The Gadgets Page

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Swatch Watches. I’ve written about them many times (even when I’m not writing about watches):

• Gadgets Page » Search Results » Swatch

I originally fell in love with Swatch during the Eighties, so you can imagine my delight when the newest collection for Spring 2010 harkens back to those days. Here’s a commercial showing them off.

The models in this commercial look a lot like an old Benneton advert. The photo to the right was the closest I could find in my old advertisement collections. I didn’t realize how much I missed that sort of experimentation and daring with makeup and color until I saw it again in these Swatch ads. After years of bland neutrals, these exciting colors are enough to make me want to experiment with makeup again!

Here is a quick animation from the Swatch website:

I heard about these Swatches back in February and I immediately wanted them:

• I am SO excited about the new Swatch Colour Codes Collection! When can I buy them?! DO WANT!! http://tinyurl.com/ybpdhas #

I had to wait a full month before I was able to get my butt to Vegas and buy as many as I had saved up money for. Here are my photos:

If you think I’m exaggerating about how like they are the Swatches from the Eighties, here they are next to their progenitors. Here is Straight Drops next to Coloured Love from the Fall 1988 Collection.

Now, here is Straight Drops next to Lobro from the Spring 1989 Collection:

All of these watches bring such a joy to me that when I saw a bunch of watches flash by on this Rihanna video for her song, Rude Boy, I just jumped with joy, thinking they were Swatches.

Upon closer inspection, they were the Casio G-Shocks that have been mackin’ on Swatch’s style for the last couple of years.

The Casio G-Shocks watches do have more features (or complications) than the Swatch Colour Code Collection, but they just don’t look as good as the Swatches. I’m so excited about this season’s Swatches and I can’t wait to collect them all!

• How to print booklets with a Mac. http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-ways-to-create-physical-booklets-with-a-mac/ #

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My iPad is pre-ordered and I’m eagerly awaiting its arrival. So much so that I created a papercraft iPad to test my Konnet iCrado dock. It looks like my new gadget will work with the iCrado perfectly! I’m so glad that the high back will be enough support for my iPad.

The nice people at Konnet gave me an iCrado while we were at CES this year to test and review. I have been using it for the last three months and I have to honestly say that it’s my favorite iPhone/iPod/iPad dock I have ever used.

It comes in a wide variety of colors and they had them all on display at CES. Because there are so many colors to choose from I literally locked up and couldn’t choose on my own, so they chose a yellow one for me.

What I like best about the iCrado is the way it connects to the computer. Instead of including the highly changeable and proprietary Apple Dock Connector, it has an open space to insert your own. I REALLY like this feature because if Apple suddenly decides to change how their gadgets accept dock connectors (like they did with the iPhone 3GS), then I can just change out the cord.

One note on choosing cords to use with the iCrado. Make sure you use a cord that doesn’t “lock” in place. You know, the kind where you have to press the sides to release the phone. Since the cord is housed in the iCrado, you won’t be able to press those buttons, so make sure you use a connector that doesn’t lock (like the one pictured above).

I have thoroughly enjoyed the iCrado for the last three months and I’m eagerly awaiting my chance to sync my iPad with it.

• Super sick. I might be out of commission for a while. #

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As useless as Teledynamics was for the normal consumer, they had the foresight to show off these beautiful steampunk phones from Paramount Collections.

This is the Paramount Collections 1892 Eiffel Tower Reproduction Phone

This is the Paramount Collections American Eagle 1911S Reproduction Phone.

If you are looking for an interesting land line phone, Paramount Collections has an entire line of them:

• Paramount Collections Biscuit Barrel 1893 Reproduction Phone Black at Amazon.com
• Paramount Collections Antique Wall 1903 Reproduction Phone at Amazon.com
• Paramount Collections Roman Column 1897 Reproduction Phone at Amazon.com
• Paramount Collections Viscount 1920 Reproduction Phone at Amazon.com
• Paramount Collections Classic Christie 1921A Decorator Phone Black at Amazon.com

I wish I still had a land line just so I could have one of these gorgeous steampunk phones in my home.

