Archive for the ‘Gadgets’ Category

It seems that small IS in, when it comes to gadgets that is. My cousin has been looking at mini portables for the longest time, trying to decide which one she should get. She is still studying in college so she needs something compact and functional enough to do word processing, check e-mails and store files for Powerpoint presentations with.

And these netbooks are stylish too!

The family now has the XBox Kinect, thanks to my husband’s passionate obsession with it when we were in Singapore last month. It was an unplanned payment and I was worried we would not be able to do an ach payment for it on time, but all is well.

We bond over its games during the weekends at home. Instead of having controllers, everything is sensor-driven so we also get a work out as well. I cannot wait until I have enough money to buy the Kinect Shape Up – it calculates the calories you burn with each exercise!

If you are assembling a graduation gift basket for you high school graduate, think of little things he might need when goes off to college and save money for the big gift like a laptop, iPhone/Blackberry, new TV, etc.

Here are some ideas: (from Simple Mom)
1. Signature jewelry like pearl studs, a charm bracelet or a pandora bracelet. Hand me down jewelry will also be (more) meaningful.

2. Dorm art

3. Memory books

4. Organizers and household supplies

Think bathroom, laundry or school supplies — give a tote, basket or hamper and related consumable items to fill it. Think under the bed, too, like this darling storage bag. Several recent graduates have raved about a hanging jewelry organizer as well.

5. Terry wrap

Top 5 gift ideas for him
1. Cool poster in a frame for his dorm

2. Team apparel – college tees, jackets, sweatshirts

3. Binoculars

4. An LED flashlight

5. Good earbuds for his mp3 player

Top 5 gift ideas for him or her
1. Towels
2. Jumper cables
3. Cell phone insurance
4. A tool kit
5. “Off to college” survival kit

This could include:

* Laundry supplies — include a basket, soap, a roll of quarters, and laundry tips.
* Snack attack supplies — a basket (preferably that they can use for something else later) filled with their favorite candies, snacks, and gift cards to their favorite restaurants.
* Cafeteria survival supplies — a hot pot for cooking those famed Ramen noodles, their favorite cereal and snacks, and a hand-compiled recipe book of simple things they can make with limited kitchen resources.

It used to be that when a robbery takes place, often the culprit or culprits are able to escape. They may be caught sometime later but it usually takes a long time due to the investigation. Everything has to be taken into consideration and everyone is a suspect until proven not guilty.

For the last several months, there have been several successes in identifying the culprit almost right after the robbery because of the installed CCTV security camera. If you search Youtube, you can find uploads that can teach the public several of the modus operandi these robbers are using to get what they want in the middle of the day in the midst of unknowing people.

They still get to run away but at least there is initial proof of who the culprits are. (It’s really a learning guide for us to watch those videos!) If you get to see them on video, you get to be aware of the people you come across with. You just might bump into them!

If you have a business, especially something like a pawnshop or internet cafe or a bank or a grocery store, it’s worth installing a CCTV security camera. You have to contact someone who is apt in CT security systems and ‘Network cabling. Not just apt but who has got the integrity to finish the job on time.

If all our road networks from the major thoroughfares to the least street has a security camera, would it not be safer to go about our business? If you are one of those bad people, you will surely be more careful not to get caught. If you are on the good side, there is nothing to fear that your face will be caught by the camera. Privacy issues may rise up but that’s just the roads! It’s not as if the inside of your dwelling places are pried on.

Have you experienced stuck pixels in your plasma TV, LCD or LED monitor? Imagine you’re watching TV or simply stuck in a website long enough that when you turned to another page, the image of the previous page reflects lightly through your current page. Is that not annoying?

If that is what is happening with your TV or monitor, what is your next course of action? Are you buying a new one? If you are merely watching for entertainment purposes and lack the money to buy a new visual aid, you will probably just let it be and ignore it applying mind over matter, as if the problem does not exist. But if you are a graphic designer, you surely need a clean screen to work on or the result of your work will suffer. Again, if you have the money, it may be easy just to buy a replacement. What if you do not have enough funds?

Did you know that there exists a pixel fixer now? Even if you have the money to buy a brand new TV or monitor, is it not wise spending to invest on the pixel fixer instead of another monitor or TV? (That will also help the environment in lessening your carbon footprint!) This way, you can solve burn in problems for as long as you have your pixel fixer.

“Image persistence,” as what it is called, is temporary but can also become permanent. As such, it is not included in under the warranty of manufacturers so it is safe to say that it is in the owner’s hands to take care of his or her own screen as part of the regular maintenance, especially if it is used to earn a living. Good thing such technology is now easily within reach.