Microsoft’s CES Keynote was a major snooze
Greetings Readers!
As I am sure many of you are aware, last night was Microsoft's CES 2010 keynote and if you watched it, you know that the most exciting thing that came out of the keynote was the power failure that delayed it close to 30 minutes (We live blogged it here). As I stated last night, I would give my thoughts, both good and bad right here (Disclosure: I am a Microsoft Student Insider), so here we go.
I was rather surprised at the lack of announcements coming out of the keynote compared to years past. For those hoping for a big announcement regarding the rumored new features behind Ford's Sync, you are out of luck. Those are apparently being saved until Ford's keynote. Hoping for a major announcement about the Zune HD? Nope, nothing here either. Windows 8? Wishful thinking. A portable version of the Xbox? This will remain every gamers fantasy. What was announced? Ballmer really didn't announce much. He gave some lines about Windows 7 being the fastest selling OS of all time and some analyst speculation that PC sales will increase considerably this year but I don't really call those announcements. Steve announced that the HTC HD 2 running Windows Mobile will be coming to T-mobile but I am not sure anybody cares since we are talking Windows Mobile after all and T-mobile doesn't help either. Steve said they would talk more about the future of Windows Mobile at the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona next month. Ballmer did show off some prototype "Slate PCs" that will hopefully combat anything Apple announces later this month. The one he really demonstrated was an HP prototype that was running Windows 7 and the Kindle PC software to demonstrate how good of an e-book reader it could be and it looked to be about the same size as the Kindle 2. Sounds nice and I will definitely buy one, but if you are going to try to compete with Apple, you need to show something that will come out a little sooner rather than some prototype. Wait, you really wanted to know what was announced? Ok.
As far as REAL announcements go, there are a couple fairly minor announcements. Bing is now going to be the default home page and search engine for all HP computers. Excited yet? They also demonstrated what a Cable Card and a pc in your tv could do and said that with it, you can record 4 HD channels simultaneously which was probably the most impressive thing from they keynote. They talked a bit about Media Room and some partnership with AT&T's U-verse that I still don't understand and finally they had a couple interesting Xbox announcements. Besides all of the interesting number like units sold and games sold, Robby Bach announced that Project Natal will ship as an attachment to existing Xbox 360 systems in time for Christmas 2010. No price although I would expect that around E3. There was also no demo which was kind of disappointing. They also teased a new Halo game only to have it turn out to be a trailer for Halo Reach which was announced back at E3. I was rather disappointed but the audience seemed to love it since they could see the trailer and everybody watching the stream could not. The big Xbox 360 announcement was Game Room.
What is Game Room? Game Room seems to be a virtual space similar to the PS3's Home where you can run around a giant arcade as your avatar and buy and play old arcade games that look like the arcade units you would spend tons of quarters on in years gone by. Over 1000 games are planned for the next year that will be released in weekly batches that you will have to purchase. The coolest part is that this will be not only for the Xbox 360 but for PCs too! How much are these games going to cost you ask? If you want to play an arcade game on both platforms, you will be paying 400 Microsoft points aka $5. To get it on one platform, it is 240 points or $3. If you really want the old school experience, you can pay 40 points or $.50 and get two quarters worth of playing time on the old machines. The games can be played with other people, in 1080p and there are cross-platform leaderboards and achievements. This is coming in the Spring update to Xbox Live. Personally, I am really looking forward to this because lately I have had the urge to start buying old arcade machines and turning my basement into a small arcade but now I will be able to do it virtually instead of having to completely redo the basement. This was the only real announcement with any cool factor to it other than the HD recording. If you would like to see the demo that the people watching the live stream couldn't watch, you can check it out here.
That was pretty much about it. It was a very boring keynote and ended kind of out of nowhere. It certainly doesn't make me super excited about Microsoft this year but hopefully that will change. What did you think about the Microsoft CES 2010 keynote? Good? Bad? Boring? Exciting? Let us know!
