Showing posts with label Gadgets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gadgets. Show all posts

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Streaming On The Cheap

By now, most of us are aware of Roku, Apple TV and other little devices that allow us to watch our favorite Netflix and Hulu movies and shows on our TVs. The sweet spot in price for these set top boxes is right in the $100 range with some options from Roku between $60-$80 but have you heard about Google's recent venture into the set top box market segment?

Google introduced the Chromecast several weeks ago and so far it has had pretty stellar reviews from users, despite the fact that it is still lacking in the subscription services it supports. Currently, Netflix and YouTube are the only services officially supported but you can stream some content from your mobile web browser as well.

The super small device plugs right into any free HDMI port on your TV and draws power from your TVs USB port with the provided cable. If your HDTV does not have a powered USB port, they also include a wall adapter. You then control the device through an app downloaded to your Android or iOS device and it can even be controlled through your Windows or Apple computer. Unlike Apple TV, Chromecast uses your mobile device like a remote and directs content from the web instead of just mirroring whatever you are seeing on your screen. Best of all, this little device is just $35! Keep an eye on this as they will be supporting many more subscription services in the coming months.

UPDATE (10/2/13): HULU just released an update for iPad and Android that includes Chromecast support. It does not yet have iPhone functionality but expect it to come soon. I assume other streaming services like Amazon, VUDU, and Redbox Instant will be close behind in providing support. Time to buy one!

Monday, September 23, 2013

Where did I put my keys???

If you are like me and have to constantly ask your wife if she remembers seeing your wallet, there's a tiny little gadget coming out soon to help. Tile is a brand new product hitting the market later this year that uses GPS to help you locate your lost item. Just attach the little Tile to anything that you can't live without. Let's say you dropped your keys somewhere on your route out of the office and you have no idea where to even begin your search. Use the free Tile app for Android or iOS to find an approximate location and as you get closer to your keys (within 150 ft) your phone will help guide you to its exact location. The Tile also has a tiny speaker built into it to alert you to its location when you are within range.

Tiles cost $18.95 and are good for one year which may seem like a drawback. They'll send you a notification when it gets close to time for a new one and they'll provide an envelope for you to send the existing Tile(s) back to them for recycling. The upside is that it can save you a lot of time and heartache (and potentially money) searching for your precious belongings. Tiles can attach to anything that is valuable and likely to be lost or stolen. You can drop it into a purse, place it inside your wallet, attach it to your keys, laptop, backpack, whatever! I plan on ordering a couple to see how they work and will update this post with a review.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Keyless Entry...For Your House!

We've all come home from the grocery store, both hands loaded down with heavy bags, and shattered our freshly purchased 6-pack while fumbling around for the house keys, right? Well maybe just me...

OR, how many of you parents wish they knew when your kids arrived home safe from school without having to text or call each day?

Arriving this Fall is a cool little gadget called Lockitron. It fits over your existing deadbolt and connects to your home's WIFI signal. You can remotely lock or unlock your door with a free app available for both iOS and Android, and if you own an iPhone 4S or later, you can set it up to automatically unlock your door as you come within bluetooth range. It also sends alerts to your phone when the door has been unlocked so you know when your loved ones are home. It comes at a pretty steep price ($179) if you pre-order on the site but I expect to see the price drop to around $150 for the holidays.


Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Daily Gadget Deals

Here are two sites to find daily deals to satisfy your tech cravings. I know a lot of sites offer "deals" that offer a few bucks off of regular retail prices, but both of these sites offer significant savings on really cool gadgets.

Woot.com has new deals every day in lots of various categories (home goods, wine, tech, t-shirts, sports, kids, and tools to name a few). I've ordered from them before and they offer quick shipping but you will have to pay a few bucks depending on what you order. 

Dealzmodo is another great site that pulls daily deals from a host of various sites. They offer many categories to choose from with great deals on all the gadgets you could ever want. Some recent deals include $200 off a brand new MacBook Pro Retina, $3 iPhone case, and $650 for a fully loaded Onkyo receiver. 

Friday, September 6, 2013

Do You Really Need All Those Channels?

How many channels do you actually watch on a regular basis? You're probably paying upwards of $50-$80 a month for your cable or satellite bill but how many of us actually watch more than 10% of the channels included in our TV package?

Did you know that you can get all the major networks (ABC, NBC, FOX, and CBS) plus a ton of local networks in HD for absolutely FREE? If you live within relative proximity to a TV station, you can get most of the TV you ever wanted to watch without paying a dime. Check out AntennaWeb to see what kind of reception you can get. There are a number of great antennae's you can get on Amazon for under $50. Depending on how far you live from a station, you can get a low profile indoor antennae that can be easily hidden from view without compromising reception so no one would ever know its even there! I recommend the Mohu Leaf. It gets amazing reception, is paper thin, and does not have the long , ugly metal antennae so it can easily be hidden. If you live further from a station (more than 100 miles) you can get an outdoor antenna to get the range you need.

Many of us are too busy to watch TV as it airs so a DVR is a MUST. There are several solutions that I have found to circumvent this problem. The first and easiest is to pay the $7.99 a month for HULUPlus. Most major networks (except CBS) have their shows available on HULU the day after they air so you can watch your shows at your convenience, even on your smartphone or tablet. Another solution is to hook up an old PC you may have around that house to record shows using Windows Media Center. Many desktops come with a TV tuner built in but if not, you can buy one for under $50. I recommend the AverTV tuner. You'll just need a coax splitter to run from the antennae to the TV and the tuner on your computer. With Windows Media Center, you can search for the shows you like and set it up to automatically record that show whenever it airs.

Keep an eye on the news as well because it seems like streaming your favorite channels a-la-carte may be just around the corner. Sony recently stuck a tentative deal with Viacom to stream channels like Nickelodeon and MTV on their Sony TV service supposedly to be available on their upcoming PlayStation 4 console. Check out this New York Times article if you want to know more.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Save on Apple Products!

If you're cheap like me but are always entranced by shiny new Apple products, there is a solution. If you are willing to forego the latest and greatest version, you can save BIG on Apple products right on their own website. Apple offers factory refurbished iPads, Macs, and iPods for anywhere from 15%-35% off of retail. But don't think that this means that it'll come to you looking worn and have 50% of its original battery capacity. Each refurbished product comes with a 1-year warranty. All iPads and iPods get a brand new outer shell and even a new battery!

If you're really daring, you can save even more by finding a deal on Craigslist. I don't recommend doing this with computers because you never know what software the previous owner loaded on it and many viruses and Trojans can not be detected without proper software. If you're buying an iPad or iPod, its much less risky. BE CAREFUL! Many times deals that seem too good to be true, are in fact. Meet at a local Starbucks and make sure everything works properly; volume rocker, camera(s), wifi, etc. Also look over it very carefully for cracks. You miss out on the warranty that you get with an Apple refurbished product but can usually save more like 40%-50% off retail price.