Cool toys and Gadgets

Section: Gadgets / Other, GPS/Navigation, Lifestyle, Transportation, Reviews, Features

Gadgetell Quick Review: Navigon 2200T

Cool:

• Low Price(about 200 bucks)
• Good mounting hardware
• Reality view and Lane Assistant Pro feature is really helpful
• Speed warning
• Small size
• Lifetime traffic service

Uncool:

• Sometimes difficult to navigate the screens
• Traffic alerts not factored into initial route plans, but instead notifies you there is a problem and gives rerouting options
• Limited voice selections

The Crux:

Overall, if you can get past some quirks, the 2200T is a very good GPS and the lifetime traffic service makes it a stand out device for the low price.

This is a guest review by Robert Borgesi.  Rob co-hosts the website review program, “ChannelFlip Web” with Iyaz Akhtar on ChannelFlip.com.  Additionally, Rob is a tech enthusiast with years of computer building experience.

Overview

The Navigon 2200T features a 3.5-inch touch screen in a thin form factor and comes with free traffic updates for life.  Navigon products feature the “Reality View Pro” which displays highway signs as they appear in real life to make navigation simpler.  The Navigon 2200T comes with mounting hardware and a car charger. 

Out of the box

This GPS has a low price at about 200 bucks.  The 2200T is a very compact device.  While it has a large and easy to read 3.5-inch screen, the whole device can easily fit in your pocket. 

The mounting arm is quite good.  It is easily adjustable, sticks to the window well, and it stays where you put it. 

Using the 2200T

The Reality View and Lane Assistant Pro feature shows 3-D exits and close-ups of turns which allow you to see the road as it looks in real life and tells you which lane to be in.  The Navigon 2200T also gives you speed warnings which tell you when you are over the speed limit and can be set to warn you when you are over the speed limit by 1, 5, 10, 15, or 20 mph.  More importantly, the warnings can be disabled all together.

This model comes with lifetime traffic service which give you traffic alerts without having to pay fees. 

Long term testing

Over the course of using the Navigon 2200T there were a few things that stood out.  First of all, navigating the screens was not intuitive and took a lot of getting used to.  You have to enter location, then press “navigate” more than once before you finally get to the actual navigation.  Also, it was difficult to figure out how to cancel or change navigation once you have started and get back to the home page.

Define: “Local”

Another issue I had while using this device was with the Points of Interest.  I was only 20 miles from a major international airport and when I asked to navigate to an airport close to me; the airport was not listed until I was within 5 miles of it.  I guess I didn’t know “local” meant within walking distance.

Avoiding Traffic

One feature I found very helpful was the traffic alerts.  There was a huge accident on one of the major highways I was traveling on and the Navigon informed me of the problem and rerouted me around the accident saving me hours of sitting in traffic.

Wrap Up

So overall, for a low cost, you get a very functional GPS unit with a few quirks that may turn some people off.  However, the benefit of lifetime traffic service set it apart from comparable GPS units and makes it worth buying.

Product Page: [Navigon 2200T]

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

Section: Gadgets / Other, GPS/Navigation, Reviews, Features

Gadgetell Quick Review:

What is it?

The TeleNav Shotgun is the first stand alone GPS unit from TeleNav, known for their on-phone GPS

Pros:

Connected search, superior POI, smart traffic updates,  beautiful screen, Best mounting I’ve seen in some time, future possibilities

Cons:

No ETA, only time to destination and quarterly updates on POI information.

I’ve mentioned before that I use TeleNav on my Windows Mobile phone and am quite happy with it.  For me, it is the simplicity of one device that is always with me, smarter than many stand alone boxes that I love.  I wasn’t sure how this review would go, given that bias.  Would I abandon this box or is there something here that is different enough to make this box stand out?

Well connected

Being a gadget guy, I love being connected.  Having a GPS that isn’t connected these days, just seems dumb.  So, I was keen to see how this feature would get on.  Searching on this unit was super easy for me.  Maybe it is my familiarity with the TeleNav menu tree, but I find most others cumbersome to search for businesses.  Take the local Ikea as an example.  Navigon wants me to enter in the state, city, business type before I can even enter the name.  I hate that.  I want to treat a search like Google—enter in as much or as little as I want and let the data come to me. 

