Awesome iPod Nano Video Enlarger Plus Speaker

Think your iPod Nano's screen is too small? Then check out this do-it-yourself iPod Nano video enlarger. It's made out of an old 35mm slide viewer, hacked to include portable speakers. Very cool.

Bug Labs at CES 2008

I'm sure all tech enthusiasts are drooling over the Bug Labs modular gadgetry. For those who can't get enough of it, here's a demo video with Jeremy Toeman c/o Mahalo Daily's Veronica Belmont taken during CES 2008.

Those little wonders will be shipping by March so those of you who can't wait to get their hands on some modules can head over to their site at Buglabs.net by January 21st when they start taking orders. Now's the best time to save up, since the modules are not exactly cheap. However, early adopters will get a discount (terrific idea on their end) so at least you won't feel like a shmuck a few months later.

All About the Asus Eee PC

The Asus Eee PC is finally here. For those who have been living under a rock, the Asus Eee PC is a mini-laptop of sorts which runs Windows XP or Linux. It's got a barebones system with only a 900Mhz processor, 512MB of RAM and 4 GB of flash disk space. But what makes the Eee so appealing is it's price. At barely $400, you get a light and ultraportable laptop with almost decent specs. For those looking for a backup laptop, this one just might fit your requirements.

Of course, there's more to it that meets the eye. For those who want to know more about the Eee PC, look no further. I've done the homework and gathered a bevy of info about it. Presenting: The Eee PC!

• Official Eee PC Site - Not too much on here, just some specs, a flash "quick guide" and wallpaper for your pc.
• Cnet Review (7.5 out of 10) - I've always relied on Cnet to give great reviews aimed at the non-technical consumer. I wasn't disappointed since their review of the Eee was comprehensive yet easy to understand.
• PC Mag Review (4 out of 5) - This one's a bit long. Still, it gives us essential information, and goes more in-depth into the technical hardware and software specs of the system.
• Trusted Reviews (9 out of 10) - They gave the Eee a very high rating. Still, their review wasn't written in a biased way, since they also considered the limitations of the system. It was very easy to digest, since it was divided into 4 parts and featured a lot of pics.
• Notebook Review - Another great review of the Eee PC. It really goes into the details so if you want all the nitty gritty about the Eee, make sure to read this review. They also have a lot of pics here, including several screencaps and a shot of it's hardware insides.
• Notebook Review's Eee PC Tweak Guide - They see great potential in the Eee and show you how to make it your own. Install software, upgrade the hardware, and basically hack it to bits. You'll find out how right here.
• Asus Eee PC Unboxed - Here's Engadet's unboxing of the Eee PC. The pics are a bit dark, but you get the idea.
• Tweaktowns Exclusive Inside Look - This isn't your run-of-the-mill unboxing. When they say inside look, they mean it. In this 8-part article, the Eee's hardware gets disected. Nothing is left to the imagination. If you've got a technical background, you just might appreciate seeing the components that make up this machine.

Neil Campbell and Cali Lewis at Gnomedex

I'm a huge Geekbrief fan. For those of you who don't know yet, it's a short video podcast (about 3 to 5 minutes long) that talks about all things tech. Anyway, I've been out of the tech loop for quite sometime and I just realized that Cali Lewis and Neil Campbel (the people who created Geekbrief) were in Gnomedex 2007 which was held last month. I have yet to watch the video but I'm putting it here anyway for you to enjoy. Apparently, it's all about podcasting but I'm sure they covered a lot of stuff since the video's 40 minutes long. I can't wait to see it but it looks like I'll have to wait 'till tonight, after work.

Chris Live Tech Support Video Help Add to iTunes

Link: [Live at Gnomedex]

My Mashable.com Top 5

I love lists and compilations. That's why I totally get Mashable.com. I could probably spend all day reading and just absorbing post after Mashable post. Although I haven't done that yet, I have already compiled a personal Mashable Top 5. These aren't in any particular order and subject to change at any time (haha)... enjoy.

1. 80+ Free 2-Column Website Templates - I'm a web designer and this is a great source for inspiration. Yup, I admit it, I've been to the point where I just can't get a move on a project due to the lack of a mind spark. Scrolling through this post gets my creative juices flowing in no time.

2. Download YouTube Videos - Let's face it, YouTube rocks. It's not just a repository of corny home videos and hilarious Japanese tv shows. Everyone is using it nowadays and it's virtually an unlimited resource for informative videos including gadget reviews, tutorials, even podcasts. However, it's biggest limitation for me is the lack of a built-in download feature. To the rescue are more than a handful of third party apps that do just that. Stan Schroeder from Mashable has made things easier for us by compiling a list of YouTube downloaders. Handy.

3. 50 Great Widgets For Your Blog - These are all great widgets for your blog. Keep it in mind though, it's great to have a few widgets on your blog, but don't overdo it. Choose the most relevant ones for your sites content and practice moderation.

