Contenders for the Best Smartphone Crown are Few and Far Between
No question about it, the iPhone is a wonderful gadget. In fact, it’s really more like a computer that fits in your pocket and just so happens to make phone calls and the number of fun iPhone apps is growing by the day. However, as good as it is, it’s not perfect and there are a couple of competitors to consider when shopping for a smartphone.

There are many cell phones with similar features like touch screens and accelerometers but none has come close to the iPhone. There are, however, two brand new phones that we consider to be serious contenders; the new Blackberry Bold should be the darling of the enterprise crowd while the Nokia E71 offers a lot of features missing in the iPhone.

Blackberry Bold
The Blackberry Bold also known as the Blackberry Bold 9000 is just now, starting to appear in markets outside North America and early reviews indicate this smartphone is going to be a winner.

The BlackBerry Bold has a big 480 x 320, dense pixel per inch, color display which some say looks better than the iPhone. In addition to having all the latest bells and whistles like 3G, WiFi, A-GPS (Blackberry Maps included), stereo Bluetooth, QWERTY keyboard, and microSDHC expansion slot, this phone gets high marks for style and design (some say it even resembles an iPhone). The BlackBerry Bold also features an improved Web browser that renders pages fast. It has a 2 MP camera like the iPhone but also, like the iPhone, no forward-facing camera. It also comes with BlackBerry Desktop Manager including Roxio PhotoSuite 9 LE and the new BlackBerry Media Sync application which lets users sync their BlackBerry with their iTunes music collection.

The Nokia E71
One reviewer called the Nokia E71, “the best phone Nokia has made to date.” The Nokia E71, at 10 mm is thinner than the iPhone by a millimeter. Nokia says it’s the thinnest QWERTY smartphone.
Besides all the latest features like 3G and GSM radios, the Nokia E71 includes Assisted GPS (A-GPS), WiFi, a 3.2 MP camera with LED flash, a forward facing camera, A2DP stereo Bluetooth, a microSD slot and an FM radio. It lacks an accelerometer and a TV-out port. The 2.4 inch QVGA (320 x 240) screen doesn’t get as high marks as the Blackberry Bold and is smaller then iPhone's 3.5 inch screen and reviewers say the QWERTY keyboard is a bit on the small size.

Windows Mobile Phones to Watch For
To round out the group of contenders we felt we needed to include a Windows Mobile-based phone or two but we also wonder if they are going to have what it takes to take on the iPhone. Hey, at least you can run Flash applications.

Samsung BlackJack III
The BlackJack III just started selling in Korea for around $600. It supposedly runs Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, has a 3 MP camera. 528 MHz processor, GPS and WiFi. Some say the BlackJack III will be a Samsung i788 running Windows Mobile.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X1
The Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 is an impressive looking phone using an "arc slider design" where the screen slides up to expose a curved QWERTY keyboard. It has a large 3 inch WVGA (800 x 480) touchscreen display, a 3.2 MP camera, A2DP stereo Bluetooth, A-GPS, WiFi, and a microSD slot.

Conclusion
We have to admit, it’s a tough call. Blackberry has a large number of loyal users who, we’re sure, have been considering making the switch to iPhone but the Blackberry Bold might be enough make keep them in the Blackberry camp. The Nokia E71 seems to have it all, reviewers love it, and there are a ton of Symbian apps to run on it but it’s a close call between it and the iPhone.

With the cost of a higher education growing every year, you wouldn't want to see a minute of school time wasted on frivolous activities. There will be plenty of time for TV watching and game playing during school breaks. In that spirit, unrealistic as it may be, we suggest some gadgets that might be counter productive at academia.

1. High End Laptop
A high end laptop like the MacBook Air or Voodoo Envy gaming laptop is almost guaranteed to be lost, stolen, dropped, damaged, or have beer spilled on it. Game machine just means easier to play games on instead of studying, why even introduce the temptation?

2. Desktop Gaming Machine
It might make more sense to leave the over-clocked, tweaked out, game machine at home and send your student off to school with a less expensive laptop. There won’t be the temptation to game the nights away instead of hitting the books and you won’t have to worry about the machine getting stolen.

3. TIVO
Sure, someone might be able to add a few minutes to their day by fast forwarding through the commercials but we say the less TV, the more studying. Don’t get us wrong Tivos are great products we just don’t think they belong in dorm rooms.

4. Game Console
Maybe they got through high school dividing time between studying and game playing but college is serious and we say leave the PS3 or Xbox at home, at least for the first semester. The only exception might be Nintendo’s Wii since you can get exercise with it and even socialize while using it.

5. Segway
Okay, so it’s long shot that you could even afford one of these but we just wanted to put a plug in for some human-powered form of transportation, namely, a bicycle.

Five Gadgets Every Student Needs to Avoid a Computing Disaster
It's only the beginning of August but already time to start shopping for the high tech necessities every student is going to need to succeed at school. Whether you're buying someone's first laptop computer, upgrading the old one, or looking for advice on essential gadgets for today's student, Here are some suggestions for what to buy along with some tips on good deals.

A Reliable Computer, seriously
Computers don't last forever. If your student is using the old hand-me-down computer with 512 MB of RAM running Windows 98 it's probably time to upgrade. First, you’ll need to decide between a desktop and laptop, or you could buy one of each. You’ll also have to decide between Windows and the Mac OS. Mac’s can run Windows applications easily but not the other way around. A desktop can deliver a lot more performance than a similarly priced laptop. With a desktop you'll get more storage, a real keyboard, better graphics processor, bigger monitor, and more expansion options but laptops are what every student wants so what are you going to do?

eMachines recently announced some new desktops including the T3656 which comes with 1GB RAM, a 160GB hard drive and sells for around $299.99. The T5274 has 2GB RAM, a 320GB hard drive and retails for $399.99.

Hot Back to School Deal from Apple
Apple launched a Back to School promotion campaign that offers a free iPod when you buy a qualifying Mac. You need to purchase both products and then submit a rebate to get up to $299 back on the iPod.

