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LOMA : Tech
Talk : Articles
Give the Gift of
Gadgets
By John Anderson
The holidays are here
again and this time I have a list of gadgets for all ages.
For the big kids
Digital Video
Recorders (DVR)
ReplayTV from
sonicblue.com
and TiVo (www.tivo.com)
both allow you to watch your favorite shows on your schedule. There's no
tape and no hassle, and if you want, you can even skip the commercials.
These systems let you choose to skip commercial breaks altogether when you
playback recorded shows. No fast-forward, no remote control interaction at
all. Just a split-second "blip" and you're right back into the action.
Home Automation
Who said that home security
couldn't be fun, or at least cheap and easy? SmartHome (www.smarthome.com)
offers a powerful home security system for less than $250. Its 30-zone
wireless system dials phone numbers, plays messages in your own voice and
arms/disarms with a convenient keychain remote. This professional-grade
system will even talk you through the set-up process and give verbal
updates.
Their site also offers
many other home automation tools that will be sure to impress. Become one
of the Joneses and let the neighbor try to keep up with you for a change.
The perfect gift for
people who love the outdoors
Grill Alert™ Talking
Remote Thermometer
Step away from the grill. Our
wireless belt-clip monitor tells you when your entree is ready from up to
300 feet away. Just insert the stainless steel transmitter probe into the
center of the meat, select the type of meat, choose how you want it cooked
and then walk away. Let Grill Alert do all the work while you relax and
enjoy your newfound freedom. The voice prompt alerts you when your entree
is "Almost ready" and "Ready." Great for use inside with your oven or
stovetop, as well as outdoors on the grill. ($75,
www.brookstone.com)
Slim Profile CD System
You don't have to have a lot of
space to get great sound. This full-featured CD system packs great sound
into a sleek, space-saving design that's only 21 inches long and 6 inches
wide. Mount it to the wall or place it on its raised stand for versatile
listening in any room. The system comes loaded with all the "big system"
essentials—motorized vertical loading CD player, programmable 20-track
memory, AM/FM radio with precision digital tuning and 40 station presets,
powerful two-way speakers, timer, remote control and more. ($110,
www.brookstone.com)
Talking Picture Frames
If a picture is worth a thousand
words, the story behind it adds even more. This great gift idea can record
personalized voice messages to enhance your favorite photos. Recordings
last for 99 years, even when the batteries run down.
You can pick from a
contemporary style frame that holds five photos with a 10-second message
for each or clocks, ornaments and single picture frames. ($25 - $45,
www.brookstone.com)
For the little kids
How soon is too soon for
your youngster to start using a PC? Younger than you might think.
From a TV remote control
designed with both the parent and child in mind to computer mice sized for
children, and award-winning, fun-filled interactive learning programs for
preschoolers and toddlers, computers are now in reach of a much younger
crowd.
Keyboards
Heavy-duty keyboards like My
Board!™ and the Learning Board are designed especially for young children!
Each feature large, colorful, and easy to read keys that aren't just for
looks; the large white lettering on color-coded keys makes locating
letters much easier, from vowels (purple) and consonants (green) to
punctuation (yellow), numbers (red), and functions (blue).
The keys are in the same
order as an adult keyboard so they won’t have to relearn anything later.
The keyboard also makes sure the child only gets one character of input
each time a key is pressed, even if they hold it down.
More information can be
found about these keyboards at
www.lilhands.ca.
Software
What are the kids gonna do with
their new keyboards? Well, children aged 2 to 5 can start using Buddy
Brush®, a magical paintbrush character that introduces young children to
computer-based creativity. It is a tool that uses color and music to
ignite children's imagination. Children can mix paint and music, paint
scenes with musical colors and flip through interactive musical puzzles.
It includes a 16-page coloring book and eight cool paper frames.
Later, they can start
learning to type using Disney's Adventures in Typing with Timon & Pumbaa
CD-Rom. Designed for children as young as six and features step-by-step
tutorials that teach hand placement and keystrokes. Children get private
lessons from Rafiki, and plenty of laughs from wild and wacky Timon and
Pumbaa!
Let’s not forget about
LeapFrog.com.
You can download new activities and learning games for children of any
age, from infants and toddlers to high schoolers.
Mini Mice
The Tiny Mouse, a computer mouse
about half the size of an adult mouse (2 - 5 years of age), and the Little
Wheel Mouse, about two-thirds the size of an adult mouse (6 - 9 years of
age), fit smaller hands comfortably. They are color-coded with blue and
red dots, which for a young child is a much easier concept than left-click
and right-click. You'll be amazed at how attached your child becomes to
"their mouse!" Using the USB connector, the Tiny Mouse and your normal
mouse can be hooked up at the same time. No more switching mice!
KidTV
Would you let your child use the TV
remote? Well then, get the remote that both parents and kids truly love!
Called the weemote®, this programmable remote control keeps younger
viewers focused on parent-selected, age-appropriate TV channels. Weemote®
works with over 95 percent of TVs VCRs, satellite receivers and cable
boxes. Parents can also turn off the volume control, allowing parents to
set a consistent volume level for younger children
Parents can easily select
up to 10 channels for children's viewing, then program them into the
keypad (secured inside the weemote®). All other channels are then blocked
from access by the weemote®. (www.weemote.com)
With these learning tools
you can turn your home computer into more than just a home arcade for your
kids. Children usually become much more adept at technology than their
elders and these new kid-oriented gadgets will certainly give them a head
start.
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