It tough! It's Tiny!

The Tuff-‘N’-Tiny USB drive is so small you could hide it under two pennies! And the thickness is about the same as that of a penny. It’s most compact, durable USB flash drives I’ve seen so far. It’s small enough to put in your wallet or change purse without creating much a bump. Verbatim Tuff-N-Tiny USB Drives are significantly more rugged than standard flash drives because they feature SIP technology, which encapsulates all of the electronic components into a single miniaturized and sealed unit. As a result, the tiny drives are resistant to dust, water and static discharges. They include a key ring lanyard which you should attach immediately so you don’t misplace the entire drive! The Tuff-N-Tiny USB drives are available in 4GB (emerald green) and 8GB (royal purple) capacities. For security conscious PC users, the Tuff-’N’-Tiny USB Drives also include password security features to protect sensitive data in a user-defined private zone. The public zone is for open access and sharing of non-sensitive content. Since it’s so tiny, it’s easy to put T-N-T drive in the USB port upside-down. That won’t damage the drive, or the computer. With no room for a light on a drive this tiny, you’ll know it’s installed correctly when the computer recognizes it. Leo said a person could install www.portableapps.com on this device and be able to have a ‘personal PC’ anywhere they plug in their Tuff-N-Tiny USB drive into a PC. When you take it, your apps and files go with you, leaving nothing behind. Works with PC, Mac and Linux. MSRP US price is $29.99 for the 4GB drive and US $49.99 for the 8GB drive. But if you do a web search you can find them for a lot less!

www.verbatim.com

Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw901

World’s First FoldingMouse?

 

The Microsoft Wireless Arc Mouse could be the world’s first folding mouse. It’s certainly the first one I’ve ever seen. It’s cleverly designed and ergonomic. Unfolded it’s just about a full size mouse. When you travel this is way more convenient to use than a laptop or netbook touch pad!  When it’s time to pack, the Arc folds to fit into the included travel bag. Folding it shrinks the overall size by about 40%. But wait, there’s more! When you fold the Arc Mouse, you automatically shut it off. That way you’ll save battery power. (Microsoft says battery power should last about six months. It uses two AAA batteries.) Also the small USB dongle that makes the Arc wireless, stores under the closed portion of the mouse. It’s secured in place with a special magnetized niche. The USB micro trans-receiver dongle is small, but not as small as the ones Logitech uses. I had to remove the dongle before my Acer netbook would fit in its carry bag. The buttons on the Arc mouse are pretty standard — left and right click button with a scroll wheel between them. There’s an additional button on the left side that can be used as a “back button” in Web browsers. But there’s a problem with the placement of this button. You really have to change the potion of your hand to use it. It can’t be pushed with the hand in the normal ‘mousing’ position. The Arc utilizes laser technology so it works well on almost any surface, except the usual things that stop practically any mouse – like glass. I didn’t download the Microsoft’s IntelliPoint software, but if you do, you'll have additional features. My netbook identified and installed the Arc drivers in less than a minute with no software. You can ignore the $59.95 price. If you do a web search you can find it for about $31 to $35. It’s available in many colors. For some reason I found the maroon version (the one I have) on Amazon for under $30. I haven’t shopped at this place, but here’s the link:

http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-ZJA-00002-Arc-Mouse-Red/dp/B001C4ETUU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1251007695&sr=1-2

Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw903

Inventive New Products from the Energizer BunnyCompany.

