With CES over, I’m still shifting through all the reviews and press releases about all the new tablets, gadgets and electronic accessories for living in the modern age. This got me think about at the various “things” that I have collected in the past years. A number have been outright duds, while others have paid for themselves many times over. Here’s my list of the best and the worse (I have provided some links here, but I do not resell or otherwise have a relationship with these companies).
The Best
County Comm Embassy Pen.
This is the best pen I have ever had (and as such I have miraculously been able to not lose it). It uses a pressurized “space pen” cartridge, so it always writes well. It has a good weight to it, is made of metal and is not easily damaged. It also allows you to change the pen to a smaller, capless version of itself: See the video below.
Embassy Pen Web: http://www.countycomm.com/PEN.htm
Embassy Pen Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deh8Ap_Yw6s
Fenix Ld20 Flashlight
This is a compact, bright and light Flashlight. The quality of the LEDs in this unit put all the ones that you will find in Target or Walmart to shame (at >$50, you would hope so). This is my most recent acquisition (an xmas present to myself), but so far it has delivered as advertised.
Fenix Ld20 Flashlight Web: http://www.fenixtactical.com/fenix-ld20.html
3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator JoyStick
If you spend anytime playing around in Second Life or with Google Earth, you quickly find that a mouse is not enough to get around, and you end up having to use the mouse and keyboard for navigation, with stops along the way to reorient yourself to use the keyboard for other functions. The SpaceNavigator from 3Dconnexion is a 12 way joystick that lets you navigate intuitively with one hand. The joystick is short, fat, and heavy, making it easy to use without any strain on your hand. What I really love is that it allows you to quickly navigate Google Earth or SL. You can fly around Google Earth for hours, concentrating on the experience or what you are looking for, without having to worry about the technology. This is especially useful when presenting in front of a group where you don’t need the technology to get in the way. 3Dconnexion makes several other joysticks aimed at gamers as well.
3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator JoyStick Web: http://www.3dconnexion.com/products/spacenavigator.html
Zagg Keyboard
I originally purchased the wired keyboard from Apple for the Ipad. That was a mistake for several reasons. First, I need to be able to carry the keyboard with me and the Apple keyboard was too bulky and the dock connector sticks up to high to fit into a smaller bag or case. After reading several reviews, I purchased Zagg’s combination keyboard/ipad case. I have been very happy with it. Some reviews said that you needed to also have a sleave to go over the Zagg Keyboard and Ipad, but I have not found that to be the case. Zagg’s combination wireless keyboard (bluetooth) and Ipad case allows you to always carry the keyboard with you without adding hardly any bulk to what you are carrying. I am writing this post using this keyboard right now and while the smaller keyboard does slow down my typing speed a little, it works well and I like having all the keys on the keyboard. In many ways, it has made my ipad more like a small netbook in functionality.
Zagg Keyboard Web: http://www.zagg.com/accessories/zaggmate.php
Zagg Keyboard Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZ4ZV2elMYQ
Boom Headset
I really can’t count the number of wireless and wired headsets that I have gone through over the years. This past year, I knew that I was going to be making a lot of phone calls each day and wanted something that would work well, would be comfortable, would not need charging (no bluetooth), and would allow me to be heard clearly no matter what environment I was in (airport terminal, car, busy room, etc). After some research, I decided to try the Boom Headset and I have been very happy with it. It performs as advertized and I think I have gotten my money out of it easy. I probably look like the odd man out when walking across town or campus with a wire running from my headset to my phone and a large microphone boom in front of my mouth, but it works great.
Boom Headset Web: http://www.theboom.com/v/products/theboom-v4.html
Crimper
I could not write a post about best gadgets without mentioning my beloved RS232 crimpers. Obviously this has limited use, but it has saved me weeks of work on job sites. If you have any need to make RS232 or other such connections, this crimper along with the military spec crimp pins, will make your life so much easier for two main reasons: 1). connections are easier to make 2). the connections are better and will not fail.
A more complete post is available at: The easiest and most reliable way to make RS232 and other wired connections
The Worst
Iris Card Scanner
The idea that you can instantly scan a business card, and suck all that information into your contact database quickly is appealing to a database junkie like me. However, after numerous tries at getting the Iris Card Scanner to work in a productive manor, I have given up. The images don’t always scan, the software crashes a lot, and the OCR software doesn’t get everything right, so you have to correct entries and look at them very carefully to make sure that email addresses are correct. It would be less expense and trouble to contract with a data entry service and send them a scanned file of the business cards you have collected for the week.
Iris Card Scanner web: http://www.irislink.com/c2-1070-189/IRISCard-Pro-4-business-card-scanner–Smart-and-portable–.aspx
D-NOTE Digital Note Recorder
This was a great idea (and one that I would still use if I found the right product). Take your notes on a legal pad. You have the notes in paper form, but at the same time, you are creating electronic versions of your notes (in graphics format) that can be later read by OCR software, or at least stored as .pdfs. Unfortunately, the format that the tablet stores in is not readily convertible to .pdf or any other format on the Mac. I talked with these folks at a trade show and asked throughly about using with a Mac. When it was not as easy as originally explained, they did send me the detailed directions on conversion. However, the process is way too manual and complicated. It is 5 times easier to just scan my notes on my multi-function fax and have it email a .pdf to me.
D-NOTE Digital Note Recorder web: http://www.aecpronet.com/
Ped 3 Stand for iphone
The Ped3 Stands are fine if you have no case for your iphone/itouch/ipad. However, I have to had a strong case on my iphone or it will get damaged. So my Ped3 stand just sits at the corner of my desk unused for most of the year. I can set my iphone with case on it, but it has about the same effect as resting my iphone on a coffee cup.
Ped 3 Stand Web: http://www.thoughtout.biz/products/PED3.html
Griffen RF
I have always liked Giffen’s products and have used their iTrip devices to transmit my Ipod music to my truck radio. This model was supposed to work well with the Iphone and most importantly be able to quickly find available frequencies that were not being used by surrounding radio stations, so that you could tune your transmitter and radio on those frequencies without interference. This would be a great plus to me, since in the course of a 400 mile drive to a job site, available frequencies shift often, and your listening is interrupted by interference from various radio stations. Being able to quickly find an available frequency while driving (one touch!), would be great. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work. Often the frequency I end up with after the search is worse than the one I started with.
Griffen RF Web: http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/itripauto-2008
What are the devices that have worked the best and worst for you?
Scott
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