Underwater Tunes

If you’re a lap swimmer, you know that going back and forth in the pool can be monotonous. I always enjoy listening to music while I’m running, but swimming?

Yep, it’s possible. Finis’ SwiMP3 is designed for you swimmers out there.

The SwiMP3 is a waterproof mp3 player that is created with a unique sound transfer feature that gives you underwater sound clarity. It uses a patented bone-conduction technology that vibrates from your cheekbone to your inner ear so you can hear it clearly underwater.

At first I was a bit skeptical that this thing would actually work as advertised - water and electronics usually don’t play well together. To produce decent sound underwater, you need to turn up the volume very loud. Out of the water, you can barely hear it. Don’t even try to compare the sound quality to a regular mp3 player - heck, it’s a music player that works underwater!

 

SwiMP3 comes with its own media manager software, but it’s not worth using. Loading your music is quite simple. When you plug your SwiMP3 into your computer, it shows up as any removable hard drive would (on a Mac or PC, mp3 or WMA files). If you’re using iTunes, the SwiMP3 pops right up in there, too.

It connects to your computer with a USB connector, which also charges the device. It takes about three hours for a full charge, giving you approximately eight hours of playback. Additionally, it has 1GB of storage (approximately 240 songs).

The headphones are very sturdy and clip right onto your goggles or mask. They also are surprisingly comfortable to wear, as they stay in place resting on your cheekbones. But I have a small issue with the buttons on the goggles - they’re tiny, and it makes concentrating on your swim a bit distracting if you need to make adjustments to your tunes. The buttons on the goggles include on/off, volume, next/previous track, pause and shuffle functions.

The bottom line: Listening to your favorite songs takes the monotony out of swimming laps, and if you’re a dedicated lap swimmer or triathlete, the SwiMP3 could be your new best friend. Find it online for $150 at Finisinc.com or Amazon.com.

Click Chick’s iPhone: App of the Week: NASA

A couple weeks ago NASA released its first app for the iPhone/iPod touch. This is a dream come true for space geeks. You can see up-to-date space mission information with this all in one easy-to-use app.

NASA’s app collects, customizes and delivers an extensive selection of dynamically updated information, images and videos from various sources. You can see NASA countdown clocks, the NASA Image of the Day, Astronomy Image of the Day, online videos, multiple Twitter feeds, track the positions of the International Space Station and see satellite imagery (with the option of overlaid with country borders/labels).

Not only is this app way cool, it’s free at the iTunes Store. Note that it requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later.

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Checking Out The New Zune HD

By popular request from many friends, I had to take a look at the Zune HD, Microsoft’s first portable multimedia player that combines a built-in HD radio receiver, High-Definition (HD) video output capabilities, organic light-emitting diode (OLED), touch screen, Wi-Fi and an Internet browser. Other than the radio capability, you could say it’s similar to Apple’s iPod touch.

Before I go any further, let me clarify a common misconception: The “HD” in HD radio does not stand for High-Definition as it would for HD video. It is the trademark/marketing tool for iBiquity’s in-band on-channel (IBOC) technology that was selected by the Federal Communications Commission as a digital broadcasting method for the United States. Essentially, the “HD” has no real meaning.

Note that Hawaii has six HD radio stations: 98.5, 93.9, 92.3, 101.9, 100.3 and 105.1. This is the first time I have a device that can actually play HD radio, and these six stations sound the same as any other “regular” radio station. I cannot hear the supposed “higher quality sound,” but I do enjoy being able to switch back and forth between the HD1 and HD2 channels that most of these have available. I wish my iPhone or iPod touch could do this.

 

That aside, other than the obvious new slender look of the Zune HD, the biggest change is in its software. The new interface is simple and easy to navigate through with its large typography. Being accustomed to the iPhone/iPod touch, going through the menus required a small learning curve for me, but I adapted to the change within a couple of minutes. The sensitivity of the touch screen is different. It’s not as reactive as tapping on my iPhone, and it does-n’t feel as fluid. But the Zune HD’s display looks extremely sharp (16:9 widescreen display, 480x272 resolution). A huge plus is the ability to play back HD video files in 720p from the Zune HD using a docking station (sold separately for $90).

In addition, you have access to a limited amount of apps such as a calculator or the MSN Weather application. Later this year, there are plans to release other apps such as Twitter, Facebook, and 3D games like Project Gotham Racing: Ferrari Edition. As you would download apps, songs and videos from the iTunes Store on an iPhone/iPod touch, you would acquire these for the Zune HD from the Zune Marketplace.

There’s nowhere near the selection of apps/media you would find on the iTunes Store, but I have a feeling it’s not Microsoft’s goal to compete with the iPod touch here. The bottom line: The Zune HD is a great media player and big improvement on the original Zune. This would have been better as a media phone ... maybe in the future?

It comes in 16GB ($220) or 32GB ($290), plus you need to subscribe to the $15/month Zune Pass (which gives you access to everything on the Zune Marketplace). Buy it at your nearest Best Buy (bestbuy.com) or find it online at Zune.net or Amazon.com.

 

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: Labor Mate

There must be something in the water because I have many friends and friends of friends who are pregnant or just gave birth recently. A tip from one of them who recently gave birth: White Peak Software’s Labor Mate app. It’s a labor contraction stopwatch and your best friend if you have your iPhone in-hand while you’re having contractions.

Instead of thinking about or counting your contractions, you tap the labor stopwatch as the contractions stop and start. Labor Mate then tracks the information and reports the timings back to you in an easy-to-read format so you’ll know when it’s time to call the doctor and head to the hospital. Find Labor Mate at the iTunes Store for 99 cents.

 

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The Software Stability Of New Windows 7

Apple’s latest operating system, Snow Leopard Mac OS X 10.6, came out a couple months ago, and this week (Oct. 22) we’ll see the next big operating system release with Microsoft’s Windows 7. I’ve been playing with it since the beta came out in January, and it’s basically a streamlined version of Vista with many visible changes.

Here are some of the main highlights that come to mind:

* Installing Windows 7 was a breeze, and now anytime I turn my computer on or off, both are very quick to do - faster than when it was XP or Vista. Following the install, the first thing I noticed about the display was the choice of fun, colorful desktop pictures. Of course, you can still use your own pictures, but I enjoy some of the ones you can choose from since they remind me of cute Japanese anime.

* The new Aero Peek feature helps you through desktop clutter by giving you X-ray vision through your open windows straight to your Windows 7 desktop. To activate it, point to the right edge of the taskbar and watch your windows instantly turn transparent. Going hand-in-hand with that is Aero Shake - click on a pane and literally shake your mouse. This causes all your open windows, except the one you just clicked, to close. It’s perfect to clear a cluttered desktop quickly. Also related is Aero Snap: This gives you a smart and fun way of resizing/working with your windows.

* If you use OS X, you’re probably quite familiar with Spotlight. Information on your hard drive is better organized in Windows 7; the new search built into the Start Menu works similar to Spotlight. As soon as you start typing in a search query, the results start populating in the window immediately, as it looks at your entire hard drive and not just where you tell it to look. Another OS X similarity is the Taskbar - it reminds me of the OS X dock, but it has larger icons and it’s not as pretty. As far as software compatibility goes, Windows 7 worked with everything I tried loading on the machine, including Office 2007. I didn’t try to install anything out of the ordinary, so maybe I was lucky.

After running Windows 7 for more than nine months, I can say that this new operating system patched up the potholes that Vista left in the road and is a huge improvement. I wouldn’t call it a complete makeover, but more of a refined version of the Windows you already know.

Is it worth it? For the fixes and software stability, yes.

The Windows 7 prices vary: $120-$220/upgrade from XP or Vista or $200-$320/full version. Find it at the Windows Store (store.microsoft.com) or Amazon.com.

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: Babyphone

With a baby on the way, I’ve been doing a lot of research on baby tech stuff and, in the process, found Babyphone. You place your iPhone near your baby and it turns into a baby monitor that will call your house phone (or another number) to let you know your child is awake.

Babyphone’s main screen shows the current status, microphone sensitivity and the threshold for triggering the alarm. Once the microphone display reaches or exceeds your set threshold, it will call your designated phone number. Since I don’t have an actual baby on whom to test it yet, I used it on my parrot - it works great with him!

Find Babyphone at the iTunes Store for $3.99.

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IngBoo: Information At A Glance

Launched earlier this year, IngBoo brings you a new way to interact with information updates on the Web. It’s basically a heavy-duty tracking tool that analyzes each feed to give you the latest information. It tracks and helps you to quickly find just about anything you can think of, including specific news stories, traffic reports, sports scores or ongoing sales. In today’s economy, this is really helpful for a job hunter to do quick, yet personalized job searches.

“IngBoo provides all of the information on the Web that is important to you in glanceable, snackable snippets,” says IngBoo co-founder and CEO Rikard Kjellberg. “Unlike similar services such as Google Alerts, Trackle and Alerts.com that deliver updates via e-mail, IngBoo updates are experienced in the form of a uniquely designed list that is accessible on desktops and smart-phones.”

 

There are a number of Web applications similar to IngBoo, but really none is as efficient as IngBoo. It helps you keep all your RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds, social networking accounts (i.e. Facebook, Twitter) and online interests in one place. Setting up your feeds/info interests is very easy to do with the predefined content catalog/big buttons, or the search function. Once you have that ready to go, you scroll over your topics and the full story appears without actually clicking on the link - very convenient!

For you bloggers, Web publishers and retailers looking to increase your Web site revisits, IngBoo offers a free button that you can place discreetly on your site (similar to an RSS button). This button lets you subscribe with a single mouse click instead of a whole complicated process. Basically, the IngBoo experience is tailored to the folks who may be intimidated by the complexity of an RSS reader.

The best part of it all: IngBoo is free! Too bad there’s no iPhone app to go with it yet. Visit ingboo.com to begin your efficient information flow.

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: myStarbucks

It was only a matter of time before Starbucks came out with its own iPhone app, and now it’s here. There’s not really much to the app, but, hey, it’s Starbucks - and as cliche as it is, I love Starbucks coffee. The most convenient thing about the app is the Store Locator. It’s not such a big deal here in Hawaii since I know where all my nearby Starbucks stores are, but if I were traveling, I would want to know where all the Starbucks are.

You can build your perfect drinks, save and share them via e-mail or if you’re close enough, iPhone to iPhone. The Coffee Menu and Food Menu will let you see the full Starbucks selection along with the detailed nutrition information (sometimes it’s better not to look at all - but at least my favorite latte is only 170 calories).

One huge drawback of the app is that it doesn’t have the capability to look up gift card balances. You have to download a separate app to do this.

Other than that, if you enjoy Starbucks, it’ll keep you entertained for a little while. Download the myStarbucks app for free at the iTunes Store.

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Mr. Click Chick’s Top TGS Picks

This year’s Tokyo Game Show (TGS) in Japan just finished, and it was yet another expo I could not attend this year. I’ve always wanted to attend a TGS, but keep missing the opportunity - the show is similar to the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo, E3, in Los Angeles that I’ve written about. This year my schedule looked open, so I registered early, but I’m now well into the third trimester of pregnancy, and per doctor’s orders I cannot travel.

As with all the shows I missed this year, I sent “Mr. Click Chick,” my husband, Alan (systems manager for MidWeek and the Star-Bulletin), to cover TGS for me. Held for four days (Sept. 24-27), this year’s theme was “Game, it’s so energetic!” During that time, a whopping 185,030 attendees showed up, even though it was much smaller than a typical E3. Pretty impressive for a show that had 180 exhibitors and 760 game titles.

 

There were obviously too many titles to mention individually, but here are a few highlights with release dates/platforms that caught Mr. Click Chick’s eye:

* Tekken 6 (Oct. 29: PS3, Xbox 360, PSP): Both PS3 and Xbox 360 versions were featured at TGS, just as they were at E3 by its publisher, Namco Bandai. Only this time it was all in Japanese and the Scenario Campaign was playable along with its entire 40-character roster. First impressions from the demo: Along with normal moves, you can pick up weapons, heal downed opponents (not to full health) and there’s a new energy drink that adds electrical damage to your attacks.

* Lost Planet 2 (Feb. 21: PS3, Xbox 360): Developed by Capcom, this is a great sequel to Lost Planet: Extreme Condition. It’s a first-person shooter with RPG elements and big bosses to take down with three of your friends in coop campaign mode. One of the best games at TGS.

* Bayonetta (Jan. 2010: PS3, Xbox 360): From SEGA/Platinum Games, this is an action-adventure story in which Bayonetta is a reborn witch who battles against angels with her unique shape-shifting abilities and weapons equipped to her hands and feet. The gameplay is similar to Devil May Cry and involves melee and long-range attacks.

* Front Mission Evolved (spring 2010: PS3, Xbox 360, PC): This latest addition to the Front Mission series by Square Enix moves away from turn-based play to full third-person shooter. If you are a fan of robot battle games such as MechWarrior, you’ll love this latest installment. It has great graphics and gameplay, as you can customize your mech’s armor and weaponry.

* Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 (released Sept. 29: PS3): KOEI TECMO’s compelling action-adventure game is a redefined version of Ninja Gaiden II and shares a similar gameplay style to God of War III and Heavenly Sword. There are 17 levels in the game that traverse to several locations to show off the impressive graphics.

You’ll be seeing some of these titles and more in my upcoming columns. If you’re curious about the Tokyo Game Show, visit the Web site for more information/pictures: http://expo.nikkeibp.co.jp/tg s/2009/en/.

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SoulCalibur: Broken Destiny For PSP

Namco Bandai Games recently released SoulCalibur: Broken Destiny, its latest in the SoulCalibur series - but this one is exclusively for Sony’s PlayStation Portable (PSP). Broken Destiny is the title’s handheld iteration that gives you the signature SoulCalibur weapon-based fighting formula on the go.

You have 28 characters to choose from and they’re available right from the beginning without having to unlock anything. If you’re a SoulCalibur follower, you’ll see some of your old favorites along with some new faces - even a special appearance by Kratos from the God of War game. I was surprised to see him in there, but it’s fun to play his character. In addition, you can create your own character from scratch with the customization tool for physical appearance, apparel and gear. Unlike the characters, these other options need to be unlocked. They’re purely aesthetic since there are no point bonuses associated with what you’re wearing.

 

For the average user. this game is very easy to grasp right from the start. All you need to do is experiment with the buttons while you’re fighting your opponent, and you’ll eventually figure out the basic horizontal/vertical attacks, kicks and swings with whatever weapon you’re armed with.

Chances are, without reading the manual, you won’t know what every button does, but if you hit the square button (when you’re in the character select menu), that will give you information about your character along with combinations to special moves. Additionally, if you don’t feel comfortable jumping right into the fights, you can practice your overall strategy with over 80 exercise missions, and use your fighting skills and advanced techniques/combos in the training mode.

Overall, I think SoulCalibur: Broken Destiny packs a powerful punch and is a must-have PSP game. The fighters are detailed with smooth/natural animation, the ad hoc multi-player mode works well, and the best part is that I can have SoulCalibur available to play right in my purse. The only disappointment I have with the game is the lack of online play, but at least there’s an option to play against your friends with the ad hoc mode.

SoulCalibur: Broken Destiny is rated “T” for Teen and retails for $39.99.

Find it at your nearest GameStop (gamestop.com), Toys N Joys (toysnjoys.com) or on Amazon.com. Check out namcobandaigames.com or soulcalibur.com for more information about the game.

 

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: MewMew Tower

MewMew Tower has been out for awhile, but I didn’t find it until last week when I saw it on my brother’s iPhone. It’s such a simple game, but so addictively fun. Your goal is to stack as many cats as possible on top one another without making the whole pile topple over. The key is to heap the kitties in a straight line to maintain good balance. Don’t move your iPhone/iPod touch around too much because it affects your tower’s integrity. In the beginning of a game, you’ll see small cats and think to yourself, “Oh, easy.” Then after stacking several of those, the game will throw in some fat cats. Watch out - if you’re not careful, those tubbies are the ones that will make your kitty masterpiece come tumbling down. Find MewMew Tower (aka Tumi Neko) for 99 cents at the iTunes App Store.

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The World’s Smallest Camcorder

Of the all the announcements from Apple in the last couple weeks, the new iPod nano is hands-down the best one. The capability of this new nano reminds me of the compact Flip Mino camera I reviewed a little over a year ago - but it’s much smaller, and has a greater space capacity and more functionality. Not only did they add a video camera to it, there’s a built-in FM radio with live pause, iTunes Tagging and a pedometer. If you were following the rumor mills, sorry, disappointingly, there’s no iPod touch with a camera yet.

