Cali Lewis and I were in San Francisco this week and we spent some time with Mauricio Balvanera from AppJudgement, and he grilled us on our choices for home page applications on our cell phones.

It was fun, and interesting to see how Cali’s iPhone differs from my Samsung Android based phone. Take a look!

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We’ve already given away 2 Drobos and we’re giving away some more! If you’d like to throw your hat in the ring to win the world’s most awesome storage device here’s how to do it!

1. First of all, this contest is EXCLUSIVELY on Google+! If you haven’t been invited to Google+ yet, don’t worry! FOLLOW THIS LINK to get one of John P.’s invites. There are still a lot left!
2. Add John P. to a Circle on Google+.
   
3. Fill out this form! It’s REQUIRED! You cannot win without filling it out!

That’s it! You’re entered to win! But wait… you can get bonus entries as well! Here’s how:

1. Share THIS post to your Google+ stream.
2. Leave a comment on that same post telling John P. what you’d do with a new Drobo!

I hope you guys have as much fun with these contests as we do. It’s always fun to give away thousands of dollars in prizes for no reason whatsoever!!! ;-)

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In case you didn’t win during the first Drobo Giveaway at GeekBeat.TV, we’re giving you yet another chance to win one! We’ll also be giving away more during the upcoming weeks so make sure you’re paying attention to John and Cali on Twitter, Google+, Facebook, etc!

How to Win a FREE Drobo

UPDATE: This giveaway is OVER!
For the latest Drobo Giveaway, head over to OneMansBlog.com/GPlusDrobo

1. The first entry is required!. Simply fill-out and submit the form found HERE. Done! You’re entered! Easy, right?
2. You MUST do #1. Otherwise these next 2 don’t even matter. For another chance at winning the Drobo, Re-Tweet THIS TWEET by John, or copy-and-paste this into your Twitter feed:
   

   Win a @Drobo! Follow @JohnPoz and @Drobo then RT for your chance to win! Details at: http://onemansblog.com/WinADrobo #OMBDrobo

   Either way, you MUST be following John P. and Drobo on Twitter. (If you win and are not following him, we can’t DM you to let you know!)

3. For a THIRD chance to win, post your comment below and tell us why you need a Drobo!
   Keep in mind that some comments get marked as spam. Don’t worry, we’re checking things routinely so no need to re-submit your comment multiple times. Keep ‘em coming!

Doing one of the above will get you an entry for the giveaway. Do all 3 and you are entered 3 times! Good luck!

UPDATE: This giveaway is OVER! Congratulations to Jack Wilson for winning this Drobo!
For the latest Drobo Giveaway, head over to OneMansBlog.com/GPlusDrobo

If you don’t know already, you may be curious as to what a Drobo
is. Well, check out this video of Cali showing you everything a Drobo can do!

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McIntosh MXA60 Bookshelf System

So, I was a little excited when McIntosh Labs sent over a brand spankin’ new MXA60 bookshelf audio system for review. After all, you can’t exactly run down to Best Buy and pick one up. You’re going to have to locate a dealer and then dish out $7,500 to be one of the few people fortunate enough to own one of these babies.

After hanging on to the MXA60 for a couple of months it managed to make me do something that very, very few products do. Love it. Lets start with my video review from GeekBeat.TV.

McIntosh MXA60 Video Review

McIntosh MXA60 Specs

I’m not going to hit you with all of the boring specs on this unit, but I am going to run down my favorites. Here we go:

• This “bookshelf” system weighs 64 pounds! (80 in the box). It is beefy because of the massive amplifier, heavy duty chassis, thick glass face and generally rock solid construction. It’s built to last a lifetime.
• The 8 ohm speakers are 2-way with a 4″ mid/base driver and a 3/4″ tweeter. Frequency response is 60-45,000 hz. It also has a subwoofer output so you can plug in a powered sub and really rock the house!!!
• 0.05% maximum harmonic distortion at any power level from 250 milliwatts to rated power, 20Hz to 20,000Hz.
• 75 watts into an 8 ohm load is the minimum sine wave continuous average power output, both channels operating
• The built in CD play will play SACD, CD, MP3 and WMA
• Width is 22 inches (55.88cm), Height is 10-7/8 inches (27.62cm), Depth is 16 inches (40.64cm) including connectors

McIntosh MXA60 Pictures

If you didn’t see them previously, check out the McIntosh Power Meter desktop wallpaper photos I posted.

And here are a bunch of other random photos I took of the MXA60 in case they amuse you as well.

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The awesome guys at Alien Abduction Lamp.com sent us an out-of-this-world lamp which John and Cali unboxed during last Friday’s Geek Beat LIVE!

