Almost Back on Track… Well, Almost…

Status

Well, the kitchen is still a mess and next week another room is getting a wall repaired, but at least I feel a but better thanks to the folks at Pepcom and CES Unveiled this week. I saw some fun stuff to wrote about and you know I’m needing to get some proper work when the most exciting things I’ve seen in a while were a VERY cool raincoat, a baking scale, some lovely plant-growing kits and a phone from a company most Americans probably haven’t heard about but need to check out for a really cool phone that won’t break their wallets (or itself by bending into improbable banana shapes). Back with some plugs later today.

Pop Scope: Looking To Make You A Better Cameraphone Shutterbug Soon…

Posted on August 13, 2014 by geelw

So, I got a Pop Scope sample to play around with a few days ago and it’s a pretty cool little peripheral for those of you with normal-sized smartphones looking to take some cool selfies or other arty shots and have them look as if you’ve either got super-long arms (or a friend helping you out). This cool little device is a tripod/reach extender that’s lightweight, simple to use and supports phones up to 170 grams (5.99657 ounces… oh, let’s say 6 and get that out of the way). Pop Scope works with any photo timer app (there are a number of free to download timers available for iOS and Android phones), extends from 6.5 to 21 inches and its swivel head can tilt up to 90 degrees, allowing you to get a few formerly impossible angles when you’re out and about by yourself.

Setting up a Pop Scope is fast – just clamp your phone (with that timer app installed, of course) into the holder, pop out the legs, place it on a flat surface, adjust the height as required and you’re all set. As it’s made mostly of lightweight materials, it’s not something you’ll want to whip out on a really windy day. But as the song goes, (warble) “On a clear day, you can see forever…” While it works quite well (and yes, some curious people WILL ask you what you’re attaching to your phone when you use this), if you’re a big tablet user or have one of those fancy curved screen phones, you’ll want to hold out and see if the folks at Pop Scope can whip up something for you in the future. I’d gather they’re looking into that, but for now, the company is going to be running a Kickstarter starting August 21 for this model, expected to sell for around $44.99.

Poke back at that link above around then and if you’re smiling because you’re now thinking of some really cool ways to use that Pop Scope, well… it’s your move.

CE Week: Protection Is The Name Of The Game…

Posted on July 3, 2014 by geelw

It really doesn’t matter at all how much you spend, have spent or will spend on that hot new tech gadget at all if you don’t take care of it, folks. Sure, there are those who dispose of stuff as soon as a new model ships out or if there’s even the hint of an issue with it, but I’d bet most consumers don’t have that luxury in this economy and would be more than happy to have their tech last longer and even work better in some cases. This year’s CE Week was packed with some really cool new and returning products I can highly recommend, so pull up a chair if you haven’t already and maybe take some notes or click away on the following links at your leisure…

STM Bags: I’d only heard of STM about a year or so back from a friend of mine who said they were “the best made laptop bags you’ll ever see”, which I promptly took with a grain of salt, as I’ve seen plenty of well-made carrying bags in my day. Anyway, he showed me the new laptop case his wife got for his birthday gift and I had to agree after poking through it thoroughly that there was some merit to his hyperbole.

These Australian-designed bag, cases and sleeves just look like they’re going places, even if you’re just hoofing it a handful of blocks to the nearest coffee spot to grab a cuppa and work on that great novel you think will rocket you to fame and fortune. Of course, if you walk in with your gear in an STM, people may think you’ve already made it. I guess that’s a sign of accomplishment, that looking successful stuff, as some of us have trouble finding a pair of socks that properly match (raises hand and waves it around)…

STM actually gave away that same model this year as a freebie to anyone who popped up at their booth with either the postcard they’d sent out or a mention of the email they shot around to a bunch of lucky attendees. As my own laptop is bigger than the bag handed out, I ended up getting someone who’s birthday was coming up a little replacement for his bag when it finally needs replacing and I’m betting he’s going to be surprised. My eyeball is actually set on that STM Sequel bag in the photo above, as it’s got everything I’m looking for and then some.

