IM, that is. Huzzah for another bad pun! Monday the Alpha version of Kool IM launched, but how “kool” is it? As far as aggregating other chat clients, it does a decent job, even including Google Talk. If you register, Kool will remember your various accounts, but you still have to log them in each individually, which is disappointing. The main complaint is that it only takes the barebones chat part. No file sharing, no pix, no voice or video. Why would I want to leave these features behind? Is that really worth not having a couple chat programs running?
The current version also has some more minor bugs that need to be addressed such as chat windows that won’t scroll with longer messages and missing the first message someone sends you if using Firefox. Luckily, after browsing through the forum, it seems like the developers are very interested in taking user suggestions to heart and fixing the troublesome bits.
It’s definitely not quite time to leave your other chat programs behind. Trillian does a better job of bringing together more of the features and the programs (but not Google Talk as of yet); however, this requires a download, while Kool IM is just in your browser. The Alpha version is only the first step, so hopefully, with a lot of hard work, Kool IM will end up evolving into something a little more polished.
Monthly Archives: July 2006
Girl's Gadget Report: Traffic emoticons
Driving is a lot like life: we simply want to enjoy the journey to the destination. But some forces frazzle us along the way. So, driving a car can be an incredibly stressful experience. It’s actually not so bleack as it is often painted. And I’m convinced that we are the ones who might make this a pleasant and salubrious undertaking.
This time I’d like to tell you about the gadget that was designed especially for cars. It’s an emoticon display that can express the emotions and feeling you experience behind the wheel. So, you can share your “thoughts” with the drivers behind you.
If it seems to you that the driver behind you is too close to you, just press the “:(” button and he will understand that the distance between you is too small. If somebody dropped back for you, you can thank the driver with the smile.
This gadget makes driving funnier and if driving alone you’ll have a wonderful possibility “to communicate” with others. The display module is battery-operated and is fixed to the rear widescreen. It is activated by remote control. No wires are needed.
It’s a nice way to make your journey more exciting! It is available at http://www.au-my.com/english/Driv-e-mocion.htm
The Weekly Girl’s Gadget Report is brought to you by http://www.gadget4girls.com/
Who'da Thunk it? – 4
This is going to be a special edition of the “thunk it” as my mail box has been flooded, completely bamboozled with inquiries as to when I am going to review a product that caters specifically to the cel phone crowd. There’s been everything available to the cel phone lover; computer-phones, video-screen phones, that wacky blue-tooth technology which I still don’t have a clue as to what is, but nothing…NOTHING is nearly as advanced as this next fascinating product. How do you show off to all your cel friends? Is it by boasting about the most advanced technology? No…it is by showing them the latest in retro phone…stuff. Ladies and gents, I introduce to you….
the cel phone handset
Isn’t this amazing? I mean who needs the convenience of a small portable phone when you can have the nostalgia of the old days?
Now this isn’t to be confused with this other handset concoction
The “Please Hold” Handset is available for use for most phones, even the blackberry and is available at amazon.com for a mere 22.95$. I know I can’t even use another cel phone again unless it has the old fashioned headset. If I had to describe this product in one word, that word would be….beautiful.
Coming to you with another wacky and useless product, this is Merv
Demystifying some HDTV technology
With roughly 20 million homes in the US today owning “HD-ready” TV sets, HDTV (High Definition Television) has become a bit of a catch-all acronym for roughly anything that is not standard definition (SD). Along with any new standard or technology comes the inevitable onslaught of abbreviations, acronyms, buzzwords, and otherwise cryptic terminology. For example, there is “over-the-air” HDTV content (used by the ATSC standard) – most people aren’t aware that a simple antenna bought at radio shack can potentially deliver a better quality HDTV signal than the latest digital cable box or satellite receiver! Want a better one? A recent study showed that of these HD set owners, roughly 25% had them connected to SD sources, and did not know they were not watching HDTV content!
