Archive for the 'Gadgets' Category

15
Oct

iPhone Anti-Glare Film

With the iPhone being out in Canada for close to 3 months, there has been a flood of accessories on the market. There are at least a hundred cases out there. But, one of the most useful accessories that I’ve come across and purchased is the Anti-Glare Film made by Power Support.

The phone comes with this beautiful scratch resistant glass display that is Super glossy–which is part of it’s beauty. However, it does leave a lot of streaks when you touch it with your fingers. And, when you are outside there is major glare, even with contrast levels turned up.

This is where the film comes in handy. It sells on the Canadian Apple Store (online and retail) for about $15. There are 3 items in the package: 2 Anti-glare films and 1 applicator–since there are 2 films share it and the cost with a friend. The applicator is basically a slightly adhesive piece of plastic you use to pull the dust of the screen. Then you apply the actual film which, contrary to the name, is more like a sheet of plastic than a saran wrap type film. The whole process takes you less than five minutes.

The colours on the screen does lose a little vibrancy, but being able to see the screen, without glare, in the brightest situations make it worth every penny. On top of that, it also does an excellent job hiding any greasy finger marks.

If any of you are iPod Touch users, they have one for you as well.

12
Sep

Travel Charging Solutions

I spend a fair share of time away from home at hotels or in Victoria. For anyone that travel frequently, you know how much hassle lugging chargers and cables can be. On top of your pluggables, you also have to worry about finding enough outlets at hotels.

The first solution that I found is the Monster Outlet To Go 3 outlet surge protector. Lina and I travel with 2 or 3 cell phones, laptop, and a couple of iPods. Of course, we have one surge protector each. It’s the perfect travel companion as the short cable plug into itself, and is neat and tidy. Couple that with a USB-to-wall-charger and we can charge your USB device with ease.

Perfect!

 

 

Or so I thought…

 

 

Recently however, I’ve discovered an even better device while browsing at Vancouver’s only Apple Store.

Belkin offers what they call a Mini Surge Protector with USB Charger: a surge protector with 3 household plugs and 2 USB outlets. How awesome is that. The main plug rotates 90 degrees to hang vertically or horizontally off the wall outlet.

Now I don’t have to take my charger for my work Moto Razr and iPhone/iPod. And, that still leaves all three outlets for things like laptops and other battery chargers.

All this for only $25 at the Apple Store.

Nice!

17
Aug

iPhone use on BC Ferries

The iPhone is an awesome way to kill time on the ferry!! This was the first weekend that I headed to Victoria with my new phone, and it made the time absolutely fly.

I was very sceptical of Rogers/Fido coverage for Data between Tsawwassen and Swartz bay. I expected that my internet use would drop out frequently and be super frustrating. But, to my surprise EDGE coverage is wide spread and strong. 3G isn’t too bad either.

I noticed that, with 3G, I dropped my connection a few times which caused it to switch to EDGE, dropping the entire connection momentarily. If you just turn off 3G, the connection is very solid–a strong and steady signal.

(As I am typing this, the captain announced that a pod of Orcas can be seen up ahead. I’ve never seen so many people moving so fast on the ferry.)

I’m looking forward to future ferry trips.

25
May

New Apple Store - Vancouver

I went to the Apple Store opening in Vancouver yesterday, and to my surprise (not really), there were 2 bajillion people lined up there — there goes my free T-shirt. It was amazing.

The line went from the front of the store, out the nearest exit onto Granville, around the corner onto Georgia and down the street reaching Howe. Crazy. You could hear and feel the buzz of anticipation of the crowd. It was funny watching regular shoppers come in to the mall and ask what was happening and not understand why anyone would line up for this purpose. Obviously they don’t use Apple products.

The gates finally open and an massive cheering erupts, not from the crowd as you might suspect, but the employees of the store. The first bunch of people get to walk into the store lined with employees clapping and cheering as the are handed their T-shirt. It must have been nice to get that star treatment.

Compared to the Chicago store, which is the only one I’ve been to, it looked quite tiny. But, of course, finished in that Apple elegance. I waited to see how quickly the line would subside since I didn’t want to wait 1 or 2 hours to get in. It didn’t look like it was moving so couldn’t stick around to get in. I guess I’ll try on Monday.

