High Tech Gift Ideas

For the next three weeks I am going to provide some ideas for gift giving. I will try to give some suggestions for items that are available from local stores or on line. Also, I will try to cover a variety of items and be sure to offer a few suggestions that are inexpensive. The good news is that prices continue to be very affordable for home electronics and there are some very cool products that have entered the market this year.

Let’s start with an item that will be appreciated by your grandparents or your favorite aunt or uncle who may live far away. How about giving them an electronic picture frame? These frames come in various sizes from as small as 3” x 5” to as large as 11” x 17”. Essentially they consist of an LCD screen and an internal electronics that can store hundreds of digital pictures. These pictures can be displayed in several ways. You can set the frame to change the display of a different picture each minute or each day. Many will play short videos as well. Most look like traditional frames and can blend in with most any decor.

Rather than just sending the frame, take the time to load some of your family pictures that you shot over the past year. That way when it is plugged in, it will already be a very special gift. After all, your grandparents really don’t want the picture frame; they want to see pictures of your family. Each day, for years to come the frame will continue to keep giving. Most use small SD cards to store the photos. During the year you can mail some inexpensive SD cards already filled with Johnny’s Tee Ball Game and they can enjoy keeping up to date on what’s happening.

These frames are available starting at about $30 for a small frame and can be found in discount stores, electronics stores and online.

Here is another gift for the older set, but I have to admit it is an item that most everyone will love. Consider giving a GIANT remote control. That’s right; there are several universal remotes that can control your TV, cable box, stereo, DVD and most any other device found in your family room. When I say GIANT, I do mean big. These remotes can measure 12” x 4” and have labeled buttons the size of postage stamps. You don’t need glasses to see if you are changing channels or changing CDs. Many light up when you use them and all can be programmed to operate most any model TV or other device.

I have seen these for sale in many big box electronics stores and discount retailers. They cost about $15. I suggest that you read the label on the box and see how hard it is to “program” the remote before you buy it. The best ones use an “autosensing” circuit that will find the right codes for your devices rather than you needing to look them up. If you are going to give one to an older person you may wish to send a teenager along to set it up the first time.

More ideas next week.

High Tech Gift Ideas

For the next three weeks I am going to provide some ideas for gift giving. I will try to give some suggestions for items that are available from local stores or on line. Also, I will try to cover a variety of items and be sure to offer a few suggestions that are inexpensive. The good news is that prices continue to be very affordable for home electronics and there are some very cool products that have entered the market this year.

Let’s start with an item that will be appreciated by your grandparents or your favorite aunt or uncle who may live far away. How about giving them an electronic picture frame? These frames come in various sizes from as small as 3” x 5” to as large as 11” x 17”. Essentially they consist of an LCD screen and an internal electronics that can store hundreds of digital pictures. These pictures can be displayed in several ways. You can set the frame to change the display of a different picture each minute or each day. Many will play short videos as well. Most look like traditional frames and can blend in with most any decor.

Rather than just sending the frame, take the time to load some of your family pictures that you shot over the past year. That way when it is plugged in, it will already be a very special gift. After all, your grandparents really don’t want the picture frame; they want to see pictures of your family. Each day, for years to come the frame will continue to keep giving. Most use small SD cards to store the photos. During the year you can mail some inexpensive SD cards already filled with Johnny’s Tee Ball Game and they can enjoy keeping up to date on what’s happening.

These frames are available starting at about $30 for a small frame and can be found in discount stores, electronics stores and online.

Here is another gift for the older set, but I have to admit it is an item that most everyone will love. Consider giving a GIANT remote control. That’s right; there are several universal remotes that can control your TV, cable box, stereo, DVD and most any other device found in your family room. When I say GIANT, I do mean big. These remotes can measure 12” x 4” and have labeled buttons the size of postage stamps. You don’t need glasses to see if you are changing channels or changing CDs. Many light up when you use them and all can be programmed to operate most any model TV or other device.

I have seen these for sale in many big box electronics stores and discount retailers. They cost about $15. I suggest that you read the label on the box and see how hard it is to “program” the remote before you buy it. The best ones use an “autosensing” circuit that will find the right codes for your devices rather than you needing to look them up. If you are going to give one to an older person you may wish to send a teenager along to set it up the first time.

More ideas next week.

Help for Hearing Impaired

You may have seen the commercials on local TV recently offering telephones that display in text form the other end of a phone conversation so that those with profound hearing loss can make and receive phone calls. The ads indicate that the phones can be free. This is only one of several similar offers aimed at older adults and just like the free cell phones and free scooters, the offer is true but the description may be a bit incomplete.

In this case, a company called CapTel markets a hard wired telephone that has a small LCD display. The phone uses the same wires and systems as any wired telephone and requires no additional fees to the telephone company. The phone is purchased from CapTel for about $100. The phone is only half of the required system. In order to display the captions, the incoming caller’s voice needs to be digitized for display on the phone. The CapTel phone does not do this.

