TOOLS + TOYS + GADGETS | january 2010
Energizer Flat Panel Induction Charging System
So you got a Nintendo Wii for a holiday gift? Very cool, but how are you going to play all those hours and keep your Wiimotes charged? No need to keep buying batteries with this smart device. Energizer makes a sleek, flat panel induction charger to keep those Wii wireless remote controls constantly charged. Plug the device into an outlet and place it flat on a table. Then simply lay the Wiimotes on top of the flat glossy black panel for wireless charging. A red light signifies a charge is in progress and green means you’re ready to go. My fave feature: This system works with any variation of the controller. You can have the protective condom jacket on, a Nunchuck or Classic Controller plugged in and it will still work. Game on! $29.99 (charges 2 Wiimotes) | $49.99 (charges 4 Wiimotes) | www.energizer.com
Spot Satellite GPS Messenger
We all know what a GPS can do but here is one with a twist. The SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger lets users send location-based messages using satellite communications virtually anywhere. Why is this important? If you are climbing a remote mountain or hiking through a rainforest across the planet, cell phone signals are tough to find. A quick push of a button on this can let people know where you are and how you’re doing. And it’s obviously great for emergencies. Outdoor lovers and travelers need peace of mind when on remote locations and the SPOT is always on the spot. $150 (with $100 annual service fee) | www.findmespot.com
Nook e-Reader
Electronic reading devices continue to be among the hottest gadgets. Barnes & Noble finally gets in the game with its own device aimed squarely at Amazon.com’s Kindle. B&N’s Nook has been getting many headlines and was set to tear up holiday sales. A production glitch pushed back the release date to mid-January but here it comes. This device not only has a color touch screen (sorry, Kindle) but also a second screen along the bottom to browse book covers.
Downloading books can be done two ways – through the built-in AT&T 3G network adapter and Wi-Fi. That service is free when sitting inside one of the ubiquitous B&N stores around the country. This device makes perfect sense being offered by the Internet’s largest bookstore. All looks good for the Nook in a head-to-head match with the Kindle. That said, Beta had a much nicer picture than VHS. Stay tuned… $259 | www.barnesandnoble.com
Corel Digital Studio 2010
I usually tell people ‘good luck’ if they want to use a complicated software program like Adobe Photoshop to edit photos. While that is a great program it is very tough to learn and is quite expensive. An easier solution I found is Corel Digital Studio 2010. For the first time on the PC, Corel brings together photo, video, DVD burning and playback within a single, consistent user interface that makes it simple for anyone to get amazing results. This software suite lets users automatically fix and improve photos while also creating photo books and calendars. Videographers can trim and enhance videos while making polished movies within minutes. And once these photos and videos are ready, a few simple steps can create DVDs and convert them for play on portable devices like your iPod and PSP. $79.99 | www.corel.com
Michael Garfield is known as “The High-Tech Texan®.” His radio program airs on The 9-5-0 weekdays from 9am-11am and Saturdays 11am-2pm. Visit his website at www.hightechtexan.com. Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter @hightechtexan.
By Michael Garfield