Another key element to HDTV is the cables that are used to connect between a source and a display. Someone can buy the latest 61-inch top of the line Pioneer Elite plasma display and hook it up to a brand new Toshiba HD-DVD player and see a worse looking picture than on my $99 Samsung DVD player. Why? The cables. While it is technically possible to connect a player and a display using RCA or S-video cables, many buyers are aware that they need at least component video cables (they are red, blue, and green) to get an HD signal. Even then, however, it’s only an analog HD signal, and doesn’t compare to higher quality digital cable connections, either DVI or HDMI. The DVI (Digital Visual Interface) standard is slightly older and quickly becoming outdated by HDMI, its newer counterpart, although both offer the same video quality (and are compatible with each other). DVI connections are most commonly found today on monitors, as opposed to home theater environments.
HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) connections are able to carry both the audio and video signal from one device to another, which is easy for hooking up devices, and also much cleaner from the living room perspective. HDMI is relatively new, and only became commercially available in 2005, but has become the effective standard for most newer digital cable boxes and DVD players, and is even featured in the Xbox 360 (well, probably). Now there is already another standard being proposed to replace both DVI and HDMI, called UDI (Universal Display Interface), although it is primarily focused on the PC market. There is a new standard for HDMI (version 1.3) ratified just this past month that supports new audio formats included in HD DVD (and Blu-Ray) players. One other good thing to be aware of for digital cabling is that, unlike analog cables, there is a limit (typically about fifteen meters) to how long a cable can transmit a signal. It’s probably also worth mentioning that even a 2 meter long cable can cost upwards of $50.
It may seem unusual to have such flux in cables and connectors, but the real drivers for such change have nothing to do with picture quality, it’s all about DRM (digital rights management). Even with CDs and DVDs, the audio/video quality presented to the consumer was highly compressed, but in the HD landscape, the quality is so pure (though typically still somewhat compressed) that content owners have much more to lose than ever before. If a user has a perfect quality version of a movie, they could make infinite perfect (or degraded) copies and it would be virtually impossible to differentiate a ‘professional’ edition from an ‘amateur’ copy. All this wonderful looking and sounding HD content needs new protection, and it is coming in the form of HDCP (High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection). Most new digital cable boxes, satellite receivers, and HD-DVD players use HDCP on all content emitted on HD outputs (MovieBeam too).
Now it’s time to put this information all together. The HDCP-protected content will not output on a display that does not include HDCP unlocking. This means if you hook up an HD-DVD player to your plasma display with component cables, everything will look fine. But when you hook it up with HDMI cables, if your plasma doesn’t have HDCP support, nothing will play at all (whereas if it does have HDCP support, it will look better than the component cables). The good news is most consumer-grade LCD and plasma displays sold in the past few years have HDCP support built-in, and everything should work fine.
With the next-generations of media PCs, cable boxes, satellite receivers, DVRs, DVD players, and game consoles all offering HDTV services, the future has literally never looked so good. While there is no real winner or loser in the HDMI/DVI space, it seems extremely likely that HDMI is bound to be the dominant cable format for the next few years. Especially because it supports up to 10.2 gigabits per second throughput (that is a LOT of data) and has built-in HDCP support for the content industry. Although with all that fancy technology inside, the nicest part for consumers is finally having the convenience of only making a single connection from device to device!
More reading:
My current picks for HDTV gear:
- For the absolute best option, with no price limitations, get a Pioneer Elite plasma – any size will be good. Year after year they are, as the wise Tina Turner once said, simply the best
- For a great midrange choice, check out Panasonic PX-60/600 series plasma or Samsung LN-S series LCD – both consistently get good marks from consumers
- For the absolute best bang for the buck, get the Syntax Olevia LT32HVM (or LT32HVE) 32” LCD – I like it so much, I have one at home!
- Do NOT forget to budget in cables, TV stands (or wall mounts), and shipping costs (if buying online) when shopping for HDTV. Also, check in with the local cable and satellite companies to understand all the available options for your area!
Good luck, and welcome to the HD club!
RCA's NaviLight 6 Universal Control
Sadly, it’s not often enough that one gets to write “Works as advertised”. Under normal circumstances, that wouldn’t be the greatest endorsement of a product, but all too often, things actually don’t work as advertised. Fortunately for us, and for this review, the NaviLight 6 works extremely well.
To be honest, I’ve had issues with ‘Universal Remotes’ before… they should do one thing only, and do it well: control all of my components. How hard is that? Harder than you’d think, apparently, as the NaviLight is the first one to be able to handle the job.
