Every once in a while I get an odd feeling about something I’ve been asked to review. In this case, it was an application for the iPhone that promises to calm down your pet with music. Could this really work? I reviewed it and I’ve got your answer.
About The Application
The application is called Pet Acoustics and you can get it for $1.99 in the iPhone app store. According to the site…
Pet Acoustics music has been specifically designed for the hearing sensitivities of your pet, both in frequency, volume and rhythm to calm and soothe your pet anytime, anywhere.
About The Cat
I have three cats. One is very timid, one is right in the middle, and then there’s Chaplin, pictured above. He loves when people pet him any second he can get it. It’s adorable, but then it seems like every night at 2 AM he’s tearing through the house like a crazy cat. I haven’t clocked him, but I think he’s part cheetah. As much as I love all my cats, he drives me crazy sometimes, so any way to calm him is welcome.
The Results
My first reaction was to be skeptical. In fact, I waited to try it until a time when my cat was really ripping around the house. This happened the other night. Chaplin was running around the house like his tail was on fire, so I broke out the iPhone, turned the volume all the way up, loaded the Pet Acoustics app, and stood in his path with the phone. He stopped long enough to hear it and looked interested, so I put the phone on the floor and stepped away. The picture at the top of this review was taken 5 minutes later and he remained there, listening to the music, for nearly an hour. He has his quiet moments, but to see him go from sixty to zero that fast was a great surprise.
Was this a coincidence? I had to question it, and in the interest of providing a complete review, I decided to wait and try it again. Tonight, he was full speed again and this time, I just started the app, turned up the volume, and tossed the phone to the carpet. Once again, he slowed down and then sat, listening to the music. Two for two… looking pretty good.
Conclusion
Two bucks to get my cat to calm down in an instant? There’s no question that this app is worth the cost. I can’t say how well it works or doesn’t work for other pets like your dog or horse (yeah, they’ve got your horse covered), but if you have a cat like mine, search for “pet acoustics” in your iPhone and buy it.
Most people have at least one friend or family member who ends up being the go-to guy or gal when the computer gets a virus or the iPod won’t boot up. Have you ever tried shopping for that person? My wife has gotten pretty good at it but can tell you it’s rough. Us geeks can be pretty particular about things other people just don’t get. For example, I’d rather have an old used IBM PS/2 keyboard under the tree than one of the fancy new ones. If you have a geek to shop for this Christmas, you’re in luck because I have a long list of gift ideas in varying price ranges. (please note that prices are approximate based on what I’ve found online)
Stocking Stuffers
iSkin Solo FX iPhone skins ($20 and up) I’ve been through a few skins and cases for my iPhones, but I really like this one. It’s got some extra flare to it and comes in some eye-catching colors. (read my review of this product)
Sling Back ($9) This is a simple little item that takes cords and untangles them. You put any (well any small) cord in it and it retracts like my travel mouse does. Pretty cool.
(note that this is a pre-sale item that may not be ready in time for Christmas)
Cordies ($9) This is a great little item that does a simple task. It keeps your cords from sliding off your desk. This happens to me all the time, so if anyone wants to put these in my stocking, I need two of them at least.
(note that this is a pre-sale item that may not be ready in time for Christmas, however it only needs a few more sales to hit production)
Kickster for iPod Nano ($13) The newer iPod Nanos look awesome and now capture and play back video, but this poses the problem of having to hold it steady both during recording and playback or while watching a video podcast. The Kickster is like a kickstand for the Nano and is a pretty cool addition to the Nano if you know someone who’s getting a Nano from Santa this year.
(note that this is a pre-sale item that may not be ready in time for Christmas)
Scratch ‘n’ Scroll ($15) Scratch ‘n’ Scroll is a mouse pad that you can write on. Remember those little pads you’d get as a kid where you could scratch in a design with a plastic stylus or even your fingernail and erase the design by just pulling the top layer away from its backing? This is the same concept built into a mouse pad.
Under $100
be.ez LEvertigo Netbook/MacBook Shoulder Bag ($60) Recently, I was able to review this bag and really liked it. It’s probably going to end up a present for a special someone on my list this Christmas. It’s a very compact bag that accommodates a 13 inch MacBook or a netbook, paperwork, cell phones or other small gadgets and a couple small devices or CDs. It’s durable and very stylish.
Eye-Fi SD Card with Wireless ($50 and up) One of the items I reviewed recently was this Eye-Fi card. You do a little simple setup with it and then throw it in your camera and take photos. Depending on your settings and proximity to your wireless connection, it can automatically upload photos as you take them or when you’re done, but either way, you never plug the camera into the computer again. Great for someone who takes lots of photos.
Joby Gorillapod Mobile ($40) Even the ever popular iPhone has room for improvement. For example, trying to take non-shaky video, or watching a movie on the iPhone can be a challenge because of the smoothly rounded edges, but Joby introduced this GorillaMobile tripod to help. It’s not something I’ll use every day, but it is useful. Even though it’s around $40, it could be a nice little stocking stuffer, too. (read more here)
Beamer ($38) If you own an iPhone or have even just seen the recent Droid commercials, I’m sure you’re aware of one of the missing iPhone camera features, a flash. Beamer is an iPhone case that has a build in light to work as a flash. Incredibly simple, yet the first product to solve this problem (that I’ve seen, anyway). It’s a great little gift for anyone who takes a lot of club or party photos with their iPhone.