A good anti-everything application
It's too easy for anyone, especially students to click on the wrong link and find their computers loaded up with malicious software like virus' or spyware. There are many commercial applications to choose from like McAfee and Symantec. These companies maintain expensive labs to identify and combat malware. Unfortunately, you end up paying an annual fee for these programs which can add up when you're maintaining multiple computers in a household. Fortunately there are some very good applications like ones from Avast who offer "home" versions for free. PCPitstop.com offers some free tests for anything that could adversely affect your computer.

Extra Ink
You can often find third party ink cartridges for sale on ebay and other places. The ink may not be the very highest quality but we’ve found them to be quite adequate for most tasks and we’ve saved a lot of money too. Just in case the ink is out of stock or too expensive you should consider upgrading the old printer to a new model.

A fast, high resolution, inkjet printer can be amazingly inexpensive. Maybe it’s because manufacturers know they’ll make up for giving the printer away when you buy lots of expensive ink cartridges. The HP Photosmart D7460 is a wireless printer and it’s a fast color inkjet that gets good reviews. A mutifunction printer might make a lot of sense for a student. They can copy and scan documents and many of these devices produce high quality photo prints. The Canon Pixma MX850 that gets high marks from users .

External Backup Disk
It would be a terrible shame to spend a lot of money on computer gear only to lose that important term paper(not to mention that photo and MP3 collection) from a hard disk malfunction.. External hard drives that hook up to the computer through a high speed USB connection and very often include back up software can be relatively inexpensive.

Removable Storage
Two forms of storage we highly recommend are flash drives and optical discs. You can get 2 GB flash drives for under $20 which will store 4 years worth of term papers. Blank DVDs not cost around $.30 each and hold over 4 GB of data. You can back up all your docs to a few of these in spread them around for safe keeping.

Behind the HDTV Scenes at the 2008 Summer Olympics

The 2008 Summer Olympics has begun. As we recommended, we think you should stay at home, save gas, and watch HDTV. NBC has promised to make this Olympics a high-def extravaganza using over 1,000 HD cameras to create thousands of hours of high-def programming. For a guide to all the high def Olympics programming check out this page on HD Sports Guide. A PDF file of the complete Olympic schedule for the NBC family of networks is available here.

Slo-motion in High Definition
Contributing to the high-def experience, will be high speed, high definition cameras named the Fastcam SA1 from San Diego-based Photron which is integrated into a new imaging system called SprintCam V2 from i-Movix, of Mons, Belgium. The SprintCam Live 2 HDTV cameras will be recording high definition images at 5,400 frames per second which will be available for immediate slow-motion replay.

Sounds of the Olympics in 5.1 Channel Audio
Adding to the high-def experience, NBC has selected five Calrec Omega with Bluefin consoles as part of its coverage of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. "This is the first time the games will be produced totally in high definition with 5.1 discrete channels of audio," said Bob Dixon, NBC's Director of Sound Design and Communication.

Sony HD Cameras Going to Beijing
NBC Universal will use Sony XDCAM HD systems as its primary ENG (electronic news gathering) source. The Sony PDW-700 uses big 2/3 inch CCDs to records 1080i or 720p high quality, MPEG HD422 video on 50 GB optical discs. NBC will also be using Sony’s companion PDW-HD1500 decks.

The Olympics on Windows Media Center
Wavepress’ TVTonic will put high quality video of the Summer Olympics on your Windows Media Center. Users will be able to subscribe to their favorite sports and then watch the events on any Windows Vista Ultimate or Home Premium PC.

“This service will provide a fantastic viewing experience for Olympic fans with Windows Vista Media Center,” said Wavexpress President Michael Sprague. “They can choose their favorite sports, from diving to water polo to gymnastics, and extended coverage is automatically synchronized to their PC in the middle of the night.”

Motorized HD Cameras 
Camera Corps of Shepperton, UK-based will have more than 200 HD camera systems including 18 motorized tracking systems, remote heads and large camera cranes. According to Camera Corps, “The inventory of cameras to be positioned in and around Beijing includes 39 Camera Corps HD MiniZoom, 68 Hitachi, four Iconix and four Toshiba cameras. An Abakus fisheye stadium lens will be installed above the Velodrome at Shi Jing Shan to cover the 250m-circumference cycle track. “

Special HD Olympic Programming
In addition to the thousands of hours of programming that NBC will be generating, other channels like MOJO HD will offer a 10-Part series of high-def profiles exploring the mindsets and motivations of U.S. Olympic athletes, beginning July 28. Experts in each sport will be featured, detailing the psychological and body strength needed to compete including how to overcome injuries and setbacks and how these new competitors compare with previous champions.

That magical, good luck date of 8/8/8 (August 8, 2008) is almost here. It’s still time to run out and get an HDTV set and upgrade your cable or satellite service to high definition. NBC has promised to make this Olympics a high def extravaganza using over 1,000 HD cameras to create thousands of hours of high def programming. Everything looks better in high def, even the commercials. All swimming finals and some of men’s and women’s gymnastics and beach volleyball will all be televised live in prime time. In addition to NBC, NBCU cable networks CNBC, USA, MSNBC, CNBC and Oxygen will also televise Olympic events.

To make the job of choosing an HDTV set we've singled out a handful of big screen HDTV sets for some exceptional quality.

Plasma TVs

The Panasonic TH-50PZ700U VIERA Plasma TV: Consumer Reports raved about this Plasma TV calling it the best Plasma TV they had ever tested. Users agree, giving it high marks for image quality. The price has dropped more than 40% in the last 4 months possibly due to the introduction of the Panasonic 50PZ800U which rivals Pioneer plasmas for deep black levels and color quality.

LCD TVs

Westinghouse Digital TX-52F480S : The Westinghouse Digital-TX-52F480S is a 52 inch 1080P HDTV with 4 HDMI ports. It gets high marks from reviewers and is available at Costco for a very low price of $1499. The only drawback is that it features HDMI 1.2, not the latest version, 1.3 which gets you "Deep Color."

Rear Projection TVs

Projectors

Epson Ensemble HD Home Cinema : It's not cheap but for $6,999 you get a 1080p home theater projector, a 100 inch motorized screen, an upconverting DVD player (alas no Blu-ray), a 5.1 speaker system, mounts, cables, and everything else you need to hook up everything up.

