Up until now, the iPhone has undeniably been the most sought-after phone on the market. It seems like nearly everyone has one these days. I get teased quite often by my boss and friends because I neither have – nor want – an iPhone. What the heck do I “need” one for? I’m happy with my normal run-of-the-mill cell phone. It calls people. It texts people. It even takes pictures and plays music! I work from home, and I don’t travel often. I don’t need a phone that does a million things other than what I already have… or do I?

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The recent rise in popularity of digital photo frames is no real surprise.  You can’t get a phone without a camera anymore, there are hundreds of models of digital cameras priced at or below $100.  With all those cameras, we have to have a way to display the pictures without paying for printing, right?

The market is currently flooded with photo frames.  Everyone is making them, and some are making them dirt cheap.  During the recent “Black Friday” deals, I noted frames starting at $29.99!  I bought one.  Wouldn’t you?  With such a price, one is forced to ask the following question: What kind of quality can I get out of a thirty dollar frame?

The answer is pretty simple – meh.  It has almost no onboard storage space and the display quality is moderate at best.  It only supports a few card formats, only accepts JPG images, and lacks in options.  What if I want a nice photo frame with lots of onboard storage space and great image quality that accepts a bunch of card formats, image formats and has tons of options?  The Image Moments line from Digital Foci promises all those things, and more. Read the rest of this entry »

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One of the biggest challenges for personal and corporate computer users is the security of sensitive data.  When data is stored inside a corporate network, it’s usually firewall and password protected to ensure its safety.  Unfortunately for IT Security personnel, all their security is worthless when sensitive data is transferred by USB key.

To combat this security hole, many companies have switched to encrypted-only USB keys.  The problem with most encrypted USB keys is that the security can be turned off.  When a user gets tired of entering a password every time, they have the option to just go in and disable the software that encrypts the drive.

The solution is a USB key that offers encryption at the hardware level.  The SanDisk Cruzer Enterprise does just that.  The Cruzer Enterprise boasts 256Mb hardware-based mandatory encryption.  Let’s take a closer look at the offering from SanDisk. Read the rest of this entry »

In today’s world of digital cameras, what’s more frustrating than running out of  memory card space when you’re out taking pictures?  It’s the worst feeling in the world to get somewhere and realize that you forgot to empty the memory card.  I’ve done it, and everyone I know has done something similar.

The Photo Safe could be the answer to the woes of millions of digital photography enthusiasts.  If this little device works as advertised, I know it will change the way I do things, and it may for you as well.

The Photo Safe is not the only device of its kind.  The DigitalFoci device has competition from Epson, Wolverine, and a few other manufacturers.  If given the opportunity, I’ll compare them with the DigitalFoci.  However, from initial glance, they all appear to offer about the same things, but at significantly varying price ranges.  The 80Gb models range from the DigitalFoci at $130 to some very spendy units at almost $300!

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Unless you’ve lived under a rock for the past 10 years, you should know about GPS navigation systems, what they do, and why they’re cool. If you have been living under a rock, then you can get a quick rundown on GPS functionality and “cool factor” by reading our other GPS related articles (Go outside and play – Garmin Colorado 400t Review and Magellan Maestro 3210: Review). In short, a GPS navigation system uses satellite signals to tell you where you are and compares this information to locally stored maps to tell you how to get where you’re going.

For the most part, one GPS navigation system is just like any other GPS navigation system. Sure, some of them navigate better than others (this is usually because the manufacturer has better maps), some have better user interfaces, and some of the newer high end models even have fancy extras like MP3 players built in, but on the surface they are all designed to tell you where you are and get you to where you’re going. So why should you care which GPS you get? Simple, decide what you want out of the device and buy the one that has the features that match. If all you need is to get from point A to point B, go for something simple with an interface that you like and you should be pleased, but if you want a little “extra” out of your trips then you’ll need to look for a GPS with a little more “bang for your buck”.

So what’s so special about the Garmin Nuvi 350 Travel Assistant ? Let’s find out.

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I recently had the pleasure to review the Garmin Colorado 400t. When given the opportunity to purchase the new Microsoft Streets & Trips 2008 (S&T) with a GPS Locator included, I jumped at it. I take my laptop everywhere, literally. For me, turning my laptop into a turn-by-turn GPS seemed like the right thing to do.

I have used the Streets & Trips family of software for a few years now. I like the software. It’s always been easy to navigate, had good directions, some great features, and is easily configurable. Older versions of S&T were real heavy and burdensome on the system, but the more recent versions are lighter and run with a smaller footprint. Read the rest of this entry »

Still searching for that special Mother’s Day gift? For a long time I have wanted to get my wife a picture viewer small enough to carry to take with her. All of our pictures are digital, and we only have family pictures taken once yearly. She needs something for all those in-between pictures, so she can show off our little one.

For those in the same situation, let’s take a look at the Digital Foci Pocket Album. This keychain weighs in at just over an ounce, sports a 1.5 inch color LCD screen and 8MB of onboard memory. The Pocket Album also comes with its own special software to manipulate photos and transfer them to the keychain.

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By now you may have seen the commercials for Ford’s line of cars featuring Microsoft Sync, a music and mobile phone platform for automobiles. If not, you can view one here. It chronicles the embarrassment of people who find that treadmills, doors, and curtains do not respond to their voice the way their car does. While I like the concept of Bluetooth capability in cars, and I think voice commands are a safety enhancement over trying to dial a phone or search for a CD while driving, I sometimes wonder if our cars are becoming too electronic and computerized, to the point that safety could be compromised. I actually also wonder if some cars are just becoming too complex.

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As a kid, I absolutely loved the movie Spaceballs. As an adult (and arguably still a kid) I still love the movie Spaceballs. When I got my mitts on the Corsair Voyager GT, the line “Light speed is too slow?” “Yes. We’re gonna have go right to – ludicrous speed” popped into my head. According to all the Corsair hype, the Voyager GT is supposed to be up to 4X faster than a standard USB key. Let’s see how it stands up during some real world tests.

The first thing I noticed when I got this USB key is the attractive look to it. It’s a good looking unit with its black base and red, yellow and white accents. The activity light is blue, which seems odd for something in black/white/yellow/red, but whatever. This key has a rubberized exterior that gives it a nice rugged look. According to the materials that came with it, it’s waterproof and shockproof! I’ll try these features later; that way if I break it, I at least get to test it first.

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The benefits of owning a GPS unit are still something that remain a mystery to many. The cost of a unit can be prohibitive for a device that many people would consider a luxury. I spend a considerable amount of time hunting and fishing in the great outdoors. A GPS could be quite beneficial to someone like me. If you spend a good amount of time outside hunting, fishing, jogging, hiking, boating, camping, or any other outdoor activity, a GPS will likely add to your outdoor experience.

This year the US Government is dispersing extra funding to a large chunk of the US population. I had an epiphany with this extra money coming in – beyond paying off bills and buying beer, why not get that GPS that I’ve long been wanting? To that end I decided to contact Garmin to see if I could get a look at one of their products for review here. Like Christmas in early March, the Colorado 400t arrived at my doorstep just begging to be tested.

The Colorado 400t has a very “you can’t break me” look to it. When I first laid paws on it I had this urge to throw it down a flight of stairs. Fortunately, common sense prevailed when I remembered that Garmin has my Credit Card number. Nevertheless the unit certainly looks rugged. It has good heft, a large screen and a control layout that’s both simple, yet effective. Even for those wearing gloves.

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