Fun Gadget Gifts

Archive for October, 2009

This new 10-megapixel camera with High Sensitivity System is a very impressive little point-and-shoot gadget. The new model is slimmer and lighter. A spacious image sensor is packed in a small point-and-shoot camera body. It is perfect for people who are serious about photography and would like a worthy pocket substitute for a professional camera. Despite its size, the camera feels solid in your hand.

PowerShot S90IS has new High Sensitivity System and higher ISO speeds to ensure great image quality. It has Canon’s famous DIGIC 4 Image Processor paired with a bright f/2.0 lens and produces superior quality images even in low-light conditions (noise is not really visible until ISO 800). The S90 lens is very fast and you do not have to rely on ISO so much. Blur and camera shake are notably reduced for the ultimate in sharpness and clarity.

At the base of the lens barrel, there is a new control ring allowing for a manual control. By turning the ring, you adjust the main setting in each mode, for example, shutter speed in shutter priority. The ring function button at the top of the camera will allow you to adjust almost any parameter. Adjusting itself takes some time to get used to because of the small size of the camera, but the ability to control so many parameters is remarkable.

PowerShot S90 has 25 Shooting Modes. It features Canon’s precision 28mm Wide-Angle Lens that allows you to shoot any scene from wide-angle to telephoto. The camera has 3.8x optical zoom with Canon Optical Image Stabilizer. S90 sports an f/2.0 aperture, perfect for creating enticing portraits, by drawing attention to the face and blurring the background with its impressively shallow depth-of-field. For close-up photography use Macro setting.

PowerShot S90 has no viewfinder, but the 3 inch LCD screen makes up for it. You can shoot in JPEG or RAW modes – simultaneously. Small battery allows you to take over 200 shots on a single charge.

The camera price is $430. It is a little more expensive than most cameras in its category. However, it is worth it for the compact size packed with features and the picture quality you are getting. PowerShot S90IS is available now. Order from Amazon.

Canon just came out with a new professional EOS-1D Mark IV DSLR. Since the release of the original 1D series in 2001, it has been the camera of choice for many professional photographers because of its great image quality, high speed performance, reliability and waterproof construction. Canon improved all these qualities in this new model.

1D Mk IV is big and heavy (1.2 kilograms) even without the lens. It has improved ergonomic body. The handgrip feels very secure and comfortable in both vertical and horizontal positions. The controls are positioned perfectly under the fingers.

The improved three-inch LCD monitor has a 920,000-dot screen and 170 degree viewing angle. The construction of the monitor produces a sharp picture in all lighting conditions. The ISO ranges from 100 to 12,800 and is expandable to an incredible 50 – 102,400 ISO – the highest sensitivity of any current DSLR camera.

The most significant improvement is the new APS-H sized 16.1-megapixel CMOS sensor. It measures 27.9mm x 18.6mm and gives a crop factor of 1.3x compared to a 35mm camera. The new sensor is coupled with the same dual DIGIC 4 processors as in EOS 5D Mk II. The camera will produce full-resolution shots at 10 frames per second in continuous shooting mode with full continuous autofocus. The buffer is capable of storing a sequence of 121 shots.

The new 45-point autofocus system is extremely fast and its tracking function seems to have no problem focusing in low light conditions. It includes 39 cross-type AF points with f/2.8 support. Photographers can select their own default focus point through either the camera’s Multi-controller or Main Dial/Quick Control Dial. To get the most out of sports photography, it is possible to choose to have primary focus supported by adjacent focus points.

An advanced noise reduction system helps ensure sharp, low-noise images. Auto Lighting Optimizer (ALO) automatically adjusts the brightness and contrast during impage processing and is available in most shooting modes.

If fantastic pictures are not enough, the EOS-1D Mark IV features HD video recording as well. It will shoot full 1080p video at different frame rates. Stereo audio can be recorded through an optional external microphone. The camera connects to your HD TV though an HDMI jack for playback. For slow motion effects, use 720p or VGA resolutions at higher frame rates. The camera allows full manual exposure control to avoid blown highlights, achieve depth of field adjustment an other creative effects.