Arduino Starter Kit ($70) If the geek on your Christmas list is like me, he or she either has this or wants it badly. Arduino is a popular electronics learning and prototyping platform for developing small devices. The kit has everything needed to jump in and start getting geeky. This is on my own wish list this year.
Peggy 2 Kit ($95) Last year, for Christmas, my wife got me a little home brew gaming kit called Meggy Jr. This kit comes from the same company and I’ve had my eye on it for a while. It’s a pegboard of LED lights that can be programmed by its maker and is a really cool electronics project.
$100 And Up
Amazon Kindle Reader ($259) I can think of at least one thing better than taking a book with you on vacation or a long trip, and that’s taking a bunch of books with you all crammed into a slim little device like the Kindle. Better still, you can get your JoeTech.com fix on the Kindle!
Droid or iPhone ($200 w/ contract -$600 without) It used to be that the G1 was the only solid competition for the iPhone. Don’t get me wrong, the G1 is an awesome phone, but I still prefer the iPhone and now Verizon has competition of its own with Droid in its corner. Currently on review loan from Verizon, my droid is shaping up to be a really nice phone and the iPhone has already proven itself as a great phone. Either would be the gift to make the geek in your life jump for joy.
Logic Wireless Bolt 1.5 ($475) Although it’s no iPhone or Droid, this is a phone that makes waves. More than just a phone, it has a projector in it. I got hands on with an original Bolt 1.0 unit a while back and loved it. The 1.5 looks sleeker than ever and I spoke with the CEO a couple weeks ago who promises even more good stuff coming up.
If you’ve recovered from Black Friday, it’s time to prepare for Cyber Monday and get that geek in your life the right gift. Don’t forget to share this list with friends and leave no geek with an unwanted gift.
This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Jones Soda. All opinions are 100% mine.
Oh how I love the holidays. Throw in IZEA and wait for the party. IZEA always has something fun going on and this week, they sent me one of their famous green boxes. In the past, these have included shirts and stickers and even an award, but this one was Thanksgiving themed. Inside it was an IZEA sticker, an awesome turkey hat (see the photo below) and a bottle of Tofurky and Gravy Jones Soda .
Before I could even try it out, my project manager at my office had the hat on. The soda had to be reserved for Thanksgiving day, but the hat was passed around the office. I had clients wear it when they were in. Everyone loved the hat. In fact, I wore it to the store today for some last minute Thanksgiving shopping and the reactions were priceless.
After dinner and desert, we broke open the soda to try it out. I was hesitant, mostly because of all the faces being made by everyone around me. It seems the thought of turkey and gravy flavored soda is not appealing to my family. I gave it a sniff test first. Oddly, this triggered thoughts of alka-seltzer. Then I tasted it and I was surprised. I don’t think Jones Soda Company completely nailed the turkey/gravy taste, but it wasn’t gross as everyone around me expected. It did taste a bit like ginger ale with a hint of something else. Mom says tabasco, but I’m not sure. Yes, my mother tried it even though everyone else refused to give it a shot.
All in all, the hat rocked, and the soda was a fun novelty to accompany it, but not something I’d drink for the taste. I do think it would be a fun stocking stuffer for that nutty uncle. Case in point, I got one in the mail.
Back in June, I gave you a LA Besace Lime Drop review for a bag I really liked and use pretty often. Last week, I found a new bag from be.ez called the LEvertigo in my mail. It’s designed for a 13″ MacBook or a 10.2″ netbook and has a compact design.
Simple Design and Function
The LEvertigo looks pretty simple from the outside. It’s a slim shoulder bag that is very portable. Like the LA besace I reviewed before, it has a gray exterior with a lime green interior that provides a nice contrast. It’s not bad looking from the outside, but you really don’t feel its fashion until you open it up. Be.ez decided to replace the traditional zipper with velcro in the shape of a lower case letter e and a period. It’s the details like this that set the be.ez bags apart. While this makes getting to your notebook faster, it’s louder and not quite as library (or sleeping wife) friendly. For fans of zippers, they managed to include a couple inside the bag. The first is a small pouch in the bottom of the bag, just big enough for a paper back book. The other zipper is found closer to the top, sealing up a larger pouch that might hold CDs, etc.
Also near the top of the bag are three small pockets, each big enough for a cell phone. The bulk of the inside of the LEvertigo is soft, so it’s not likely to scratch up a cell phone. I’m not sure that three of these pockets is as good an idea as, say, two pockets and some pen/pencil slots. Of course, this bag has two large compartments that will be used the most. The first is the larger area for the laptop and had the usual velcro strap to keep it in. This time around, the strap is adjustable to fit your specific notebook. The final area is a large mesh pocket to hold important papers. Where the flap folds over, the sides fold in, as well to create a little more protection from any rain you might come across. Everything hangs off the shoulder with the help of the seat belt like strap that seems to be a welcomed theme for be.ez products.