As usual, we have the footage for you if you were unable to watch it.
Don’t worry, no probes.
Just a reminder, we go live every Friday at 4 PM EST so join us for unboxing cool things like this and much much more! Find the show at LIVE.geekbeat.tv!

Alien Abduction Lamp Unboxing Part 1

Watch live video from Livid Lobster on Justin.tv

Alien Abduction Lamp Unboxing Part 2

Watch live video from Livid Lobster on Justin.tv
Later days!

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For those of you who’ve read my article on How I’d Hack Your Passwords, you eventually got to the part where I recommend using a password manager to organize and protect your passwords so you don’t use weak ones everywhere.

Well, for years I’ve been recommending Roboform and even put together a Roboform Tutorial for their great desktop version for Windows and even Mac. Their iPhone app is also in wide circulation, and I think they had a really basic Android app out previously, but for Android users (like me) I’ve got a world exclusive first screenshot of the soon to be released app.

The New Roboform for Android

To quote my super secret source:

In the initial release it will work as a viewer primarily for Logins, Identities, and Safenotes. Automated login functionality will also be available similar to the iPhone app. (A RoboForm Everywhere (Online) account is required.)

We don’t have a lot of detail beyond this, but I suspect that what it means is that if you are using Roboform on your desktop you can sync your data to the cloud, and then in turn sync it to the Android platform for access on the go.

I don’t think you’ll be able to add new data on the app initially, but I’d imagine that’s something they’ll be adding in a later iteration. It does sound to me like this Android app is going to actually store your passwords on the device and simply sync from the cloud periodically to keep everything up to date.

What do you think? Have you used the current version of the app, and if so what are you hoping to see in this completely revamped version?

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Las Vegas, Baby!

John is out in Las Vegas at CES with the rest of the Livid Lobster team, helping me shoot a TON of stuff for GeekBeat.TV. He hasn’t had a chance to blog all week, but wanted you guys to see what we’re seeing at CES, so here are some CES highlights from today:

CES 2011 Highlights

Casio TRYX

Casio came out with a very different looking camera, called the TRYX.

Gary Shapiro, CEO

First up, a look at what it takes to put CES on, straight from the CEO & President, Gary Shapiro:

Star Wars on Blu-ray

Panasonic and Darth Vader had a special announcement. Star Wars, the Complete Saga, is available now for preorder!!

Sony 3D Camcorder
John shows you this Sony 3D camcorder he fell for…

Panasonic Viera Connect and Panasonic Tablet

Yep, a tablet! How’d you guess??

Let us know what you think about the stuff being announced at CES!!

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We’re winding up our 2010 Gift Guide with a look at things that will make the homes of people on your giving list that much nicer to live in.

Keurig Coffeemaker

Does the person on your list love good coffee but hate having to clean up the mess of grounds or having to throw away unused coffee? Get them a Keurig coffeemaker, for clean brewing of one cup at a time.

Masterbuilt 30-inch Electric Smokehouse Smoker

Are you shopping for someone who really likes the smokey taste of grilling and barbecue? They’d probably love their own smoker like the Masterbuilt 30-Inch Electric Smokehouse Smoker. It gives a nice thorough smoking and keeps the cooking temperature even. The next model up has a window, so you can keep an eye on things without letting the smoke out.

Vinturi Tower and Aerator

And they might want some nice wine with that delicious smoked meat, don’t you think? The Vinturi Tower and Aerator will elegantly enhance the wine of your choice. (This is a two-part system, so make sure you get both!)

Star Trek Pizza Cutter

You’ll be letting loved ones boldly go where no pepperoni pizza fan has gone before with this nifty Star Trek pizza cutter from ThinkGeek.

Diver Pad

Do they get great ideas in the shower and have no way to write them down? Get them a waterproof diver pad and their shower-soaked flashes of genius will be saved for later action.

Umbra Gondola Bamboo Tub Caddy

Does someone on your list have a fondness for luxurious baths? The Umbra Gondola Bamboo Tub Caddy will make the most of the experience, keeping all those bath accessories close at hand.

Scottevest Jacket

Viewers of the show probably know about Scottevest coats and all the gadgety goodness they can contain. But they might be the biggest surprise of the season for someone on your list. Give the gift of pockets!

SquareSpace

Know someone who wants a web site but is scared it will be too hard to set up? Get them a SquareSpace account and they’ll see just how easy it can be. And if you use promo code GEEKBEAT, you’ll get 10% off for the lifetime of the account.

Battleship USB Hub

USB hubs are a necessary, but usually dull, part of a desk setup. But if someone on your gift list has a sense of nautical whimsy as well as a need for greater connectivity, you can get them the Battleship USB Hub.

Ooma VoIP Phone

Ready to free someone from their monthly phone bill? Get them the Ooma VoIP hub. They plug it between their phone and their router and say goodbye to that monthly phone service.