Canon EOS-1D Mark IV is expected to come out in the end of December. Already in high demand, it is available for pre-order now for $4,999.99.

Fall asleep faster with NightWave Assistant. If you have a problem falling asleep, you might like this little gadget. It helps you fall asleep naturally. It does not spray you with tranquillizers. Instead, it guides you in a relaxation process while you lie in bed.

NightWave makes no sound. It projects a soft, slowly changing blue light on the ceiling. When the light comes on, you breathe in; when the light fades away, you breathe out. Call it a breathing assistant. The idea is that it takes longer and longer for the light to fade and you breathe slower, naturally relax and fall asleep. The device can be set on 7 minute or up to 25 minute cycle. It shuts off automatically.

NightWave is a size of a pack of cards. You can carry it with you when you travel. Customers say that it helped them adjust to different time zones.

Be aware, that it is not likely going to work right off the bat. Like with any training, it takes time to get used to. Once you learn the proper breathing to slow you down, you will fall asleep easily and naturally.

Buy on Amazon: $59.95

Breville makes high end appliances. This tea kettle is no exception. The Variable Temperature kettle looks modern and stylish. It is made of brushed aluminum and feels sturdy. There is no plastic in the boiling area.

The kettle has 5 temperature pre-sets for serious tea lovers. Heat your water to 175F for Green Tea; 185F for White Tea; 195F for Oolong Tea; 200F for French Press and 212F for boiling and black tea. It takes 5 minutes to bring a full pot to a boil. When the water reaches the desirable temperature, the kettle beeps and will keep the water at that temperature for 20 minutes.

Price: $148.90

Useful, portable, light, durable, reliable – all applies to this MobileLite 9-in-1 Card Reader from Kingston. It is plug and play. No power source required. Protective wings cover the card slot and USB connector: throw it in your bag or pocket – you will not damage the reader or your card. MobileLite Reader comes with a key chain if you prefer to attach it to something.

The reader has USB 2.0 connector and memory expansion slots for 9 different types of SD and MMC flash memory cards. It has expansion slots on both sides. When you plug it into your computer, it shows up as 3 drives. You can attach SD cards to both sides and transfer files either to your computer or move them from one card to the other. Great for sharing your photos, music – whatever! The slot on side A supports SD/SDHC, MMC, MMCmobile, RS MMC, and MMCplus card formats. The 2 slots on side B support microSD, MMCmicro, and miniSD card formats. The three slots come with a slider — push the slider to take out the card.

You know what else is great about this reader? The price! You can get a MobileLite G2 Reader for $8.61. MobileLite Reader with 2GB card goes for $59.99.

Bose is known for excellent quality headphones. QuietComfort 15 are absolutely fantastic for noise-canceling qualities and sound. Frequent flyers – listen up!

Bose QuietComfort 15 will make you forget you are on an airplane. These over-the-ear headphones have microphones inside and outside the ear cup to sense and eliminate noise and sounds. This model is a drastic improvement over previous models. Shut off the distractions and noise around you and enjoy your music. All outside sounds disappear. No joke – all of them: road construction, crying children, telephone conversations, etc.

The sound quality is exceptional. Compared to previous models, it has better response in deep bass and less resonance in 80-150 HZ range. QC-15 have great battery life and detachable cable. If you do not want to listen to the music, just get rid of the noise around you, it is a great option.

Get your Bose QuietComfort 15 headphones for $299.95

This little MP3 player made it on the CNET’s Top 5 MP3 Players list at #4. It also received an August 2009 CNET Editors’ Choice award. Here is the scoop.

If all you want is a music player, this player is a good candidate for your wish list. It is very compact and portable. Now has a memory expansion slot and takes up to 8GB memory cards (2000 songs). Just so you are not bored, it has FM radio with 40 presets too. Want to sing yourself? – Use the integrated voice recorder. You will be very pleased with the playback. Audio quality is superb. And yes, Sansa Clip Plus will play video on a large OLED screen.