“iPod nano is the world’s most popular music player with over 100 million sold,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “And now we’ve added a video camera to its incredibly thin design, without any additional cost to the user.”

This new nano is exactly the same size as the previous one: 3.6 x 1.5 x 0.2 inches. It has a microphone the size of a pinhole and a speaker perfect for on-the-go footage for your blog or Facebook page, or if you’re traveling and don’t want to lug around a huge video camera. The 2.2-inch screen makes it fairly easy to see your images. There are various video effects you can do for fun - black and white, X-ray, thermal, security cam, cyborg, sepia and more. Sadly, its camera does not take still pictures, only video. The speaker isn’t anything special, but good enough for you to play back your videos or audio if your ears are near it.

 

A few drawbacks on the camera piece: The video quality isn’t as good as a regular camcorder, but it’s certainly better than a typical cell phone. The nano’s video produces standard definition (no HD capability) and there is no image stabilization, so you’ll need to have a steady hand to keep your footage looking good.

As far as the FM radio, Apple is a little late on this capability compared to other music players. I wish the iPhone had this too. Your headphones act as the FM antenna and you can pause live radio for up to 15 minutes by pushing “play” after a phone call. Your music/show then continues right from where you paused it. Theoretically, you can tag songs as you’re listening (to later purchase in iTunes), but so far Clear Channel radio stations are the only ones that transmit this special iTunes tag to make it work.

In addition, the pedometer counts your steps and counts your burned calories. It’s supposed to help you meet your fitness goals. You can also upload your workout data to the iPod+Nike website for complete analysis and/or to compete against others.

The new iPod nano retails for $149/8GB (2,000 songs or eight hours of video), or double your capacity for just a little bit more $179/16GB (4,000 songs or 16 hours of video). Available colors include silver, black, purple, blue, green, orange, pink, and PRODUCT RED and yellow online only. Find the new nano at your nearest Apple Store (apple.com) or Mac Made Easy in Kailua (maceasy.com).

Other Apple updates include a new iTunes (iTunes 9), an updated iPod shuffle price ($59) and an iPod touch lineup geared more towards games.

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Cell Phone Use And Cancer

I have a friend who is convinced we’ll all end up with brain cancer because we use cell phones. Perhaps there might be some truth in that, but we probably won’t know for sure until several years down the road. In the meantime, the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) research team just released a comprehensive guide to cell phone radiation that rates more than 1,000 cell phones sold in the United States.

“We would like to be able to say that cell phones are safe,” says Olga Naidenko, Ph.D., EWG senior scientist and lead author of the study. “But we can’t. The most recent science, while not conclusive, raises serious issues about the cancer risk of cell phone use that must be addressed through further research. In the meantime, consumers can take steps to reduce exposure.”

There have been concerns about radiation and cell phones for years, but there is no scientific evidence that makes a solid link between cell phone usage and cancer. However, the EWG claims that recent scientific studies have produced evidence that shows an increased risk for brain and mouth tumors linked to cell phone usage. Public health officials’ concerns about the possible dangers of radio frequency emissions are intensifying as the number of wireless devices continues to grow. There are about 270 million Americans who are wireless subscribers (as of December 2008), which is a 30 percent jump in three years.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires that all cell phones be rated at 1.6 watts per kilogram (W/kg) or lower. According to the EWG’s guide, the highest-rated phones are T-Mobile’s My Touch 3G, Motorola’s Moto VU204 and the Kyocera Jax S1300, all at 1.55 W/kg. I don’t feel too bad, since my beloved iPhone is right in the middle at 1.19 W/kg. The best phone to own is the Samsung Impression SGH-a877.

Check out http://www.ewg.org/cellphone-radiation to see the full report, compare where your phone is rated and read some tips on how to reduce your exposure.

 

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: reQall reQall has been around for awhile, but it was just reintroduced with new features and a Pro version. It’s an effortless personal reminder and organizer system that’s perfect for your iPhone. In a nutshell, reQall transcribes what you utter into your iPhone and reminds you via e-mails, text messages, instant messaging or logging onto the Web site. It’s so innovative, it can even use your phone’s GPS to tell you where you parked your car or remind you to buy groceries at Foodland as you’re walking past it.

Download reQall for free at the iTunes App Store. The service for the Pro version will cost you $24.99 per year, but if you stick with reQall Standard, it’s free. Visit reqall.com for more information and to sign up for a free account. When you register for an account, it’ll automatically give you a free 15-day trial of the Pro service.

A side note: Good news for iPhone 3G/3GS users: Multimedia messaging (MMS) will (finally!) be available beginning Sept. 25 through a software upgrade - geez, it’s about time! Unfortunately, this update won’t work with a first-generation iPhone.

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Apple’s Snow Leopard Upgrade

If you’re a Mac user, chances are you already know about or may have already installed Apple’s latest upgrade that hit the shelves about a week and a half ago: Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. It came out a little earlier than I thought it would. Perhaps Apple was trying to beat Microsoft’s release of Windows 7 in October.

“Snow Leopard builds on our most successful operating system ever and we’re happy to get it to users earlier than expected,” says Bertrand Serlet, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “For just $29, Leopard users get a smooth upgrade to the world’s most-advanced operating system and the only system with built-in Exchange support.”

Snow Leopard doesn’t have any “new” features to boast about. It’s more of a huge refinement to the already smooth-running Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system.

Before you even think about installing it, make sure you have a good backup! If you are currently using Time Machine, that’s perfect. Just be sure to capture the latest image before you do the install/upgrade. Once you have it installed, you’ll notice it’s truly an optimized version of Leopard. The startup time is faster, and you’ll have some free space on your hard drive (varies depending on what type of machine you have). I now have an extra seven GB on my hard drive, but some people on the forums are claiming to have freed up 40 GB.

Apple engineers have spent loads of time working on improvements for Snow Leopard. Some of the refinements you’ll see include a more responsive Finder, Time Machine backups up to 80 percent faster, a Dock with Expose integration, QuickTime X (with a redesigned player that allows you to easily view, record, trim and share video), and a 64-bit version of Safari that runs up to 50 percent faster and is resistant to crashes caused by plug-ins.

For the first time, some of the applications are 64-bit and make use of large amounts of RAM, increase performance and improve security while still remaining compatible with 32-bit applications. Important for business folks, there is built-in support for Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 directly in Mac OS X Mail, Address Book and iCal to send/receive e-mail, create/respond to invitations and search/manage contacts with global address lists.

Among other things I discovered on my own is the clock - when you travel, it works as a mobile phone and adjusts the time automatically in time zones. The menu bar shows the date, not just the day of the week. See the strength of nearby wireless hotspots and go through a pdf document or watch a movie right within a file’s icon. Common text substitutions let you create shortcuts for items you use frequently and expand as you type (i.e. changing (c) to a © symbol).

Bottom line: The very affordable $29 price is worth it. If you need/want the additional software, you’ll have to pay a hefty $169 for the Mac Box Set (includes the latest versions of iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, iWeb, iDVD and iWork 09). Note you’ll need a Mac with an Intel processor, at least 1GB of free disk space and a minimum of 1 GB of memory.

Find Snow Leopard at your nearest

Apple Store (http://www.apple.com) or at Mac Made Easy in Kailua (www.maceasy.com).

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: Facebook’s New Look

The updated Facebook iPhone/iPod touch app makes a world of difference since it now closely mirrors the functions of the actual Web site. The first thing I noticed after I did the update was the new icons. They’re now easy to see, which makes it easier to navigate. Landscape mode is supported and it’s easier on the eyes.

Other notable features are the ability to quickly dial or text your friends and see their birthdays, sort through your friends either by first or last name, perform easy searches for people and pages, upload photos to any album (not just your mobile album), upload videos from an iPhone 3GS, create shortcuts to your favorite friends/pages, and more.

You’ll need the iPhone OS 3.0 or later to run this app, but if you’re a chronic Facebooker, you’ll want to download this. Find it for free at the iTunes App Store.

 

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Great Power-saving Gadgets

I’ve seen my power bill fluctuate up and down over the past couple of years, and I do everything I can to try to save electricity. Recently my monthly bill has gone down from the average of $400 I was paying to about $250 now. I’m all about turning off the lights when I’m not using them, and I’ll even sit in the dark while I’m watching TV or using my computer.

Hey, every little bit helps, right?

Going even further with saving money, TrickleStar makes a line of easy-touse standby power products that help you conserve electricity used by little things you probably wouldn’t think of as power wasters: computers and televisions, along with their peripherals (i.e. printers, cable modems, speakers, scanners, DVD/Blu-ray players, game consoles).

TrickleStar stops the flow of standby power when these items are in “standby” mode.

“When you consider that standby power has been estimated as contributing to as much as 12 percent of consumers’ electricity bills - in the home or office environment - you realize just how much standby power costs, not just for the impact it has on our hip pockets, but on the electrical grid and the planet,” says Bernard Emby, founder of TrickleStar.

“We have developed a range of industry-leading products that will give Americans the peace of mind that they are putting a stop to the constant flow of standby power - and at the same time are reducing their power bills and their environmental footprint.”

The two products I plugged in at home are the PC TrickleSaver and the TV TrickleSaver. You need to plug each into a power strip to manage multiple connected devices, but there is no need to replace your existing power strips. The PC TrickleSaver connects to your computer via a standard USB cable and detects the power status of your system via its USB port. Likewise, the TV TrickleSaver has built-in current-sensing circuitry that senses when your TV is on or off. Both are extremely painless to plug in and set up.

In addition, the TrickleStar Web site (www.tricklestar.com) has a standby power calculator to help you figure out how much you can save. Adding on all of my components (including my PS3) and the amount of time I use, it indicated I can save about $129.26/year for my TV component and $54.94/year for my computer. Not bad for little things.

For more information and to purchase the TrickleSavers, visit the TrickleStar Web site. The PC TrickleSaver is $24.95 and the TV TrickleSaver is $34.95.

 

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: Sheep Launcher

Sheep Launcher is one of those addicting yet simple iPhone/iPod touch apps that keeps you occupied for long periods of time. You push the big red button to launch your sheep, and you keep tapping him as fast as you can to boost him higher and higher in the air. On the way up, you can collect power-up items such as a helium tank, a rocket pack or a flying saucer. Additionally, pick up as many stars as you can to increase your final score.

The higher you climb the more challenging the game becomes, and you can even compete against other players worldwide to try to be one of the top 50 players. If you purchase the full version (Sheep Launcher Plus!) you’ll see a few more features, plus be able to go beyond our solar system to discover what’s out there. Sheep Launcher Free! is free, and Sheep Launcher Plus! costs 99 cents at the iTunes App Store.

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Madden NFL 10 Is Good Football

I always know the summer is coming to a close and football season is about to kick off when a new Madden video game comes out. Now is that time of year as Electronic Arts’Madden NFL 10 just released. All new Madden games include a few features that set them apart from the previous release, and Madden NFL 10 keeps that tradition alive.

The first thing I noticed was the details - it’s the best-looking Madden game that I’ve seen to date. From the way the players look on the field to things you see in the background, this is as close as you’ll come to playing a real game of football with a video game. You’ll see players getting yelled at on the sidelines, referees debating touchdown calls and pre-game warm-ups on the field with commentaries from Tom Hammond and Chris Colinsworth.

Other main attractions of Madden NFL 10 include Pro-Tak, Fight for Online Dominance and Online Co-op. The Pro-Tak System is basically for better gang tackles. It gives you control over the outcome of every play. You can drag defenders toward the first down marker, including up to nine-man gang tackles, fight for a fumble at the bottom of the pile, and evade the rush with all-new quarterback avoidance actions.

The Online Dominance mode lets you compete with up to 32 teams in an online franchise. You can propose trades, draft players and even do a fantasy draft. You can also do real NFL scheduling and have access to league message boards. It also is controllable from your computer - and soon an iPhone app.

A first for Madden, the Online Co-op trait allows you to team with a friend and battle against the CPU. This makes it easy for you to work on your game strategies, practice plays and see how it is playing from a different position with custom camera angles.

In addition, the interactive Fight For the Fumble makes a loose ball beneath the pile live as you fight for the fumble through a new rapid-button-press mini-game. Mash the button displayed on the meter to battle for possession of the ball. There’s also a quarterback pressure alert, and your controller will warn you with a rumble when a defender is near you while your quarterback is in the pocket.

Overall, Madden NFL 10 packs in a ton of good football to start you off this season. The graphics and the look of the game are a nice step forward from Madden 09. The game’s improvements mentioned above make the game attractive, but there’s nothing too massive that would reshape the title. It’s still a good football game that I had a difficult time wrestling away from my husband.

Madden NFL 10 retails for $59.99/PlayStation and Xbox 360; $49.99/Wii; $39.99/PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable (PSP). Visit your nearest Best Buy (bestbuy.com), GameStop (gamestop.com) or Toys N Joys (toysnjoys.com) to buy a copy of your own.

 

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: Camera Genius

The recently released Camera Genius app gives your iPhone camera the capability it should have had from the beginning. Just about all the missing features I would want to see in Apple’s real camera app are a part of Camera Genius. It includes Camera Zoom, Sound Capture, Anti-Shake, Big Button, Guides, Self Timer and Camera Manual.

The zoom is pretty self-explanatory, but the Sound Capture isn’t what you probably think it is. It snaps a picture when the noise it hears reaches a certain level (i.e. say “cheese!” really loud and it snaps your picture).

Anti-Shake is good for restless keiki or pets. Big Button turns the whole screen into a shutter release button. Guides helps you level your pics against the horizon.

Self Timer gives you the option to do two, five, 10, 15 or 30-second timer options. Lastly, Camera Manual gives you a quick reference guide of photography right there within the app.

Camera Genius is worth the nominal 99 cents. Find it at the iTunes App Store or visit www.codegoo.com for more information.

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Seeing The Light On Plant Care

“Hellooooo, time to water me!”

That is exactly what I need to hear from a plant if it wants to survive. Plants and I don’t exactly mix well. If I’m caring for one, it usually ends up in death for the plant. It’s not that I forget to water it; I just can’t seem to add the correct amount of water. I think I have a tendency to be stingy with the water I pour into it because subconsciously I don’t want to “waste water.”

The funny thing is my friend just asked me to water her plants while she’s gone on a monthlong trip. I don’t think she realizes that I’m probably the worst person to trust with plants. Lucky for me, her plants are still alive for now (after two weeks), but I hope they are still at least green when she returns. I’m making a conscious effort to put more water in than I usually would.

All this jogged my memory about a little gadget called the Thirsty Light. This is the Click Chick’s solution to successfully living with a houseplant.

This cool invention is an intuitive digital plant moisture sensor that flashes an LED light to let you know your plant is getting dry. It’s designed to be unobtrusive when you leave it in the plant’s soil, as it continuously monitors the moisture level once per second. It contains a circuit called DryPoint, which can sense five different levels of dryness and blinks faster and faster as the soil becomes more dry. When it reaches level five (completely dry), it puts the device into standby mode to conserve its energy, and it double blinks every three seconds.

While there are many soil detectors on the market that detect the conductivity of the soil (if there’s enough water, the salts in the soil dissolve and send a tiny current through the electrodes), the Thirsty Light uses a patent to actually interpret the readings it receives. These are not cryptic readings. If it blinks, you’d better give your plant water. The Thirsty Light is probably the most appropriate for indoor plants, but I suppose you could use it on your outdoor plants if you live in a dry area and have no sprinklers. You can turn it on and off, move it around from plant to plant, and you can change the battery when it gets weak.

For more information or to purchase a Thirsty Light, check out http://www.thirstylight.com. It’s $12.99 for one, $32.97 for a three-pack, $59.94 for a six-pack, or if you want to be safe, a 12-pack is $107.88.

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App of the Week: Ukulele Chord Kumu

If you grew up in Hawaii, chances are you learned how to play the ukulele at some point in your life. Sadly, the last time I even picked up one was most likely in intermediate school, so it’s been a long, long time. Ask me to play a song for you now and I’ll just give you a blank look. Maybe this new app, Ukulele Chord Kumu, can help refresh my memory.

