Tech, Gadgets, and Geeks. Oh My!

Mama can take my Kodachrome away

2009-02-22T12:59:00.004-05:00

Polaroids are back in a big way. In the art world (Polaroid Art Show), in the book world ("FOUND Polaroids" by Jason Bitner, 2006), in digital and traditional scrapbooking (Polaroid Cluster at Scrappy Pony Designs), in Outsider Art (Polaroid House), and in the retro nostalgic revival movement (The Polaroid Project: save the Poloroid film factory-amass a collection from the world-and build a museum and ).

For years avid artists and photographers have use Polaroids to make transfer photo art (see also, Polaroid Transfer Art website) as well as abused Polaroid photo art via etching and scratching.

The best Everyman use of the old Polaroid however, is in the Poladroid Project (www.poladroid.net), a free software download to let you make Polaroids out of your digital (or Kodachrome) pictures. It even permits you the satisfaction of the full experience: waiting expectantly for the photo to emerge, and shaking the damn thing to help it develop quicker (a forerunner of repeatedly pushing the elevator button)!

Now today's youngsters who had no typewriters, no rotary princess phones, and certainly no Polaroid cameras, can experience the ooooo! and ahhhhh! of the Polaroid Experience.
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Available for both Mac & PC (n.b., would not download using Firefox).

Kindling?

2009-02-18T13:50:00.002-05:00

KINDLE from Amazon is the latest entry in the attempt to finally shove an entire marketplace over to eBooks. Armed with Newer! Better! technology, this latest electronic offering delivers thousands of reads wirelessly for a per item fee ("No monthly service plans"). Most of the official product description waxes on and on about how easily and quickly the content is delivered to the Kindle. It's in the fine print however that you discover sometimes its just not that fast, and it certainly doesn't come cheap.

At $359 for the Kindle device, the cost of a book better be damn cheap, or the hefty upfront price tag for the pleasure of carrying around more technology better make your life incredibly better. Maybe brew a cup of tea for instance, while you peruse the NYT. Personally? I'd rather take out a library book (remember the public library where you borrow books for free from the government?) or buy a book that I can feel, write on, page turn, (heaven forbid) earmark, pile up, lend, borrow, steal, display in the shelves I built for them, and maybe eventually donate for a tax deduction.

I turned an entire room in my home into a library, installing permanent shelving so I can show off how literate I am. I even downloaded the entire Dewey Decimal Classification listing so I could arrange all my books in appropriate categories. How would I pompously belittle my guests with an oversized calculator?

IMHO, the model for a societal shifting eBook device should have included a free or neglidgeably-priced reader, with the profit coming in the content. After all, Content is King.

I'm a techie and love the latest gadgets, but you would have to use a hacksaw to cut a book away from the grasp of my hands, in order to insert a machine in its place, especially a $359 one.
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Faxing poetic

2009-01-01T14:01:00.004-05:00

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{The first in a series of useful AND FREE! internet services}

FaxZero
http://faxzero.com/ has come in handy more than once. Here are two: while traveling, and when my fax was inoperative. I'm sure that there are many others but this is the one that I found, tried, and used.

You get to send up to 2 faxes per day, each no more than 3 pages (not including their cover sheet). Their cover sheet does include an advertisement, but not for porn, so that's a plus, right!?!

They print on their cover page your input Name & Company Name, fax number & email.
They also print your input Sender Name, Sender Company & fax number (no subject line but can't we all agree that fax subject lines are really a waste of time?)

I first received an email with confirmation link to confirm the send of the fax.
Once clicked, it was on its facsimile ferry way....back to me. Hey, I had to try it out first to see what boomerangs back.

It accepts either .doc or .pdf and my pdf came through missing some letters on one page. Yup, just an errant letter here and there on the first page disappeared in Internet Land, but I was not concerned since it was not important letters, like "z" or "q" which are worth 10 points each.

You also then receive a 2nd email confirming that the fax was sent, serving as your cyber receipt.

This is a good service for quick faxes direct from your computer documents, especially while traveling. Of course there is also a more robust pay service available from FaxZero and hundreds more online faxing services.
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Eco USB (echo echo echo)

2008-12-08T07:47:00.001-05:00

It's a battery, no it's a USB--- it's a USB battery!
Huh?

One of the best uses yet of a USB is not the desktop lava lamp, not the USB vacuum cleaner, and not the USB boxing ring, but the eco-friendly and ingenious rechargeable battery, USBCELL.
Use it up and then pop it into any USB port and recharge.
No cumbersome charger to tote around (just your cumbersome laptop).
But if you're like most of us, you're never too far from a computer!
Even the airports now have USB ports built into the computer-friendly seats and laptop stations.