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It’s the third part of our holiday gift guide, and we’re tackling cameras, storage solutions, and some very cool miscellaneous gadgets!

iClarity HD

For a little desktop speaker, the iClarity HD packs some serious sound. Does someone on your list have a gadget with a Bluetooth connection, but less than great speakers? This will perk it up!

Mikey

Segment Description
If you’re shopping for someone with an interest in sound recording, the Mikey will turn an iPhone (though not the iPhone 4) or iPod Touch into a very respectable audio recorder.

Zoom H1

Are you looking for an audio gift that will allow the user to go further than a Mikey? Maybe a Zoom H1 is the gadget that should be on your list. A microphone-equipped audio recorder that will let them input from additional mics? Awesome!

Green Smoke e-Cigarettes

Know someone who’s trying to quit smoking and having a hard time? Most of us do. Maybe that person could use these e-Cigarettes from Green Smoke. They give the sensation of smoking but with far fewer bad side-effects.

Green Smoke in the US
Green Smoke in the UK

Contour HD camera

Are you looking for a camera for someone who’s wanting to capture their action-packed experiences on HD video? The Contour HD is made for people just like that.

Kodak PlayTouch and Canon G12

Maybe you’re shopping for someone a little less adventurous, but still wanting a good pocket HD camcorder? Consider the Kodak PlayTouch. Or, if you want to give a camera that does good stills as well as video, take a look at the Canon G12.

Audible

A subscription to Audible is a great gift for that person who loves books but rarely has time to sit down and read one. They can listen to Audible books while they drive, work out, or whatever!

Drobo

Drobo is a longtime favorite around GeekBeat.TV! It’s super-easy to use and keeps your information safe. No more fear of lost data when a drive fails. If you’ve got a spare drive ready to add when one goes down you can be up and running again in minutes!

Drobo in the US and Canada
Drobo in the UK and Europe

Western Digital My Passport Studio

Most of us use external drives these days, and here’s a great one. The Western Digital My Passport Studio has good capacity in a small package, and an eInk display that allows the user to label the drive and keep track of how much stuff they’ve put on it.

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For our second gift guide installment, we look at things to pleasantly pass the winter hours – entertainment, games, and of course, all things bacon!

Panasonic Blu-ray Player

The Panasonic DMP-BD65 Blu-ray player gives you a choice. You can watch discs, or content from VieraCast, YouTube, and Netflix.

Apple TV

If you’re not looking for Blu-ray capability, maybe the Apple TV is what you want. You can rent movies and TV shows from iTunes, as well as access Netflix, YouTube, and Flicker.

Roku

If you’re looking for an inexpensive streaming box, and are happy to avoid iTunes, give the offerings from Roku a look. They start at $59 and bring in content from Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand, Hulu Plus, and Pandora.

Boxee Box

One of the newest and most interesting additions to the streaming box market brings together great options from all the other contenders. The Boxee Box has TV shows, movies, Pandora, and over 400 3rd party apps, with the promise of Netflix, Hulu and Roku content by the end of the year.

Netflix

With all these streaming options pulling from Netflix, you definitely want to think about giving access to the service as a gift, either the regular account, or the new streaming-only option.

Dexter DVDs

Yes, it’s a show about a serial killer, but don’t let that put you off! Dexter is really well done!

Microsoft Kinect

Get your whole body into the gaming action with the
Microsoft Kinect. It’s entertainment and exercise, all at once!

Belkin PLAY N600

The Belkin PLAY N600 router is set to become the wireless core of your computing life. Make your hard drives into wireless NAS, stream HD movies and more! Check it out at Belkin.com/unleash.

Games from the App Store

If the person on your list has an iPhone, they’ve got a great gaming platform in their hand. Take advantage of it with these cool and addictive games.

Fingerzilla
Doodle Army
Cut the Rope
Words with Friends
Angry Birds

The Beatles on iTunes

Music from The Beatles is a popular gift for people every year. Now, for the first time, you can give these classic albums from the iTunes store, ready for iPods and iPhones.

Bacon Plush Toy

What child’s eyes won’t light up with glee when they see their very own talking bacon plush toy?

More Bacon Goodness!

Is there anything that hasn’t been touched by bacon magic? Nope, doesn’t look like there is…

Effervescent Bacon Tablets
Bacon Bandages
Bacon Lip Balm
Bacon Mints
Bacon Floss

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It’s gift guide time at GeekBeat.TV and we’re sharing the festivities here on One Man’s Blog as well. We’re kicking off this year’s list of tech ideas with small goodies and gadgets that will make great stocking stuffers!

Outlets to Go

Need a few more power outlets when you travel? Outlets To Go will give you three, plus a couple of USB ports.

