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The average digital camera is also capable of recording video, but of course, not all of them do it equally well. There are a number of options and Canon makes a few of them. On the affordable end there is their Powershot SD1100IS and a bit higher up in the food chain the Rebel T1i.  The Nikon D90 is certainly a good one as is Canon's EOS 5D Mark IIl, but they are a bit pricey for the average user.

However, there are other digital cameras with video capture that can do the job nicely. Sony has one of the newer options, their Alpha NEX-5 is pretty impressive despite it's very compact size. It has interchangeable lenses, a 3" tiltable LCD, a larger than average APS-C sensor, and 14.2 megapixel resolution. Sensor size of course has a huge influence on image quality and this one in particular is a step above the average point and shoot. The interchangeable lenses allow far greater creativity and the tiltable LCD makes viewing the screen much easier when in bright sunlight. It even offers a continuous shooting mode that allows users to capture up to 7fps.  However, for the purposes of this discussion, the most notable feature of the NEX-5 is that it will capture 1080/60i AVCHD video.

 

GPS devices are popular because they provide such a useful service. With them you can plan a route, get directions on how to get to a given destination, find services even in unfamiliar surroundings, and more. In fact many of them assist you in placing hands-free calls, viewing photos, calculating currency exchange, and so forth.

However, there's been a little discussed problem with these devices. They can be a significant driving distraction. We try to view maps rather than looking at the road where vehicles and pedestrians are moving about in front of us. We fiddle with touch screens and buttons to navigate to the screen we need. Thus, not only are our eyes and attention off of the road, but our hands may not even be firmly on the steering wheel at times.

However, there are GPS devices that minimize the distracted driving risks. A device with spoken directions is a good first step. Now, the newer GPS devices that don't have spoken directions are a novelty as this feature is increasingly common. This feature of course allows you less time looking at the GPS screen to view maps and more time looking and the road and responding to what you are told.

A newer feature however is voice command. This feature adds even more safety. A voice activated GPS device allows the user to request directions and more via voice. In other words, their hands can stay on the wheel and they can avoid looking way from the road even more often.  Many manufacturers now offer voice command including Garmin and Magellan.

Garmin's 3790T is a good example. It provides both spoken directions and voice commands.  In addition, it allows users to place hands-free calls with compatible phones. Other nice features include lane assist, the ability to view it in landscape or portrait orientation, free lifetime access to FM traffic alerts, and assistance in locating city transit to get around town.

See it function below:

Verizon and AT&T have offered mobile broadband without a contract for a while now. The price however has been prohibitive for many consumers.

Recently however prepaid cell phone provider, Virgin Mobile announced that they will be offering their Broadband2Go without a contract as well.  Users can get unlimited broadband for $40/month or take advantage of a plan that offers 10 days of access for only $10 with a 100MB cap.

Of course you would need to buy a Virgin Mobile phone and either their MiFi Hotspot or an Ovation MC760 USB device first.

A few months ago, Dish Network announced their remote access service which gave subscribers to the satellite TV service, the ability to manage their DVR from anywhere.  Certainly this is good news for those who travel and want to be able to find or record shows while they are away.

This week the news from Dish is that they will be making some programming available via their website, DishOnline.com. Viewers can watch clips for free, but paying subscribers can access shows and movies as well.

2010 had been the big year for 3D. There are now numerous 3D televisions on the market, and recently I talked about the new 3D digital camera from Fujifilm. Well, it had to happen, now there are 3D camcorders coming to the market.

First, the low budget model. Aiptek will be rolling out their 3D pocket camcorder in a few weeks. It records 720p video and can record in 3D as well using it's two lenses and two 5 megapixel sensors.  It has a 2.4" screen where you can view your video's in 3D. You can view your 3D creations on PC with the included red/cyan glasses and can also watch them on Aiptek's 3D photo frame without glasses. The 3D videos you create can also be viewed on most 3D TV's. This Aiptek 3D camcorder will be price around $199.

For those who want a higher end camera, Panasonic is introducing their HDC SDT750K. It records in 1080p at 60 frames per second for ultra smooth video. It uses their advanced 3MOS system, hybrid OIS, improved noise reduction, and a high quality F1.5-F2.8 Leica Dicomar lens.  It features 12x optical  and 18x intelligent zoom, a 3 inch touch screen LCD, face detection, smile shot, and a variety of technologies to assure you get the right focus, exposure, shutter speed and so forth. Luckily though, it also offers a variety of manual controls including a manual ring to make adjustments directly.