If you are thinking of purchasing a digital camcorder, there are a number of compact digital camcorders available in the market. They are all good choices and all of them are a little different, offering different features and different recording media. Every year camcorder manufacturers release number of models. Here are some suggestion on camcorders from best brands.

Sony offers the best features at very affordable prices. Sony Handycam DCR-HC28 is one of the best products by Sony. This is the absolute finest home quality camcorder. The zoom switch is a very nice feature to have. A Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens makes sure everything stays in focus. Minimizing blur and camera shake is simple with built-in Super SteadyShot image stabilization and you'll be able to keep all your video bright with Night Shot Plus technology. The DCR-HC28 gives you everything you need to capture vivid video every time.

Panasonic PV-GS85 is a powerful 32x optical zoom camcorder with O.I.S. This model offers the High-Picture-Quality Wide Mode, which produces images that make for beautiful, dramatic viewing on a wide-screen TV. The image is processed on 16:9 area of the CCD. You get beautiful images and all the excitement and dynamism on either a wide 16:9 screen TV or a conventional 4:3 TV. This model also features a wide 2.7-inch LCD, making it easier to frame shots when you're shooting in 16:9 mode. You can enjoy shooting wide, and view wide.

Canon is also a popular brand offers entry-level digital camcorders which are designed to deliver the latest in style, features and advanced technology at a most affordable price. The Canon ZR950 is the top of the line of ZR camcorders. This latest addition to the ZR family also includes an array of features that turn your camcorder into a digital still camera, including 9 Point AiAF (Auto Focus), Progressive Photo, Simultaneous Photo Recording, Special Scene Modes, and Image Effects. This is the perfect choice for capturing all of life's precious memories.

Are you out looking for the best buy on HDTV? There are various brands which are offering HDTVs at affordable prices with the latest features and technology. The first thing to find the best HDTV is to know the basic facts about it. HDTV can come with LCD or plasma monitors. Here are a few popular models and their specifications for the new HDTV buyers.

Samsung offers you many versions of HDTV screens. Samsung's HL-T5087S DLP HDTV is one of the best products from Samsung. This product is well-built and slim. Its rear projection DLP user manual is good and extensive, and the remote is intuitive. The energy-efficient 50" screen features a powerful, long-lasting LED light engine that turns on almost instantly. Full HD 1080p resolution and Samsung Cinema Smooth technology deliver a wide range of brilliant colors, with bright images and a crisp definition. The blackest of blacks, brightest of whites and nuanced tones are yours with a 10000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. The sound is great, but if you have the resources to add a 600W 5.1 surround system, you will hear the difference.

The Panasonic TH-50PZ77U is the 50" class 1080p plasma HDTV with anti-glare filter, EZ sync HDAVI control and built-in GalleryPlayer-capable SD card memory slot. Panasonic believes to provide the latest in HDTV technology in its models. This television has the most beautiful picture display with deep, rich colors, very good viewing angles, and detailing in the blacks that an LCD can't touch. The TV is a bit heavy and this prevents it from accidentally falling. Overall, this is a remarkable TV.

The S Series is the latest offering from the Sony Bravia line of high-performance and sleek styling LCD TVs. Sony BRAVIA KDL-32S2000 32" LCD panel features the latest in Sony's unique S-PVA technology, which delivers vivid and accurate colors along with wide viewing angles and a blazing 8ms response time. Other features such as PC input allow the user to connect a PC for viewing content in a 16:9 high resolution environment. And with integrated HDTV capabilities, you can enjoy digital programming with enhanced audio and video reproduction. While the KDL-32S2000 is value priced, it also offers an elegant flat panel design that can be placed anywhere at home.

Toshiba is another favorite in the market with a screen size ranging till 47 inches and embedded with Cinespeed LCD panel and Pixel pure technology for good picture and sound. It builds upon its heritage by delivering the industry's most innovative, high-quality solutions. The Toshiba 57HM167 has great picture, amazing sound quality and an attractive design. It looks great in 720p and just think, if EA sports would have made the game in 1080p for ps3. If you want a "Full HD" at a very reasonable price, then this is it. Very easy to use TV with great options.

Stay Home and Watch HDTV
Last month we reported on several ways to save gas this summer including buying a GPS with traffic info and gas prices. Since that report was published the price of gas has risen over a dollar a gallon along with the price of everything else. After much internal discussion we can only re-emphasize the conclusion that the best way to save gas is to not drive. Seriously, this may very well be the summer of the stay-at-home vacation and while you're staying home, why not watch HDTV? Look at it this way; a week-long road trip vacation is going to set you back at least $2,000. For that kind of money you can get a nice big LCD or Plasma TV that you'll be able to enjoy all year 'round.

Summer Olympics HDTV Extravaganza
There’s no shortage of good HD programming. The summer Olympics start in a few weeks and NBC has promised that this is going to be a premiere HD event with over 1000 HD cameras recording over 3500 hours of HD Olympics coverage. And before you know it, the fall TV season will be starting up including Monday night football. If you haven't watched football in HD you have been missing out on the visual treat of viewing players' tattoos in detail and checking out all the good looking babes (and guys) in the stands that on SD just look like one big blurry mass of people.

1080p vs. 1080i
We've been known to recommend 1080i/720p sets for good value. In fact, they're still good values and if you're looking at something smaller than 32 inches most people can't tell the difference between 1080i and 1080p at those screen sizes. Furthermore, all programming comes in over the air on cable or satellite at 1080i or 720p so a 1080p is really unnecessary. On the other hand, with less expensive (maybe) Blu-ray players on the horizon, upconverting DVD players and game consoles all driving 1080P on HDMI outputs, we say it's a good idea to future-proof your HDTV set purchase with a set that supports 1080P.

HDTV Suggestions
Here are some suggestions of HDTV sets that will cost lest than a week long vacation and still leave you with enough cash for maybe one fill up.

The Olevia 747i is at the top of Retrevo's LCD value list. For around $1,500 you get a 47" LCD TV that does 1080p and gets high marks from experts and users for image quality. Second on the value list is Sony's BRAVIA KDL 46V3000 which also does 1080p and costs around $1,600. It gets generally favorable reviews with some mention of blurring on fast action scenes. For a real bargain you should consider a 720p Vizio LCD TV. The 37" VX37LHDTV goes for well under $1,000 while the better rated, 32" VX32LHDTV which gets very good reviews costs around $600.

