The PowerFuze keeps your USB devices juiced in the car and at home.
(Credit: Scosche)You should see the mess of cables, chargers, and charging cables that clutter my backpack every day. Moving from car to car and home to work while testing a variety of devices means that iPod sync cables, USB cables, Mini- and Micro-USB cables for mobile phones and GPS devices, 12-volt car chargers, and 110-volt wall chargers eat up a good deal of my bag space. For me, this is why Scosche's PowerFuze charger system looks interesting. This charging solution should let you replace a number of cables and chargers for an all-in-one approach. It's a car charger and a wall charger. Ideally, it's the best of both worlds.
The PowerFuze system crams a few different charging configurations into one package. When you're at home, it is a two-port "Made for iPod" and "Works with iPhone" certified USB AC charger that plugs into a 110-volt wall outlet. When you're on the road, a 12-volt USB charger pulls out to take advantage of your vehicle's DC power port. If you have 12-volt DC car accessories that you want to use indoors, the vacant 12-volt port will work as a power inverter to accommodate them. With 1 amp of current split between the two channels, you shouldn't expect to power a 12-volt air compressor on the PowerFuze, but there's more than enough overhead for most portable devices.
Then again, most users only have one car, so they won't really see the point of carrying around the 12-volt charger. That little bugger will probably find itself perma-lodged into your car's DC power port after the first week--when you get sick of bringing it into the house every day. That being said, I still think it's nice to be able to pick up both chargers for one reasonable price and have the flexibility to use them together if you should decide to do so.
The PowerFuze and the PowerFuze Pro (with an included iPod sync cable) sell for $34.99 and $44.99 respectively. If you only need a car charger, look for the PowerPlug and PowerPlug Pro with sync cable for $19.99 and $29.99, respectively. Check out Scosche.com for more details on this cool little stocking stuffer.
Today's Beck's Beer Audio Draft Pick is the Works Progress Administration (WPA)
(Credit: WPA)Back in April of 2008 BJ (before Justin), motivational speaker James Arthur Ray guest-hosted The 404 Podcast and Jeff, Wilson, and Randall spoke to him about how to grow your own meat--no lie. Anyway, the show left a sour taste in The 404's collective mouth, and more than a year later it turns out that Mr. Ray is a big phony, not unlike Balloon Boy Sr.
Turns out that three people died in Arizona at a spiritual retreat "sweat lodge" organized by the self-appointed guru. It's a very sad story, and our hearts go out to the families of the victims. And James? Shame on you.
Oh, and surprise! The personal information you put up on the Internet is no longer private. According to this Wired Danger Room blog, a branch of the CIA has begun heavily investing in Visible Technologies, a software firm that monitors social media, including blog posts, Internet forums, online videos, radio reports, and so on. Luckily, Facebook is currently immune to such companies due to its closed architecture, but Twitter, Amazon, and YouTube are all fair game.
This report is definitely worth reading, but we're not surprised. Actually, we thought there was already a system set up to spy on our Web activities: it's called GOOGLE, and it's not doing such a great job at keeping our information private. The company is under suspicion of accidentally posting transcribed voice mails from its Google Voice service. Although this issue might actually concern me if my entire voice mail box weren't filled with concerned messages from my mother...
Today's Beck's Beer Draft Pick is Works Progress Administration (WPA).
(Credit: WPA)We're doing three Beck's Beer Audio Drafts this week to make up for the one we skipped last Friday due to Wilson's absence, and Wilson's pick for today is Works Progress Administration, a country outfit comprised of some of the most recognizable names in country music, including Glen Phillips from Toad the Wet Sprocket, Sean Watkins from Nickel Creek, and Benmont Tench from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
The songs of the day are called "Good as Ever" and "Always Have My Love," and although Jeff and I aren't huge fans of the country music genre, we can definitely appreciate the musical talent of this supergroup, and Wilson chimes in to explain the difference between country-pop, country-rock, and a million other sub-genres. The band is currently on a West Coast Tour, so be sure to check out the WPA Web site for more details.
EPISODE 449
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Remember the Death Clock, that oh-so-depressing site that counts down the time you have left to live?
