The Geek Church

First of all, I’d like to start with a new product known as RoboForm 2Go. You can read about it here, or a more detailed report here. You might also see my webcam review here.

Here is an interesting HTPC Remote with Wireless Keyboard.

Here’s an interesting product: the VholdR Contour 1080p. It is a durable camera that you can wear on your head. Not bad.

Have you ever seen the Chumby. It’s such a cute Wi-Fi gadget, and it now has a sequel, the Chumby One. Yes, Chumby One is actually the second in the Chumby series.

Here’s a product that has finally been released, the Fitbit. It can measure your fitness activity by a attaching it to your clothes, and then attaching it to a wireless base station.

Sony has an interesting digital picture frame that has a built in printer. Say hello to the Sony DPP-F700.

Dell has a very interesting product with the Dell Latitude Z. It features wireless charging, as well as wireless docking. It also features an interesting power switch.

I still remember when Atari came out with the 2600, which included the Combat cartridge. Very few people played Combat afterwards, because it required two people for playing.

I believe Atari launched their gaming console as something that would bring families closer together, like a family game night or something. Of course, Atari had lots of other cartridges out afterward that were made for one player only, and video games slowly became a solitary device.

Then Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony came out with their consoles over the years, and they all came with their versions of solitary games. This led to a lot controversy about how video games leads people to want to play solo, and thus encourages violent behavior, and all of that.

Then along came RockBand and Guitar Hero: World Tour, and they had something that most video games don’t have: togetherness. I’m sure you have seen the games with their plastic instruments of guitar, drums, and microphone. If you haven’t, all I can say is: “where have you been”.

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Have you ever had problems with your tech? That’s why help lines and tech support was invented.

Unfortunately, everyone has had a bad experience with tech support. Most of it involves talking with someone who speaks in an accent that we can barely understand. Not to mention having to explain our problem to several different people.

I’m sure most of you know that I write my blog to the Christian crowd, but I believe that the idea of being patient can apply to anyone.

I’ve written an article about How to Talk to Tech Support, and you can read this five-step how to article here.

Today, I have a hot glue gun that doubles as something that sprays spiderwebs. I suppose someone wanted to get in on Halloween decorating early with the Electronic Webcaster Gun.

I had a chance to try out Adesso’s AKB-210 Flexible Keyboard. I wish I had something better to say about it.

I also had a chance to check out the Lexmark Interact S605. There’s a video of it at the link.

For those of you who want to see Transformers made real, you should check out the video found here. Someone has actually made one the transforms, can carry its owner, and beat up other robots. And it’s way better than Revenge of the Fallen.

There is a USB Keyboard Key Card Reader in the shape of Ctrl and Enter keys. Why would someone do it, who knows? At least it’s cheap.

JVC has got a new video camera that looks quite nice. It’s the Picsio GC-FM1, and it will hit Japan by October.

I hope that a lot of my readers are video game fanatics, and have at least heard of the Dead Space video game. The game may not have been the next Doom, but it apparently deserved a sequel: Dead Space Extraction.

Actually, this one’s a prequel. While the first Dead Space was made for the PS3, this one is exclusively for the Wii. It takes advantage of the Wii’s motion-controller so you can shoot a lot of violent aliens in this violent M-rated game.

Yes, I’ve spoken about violent video games before, and this would be one of them. I still haven’t changed my mind about them, and if you would like more information, go ahead and click here.

One of the sources that I view daily has stated that they have seen what looks to be HP’s Winter 2009/2010 catalog, and it reveals the specs for the Pavilion dv3 with TouchSmart. I suppose this picture says a thousand words, and this particular one has specs on it, so it probably states volumes.

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For those who are completely into Twitter, then you might appreciate the Lighthouse SQ7. This 7-inch (800 x 480) tablet runs on Ubuntu and has 1 GB worth of memory to browse sites like Facebook, Twitter, and any other website.

What really makes this product unique is that the reader can enter in their tweets vocally. I’ve seen a video of it that shows someone “making a video”, and the SQ7 did a pretty good job inputting their tweet word for word.

The Lighthouse SQ7 MID (Mobile Internet Tablet) will be available come November for $250.

Wacom, makers of some cool touchpads has made several models with multiouch capacity.

Once again, the words “world’s smallest” has come up, this time with TRENDnet’s world’s smallest Wireless N USB adapter.

For those of you might be looking for a new Bluetooth headset should be looking at the i.VoicePRO 901.

Samsung has been making a cell phone with a very advanced camera with the SCH-W880.

