Photo Resurrection
So I’m not that old, but I must say that my earliest childhood moments are recorded on film, not online. I remember loading film, and to be honest, I liked it.
So now the USB Negative Scanner comes into play. Still have all those negatives hiding in drawers stored in envelopes from CVS? Well now it’s time to share the memories in our new digital age. It’s simple, load the 35 mm negative strips into the bottom of the scanner and suddenly you are the proud owner of a new wondrous library of digital pictures.
Give new life to old stories, upload an excellently embarrassing profile picture, the options are unlimited! Think of how much extra use you’ll get out of any new film photos you take today. I know kids taking a black and white photo class and as lovely as their final prints are it’s hard for those photos to translate appropriately to the computer through the lens of a digital camera. Add in the fact that this scanner is much more desk sized than a regular scanner and you see how college friendly it becomes. At $140 it’s not the cheapest gadget you’ll ever buy, but not the most expensive either. And memories are priceless, right?
One for Five
If you’re like me, or at least own a computer, odds are that the wiring clutter on your desk can get a little hard to handle (especially when moving, like in and out of a dorm room). Well, here’s a chance to simplify the mess.
With the 5 in 1 USB cable it’s one wire to charge five gadgets. Plug into one USB port and you can charge more than one gadget without the extra hassle of more wiring. Lets be honest, it doesn’t just cut down on the wired knots, it also presents a pretty excellent expansion of USB capabilities (a computer only comes with so many ports).
Software for Security
It’s that time of year, where many of us are heading back to the college dorm or out there for the first time. There are a lot of questions about room size, and roommate personality, food, safety, etc. etc. While there’s not much one can do about problems such as food or personality, when it comes to computer worries technology usually has an answer.
For anyone paranoid enough about the safety of their material on a Mac there is the Rohos Logon Key. When you fear that password login is not enough to keep your excellent Shakespeare paper from plagiarizing eyes just grab a USB drive and the Rohos software and no amount of password guessing or stealing counts for anything.
The concept is simple, plug your USB flash drive in to “unlock” your Mac and unplug it to reapply the locked safety feature. Like any key (car included) the system’s not full proof, but the idea is solid. And, with so many other college unknowns, a jumpy freshman may find extra computer security makes the rest of the world of higher education seem a little more secure too.
Fashion Flaw
I’m all about convenience, it’s part of the reason technology as a complete concept appeals to me, but that doesn’t mean there are not a few missteps on the road to utility bliss.
For an example I’d just like to bring up the Lisco . It’s a design right now. It’s a USB cable as jewelry, functional jewelry. Now I’m not writing off the concept, I like the concept. Having a USB cord when you need it is convenient and a simple bracelet can have broad appeal (see Livestrong) but design here feels a bit off. It looks like a cuff almost. The simplicity is good but when the USB sticks out both ends of the band it seems a little less than trendy. Most USB flash drives come with caps for a reason. Taking a cue from the already portable flash drive might be an improvement.
I don’t see the tech jewelry market taking off any time too soon, but the brilliance is out there. The cell phone is very much its own accessory already so the mesh between the technologically practical and the fashionably designed is on its way.
Small and Mighty
This is an ode to the USB flash drive. They’ve been around for awhile but it seems (though they are popular) not as many people have latched on to them as I would have expected. In my opinion anyone with a computer should also own a USB flash drive.
For those unsure of exactly what a USB flash drive is good for, in short, they are good for storage. You basically plug the thing into the USB port on your computer and, as if you inserted a blank disk, you can then drag files onto the drive.
Storage is important because computers, despite their increased reliability over time, still crash. The smartest thing you can do is back up your files by saving them not only on your computers hard drive but in another place as well. Besides the USB there are also the options of an external hard drive or a disk.
I find that I would rather save my blank CD’s and DVD’s for music and class projects (that I must often hand in on a disk) and an external hard drive is just not in my personal price range at the moment (though depending on storage capacity flash drives and hard drives can have similar costs). Beyond that a USB drive is just much more travel friendly for my convenience, an external hard drive is much more difficult to drag back and forth from school.
USB’s come in a number of sizes over a very broad price range, from a few hundred megabytes to a lot of gigabytes. Depending on how much information you feel you need to backup (or how much cash you have handy) that determines how much storage space you are going to purchase. I find it is only necessary to backup my work, writing files and the like, so I have yet to reach out of the two gigabyte range.
It’s a simple relatively well priced solution to the possibility of a computer induced mental break down. Even with the newest and most reliable computer on your desk often it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Father’s Day Gift Guide
I know it is last-minute, but Father’s Day has really snuck up on me this year. I’m always looking for something clever and tech-y for my dad who is an original computer geek and software designer. This year I have found some very cool prospects I thought I would share. Of course you may have to pay extra shipping to get them by Sunday!
For the Stargazer-Meade Mysky $349
This “point-and-shoot” sky guide lets users point at an object in the night sky and get an instant 411. It easily locates nebula, planets, stars and more than 30,000 celestial objects. Has a full-color LCD screen and easy-to-use interface.
For the Adoring Grandpa-Digital Brag Book $120
This super-sleek aluminum case digital brag book holds 2000 images and features a 3.5″ LCD screen. Perfect for the dad or grandad who likes showing off his brood.
For the Scale-Model Afficianado-Lego Mindstorms NXT $250
Not your kids’ Lego set! These ultra-high tech robots, errrrr . . . models, are full of digital features. They contain built-in rotation sensors to align speed for precise control and can react to sound commands, patterns and tones. With more than 500 pieces, these are not for the faint-of-heart, but if you have your own programmable robot at the end of it, who cares?! (via WIRED)
For the Sports Fan-Ambient Wireless Baseball Scorecast $130
Great for the on-the-go sports fan. This hand-held or desktop device receives info from any MLB team via a free network. The 3×5 screen displays score, standing, and schedule information with the press of a button. Other models exist for additional sports.
For the Beer Lover-USB Beverage Chiller $40
OK, so it’s not just for beer lovers, but you can keep your cans, bottles and glasses a cool 45 degrees just by plugging in the USB cord to your computer.
For the Chef-Wireless Talking BBQ & Oven Thermometer $60
This thermometer will keep dear old dad from charring his favorite steaks or burning the burgers. The thermometer features five languages, eight entrée programs, four doneness levels, and four verbal and audio alert options—”almost ready,” “ready,” “overcooked” and “out-of-range.”
For the Boy Scout–Swiss Army Memory Tool $85
He’ll be at the ready with this super-cool Swiss Army knife and USB flash drive. The tool features a blade, a screwdriver, scissors, key ring, LCD light and ballpoint pen. It comes in a 1GB and 2GB model ($120).
