Tired of long, boring meetings? Bring TIM!

This is a very different kind of clock. You bring it to meetings, not to watch the time, but to watch how much that time costs a company! TIM stands for Time is Money. Brutally long business meetings are not only boring, but they’re expensive. The Bring TIM! Clock can give you the power to break the cycle. It prominently displays the total cost of everyone's time that ticks by. When people understand the cost, the discussion becomes brief, topical, and productive. To use Bring TIM you take the best guess (unless you know exactly) how much each person makes per hour. You enter that into the clock. It can be set in $5 increments from $5 to $995. Next you enter the number of people in the meeting, any number from 1 to 99 people. Then as the meeting goes on you can see the total cost of having all those people discussing things. It’s probably a lot higher than anyone would have guessed! The inventor, Brad Johnson says: “The inspiration in developing Bring TIM! came from working at a company that regularly held 4 hour weekly staff meetings. (Yes - that’s right - 4 hour staff meetings!!!) At the end of each meeting, I walked away wondering what did that accomplish? It became my personal quest to make sure no one endures that type of torture in the workplace! The Bring TIM! office clock is designed to keep your business meetings on track. Everyone will appreciate that this lighthearted device might actually keep your meetings more focused, effective, and shorter in duration. So the next time you want a shorter, more effective business meeting...Bring TIM! - The ultimate Office Clock & Meeting Cost Calculator!”  $24.99  

www.bringTIM.com 

Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1086

What's the most feared computer gadgets among non-techie people?

If you answered “the router”, you are correct. Belkin did some research and found folks often keep old routers because they’re afraid they won’t be able to set up a new one. Well help is here. Belkin made a giant step forward in removing the fear of setting up a new or replacement router with their four new wireless N models. Not only are they designed for easy set up, they have a built in self-healing app that automatically detects and resolves network problems. It even runs routine maintenance scans to give you the clearest wireless channel.  Each cable in the box is labeled and the routers are shipped with network names & passwords. Don’t worry – that info is printed on a tag stuck to the side of the router and there a place to hide under the router if you wish. You can change them when & if you want. Instead of a maze of blinking lights, there’s just one. And if it doesn’t glow green when it’s supposed to, there’s a 24-hour toll free number to help you find out what’s wrong. I use Verizon DSL and they’re known for not making things easy. I had one of the very first of the new routers and I did have to upgrade the software. After I did that, it set up my Verizon modem/router easily. These Share, Play, and Play Max Routers have a Print Genie app that lets you wirelessly print from any computer on the network in your home. Memory Safe automatically backs up your photos and files to an external hard drive (sold separately).  With their Advanced Dual-Band N technology (well they have to call it something catchy) you can use Mover to play your music library on smart devices, like the Xbox or PS3. Another app, the Daily DJ serves up daily-personalized playlists to match your mood. The top model in the line is the Play Max Wireless Router and it retails for under $130. (MSRP) You pick the router you need based on what you want to do with it.  Belkin has models that start at under $50. All of them have pre-configured wireless security which removes another scary part of set-up. MAC and PC compatible. You can check out all the features of the four new routers at the company website. 

http://www.belkin.com/networking/ 

Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1088

A tangle-free way to charge three gizmos at one time.

This is a new way to charge three gizmos at the same time. The IDAPT I3 charging station works for just about all your portable devices and eliminates the pain of finding and switching around AC adapters. This neatly organized power dock charges up to three of your devices simultaneously.  What’s nice about it is that there are no messy wires dangling everywhere. The only cable you'll see is the one running from the IDAPT platform to your wall outlet and that’s at the back of the unit. The charging station comes with a variety of interchangeable tips — you plug in the three that you use most often. To release & change any of the interchangeable tips is easy. Just push down to the two silver tabs at the base and it pops out. I have my IDAPT I3 set up for charging my cell phone, my MP3 player and my mini camcorder. The included tips cover a wide range of smartphones, mobile phones, GPS units, point-and shoot cameras, and more. Additional tips are available separately, including one that can charge rechargeable AA batteries. I recommend using a bit of care when plugging and unplugging your device since your gizmo will be suspended over the IDAPT via the charging port. It’s not a big worry, just something to be careful of. I had no problems charging my devices. If you go to the company’s website you can see a list of the tips the unit ships with and the optional tips that are available. There is also a two device charging IDAPT, but who has only two devices to charge? UPDATE:  I just spoke to Matt Shumate at IDAPT’s PR agency and got the lowdown on the rechargeable battery tip. Here it is:

