This Week on Gearlog Radio: Toshiba joined the pack of vendors recalling laptop batteries this week, and several airlines are forcing customers to remove their batteries before they get onto planes. Could a total ban be far behind? Then we discuss HP's embarrassing program to spy on both journalists and it own board members. Are Gearlog's offices bugged? And Brian Bennet explains why he picked the most gridlocked day of the year to test-drive a GPS system from Pioneer. Finally, the new TMX Elmo is out--and the race is on to tear it apart.

Posts discussed on this week's show:

• It's Inevitable: You Won't Be Able To Work On Planes
• It's Toshiba's Turn: Battery Recall
• Industrial Espionage Buying Guide (For Spies Only)
• Pepcom's Holiday Spectacular!
• Costa Living: High Tech + Open Bar = Pepcom's Holiday Spectacular
• Riding With the Pioneer AVIC-Z1 GPS
• Gearlog in Retro: The Sony Mavica MVC-FD90
• What Is The New TMX Elmo Laughing About?

 

DOWNLOAD THE MP3 HERE.

Hosts: Dan Costa, Jen DeLeo

Panelists: Kyle Monson, Cisco Cheng, Molly McLaughlin, Brian Bennett
Audio Engineer: Scott Bernstein

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When you're nervous about getting married, you've got "cold feet". When your laptop is hot, you need "Cool Feet"!

Did you know that if you raise your laptop just a bit off your desk, it will release excess heat and may perform faster? That's what makers of this product say. Cool Feet is a new product developed by Cable yoyo that allows you to control your laptop's heat. They are small plastic stands that stick to the bottom of your laptop.

Each set features 2 tall feet, 2 short feet, 4 circular adhesive plates, and a carrying pouch. You can use both feet or just the tall feet or short feet only to prop up your laptop.

Apply the adhesive plate to the bottom corner of your laptop. Place Cool Feet over the adhesive and press firmly down. When you're done using them, keep them safe in the included pouch.

Each Cool Feet set sells for $12.95 and comes in silver only.

All right, you geeks, enough is enough! All you do is play games, surf the Web, and occasionally do some work on your environmentally unhealthy computers. Green Machine Shop says it's time to change.

The small, Michigan-based manufacturer has two goals for its business: 1.) Save the world by making more environment-friendly computers.  2.) Make lots and lots of money off hippies. Maybe they only talk about the first goal, but don't think they're not targeting flower children.

Green Machine promises to relieve pain in your joints and hands with its ergonomic keyboards and mice. The company also enforces stricter environmental impact regulations than the maker of your machine at home probably does. On top of that, Green Machine claims its computers reduce fatigue and stress levels some 20 percent, by eliminating noise levels (A.K.A. fans, lots and lots of fans) as well as electromagnetic radiation. Green Machine also uses the highest-standard monitors available today, called TCO'03, which significantly reduce eye strain and (of course) harmful environmental effects.

But enough with all that tree-loving stuff. Let's get to the goods! Green Machine Shop offers desktops, notebooks and tablets: Your choice of an AMD Athlon or Pentium D comes standard with desktops. Notebook specs are not available yet, but Green Machine promises to provide us with that information in the next few days. Each desktop configuration ships with Windows XP Professional and includes at least 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive. The standard unit ships with a Radeon X1600 PRO GPU, but that can be upgraded to a more respectable Radeon X1900 GT.

Green Machine Shop might be on to something here. The PCs carry a pretty nice set of specs that are completely upgradeable, and prices start (understandably) in the mid to high range ($967 to $1,327) for desktops. If your significant other complains you never treat for dinner, just tell him or her you did your part to help the environment. Oh, how good it feels.

Post by Don Reisinger

Remember when I wrote about and discussed on Gearlog Radio about the two families who are battling in court over a missing iPod nano? Well, both families have been contacted by reps from Judge Judy to appear on her show. I'm a huge fan of Judge Judy. This is how I imagine the case will go:

Judge Judy: Let's see what we've got here today. Okay, so your daughter is blaming her classmate Stephanie for not keeping an eye on her iPod mini.

McCarthy family: Excuse me, your honor. It was an iPod nano.

Judge Judy: Do I have 'stupid' written over my forehead? Do you think I don't know the difference between a mini and a nano? I own an iPod with video, so there! Okay, so Stephanie lost your daughter's nano. What do you want me to do about it?

McCarthy family: Well, we were hoping that the Eick family would admit that what she did was wrong and accept the responsibility to pay back my daughter the cost of her iPod nano. She worked really hard to earn one.

JJ: Okay, do you know when you tell someone to watch something and you come back and it's gone? It's called 'Tough Sh*t'. Have you ever heard that, Ma'am? I like that phrase. I'm going to put it on coffee mugs.

