Targus is announcing a series of new innovative accessories for keeping your laptop cool. Targus is expanding its line of innovative cooling products. The new products include the Chill Mat, Chill Mat XC, Chill Hub XC, CoolWave™, and Stow-N-Go Chill Mat. All are compatible with PCs and Macs and are built to offer protection from heat damage by providing optimal air ventilation for enhanced performance. Many also offer protection to your lap as they can be used when the laptop is sitting on your lap. “Laptop cooling devices are essential to keeping your computer running at an optimal level,” said Carolyn Perrier, vice president of accessories at Targus. “Targus’ new cooling devices are compatible with just about any laptop and provide a combination of portability and protection to enhance laptop performance.” Some of the new products…… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Targus is expanding their line of laptop carrying cases. The new cases include the Venture collection of checkpoint-friendly laptop bagss and launched a new series of “Fashion-Forward” Bags which includes the Intersection, Echoes, Rio and Madrid. Checkpoint Friendly Al Giazzon, vice president of marketing at Targus note- “Our new line of “Checkpoint Friendly” laptop cases, meet the functional needs of air travelers while satisfying their desire to communicate their own personal style.”… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

If you’re sporting a BlackBerry Curve, Pearl, Bold, Storm, World, or a Samsung Instinct on Sprint, Verizon or AT&T you can get real time Consumer Electronic Show 2009 news directly on your device. Sprint and Engadget have teamed up to produce show summaries that are fed to this standalone mobile application. The real time feed provides you with stories (and video) filed by Engadget from the show floor. A great way to follow all the CES 2009 coverage on your BlackBerry or Samsung Instinct. CES Application powered by Sprint Continue reading on Gear Diary …

I have never before been as thankful as I currently am to have technology that has advanced as it has, here in 2009. A little background to explain why this is the case and how our technology is coming in as “handy” (a pun — as will become clear in the moment), as it is. A bit of background without going into the gory details — I suffer from a form of inflammatory  (Rheumatic) arthritis that leaves me reliant upon heavy medications and, despite the medications, in fairly constant discomfort and/or pain. About five years ago I slipped on the ice and damaged my right wrist. Three surgeries later the damage was repaired, but over the months following the pain returned and grew. Ultimately we discovered that, while the damage was repaired, the rheumatoid arthritis had destroyed the joint. Things deteriorated to the point where a little over two weeks ago I underwent an operation to fuse my wrist by embedding an 8 inch plate from my arm into my hand. The result will be that I will no longer have any movement (and, as a result, no pain). Everything has gone “well”, but two weeks – and an additional [...]