Unlike the previous version, Sansa Clip Plus is compatible with pre-loaded microSDHC, slotRadio or slotMusic cards. Buy them for about $40 each and enjoy up to 1000 songs on each. Fan of audio books? You can speed it up slightly for speed hearing with no munchkin voice effect.

The battery will last you about 15 hours. Clip it somewhere and you are ready to go. It is the size of a matchbox and weighs less than an ounce. Square track pad is easy to use and you can navigate without looking at the player. It is great for runners or gym-goers: no need to mess with controls.

Music formats: MP3, WMA, secure WMA, Audible, Ogg Vorbis, and FLAC.

Buy it for $62.23

If you have a kid who is just itching to take your thousand-dollar camera for a spin, here is a great solution for the future movie director.

This is one of the cheapest camcorders on the market. It is easy to use, has decent picture quality and acceptable sound. In low light conditions, use an LED light. Cam3000 has digital zoom (not very useful, really), 280×960 resolution for still images (1.3 Mpx), built-in microphone & speaker. Takes SD cards up to 8MB. Video resolution is 640×480, 30fps. The camcorder comes with a USB no-hassle cable. View your movies on the 1.44-inch LCD screen or upload to YouTube.

Bottom line, for about $30 Cam3000 shoots good videos with decent sound and ability to upload to YouTube.

Get on Amazon for $30.24

CNET editors unveiled a list of top 5 MP3 players. Here it is in all its glory.

5. Sony X-Series Walkman

   This MP3 player supports MP3, WMA, ACC and L-PCM audio formats; AVC(H.264/AVC), MPEG-4, and WMV DRM video formats; JPEG image files. The sound is very good. You can operate the Walkman using both “touch panel” and buttons. The button design makes it easy to navigate without even looking at your player. The user interface is easy and intuitive. It works with Rhapsody To Go subscription or Napster. It sports a wi-fi connection, integration with YouTube, etc.

   Sony X-Series Walkman is an excellent choice for audio files, 3 inch OLED touch screen and loads of features. It comes in 32GB and 16GB versions.

4. SanDisk Sansa Clip Plus

   SanDisk Sansa Cip Plus has five colors to choose from. It is lightweight with good sound. And with its smart design, you can clip your Sansa Clip player to your bag, pants or sleeves. It has built-in microphone for spontaneous recording. Transfer your files to your PC later through a USB connection. The Sansa Clip player plays MP3, WMA, secure WMA and Audible file formats.

   Overall, this small capacity durable take-it-everywhere music player is a good choice for a mobile user. And, unlike others in its category, it has good sound quality and a screen.

3. Zune HD

   We have reviewed Zune HD on this blog. Our verdict: the best music player out there. The bottom line, Zune HD design is beautiful. The player has an OLED display, HD raido and outputs HD video to your TV. It lacks apps and games, but it is one of the best music and video experiences you can buy.
   

2. Apple iPod Nano

   iPod Nano is a portable player with a larger screen. Nano is packed with features. It includes an FM radio player, a video camera, and a pedometer. Video camera is more of a toy, however. There are two new features – iTunes Tagging and Live Pause. The new Genius Mixes feature acts as your personal DJ.

1. Apple iPod Touch

   Apple iPod Touch is the 3rd generation of its kind. 3.5-inch widescreen Multi-Touch display with 480 x 320 pixel resolution makes watching videos a great experience. It has integrated bluetooth, shake-to shuffle, Genius playlists, wi-fi, voice control, and is easy to use. One absolutely unique feature that no other mp3 player has – iTunes app store.

Flip video is shipping 2nd generation, upgraded, “premium” version of its MinoHD pocket camcorder. It has a sleeker design with rounded corners and brushed-metal front – does not attract fingerprints. The new form factor makes the camcorder feel solid in your hand. Like the first generation model, it has solid 720p video (@30fps, 120 min) recorded as MP4 files, slim design and rechargeable battery. Battery life is slightly improved. The video quality is amazing. It is also super easy to use.

