www.jacobsen.no / anders / blog / Gadgets Archives

September 26, 2006

Linux compatible printers

If you're a Linux user (or a prospective linux user) shopping for gadgets, it's worth searching a bit to ensure compatibility, but more and more people are reporting the same: Linux is now supporting an enormous amount of gadgets straight out of the box. Plug and play. MORE...


April 13, 2006

I'm giving away an Actiontec Internet Phone Wizard

Are you a skyper and a regular reader? Well - happy Easter to you: I've been given an Actiontec Internet Phone Wizard that I won't be using, so I thought I'd give it away to any friend / family / regular reader who can argue that they'll actually use it. MORE...


March 28, 2006

Microsoft's Digital Pen technology

Featured here 2 years ago was Microsoft's invention which was supposed to use 'regular ink, work with regular paper, and let users combine handwritten text and diagrams with digital content from reports, magazines, and Web pages.' Where is it? MORE...


March 22, 2006

iPod without iTunes

The free basic version of WinAmp 5.2 supports the iPod and other portable players (PlaysForSure and Creative devices) natively. MORE...


Noise cancelling earplugs and hearing loss prevention

I use my Etymotic noise cancelling earplugs as often as I can when I travel. You don't notice how loud the background noise in passenger jets are until you've got noise cancellation! MORE...


March 01, 2006

Sennheiser PC 165 headphones review

Most other headphone/mic combos I've had have been pretty lame, music-wise, but with this headset it's all bass and detail. I've tried Madonna and I've tried jazz and classical. Brilliant... You can talk to your buddies, too! :-D MORE...


February 15, 2006

Do It Yourself Lightbox & Ring light your DIY photo studio

Joseph Holst has written up two cool tutorials on photo gadgets you can make yourself: [...] MORE...


January 27, 2006

Why a little infidelity is a good thing!

for mobile phone customers switching operators as soon as their existing contracts run out their minimum connection time, there is a vast amount of deals to be had. MORE...


January 05, 2006

How to use the Playstation EyeToy on Windows

Need a cheapo webcam? Head to amazon.co.uk today and pick up the 'Eye Toy: Play 2 with Camera Platinum (PS2)' for £19.99 (free shipping!) and then you can even resell the game on ebay for a tenner... MORE...


Wifi phones are getting interesting

The United Kingdom has unveiled plans for citywide Wi-Fi networks that will give residents in nine cities high-speed wireless Internet access from laptops, PDAs and mobile phones. MORE...


How to set up the Linksys WAG54G as a wi-fi router only

Linksys' ADSL / wifi router combination boxes WAG54G can actually be used as only a wifi-router (ignoring the ADSL router part) if you have e.g. HomeChoice (UK ISP that provides a proprietary box) or e.g. a cable modem. MORE...


January 04, 2006

What is the ISO 13406-2 standard for LCD screen pixel faults?

I'm in the market for a new screen to hook up to my cute little sub-notebook laptop. While browsing, I noticed that all the flat panel monitors for sale at koplett.co.uk are labelled 'All LCD displays adhere to the ISO 13406-2 standard with regard to pixel faults.' This, of course, tickled my attention, [...] MORE...


FON

A friend passed me the link to FON - a new semi-commercial alliance between people who share their wi-fi access points with their neighbourhood - if you join FON, you'll get acces to all other FON access points for free. MORE...


January 03, 2006

WRT54G wifi router bookmarks

The Linksys WRT54G wireless router famously Linux and there are a number of available enhancements to its firmware (the software running inside the box): [...] MORE...


Cheap-o Google PCs / 'GoogleCubes' soon to be released?

Not many companies have the bankroll and the motivation to challenge the domination of Microsoft in the home and office PC market. Mac keeps trying, Sun as well, but when it comes to $$, perhaps Google is the best placed of them all to enter the home gadgetry market? [...] MORE...


December 12, 2005

Phidgets - cool idea to make your home smarter!

Phidgets = low cost, easy to program sensors for the PC. Imagine a few temperature sensors in the house and humidity sensors in the bathroom / cellar to make your home send you messages if/when the house is too cold or the washing machine is leaking. MORE...


April 22, 2005

Sharing a bit?

I have one of the omnipresent Linksys blue boxes beaming soon-to-be 1 Mbit/s ADSL goodness througout the flat and the neighbourhood, but I'm curious: could I share just a bit of it? MORE...