Top 10 Geek Gifts for the 2009 Holiday Season
Greetings everybody!
It is that time of year again, with a little over a month left before Christmas, it is time to start figuring out what you are going to buy! The big question is what are you going to get that geek in your life? I have compiled another list again this year of great geek gifts to get that geek in your life assuming they don't already have them. Here we go!
#10. Electronic Rock Guitar Shirt
Are you so good at Rock Band and Guitar Hero that you want to take your act on the road? You can do something like that with this awesome electronic rock guitar shirt. With this shirt, you can let everybody enjoy your awesome guitar skills! The shirt comes with a mini-amp that you can clip on your belt that will allow you to tweak your sound and crank up the music so that you make sure that everybody can hear you. ThinkGeek is selling this awesome shirt for $29.99.
Electronic Rock Guitar Shirt
#9. Kill-A-Watt Graphic Timer
Are you or your loved one concerned about the safety of your electronic devices and just how much energy you are using? If so, than this Kill-A-Watt Graphic Timer is for you. Not only will it protect you from voltage spikes, but it will also protect your precious appliances and gadgets from over current, over voltage and even under voltage. This device will not only let you measure your power usage down to the minute, but you can program it to function at different times for up to 7 days. There are a number of other features, but if you are looking to track your energy usage to help cut down on your electric bill or just want to protect your appliances and gadgets, you should definitely check out the Kill-A-Watt Graphic Timer from ThinkGeek at the reasonable price of $69.99. If you can use it to save on electricity or protect your appliances, this wonderful meter could easily pay for itself over time.
Kill-A-Watt Graphic Timer
#8. The Laptopper Portable Shelf
Have you ever been sitting in your car outside of a coffee shop using their wifi? Kind of uncomfortable isn't it? Well now you have a place to comfortably set your laptop while you are surfing the net. This portable shelf will slip on your steering wheel or even over a headrest to give you a place to set any laptop 17" and smaller as well as whatever other gadgets you may be using. Whether you just want to watch a movie or participating in a wardriving competition, at $14.99, the Laptopper Portable Shelf from ThinkGeek is great for anybody!
The Laptopper Portable Shelf
#7. Rovio - WiFi Roaming Bot
O Rovio, Rovio, where for art thou Rovio? Are you looking to keep an eye on your home while you are away on vacation or just want to check up on that new babysitter? If so, the wifi connected Rovio is just for you! This cool little robot is equipped with a webcam, microphone and speakers. You can control Rovio manually or set up way-points to monitor your house. Rovio can be controlled from any internet connection around the world. What is really impressive is that you can control it with a PC, Mac, an iPhone and even your PS3! The Rovio also has built in LEDs to light its way in poorly lit areas. At $229.99 from ThinkGeek, Rovio seems reasonably priced, especially considering the fact that it has a base station it returns to for charging similar to the Roomba.
Rovio - WiFi Roaming Bot
#6. Grab-It Pack Gadget Holster
I don't know about you, but I am always looking for ways to carry more gadgets with me. I have been made fun of on numerous occasions for having my pockets so stuffed full of stuff that you would suspect I just robbed an electronics store. Now you can carry more items and get more strange looks than ever before with the Grab-It Pack Gadget Holster! Strap this around your waist and legs and you will turn a lot of heads when people see just how many gadgets you can carry! ThinkGeek sells the Grab-It Pack Gadget Holster for $24.99.
Grab-It Gadget Holster
#5. Scottevest Quantum Jacket
Maybe the Grab-It Gadget Holder isn't quite your style or maybe it doesn't have enough pockets to put stuff in, so why not try Scottevest's Quantum Jacket! Not only does this jacket look far less goofy, but it is also breathable and water resistant! Did we mention this jacket has an amazing 28 pockets?! Just think how many gadgets you can carry with you from phones to mp3 players to portable gaming devices when you have 28 pockets to store them in? Just think how much fun you could have have going through airport security when you have to empty out 28 pockets! Don't forget, this jacket has their patented Personal Area Network (PAN) to manage your earbud wires! If you head over to Scottevest, you can get this jacket for $250, but can you really put a price on carrying 28 pockets worth of gadgets while staying warm and looking good all at the same time?
