Pair up to 3 Bluetooth phones to your landline phone.

The Gigaset One lets you pair up to 3 different Bluetooth cell phones. Then plug a telephone line from the Gigaset into your home phone jack. You can now make and get cell phone calls from any phone in your home – wired or cordless. You still get regular phone calls too provided you still have landline service. So you know whose cell phone is ringing, there are three different ring patterns. It also works if you don’t have landline phone service anymore. You can still use the phones in your home connected to the old landline wiring to answer and make your cell phone calls. With this system you can leave the cell phone in an area where the reception is best. But it should within ten feet of the Gigaset One unit, which requires AC power. All the details on how the system works are at the company’s website. The Gigaset has been rolling out across the country and is now available everywhere. If you do a web search you should be able to find a lower price than the $99!

www.gigasetone.com

 Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1018

Carry 3 million Wikipedia articles in your pocket!

The WikiReader is the portable version of Wikipedia. You don't need a computer, smart phone, WiFi, or anything electronic to use it. Pocket sized at about 4” x 4" the WikiReader has just 3 buttons, and an on/off switch. The interface is pretty basic and the instructions are even more basic. Turn it on, type what you’re searching for on the virtual keyboard and you’re on your way. After playing with the Random button for a few minutes information about a parental lock that isn't mentioned in the manual came up. Maybe that's supposed to be part of fun. Your searches are saved in “history”. If you press the "History" button twice you have the option to save or to erase your browsing history. That's not mentioned in the instructions either. The device has a removable 4 GB MicroSD card which I discovered when I checking if the WikiReader could be updated. The instructions do tell you that the "Search" button serves two functions. One push brings up the virtual keyboard and the second push hides the keyboard and returns you to the previous screen. The virtual keyboard is a bit tiny and I miss having the key you hit enlarge for a split second as confirmation that you hit the proper one. And from time to time touch detection gets stubborn and you have to hit a key or a link within an entry a few times before it goes to where you want it. Reading on the monochrome screen isn't bad and you get to pick different contrasts and type sizes when you first start typing. Also the WikiReader shows only text, no pictures or photos. It’s not backlit so you to be in a lighted place in order to read the screen. Two AAA batteries that are included power it. The company says you can expect about 90 hours of battery life, which is probably several months or more depending on how often you use the device. Automatic shutoff after several minutes of inactivity helps extend battery life. The WikiReader can be updated for free via the WikiReader site by taking out the MicroSD card from the battery slot and connecting it to your computer. I believe the site said that it can take many hours for the updated 3 million entries to be downloaded! Or you can pay $29 (+shipping) to have a new 8 GB MicroSD card with updated content sent to you twice a year. That’s an easier way and it’s not a bad price since it includes two 8 GB SD cards. Price is $99.

www.thewikireader.com

 Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1019

A way to make new paint job smell good!

It was at the National Hardware Show 2003 that I learned about a new way to overcome the sometimes sickening smell of fresh paint. It was devised by four guys from Thomasville, Ga. They came up with a paint additive they called Paint Pourri. It’s a liquid that comes in a plastic pouch that you stir into a gallon of paint before you use it. Once mixed in, you paint as you normally do. But the Paint Pourri now acts as an air freshener that can last as long a year. Now this is a surprise; 7 years later and the product is still around! The company that markets it is Scentco. And they call the experience of using Paint Pourri, "A-Room-a-Therapy." A-Room-a-Therapy – I love it! Scentco says this product can be effective in reducing and eliminating pet odors, smoke odors or use it just to refresh a room. And they say you can use it just about anywhere - bathrooms, closets, laundry rooms, basements, garages or any room in your home. What? Not a warehouse? Since the aroma can last up to a year I suggest you pick a scent you like a lot! There are several scents to choose from: Lavender Breeze, Ocean Breeze, Simply Clean, Simply Citrus, Soft Vanilla, Tropical Winds and Wildflower. They are $2.95 per package. You need one 1 ounce package per gallon, but the company says if you want a stronger odor, you can use two!

http://www.scentco.net/paint-pourri.html

Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1020

A new formula for rechargable AA batteries that offer a higher output.

They’re called PowerGenix Nickel-Zinc High Discharge Batteries. And the abbreviation for their composition is NiZn, which I can’t even pronounce. So I’ll call them PowerGenix. This company has developed a high-energy density, high-cycle life and low-cost nickel-zinc (NiZn) battery, ideal for applications that require high discharge rate capabilities. That includes digital cameras, especially when using flash. Their performance advantages include a 30% weight reduction, coupled with higher power. Here’s a bit of tech info on the batteries from the company: Using a patented electrolyte and a patented electrode composition, PowerGenix has eliminated past issues of dendrite formation and shape change of the zinc electrode during cycling. Dendrite formation and shape change of the zinc electrode have been the primary hindrances to a commercially viable rechargeable NiZn high discharge battery. PowerGenix developed this breakthrough technology in a manner that did not compromise the inherently superior performance characteristics of a NiZn battery. Two of the more prominent features of the PowerGenix NiZn high discharge battery are its small size and low internal resistance, which enables the delivery of significantly more power during periods of peak demand than a nickel-cadmium (NiCd) or nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery of comparable size.  I put a voltmeter on a fully charged PowerGenix AA battery and a fully charged NiCad battery. (PowerGenix likes the abbreviation NiCd, I prefer NiCad. Google shows both.) The meter showed higher power (1.6 volts) from the NiZn formula vs. 1.2 from the NiCad rechargeable. They’re also eco-friendly because they’re 100% recyclable and non-toxic. 4 AA PowerGenix batteries with a quick NiZn charger have a suggested retail price of $29.99, but you can find them on Amazon for about $23.

www.powergenix.com

Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1021

The OWLE is from a new company that makes Optical Widgets For Life Enhancement. Their first gadget is this device, which makes shooting video with the iPhone easier and more professional. I saw this device for the first time at the Wired Store, which was set up and open for just six weeks prior to the holidays. The iPhone has a mic that's pointed towards the floor and a not-too-wide angle lens. The OWLE iPhone Video/Rig solves these problems with a mini boom-mic and a wide-angle lens. You mount your iPhone inside the metal and silicone case of the OWLE and you’re ready to shoot enhanced iPhone video & sound. Shots are helped too with a shoe mount on the top for accessories like lights.  A flash will not work, since there is no way to sync it to the iPhone camera shutter. The device is made from a solid block of milled anodized aluminum. ThinkGeek, which is one of retailers, says it works with the iPhone 3G or 3GS but says that the 3G requires additional app to shoot video and the quality is poor. There are four screw mounts on the corners of the OWLE case so you can mount it to a tripod. It comes standard with 37mm lens threading, as well as a 0.45x Wide angle/macro combination lens, but you can add any other lenses with a 37mm mount. Cost is $129.95.

Company website: www.wantowle.com 

Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1022