Made right here in Hawaii, Ukulele Chord Kumu was released a couple of months ago by father-and-son team Joe and George Uno. It has more than 100 ukulele chords with finger placements that you can use on your iPhone/iPod touch. The app also includes a hands-free tuner to help you tune your ukulele, and a little ukulele history lesson. Find it at the iTunes App Store for $1.99 or visit http://www.kuawaroad.com for more information.

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A Free Language-learning Tool

A free solution to language learning, Livemocha is a learning tool that combines fun self-study lessons, motivational tools and a community to help you learn the language of your choice. Unlike potentially boring CDs and books, Livemocha brings you useful everyday language from native speakers. It reached a whopping 3 million users in June, yet it’s been out there for about two years.

I started using it about a month ago and, as you probably know, learning another language can be difficult. I find that dealing with a native speaker is the best way to pick up any language. Livemocha allows you to do exactly that by putting you in touch with people who already speak the language you’re trying to learn. So far, Livemocha has a community from more than 220 countries and is the largest language-learning community. The site continues to outpace the growth of traditional classroom and CD-based language courses since it appeals to every age and nationality.

“The contributions of our enthusiastic community allow us to make language learning more accessible worldwide, thereby expanding the size of our community,” said Shirish Nadkarni, founder and CEO of Livemocha. “The viral growth we’ve experienced is a testament to the effectiveness of our unique social learning experience. Livemocha members learn new languages more effectively by accessing lessons online and tapping into a large network of native speakers for real-time practice and helpful feedback.”

Livemocha’s sign-up is quick and easy: You enter in your name, e-mail, password, etc., and choose what language(s) you want to learn. You then choose a course, and there are four steps you need to pass in each lesson: Learn, Review, Write and Speak. There are optional exercises, too: Read, Listen, Magnet and Quiz. Overall, the lesson plans include more than 160 hours of beginner- and intermediate-level content that teaches you everyday useful conversational language along with a wide range of practical reading, listening, writing and speaking exercises. I find the pictures with each phrase useful and easy to remember, as well as the option to choose to see either the characters or romanization (when learning Chinese or Japanese).

In addition, Livemocha encourages members with Mochapoints. You can earn points based on completing lessons, writing submissions or speaking submissions. Once you earn a certain amount of Mochapoints you receive medals. The points are just a way to motivate you to do more and more. Try Livemocha at http://www.livemocha.com.

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Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: Rowmote

Rowmote lets you control any Mac or Apple TV from the convenience of your iPhone or iPod touch via your Wi-Fi network. It works just as those little Apple Remotes do, but it does so much more without having to worry about a line-of-sight infrared connection with your computer.

Before you can use Rowmote you’ll need to download and install the Rowmote Helper on your Mac from rowmote.com. After that, you’ll be able to control a variety of programs on your computer including Front Row, Boxee, DVD Player, Hulu Desktop, iPhoto, iTunes, Quicktime, Safari or xbmc (Xbox Media Center), to highlight afew.

I have a Mac mini hooked up to my TV for the sole purpose of being a media server, and I’ve been using Rowmote to primarily control Boxee, Hulu Desktop and iPhoto. The combination of using our HDTV to watch streaming media along with Rowmote makes my home media experience very efficient and enjoyable. Download Rowmote for 99 cents at the iTunes App Store.

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A Serious Challenger For Google

The first time I saw one of those Bing commercials on TV, I thought, “Oh no. Another search engine trying to copy Google.” The online critics and cynics joke that Bing is an acronym for “But It’s Not Google.”

Believe it or not, in some ways Microsoft’s Bing may actually be better than Google, depending on what you’re searching for. I noticed Bing comes back with better results when searching for travel (perhaps it’s because it uses the farecast.com engine).

Bing initially launched in early June and Microsoft describes it as being a “decision engine” designed to empower people to gain insight and knowledge from the Web, moving more quickly to important decisions. It was developed as a tool to help you easily navigate through the Internet’s information overload you may see in a typical online search.

A comScore Inc. study across core search engines showed that as many as 30 percent of searches are abandoned with an unsatisfactory result. The study’s data also showed that approximately two-thirds of the remaining searches required a refinement or re-query on the search results page.

“Today, search engines do a decent job of helping people navigate the Web and find information, but they don’t do a very good job of enabling people to use the information they find,” said Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO. “When we set out to build Bing, we grounded ourselves in a deep understanding of how people really want to use the Web. Bing is an important first step forward in our long-term effort to deliver innovations in search that enable people to find information quickly, and use the information they’ve found to accomplish tasks and make smart decisions.”

From Google, you’ll usually see a long list of blue links with an occasional photo. Bing does this as well, but instead of the plain white background you see on Google’s homepage, you’ll see a pretty picture on Bing’s.

Bing tries to make sense of your search with a list of common-sense links pertaining to your search (i.e. with a typical medical condition you’ll see a list with symptoms, causes, remedies, treatment, prevention and news).

Related searches are easily pulled up with a single-click and match your word(s) as well as subject matter. Additionally, when you do an image search, it’s nice that the pictures scroll forever instead of having to click Next, Next, Next as you do with Google.

The next time you need to look for something online, try Bing for yourself: http://www.bing.com. And, if you feel up to doing a comparison, check out http://www.bing-vs-google.com. It offers you a side-by-side view of the two search engines.

 

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week:RedLaser

Occipital’s RedLaser app is the first bar code reader application that actually works. It works as one of those red-laser scanners you see at the checkout counter, hence its name. It uses your iPhone’s camera as the scanner.

RedLaser supports all standard UPC and EAN bar codes (the most common formats used around the world). It recognizes just about everything you scan. Scan your items and the app instantly will have access to various online pricing and information. (For example, you’ll typically see the item and price pop up on amazon.com.) The best part about it for programmers is that they’ve made a software development kit so others can integrate it into their apps as well. Find RedLaser at the iTunes App Store for $1.99.

 

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Driving Around In A New Prius

Thanks to the folks at Servco, I got to drive the new 2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid for a few days. Most people know the Prius for great gas mileage, but the new 2010 Prius also is loaded with gadgets.

The car came with the advanced technology package, which includes the Navigation Package, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC), Pre-Collision System (PCS), Lane Keep Assist (LKA) and the Intelligent Parking Assist (IPA). The GPS on the Navigation Package was nothing out of the ordinary. It had a Bluetooth kit with voice-command capability, and the ability to load all your contacts in the system for the voice controls. I could stream music from my iPhone, but there was no way to control my iPhone from the steering wheel, so I wouldn’t consider it fully integrated. Additionally, when you’re reversing, the camera on the bumper is very clear, and is good to help spot obstacles or people while you’re backing up.

From all the other features in the tech package, the one I played with the most was the IPA. I lost count of how many times I blocked streets with friends in the car to show them the car automatically park itself! You can use this feature to parallel park on either the left or right side of the street. Using its sonar sensors, the car automatically knows which side you’re going for. The DRCC senses cars in the front and slows down accordingly, and the LKA beeps at you and gently tugs the wheel back if it feels you drifting into the next lane.

Also, with or without the tech package, you have the Smart Key - leave the key in your pocket/purse and you can unlock/lock the doors and start the car.

“The all-new 2010 Toyota Prius is a vehicle which is intended for everyone,” says Wes Kimura, vice president of Servco Automotive. “As such, we aren’t seeing a specific type of buyer, but buyers from all segments and demographics who are looking for a vehicle that does it all: great of fuel mileage, very clean emissions, available with industry leading feature - and all available at a very affordable price.”

Hypermilers will love this car. In case you don’t know what hypermiling is, it’s basically using techniques to maximize your fuel economy (i.e. minimizing braking and rapid acceleration, driving with the air conditioner off or shutting the engine down at certain times). I work with a novel hypermiler and he sometimes drives me and my other co-workers nuts on our short drives to lunch. He refuses to turn on the air conditioner, so we’ll wind the windows down so we can breathe, then we rag on him about it.

The Prius’ four driving modes give any hypermiler or regular driver the flexibility to have fun with the car. You can select between NORMAL, EV, ECO or POWER modes. I nicknamed the EV mode the “golf cart mode” - it tells the car to drive with electric power until the car goes above 25 mph or the battery level falls too low. ECO maps down the acceleration curve at mid-throttle, while POWER increases it, especially when you’re accelerating from a full stop, or need to pass a slow bus or truck on the freeway. It was fun to play with the different modes on the road, but I had to be careful to not let it become too distracting while I was driving.

The Prius is currently available in four levels. The Prius II starts at $22,000 and comes standard with keyless ignition, full-power accessories, cruise control, a six-speaker sound system, a tilting and telescoping steering wheel and a hybrid display. The Prius III ($23,000) has all that plus Bluetooth capability and an upgraded sound system. The Prius IV ($25,740) adds leather upholstery, heated front seats, an auto-dimming mirror and driver-adjustable lumbar support. The top-of-the-line Prius V ($27,210) adds 17-inch alloy wheels, fog lamps and LED headlights. Check out www.toyotahawaii.com for complete car specs and thorough information/options on each model.

So the question is: Is it worth it to spend the extra money for a hybrid? The recent hike in gas prices have definitely sparked interest in the Prius. Well, you do see an average of 51 miles per gallon, which means you will probably cut your monthly gas bill in half.

The good news is that the 2010 Prius qualifies for the government’s new “Cash For Clunkers” program featured in this week’s cover story. If you have an old gas-guzzling clunker to trade in, you can have $4,500 instantly knocked off the price. Visit cars.gov for more information and to see if your clunker qualifies.

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Confessions Of A Geek At Heart

For MidWeek‘s 25th anniversary, I was asked to share my MidWeek experience, so here it goes:

My MidWeek journey began many moons ago, in 2000, when I was hired on as a sales assistant. That job didn’t last longer than a few months when MidWeek saw potential and moved me into the systems department as an information technology specialist. I guess they could tell I was a geek at heart, and believed I could do the job. That little move changed my life forever.

My Click Chick technology column began in 2005, and I had just left the company to pursue my Air Force career. I remember chuckling at the fact that I had my journalism degree all that time but never wrote for the newspaper until I left. This was yet another great opportunity ... the rest is history.

People often ask me how I come up with my story ideas, and how I keep thinking of new things to write about. The answer is simple. I have a passion for gadgets and following the latest and greatest in the tech world anyway, so it all comes naturally. I seem to always have something at the tip of my brain, and even in the rare instance that I don’t, I receive tons of press releases every day from various companies, so my story pool never dries up. My goal with this column is to share my technology world with you, the readers.

Having this column has opened up so many doors that I almost don’t know where to begin. I’ve had the opportunity to meet many interesting people, attend various events and conferences, and occasionally I am recognized as the “Click Chick.”

One of the more memorable individuals I was able to meet was Kaz Hirai (one of the top execs of Sony Corporation) at the time of the PlayStation 3 (PS3) launch in 2006. Shortly after that, thanks to Sony, I had the first PS3 in the state of Hawaii. I remember driving home with that thing in the trunk - it felt as if I had a million bucks in the back of my car! Keep in mind this was a few days before the mad rush when people were standing in long lines to buy a PS3.

Additionally, that PS3 gave me the opportunity in November 2006 to be on my first MidWeek cover. Kaz Hirai was the main focus on the cover, and I was shown from the back holding a PS3 controller. The second

MidWeek cover I was on was published in October 2007, and it was extremely close to my heart. I was pictured with three fellow survivors of domestic violence, and we were given the opportunity to share our survival stories. After that story published, it was amazing how many supportive reader e-mails and verbal comments I received. Even to this day, I still receive comments about that story, and it published nearly two years ago!

Much mahalo for reading MidWeek and my column! I look forward to many more years of providing you with the latest and greatest from my world of technology.

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All The Buzz About ‘The Conduit’

The Conduit was one of the most popular Nintendo Wii games at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). Exclusively for the Wii from High Voltage Software and published by Sega, it has been generating lots of buzz over the past few months in the gaming community.

What’s the big appeal? It’s something that works for both hardcore and casual gamers.

You go through the game as Michael Ford, a Secret Service agent with a knack for hunting down hostile aliens after saving the life of the U.S. president from an assassination attempt and witnessing terrorist attacks on Washington, D.C. All this activity has U.S. agencies in an overly paranoid state as they scramble for answers.

The big appeal of The Conduit is the control functionality. You run around the game using your nunchuk’s stick, aim your guns with the remote, toss your grenades by doing a throwing motion with the nunchuk, and make various other moves by hitting buttons or performing specific motions. I enjoy the capability to aim with precision to do headshots or shoot accurately at far-away targets.

Throughout the game you’ll see a few different environments that include subway stations, underground government bases, war-torn streets and smelly sewers. The only problem I had is even though you see that change in scenery, each level seems to play the same way. At each level you’ll end up seeing narrow corridors that could potentially make you lost if you’re not paying attention, and you go from one alien battle to another. Your bug-like/robot-looking enemies hatch from eggs, and you need to hunt down the nests they come from while you’re taking shots from above and things are sneaking up behind you.

Overall I can say The Conduit is definitely a great success for the Wii. Before this game came out, there was never a good first-person shooter designed specifically for the Wii. The controls are fine-tuned to make gunning down your enemies while sprinting around the battlefield easy and fun. The visuals fill your screen with enemies, explosions and lighting effects without making your frame rate drop.

Most of all, playing the game is enjoyable.

The Conduit is rated “T” for Teen and retails for $49.99. Find it at your nearest GameStop (gamestop.com), Toys N Joys (toysnjoys.com) or Walmart (walmart.com). Visit conduitgame.com for more information on the game or to watch some footage.

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: Cheap Gas!

I’ve been using the Cheap Gas! app on my iPhone since it came out back in September of last year, but now is a good time to mention it since gas prices are creeping back up. Cheap Gas! uses station pricing from GasBuddy.com and finds the cheapest gas nearest you.

I find this app helpful to quickly spot how much gas is going for nearby. Once the gas stations around you are located, it automatically sorts your results by the cheapest first. Click on the station you’re interested in and it will show you the prices of all the station’s gas grades, and if you need to know where it is, the Map button will show you. It even shows the gas prices on military bases (i.e. AAFES).

Note for the iPod touch: Cheap Gas! only supports postal code searches. Find it for free at the iTunes App Store.

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Earning Extra Income Online

Unfortunately, I’ve witnessed a few people fall victim to online scams that promised great wealth from working at home and investments. In this economy, with many job losses and furloughs, anything to generate extra income can sound extremely attractive. Some websites advertised on pop-up ads or spam e-mails may sound tempting to those desperately seeking work or hurting for money, but don’t take the bait!

Realistically, you’re not going to earn thousands of dollars a week for stuffing envelopes, payment processing/billing from home, or an undisclosed vague “secret method” the company won’t reveal to you unless you pay a fee. These are things the companies tell you so that you’ll likely buy into the scam, such as a product assembly kit. Then, once you have the “product” in-hand, there’s no reason for them to give you a return on investment since they already swallowed your money.

But we do know that there are actual legitimate ways to earn some extra cash online.

Here are a few examples:

* Freelancing: If you have a special talent (i.e. software programmer, web designer, illustrator, foreign language abilities, etc.) you could find a freelance job with elance.com or guru.com. Both sites have a variety of desired trades, and you can post your job for free.

* Transcription services: This is for an extremely fast typist (minimum 75 words per minute) who has a good ear and an excellent command of the English language. Transcription involves listening to recorded speech and putting it into written form. The material you produce can range from interviews, focus groups, corporate research projects and police interrogations to documentary film footage. Here are two reputable companies to check out: productiontranscripts.com/jobs and tigerfish.com/employment. If you don’t already have it, both require Start-Stop’s Power Play for Windows Media software (fairly pricey investment at around $250).

* Customer service: Patience, a computer and fairly quiet surroundings are required for this one. Working Solutions (workingsol.com) offers work-at-home opportunities for various projects that could include order processing, reservations, customer service, sales or market research. The calls are routed to your home office, and you’ll need a computer. No fees are charged to apply or work for Working Solutions.

* Tutor: Are you an academic who enjoys helping others? Online tutoring could be for you. You’ll have to go through an extensive screening process to become a certified online tutor. Subjects range from high-level math and science to social studies and foreign languages. Two websites that offer this opportunity are tutor.com and smarthinking.com.

There are countless other legitimate online opportunities out there, but these probably are the easier ones at which to succeed.

