knowing how accurate the BACtrack S75 Pro is because I was not comparing against a certified standard, but it is supposedly certified to be accurate. Also, the meter is so sensitive that if you have a drink even a few minutes prior to running a test, it will affect the level of alcohol detected in your breath. I did another test with a neighbor later where we took a reading, did a measurement (approx 0.014), then took a drink of beer which was swished around in the mouth and then did another reading (much higher reading of 0.34 – yes, not 0.034) and then rinsed my mouth out with a couple of mouthfuls of water and then did a third reading (registering about 0.021) which shows that you definitely need to wait a while between drinking and doing the test.

I wish that there was a way on the S75 to bring up the last 5 or 10 tests. This would be helpful to see if you are getting more or less sober over time, as well as have a time and date stamp on the readings. While the size of the S75 does make it very portable, it would be great to have a bit more technology within it to record readings, allow for the programming of users, and have a way to input and calculate number of drinks per hour based on your age/weight/sex/time between drinks.

The BACtrack S75 Pro retails for about $200 but you can get it on Amazon for $150.47 currently. As I mentioned there are other models available which are slightly less expensive and may meet different needs. The S75 Pro is the top of the line consumer version, as close to what law enforcement uses, from my understanding. Regardless, it is a worthwhile investment, in my opinion. It can definitely help you, your friends, family or co-workers know “when you have had too much” in an easy to use, compact and accurate form factor.

Disclosure Text : I have a material connection because I received a gift or sample of a product for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was/am not expected to return this item or gift after my review period. More information can be found in my About page as well as here.

HTD says: The BACtrack S75 Pro Breathalyzer is more than just a fun gadget to have, in my opinion, ALL people should have one for safety reasons!

“Swagger Wagon” is particularly well done. It’s a catchy tune, but when you listen to the lyrics, they will make you laugh! I really enjoyed how there is a “pause” in the video (hint: there’s a toilet flush!). Here’s the video in all of its glory:

Great, isn’t it? Very polished…not like my mini van at all which is dirty, scratched, and dented.

Which leads perfectly to the next video called “Mom My Ride“. Modeled after a GREAT show that I used to watch called “Pimp My Ride“, you see what a mini van REALLY looks like after your kids have lived in it for a few years. I really wish that someone could “pimp MY ride” (which definitely needs it!). Watch the mini van transformation below:

I really started relating when I saw the duct tape repair, mainly because just the other day, I was doing some “repairs” on our mini van with some duct tape. The scrape guard in the front underbody had detached a bit from the bumper and that is where duct tape comes to the rescue! Luckily our Odyssey’s paint color is silver which blends perfectly with my duct tape repair.

Anyway, I thought that I would share a bit of automobile humor.

HTD says: What are your favorite car ads or family auto videos? Please leave a comment!

The first of these ads depicts a couple who just found out that they are going to have a child. The (typical?) dad’s brain starts racing as his goes out to see his flashy Nissan 370Z Coupe sitting in the driveway. He realizes that the Coupe really isn’t ideal for a family, since it is a two-seater. Watch the video below to see what he does to correct it:

The next ad depicts a kid practically destroying all of his toy cars. This is your typical boy in action, playing with and mangling all of his toy cars. The ad is humorously titled “Kidzilla”.

You should see how he destroys some of the toy cars. Can you guess which car remains unscathed? Yep, it’s the Nissan Altima. Watch the video to see the destruction in action:

Personally, I like what Nissan has done here. They show their autos in creative yet funny ways, especially appealing to the Dads out there. There are some other ones as part of the campaign and these will be rolling out over the next few weeks. These spots will start airing September 1st, 2010.

What do you think? Did they make you laugh or at least smile?

As a side note, I recently experienced the Nissan Leaf ad that is making its rounds on the iPhone as an Apple iAd. This was my first experience with an iAd and I must admit it was a positive one. It displays as a simple banner within an app, but when you click on it, it launches what I consider to be a full-fledged application, complete with video, sound, animation and interactivity. I even tweeted about my experience because it was so different than what I’m used to seeing in a mobile ad. I spent a few minutes actually, playing with every aspect of the ad.

HTD says: What are your favorite automobile ads?