McCarthy family: But what about my daughter's needs? Her iPod meant the world to her. It's the only way she can keep up with the latest artists so her friends don't tease her. She is a freshman in high school now.

JJ: Don't spit on my cupcake and tell me it's frosting, ma'am! Do I look like I care? Now let's talk with the accused family. So what's your deal?

Eick family: My daughter wanted to listen to Shannon's nano, so Stephanie let her borrow it. But then the bell rang, and Shannon had to get to class, so she'd figure she would leave the nano on Stephanie's desk for when she got back. My daughter feels bad that the nano is now gone, but what can you do? We know it costs a couple of hundreds of dollars but Shannon didn't have to let her borrow it. She could have...

JJ: Have you ever heard of the K.I.S.S. principle? Keep It Simple, Stupid!

Eick family: Hey, I don't think you should talk that way toward us.

JJ: This is my courtroom, and I can say what I want. The day that you become a judge, we'll talk then. Let me explain something to both of you. My husband ruined my red sweater on December 8, 1978 in the wash. It was 20 degrees outside that day. My hair was in curlers. Most people have a memory of important dates and times. I would remember some of the circumstances surrounding the event of the missing nano - because your daughter, Ms. McCarthy, seems to have a very, very good memory of everything about her iPod - what color it was, how much it cost, how many songs were on it, and how much those songs cost - the only thing she didn't happen to have a memory of is remembering to go back for it. You get it?

McCarthy family: Are you insane b*tch? Who cares about your stupid red sweater!

JJ: Are you on any medication, ma'am?

McCarthy family: No, I'm not, thank you very much! We just want what's owed to us.

JJ: Fine. Judgment to the plaintiff for the amount of $9.99 - the price of a Kevin Federline CD. Thank you.

[iPodLounge via Chicago Tribune]

We've told you about a Bluetooth-enabled wristwatch that helps the elderly, a reader for the blind, and a paralyzed man who uses his own thoughts to operate a computer.

The next breakthrough in technology for assisted living is an intelligent wheelchair equipped with a Stereo Omnidirectional Camera system "whose 360-degree field of vision has no blind spot. Relying on the camera images, the chair detects potential hazards that arise while in motion and decelerates or stops accordingly." It was developed by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) with assistance from the National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities.

I can only imagine how difficult electric wheelchairs can be to operate, but a "smart" wheelchair such as this one could help eliminate collisions or accidents from happening. The wheelchair also "checks the occupant for signs of abnormality (unusual posture) and is equipped with a function that allows the occupant to control the chair by gesturing (pointing)."

[Pink Tentacle via Ubergizmo]

I'm not a huge Star Wars fan (sorry, I just never got in to it!), but I know there's a slew of you out there, including here at the office.

All I know is, I'm going to steer clear of the hardware team for awhile, because they've got lightsabers!!

This Star Wars Force FX Lightsaber is an official reproduction of real Lightsabers from the film. Each lightsaber features a glowing blade, sound effects digitally recorded from the film, four motion sensor-controlled sound effects, and a custom-designed display stand. They should last for several hours on batteries.

The lightsaber that Hardware Reviews Editor Jen Trolio is dueling with (left) is Darth Vader's from Episode V Empire Strikes Back.

Desktop expert Joel Santo Domingo let me hold Darth Maul's lightsaber from Episode I A Phantom Menace, which is a double-bladed lightsaber and it's really heavy to hold!

Also available are lightsabers from Anakin Skywalker (blue blade), Mace Windu (purple blade), and Obi Wan (blue blade).

Each lightsaber sells for $99 on ThinkGeek and requires 3 AA batteries (not included). The Darth Maul Dual sells for $199 and requires six AA batteries.

We all know Panasonic for their incredibly useful electronics devices, but with the DL-GWN Toilet Seat Light, I think it has officially become my favorite tech company. Let me reminisce...  December 17, 2004... I was experiencing an upset stomach beyond all recognition. At about 2:30 AM, I had to rush to the pot, and BAM: toilet seat up, tailbone cracked, and one bad night got way worse. 

So imagine my excitement when I found out that Panasonic was going to release the DL-GWN: The seat has built-in lights that promise to give the men a bull's-eye, and to let everone know whether the toilet seat is up or down. The lights even warm up the seat for you.

The word "bull's-eye" brings me back to another time, and another story: "The Guessing Game," I call it. Then again, maybe that story is best left for another day (or perhaps for after I am in my grave).

Get your very own DL-GWN Toilet Seat from (my heroes) Panasonic on November 1st for (gulp) $1,165. I think I'm feeling a little queasy...

Via Gizmodo 

Post by Don Reisinger

Are you an NRA-wannabe? Why be a part of this four-million member club when you can shoot right in your living room!