4. 30+ Tools to Turn Wordpress into a Personal Hub - Although I'm using Blogger, I won't deny that Wordpress is a great blogging platform. It's very flexible and easy to use. These tools allow you to make your Wordpress blog into a virtual souped-up social network profile page. In this case, contrary to my advice for #3, I'd say go all out with the add-ons and have fun.

5. TWITTER TOOLBOX: 60+ Twitter Tools - By itself, Twitter is a simple microblogging tool. With these add-ons and tools however, Twitter becomes a messenging powerhouse. I personally didn't get Twitter when it first came out but as these tools slowly trickled out I realized that you control how powerful it can become.

I'm a PS3... I'm a Wii

You've all probably seen the Mac vs. PC ads (I'm a Mac... I'm a PC...) by Apple. They're hillarious. (Just so you know, "I'm a PC" but I still get the humor of it all.)

Anyway, here's the PS3 vs. Wii version. Are you a PS3 or are you a Wii?

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The New iPod Touch

Ever since the iPhone was introduced to the public, I've secretly hoped for something exactly like it minus the phone part. The iPhone just wasn't practical for me. I don't want to have my music and video player in my phone, I'd much rather have a separate phone with less bells and whistles.

My hopes were answered by none other than Steve Jobs yesterday, with the introduction of the new iPod Touch. And let me just say, I have never wanted a gadget as much as I want this right now. I have the 5th gen iPod and I could say with confidence that I've used it to watch videos (mostly podcasts) more than I've used it to listen to songs. With the iPod Touch, I could watch my videos in widescreen glory. Here's a rundown of it's other features...

• Music, Video and Photos - Duh!

• Comes with 8 GB or 16 GB flash memory - 16 GB here I come!

• Built-in Wi-fi - Finally, a Wi-fi iPod!

• Built-in Safari and YouTube - This definitely adds plus points for me since I've been looking for a better way to read my RSS feeds than on my phone's puny screen.

• Built-in rechargeable, non-removable battery with up to 5 hours of video playback, and up to 22 hours of audio playback - The iPhone ran into a lot of problems with it's battery; I just hope the iPod Touch will be different.

So all in all, I can't wait to get my hands on one! I just can't!

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All About the MOTOROKR E6

Are you looking for a (non-iPhone) media-centric smartphone? The MOTOROKR E6 might be just for you. With it's surface mounted touchscreen and the lack of a keypad, it looks almost like an iPhone.

However, what makes this smartphone stand out from the crowd is its open-source Linux based operating system making this the dubbed "the incredible hackable phone." And with all the hacking and moding communities out there, you're sure to find all sorts of hacks and mods to please your techie self.

Of course, it's always wise to read everything you can about a phone (or any consumer item for that matter) before buying. I've done the the liberty of finding the most reliable ROKR E6 reviews and resources.

• Slashphone has a brief rundown of the phone's features:
• 2.0 megapixel camera
• CIF and QVGA video capture for up to 5 hours
• Ffull screen video playback
• Integrated MP3 player with dedicated music keys and built-in FM radio
• PDA featuring Business Card Reader, POP3 e-mail, Document Viewer to view PDF, Microsoft Word, Excel, PPT, etc.
• Connectivity includes Integrated Stereo Bluetooth wireless technology, HTML Browser, Hi-Speed USB 2.0 EMU, 3.5 mm stereo jack
• Removable SD memory card slot, up to 2GB SD Card support
• 8MB dynamic user memory
• Mobileburn has one of the most in-depth reviews of the ROKR E6. It spans 9 pages and discusses several aspects of it like the physical aspect, features, and it's user interface. I've read the review and discovered that one of it's biggest drawbacks is text input. You can use the onscreen qwerty keyboard or handwriting recognition, both of which would have to be done using a stylus. So if you're a big with text messaging or email, then this phone is definitely not for you.
• One more valuable resource is the forum at MotorolaFans.com. A lot of the members there are very knowledgeable and helpful, and there are a lot of discussions about modding and troubleshooting.
• And finally, Youtube reviews:

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My Top Make Videos

As all of you have probably guessed, I'm a huge techie. However, I'm crazy about crafts and the whole do-it-yourself thing too. Make Magazine is a great resource for me because it perfectly marries these two interests. They've got a blog and a podcast as well as an actual magazine (digital or made of paper) chock full of projects to keep you busy until the next millenium.

I present to you my top Make videos brought to you by Youtube:

1. Learn how to screenprint your own t-shirts: If I could wear t-shirts everyday of my life I would. This video shows you how to silkscreen your own designs onto t-shirts (or anything else that's flat and absorbs paint for that matter)... a very useful skill to have if you like having one-of-a-kind shirts. Although, if you want to be able to wash your t-shirt creations, I don't recommend doing the last bit... see for yourself.

2. Make a ring from a half dollar: I'm almost sure this should be illegal but the video says it's not. Anyway, the finished product looks really cool. Do this at your own risk though... I don't want anyone blaming me for getting arrested or anything. Haha.