They will be soon available in all sizes AA, AAA, C, D and 9V; and also with the mini-USB connector. The uses are boggling since I can foresee recharging the battery and then using the mini-USB connector to emergency charge my Dash cellphone which uses the mini-USB.

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Photo in toto

2008-12-07T14:15:00.002-05:00

Back to all things photo, here are some great online resources to help those who don't want to invest in the cost and effort of such intensive photo editing software as Photoshop.

Photoshop has now brought its wares to the masses. No download, no cost, no complexity. Just edit photos directly online using Photoshop Express.

Pixenate is an award winning site that easily and quickly lets you edit your photos and then add a little zing to them.

Professionally optimize your images using Smush.it! using lossless algorithms. Good access options via direct photo upload, URL link, or Firefox extension install.

Now it's time to have some fun with all these photos---there are interesting sites that let you manipulate images online creating fun and imaginative effects.

Photofunia places your photo of choice within pre-designed images such as cityscapes, advertising, and other everyday scenes:

Big Huge Labs is a Flickr related site that lets you do fun things with photos. Everything from jigsaw puzzles to magazine covers and these:

If you wish to only do one thing to your photos, quick and dirty, then try these:

Rounded Corners

Watermark

Reflect

Lastly, take all those images and create your own classic style comic strip--- from your own photos or other images using Comeeko:

Enjoy your photos more!
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It's a Wii Wii World

2008-08-28T20:14:00.005-04:00

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For those not in the Wii World, you may wish to move on to your next task of the day, but for those who are casual Wiiers there's a World of Wii of which you likely have no knowledge--- HomeBrew [a term frequently applied to video games that are produced by consumers on proprietary game platforms -from Wiki] or in this case, WiiBrew, the homebrew channel.

So basically with some key downloads, an SD storage card, and the game Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess, you can achieve a HACK of the Wii system that lets you add a whole new channel with all sorts of games created by people other than Nintendo and its licensees. It also lets you add other hacks such as utilities that let you play DVDs through the console, play Wii games from other regions (Region Free), hack your Mii (gold pants), FTP using your wireless internet connection, add Emulators allowing you to play games made for other current (SEGA, GameBoy) and ancient (ATARI, but I'm holding out for MAME) systems. Hell--it even lets you connect your PC to the damn thing. Of course all of this pisses of Nintendo which wishes to control every bit and byte of your use of their system (Can you say "proprietary"). I guess they have learned nothing from Google, Linux, and other works of the Open Source World inhabited by their core audience.

Now the faint of heart should not try this at home, nor mess with Mii, or you could BRICK your system (turn your console into nothing more than a useless brick) . But if you mod your way to this channel, the rewards are endless.

Some samplings:

The hack that gets all this done is apparently in the game Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess hence the moniker Twilight Hack. There is a hole in the code where new code can be inserted and thus is born a new channel.

Just some information for you soccer dads and closet geeks, since it got Mii going Wiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!
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Stick Up?

2008-08-25T11:03:00.004-04:00

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16GB stick for $50?! Remember how just a blip ago we were ecstatic at a 1GB hard drive!!

We are not far away from hard-drive size memory in your pocket--I'm talking 100GB and up on a flash drive or memory card at reasonable prices.

If 16GB on a USB stick is this cheap, then it's quite clear that the Memory Makers are holding back on us. The Government is likely already using Phat Sized Sticks and the trickle down effect is moving at the speed of Mbps. Who needs a WD Passport, wait just a sec...

From Buy.com:

Kingston 16GB DataTraveler 100 Flash Drive
Sleek, capless, and divine. The DataTraveler holds all your documents in an affordable, convenient device and lets you easily store and move large files in a device no bigger than a pocketknife. DataTraveler 100 is available in capacities up to 16GB to give you plenty of room to hold just about any document, from term papers and theses to digital images, spreadsheets or other important documents. more info

LIST PRICE: $77.00
$	49	.95

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Dial i for Phone

2008-07-19T17:23:00.001-04:00

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In past centuries there really was a dial on a phone and hence, you dialed a number. We have made so many advances since then to the age of the iPhone (wish I had one). No, really. I WISH I HAD ONE. Can someone talk to T-Mobile for me about that?

