25 Gadgets That Actually Save Money

I admit it: I’m a gadget addict. I like little devices that do neat things. At the same time, I also like to save money. What is a poor modern man to do with these two conflicting interests?

Simple. I buy gadgets that can pay for themselves (and even see a bit of return) over the long haul. This usually means I look for energy-efficient gadgets, but it also means that I try to evaluate things in terms of whether or not they can potentially return money to me. What’s nice is that many of these gadgets that save me money in the long run make a great deal of environmental sense as well.

Here’s a list of twenty five neat items I’ve found that can save a lot of money, along with their cost and the amount of time that it will take before their extra cost is paid for by their utility. Since they’re gizmos, they make for great gift ideas, plus you can use the argument that “this will save money” when suggesting the purchase of one of these items to your significant other. In fact, I actually started this list as justification to my wife for a few items I wanted to buy for myself.

1.Filtered water bottle
Price: $39.95 + $32.95 cartridge refills
Time Until Break Even: 180 days of daily use

If you drink a bottle of water each day (as you should), but you buy bottled water instead of drinking tap water, you can pay for this nifty device in half a year. You can fill it from any tap and the internal filtering device will clean the water for you, eliminating viruses and bacteria. Thus, each day you use this bottle, you pay off a little more.

2.Battery charger
Price: $17.95
Time Until Break Even: How many kids do you have?

My son has a bevy of toys that just gobble batteries. It seems like every day I’m dropping more and more batteries into these devices. Thankfully, a battery recharger can trim the costs down really quick. Just take your Rayovac AAs, toss them in this, plug it in, and they’re good to go again. It’s absolutely perfect for parents that have children with lots of battery-powered toys.

3.Smart "Power strips"
Price: $34.95
Time Until Break Even: 60 days

If you use a desktop computer at home, it won’t take long until this device is a money saver for you. Simply plug in your main unit into the control outlet and all of your other peripherals (monitor, printer, speakers, etc.) into the other outlets. Whenever you power on your computer, the other devices power on; whenever you power off your computer, the others power off. Even better, it actually functions as a switch, so when your main unit powers off, there is no phantom “standby” electricity being drawn to the other peripherals. Not only will you save money on the powered-down peripherals, but you’ll save money from the lack of phantom charge.

4.Blender
Price: $47.99
Time Until Break Even: 6-12 months

A quality blender (like the one above) can save tons of money if you use it regularly. You can switch to grinding your own herbs, spices, coffee beans, and so on. A regular kitchen user can make back the price on herbs alone if they buy fresh herbs and grind them in the blender for long-term storage. Plus it’s invaluable for making drinks at home when you have guests, which ends up being much cheaper than a night out on the town. Get a good one, though, so it will chop and cut what you want.

5. Electricity Usage Monitor
Price: $24.99
Time Until Break Even: 3 years

With this device, you can see how much of a phantom load your powered-down electrical devices are still pulling through the wall outlet. If you discover devices that are pulling a significant load, unplugging them (or using an appropriate device to stop the drain) will save you money over time. This device is also useful for figuring out how much power various home devices are draining and, with some quick calculations, exactly how much it’s costing you.

6. Flash Drive
Price: $17.95
Time Until Break Even: 1 month

I find countless uses for my flash drive, the best of which is for an emergency backup of key files. A flash drive has saved my cookie during hardware crashes and it has also saved a lot of money in terms of burning CDs for software installation packages off the network. In short, it’s invaluable.

7. High End Solar Calculator
Price: $10.99
Time Until Break Even: 2 years

I like to keep one of these in my pocket for doing calculations at the grocery store. Which package is the better deal per unit? It’s always a good idea to figure this out before blindly making a purchase at the store. Plus, with a solar calculator, you don’t ever have to worry about batteries or anything else - just keep using it.

8. Efficient Power Supply
Price: $81.00
Time Until Break Even: 1 year

A high-efficiency power supply not only protects you from electrical faults, it also ensures that your devices drain electricity at the minimum rate, which means your power bills go down. If your home has any sort of questionable power distribution, this device is essential for protecting your electronic equipment, but even if you have normal power, you can save money with this gadget because of the power drain that it reduces.

9. Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
Price: $1.79
Time Until Break Even: 4 months

CFLs can easily save $100 a year, plus they look a lot cooler than ordinary bulbs. The simple fact of the matter is that by merely replacing a regular bulb with a CFL, you’ll save about a dollar per bulb every two months or so.

10. Efficient Shower Heads
Price: $15.99
Time Until Break Even: 10 months

High efficiency showerheads save money by reducing the amount of water that needs to flow through your hot water heater. An average American household can save as much as 15,000 gallons of water per year by installing high-efficiency shower heads. Even better: that’s 15,000 gallons of hot water that your heater doesn’t have to heat, cutting down on your energy costs as well.

11. Fuel-Efficient Scooter
Price: $4,200
Time Until Break Even: 4 years

A high-efficiency scooter is perfect for people who have a relatively short work commute that’s just a bit too far to walk every day. Leave that car in the garage and travel on a scooter. Plus, you can scoot around town and quickly run errands on this thing. Of course, a bicycle is even less expensive, but scooters are much faster and won’t leave you sweaty when you arrive.

12. Solar Outdoor Lighting
Price: $12.95
Time Until Break Even: 180 evenings

This is a great choice if you want to light your yard and patio in the evening but don’t want to spend on electricity all the time. Solar powered outdoor lighting will provide adequate lighting for much of the night after recharging themselves during the day. Their design incorporates solar panels, a nice geek factor, and they can provide wonderful low light in the evening, perfect for a nice ambience.

13. Dance Dance Revolution
Price: $200
Time Until Break Even: 8 months ($25/month gym fees)

If you use the gym for a cardio workout, cancel your gym membership and get a home video game system, DDR, and a good quality dance pad. The game itself provides all the motivation you need, plus you have to be in pretty good shape in order to play the game for extended periods. I lost about 20 pounds playing DDR instead of going to the gym once upon a time.

14. Self-Cleaning Electric Shaver
Price: $169.13
Time Until Break Even: 8 months of daily shaving

A top-quality self-cleaning rechargeable electric shaver saves significant money for each shaving over disposable razors and shaving cream. Although there are still upkeep costs (recharging, a rare replacement of the blades, and facial wash), the costs are much less than what you’ll incur with shaving cream and blades. Plus, you get the unbridled joy of owning a new gadget.