The Shotgun behaves more like Google.  You simply hit “Business” then nearby and you are off and running.  While I hope they continue to get more Google-like in their searches, this one is at the top of my favorites for searches.

What I love the most about this device is I’ve found it to be the most complete and up to date POI database out there.  There isn’t a GPS out there that I found that surpasses TeleNav’s database.  It is that good.  The database is updated four times a year.

Darn that traffic jam

Traffic is no fun.  That is why the Shotgun goes out and checks on traffic every five minutes in route.  One thing that does annoy me about TeleNav’s phone GPS service is the “Checking for traffic” audio that tells me when she is making the call out for traffic. 

One thing I really like is the Shotgun’s ability to touch and drag the map around, so you can check traffic on other roads with ease.  Of course, the unit will suggest reroutes as well.

Bread and butter

As a GPS device, the Shotgun speaks turn by turn directions as well as street names.  As you advance to your turn, the screen counts down the miles, then feet until your turn.  That works pretty well, though I do like Navigon’s graphic of a metered bar graph that lets you know when your turn is instead of relying on your ability to apply yardage to your visual surroundings.

Another thing I like about TeleNav is its audio notifications.  The “dings” let you know you’ve moved off your suggested route and the unit is working on a reroute.  Other units don’t give you notification they are changing your directions and just show you the next move.  The immediate notification the Shotgun provides is quite handy and lets me know where that turn I missed is instead of having to guess at it again at tricky intersections.

The screen deserves special mention here, it is top notch.  Bright colors, clear display, and simple on screen keyboard make it pretty simple to use.  I found the sensitivity to be good and had the usual spelling issues I always do on GPS devices. 

I found the Shotgun less needy than the phone GPS.  GPS makers have to decide how needy their drivers are.  Do drivers want to be updated you are on the right road every 5 minutes or 10?  How long is too long without any notifications?  Is “turn onto highway entrance ramp” enough to imply get on the highway or does a “merge onto highway” needed when you have no other option?  The Shotgun did an excellent job at allaying my misguided fears while the phone steps over this line and updates me too much sometimes.  That is a fine and personal line, I am sure of that.

Make no mistake, the Shotgun performs basic GPS functions well as well as any other out there.

Future plans

While many units have current gas prices (which I always find out of date with today’s volatility in gas prices), TeleNav is working on some fun things that will integrate into Shotgun, making it an even more feature rich device.  They are looking to add in simple things like weather and restaurant reviews, as well as functional things like address share and commuter alerts.  There is much they are working on.

Costs

While the unit costs $299, the connectivity fee is as much as $11.99 per month.  To sweeten the deal on Cyber Monday:

Customers who purchase a TeleNav Shotgun on Cyber Monday, December 1, and use Cyber Monday coupon code ‘sgcybermonday’ (case sensitive) will automatically receive six free months of TeleNav Connected Service - three more than they would normally receive if they purchase the TeleNav Shotgun on another date or without using the Cyber Monday coupon code.

So, am I a convert?

If any box was going to do it, it was this one.  While the Shotgun works as well as (if not better) than my cell phone version, I still like having it on my phone.  Natesh Sood (Gadgetell’s GPS expert) tells me I am an odd duck for this line of reasoning, but the fact remains there is no chance of someone smashing my windows to steal my GPS.  I don’t leave my phone behind and therefore always have GPS with me.  Obviously, I am one of the few that feels this way as GPS unit proliferation is at an all time high.  If I were to get a stand alone, it would be the Shotgun.

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

Section: Gadgets / Other, Lifestyle

Sounds like the latest plot from Lucas?  Nope, this year, Star Wars fans can get their Black Friday savings from the Star Wars Shop and save 10% off everything.  Whether for the collector, wide-eyed kids, or just the wide-eyed kid in you, this kind of savings doesn’t come around often.

The Star Wars Shop offers all kinds of force-related paraphernalia from clothing to games, from figures to replicas.  Where else can you find a Darth Vader mugshot t-shirt, a Boba Fett hoodie and a Wookie Cannonball t-shirt all at the same place?  OK, besides my dream bachelor pad?

If you are looking for hard-to-find to stuff I’ve never seen before, give these guys a try.  I’ve been getting their emails and sales on everything are quite rare.

