As a father of four young children and an avid user of technology, I’m always on the look out for toys and electronics that will educate, entertain and inspire.

My 3 year olds enjoy playing online games (must be genetic) on nickjr and pbskids, but that requires immense parental involvement navigating to those sites and through the different games.

To help parents, I’ve added an “Electronics for Kids” product page in the MyTechTalk Amazon Store.  It is filled with toys and games from Leapfrog, Fisher-Price, vTech, Hooked on Phonics and other reputable toy makers.

To view the kids electronics I’ve listed in the store - including a learning radio, laugh n’ learn laptop, talking  Smart Sticks and kid tough DVD players -  follow 2  steps:

1. Click this link to visit the MyTechTalk Amazon Store
2. Once in the store, click the “Electronics for Kids” link under the “Browse by Category” header.

Some of these toys are already enjoyed by my kids while others will likely find their way down the chimney on Christmas or wrapped up for a birthday.  In other words, I either bought these for my own kids or would like to at some point.  These items also received favorable reviews from customers on Amazon.

Your feedback and comments are always welcome.

Happy Shopping!

Photos make great personalized gifts, especially when you can have them printed by Kodak onto memorable, enduring products.

As a long time Kodak Gallery customer, I can vouch for the quality of their products, their excellent customer service and the enjoyment giving such personal gifts will bring to the recipient. If I was not a satisfied customer, I would not be their affiliate nor recommending their products.

Why Photos Make Great Gifts

• Unique
• Long Lasting
  
• Affordable

Consider these creative gifts from the Kodak Gallery for your photos:

(Click a photo to visit Kodak Gallery for further product details)

Mouse Pads

Photo Coasters

Specialty Puzzle

Photo Playing Cards

Magnet Frames

Travel Mug

Hopefully this list will help you with your holiday shopping.

ONE IMPORTANT TIP:  Always look for coupon codes for your Kodak Gallery purchases. You can search on Google for “Kodak Gallery Coupon Codes” or visit the DealTaker web site to see their list of coupon codes, which displays a lot of them.

Comments and feedback are always appreciated.

Will the Blackberry Bold get swept away by the Storm?

That’s the question I asked myself recently and decided to do a little Internet surfing to see what answers I could uncover. I looked at detailed reviews, YouTube videos, Blackberry’s own web site and even Research in Motion financial documents for clues.

Since some of you may want a quick answer in order to get on with your day, I’ll provide one here and say thank you for visiting today:

In my opinion, the answer is NO. The Bold will not get swept away.

If you want more details, please read on.

Blackberry Bold Reviews

To restate the facts, the Bold has a QWERTY keyboard whereas the Storm is a true touch screen model similar to the iPhone. In the United States, the Bold is sold by AT&T while the Storm is on the Verizon network. I’ve left the comprehensive reviews, or heavy lifting if you will, to Gizmodo and CNET.

Read Gizmodo’s review of the Blackberry Bold.

Read CNet’s review of the Blackberry Bold.

If you’re a visual person, watch a YouTube review of the Blackberry Bold.

Here’s what I gleaned from these reviews:

Strengths:

• Speed (faster processor = faster performance)
• Crisp screen for multimedia
• WiFi and GPS built in
• Impressive Battery Life

Weaknesses:

• Web browsing is better than previous models, like the Curve or Pearl, but still not as user-friendly as some other smart phones.
• In the above video, the reviewer cites video playback on the Bold as problematic.

Blackberry Storm Reviews

The Storm’s touch screen uses “SurePress” technology that realistically simulates the click of a keyboard button by requiring the user to actually push down on the screen.  For this device, I read through the reviews on Gizmodo and CNET.

Read CNet’s review of the Blackberry Storm

Read Gizmodo’s review of the Blackberry Storm

For a visual review, watch a YouTube video of the Blackberry Storm.

Strengths:

• Touch Screen
• Video recording capabilities
• 8 GB microSD card included
• Dual mode for easy switching between CDMA and GSM phone networks

Weaknesses:

• “Sluggish” (Cnet) and “lags” (Gizmodo) are not the words you want to hear about performance
• No WiFi
• No trackball or scroll wheel (apparently still the ideal way to navigate the Blackberry menus)
• 2 hands are required to operate many features (a departure from previous models)

Side by Side Feature Comparison

If you’d like to forgo the wordy reviews, take a look at this table from the Blackberry web site that compares the features of the Bold and Storm.