15. Espresso / Cappuccino Machine
Price: $200
Time Until Break Even: 80 visits to a coffee shop

Do you stop by Starbucks each day to pick up a fresh cup on your way to work? If you invest in a decent cappuccino / espresso maker, those visits can go right out the door; you can make it at home and it tastes at least as good as the stuff at the shops, especially chain ones like Starbucks where they have the “process” down to an art form. Plus, once you get used to using it, you can experiment a lot with different beans and grindings and make some truly sublime homemade coffees.

16. Programmable Thermostat
Price: $39.99
Time Until Break Even: 6 months

If you have central air conditioning, you need programmable thermostats. They provide very precise temperature control and can be programmed to automatically lower your air conditioning and/or heat use while you’re not home. Just program it and forget about it; it will automatically adjust things for you so that you aren’t wasting electricity and money.

17. Coin Sorter
Price: $95.99
Time Until Break Even: 2 years

Most banks will no longer count change for you, but they will accept pre-rolled coins as deposits. CoinStar, on the other hand, will cash out change for you, but they have a 10% surcharge. Why not just sort and roll them yourself? Keep this device on the dresser, dump in your pocket change each night, change the rolls in and out (the device comes with a bunch of coin rolls), and when you go to the bank, take in a bunch of coin rolls and deposit them. Over time, the device pays for itself over the amount you would lose using CoinStar.

18. Efficient Space Heater
Price: $19.95
Time Until Break Even: One cold winter

Small, efficient space heaters can save a lot of money because they allow you to not have to spend lots of extra energy keeping some rooms heated (such as the bathroom). Instead, just put in a space heater and turn it on when you take a shower. It’s substantially cheaper than keeping that spare room heated. Plus, you can use them when working in the basement or other rooms that you don’t bother to heat, or in the bedroom at night if you lower the house heat during the nighttime hours.

19. Solar Christmas Lights
Price: $59.95
Time Until Break Even: 2 Christmas seasons

Instead of buying strands of electric lights for outdoor Christmas decoration, get a set of solar LED Christmas lights. They eat no electricity as they charge up during the day, come on automatically in the evening, and stay on most of the night. You can just set them up and let them be with no maintenance cost or effort at all. The start-up cost is a bit high, but the cool factor of LED solar Christmas lights, plus the energy savings, quickly makes up for it.

20. Remote Control Power Strips
Sample Model: Lacrosse RS-204
Price: $29.95
Time Until Break Even: 2 years (depending on use)

Quite often, we find ourselves plugging lots of lights and decorations in during the Christmas holidays, and it becomes a hassle to power them all off and on, so we often leave things on more often than we’d like, sometimes even overnight. To solve this problem, install a remote control power strip. This device can be turned on and off by remote control, meaning that you can have all of the cords out of the way and flip the Christmas tree lights on and off with just a button click.

21. High Efficiency Washing Machine
Price: $859
Time Until Break Even: 3 years

If you buy a large-load high efficiency front loading washing machine, you’ll do many fewer laundry loads per month and each load will take less water than before. A machine like this can easily save $10 over a regular machine in water usage in a family home per month; even better, a large load machine will save a lot of time. Given the cost of a normal low-end washer, it should only take three years or so for this machine to pay for itself.

22. A Laptop
Price: $819
Time Until Break Even: 1 year

Now that laptops have reached a usability and reliability standard that approximates desktops, it becomes a serious choice whether or not to replace a desktop with a laptop. If you make the leap, you’ll find that the energy savings are tremendous. I often run it from battery at home and charge it using available outlets in other places, such as the local bookstore, meaning I have very little home energy use from the laptop. It won’t take long for this savings to make up for the differences in cost, plus you’ll have all of the laptop portability advantages.

23. TiVo
Price: $49.99 + $9.95 a month
Time Until Break Even: 6 months

If you have cable and a TiVo, your needs for DVD purchases and rentals will almost disappear simply because of the plethora of programming you’ll be able to watch commercial-free. This will begin to save you money before long, plus it will give you a much greater control over what you watch on television - I skip a lot of programs simply because of the commercials and the inability to pause them to chase my child.

24. A Hybrid Car
Price: $22,175
Time Until Break Even: 5 years

If you compare a hybrid side-by-side with a non-hybrid, the hybrid costs more up front. The savings, though, kicks in over the life of the car with much lower fuel costs. Plus, it has a great “geek factor” and it’s a solid environmental decision.

25. A Residential Windmill
Price: $8,500 (including installation)
Time Until Break Even: 8 years

If you want to be “king geek” in your area, few things will top this. $8,500 will get you a windmill on top of your house, which can, by itself, take care of almost all of your home electrical needs. It looks like a high-tech antenna up there, quietly whirring away, using the wind to provide your juice. For an average household, the device will pay for itself in eight years; after that, it’s all gravy. Plus, you’re helping the environment by almost eliminating your load on the power grid.

Sometimes, you can buy gadgets to save money.

Good vibes power tiny generator

A tiny generator powered by natural vibrations could soon be helping keep heart pacemakers working.

Created by scientists at the University of Southampton, UK, the generator has been developed to power devices where replacing batteries is very difficult.

The device is expected initially to be used to power wireless sensors on equipment in manufacturing plants.

The generator's creators say their technology is up to 10 times more efficient than similar devices.

Power packed

The tiny device, which is less than one cubic centimetre in size, uses vibrations in the world around it to make magnets on a cantilever at the heart of the device wobble to generate power.

Although the generator produces only microwatts this was more than enough to power sensors attached to machines in manufacturing plants, said Dr Steve Beeby, the Southampton researcher who led the development of the device.

"The big advantage of wireless sensor systems is that by removing wires and batteries, there is the potential for embedding sensors in previously inaccessible locations," he said.

Using the tiny generator also made it possible to use larger numbers of sensors because there was no longer the need to visit them to replace or recharge batteries, Dr Beeby added.

The generator was developed to sit inside air compressors but, said Dr Beeby, it could find a future role in self-powered medical implants such as pacemakers.

In a pacemaker, the beating of the human heart would be strong enough to keep the magnets inside the device wobbling.

It could also be used to power sensors attached to road and rail bridges to monitor the health of such structures.