If Plasma is your choice then consider the Hitachi P50T501, 50" Plasma HDTV that does 1080p for a very affordable $1,300. Samsung offers the Samsung FP-T5884 a 58" 1080p Plasma TV for around $2,300 and LG has a 60" Plasma for about the same price called the LG 60PC1D while the top-rated Panasonic TH-50PZ77U, 50 inch plasma will cost you around $1600.

Projection TVs are probably going to disappear eventually as big LCD TVs become better and cheaper but you can still get a lot of HDTV for your money. Unfortunately part of that bigness comes in size for example, you can get the Samsung HL-S5687W, a big 56 inch rear projection TV that runs 1080p for less than $1000. You can get the Sony BRAVIA KDF-46E3000 a nice LCD-based projection TV for around $900.

Things That Go Well With iPhones
Planning on trading in your old worn out first generation iPhone for a brand new iPhone 3G? Well you might as well post your old case and other accessories on Craigslist because many of them won’t work on the new iPhone. Because the new iPhone is a little thicker in some parts and thinner in others and shaped slightly differently around the edges many of the old cases and docking stations won’t work. On the other hand if you're one of the many people who showed up at the AT&T or Apple store on July 11th and are now a proud owner of a new iPhone 3G (despite our cautions), here's a list of iPhone accessories we like:

Headsets
Although the iPhone headphone jack is no longer recessed you still can't use most off the shelf headsets (earphones with microphone). You need to either use an adapter for your earphones that adds a microphone and controls like Griffin's SmartTalk or use a headset made for the iPhone like Griffin's $39.99 Tunebuds. For a little more audio fidelity Etymotic's hf2 headset + earphones also works with the iPhone, will cost you around $180 and gets high marks for reviewers for audio quality.

You can still use your favorite headphone with the SmartTalk from Griffin. The SmartTalk includes a noise canceling microphone with a control button that lets you play, pause, or skip forward or backward while you’re listening to your music or podcasts. You use the button to answer calls or send them to voicemail.

Extra Battery Pack
One complaint about iPhones is that you can't carry around an extra battery to use when you run out of juice. The current mophie juice pack is a popular product that adds many hours of talk time, listening time, and standby time. Unfortunately the current version doesn't work with the iPhone 3G but mophie promises to have an iPhone 3G version out soon.

Cases Galore
iPhone case come is all styles. Belkin offers a wide variety for iPhone 3G cases including the Silicone Sleeve and the Armband Plus.

Griffin announced a line of iPhone 3G cases including a hard shell case called the nuForm which allows you to dock your iPhone without taking it out of its case. The new TopSkin and Flipp cases from PDO are made specifically for your iPhone 3G. ezGear has two new ezSkin cases made with a dirt repelling silicon outer covering that allows easy access to iPhone connectors. They also include a protective covering for the iPhone screen.

Speaker Systems, Who Knows?
We're not sure which first generation iPhone speaker systems with iPhone docking capabilities will work with the iPhone 3G but chances are they won't since the old Apple docking station doesn't even work with their new phone. Although the connector is still the same even though the shape of the iPhone has changed.

One speaker system we like is the new Altec Lansing T612 which provides 60 watts of power through 4 speakers. One nice feature is that it doesn't play that annoying GSM cell phone noise.

iHome makes an interesting clock radio for the iphone called the iP99BR. It's also immune to GSM noise. As of the time of this report we don't know if iHome has plans to make their current iPhone products compatible with the iPhone 3G.

New Apple Dock
The iPhone 3G doesn’t come with a dock and the old iPhone dock won’t work with the new iPhone so if you want an Apple iPhone 3G dock you'll need to buy one. The new dock will include USB charging, syncing and audio out.

Buying and owning an HDTV can be challenging. There are many things to consider and problems to avoid. Here's a list of some common mistakes for buyers and owners of HDTV sets.

1. Keep chemicals away from TV, ammonia in Windex can damage coatings. Liquids sprayed on the screen can seep in between the bezel and panel and cause all kinds of problems. Best to use a damp cloth preferably not wood-based paper products like newspaper or paper towels which can create tiny scratches.

2. Don’t buy a Plasma TV if you’re going to be watching TV in a brightly lit room with a lot of windows. Unlike LCD TVs plasma TVs have thick glass panels which can create a lot of glare.

3. Don’t pay too much attention to those formulas that use room size to determine screen size. Buy the biggest TV that fits with your furnishing. Also keep in mind if you don’t have an upconverting receiver or upconverting DVD player, a lot of programming that comes from DVDs and standard def programming that shows up on your screen with big black borders around it.

4. Don’t pay extra for big brands. Many of the smaller LCD brands like Olevia, Vizio, and Westinghouse use the same LCD panels and even the same electronics that the big brands use.

5. Don’t leave the brightness up too high. Many TVs ship with the brightness setting 21 in “showroom” mode. In a normally lit living room a lower brightness level is perfectly adequate and saves energy too. Some new TV sets have light sensors built in that automatically adjust the brightness according to ambient lighting conditions.

6. Don’t get fooled into buying expensive add-ons from the saleperson at your local big box retailer. Most HDMI cables work just fine for most programming. You may want to consider a higher bit rate HDMI cable for 1080p programming or high end HD audio.

Thin is in. Not only do thin gadgets look cool, they often use less power. Here's a collection of some of the thinnest gadgets in the world.

MP3 Player
If you thought the Apple iPod Nano was thin then check out this MP3 player that's as thin as a credit card. The Walletex Wallet MP3 player is about as thin as you can get and it’s waterproof to boot. It stores up to 4 GB and they claim you can get over 4 hours of play back on a single charge.

Thin TV Sets
This past January we saw the thinnest Plasma TV at CES, the 50" Pioneer Kuro “concept” Plasma TV. It was 9 mm thick and was displaying video (honest it was). We haven't heard any more about it since January although it might have something to do with the announcement that Pioneer is going to stop manufacturing their own Plasma TVs (they recently selected Panasonic to make the panels for them). Sony has started selling its 3 mm thick OLED TV that offers amazing image quality. Once you see the gorgeous picture quality of an OLED TV, you’ll want to own one.

