Gadgets Blog » Girl Gadgets

The Apple iPad Debate: One Girl’s Reasons for Buying

Ritika Puri — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:47:51 +0000

Apple announced that it’s releasing the iPad on April 3 at a starting price of $499. The 3G model will be available with data plans through AT&T. Apple proclaims that its iPad is a revolutionary product that will enhance our mobile computing needs. Proponents agree that the iPad is elegant in thought and design. Critics disagree, taking the stance that iPad’s limited functionality is a huge deterrent. No Flash support? No calculator? No camera? No spreadsheets? No thanks: The iPad is nothing more than a big iPhone.

Without a doubt, the Apple iPad is not a true laptop computer or tablet. This fact is what a lot of consumers and reviewers have trouble realizing. Think about the iPad as something different, a revolutionary entity of its own, and your perspectives may pull a complete 180. Don’t expect to run spreadsheets or presentations, and don’t expect to meet your graphic design and programming needs. If that’s what you want, then get a tablet, desktop, laptop. No pun intended: you can’t compare Apples to organges.

At first, I hopped on the bandwagon of iPad critics. When I get a computer, I expect a computer. When I started thinking about the iPad as an iPad, I grew to love the idea. Here are my reasons why:

(1) Even the most ultra-thin computers are too bulky, heavy, and cumbersome for me. When I’m at the airport, and I want to check my email, taking out a computer, plugging it in, and connecting to the Internet is just too much effort. I have a back injury, and I’d rather have something more portable for the quick and basic functions to keep me connected on the go.

(2) I love to ready trashy magazines while doing cardio workouts at the gym. Unfortunately, I read pretty quickly, and I go through magazines fast. I tried using my iPhone at the gym, but I found that the screen is too small for comfortable reading. With the iPad, I can download as much content as I want ahead of time. I can also catch up on what’s going on in the world by downloading video clips. Even if I don’t want to pay $30 a month for 3G Internet, I’ll still get all the information I need to keep myself connected when I’m disconnected.

(2.5) I’ll never feel bored, and with an iPad, I’ll always have an opportunity to keep learning. I love to read, and I’m always trying to learn more and more and more. With the iPad, I don’t have to worry about carrying around a bunch of books, especially if I’m only looking for light reading.

(3) I like the iPad’s simplicity. I use my iPhone to browse the web almost every day, and I don’t miss Flash at all. In fact, I was running Linux on my laptop for about a year, and I was too lazy to install Flash for the first six months. I didn’t even miss it on my computer, which I use for hours a day. Flash is pretty, but it’s resource heavy, and when I’m on the go, I just want my information to load quickly. I’m not a huge gamer, and if I want to play games, I’ll use my desktop or laptop (which now runs a Flash plugin).

(4) I like to share photos, but looking at pictures on a mobile phone is terrible. I like to give presentations in both personal and professional settings, and I actually think that an iPad is a great way to share visuals and switch things out. Remember the old school technique of passing around a book or picture or handout? I think that the iPad’s a great way to supplement a small, professional group presentation with a visual aid. I mean, everyone’s on their smartphones anyway…

The right decision is different for everyone, and for a lot of people, the iPad might be a total waste of money. I have an opposite perspective, and I am more than excited for this new product to come out. I’m also not, by any means, a member of the Apple fan club. My next laptop is going to be a PC.

Qooq: Great Gadget Idea for Home Cooking

colleen — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:28:25 +0000

Welcome to the future of at home cooking, or should I say, at home qooqing! It may look hard to pronounce, but Qooq is pronounced just the same way as “cook”. Featured on Coolest-Gadgets.com, Qooq is a kitchen computer that comes pre-installed with recipes from 10 different chefs including videos of their preparation. It can also connect to the Internet through wireless or Ethernet cables and users can subscribe to monthly updates on recipes, or find their own online at various cooking sites. There is also a built-in meal planner, grocery shopping list, and internet radio station with speakers, and can be used as a digital photoframe as well. What’s not to love!

Mount this cool gadget in your kitchen for easy access to the world’s greatest recipes online.

The Qooq came out this September, but is only offered in France for around 350 Euro, or roughly $500. Programmed to only handle French audio and voice commands at the moment, it is a breakthrough object, though not ready for the mass market. Maybe you can be the genius to get a Qooq, open source it, and make it available to English-speaking cooks worldwide? Who smells a billionaire on the rise, because I sure do.

Attention All Singles: An iPhone App for Safe Dating

gadgets — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 20:20:48 +0000

Here’s something for all you singles and of course concerned parents who want to sleep a little bit better at night even knowing that their daughter is out in the big bad dating pool. Intelius, the Bellevue provider of background checks, has come out with an iPhone application called Date Check which is a “private investigator in your purse.”

