Cool Stuff for the Mac Pro.

Section: Video, Accessories, DVD/DVR/Blu-ray, Peripherals, Storage, Reviews

There are some reviews that are a bit difficult to compose.  Sometimes the products are so intricate that it takes a whole lot of work to boil them down to a brief review.  Other times the products are just so simple that there isn’t much to say about them beside “it works” and “it is great.”  Thankfully, this review is the latter.

I am not sure about you but I am regularly running out of space on my living room DVR (from Time Warner Cable) and am forced to delete movies and/or TV shows that I haven’t have time to watch.  I could opt to record in SD instead of HD (which requires significantly less space), but that is just too big of a sacrifice.  With the Seagate Extender these problems dissolve away.

What is it?

The Seagate Showcase DVR Storage Expander allows you to expand your hard drive space on your DVR.  It is available in 500GB or 1TB versions.  Each version comes in USB 2.0 or eSATA variations.  Prices range from $119.99 to $164.99 depending on configuration.

The Good

The Showcase is a plug and play DVR expander via USB 2.0 or an eSATA connection.  It adds up to 200 additional hours of HD shows or 1000 hours in standard definition.  To get it going you turn off your DVR and then plug the large power block into the wall and the Showcase.  Finally, do the same for the USB or eSATA cable (now between your DVR and the Showcase).  Once this is complete (a.k.a. 30 seconds later) turn your DVR back on, at which time you should see a prompt asking if you want to “reformat your external drive.” 

Upon saying yes, you are done—your DVR will do the rest.  It will fill up your external drive as the internal drive reaches capacity and play off of either drive, based on where the program is recorded.

The Bad

The only downfall is that if/when you disconnect the Showcase and move it to another DVR (even if from the same provider and same model DVR), the device forces you to reformat your drive and lose those saved shows.

The Crux

If you’re looking for a way to expand your DVR without hacking, the Seagate Showcase DVR Storage Expander is a very good option.

Product Page: Showcase

Full Story » | Written by Adam Berger for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Section: Web, Web 2.0, Web Apps, Web Browsers, Websites, Online Music/Video

Talk about Twitter’s reach growing.  Apparently it is now going into outer space.  NASA astronaut Mark Polansky will be commanding the upcoming mission to the International Space Station, and he just posted an invite on YouTube.  This invite, which was posted on NASA’s official YouTube channel, invited users, as well as Twitter folks, to be a part of his next mission by submitting questions through YouTube and then following updates via Twitter.

He asks that the questions be sent on a video (about 30 seconds long) and posted to YouTube, and then sent to his Twitter account (using the @reply method).  He will then respond to the question on the nationally broadcast NASA TV.

As one YouTube commentor put it, “I find it frightening that the first alien contact we might make could be a tweet.”  Well, they will probably surely wonder about a society that can only speak in 140 character or less, and uses a hell of a lot of weird acronyms.  Maybe we should send them the Guide to Twitter 101.

Actually, Polansky isn’t even going to be the first to be Tweeting from space.  Mike Massimo plans to Tweet away from the Space Shuttle Atlantis in under three days when it sets off on mission STS-125.

Trying to reach a larger audience, NASA has been reaching into modern consumer technology…making use of things like the web and social sites.  I have to agree with Jason Kincaid’s view in that at least the astronauts might have something educational to Tweet to us, instead of a lot of what many of hollywood flavors of the week are filling space with each day. 

I wonder if anyone we don’t expect will intercept and Tweet back?  Oh…that’s right…ET used a good old fashioned phone.

via: LAtimes

Full Story » | Written by Jodie Andrefski for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Section:

Haven’t caught all of the Gadgetell news this week?  Here’s your chance to catch up on this week’s top 10 articles!