Scottevest's Quantum Jacket
#4. Mini 300Mbps Wireless N Travel Router
Have you ever wanted to say that you are the proud owner of the world's smallest wireless N router? Now you can! This tiny wireless N router from TRENDnet will make sure you can transfer data across your wireless enabled devices quickly and easily. A product like this is great if you are stuck in a hotel with crappy wifi that you can only get if you are standing on the toilet with your arm stretched out like a fountain. Just fire this up where you can get the signal and you instantly have a good enough signal that you can get anywhere in the hotel room. For $79.99 from ThinkGeek, the TRENDnet Mini 300Mbps Wireless N Travel Router might just be the best router for the road warrior in your life.
TRENDnet Mini 300Mbps Wireless N Travel Router
#3. Ironkey Military Strength Flash Drives
How important is the security of the files you move around? Do you carry your financial documents on a thumb drive so you can have access to them anywhere? What about confidential plans from work? Now you can rest easy because with an Ironkey USB drive because you won't have to worry about your data falling into the wrong hands again! With hardware encryption, the tough looking Ironkey can stand strong against both virtual and physical attacks. These drives have so much encryption and security on them thanks to a built-in encryption chip, even the military is using them in Afghanistan! The only way to access the information on the drive is with the password and if somebody tries to hack into it and enters the wrong password 10 times, the encryption chip self destructs and makes the drive useless and nobody will ever be able to get your data. If security is what really matters to you, you can't go wrong with an Ironkey Military Strength Flash Drive. ThinkGeek sells a 1GB model for $69.99 and a 4GB model for $139.99. Although they aren't cheap, you should ask yourself just how much your data is worth.
Ironkey USB drive
#2. Motorola Droid
My, how far we have come in a year. Last year's list included T-Mobile's G1 Android phone and this year, we have a vastly improved Motorola phone by the name of Droid for Verizon customers. With a 5-megapixel camera, turn by turn directions, a physical and virtual keyboard as well as turn by turn directions just to name a few of the features, many are calling this an iPhone killer or at least as good as the iPhone. With over 10,000 applications available on the Android Marketplace, now is a great time to be looking into getting the Droid on what many consider to be the best wireless network in the US. If you are in the market for a new phone and don't want to suffer the hell of the AT&T network just to have something as nice as an iPhone, check out the Motorola Droid which you can get from LetsTalk.com for $150.
Motorola Droid
#1. Mimo Mini USB Monitor
Not a day goes by that I think to myself, "Gee, I could be much more productive if I had room for a second monitor." Now I can and I won't need a new desk and power strip to get it! Any of the Mimo mini USB monitors might give you just the extra amount of screen you need to be extra productive without taking up as much room on your desk as a full sized monitor. These monitors are powered by a USB cable so you don't have to worry about trying to get a bigger power strip to plug a second monitor into or a new graphics card that can support a second monitor. Now you can keep email or whatever you want open on a smaller, secondary monitor while you work on your main screen so you can see when you get that important email you have been waiting for. Did I mention there is a touchscreen model? If you are into the touchscreen movement and want a monitor you can physically interact with, for a little higher price, you can have just that! You might have a hard time putting a price on productivity, but ThinkGeek managed put put a price on it, and depending on which of the three models you get, the Mimo Mini USB Monitor will cost you between $129.99-229.99.
Mimo Mini USB Monitor
Did we miss something? What geek items are on your Christmas list?
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Is there anything Best Buy won’t do to screw its customers?
Greetings Readers!
Anybody who has ever dealt with Best Buy likely has their own horror stories about the giant, myself included and now they have a new tactic. Best Buy is now charging $130 to set up your Playstaion 3.
