Hi Everyone!

 It has been a long time since you had audio on the the FiT feed. Well here we go again. This time around several of us got together and had a chat. We talked where we have been in 2008 tech wise. What we expected to get for Christmas and where we are going in 2009.

Join Us:

• Victor Cajiao
• Chuck Tomasi
• Kreg Steppe
• Steve Holden
• George Starcher

We Chat About:

• Nikon D90 – SLR Camera
• Victor’s eeePC
• Fujistu Tablet Pcs
• Box.net Storage Service
• Getdropbox.com Storage Servic

  e

• Brightkite Location Service
• Evernote 
• Flip Mino HD Camcorder
• JVC GZ-MG155 Camcorder
• TomTom GPS
• ChuckChat Technorama TomTom Video
• Zoom H2 Handy Recorder
• Sling Media – SlingCatcher
• AppleTV
• aTV Flash Hack Stick
• Boxee
• Amazon Kindle

 FiT Christmas 2008 [51:01m]: Download

It’s time to roll back our clocks one hour for the end of Daylight Saving Time, and as many sources recommend, a good time to swap out batteries for things like smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors.

A few years ago, we picked up a couple of smoke detectors of this type for our family — It’s a vocal smoke detector.  It comes with a recommended script for yor recorded message.  It’s a very short and basic message calling out your child(ren) by name and instructing them on what to do.  Of course, this also means that you must have a family evacuation plan and have worked through it with your children.  The recording time is rather small, but that’s the way it’s meant to be — keeping the message short for kids so as not to be too complicated or confusing.

I can’t say I recommend or suggest this specific device, but just wanted to share which device we chose for our family.  This model is a few years old, so there may very well be newer, better models on the market.  Do a little research first to determine which type of device is best for you and your family.  Whatever you do…  at least have SOMETHING.

And don’t forget to change out those batteries!

George posted a review on the Belkin 3-Outlet 918 Joule Mini Surge Protector with USB Charger a while back. At the time the price was $22 plus shipping. On Sunday, this will be available from Staples for $19.99, a little cheaper and shipping won’t need to be paid as most people will probably have a Staples store nearby.

I had been waiting on Belkin to get this unit out since I heard of it. Finally on Monday I stumbled onto it at the Apple Store. It is a nice little three ac outlet travel surge strip with two additional USB charging ports. It will even charge Motorola phones which are notorious for only charging with units made just for them.

Belkin Mini Surge Protector

Update: You can find the Belkin unit at CDW for $22.

http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.aspx?edc=1440970

 Other Media [2:05m]: Download

Victor and I each ordered an ATP Photofinder. Our experiences were definitely different. Give our review discussion a listen and hear the good, bad and ugly about the ATP Photofinder.

You can get it at a good deal from Costco. Just click here to find it for $79.99 till June 30th. Buy at your own risk.

 ATP Photofinder Review [14:56m]: Download

This past weekend my son and I were able to take in a Mariners game as part of Little League Weekend. Knowing about the Nintendo Fan Network, we made sure to bring along my son’s DS Lite.

I believe the NFN is only available at Safeco Field in Seattle, but I’m sure there must be similar geeky offerings at other stadiums throughout the country.

If you know of any geeky-goodness like this offered at other ballparks, let us know. Drop us a line or post to the forums about it.

Nintendo Fan Network
Seattle Mariners

 

 Standard Podcast [3:02m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Victor Cajiao and George Starcher review the Eye-Fi SD Card. The Eye-Fi is a 802.11G wireless memory card. It lets you upload your photos to your computer and even sharing sites like Flickr straight from your camera as you take photos.

Links Mentioned:

 

 Eye-Fi Review [30:05m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The other day my dad got me some new type nimh rechargable batteries from costco. They are called Eneloop made by Sanyo.

I have been using them for several weeks now. Both in my Altec Lansing inMotion ipod portable speakers and in my Canon S2 IS camera. They last amazingly long and recharge way faster than my Energizer batteries. Usually the energizers can go dead within a few days. They also take over 30 minutes to charge on their own 15 minute speed charger. The eneloops can last over a year charged without use. They even come charged in the package. I also just charged a set of four AAs in 10 minutes on my Energizer charger.

They just rock. Finally what rechargeable batteries should have been all along. I definitely recommend these to anyone who wants to be a little green and not use disposable batteries.

Our tax refund came in last week. My wife just loves to do our taxes, have it direct deposit to her checking account and then dole an allowance to me. Of course she almost always uses it to update something on the house. But this time I got to spend a little on something. A nice new Roomba 560 from Linens and Things.

Cnet had a good review on the 560 last fall. It has an improved vacuum, traction etc. You can read the review HERE.

The trick to buying an item like this from Linens and Things is to print off the 20$ discount coupon from the Internet. Here is a link to the 20% Coupon. It expires Dec 31, 2008. I was able to get the 560 for $305 including sales tax using the coupon.

The first one I got was dead out of the box. Would not power up or charge at all. Linens and Things exchanged it with no questions asked. The second one worked perfect. It made a little musical tone the moment I pulled out the battery protection tab from the bottom of the unit. Then I let it charge over night. It has been great. Our hardwood floors even feel cleaner when walking around in bare feet. Not that we ever had a messy house. It just makes so much difference in the feel of the floors and quality of the air having the roomba run twice a week during time we are out of the house. You can schedule the 560 for one time during any day of the week. So you can schedule say twice a week at 930am during the day while you are at work.