Recently, Microsoft announced WebMatrix, a free Web development suite of software and tools that bring together a Web Server, a database and programming frameworks all within a single, integrated solution. WebMatrix allows you to code, test and deploy ASP.NET and PHP applications, all within the same environment. What does this have to do with GoGrid you might ask? Well it’s pretty simple actually, once you have developed your application locally on your PC’s desktop, you will need an easy way to copy it over and show to the world. GoGrid has worked with Microsoft to create a seamless publishing and hosting experience practically effortless.

To make it easy for new GoGrid users, we are offering a $150 GoGrid service credit for you to get started with Microsoft WebMatrix and GoGrid. To get going, simply sign-up here.

About WebMatrix (and a bit of GoGrid)

Microsoft does a clear job outlining the features of WebMatrix, specifically:

• Small, but complete package – simply download and install WebMatrix for free on your desktop. From there, you can immediately start to use the built-in webserver, database and programming framework to jump-start your web-development. And, you can quickly get started on the hosting side of things as well by deploying a GoGrid server that is ready to automatically connect to WebMatrix.
• Grows with you – you start simple and then grow as your application and development grows, much like that of Cloud Computing. As your coding expands, you can easily integrate Visual Studio into your work environment. Similarly, you can update the built-in database from SQL Server Compact to a full-blown Microsoft SQL Server.
• Start > Open Source – if you aren’t ready to start from scratch, WebMatrix includes a variety of popular and free open source applications like WordPress, Joomla!, Umbraco and DotNetNuke. Just choose your software package from the library and WebMatrix will download and install the software. And you can tweak each environment using the built-in code editor.
• Database made simple – don’t let data-driven websites scare you either. If your web application needs to serve data like a online catalog or CMS, WebMatrix has you covered by providing a small, embedded database (SQL Server Compact). But the really nice thing is, once you are done doing all of the development on your Desktop, you can publish your database quickly and easily to your GoGrid production environment.
• Elegant interface, simple experience – WebMatrix has editors galore! It includes a rich code editor and database editor, but also has easy management consoles for SEO, web server management and FTP publishing as well. Couple this management with the ease of use of the GoGrid portal and you can’t go wrong.
• Simple to code – at GoGrid, we have always believed in adhering to industry standards when it comes to hosting and managing infrastructure. WebMatrix follows a similar suit by sticking to HTML, CSS & Javascript standards. Your code is easy to read and by using the software suite, you can do some learning in the process as you create your next web application.
• More than “Hello, World” – WebMatrix has a variety of built-in code helpers that make development even easier by simply tagging your HTML.
• Desktop or server, it’s all the same – moving from a desktop development environment to a full-fledged production environment is practically effortless since the Desktop version is built with the same frameworks, web server and database engine as production servers.
• Tightly knit, fully integrated – WebMatrix also acts as the “traffic cop” because of its integration with IIS Developer Express and other Web server components that run your site. You can monitor things in real-time and if an issue pops up, it helps you to track down and resolve that issue.
• Optimized for search – you no longer need to pay a 3rd party to ensure that your website or application is SEO optimized. Built in guides assist you in optimizing your site to the fullest.
• Site publication – once you are ready to move your web site or application to a robust production environment, WebMatrix can help in that selection process. But you may not even need that since GoGrid has partnered with Microsoft to provide a full production-ready environment within the GoGrid cloud. And, we are giving new GoGrid users a $150 service credit to make that on-ramp even faster!

Now that you know a bit about what Microsoft WebMatrix (and GoGrid) can do for you, let’s learn a bit more about it.

Getting Started with WebMatrix & GoGrid

There are two components to setting up the WebMatrix and GoGrid environments: Desktop and Server. The Desktop environment is the one where you do all of your coding and development, all within the WebMatrix development suite. The Server environment on GoGrid is where you will host the product of your labors.

Starting with the Desktop side, you will need to download the WebMatrix installer which is located at: http://www.microsoft.com/web/webmatrix/.