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: Flight Control

Flight Control is an action/strategy game for your iPhone/iPod touch. You touch and drag aircraft to their landing zones as you avoid midair collisions. It sounds simple, but you need to do this with great skill as planes seem to pop up out of nowhere.

The game features a peer-to-peer multiplayer mode, where you can play together with your favorite iPhone/iPod touch buddy. The aircraft appear as usual, but one controller is in charge of the pink plane, and the other handles the yellow and blue ones. Additionally, you can save/resume your games (i.e. when you receive a phone call) and fast-forward the game if you want it to move along quicker.

Flight Control is so much fun and addicting, it’s one of those games that will stay on your iPhone forever. It’s perfect to keep you occupied for either a short wait in the doctor’s office or that long plane ride that will last hours and hours. Find it at the iTunes App Store on for 99 cents or visit www.fire.mint.com/flightcontrol for more information.

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Hands-free Options For Your Cell

With the new “hands-free” cell phone law going into effect this week, I’ve been bombarded with the same question from family, friends, co-workers and readers: “What is the best hands-free device I can use with my cell phone?”

As I’ve been telling everyone, that’s a loaded question with multiple answers.

Over the past few years, while the cell phone market grew, so did the variety of hands-free devices. Bluetooth/hands-free devices are available just about everywhere, and there’s no way I can mention everything, but here are some ideas for you to ponder.

I use and enjoy the Jawbone PRIME, which came out in May. I think it’s the best Bluetooth headset for noise reduction. My biggest problem with noise is being outside in the wind. We all know how annoying it is when you’re talking to someone and all you hear from the other side is the wind blowing and not their voice. The PRIME solves this, as it can handle up to 10 mph of wind with its proprietary sensor coupled with its new Digital Signal Processing algorithms.

With this headset I can have a normal conversation without worrying about covering the mouthpiece or getting out of the blowing wind. Also note the PRIME gives you a 6- to 9-decibel improvement in almost any other noisy environment, as it extracts noises and keeps your voice natural. It will last about four-and-a-half hours on a single charge for talk time/eight days standby, and will fully charge in about 45 minutes.

The Jawbone PRIME is a little pricey for a headset, but it’s well worth it. The retail price is $129.99 and it comes in four fun “EARCANDY” colors - lime, scarlet, yellow and lilac - as well as boring black, brown and gray. Find it at your nearest Apple Store (or www.apple.com) or from Jawbone (www.jawbone.com).

If you’re on a budget or just want something reasonable that does the job so you can be in compliance with the new law, Hawaiian Telcom has a few solutions at its stores (Bishop Street, Kapiolani Boulevard or Pearlridge Uptown). The best thing is, all of them are on sale:

* Ear Bud (wired headset): extremely affordable, $7.50 (regular $15)
* foneGear Mini Blu (fG976): four hours talk time/three days standby, $39.99 (regular $49.99)
* BlueAnt X3: seven hours talk time/7.5 days standby, multi-function button for headset control, $39.99 (regular $50)
* BlueAnt Supertooth 3 Bluetooth Speakerphone: If you don’t already have a cell phone that you can control with your voice, the Supertooth 3 allows you to use voice prompts to connect the device with your phone and upload your address book. It announces the name or ID of the caller when your phone rings - just say OK to accept the call. It installs in seconds for an alternate hands-free experience. $99 (regular $125)

If you’re willing to spend a little more and don’t want to deal with a headset, another alternative is installing an entire kit in your car. In addition to my headset, my car came with a Bluetooth kit, and it worked great with my previous iPhones and now my iPhone 3G S. If your car didn’t come loaded with a kit, there are companies that can install one for you. Hands Free Hawaii has been around since 1989 and installs hard-wired Bluetooth car kits that range approximately from $200 to $400 (plus $200 average labor charge). These kits enable you to make and take calls without touching your phone (usually the controls are on the steering wheel).

Talking on your cell phone can be helpful passing the time in heavy traffic, but if you must, please call safely! Remember that the first offense for using your phone without a hands-free device is $67. After that, a judge can impose a higher fine for repeat offenses.

A reminder: Under this new law, mobile electronic devices include cell phones, text-messaging devices, pagers, personal digital assistants, laptop computers, video game players (i.e. PlayStation Portable or Nintendo DS) and digital cameras.

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iPhone 3G S: ‘S’ Stands For Speed

The next generation iPhone 3G S was announced last week, and I stopped my whole world just to watch the live coverage of its launch, since I’ve been hearing rumors about it for months. If you’re an in-the-know iPhone enthusiast, you probably preordered it the day of the launch and already have one in your hand. For the more patient, conservative folks, the “old” iPhone 3G will not be discontinued and you can now buy an 8GB version for $99.

The S stands for speed. The new iPhone 3G S is twice as fast as the previous model.

“iPhone 3G S is the fastest, most powerful iPhone yet, and we think people will love the incredible new features including autofocus camera, video recording and the freedom of voice control,” says Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of WorldWide Product Marketing.

Other features include a longer battery life, a higher quality three-megapixel autofocus camera, video recording and hands-free voice control. A new VoiceOver feature enables visually impaired users to make calls, read e-mails, browse web pages, play music and run apps.

There’s a new universal Zoom function that magnifies the entire screen, and a white-on-black feature that reverses the colors to provide a higher contrast for folks with low vision. One I can probably use is the Mono Audio, which combines left and right audio channels so that they can be heard in both earbuds for those with hearing loss in one ear. And, last but not least, the phone also includes the new iPhone 3.0 software (as you may remember from my March 25 column).

 

The iPhone OS 3.0 features more than 100 new functions: Cut, Copy, Paste; MMS; Spotlight Search across your iPhone or within Mail, Contacts, Calendar and iPod (similar to a search in OS X); landscape keyboard, expanded parental controls for TV shows, movies and apps from the App Store; and the ability to capture and send audio recordings with the new Voice Memo app.

Additionally, if you lose your phone, the Find My iPhone feature works with MobileMe so you can locate your lost iPhone on a map, send a message that will appear on the screen, or play a sound to help you find it (even if it’s set to silent). If you can’t find your iPhone, you can erase all data and content with the Remote Wipe feature - quite handy if you don’t want it falling into the wrong hands.

Pricing for the iPhone 3G S is a little complicated - if you “qualify,” it’s $199 for the 16GB and $299 for the 32GB. I didn’t qualify for the special pricing and most iPhone 3Gs won’t either. I was quoted $399/16GB and $499/32GB for the “early upgrade price.” If you want to buy an iPhone 3G S without an AT&T contract, it will cost $599/16GB or $699/32GB ... ouch! Also note you’ll have to pay an additional $30 per month in data charges, and a little more for text messages, depending on your selection - I pay $5/month for 200 text messages a month.

For those of you who just bought an iPhone 3G within the last 30 days, congratulations, you automatically qualify for a free upgrade to the 3G S. If they’re in-stock, you can find these iPhones your nearest Apple Store (or online at www.apple.com) AT&T Store, Best Buy or Walmart. If you’re still deciding whether or not to buy an iPhone ... remember, it’s all about the apps. There are 50,000-plus to choose from - no other smart phone can beat that!

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: Sally’s Spa

Thanks to Russ, one of the most organized people I know, I found a great time management game - Sally’s Spa. When I first saw it I laughed at the complete girliness of it, but it’s actually fairly entertaining.

You’re Sally, and you’re running different spas across the world. You refresh your customers with saunas, manicures, massages, hot stones, and facials in an efficient manner. You’re making sure your customers are happy, and you need to make sure you’re making an adequate amount of money to keep your business growing. Use the money for upgrades to help your spa business expand and grow.

Sally’s Spa is fun for all ages and either gender. Find it at the iTunes App Store for 99 cents (full version) or free for Sally’s Spa Lite (similar to Sally’s Spa, but with slightly fewer features).

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Sony Showstoppers At E3 2009

Continuing with Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) thoughts from last week, Sony had a basketful of goodies to share with the world. The main highlights were some PlayStation 3 (PS3) exclusives: God of War III, Unchartered 2 and a new concept called MAG (Massive Action Game). On top of that, a new PSP (PSPgo) was announced.

The most anticipated game at E3 this year was the action-adventure, single-player God of War III. This is the final installment to the hugely popular God of War series, and you again play as Kratos, the angry ex-Spartan warrior seeking his revenge against Zeus and the gods of Mt. Olympus. The graphics are spectacular and the action is nonstop. You can now ride some of the mythological creatures to transport you around, and new weapons such as the Cestus allow Kratos to learn new ruthless techniques. The game’s trademark detailed gore and violence are enhanced on the PS3 - definitely not for the keiki. God of War III comes out in March 2010 (Rating: RP for Rating Pending).

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is the fresh single-player, action-adventure shooter follow-up to last year’s hit - Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. You are Nathan Drake, a fortune hunter with a shady reputation and an even shadier past who is lured back into the treacherous world of thieves and mercenary treasure-seekers. The game’s backdrop keeps it varied with locations ranging from lush green swamps to dense urban environments to ice and snow of the Himalayas.

The added unrestricted combat allows you to take an aggressive or stealthy approach to combat with traversal gunplay, free-climbing mechanics and variety of enemy types with advanced AI routines. The launch date is slated for late this year (Rating: RP).

MAG is a first-person shooter game that is played exclusively online, and the next evolution in gaming. It lets you experience battles with up to 256 real people across a global battlefield. MAG is able to manage a large amount of players by breaking them into squads of eight. You climb your way up the chain of command to take control of your eight-person squad, then 32-person platoon and ultimately your 128-person army.

The game takes place in a dark future 2025 where food shortages spark riots, currencies plummet, fuel reserves are dwindling and oil-producing nations ration what remains. A MAG beta is available to download, but the official release will be late this year (Rating: RP).

Last but not least, the PSPgo is for those who prefer to not carry around the typical PSP disc-based content. The PSPgo replaced the UMD drive with 16GB of flash memory to download and store a variety of digital entertainment content using the PlayStation Store. It’s a flip-style system that will come in white or black, and features Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and a smaller lightweight design that will fit into your purse or pocket. The regular PSP will continue to be sold alongside the PSPgo, which will retail for $249 starting Nov. 1.

 

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: KHON

2 Mobile Local News

Last month KHON became the first Hawaii TV station to release an app for local news. This app takes a combination of KHON’s newscast and website and rolls it into your iPhone/iPod touch. Designed and developed in partnership with DoApp, KHON 2 Mobile Local News makes it easy and convenient to click and scroll through local news and weather. In addition, you can catch national and international news, sports scores, entertainment news and weird news. Click the “Share” button within a story and you can easily share your story via e-mail, text, Twitter or Facebook.

Find the KHON app for free at the iTunes App Store.

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Mr. Click Chick Covers E3 2009

I was not able to attend this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2009, so I sent the husband, “Mr. Click Chick,” to be my eyes and ears there.

According to the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), more than 200 video-game publishers and developers exhibited at this year’s E3. It was well worth the quick hop across the pond to Los Angeles to see all the latest video games that will hit the market soon.

My lucky husband was able to attend Microsoft’s star-studded press conference. Yoko Ono, Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney were there to promote The Beatles: Rock Band. Tony Hawk was there to show off his new game Tony Hawk Ride (it comes with a cool skateboard controller, too). Hideo Kojima, Metal Gear Solid’s creator, introduced his latest Metal Gear Solid: Lightning Bolt Action, exclusive for the Xbox 360.

Last but not least, Steven Spielberg was there to talk about Project Natal, a revolutionary new way to interact with video games with no controller. “The next step in interactive entertainment is to make the controller disappear,” said Spielberg, visionary director and producer. “With Project Natal, we’ll see games that bring everyone together through technology that actually recognizes us.”

Stay tuned for more on E3 ... As I write this, the show is still going on.

Hulu Desktop Unveiled

A couple of weeks ago Hulu finally revealed what its Hulu Labs project was all about. This latest development, called Hulu Desktop, adds more color to Hulu’s already popular TV show and movie-streaming site. It’s a “lean-back” viewing experience on your computer that unleashes Hulu’s Flash video capability from your browser and brings it to an application you can install directly on your computer (Windows or Mac). Even better, you can control it with your computer’s remote.

Unveiled shortly after I returned from a couple of months of traveling, Hulu Desktop was absolutely perfect to catch up on all the TV shows I missed while gone. It’s a simple Flash application, seamless, fast and easy to navigate - everything I would expect from Hulu. I enjoy the fact that no browser is needed and I can just sit back and control the interface with my Apple Remote, similar to watching TV. Additionally, you’ll still see commercials, but they’re very minimal compared to actually watching TV.

There are various ways you can find content: regular search (by typing in the show or movie you want), alphabetically, network or studio, Hulu channel or by most popular. I find it easiest to search alphabetically since I know exactly what shows I’m looking for.

Although you don’t need a Hulu account to use it, you do require one if you want to personalize your Hulu Desktop. This includes your queue, subscriptions, viewing history, video playback quality and closed-captioning settings. Download Hulu Desktop for free at www.hulu.com/labs/hulu-desktop.

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Portable Wi-Fi With MiFi 2200

If you need to stay connected, as I do, having access to an Internet connection is a No. 1 priority. You can probably find a hotspot in your hotel, the nearest coffee shop or at the airport, but isn’t it more convenient if you can just carry a hotspot with you?

The MiFi 2200, just released by Sprint and Verizon Wireless, offers you the ability to carry a hotspot in your purse or pocket.

The two MiFi 2200s are almost identical, but Verizon’s is black and Sprint’s is silver. You might be wondering what makes this so special in comparison to a USB data card or a builtin laptop modem. The most significant difference is that MiFi can be shared with up to five devices simultaneously (including computers and Wi-Fi-enabled toys, i.e. an iPhone or your portable game machine). Having that USB device tethered to your computer (as I’ve been using before this) can sometimes be a pain, especially since you don’t want it to snag on anything as you move around.

“You can hold the MiFi 2200 in the palm of your hand, slip it in your pocket, even place it on a beach towel if you’re lying under the sun, and wireless-ly connect your laptop, MP3 player and gaming device to the Internet all at once,” says Steve Elfman, Sprint president of network, wholesale and product. “Now customers will be able to use one mobile broadband device - the MiFi 2200 - to connect multiple personal devices or multiple users. If I have a Wi-Fi-enabled device, I don’t need to find a Wi-Fi hotspot. The MiFi 2200 creates one for me.”

The MiFi is tiny enough to hide in a shirt pocket, measuring in at 3.5-by-2.3-by-0.4 inches and weighing only 2.05 ounces. Both companies say that, on a single charge, the battery will last about four hours when it’s actively in-use and 40 hours when it’s on standby. But depending on how many devices you have connected to it, your battery probably won’t last you the entire four hours. The good news is that you can use it while it’s charging, too. A complete charge takes about two-and-a-half hours. Other features MiFi offers are advanced security through WPA2-PSK, WEP and SPI Firewall, and GPS capabilities to take advantage of select location and mapping applications, such as obtaining driving or walking directions, or finding the best nearby restaurant.

Both Sprint and Verizon Wireless are offering the MiFi 2200 for $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate. Sprint is offering a $59.99 per month plan for mobile broadband only, and $149.99 per month for the Simply Everything Plan plus Mobile Broadband (both include up to 5GB per month and 5 cents per megabyte over-age for the MiFi 2200 usage). Visit your nearest Sprint Store or www.sprint.com for more information.

Verizon Wireless’ plans are slightly different at $39.99 for 250MB monthly allowance (and 10 cents per megabyte overage), and $59.99 monthly access for 5GB monthly allowance (and 5 cents per megabyte overage). Check out your nearest Verizon Wireless Communications Store or www.verizonwireless.com.

Either way, the MiFi device is the same, but it’s up to you which plan you’d want to take on.

Correction for the UH’s Award-winning Mouse, Alfalfa story published on May 20: The winning time for Alfalfa was one minute and 11.29 seconds. The original story stated Alfalfa’s finish time as one hour, 11 minutes and 29 seconds.

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Spending More Time in Akihabara

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May 27, 2009

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After I bought my Canon EOS Kiss X3 camera in Japan, I couldn’t just make one trip to Akihabara, Japan’s famous electronic district. I’m so crazy that,on this trip I went there five times! Even at that, I still didn’t see everything I wanted to. There was one store that stood out from all the rest ... Yodobashi. Its nine floors kept me there for almost an entire day and sucked up a good portion of my last paycheck. Ouch.