3. Make a wallet out of tape: A wallet? Out of tape? Awesome. I love duct tape stuff. But this project uses different types of tape to make it more interesting. The video shows detailed instructions but feel free to divert and create your own pockets and designs.

Of course, their site Makezine.com showcases several other cool projects. So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and make something!

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YouTube Launches Antipiracy Tool in September

All the lawsuits are probably getting to YouTube. Being such a popular site is not necessarily a good thing in their case since they're always under the radar of the huge media companies. That's probably why they're now preparing to launch an anti-piracy tool "hopefully" by September. According to YouTube lawery Philip Beck,

“We hope to have the testing completed and technology available
by sometime in the fall, but this is one of the most technologically complicated
tasks that we have ever undertaken, and as always with cutting-edge
technologies, it’s difficult to forecast specific launch dates,” a YouTube
spokesman said.

According to Techspot, they will launch a video recognition tool that will allow copyright holders to provide them a "digital fingerprint" of their videos, which will then be used to scan all clips being uploaded. Hmmm, won't this make their upload process really slow? As copyrighted videos pile up, they'll have more and more "digital fingerprints" to check the upladed videos with. Then again, if they really have the "cutting-edge technology" they're talking about then they probably have solved this problem already.

I think this is a great step for YouTube. It will certainly free up a lot of disk space, with all the copyrighted videos off the site. If they do it properly, it'll be a good thing. But if it causes problems for people who upload legit videos, hmmm.

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All About the Sony Ericsson P1i

The P1i is Sony Ericsson's latest high-end smartphone. Technically, it's an updated version of the P990 but it looks very similar to the m600 (particularly the keypad). The specs are almost drool-worthy... 3g, wifi, and a 3.2 mp camera.

I know someone who has been waiting for this phone since forever. However, I am still a bit skeptical about this one. I do think that it looks great. It doesn't look as bulky and clumsy as it's predecessors. That's a good sign. The keyboard does make me nervous... it looks very hard to type messages on, with the whole crammed qwerty keypad situation.

Anyway, here's a barage of information and links about this smartphone... everything you ever wanted to know and then some more. Enjoy.

• Here's the trusty Cnet review of the SE P1i. They rated it 8 out of 10, which is a pretty good review. However, they did say that the keypad was hard to get used to. No surprises there.
• Mobile Review is another great review site. I must give you a warning though, their review of the P1i is very in-depth. It isn't something you can casually browse over. It is however, a great resource for detailed information about the phone's features and usage. They also have a whole lot of pics of the phone in every angle possible.
• Here's a nicely made presentation video. Of course, it's a promotional video and shows the P1i in the best light posible.

• Here's a great video review of the P1i by PhoneArena. In the short 4 minute review, the reviewer manages to discuss a lot of the important features as well as show how the actual UI works.

• Here's an interview of Jens Greve from Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications. He talks about the P1i and does a short demo too.

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All About the Nokia n800

Nothing interesting in the tech world to talk about today. Nothing that interests me, that is. So, I'm going to blog all about the Nokia n800. Sweet.

The Nokia n800 for those who don't know yet is not a cellphone. It's not even a pda. It's a portable internet device. That's it. But that's what makes this gadget so great. It does one thing and does it very well. Besides, everything we tech geeks need can probably be accessed through the internet these days, making this device very powerful.

If you're pondering on getting this gadget (I know I am), here are some very useful links for you...

• I always check Cnet first for reviews. They're pretty reliable in providing great overviews and their opinions are often unbiased. Here's their Nokia n800 review. There's even a video.
• Thoughtfix seems to me like an Nokia n800 expert. He has a blog dedicated to internet tablets and several Youtube videos about the n800. His online review is quite exhaustive but still easy to digest. Here's his intro Youtube video to the n800...
  

• The official Nokia n800 page is very useful too. It's got lots of info like an overview video as well a great presentation of all the features of their product.

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iPhone Reviews on YouTube

YouTube is crawling with people wanting to show off their iPhones. Of course, while some videos are total rubbish, some are pretty good reviews of the phone. If you still haven't bought the iPhone but are thinking of getting it at some point in time, you'd definitely want to watch the more constructive reviews to help you with your decision. I've gone through most of the videos for you so you won't have to put up with the crap that's out there. Here are the best ones so far...

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This review shows you most of the iPhone's great features like using the camera, texting, playing YouTube videos and websurfing through edge and wifi. It also shows how easy it is to navigate the interface using the multi-touch screen. However, if you want a pros and cons type review you won't get it here as the reviewer manages to concentrate on all the best parts of the phone without showing the negative.

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This is a great review of the iPhone from David Pogue of the New York Times. It shows you both the positive and negative along with loads of humor. It's short and simple. You'll be convinced (or not) in no time.

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No gadget review is complete without a stress test. In this video, the iPhone's ruggedness is put to the test. If you want to know if the iPhone will still work after being dropped on the pavement (several times), check this video out.

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