Griffin PowerJolt

Are you always running out of juice with your gadget? The Griffin PowerJolt will keep you running after your internal battery has gone dry.

Mophie Juice Pack

If you want a backup battery for your iPhone that doubles as a trim case, the Mophie Juice Pack should be on your list.

P-Flip Solar Charger

Maybe you want to use the sun to keep your phone charged. The P-Flip Solar Charger may be just the thing to keep your iPhone off the power grid.

Boxwave Keyboard Buddy

Want a slider keyboard without giving up your iPhone? The Boxwave Keyboard Buddy is a Bluetooth keyboard/case that will give you the real-keys feeling you crave.

Zomm

If you have a habit of walking away from your phone when out and about, or just leaving it at home when you go out, the Zomm is the wireless leash that will make sure you don’t get too far away from your handset. Enter code “webbeat” at checkout for a special discount.

SquareSpace

Know someone who wants a web site but is scared it will be too hard to set up? Get them a SquareSpace account and they’ll see just how easy it can be. And if you use promo code GEEKBEAT, you’ll get 10% off for the lifetime of the account.

Gorillapod

Sometimes it would be nice to have a small camera tripod that will grab onto ANYTHING. Like a tree, or a railing. The Gorillapod is that tripod, and no photographer on the run should be without one.

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As I’m writing this post, I’m celebrating the 2nd month of my new healthy lifestyle. I had been a smoker for about 8 years, and I smoked an average of 20 cigarettes per day. The longest I was able to quit smoking was less than 48 hours, which means I was never able to not smoke for even 2 days in a row!

Improved Quality of Life

Guess what! it’s been 8 weeks and I haven’t smoked a cigarette! And what’s even better is that I don’t even feel like smoking at all! This has improved my life dramatically in a number of areas:

• I’m sleeping much better and waking up pretty active. Since I’m breathing so much better at night, I no longer wake up wishing for more sleep.
• My breath no longer smells bad! I used to avoid chatting with people 10 to 20 minutes after every cigarette, especially when I visit the United States. Many people are allergic to smoke, and passive smoke can still seriously bother some people (just the residual smoke in your lungs after having a cigarette).
• I’m saving $6 every day! That’s around $2,200 per year. I can spend a week in Las Vegas instead of buying cigarettes! I can’t believe I spent around $20,000 on cigarettes my entire life!! And was willing to spend more…

How did I do it?

I don’t deny that I love smoking! I’m attached to it both psychologically and physically. I tried the nicotine patch, didn’t work, I felt the urge of inhaling the smoke. Same for pills! Whenever I tried to stop smoking, I started shaking and couldn’t get it out of my mind.

If you are a smoker, you know exactly what I’m talking about! A couple of years ago, I tried the e-cigarette, I didn’t feel that it was ever going to replace my real cigarettes, so I threw it away!

But a few weeks ago, I decided to give a new brand a try. I figured it’s been 2 years, they must have improved it! So after doing some thorough research online, I discovered Green Smoke. And apparently it was the perfect choice! Oh God! It’s exactly like a cigarette, only better!

How Electric Cigarettes Work

Well, it’s an electric cigarette. So it has a battery and you insert a little nicotine + flavor filter inside, and then you puff it just like you would a normal cigarette! The battery is rechargeable and will last about a day. You’ll want to get yourself multiple batteries so you have extras for when you go on a trip or are going to be away from the charger for a while. Also, get some refills for the nicotine because you are NOT going to want to run out or you’ll revert back to the real thing!

By the way, when you take a drag it looks like you are smoking, but the only thing you’re breathing out is harmless water vapor with virtually no smell! It’s NOT SMOKE! Though it looks like it. Sometimes people can detect a little scent of the flavor you are smoking, but it’s no more than if you were chewing flavored gum.

This little video will give you a good overview of the experience and how it works.

Advantages of Electronic Cigarettes

I can’t possibly overstate the advantages of these eCigarettes!

• No tar, ash or flame.
• No carbon monoxide.
• No complaints from non-smokers.
• No smelly cigarette butts.
• No foul odors that stick to linen, clothing, walls, cars etc.
• Save a TON of money compared to real cigarettes.
• They come in multiple flavors like chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, coffee, and more!

And maybe the best thing… You can smoke inside most restaurants, bars, airports, etc. – even in places where smoking is banned! I am able to smoke while riding in the car with John P., and he’s deathly allergic to cigarette smoke! (You should see him suffer in Las Vegas…)

Where to Get Em

While I was visiting the US I did notice that there were kiosks in a couple of malls. So you may be able to find some locally, though I’d caution you about what brand you are buying. Personally I hated the other one, so I’m only really endorsing the Green Smoke brand because it worked for me.