What do you get for your $130? You will get your PS3 plugged in, have its firmware updated, have your user accounts created and have the parental controls set up. Basically, stuff you shouldn't even need to look at the manual to figure out how to do. Why does Best Buy insist on ripping its customers like this? I am also curious who is dumb enough to pay $130 for this?
Here is the picture in case you need to see this ripoff to believe it.
Best Buy rips off Playstation 3 customers. Credit: Kotaku
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Apple’s 9-9-09 event thoughts…nap time!
Greetings readers!
Now that I have woken up from the sleep that Apple put me in, I figure I should comment on the very underwhelming event where Apple launched a couple of new iPods, changes some prices and launched iTunes 9.
Lets start off with the big news, Steve Jobs is back! It is great to see that Jobs is back and acknowledging his liver transplant which apparently came from an organ donor that was killed in a car accident. That said, either his shirt is really large or his is skin and bones with saggy man boobs which you can see in the picture below from gdgt. I would say he really needs to gain some weight. Less vegan food and a few more Big Macs would do him good. Anyway, he gave us some impressive numbers about 30 million iPhones being sold, 20 million iPod touches, and 1.8 billion apps have been downloaded.
Steve Jobs presenting at Apple's 9-9-09 event. Credit: gdgt
On to iTunes! It seems Apple is jumping on the ringtone movement that died out long ago by selling over 30,000 ringtones for $1.29. Nice job at keeping up with current trends Apple! Next time, I recommend jumping on the bandwagon before the wagon has been abandoned in a field with only one wheel left. That said, I do like the look of the new iTunes as it has more of a Zune Marketplace kind of feel in some areas. The ability to manage apps directly from iTunes looks to be a great feature as well as bringing the Genius technology used to bring you the music you like to apps to help you find apps you might like. Finally, the iTunes LP stuff looks pretty impressive, especially if you are a music fan who likes pictures. Now onto the iPod news!
The first part of the iPod news talking about how it is a great gaming platform and such was real snooze of the show. While I do enjoy a couple of the games on my iPod Touch, they are trying to make it sounds far superior in nearly every way to the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP. IT IS NOT! I will admit it has potential as a gaming device, but a touch screen will never beat the controls you will find on any handheld gaming device going all the way back to the Gameboy. Actually, I feel like ranting on this more, so that will be the focus of my next post, but I will let it go for now so we can focus on other iPod related news. Apparently Apple thinks that at the low price of $200, people will want to get an 8GB iPod Touch. 8GB Isn't enough to take most people's music collections, rather less video and apps. This was done purely to undercut the Zune HD who's 16GB version (the smallest size) is $220. Personally, I would prefer the far better audio experience and double the size for the extra $20. Apple can play the price war all it wants, but value speaks volumes. Speaking of the iPod Touch, the new 64GB version sounds nice but it needs more features, like maybe the camera everybody was expecting which came in the iPod Nano.
Before I talk about the Nano, the iPod classic has been upped to 160GB which I think is a bit too big. Not too big for a large music collection but who really needs to carry around 400,000 songs with them? I would call that overkill. Anyway, back to the Nano. It seems the Nano is getting the rumored camera that everybody figured the iPod Touch would get too. They didn't say much about the camera other than it could do video and had a mic. I would say its certainly a good update and a good play against the Flip camcorder but I wanted to see it on the iPod Touch as well since it is far more capable than the nano and would have some real uses for it. Oh, and both the nano and the shuffle have a bunch of new colors for those that care about about fashion. I have always found the many colors idea of gadgets kind of pointless but I guess I am not the average person. I am a proud owner of a poop brown Zune, so clearly I have no fashion taste. The only other noteworthy thing in relation to the Nano is the fact that it is getting an FM radio. For my opinion on that, scroll back up to the bandwagon comment since the Zune had this from day one as well as a good number of other portable media devices. If they really wanted to impress me, they would put in an AM radio.