Installing the Desktop version of WebMatrix

Initiating the installer. Do note that depending on your choices, the installation process could be a bit longer:

The Installer confirms your selections:

Be sure to set up a secure password for SQL Server Express (you will be prompted to change it if it isn’t very secure):

Go grab a cup of coffee while the components are downloaded and installed:

Once the installation is complete, you will receive a confirmation screen:

Installing an Application (e.g., WordPress) via WebMatrix Locally

Once your installation of WebMatrix is complete, you can either start coding on your own, or install a pre-configured Open Source application. In this case, I chose to install WordPress. There are other items that you can install as well, including:

• DotNetNuke Community Edition
• nopCommerce
• Gallery
• WordPress
• Umbraco CMS
• mojoPortal
• ResourceBlender.NET
• Kentico CMS for ASP.NET
• BlogEngine.NET
• Acquia Drupal
• ScrewTurn Wiki 3.0
• Gallery Server Pro
• nService
• Moodle
• Sitefinity Community Edition
• DasBlog
• SugarCRM
• Subtext
• SilverStripe CMS
• Joomla!
• Mayando
• AtomSite
• My Web Pages Starter Kit
• phpBB
• KoobooCMS

You choose which Web Server you want to use. I chose Microsoft WebMatrix.

The Installer confirms your installation choices:

Since WordPress uses MySQL, you need to configure a secure password for it:

Time for another cup of coffee while the installer runs:

Once you have completed the installation, you can begin configuring your WordPress (or other application) install on your local machine. Just launch WebMatrix from your Start menu:

I clicked on My Sites:

The WebMatrix management console has everything you need right at your fingertips:

You can edit files using the built-in code editor that is complete with context-color-coding:

Similarly, you can manage your database (in this case, MySQL) through the database console:

Creating a GoGrid Server Ready for WebMatrix Publishing

The beauty of the WebMatrix install is being able to develop locally on your Desktop and then publish your final site to a production server on GoGrid. Before you can do the publishing, you need to set up a GoGrid server running WebMatrix. Be sure to take advantage of our $150 GoGrid Service Credit by signing up here.

Once you log into the GoGrid Portal, click the Add button and then select Cloud Server. Within the Image Selection widget, choose the “WebMatrixServer2″ image:

After that, configure your server and click Save:

Within a few minutes, you will have your production environment ready to go. At that point, you need to use a Remote Desktop Connection to remotely manage your server. Remember that the Administrator password is within the Support > Passwords section of the GoGrid portal.

Getting Your GoGrid /WebMatrix Server Environment Ready

Once you connect to your server running on GoGrid using a Remote Desktop Connection (RDC), you will see two files on the desktop, a Getting Started document and a link to Microsoft WebMatrix.

To quickly summarize, here are the high-level steps you need to complete on the GoGrid Server:

1. Run the Certificate Preparation script
2. Change the Default Application Pool
3. (Recommended) Change your MySQL or SQL Server password from the default one listed in this blog post

1) Certificate Preparation Script

Before you configure your publishing environment, you need to run a Certificate Preparation script on the server. It is located at: C:/certprep/CertPrep.exe. Simply double-click the application and it will run quickly. You will see a DOS prompt pop up briefly and then automatically close.

2) Change Default Application Pool

In order for the publishing to work properly, you do need to change the Default Application Pool from version 2 to version 4. To do this, go into your IIS manager on the server, select Application Pools, select “DefaultAppPool” (which will probably say “v2.0″) and make the change (to “v4.0″) as shown below:

Original Setting:

Updated Setting (Note: it might show a different version – just choose the v.4.0.xxxxx one):

3) Change Default Database Password

While this is not a required step, it is a recommended one. You might want to change the default password on your MySQL or SQL Server database from the default one that the server starts with. Just use the appropriate method for the database that you are using.

Editing & Publishing from Local Environment to GoGrid

Now, we will dive into the publishing to your GoGrid server. For a test, I made some edits to my WordPress theme locally. I wanted to see how it could be pushed over to WebMatrix running on the GoGrid Server instance. Here is the minor code change:

And how it appears in the local version of my WordPress blog:

The Getting Started guide which resides on the GoGrid WebMatrix Image will tell you how to configure your local development environment for publishing, specifically:

1. Click Start and Microsoft WebMatrix Beta.
2. Click Site from Gallery or create your own website
3. Click Publish
4. Enter the following information in the Publish Settings dialog:

Protocol: Web Deploy

Server: http://IP address e.g. “http://111.222.33.44″

Username: Administrator

Password: password of local Administrator account (you can get this from the GoGrid portal)

Site Name: Default Web Site

Destination URL: http://IP address

If your application needs a database connection, use the following formats in the Publish Settings:

SQL: Data Source=.\SQLEXPRESS; Initial Catalog=gogrid_db;User Id=sa;Password= $trongPassw0rd;

MySQL: Server=localhost;Database=gogrid_db;Uid=root;Pwd=$trongPassw0rd;

Note: If you changed the default password on your server, be sure to change it in the appropriate string above.

