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Episode 40: Free Software
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In this very special episode, the Gurus of Cool find the best free software on the net, listing their top 10 favorites that you can download and use right now. Plus, you'll hear hands-on reports about Adobe's chic new messenger bag, a Viewsonic 37" LCD TV, the SpyderTV Colorimeter as well as another rip-roaring edition of the Rapid-Fire Roundup® of Cool Products.
Features by the Gurus of Cool
Adobe Leather Messenger Bag
by Stephen Schleicher
While messenger bags are all the rage even for people who aren’t bike messengers, Adobe has gone a step further by offering a limited-edition all-leather bag that is simply wonderful. ...Read More »
ViewSonic N3760W 37" LCD TV
by Charlie White
You can get a lot of HDTV these days for $1600, and the ViewSonic NextVision N3760W 37" LCD TV is no exception. I watched a variety of content on the display, including standard-definition DVDs, HD-DVDs, 1080i high-definition programming and extremely high-resolution computer files and slides, and was impressed with this 1366x768 LCD display's ability to deliver high-resolution video at a low cost. Here's my review. ...Read More »
Top 10 List 2006: Free Software
by Charlie White
There's a lot of extremely useful software available for free on the web, and we're here to help you sort out which ones can help you the most. So here it is, our latest Top 10 List of software that's freely available on the Web. A couple of these applications are free trials, but most are completely free for the taking. Best of all, them will all improve your quality of life. Click on each paragraph heading to download the software. ...Read More »
First Impressions: Apple 13-Inch MacBook
by Dave Nagel
On only two occasions have I rushed out and purchased a Mac on the day of its debut. The first was my dual 2.0 GHz G5. That was a few years back, and that machine is still going strong as a viable creative workstation. The second occasion was yesterday when Apple introduced the new 13-inch MacBooks. I bought two. ...Read More »
Datacolor STV100 SpyderTV Colormeter
by Charlie White
If you're always fiddling with the color controls on your LCD TV, plasma screen, rear projector or CRT television set, the Datacolor STV100 SpyderTV Colormeter ($200) can take the guesswork out of your adjustments. Using the objective assessments of a highly accurate sensor, SpyderTV helps you adjust your set to its optimum color, contrast, brightness and tint. We tested the Spyder TV on an LCD TV appeared to have a couple of problems. SpyderTV gave us the confidence of knowing that the TV's adjustments were at their most advantageous levels. ...Read More »
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Rapid-Fire Roundup® of Cool Products
COMMENTS
Four-Battery Solar Charger
Harness the power of the sun to charge your batteries. On a sunny day, the charger can fully charge 4 AA Nickel Hydride batteries in about 6 hours. Not bad for the outdoors type or those preparing for the apocalypse.
H-Racer
Here is an $80 palm-sized toy hydrogen car with its own fuel cell refueling station that creates hydrogen fuel by combining solar power and water. Fill 'er up with that hydrogen fuel and then, hee-haa! It's off to the races!
Bluetooth Scale
For those trying to lose weight, keeping track of your progress is easier with the Tanita BC-502 scale. The scale measures your BMI and Fat Ratio, and can send the results to your computer via USB cable, or to a cellphone with the scale’s Bluetooth capability.
Geox Breathable Shoes
…have a high-tech membrane in their soles similar to Gore-Tex which allows sweat and moisture to escape while blocking any water from getting in. Choose or from a variety of shoes from sneakers to moccasins, but they're not cheap, $110.
EZ Carry Shopping Bag Handle
Hate carrying all those stuffed grocery bags into the house as they cut into your hand and are difficult to hold? The EZcarry solves this problem with a soft grip and ability to hold over 50 lb. worth of bags.
Pioneer Blu-ray Burner
The BDR-101A, the first Blu-ray burner on the market, is available now for $999. The blank discs cost a fortune, and there aren't any players to play back video you might burn on these, but it's a heckuva storage medium.
Thumb Thumbdrive
A thumbdrive that looks like a thumb! Holds up to 128MB of information and will probably freak out the secretary if you leave it sitting around.
Apple 13-Inch MacBook
Apple's newest MacBook has an Intel Core Duo processor, 13-inch screen, and it's available in your choice of black or white. A nice-looking laptop, and you can run Windows on it, too. Best of all? Prices start at just $1100.
Addacabana
The addacabana is a partial enclosure that attaches to your van or SUV to give you privacy. Great for the surf crowd at the beach, it uses magnets so no poles or stakes are required.
Samsung 16GB Flash Drive
Solid-state hard drives are just about here. Samsung will soon be selling a 16GB solid-state drive for $2000. I don't like that price, but who can resist the idea of a cool, quiet solid-state hard drive replacing that spinning disk?
"Week after week, Stephen and Charlie boil down the morass of tech info into solid gold nuggets of information, with a dash of opinion thrown in. Nothing sterile here, they have timely hard-hitting news each week. "
"With all the information out there, it can sometimes be overwhelming to filter the signal from the noise. These guys send the signal loud and clear! Great podcast!"
"You can tell by listening to them they know their stuff and they're not fooled by hype. They calls 'em as they sees 'em. These two have reached escape coolosity!"
"Stephen Schleicher is very knowledgable about his technology and I can only assume he would surround himself with like company. Which is why I think Stephen and Charlie definitely know what they are talking about in the venue of tech tips and reviews. They rock my face off!"
"Title and Registration" by Death Cab for Cutie
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