Category Archives: Electronics

mylo personal communicator: “My Life Online”

Electronics, Gadgets

Mylo1
Do you have a tween or teen that is always on her cell phone, not only talking but texting and surfing the Web which skyrockets your cell carrier bill?  mylo is for you then.  mylo will connect to the Web from any Wi-Fi location such as a coffee shop or even your Wi-Fi enabled home and does not require a cell carrier contract. 

Complete with a 3.5 screen and a 1.3 megapixel camera, users will have a great time surfing the Web, texting, listening to music, and taking pictures!  Does it get better than that?  Did I mention that you don’t have to pay a monthly fee to access the Internet from mylo?  Maybe I did.

Continue reading mylo personal communicator: “My Life Online” →

Logitech Harmony One universal remote control

Electronics, Gadgets

LogitechharmonyremoteI love gadgets!  When Tim and I go to ‘the electronic store’ he looks at movies and televisions while I drool over the latest gadgets. When I received the Logitech Harmony universal remote control for review I think my mouth was wide open for at least a minute.  It’s sleek design, shiny gadgetiness, and knowing that it could replace up to 15 remotes in my home flattered me to no end.   So maybe we don’t have 15 remotes.. at least I don’t think we do, but the thought of consolidating 4 or 5 remotes into one is a dream come true. No more searching for remote control’s!

Set up is a cinch.  You don’t have to be an expert to set up the Logitech Harmony One universal remote control.  My husband could have even set it up if I wanted him to.  🙂 .  The Logitech Harmony One is programmable via the web and is Windows and Macintosh compatible.   The One’s backlit keys, color LCD, and varrying button sizes make for easy recognition and operation in the dark.. you know, those times when you are up with the baby at 2am. The Harmony One has less buttons than previous versions which makes it less intimidating and helps streamline operation of the remote.

The Logitech Harmony One controls TVs, DVD players, VCRs, game consoles, home media center PCs,  and even air conditioning units.  This remote can control just about anything that uses an infrared transmitting remote control.

The Logitech Harmony One may be a bit pricey but is a device that you will use for years and I doubt it will be outdated any time soon.

Check current prices at Amazon.com or click over to the Logitech website to learn more about the Harmony One

20Q the little round gadget that knows what you’re thinking

Age 7-10, Ages 10-13, Electronics, Fun stuff for parents, Gadgets, Games, Toys, Travel

20Q has been around for years and is now available in a smaller, smarter, pastel version.   20Q is an "artificial intelligence" game that tries to guess what you are thinking about by asking questions such as "is it alive", "does it make you feel good", and "is it hard". 
Much to my amazement, 20Q figured out what we were thinking 8 times out of 10.    How does it work, you ask?   By process of elimination.

I thought of an elephant, a balloon, and a piece of grass.  20Q guessed the elephant and balloon between the 15-20th guess but the closest 20Q got to guessing a piece of grass was guessing that I was thinking of a leaf.  That is still pretty good.  I was impressed. 

If 20Q doesn’t guess what you are thinking about (read your mind) by the 20th question, you win!
When 20Q asks the player a question, the player responds by pressing one of four buttons.  Yes, no, sometimes, or don’t know.  Based on your response 20Q asks the player another question.

20Q is a great game to take on vacation as it doesn’t blast annoying beeps and boings, nor does it take up much room being about the size of a child’s palm.  Recommended for ages 8 and up, 20Q is now available in spring colors.

Icon_website2   Learn more about 20Q or buy here

iRobot Scooba

Cleaning & Cleaners, Electronics, Gadgets

IrobotscoobaThe iRobot Scooba is a superb addition to any home with linoleum, tile or hardwood floors. The Scooba preps, washes, scrubs and squeegees your floor so you don’t have to! The Scooba can be turned on as you are leaving the house so you come home to clean floors. It can be u
sed with a special solution made by Clorox and available at most grocery stores or you can simply use water and vinegar or just water. We tested the iRobot Scooba on hardwood floors and used the Virtual Walls in our doorways to see how they worked. The iRobot Scooba has built in sensors that prevent it from going off of ledges and stairs so the Virtual Walls are mainly for occasions when you want the Scooba to clean one room instead of all attached rooms. Simply place a Virtual Wall device on the floor and the iRobot Scooba will not go past it.

On average, the Scooba covers each area of the floor 5 times. It’s fun to watch but you might get dizzy if you watch too long! The Scooba’s sensors help it navigate the room and avoid carpeted areas and area rugs. The Scooba washes the floor with clean solution and deposits the dirty water into a dirty water tank automatically, so it does not recycle the dirty water. Corners, under cabinets, and tables are no match for the Scooba. It cleans these areas just as well as the rest of the floor.

Be warned, using and watching the Scooba can be addictive and you may forget how to use a mop.

Icon_website2Watch demonstration videos and learn more about the iRobot Scooba here.

Check prices and/or buy at Amazon.com

Pedometer

Electronics, Gadgets, Safety

Oregonpedometer I have become increasingly aware that my body is probably not going to go back to the size 4 I was 10 years ago.  I am however, a relatively happy size 8 and that is down from a size 12 that I was  almost 2 years ago when I had Madelyn.  I lost the first 20 pounds (I gained about 35) within the first year without much exercise but when the weight loss slowed down I didn’t know what
to do.   

A lot of health magazines that say that walking can do the trick so I decided I would try that route before joining a gym.  I needed a way to track the distance I walked and found this pedometer to be a practical, easy to use solution.

Oregon Scientific offers several pedometers for both walkers and for those on a more rigorous marathon type routine who may need a pulse meeter to make sure their heart rate is at the correct level.

The pedometer that I favor is a simple one with a panic alarm. I am a bit paranoid. I don’t like walking by myself but sometimes I have to and knowing that I have a panic alarm helps me to relax and enjoy my walk.

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Pedometer with panic alarm – Oregon Scientific