Super Talent has taken the USB flash drive to new dimensions – literally. The company’s Pico_C flash drive is tiny, measuring just 1.5″ x 0.5″ and weighing in at under six grams. What makes this flash drive truly amazing is its capacity in relation to its size: it is available in capacities of 2GB up to 32GB, which may not seem that high considering flash drives now reach out to over 100GB, but 32GB stuffed into a device smaller than your thumb is pretty remarkable.

Resembling the USB receiver module for a portable mouse, the drive itself is capless, but Super Talent claims that it’s “rugged” as well as water-resistant. And in addition to the standard plastic version, the device is also available with nickel plating and–get this–24k gold plating.

Of course, ruggedness and beauty don’t necessarily do any good if you lose the drive, which seems like a certainty. Still, if choosing from the 32GB models, going for gold isn’t going to break the bank and is likely the best choice, seeing as the price range for plastic, nickel, and gold versions comes in at between $80 and $90, regardless of casing choice.

Read the rest of this entry »

If a normal camera adds 10 pounds, imagine the damage that high-def can do. Still, if you want relive family moments like they were yesterday, nothing looks better than an HD camera/camcorder.

JVC just announced the GZ-HM340 camera, which is the latest and greatest in the company’s Everio line. Aside from being able to take better pictures even when less light is available, the unit offers time-lapse recording, auto record features and a 20X optical zoom. Also, new Everio MediaBrowser software allows for file conversion so you can burn DVDs or stuff all of those special moments into an iPod or iPhone. It also provides instant embarrassment, with one-touch sharing via YouTube.

However, our favorite feature has to be the Advanced Image Stabilizer (A.I.S), which cuts down on the shaky-cam effect — even when you’re walking!

If your family really likes to whoop it up, the GZ-HM340 has 16GB of internal memory and an SD/SDHC card slot. That should be enough to hold grandma’s breakdancing, baby’s first birthday, and everything else you might want to remember.

Of course, high-def memories don’t come cheap. Expect to shell out $499.95 on the Everio GZ-HM340 when it becomes available later this month.

Christmas came a little early for me this year in the form of a 23 inch widescreen monitor I bought for myself a couple of weeks ago and I just wouldn’t have felt right if I didn’t take the time to share it with you. Like most of you, I have been using what I thought was a great little flat screen LCD for the past few years and was totally happy with it… that was until I unboxed this widescreeny goodness.

The HP w2338h full HD monitor truly is one of those things that you don’t know how much you need until you actually have it. From the casual everyday computer user to the full time online worker like myself this sleek and stylish monitor really makes everyday online use a joy and much more productive.

I apologize for not getting this message to you sooner but, there is still time left if you want to pick up one of these at amazon.com. The cheapest price I could find around, with one day shipping for $225 and I couldn’t think of a better gift. If you would rather see it for yourself, my local BestBuy still has a few in stock and if you get the chance, you will not be disappointed. The picture is clear, the HDMI input cuts down on the wires cluttered behind your desk, and the ability to watch widescreen movies right through netflix at your desk is worth the price alone.

For those of you who like the geeky details take a look at the specs below and for those of you who just want to know in layman’s terms like me… this monitor is awesome and the price is so affordable that I was instantly sold. Its not often that someone as picky as me is blown away by a product but for the price, this is hands down the best purchase I made for myself all year long.

• 16:9 aspect ratio for optimal viewing of movies, photos, on-line games
• Brightview technology for reduced glare, sharp images
• Resolution: 1920 x 1080p
• Dynamic contrast ratio: 3000:1
• Response time: 5 ms
• Integrated speakers; 2W per channel
• VGA and HDMI inputs

Joe Scilley used to be an interior renovator, and then he started making incredibly beautiful custom turntables from recycled and reclaimed wood.

On March 14th, Oakland-based Scilly debuted his Audiowood decks at the city’s FiveTen Studios and put a number of different designs on offer, including pieces made from redwood burl and walnut.

One visit to Scilly’s Audiowood site though and it becomes quickly apparent that these one-of-a-kind turntables are selling out fast. However, he’s also available for custom-order work.

According to Scilly, “Most Audiowood turntables are my designs, but I also enjoy working with clients who have their own visions. I build new plinths for vintage turntables and tables that use all-new parts. My all-new tables usually use the Origin Live DC motor controller and quality bearings. Most tables are designed with spacing for Origin Live/Rega arms, but custom tables can be fitted with any arm desired. In the near future I hope to be producing tables with my own platter design incorporating the excellent Teres bearing design. “

Seriously, if you have a vinyl-lover in your life, this is a beautiful gift. Many of Scilly’s rebuilt pieces use a classic AR XA table and are fitted for Rega arms.

Uncle Milton does it again with this Star Wars “The Force” Trainer. Due out in just under 2 months (link leads to a massive countdown clock for the UM Star Wars Science launch), this toy is set to revolutionize the industry. It also kind of gives me the willies.

The Force Trainer has two pieces – the first is a headset equipped with dry EEG sensors (a technology developed by NeuroSky…a name just a little too similar to SkyNet for my tastes). The sensors actually read your brainwaves and then relay that information to a fan inside the toy itself. The idea? The harder you concentrate, the more control you have over the fan. The fan lifts a lightweight ball in the toy, letting you then “control” the rise and fall of the ball.

I am not making this up.

The Force Trainer has 15 training levels and built-in voice guidance from Yoda, your Jedi Master. It’s expected to cost between $90 and $130 (seriously?! that’s it?! are brain wave sensors that cheap?!).