That was pretty much the event. No Beatles, no camera in the iPod Touch, no Rolling Stones and no Mac tablet. The event was pretty much a big snooze and I am amazed that the stock didn't drop more than a whole 1% considering it usually plunges on even good release events like this. There is one image that they showed that I think speaks volumes about the idea of an Apple netbook. They talked about how the iPod Touch/iPhone are basically portable computers and showed an image (seen below) of some body trying to shove a Dell netbook into their back pocket. I think this is a good indication that a netbook isn't coming and that the closest thing you are going to get to one is and iPod Touch.
Apple tries to put a Dell netbook in its pocket. Credit: gdgt
What did you think of the event? Exciting? Boring? Did Steve Jobs look healthy to you? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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Amazon’s VOD success depends on distribution deals
Greetings Readers!
The streaming video market has become rather crowded in the last couple of years with services like Hulu and YouTube, but the video service with the most potential is Amazon's VOD service.
Amazon's VOD (Video On Demand) service has been around for a while and has a huge library of tv shows and movies including some of the newest releases yet it has never gained much traction in a world dominated by Netflix. If Amazon hopes to really compete in this market, it needs to do more than advertise its service (which it doesn't do a very good job at anyway). Amazon needs to through its weight behind the service and make sure that everybody is aware of it and it is accessible as possible. How can they make it accessible? Amazon needs more distribution deals with hardware manufactures.
Amazon currently has deals which allow its service to be accessed on Roku boxes, Panasonic Blu-ray players, TiVo DVRs and Sony Bravia TVs, but they have to do much better than that. Amazon needs to push for a deal with every TV manufacture instead of just Sony and their Bravia line. With many people upgrading to new and better TVs after the DTV transition to take advantage of the new HD content, there is a huge opportunity for Amazon if they work to put themselves on all internet connected TVs. Same thing with Blu-ray players, Blu-ray is starting to gain traction and Amazon needs to do its best to get on more than just Panasonic players if it wants to get in on the ground floor before the mass exodus from DVD to Blu-ray begins. As far as TiVo goes, that is a great move for them but they should also work towards being on the DVRs offered by cable and satellite providers.
Amazon has the huge opportunity to grab a huge chunk of the streaming video market if they are willing to do what is necessary to put their service in front of as many people as possible. They have started moving in this direction, but so as Netflix and others, so if they want to put themselves in a dominant position, they must act now!
Finally, I think they need to go mobile with their video on demand service. Apps for the iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile and such should be coming too. Many people like to watch videos on their phones, so if you have a way to stream videos to a phone, even if it is over wifi, you are ahead of the competition.
The competition in this space is in its very early stages and Amazon is on the position of either being left behind or taking the lead. The potential for profit is there, will they strike before its too late?
RIM buys Dash Navigation
Greetings Readers!
RIM (Research in Motion) has acquired Dash Express, makers of the Dash GPS unit. While details have not been disclosed, I am very excited for this acquisition. I have been a very proud Dash owner for over a year and I couldn't be happier with the device. While they unfortunately no longer make the Dash GPS, it was an amazing device and the first GPS with an internet connection to get current traffic information, search the internet for locations and even be able to Twitter thanks to an add-on! I don't know how much longer I have on my service but it is still well over a year I am sure.
While my current Blackberry (7100i) has a GPS client on it, it is nowhere near as good as my Dash unit. If RIM can integrate the Dash software into their phones, it would be a game changer in my opinion. RIM picked up a great property in my opinion and I can't wait to see what wonderful things come out of this purchase!
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-Jeremy "pcnerd37" Bray
Microsoft finally advertises its biggest advantage over the iPod, cost
Greetings Readers!
Microsoft has unveiled their latest attack on Apple, but this time it doesn't involve anybody going to a retail store and purchasing a laptop. This time Microsoft is setting its sights on the iPod. The latest commercial attacks Apple for not having a subscription service on iTunes for music downloads. Without a subscription service, they claim it will cost $30,000 to fill a 120GB iPod with mp3s. Microsoft's Zune on the other hand, has an unlimited music service that is $15/mo for unlimited music downloads. It would take over 166 years of a Zune Pass subscription to equal what it would cost if you were to fill a 120GB iPod from iTunes. I believe that this is a great move from Microsoft. When you talk saving money during hard economic times, people are going to listen. Much like the Windows ads, I think that they can do the most damage to Apple if they push the issue of cost.