Unlike the previous model, the LCD screen is larger (2 inch), the internal memory is doubled (8GB vs. 4GB) and the upgraded FlipShare software now allows you to directly upload your video to Facebook, YouTube, etc. You can also share privately with your family and friends. Keep in mind though, that the uploaded video will not be in high definition, just HQ quality. You can still do it, but will have to upload the file from your computer, not directly from MinoHD camcorder.

The camcorder has a new Movie Magic mode that arranges your clips into a movie. Add your own music to provide a more personal touch. Freeze-frame capabilities allow you to grab snapshots. MinoHD 2nd Generation has HDMI output. It is compatible with both Macs and Windows. Connect to your computer through a flip-out USB arm.

The new MinoHD is fairly pricey. Unfortunately, there is no SD/MMC card expansion slot. And if you want to play your video on your TV, you will need to provide your own cable. Power adapter is not included, but the camcoder will charge from your computer if it is connected.

The botoom line, this new generation MinoHD is one of the nicest models available. For the same price as the original model, you get better design, double the memory and an HDMI output. It might not be worth upgrading, but if you are looking for a portable HD camcorder, this new model might fit the bill.

Buy it for $229.99

New Nikon image-stabilized micro lens is very impressive and is coming soon to the Internet near you. This lens is perfect for close-up, nature, portrait and general photography. This 85mm f/3.5G lens fits Nikon DSLR cameras like the D90 and D5000.

This lens is compact and lightweight. The lens has an impressive list of features. It is motorized for fast silent autofocus without changing the length of the lens.

It cures shaky hands with second-generation vibration reduction (VR II) system. This system provides both a steady viewfinder image for composition and sharper results at slow shutter speeds – up to 4 shutter speeds slower than would otherwise be possible. As a result you get noticeably sharper images.

With a picture angle equivalent to a focal length of 127.5mm in FX/35mm format, it extends options beyond those offered by standard kit lenses, ideal for portraits. Quickly enhance the look of your photographs with background blur by utilizing the rounded nine blade diaphragm. You get more natural appearance of out-of-focus image elements. This lens gives 1:1 magnification and minimum focus distance of 28cm. This lens gives a flattering perspective for portraits.

If you were trying to break into close-up photography without spending a lot of money on the glass, this lens could be your ticket to extreme macro photography.

The lens is available for pre-order for $529.95

Logitech is known for good mice for computers. But this little gem is absolutely unbelievable. Logitech’s Anywhere Mouse MX is very compact and fits comfortably in your hand. Plug in a little nano receiver into your computer’s USB port and that’s it! No tweaking, I promise – it just works. The receiver is small and can stay on your laptop forever. Piggy-back up to 6 Unifying compatible device using the mouse receiver, like a keyboard. Super fast scrolling will satisfy even the most speedy critics. Spin that scroll wheel and fly through documents. Flip through web pages using back and forward buttons.

Logitech’s Anywhere Mouse MX works on all kind of surfaces, even on glass. On glass! It uses the dark-field laser tracking. I bet, it will work in space. There is an on/off switch at the bottom of the mouse which also serves as a protection flap for the sensor. The Anywhere Mouse MX uses 2 AA batteries which makes it a bit heavier.

It is a great device for a laptop. No need to carry your mouse pad with you.

Get it for $69.95

Squeezebox is a new wi-fi radio from Logitech. It is a step down from Squeezebox Boom but has more to offer than your standard wi-fi radio. Just so we all on the same page, it plays internet radio and music without being connected to a computer. And it will play music stored on your computer too. All you need to have is a wi-fi connection at home. You turn the Squeezebox Radio on and it finds and connects to the network.

The radio is global and gives you access to stations from all over the world. And that, my friends, include all sports channels too. Let me tell ya – you will be addicted.