Crave Entertainment announced that its NRA Gun Club game for PS2 (officially endorsed by the National Rifle Association) has shipped to retail stores throughout North America. With NRA Gun Club, you can use over 100 of the licensed firearms to "enter the shooting range, steady [your] nerves, and take aim at the bull's-eye and score in a wide variety of competitive environments."

You'll also be able to unlock new guns, environments, and challenges; choose from 15+ shooting challenges; and shoot with seven other players. And, it's without any sort of violence or blood!

When I checked a couple of online retailers, it's not available until October. But you can preorder it now for $19.99 at Target.com.

I'm sure anyone who subscribes to Rifle Magazine will get a kick out of this game!

On perhaps the busiest traffic day since the blackout of '03 (the UN's General Assembly is in session this week and George W. is in town) Pioneer dropped by to show me and Craig Ellison (PC Magazine's GPS guru) its slick new navigation system. As a true New Yorker (I have a drivers license but no car), I gave no thought at all to the traffic situation as we walked out to meet the Pioneer reps and their tricked-out Scion xB. Frankly, I was surprised that Pioneer chose this boxy little ride as its demo vehicle. The car starts at about $14,000, but the state-of-the-art AVIC-Z1 GPS system costs a cool $2,250. Damn, I thought, that better be one mean map machine. It turned out to be a serious piece of hardware.

Equipped with a 7-inch LCD touch screen, the AVIC-Z1 is an aftermarket product that must be installed professionally. The device operates like a standard GPS system: You can tap in addresses or search among the 11 million points-of-interest (POIs, as we say in the biz). Data is stored on a big (for a GPS gizmo, at least) 30GB hard drive. But why is the AVIC-Z1 so gosh-darned expensive? I'm hoping it's because the rig has plenty of cool features. To name just a few, there's Advanced Voice Recognition, which lets you get your Michael Knight thing going (and I don't mean that dude from Project Runway, though I forgive you for thinking so, because my money's on him to win too). 10GB of hard drive space can be allocated to MP3s and digital audio tracks. I'd prefer, however, to spend the extra $50 for the optional iPod connector/charger, since the AVIC-Z1 can control the music player directly from its screen. The XM Satellite Radio and DVD/CD player is also pretty sweet.  

After checking out some the system's features, we zoomed over to Union Square. Craig and I were pleased to see that the AVIC-Z1 tracked our movements with ease. I decided to give the device a more challenging destination: Loreley, Manhattan's most seductive German beer hall. Lo and behold! The restaurant popped up with a few key taps, and though the location sits in a particularly road-tangled section of the city, the AVIC-Z1 guided us without a hitch.

Stay tuned for Craig's upcoming review, in which he'll really put the AVIC-Z1 through its paces.

Thanks to reviews editor Brian Bennett for this post!

Pepcom held its Holiday Spectacular media event in New York this week, and the usual collection of reporters showed up for free food, free drinks, and an early look at gadgets and technologies that will be on sale in the coming months. The vendors that participate rarely announce anything really big at these events, but it is a good opportunity to schmooze. The open bar attracts all sorts of geeks. You see old-school tech journalist from print publications (Computer Shopper, PC Magazine, CMP, Wired), and also the new generation of bloggers from sites like Engadget, the Tech Filter, and Listening Post. Think of it as Rick’s Café for the tech set (although people hardly ever get shot trying to smuggle letters of transit). 

 

That said, these events aren't always pretty. One inebriated journalist dumped a tray of food on my shoes while I was talking to a helpful Plantronics representative about the company’s new Bluetooth headsets. Worse still, the guy just walked away without so much as an apology. Fortunately, a good (if somewhat intimidating) Samaritan tracked the offending party down and made him both apologize and clean the tartar sauce from my shoes. (That stuff stains!) Thus refreshed, I continued on. Here's the coolest stuff I saw.

• Plantronics Audio 910. Before I was so rudely interrupted, Jennifer at Plantronics managed to show me the new Audio 910. It comes with a USB adapter so you can pair both your PC and your cell phone with the same headset, perfect for switching between VoIP and cellular phone calls.
• Logitech MX Revolution. Logitech was showing off its new MX Revolution mouse, which not only feels great in the hand but has this sweet scroll wheel that can whip through spreadsheets with thousands of lines in seconds. (Take a look at our hands-on review.) The company also had some cool NDA products behind a curtain, but I can’t tell you about those yet... Seems like Logitech is really padding out its peripherals line with iPod accessories.
• TiVo Series3. There's been a lot of debate, both on staff and online, about TiVo's offer to let “lifetime” subscription owners with Series1 and Series2 boxes migrate their accounts to the Series3 for a $199 fee. That seems pricey to me, but most of the TiVo subscribers I know say it's a great deal.
• MovieBeam Player. MovieBeam is presenting itself as the low-cost provider of HD content, especially when compared to $1,000 prices for Blu-ray players. There is no new hardware for the MovieBeam, but the nationwide rollout continues. It goes live in Cincinnati, OH in a few weeks. The price of the box is down to $99, which is pretty compelling.
• Nikon D80. The camera looks fantastic, and the company assures me our review unit is in the mail. It better be, guys, because Canon just got us the Rebel XTi and it looks just as impressive.
• Belkin Sport Commander. Sure, everyone has an iPod, but pulling it out on the ski slopes, or even in the subway, can be risky. Belkin already has tons of iPod controllers and accessories on the market, but the Sport Commander is the first to use Eleksen’s patented electro-fabric technology. Using fabric is a lot more flexible, and comfortable, than hard plastic. The wireless controller is ultra-geeky, but Belkin manages to make it sporty too.
• Micro Mosquito. It isn’t particularly high-tech, but the $70 Micro Mosquito turned a lot of heads. This little plastic whirly bird had attendees transfixed. With a 30-foot range and controls that take just a little getting used to, it could be a hot toy this holiday season.