What the advertisements don’t tell you is that when someone wants to call you and have their voice displayed on your phone in text, they need to go though a third party. Many states, Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky included, have “relay” systems that provide this service. A person calling you dials a 800 number first and then, when prompted, enters your telephone number. The systems connects with your phone and displays the callers voice as text.

In most states, the service is free. It is in the case of our three neighboring states. Some individuals, depending on their income may be eligible for assistance in purchasing the phones as well. Information can be obtained in Ohio at (800) 973-4560 and in Indiana at (317) 334-1413.

This system should not be confused with the TTY services that have been around for years where special equipment on BOTH sides of the line allow two hearing impaired people to “talk” using text only.

The CapTel systems work well but they are not as hassle free as the smiling elderly man on the TV commercial might indicate. You do need to let your friends and relatives know that they need to go though the 800 number if their conversation is to be translated into text. For those with significant hearing loss it is worth looking into.

Next week I will begin the much anticipated, ever-popular two part Holiday Electronic Gizmo Shopping Guide.

Help for Hearing Impaired

You may have seen the commercials on local TV recently offering telephones that display in text form the other end of a phone conversation so that those with profound hearing loss can make and receive phone calls. The ads indicate that the phones can be free. This is only one of several similar offers aimed at older adults and just like the free cell phones and free scooters, the offer is true but the description may be a bit incomplete.

In this case, a company called CapTel markets a hard wired telephone that has a small LCD display. The phone uses the same wires and systems as any wired telephone and requires no additional fees to the telephone company. The phone is purchased from CapTel for about $100. The phone is only half of the required system. In order to display the captions, the incoming caller’s voice needs to be digitized for display on the phone. The CapTel phone does not do this.

What the advertisements don’t tell you is that when someone wants to call you and have their voice displayed on your phone in text, they need to go though a third party. Many states, Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky included, have “relay” systems that provide this service. A person calling you dials a 800 number first and then, when prompted, enters your telephone number. The systems connects with your phone and displays the callers voice as text.

In most states, the service is free. It is in the case of our three neighboring states. Some individuals, depending on their income may be eligible for assistance in purchasing the phones as well. Information can be obtained in Ohio at (800) 973-4560 and in Indiana at (317) 334-1413.

This system should not be confused with the TTY services that have been around for years where special equipment on BOTH sides of the line allow two hearing impaired people to “talk” using text only.

The CapTel systems work well but they are not as hassle free as the smiling elderly man on the TV commercial might indicate. You do need to let your friends and relatives know that they need to go though the 800 number if their conversation is to be translated into text. For those with significant hearing loss it is worth looking into.

Next week I will begin the much anticipated, ever-popular two part Holiday Electronic Gizmo Shopping Guide.

Wireless Recharging

Wireless phones, wireless drills, wireless headphones - it seems that everything is going wireless. If that is the case, why do we have so many wires when it comes to keeping all these wireless devices powered up and ready to perform their marvelous tasks? Look around the kitchen counter. I bet there are more than a few chargers for the cell phones, iPods or Bluetooth headsets. How many more are squirreled away in the junk drawer no longer compatible with the new gizmos? Forget about any standardization allowing you to use the same charger for many different devices. While several European countries have agreed to develop a universal charger for all cell phones, in the US we are not even close to such an idea. Even if we adopt the same charger for all models of cell phones, we still will need to do the same for the myriad other devices.

Enter the “new kid on the block”: wireless battery charging. A few manufacturers now have products that can recharge all those electronic devices with no wires (or to tell the truth, only one wire). The system uses magnetic induction to transfer electricity. You can ask your high school Physics teacher to explain how this works, but you have to admit it sounds high tech.

One device is called a Power Mat. It is a thin pad that resembles a rubber door mat. You plug the mat into a standard AC power outlet and it is ready to charge most any battery powered rechargeable device. To be used with the Power Mat, each device must either be compatible with wireless charger technology or you need to add an adapter to each device. Once so modified you can forget about all those chargers. Instead of plugging in chargers for each device, you just place each device on the Power Mat. The charging is done wirelessly.

You can keep each device on the mat for as long as you wish as it will sense when each device is fully charged and stop charging. While there is a modest savings in electricity by using one Power Mat rather than two or three separate charges, the amount that is saved is miniscule. The convenience of having a single place to store all these devices when you are at home is a real plus. Many people will place a Power Mat on a table or counter near the door. When you walk in, you place your cell phone or MP3 player on the mat and when you leave again it will be charged.

Power Mat is available at most electronics retailers and will cost about $150 once you figure in the special adapters you will need for each of your devices. While this technology is somewhat new, look for other products that will use this wireless transfer of electricity. Oh yes, how cool will it be to tell your friends that you charge your cell phone with “magnetic induction transfer technology”?