Within WebMatrix locally, click on the Configure button under Publish:

You will see the Publishing Settings:

Fill in the Publishing Settings as per the list in the Getting Started guide (as mentioned above):

Once you enter in all of the information, be sure to push the “Validate Connection” button. Assuming you have no validation issues, you can proceed with the publishing of your code/site. Clicking “Publish” will show you a confirmation screen of the files that will be published. If you want to include your database, be sure to check off that box:

Click “Continue” to publish your site/code (and database). WebMatrix will start publishing your content. You will see a status bar at the bottom showing the progress:

Clicking on “More Details” can show you what is happening:

Once you publish the site (using the Publish button) and send over the database, you may also need to change which Default Document loads first. By default, it is Default.htm. In order to have the WordPress default document show up, you should move Index.php to the top of the list within your IIS manager. Once you do that, the WordPress blog (in this case) will load, complete with the changes you had made locally:

Now, any changes that you do locally on WebMatrix can be published to your GoGrid Server.

Summing It Up

Obviously, you don’t need to use one of the pre-packaged webapps that are available. You can just as easily create your own custom code and publish it the same way as I have outlined above. Regardless, using the GoGrid/WebMatrix combo does fulfill a variety of end-to-end development, testing and publishing scenarios. And with the $150 GoGrid service credit, you can test out this environment to see if it meets your needs.

Let me know how it goes or if you have any questions!

HTD says: Did you find this solution helpful? Do you have questions about GoGrid? Please let me know!

Enter DropCam, a company that seems to have realized that this is a critical component to a successful product. After a few hours of use, I was impressed and my kids were having fun with it as well. So let’s dissect these two critical components: easy to setup and easy to use.

So why would you want a wireless webcam anyway? What is it good for? Here are some possible scenarios to get you started:

• Baby Monitor – why pay for a similarly priced baby monitor when you can get something that is more extensible and doesn’t look like it only belongs in a nursery?
• Security Camera – you can monitor your home while you are on vacation or your store or office when you are away
• Nanny Cam or Baby Sitter Monitor – while you probably have chosen a good sitter or nanny, sometimes you just want to check in or just see and hear your children
• Live Event Streaming – yes, you could even put a camera somewhere where you want to allow remote viewers to watch an event

There are two versions of the DropCam available: DropCam and DropCam Echo. The difference between the two (aside from the $80 pricepoint) is that the Echo transmits audio as well as visual. In my opinion, that difference is definitely worth it.

Let’s get the technical details out of the way first. And, just to note, I tested the DropCam Echo.

General

• Dimensions – 3.7″ x 2.3″ x 1.3″ (height x width x depth)
• Weight – 3.3oz (94g)

Camera

• Type – Color – Fixed, audio and video
• Digital Video Format – H.264
• Exposure Range – 1/5000 sec – 1/4 sec
• Minimum Illumination – 1 lux – F2.0
• Resolution – QVGA (320 x 240)
• Frame Rate – 30 frames/sec
• Focal Length – 4.4 mm
• Angular Field of View – 47 degrees

Networking

• Supported – Ethernet (RJ-45 10BASE-T/100Base-TX)
• Wireless – (802.11b/g)

DropCam Setup

When I got the DropCam, I was impressed with its small size, so much so, that I thought that it had to always have it plugged into the router (meaning with a cord). The other IP webcams that I had played with were much larger, bulkier and heavier. The DropCam’s body seemed so small that it was hard to believe that it housed the wireless transmitter AND receiver. This was very important for me because for a webcam to really be useful, it needs to be portable (e.g., plug it in anywhere).

It turns out that the only time that you need to plug it into an Ethernet connection is during the setup. You can, if you want, have it always physically plugged in, but part of the magic of the DropCam is that once it is configured, you can unplug and plug it in throughout your home or office, wherever your WiFi coverage allows you.

So let’s walk through the SIMPLE setup steps.

The first screen maps out what you will need to do (and they aren’t lying):

First you need to physically connect your DropCam to your router via a (supplied) Ethernet cable and plug it in to the power:

Your DropCam comes with an activation code. You need to enter it at this step.

In order to see the video coming from your DropCam, you need to create an account on DropCam.com. Also, the DropCam takes a shot of what it “sees” at this point. This is a way to know that the communication has been set up.