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CE Week Madness Of A Sort…

Posted on June 25, 2014 by geelw

Short post today, as I’m at CE Week seeing some pretty cool stuff I’ll be covering over the next few weeks. I shoule be posting from the show floor or something, but it’s too loud and distracting and I can’t write with people yammering away around me. Oddly enough, I can draw just fine, as you may see in a bit after the folks from one booth I dropped by send me an email of the intentionally blurry tree I drew using their nifty app and drawing tool…

Anyway, back in a bit – I’ve been up since 4:45am and still have about two hours here to go. Eeek. Well, the coffee is free at least…

Not A Slow Day, But A Busy One…

Posted on May 14, 2014 by geelw

Don’t think the lack of updates today means I’m snoozing. I was up and about most of the day looking at stuff including the best bicycles I’ve ever seen and an upcoming machine that changes air into drinking water (SCIENCE!). More on those later.

And yeah, yeah, I do KNOW that Microsoft dropped the price of the Xbox One by $100 by dropping Kinect, but it’s a weird and bad thing to do. First of all, they spent SO much time last year telling everyone multiple times how important Kinect was to their console/entertainment center/surveillance device/space heater, but all of a sudden, it’s NOT so important as to now be an option? Weird. I still don’t want one unless I never need to connect online and can play EVERY game off a disc. But I guess at this point, all I need to do is ask nicely or act cranky and get mad on a message board and the company will bend over backwards to give me a custom console experience like no other. Yeah, surrrrrre.

Back in a bit. As in tomorrow.

ThinkGeek Wants You To Think “ROBOTS!” For Your Next Gifting Project…

Posted on May 12, 2014 by geelw

While this year’s National Robotics Week has already passed, you have until April 2, 2015 to snag something if you’re one of those people who celebrates these oddball non-holidays religiously (there’s a joke in there somewhere). ThinkGeek is of course, there for you and all your odd robotic or non-robotic gift wants and needs, so below the jump is a gander at a few items that caught my eye from the company’s latest email blast…

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Oops: Think Geek Reminds Me I Forgot Their Star Wars Day Sale… There’s Still Time To Buy!

Posted on May 5, 2014 by geelw

Okay, you only have until midnight to grab some bargains at 20% off, so you last-minute shoppers can and should boogie on over to the Think Geek shop and check out the oodles of Star Wars goodies they have for sale. I actually couldn’t find the other half of my tea infuser earlier today, so this Death Star Tea Infuser is calling out to me like millions of voices from destroyed Alderaan. Hmmm, I wonder if someone thought it was a gas explosion right as it happened? Ouch.

Anyway, I also like these awesome Lightsaber Umbrellas (available in three styles!) because I just NEVER carry an umbrella and this would completely make me do just that even if there’s not a cloud in the sky. Of course, I’d maybe want a waterproof Jedi raincoat, but that’s what the Force is for, correct? Then again, I wouldn’t need an umbrella if I can keep rain from making my clothes wet… hmmmm…

Anyway, time’s a’wastin, Padawans! Get some (more) shopping done already!

More Star Wars Day Madness? Hokay, Knock Yourself Out, Fans!

Posted on May 4, 2014 by geelw

One: The folks at mimoco are running a Caption Contest that ends at MIDNIGHT! Th prize? Your choice of One (1) 16GB retired Star Wars MIMOBOT from the #MIMOVAULT (if available, at their discretion) or one (1) of their 32GB USB 3.0 current series MIMOBOTS. Woo! Time is running out, so go HERE and enter to WIN! You can also boogie on over to the mimoco shop and get 20% off any Star Wars USB drives you buy for 24 hours PLUS free shipping for U.S. orders over $50!

Two: Chronicle Books is doing their May 4th up a few ways today, starting off by announcing a fun new kid’s book available for pre-order, Goodnight, Darth Vader by writer/artist Jeffrey Brown.

Yes, it’s TOO cute, but according to those folks at Disney who now own everything Star Wars, most likely NOT at all part of the new canon they’re creating (boo!). Chronicle also has a free activity kit you can grab PLUS a cool facebook contest for an excellent Star Wars prize set that includes books and some really cute maquettes!