I have NO IDEA what Motorola exhibited at CES this year. Seriously. I don’t know what iPhone knockoff they were showing to the amazement of others. When we walked into the Motorola booth, I noticed only ONE thing. Their booth display had large expanses of REAL grass.

To me, it was an amazing feat for them to have live plants in their booths, just for atmosphere. I reached down and let my fingers indulge in the soft and cool of it. I called out to the other Gadgets Page writers to come look at the grass, but they looked at me like I was insane. They urged me to come along.

I expected every person walking by it to reach down and touch it like I did. I filmed a minute of convention goers walking past the grass displays.

For every one person who reached down and enjoyed the touch of the plants, there were ten who didn’t even notice. We live in a world of wonders and we walk right past them on the way to the next Motorola cell phone.

If you would like to see what Motorola exhibited at CES this year, Engadget didn’t get distracted by the grass either.

• Live from Motorola’s CES 2010 press event — Engadget

• Motorola Backflip hands-on — Engadget

Back when the Apple Newton came out, my friend, Chuck, tried on every leather jacket in Burlington Coat Factory until he found the one with an inner pocket big enough to hold the Newton. It was a memory that has stayed with me for over fifteen years.

If you are planning on carrying your Apple iPad with you wherever you go, you won’t have to try on every coat in the store like Chuck did so long ago. All you need is the SCOTTEVEST.

At $100, they cost almost as much as Chuck’s leather jacket, but with 22 pockets, an earbud conduit system and a pocket especially for your iPad, it’s hard to argue with their usability.

I love that you can wear the vest to the airport, take it off for security and just put it back on when you’re done with your cavity probe. It makes the idea of disrobing for security a little less arduous.

They also make the SCOTTEVEST for women. Suddenly, the idea of a purse seems so old fashioned when I could carry everything I need in my jacket. The only problem I can see with that is the 100 degree weather we get in the summer.

Back in the early Nineties, we thought Chuck was crazy to choose his coat based on whether or not it could hold his Apple Newton. Now, the tables have turned and I’m suddenly feeling like Chuck did so long ago. “Does it have a pocket for my iPad?” is now a valid question when choosing a coat, jacket and purse. Clothing and accessory manufacturers, take note!

This year at CES, there were so many companies showing off their new eBook readers. With Amazon, Sony and Barnes and Noble in the eBook race, it seemed silly that these companies were trying to compete. These are only a few of the companies showing off their eBook readers.

iRiver

WiseReader by Hanvon

Bookeen Cybook Opus

Hanlin by Tianjin Jinke

Now that Apple is coming out with the iPad, these all look like toys now.

M-Edge had a small booth at CES, but it had lots of cases for eBook readers. CES was before the Apple iPad announcement, so I just kind of took a few pictures of these cases because I liked their design. Now that I plan on buying an iPad, I’m MUCH more interested in eBook reader cases.

In fact, M-Edge is gearing up to provide you with a case for your iPad soon. You can see what they are planning here:

• M-Edge | Products | Apple iPad

Their booth had many beautiful eBook reader cases to choose from.

I’m so grateful that all of these companies are preparing to make cases for my iPad when it finally becomes available.

Trendy Digital had a small booth at CES, but it had lots of cases for eBook readers. CES was before the Apple iPad announcement, so I just kind of took a few pictures of these cases because I liked their design. Now that I plan on buying an iPad, I’m MUCH more interested in eBook reader cases.

I really like the brown and orange flowery case in the upper left.

I really liked the color of this blue one.

These cases keep your eBook readers safe from water.

Here is a review of the waterproof cases from Digital Product Review:

If you are thinking of buying an iPad when they come out, keep an eye on Trendy Digital. They probably will have a case for you as well. Can’t wait to see them!