  (Image from Gizmag) One of the iconic comic book images, along with Superman leaping over tall buildings and Batman swinging in to fight crime with his own unique vigilante justice, was Dick Tracy’s chiseled chin jutting out toward his wrist as he received a communication from the Chief. Back in this golden age of comic book days, the idea of talking on a tiny communicator like this was…well, it was the stuff of science fiction.   Yet, there was Dick Tracy, detective like none other,  in strip after strip carrying on conversations with the Chief using his wrist communicator – as though it were no big deal… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Sierra Trading post has a deal on this Bern Baker Hard Hat with integrated stereo headset. Plug in your MP3 player and the sound is piped through the dual headphone speakers embedded in the insulating liner. An integrated audio jack with extended plug wire (volume control is inline) provide plenty of room to connect your music source. The back of the helmet includes a removable goggle clip which makes it an all season helmet for skate and snow boarders alike. Normally $119.99 this is only $46.75. Sierra Trading Post via Brads Deals Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Remember the Jaybird JB-200 Headphones I reviewed?  Well Jaybird is back with another set of Bluetooth headphones.  The Freedom headset looks like the JB-200′s I reviewed, but comes in different boxes for different platforms depending on what you need to make them work.  For example, the JB-200im comes with everything that shipped with my JB-200 set.  The JB-200im is priced at $199 and is the version I would buy, as it will work with any device.  They will be available in April. Jaybird is also releasing two sets of wired headphones.  The Tiger Eyes headphones look similar to the Apple in-ear earbuds.  The Endorphin earphones are designed go behind your ears, with the cable going down your… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Netbooks look like they are going to be hot this year, and  Emtec is taking a unique spin on the netbook concept called the Gdium.  It is using a bootable USB based flash drive to store the OS.  It will be available with a 8 GB or 16 GB G-Key, as they call it.  The Gdium is supposed to retail under $400.  It has a 10 inch 1024×600 LCD, Madriva G-Linux is the OS, CPU 900 Mhz 64bits Loongson™ 2F by STMicroelectronics, 512 MB of DDR2 RAM, 802.11b/g,3 USB ports (one used by the G-Key), SDHC Reader, VGA Out, Video card Silicon Motion SM502 with 16 MB VRAM, Ethernet, Webcam, Multi-finger touchpad and a 4 hour battery life. Update: The Loongson is a Chinese developed processor being… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Remember when 1 GB SD cards were all the rage?  Then that wasn’t enough.  So they created the SDHC standard.  Well, now we’re hitting the top of SDHC, so what does the SD association do?  Up the ante again, of course! The SD Association has announced the SDXC standard.  How about 2 TB maximum.  Will that be enough?  The answer is, no.  There’s never enough storage! What does it look like?  Almost the same as the last SD standard.  Expect products using SDXC at next year’s CES…if there is one. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Ever wonder what your cat or dog does all day when you’re not home? I really never have given it much thought but for the pet lovers who can’t wait to buy birthday and holiday presents for fluffy or fido, this pet eye camera may be your thing. Set the camera interval to 1, 5 or 15 minutes and up to 40 photos (640 x 480 resolution) will be captured. Includes a USB cable so you can upload the pictures. PC and Mac compatible. Cat & Dog Pet’s Eye View Camera – $49.99… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Casinos are the latest entrant to the Social Networking fad craze. The MGM Grand at Foxwoods  is launching  a Casino Social Network. Based on the Sparta Community2 network, MGM Grand at Foxwoods will  facilitate gambler use of Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and countless other trendy communication medium  so their customers can re-assure each other that they “just about broke even” on their last trip.  One of the big issues that large corporations  have to deal with is exactly what’s suitable for a social network and how much censorship will they exercise over content hosted on their site. For example what if I want to create a group poking fun at those who smoke… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Asus is working hard at the CES 2009 show. They’ve introduced their 512 GB SSD based 3 pound computer with claimed 8 hour battery life (will 2009 be the year of the 8 hour laptop battery?). They also trotted out the Eee PC T91 which is an update of their netbook model that now includes an 8.9″ backlit touch panel that swivels to turn the computer into a tablet. However what I find most interesting is their (prototype) Asus computer keyboard. The keys look a little “Apple-ish”. What’s interesting is that right next to a full QWERTY keyboard is a small iPhone display screen. The display will use ultra wideband wireless HDMI to transmit an image to whatever display is… Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Photos and a press release have raised expectations that the BlackBerry 8900 will appear on T-Mobile USA retail shelves by the widely reported February 11, 2009 due date. This updated BlackBerry Curve (aka BlackBerry Javelin) sports a 3.2 MP camera, Wi-Fi (but NO 3G), updated OS, GPS and T-Mobile’s UMA service (cellular voice and data via Wi-Fi). Pricing has yet to be announced however a promotion that T-Mobile is running disclosed the retail value to be $499 which is likely to be the contract-less price. Similar T-Mobile older style BlackBerry Curve’s are available for -$75 after rebate so I expect within 6 months this phone will fall to free with 2 year contract. In addition to a sleek, stylish design Continue reading on Gear Diary …

This morning Kevin and I loaded up for the drive to Midland and then the flight to Vegas. We’ll be here until Sunday, covering CES events as well as a tiny bit of the AEE, which runs at the same time. What did I bring along? I am planning to use the HP Mini (Tam, as I have taken to calling it) exclusively on this trip, so that was the first thing to get packed. But because I have everything I need on my MacBook Air, I brought it along as a backup. I also brought my HTC S740 (main phone), Nokia N82 (for Qik videos), the Flip Mino HD, the Canon G9 (used to take this photo), a stack of business cards, a 2GB flashdrive, the necessary power and transfer cables, a bag of my favorite snacks, and some reading material for the plane rides. I am keeping our itinerary straight with WorldMate Live. Continue reading on Gear Diary …

Ready to save some cash? Thinking about stocking up on gifts for next year? Scoot over to Hickory Farms and check out their heart attack in a box holiday gift set sale. These are perfect for the mail man or bus driver you “forgot” to tip. Heck, at these prices pick up a few extra as in-law gifts for next year. I’m not positive about their shelf life but I’m pretty sure my grandmother used to re-gift them years later. And when’s the last time you read about someone becoming deathly ill from eating a Hickory Farms sausage? The package above normally goes for $75 at your favorite mall kiosk and is on sale for $18.75. Not only is it a… Continue reading on Gear Diary …