It comes with a conversion lens that allows you to record left and right eye images at the same time, creating the 3D effect. So far reviews are quite positive. It will be priced around $1,400.

Last year Garmin introduced their Oregon 550 and 550T which featured a built-in 3.2 megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom, autofocus, and geotagging. It was unique as it stood as the only GPS with camera built-in. 

Magellan however is now matching the effort with their soon to be released eXplorist 710, 610 and 510. They each feature a 3" color touchscreen and a 3.2 megapixel digital camera with autofocus. These devices are great for both geocaching as well as regular outdoor activities such as hiking. They're rugged and waterproof. The 510 is the most affordable, priced around $350 but the 710 offers more maps by including city maps and topo maps in addition to Magellan's World Series maps.

Cell phone plans with their 2 year committment and high termination fees are becoming passe'. Of course prepaid providers like Tracfone,  Boost, and Net10 have been around for awhile. Their unlimited plans offer affordable pricing for even the heaviest users.

In response of course, traditional providers like AT&T and Verizon Wireless began offering prepaid options as well. But the number of providers that specialize in offering cell phones without a plan continues to grow. One of the services I discovered most recently is MySimpleMobile. I haven't used the service but from their site I see that they are on the 3G network so for those who use a lot of messaging and web browsing it might be a good option. Apparently any phone using the 1700/2100 band will operate with the service.

Coverage with MySimpleMobile may be limited in some areas however. The east coast and southern US appear to offer the best coverage. International calls are possible but nationwide calling within the US is the focus. Their $40/month plan provides unlimited talk and text, while the $50/month plan adds in 100MB of web, and their $60/month plan adds unlimited web.

I would be interested in hearing anyone's experience with MySimpleMobile.  In the meantime, check out their site for more details.

Internet radio has gained in popularity in the past year or two. It offers tremendous diversity of listening, the absence of commercials, the ability to pick up stations from all around the world, and affordability. In fact, internet radio lets you listen completely free if you choose to forgo any of the paid services.

Of course if you want to listen to internet radio without sitting at your computer you'll need some type of receiver. The Logitech Squeezebox models are considered a very good yet affordable option for this. However, even these devices aren't exactly slip in your pocket size. They are great on a table but not something you'll typically carry around on a routine basis.

There are portable internet radios that are easier to carry around. Of course, many smartphones are capable of playing internet radio stations as can some media players like the Sony Walkman X Series devices. The iPod Touch and the iPad are other possibilities.  However, even before the iPad came out there were small internet viewers that also provide access to internet radio for a fraction of the cost.  The Sony Dash (around $200) and the Chumby 1 (under $100) provide this as well as access to other web content.

Every college student needs a laptop. From researching information to producing reports and other assignments, they are now the tools of the trade. However, if you're wanting to purchase some items that will make their work even easier, there are a few other things that could prove useful.

First a laptop lap pad, especially a cooling laptop pad could be a good idea. These can cost as little as $15 or as much as $50. They act to protect the legs from heat generated by the laptop for students who tend to work while laying in bed with the laptop in their lap.  Even more importantly however, many of them also serve to keep the laptop cool even after running half of the night as kids rush to finish an assignment for the next day. This can help extend the life of the battery.

Another possibility is a WiFi USB antenna. These can help bring in a weak signal so that students can work when they find the time, versus when they have the time to be where the best possible signal can be found. There are a number of these devices that can be had for under $50.

Portable scanners can be useful for cutting down on notetaking. Despite the internet, kids still have to consult reference books which can't often be checked out of the library. Scanning can save many, many hours of notetaking and allow the information to be uploaded to the laptop easily.  Many of these devices are as small as a ruler, although just a bit thicker. Some of these devices are priced as low as $99.


 

The number of socially conscious cell phones continues to grow. Motorola has announced their newest phone, the Grasp. It's a candy bar style phone which has a full QWERTY keyboard with a messaging focus and the social connections that are popular. But, it's also a more environmentally conscious design as well. This eco friendly cell phone has a housing that is 100% recyclable and is BFR and PVC free, assuring that it won't leach hazardous elements into the soil one day, even after it's years of useful service have passed.

The Motorola Grasp also features a 1.3 megapixel camera with digital zoom, fixed focus, and video recording capabilities.  It has a 3.5mm headset jack, stereo Bluetooth, GPS and a microSD slot to expand memory up to 8GB.