Gadgets Power

Once again the Geeks must keep an eye on the happenings at MacWorld while at CES as Google announced a Mac version of Picasa.

Previously Google offered only a Windows version of Picasa and placated Mac users with a standalone Picasa Web Albums uploader and an iPhoto plugin. Picasa and Mac lovers can now rejoice as the Mac release finally provides the advanced sharing and sync features of Picasa to the Mac OS X users and the release provides the “it-slices-and-dices” feature list that covers everything from color balance to collages.

Picasa for the Mac works like other platforms by offering some great trademark features including non-destructive editing, and the ability to keep track of photos anywhere on your hard drive, then automatically account for new images as you add them.

(Read the full post about ‘Picasa available for Mac’…)

Shure, known for making pro-quality mics that seem to work just fine after being subjected to the rigors of stage and studio, have turned their attention to bedroom musicians, podcasters and others who record direct-to-computer with a new line of high-quality USB microphones that will work with any computer made in the past decade. (Everything after Windows 98 First Edition has the requisite USB Audio profile.)

These cardioid microphones, announced Tuesday at Macworld and to be displayed later this week at CES, can be directed to pick up sound from a specific source to provide some natural sound isolation — unlike omnidirectional mics, which pick up sound from all directions.

(Read the full post about ‘Shure Busts Out USB Microphones for Musicians, Podcasters’…)

Guess what else Steve Wozniak is doing besides playing Segway polo? He’s endorsing a new product called the ModBook Pro. As its name implies, the device is a MacBook Pro modified into a tablet. At Macworld Expo, Wozniak said he joined the advisory board to weigh in on development of the device. He said he felt compelled to join the mod company Axiotron because the CEO was so "friendly with approaching" him. Wired.com asked Wozniak if there were any other Apple products he would modify. "I have a million ideas for Apple products I would change, but I can’t tell you what specifically, because you guys will make it sound like I’m putting Apple down," Wozniak said. (Read the full post about ‘Macworld 2009: Wozniak Demos MacBook Mod’…)

With gaming keyboards, everyone likes something different.  Personally, I hate the ones that have the gaming portion detached from the rest of the keyboard.  However, I’m a bit biased, because I actually found the keyboard that works best for me.  Well Logitech is releasing a new gaming keyboard within their G-series product line.  It will be at this year’s CES, which also means it’s not going to be sold just yet. (Read the full post about ‘Logitech’s G-series G19 Gaming Keyboard’…)

HP has expanded it’s Planet Partners Recycling program and added a buyback element to it. The new program dubbed the HP Consumer Buyback and Planet Partners Recycling Program, will buy back any brand of PC, monitor, printer, digital camera, or which still has some sort of value, rather than simply recycle the e-waste it receives. And it’s a lot. To date, HP has recycled close to one billion pounds of computer waste and hopes that the new buy back program will double that figure by 2010. Here’s how it works. Users looking to cash in on their old gadgets go to the HP Quote site and choose the specs of the gadgets they want to unload from the pull down menus. (Read the full post about ‘HP expands recycle program to include buy-back for cash or trade-in’…)

Games have definitely changed over time.  Even from just ten years back, most would never imagine something like the MindFlex game by Mattel.  The game looks more like something you would see in a lab to test for some psychic ability.  In reality though, it’s just a toy for kids ages eight and up.  Although I give it a week after this comes out that some kid gets his pet rat stuck in the obstacle course.  That or their brother will, because everyone knows it’s always the brothers that are the evil ones, never sisters. (Read the full post about ‘MindFlex Game by Mattel appearing at CES’…)

[CES 2009] These are times where pockets are slim, and the same applies to Blu-ray players as Samsung will be parading its latest Blu-ray player at CES 2009 that measures a mere 39mm thin. Apart from its apparently lack of thickness, very little else is known about this player, including the two most important ones most people look for - the price and the release date. It will come in a fingerprint-attracting piano black finish though, and being that slim, it ought to fit in nicely with your new flat screen TV with ease. Tags: gear, tests, buyers guides, Hi-fi (Read the full post about ‘Samsung To Offer 39mm Thin Blu-ray Player’…)

I found these photos in a local antique store in Salt Lake City and I knew that I HAD to have them. It’s obvious that these people are so proud of their RCA Spectra 70. Here is a little more information on this particular computer. RCA Spectra 70 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The RCA Spectra 70 was a line of electronic data processing (EDP) equipment manufactured by the Radio Corporation of America’s computer division beginning in April 1965. The Spectra 70 line included several CPU models, various configurations of core memory, mass-storage devices, terminal equipment, and a variety of specialized interface equipment. (Read the full post about ‘We Are So Proud Of Our RCA Spectra 70′…)

LAS VEGAS, N.V., January 5, 2009 – Samsung Electronics America, Inc. today extended its family of full-HD digital camcorders with four new models - the HMX-H106, HMX-H105, HMX-H104, and HMX-H100. Samsung’s new H-Series offer users high-performance, full-HD video, a renowned Schneider Kreuznach Varioplan HD lens with Optical Image Stabilization, and industry leading design; however, most notable is the use of internal Solid State Drives to provide onboard memory. The HMX-H106, Samsung’s new flagship full-HD digital camcorder, is the world’s first to feature an internal 64GB Solid State Drive (SSD)*. (Read the full post about ‘Samsung intros the world’s first 64GB SSD full HD camcorder.’…)

The name Targus ought to be familiar with people who own notebooks - after all, most of the standard notebook carry case that comes with each notebook purchase aren’t exactly up to par with what consumers want. How else would you explain the many other notebook carry cases that are available at your local computer store which offer much, much more in a compelling design, to boot? Targus is back with a bang, this time with its Spruce EcoSmart line of MacBook Pro carrying cases. As you can tell by the name itself, these were specially designed for Mac users, and I must say that Targus has done a pretty good job in making sleek bags to match the equally stylish MacBook Pros - all this without causing additional harm to the environment (more on that later) at a pocket friendly price. (Read the full post about ‘Targus prepares Spruce EcoSmart MacBook Pro cases’…)