If you’d rather just save the hassle of looking for them, you can follow one of these links to get yours online. It’s what I did…

• If you’re in the US you can use this link for 10% off your purchase over $100, or 5% off any other purchase.
• In the UK you will need to use this link for 10% off.

Full disclosure: I get a small commission if you do give it a try. But that is NOT why I wrote this post. If you give it a try, and decide to spread the word as well, you can become a Green Smoke referral affiliate too. I can’t come up with a good reason NOT to.

If you’re a smoker you definitely need to give this a try. I promise that you will thank me (the people you hang out with will thank me even more) and end up an evangelist too!

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AnyBots is a company that is building an innovative remote controlled robot which serves as a personal avatar. Yes, that’s right, just like the movie Avatar an operator remote controls this robot and it allows you to virtually be present in another location.

The applications for this technology are endless, but imagine a large company with multiple locations having a few AnyBots that people can “check out” and use to attend meetings with colleagues. The theory is that this is more inviting than simple video conferencing.

I attended AnyBots’ recent launch party while in Silicon Valley (Cali Lewis demanded it because she loves robots :-), and spent some time discussing this revolutionary new robot with AnyBots’ CEO Dr. Trevor Blackwell. Here’s what happened:

I also snapped a few photos while I was at the party, all of which are available in full resolution on Flickr, but here is the embedded slideshow.

Any AnyBot will set you back a cool $15,000, and you remote control it via a simple Web interface and your keyboard. So the question is, do you want one? And more importantly, what the heck would you do with it if you had it?

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I don’t know if you guys are all aware of this, but Cali Lewis announced the final episode of GeekBrief.TV and has moved on to another project in conjunction with top online content provider Revision 3. The new show is called GeekBeat.TV, and it’s a short format news show that will keep you up to date on all the latest info that geeks love.

Even if you’re not a geek, Cali has a way of explaining technology so that everyone can understand it! So, bottom line is, either way you should subscribe to GeekBeat.TV! :-)

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Ok. Let’s say you get a new iPad. And let’s say that you look at the Apple case for it. And let’s say that you arrive at the conclusion it sucks. Normally you might break down and cry. It’s ok there big fella… let it all out!

But when you’re done, head on over to iPadCaseFinder.com and stop your blubbering! I swear to Moses, that site has every case ever made for the iPad!!!

A few that I particularly liked:

• The SportShell Convertible for iPad – because it does damn near everything! (Though it’s not released yet.)
• PadShield Element Protection Case for iPad – in case you want to use yours out by the pool or something.
• 1337 Silicone Gaming Case for iPad – with nice hand holds, because these things are slippery!
• Scosche Hybrid case for iPad – this sucker seems to be the rough rider of the group. If you are going to a harsh environment, this is the one you want to protect your iPad.

Have fun blowing all of your money on accessories for the iPad that probably already broke the bank. :-)

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I believe that Jake and Amir accurately summarize all of the points about why I think the iPad is such a revolutionary tool. You’d be wise to heed their advice and run out and get one. Or two. BUT NOT THREE!!!

Of course, I am going to give one away soon, so you could also just try and win it…

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While everyone else is gushing about how much they love their little shiny black and silver iPad, I’m here to tell you the dark truth behind the iPad. Yeah, that’s right, this is the stuff Apple doesn’t want you to know!

So, I ordered a couple of iPads from the Apple store online like 15 minutes after they were announced as being available. I did this so I wouldn’t have to wait in line for one, and in case they sold out. Of course when I ordered them they had a notification that you could only buy two. Fine. They also said that they wouldn’t ship them until April 12. Fine.

Fast forward 5 days. Now the Apple store has, and I quote from a phone call, “A complete contingent…” of iPads in stock. So I’m thinking I’ll just go pick up a couple. So I go online to the Apple Store and try and cancel the order for the two I have there. But guess what! NO! YOU MAY NOT CANCEL!!!

Whoa! What’s going on here?

Ok, so I call customer service and the rather bitchy woman with an, “I’m better than you because I work the phones for Apple” attitude tells me that they won’t cancel the order because my iPads are “prepared for shipment”.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

So, let me get this straight. They are purposely holding my iPads hostage in a warehouse somewhere, just waiting till April 12 to ship them – even while the devices have already been released into the wild and the stores are completely full of them? WTF Apple? Why are you sitting on the shipments to clients who paid for them a week ago?

Oh, but this gets so much better…

If you’re like me you might be thinking, “No problem, I’ll just go to the store and pick them up, and when these come in the mail I’ll return them!” NO! YOU WILL NOT! They’ve already considered your sneaky little plans, and when you go to the Apple store they are going to see that you already bought two and they are going to refuse to sell you any more!

Yep. You would have to use a different name, address and credit card!

But wait! There’s more!