Company site: [StarWarsShop.com]

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Section: Gadgets / Other, Miscellaneous

This certainly is not the first we are hearing about the Kindle 2, however it looks like anyone who was holding out is going to have to wait a little longer.  Initially, the Kindle 2 was expected to hit the market this past October, which would have given it a good launch to pick up some holiday sales.  According to the reports, the delay was caused by Jeff Bezos in order to make some last minute changes to the software. 

So what we do know, is that the image of the Kindle 2 (pictured here) is the real deal; you can tell has gotten a slight makeover.  The Kindle 2 is said to be a little bit thinner and also has a slightly redesigned keyboard along with some changes to the buttons on the sides.  Additionally, the device is said to be a little taller than the original.  As for when we can expect the Kindle 2, according to the latest report, it’s “tentatively scheduled” to be available early next quarter.  Judging from the looks of the new model, it seems to be a nice design improvement, but still unknown is what improvements have been made on the software side.  In the meantime I am going to continue enjoying my current Kindle.

Via [TechCrunch]

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Section: Gadgets / Other, Green, Transportation

The idea of having hydrogen powered cars is nothing new: the theory has been around pretty much since World War II.  However, there have always been several flaws in the practicality of using hydrogen as a source of power.  It is expensive and energy consuming to make it usable.  Hydrogen is also not widely available, the batteries are bulky, the cars are expensive and they usually look horrible. So why has Honda made a hydrogen supercar?

The FC Sport revealed at the LA Auto Show is the pinnacle of design and hydrogen technology, combining the two in some environmentally chic blender in a way that has a product that can still classify as a supercar.  This is, as Honda so aptly put it, “a glimpse of the future of the supercar.“

The main advantage of this car is that advances in technology have allowed for the fuel cells to be put anywhere in the car, meaning that it is not limited to the front or rear like traditional combustion engines.  There is also no need for a massive gearbox either, freeing up yet more space for the three seats (yes, I know, I will explain in a minute).  Finally, this allows for a low center of gravity increasing performance to supercar standards as the fuel cells sit neatly in between both axles.

As I have already mentioned this is quite a lot bigger than its performance standard counterparts, due to the lack of a whacking great V12 engine smothering your interior space.  An interesting output of this is that it will allow three seats sitting abreast by the driver, with (surprisingly) the driver in the middle a very odd concept.  I fear that this is a bad move as it will definitely put people off as well as being impractical when you need to pass the pretzels across, although I do like the upward hinging futuristic doors.

Unfortunately, there are problems, some of them worryingly fundamental.  The environmentally friendly credentials are somewhat flawed (although the Glacier White color, which is some how related to it being a clean car, is very nice) due to the fact that compressing, bottling and transporting hydrogen is fairly energy intensive.  This is a problem that may be solved in the future and it is definitely better than oil, but it is annoying to see them emphasize the zero emissions while ignoring the energy needed for the car before it even starts.

Also, it is only a concept car as of yet, but I fear that we will be seeing the to-die-for design later rather than sooner due to the economic climate.  This is a shame as this looks like a great car, but hopefully we will be seeing elements of this car in future Honda designs that will be a little more affordable.

Source [CarMagazine.co.uk]

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

Section: Gadgets / Other

This year, many Black Friday shoppers will be greeted with near-freezing temperatures but some deal seekers will remain warm and toasty.  How so?  These shoppers are choosing to wait out Black Friday and their limited quantities, cat fighting other shoppers and long lines in the dark for the comfort of their favorite chair and broadband connection.

Known as Cyber Monday, websites are popping up to direct shoppers to the latest deals.  One such site, cybermondays.com is pointing to many deals from big names.  Some deals are duds, such as Apple’s free iPod engraving - which you can get without being prompted by this site.  Currently, the sites top listed deal is from HP, with free shipping on orders over $59.99.  However, I went over to HP and was able to get free shipping on my own.  So maybe the site is just alerting you to merchants that offer such a deal.

The site promises to have hourly deals on Cyber Monday, and that may have some value.

On the day of Cyber Monday there will be hourly specials and exclusives from your favorite online retailers. Sneak peeks of the hourly deals will be shared via email alerts so make sure to sign up for special savings and the latest offers.