Panasonic is planning on putting out a 50-inch 1080p Plasma screen that is Blu-Ray compatible. It is also 3-D compatible.

Here is a terrific new product, the Adesso 19-Key USB Numeric Keypad and Optical Mouse.

Like Lego? So do I? Here’s two new products that use Mini figures.

Here’s something interesting: a robot that obeys the master’s thoughts.

I’m sure all of you have at least heard of sonic weapons, and they are not something from science fiction.

No, this is technology that we have today. The Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) can emit a warning tone higher than the normal human threshold of pain and is capable of permanently damaging hearing.

The LRAD was used against American civilians for the first time in Pittsburgh, during G20 protests. As a result, twenty people were arrested, and no serious injuries were reproted.

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When I heard that Dallas Cowboy’s stadium had a high-definition video display that was 72 feet high and 160 feet wide, I figured: “That has to be some kind of record”.

It has now been officially recognized by Guinness as the World’s Largest High-Definition Video Display award.

For those who don’t know, this video display has two 72 x 160 foot displays sandwhiched by 29 x 51 screens, forming a giant box of a display.

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I believe that TomTom is second in the GPS device industry (Garmin being the first), and TomTom’s car kit for the iPhone has been long-awaited.

This product will be released sometime in October, and the price is official at $119.95. Check out the video of it after the jump if you want to see it for yourself.

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It would appear that the Wiimote will no longer have the monopoly on motion-control, as Sony has formally announced that they will have a Motion Controller for the PS3.

This Motion Controller will use motion sensors, and will required the Playstation Eye camera in order to make it work. The camera can recognize and track the player’s face, as well as their voice and body motion. It also has motion sensors, three axes gyroscope and three axes accelerometer to tell the Motion controller’s current angle. As you see from the picture, it resembles the Wiimote, save for the sphere on top. Apparently, the ball on top glow in various colors depending on where the user is in the room, and there even rumors of a rumble feature.

So far, there hasn’t been any word on what video games that it will work with. Perhaps Sony will have to set up a whole new line of WiiSports-ish games that are designed to work with this lollipop-shaped controller.

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Every once in a while, there will be some sort of big rumor in the tech industry that is just waiting to be squelched. In this case, it is the one that says that Verizon won’t be carrying the Palm Pre.

That’s enough to make that weird Palm Pre lady from those ads go “say what”? The rumor started at The Street, but it has apparently been reported to be “in error”. A report at Gizmodo stated that Palm requires a Verizon launch, and not just Sprint and AT&T.

Well, I suppose that ends that rumor for now. Until then, I’ve heard that the iPhone would be coming to Verizon. I heard somewhere that this could happen in around 2011, after AT&T and Apple end their exclusive contract.

Sorry, no new video footage for today. However, there are a few new things worthy of note.

First of all, a concept device that allows you to grow your own meat. Not science fiction, but someone’s entry in an Electrolux design contest. Click here to see the Cocoon.

Epson has a new postcard printing printer known as the Address Expert.

Here is another thing that needs some help being real. A StressWatch.

I thought I would do the Tech News For the Day in video format. It might become a habit.

We’ll start with the DynaFlex Powerball.

Here’s that old school joystick that I was talking about, the Joytron Singibigi.

That one-wheeled, omnidirectional Segway is the Honda U3-X.

The Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 6000 is one of the thinnest by the software giant. Here is a link to the Microsoft Courier Tablet.

IREX’s new e-reader, the DR800SG, should make quite a splash in the e-reader market.

This is Intel’s new four-screened laptop, otherwise known as Tangent Bay.

First of all, I reviewed some great tech from Able Planet. Check out the Sound Clarity Infrared Wireless Headphones. Got a video review of it, too. You know you like those!

Remember that Rubik’s Cube puzzle? That was pretty tough. However, it was nothing compared to Brando’s Twelve-sided IQ Pentagon Puzzle.

Griffin has just released the very first iPhone controlled hardware with the iTrip.

If you are a parent that wants to put a GPS tracker on your kid, may I suggest that the Lok8u Num8.

I’ve been hearing a lot of stuff about the AT&T 3G Microcell. Here’s some more about it.

Asus is not only putting out those awesome Eee books, but it would appear they are doing their own version of the reader. Putting the Kindle in its place, this guy could have two full-color touchscreens. That second display could be used as a virtual keyboard for web browsing, which could easily make it another netbook. Not only does it have all this, but it could be sold at a very low price of $160.