Then you need to create a name and description for your DropCam.

The final step is connecting to a WiFi network. This is actually the only area where I had a little bit of a problem. It seems that the WiFi receiver is very sensitive. Sometimes, the DropCam would pull in all of my WiFi networks (yes, I have multiple in my house) and sometimes it would only find 1 or 2 (or sometimes not any at all). This became particularly annoying during the setup because I would enter in the Password for the WiFi network and then I would have an error returned.

Select the WiFi network, and the password box should appear (I tested with a WPA2-PSK encrypted connection – I’m not sure what would happen if you have an open network, but if you DO have a non-password protected WiFi network, I would definitely recommend getting some encryption).

Once you enter the password, that SSID (WiFi Network) and password are transferred to your DropCam. That means that in the future, all you will need to do is plug the DropCam in and it will automatically connect to that network.

Below is what happened to me a few times when the DropCam lost its connection during the configuration step. But eventually I did get it connected.

Success at last! Really, it only takes a few minutes to get everything set up.

Now you need to move your DropCam (without it being plugged into the Ethernet cable) to its new monitoring location. This could be your child’s room or somewhere in your office or store, basically, where you want to spy monitor. Once you plug it into the power, look for the light around the camera lens. Depending on what lights are shown, you either have a connection (solid green) or no connection (solid red) or something in-between.

Once that is complete, you can log into your account to see how the DropCam works.

If you want, you can share your DropCam with others (e.g., family members or co-workers or friends).

When you start with a new account, you do get one of the Paid Services as a Trial for a few days. Let me explain the trials quickly, there are three plans you can be on:

• Basic – FREE: Has live viewing via a web browser or iPhone app
• Plus – $8.95/month: Live viewing plus 7 days worth of recording. You can download screenshots and videos from within that 7 days. You can also get email and mobile alerts of Audio or Video activities when you DropCam detects it
• Pro – $24.95/month: Same as the Plus plan but with 30 days of recording.

Using the DropCam

After going through the quick setup, you are ready to start using the DropCam. There are a few ways that you can access your live video (and audio if you have the Echo version). You can use the DropCam.com site which has the full functionality, or the handy iPhone app.

Below is the main dashboard. Your cams show to the left (if you have multiple, they will show up there). The Active cam is in the center and includes a date/time stamp as well as the ability to pause the cam and control volume (if you have the Echo). There are some other settings on the right (which I will go into shortly) as well as a DVR panel (if you have one of the Paid plans – Plus or Pro). Note, the screenshot below shows a night time shot with minimal lighting. It works quite well even at night.

With the Camera Setting section, you can tweak the setting of the camera. If you want notifications sent to your iPhone, you configure it here. Also, I like the setting that turns off the Front (Green) light that is on when the camera is connected. The green light can be a bit distracting and with it off, you or your kids tend to forget about it.

If you want to invite others to your DropCam, you can email them an invitation. Once they accept it, they will be able to stream the video as well.

You can easily revoke viewing privileges if you want, as well as see the status of the any invitations.

If you want to save a copy of a particular point in time, you can have DropCam create one for you. You select the date and time and the length of the video, and once your video is ready, you will get an email when it is ready and you can download it.

One of the really nice features if you have one of the Paid plans is the DVR. If you configure your DropCam to detect motion (or audio), your DVR timeline will have a distinguishable dot on it where activity was detected.

If you hold your mouse over one of the dots, you will get a preview of the video where motion was detected. You can see that I walked by the DropCam a few times during that time period. This makes browsing for activity extremely easy.

The DropCam iPhone App

The DropCam iPhone app doesn’t have as many of the features as the website viewer does, but it is more than enough. Launching the iPhone app brings up all of your DropCams.

You also have the ability to see some of the public DropCams out there. If you really want to get a feel for the iPhone app, you can download it for free and then test some of the free public DropCam streams out there.

Once you select your DropCam, you can see the live video stream. It gives you a time and date stamp as well as displays the description of your DropCam. You can view in either landscape or portrait mode and the audio (if you have a DropCam Echo) streams as well.

You can also view some of the past events where the DropCam detected movement. Clicking on “Show Events” will display animated clips that were recorded.

Clicking on one of the thumbnails brings up the full video which you can watch (and listen to). This is really a helpful feature as it lets you get right to an event when there was activity.