So, who’s interested in web deals?  Shopzilla conducted a survey to out the obvious:

In fact, more than 8 out of 10 shoppers will be on the look-out for discounts, 69% will be searching for free shipping, 53% will scour the web for one-day promotions and 32% will keep their eyes open for buy-one-get-one-free promotions, according to Shopzilla.

I’d like to have a conversation with the 2 out of 10 that were not looking for discounts, but something tells me Shopzilla will cite privacy concerns over leaking those names to me.  Sounds fishy for sure.

Regardless of my views, the economy seems to be forcing many retailers hands this year.  Many Black Friday deals were available early this year online.  BFads.net cited many such examples of retailers not wanting to hold out until Black Friday to cash in.  Places like 6ave.com and Walmart.com are already offering pre-sales.

Cyber Monday site: [cybermonday] Shopzilla survey: [businesswire]

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Section: Audio, Speakers, Gadgets / Other, Lifestyle

This is one of those concepts/ideas/products that would work great in the perfect world and if people used it right, would be really cool.  However this is the real world, and despite the undoubted merit in the idea behind this concept, I’m not sure it would work in the “real” world.  Nevertheless I may be wrong and we may soon see these adorning streets everywhere: I am willing to be proven wrong.  But what is it?  This is the Boombench and it is pretty much what it sounds like.

Pretend for a second that you haven’t just looked at the picture, and imaging a modern, sleek minimalistic bench combined with a 80s/90s.  Now open your eyes and see the epitome of minimalistic-cum-retro design: the aforementioned Boombench. 

The idea is that you will link up to the bench, which will be just on the street, through Bluetooth on your phone and play your music through the substantial speakers.  They are twin 60-watt co-axial speakers with two subwoofers built into the seat which makes it vibrate while it’s playing—all of which was demonstrated at the Urban Play event in Amsterdam.  I think this is a great idea and concept, allowing people to share music, liven up areas, create a community space, increase musical diversity and awareness and togetherness.

Despite how good this idea is in principle, it won’t work and I think an analogy is needed.  I think it will just end up being like a dictatorship: it will work as long as you’re in charge.  The problem is people don’t like the same music, so conflicts will arise over what is played.  Also, it will be dominated by the younger generation for two reasons: firstly, more of them have phones and also they are more likely to “claim” the bench and not let anyone else use it.  This will result in a larger and noisier version of kids on street corners with loud music on phones.  I can also imagine many people having complaints about noise pollution, and realistically how long will they be there before someone steals them?  Not long.

Unfortunately, I think this is something that will only work in principle, but nonetheless it is a good idea.  It can go down along with millions of other things that are designed to improve a society, but will only work if society is already perfect.  However, there is still hope for the Boombench as I can see this being made into a viable commercial product.

Source [WooHome]

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

Section: Audio, Accessories, Portable Audio, Video, Accessories, Portable Video, Communications, Accessories, Gadgets / Other, Miscellaneous, Imaging, Accessories, Peripherals, Storage

A Cyber Weekend sale is coming thanks to SanDisk.  If you don’t want to wake up early and trudge through a mass of humanity to get some deals, you can check out SanDisk’s sale that will take place on the Saturday, Sunday, and Monday after Thanksgiving. 

SanDisk makes all kinds of products including SD cards, USB drives, and MP3 players.  You can sign up to receive e-mails on this promotion over at SanDisk’s Cyber Monday page. 

Check out [SanDisk]

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

Section: Video, HDTV, Computers, Desktops, Gadgets / Other, GPS/Navigation, Imaging, Camcorders, Digital Cameras

You may remember about a week ago when Gadgetell posted the doorbuster/main sales from Wal-Mart.  Recently, they have unveiled their full Black Friday sales, and I must say, they are looking pretty good. 

Camcorders

They only have 2 camcorders listed for sale and one is the Pure Digital F230 camcorder which is selling for $79.00.  The other is the Samsung SC-DX103 Black DVD Camcorder.  It comes with a 2.7-inch wide LCD screen, 34x Optical Zoom, and SD memory expansion.  This camcorder will be on sale for $179.00.

CDs and DVDs

I won’t go through all the CD’s and DVD’s that they have on sale, but most of them range from $2-$15.