The design is fantastic. Many radios try to combine navigation and volume in one knob which can get confusing. Not this radio. There is a big wheel for navigation and a separate knob for volume. All buttons on the front are intelligently placed.

The front LCD display is full of information goodness. You get info about radio stations, music tracks and even album art on the display. Like any wi-fi radio, Squeezebox can access thousands freely available internet radio stations. It supports online music streaming services, like Pandora, Rhapsody, Last.fm, Slacker and SIRIUS Internet Radio. Of course, it will play the music stored on your computer. Squeeze Center software comes with the radio and works with Mac, PC, and Linux. And if that is not enough – plug your iPod in it and enjoy.

Made of plastic, Sqeezebox has a glossy black finish, which will attract fingerprints. There is a little handle in the back which makes it easy to carry it around. On the bottom of the radio there is a battery pack compartment. The remote and battery pack are sold separately.

Squeezebox Radio has an app gallery (new feature). You can download different apps – Flickr, Facebook, etc. You can recommend music to your Facebook friends instantly from your Squeezebox. If you are still not impressed, I see your point. Maybe, it is not too useful just yet, but having apps on Squeezebox opens the door for Logitech to expand these features in the future.

All gadgets come complete with their own website these days. Logitech Squeezebox Radio is no exception. Navigate to mysqueezebox.com online service, sign up for free, and select your favorite stations and artists. Your tastes will become the tastes of your Squeezebox in the matter of seconds.

As an alarm clock, it is really customizable. You can set which days you want the alarms to go off. There is support for multiple alarms. If you get bored with all the standard waking sirens, Squeezebox has a huge bank of sounds you can select from as your alarm ringer. In addition, you can queue up a song or pick a radio station you want to get turned on in the morning. If you cannot keep the days of the week straight, choose a different station for every day of the week as a reminder.

For an ultra-compact radio, the sound is very good. You will not get distortion when you turn it all the way up, like you might find on a lot of other wi-fi radios.

This is one of the best wi-fi radios on the market right now and the most fun to play with.

Pre-order it on Amazon for $199.99.

The Altec Lansing FX3021 Expressionist PLUS speaker system sports a unique design. They look like something you would send to Mars. You can safely send them to your desk, however, because they are not only portable, but quite stylish. The satellite speakers are tiltable. For customized big sound, the system includes a subwoofer. You can independently control the bass output. For a small guy, this subwoofer delivers.

Some reviews point out flaws in the design. Following an unspoken tradition at Altec Lansing, the satellite speakers are hard-wired together. The cord between them is quite long too. The power button positioning on the subwoofer is a little awkward to use.. There is no headphone pass-through.

Other than that, it is a good value for the price. Most people rave about the sound. Some people don’t, but I suspect they have a audio studio in their house. Use it with a music player or your computer – the sound is impressive for small speakers like these.

Buy on Amazon for $74.99.

When you wear this headset (literally), be prepared for some humiliation from your friends, family and co-workers. The “pendant” in the name should give you a big hint – it is a “wearable” headset. It goes around your neck. The microphone and the battery hang off of it like a pendant. There is a big button you can use to answer or reject calls. Magic, you ask? Bluetooth, I answer. From the pendant come in-the-ear headphones.

If you are listening to music and an incoming call comes, the music fades and you can decide to take the call or reject it. After you are done with your call, the music resumes from where you left off. This is a pretty nice feature, especially when you were listening to your favorite song, when your mom called to tell you that uncle John is on Twitter now. You might want to go back to that favorite song of yours after telling your mother that you are not going to follow uncle John even if she pays you.

iQua Pendant headset (BHS-702) is light and ,some say, has a trendy design. You can consider it if you are a biker and do not want over-the-ear headphones because it is hard to hear traffic noise in them. The sound isolation is good, but not great. The dangling microphone is well-positioned, but is not ideal. Overall, it is a decent gadget, but if you are a guy, consider getting it as a gift for your girlfriend.

Price: $99.99. Get it on Amazon for $77.05. They seem to keep selling out.