IDAPT i3 does not have a rechargeable battery tip as one of the 6 tips in the pre-packaged order.  If you customize the IDAPT online to include 4 tips for the same price as getting 6 of the most popular tips you can choose to get a battery tip.  Battery tips are available for sale as are all other extra tips at

www.idaptweb.com  and amazon: direct link: http://tinyurl.com/29h7pso

To my mind the way to go would be to order the exact four tips you want instead getting the six that are prepackaged. But you can decide for yourself after checking out both websites above and comparing prices. The 2 device IDAPT I2 is under $40, and the three device version IDAPT I3 is under $50. There are available in black, silver and red.

Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1089

A smaller, more useful laptop charger.

The Targus Premium Laptop Charger is a nifty laptop charger about  half the size and weight of the typical AD/DC charger. Right now it’s the smallest adapter on the market, so it’s ideal for travel. But wait, there’s more! It can charge two devices at one time! The kit includes 9 laptop tips, one mini-USB tip for cell phones, cameras or other compatible devices and one iPod/iPhone tip. You can easily power or charge a laptop and one additional item such as a Blackberry or iPod at the same time. So you have less wires to carry, the charger plugs directly into the wall and the AC prongs rotate 180 degrees, allowing the user to plug the charger into a power strip without blocking other outlets. The prongs also lie flat for added portability. To charge or power multiple devices in the car, the charger includes a portable auto adapter. Many airline seats are equipped to use that same adapter. The thin, lightweight cord packs quickly and easily and includes an elastic band for cable management. The integrated tip storage clips onto the power cord so tips stay with the charger and are readily available when needed. The Premium Laptop Charger also comes with the Tips From Targus Program which supplies users with a free tip for your 2nd laptop and/or cell phone. $149.99

 http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.aspx?sku=APM69US 

 It’s $132.07 here on Amazon. I have not purchased anything here:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002UAUZQW/ref=nosim/6553231-1-20

 Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1062

A "cup of coffee" that packs real power!

Sure, it looks just like a big cup of coffee, but it’s actually the Coffee Cup Power Inverter. This handy little gadget coverts your car's DC power into two 120-volt AC outlets. Perfect for powering or charging TV's, DVD players, game consoles, cell phones, and other portable electronics. But don’t go nuts, it rated for up to 200 watts AC. But wait, there’s more!! This coffee cup also has a USB charging port providing 500mA of power. Charge any of your small portable devices – iPods, cell phone, etc. that charges via a standard USB cable. You supply the cable for your device, but it plugs into the USB port right on the Coffee Cup Power Inverter. The unique coffee cup shape fits nicely in today's auto/boat/truck cup holders, preventing it from moving around inside your vehicle. A slide switch on the side of the plug lets you adjust it plug so it fits tight in your 12-volt lighter port.  If the fit is too loose, slide the switch forward. When you first plug the unit in, a red LED will come on. In a few seconds, if everything is okay, it will turn green. There’s a fan inside to help cool the inverter, but I’m not sure how well it will work when the coffee cup design means it’s going to be in a more or less enclosed space. Maybe that’s why the little gizmo has low voltage; high voltage and output overload alarms and automatic shutdowns. Under $30 at our friends from Think Geek.

http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/travelpower/b29e/ 

Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1066