The Logitech VX Nano. Yes, again!

TTTT, June 9^th, 2009, Netcast 847

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009 and March 11^th, 2008, Daily Giz Wiz 523: Logitech VX Nano Mouse.  (Yes, the first time in more than 800 shows we each did the same gadget! It was 15 months apart though. That's 12 years in gadget years.)

 When Leo started talking about the Logitech VX Nano Wireless Laser Mouse I was totally familiar with it because I have one. It wasn’t until I started typing the notes for this entry in the Daily Giz Wiz Journal that I thought, “Wait a minute, didn’t I already do this gizmo myself on the Daily Giz Wiz?” A quick search at my old website showed I did it. Here's that report with some new comments from Leo. This gizmo is a travel mouse that about 60% the size of your typical desk mouse. The Logitech wireless VX Nano mouse gives you a nice, comfy, contoured, rubber grip body. Just plug the tiny (said to be the world’s smallest – 15 months ago, anyway) receiver into your USB port, and forget about it. It’s small enough to stay plugged in, even when you put your laptop into most cases! If you want to take the receiver out of the laptop, it stores right in the bottom of the mouse. Something I did learn from Leo is that when you put the receiver in its holder inside the mouse, it shuts off the VX’s power. Nice! Then the mouse fits into its own travel case, which ships with the unit. With 6 buttons and tilt wheel, the laser VX Nano offers you smooth cursor control on nearly any surface. For long web pages you can “unlock” the scroll wheel for high-speed, low friction scrolling. You can fly through your documents, moving side-to-side or up and down. Suggest retail is $99.

Company's website: www.logitech.com

Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw523 Dick De’s Netcast

Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw847 Leo’s Turn The Table Tuesday Netcast

CMS Products says they’ve invented the Digital Spare Tire!

Monday, June 8^th, 2009, Netcast 846

If you’re computer crashes and you don’t have a back up you can’t blame Leo or me. We’ve talked about all kinds of backup solutions. Here’s a brand new one from CMS Products. BounceBack Ultimate disaster recovery and backup software enables you to create an exact copy of the entire contents of your Windows PC hard drive. And when they say complete, they mean it includes the partitioning, formatting, operating system, data files, applications, pictures, music, video and personal settings. Think of this as a “Digital Spare Tire” for your PC! Using BounceBack Ultimate’s patent-pending “Instant PC Recovery” you can start-up your PC directly from your external USB hard drive in the event of an operating system malfunction, or even a mechanically failed hard drive. To prove it, Monica Golden, who works for CMS Products, stopped by my office with a laptop and an external drive loaded with BounceBack Ultimate. I played on the laptop for a few minutes so I could see that it was a normal computer with all the regular programs. Then Monica removed the laptop’s hard drive and plugged the external hard drive with their BB software into a USB port. The computer booted from the external hard drive after she click on “One-Button Recovery” and all the programs I saw earlier where available again. There’s an automatic backup with built-in scheduling. Pricing of this product depends on the drive capacity. For instance a 500GB lists at $200, which includes the full version of BounceBack Ultimate software. You can also buy the program as a stand alone for under $100, or upgrade earlier versions of BounceBack for a lower fee.

www.cmsproducts.com

Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw846

It’s Friday, time for another trip back to Dick’s Gadget Warehouse!

Friday, June 5th, 2009

When you think of a company makes irons there's GE, there's Sunbeam, there's Proctor Silex. A company that makes hair dryers? There’s Conair, Revlon, etc. And a company that makes a combo, iron-hairdryer? Then I can only think of one, Goodway! They marketed the 2 in 1 Combo - Hair Dryer & Iron back in 1990. This product has been sitting in Dick's Gadget Warehouse for about 20 years. It's a good idea. It's designed for travel, so it's small, but it's also powerful. The 1,000 watt hair dryer has only one speed and one heat setting, but on a trip in a hotel room, that's better than nothing! But remember this is a 2 in 1 combo! The hair dryer locks into the base to become an iron! And it features even less control than the hair dryer. One heat setting, and an on and off switch. But both devices work pretty well. You certainly wouldn't want to iron sheets with this, but for touch-ups on a trip, it's perfect. And the hair puts out a lot of heat at a very rapid rate. It dried my 'stache is under a minute! Unfortunately, it's no longer made, but Goodway is still very much in business. Now they make a combo iron-steamer!

http://www.productpilot.com/en/suppliers/goodway-electrical-company-limited/electronics/home-appliances/laundry/irons/

Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw845

Where is that *&^%&^ remote control?!!

Thursday, June 4th, 2009, Netcast 844

You’ve probably said something like that more than once when the TV remote you were just using, vanishes! Here’s a perfect solution. Remote Buddy holds four remote controls and has a place for your drink. But this device has a nice twist. If you misplace one of the four remotes push the color button from the empty pocket and your remote beeps so you can find it quickly. Just stick the color-coded receiver to the back of the remote and Remote Buddy keeps track of it up to about 30 feet. It ships with a drink holder that can be clipped to the right or the left side of the Remote Battery. It also includes 5 batteries; one for the main console and one for each of the remotes. Under $60

 www.stuckontools.com

 I don't how how long the sale will last, but First Street has the Remote Buddy on sale for $39.95. The link is: http://www.firststreetonline.com/Home+Solutions/Cleaning+Organizing/Remote+Buddy.axd?cid=477

Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw844

Not just another LED Flashlight. It’s the 17 LED flashlight!

Wednesday, June 3^rd, 2009, Netcast 843

It’s the Stealth LED flashlight. The main part of the Stealth flashlight produces a beam of bright light with its 6 LED headlight. There’s also a red LED light which is designed to be used as a signal for emergencies. (It’s a steady red LED light; I wish it had the option of making it steady or blinking.) The base of the flashlight is magnetic which allows you to place it against metal areas of car to hold it in unique positions. The best feature is the 10 LED side light bar which turns on when you pop it open. (It automatically goes off again when you close the bar back into the side of the flashlight.) It’s bright enough to be used as a temporary desk lamp or to light a work area. You could use the magnetic base to stick the Stealth flashlight to the side of your car while changing a flat or working under the hood. That’s assuming you’re not wearing your Panther Vision Cap! Under $30.

http://yhst-55459441411814.stores.yahoo.net/stledfl.html

I found it on QVC for under $20. http://www.qvc.com/qsearch/search.aspx

Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw843