Bag o’ Tech

It has happened to everyone at some point, they are driving along and discover that they are now lost.  It use to be, that if you were lost your best option was to flag down assistance to get directions, today with so many advancements in technology, a driver has all the information they need at their fingertips thanks to GPS navigator information.

How Does GPS Navigator Work

The system of GPS, which stands for Global Position Satellites, is a process that uses different satellites to track a specific device and then transmit that information to a user.  For GPS navigator information, a consumer has a system in their car and they input where they want to go.  The system then lays out a route that is quickest for the consumer.

The GPS navigator system allows for the consumer to quickly find their destination and displays a map of how to get there.  Some of the GPS navigator systems also give verbal directions so the driver need not take their eyes off of the road while they continue driving.  The screens are generally wide allowing for the driver to have a good view of the area and street names as they travel along.

Some car manufactures have installed these devices into their models as a luxury feature for the consumers.  A GPS navigator system is a popular choice for many consumers and the car makers have realized the benefits of having this product on board.

A GPS navigator system can also be purchased separately and placed in a vehicle. This has both a good side and a down side.  The benefit to this type of product is the ability to move it to another vehicle so that it can be used with different cars and drivers.  The downside is that it can also be stolen easy as it is transferable, where vehicles that have it built in make it much more of a challenge to take.

A GPS navigator system is truly one of the most up to date features a vehicle can have and these systems are the wave of the future.  Being able to accurately map out what direction a consumer needs to take, is an advantage for anyone that travels.

Consumers on vacation can enjoy the benefits of not getting lost on their way and finding nearby restaurants and site seeing tours too. Whether it is a GPS navigator system that is included in the car or one that is purchased separately, this type of system has many advantages that consumers are demanding.

You’re at the store and you’re looking at all the digital camcorders trying to decide which one to buy. They’re all about the same price but some boast more features than others. Some are really small and some just average. Of course, nowadays, most are no bigger than the size of your hand, but you just can’t decide which digital camcorder to lay your hard earned money on. Then, you see the name Hitachi. Hitachi is known for quality products, especially when it comes to camcorders. Is this Hitachi digital camcorder like all the other Hitachi products? There’s only one way to find out.

Consumer Reports

You should never make a decision like buying a digital camcorder just on appearance alone. Before you even go to the store, read some consumer reports. When you look online or pick up a consumer reports magazine, you can then determine if the Hitachi digital camcorder is like all the other phenomenal Hitachi electronic devices. It’s then that you’ll likely be pleasantly surprised. Not only does the Hitachi digital camcorder boast high ratings from experts and amateurs alike, but their digital camcorders are easy to use and they produce quality picture and sound. That’s exactly what you’re looking for in a digital camcorder.

Is It Worth The Money?

You don’t want to be one of those people who gets home, opens up the digital camcorder they just bought and then determines if the product was worth the money you laid down for it. Read those reports, ask people you know and do some research of your own before you buy any electronic product. However, when you see the name Hitachi, you know you’re getting a quality product. Hitachi digital camcorders stand out amongst the rest. You know when you use a Hitachi digital camcorder, that you’re capturing all your favorite moments using a quality product that’s well worth the money you’ll pay for it.

So don’t be one of those people who goes to the store and picks out the first high dollar digital camcorder that catches their eye. Do some research and make an educated guess even though you see the Hitachi brand of digital camcorder. Know that the Hitachi digital camcorder is truly worth all the money you pay for it by looking at consumer reviews, expert reviews and getting the opinions of people you know and trust. That’s the best way to find out if a product is worth all the money you pay for it.

Nothing’s shocking — except phantom power. [via BuzzFeed]

RIM’s BlackBerry “Storm” smartphone — the one with the clickable touchscreen, but no QWERTY keyboard — fell through the reviews hamper today. The reviews almost all read as guardedly positive at first glance, but even a cursory reading finds big flaws in the Storm’s interface.

Mossberg said that “neither I, nor any of the several BlackBerry addicts I asked to try it out, considered typing on the Storm’s keyboard to be very similar to using the keyboard of a traditional full-sized BlackBerry,” but ultimately concluded that it’s “another good option for anyone who is looking to buy one of the new, more powerful, pocket computers.”

Matt Buchanan said “I kind of came to hate typing on it” and called it “tiring”.