With a simple, black, rounded design, the remote fits well in the hand, with buttons that protrude just enough to feel accessible, without being in the way. All the usual features are here, including an interesting “Instant Replay” function which I did not get a chance to try out.
However, what makes the NaviLight 6 stand out is its “Light” aspect. When the button for a particular component (for example, the ‘DVD’ button) is pressed, all the buttons associated with that component light up in green, giving you a nice overview of your field of choices for control. No more fumbling around in the dark, pressing the wrong button and getting the wrong choice; now you only get the function you want, associated with only the component you’ve chosen.
The RCR660 model (the one I’m reviewing) gives you control over 6 components: TVs, satellite/cable boxes, DVD players, VCRs, audio systems, and an Auxiliary device. Other models include the 460, which controls 4 devices, and the 860, which can control up to 8, including DVRs. The 660 retails for about $24.99.
If you spend any significant amount of time with more than one remote control, the NaviLight 6 is well worth your money.
Slim Protection for Slim Devices
Today, you can go to almost any store and buy some kind of case, protector, or sleeve for almost any digital device. One such product, the InvisibleSHIELD, takes this to a completely new level. InvisibleSHIELD is a “skin” of sorts that protects your device (in my case, a black iPod Nano) from all sorts of scratches, bumps, and scrapes. It’s made of a sort of clear plastic film, and completely covers your device, protecting it from everyday wear and tear.
Installing the InvisibleSHIELD proved to be quite difficult though…
The problem is that the sticky side of the product is, in fact, incredibly sticky. After first getting it stuck to my finger, then my desk, then my finger again, then to a piece of paper (which, of course, created a mess), I finally got it applied to my iPod, after figuring out that I was able to rinse it all off, and still maintain the integrity of the adhesive (which was amazing).
After the 15 minute installation procedure, I was anxious to see how the product worked, but the instructions said I had to wait a full 24 hours before it was set, so, on to the next day…
I was, to say the least, expecting nothing from this product. How could a thin piece of plastic possibly offer enough protection fir my iPod to survive the worst of the worst: me? I was surprised. Not only did the InvisibleSHIELD protect my iPod from small scratches, it protected them from potentially dangerous ones. Always being one to thoroughly test any product I buy (or in this case, am asked to test), I quickly set about scratching it with my keys. After a few minutes, the primate in me became bored with this, and much to my happiness, my iPod (and the InvisibleSHIELD) appeared unscathed, a true testament to the protective abilities of the InvisibleSHIELD.
Overall, it’s a truly amazing product. Not only did it meet the expectations set forth by the packaging, it exceeded them. I’ve been using it for a little over a week now, and I have to admit, I’m still amazed. Before, I used to be really careful about where I put my iPod. I used to devote a special pocket in my messenger bag for it, but now, I just throw it in with everything else (keys, books, pens, pencils…) and don’t worry about it. I would whole-heartedly recommend this product to anyone looking for superior protection for their digital devices. It’s a small cost to protect a typically expensive type of product, without ruining or hiding the original design of it.
Future Gadget Alert: Self Cooling Soda
I have to make up for that last post.
I’m excited about this one, even though it might be a while before we see it. Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have been working for years to develop a thin material that can be wrapped around buildings or other things and provide climate control to what’s inside. Think of it as wallpaper or packaging material that air conditions (or heats) whatever it surrounds. It would revolutionize the way we condition the air in our homes and businesses.
Great invention – kind of boring to talk about.
Something not so boring – they’re going to try to scale the idea down so they can use it in product packaging. Welcome to the world of the self cooling soda!
Imagine! No more refrigeration needed! Left the soda in the garage last night? No problem! You live in Phoenix? Still no problem! It’s ice cold! The can cools the soda for you! I guess it could heat beverages too – so bring on the always-hot soup or coffee.
This reminds me of an article I read a few years ago about a self-cooling beer can using a different technology. There were some UK companies that played around with the idea but I guess it didn’t catch on… too bad.
Why in the world…
… would anyone EVER even CONCEIVE of this? (Sorry, I just had to post this one.)
I’m not sure how I found this – I guess that’s why the “web” is called the “web” – you can get anywhere at all starting from anywhere else. It’s nuts. It’s like the six degrees of Kevin Bacon (omg, that was a complete accident – PRICELESS!).