You enter the name, phone number or e-mail id of the “person of interest” and DateCheck instantly scans the online and offline public records. The aptly named “Sleaze Detector” screens the seemingly perfect date who sounds too good to be true for drug possession, assault, DUI or other convictions. On getting the “OK” signal, you can probe further with “Net Worth” which basically gives carte blanche for being a nosy-parker and gives you juicy tidbits about the date’s home , his/her worth etc. Then if you are worried about any lurking ex-girlfriend, “Living Situation” gives you the scoop on who else inhabits the same address. You could choose to let all spontaneity slip away and get the date’s horoscope, the social networking sites he/she frequents etc. While you might be well used to goggling your potential dates, imagine all the impromptu possibilities this app opens up! You could say yes immediately to the cute guy who asks you out at the grocery store after just one quick trip to the restroom and getting the green signal from your DateCheck.

“Letting a stranger into your life is a huge risk, and in the age of Internet anonymity, a simple online search isn’t enough to tell you everything you need to know,” said Intelius co-founder John Arnold. “The Date Check mobile application removes some of the guesswork and gives you the confidence to decide on the spot if continuing the conversation is worth your time.”

Date Check can be found in the iPhone app store. The Android and Blackberry versions comes out next month. You pay $19.95 for a criminal check, and $14.95 for a property and neighborhood report. Social networking profiles cost $9.95, and people search reports $1.95. The whole enchilada would be $39.95. As the company puts it “ Look up before you hook up!”

Mojito Shoe: A Revolutionary High Heel

gadgets — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:02:10 +0000

Guess what this is.

It’s a high heel shoe. It’s the latest invention from architect Julian Hakes in London.

I think the only point of this was to challenge himself in seeing if he could create a shoe with as little amount of material as possible.

Apparently, it’s made of carbon fiber and is laminated with rubber on the bottom and leather on top.

It’s structured in a way that allows the bones and tendons in your foot to naturally span and fill in the gaps of the shoe.

Pretty cool, but I wouldn’t wear it. It looks like your heels would be in constant pain and the bottom of your foot would be calloused to the max.

If revolutionary is your style, then this shoe was made for you.

Image Source: dezeen.com

AromaUSB, a USB Scent Dispenser

gadgets — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:17:15 +0000

What an absolutely clever way to freshen up your workplace! All you have to do is plug the Aroma USB drive into your desktop’s USP port , close your eyes and imagine you are having a long luxurious bath at home with scented candles. On second thoughts, maybe not…your boss might not like that too much, but he might come around if you manage to get rid of all that stench that tends to creep up around the desk from old coffee, takeout boxes, sweaty co-workers….You have lavender, lemongrass and orange scents to choose from. Styles and colors can be customized. You can even print your company’s logo on it. Wouldn’t that be so much neater as a campaign give away instead of the usual mug or pen?

AromaUSB does not provide memory however. If you want to kick it up a notch and grab one with memory, visit scent-drive.com for a very designer looking array of fashion colors, cool designs and scented USB drives that come with your choice of memory too.

Save $50 off Customized Toshiba Notebook

Trispecs Sunglasses: A Perfect Marriage of Cutting Edge Technology and Fashion

gadgets — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:00:23 +0000

Yes, You have come to the right place! This is the Smarter Gadgets Blog and not the Smarter Fashion Blog. But don’t these sunglasses look really hot? With the release of these fashion forward sunglasses, Trispecs has completely changed the way we think of our basic Blue tooth headsets.

Who does not want to protect their eyes with a pair of cool designer glasses in summer? But how do you pair it up with your head set for cell phones and MP3 players? Thanks to Trispecs we don’t need to discard one for the other. We can have all the three actions happening at the same time! How? It has STEP labs patented noise elimination technology akin to that used for US Defense projects built right into the sunglasses along with stereo and call controls. The STEP software uses advanced algorithms to separate the voice on the phone from unwanted background noises like the wind, traffic etc and eliminates them to provide unprecedented voice clarity and also stereo sound from your portable music player. All this without any cumbersome and ugly looking wires! The buttons for controlling the volume, voice dial and music controls including Play/Pause, Fwd and Back are hidden strategically behind the glass frame. The device is switched on and off by retractable ear buds that can be hidden behind the ear when not in use. The lenses are made of spherical polycarbonate with high-impact resistance and UV protection to 400 nm and are RX compatible. It comes in cool shades of black, white, silver, blue, red and gold and can be purchased from TriSpecs Store for $199.99 to $224.99.

Gadget Gift Ideas for Mom

gadgets — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 18:59:53 +0000

You have just 10 days left — count them, TEN — to honor the woman who gave you life, wiped your nose and kissed your boo-boos. Unless she was anything like my mom who was more likely to tell me to “suck it up!” whenever I skinned my knee or crashed into a car while riding my bike… uh, that’s another story, moving on…

Regardless, she’s mom, we love her, and she deserves a little something on her special day. Here are some suggestions from the gadget realm:

1. We all want to know mom made it home safely after visiting us for a late dinner in our low-rent apartments on the seedy side of town, right? Help mom find her way with a GPS system for her car. Garmin makes the Nuvi 200W Portable GPS navigation system ($166.47) with a wide 4.3-inch touchscreen color display. It comes with pre-loaded maps, voice guidance, travel tools and is SD card compatible.