Work on the project was funded by the EU as part of the 14.3m euros (£9.67m) Vibration Energy Scavenging (Vibes) project that is looking at how to use environmental vibrations to generate power.

Gadgets 'threaten energy savings'

The growing popularity of hi-tech devices, such as flat-screen TVs and digital radios, threaten to undermine efforts to save energy, a report says.

UK consumers spend £12bn a year on electronics, much of which is less efficient than older technology, a study by the Energy Saving Trust found.

By 2020, the gadgets will account for about 45% of electricity used in UK households, the organisation projected.

It said flat-screen TVs and digital radios were among the worst offenders.
Paula Owen, author of the report called The Ampere Strikes Back, said household appliances currently consumed about a third of an average home's electricity.

But she warned this was likely to increase as a result of people buying more energy-intensive devices.

The simple message to people is switch things off when you have finished using them
Dr Paula Owen,
Report author

"Your old-fashioned, bulky cathode ray tube TV on average consumed about 100 watts of electricity when it was switched on," Dr Owen explained.

"What we are seeing now is a trend for much bigger flat-screened TVs. On average, we are seeing a three-fold increase in the energy needed to power these TVs.

"Pretty much in every other sector [such as fridges and washing machines], we find that as the technology moves on, the products get more and more efficient.

"Consumer electronics does not work like that."

'Radio ga-ga'

The equivalent of 14 power stations will be needed just to power consumer electronic devices by 2020, the report warned.

By that time televisions on standby will consume 1.4% of all domestic electricity, it predicted.

Digital radios were also singled out by the report as being energy intensive.

"Traditional analogue radios consume about two watts when they are switched on," Dr Owen said.

"We've looked at digital radios and the average consumption of these is eight watts."

She added that listening to the radio via digital TVs or set-top boxes had an average consumption of more than 100 watts.

Recent research by the communications watchdog Ofcom said that more than 80% of UK homes now had digital TV.

More people are buying digital TVs or set-top boxes because by the end of 2012 the analogue TV signal will no longer be available in the UK.

But not all new technology was criticised by the report.

"Mobile phones and their chargers are one area where we have seen an improvement," Dr Owen said.

A few years ago, she said, the current being drawn by chargers that were plugged in but not actually attached to a phone was about three to five watts.

"We have done some testing on the newest mobile phones and chargers you can buy today and reassuringly we could see that 'no-load' consumption had fallen below one watt."

But she added that the sheer volume of mobiles being used, about 63 million in the UK, meant that a huge amount of energy was still being wasted if people were not unplugging their chargers when they were not being used.

The report called for governments, manufacturers and retailers to do more to promote energy efficient devices, but also said consumers had a role to play.

"The simple message to people is switch things off when you have finished using them," urged Dr Owen.

Blackberry ban for French elite

French government officials have been ordered not to use handheld Blackberry devices because of fears that the US could spy on them, reports say.

Workers in the French president's and prime minister's office have been told their e-mails risk falling into foreign hands, Le Monde newspaper reports.

France's SGDN security service is worried because Blackberries use US- and UK-based servers, the paper says.

But some officials are flouting the ban and using them in secret, it adds.

"They tried to offer us something else to replace our Blackberries but it doesn't work," one unnamed official told the paper.

More than seven million people around the world now use the Blackberry, which is made by Canadian firm Research In Motion (RIM).

A member of France's governing UMP party in the National Assembly, Jacques Myard, said French politicians needed to be aware that Blackberries were not secure devices.

"It's very good to say 'be careful', because we don't live in an ordinary world in which you can talk on your mobile or private line without any warning, without caution," he told the BBC's World Today programme.

GP02 Skyline GTR Red Pull Back

Always innovating, Tomy introduces a new series of Micro Racers called the Bit CharG Pullback Collection. Each model comes with its own windup, pullback motor and chassis. Just Pull Back and let these 1 1/4 inch cars go!! They scoot along the floor on their spring power, no batteries needed ( do not over wind as spring can become damaged )

What�s really great about each Bit Char G Pull Back Collection is that the body can snap off the pullback chassis and snap onto your battery operated R/C Bit CharG chassis!

Now you can collect, mix and match with the Tomy Bit CharG Pullback Collection.

Pen not included

Ethernet Crossover Adapter

You never know when you might need to crossover
There's this little series of numbers that goes something like "1, 2, 3, 6" to which the audience responds "3, 6, 1, 2". Sure, it's not exactly the most exciting call and response game ever devised, but it will help you remember the pattern for making an ethernet crossover cable.

Or you could just carry the Ethernet Crossover Adapter on your keyring and forget about those stupid numbers. Along with our Ethernet Loopback Jack, the crossover adapter could just help you out of a tight network jam. And besides, having this adapter on your keyring quietly shows the world your status as a prepared geek.

Also has these features.

• Connect this directly to a standard network cable to convert to a crossover cable
• Carry fewer cables and save space
• Comes with small chain for connecting to your keyring, backpack, tool bag, etc.
• Handy for network maintenance and testing
• Small, very portable, easy to use
• Compatible with Gigabit and 10/100 ethernet

Some latest Gadgets:

Wireless power charges gadgets

You could soon be saying goodbye to having several different chargers for all your handheld gadgets like your mobile phone or MP3 player.
A British start-up called SplashPower has come up with technology that can charge all of them at once, without having to plug any of them into the mains.

The system is based around a small flat mat that plugs into the main electricity supply and a special module inside a gadget.

"You pick up your phone, drop it on the pad and it charges. The pad does all the thinking for you," explained David Whitewood, Vice President of Business Development for SplashPower.

The technology developed by SplashPower is based on the principle of magnetic inductive power transfer.

Inductive charging systems are already used in products like rechargeable electric toothbrushes.

"That technology had a lot of limitations," said Mr Whitewood, "and SplashPower have come up with a solution that works for mobile electronic equipment."

'Green pay-off'

"The cost to add SplashPower technology to phones or MP3 players is very low and very affordable"
David Whitewood, SplashPower

The system works by generating a magnetic field which transfers the energy into a gadget with a Splash module. This in turn transforms the energy into the direct current that the battery uses to recharge.

The company says the system is perfectly safe and will not even wipe credit cards if you accidentally put one on the pad.