But secretly we---that is those of use who can remember ---are yearning for the good old days of LPs (yup they're making them again too), lower gas prices, and now the dial phone. But on your iPhone. It's the iRetroPhone.
It actually is pretty cool. It is realistic looking and sounding. The irony abounds for the placing of the slowest, tedious dialing method onto the most innovative state-of-the-art phone, but Baby Boomers toting iPhones will wax nostalgic for the days of tangled cords and Princess line phones and probably plunk down the $2.99 pricepoint just for the fun of it.
I wish i had an iPhone.
Really.
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Ride the Bus

2008-07-19T14:58:00.000-04:00

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USB is taking over tech. Everything charges, connects and controls by USB these days. I just built a new computer and have 10 installed internal USB ports. I am sure I will soon run out though as my current list of devices usually wired in right now totals 7:

printer
scanner
cellphone
digital camera
soundblaster 5.1 surround
palm
ipod

That leaves me just 3 empty slots for the various rotating menagerie of thumb drives to which I am addicted. I buy them like candy in a 5 and dime store. Intermittently used devices like my USB rechargeable battery, USB fan, USB light, USB mp3 players (including cool Target mp3 player giftcard) are also loitering all around my computer like cars waiting to board the auto train to Florida.

If you haven't looked into the bevy of mindless devices using Universal Serial Bus technology, take a ride over to sites USB Gadgets and USB Geek to find such treasures as the aroma dispenser:

the doomsday hub:

the desktop Xmas tree:

and the rocket launcher:

But to support all this serial swag you will likely need a USB hub (think of Newark but with fewer gates) as most computers come with only 2 or 3 ports. I've always loved Belkin's computer peripheral products and their hub lines are something to marvel and envy.

The one I'm currently jonesing for is the in-desk hub. You know that waste-of-a-space hole in your desk with that little cover that usually pops out never to be found again?

Perfect use and placement. If you prefer however the Airstream of hubs, this iPod wannabe will do:

This will allow you to load up on lots more USB gadgets. What?! ---you want USB devices that actually are useful? I've previously shown you the recordable turntable and cassette tape player but there's plenty more stuff out there.

USB TV	lighter
Cell extender	send voicemail
microscope

So join the USB Revolution and hop a ride on the Bus.

Hear the Tech

2008-05-10T12:29:00.000-04:00

There are some very cool gadgets out that should be on any Baby Boomer wish list. It's about time someone thought of this and made it affordable.

USB Turntables by ION

Portable version

Desktop version

Plugs into your computer via USB cable, in the $100-range, and sleek designs. Convert all your old records of Fleetwood Mac and The Partridge Family to mp3, or just listen through the computer speakers.

Not to be left out, crack open the faux leather cassette carriers and convert all your old mix tapes to mp3 as well!

Tape Deck by PlusDeck

Slides into the CD/DVD bay of your desktop computer and even features auto-reverse

Dual USB Cassette Deck by ION

Dual cassette USB standalone model

Awesome additions to the music universe for our aging musical collections!
Now how about one for my 8 Track collection?!

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See the Tech

2008-05-09T12:31:00.000-04:00

I love gadgets and technology, and I will highlight some of my finds here on my BLOG de temps en temps. Here's my latest Gotta-Haves....!

SNAPS ON A BOTTLE

OK, Too Cool.

This $8 gizmo snaps on a bottle (hence the name)---any water filled bottle, and acts as a tripod for your pocket-size cameras. Just screw the camera onto the top. Great for travel. Now you can even appear in your own shots! From Compact Impact.

Lomography is a photography method from the '50's and '60's developed by an Austrian company using their LOMO cameras. LOMO cameras are just way cool photography and here are some new-retro models:

FISHEYE

Takes photos creating that "fisheye" look, capturing 170 degree view into a circular frame. Fisheye utilizes 35mm film. $50.

DIANA

The modern remake of the 1960's all-plastic $1 Diana camera which is now a cult legend --- famous for its its dreamy, radiant, and lo-fi images. Updated with modern features. $50.

RINGFLASH

Slide onto the lens of any SLR camera and this will evenly light your subject in various colors for cool photo effects. $65.

LOMOGRAPHY

If you are intrigued by the whole LOMO phenomenon, take a look at the Lomographic Society International which makes & sells these and other photographic equipment. Their site is spectacular with galleries of images and contests too.

If you don't want to buy the cameras, you can still grab this LOMO effect Photoshop Action and make pretend you shoot LOMO!

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For The Birds

2008-05-08T12:37:00.000-04:00

Originally submitted at UncommonGoods

Gather all the birds in the backyard for a tree-side chat with this nostalgic wooden birdhouse reminiscent of a 1930s radio. With its painted details, wooden knobs and a carved "speaker," this whimsical birdhouse captures the charm of an era gone by. Made in China.

For a vintage radio collector!

By Lawgal from Baltimore, MD on 11/22/2007

Pros: Great GIft Idea, Funky fun, Attractive Design

Best Uses: Outdoors, For the birds

Describe Yourself: Practical

I bought this for friends in CA who collect vintage radios and love gardening. What a great combo gift idea! They absolutely loved it and have already hung it in their garden so I know they enjoyed it as a gift!

(legalese)