It’s called The Energi To Go line. Right now it features the Energi To Go Portable Power for Cell Phones, with a different unit for charging iPods. They rely on AA batteries for power to charge devices. But soon the Energi To Go line will be greatly expanded to include rechargeable power packs that use lithium polymer battery technology to power a wide variety of mobile electronic devices including smart and cell phones, iPhone, iPod and MP3 players, GPS units, digital cameras and camcorders, netbooks and laptops. Over 10 new products will be available nationwide within the next month. The one is have is the XP2000 Power Pack. It’s guaranteed to provide any smart phone with a full charge and more. It will give regular cell phones up to 3 full charges! Great for music or game players too! The Power Capacity is: 2000 mAh @5V. It comes fully charged and ready to go and the charge will hold for a year from the manufacture date. The Recharge Time is 3 Hrs. There’s a Smart LED Power Indicator and it’s Energy Star Certified. Compact Hand Held Size: 3.3 (L) x 2.3 (W) x 0.5 (H) Inches. MSRP for XP2000: $39.99. The package Includes: The main unit, charging cable, travel bag and six cell phone tips. But here are a few great things about this new line of Energi To Go chargers. There’s an online guide to help consumers find the right tip for their use with an iPhone, cell phones, Smart phones, Bluetooth, MP3 players, portable DVD players, DS & Gaming systems, digital cameras, digital camcorders, GPS systems, PDAs, netbooks, laptops or e-books. (Yes, they’ll be units in the line powerful enough to charge laptops!) Can’t fit the proper tip? If Energizer doesn’t offer tips to fit any device, they will have it produced at no additional cost! Tips for Life means your device will be able to charge new products that don’t even exist right now! Owners can get two free tips a year for the life of the Energi To Go product! This ensures that as consumers purchase new devices they will have the right tips to charge them. And this is neat! There is a special chip built into all units so consumers can log onto the Energi To Go website and use an online guide to check the remaining charge life of their product. It all sounds good to me!

http://www.xpalpower.com/us/ This page describes the new line.

http://www.xpalpower.com/us/products/xp2000/ This page is about the XP2000.

Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw879

Hear your favorite MP3 player tunes in the shower –safely.

So you like to sing in the shower and you like to sing along with the music you have on your iPod or other MP3 player. Taking your music player into the shower is not a good idea because 99% of them should not be exposed to water. A new product solves the problem of hearing your MP3 music in the shower. The SPI Wireless Shower Speakers with Anti-Fog Mirror, FM Radio and LCA Clock (Analog) has a very long name. And it also has some clever features. It lets you enjoy your favorite music from your MP3 player, iPod, or any personal audio device in the shower from up to 30 feet away. It uses an FM transmitter system to broadcast your favorite tunes into the shower speaker from a nice dry spot. The two stereo speakers are small, but they provide decent sound for their size. Hey it’s the shower, not your living room. The splash-proof shower receiver includes FM radio, an LCA (Analog) clock, and a fog-free mirror, perfect for grooming while your grooving. It has a variety of mounting options: suction cups, built-in vanity stand and built-in brackets. You get the main unit and the wireless transmitter with a cable that plugs into your MP3 player’s headphone jack. Between the two wireless units you’ll need 7 AAA batteries, which are not included. I did play with this unit, but not long enough to judge battery life. “List price is $39.95, but it’s widely available for $29.95. This is a reasonable price in my estimation for the features included.

Company website: http://www.spiinc-tx.com/

Bed Bath & Beyond: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=16272582&RN=182

Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw878

It's like a "third hand" help you when you transfer liquids with a funnel.

If you ever had to use a funnel to transfer liquids you know it can be tricky. Sometimes just the liquid hitting the funnel can make it fall to one side or the other causing a spill. On a boat it’s even trickier as wakes and waves rock the boat as you try to pour liquids. A new product called UniFunnel makes it easy to transfer fluids without slipping or spilling. It’s the Uni-Funnel, a hands-free funnel holder designed to hold any standard-size funnel firmly in place. Here’s how it works. Squeeze the Uni-Funnel handle and place it in the container or tank into which you’re going to pour a liquid. When you let go of the handle, a spring opens the Uni-Funnel to hold it securely in place. Now you place your funnel in the holder and start pouring the liquid. It’s secure enough that you can even leave smaller contains in the funnel so they drain completely. I use it to put outboard oil in the below deck tank. It’s perfect for boaters, mechanics, and do-it-yourselfers. Since it can be used to transfer any fluid—including oil, gasoline, coolant and industrial chemicals—the hands-free Uni-Funnel Holder is an very handy tool. It’s made of reinforced glass-filled Polyamide 66—a highly durable composite material frequently used in engine parts, so the Uni-Funnel Holder is virtually unbreakable. It’s bright yellow color makes it hard to lose or leave inside an engine. Another important safety feature is the ability for air to vent, which eliminates the risk of blow back. Users can also more easily monitor the rising fluid level inside the container or tank. Another advantage: With both hands free, people will be able to use two hands to pour bigger or larger, economy-size containers. $12.95 + $2.50 shipping.

www.unifunnel.com

Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw876