High Tech Home Theater – FreeAgent Theater

Seagate’s  FreeAgent Theater

Share and enjoy your memories in a comfortable, social environment such as your living room.

The Seagate FreeAgent Theater media player solution consists of three components: a media player dock, a PC dock and a FreeAgent Go portable hard drive. With two easy steps, you will be viewing and sharing your favorite photos, movies and music in no time!

Simply place the FreeAgent Go portable hard drive into the PC docking station and it automatically copies your photos, movies and music from the PC to the drive. Then docking the FreeAgent Go portable hard drive into the FreeAgent Theater media player, connected to the TV, puts your entire media library at your fingertips with 1080i High-Definition playback and crystal clear Dolby Digital 5.1 audio surround sound support

Pros:

This thing is easy to use! If you’ve used a flash drive, thumb drive, an external hard drive… or hell even a floppy disk you can use this machine. The First time I used this I just had to pop the FreeAgent external HD to my computer… dragged a few files over and was ready to watch some movies. As soon as I plugged it in… I was amazed. I was able to all my video clips I had on my computer as well as video I shot with my digital camera.

The Theater has a very to use interface. It’s remote is very similar to one you would use on a DVD player. Use the arrows to navigate, press the center button to advance. But the remote is pretty tiny so don’t lose it. Why does everything have to be so slim line anyways? But if you do lose it don’t worry. There are built in function buttons right on the unit. Perfect for turning it on and hitting play all in one burst.

What also nice about this device is the storage media is removable. Have another FreeAgent Drive? Stick it in there and fire it up. You’re good to go. The Theater also has a front panel USB Port. This way you can plug in anything else to and watch your files. That covers everything from digital cameras, flash drives, and other portable and external harddrives…. Giving you practically and endless amount of drive space that can be used on this device.

Cons:

The first problem I had with this machine as soon as I opened the box… There is no HDMI support. Sure you can still get a full 1080 picture with component cables… but I think an HDMI port would have made this simple to use device even simpler. This way instead of having to plug in several cables it’s just the one. But that’s only a minor flaw.

The Theater also has some compatibility issues. But I don’t even consider that a big flaw… I came across only a few files that wouldn’t open…. All of which I pulled randomly from the internet.  I feel like if any new format came later down the road a simple update patch could be put on the web for download.

The Bottom Line:

This thing is amazing! I typically keep my Theater in my living room… but the other day I had some friends over who wanted to watch a movie. So I brought out the theater and fired up a movie. And WOW! Watching this on the 52” LCD I was amazed at the quality. With just a few tweaks on the Theaters internal settings you couldn’t even tell I was watching a 700mb file and not an 8gb DVD. If you’ve got one of these and want the quality to look even better hook it up to an HD tv with 120hz Upconvert and be amazed!

Hey mom! I’m going green! So is my walkman!

Fuji EnviroMAX: Earth Friendly Batteries

MSRP:  $6-$9

They’re all the same size and they fit snuggly into one of the many portable electronic devices that have become very common in our everyday lives. Most of us never even give a thought to how batteries are made or what harm they can do to our environment once they are discarded. Fuji EnviroMAX has been dedicated to developing one of the most enviornmentally respectful batteries on the planet for twenty years. Fuji EnviroMAX batteries continue to lead the way by setting rigorous safety and quality control standards to produce battery products that are safe for users and to the environment.

These batteries work! When it comes to reviewing a battery, there isn’t much I can say. Hey I got to use my discman! Sweet! But really, what is nice about these batteries is the small damage it does to the environment. That is the big problem with batteries these days. They are filled with chemicals and should be properly recycled. But that rarely happens. Instead people just toss out the AA’s from their camera… their D’s from the flashlights and toss them in the trash. With these batteries it’s ok to throw them away. Another good thing about these batteries, they aren’t much more expensive than regular batteries.. so you aren’t taking a huge chunk out of your wallet just to be eco-friendly.

But I do have one concern about batteries in general. How many people still use them? I can think of only three things I use that need batteries. My electronic dartboard, my razor… and a boombox from the 80’s. Most of today’s digital cameras include rechargeable battery packs.

The Bottomline:

If you are still using batteries when going camping or for other things around the house I say go with these instead. They cost about as much as regular batteries… are just as powerful, but are more eco-friendly. The only beef I would have with these batteries has nothing to do with the product at all. Currently you can only buy the batteries in small packages… Bring out the bulk!! Let me buy 20 AA batteries at once!

 

 

No Swine Flu for You! (or H1-N1 if you want to be PC)

Unotron Washable Keyboards and Mice

MSRP: 45.99+ Each

Whether clumsy consumers want to avoid costly replacements in the event of a spill or hospitals want to eliminate the germs residing on their keyboards and mice, Unotron SpillSeal® products are the perfect solution.  