The Cambridge-based company is talking to the big electronics manufacturers about integrating the technology into their products.

"The cost to add the SplashPower technology to phones or MP3 players is very low and very affordable," said Mr Whitewood.

The company says the technology will only add 25 cents to the cost of a device and the module itself is less than a millimetre thick.

The system could hold added benefits for businesses such as mobile phone manufacturers as it could help them cut costs.

"You don't have to put a charger in every box if you implement splashpower in your products," said Mr Whitewood, "and there's a green pay-off in that.

"Every time you change your mobile phone, you perhaps keep your charger in a drawer or throw it away. With SplashPower, you wouldn't have to do that."

The company hopes to see the first pads on sale by the end of the year, costing between $25 and $50

SRV-1 Mobile Surveillance Robot

Mars Rover for your Home

Explore the dangerous terrain of your home or office with the SRV-1 Mobile Robot. This palm sized bot packs tank-like treads, a 32-bit ARM processor and a mini video camera. The included wireless transmitter interfaces via USB with any PC up to 300 feet away. The Java based host software supports Windows, Mac or Linux OS and features a built-in web server to monitor and control the SRV-1 Robot with a web browser anywhere in the world. Live video from the robot updates at a few frames per second and runs at resolutions of up to 320 x 240. The built in proximity sensors can be toggled on or off to assist when driving the robot manually. An autonomous roving mode allows the SRV-1 to explore independently while avoiding obstacles. Video surveillance recording can be scheduled based on time or date and saved as an AVI video file. Built in web based user-management controls who has access to pilot the robot or change settings. Multiple users can watch the live video feed from the robot without having access to control it. The included software is completely open source on both the host computer end and the robot firmware. Budding programmers can exploit some other nifty features of the robot such as visual object tracking.

Important Note:
The SRV-1 Mobile Robot comes fully assembled and ready to use, but requires some basic technical knowledge of Java and the command line to set-up the software. If you feel comfortable tinkering and have had experience configuring a basic web server you should be in fine shape.




Product Features

* Drive robot manually via web browser with live video feed
* Built in proximity sensors can be toggled on or off to assist when driving the robot manually
* Archive video on demand or via schedule
* Control access to robot and video feed via multiple user accounts
* Roving mode allows autonomous exploration with basic vision detection
* Wireless control up to 300 feet from host computer
* Fully open source and programmable

Hardware Specifications

* Robot moves at 20cm - 40cm /second (about 1/2 mile/hour or 1 ft/sec) with variable speed control and differential steering
* 60MIPS ARM7TDMI 32-bit processor
* Digital video camera with resolution from 80x64 to 640x480 pixels (Currently only up-to 320 x 240 supported in software)
* Four infrared sensors detect object proximity and allow communication with other Robots
* Zigbee USB 802.15.4 wireless module included (Range 100m indoors and 1000m line-of-sight)
* Updatable internal robot firmware
* Internal 7.2V 2AH Li-ion battery pack, provides operation in excess of 4 hours
* Included AC Adapter for Charging Robot (100-240V 50/60Hz)

Software Specifications

* JAVA based Control Application Runs on Windows, Mac OS, and Linux
* Robot firmware source code, written in GNUARM-compatible C, is available under open source (GPL) release

(Via:ThinkGeek)

iPhone court battle put on hold

The legal dispute between Apple and Cisco Systems over the iPhone name has been temporarily suspended.

Cisco's lawsuit has not stopped, but the two firms have agreed to extend talks aimed at "reaching agreement on trademark rights and interoperability".

The Apple iPhone, which the company has said will hit shelves in June, was launched last month in San Francisco.

Cisco immediately sued Apple for trademark infringement; Cisco has its own line of internet-enabled iPhones.

The company, which makes much of the hardware that underpins the internet, has owned the trademark on the iPhone name since 2000 after it acquired another company Infogear.

Different uses

Infogear's original filing for the trademark dates to 20 March, 1996. Cisco's Linksys division has been producing a range of wireless VOIP phones under the name since 2006.

The phones allow users to make calls over the internet

Apple unveiled its iPhone at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco in January.

The touch screen phone allows users to download music and videos and comes in two versions - one with 4GB of storage space, the other with 8GB.
At the time. Mark Chandler, senior vice president and general counsel for Cisco said: "There is no doubt that Apple's new phone is very exciting, but they should not be using our trademark without our permission."

Apple responded by saying the lawsuit was "silly" and that Cisco's trademark registration was "tenuous at best".

"There are already several companies using the name iPhone for Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) products," said Apple spokesman Alan Hely.

"We are the first company to ever use the iPhone name for a cell phone, and if Cisco wants to challenge us on it we are very confident we will prevail."

Under US federal law, two companies are allowed to share the same name providing their uses are not similar.

Apple is no stranger to trademark battles. Last year the company was sued by Apple Corps, the Beatles' recording company, over its entry into the music business. Apple Corps lost the case.

The extended talks between Cisco and Apple are aimed at resolving the dispute before it goes to court.

A joint statement from the two companies read: "Apple and Cisco have agreed to extend the time for Apple to respond to the lawsuit to allow for discussions between the companies with the aim of reaching agreement on trademark rights and interoperability."
(via:BBC)

Portable Temperature Data Logger

Log temperatures - and then graph them!

The Portable Temperature Logger is a single channel logging device that can record up to 52,000 measurement samples of temperature in user selectable intervals ranging from 1 second to 12 hours. The unit can then be connected to your computer via USB for retrieving and graphing the data using the included software.

In addition to recording samples at set intervals, the Portable Temperature Logger can also record events (such as low battery, button pushes, or connection to a PC). So, you can press the button on the front of the logger unit for one second and the unit will record "button down" and "button up" events. This is useful if you want to mark the datafile at a certain point in time, for later reference. The unit can be programmed to start at a specific time and date or via a manual push-button start.

This gadget is great for server rooms, wine cellars, mad scientist laboratories, caffeine storage facilities, or any location where temperature is an important consideration. It can also be used around the home to check for furnace short-cycling or programmable thermostat settings.