Of course the commercial doesn't give you the whole story, otherwise you might not be compelled to switch. All music downloaded with a Zune Pass comes with that dreaded DRM garbage that the rest of the world is moving away from. Without the pass, you can get DRM free music but not with it. The subscription has DRM so that you continue to subscribe to the Zune Pass. If you don't keep your subscription renewed, you will end up with a bunch of music that won't play. That is the downside of the Zune Pass. You get to keep 10 songs a month I believe for free but everything else will die if you don't renew. Microsoft paints a pretty picture with the commercial, but everything has a downside and this is one they hope you won't notice. Of course you could crack the DRM and eliminate that downside, but that is not legal. As much as my pirate nature would like to share information with you on how to do that, I am not looking to piss off Microsoft, especially when I have the desire to work for them at some point. Anyway, below is the new Zune ad that attacks the idea that it would cost $30,000 to fill an iPod.
Top 10 Geek Gifts for the 2008 Holiday Season
Greetings Readers!
Its almost that time of year again, when geeks either get the cool gadgets that they have been wanting thanks to holiday sales or are given the gifts they have been wanting by people that love them. Whether you are looking for some great gadgets to get for yourself or that lovable geek in your life, I have compiled a list of some of the top geek gifts for the 2008 holiday season.
#10. 26-piece PC Repair Tool Kit
What true Geek doesn't need a good repair tool kit? Whether they are making some amazing case mods or just replacing a dead hard drive, a Geek needs his tools! ThinkGeek has a great 26-piece PC repair tool kit for just $21.99!
26-Piece PC Repair Tool Kit from ThinkGeek
#9: Circuit Board Necklace
Geeks often like to show off just how geeky they really are, and what better way to do that than with a circuit board necklace? You may not want to spend the money on a fancy necklace made of all kinds of precious metals and stones, but you can still look good and show everybody just how geeky you are at the same time with a circuit board necklace from ThinkGeek. For only $19.99, you can make a fashion statement and have a great conversation piece!
Circuit Board Necklace from ThinkGeek
#8. Shut up and Reboot T-Shirt
Every geek that has ever played the roll of tech support to anybody before is guaranteed to have said "Just shut up and reboot" at least a million times. Now you can just tell people to read your t-shirt! This shirt, also from ThinkGeek, will allow you or the geek in your life to wear some of the best tech support advice ever, all for between $14.99-16.99 (depending on the size of shirt).
Just Shut Up and Reboot T-Shirt from ThinkGeek
#7. 2GB Secret Pen-Shaped Pocket Spy Camera Digital Video Recorder
Geeks are often looking for new ways to capture information and store it without bringing attention to themselves (except when they like to boast about how many Terabytes their computers and servers store). This pen is great for doing just that. This 2GB pen-shaped digital video recorder can hold up to 5 hours of video and uses a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that lasts close to 100 min. Whether you are looking for a way to capture embarrassing moments for the company Christmas party or capture some blackmail material against that boss that refuses to give you a raise, for $67.66, you can own this 2GB spy camera pen that wields great power to those who know about its capabilities.
2GB Secret Pen-Shaped Pocket Spy Camera Digital Video Recorder from Blueplugged.com
#6. NeatDesk
While not all Geeks are messy (I will admit that I am very messy), it is always a good idea to keep all of your contacts and financial information organized. NeatDesk helps you accomplish this task. NeatDest can scan business cards, receipts and documents all in one batch. With NeatDesk, you no longer have to scan in all your items separately on a flatbed scanner. NeatDesk also comes with software that helps you identify, extract and organize scanned information. You can purchase this organizational wonder from Neat, makers of NeatDesk for $499.95.