I always thought Fry’s Electronics was a cool store to visit when I fly to the Mainland. Although I still admire Fry’s, sorry, but it doesn’t even come close to Yodobashi. The mixture of stuff I found in the store was amazing - just about every computer, piece of software, TV, camera or little gadget/device on the planet was in this store. I even found a mouse-ear Mickey Mouse iPod charger for my Disney-crazy friend. Cell phones are a whole other story. They took up almost an entire floor - I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many in one place.

One thing for sure, the Japanese love their cell phones. But I was a little surprised to learn that the iPhone isn’t very popular there. So much so that Softbank Mobile, the exclusive carrier for the iPhone in Japan, is offering free 8GB iPhones with a two-year contract. Wow, what a deal! According to a poll I saw in a Japanese magazine, the most popular cell phone there is FOMA SH906i. From the outside, it looks like a “regular phone” I normally wouldn’t even look twice at. It still wouldn’t be my first choice, but I admit it does have some good features: a three-inch touch-screen display that supports TV, FM radio, 3G connectivity (3G is much faster in Japan than it is here), a barcode reader, music/video players and the usual e-mail/web capabilities.

I can’t wait to go back to Japan again. There’s so much to see and do, not to mention all the tech shopping!

 

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: Top Gun

One of my favorite movies from the 1980s is Top Gun. A couple of weeks ago, I found a Top Gun iPhone app - cool! Yes, it’s a little cheesy, but I love it! This game takes you back into the movie, but you’re a recruit under Maverick and Iceman, as they’re both now instructors at the Top Gun Academy.

Instead of flying the F-14 Tomcat as in the movie, you’re piloting the F-22 Raptor or B-2 Stealth Bomber as you hear the classic Danger Zone song playing in the background (along with other tracks so you don’t become tired of the same song). The plane types threw me off since you can’t land either of them on a carrier. But other than that, for a little iPhone, the graphics are excellent and definitely add to the game-play. If you’re used to playing flight simulators, Top Gun is a breeze. If you’re not used to flight sims, the gameplay might be a small challenge, since you have to learn how to navigate properly.

With how polished this Top Gun app is, I was surprised it only cost me $1.99 (during its first week of release). Unfortunately, the price went up to $3.99, but still a small price to pay for a good iPhone game. Find it at the iTunes App Store.

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UH’s Award-winning Mouse, Alfalfa

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May 20, 2009

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Robotic micromouse Alfalfa

UH Engineering Team Wins Competition

Thanks to a robot micro-mouse named “Alfalfa,” two UH Manoa engineering students took first place in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ Region 6 Central Area Spring Meeting and Micromouse Competition, held a of couple months ago at the University of California at Santa Cruz.

Team members Alex Zamora and Tyson Seto-Mook built the winning micromouse, which completed the competition maze in one hour, 11 minutes and 29 seconds - 2 minutes and 36 seconds ahead of another UH Manoa entry. From the nine mice entered, UH Manoa teams swept the top seven places in the maze competition, the top three positions in the packaging (construction and design) competition and first place in the student paper competition.

 

In the micromouse competition, student teams design and build an autonomous robot mouse that is controlled by a microprocessor and is no larger than 25 centimeters by 25 centimeters in size.

Each mouse is given 10 minutes to learn the fastest route though the maze from the starting point to the center square. Good job, guys!

 

Honda Demonstrated Walking Assist Devices

Along similar lines, American Honda Motor Co. Inc. demonstrated its prototype walking assist devices for the first time in the U.S. at the 2009 Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) World Congress. These devices are intended to support walking for the elderly and are currently being tested in real-world conditions by individuals with weakened leg muscles.

The Stride Management Assist

Called the Stride Management Assist, it’s lightweight and wearable, designed for people with weak leg muscles who can still walk on their own. It obtains data about your walking motions from hip angle sensors. Based on the information collected, the CPU applies cooperative control and calculates the amount and timing of the assistance that needs to be provided. With the device’s help, your stride is lengthened and the walking pace regulated, making it easier to walk.

The Stride Management Assist’s compact design was achieved with flat, brushless motors and a control system developed by Honda. The belt worn around the hip and thigh was employed to help achieve its total light weight of about 6 pounds. As a result, it reduces the user’s load and can be fitted to different body shapes.

Also, the Bodyweight Support Assist is designed to help weakened leg muscles, but it also could be helpful during some physically demanding activities. It will support your bodyweight to reduce the load on your legs while going up and down stairs. The load on leg muscles and joints - hip, knees and ankles - is reduced. The device is built simply of a seat, frame and shoes. The contraption is easily attached to your body by putting on the special shoes and lifting the seat into position. A mechanism that directs the assisting force toward your center of gravity and the ability to control the assist force in concert with the movement of the legs make it able to provide natural assistance in various postures and motions.

Honda initially began research on walking devices in 1999. The cumulative study of human walking, along with research and development of technologies conducted for Honda’s advanced humanoid robot, ASIMO, made the current developments possible.

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Canon’s New Rebel With HD Video

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May 13, 2009

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Here I am in Japan again, and I absolutely love it, especially because I’m able to find things that haven’t been released in our country yet. Case in point is my new Canon EOS Kiss X3, as they call it in Japan, aka the EOS Rebel T1i, which released last week in the U.S. After I spotted the X3, I instantly knew I had to buy it since I’ve been planning to buy the American T1i version for months.

Buying my new camera was a huge challenge as I had to wrestle with my credit card company. Even though I called to tell them I was traveling abroad (and spoke to five different customer service reps), they still decided to block my card multiple times, and I eventually just dished out the cash to buy my camera kit.

Lesson learned: Don’t always trust your credit card company, and it’s a good idea to carry cash or traveler’s checks as a backup if you know you’re going shopping. Needless to say, I’m canceling this credit card as soon as I get home.

 

All that aside, this camera is awesome! The very day I bought it my husband and I headed to Northern Japan for sakura to see the cherry blossoms. Snapping pictures of all those beautiful trees and the birds flying around was a perfect capability test. Plus, the big appeal for this camera is the fact that it can do HD video capture, and is the first in the Rebel line to have this capability.

The T1i incorporates the best from the EOS 50D and EOS 5D Mark II models along with a 15.1 megapixel CMOS sensor and DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor, considered to be the muscle in the camera. You can do continuous shooting at 3.4 frames per second (fps) for up to 170 large/fine JPEG images, or up to nine raw images with a single burst, if you have a larger memory card. This was well-demonstrated while I was taking shots of the hawks flying overhead. Using the burst function as well as the 200mm zoom lens that came with my kit, I took many phenomenal pictures of cherry blossoms as well as various birds. The HD video function came in handy as well. I’m more of a short-clip video type of person, so having it integrated into one is extremely helpful. All the videos I took came out sharp with good audio.

Additionally, the T1i gives you ISO speeds of 100 to 3,200. It’s extremely user-friendly with its 3.0-inch Clear View LCD (920,000 dots/VGA) monitor and an auto lighting optimizer, creative auto mode, and Canon’s Live View modes, the perfect mix for the average consumer to jump on the digital imaging bandwagon.

Canon’s EOS Rebel T1i Digital SLR camera retails for $799.99 or $899.99 for the kit with Canon’s EFS18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens. Find it at Amazon (www.amazon.com) with free shipping.

 

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: iNap@Work

Released a few weeks ago, iNap@Work has to be one of the funniest iPhone apps I’ve seen. I can think of several folks who could and would use this! This app simulates office sounds so you snooze while people around you think you’re working hard. Come on ... it’s better to take a 15-20 minute nap than to load up on caffeine. iNap@Work makes noises that you would normally hear coming from your work area: simulated mouse clicking, keyboard tapping, paper crumpling, pencil sharpening, stapler stapling, clearing throat sounds and sniffling. You can use the sliders to crank up or turn down the frequency of the noises. It all depends on whether or not you want to simulate a light or busy day.

I doubt someone can actually use this at work without getting fired, but this app is just too hilarious. Download it for 99 cents at the iTunes App Store

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Protecting Kids On The Net For Free

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May 06, 2009

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With the growing popularity of social networking and Internet predators lurking about, today’s parents rate Internet dangers higher on their list of concerns than drugs. According to the Norton Online Living Family Survey conducted in March, 56 percent of parents are concerned their keiki may come across Internet dangers, including online predators and cyber bullies, compared with drug-related threats at 44 percent.

To help parents with the electronic threat, Symantec, makers of Norton security software, is offering OnlineFamily.Norton for free.

“Online safety should be a top priority for every parent, but it can be a daunting task if they don’t have the resources they need to get started. That’s why we’re offering OnlineFamily.Norton to families for free this year,” says Janice Chaffin, group president of Symantec’s Consumer Business Unit. “OnlineFamily.Norton is truly unique because it was designed to foster more communication between parents and kids, which is essential for creating rules together and keeping safe.”

The setup is painless, simple and quick. After you establish a parent account, you can create a profile for each child you want to monitor (up to 15). Select a picture icon and enter their birth year. Symantec then automatically sets up age-appropriate house rules based on the birth year. You then need to download and install an application called Safety Minder on each machine your keiki use (up to 10) and designate the Windows or Mac user account with the specific machine. If the children share a machine, you’ll have to assign separate user accounts.

OnlineFamily.Norton is a little different from the traditional parental control products that focus on just blocking and monitoring your kids’ online activities. It goes a step further to help you manage the gray areas of the Internet with education and communication. You’re encouraged to sit down with your keiki to create the House Rules for online activity. They’ll be aware that the software is active on their computer and view the House Rules they established with you at any time.

The program monitors activity on social networks such as Facebook and MySpace, when they login and how often. You can start a chat/conversation with your child if you see them misbehaving online. He/she also can send information to you in real-time via the OnlineFamily.Norton site or through e-mail about the intention when attempting to visit a blocked site.

In addition, OnlineFamily.Norton provides you with clear reports with activities listed in chronological order. The website reporting eliminates all the extra URLs (i.e. media-heavy ads) and shows thumb-nails of the visited websites. These reports can be accessed online anywhere, and you can choose to receive e-mail reports. In addition, you can monitor instant messaging chats, control web content (up to 40 topic categories), and track, report and prevent personal information that they may inadvertently try to send via instant messaging, social networking or on a website.

OnlineFamily.Norton is free until Jan. 1, 2010 at http://onlinefamily.norton.com (no price commitment, but the service is valued at $60 for a one-year subscription). It’s compatible with either Windows XP/Vista or Mac OS X 10.5. Since it’ll be free for awhile, now is a good time to try it out so you can decide if this is a good solution for you and your keiki.

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Making A Video With Animoto

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April 29, 2009

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Thanks to MidWeek‘s creative director Gina Lambert, I just learned about the video creation platform Animoto. It actually launched a couple of years ago, but a few weeks ago it was nominated in the category Best in Services and Applications in the 13th annual Webby awards. Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by the New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet.

“Nominees like Animoto are setting the standard for innovation and creativity on the Internet,” said David-Michel Davies, executive director of the Webby Awards. “It is an incredible achievement to be selected among the best from the nearly 10,000 entries we received this year.”

Animoto lets you create dynamic, professional-quality videos online from your own photos and music. The heart of Animoto is its Cinematic Artificial Intelligence technology that is programmed to think as a director and editor using the same sophisticated post-production skills and techniques that are used in television and film.

The technology takes into account every nuance of a song: the genre, song structure, energy, rhythm, instrumentation and vocals. Videos are produced in widescreen format and can be e-mailed or embedded on websites and social networks, shared on mobile devices, and downloaded in DVD-quality formats for display on computers, televisions or large projection screens.

 

Using the website can’t really be any easier. It’s as simple as: upload your pictures, pick a song from either your library or Animoto’s collection, and click. Voila, you have a slideshow! You then have the option to remix it, upgrade the quality, send it off via e-mail or to YouTube and more.

Interestingly, the founders of Animoto Productions include veterans of the entertainment industry who share a passion for helping people better share their stories and express themselves through online media. They seek to bridge the gap between high production value inherent in film and television, and the “more amateur” feeling of most user-created Internet videos we see out there today.

Sign-up for your free Animoto account at www.animoto.com. Also, note the Webby Awards is presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, and you still have a chance to vote for Animoto if you enjoy it as much as I do (but you have to vote by April 30!): http://pv.webbyawards.com. The winners will be announced on May 5.

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: Animoto

The Animoto iPhone app was initially introduced in late December 2008, and in less than two weeks became a Top Free App in the Photography category. Similar to the web version, the app automatically turns your iPhone photos into high-quality, professional-style music videos that capture the immediate onthespot energy of your events, travel and other memorable moments. Once you create your videos with the app, they can be shared and watched both on the iPhone and a regular web browser.

“The iPhone is the perfect mobile device for viewing and sharing an Animoto video,” said Brad Jefferson, CEO & Co-founder of Animoto. “The Animoto iPhone app now allows users to create their Animoto videos from their iPhone without ever touching their computer. It’s like having a highly-paid professional video editor in your pocket.”

As with the web version of Animoto, the app uses high-end motion design and music-analyzing technology to create videos from your selected photos and music. The Animoto app is a free download from the iTunes App store. For more information, visit iphone.animoto.com.

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Nintendo’s New Wii MotionPlus

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April 22, 2009

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Last week Nintendo announced the much-anticipated Wii MotionPlus accessory, to hit stores on June 8. This takes the motion-sensing controls of the Wii to the next level of precision and performance, especially when the sequel to Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort, launches six weeks later on July 26.

“Wii MotionPlus represents a new evolution in video game control. The variety of fun games in Wii Sports Resort show off its incredible precision,” says Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of sales and marketing. “Developers around the world are busy working on new ways to incorporate Wii MotionPlus controls into inventive experiences for consumers.”

When used with specific games such as Wii Sports Resort, the Wii MotionPlus tracks your movements in finer detail and with greater accuracy than before.

The MotionPlus builds upon the existing innovation of the wireless function of the motion-sensing Wii Remote controller. It’s sensitive to the slightest twist of your wrist or turn of your body, and your movements are replicated exactly on the TV, allowing you to become more immersed in your game.

Wii Sports Resort takes the inclusive, fun and intuitive controls of the original Wii Sports to the next level, introducing a new set of entertaining and physically immersive activities. The deep control enhancements of the MotionPlus allow veteran Wii users and newcomers alike to enjoy the precision, whether it’s cruising along on a water scooter, dueling with swords or throwing a Frisbee.

The Wii MotionPlus accessory will retail for $19.99, and Wii Sports Resort is bundled with the MotionPlus for $49.99. Visit www.nintendo.com for more information or any updates. So far, the only third-party games known to be compatible with the MotionPlus are Electronic Arts’ Grand Slam Tennis and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 (both launching June 16). Since the release of the product is so close to this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2009, I anticipate there’ll be more compatible games announced at E3 in early June.

 

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: Trapster

Within the last year, “an unnamed individual” living in my house (not referring to myself) was pulled over for speeding multiple times. In two of these instances, speeding tickets were actually issued, and the other times, luck prevailed. All violations were very minor (i.e. going 30 mph in a 25 mph zone), and any of us could have been caught. These situations all could have been avoided with better situational awareness, possibly if he had Trapster.

Trapster is the first and only real-time speed trap sharing system. Think of it as the modern way of flashing your headlights at other drivers to warn them of speed traps, speed cameras and red-light camera alerts. The trap reports are real-time and updated instantly when a trap is reported.

You can rate others’ traps and send private instant messages to other Trapster users to communicate. Right now I’m on the Mainland for work, and it works great up here too, especially with lots of highway patrol out on the prowl for spring break speeders.

I’m in no way promoting speeding, but it’s always good to have better awareness. Download Trapster for free at the iTunes App Store or visit www.trapster.com to see a flash demo along with more information. Please drive safely!

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Managing Money With Free Rudder

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April 15, 2009

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Rudder is a free online money management tool that reminds me of Mint (www.mint.com). It provides automated financial reports and projections combined with intuitive alerts to help you make better decisions.

The initial setup is similar to Mint, but not as streamlined. Rudder asks you to pick your financial institution and username/password. My bank wasn’t listed, so that didn’t help me much. I imagine if it can find your bank, then your information would be instantly populated. It then identifies your recurring bills and expenses, and you have to enter in your income manually.

Rudder uses a Forward-Focused Budgeting Philosophy, meaning instead of analyzing the past, it assesses your monthly financials to predict your cash flow. The What’s Left Budget Calculator knows when you receive your paycheck, bills due, credit card payments and gives you the maximum you can spend. You also can use the Simple Spend meter to measure your discretionary spending and the Intuitive Budgets, Trends and Alerts to identify any problem areas to stay on your desired financial course.