* Temperature range: -4° to 158°F (-20° to 70°C)
* Resolution: 0.2°F at 77°F (0.1°C at 25°C)
* Battery life: 1 year typical use (CR-2032 lithium)
* Dimensions: 2.4" x 1.85" x .75" (6 x 4.7 x 1.9 cm)
* Weight: .82 oz (26 grams)
* Includes: data logger, software CD, USB cable, mounting kit with magnet/hook-loop tape & double-sided tape
* One year warranty
(Taken from:ThinkGeek)

Picoo-Z Micro Remote Control Helicopter

Possibly the best flying toy yet!

Only 17 cms long and weighing an incredible10 grams,the amazing new Picoo Z is a fascinating flying machine that is super stable and easy to fly in the smallest of spaces, and unbelievably fits in the palm of your hand for fantastic desk space fun!�

PicooZ comes with very unique roto-blade mechanism that provides strong and steady lifting power for flying. Equipped with sophisticated design on rudder mechanism, PicooZ can hover very steadily in the air. Two-channel and digital proportional remote control provide players smooth maneuverability.

Supplied completely ready-to-fly with an innovative pre-installed two channel proportional wide beam infra red control system, the lightweight Lithium Polymer flight battery will provide flights of up to10 minutes between charges driving two powerful micro motors, yet can be recharged in less than half an hour with the portable charger provided.

The great value Picco Z Micro Helicopter is remarkably robust made of tough expanded Polypropylene foam, features a blue LED strobe light, and incorporates an auto stability system to make this easy to operate both indoors and outside in calm conditions.
Technical Specification:

* Product Dimensions: Main Rotor Diameter 130mm (5.25")
* Length 170mm (6.5") excluding rotors. Rear Rotor diameter 30mm (1.25")
* Product Weight: Only 10g, including Flight Battery
* Rechargeable Flight Battery: High capacity integral Lithium Polymer battery
* Charger: Integral Transmitter/Charger supplied with LED indicator/Auto shut off
* Simply plug in and charge, with easy to use connections
* Charging Time: 20-30 minutes for full charge
* Flight Duration: 5-10 minutes between charges
* Batteries Required: 6 x 1.5v AA Alkaline Batteries for Transmitter/Charger
* Control Specification: Supplied completely assembled and already charged
* Ready-to-fly, with pre-installed 2 Channel Proportional Infra Red Control System
* Take off, hover and descend, turn left and right with fixed forward movement.
* Range: Up to 10m (30ft). Frequency: Infra Red Control System - Bands
* Instruction Manual included: Providing helpful tips for the new Helicopter Pilot
* Age Recommendation: 8+ Adult supervision recommended for operation.
(Taken from:GadgetsAll Rights reserved with them)

Connecting the digital home

It has long been promised that the PC will become the entertainment hub of the home. However, the problem with this vision is that our computers tend to sit in the bedroom and means getting those movies, music and pictures the last few metres to the living room is a real pain.
This year's CES - the world's largest consumer gadget show - boasts a wealth of new kit which aims to make it easier to access digital media around the home - and in particular on TV screens.

Ideas on what should be at the centre of it all vary, from PC-based media centres, digital video recorders or even video game consoles.

Microsoft is promoting its Xbox 360 as the place to store and access movies and songs.

"Xbox 360 is at its heart, the world's best games console and we're continuing to sell it very well. But we also know that people have it connected to their TV, and that means they want to see movies," said Robert Bach of Microsoft.

"So we've added a Download Movie service, we've added an HD DVD movie player to it. You want to play music, so you can take your MP3 player or Zune player, and plug it in and see your music.

"Here we're announcing that you can take IPTV digital TV services and run them on top of an Xbox 360."

It should be pointed out that the downloads are only available to those that have a hard drive for their Xbox 360.

Sony's PS3 console does something similar.
Microsoft's ambitions also include its Media Centre software which has not made the impact some had hoped for. It will now get a boost by being integrated into all but the most basic versions of Microsoft's new PC operating system - Vista.

The consumer versions of Vista is scheduled for launch on 30 January.

Apple is getting in on the act too. At the MacWorld show Apple boss Steve Jobs gave more details of Apple TV - the set-top box which uses iTunes to stream media to a television.

Various launches at CES suggest that moving files around the house should be easy. We have more choices now than ever before - hardwire Ethernet cables, Bluetooth or wi-fi.

Netgear's new Digital Entertainer set-top box is one of several here that let you stream HD pictures from your PC over wi-fi to the TV.

But obstructions and interference may hamper a steady picture.

Compatibility

Presuming we can move our digital media files around without too much problem, you then have to consider the alphabet soup which is compression formatting - or codecs - which allow all your devices to understand each other, otherwise you will not see a thing.

"I think it's unbelievably frustrating because you purchase the music expecting to be able to play it where you would like to play it and then you find out later that this is not quite the case."
John MacFarlane, Sonos

"Many of the files that people would like to buy and download, including movies and TV shows, are actually protected with what's called DRM, that is Digital Rights Management software," said Josh Bernoff an analyst from Forrester Research.

"A lot of this software is incompatible with some of these devices.

"So for example, if you buy a movie or TV show from iTunes it'll work fine on your iPod but it's unlikely to work on, say, your Xbox 360 that happens to be connected to the same setup."

Slowly this is changing. For instance, last month if you had bought a rights-protected Windows music file it would not have played on Sonos' high-end multi-room streaming system.

After a year of negotiations Sonos' hardware can now support those files. Now the boss of Sonos wants Apple to also open up, claiming it is customers who lose out.

"I think it's unbelievably frustrating because you purchase the music expecting to be able to play it where you would like to play it and then you find out later that this is not quite the case," said John MacFarlane of Sonos.

"That's not, generally, well explained at the point of purchase."

The steady march of technology is also helping break down these barriers. For instance, a new PC to TV chip by start-up Quartics might help audio and video streaming compatibility.

It allows any files your laptop can read to be streamed over wi-fi to your TV or digital projector.

It is hoped the chip - which can be updated with any new video formats as they emerge - will be integrated into some TVs by the end of the year.

Many companies are supporting a set of standardised formats through industry groups like the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA).

And the new faster 802.11n standard for wi-fi should soon be ratified, which will help boost consumers' confidence in streaming video.

But for now it might be best to take all the hype with a pinch of salt.

Will Zune be music to your ears?

Regular commentator Bill Thompson looks over Microsoft's Zune player and download service and finds it lacking in pizzazz.
Now that Microsoft has unveiled all the parts making up its Zune music service we can begin to see how it stacks up against the iPod and other MP3 players.

