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.

A great choice of replacement speakers for all you guitar heroes out there…

Electro Voice EVM12L Classic Guitar Speaker (200 Watts, 12 in.): $229.00

Introduced in 1983, the original EVM12L 12-inch loudspeaker is known for its huge tone, gorgeous low-end and incredible stability at extreme volumes.  The Electro Voice EVM12L Classic is a 200-watt version of the original EVM12L Pro-Line.   It’s designed for professional high-level, high-quality musical instrument and sound reinforcement systems.  Used full range, the EVM12L Classic’s frequency response is specially tailored to cut through the thickest mixes.  The EVM12L Classic incorporates voice coil and suspension refinements for reliable operation.

Features:

• Power capacity is rated at 200 watts
• Frequency response: 80Hz-7KHz (at 10dB down) rugged 8-spoke diecast aluminum frame with a heat-radiating back cover
• Heavy duty cast frame for maximum output and reliability
• 8 ohms; made in the USA

Tailored for brilliant lead guitar performance and classic guitar tones with full precise overdriven tones and unrivaled clean tones.

Electro Voice EVM12L Zakk Wylde Black Label Guitar Speaker (300 Watts, 12 in.): $279.00

With all the qualities of the original EVM12L 12-inch loudspeaker and more, the EVM-12L Black Label is the official guitar loudspeaker of Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osborne and Black Label Society guitarist).  Take the EVM-12L and add Zakk’s personal specs (improved power handling, improved magnet design, better venting and of course the Black Label colors).  Made in the USA.

Features:

• High output; bullet proof vented 16-lb. magnet structure.
• Massive low end; power handling: 300 watts; sensitivity: 100dB (8 ohms)
• Frequency response: 80-7000Hz.

Get free shipping with your purchase of $89 or more (no code required) at SameDayMusic.com.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop more replacement speakers.

How’s that go?  You can never be too thin or too rich?

Personal objections to that superficial cliché aside, the guys at Industrial Technology Research Institute are destined for greatness in both areas with their paper thin speaker technology.  Imagine bustling hubs like train stations, cafes, shopping mall and bus stop advertisements draped in the audio capable marketing material.  Kinda cool, right?  Check out the demo:

YouTube - Watch 

Movie posters that play sound clips from the film could help me make better viewing choices and avoid sucker punches like Jumper or Push … man, I thought those were going to be good!  Eh, I’d probably see them anyway — before you start laughing, I am usually very skilled at choosing movies.  I’m just a sucker for anything remotely sci-fi or comics-turned-action-films.  But the Flexpeaker (that’s what it’s called due to the obvious “flexible” quality… it flexes and it’s a speaker = “flexpeaker”) would still be cool as a space saving car stereo installment or ginormous talking billboard, even if just for novelty’s sake.

The Flexpeaker can be rolled just like paper, thus the name.  Reported specs put the stuff with a range of 500 Hz to 200 KHz (warranting the need for a subwoofer) and a target price of $20 for a movie poster sized piece.

Sources: PC World, Engadget, YouTube

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for speakers and subwoofers you can buy now.