 

Since I couldn’t load my bank account in Rudder, I wasn’t able to get any of these to work. But, if you are able to configure your account, you also can receive daily, weekly and monthly e-mails (without having to log into your account).

I see Rudder only providing a general overview of your finances, and it is a small pain to setup. It doesn’t actually teach you to manage your money efficiently, it’s more of a tool that shows you what you have left in your account.

If Rudder couldn’t find my bank, other local Hawaii banks are probably missing from there as well. I was disappointed that Rudder does not have an iPhone app, whereas Mint does.

Overall, Rudder is easy to use and good for your full financial picture tracking. Try it out for yourself at www.rudder.com.

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: Skype

In my column about a month ago, you may remember the Fring app with which you can make Skype calls. Adding onto that, two weeks ago Skype announced its very own iPhone app that you can use to make Skype calls and do instant messaging.

“Skype software for the iPhone has been the No. 1 request among our users,” says Scott Durchslag, Skype’s chief operating officer. “We are delighted to deliver on this request and put Skype into the pockets of millions of people around the world who are carrying iPhone and iPod touch devices. Skype for iPhone will open up new ways for more than 400 million Skype users to stay connected and take their Skype conversations with them.”

This app includes the core capabilities you Skype users are familiar with: free Skype-to-Skype calls from any Wi-Fi zone to other Skype users; call any phone number for a fee, send/receive instant messages, and seeing your Skype contacts if they’re online/available to instant message or talk.

The biggest flaw with this app is not being able to make Skype calls using the iPhone’s 3G. Perhaps it’s because this capability is seen as competition to your AT&T service. But you can log in to your Skype account using the 3G (or whatever data service is available) and utilize the instant messaging feature, but you can only make the actual Skype calls with Wi-Fi. Find Skype for iPhone app at the iTunes App Store, or for more information, check out: www.skype.com/download/skype/iphone.

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Discover The Fun Of Geocaching

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April 08, 2009

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I was hiking with some friends a couple weekends ago when we ran into a group toting an ammo box. My friend asked them what it was for, and the man holding it said it was to replace a geocache (pronounced geo-cash) that went missing. Since my friend saw the lost ammo box on the trail months ago, we chitchatted with the group for a couple of minutes about the misplaced box, and went on our way.

After the folks were out of earshot, my friend asked me what geocaching was, and if there was cash in that box. I thought geocaching was fairly popular, but that’s when I realized not everyone knows what it is.

First, know that a geocache has nothing to do with money - it’s not that kind of cash. It’s high-tech treasure hunting with a GPS device where you can find hidden treasures in containers (such as that ammo box, but could also be as small as a film canister) using specific GPS coordinates. You, as a geocacher hiding a cache, can place it anywhere in the world (including underwater, in between rocks, in a tree or just about anywhere you can think of to make it challenging). You just need to accurately log its coordinates with a GPS device.

“My favorite here in Hawaii is the LOST cache,” says veteran geocacher Walan Chang. “Since I watch LOST all the time, I really appreciate the beautiful view, and the sense of where the cast was while they were shooting at that location.

 

“The most difficult cache my husband Randy Phares and I have attempted was the Green Island Lighthouse in Taiwan. It’s a two-parter, and since we were unable to search for the first part due to heavy traffic, we had to climb over rocks, bushes, and dig through trees, sand and rocks. Our only hint was that it was at eye level on a wall, but we eventually found it after digging through different rocks on the wall,” Chang adds with a laugh.

When you head out on your treasure hunt, it’s probably a good idea to take a pen and paper with you so you can take some notes about your experiences. Once you find your cache, sign the logbook, and then you can take the item inside the container as long as you trade it for something of equal or greater value. Note: There are keiki-friendly caches too, so when you do those, make sure to bring a little toy to trade.

When you’re finished with your find, be courteous and put the cache back exactly how you found it, branches covering it, etc. Then, when you get home, you can log your experience on www.geocaching.com and the cache owner will be happily notified of your find/log.

Trackable items are loads of fun. It’s interesting to see where they end up. For more information and to begin your own geo-caching adventures, create a free account at geocaching.com and enter in a ZIP code to find caches near you.

 

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: Groundspeak’s Geocaching

In addition to geocaching.com, Groundspeak’s Geocaching iPhone App allows you to use your iPhone to play in the world of high-tech treasure hunting without a devoted GPS device.

Although it’s probably preferable to use a dedicated GPS device, the Geocaching app gives your iPhone direct access to the Geocaching.com database that has 700,000-plus geo-caches worldwide. It allows you to search for nearby caches, read cache descriptions and hints, log finds and post your notes from the field. You also can save your geocache listings for quick retrieval, look up trackable items and filter out your previously found caches.

Geocaching app takes advantage of the iPhone 3G’s internal GPS chip for navigation a user-friendly interface with a simulated compass arrow. The app also allows you to save geocache listings for quick retrieval, look up trackable items and filter out geocaches you already found.

Download the Geocaching app for $9.99 at the iTunes App Store, or visit http://www.geocaching.com/iphone for more information. It’s a little pricey for an iPhone app, but worth it if you’re up for the challenge.

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Kickin’ Okole With Street Fighter IV

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April 01, 2009

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As a kid I spent hours and hours playing Capcom’s original Street Fighter II on my then-cool Nintendo 64.

Years later, here I am again ... After standing in a long line, I was one of the first lucky people to see the much-awaited Street Fighter IV in an Akihabara, Japan, arcade last summer. Now the game officially released here in the U.S. last month, so I don’t “have to” go all the way to Japan to enjoy it.

After 20-plus years of the Street Fighter franchise, you’ll still see your favorite classic 12 world characters: Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, Blanka, E. Honda, Zangief, Guile, Dhalsim, Balrog, Vega, Sagat and M. Bison, along with six brand new and diverse folks with a 3D and more-adult look. Now you’ll also see Abel, a mixed martial arts grapple-style character; Rufus, a big-looking guy with a deceptive amount of speed (he also has the same name as my late cat); Crimson Viper, a female fighter with sweeping airborne fire attacks; El Fuerte, a pro-wrestler who specializes in air throws; Gouken, Ryu and Ken’s sensei, who obviously has some extra tricks he didn’t teach those two; and Seth, the game’s final end boss.

To unlock the complete cast of characters, you’ll have to complete the game multiple times. After doing so, you’ll see playable fan favorites Cammy, Sakura, Akuma, Fei Long, Rose, Gen and Dan. As with other Street Fighters, you can perform all sorts of powerful super combos, but air blocking and parrying were taken out of this game completely. Instead there’s an emphasis on focus attacks, super combos and the revenge-filled Ultra Combo system.

Throughout the years, my favorite characters were always Chun-Li or Ryu. Even though the classic characters were re-imagined for the “new generation” of gamers, I can’t stand the way my gal Chun-Li’s body was re-done. She looks like a muscle man! Despite that, I’m able to kick some serious butt with her fancy moves (i.e. Spinning Bird Kick). I guess those huge thunder thighs pay off! And my other guy Ryu - he can still shoot out those fireballs, and even do extra powerful fireballs that do more damage than the regular ones.

A new feature you’ll see is that each character has his/her own focus attack, a multipurpose offensive and defensive ability that can be charged to one of three levels by pushing/holding the medium punch and kick buttons simultaneously. The negative side of a focus attack is that it makes you vulnerable to damage since you need to stand still to charge it.

Street Fighter IV’s single-player mode is fun to play if you’re on your own, especially for putting your combos to work. The training mode also gives you the opportunity to practice, but with instructions to follow, and is a good resource that challenges you to improve. The multiplayer mode is supported online and offline. Online you can challenge others somewhat anonymously, and offline go head-to-head against your family and friends.

In addition, I found the builtin move list extremely useful while you’re in the middle of gameplay. It saves you the trouble of looking up every single move in the manual. While I was playing my husband the past couple weeks, it was driving him nuts every time I pulled up that list to look up the advanced moves.

Street Fighter veterans won’t see much change with the good ol’ traditional “2D” six-button gameplay, but the fight backdrop locations have dramatically changed. Basically everything that made the legendary Street Fighter II a hit in the arcades and our living rooms back in the ‘80s has been brought back to Street Fighter IV. The gameplay on my PlayStation 3 (PS3) was pretty much the same as it was in the Japanese arcade, only it was on my TV and I wasn’t using a PS3 controller there.

Street Fighter IV retails for $59.99 ($79.99 for the collectors edition), and is rated T for Teen. Find it for the PS3, Xbox 360 or PC at your nearest GameStop (www.gamestop.com), Toys N Joys (www.toysnjoys.com) or Best Buy (www.bestbuy.com). Visit www.streetfighter.com for more information on the game.

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The World’s Smallest Music Player

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March 25, 2009

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I used to think the first-generation pack-of-gum-sized iPod shuffle was nice to have for easy portability, but it just keeps shrinking. Two weeks ago, Apple released the world’s smallest music player - the third generation iPod shuffle. It’s smaller than a AA battery, and half the size of the second generation shuffle.

The new shuffle is so small there is no room for a screen, buttons or controls.

This little thing holds up to 1,000 songs, has 10 hours of battery life and you can control everything from a tiny remote on the earbud cord. With the push of a button, you can play, pause, adjust volume or switch playlists. Additionally, with the new VoiceOver feature, you speak to hear your song titles, artists, playlist names and status information (i.e. battery life). There are 14 different languages you can set your voice to: English, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish.

 

The new iPod shuffle comes in silver or black and retails for $79 at your nearest Apple Store (www.apple.com) or Mac Made Easy in Kailua (www.maceasy.com).

On top of that, last week the iPhone world had some exciting developments unfold. Apple announced the Beta of iPhone OS 3.0 that includes an updated Software Development Kit (SDK) featuring more than 1,000 new Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).

This enables developers to create even more innovative apps for our entertainment. “The new iPhone OS 3.0 is a major software release packed with incredible new features and innovations for iPhone customers and developers alike. It will keep us years ahead of the competition,” says Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing.

Apple also announced more than 100 new features that will be available to iPhone and iPod touch users this summer, including cut, copy and paste (can be done within or across applications); MMS to send and receive photos in e-mails; landscape view for Mail, Text and Notes; stereo Bluetooth; syncing Notes to the Mac and PC; shake to shuffle; parental controls for TV shows, movies and apps from the App Store; and automatic login at Wi-Fi hot spots. It also will include a new Voice Memo app and expanded search capability for all key iPhone apps, as well as a Spotlight search across the iPhone or iPod touch, and search within mail (one of my pet peeves is that I can’t do it now).

Today the App Store has an overwhelming 25,000-plus applications to choose from. It’s hard to imagine what else will come with the 3.0 software - there is talk about various devices you’ll be able to connect (via the dock connector or Bluetooth), such as a blood-pressure monitor or a keyboard.

Look for the iPhone OS 3.0 this summer (free for iPhone owners, $9.95 for iPod touch users). The SDK for developers is ready for download now: developer.apple.com.

 

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: HearPlanet

HearPlanet claims it turns your iPhone into a talking tour guide and brings the world to your ears. This free app came out a couple months ago, but I just downloaded it last weekend. Since then, I’ve been having it play back facts about the places I visit, and I’ve learned so much about my neighborhood.

There are a few bugs that need to be worked out, but for free, I’m not complaining. For some reason the audio didn’t work on my husband’s iPhone. It worked fine on mine, but it seemed choppy and didn’t flow very well. The voice is robotic-sounding, but it’s nice to have the option to either read the text myself or have the audio playback running.

This is a great travel tool, and it will let you leave that clunky tour book behind on your next trip. I can’t wait to use HearPlanet on my next adventure.

Find this app in the iTunes App Store, or visit www.hearplanet.com for more information.

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The Other e-Reader: Sony PRS-700

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March 18, 2009

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You may remember my column a few weeks ago about the Kindle 2. Since then, Amazon announced it would no longer enable the text-to-speech (audiobook-type) feature on the Kindle 2 as a default. Sad, but this was inevitable since the feature could take away and possibly compete with audiobook sales.

Another new e-Reader on the block and competitor to the Kindle 2 is Sony’s third generation Kindle 2. It came out late last year and it’s sleek compared to the Kindle, weighing in at only 10 ounces with an eye-catching black finish and 6-inch-long touch screen.

“Readers now have another choice in digital books,” says Steve Haber, president of Sony’s Digital Reading Business Division. “This new model has the eye-popping design and intuitive functionality that people have come to expect from Sony.”

This version seems to be designed for more interactive reading compared to its predecessor, PRS-505. You can flip the pages with a slide of your finger and you can search within a document or book, create notes with the virtual keyboard and highlight text with the included stylus pen. Five preset text sizes allow you to adjust the size and zoom as necessary.

 

In addition, the 700 features a high-resolution, high-contrast electronic paper display that resembles ink-on-paper. This results in crisp text and graphics that are highly readable, even in bright sunlight. On the contrary, when it’s dark, there’s a built-in LED reading light.

You can store about 350 digital books or, with an additional Memory Stick Duo or SD memory card, it can hold thousands of books and documents. The reader uses minimal power, and you can view up to 7,500 pages on a single charge. Multiple file formats are supported (i.e. Adobe PDFs or Microsoft Word docs).

After looking at both stores, the Sony eBook Store has a much smaller selection than Amazon’s Kindle Store, and overall the eBook prices seem to be a bit high (the average book is about $12). There are only about 100,000 titles available (compared to Amazon’s 240,000). The PRS-700 costs about $400 (www.sonystyle.com). The PRS-700 is beautiful, but it seems the Kindle 2 is a better deal.

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: Kindle For iPhone

Since I’m leaning toward a Kindle, I want you to know that a couple weeks ago Amazon.com introduced Kindle for iPhone and iPod touch, an awesome alternative to buying an actual Kindle. As long as you have an iPhone or iPod touch, you really don’t need to buy a Kindle or Kindle 2 with the release of this new app.

As with a regular Kindle/Kindle 2, you have access to the Kindle Store’s 240,000 books, including 104 of 112 New York Times Bestsellers. With the signature newly Whispersync technology, your reading is bookmarked across your Kindle, Kindle 2, iPhone or iPod touch, so you’ll never lose your place. Since I don’t have an actual Kindle, I tested out Whispersync with my iPhone and iPod touch. It works flawlessly and with various books.

In addition to the ability to access your entire Kindle library, you can adjust the text size, add bookmarks and view notes and highlights. The only drawback is that you need to download your books directly from Amazon and not from your iPhone/iPod touch. Download Kindle for iPhone from the iTunes App Store, or visit www.amazon.com/kindlestore for more information.

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Freaky F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin

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March 11, 2009

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I can picture that iconic freaky-looking girl with the long wet/greasy hair in Ju-on (aka The Grudge) and The Ring. The acclaimed 2005 hit F.E.A.R. first-person shooter paranormal horror game brought us Alma, a chilling similar figure to the game world. Developed by Monolith Productions and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, the part-shooter, part-thriller F.E.A.R. 2 came out last month and is the sequel to the first F.E.A.R.

Project Origin’s gameplay starts off shortly before the ending of the first F.E.A.R. while a Special Forces squad is on a routine mission. The city of Auburn is jolted by a supernatural explosion.

 

Alma, the eerie girl with immense power and a thirst for revenge, has unleashed her wrath and caused chaos upon the city. As part of the squad, you must find a way to combat the enemy forces and the supernatural beings as you struggle to stop Alma before it’s too late.

Many of the scares you experience come from the game’s atmosphere itself.

When your flashlight shines in the dark and you see ghostly shadows while hearing freaky music, it gives you chicken skin. You’ll end up walking through crumbling remains of schools, hospitals and alleys while being stalked by scary creatures. You’ll need to use everything possible to fight the supernatural forces.

You probably don’t want to play this right before bed as you’ll see some freaky images in this game. If you already played the first F.E.A.R., this one can be somewhat predictable without many surprises. While you’re in battle, the slow-motion shootouts are fun, but I wasn’t impressed with the clichéd random scares and the lack of suspense. Additionally, playing in the multiplayer mode is a bit boring, as it seems to be more predictable.

This game isn’t for everyone, but if you’re into horror flicks and shooter games, you’ll probably enjoy it.