The version of the player that comes in brown has attracted a lot of attention, though that may be just because it's one of the few novelties in an announcement that confirmed most of the leaks that had been circulating for months.

However, it's hardly going to make or break Zune in the market, and anyway it's surely only a matter of time before the player gets snap-on covers like many mobile phones or the Xbox 360.

Prices aren't available yet, presumably because Microsoft wants to make sure that it undercuts Apple's pricing for the iPod and will wait until the last possible moment to reveal them.

After all, Apple has just dropped the iPod's price below the Zune player's rumoured $299 (£160).

Sounds good

Details of the store are sketchy, but as well as buying individual tracks there will be a "Zune pass" subscription service that offers unlimited downloads for a monthly fee.

It's not clear whether you'll lose access to the tracks if you stop your subscription, but somehow I doubt that Microsoft would be foolish enough to do that.

Zune Specifications:

• 30 GB hard drive
• FM radio
• 7.6cm screen
• 320x240 resolution
• 802.11 wireless
• Available in black, white and brown

But there is one significant difference between the Zune player and an iPod, and that's wireless. The player comes with wi-fi, which means that lots of cool things become possible, stuff you can't do on an iPod because its only link to the world is through a USB cable.

You won't be able to download music directly from the store to the player using wi-fi, although that must be coming soon. But you will be able to let other Zune users listen to your music by giving them tracks from your player via wireless, a feature that may well turn the heads of the white headphones brigade.

Sharing music between players is an idea that's been around for a long time. Tech journalist Andrew Orlowksi suggested a "Bluetooth iPod" three years ago, with a "what am I listening to?" menu option that lets other people on the bus or train listen in.

Share price

It was a great idea, but it's not surprising that it has taken so long to happen.

Microsoft and Apple, like the rest of the technology industry, will happily restrict the capabilities of their products to keep the entertainment industry happy, and anything that would seem to let users have control over the songs they have paid for is often unacceptable.

Even the new "Zune to Zune" service is restricted in order to keep the record companies happy. You'll only be able to listen to a song you've been sent up to three times over three days, and then you'll be expected to buy it.

There's no indication of how often you'll be able to share unprotected music from other sources, like songs ripped from CDs that you actually own, but the chances are that this too will be limited.
Given the limitations, it may be too much to claim that player-to-player sharing is a way of "building community around new bands", as Microsoft product manager Scott Erickson put it at the launch, but it is an interesting feature that opens up many intriguing possibilities, and even limited sharing is a start.

We should also remember that there is a good track record of hackers opening up Microsoft hardware, as happened with the original Xbox, so we may see more open sharing become possible for those willing to hack the hardware they own.

And if Microsoft really does want to take on Apple then it will soon offer player-to-player streaming and other network-based services. Messenger, Xbox Live and online maps, anyone?

Lost leaders

While Zune is clearly aimed at Apple's iPod/iTunes there are other players in this market and they may well be rather annoyed with Microsoft.

Creative, iRiver, Samsung, Archos and other companies making and selling music players will now have both Microsoft and Apple to compete with, and the chances of them being around in five years must be slim indeed unless Microsoft decides to let them in on its music store and services.

Napster has already started to reposition itself, offering free 512MBb MP3 players to anyone who signs up for a three month subscription. It is trying to move music closer to the mobile phone model, where you get the hardware from your service provider at a deep discount, and pay through monthly subscriptions.

It's a brave attempt to commodify what, for the moment at least, is a highly visible and branded product. And it goes completely against the Apple model, a model which now has explicit support from Microsoft, so I wouldn't hold my breath.
Zune players will be out in time for Christmas, but things will get interesting in a year or so when those who were first to buy iPods start looking for replacements.

Once these early adopters find that they can't buy a music player from anyone else because all of their expensively acquired iTunes downloads are locked by Apple's FairPlay digital rights management technology and will only play on an Apple player, they may get annoyed.

If that annoyance turns into regulation obliging Apple to license FairPlay to others then Zune could be in the right place at the right time to pick up large numbers of users.

As we have seen with the Xbox, Microsoft can afford to wait for the market to arrive, and once the switch from iPods begins it will be unstoppable.

With all that is positive about the new player, it's a shame that the name is so difficult to take seriously.

"Zune" doesn't work for me, and I can't see it ever taking off in the way that "iPod" did. So I doubt we'll ever find ourselves talking about "zunecasts", however successful Microsoft's latest foray into hardware proves to be.
BBC news

No ceasefire in DVD format battle

The high definition DVD format war will continue until a winner is declared, technology watchers have heard.

Blu-ray and HD-DVD are battling to become the pre-eminent hi-def format to replace the slowing DVD market.

The two formats are incompatible with each other and so consumers are being asked to choose both the player and the system when moving to high definition.

There is also no sign of the two camps working on a unified format, the Consumer Electronics Show was told.

'Wasted opportunity'

Some believe the industry at large is being damaged by the war due to consumer confusion.

Ben Keen, chief analyst with Screen Digest, said: "There is an awful lot of people in the US and Europe who have HD displays and no hi-def content.

"That's a wasted opportunity at this point. The industry is not exploiting that opportunity."

"The growth of the industry is much slower than it could be," agreed Dr H G Lee, chief technology officer of LG Electronics, which has announced the first player to accept both formats.
"We recognise that the two formats are here to stay."

But the backers of Blu-ray are much more bullish and are predicting victory.

Blu-ray has more backing from film studios and more makers of the players, but HD-DVD has sold equally well in the first year of release.

But the Blu-ray camp believes a library of exclusive titles and the power of PlayStation 3 - which has an in-built Blu-ray player - will see the format pull ahead in the next 12 months.


No-one is going to buy any player without good array of content
Andy Parsons
US Blu-ray Disc Association chairman

Mike Dunn, president of worldwide home entertainment for 20th Century Fox, said: "I really believe the format war is in its final phase."

Supporters of Blu-ray believe that the late arrival to the market in 2006 of new next generation Blu-ray DVD players has given a more even picture than is true.
Studio backing

Currently there is an even number of titles available for both formats but most analysts predict there will be more content available for Blu-ray than HD-DVD next year.

Seven of the eight major US film studios back Blu-ray and five of them are exclusive to the format.

