iGads!

Webcam for the Mac

Logitech says they have the first Mac-Compatible Webcam with Premium Autofocus Technology, Carl Zeiss Optics.

You might (just as I did) ask - what is that? Here is what Logitech says about it:

To deliver image-perfect detail and clarity, the Logitech QuickCam Vision Pro webcam for Mac combines Logitech’s premium autofocus technology with Carl Zeiss optics. The new Logitech webcam uses a voice coil motor for its autofocus system, instead of a stepper motor. Focusing is fast and fluid – crisp even in extreme close-ups only 10 cm from the camera lens. Logitech’s autofocus system compensates for changes in image-edge sharpness and refocuses images in less than three seconds. And through its exclusive collaboration with Carl Zeiss, Logitech ensures that the lens meets the world-renowned Zeiss standards for design and manufacturing to achieve superior sharpness in a compact, lightweight design.

What I know is Logitech makes great products and I've used other webcam's they have made. So I would bet this one is even better. The biggest plus is that it works with Macs and their iChat messaging system.

-- Gregg Ellman

Charger for the travels

There are alot of portable  chargers out there today for charging on the go. We all have em' - cell phones, digital cameras, MP3 players, etc. But they are pretty much useless without power.

In my gadget column this week, one of my items was the TekCharge MP1550 portable charger, which uses four AA batteries to power and charge portable devices on the go. I really liked this product is that it's simple to use and very portable.

What made it stand out from other portable chargers I've seen is the USB slot to use any gadget that charges on USB. With this, there is no need to get any additional adapters, just use the cable that came with the gadget.

I know I'll be getting emails from other companies who make similar chargers, but hey, the TekCharge made it to me first.

Read more here.

-- Gregg Ellman

Green power

One single power adapter for laptops, cell phones, iPods and all the other toys I have.

I don't know about you but it's welcome news for me. I have a box of old useless power adapters here at work and another at home. Why do I keep them? Maybe someday I'll need em' but realistically, there is no chance since each electronic item seems to have their own plug to fit into the device.

I'm sure there's some reason why they all have to be different but it looks like the single adapter is on the horizon - developed by a start-up company, Green Plug.

Read more about it here.

- Gregg Ellman

Monitor the messages

Read you kids text messaging without even looking at their phone with a really neat program. Parents should love this if they want to control their children's text messaging habits - which are out of control for most teens.

Read more about it here along with information on a great new pocket sized video camera and a very affordable laptop.

Now, this is portable!

The iWave Cube is the smallest portable microwave, measuring just  one-cubic-foot (measures just 10" x 10.5" x 12") and weighs only 12 lbs. It's perfect to sit on a desk or a dorm room and has all the standard safety features.

I haven't seen one, but the press release says it's about the size of a pair of small computer speakers.

It also is said to be super-energy-efficient and features a built-in carry handle and view-through door.

Get em' at Sharper Image stores across the U.S. or just look at it here.

-- Gregg Ellman

What manual?

Interesting and I'm sure true.

Check this out, about how often electronic items are returned back to the place of purchase and the items work perfect. This story says 95% of them are working!

I would have to agree with this and I see what many places are charging a restocking fee, which I really don't have a problem with.

But then again, many of these stores sell off those returned items to people like me for a big discount and with a new warranty - see my new 52" plasma TV in my house!

PEOPLE - when you buy the big TV, purchase a HDMI cable also, it's a simple cord you need to make the TV work and kind of new to the world. This alone can cut down many of the returns.

-- Gregg Ellman

Gifts for dad

SanDisk sent out an email with some fathers day gift idea, and they are all good ones. So here they are below. I'm currently testing out the first one and it works great. Basically, its an iPod Nano, but you don't have to deal with iTunes, just standard MP3's PLUS it has an FM radio built in. Easy to use and I would recommend it for anyone.

SanDisk Sansa Fuze MP3 player: Packing a long list of features into a tiny package, the multi-faced Sansa® Fuze™ plays music, audio books and video clips; displays photos; has a built-in FM radio; and offers a voice recorder to capture thoughts on the fly. The bright 1.9” color screen makes it easy to navigate, or watch videos in landscape mode. There’s also a microSD™ card slot for quickly expanding capacity. With surprisingly big sound from a device smaller than a credit card, the Sansa Fuze is available now in five colors and three capacities: 2 gigabytes1 (GB) for a list price of $79.99; 4GB at $99.99 and 8GB at $129.99 (www.sandisk.com/SansaFuze).