Wireless Recharging

Wireless phones, wireless drills, wireless headphones - it seems that everything is going wireless. If that is the case, why do we have so many wires when it comes to keeping all these wireless devices powered up and ready to perform their marvelous tasks? Look around the kitchen counter. I bet there are more than a few chargers for the cell phones, iPods or Bluetooth headsets. How many more are squirreled away in the junk drawer no longer compatible with the new gizmos? Forget about any standardization allowing you to use the same charger for many different devices. While several European countries have agreed to develop a universal charger for all cell phones, in the US we are not even close to such an idea. Even if we adopt the same charger for all models of cell phones, we still will need to do the same for the myriad other devices.

Enter the “new kid on the block”: wireless battery charging. A few manufacturers now have products that can recharge all those electronic devices with no wires (or to tell the truth, only one wire). The system uses magnetic induction to transfer electricity. You can ask your high school Physics teacher to explain how this works, but you have to admit it sounds high tech.

One device is called a Power Mat. It is a thin pad that resembles a rubber door mat. You plug the mat into a standard AC power outlet and it is ready to charge most any battery powered rechargeable device. To be used with the Power Mat, each device must either be compatible with wireless charger technology or you need to add an adapter to each device. Once so modified you can forget about all those chargers. Instead of plugging in chargers for each device, you just place each device on the Power Mat. The charging is done wirelessly.

You can keep each device on the mat for as long as you wish as it will sense when each device is fully charged and stop charging. While there is a modest savings in electricity by using one Power Mat rather than two or three separate charges, the amount that is saved is miniscule. The convenience of having a single place to store all these devices when you are at home is a real plus. Many people will place a Power Mat on a table or counter near the door. When you walk in, you place your cell phone or MP3 player on the mat and when you leave again it will be charged.

Power Mat is available at most electronics retailers and will cost about $150 once you figure in the special adapters you will need for each of your devices. While this technology is somewhat new, look for other products that will use this wireless transfer of electricity. Oh yes, how cool will it be to tell your friends that you charge your cell phone with “magnetic induction transfer technology”?

CNN's Fall Disturbing...but that is not News?

The audience reports released a few weeks ago contained some interesting and, for me, disturbing trends. I was especially interested in the report that placed CNN as the fourth leading source of news on cable. That’s right, the same CNN that wrote the book on the 24 hour news service, the same CNN that garnered laughs and then dread from the broadcast networks news operations was behind Fox News, MSNBC and even CNN’s own progeny, Headline News in audiences.

While I really couldn’t care less who is first and who is second, I do care about the reasons many media pundits have given for CNN’s fall from the top spot. It seems that many feel CNN failed to take on enough of a “point of view” or “bias” in their news reporting.

Few would argue that Fox News and MSNBC have embraced a less than objective bent. Fox News leaning toward the Right and MSNBC toward the Left. While point of view and opinion and the freedom to express both are key to our democratic process, neither have any place in reporting the news of the day. It comes down to the difference between the Editorial or Opinion pages in print publications and the hard news sections.

I, for one, like the news given to me as a series of facts. Facts that have been researched, confirmed and presented in straight forward simple sentences. I can form my own opinion. For sure there is a place for opinion and debate but it is not and should not be presented as news.

Another trend in news reporting both in the cable and broadcast arena is the increase in soft news. Does the winner of American Idol or Who Wants To Be a Millionaire really belong in the same newscast as a report on the number of brave solders who lost their lives in some distant land?

There is nothing wrong with entertainment. There is nothing wrong with expressing opinions. We need both, but we also need our news reporting to be neither entertainment nor opinion.

CNN's Fall Disturbing...but that is not News?

The audience reports released a few weeks ago contained some interesting and, for me, disturbing trends. I was especially interested in the report that placed CNN as the fourth leading source of news on cable. That’s right, the same CNN that wrote the book on the 24 hour news service, the same CNN that garnered laughs and then dread from the broadcast networks news operations was behind Fox News, MSNBC and even CNN’s own progeny, Headline News in audiences.

While I really couldn’t care less who is first and who is second, I do care about the reasons many media pundits have given for CNN’s fall from the top spot. It seems that many feel CNN failed to take on enough of a “point of view” or “bias” in their news reporting.

Few would argue that Fox News and MSNBC have embraced a less than objective bent. Fox News leaning toward the Right and MSNBC toward the Left. While point of view and opinion and the freedom to express both are key to our democratic process, neither have any place in reporting the news of the day. It comes down to the difference between the Editorial or Opinion pages in print publications and the hard news sections.

I, for one, like the news given to me as a series of facts. Facts that have been researched, confirmed and presented in straight forward simple sentences. I can form my own opinion. For sure there is a place for opinion and debate but it is not and should not be presented as news.