You know how the only iPads that have been released at this point are the WiFi only models? And the ones that will use the AT&T 3G network are coming later? Well, I ordered two of the 3G ones also. It was a separate order a couple of days after the original order. And again, it said “Limit 2″ – which I adhered to.

Yeah, well when I was logging in to try and cancel the other iPads so I could go pick them up locally I noticed that Apple canceled my order for the 3G models – without even notifying me! WOW! They get to cancel orders at will, but I can’t cancel one to go pick them up locally?

Of course I asked my special customer service lady about this and she said you can ONLY HAVE TWO of any combination of iPads, released or not! To which I responded, you need to make that more clear! And how about just not letting the order go through? It’s all of… oh, ONE database lookup!

Bottom line: Apple gets no points in my book for the iPad launch:

• If you’re going to launch in two batches and treat devices as if they are different because one has 3G and the other doesn’t, then don’t act like they are the same when it’s time to let customers order them.
• If you’ve already launched a product, don’t stack up customer orders in a warehouse for a week before releasing them. That is just stupid!
• If you’re going to hold products you let customers pre-order, then you have to allow them to cancel for Christ’s sake!

So, tell you what Apple. You can keep your stupid iPad. I mean, you didn’t even give it the iPhone 3G’s non-smudge screen, it’s got no SD card slot (unforgivable), you can’t pair a bluetooth mouse with it, and it’s actually difficult to hold.

Oh, and while I’m at it… what the hell is the deal with not allowing customers to bring a camera or camcorder into the Apple store, but then having employees taking photos and videos of us when we are in there!?! But that’s a whole other story…

UPDATE: 5 hours after publishing this article I got email notification that my iPads had just shipped from Apple’s warehouse! Now is that some sort of major coincidence? Or did someone over there take notice? Let me know if you pre-ordered an iPad and got notice of them shipping prior to the 12th as well.

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I’m not sure what other people think about the Griffin 9785-PJLTRSV PowerJolt Reserve for iPhone & iPod, but I for one love it. This is a little cigarette lighter adapter for your car which allows you to plug in your standard iPhone USB charging cord to power-up your phone while on the road. But it also happens to have a built in rechargeable battery attached to it which you can either use in the car for wireless convenience – or take in your pocket for backup power when you go!

A few things you should know:

• It’s about $40. I got mine at a local WalMart.
• The battery connects to the charger magnetically. Yeah, it’s cool. You just grab it and pull it off. When you are done just get it near where it needs to be and the magnets pull it together.
• You can be charging one phone with the USB while another is charging off the battery.
• It charges an iPhone MUCH faster than other chargers in my opinion.
• The battery will bring an iPhone 3Gs up to about 50% charge.

Here are a few closeup photos from mine. I go nowhere without it.

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Today it’s snowing in Dallas. Rare, but it happens. Even more often we get terrible ice storms. And there is nothing worse than trying to scrape ice off the windows of a car for like half an hour when its freezing outside. So guess what… You don’t have to do that!

If you have a vehicle that you can’t park in a garage, like my big ass Nissan Titan pickup truck, you can get a Windshield Cover and just put it over your window before the storm comes. Then, no matter how much ice comes down, when you are ready to go you just pull the cover off the window and there goes the mess with no scraping!

If you’d rather not spring for a $10 cover (or these $6 disposable ones – Frosty Fender Disposable Windshield Cover) you can just take a large garbage bag and split it down the sides – leaving it attached on the bottom – then when you spread it out lengthwise it should be wide enough to cover the whole window. Same thing with a little painters dropcloth from Lowes or Home Depot. Just find some plastic sheeting and cover the window and you’ll be all set.

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I’ve had 5 different people ask me for camera recommendations, as well as a couple of other folks asking me about camcorders, in the last week alone. Because it’s just that time of the year when people want to pick up a new camera to capture the holiday cheer.

Well, I’ve got two digital camera recommendations – depending on what you are looking for – and more importantly I’ve broken down exactly why these are the two cameras that you should get. (Jump right to the pocket sized Canon G11 or the SLR sized Canon T1i)

Of course, there are a LOT of cameras on the market, and I even own a few others, but for the vast majority of users I think these are the two best all-around cameras you can get. And I intend to make some video tutorials about how to take some really great photos with these cameras in the near future. So if you get one of these specific recommendations then you’ll be able to follow along when I put out the videos.

Selection Criteria

This may be the most important part of this post, so listen up. When we evaluate a digital camera it is about far more than just the listing of features included with the camera. Look at it this way: a Ford Focus might have power locks, windows and air conditioning – but it’s never going to be a Mercedes. So if you go into a store and just start reading the feature list to compare them, you’re already losing.

It takes experience to pick a good camera, because no matter what the specs say, you never know what you’re getting until you actually take photos with that camera. I recommend these two below because I have a lot of experience with them. Plain and simple. So I know you can take very nice photos (and video) with either of them. Enough said.