The rest of the Star Wars Science line will clock in at a reasonable $25-$45 price point and includes an optics teaching tool, a Darth Vader Robotic Arm, a Naboo Sea Creatures set (I wonder if they’re all really annoying?), a Dagobah Frog Habitat, a Jedi Telescope, a Jedi Projector and a Mustafar Volcano Kit.

So, how long before The Force Trainer replaces beer pong as the drinking game of choice amongst college students?

I was browsing through the new IKEA products (as you do) and I came across this interesting little lamp for just $19.95.

The SUNNAN lamp, designed by Nicolas Cortolezzis, is IKEA’s first solar cell work lamp and it has a built-in rechargeable solar panel embedded in the base. What I want to know though is how do you go about charging a desk lamp via solar power? Do you move your desk over to the window? Do you set the lamp outside on your lunch hour? Maybe you move your whole desk outside (awesome, but not very practical)?

Apparently, the charge time is about 9-12 hours in direct sunlight. When fully charged, the lamp stays lit for about 4 hours, dimming slightly after about 3 hours. This is a cool, novelty item for someone who’s into solar energy and its applications or who wants to spend a few weeks off the grid, but it’s not very practical for everyday use. Twelve hours of charging for 4 hours of use just doesn’t cut it.

[ Via Ikea ]

I don’t know whether to embrace or run away from this stylish USB & FireWire combination hub by LaCie. What looks like robo-tentacles are actually 4 USB ports, 2 FireWire ports, a USB fan, a USB light and both a USB and FireWire extension cable affixed to flexible cable “arms.”

I think my favorite part is the fan. Are people really getting *that* hot while working at their computers? Couldn’t they just layer or turn down the heat? Maybe a cool glass of water could do the trick? Clearly, I don’t get the appeal of the USB personal fan, but it seems to be a pretty standard USB gadget.

Seriously though, this is an extremely sleek and very multi-functional hub that’s sure to impress Apple lovers (for whom everything must be white) and design aficionados. It kind of reminds me of the camera-ball device from 12 Monkeys, or something built by the Kaminoans (the really tall aliens responsible for building the clone army in Star Wars). It retails for$89.99 on the LaCie site.

The orb-hub was designed exclusively for LaCie by Paris-based Ora-Ïto, the same designer behind the company’s golden hard drives and lego-brick drives.

You may be wondering why this particular universal key finder is so special, well it’s because it sets up one system in your house for all of your frequently lost items, essentially connecting them to one another in a single Bermuda Triangle network. So, your keys are connected to your wallet and they’re both connected to that Blu-Ray remote you’ve been looking for since Christmas.

Here’s how it works, you hang the tags (small, but still somewhat unsightly) on to your keys, cell phone or in your wallet. When you inevitably lose one of those items, simply use any of the tags to locate any other tag in the system. It even features a hotter-colder method (like a metal detector). Once you push the button, a proximity detector will begin to flash, as you get closer to the item, the flash speeds up.

This is a great gift for the guy who spends valuable minutes every morning wondering where he set down his keys.

The Find It All Key Finder starter package starts at $40.00 for a wallet card and two keyfobs can be purchased separately. You can add up to 36 tags if you’re really prone to losing stuff.

I may be dating myself here, but I loved Airwolf. Correct that – I love Airwolf. Was it the best television show of the 80s? Possibly, and definitely better than Knight Rider or Street Hawk (for those of you under the age of 30, these were other, lesser super-vehicles that had their own television shows during the same time period).

And now, now I can live out my wildest dreams with this remote-controlled Airwolf helicopter replica. Designed to look exactly like Airwolf, this black beauty oozes coolness. Plus, it flies (Flying = 10,000 awesome points).

It’s fully licensed, totally remote controlled and it flies like a helicopter. It goes up, down, backwards, forwards, left, right and uses tri-band technology and counter-rotating rotors to do it. That means extra stability, greater control and one smooth ride. It even has tiny little missiles strapped to the bottom (note: missiles do not, unfortunately, fire).

There’s one downside to this working Airwolf replica, it charges in as little as 20-30 minutes, but it only runs for between 6-9 minutes at a time. Great if you want to play with your remote controlled helicopter in short bursts, but not so great if you want to spend an afternoon invoking the spirit of Stringfellow Hawke.

The AirWolf (AIRWOLF? Airwolf?) RC helicopter sells for £39.95 at Firebox, a UK retailer.

The new Samsung TL 320 point-and-shoot looks like a camera my dad used to have in the mid-70s. It’s the twin analog dials (for indicating battery life and memory usage) that do it, along with a very retro-inspired flat front. But, don’t be tricked, this isn’t some old inst-a-matic, it’s a serious camera for the digital age.

• Display: 3″ HVGA OLED display
• Lens: 24mm wide-angle 24-240mm
• Zoom: 5x optical zoom
• Video: 720p H.264 video recording

Did I mention it has HDMI output and a new hardware and software image stabilization design? You can use a wide array of standard automatic controls (which is more my style) or set it to full manual (for those of you know who actually know what “24mm wide-angle 24-240mm lens” means).

It also comes with 11 presets, face detection and “Beauty Shot,” which supposedly smooths out various skin tones, eliminating red blotches and dark circles (much like the trademark “blur” and “soft light” used in GlamourShots).

Seriously though, I think this camera’s biggest selling point is just how darn cool it looks. This, this, is the camera that says “Yeah, I’m a dad, but I’m a cool dad. Please see my tres chic analog dials for proof.” I want to take this camera and sail around Italy, or take pictures of my kid at a soccer game, you get the idea.

It’ll be sold in May in black and silver, for $379.99.