Andy Parsons, chairman of the US Blu-ray Disc Association, said: "It comes down to content and selection of content. No-one is going to buy any player without good array of content.
"As title population grows consumers will quickly see which platform has the titles."

In an ominous sign for HD-DVD, the backers of Blu-ray revealed that of the 20 biggest selling DVDs of 2006 the vast majority were from film studios supporting Blu-ray.

Toshiba and Microsoft, the principal backers of HD-DVD, see the future very differently.

They believe that the cheaper cost of HD-DVD - both in terms of hardware and the ability of firms to produce content on HD-DVD disks gives them the advantage.

Amir Majidimehr, corporate vice president of consumer technology at Microsoft, said the dual format player by LG - originally a Blu-ray only backer - was proof of the vitality of HD-DVD.


LG is saying that HD-DVD is not dying
Amir Majidimehr
Microsoft corporate vice president of consumer technology

"LG are recognising there is a thriving market for HD-DVD. That's the most positive thing for me.

"It's going to show the way to other Blu-ray exclusive companies. LG is saying that HD-DVD is not dying.

"You can wish it goes away but I'm here to ensure that it doesn't."

Microsoft has sold more than 175,000 and says that they sold out as quickly as they were made.

Toshiba has said that it plans to sell more than 1.8m HD-DVD players in 2007.

Mr Majidimehr predicted that the lifespan of both formats would also be less than the current DVD format.

It has lasted 10 years with great success but Mr Majidimehr said the technology would be superseded by developments in online delivery of hi-def content.

Skype™ Cordless Phone

"Stick it to the Man" Wirelessly

Shhh... don't tell your phone company but there's this little service called Skype™ that, using your PC and some internet black magic, lets you talk to anyone, anywhere in the world for free. What's that you say? You already know about Skype™ and have been using it for months to call your cousin Sven in Copenhagen... Ahh. But wouldn't it be delightful to roam your house freely while you and Sven chat about how Empire Strikes Back really was the best Star Wars movie ever made and how newer technology and special effects don't necessarily make a better film?

Enter the Linksys Skype™ Cordless Phone. Rather than be tethered to your PC for all your Skype™ calls you can "stick it to the man" wirelessly by making and receiving free calls from every room in your house. The compact handset sports a color LCD allowing you to display your Skype™ contact list, connection status, and see who is calling with Caller ID. Built in speakerphone on the handset is a nice extra.

Simply plug in the USB base station to your PC, install the included software and be Skyping in no time. You even get 60 free SkypeOut minutes... to call those pesky friends who don't already use Skype™.


*Features

• Complete cordless Internet phone solution for Skype™
• Connects Skype™ to Skype™
• Connects Skype™ to regular phone lines (with Skype™Out service)
• Connects regular phone lines to Skype™ (with Skype™In service)
• Plug and dial—easy to install and easy to use
• Expandable up to 4 handsets with a single base station Intercom support allows talk between multiple handsets
• Built-in speakerphone in handset
• Graphical color LCD display with status indicators
• Display your Skype™ Contact list on the handset screen
• Superior sound quality
• Voice encryption for maximum security
• 120 hours standby time, 10 hours talk time
• Base station with USB connection to connect to your PC

* System Requirements

• PC with 400 MHz Processor
• 128 MB RAM
• One Available USB Connection
• 15 MB Hard Disk Space Available for Installation
• Windows XP, 2000
• Skype™ Application (Included) Installed on PC
• CD-ROM Drive
• Internet Connection (cable/DSL/other)

* Package Contents

• 2 NiMH Batteries
• Charger with Power Adapter
• USB Base Station with 5 foot USB Cable
• Quick Installation
• Setup Wizard CD with Skype™ Software
• Registration Information Card

X-Ray Thunder 8 Gaming Pad

Dual-Surface Design

A mousepad worthy of its own spiffy tin carrying case? You bet. The Thunder8 Gaming pad is no ordinary mousepad. It features a unique dual-surface design which allows you to switch from a smooth, to a more textured mousing surface to determine which works best with your mouse of choice. To prevent any slippage, its base is firmly held to your desk with silicone rubber feet (and the assistance of gravity, of course).

In another effort to please the ubergamer in you, the Thunder8 also includes a cord clip, to keep your mouse cord from impeding your gaming efforts. All you have to do now is decide which color base you prefer for your Thunder8 Pad. And cross off "crappy mouse pad" from your list of excuses at the next LAN party...
Thunder8 Gaming Mousepad

• ABS Base: Super slim, Washable, Excellent Chemical Resistance
• Double-sided surface allows you to choose which side is best for you
• Easy Lift Hole: Change easily between the two sides
• Rubber feet prevent slippage across your desk
• Enhanced Cord Clip: Easy in and out design keeps your mouse cord out of the way
• Tin packaging provides enhance protection during travel
• Dimensions: 11.4" x 9.3" x .2"

Mvix Wireless HD Media Center

Mvix Now in HD and Wireless!

The venerable Mvix player and enclosure took a quantum leap forward in ability and coolness. First, it's a drive enclosure...you have to supply your own hard drive..., but you can put any size 3.5" IDE hard drive. Any size. What size you got? Trust me, that'll fit. Second, it connects to your network either via Ethernet or 802.11b/g/pre-N MIMO. Third, it's a media player that connects to your HDTV via composite, component, s-video or DVI.

What you want more? Okay, how about it's massive file support? It can do Mpeg-1/2/4, VOB, WMV 9, DivX, and Xvid. It'll play your MP3's, WMA's, AAC's, Ogg files, or straight-up WAV and AC3. It can do it all from its internal hard drive, an external USB drive, or even stream off of your other computers over the network.

More? Wow, you're greedy! Okay, it will also display your photos for you, showing you a happy little slideshow while you listen to your music files.

Last, but not least, it will do all this while upsampling to 1920 x 1080i.