I found the playback for the live and recorded video to be fine over the 3G network and great over WiFi. It was hard to tell the difference. You can also configure your DropCam to send you a push notification when there is activity detected in front of your camera, allowing you to quickly see what is going on. This would be especially helpful if you wanted to check when your kids got home from school or if you were on vacation. Do note that sometimes flapping curtains or flashes of light can trigger the activity recorder.

Summing It Up

I was thoroughly impressed with how easy the DropCam was to set up. As I mentioned earlier, I have played with a few IP-based Wireless Webcams, and the difference between setting up and using those webcams compared to the DropCam is like night and day. In fact, you can (and should) compare the DropCam to some of the Nanny Cams or Video Baby Monitors that are out there. A quick audit of video baby monitors on Amazon shows prices anywhere from $75 to $400.

The DropCam retails for $199 (currently $199 on Amazon as well) and $279 ($279 on Amazon) which is quite reasonable for a wireless webcam. But most importantly, the ease of setup coupled with the ease of use makes it a real winner in my book. And, my kids seem to love it as well as I have recorded quite a few performances that they did in front of the DropCam. It works quite well in low lighting (a bit grainy – see the web page shot in the previous section) and the audio playback is quite good (it is very sensitive and you can adjust that sensitivity easily).

While I don’t condone replacing a baby sitter with a DropCam, you can almost do it, especially if your kids are a bit older. I’m waiting to see creative enclosures for the DropCam hit the market in the form of stuffed animals or a radio or something like that where the DropCam could be hidden inside.

Disclosure Text : I have a material connection because I received a gift or sample of a product for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was/am not expected to return this item or gift after my review period. More information can be found in my About page as well as here.

HTD says: DropCam takes the pain and complications away from the setup and use of a wireless webcam. How would you use it?

This is really a great little device. Many cell phones now have the ability to stream music via Bluetooth. This gadget connects to your cell phone via Bluetooth and then you connect it to a stereo or speaker system. Within literally minutes, you are streaming audio from your cell phone (e.g., iPhone or Blackberry or Android phone) directly to your stereo. It uses Bluetooth v2.0 with EDR.

Setting up the Belkin Bluetooth Music Receiver takes just about a minute. You plug it in to the power and then fire up your iPhone or other Bluetooth connected device. You can connect up to 6 devices (not simultaneously) to the Belkin which it remembers. When your phone discovers the Belkin, you need to pair it. The code is a default “0000″ (I guessed without reading the documentation – I actually didn’t read the documentation until well after I was using it!). The Belkin will show up as “Belkin Y##” where Y is a letter and # a number. The Y## actually is printed on the bottom of the device. Mine is H59, for example, and it shows as “Belkin H59″ on my iPhone. Once paired, you don’t need to go through that process again.

The Belkin comes with a:

• 3.5mm-to-RCA stereo cable
• 3.5mm-to-3.5mm stereo cable
• Power Adapter

In my tests, the stream starting cutting out at about 20-25 feet, which is pretty decent. The documentation says up to a 30 foot range is the maximum and then you will have some interference and the blue light that shows when a device is connected will go out. Once you bring your phone back within range, it will reconnect and the blue light will come back on.

This little gadget is incredibly useful. It is very small and portable. In fact, the power adapter is larger than the Bluetooth receiver itself. Because of its small size, you can throw the whole thing in your pocket or a bag and bring it with your iPhone, for example, to a party or your dorm room or simply hook it up in your living room. And remember that you can use any Bluetooth device as the “music host”. This could be a cell phone (like an iPhone, Blackberry or Android phone) or an iPod Touch or even a computer. Just pair the device and start streaming your music!

The MSRP on the Belkin Bluetooth Music Receiver is $49.99 however you can grab it for $29.99 currently on Amazon which is about the price of a physical cable that could connect your iPhone to your stereo. But with the advantage of being able to stream your music from a distance, why deal with cords? You can sit comfortably on in a chair band become an armchair DJ.

Disclosure Text : I have a material connection because I received a gift or sample of a product for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was/am not expected to return this item or gift after my review period. More information can be found in my About page as well as here.

HTD says: The Belkin Bluetooth Music Receiver in my mind, is one of those essential accessories to have, especially if you want an easy way to stream music to any stereos you come by. Plug in, connect and play, that’s it!

