Gadgets Blog

For those of you who don’t have to go back to school until the middle of September, check out ABCNews.com’s list of “10 Great Gadgets for Any Student“.  You can find most of these on Smarter.com for great prices:

1.  MacBook Pro 13″:  $1,199

It’s a great size with plenty of memory.  Apple will even give you a free 8GB iPod Touch with purchase.

2.  Acer Aspire 4810 Timeline 8480: $699.99

Comes with 4GBs of memory (320GB hard drive) for awesome performance.

3.  Trend Micro Internet Security Pro 2009: $57.99

Make sure your computer can perform at it’s best. Block spyware, block image spam prevent unauthorized input of personal information and much more.

4. Logitech Z520 Speaker System:  $120.99

Watch school presentations and educational videos with the 360-degree sound.

5. Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 4000:

This cool wireless mouse comes in a variety of colors.  The last thing you need is another code to clutter your desk area.

6. Belkin CushDesk: $23.99

Work on homework and school projects while sitting on comfortably on your couch.

7. FreeAgent Go Dock: $14.94

Another gadget that helps with code clutter!  Take this dock anywhere for easy access to your files.

8. Griffin Technology’s Cases for the iPhone and iPod Touch: $20.05

This case will protect your precious Pod from all the elements while biking to school or training with the team.

9. iMM153 Dual Alarm Clock With Bed Shaker for iPod: $42.18

Yes, this shakes your bed. It’s perfect for you kids who need a little extra help getting up in the morning.

10. JBL/Roxy Reference 420 Over-the-Ear Headphones: $69.95

These cool colored headphones are comfy and easy to store.

I’m thinking about a couple things right now.

Let’s go with the lighter stuff first:

Could it be true?

Gizmodo and ars technica sources seem to agree.

For those of us who couldn’t shell out the $400 for the Xbox 360 Elite system, Microsoft is easing up on consumers in these hard times and including two pretty awesome games…get this… for the same price as the system itself. Nice guys, them Gates boys.

So while at one time $400 would have gotten you only the Elite system, that same $400 can soon acquire the Elite system, Halo 3 and Fable II. For those of us who were holding out and mooching off our friends for Xbox playtime (sorry, guys… um, sort of), it looks like it’s going to be a little easier on our wallets in the coming months. Seeing as these are games a buyer would most likely want to get anyway, and at about $40 each, that’s a nice little stimulus package.

You know my thought — what’s the catch? Well, we haven’t found one yet. You still get the 120 gigs, the wireless controller, and the HD video. Sounds pretty good. No date had been given for the arrival of this bodacious bundle, but it’s currently available on Xbox.com and even Amazon.com shows a preorder status for the item with a release date of May 1, 2009. Nice. You might wanna get on that.

And secondly, I have to mention a few words about Stephen Hawking.

According to reports, he was rushed to the hospital on Monday and hasn’t been feeling well for a few weeks now. I’m really hoping he comes out alright. This man amazes me; I mean, he’s just brilliant. You all know the story, despite his ALS, he completed his doctorate, gave us “A Brief History of Time”, put “The Universe in a Nutshell”, continued to teach physics, not to mention all the fodder he provided for sci-fi enthusiasts… who does that? A greater mind than mine, for certain. Anyway, here’s to Professor Hawking, all our best. We’re pulling for you.

Image Sources:Xbox, Wikipedia

So you’d think the richest man on the planet would have pretty much everything. Especially something as cool and affordable as Apple’s iPhones and iPods.

You’ve thought wrong.

Bill Gates has some pride and among the things that is banned from his family at their technologically advanced home are, you guessed it, Apple iPhones and iPods. Finally, something the kids at school can tease the Gates children about.

“Oh, you have a G5 jet, well I have a 3G iPhone! NeeNer NeeNer!”

Even the wife Melinda Gates apparently has an eye for Apple’s creations.

“Every now and then I look at my friends and say, “Ooh, I wouldn’t mind having that iPhone.”

But until Bill lets go of the reigns, it looks like it’s Microsoft Zunes and Palm Treos for everyone.

To check out all the deals on Microsoft Zune media players on Smarter.com, click here.

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Photo Source.

This week in gadget blogs and news from around the Net:

• New world record: 460,000 brick Lego tower is now the world’s tallest - Gizmodo
• Yeah baby! The humping bunny USB - Urban Outfitters
• Verizon gave John McCain special treatment with own cell phone tower - The Atlantic
• Pioneering exhibit features interactive art - CNN
• Sega Dreamcast Stormtrooper portable: the Dreamtrooper - Technabob
• FlashPoint Mini-Microwave Torch - OhGizmo!
• Mophie’s iPhone 3G juice pack can get you up to 350 more hours - Engadget

And this week in the Smarter Gadgets Blog we talked about:

• Cool Electronics: Save Up to 15% at Circuit City
• Cool Devices: Rock Band Smoke and Lights Stage
• Compare MP3 Players: Great Deal on a 8 GB Microsoft Zune
• Researchers Create a Cool Robotic Plant that Emit Oxygen

Apple iPods are great mp3 players, but sometimes they can get a bit steep in price for those looking to not shell out that much cash.

With this deal on a Microsoft Zune MP3 player, you’ll not only save some cash, but you’ll also have a bigger memory capacity in comparison to an iPod at the same price.