• Processor: SEM8621L
• Operating System: ucLinux
• Video Formats: DivX (3/4/5), AVI, Xvid, MPEG, VCD(DAT), DVD(VOB, IFO), WMV-9, TP, TS, TRP
• Audio Formats: MP3, WMA, AAC, OGG, PCM, AC3, DTS (pass-thru and downmixing)
• Image Formats: BMP, JPEG/JPG, PNG
• Video Output: Composite, S-Video, Component, and DVI
• Audio Output: Stereo RCA, 5.1 channel RCA, Coaxial, Optical
• TV Standard: NTSP, PAL or AUTO
• Hi-Def Decoding: HD Component Y, Pb, Pr (480p, 720p, 1080i) / HD DVI (480, 720, 1080i, 1080p)
• Audio Decoding: MPEG-1 AND MPEG-2 Laysers I, II, and III (MP3), and MPEG-2 BC multi-channel layers I, II and III, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 AAC-LC, WMA9 and WMA9 Pro
• Networking: RJ-45 Ethernet (10/100), Wireless 802.11b/g/Pre-N MIMO
• Network Security: WEP and MAC filtering
• Hard Disk Type: 3.5" Internal IDE(PATA)
• Power: AC-DC Adapter 12V, 2.5a
• Dimension: 187mm(w) x 193mm(h) x 58mm(d) or 7.4"(w) x 7.6"(h) x 2.3"(d)

Microsoft and Apple battle for connected world

Technology giants Microsoft and Apple will set out their rival visions of the digital future at two separate events in the coming days.

On Sunday Bill Gates will open the Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas with a speech focusing on Microsoft's role in the connected world.

The digital home and the move to a high definition age will dominate the agenda at CES, say analysts.

On Tuesday in San Francisco, Apple boss Steve Jobs will address Mac devotees.

Devices which move digital content around the home - from PC to PC and to TVs, hi-fis and other products - have been available for some years but the digital living room battleground is still to be won.

Companies such as Netgear, D-Link, HP and Intel are all expected to unveil new products at CES which make it easier to hook up the digital home and share content such as films and music.
These companies have allied themselves with Microsoft's vision of connectivity and on Sunday evening Mr Gates will deliver the opening keynote of CES and is expected once again to concentrate on the themes of digital content in the home and beyond.

Microsoft has partnered with a number of companies around the world - including BT in the UK - to help deliver video content via the net, called IPTV, and to offer a platform for sharing content built around its new operating system, Vista.

Analyst Michael Gartenberg, Jupiter research director, said: "I expect a strong push from Microsoft relating to Vista.
"This will also likely be Bill Gates' final CES. It will be his swan song and I expect a lot of nostalgia during the evening."

He added: "Apple will not be physically present, but will cast a huge shadow over the show."

In fact, there may well be a mass exodus from CES on Monday night to San Francisco ahead of Apple chief executive Steve Jobs giving his keynote speech.

'Critical part'

"Apple has gone from being just another computer manufacturer to being a critical part of the consumer electronics industry," said Mr Gartenberg.
Apple is tipped to give more details about its iTV device, which shares video and other digital content around the home; a key part of its digital home strategy.

Analyst Sean Wargo said: "The networked home is such a complicated technology - you've got networking infrastructure that needs to be in place, you need devices that can tie into that network and you need content.

"Each year there has been developments in one or all of these areas. The latest development has been around the interface you use to interact or manage that content."

With Apple choosing its own path in San Francisco and many companies in Las Vegas securely attached to Microsoft's vision for the digital home, with Vista at the centre of plans, there are two key rival strategies for the future emerging.

Swarming

More than 140,000 people will attend CES, swarming over more than three million square feet of conference halls, housing the latest digital devices and gadgets

Mr Wargo, director of industry analysis at the Consumer Electronics Association, the organiser of CES, said: "One of the other major themes of this year is the services and content that feed the networked home."

Mr Wargo said the drive for higher resolutions and "beyond hi-def" displays, cameras and games consoles would be the stars of the show.

"High definition TV is driving industry growth now - in the US we are going through a massive display upgrade cycle.

"We're seeing unprecedented volume of TV selling through retail right now. It's pushing that market to new heights. It is now the single biggest product category."

Mr Gartenberg said the focus of CES would be the ongoing move from analogue to digital lives, both in the domestic and business worlds.

'Huge content'

"There will be a lot of stuff related to the digital home - especially for people who have problems with building and managing these huge content libraries of video, music and photos."

Mr Wargo said next generation DVD would certainly be part of the buzz of the show. A lot of people I would expect would be talking about the two formats and whether they will persist for a considerable amount of time."

Blu-ray and HD-DVD are rival and incompatible high definition DVD formats and have a number of different backers.

Sony is the flag-bearer for Blu-ray while Toshiba and Microsoft are firmly in the HD-DVD camp.
Mr Wargo said: "Attendees will be looking for signs of one format pulling ahead of the other or if both formats can coexist."

The battle may be altered following the news that Korean giant LG is to announce a DVD player which can play both formats.

The appearance of Yahoo and Google at last year's show reflected the rising importance of content and services to the digital home and Mr Wargo said he expected 2007 to be no different.

"We are seeing two fronts maturing - the hardware and operating system that will control this system and the content that will feed it.

"There's a story of how the online community is emerging as a potential competitor to the cable, satellite and packaged media industry.

The fact that Walt Disney and CBS are giving keynotes tell the story of how this market place is really growing beyond the boundaries of hardware and moving into content and software."

Security bug found in PDF reader

Web users are being urged to upgrade their Adobe reader software as a security flaw is found in older versions of the program.

Millions of people use the reader software to view documents prepared in the popular PDF format.

Security researchers said malicious hackers exploiting the flaw could view victim's hard drives or use it to make phishing scams look more plausible.

So far there is no evidence that the bug is being exploited in the wild.

The flaw is found in the web browser plug-in of the Adobe Reader software. Ordinarily this allows PDF documents to be viewed in a browser window.

But by exploiting the flaw hi-tech criminals could use links to PDF files stored on any website to attack vulnerable Windows PCs.

Information about the flaw in the Adobe reader software was first revealed at the annual conference of the Chaos Computer Club - a venerable German hacker group.

Since then security researchers have investigated and found that it could also be used to view files on the hard drive of a vulnerable PC.

Writing about the flaw Symantec security researcher Hon Lau said: "The ease [with] which this weakness can be exploited is breathtaking."

So far no cyber criminals are thought to be actively exploiting the Adobe Reader flaw but code to do so has been produced.

Initially it was thought that only users of the Firefox web browser were at risk but now it is known that Internet Explorer users are vulnerable too.

Upgrading to version 8 of the Adobe Reader software removes the risk of falling victim to the flaw.