2. If she’s a music lover, she might enjoy this Singing Machine ISM370 CD+G Karaoke with iPod Dock ($70) to sing along with her Janis Joplin or Tina Turner faves. From the leaders in home karaoke, it’s complete with great features like a large LCD display for easy reading and built-in speakers for portability and easy use. The Digital Key Control feature lets you change the key without greatly affecting the overall sound of the music. This unit also features a charge function for your iPod and has a dual alarm clock with snooze function so you can wake up to your iPod, radio or buzzer.

3. You can bring mom into the next generation of video entertainment with a Blu-ray player like the SAMSUNG BD-P1500 ($169). This little baby will play both Blu-ray discs and regular DVDs or music CDs with the highest-quality audio. Full 1080p resolution gives you outstanding HD image quality. Advanced audio compatibility, including DD+, and True-HD, offers premium sound for a great HD experience.

4. Why restrict the video enjoyment to the house? With a portable DVD player like the Audiovox D2017 ($135) with a 10.2-inch screen, mom can enjoy her films on the go, in flight or while waiting for her plane to arrive. This features a 16:9 aspect ratio and plays DVD, CD, MP3, CDR, CDRW and picture CDs. The rechargeable battery and car power adapter will give mom hours of enjoyment whether in house or on the road.

5. For moms who are linked in almost as much as we are, a multi-function cell phone would be a great way to keep in touch. I prefer the text-easy keyboard styles (mostly because one text message saves me about 20 minutes in actual speak time… o_O) but there are plenty to choose from in a range of prices! With all of its possibilities, something like the iPhone might be a little overwhelming for moms but then again, each mom is different. If she’s a career-minded multitasker, it could be just the thing. Check out Smarter’s cell phones here and decide for yourself.

6. A simple way to help mom relax, the Sound Spa AM/FM Atomic Clock Radio ($39.99) allows her to sleep and/or wake to her choice of 6 natural sounds: ocean, waterfall, summer night, rain forest, thunder, or rain. AM/FM radio or alarm wake up are also options. Features atomic time which means it’s always accurate, indoor/outdoor temperature with remote sensor, dual alarms, and snooze. The projection feature allows for time and temp ceiling display.

7. For more home music enjoyment, a mini stereo system is just right for livening up her home office or keeping her motivated through workouts. Something like the JWIN JXCD2100 Mini Stereo MP3 / CD Player ($45.99) does a little bit of everything with a CD player, AM/FM radio, and 3.5mm auxiliary jack for her iPod or other MP3 unit.

8. The Plantronics Discovery 925 Bluetooth Headset ($54.95) is a great way to keep mom hands-free and compliant with California law. A simple V-frame design, no ear loop and the leather charging case allows you to recharge the headset from its own battery when you’re not near a power outlet. Also available in cerise (dark plum color).

9. For keeping the family memories, the Casio Exilim Zoom EX-Z77 Digital Camera ($124.69) has 7.2 Megapixels and comes in adorable pink, so you know dad won’t be stealing this one from her. It has 3x optical zoom, and 2.6-inch LCD display. It also features a blur reduction function that uses motion analysis technology, an auto-tracking AF system, and face detection technology. The combination of face detection technology and the auto-tracking AF system ensures that, once the focus locks on to a person’s face, it will stay sharp and maintain the right exposure, even if the person moves. Which is, of course, great for those grand kids who never seem to sit still for more than 2 seconds.

10. For vacations, family get-togethers, or whatever she desires, the Samsung SC-DX103 DVD Camcorder ($174.08) is user-friendly and compatible with Windows 2000, XP and Vista operating systems. With the convenience of recording straight to DVD, videos can immediately be played back for all to see. Comes with 34x optical zoom, 2.7 inch wide LCD screen, and can be used as a PC cam for communication over the Internet.

Find at Smarter.com: Shop though all of our featured electronics to get more ideas.

Girl Gadgets – The Shredder Pen, Your Secrets Safe

evette — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 22:16:27 +0000

Truth is when I initially saw this “Shredder Pen” marketed for the gals, I did not immediately think it was a pen! Ha! But that’s a rated R tale not suitable for the kiddies.

When I took a closer look, it turns out this is a pretty nifty gizmo for fledgling little gossips! As you can see it doubles as a shredder so you can instantly shred your naughty scribbles. This multi-purpose pen would have been a godsend back in high school, there were many a notes I wish I had shredded before those crafty nuns got a hold of the paper! (I went to an all girls private high school)

Plus it even has a built in FM radio with ear piece. Though in my experience if you are writing the type of notes that need to be shredded immediately you should have your wits about you, and do not lose yourself in the music. Pretty cool though! (For ages 6 – ?)

Source: ShinyShiny