I wonder what the free toy is? Kid-friendly bacon press? Plush piggy? Maybe a wet nap.
Smack!
This is incredibly technical, and I have to admit I don’t really understand how it all works, but it looks pretty sweet. The link is thanks to Ian A. Walker, who explains, “Apple puts a 3D motion sensor in its laptop hard drives, so it can lock them to protect from damage in falls, jerks, hits, and vibration. People have found all sorts of interesting “unofficial” uses for that sensor including…a seismograph, a light saber sound generator, and a Marble Madness game that you play with tilt control.”
Getting off the grid
I spend about 12-16 hours a day connected/online. That time is spent doing email, surfing the Web, researching various topics for work, browsing products, blogging, and the rare game of Hearts or Spades (okay, very rare). I’ve spent 4 of the last 7 days totally off the grid, and it’s an interesting dichotomy with my regular life.
Normally I get frustrated when I can’t use my PPC-6700 to get an EVDO connection and am stuck at 1x. I had no signal of any kind at either Lake Sonoma (loved it) or Costanoa (nice time, but it was very windy and totally overpriced).
I tend to check email at worst every 10 or so minutes (and that’s without owning a blackberry, which I refuse to use when in North America). I came home to hundreds of emails to read through. Been 2 days, still deleting the ones I don’t need to respond to.
While traveling, I always use my Slingbox to watch something (recently lots of World Cup soccer), typically from my DVR, before going to bed. I watched no TV whatsoever, even though Costanoa actually had wifi access in their main cabin, but I didn’t even have the laptop with me! Funny thing was the Costanoa camping areas even offered power outlets at each ‘site’. I’m proud to say I didn’t use em.
I used exactly three gadgets this week:
- My digital camera (lowly Canon SD100 – anyone have a spare SD450?) – here are the pix we took (including our visiting friends, the Arnowitz family).
- My PPC-6700 to play solitaire before going to sleep (in between good books right now)
- My Nuvi 350 GPS receiver (review coming soon!) to help find a few spots along the way
Bottom line: get yourself off the grid for a few days this summer, it’s a good feeling. No matter how many emails you have to sort through when you are done.
piep, piep
This is what mice say according to about 74% of Swiss people who speak German. They make some cool ones. Mice. Swiss people make them…for computers. Ok! Bad pun ended!
Really, though, go check out Pat Says Now. They make some really funky mice, and if those aren’t good enough for you, they do customs as well. I particularly like the duck; it’s just a thing I have. I love seeing more companies who let your personality shine through your gear!
Thanks to 3Yen for pointing out the Koi mouse.
Who'da Thunk it? – 3
As you are all aware, today is a very special day as it is America’s birthday (or something like that). July 4th is one of those days that really epitomizes the summer season. When I think of July 4th, I think of many things; baseball, hotdogs, but one thing that really symbolizes this time of year is ice cream, more specifically ice cream cones. One problem I have alway had with ice cream cones is the fact that it takes way too much effort to eat an entire cone. Well…not anymore. Now,thanks to the motorized ice cream cone , now the only effort you have to make is scooping the ice cream in and sticking your toungue out (wow,that just doesn’t sound right).
Seriously, this invention has so many positive aspects, I don’t even know where to begin. First off, no one eats the cone anyways, I’ve scavanged through many a garbage cans and I can’t tell you how many half eaten cones I have come upon. Think of the fact that there will be considerably less garbage which will in turn help the environment. Plus, we can send all the cones to third world countries to help feed the needy. No one would eat a half eaten cone, but now with this clever invention, those less fortunate can dine on complete, uneaten cones. Secondly, the clever colours reminds all those using this ingenious product that they are indeed eating a product that originated from inside a cow. So in other words, this product, feed the needy, saves the environment, and teaches children about the nature of food. How many products can do that?I’ll save you the time to look it up…none.
Look at the complexity of this! It’s mind-boggling! In addition to the above helpful uses, by not having to actually turn the cone around to lick, the energy you save could perhaps be the difference between rescuing a cat from a tree or a baby from a burning building. Think about it, how tired do you usually get eating an entire ice cream cone? I know i’m both mentally and physically exhausted to the point where I can barely keep my eyes open. Not anymore…
Coming to you with another wacky and useless product, this is Merv.