Another trend in news reporting both in the cable and broadcast arena is the increase in soft news. Does the winner of American Idol or Who Wants To Be a Millionaire really belong in the same newscast as a report on the number of brave solders who lost their lives in some distant land?

There is nothing wrong with entertainment. There is nothing wrong with expressing opinions. We need both, but we also need our news reporting to be neither entertainment nor opinion.

You Can Cut The Cord

The proliferation of mobile phones is nothing short of mind boggling. I don’t consider myself old, but I can remember growing up in a house with one phone line and one phone. That phone was a “party line.” For those who may not know what a “party line” was, ask someone over 55. The phone was black and the phone company’s rules prevented anyone tampering with or adding a non-Bell extension phone under pain of Federal prosecution. Have things changed!

Today, that regular telephone and phone line are disappearing as many of us have decided that we only need our mobile phone. I bet you know of several people who use only a mobile phone and have dropped their Cincinnati Bell land line. For sure with many mobile plans offering features such as call waiting, three way calling, free long distance and integrated voice mail as part of the standard package, why pay for each of these features twice with both a land line and mobile line?

There are downsides of using a mobile phone as your only line when you are at home. Many of us drop the phone on the kitchen counter when we come home. We have our charger there, and if we remember, we charge it occasionally so our conversations will continue uninterrupted the next day. When the mobile phone rings we have to run to the kitchen. Déjà View from the 1960s. Also, long conversations using the small mobile phone are often uncomfortable and who wants to walk around the house all the time with a Bluetooth thing-a-ma-jig stuck in your ear?

There are devices available that makes using a mobile phone at home as your sole connection to the outside world much more convenient. The devices allow you to use all the existing telephones in your home as you do now. The difference is they connect to your mobile phone instead of your land line. The “brains” of the device is a docking station to which you connect your mobile phone. The docking station connects to the existing telephone wires in your home making all the telephones “extensions” to the mobile phone. You no longer need the land line. All the features that you have on your mobile phone are now available on the extensions. The docking station also serves as a charger for your mobile phone.

You can find these devices at some electronics stores, Amazon.com and other online retailers. The XLink ITC-BTTN is available from intellitouch. Another company, PhoneLabs, offers the Dock-N-Talk. Both cost about $150. You will find other models from RCA and Motorola on line.
Most connect with your phone either with a cable (sold separately) or via Bluetooth. Once connected it is hard to tell the difference between a regular line and a the mobile line. One thing to remember though, is that the docking station requires AC power, so when the power is out you can only use the mobile phone without any of the extensions.

If you are considering dumping your home phone land line, you should take a look at adding one of these docking stations.

You Can Cut The Cord

The proliferation of mobile phones is nothing short of mind boggling. I don’t consider myself old, but I can remember growing up in a house with one phone line and one phone. That phone was a “party line.” For those who may not know what a “party line” was, ask someone over 55. The phone was black and the phone company’s rules prevented anyone tampering with or adding a non-Bell extension phone under pain of Federal prosecution. Have things changed!

Today, that regular telephone and phone line are disappearing as many of us have decided that we only need our mobile phone. I bet you know of several people who use only a mobile phone and have dropped their Cincinnati Bell land line. For sure with many mobile plans offering features such as call waiting, three way calling, free long distance and integrated voice mail as part of the standard package, why pay for each of these features twice with both a land line and mobile line?

There are downsides of using a mobile phone as your only line when you are at home. Many of us drop the phone on the kitchen counter when we come home. We have our charger there, and if we remember, we charge it occasionally so our conversations will continue uninterrupted the next day. When the mobile phone rings we have to run to the kitchen. Déjà View from the 1960s. Also, long conversations using the small mobile phone are often uncomfortable and who wants to walk around the house all the time with a Bluetooth thing-a-ma-jig stuck in your ear?

There are devices available that makes using a mobile phone at home as your sole connection to the outside world much more convenient. The devices allow you to use all the existing telephones in your home as you do now. The difference is they connect to your mobile phone instead of your land line. The “brains” of the device is a docking station to which you connect your mobile phone. The docking station connects to the existing telephone wires in your home making all the telephones “extensions” to the mobile phone. You no longer need the land line. All the features that you have on your mobile phone are now available on the extensions. The docking station also serves as a charger for your mobile phone.

You can find these devices at some electronics stores, Amazon.com and other online retailers. The XLink ITC-BTTN is available from intellitouch. Another company, PhoneLabs, offers the Dock-N-Talk. Both cost about $150. You will find other models from RCA and Motorola on line.
Most connect with your phone either with a cable (sold separately) or via Bluetooth. Once connected it is hard to tell the difference between a regular line and a the mobile line. One thing to remember though, is that the docking station requires AC power, so when the power is out you can only use the mobile phone without any of the extensions.

If you are considering dumping your home phone land line, you should take a look at adding one of these docking stations.