F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin is rated “M” for Mature and is available for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 for $59.99, and Games for Windows/PC ($49.99). For more information visit whatisfear.com.

 

App of the Week: Fring

The inspiration for this comes from one of the ladies in my running group. She was voicing her concerns to me about her additional iPhone charges, especially when she travels abroad.

Other than turning off the phone’s Data Roaming, the simple solution is to install Fring on your iPhone to make Skype calls and more.

Fring allows iPhone and iPod touch users to integrate just about all your online communities into one app - Skype, MSN, Google Talk, ICQ, Twitter, Yahoo! and AIM. The concern is being able to make long-distance calls while abroad. If you have a Skype account, and as long as you have a Wi-Fi spot to hook up to, those long-distance phone calls are free with Skype.

Personally I don’t use Skype, but I enjoy Fring for the fusion of all the other items. I especially use it to Twitter and chat when I’m bored waiting for appointments, etc. Visit fring.com for more information, or download it directly from the iTunes Store.

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Money-saving Tips For Techies

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March 04, 2009

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Considering the stock market and the economy these days, I want to offer some tips from the tech side to help you save some money.

You may remember my column in December listing some money-saving websites. Here are some more ideas

For The Gamers:

If you’re into video games, it can be expensive to buy every single new title that pops out. Consider using GameFly (game-fly.com), the Netflix for games. There are more than 6,000 titles available for the PlayStation 2/3, PSP, Xbox, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, GameCube, Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance. Free shipping is offered, and member fees start at $15.95 (one game at a time), or $22.95 (for two at a time). The cost of this beats dropping $50 or more a month for each new game.

Watching TV/Movies:

If you primarily watch the local networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, etc.) and are hurting for money right now, you don’t really need that cable or satellite service, do you? Using a traditional antenna isn’t so bad - you can catch high-definition broadcasts on the air with good ol’ rabbit ears. Visit antennaweb.org to see which antenna best suits your location. You enter in your home address and, based on your location, the site tells you what type of antenna best suits the channel you’re trying to catch (i.e. on my search, it gave me back Yellow UHF for ABC, Yellow VHF for FOX, Red VHF for CBS and Blue VHF for PBS). It even tells you the compass heading.

 

As long as you have Internet connectivity, you can catch some cable shows (and movies) with Hulu.com or YouTube.com. MGM soon will have its own channel on YouTube offering full movies. If you want to go to the extreme, I do know a rare few people with absolutely no TVs in their households.

They say it encourages more reading and a higher value of education for their keiki. I give them credit; it would be difficult for me to live without any gadgets or TVs in the house.

Selling Old Gadgets/Buying Refurbished

Instead of just throwing away or recycling your old gadget, make money off it. There are websites out there that will buy your old stuff and put money in your pocket (with free shipping) - buymytronics.com and gazelle.com, to name a couple. To give you an idea, my still-functioning first generation iPod nano (4GB) came back around $15. You won’t receive a huge bundle, but every little bit helps!

Don’t be afraid to purchase refurbished or returned items. As long as you select your item carefully, you are making a wise choice - the only difference is the price. Other than that, a refurb is basically something that may be a returned item, recertified (factory tested and repackaged), floor models or a damaged product that has been repaired and tested. You will not lose out on the warranty, either. Here are some sites you can check out: refurbdepot.com, techforless.com, warehousedeals.com (run by Amazon), and Apple and Sony both have an excellent refurbished goods program.

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: My Budget Money Management

Going hand-in-hand with the above information, I find Tausendstern’s My Budget Money Management iPhone app extremely helpful. It came out in November, but I only started using it last month to help keep better track of my money.

The interface is simple and helps you track your expenditures at a glance with your iPhone. First you set how much your overall budget is for the month. You can then set up recurring charges, such as your mortgage and car payments, and you enter in your other expenses under the appropriate categories. My Budget comes preloaded with 10 categories, and some of the more useful ones are auto, groceries, household, utilities and entertainment. You can delete the ones you don’t use and add your own. Additionally, all currencies are supported.

This may not be as extensive as some of the other budget apps out there, but I find the simplicity refreshing. As soon as I purchase something, I can whip out my iPhone and log it in before I lose the receipt.

Find it in the iTunes App Store under “My Budget Money Management,” or visit tausend-stern.com/mybudget for more information.

 

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What’s New With The Kindle 2

By .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
February 25, 2009

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Earlier this month, Amazon announced its second-generation e-book reader, the Kindle 2. Hardly anyone has been lucky enough to play with one yet, but from my first glance at the pictures, the Kindle 2 looks much slimmer and less clunky than its predecessor, with a bigger screen. The shape reminds me of a first-generation iPod (especially the way they framed it in the photo with the hand on the left side).

“Kindle 2 is everything customers tell us they love about the original Kindle, only thinner, faster, crisper, with longer battery life and capable of holding hundreds more books. If you want, Kindle 2 will even read to you - something new we added that a book could never do,” says Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com founder and CEO. “While we’re excited about Kindle 2, we know that great hardware is useless without vast selection. That’s why the Kindle Store offers customers more than 230,000 books.”

 

Kindle 2’s screen is a high-resolution, 6-inch paper display that looks and feels similar to real paper. This was designed to reduce eyestrain caused by reading on a backlit display. The screen shows up to 16 shades of gray, and Amazon claims it can turn your pages approximately 20 percent faster than the original Kindle. I’m especially looking forward to the new Read-To-Me Feature that offers a Text-to-Speech option that reads the words to you (similar to an audio book). The pages turn automatically when the content is read aloud, and you can customize it with a male or female voice.

With its expanded 2GB of memory, the Kindle 2 can hold more than 1,500 books at a time, compared to 200 with the original Kindle. It’s perfect for a long trip since you can read up for to two weeks with no recharge (25 percent more battery life). In addition, it uses the same wireless delivery as the first Kindle - Amazon Whispernet. This allows you to wirelessly shop the Kindle Store, download or receive new content in less than 60 seconds and read from your library without a Wi-Fi hotspot, computer or syncing. It uses Sprint’s 3G data network and works in all 50 states (no fee for you).

The Kindle Store has really expanded. There are even 103 of the 110 New York Times Best Sellers in the Kindle Store. Kindle 2 pre-orders started earlier this month, and availability began earlier this week. Find it at http://amazon.com/kindle2 for $359 (unfortunately, no price drop from the first, and it only comes in white).

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: Fastlane Street Racing

If you’re a racing fan and enjoy Ridge Racer, Need for Speed or any of the Gran Turismos, you’ll have a blast with Fastlane Street Racing. It’s high-speed arcade racing on your iPhone/iPod touch. Weave through traffic in busy city streets or do some high-speed driving on the track.

This app comes in a free Lite Edition and a full version ($4.99). The full deal comes with five game modes, 10 original cars, eight city routes, two high-speed circuits, six challenge tracks and the ability to save replays. You’ll have fun with either version.

As with any app, find it on the iTunes Store or download it directly from your iPhone/iPod touch.

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Merrie Monarch Festival On IPTV

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February 18, 2009

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If you grew up here or have lived in Hawaii for a while, I’m sure you’re familiar with the popular Merrie Monarch Festival. This year marks 46 years, and it will run April 12-18.

This time around there’s a new way to watch it - Hawaii IPTV will offer the first Internet Protocol TV broadcast of this prestigious Hawaiian event.

This will be the first time the Merrie Monarch can be viewed live outside of Hawaii. Typically, those of us who live here can watch it live on KITV, but for folks who live elsewhere, it’s a little more difficult.

“It’s an honor to be able to have the Merrie Monarch Festival as a part of Hawaii IPTV,” says Kimberly Dey, vice president of Hawaii IPTV. “This event showcases Hawaii at its finest, and is so rich in history and culture. I’m thrilled to be given the opportunity to share it with our customers around the world.”

The Hawaii IPTV box connects directly to your high-speed Internet connection, and the setup process is easy - basically plug-and-play. Hawaii IPTV is all about Hawaii. The lineup features live news broadcasts from Hawaii, including the most popular weekly Hawaii TV shows, movies, latest Hawaiian music videos, historical films and documentaries pertaining to Hawaii.

 

You can hook up the box directly to your TV, and it does not require a computer. This box is really meant for the Hawaii folks living away from home - the service will not work here. You have to be away from Hawaii for it to work properly. This makes a great gift for your overseas loved ones. Now they, too, can watch the Merrie Monarch and more!

IPTV costs $21.50 per month with a one-year service agreement. Note there are one-time charges for the setup ($125) and activation ($25). You also can opt to purchase a full year of service for $180. Another alternative is the web player. The monthly and annual prices are the same, and there is a 30-day money-back guarantee on the box. For more information, check out http://tvfromhawaii.com.

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: Bow Cam

The Japanese company APPLIYA Inc. recently launched Meow Cam and Bow Cam, the iPhone apps that make taking the perfect photo easier by generating sounds. I downloaded the Bow Cam and kind of turned it into my own “Bird Cam” to take pictures of my bouncy parrot. Sometimes it’s difficult to grab his attention for more than two seconds at a time, so it’s challenging to take a perfect picture of him. To capture his attention and look at my iPhone, I used the Bow Cam to emit various barks and other noises (i.e. cans clinking or a bell).

This app is meant to assist you in taking your pet’s picture by grabbing its attention with the sounds. The app’s description noises worked just fine with my bird - he’ll look up at anything.

Note that sound won’t come out of the speaker when the headphones are plugged in. As soon as you snap the picture, it gives you an easy-to-look-at preview screen so you can decide whether or not you want to keep the picture. Using this to take everyday pictures seems quicker than using the iPhone’s camera directly. Since it’s made in Japan, the app is in Japanese and English. Meow Cam and Bow Cam are both 99-cent apps from the iTunes Store.

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Free Phones From Hawaiian Telcom

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February 11, 2009

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We all remember when the power went out the day after Christmas ... fun times. Through it all, if you had a landline phone with Hawaiian Telcom, you probably still had service.

Since that power outage, Hawaiian Telcom is extending its free phone program for its customers through the end of this month. As long as you’re a customer, you’re entitled to a complimentary corded phone, which does not rely on electricity to work.

“In light of the recent island-wide power outage, we have decided to extend the program for another two months to ensure that all eligible customers have time to pick up their phones from a Hawaiian Telcom retail store,” said Craig Inouye, senior vice president-sales. “When the power went out on Dec. 26, most other phone services could not operate, but customers with Hawaiian Telcom’s reliable landline service and a corded phone could continue to reach emergency services and loved ones.”

The complimentary corded phone available is GE’s Slimline. It’s a very basic phone that has handset/ringer volume control, 10-number memory, one-touch redial, flash function (for three-way calls) and is hearing aid compatible.

(from left) Ann Nishida, Ken Morikawa and Yvonne Yanagihara chat it up on their free phones. Photos courtesy of Hawaiian Telcom

These phones work on the low-level electrical current provided from Hawaiian Telcom’s central offices, which have backup power in case of an emergency. So far, thousands of customers have received their free phone since the program began in June 2008.

For more information, check out www.hawaiiantel.com, or to visit one of the Hawaiian Telcom stores: Hawaiian Telcom Building (downtown), Kapolei Shopping Center, 1409 Kapiolani Blvd. (formerly Francis Camera), Pearlridge Center or Windward Mall.

 

Click Chick’s iPhone App of the Week: TrueFlirt

With Valentine’s Day a few days away, there’s love and flirting in the air. Most of the younger crowd flirts virtually with text messages, and TrueFlirt is an app designed to accomplish this in a fun way with your iPhone/iPod touch. You can send interactive virtual “flirts” with your device by tilting, tapping or shaking your phone. “More than half of the 50-100 SMS text messages sent daily by the average 14- to 24-year-old are flirtatious in nature. TrueFlirt was designed to make flirting less stressful, more playful and fun,” said Rob Frasca, CEO of Viximo. “The iPhone is an ideal device for adding a deeper layer to the social dialogue and taking the art of flirting up a notch with the TrueFlirt app.”

TrueFlirt combines text messaging with 2D animations that respond to your interactions and comes preloaded with 10 Flirts. You can offer an object of your affection such as a love potion that bubbles and pours when you tap or shake your iPhone, or you can open a virtual fortune cookie that can be opened to reveal a tempting prediction about your blossoming romance. You also can send a romantic balloon ride and watch the fireworks. All the Flirts take advantage of your iPhone’s screen tilt, touch and sound experience.

The full version of TrueFlirt costs $3.99, and TrueFlirt Lite is free. You’ll see a few more features with the paid version. It’s a unique and cute way to say you care to the one you love.

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The world’s first OLED wireless frame

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February 06, 2009

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There were countless digital picture frames at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), just as last year.

But this time only one stood out: Kodak’s Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) frame. This is the world’s first consumer-available wireless picture frame using OLED technology. It allows deeper color depth and saturation with an extremely thin, low-profile design. While an OLED is probably too small these days for a full-blown TV, it’s perfect for a high-end picture frame.

In early 2008, Kodak received the 2008 OLED Technology Display Leadership Award for the frame’s development.

“Kodak is a worldwide market and technology leader in digital picture frames, and OLED technology was created by Kodak, making us uniquely positioned to bring the benefits of OLED to consumers,” says Pete Jameson, general manager, Digital Devices Group, Eastman Kodak Company. “We’re tremendously proud to introduce this exciting new picture frame.”

Kodak’s OLED frame features an ultra-thin 7.6-inch display (with an 180-degree viewing angle), enhanced by Kodak Perfect Touch Technology, which automatically processes your images to improve exposure, brightness and color. Its built-in Wi-Fi enables you to display pictures and videos that are stored on your computer elsewhere in the house. Stream your pictures from Flickr, Kodak Gallery or FrameChannel, or you even can upload pictures directly to the frame using Wi-Fi.

The frame can store up to 10,000 images using the 2GB of built-in internal memory (depending on how big each picture is). If that’s not enough, there’s a USB port and a built-in memory card reader. The aspect ratio is 16:9, resolution is 800x480, and the white to black ratio is >30,000:1. The frame requires no backlighting, and it incorporates an ambient light sensor that optimizes your viewing experience by adjusting the display brightness based on the frame’s surrounding light.

Unfortunately, OLED is not cheap; it retails for $999. Find it at Amazon.com or Best Buy (www.bestbuy.com, online store only). Unfortunately, there aren’t any available on-island that I know about.

 

Click Chick’s App of the Week: iFu Kung Fu

Hawaii’s own Oceanit Laboratories recently unveiled iFu Kung Fu. This is the company’s first iPhone app, and according to marketing manager Ian Kitajima, it began as a summer intern project to develop something in two weeks. Apparently it was successful through trial and effort, and it was out the door at the end of December. Right now it averages about 500 downloads a day.

iFu reminds me of the PhoneSaber app that plays lightsaber sounds from Star Wars. You’ll hear “Hiiiiyaaah!” or “Waaaaahhh!” sounds that pay homage to the good ol’ kung fu movies of yesterday. As you move your iPhone, you’ll hear those sounds, including the impact of body blows, flying kicks and the swinging of nunchucks. If you’re using an iPod touch, you may want to plug in your earphones or hook it up to external speakers so you can hear the sound effects.

In addition, you’ll also see various graphical bursts (as you would see on the old Batman TV shows) as the impacts are made. It’s apparent when you die: The screen turns red, and you’ll hear the voice fade out.

This fun, locally made app is free from the iTunes App Store!

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Room-to-room tunes with Eos Wireless

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January 30, 2009

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A little gift my husband brought back for me from Macworld was IntelliTouch’s Eos Wireless, a multiroom speaker system for iPods. I’ve always wanted a way to stream music throughout the whole house, and this Eos Wireless does the trick. It transmits your iPod’s music to any room with up to four speakers (150 feet range). All the units have a built-in surround sound and a sub-woofer.

It was intriguing to rip open the box, since most iPod docks are meant for use in one room only. I set up the main console in the kitchen and the other three speakers in the living room, bedroom and upstairs hallway. It was an absolute breeze to set up - a truly easy, out-of-the box, complete house sound solution. While plugging in the remote speakers, the first thing I noticed was each antenna blinking blue, immediately recognizing the wireless signal from the base station.

At first I turned the speakers up all the way to see what the system could do (each speaker’s volume is controlled individually and manually by turning the knob). The Eos Wireless’ concept of having wireless speakers work all over the house is great. The wireless works flawlessly, but the sound quality is not so great if you play your music loud.