Desktop Computers

First off, they are selling HP’s A526 photo printer for $49.00.  Need more storage space?  Wal-Mart has the Seagate’s 3.5-inch 500GB external hard drive for $69.00. 

Next, we have Dell’s I531S-115W, which comes with a 19 inch LCD screen, 4GB of RAM, and a 250GB hard drive all for $598.00.  The other computer they have for sale is HP’s Pavilion a6683w-b computer which also comes with a 19 inch monitor, 2GB of RAM, and 160GB hard drive - all for $398.00. 

Digital Cameras

First, we have Kodak’s CD1013 10 megapixel camera, which is selling for $79.00.  Next, we have Kodak’s ZD8612 Big Zoom 8mp camera, which is selling for $149.00.  Lastly, we have Samsung’s 10.2mp camera which is an early bird special selling for $69.00.

GPS

Let’s talk about the Garmin Nuvi 200.  It comes with a 3.5-inch touch screen, preloaded maps of the U.S., Hawaii, and Puerto Rico, 2D or 3D maps, and turn-by-turn voice guidance.  This GPS will be selling for $97.00. 

Next, we have the Magellan RoadMate 1412 for $147.00.  Also from Magellan is the Triton 400 handheld GPS for $168.00. 

HDTVs

For HDTVs, I will list them from the smallest screen to the largest screens. 

First, is the Sansui 19 inch LCD HDTV, which is an early bird special and will be selling for $178.00.  Next up is Samsung’s 32 inch 720p LCD HDTV, which will be selling for $498.00.  Next, we have the Samsung 40 inch 1080p LCD HDTV, which will be selling for $798.00.  Now, we have the Polaroid 42 inch LCD 1080p HDTV, which is an early bird special and will be selling for $598.00.  We have another 42 inch HDTV from Samsung, which is a 720p plasma and sells for $698.00.  Now, we are at 46 inches with Samsung’s 1080p LCD HDTV, which will be selling for $1098.00. 

Lastly, we have the biggest and arguably the best HDTV from Wal-Mart - the Samsung 50 inch Plasma HDTV, which is an early bird special and will sell for $798.00. 
For all Wal-Mart Black Friday deals check out: [BFads]

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

Section: Gadgets / Other, Lifestyle

I think I can give you one thing most people like and one thing most people hate.  Beer and waiting (in that order of course!).  There are been novelty gadgets for beer ever since novelty gadgets have been invented, but this is something new, innovative and something you could see in bars and stadiums before long.  I give you, the TRUfil from Scotsman Beverages Systems: the gadget to provide beer without the waiting.
Let me give you important information first: this machine can give you 10 pints in 10 seconds.  That’s right, a pint in one second. 

This is not only great for bars and clubs where you will no longer have to wait for a slow waitress, but also for stadiums where getting something quick is quite important.  This is, in fact, where it has been aimed at, but don’t think that it would look out of place in a trendy bars.
It comes in a very modern Pac-Man-esque shape, with a small circular control panel, a larger one for the cup, and holed grating around for collecting spilled beer. It is very sleek, with a metallic finish complemented by blue lights encircling the panel and dispenser.  And guess what?  They move when it is filling up!  How cool will that look when you’ve had a few!
Another reason that it looks cool is because it is fairly flat and although that may sound stupid at first, consider how the beer gets in the glass.  What it actually does is fill the glass from the bottom, eliminating foam and allowing for the amazingly rapid filling times.  Obviously, you need specially designed glasses, but that is a small side effect of this innovative gadget, especially considering that it can even add ice from the top.
Presumably, they will be coin operated so that you can self serve: increasing the speed of your pint even more.  Yes, it may detract from some of the tradition of a bar, but who cares if it has flashing blue lights!  It was first shown in the Brau Beviale exhibition and I think that it could soon be available throughout the country.

It really is an innovation in the drinks market and I think you may also find soft drinks manufacturers catching on to the idea.  I would too and I hope they will make it for the domestic world so I can get one at home.  I just hope that they will serve more than one type of drink.

Vedict: Incredibly cool, although you may find yourself buying more just to see it in action!

Source [FoodBevhttp://foodbev.com/ArticleDetail.aspx?contentId=1778]

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