I won't say this is the exact opposite, but it's in the ballpark: Earn-O-Meter for iPhone tallies up your income, in real-time, while you work.
The idea of this tongue-in-cheek app is to help you endure workday drudgery by showing how much money you're earning while "sitting through pointless meetings, dull conference calls, and inane conversations with nitwits in the workplace." (The developer's words, not mine.)
And, let's face it, wouldn't it be nice if you could emerge from another mind-numbing meeting with the knowledge that you'd pocketed, say, $37 for your trouble?
Of course, depending on your income level, this might be just as depressing as the Death Clock. (I could tell you how much I earned writing this post, but I don't like to cry onstage.)
Anyway, all you do is enter your hourly, daily, or annual wages, then set your workday's start and end times. Then tap the Earn-O-Meter button to see how much you've earned so far today and your "time left to endure."
Earn-O-Meter will run you 99 cents. Obviously it has little practical value, but it is kind of amusing (in an iNap@Work sort of way) and definitely enlightening.
Ever wondered why Europeans seem to be in so much better shape than us Americans? Well, instead of driving everywhere, they bike around town. The good news is that one of their secrets, the eZee electric bicycle, is now available in the U.S.
eZeebike USA announced Wednesday a major expansion of the eZee brand of electric bicycles into the American market. The eZee brand is already popular in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
eZee bicycles are just like regular bikes except they're equipped with an electric motor that helps power the vehicle to ease the pedaling during long rides or rides on rough terrain.
Each e-bike has a rechargeable battery that takes about five hours to fully power and then has enough juice to run the bicycle at around 20 mph for a distance of about 20 miles. Of course, you can always turn this off and power the bike by yourself, the traditional way.
eZee bicycles are obviously not for hardcore cyclists. ... Read more
How many marketing goons did it take to come up with "Beanzawave?"
(Credit: Daily Mail)In what appears to be another case of "good idea, poor execution," Heinz has partnered with Frazer Designers to invent the world's smallest USB-powered microwave. The little device aims to satisfy the appetites of office workers who have so much work on their plate they can't find the time to step outside for a bite to eat. Stranger still, the microwave is called...the Beanzawave (what?!).
The small turquoise device is officially the smallest microwave ever invented, measuring a tiny 7.4 inches tall, 6.2 inches wide, and 5.9 inches deep. Much like today's external hard drives, the microwave is entirely powered by the USB bus on a computer, so there's no extra plug necessary. If you're wondering how it'll nuke your food, the answer has the Microwave Association (what?!) worried as well. Gordon Andrews and Stephen Frazer, the masterminds and "microwave experts" (what?!) behind the Beanzawave claim the device uses phone radio frequencies that produce the heat necessary to cook a single serving of food in Heinz's proprietary "Snap Pots."
Bill takes a break and enjoys a nice pot of poison.
(Credit: Daily Mail)All right wait, what?! Phone radio frequencies to cook our food? Apparently we've totally forgotten our fear that cell phones are carcinogenic and catapulted directly to ingestion. Andrews claims it's actually possible to adjust these radio frequencies to cook different foods, including pies, burgers, soup, or tea. He also suggests powering the Beanzawave with lithium ion batteries for campers and fishermen who want hot food in the field.
This prototype isn't getting very good feedback from the Microwave Association, and they're pretty sure this miniature technology won't ever see the light of day. I'm with them. But Heinz is sticking to the plan and says the final production decision rests in the hands of public feedback, so let's hear it: would you feel comfortable eating food out of a microwave powered by your computer using phone radio frequencies? Leave a comment and let us know!
(Source: DailyMail)
iHome iStand Notebook Media Bundle for Mac.
(Credit: iHome)We've reviewed a few iHome computer speakers in the past, but the company is now making a bigger move into the computer accessories market after signing a licensing agreement with LifeWorks Technology Group.
The new line is expected to launch "this summer," and we've highlighted a couple interesting looking products, the iStand Notebook Media Bundle with an integrated iPod/iPhone dock ($299.99) and the iConnect Media Keyboard ($149.99). The Mac version of each is colored silver and white, while the Windows version is black. iHome-branded mice, headsets, and Webcams are also in the works.