January 25, 2005

How does a dive computer work?

A dive computer is an electronic device used by a scuba diver to measure the dive profile (depth, bottom time etc) and to display information needed for a safe dive, avoiding decompression sickness [...] MORE...


January 17, 2005

Dive computer reviews

I'm looking for some good scuba dive computer reviews/advice. I'm planning to try out the Suunto Gekko, possibly some of the other computers in the Suunto range over the next month if the opportunities arise. I'm also open for alternative suggestions, although among the different models available that I have seen, I quite favour the wristwatch-shaped Suuntos over the bulkier versions some other competitors have out. [...] MORE...


November 10, 2004

Canon EOS 10D/20D JPEG conversion errors?

NoelC has posted a thorough piece on the apparently flawed RAW-to-JPEG algorithm in the Canon EOS digital cameras: [...] MORE...


October 04, 2004

Price model crash for online and mobile music

In Norway, you can legally rip your music from CDs for free. One CD with maybe 10 tracks would cost US$ 43 from mobster. iTunes would sell this for competitive 10 bucks, the local Platecompaniet often would sell you the physical disc for less... MORE...


October 01, 2004

How do noise cancelling headphones work?

I've decided to start properly answering questions that have led people to this site. One visitor last month was someone searching for information about 'How do noise cancelling headphones work?' MORE...


September 17, 2004

KOSS PortaPro

The Koss PortaPros are lightweight, come with a life-time guarantee, have superb bass for their size (rated frequency response 15-25,000 Hz, which is a larger envelope than what the iPod can reproduce) MORE...


September 07, 2004

How to improve your HiFi for $0

On adjusting what you already have versus buying new HiFi equipment: Arve Bersvendsen has published a 'Speaker testing/placement for dummies' - a pretty good overview for 'the rest of us'! MORE...


September 02, 2004

New lens for the Canon 300D

A friend mailed me: ''Hey Anders. Hope you are well. I’m looking to treat myself with a new lens for my 300D. Any recommendations? I currently only have the standard EF-S 18 - 55 mm F3.5 - F5.6 one they supply with the camera…''. Here are my recommendations - other opinions welcome: [...] MORE...


August 12, 2004

Linksys WAG54GUK Wireless ADSL Modem Experiences

So I ordered the Linksys WAG54GUK Wireless 4 Port ADSL Modem Gateway with Firewall the day before Rich Lyon tipped me about his bad experiences with it. Still, installation was (almost) a breeze: [...] MORE...


August 11, 2004

Difference in data quality burned on DVDs versus CDs

''We designed the DVD for MPG video where we can loose data; we realized the CD was overengineered for audio and wasted too much data on redundancy for error correction. We fixed that in the DVD making it less suitable for data files but better for releasing movie rentals.'' MORE...


August 04, 2004

More ADSL/WiFi/Router combo boxes

Following up Monday's entry on ADSL gadgets, the revised list of candidates are: Linksys WAG54GUK Wireless 4 Port ADSL Modem Gateway with Firewall, 3Com OfficeConnect ADSL Wireless 54Mbps Firewall Router and Belkin F5D7630 54G Wireless Modem/Router [...] MORE...


August 02, 2004

ADSL modem, router and wifi?

With only a cheap USB modem coming with my ADSL connection and a new need arising to hook up more PCs at the same time, I'm in the market for an all-in-one box allowing me to share my ADSL line. If I'm splashing out for a gadget anyway, I figure I can just as well make it a decent one that includes either WiFi or is easily upgradeable to whatever 802.11 standards is hot now and in the future. Any advice which brands/products I should be considering? MORE...


June 18, 2004

Toshiba 17WLT46

Toshiba's LCD IDTV (Integrated Digital TV) model 17WLT46 comes with a built-in FreeView tuner and a 1280 x 768 resolution. We like. MORE...


LCD TV reviews

As square footage comes at a heavy price in London, I wouldn't mind getting a neat, flat screen. Budgetary restrictions quicly rule out those 42 inch plastma objects-of-desire, and hence I'm now in the market for a 17'' or larger LCD TV, preferably ticking in under 1000 GBP (that's ~ EUR 1500). Here are my requirements: [...] MORE...


February 09, 2004

More news about Telio's IP Telephony

Remember Telio.no, the new Norwegian IP telephony company? Dagbladet (Norwegian newspaper) has tested their service and reports that, as expected, it's cool but still suffers from occational hiccups. [...] MORE...