Joshua Topolsky, quested if the clicky touchscreen could “actually improve the experience of using this sort of device — and in our opinion, they do not.”

Danny Dumas says the laggy operating system “moves like a tranquilized yak,” and that it’s not as good as RIM’s own Bold, let alone the iPhone.

Yardena Arar, from PC World described it as “awkward and disappointing,” and that “People who were hoping for a credible iPhone alternative fortified with BlackBerry’s strengths as a mobile tool for corporate travelers will likely find the Storm a disappointment.”

Laptop Mag’s Mark Spoonauer knocks the “sluggish performance,” issuing a verdict that stops short of outright condemnation: “The one thing that most BlackBerry users have grown accustomed to—a superior keyboard—is frustrating to use on the Storm.”

Peter Ha at CrunchGear won’t be ditching his current model: ” I wish the Storm were the real iPhone killer, but it’s not…”

So, who, apart from Mossberg, liked it?

Boy Genius Report goes back and forth at length, but its firmest points are the positive ones: “This is the best phone to ever touch Verizon Wireless so far. If you’re a Verizon Wireless subscriber and a dumb phone won’t cut it, you’d be pretty air-headed to not pick this bad boy up above any other smartphone in Verizon’s lineup. … “

David Ciccone at Mobility Today offers unreserved praise: “We will not compare the iPhone to the Storm since the iPhone is clearly not a full fledged business messaging device. If you are in the market for a new phone the Storm definitely has to be on your holiday list this year! Great job RIM!”

$40. For the death metal, flea market sociopath and multi-tasking, Weapon X mohel alike.

Tomahawk Skull Gauntlet [Budk via Slippery Brick]

While cod liver oil has been clinically proven to have positive effects on the hearts, bone and brain, as well as to nourish the skin, hair, nails and relieve arthritis. Anecdotal evidence suggests increased sexual potency. Drawbacks of daily ingestion, on the other hand, include an oral bouquet similar to a fish fully disgorging its cirrhosis-rotted bowels into your mouth. Tonsil hockey professionals, take note.

Once a Day Calendar [Dominic Wilcox]

The glowing irradiated inside of an Apple MacBook, as photographed by the curious Jason de Villa… as seen by the TSA every day!

About a week ago, I was in the mood to do something crazy — anything to help pull myself out of the blue funk I had fallen into. I texted my brother the vet to ask if he had an x-ray machine in his office, and what size his film plates were. I told him that I wanted to try and x-ray my laptop, something that had been on my mind ever since I saw an x-ray of an Apple Titanium PowerBook. He said “No problem,” and two days later I was sitting in his office waiting for him to finish minor surgery on a dog. When he was done and had washed up, he led me to the x-ray machine, asked me to place the laptop on the plate, and signaled for me to step away from the machine. A couple of seconds later the x-ray was done, and after 15 minutes his assistant handed me the developed film. I scanned the developed plate and enhanced the brightness and contrast, and made low-res copies of the file.

The MacBook x-ray and my 15 minutes of (internet) fame [Jason de Villa]

The whisk is a glorious invention with an irritating, Carpal Tunnel inducing mechanism. For about ten seconds, there’s just something so satisfying about using a bulb-shaped wand of intertwined silver wires to stir a sauce to thickening: it even makes the same pleasing onomatopoeic sound of its name. But then there’s ten minutes of tedium on the tail end.

Technology can, of course, do better. The Stirr is a hand free whisk that you just plop into the pot, stirring your sauces or gravies or soup automatically, like some sort of Hogwart’s culinary instrument. It runs on four AA batteries. $23.

Whisking, the hands-free way [Crave]

You won’t get great sound out of any resonance speaker, but the package design on these Sound Resolution speakers by Yorozu Audio is top notch: they come in a little faux milk carton with a speaker printed on the side. $51 is a bit too much to spend, but they’re still cute.

Product Page [Device.net via Gizmodo]

At first look, Nieman Marcus‘ Demy Digital Recipe Reader, with its apparent ease of use, cuddly appearance and eminently original functionality, looks like a perfect christmas gift for grandma.

But it is not. Here’s Wired’s Jose Fermoso:

$300

Digital Recipe Reader Copies iPhone UI, Scams Grandma [Wired]