Conclusions
Another tough bag from be.ez, I can imagine this one faithfully protecting your portable computing for years while being, itself, very portable. It will likely turn a couple heads when you open it and can be purchased in black/pumpkin as well (and additional colors for the non-US version). At about $60, it’s not cheap, but you’ll get your money’s worth, I’m sure. If you know someone who’s getting a netbook for Christmas, this would be a decent compliment to it.
I love to take photos. I have 8,447 photos on Flickr, and that’s just the ones I’ve taken in the last few years. The problem I have is when it comes time to upload them. It takes a while, so I always have to stay up late the night I took the photos and upload them or it ends up getting put off for weeks. I’m pretty good about keeping my cables and card readers where I can find them, but we’ve had several occasions with missing data cables for other cameras in the house and at the office, too. I hate having a camera full of photos trapped on a card when I can’t find the transfer cable, especially when people keep bugging me for them. It’s not just me, either. There are photos that my friend Lindze took on Halloween that I’m still waiting to see.
A good solution for this is an Eye-Fi card. This cleverly named device is a combination of an SD card and a Wi-Fi card. It actually uploads your photos as you take them (if you have it set up with a Wi-Fi connection in the area) or can upload all your photos when you walk in the house.
Getting Set Up
First thing’s first. Will your camera take an Eye-Fi card? They have a compatibility list, but you really just need to make sure your camera is SDHC capable. My DSLR (like most) does not take an SD card at all, and my wife’s Casio Exilim Z60 (the Frankencamera) has a dead battery, so I borrowed a friend’s Casio Exilim Z75.
To get going, I plugged in the USB card reader that came with my 4GB Eye-Fi Share Video. This was were I found my only gripe during the process. The reader is wide , so it blocks my second USB port. While inconvenient, this only needs to be in for a few minutes. With the reader plugged in, I slid the card into the reader and the typical Windows dialog opened up, asking what I wanted to do with this media. What was not so typical is that the first option was to use the software included on the card. New devices are a lot more fun when I don’t have to put in a CD, find drivers, or struggle in any other way to get going. The software installed and began with me creating an account on the Eye-Fi web site and setting up my wireless connection. My new account also required some configuration of photo and video sharing services. I set up my Flickr and Facebook accounts and then removed my card and put it in the camera.
The whole setup took about 10 minutes to get my account, wireless connection, and two services set up and the software installed on my computer.
Shooting and Sharing
There are two key ways the Eye-Fi can be used to make things easier for you. The first and probably easiest is to set it up once as described above, and just let it do all the work when you bring your camera home. This should happen even if you use it the second way, too. When the camera is on, it looks for that wireless connection you configured and automatically connects and starts uploading any new photos and video while retaining a copy, organized by date, on your computer. Here’s an example video showing how that works:
The second way the Eye-Fi can streamline your multimedia life is by uploading as you go. This is probably going to be less used by some people, but I think it’s even cooler. Let’s say you head to an industry event like Blog World. When you first arrive, you configure the Eye-Fi to use the event’s provided Wi-Fi connectivity. Throughout the event, you snap photos and shoot video, but instead of waiting until you get back the your hotel room to share, everything gets uploaded instantly to your selected account. This would work great on Christmas morning, too. Relatives who can’t fly in can experience everything with photos uploading as the presents are opened.
Whatever you do, you have the option of logging into your account to see photos and videos coming in and manage everything as it happens.
It also takes your privacy into account, which was a plus for me. When you set up a photo or video sharing service in your account, it asks you about privacy levels. During my testing, I had it uploading photos as I took them, but they were flagged as private in Flickr, so I was the only one who could see them until I reviewed and made them public. The user experience and small details were definitely not overlooked.
Win Your Own Eye-Fi
If you’ve read everything above and are thinking “I want one of those in time for Christmas”, you’re in luck, because they’re giving away 12 of them. Perhaps it’s for the 12 days of Christmas, but whatever you celebrate this time of year, you might get one of these things for free by just commenting on this post or sending out a tweet containing the hashtag “#eye-fi” with a link back to this blog post. Complete contest rules are here: http://izea.com/contest-rules-regulations/eyefi-contest-official-rules/.
Conclusions
In short, I love this device. It does what it says, but it does it elegantly and the setup is about as short and sweet as it can be. If you have an SDHC capable camera, this should be on your wish list for Christmas. That said, I noted two things that I’d love to see happen with the Eye-Fi. Mainly, I’d love to see this built into a Compact Flash card for my DSLR. My DSLR supports Wi-Fi, but not sharing to Flickr, etc. and it’s nowhere near as easy to get set up. I’d also like to see the ability to upload to up to three sharing sites concurrently. It would be great to be able to have my photos up on Flickr and Facebook instantly, for example. Over all, this is a great time-saving device, a unique gift idea, and decently priced.