Light Sensitivity

Light is the essence of any image. A camera is NOTHING without it. And there is a huge range of quality when it comes to how much light cameras can capture. There are two primary factors that affect how sensitive your camera is to light:

1. The quality of the lens. The easiest way to tell how good your lens is, is to check the Aperture range. When you examine the camera it will have a number like 1:3.5-5.6. The lower the numbers, the better the lens. f2.0-2.8 is a very good quality lens. Anything over 2.8 requires a lot more light and becomes not so useful indoors. If you see the image to the right here, you’ll see the marking “1:1.8″. That is a high quality fixed zoom lens with a single aperture.
2. The size of the sensor. Yes ladies, bigger is better! But we aren’t talking about Megapixels here! I mean the physical size of the actual sensor. The larger the image sensor in the camera, the less noise the image will have and the more sensitive to light it will be. See here for more info.
   

Video Capability

Yep. Video. It’s important that your camera be able to capture at least short video segments, because if a picture speaks 1,000 words, then what do 1,000 pictures moving in series say! A LOT.

Most of the new pocket cameras now do full motion video, some with claims of up to 720p or even 1080p HD. However, don’t get sucked in by the claims. Remember that the quality of the video is also affected by the light sensitivity. So you’d be much better off having a 640×480 quality video which is really clear, than a 720p video that is crappy.

Manual Controls

But wait! Some of you are going to tell me that you don’t know how to manually control the shutter speed and aperture. Well, that’s Ok! Remember two things:

1. Cameras that come with full manual controls usually have higher overall quality. So even if you keep it in fully automatic mode it’s going to take better pictures than a cheaper “fully auto” camera. Counter-intuitive? Not really. Full manual controls are a sign of a pro. So only better cameras will include them.
2. Using manual controls is really not that hard! And if you can master them, you are going to be taking MUCH better photos. So, I’m going to do a series of short videos to show you how to do it. But if you don’t get the right camera, you won’t be able to do things like HDR photography, nice portrait photos, etc. So why even bother?

So make sure that whatever camera you by, it allows you to control the Aperture and the Shutter Speed at the very least. And being able to control the focus is also nice.

Canon Powershot G11

First, lets start with the more portable of the two. The Canon PowerShot G11. This is my favorite pocket sized camera ever made, and if you could only have one camera, this should be it. You can take it everywhere you go – and you should! So you can capture those interesting things you see in life and share them with the rest of us.

Product Features

• New 10-megapixel High Sensitivity System; DIGIC 4 Image Processor
• Bright 2.8-inch Vari-Angle PureColor System LCD plus optical viewfinder
• Wide-angle 5x optical zoom (equivalent to 28-140mm); Canon’s Optical Image Stabilizer
• Improved Smart AUTO intelligently selects from 22 predefined shooting situations
• RAW + JPEG shooting and recording modes; capture images to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)

Technical Details

• Optical Sensor Resolution: 10 MP
• Optical zoom: 5 x
• Maximum Aperture Range: F/2.8-4.5
• Optical Sensor Size: 1/1.7″
• Included Flash Type: Built-in flash
• Display Size: 2.8 inches
• Light Sensitivity: ISO 100 to ISO 3200
• Image types: JPEG, RAW
• Width: 4.4 inches
• Depth: 1.9 inches
• Height: 3 inches
• Weight: 12.5 Ounces

John P.’s Take

Notice a few things:

• This camera will shoot RAW formatted images in addition to JPEG. While JPEG is good for keeping the file size down, RAW is MUCH, MUCH better for quality, and image editing applications like iPhoto or Picasa will handle the RAW photos with ease. Better image editing software like Photoshop elements will let you manipulate RAW images in ways you can not with JPEG.
• This camera has a 1/1.7″ sensor. Look at the chart I posted above and you’ll see that this is much bigger than some of the other crappier small body cameras. It’s among the largest you can get in a compact camera – meaning excellent low light or high speed performance. (Great indoors, or for fast action sports.)
• The camera has optical image stabilization. This means the lens has little gyroscopes in it that adjust the position of the lens as you shoot in case your hand is shaking. It will keep your images much sharper than a camera with only digital image stabilization.
• It has both a built-in flash AND the ability to accept external Canon flashes. This camera could be used to even take wedding photos with a large external flash!
• The 2.8 aperture setting on the lens is very nice for capturing images with a shallow depth of field. This makes portraits and closeups really look nice, and cheaper cameras simply can’t match this depth of field.