For more info check out life-works.com.
Comments?
iHome iConnect Media Keyboard for PC.
(Credit: iHome)
Tivoli calls this finish Zebra.
(Credit: Tivoli)Tivoli Audio didn't announce any new products at its annual showcase this year in New York, but it did reveal lots of new looks--13 new finishes, in fact--for its NetWorks Internet radio.
The new finishes are broken down into three groups: Texture Collection (four options); Color Collection (six options); and Cappellini, which features three hand-lacquered finishes created by Italian furniture designer Giulio Cappellini (Tivoli will also make its original Model One tabletop AM/FM mono radio available in Cappellini finishes).
Tivoli continues to make firmware upgrades to its existing NetWorks radio, which came out last year, but no new changes have made to the hardware aside from the finishes.
The new models should be available within 90 days and carry the same prices as existing configurations of the NetWorks Global Audio System. The mono version goes for $599, the mono plus embedded FM radio costs $649, the stereo version (with second speaker in a separate enclosure) hits $699, and the line-topping FM/stereo version comes in at $750. If you go the Cappellini route, you're looking at $999 for the FM/stereo configuration (it only comes in this configuration).
We're not so keen on the price, especially when you can get a decent Internet radio for far less these days, but the newly finished radios do look beautiful up close and Tivoli is positioning NetWorks as an interior-design accessory. In other words, picture these guys in trendy lofts and other chic abodes and you'll get an idea where the company is headed with this colorful move, global recession be damned.
This hand-lacquered Cappellini finish is called Chinablue.
(Credit: Tivoli)
The cuffs on the Bike to Work Pants fold up to increase reflectivity.
(Credit: Cordarounds)Cycling commuters are forced to deal with a million obstacles on the ride to and from work. In urban areas, cars remain our biggest foe, largely because people don't make the effort to look out for our blinking lights. Plenty of companies offer cycling-specific clothing, but they're terribly unflattering in all the wrong places.
But check this out: Cordarounds has developed these Bike to Work Pants. The inside of the pockets and pant cuffs are actually made from a material that reflects lights, thus increasing a cyclist's visibility and safety.
In "daytime mode," the pants just look like a standard pair of khakis, made from a brushed pebble cotton that's just as comfortable as they are durable. The mudflaps subtlety fold into the pockets, completely concealing the reflective material. Wear them around the house, at work, or while running errands, but when it comes time to jump on the bike for the ride home, the Cordarounds really shine: the inside cuffs and pant pockets of each pair are made of a strong Illuminite Teflon material and bound with reflective 3M Scotchlite that illuminate at night to protect the rider. Get a more detailed look at the pants by watching this video.
All Cordaround products, including the Bike to Work Pants, are sewn exclusively in San Francisco and are available through the company's Web site. If interested, head over to Yanko Design and enter for a chance to win a free pair!
(Credit:
CNET)
I've posted quite a few monitor reviews lately, which got me thinking that I should probably update the three Monitor Buying Guide lists.
So here are my picks (of monitors I've reviewed) for the best LCD computer monitors for playing games, the best for work, and the best for movie watching.
Leave a comment if you think there are better choices out there or if there are other monitors you'd like to see reviewed.
Desperately seeking snoozing: iNap@Work generates the sounds of work so you don't have to.
If ever an iPhone app was created for the George Costanzas of the world, it's this one: iNap@Work simulates office sounds so you can snooze while the people around you think you're working.
I mean, seriously, wouldn't a 20-minute siesta be fantastic right about now? Just fire up iNap@Work, then adjust its five sound-effect sliders until they accurately reproduce the sounds that would normally come from your cubicle.
The app simulates mouse clicking, keyboard tapping, paper crumpling, stapler stapling, pencil sharpening, and tissue, um, using.
Needless to say, it's a pretty hilarious piece of code. I'm sure it's the rare office where you could actually put it to use (without getting caught and fired, anyway), but it's definitely good for a laugh.
What other apps tickle your funny bone? I'd love to hear your favorites. (But, please, spare me the fart-noise simulators. This isn't the second grade.)