I wanted to talk about a Cloud data storage service that you manage and control, that is hosted by you but still has many of the features of other services out there. Seagate has come up with a very innovative hard drive product called the GoFlex. The reason I think it is a compelling hard drive offering is because of its modular design which, through a series of add-ons, adds a new level of flexibility to data storage.

You start with a GoFlex Drive. There are 3 flavors of the GoFlex, the standard one, the Pro and the Desktop one, with the difference being slightly different backup software and the Pro having a 7400 RPM hard drive. Also the Pro only goes up to 500 GB while the standard GoFlex has sizes up to 1 TB. The GoFlex comes in a variety of sizes as well, from the hard drive storage perspective. They are very small and portable and truly great as stand alone backup and recovery solutions. You can easily transport files and other data back and forth from the office or school to your home as these drives are designed to be portable. They do have larger versions of the GoFlex called the GoFlex Desk that are more for sitting on your desk and have 1, 2 and 3 TB sizes.

But in order to fully take advantage of the GoFlex’s power, you need to get some of the snap-on accessories that go with it. The bottom part of the drive detaches allowing you to connect other components to it. I found this to be an extremely convenient feature. You can quickly and easily swap out the connectivity type based on your needs.

My model, for example, came with a Firewire 800 and USB 3.0 connection. The other types available are:

• Firewire 800
• USB 3.0
• Powered eSATA
• Auto Backup
• USB 2.0

And then there are two other “add-ons” that are in the form of docking stations, the GoFlex Net and the GoFlex TV HD Media Player. I will be discussing the features of the GoFlex Net since that is what I tested. The GoFlex Net has the ability to connect 2 GoFlex drives to them as well as other USB hard drives via the USB port. Both solutions have Ethernet cable connectors, which is required to provide the two distinct services:

• GoFlex Net – allows you to share and sync content over the internet, including on your mobile phone like iPhone, Blackberry, iPad, Droid or other mobile phones
• GoFlex TV – delivers HD content and sound (e.g., movies and music) streaming to your home entertainment system

I spent some time with the GoFlex Net offering and must say that I was impressed. To make the cloud-like services work, Seagate partnered with PogoPlug, a very popular way to share and sync your data between devices and hard drives and the Net. I will be doing a separate review of PogoPlug at a later date.

Setting up The GoFlex Drive & GoFlex Net

Most hard drives are plug-and-play these days and the Seagate is no different. You plug it in and then can either start using it or install some backup software. Being on a Mac, I just elected to install whatever they had in there (it was a Seagate Diagnostics application). I wasn’t planning on using the drive for backups because I really wanted to test out the GoFlex Net and the filesharing/streaming capabilities. One nice thing about the Seagate is that with the Diagnostics software, you can actually turn off the blinking activity light. I wish more devices allowed for that since my office and bedroom now seem to be like Christmas time with all of the blinking lights.

The setup of the GoFlex Net is just as straight forward. You connect the docking bay to an Ethernet connection, put your drive in and then plug the dock in. Once you get that going, the GoFlex Net goes through some network discovery and some other processes on its own. Then you can start configuring the service.

The first part of the installation requires you to set up an account on Seagate and then you connect your FreeAgent Dockstar to PogoPlug, the service that delivers the software that powers your “private cloud storage”. Below are the steps I walked through when setting up:

First you fire up the setup app:

Be sure that you do the product registration!

This is one of the more “difficult” steps (just kidding). All that you have to do is connect your Ethernet cable to the dock and then plug in the AC Adapter. The light on the front of the GoFlex Net will show a Green light when it is connected. If the light is Amber in color, you don’t have an internet connection to the dock. Recheck your connections and be sure that your Ethernet cable is properly connected to your router. Once you have connectivity, you can attach the GoFlex hard drive.

Next you need to “cloud enable” your drive which means you have to set up an account with PogoPlug. This will allow you to remotely access your files and data via a web-browser.

And you need to fill in the account information.

Your device will update with your account info.

Once you have everything configured and connected and your accounts set up, the fun begins.

Integrating and Using PogoPlug

Once you register with PogoPlug, you can start using their online interface. The first important step is to download the software from the PogoPlug site which allows you to mount your GoFlex Net combination as a local drive. You can do this for Windows or Mac. This allows for easy dragging and dropping of files on the Seagate.