Edit: Pictures added. Click to see larger pictures on flickr.
Apple Store Opening VancouverApple Store Opening VancouverApple Store Opening Vancouver

06
Mar

Classic Games

Recently, over lunch, Raf and I were having a flash back to yesteryear. We chatted about how we used to play this game or that game on the PC (I know, I didn’t always use a Mac). Reminiscing about such times, inevitably brings me back to my favourite game of that era: Day of the Tentacle. It’s a point-and-click adventure game, which is a genre that doesn’t really exist anymore.

To my surprise, I’ve found out that there are many emulators that allow you to play the game on multiple platforms. I can even use the PC CD on the Mac and play it.

I’ve now downloaded the emulator and now I have to find the CD-ROM.

Check out the video of the intro:

Update: I found the game shortly after I posted this, and wow does it ever work great.  I also found Sam & Max and that so far works flawlessly.   I predict that I’ll be spending countless hours playing these in the near future.

30
Jan

Nikon D60

Nikon D60
Image from CNET

Hot on the heals of the exciting news of the Canon XSi is the announcement of the Nikon D60. Being the NERD that I am, I couldn’t wait to find out more about the replacement for the D40x. I’ve checked out the feature list and was quite disappointed with it’s lack luster enhancements. Where as the XSi added new features along with the tweaks, the D60 only seems to be a slight revision of the D40x.

The only thing that’s worth noting is the ability to do stop motion video. This new feature will let you do your own version “Wallace and Grommet.”

Canon and Nikon have battle it out very heavily in the entry level digital SLR market. In the last generation (XTi vs D40x) Canon was losing ground to Nikon but now it looks like Canon will be regaining it’s lead. We can only hope that Nikon will come out with a D60x.

[Cnet Article]

25
Jan

Canon XSi

Canon XSi
image from CNET

As some of you know, I want to get more into photography. And browsing through some of the pictures on Flickr has been truly inspiring. Thanks to Lina and her mother’s Christmas Gift of a digital camera, I’ve been doubly hooked. Maybe I get obsessively compulsive about things like this. I’ve been drooling over both the Canon Rebel XTi and Nikon 40Dx. Oh, the choices…What should I do? Should I get the Body only and get better lenses? Or, should I get it with the lens (or 2 lens kit for the XTi) and start snapping.

Well, now, thanks to the PMA (Photo Marketing Association) 2008 show, Canon introduced the XSi: the successor to XTi. There are some impressive new features that will make it more appealing to me (and probably many others). Notable features include: Live View, which allows you to frame the shot through the LCD instead of the view finder; Upping of the Megapixel count; DigicIII processor; and a move from CF cards to SD cards.

I guess I will have to keep dreaming about them, because cameras like these are still overkill for my level of photography.

[Cnet Article]

10
Dec

1.1 Gigawatts!?

Flux Capacitor

I was going through Engadget when I found this post. Now I can get me my very own Flux-Capacitor. Someone quick! Find a Delorean, 1.1 Gigawatts and a place where we can hit 88 mile per hour. I hope it comes with Mr. Fusion so I don’t have to go nuclear.

21
Nov

iLost my iPod

Lost: iPod Nano 2Gb 2nd Gen Nano.

So this Sunday I was shopping Metrotown with Lina and her nephew Tyson when I lost my iPod.   I don’t know exactly how or when, but what I do know is that went AWOL at Metro.  As usual, we were listening to Maroon 5 in the car–Tyson’s favourite band–in the car, so I know that it was still in my possession.  We did our round of shopping, headed back to the car and took off to get my car washed.  I thought it might be a fun experience going through the car wash with Tyson.  Again, he wanted to listen to Maroon 5 but the iPod was nowhere to be found.  Looked in my bag, Lina’s bag, in all the compartments and under the seats.  Nothing.

After the car wash, which took a while because it was busy, we headed back to Metrotown to see if maybe it was dropped by the parking stall we were in.  Nothing.  At this point I had given up on the iPod and decided to go back to Lina’s Mum’s so we could grab her stuff and drop her off at the ferry.  Well on the drive home Tyson said that he was very sad.  I asked him why and he said “because uncle Ryoh lost  his  iPod.”  His one comment cheered me up for the rest of the day.  This guy sure knows how to make me smile.  Too cute.

Anyway, I’m still a little saddened by the loss of my iPod as it was just shy of 6 months old.  Oh well.  I guess it’s my fault for not paying enough attention.

14
Nov

Razr 2

Just saw this ad on the weekend for the new Razr2 and I thought the video was really cool.