January 30, 2004

Canon Speedlite 420EX

The gadget-du-mois is the Canon Speedlite 420EX, a powerful, universal flash unit for Canon's EOS cameras.[..] MORE...


Telio.no beats Skype in a heartbeat!

Top this: they have a WLAN phone! Yeah! That's right! It works like a mobile phone when you're in a WLAN covered area. Is that cool or what? With your old landline number routed to it! MORE...


January 20, 2004

Comparison of MP3 and AAC

Now that the iPod is running - what format is preferable to rip music in? AAC 160 kbps? MP3 192 kbps? Thankfully, others have done the comparisons and posted their views online[...] MORE...


January 19, 2004

Hooking an iPod up to a PC

A heads-up to anyone considering buying one for PC use (I don't have a Mac so I don't know how well they work together), make note that you will either a FireWire port on toyr PC or a special cable (sold separately) + possibly an OS upgrade... MORE...


January 14, 2004

iPod, therefore I am

I now am too... A sleek 40 gig iPod has found its way to me as a wonderful post Christmas gift. May this Christmas never end ;-) MORE...


Mobile blogging

A list of some pieces of software and some services that allow mobile phone blogging; additions most welcome! [...] MORE...


December 15, 2003

Free PCs in the UK!

UK residents can have free IBM PCs (but need to watch 1 min of ads every 20 min). Surely someone can do a bit of scripting [...] MORE...


December 03, 2003

Usability just won my business

Orange's usability (and fairly competitive web-offers) just won my business and a Nokia 7250i is on it's way to its new parent (me!) within the next few days. MORE...


December 02, 2003

To Anders from Santa

I've ordered a 4 USB2.0 port PCMCIA card and a 250 Gb USB2 & Firewire external harddrive as a pre-Christmas treat. Now it's really Advent. MORE...


November 28, 2003

New Robot Vacuum Cleaner

... control it from your browser! Yeah! We like!!! MORE...


November 27, 2003

PCMCIA -> USB2.0

This PCMCIA card lets laptop owners with too few or too slow (USB 1.1 for example) USB ports expand the connectivity to 4 USB2.0 ports [...] MORE...


August 25, 2003

The White Cat (and a Canon 10D resolution sample)

Some readers asked for a demonstration of / samples of the high resolution cababilities of the Canon 10D. Here is a full resolution sample of detail of the fur and the left eye of a cat. MORE...


August 13, 2003

Canon EOS 10D London price comparison

This is indeed a highly sought-after camera. 3 out of 4 shops were sold out and had a waitlist, but here's the price comparison table so far. MORE...


August 12, 2003

Canon EOS 10D "Prosumer" camera experiences?

I'm looking for experiences as well as arguments for and against buying the Canon 10D digital SLR. I've been playing with my current digital IXUS for about 3 years now and I'm looking for options for adding a more sophisticated camera to my increasingly heavy hand baggage when travelling. MORE...


June 09, 2003

Etymotic ER-6 Isolator Earphones: Tested and Reviewed

A fantastic product: I heard nothing of what people next to me were talking about, nor did I hear anything when the flight attendants asked me about drink- and meal-options. MORE...


May 11, 2003

Noise cancelling headphones reviews

I have a couple of intercontinental flights lined up for the summer, and I am considering investing in a decent set of noise-cancelling earplugs / headphones to reduce travel fatigue and to have a more enjoyable musical experience on the flights. [...] MORE...


December 10, 2002

Wearable Computers (Thesis publication)

During the autumn of 1999 and the winter of 2000 I wrote my thesis to complete my M.Sc. studies. I was fortunate enough to get to work with a subject that still remains reasonably bleeding-edge; wearable computers. Today, I publish my thesis in PDF format. MORE...


September 24, 2002

GSM Roaming a la 2002: Why it's just a nuisance

Named simply the Global System for Mobile Phones (GSM), it is designed for interoperability across networks. Why, then, do my frequently travelling friends, colleagues and myself carry two to three phones when we travel? MORE...


August 18, 2002

How mobile phones change the way we interact

after we were getting our first mobiles maybe 5 years ago, all things related to making appointments have softened. Now, we're all like ''yeah - give me a call / send me a text later and we'll see what we do''... MORE...