Announced at CES 2008 and due to ship any day are two super thin LCD TVs from JVC. The 42-inch LT-42SL89 and 46-inch LT-46SL89 HDTVs. Both are members of the Procision family. Depth runs from 39 mm (1.5”) to 74 mm (2.4” inches) at the center of the panel. Joining the 39 mm club, Hitachi has a series of super thin HDTV sets which are part of the Director Series and the UltraVision V series. The sets are also 39 mm thick and include some impressive features like 120Hz, de-judder smoothing circuitry, and fanless ventilation. The hitch is they don't include built-in tuners which isn't a big deal if you are feeding the TV from cable or satellite.

Thin Laptops: MacBook Air vs. Voodoo PC Envy (from HP)
First there was the Macbook Air, so thin it fits inside a standard-size manilla envelope. The MacBook Air is an impressive laptop but can be a little on the pricey side at well over $2,000 for a decently configured model. It also lacks some useful features like an ethernet adapter (you can’t be all WiFi all the time). HP is offering a Windows-based competitior to the Macbook Air with the Envy133 which comes from the Voodoo PC group and edges out the Air’s thinness by a fraction of an inch. The MacBook Air is 0.76” and weighs just under 3 lbs. while the Envy133 measures 0.70” but weighs a tad more than the Macbook at 3.4 lbs. Both laptops offer similar features like a 13.3” LCD display with LED backlight. The big difference is the Envy133 runs Windows out of the box.

Thin Cell Phones
There’s Motorola’s razor thin MotoRAZR V3 at 13.9 mm thick which started the thin cell phone movement and now there are other super thin cell phones starting to appear on the scene. Nokia has a very thin cell phone coming soon called the E71. It's 10 mm thick and has all the E series features like WiFi, HSDPA, A-GPS, a 3.2 megapixel camera and a front facing camera for video chat. It's not going to be cheap at over $500 when it goes on sale in the US which is any time now.

LG will be shipping a new addition to its Black Label Series which currently includes phones like the Chocolate and the Shine. The new phone called the Secret (model number LG-SU600, we think), is made of carbon fiber, weighs 116 grams (4 oz), is 11.8 mm (.46”) thick, has a 5 megapixel camera with face detection (who needs a camera now?), 120 fps video recording and includes a tempered glass, touchscreen display.

Thin Camera
BenQ's new 8 megapixel T850 camera is 14.9 mm thick (at thinnest part) and includes a "swipe" gesture interface, which BenQ claims is unique among touch screen cameras. It will come in black and red and include a 3x optical zoom, 3-inch display, image stabilization and face technology. The price hasn't been announced just yet, but you'll be able to get this one in black or red when it launches in the (presumably) not too distant future.

Casio’s Exilim EX-S10 is another skinny camera measuring 13.8 mm at its thinnest part. It’s a 10.1 MP camera with a 2.7 inch display. It weighs 4 ounces and has some cool features like a Movie Button and motion blur technology that can snap a picture when someone smiles.

Summertime and the gadgets are easy. The barbecue season is in full swing and it’s the right time to check out some cool barbecue gadgets. Mouth-watering steaks and sausages are a great way to enjoy a lawn party.

Branding and Barbecues
Let’s not talk about brands like Weber or Big Green Egg. This is a home version of the cattle ranchers branding iron. If personalizing your steak with your own custom brand sounds appealing then check out the Monogrammed Barbecue Branding iron for around $60.

Tumbling Steaks
How about a high tech tumbler for marinating things before you put them on the grill. Reveo MariVac Food Tumbler Marinader goes round and round to make things taste better for $199. ($150 on amazon.)

Barbecue Light (not lite)
For barbecuing after dark you might want to spend $14.94 on the Outset magnetic light that has 3 bright LEDS and holds fast to your grill with a strong magnet.

High Tech Thermometers
A good thermometer should be part of every serious grill master’s tool kit. The Bonjour laser thermometer uses infrared light to measure the surface temperature of a pan or grill. It includes a probe thermometer for measuring meat temperatures. The Thermapen digital, instant-read thermometer costs around $90 and was Cook’s Illustrated top rated thermometer. It’s noted for its super fast response and small probe tip. You can buy a thermometer from Williams-Sonoma that has a voice alert to tell you when your meat is done.

Grill Recommendations
Here are few top picks for grills:
The Weber Genesis E-320 is a nice looking gas grill that is built to last with porcelain coated grates and a 10 year warranty on the 3 stainless steel burners. It comes with one side burner. If you don’t need a side burner, you can get the Weber Genesis E-310. The Weber Performer has a great feature; you start the charcoal with a propane gas burner and once the charcoal is lit you turn off the gas and start grilling. The Brinkmann 810 gets good reviews and a “Best Buy,” from Consumer Reports.

Portable Green Grill
Woodflame makes a very cool, or should we say hot, portable grill that burns a small hardwood cube in an enclosed space and uses forced air to produce a very high heat in minutes. The unit weighs about 15 lb is safe and efficient to use.

No, it’s not what you’re thinking. We’re talking about good old wholesome gadgets that newlyweds can use to make their honeymoons more memorable and fun.

Camcorders
Honeymooners, imagine the fun you can have video taping your favorite moments and sharing them with friends or other honeymooners. Make sure to bring along a tripod to take pictures of the two of you on the beach or in your room. Here are a few camcorder recommendations:

Sony calls their new TG1 “palmcorder” the world’s smallest 1080i camcorder. It’s very small, weighing 10 ounces and is a little larger than a pack of cigarettes. It takes 3 MP stills (not a lot by today’s 8-10 MP standards) using face technology to optimize images. The titanium body makes it more rugged and able to take some rough handling. Some reviewers prefer the Sanyo Xacti HD1000 to the Sony. The Xacti gets high marks for features like 1080i video and 4 MP stills and costs around $700.

The only drawback with these new flash-based camcorders is that you may have to buy extra memory cards which aren’t cheap (compared to tape or DVDs) and you ultimately have to transfer the video on the cards to a hard drive or burn DVDs. For a great all around HD camcorder that still uses good old tape, we recommend the Canon Vixia HV30. It consistently gets high marks from users and experts and it stores video on miniDV tapes which are cheap, easy to manage and easy to edit the video.

