Gadgets Blog » Reviews

After hearing about Cybersynchs from my editor, I was quite excited to give the product a spin on my own thanks to a free trial from the company. One of the great frustrations of having multiple gadgets of various shapes and sizes is easily backing up information. If I need a phone number from my phone, but don’t happen to have it with me, retrieving such information is virtually impossible. Additionally, as anyone who has ever lost a phone can attest, the headache that comes with recovering your lost numbers is one of the most agonizing parts of modern telecommunications. Even if you throw together a Facebook group, you’re still going to be missing some friends. Cybersynchs, a relative newcomer to the interweb, hopes to solve this problem with it’ new content management program.

Registration and sign-up for the service are quick and easy. Cybersynchs asks for such staples as your name and e-mail address before asking what type of phone you have, along with your carrier. I specified a Windows Mobile device, stated I was on Verizon, then entered my phone number. Within seconds, a confirmation e-mail had been sent to my address, complete with my mobile ID number needed to activate the program. Upon activating my account, the service sent a text with a web-link to download the mobile application. This installed quickly, allowing me to select what information I wanted to sync with their online service and how often. I chose just contacts and photographs and sent it along its way.

I will do my best to contain my joy at getting to review something as wonderful as Lego King’s Castle, but it will be a difficult task. Lego blocks remain one of the most glorious staples of my childhood. The small bricks provided hours of entertainment as my brother and I constructed whatever complex system the bricks were originally intended for, be it a Mayan temple, a space ship, or a racecar. Then the bricks would meet their ultimate destination: the large bin of Lego blocks, where they were recommissioned for whatever imaginative fancy we envisioned. The sublime beauty of Legos is in their versatility. There are no limits upon their potential.

The Lego Castle series is one of the longest-running themes in the Lego kingdom, and with good reason as well. In 1978, Lego first introduced the castle pieces, with bricks designed especially for the ramparts, towers, and dungeons. Along with the building bricks, pieces shaped like medieval war machines were included, featuring siege equipment and elements of the fantastical, such as dragons and trolls. Under this wide thematic Umbrella, Lego introduced a number of different Lego Series, bearing names such as the Forestmen and the Black Knights. For 2010, Lego is preparing to unveil the latest entry, the Kingdoms series.

Unlike the last few Castles, the new Kingdoms series will move away from some of the fantasy elements that had been present since the early 1990s. Instead of trolls, dwarves, and dragons, there will be a focus on traditional medieval building, with plenty of castles and knights to go around. The King’s Castle piece in particular looks impressive, with stone-grey blocks building a set of two towers and a drawbridge. A catapult affixed to the tower will be able to shoot projectiles at any encroaching armies. While the set won’t be out until June or July of this year, there is certainly plenty of potential for fun with these castles.

If you simply can’t wait til this summer, there are still plenty of Lego Castle options available from the 2009 run. There’s some great fantasy pieces as well, with the Troll’s Mountain Fortress and Troll Battleship having some excellent designs with lots of unique pieces included. If you’re looking for a great toy for your kids or grandkids, it’s hard to top a good Lego castle. Make sure to find a set with a solid number of pieces, usually more than 500, and let imagination do the rest.

As the excitement over Apple’s iPad tablet computer continues to build, many gadget afficionados are faced with a tough decision: buy it just when it comes out? Or hold out until upgrades in technology and drops in price occur. Essentially, the iPad is a netbook with some nifty touch-screen technology. Of course, seeing as it comes bearing Apple’s logo, there’s other given pros and cons that are likely to occur as well. If you remain on the fence about picking up the iPad right away, or if you prefer Windows to Mac OS, then today’s Cool Item on a Budget is worth checking out.

The Asus Eee PC T91 represents a combination of netbook and touch-screen technology, and it comes running Windows XP Home, meaning that it’s free from many of the bugs that have plagued Vista. At just 9 inches, the screen is slightly smaller than what has become the norm for other PC netbooks, but this turns out to be an asset for this Asus. The smaller design makes the computer light and portable. The screen itself boasts some solid touch-screen technology, meaning you can operate the computer both with a traditional mouse and keyboard as well as your finger.

If you are suspicious that Windows XP would be difficult to operate on a small touch-screen, you’d be correct. Luckily, the folks at Asus created their own interface, called Touch Gate. This application allows you to swivel the screen on top of the keyboard, creating your own little tablet computer, and then operate a series of applications with some easy finger swipes. The included applications have some neat tricks, especially the Internet Explorer app, although it would have been nice to have similar functionality with other web browsers. With finger swipes and slides, you can easily navigate within the app and to other applications as well.

In the last couple of days, I’ve encountered the topic of online dating in a variety of contexts. I read about a popular dating site, OkCupid in the New York Times, and I’ve been researching reviews of online dating sites for work. Last night, I spent some time with a college friend who expressed that he was thinking about meeting people online.

Years ago, my friends and I used to make up of online dating as a resource for people who are socially awkward and “undatable.” Now, that perspective has pulled a complete 180. I think that online dating is a great option for busy people. Now that I’m working, I realize how tough it can be to meet people and explore new social circles. When I’m not working, commuting, and running errands, I’m sleeping or working out. Even though I’m lucky enough to be in a happy relationship, I can completely empathize with people who are looking to meet new people and find romance.

One really has to pity the civil engineers in charge of making modern American cities traffic-efficient. Its a difficult, if not impossible task, and regardless of the outcome, people will be frustrated. Not even the keenest of city planning can make up for the oppressive onslaught of cars that hit the road come Monday morning. The result can be a disorienting traffic jam, which is bad enough for locals but can be a downright nightmare for tourists or those unfamiliar with the city. When I moved from sleepy Missoula, Montana to Los Angeles, California for college, the difference in driving “across town” was like night and day. But today’s gadget of the week has made my driving experience excellent recently, and it has the capability to do the very same for yours.

Garmin arguably makes some of the best GPS navigation units, and the Nuvi 1390t is in my opinion, the best of their bunch. With an innovative touch-screen interface, extensive battery life, and an extensive host of additional features, it has the ability to get you where you need to go, and fast.

The basic premise of a GPS navigation unit is simple: plug in a destination, and the GPS uplink provides you with maps and directions to reach your destination. Obviously though, a high-end unit like the 1390t has a host of additional features. First and foremost, there are a number of ways you can locate your destination. If you know the address by memory, simply punch it into the device on the easy-to-use touchscreen and you’re on your way.

This is where the device has some tricks up its sleeve. If you’re not sure of the address, you can search for the location by a variety of criteria. While using the device in the Los Angeles area, a search of an In-N-Out Burger brings up the locations of the nearest burger stands (much like a search on Google Maps would do). However, say if you’re craving a burger, but are unsure of what type, the Nuvi 1390t has categories for browsing. It’s a great asset on road trips, if you’re looking for a place to eat but are unsure of any particular location.

There are also some features especially handy for tourists. Other categories for browsing are filled with gas stations, lodging, emergency services, and even points of interest. While using the device, the points of interest feature had some great suggestions, with everything from hiking trails to football stadiums programmed in the device. There were some discrepancies when searching for local businesses that had shut down. Overall, the device performed excellently while searching for a variety of locales.