SanDisk Cruzer Titanium Plus USB flash drive: SanDisk brings something new to USB flash drives – secure automatic online backup.2 Any file copied to the Cruzer® Titanium Plus is automatically backed up to a password-protected online account. If the drive is lost or stolen, or you simply forget to bring it with you, retrieving that important file requires nothing more than signing into your backup account from any computer connected to the Internet.3 Available now at 4GB capacity for a list price of $49.99 (www.sandisk.com/CruzerTitaniumPlus).

SanDisk Video HD cards: Take the mystery out of selecting the right card for the new generation of standard and high-definition camcorders that use flash memory instead of tape or disks with SanDisk Video HD™ cards, which conveniently displays the minutes of video recording time on its label, as well as offering fast transfer of recordings to computers for editing. The cards are available now in 60-minute4 (4GB) and 120-minute4 (8GB) times – on the HD Standard setting – in both the SDHC™ and Memory Stick PRO Duo™ formats. Suggested retail prices are $79.99 and $139.99, respectively, for the 4GB and 8GB SDHC cards, and $79.99 and $149.99, respectively, for the 4GB and 8GB Memory Stick PRO Duo cards (www.sandisk.com/VideoHD).

SanDisk Mobile Ultra cards: Wake up your Dad’s or grad’s phone with SanDisk® Mobile Ultra™ – the industry’s first premium mobile phone memory card. Mobile Ultra offers fast side-loading speeds for quickly moving digital files to and from the card and your computer. There’s also a 10-year limited warranty, and the cards come with a MobileMate™ Micro Reader that plugs into any USB 2.0 port. Available in June in three formats: microSD™ at 2GB; microSDHC™ at 4GB and 8GB; and Memory Stick Micro M2 at 2G, 4GB and 8GB. Manufacturer’s suggested retail prices range from $34.99 to $129.99. An 8GB Mobile Ultra card can hold more than 1,000 digital songs, and more than 1,200 high-resolution photos, and up to 21 hours of high-quality MPEG 4 video5  (www.sandisk.com/SanDiskMobileUltra)

New to carry

Lowepro, a leader in portable storage for digital photography equipment (and my personal choice) has announced new bags to carry equipment for digital photographers; the Inverse line of belt packs and the re-invented line of the Nova series of shoulder bags.

The Inverse can be used in two ways; users can wear it around the waist by snapping on the contoured mesh lumbar belt or carried as a shoulder bag with the detachable 360˚ swivel padded shoulder harness.

A quick access lid opens 180 degrees to make loading and retrieving gear simple. The bags are padded and can be customized in the main compartment with ease. An all weather cover keeps the contents dry and its available in two sizes, the Inverse 100 AW and 200 AW. With it, users can carry a pro-style digital SLR with attached lens as well as extra lenses, flash units and accessories.

The next generation models of their popular Nova AW series will hold a digital SLR and accessories in a weather protected bag with the 360º All Weather Cover .

Prices for the bags range from $79.99 to $109.99

Want more information: www.lowepro.com

-- Gregg Ellman

For the graduate

I put together a quick shopping guide for some tech gifts for graduates. 

It's really never ending with what you can buy, especially in the technology field, but just make sure your graduate is interested in what your buying them - many stores are charging restocking fee's when you return the unwanted gifts.

Don't get something you like and hope they will like - the odds are if your older then them, they have their mind set on something - just ask em'.

But here are some of my suggestions.

P.S. - A quick survey of my wife's high school students found that the guys liked the solar charger for cell phones and MP3 players.

-- Gregg Ellman

Grip for the touch

I get lots of press kits about the lastest and greatest in iPod cases and protection, but this one I really like. Why? Because it's simple, functional and works!

More specifically, it's Griffin Technology new additions to its case lineup for iPod with the FlexGrip and FlexScreen and a new kit to keep the iPod touch shinny and clean.

The FlexGrip is a silicone case for the iPod nano and iPod touch, which protects the devices from dirt, dust, scratches and hopefully some small drops.

FlexScreen for iPod nano has the same color combination and the textured back. Also included is a crystal-clear, scratch-resistant polycarbonate face shield, which snaps onto the outside of the case for added protection.

Screen Care Kit for iPod touch has five static peel screen protectors, and a lint-free cleaning cloth to remove dirt and the never ending battle with fingerprints.

Information: All are priced at $14.99 and are in retail sites as well as

Griffin's website: www.griffintechnology.com.

-- Gregg Ellman