Three: Her Universe is offering up a 40% off sale on SELECT Star Wars items, three new items in their SW line and a $10 Star Wars Mystery Tee (what could it be?). Well, you’ll just need to buy it and find out, correct? Everyone loves surprises, right? Well, unless it’s Jar-Jar Binks staring at you when you open that Mystery Package… Eeek.

Anyway, there’s a lot more going on allll over the internet to-day, but I’m tied up in a few other things and just cobbled together some of what but busting my inbox’ back. Anyway, go consume mass quantities or something and… oh, you know how the rest of that goes!

Beloved Shirts Might Make Me Fall Into A Warp Pipe…

Posted on December 20, 2013 by geelw

Under normal circumstances, you wouldn’t catch me dead in a jumpsuit unless I happened to be in a Bizarro World episode of Breaking Bad where the RV I’m cooking up a btach of meth in explodes after Walter White has his way with a rocket launcher he’s whipped together from some washing machine parts. However, seeing this stupidly awesome Blue Handheld Belovesie Hooded Jumpsuit ($99.00) from beloved shirts has me reconsidering things a little.

Granted, I haven’t worn a jumpsuit of ANY type since some Halloween costume shenanigans many years back, but this one does look cool and those buttons! I’m betting people will want to press them even if I don’t want them to. Hell, with my luck, the day I put this thing on is the day some gigantic kaiju beast storms NYC, see me in it and thinks I’m a Game Boy. Yeah, I’ll run like hell for the nearest subway or old fallout shelter, as there’s No way I’m going to be some scaly brute’s new toy. Anyway, beloved has a nice bunch of other very cool shirts on their site (video game and non-game themed) for almost ages in a few price ranges. The Drew Wise shirts (which that funky blue jumpsuit is a part of) are really awesome. Boogie on over and take a peek, I say…

Tommo Mobile’s Sega Hardware Series: Retro (But Modern) Gear For Your iPhone and More…

Posted on November 7, 2013 by geelw

Of course, I got a mighty (but appreciative and respectful) chuckle at Tommo’s really cool new iPhone accessories because as far as I know, there not a legal Sega Genesis emulator on the device (but Sega does have a bunch of games you can play if you’re an owner of Apple’s big deal popular everyphone). The iPhone 5/5S cases below cost $24.99 each and come in Genesis Controller, Genesis System, Game Gear and Saturn variants, all with a free themed screen protector. And yes, there are also clear cases for all the aforementioned consoles as well as a clear Sega Dreamcast case for those of you thinking that system would get passed over (nope- Tommo is on it, folks!)

As for those two Power Partner chargers below, as I don’t own an iPhone, but DO own many other devices that can use a charge from something worth showing off, yeah – I want one (or both!) of these babies. Just LOOK at them:

Yeah, I figured you diehard Sega fans would be licking your monitors and reaching for that wallet again. Anyway, each one is $69.99, comes with a free silicon case, has 2 USB type A outputs, up to 9000 mAh power, a Li-Polymer Lithium battery and PTC Smart Protection Chip to prevent overcharging. Nope, it won’t make you better at any games you’ll be playing on whatever you’re charging, but again, it sure looks really cool!

And how about that Genesis-themed Bluetooth speaker ($89.99)? It also looks incredible and made me laugh out loud because I imagine that kind of booming stereo sound would have made the Genesis or Mega Drive even more awesome with assorted game tunes and sounds warbling out of that Z80 chip from speakers that were better than those on TV’s of the era. Of course, given that it’s 2013, you can expect Bluetooth 4.0 compatibility and headphone jack support, NFC and aptX support, multi-pairing, A2DP Stereo Audio Streaming, AAC Audio Format as well as a built-in rechargeable battery. if this were 1989 or ’90, all that stuff would mean a set of speakers the size of a TV and the cost of a car engine most likely. So aren’t YOU lucky to live in the future?

Hmmm… that said… it would have been absolutely hilarious to have an AV output so those of us who still own a Genny could run a cable into that box and blow out a window or two playing Streets of Rage or Sonic and Knuckles, but I suppose that will be a DIY hack someone will get to eventually. Hmmmm… I wonder who could do that? Oh, right! *Crackle, Pop!* Paging Dr. Heckendorn!