We’re starting to see more still cameras that take videos and more camcorders that take high resolution stills. The Kodak Easyshare V1233 has some impressive specs, a great price, but gets mixed reviews. Complaints about ergonomics and image quality are common although some users love it. The Easyshare V1233 takes 12.1 MP stills and 720p video which could fill up your memory card fast.

iPod Accessories
Altec Lansing InMotion iM7 costs about $150 and gets very good ratings. Reviewers like the sound quality and design features. The only drawback is, at 10 lbs, it’s a little on the heavy side and might not be better suited to a honeymoon that doesn’t involve air travel. For a more portable speaker system check out the Griffin Technology 1202 Journi. At 5 lbs, it’s lighter than the Altec Lansing system.

Possibly the best solution for honeymooners sharing music whether it’s on the plane or one the beach is a headphone splitter. The Griffin SmartShare Headphone Splitter costs about $12.00 and has individual volume controls which could be a key to marital bliss.

Two Kindles Are Better Than One
You can’t keep active 100% of the time, so when it’s time to relax, how about a good book or even better, how about 1,000 good books? The ultimate gadget for the well read honeymooners just might be the Kindle which now costs $359 from amazon.com. You can download individual books which will cost you $9.99 each and you can also subscribe to the major daily newspapers and magazines for additional fees. Everything is downloaded over a widely available, high speed, EVDO data network (included with the unit).

There are plenty of gadgets honeymooners can take along to help their marriage start out on the right foot and grow. At the same time, there are a few gadgets we think would be better left at home. Here’s that list:

iPod or Any Other MP3 Player
You’re supposed to be tuning into your new partner in life not tuning into the latest Radiohead album. Unless you’re going to bring a headphone splitter or set of external speakers we recommend you make your own music and leave the iPod at home.

Gameboy
Marriage is serious commitment and not a game. The only games you should be playing on your honeymoon should be on the beach or in the privacy of your room. A handheld game player could definitely send the wrong message. The only reason to bring one along is if your spouse is into them too and you bring one for him and one for her. In that case, our recommendation would be the Sony PSP 2000.

Laptop Computer
This is your honeymoon! No emailing, no slingboxing, no game playing, no sneaking in a little PowerPoint. Leave all that stuff at home and do some gazing into your soul mates eyes instead of the computer screen. Okay, if you can be real discrete and keep it to a minimum then consider taking along an Asus Eee PC. For about $400 you can get a 4G version or a very small full-function notebook computer with a 7 inch screen that will get you online and checking email in a snap.

Blackberry Phone
Better to buy a throw-away, burner phone and use it only to make reservations then be tempted to scroll through incoming messages. On the other hand, you might be able to get away with something like the Blackberry Pearl or Blackberry Curve that you can both watch video on together or use the headphone splitter to listen to music.

Bluetooth Headset
Unless you're going to be driving in one of the states that require hands-free cell phone use, we say those things aren't going to do anything for romance unless you both have very high geek quotients or met at a tech conference. If necessary, you might be able to get away with a stylish headset like the Plantronics Discovery 925 that you both can use.

The wedding month is upon us and whether or not you’re going to take a chance and fly there, max your credit card out on gas to drive there, or just stay home, you’re going to need to buy a wedding gift. There are some great gadget gifts in all price ranges that will make any newlywed’s life more fun and fulfilling.

Gadgets That Capture Memories
Camcorders and cameras make great wedding gifts. A new camcorder should last a newly married couple well into the child rearing years. The latest crop of camcorders include some reasonably priced handheld camcorders and some consumer-friendly high definition camcorders that can fill the wide screen of an HDTV set.

The Canon Vixia HF10 has a 12X optical zoom with image stabilization and records to a flash memory card in AVCHD format. The Sony HDR-SR1 records 7 hours of 1080i video on a built-in hard disk and gets good ratings. Flip Video’s $179 Ultra took the camcorder market by storm with their very user-friendly flash-based camcorder that holds 1 hour of very good quality video and fits in your pocket or pocket book.

There are so many compact digital cameras to choose from the task of selecting a good camera for newlyweds can be difficult. We recommend features like optical image stabilization and face technology that make it easier to take good pictures. The Sony DSC-W170, is a fun new camera that performs some very cool image editing right on the camera. The "Smile Shutter" works with the face technology to detect "smiling" faces. The Canon SD1100 fits easily in a pocket or pocket book, offers 8 MP resolution, image stabilization and new face technology.

Digital Picture Frames
Just remember, you’re not losing a daughter or son….on second thought, just in case you do end up seeing less of them, there are a couple of ways you can stay in the picture and one of those is to literally put you and the rest of the family on a digital picture frame. Digital photo frames look great on a mantle or bookcase and won’t break the bank either. The Kodak SV1011 is a 10 inch digital photo frame that has built-in WiFi that can be used to manage the photos. The Pandigital PAN80-2 is an 8 inch 800 x 600 pixel frame that can store 128MB worth of images. You upload images using the card reader or USB connector.

Personal Navigation Devices (GPS)
Helping the newlyweds find their way in life may be more than should be expected from you however, a GPS for their car or outdoor adventures might be just the thing to help point them in the right direction. The Garmin nuvi 260 has text-to-speech (TTS) and a large 3.5 inch display and sells for under $300. The TomTom Go 920 is a popular GPS that has Bluetooth built-in for hands-free phone calls.

HDTV
HDTV sets are not cheap but they can be a very sensible gift in times of high travel costs when taking a vacation at home becomes more common. Don’t forget how great the Summer Olympics are going to look in high definition. If you can’t swing an HDTV set by yourself, get a few other friends and relatives together and buy the newlyweds their first HDTV set. The Syntax Olevia 747I is a 47 inch LCD TV that does 1080p and gets very high ratings and very good reviews. The 42 inch Vizio VU42LF, does 1080p and can be purchased for well under $1000.

Roomba Vacuum Cleaner
Some people treat these little creatures like pets. The iRobot Roomba 4150 is the entry level Roomba vacuuming robot but for less than $200 it could go a long way toward matrimonial bliss.