• Welcome to Twitter 101: A guide to all those goofy acronyms
  ” As just about everybody knows, Twitter is fast becoming one of the biggest social networks out there.  Heck, even Ashton and CNN were apparently battling it out to be top tweeter. …” MORE »
• Gadgetell Guide: What to expect with Windows 7 RC1
  “First things first, while Windows 7 should be stable, it is important to point out that this is still a Release Candidate.  In other words, this is not the final release and you may experience an issue or two.  That said, I have been running Windows 7…” MORE »
• Amazon’s got a giant Kindle secret?  It’s free (rumor)
  ” Today, Amazon delivered invites to an event being held at the New York Times former headquarters in the City.  Amazon doesn’t hold a lot of these, so speculation is something new is coming.  This new thing…” MORE »
• Sprint employees to begin Palm Pre training on May 6
  “It looks like we are getting a little closer to seeing the launch of the highly anticipated Palm Pre.  According to a recent posting over on the Sprint Gurus user forums training is scheduled to begin very soon.  In fact, it is just a few days away…” MORE »
• Nine Inch Nails App update rejected, Trent Reznor gets angry
  “It shouldn’t surprise anyone who didn’t already know that Apple rules over the iPhone/iPod touch App Store with an iron fist.  There have been several stories of Apps that got rejected for ridiculous reasons, or even some that were approved then taken down, like the Shaken Baby app.  However, not…” MORE »
• 32GB Cowon S9 PMP now available with Amazon
  ” Looking for another decent option when it comes to a portable media player?  Well Amazon has just listed the latest, or should I say largest Cowon S9 PMP.  We have had the MORE »
• Gadgetell Guide: Dual booting Linux and Windows XP
  ” Even though I’d like to think of myself as an open-minded individual, I have never really experimented with Linux.  At school, I take a computer class, and one of our recent projects was installing Xubutu (a form of…” MORE »
• Gadgetell Review: XLink Bluetooth Cellular Gateway
  “What Is It: The XLink Bluetooth Cellular Gateway is a $99 device ($119 for an upgraded model) that lets you pair up to three cellphones with your old landline handsets.  Gadgetell got to test out the $99 BT model.…” MORE »
• Hands on with the Kindle DX (photos and video)
  “So we got a chance to play with the Kindle DX.  It’s exactly what we expected.  It’s very light and is very fast.  The price tag is a bit high, but it’s probably less costly when compared to textbooks.  Check out the video of it in action below.  MORE »
• Online video war part 2: Battle of the network sites
  ” We’re back with another helpful post on how to find the best in online video.  Last time, we covered Joost, Hulu, and…” MORE »

Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

FROM APPLETELL - Another fantastic week on the App Store. I don’t recall any huge announcements or amazing treasures, but there sure were a lot of decent and useful apps and games.
MORE »

Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Section: Computers, Security, Software / Applications, Gadgets / Other, Lifestyle, Web, Features, Originals

There are plenty of good practices to pick up when working with a computer.  However, it’s really easy to fall into traps by being lazy.  Take a look at this list.  Do you have lousy tech habits?  The first step is identifying your problem.  Next, is finding a solution.

5. Not having a junk e-mail address

So many sites require signing up to get access to more information.  Software registration also asks for your e-mail.  Giving out your personal e-mail address can make for a very cluttered inbox.  Sure you could create filters to avoid this, but you can stop the problem from happening from the beginning by getting a junk e-mail address. 

Now many people suggest using your gmail account and modifying it.  So if your e-mail address was “User@gmail.com” you could write “User+junk@gmail.com” instead.  Then you could filter out those messages.  While that does work (and is nice for filtering purposes), not all sites accept an e-mail with a “+.” 

There are several ways around this.  You could just sign up for another e-mail address.  However, there are many web services that give you a temporary e-mail address.  This is very handy when you sign up for forums. 

4. Not cleaning out your inbox regularly

The amount of unread e-mails in your inbox can be overwhelming.  Sometimes, you’ve just got to put your head down and go through your e-mails.  The trick is really consistency.  If you do a little every day, you’ll take care of it.  Remember, 5 minutes of work is still better than none. 

Keep something in mind, you don’t have to read every e-mail.  Take a look at the sender and the subject and see if it’s even worth reading.  You can get rid of lots of e-mails this way.  Not cleaning out your e-mail can lead to lost opportunities. 

3. Using one password for all things

 
This is a huge mistake.  Sure, having one password for your e-mail, your computer, your Facebook account and everything else is easy.  The only problem is, if someone figures out that one password, you’re sunk.  You don’t have to get paranoid with super-hackers messing with your Facebook status, but your roommates may have a propensity for pranks. 

How can you avoid this?  Simple.  Grab some other passwords.  You’ll need some kind of password manager, but it’s worth it. 

2. Poor file structure

Do you have files strewn all over your hard drive?  Are your pictures partly in your “Downloads” folder, and some are in your “Pictures” folder?  Do you have music on your desktop and some in another folder?  Who knows where your documents are?

What makes this such a bad habit?  The fact is, you can probably find your files using searches and then saving those searches for smart folders.  However, it does rob you of precious time and processing power.  Why make your system run a little slower?

You can actually pick up some software that will move your files for you if you don’t feel like doing the work yourself.  Check out Belvedere written by the guys at Lifehacker.  Now you’ll know where everything is instead of wasting time. 

1. Not backing up

Admit it—you don’t back up regularly.  This is always trouble for lots of people.  The more data you have, the larger your backup solution has to be. 

The fact is, you don’t need to back up your entire hard drive.  Having a cloned drive is always nice so you don’t skip a beat, but if you want to be somewhat lazy about it, you can just back up your most important data.  There’s a really easy way to do this.