Right now you can find this 8 GB Microsoft Zune at Compuvest for $119.99. With this sleek and slim Zune mp3 player, you can save up to 2,000 songs, 25,000 pictures or 25 hours worth of video. And with Compuvest’s four star rating, it means that it’s a trusted store among Smarter shoppers.

To check out this Microsoft Zune player and to compare prices with other stores, click here.

This week in gadget blogs and news from around the Net:

• Sony S-AIRPLAY plays the iPhone - Engadget
• Apple to crank out 45 million iPhone 3Gs in the next 12 months - Gizmodo
• Compose an instant score! - Machines that Go Bing!
• PSP Dock Cradle - GadgetMadness
• Nike feel free headset. Run with it! - GadgetHeat
• Mac Mini Mods - OhGizmo!
• USB Fan Hub - Ubergizmo

And this week in the Smarter Gadgets Blog we talked about:

• PCRush.com Coupon: Save 6% off Any Ink Cartridges and Toner
  
• Look Stylish in a JABRA Wireless Headset for Hello Direct
• Checkpoint-Friendly Laptop Bags
• Buy Laptop: Save 20% on Dell XPS Laptops Over $1249
• Microsoft Hires Jerry Seinfeld and Gates to Challenge Apple Ads

It looks like Microsoft is going to finally battle those annoying Apple commercials we keep seeing on TV.

For a modest $300 million, Microsoft is going to launch their new commercial campaign starring Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates. Seinfeld’s share is set to be around $10 million. Not bad for just standing there for a few seconds, blabbing about a computer and trying to brainwash viewers into thinking Vista is NOT annoying.

With Apple’s share of the PC world rising, Microsoft’s campaign is to be based on “Windows, Not Walls” and stressing the need to “break down barriers that prevent people and ideas from connecting.” It’s also going to try and help reverse people’s negative opinion on Windows Vista. Good luck with that.

I’m curious to see what Microsoft has up their sleeve with the Gates and Seinfeld combo. Seinfeld sure has the upper hand on Justin Long in star power. Hmm, maybe they should do a celebrity death match, like claymation, with Seinfeld and Gates teaming up against Long from Apple. Wait, Long needs a partner.

How about the old Dell dude? From the looks of things, he appears to be in need of a new gig. And at the end of the match, for some reason I see Gates coming out on top. Maybe he’s pelting the two dudes with iPhones or something, while Seinfeld chews on an iMac with his huge teeth.

Source: Engadget

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A quick recap of gadget blogs and news around the Net:

• Singapore Airlines gets iPhone/iPod docks and 15.4-inch LCD screens - Gizmodo
• Blackberry to soon sync to your Apple iTunes music - Engadget
• iDial iPhone Retro Application takes you back in time - Ubergizmodo
• Airwolf replica is now on eBay - OhGizmo!
• LED gloves puts light on your fingertips - Technabob
• Coupon queen spends $10 a week on groceries for family of five - Boing Boing
• Microsoft introduces the TouchWall computer - CNET

And this week in the Smarter Gadgets Blog we talked about:

• Canon Deal: Canon 12 x 36 Image Stabilizer II
• Buy TV Shows: HBO TV Series Now Available on iTunes
• Computer Shopping: Dell Coupons Expiring Today!
• iPhone Rumor: New iPhone to Have Bigger Screen?
  

A quick recap of gadget news and blogs around the Net:

• Check out the sleek iView monitor - Yanko
• More than meets the eye: RoboScooter transforms! - AutoBlogGreen
• Can’t get the real thing? Get robotic hunting trophies! - France Cadet
• Heat suit makes you sleep - Wired
• Sony VAIO comes out with a new look - Popgadget
• Microsoft cuts Vista prices - Gizmodo via News.com
• NASA plans to crash stuff into moon. Our money hard at work - Gizmodo
• Doomsday is near. Army orders 24 new Sentry Bots - Engadget

And in Smarter Gadgets we talked about:

• Save 30% off a Customized HP Pavilion Tx100z Laptop
• The 2 GB Apple iPod Shuffle Released Today
• Save 15% off All Dell XPS 720 H2C Desktop Purchases
• Hans Solo Desk to Hold My Pens and Paper
• Abilene Christian to Start Handing out iPhones to Students
• Can a Gatling Gun Cut Down a Tree?

A quick recap of gadget news and blogs around the Net:

• Microsoft bids to buy Yahoo for $44.6 Billion - MSNBC
• PlayStation 3 to get a new, slimmer look? - T3
• New blow-up mouse, the Jelly Click - Yanko Design
• An endless Pac-Man game is in sight - Engadget
• Freeze in a nice Snow Room - Gizmodo

And in Smarter Gadgets we talked about:

• Save $100 off Pre-Configured Sony VAIO CR Models
• Cow Farts to Become Less Lethal to the Environment?
• Pink Apple iPod Nano is the Perfect Valentine’s Day Gift
• Blackberry to go Pink, Hopes to Cut into iPhone Sales
• Apple MacBook Air is the Thinnest Notebook Around
• SanDisk Sansa Connect 4 Wi-Fi MP3 Player: $89.95
• Google Executives Pledged Their Life Together for 20 Years