Have you ever taken a look UNDER the keys on your keyboard? Take a look down… gross. Dust, grime, hair, Pringles crumbs.. it’s all down there. Gross.

Pros:

Well the pros are pretty obvious… YOU CAN WASH THESE! Now I am not talking about running through them a dishwasher… but you can run then under a faucet or stick them in the sink. So no Swine Flu (H1-N1 Virus, Infection A… whatever they are calling it these days) for you. According to Unotron, there is a 100% kill rate on these keyboards when used with disinfectant sprays. So bust out the Lysol spray and go to town. It will not damage these products.

They also feel like normal keyboards and mice. They don’t have any special shape, or come in a glass bubble. It’s just a straight up peripheral that looks like its inferior (germ infested) counterparts.

Cons:

The Mouse may take getting used to. Since you have to push out the scroll wheel out to wash the mouse.. The physical wheel is not a button. Instead there is a tiny nub that acts as the scroll wheel button. It takes some getting used to, but that’s about it. Once you are used to it, you’re golden.

The Bottomline:

These are pretty cool. Once the word of the Swine Flu broke, Unotron got some sweet publicity. Kind of like right this very moment as you read this. But hey sanitation is something people are worrying about now. These things are perfect for hospitals, day cares, places were germs can easily be spread.

As for home use, the price of these products may scare some people away. Starting at 50 dollars a pop, these mice and keyboards don’t come cheap considering they aren’t wireless or have any special functions. But people should also look past the price considering they will be able to keep it clean without it getting grimey

Pick up your Unotron products at www.unotron.com

Update Your PowerPoint! You Could Get Hacked!

Microsoft is urging PowerPoint users to update their software because it’s being targeted by hackers.  The company says there was a critical threat to users and their information.

The company says hackers are targeting users and convincing them to download a PP file from the web. Once opened, a hacker will then have complete control of the computer including user permissions.

The company says even Mac users are at a possible threat.. but has yet to find any evidence that hackers are exploiting it.

A patch has been made available for PC users… with a Mac version on its way.

Tell Your Lady to Put Down That Cosmo…

…And pick up a calculus book.. because a new study says smarter women have better sex lives.

Where do I sign up?

Researchers in England found that women with a higher emotional inteligence (EI) have more orgams… oh man this is getting good.

The researchers checked out about 2,000 twins… about 1,000 pairs. They say women with a lower EI… lack the ability to manage feelings.. which could be linked to common sexual problems. Doctors believe EI has a direct impact on a woman’s sexual functioning by influencing her ability to communicate her sexual expectations and desires. Of the women tested, more than a third had trouble climaxing.

So what can I say… take your lady to the library.. and have her start studying.

Is That Your Computer Ringing?

True Fidelity Multimedia Headphones by: Able Planet

MSRP: $99.99

 The ultimate fighting machine! If you are a multi-media guru and looking for a headphone to perform as well as you do, look no further. The PS500MM has all the required tools necessary to work with your computer.

Pros:

The audio quality from the headphones are absolutely stunning. The have excellent sound with a great range.The Microphone also has great pickup. Since the mic is attached by a flexible arm, it is sure to fit any face without getting in the way.

This set also comes with a USB adaptor allowing you to plug in both the headphone and the line-in into a USB port. What’s even better is it was plug and play on my macbook.. And that my friends is a HUGE plus.

Cons:

The Headphones can be a little awkward to wear at first. When I first put them on, it felt like they were on backwards.. But it was just the way they sat on my head.. But after wearing them for a little while I couldn’t even tell they were there.. So that’s a plus.

I like the headphone end of this set that I wish I could remove the mic so I could use them just as headphones and use them with my iPod. Because face it, I would look pretty weird walking down the street with a gamers headset on.

The Lowdown:

These headphones are great. If you are big into Skyping, Voip conversations.. Or Call of Duty.. These are a sure fire way to amp up your game. With these headphones you’ll be put right into the game.. While being able to communicate with your teammates… but for you more casual people calling grandma has never been so clear.

Sh*t! Mother’s Day is Tomorrow!

Don’t Worry… I am here to help… as long as your mom likes plants in the home…

 If your mother has plants throughout the house why not pick her up a couple of  Thirsty Lights.Thanks to the people at Trident, remembering to water flowers just got a little easier

The Thirsty Light runs about 10 dollars and tests the water level in your indoor potted plants. When water levels in the soil gets too low, the device warns you by blinking. The device is cheap enough that if you wanted to buy a few for the home you can. Or if you want to save some green (pun totally intended) just buy one and test each plant individually.

Using the Thirsty Light is simple to use. Just turn it on and put in in the soil of your plant. If the light at the tip of the green bulb doesn’t light up your plant is properly watered. If the light blinks, the plant’s soil is dry. The Thirsty Light has two different blinking patterns. If the light blinks once, the plant is thirsty and you should water it. If the light blinks twice, the plant is very thirsty and you should water it immediately.