Get Dropbox.  Dropbox’s primary purpose is to sync folders on multiple machines.  However, Dropbox also creates an online copy of your files.  Every change you make to files in your Dropbox is uploaded to a server somewhere in the world.  You’ll be backing up without even knowing it.  [Dropbox]

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Section:

We may not cover Apple 24×7… but we know someone who does!  Here’s a few of this week’s hottest from Appletell to get you started…

• Improve graphic performance of your Intel GMA chipset Macintosh
• Appletell reviews 5 simple games for iPhone/iPod touch
• How to run Mac OS X on a Dell Mini 9
• Appletell reviews Myst for iPhone and iPod touch
• Turn by Turn GPS only an update away for the iPhone

Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Section: Communications, Cellphones, Mobile

A MBTA trolley slammed into the back of another one in downtown Boston last night, injuring 100 and sending 49 to the hospital.  In what MBTA officials called an outrage, the driver of the trolley that caused the crash admitted he had been texting his girlfriend at the time and didn’t see the red signal in front of him until it was too late.  Thankfully none of the injuries were considered life threatening.

The 24 year old conductor will likely lose his job as MBTA policy states texting on the job is dismissible offense.  Last September, a commuter train in California ran a red light and slammed into a freight train, killing 25 people including the engineer, who’s texting was blamed for the crash.

But the moving Green Line trolley that came from behind had enough force to jolt a second trolley parked at a red light about 100 feet into the tunnel toward the Park Street station. Both trolleys derailed and sustained significant damage at the point of impact.

I am from Boston and have spent countless hours on the T.  There is just no way a train, bus or trolley can be operated safely while texting.  None.  The same goes for a car or truck.  A recent Nationwide Insurance survey of 1,503 drivers found that almost 40 percent of those respondents from 16 to 30 years old said they text while driving.  Where is the common sense?  Please people, if you text while driving, STOP.  It’s not worth risking your life or anyone else’s.

Read [Boston Globe]

Full Story » | Written by Sue Walsh for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Section:

No need to scour the interwebs for hot gaming news, Gamertell‘s already done that for you!  Here’s a look at this week’s top stories…

• Target luring in Mother’s Day shoppers with iPod nano and DS lite bundle discounts
• Bullet Point Preview: Star Trek (the movie)
• Apple App Store gaming update for the week of April 27 - May 3, 2009
• 20 PSOne RPGs the PlayStation Store should offer (that aren’t Final Fantasy)
• Opinion: Apple needs to drastically revamp and better regulate the App Store

Full Story » | Written by NEWS for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Section: Communications, Accessories, Computers, Gadgets / Other, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Peripherals

I’m sure any self-respecting Star Trek fan knows this is opening weekend for the latest Star Trek film.  So, in honor of the big weekend, here is a nifty little gadget just for you.  A Star Trek Communicator Internet phone.  Say that five times fast.

It is a replica of “The Original Series” with USB (plug and play).  It comes with a built in mic and earphones, as well as a built in speaker with 21 sound effects.  It works with Skype, AIM, MSN, iChat, and more.  The LCD Moire (that little circle in the middle) will spin when the cover is open too. 

It comes with a six foot cord, a volume switch, and a mute button, and is compatible with Windows XP, Vista, and Mac.

By the way, word on the street is that the movie is worth the ticket price.  Star Trek fans (and even someone you are dragging along) should really enjoy it.  Though it is argued that it isn’t quite as good as “The Wrath of Khan”. 

MSRP on the Communicator is $44.00.

product page: gadget4all

Full Story » | Written by Jodie Andrefski for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »

Section: Gadgets / Other, Green, Lifestyle, Transportation, Web, Websites

How does your bridge feel?

Maybe your mom or dad have an old mood ring laying around.  It’s supposed to let people know how the wearer is feeling.  Soon, bridges may tell you they aren’t feeling too well.

A new polymer is being developed that changes color when stressed.  Instead of projections and calculations of when a bridge is most stressed, there would actually be a visual indicator of what’s going on before it’s too late. 

Even more crazy is the idea that this may actually lead to “self-sensing and self-reinforcing” materials according to Nancy Sottos, head of the research team developing this polymer. 

Other applications include building the polymer into airplane components.  [Source] 

Make a fuel out of scum

Sure, you can make fuel out of corn, but there are hungry people out there.  Don’t use corn to make biofuel.  Use scum. 

Research is being conducted on scum from the Long Island Sound to create a fuel .  What’s actually being used is algae.  The idea is to have a very sustainable source for biofuels.  No, I won’t do any scum from Long Island jokes.  [Source]

See space one way or another

Want to see space?  How about in 3D?  You can do that now thanks to Microsoft and NASA.  Put together NASA’s pictures, Microsoft’s Virtual Earth and Microsoft’s Photosynth and you’ve got 3D space to check out.  Will this get people more interested in space exploration?  [Source] [See it in action]

Maybe you want to see space the old fashioned way.  Go there.  The President has also asked for $18 billion put aside for NASA’s 2010 budget.  What is NASA planning to do with that money?  Checking out climate change and a return trip to the moon.  Maybe they’ll use that color-changing polymer on the spacecrafts, too.  If you want to see space this way, you better get in shape.  [Source]

Full Story » | Written by Iyaz Akhtar for Gadgetell. | Comment on this Article »