Also within the desktop software is the ability to automatically sync your Photos, Music and Videos from locations on your computer. Once you do that, you add a lot of value to your environment. Then using your web browser or a mobile phone (there are several native apps), you can stream music, browse your photos and watch videos, all streaming from your “private cloud” (essentially the Seagate GoFlex sitting on your desk).

There is a new version of the iPhone app in beta currently that allows for the background streaming of audio, much like the way you can stream Pandora or other online music services. I believe this will be a critical component to help drive adoption of this product.

When you log into the iPhone app, you see any attached drives as well as files that are being shared.

On my Mac, I had the Seagate pull in all of the files from my Music folder (which is does in the background – see two picture up). You can then drill down by Artist and then by Album.

And the Album Art automatically shows up.

And the song starts streaming within seconds. I will be looking forward to when PogoPlug releases the multi-tasking enabled version of their app so that I can stream in the background.

The PogoPlug site works much in the same way the iPhone application does. But also within the site, you can get much more control over what you can do with the files as well as the Seagate GoFlex. You can decide on the type of view you want, you can add or delete files from your drive and download any items on your drive.

When viewing the Music folder, you can do a sort of “Cover-Flow” type of view which uses the Album Art.

Summary

Overall, I found the Seagate GoFlex Net and GoFlex drive to be very easy to set up and use. Partnering with PogoPlug was an important decision that Seagate made which really helps to extend the usefulness of the product. Everyone should have at least one backup drive. The Seagate GoFlex is a solid device that makes backups easy (note, I did not test the backup software as my focus was more on how the “cloud” aspects of the drive), and it is small and portable enough to just slip into a coat pocket or purse.

Because the GoFlex has a modular design, meaning that you can swap the type of connection cable between Firewire, USB 2.0, USB 3.0 and eSATA, it is definitely as good drive to use between the home and office or as a backup solution for multiple computers. However, it is the GoFlex Net that really adds the value to the drive itself.

The GoFlex Net is an innovative product that allows you to put two GoFlex drives directly into the dock as well as hook in an external USB drive to increase your storage even more. With the use of PogoPlug, suddenly all of your media and files/data are immediately accessible to you no matter where you are, whether you are browsing your data in a web browser or using the iPhone app. There are other mobile device versions available including: Android, Blackberry and Palm. I will be going in the PogoPlug product in a bit more detail in the coming weeks.

Pricing is as follows:

• GoFlex Drive – MSRP: $80-130 (on sale currently) & Amazon: $70 – $130
• GoFlex Pro – MSRP: $100 (on sale) & Amazon: $105 – $130
• GoFlex Desk – MSRP: $100 – 190 & Amazon: $99 – $150
• GoFlex Net – MSRP: $99 & Amazon: $96
• GoFlex TV HD Media Player – MSRP: $130) & Amazon: $108
• Firewire connector – MSRP: $40
• USB 2.0 connector – MSRP: $20
• USB 3.0 connector – MSRP: $30
• eSata connector – MSRP: $20

To recap some of the highlights of the GoFlex Net:

• Allows you to quickly and easily share various multimedia files (photos, movies & music) to various people that you allow access
• Full access to your files within your Windows or Mac home network
• Streaming of multimedia files to other devices like the GoFlex TV Media Player, Xbox and PS3
• Accessibility to content from your mobile device (e.g., iPhone, Blackberry, Palm and Android devices)
• Ability to link multiple USB drives (2 GoFlex Drives and 1 external USB device)
• Syncing of Music, Photos and Videos automatically from your computer to the GoFlex Net
• Gigabit Ethernet connectivity

The GoFlex Drives allow you to:

• Have full plug & play functionality out of the box
• Do full backups with included backup software
• Easily upgrade your connectivity to USB 3.0, eSata or FireWire 800 with modular adapters
• Integrate easily with a GoFlex Net

For me, I really liked the multiple functions that the GoFlex Drive and GoFlex Net. You can use as a simple backup drive (with or without the GoFlex Net dock), a media streaming device (with the dock active and using either a browser or a smartphone app) or a networked drive. Any way you slice it, it is an elegant solution.

Disclosure Text : I have a material connection because I received a gift or sample of a product for consideration in preparing to write this content. I was/am not expected to return this item or gift after my review period. More information can be found in my About page as well as here.

HTD says: The Seagate/PogoPlug combo is a match made in heaven, and its multi-use nature makes it truly invaluable.