Now, at about $450 this isn’t a cheap camera. But here is the thing…

If you are going to take photos, you want them to be good enough that you’ll actually want to come back and look at them later. Or show them to friends. So a cheap $100-200 camera is literally just not going to be able to get 1/2 the shots you can get with the G11. And the half it can get just won’t look as good. So in my opinion you just shouldn’t buy a cheaper camera. Because if you aren’t going to try and shoot things in a somewhat artistic / perfectionistic way, then why bother?

Here is a link to Flickr images taken by a Canon G11. And here is a sample video shot using this camera hand-held. It would be even nicer if it was on a tripod.

And here is a video review that covers all the basic features of the camera:

My final comments on the G11 are that it’s got a metal case for excellent durability, it can help you make beautiful HDR images, and it will last you for years. I think every photographer should have this camera – at least for a backup, even if they have an SLR like the one below.

Canon Digital Rebel T1i

Now, you say you’ve got a little more budget to work with? And you don’t mind a full sized camera body? Well in that case you need to run, not walk, and get the Canon EOS Rebel T1i.

The T1i is the latest in Canon’s line of Digital Rebel SLR camera bodies. I wrote about my old first generation Rebel years ago, and Canon has made many improvements in the years since, culminating in this very, very impressive piece of hardware.

I’m not going to sit here and go on and on about the quality of the images, because they speak for themselves. Head over and browse the Canon 500D user group and you’ll quickly see why.

However, it is important that I point out the very impressive High Definition video that this camera will take! Here is a sample clip from Daniel Slaughter taken at a concert in very low light and with strobes going off constantly. This is an incredibly difficult environment for a camcorder, but just look at that video!

And for God’s sake, here is the camera taking video of the moon with a 2000mm lens attached!

Features

• New 15.1-megapixel CMOS sensor with DIGIC 4 Image Processor
• Includes Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens
• Full HD video capture at 1920 x 1080 resolution; HDMI output
• 3.0-inch Clear View LCD; Live View Function for stills (Quick, Live and Face Detection AF modes) and video
• Capture images and video to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)
• HDMI output for HD viewing of stills and video.
• Wide range ISO setting 100-3200
• Compatible with over 60 Canon EF/EF-S lenses
• Self Cleaning Sensor Unit
• Metering Modes: 35-zone TTL full-aperture metering
• Self-timer: 10-sec. or 2-sec. delay or 10-sec. delay plus continuous shooting
• Flash Exposure Compensation: ±2 stops in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments
• Continuous Shooting Speed: Max. 3.4 shots/sec. (with One-Shot AF or AI Servo AF)

John P.’s Take

Now lets compare the full sized T1i to the much more portable G11 and see what we get out of the box for roughly twice the price.

• The G11s lens is rated at f2.8-4.5, while the T1i’s stock lens comes with f3.5-5.6. Right off the bat we know that the G11 has better glass in it. Which means that all other things being equal, it would take much better low light photos. But things aren’t equal. The T1i’s sensor is much larger! Compare the APS-C sensor in our chart above to the 1:1/7 sensor and you’ll see it’s about 6 times larger! So even though the stock lens is not quite as good, the sensor will more than over compensate for this.
• Speaking of lenses, with the G11 you do have the option of getting an aqward wide angle or telephoto lens, but the T1i can accomodate all <Canon EF-S Lenses (specially made for the APS-C sensor) and just about Canon EF Lenses“>any EF lens as well (made for full size sensors or 35mm film cameras). I’d highly recommend the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens for $99. It takes amazing shots!
• The HD video capability of the T1i simply can not be matched by the G11. Its literally good enough to shoot an independent film on. So you could make the next Blair Witch movie and get rich off it! Well, with one exception… the camera only records mono sound and has no external mic input. But you can fix that! While shooting video with this camera, just use an external pocket stereo recorder. And after you get the both going clap so you have a sound you can sync the audio to when you are editing the video.
• The T1i also has a much faster shooting speed. With three and a half frames per second, it will rattle off shots like a machine gun. This will allow you to get shots that the G11 will simply miss. So you need to be really, really good with the G11 as compared to the T1i which will just make you look like a better photographer through sheer force of will.
• Faster everything. Power on, cycle time between images, shutter speeds, adjustments, and more. Basically, this is a camera that you can actually use as a professional photographer. You could do weddings, portraits or even sports. Sure, you could do better with a $3,000 camera – but this one will get the job done.

Finally, here’s a complete 14 minute review of the camera. Delicious!

Frankly, in the hands of a pro, this camera can work wonders. And in the hands of an amateur, this camera can help you grow into a pro while lasting you for 3-4 years before you outgrow it.

So, that’s it for today! Possibly the longest post ever on OneMansBlog? I hope you all learned something from it, and if you were looking for a camera I’m also hopeful I talked you into one of these. I’m certain you won’t regret it!

Credits:

The G11 image at the top of the post is courtesy of Anthony Goto. And the image of the lake is courtesy of Jason.

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