NeatDesk
#5. T-Mobile G1 Android Phone
The iPhone might be the sexiest phone of all time, but it can't compare in openness to the new Android based G1 phone ("The Google Phone"). Any geek that appreciates an open platform will love the new G1. Open systems such as Android are a geeks dream. Not only can you make your own applications for the G1, but you can hack the operating system till your heat's content. It is also a cheap alternative to Apple's iPhone. You can purchase the phone from T-Mobile, but rumor has it that Walmart has the phone considerably cheaper although the price isn't listed on their website.
T-Mobile G1 Android Phone
#4. Acer Aspire One Netbook
Netbooks have become wildly popular this year and few match Acer's Aspire One in price or performance. Although there are several models of the Aspire One which have different hard drives, batteries, operating systems and various other differences, the best deal is the Aspire One with XP, 160GB hard drive, 1GB RAM and a six-cell battery. The screen comes in at a compact but nice 8.9" and it has a larger, more comfortable keyboard than some of the competing netbooks. Whether you or your beloved geek is looking to browse the Internet or do some coding on the go, the Aspire One is a great alternative to getting a full sized laptop, especially for road warriors. You can pick up this wonderful device for $399.00 plus free shipping from Amazon. It also comes in several colors!
Acer Aspire One at Amazon.com
#3. iRex iLiad
If you or the geek in your life has been looking into moving from traditional books to an e-reader, the iRex iLiad is a great alternative to Amazon's Kindle. Although it is a considerably more expensive alternative ($699), it has the added features to make up for it. One of the biggest features that this new e-reader boasts is the ability to write on it like you would normal paper. This feature allows you to make notes, annotate documents which you can transfer to other iLiad devices or a PC and even play games like crossword puzzles and Sudoku! The iLiad can hold dozens of books, documents and even digital subscriptions to international newspapers! If that isn't enough, you can quickly increase the storage with a Compact Flash card or even a USB stick. The one drawback that it has compared to the Kindle is that instead of having a cell connection that you can download new content anywhere, you are restricted to Wi-Fi or USB to transfer content. I don't see this as a big deal since most people will load up on books before they leave the house anyway.
The iRex iLiad e-book reader
#2: Logitech Harmony One Advanced Universal Remote
Are you tired of trying to track down the remote for each device in your house. If you are like me, you likely have a remote for each TV in your house, DVD player, Blu-ray player, HD-DVD player, gaming console, stereo and other devices, plus a few remotes that you don't remember what they are for. The Logitech Harmony One helps you cut down on all of the remote clutter by allowing you to have a single remove for everything. The Harmony One is able to replace the remotes of over 225,000 devices while still maintaining all the functionality of the original remote. The Harmony One even has a color touch screen! The Logitech Harmony runs $249.99. If you think that is too much to replace just a couple of remotes, you can get the lower-end Harmony 510 universal remote for $99.99.
Logitech Harmony One Universal Remote
#1. Vuzix iWear AV310 Widescreen
Having a screen that you could attach to your face so you can watch videos easily at any time has long been a dream of most geeks (although some just dream of looking like LaForge from Star Trek: The Next Generation). The Vuzix iWear AV310 widescreen wearable display will help you do just that! This unit's display appears like a 52" widescreen display viewed from 9 feet. The unit is compatible with any device with a composite out connection as well as most iPods, portable DVD players, game consoles, and much more! With independent focus adjustments and high quality stereo earphones, the iWear AV310 gives the user an engrossing entertainment experience. The unit runs off of a single AA battery which can last for up to 11 hours. Personally I find this as a drawback as I long ago gave up disposable batteries, but you can probably use the rechargeable AA batteries just fine. You can pick up this visual wonder from Vuzix for $249.95.
Vuzix iWear AV310 Widescreen
These gifts are sure to light up any geek's face this holiday season. If you have any suggestions for other items that geeks might like this holiday season, tell us about them in the comments!
-Jeremy "pcnerd37" Bray
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