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So what are we looking at in this picture? This is Harry Potter after the Epilogue of the last book. As you can see, Harry has found a steady job and has long since given up a life of adventure so he can afford to send his kids to Hogwarts. His couch potato boring life makes him long for Voldemort to be resurrected yet again.

Just kidding. This is the Kymera wand, which allows the user to wave up and down to change the channels. A clockwise or counter-clockwise motion changes the volume. It is available for pre-order at this site in October for about $84.

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Today, I have some interesting gaming news. These have nothing to do with the Wii, which I’ve been overdosing a bit these days. These are games that have to be played standing up at a table, and look like a lot of fun.

For example, the MaruBot Football League, which allows the players to work a robot with a joystick in order to play soccer. It’s big in Korea, and I’d like to play it here in the United States.

Not enough tabletop gaming action for you? In that case, you should try Space Foosball. Think of it as a video game version of Foosball. Yes, I am serious, so check it out.

Those who love coffee might get into the Coffee Pad Machine WMF1. It makes only one cup, but it is quite compact and portable.

Pentax has some new point and shoots with the Optio M85 and the E85.

Sony Ericsson promised something very extraordinary last week. I don’t know if the Sony Ericsson MH907 lives up to it, but it has quite an interesting feature.

Clearly, Amazon is trying to be more than the world’s biggest bookstore as they have unveiled AmazonBasics, their own line of computer and A/V cables. Is there nothing that they don’t do?

Every once in a while, some company comes out with a product that we really should have had a long time ago. Case in point, this new laptop board from Logitech.

I have used laptop boards before, and I enjoy that they take the heat off my (ahem). However, I like using my mouse, but using it with my mouse doesn’t really work. If only someone made some retractable mouse pad for my laptop board, and that is just what Logitech did.

Thank you, Logitech, for giving us a feature that we not only want, but we desperately need.

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I don’t have an iPhone, but I have used one in the past. I never liked how the touchscreen keyboard has no haptic feedback, and so I don’t “feel” if I’ve hit the right key. This is why I like the Blackberry Storm.

For those of you who are fans of BlackBerry’s keyboard might like the iTwinge. Simply put, it is a handy slide-on keyboard for your iPhone so you can “feel” the keys. The company states that it can improve typing speed by 30 to 40 percent, and reduce errors by 70 to 80 percent. Not bad, but it costs about $30.

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The USB Windows Icebox is a device that looks like a flash drive, but it can do a lot more. It has a unique ability to plug into your computer, and it will immediately “freeze” any changes on the hard disk. So another user can jump on to your laptop or PC, but after you turn it off, your computer will return to the state it was in before you stuck in the Icebox.

This is good for parents who have kids who love to play on their mommy or daddy’s computer. The little tykes can do anything they want on purpose or accident, and the parent can simply turn it off at bedtime to eradicate any non-parent approved changes. All of this for just $18.99.

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Well, I’m still reeling over all the posts I’ve been doing lately, but I’ve got a few for today:

First of all, some of you germaphobes might enjoy the SureFit Transit Cover. Even Adrian Monk would use it.

Here’s a device for those with limited mobility. It is a robotic bed that can transform into a wheelchair from Panasonic. No robots from Cybertron were hurt in the making of it, either.

Today’s neat gadget for the day would have to be the PURE Sensia Touchscreen radio. Check it out.

There comes a time when you see the signs of the times, and you know things are coming to an end. I’m not really talking about the Second Coming, because I don’t think I can read those signs too well.

Of course, that is another story. The story that I would talk about is the Nintendo Wii. It had a great opening with too little supply to meet the incoming holiday demand, and the Wiimote simplified the button-munching controllers from the other two competitors.

Alas it has appeared that its run is about to come to an end. I am not going to report this officially, but I will just report the aforementioned signs.

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I’ve recently talked a lot about video games lately, and I have been a little concerned about what my audience may think of me. After all, I probably shouldn’t be wasting my time on video games anyway, and should concentrate my efforts on doing more Christian things like taking care of orphans and widows. I certainly don’t want anyone to do anything wrong because they are using me as an example. I think the bible calls this a “stumbling block”. Actually, I think Christians call it that.

I have recently reviewed two video games on another site that I write for. These games, WET and Darkest of Days, are violent, probably sensual, and I, as a Christian, am going to recommend them.

Oh my gosh, how can a Christian recommend such violent, M-rated video games? Don’t tell me that you’re one of those “you can be a Christian and still…” guys. I don’t consider myself to be a liberal by any stretch of the imagination, but I simply cannot stand still as violent video games are being blamed for violent actions.

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