If you want to pick up the Thirsty Light for the plant lover in your life, pick one up for yourself at Thirsty Light’s website, http://www.thirstylight.com.

Power WITHOUT The Bulk

They are ugly, bulky, and are unable to handle more than a few gadgets at the same time. I am not talking about some of your ex-girlfriends. I’m talking about old powerstrips. Sure many gadgets have gotten rid of the big bulky box for plugging things in, but for the ones that still use them, you can only plug in a few things at the same time. But help is here!! The people at Flexity have created the Powerquid!

 Instead of having all six outlets in line with each other, The “Squid” surge protector has six separate cables. This way you can plug in whatever you need without the other plugs getting in the way. The six cables come in three different lengths. To add some extra flare two of the cables have glowing LED lights at the end of the cables.

 The ‘Squid also have a connectivity protector for you phone line as well as your cable. Just plug in the correct cables into the head of the ‘Squid and your cable and phone or DSL line are protected form possible power surges.

 The Lowdown:

So here it is. I love this product. But It’s a powerstrip substitute. I think the ‘Squid would work best as just that. I wouldn’t use it as a power supply that is always accessible for me to plug in random things when I need. I find it most useful behind the TV or computer desk. Just plug it into the wall, plug in your devices, and forget it. The individual cables make plugging in anything a snap without having to rearrange what you already have plugged in. The added feature for cable makes it even better behind the TV. The ‘Squid comes with The PureStream power filter. It helps deflect any electromagnetic interference to give your cable the best possible signal.

The only downfalls to the ‘Squid is its hefty price. The model I used costs 70 dollars from powersquid’s website. If that is too much for your budget I suggest heading to their website to see some of the other models they offer. Some cost as low as six dollars. And while it is not a surge protector, it gives you the convenience of plugging in your boxy power supplies. The cheapest squid with surge protection costs about 30 dollars. Not bad considering the damage a power surge could do to your gadgets.. Trust me, losing a computer to a power outage is not fun!

This all that said, I say The Flexity Powersquid is a great addition to any home theater or home office. Now ditch those old powerstrips and pick some up.

For more information on this and any of the powersquid products, head to their website, http://www.powersquid.com.

Cheaper iPhone Plan!?

How would you like an extra 10 dollars in your pocket? If you have an iPhone that could soon become a reality.

It is rumored that AT&T could reduce its iPhone service plans by $10 when it launches the latest version of the phone. 
While this news is still speculation.. It would be quite cool.

But what could that do to the cost of the phone?
When the iPhone 3G came out, the phone dropped in price by $200. But service plans jumped up by $10. Can we expect the reverse trend this time around? A service price drop of $10 and a more expensive phone… I guess we’ll have to wait and find out. Apple is expected to announce a new iPhone June 8, during the company’s World Wide Developers Conference.

But how big is a $10 per month savings?
Sure it will bring the base $69 monthly fee to $59 dollars… But saving 240 dollars over the course of two years in nothing considering you’ll be shelling out over $1,500. And that doesn’t include texting. Throw in an unlimited texting plan and you are paying an additional 500 to 700 dollars over a two year span.

Who knows, none of this may even happen. At this early in the game it’s all still just a rumor. But still $240 is $240… I can buy a PS3. And come on …. A new version of the iPhone would be dope.

Extend Your Wifi Range With Wi-Fire

Wi-Fire Wireless Internet Booster
MSRP: 79.00
The Wi-Fire uses a powerful directional antenna, highly sensitive receiver and proprietary software to find and enhance normal WiFi signals. With it, you can connect wirelessly to the Internet–even at low signal strengths–faster, more reliably and with a more consistently strong connection–than you are able to with an internal wireless adapter.

Pros:
It’s easy to use and can be used with practically every computer out there. As long as you has windows XP or OSX 10.3 you’re in the clear. This thing doesn’t even need USB 2.0… 1.1 is all she needs. Just install the software and drivers and you are good to go. Whether you’re using a desktop or a laptop it doesn’t matter. The Wi-Fire’s specially designed base is made to either clip onto an lcd display or laptop screen … and well as be a base on the top of a desk.

Cons:
Unfortunately, one of the pros is also a con. The fact that software has to be installed to use the Wi-Fire is kind of a drag. But for you PC users you’re in the clear. The extra software only needs to be install when the Wi-Fire is used on a Mac. With the PC, it’s just install the driver and you are set.

Bottomline:
What’s nice about the Wi-Fire is the fact that you do not have to open up your computer to install it. This makes it the perfect product from people who do not want to void their warranty by opening up their machine… or for people who aren’t exactly computer pros and do not feel comfortable using one. If you’ve always wanted to put a computer someplace else in the home.. this is an excellent option.