Technology
This 2D barcode is linked to tech columnist Eric Benderoff’s blog, Bendable Gadgets. To read more about the latest technology, use your mobile phone’s camera to scan the code—the phone’s browser will connect to the blog automatically. If your mobile phone does not already have the necessary Scanlife software, download it for free from getscanlife.com.New Galaxy Discovered
Smartphones based on the Android operating system have enjoyed a breakout year, with attention focused on top models such as the HTC Evo and the Motorola Droid X. Now, Samsung is poised to join the discussion as it is introduces Android phones at each of the nation’s major wireless carriers.
Read More »Rock Out
Sometimes, it’s unclear if a new product is innovative, or just better than its predecessors. In the case of new music-making “toys” from WowWee Robotics, a better approach to a familiar product resulted in something that delivers a lot of fun.
Paper Jamz is a series of faux instruments—guitar, drums and amps—that lets kids pretend they are rock stars. We’ve all seen such electronic instruments; if you have kids, you probably own one. But what’s innovative here is the presentation. The Paper Jamz products are remarkably thin, portable and a joy for kids to play loudly—much to the chagrin of Mom and Dad.
Read More »Sounds Good
It has taken much longer than I planned to write this review of Shure’s newest high-end earphones, because the music sounds so good that it’s hard to concentrate on what I’m writing. I often stop and just listen, much to the chagrin of my editor’s concept of a deadline.
That’s what can happen when using earphones that cost $500. (That’s not a typo, Mr. Editor.) But if you can afford such a luxury and consider yourself an audiophile, you will not be disappointed with the Shure SE535 Sound Isolating Earphones. You hear tones in the music that standard models miss—the touch of drummer’s cymbal, a tight bass line and a startlingly crisp sound often overlooked in the age of digital music as background noise.
Read More »Bigger Isn’t Better
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Here’s the question I’ve been wrestling with regarding Amazon’s new lineup of Kindle eReaders: Can I recommend the Kindle DX, the textbook-screen-size model that costs $379, when the online retailer offers a standard model for $139?
A week before Amazon announced availability of its slimmest Kindle (shipping Aug. 27), it sent the Kindle DX for review. The Kindle DX was recently remade with a better screen featuring excellent contrast. It is basically the same as the new Kindle—except the DX is really big. The Kindle DX weighs 1.2 pounds and has a 9.7-inch screen, like the Apple iPad.
Read More »TV in Your Lap
I’m not an advocate of replacing a proper TV with watching shows on a computer, but sometimes watching TV on a computer is useful. Many options exist, including network programming—old and new—on Hulu.com, or live sports on ESPN3.com.
I’ve been playing with a third option, and it is pretty sweet and flexible, if somewhat flawed. This TV-watching gadget is called EyeTV Hybrid, and it’s a USB device that plugs into your computer and lets users tune in over-the-air channels and cable fare. For standard TV you need to attach an antenna—sadly, it doesn’t ship with one—and to get cable you need to connect the EyeTV Hybrid to your cable hook-up.
Read More »On the Case
Unless you live in a cave with poor Internet service, you know that Apple gave case makers a very big gift in the iPhone 4. The iPhone 4’s antenna wraps around the outside of the phone, so if you touch it in the wrong spot, the signal weakens significantly. Admitting the problem, Apple is providing iPhone 4 buyers a free “bumper” to wrap the phone. Problem solved!
Read More »Look, Mom, No Hands! … Mom? Hello?
If you talk on the phone while driving, you should consider a hands-free Bluetooth device. I’ve tested dozens of models over the years and am particularly fond of offerings from Plantronics, Sound ID and Aliph’s Jawbone line.
But if you don’t like putting things in your ears, speakerphone attachments such as the Jabra Bluetooth SP200 provide an affordable alternative. These units sell for about $40 and clip onto your vehicle’s sun visor. Other models use a FM transmitter to broadcast phone calls over your car stereo.
Read More »Swype It
In the age of smartphones, two methods of typing have come to dominate: touch (iPhone) or physical keyboard (BlackBerry).
Now there’s a third option, and it may just revolutionize how we use smartphones. It’s called Swype, and the typing technique is a key feature of the Motorola Droid X, a new Android-based phone that goes on sale July 15 at Verizon for $200 (after contract). Swype is also available on the MyTouch 3G at T-Mobile and the Samsung Omnia II (Verizon), and there is hope that an iPhone app will be introduced.
Read More »Picture Perfect
It’s been about two years since I last reviewed a digital picture frame, and here’s why: I’ve come to dislike them. They’re bulky, awkward to set up and complicated when adding pictures.
But a new wireless frame from Kodak is changing my opinion, making me think there is a place in my home for a digital picture frame. Better, you can put one in grandma’s house and not worry about her struggling to upload pictures. Just send new images to her frame via e-mail.
Read More »New Droid
In the wake of the iPhone 4 frenzy, you may have missed a pretty significant smartphone launch from Motorola and Verizon Wireless: The Droid X.
The two companies recently introduced the second in what appears to be a series of Droids. The first Droid, released last year, helped Motorola get its groove back and indicated Verizon’s desire to offer phones that compete with the iPhone, which is available exclusively through AT&T.
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