by: Dean Jensen

We are slowly approaching the “Can’t Live Without” end of the top 10 list. Filling the number 5 spot is the Cordless Phone. I currently have two cordless phones. One that is significantly older and does not have special functions and one that is newer that allows for hands free operation. In our house, the cordless phone has achieved the same status as the TV remote. I will spend 10 minutes looking for the cordless phone, walking by the corded one many times in the process. Long ago, I realized that I think on my feet. While talking to someone on the phone, I have been known to walk in and out of every room in my house. The phone I use most often is the Uniden PowerMax5.8GHz. Its a great little phone with only a few extra features to get in the way.

A little side note: If you have a wireless network, you should use 5.8 GHz phones. The standard 2.8GHz range is the same as most wireless network devices.

by: Dean Jensen

I have a love hate relationship with my coffee maker. I love the coffee it makes, but there is one little problem. Lets talk about the good things first. I have the Krups Duo Filter Automatic Drip Coffee Maker. When making coffee, its all about the water. If you start with bad water, you will end up with bad coffee. It does not matter if you buy the most expensive beans, if the water is bad your coffee will be bad. I start with water from my reverse osmosis filter which takes out most of the bad stuff from my well water, but theres still a little taste left over. What I love about this coffee maker is the built in water filter. The filter contains both a sediment and charcoal filter to remove any extra stuff in the water. This creates great tasting coffee and I don’t have to clean the coffee pot as much as I did my old model.

Now to the thing I don’t like. The carafe is a little on the thin side. I have broken two over the last year. Its not hard to make them a little thicker but Krups made the decision to cut corners here to keep the costs down. As I write this article, I am waiting for my second replacement carafe to arrive in the mail.

If you love your coffee maker, please add a comment to this post. I would love to hear from you.

by: Dean Jensen

Everyone needs a paper shredder, and something more then just a simple shredder. If you are serious about preventing identity theft, you shred any papers that can be used by someone to get access to your life. With that in mind, a simple shredder will work, but you will spend a lot of time disposing of those unwanted papers. My first paper shredder could only handle 3 sheets at a time. Lets just say, I burned out the motor trying to get rid of a weeks worth of credit card offers. Thats when I knew it was time to spend a little more then $30 on a paper shredder.

Looking at the Sunday ads, I found a 10 sheet, cross cut paper shredder on sale at OfficeMax. For just over $50, I thought I would give it a try. What did I have to loose but a growing pile of paper. Now I am kicking myself for not upgrading earlier. With the more powerful motor, I can shred entire credit card offers in one swipe. It was well worth the extra few dollars to get the upgrade. Now when it comes time to clean up the week’s junk mail, I spend less time shredding.

by: Dean Jensen

I know what your thinking, Dean has gone off the deep end with this pick. Where is the tech in a garden sprayer? Well, this one has me excited to go out and water the flowers. For years I have been using a simple pistol grip sprayer. You know the kind, squeeze a little and get a mist or open it up and get a powerful stream. Well, I misplaced my sprayer. (If you could see my garage, you would understand) I was on a trip to my favorite Home Depot when I spotted a multifunction sprayer. The link below is an example of the type of sprayer I have. There are a number of different settings that do what you think. Mist, Shower, Soaker, Stream, Drizzle, Power Wash and Rinse. I have found a use for every setting except Soaker.

The lesson to learn from today’s post, even the mundane tasks can have a geeky tech angle.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100043601&N=10000003+90401+501002

by: Dean Jensen

I have been using an electric razer for over 20 years. Each time I go to replace my older razer I find something to get excited about. My current razer is a Norelco 785 XL. Its already out of date, but there are a few features that I love. I have very fine blond/red hair. My current razer does a great job at shaving even when I skip a day or two. Cleaning is easy. This is a must for any electric razer. The motors have been sealed from the razer so that I can run water inside and flush everything out. Head replacements are a breeze. You just pop out the old ones and insert the new ones. The only thing that would make it easier is if they automatically sent them to me. But all of these features pale in comparison to the one feature that now is a must have on any new razer I get. That is the battery level indicators on the front of the razer. Every time I turn it on, or for a few seconds after I turn it off, there is a 5 light indicator telling me exactly how much charge is left in the battery. This is such a great feature, I wish it were on other electronic devices I have.

If you use an electric razer and love a feature that I have not mentioned, please post a comment below and let me know why you love it.

by: Dean Jensen

I teach a computer seminar at my local library twice a month. As part of that seminar, I create handouts from PowerPoint for the attendees. They are usually 3-5 pages long and I print out about 20 copies for each class. While I do have manual staplers, I prefer my electric stapler for this routine job. After separating each printout, it quickly staples the sheets together.

If you have never used an electric stapler, here is how it works. When a pile of papers is inserted into the stapler (kinda like a punch clock), a motor drives the stapler down creating a clean, crisp staple. Inside the stapler is a small arm that slides back and triggers the motor. There is a wonderfully loud “thunk” as the staple is driven through the paper.

The model I have only staples about 20 standard sheets of paper. There are larger, more heavy duty electric staplers available. I found many models available ranging in price from $30 to over $300, depending on your needs. Check your local office supply store or online at: www.officemax.com, www.officedepot.com, www.staples.com.

by: Dean Jensen

I think Norbert does a great job at finding unique items to include in his podcast. It has become apparent that I cant keep up with all the great stuff he finds. So, I have decided to take a little different approach to my blog posts. I am going to create Top 10 (or so) lists. I will do a different list every month and the posts will appear between two and three times a week, with a wrap-up at the end of the list.

For my first list, I took a look around my house and found 10 gadgets that met the following criteria. They had to be low tech and singular purpose. What follows in the next couple of weeks, is my list of favorite low tech gadgets that I own.

If you have any comments, suggestions or ideas for new lists, please post a comment on any of the Top 10 blog posts.

By: Dean Jensen

I don’t know what it is about this device, but I feel I have to get one. It’s a completely programmable PC-Based device that gives exactly what you want. It plays MP3’s, Shows photos from popular photo sites like Flickr, provides access to your rss feeds, gives you the latest weather via its wifi based interface. It’s linux based and very hackable. I expect to see the functionality of this device skyrocket over the next year. I’m holding out for version two with hopes for a battery pack. Log on to: http://www.chumby.com/ and take one for a test drive with their virtual Chumby.   List price: $179.95

By: Dean Jensen

Working in a tough place? Need to take your information with you? Have you crushed a normal USB Thumb Drive? Then you need the ATV from OCZ. OCZ is a leading memory manufacturer, and they have created a ruggedized USB Thumb Drive. This drive has a shock resistant rubber exterior and is waterproof. If you need your data but are in an environment that is not data friendly, now you have an option. So if your job takes you out into the elements, keep your data safe.
Main Company Website: http://www.ocztechnology.com/
Direct link to Product: http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/flash_drives/ocz_atv_turbo_usb_2_0_flash_drive
Pricing: 4GB for $76.81 at Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XBO264?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=cnet-ce-20&linkCode=asn

By: Dean Jensen

If a thumb drive just isn’t enough, you need the Western Digital Passport. This slim 160 or 320 GB portable hard drive is about the same size as your smartphone. The device plugs into any USB device and works just like any other hard drive. You can also add encryption to this drive and create a safe an secure way to transfer that sensitive date to and from work. You can find more info at: http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=391 . List prices: 160 GB – $129.99 and 320 GB – $199.99