 

The next Pepcom event is in just a few weeks, but it is timed to coincide with the DigitalLife show at the Javitz. Between working at the PC Magazine Digital Village, walking the floor for the Best of Show awards, and recording the Gearlog Radio podcast, I will probably have to pass. Still, I am sure some eager Gearlogger will find the time to stop by for the free booze and food.

 

Dan Costa is the Consumer Electronics Editor at PC Magazine and a cohost of Gearlog Radio; check back every Thursday (err, sometimes Friday) for his take on the world of consumer electronics.

 

 

 

 

Cell phones may not be liquids or gels, but in case you forget yours on your next trip, Motorola is installing robotic cell phone vending machines at 20 locations nationwide by November, according to a new press release. The "InstantMoto" stores will stock RAZRs, Bluetooth headsets, cordless phones and car chargers, and they have already installed two in San Francisco and Chicago, the company says. (The San Francisco one is at the airport; the Chicago one is at the Macy's at 111 N. State Street.) The vending machine in the sample press photo is also selling PEBLs, black SLVR L7s and a Q. After you buy the phone, you go to this Web site for activation.

 

Now, here at PC Magazine, we're generally big proponents of robotic arms. But is the impulse-buying market for C51 cordless phone systems really so great?

Every geek gets tired (like this one today), so take a break from your hectic work day to play!

Product: Cube World Digital Stick People

Description: I was shipped the Series 1 "Scoop" and "Slim" Cube World Digital Stick People (shown on the right, the purple and orange cubes). Scoop is a dog lover who likes walks on the beach and enjoys Becks' Oktoberfest beer. Okay, so I made the last two parts up, but he does love dogs. You can watch him play fetch with his dog or watch him try to move the walls of his cube. Slim interacts with a stick. I'm not sure what kind of stick it is, but it's a long one. He does pull-ups (I was impressed) on the stick and he'll perform the occassional karate tricks. Each cube offers a single game, too.

How It Works: Each cube has three controls. The left control button is for sound on/off; middle control button is for power, to select the stick game, and to play the stick game; right control button is for retrieving your high score. The object of the Slim cube's game is to pull up on the stick to avoid creatures coming at you. Once you hit a creature, the game is over. The object of the Scoop cube's game is to prevent your dog from getting the ball in your hand. You lose when the dog gets the ball.

Performance: I preferred the Slim game over the Scoop game. It's much more entertaining to avoid the creatures coming at you then to constantly have to go up and down to avoid the dog from getting a ball; the game drags on forever that way! It took me about ten minutes to figure out how to use the controls to play the game, but once you get the hang of it, it's easy.

You can also annoy each cubie by turning his cube over. He'll fall to the ground, shake his head, and cry! The most exciting component of the cubes is that you can interact with each one. Connect each cube together (they'll stick together through magnetism), then watch one cubie knock on the door and enter the other's cube! My co-workers and I got a kick out of watching them fight to the death! But if you remove one cube from the other, they'll disappear and go back to their own cubes.

Overall: If you're looking for some no-brainer fun during your lunch breaks, then try these Cube World People! I found them quite entertaining!

ThinkGeek sells the Cube World Digital Stick People sets for $30. You'll get two cube world people in each set. Series 2 and 3 are now available. Batteries included.

Related Links:

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Geek Your Cube

At the Pepcom event the other night, I saw the Altec Lansing inMotion im702 stereo Bluetooth headphones for music-playing cell phones, and I thought they looked a bit familiar. In fact, they look exactly like our Editor's Choice Plantronics Pulsar 590 stereo headphones because they are the Plantronics headphones. They're just $50 cheaper ($149 instead of $199) because they don't have the little dock the Plantronics model comes with. No worried, it doesn't affect the functionality of the unit. I think the Pulsar headphones balance sound quality and microphone quality quite well, though they have one annoying feature: one of the ears flashes blue the entire time you're using them.