Gadget Gift Card
Why not let the newlyweds have the pleasure of selecting a gadget for themselves. Just get a gift card from your favorite gadget seller like amazon.com, Best Buy or Circuit City and let them pick out their own gadget.

Okay, the kid finally made it through school. Graduating high school is a wonderful accomplishment. Praise your kid by giving gifts that he’ll cherish forever. It took a lot of effort, not to mention money, to get him or her through the ordeal. Unfortunately it may have taken more money than you planned and now there isn’t much left for a gift. Here are some recommendations for today's generation of gadget savvy grads that will save you enough money to pay for the gas to get to the ceremony.

Earbuds for MP3 Players
Skullcandy earbuds have a high cool factor and only cost around $25. Earpollution D33 Earbuds are also cool, they come in colors and are even cheaper at $19.95. Sennheiser CX300-B earbuds get good marks for audio quality and cost just under $50.

USB Flash Drives
USB Flash drives can come in handy for the high school grad going off to college or a college grad heading into the real world. They can be used for backing up documents or transporting files to and from the library. You can get an 8 GB drive like the Kingston DT1000/8GB for around $30 or the SanDisk 8 GB Cruzer for just under $50. Many 4 GB drives go for even less at around $20.

Bluetooth Headsets
A Bluetooth headset is not only a practical and economical gift, it could just keep someone from getting a ticket. Many states now have laws that make it illegal to talk on a phone while driving without using a hands-free device like a Bluetooth headset. You can even go a step further and get a stereo Bluetooth headset that makes it possible to listen to music in stereo on your phone or MP3 player. The Plantronics Voyager 510 is a popular Bluetooth headset that gets high marks from users. It costs around just under $50. The Motorola HT820 is a stereo headset that costs around $40.

Keychain Photo Frames
Load up a keychain photo frame with pictures of the family and you'll have a nice personalized gift for around $29.

Gift Cards for Gadgets
For more flexibility, consider a $50 gift card from someplace like Amazon or BestBuy.

Just like they say don’t mix drinking and driving, now it’s about the cell phone. No wonder, it isn’t safe to be answering calls or texting a message while driving, but with a handsfree, you can however be on the safer side.

On July 1st, 2008, California will join many other states that restrict cell phone use while driving. California's new law says that if you’re over 18, you can only talk and drive "handsfree." If you’re under 18, you can’t talk on a cell phone at all while driving. If you’re caught, the first offense will cost you $20 but won't add points to your license. The law is intended to save lives and make the roads safer however, you have to wonder how many additional accidents will result from adults and teenagers resorting to texting since texting is still legal while driving.

Here are some recommendations for going handsfree in your car:

1. Buy a Car With a Bluetooth Connection.
Many cars both foreign and domestic offer Bluetooth connectivity. Usually the sound comes through the car speakers (interrupting the stereo when a call takes place) while microphones placed in the headliner or dashboard pick up your voice. Currently over 30 brands of cars offer Bluetooth including Toyota, Lexus, Audi, Dodge and Land Rover. Many manufacturers make Bluetooth available as an option like Chrysler's UConnect or Audi's HandsFreeLink.

A lot of systems allow you to download your contact list and then use voice commands to dial the number by saying a name. Many high end models like those from Lexus, Infiniti, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Jaguar incorporate Bluetooth into their navigation systems that also work with voice commands. Microsoft SYNC available in many American made cars like Ford and Buick uses text to speech technology to read text messages to you and voice recognition that allows you to make calls and control your music players.

2.Buy a Bluetooth Car Kit
If you're not in the market for a new car and are happy with your non-Bluetooth enabled car then maybe you should consider an aftermarket car kit. Some require professional installation, while others you can install yourself with a plug that goes to your cigarette lighter. You can get a basic Bluetooth car kit like the Motorola B 89170N T305 hands-free speaker phone for around $50. A more advanced one like the Nokia CK-7W Advanced Car Kit comes with a small remote that you can Velcro someplace close to the steering wheel. It sells for around $125. The Motorola HF850 Deluxe Bluetooth Car Kit costs a little over $200 and gets high marks for sound quality, ease of use and design.

3. Buy a New Car Stereo with Bluetooth
After market car stereo manufacturers are starting to offer Bluetooth capabilities. Pioneer has several stereos that feature Bluetooth. At the top end Pioneer is about to ship three Bluetooth compatible models in their AVIC line; The AVIC-F700BT, AVIC-900BT, and the AVIC-F90BT with an MSRP of $850, $1,100, and $1,200 respectively. All three offer a big 5.8 inch touchscreen along with voice recognition that can even control a connected iPod. If you can't afford to spend that much money, Pioneer offers the FH-P8000BT, FH-800BT, and DEH-P7000BT, all in the $300 range. They include hands-free calling along with HD radio and iPod capability.

4. Buy a Bluetooth enabled GPS
Bluetooth is becoming more common in GPS devices or, should we say, Personal Navigation Devices. Using a GPS with your Bluetooth phone uses the GPS device's built in microphone and speaker for hands-free calling. You can also use it to call one of the Points of Interest (POI) like a restaurant or hotel. The popular nuvi 360 has Bluetooth as well as the newer nuvi 760 and nuvi 880. For a complete list of Garmin Bluetooth GPS check out the section on Garmin's web site covering their devices and Bluetooth. The popular TomTom Go 920 and TomTom Go 930 both have Bluetooth capabilities as well as the Magellan Maestro 4040.

5. Buy a Bluetooth Headset
Bluetooth headsets are everywhere these days. They're cheap and easy to use however they can often be uncomfortable to wear for long periods and audio performance can vary widely. One of the most highly rated headsets comes from Aliph who produces the Jawbone and uses military grade noise canceling technology to produce very good quality calls. Aliph has a new version of the Jawbone called appropriately “The New Jawbone,” which is available now for about $130. Plantronics has been in the telephone headset business for a long time and produces some very highly rated Bluetooth headsets like the stylish Discovery 925. Stereo capability came to Bluetooth via the A2DP Standard so you can now use stereo Bluetooth headsets with stereo Bluetooth enabled media players. Plantronics has a new stereo headset called Voyager 855 which is getting good reviews and costs around $150.