There is almost no bass, and you can’t adjust it or the treble (it also depends on the song).

In addition, it does not charge an iPhone 3G, but it charges the first-generation iPhone or an iPod touch with no problems.

If you have it playing somewhat softly as background music, it sounds really nice. But again, if you’re really listening to your music and rocking out to those sounds, the speakers are not the best, but good enough for functionality. If you don’t care that much about the lack of bass and are more interested in the concept of listening to music wire-lessly anywhere around your house, then this will work for you as a relatively inexpensive way to set up entire-home audio.

Eos Wireless comes in black or white and retails for $249.95 on its website (http://www.eoswireless.com) or Amazon.com. Right now there’s a $169 special if you purchase a white one. This includes the base station and one satellite speaker. Each additional speaker retails for $139.95 ($99 each for the white special).

 

Click Chick’s App of the Week: iSteam

When I was a kid, I looked forward to bath/shower time, partially so I could wait for the mirrors to fog up and draw pictures all over the place. For those grown-up kids who still do this, you can now create the same effect on your iPhone touch with iSteam. It has absolutely no practical value, but it’s fun and made a ton of money for its creators, with the download mark at well over 1 million.

You can choose your own background picture from your photo library, and to “fog up the glass,” you blow on the microphone (sorry, can’t do that on the iPod touch since there’s no mic). The harder you blow on your microphone, the quicker the haze forms. This makes your whole iPhone interface fog up with steam, complete with condensation and drips (thanks to steamX physics). When you write something on it, you’ll hear the finger squeaking sounds as you would on a real mirror - good sound effect.

You also can shake your iPhone to completely clear the screen.

This app costs 99 cents and is well worth it for a little pointless fun (if anything, it’s a fun way to pass your friends notes).

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Look, Ma, No Hands - I’m Typing

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January 28, 2009

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MacSpeech Dictate first came out at last year’s Macworld , but I never did have the opportunity to test it out.

Well, I’m testing it out right now as I am “writing” this. I have the headset on, the microphone is close to my mouth and my hands are not even touching my keyboard. This is an awesome way to do my writing!

“MacSpeech Dictate empowers Mac users to create documents with their voice instead of typing,” explains Andrew Taylor, president and CEO of MacSpeech Inc. “MacSpeech Dictate delivers fast setup, quick command recognition, high accuracy and increased productivity even for those using MacSpeech Dictate simply to make their life easier.”

Setting up MacSpeech Dictate is quick and simple. The program takes you through a few screens and has you read off multiple paragraphs so it can become acquainted with your voice. During this process, it’s best to make sure the microphone is relatively close to your mouth and that you use a natural voice while speaking clearly and continuously.

I noticed the program has a difficult time recognizing certain words, so they won’t come out the way you want (such as Hawaiian words or contractions). It won’t help to yell into the microphone because you’ll just keep seeing your wrong word appear over and over again.

The instructions say you’re not supposed to alternate between dictating and typing, as it may lead to unexpected behavior from MacSpeech Dictate, but I did it on and off throughout this story to fix the inconsistent words and a few spacing issues. Otherwise, I hardly had to touch the keyboard to write this. Even deleting words is easy - all you need to say is “scratch that” or “forget that” and it deletes the last phrase you stated.

I’m enjoying the fact that MacSpeech Dictate talks to all of the programs I have loaded on my computer. I can use it with iChat, Storyist (the book-writing software) and, of course, Microsoft Word, which is what I am using to “write” this. A menu appears on the right side of your desktop and you can choose what program you need MacSpeech Dictate to work with.

I can see this being extremely helpful for individuals struggling with carpal tunnel syndrome since you don’t have to use your keyboard.

There are other speech-recognition programs out there, but MacSpeech Dictate is the most intuitive one I’ve seen. Using this program, it took me half the time as usual to write my column. This is definitely a time-saving winner for all of my writing projects.

MacSpeech Dictate costs $199 and you can find it at your nearest Apple Store (www.apple.com) or online at Amazon.com. Obamaize Yourself

I found this website last week, a day before the inauguration, and it’s a fun way to take advantage of that famous Obama poster we’ve all seen. This fun website, courtesy of Paste Magazine, lets you make your own “Obamicon” Obama poster (with a customized message).

You can either use a webcam or upload a picture of your own. I experimented with many of my pictures, but I love the one my husband did of Kikaida (pictured here).

See it at: obamiconme.pastemagazine.com to be your own Obama poster.

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Mobile Gamer Guys roll into your party

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January 23, 2009

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Pono, Noa, Zavier and Zach in the bus. Photos by Alison Stewart

Last weekend I had the pleasure of checking out the Mobile Gamer Guys’ (MGG) buses they had set up at the Great Hawaiian Dodgeball Challenge. How fun - playing your favorite video games in a cool, air-conditioned bus while you’re at a party or gathering with your friends and family!

This whole concept was the brainchild of Kalani Miller, Chris Gongora, Shawn Haruno and Caesar Paet (not pictured).

The guys have equipped the inside of each bus with eight Xbox 360 stations (with wall-mounted 19-inch TVs), and on the outside is a 42-inch TV with a Nintendo Wii (with an option to watch your favorite pro game on ESPN). At your party, all the games and hardware are provided, including favorites Halo 3, Call of Duty 5: World At War or Guitar Hero, or classics such as Pac-Man.There’salways an MGG guy around to run and monitor your games so you don’t have to worry if you don’t know what you’re doing.

So far there are two buses here on Oahu, and when you book them together you can play one bus against the other (up to eight against eight players) - perfect for game tournaments. I thought the buses would have been connected to each other wirelessly, but there’s a CAT-5 cable hooking them together to create the local area network (LAN). Each bus is self-contained with electricity (via generators) and air-conditioning. No worries, it won’t use up your power, but if you’re far away (25-plus miles away from 96817), you’ll pay a small fuel surcharge.

Kalani Miller, Shawn Haruno and Chris Gongora. Photos by Alison Stewart

According to Miller, MGG is planning to expand in the near future with two buses on both Maui and in Kona, and to purchase more buses for Oahu. In addition, MGG is gearing up to add more features such as Internet service (Wi-Fi hotspot), expanded TV service, gift bags and even catering. So far MGG does-n’t have PlayStation 3 capability, but perhaps in the future, guys (hint, hint) ...

Prices vary depending on the day of the week, how many hours you need it and the number of buses you use. As long as you have space for the bus(es) to park, you can turn just about any party into a video game arcade. Visit www.mobilegamerguys.com for more information and to view the calendar for available dates, or call 692-2729.

 

Click Chick’s App of the Week: Mint.com

I already use and love the online application Mint.com to track most of my accounts on my computer, and since they came out with the mobile application last month, I’ve been able to follow the same information from my iPhone. If you already have a Mint.com setup, all you need to do is download the app to your iPhone/iPod touch and login. If you don’t have an account created yet, it’s best to go online first from your computer and enter in your accounts.

After you have that taken care of, there is no effort required on your part. You don’t need to enter in every single transaction - the app syncs up your bank accounts, credit cards, investments and loan accounts and gives you an at-a-glance comparison. You can see up-to-the-minute account balances, all recent transactions, cash flow, investment performance and alerts on your bills due, unusually large expenses and deposits.

Since its mobile launch, Mint.com has become the most popular finance application on iTunes, even ranking above the apps produced by PayPal, Bank of America and Chase. For your security concerns, the app’s password is protected, and you can disable the iPhone access at any time from Mint.com if your phone is lost or stolen.

 

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Palm Unveils Its Pre At The CES

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January 21, 2009

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Last week at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) there was one rock-star phone that stood out above the plethora of same-old phones you see all the time - the Pre. Of all companies, Palm came out of the woodwork and announced its new Pre phone to be available exclusively with Sprint sometime in the first half of this year.

Even though Palm didn’t even have a booth at CES, its stock went up since this announcement, and the Pre won CNET’s Best in Show Awards. There are buzzings as to whether or not this will be the iPhone killer, but I doubt it.

“Palm products have always been about simplifying lives and delivering great user experiences,” says Ed Colligan, Palm president and chief executive officer. “webOS and Pre bring game-changing simplicity to an increasingly mobile world by dissolving the barriers that surround your information. It’s technology that seems like it’s thinking ahead to bring you what you care about most - your people, your time, and your information - in the easiest and most seamless way.”

The Pre is the first of Palm’s phones to use this new webOS mobile platform, yet it shows a few iPhone ripoffs - a touchscreen with multi-touch functionality, the pinching to zoom in and out, flicking to your next photo and an online software catalog (trying to copy the App Store). I guess it’s not all that surprising since this project was led by Jon Rubinstein, the engineer executive who was instrumental in creating the iPod and iMac line with Apple.

“Pre continues Sprint’s leadership in open access to the content customers want for a great web-connected experience,” says Dan Hesse, Sprint chief executive officer. “We look forward to bringing this remarkably innovative device to our customers on America’s most dependable 3G network.”

Some of the other cool features that set the Pre apart from the iPhone include a slide-out thumb keyboard (people sometimes gripe about the iPhone’s touchscreen keyboard), wireless charging with the Touchstone charging dock (to be sold separately), Synergy (pulls all your contacts from Outlook, Google/Gmail, Facebook). The Pre will support various Sprint services, including Sprint TV(live and on-demand programming), Sprint Navigation (GPS-enabled audio and visual turn-by-turn driving directions) and Sprint Radio (150+ channels and streaming radio). Some other main but not-shocking features are a 3.1-inch touch screen (320x480 resolution), 8 GB of internal storage, three-megapixel camera, removable battery (you can’t remove the iPhone’s battery) and the integrated GPS.

As far as the Pre being an “iPhone killer,” I think just about every major company that makes a phone has its signature “knock-off iPhone,” and for Palm, this is it. This Pre appears to be good phone, but it’s difficult to make a judgment call without actually being able to play with it myself. For the diehard Sprint user who does-n’t want to switch to AT&T to use an iPhone, this would be something to consider.

The price for the Pre has not been determined, but since it’s comparable to other smart phones, it could perhaps cost $200-$400. We shall see when it finally comes out.

Visit www.palm.com/store to learn more or be added to Pre’s notification list.

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Sony’s VAIO P Series Lifestyle in your pocket

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January 16, 2009

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One of the hottest items at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2009 was Sony’s VAIO P Series Lifestyle PC. This amazing little 1.4-pound notebook won CNET’s Best of CES 2009 award in the Computer and Hardware category, and is so small you can fit it into your purse or pocket. It sort of reminds me of the competing Asus Eee PC I wrote about almost exactly a year ago, but this is way better!

“The VAIO P Series Lifestyle PC is your portal to the world, delivering entertainment and computing in a head-turning device that’s small enough to put in your pocket,” says Mike Abary, senior vice president of VAIO product marketing at Sony Electronics. “Designed for the fashionista in all of us, it’s the ideal companion.”

Sony used its Lifestyle PC to inch its way into the popular mini laptop market (competing with the aforementioned Asus Eee PC or Dell Mini 9), and features Sony’s XBRITE-ECO LCD technology. The display is an eight-inch, high-resolution 1600x768 LED backlit screen, and the tiny full keyboard is about the size of a standard envelope.

One of the best features of the P series is that it has a real-time GPS functionality without the use of an Internet connection (within the United States or Canada).

You can find your favorite restaurant or long lost friend’s house by simply typing in the address or keyword. It then will give you turn-by-turn directions to include estimated drive times to let you know how far away you are from your destination.

In addition, it has a built-in wireless WAN 3G Mobile Broadband, 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. You can use your 3G (via Verizon Wireless

(subscription required) outside the reach of hotspots, and the Bluetooth to connect to your peripherals. There’s an instant-mode option that launches the Xross Media Bar, which lets you boot up rapidly and access music, videos, photos and the Web. There’s even a built-in webcam - perfect for video chatting with friends and family.

The VAIO P Series Lifestyle PC will come loaded with Windows Vista and will be available in black, white, red or green. The retail price is slated to start at $900. Options include a 128GB solid state model, carrying cases, Bluetooth color-coordinated mice and a large capacity battery (gives you eight hours instead of four). You can preorder a Lifestyle PC online at http://www.sony.com/pr/pseries. It will be available in stores late January to early February.

Click Chick’s App of the Week - FooPets

If you are a dog lover, you may want to download and adopt FooMojo’s FooPets Marley Puppy. The little doggie is derived from the autobiographical book (and popular movie) Marley & Me by John Grogan. He’s an interactive replica of the movie’s Labrador retriever with his own personality.You can pet, feed and play with your virtual dog, and he’ll provide you with a ton of entertainment.

I enjoy this app because this virtual pup reminds me of the dog I had while growing up. The app could use some work - it would be nice if you could take him for a walk, groom him, watch him grow up or interact with other people’s Foopets online. Additionally, in the middle of playing with your dog you’ll see a Marley & Me ad pop in there every so often. If that’s the case, the app should be free, but it costs 99 cents. Despite that, I still recommend it - it’s too cute!

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The Latest Stuff From Apple

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January 14, 2009

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Since I couldn’t make it to Macworld this year, I asked my husband, Mr. Click Chick, to gather as much information as he could, along with items at the Consumer Electronics Show. Here’s a start:

iLife ‘09: iLife ‘09 features major upgrades to iPhoto, iMovie and GarageBand, and includes iDVD and an updated version of iWeb (new iWeb Widgets: iSight video/photos, countdown timer, YouTube video and RSS feeds). “iLife continues to be one of the biggest reasons our customers choose to get a Mac,” says Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “With iLife ‘09, we’ve made working with photos, making movies and learning to play music a lot more fun, and iMovie users are especially going to love the advanced but easy-to-use new features.”

The new iPhoto allows you to browse and search photos based on when they were shot (Events), who appears in them (Faces) and where they were shot (Places). It automatically scans photos to detect people’s faces and assign a name to any face, and iPhoto will find more pictures of that person. Your library can be searched by name or browsed with the Faces View. Places imports photo location data from your iPhone (or any GPS-enabled phone), or assigns a location to a photo, group of photos or event. Once iPhoto knows where your photos were taken, you can explore them with a search on an interactive map.

 

Your photos already on Facebook include assigned names, and the nametags you add on Facebook sync back to iPhoto. iMovie allows you to quickly create a movie and add refinements and special effects. You can drag and drop one clip on top of another to reveal the new, advanced editing options (replace, insert, audio only, picture-in-picture or green screen). Using its Precision Editor, you can skim on a magnified filmstrip to view clips and fine-tune an edit. iMovie’s ability to analyze video and reduce camera-shaking in clips, along with the new titles, transitions, cinematic effects, speed changes and animated travel maps, add a professional polish to your movie.

Lastly, GarageBand offers a new way to help you learn piano and guitar with lessons at your own pace (Basic Lessons). Artist Lessons feature original artists (Sarah Bareilles, John Fogerty, Norah Jones and more) and are sold at the GarageBand Lesson Store. iLife ‘09 is included with every new Mac purchase and will be available later this month for $79 upgrade for existing users. You can find it at your nearest Apple Store (http://www.apple.com) or Mac Made Easy (http://www.maceasy.com). Note: It will run only on Mac OS X 10.5.6 or later. iTunes Store Changes: Apple unveiled a new 17-inch MacBook Pro, which features a new builtin battery that delivers up to eight hours of use and 1,000 recharges (more than three times a conventional notebook battery). It has a 1920 x 1200 display with 78 percent more pixels than the 15-inch MacBook Pro. It comes with Intel Core 2 Duo processors (available up to 2.93 Ghz), up to 8GB DDR3 RAM, and a standard 320GB 5400 rpm hard drive (or optional 320GB 7200 rpm, and 128GB/256GB solid state drives).

The new 17-inch retails for $2,799, and will be sold at the end of January. Adepleted battery can be replaced for $179 (same vendor information as above). iWork 09: iWork 09 is the latest version of Apple’s productivity suite similar to Microsoft Office. An iWork.com public beta is out there to develop sharing iWork 09 documents online. As for the applications, “Keynote” allows you to apply a simple transition to animate the position, scale, rotation and opacity of an image, graphic or text that is repeated on consecutive slides. “Pages” lets you focus your document and reveals menus, format bar and page navigator only when you need it. Lastly, “Numbers” gives you a way to quickly categorize your data by column, and gives you easy formula writing. iWork costs $79, or $49 with the purchase of a Mac (same vendor information as above).

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