6. Buy a Wired Headset
For about ten bucks you can walk out of any Radio Shack with a wired headset that includes an earpiece and a microphone. For a few dollars more you'll get a volume and mute switch on the cord, and for a few dollars more than that you can get a headset with a head band and a boom mic.

7. Listen to the Radio and Don't Answer the Phone
This could turn out to be the best bet for your physical safety as well as your mental well being. Ask youself, "is this call really that important?" If the answer is "maybe not," then why not turn on and tune in, the radio, that is.

Okay, so what else is new, you’ve waited until the last minute and are starting to feel guilt pangs for not getting the old man anything for Father’s Day. Not to worry, because there's still time to get a great gift. Here are some recommendations for gadget gifts that will make any Dad happy.

Digital Photo Frames
Digital picture frames make great gifts. They’re not all that expensive and go great on a desk at the office or the hotel night table. You can buy an 8 inch frame or even a smaller one to take on the road for under $200. The Pandigital DPF802 is an 8 inch 800 x 600 photo frame that gets good ratings and sells for around $150. The Kodak SV811 is a similar frame that sells for a little over $100. The Westinghouse DPF 0561 is a smaller 5.6 inch photo frame that can be purchased for around $80. For the ultimate in portability load up a keychain photo frame with some pictures of the family and gift it to Dad. The Tao 1.4 inch Digital Picture Keychain holds 56 photos and costs $29. It has a rechargeable battery.

Noise Canceling Headphones
For the frequent flier Dad, a noise canceling headphone is always an appreciated gift. Put one of these headphones on and the roar of the jet engines vanishes, replaced by the soothing music from your MP3 player. The Bose QuietComfort 3 headphones get good ratings from users and experts. These Bose headphones are light and small but aren’t cheap at around $350. Sony's MDR-NC500D are even more expensive at around $400. Sennheiser makes the popular Sennheiser PXC-300 which sells for around $200.

Slingbox for Sports Fans
If your father is a huge sports fan and doesn't already have a Slingbox then maybe you should consider getting him one of these devices that will let him watch whatever is on the TV at home on his computer at work or wherever he is. You can get a Slingbox AV for around $100 or move up to the Slingbox Pro version which supports HD for under $200.

GPS for Joggers
The Garmin Forerunner 205 is a GPS device that you wear like a wristwatch. It tells you how far you ran and how long it took. Serious runners rave about this GPS device. You can buy the Garmin Forerunner 205 for around $180. Amazon is taking pre-orders for the Garmin Forerunner 405 which is supposed to ship any day and sell for around $300. It looks more like a real watch and has a touch screen bezel which makes it easier for runners to control.

Watt’s What
Last but not least, here’s a gift for the technically savvy Dad that could help save the environment too. You plug anything into this wattmeter and you can tell how much power it’s using. It’s especially interesting to see how much power some products use even after they are turned off.

Is your father a nerd? We know you love him but do you sometimes get a chuckle out of him for being so geeky? Does he program everything in sight, from the remote control to his computer? Is he the in-house tech support and network administrator? If “yes,” your father just might be a nerd and here are a few compatible gifts for him.

Power meter
Here’s a gift for the technically savvy Dad that could help save the environment too.

Eee PC from Asus
This mini-PC makes a great carry along computer. It has a 7 inch display, weighs just less than 2 lb. and comes in colors. You can get a Windows version or Linux version for around $300

Nerd tie
If your Dad has a sense of humor and you want to get him the traditional father’s day tie, here’s a good suggestion.

Hand powered radio
What techie Dad wouldn’t appreciate a good multi-band radio that you power with batteries or hand powered magneto? A device like this could make a good addition to your disaster preparedness kit. The Solar Hand-Crank radio costs about $25 and includes a flashlight. The Eton FR400 costs about $60 and includes an analog TV audio tuner that unfortunately will be useless after February 2009 but then any self-respecting techie would have known that.

Bluetooth Phone Home
Plantronics Calisto is a Bluetooth based cordless phone. Your Dad can wear the Bluetooth headset around the house and as long as he's in range talk on the phone and keep his hands free to tinker with whatever needs tinkering with. It costs around $250 but you also get a Bluetooth headset you can use with your mobile phone.

Dads love gadget gifts too; and especially more if it’s multi-functional camera, GPS, cool phone or electronic books. Your Dad might already have a good collection of gadgets but there’s always room for more cool gear that will enhance your Dad’s digital lifestyle. Here are some ideas of gadget gifts to give that new or expecting dad in your life.

Ultimate Father's Day Gift
Here's a wild suggestion; buy your father a new Apple Macbook Air. This super svelte laptop is so thin it fits inside a manila envelope yet it still boasts a full size keyboard and 13.3 inch LED backlight display.

Digital Photo Frames
In the briefcase, on the bureau, or on the desk at the office, digital picture frames are starting to replace the old wood and glass picture frames. You can buy an 8 inch frame or even a smaller one to take on the road for under $200. The Pandigital DPF802 is an 8 inch 800 x 600 photo frame that gets good ratings and sells for around $150. The Westinghouse DPF 0561 is a smaller 5.6 inch photo frame that can be purchased for around $80. The Kodak SV811 is a similar frame that sells for a little over $100 but gets some mixed reviews. For the ultimate in portability load up a keychain photo frame with some pictures of the family and gift it to Dad.

Headphones
For the frequent flier Dad, a noise canceling headphone is always an appreciated gift. Put one of these headphones on and the roar of the jet engines vanishes, replaced by the soothing music from your MP3 player. Sony's MDR-NC500D are even more expensive at around $400. The Bose QuietComfort 3 headphones get good ratings from users and experts. They're light and small and aren’t cheap at around $350.

Electronic Books
If your Dad likes to read books, newspapers, magazines, or online articles one of the latest electronic books might make a great gift. Two popular readers using electronic paper are Amazon’s Kindle and the Sony Reader. The Sony Reader PRS 505 can be purchased for around $300. The Kindle which includes high speed 3G internet access for downloading books and browsing the web sells for $399. The Kindle has received mixed reviews due to some ergonomic issues but gets many rave reviews as a groundbreaking product. Books cost more to purchase on the Sony reader and you have to go through a computer connected to the internet to download them but the Sony gets good marks for style and usability.