You can also read Technewsworld’s article, Blackberry Battle Royale: Storm vs Bold

Final Thoughts

If you’re using your Blackberry for business, stick with the Bold.  The speed of the device and the familiarity of the QWERTY keyboard are both important to getting work done quickly and efficiently.  If you’d like a Blackberry for fun or casual use, the Storm is worth considering.

The introduction of both devices in the 3rd quarter of 2008 resulted in an incredible increase in # of devices sold. If you’d like the numbers, RIM reports a 117% increase in # of devices sold from the 3rd quarter of 2007 (p. 13 of the 3rd Quarter Fiscal Financial Info Document found on the RIM web site).

The Bold should please business customers while the Storm attracts the general consumer to the Blackberry brand.  Appealing to two different types of customers (with marginal overlap?) should boost RIM’s revenues.

With prices ranging from $21.99 to $149.99, there’s a gift item for every budget. Click on the product link or the picture to visit Amazon.com for product details and purchasing.

Please bookmark MyTechTalk.com and visit often to look for new gift lists this holiday season.

1. B-Flex Stereo USB Speaker - Portable and Compact - $39.95 at Amazon

2. Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver with Heart Rate Monitor for $149 with free super saver shipping

3. Logitech Harmony 880 Advanced Universal Remote Control for $99.99 with free super saver shipping

4. Microsoft Fingerprint Reader for $40.95

5. Altec Lansing in Motion im600 Portable Audio System for iPod for $103.22

6. Audio Technica LP to Digital Recording System with USB for $103.22 with free super saving shipping

7. SanDisk Sansa Shaker 1 GB MP3 Player for $25.00 with free super saver shipping

8. PQI 8GB USB Flash Drive i810 Plus - Waterproof and Dustproof - for $21.99

Please bookmark MyTechTalk.com and visit often to look for new gift lists this holiday season.

Need more ideas? Read these lists:

Online Gift Ideas for the Web Surfer

Is the Flip Mino (and 4 others) the hot holiday gadget?

Gift Guide: Tech Gifts for the Budget-conscious

Do you need to shop for a savvy Web 2.0 loving, Internet surfing computer enthusiast? This type of person enjoys social media and online services.

Below are a few gift ideas to help you find the right gift for this special someone:

Virtual Gifts

• Visit the Facebook Gift Shop. You and your gift recipient will need to be Facebook members, of course. As a gift giver, you purchase “credits” (100 credits = $1) and redeem them for virtual gifts.
  • Pros: Easy to do yet thoughtful, a variety of gifts available for birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, etc.
  • Get Started: Login to Facebook and then type “Gifts” in the Search field.

• Is your special someone a Wordpress.comblogger? Then give the gift of Wordpress.com credits. With credits, bloggers can use additional services like domain mapping, custom CSS or additional storage space. Don’t worry if you don’t know what those services do. Remember, it is the thought that counts. Your grateful blogger may even sing your praises in his/her next blog post!
  • Pros: Useful gift that lasts for one year, inexpensive ($10-$20 should do the trick).
  • Get Started:Login to Wordpress.com and click on the “Upgrades” tab and then the “Gifts” sub-tab.

(Note: If you are not a Wordpress.com user, you’ll need to sign up for a free account. You’ll need to create a blog to complete the account setup but you are not obligated (of course) to actually do any blogging.)

Movies, Music and Photos

The following reputable web sites offer e-certificates for their products and services.

• Netflix - Give the gift of comedy, drama, action and adventure delivered in a little red envelope. You can choose to a gift subscription for any number of months.
  • Pros: Easy to give, convenient, budget friendly.
  • Go Get It! Visit the Neflix Gift Subscription page.

• iTunes - A gift card to the iTunes store will allow a recipient to buy music, movies, TV shows and “apps”, short for software applications. ( The “apps” only apply to iPhones and iPod Touch models.)
  • Pros: Easy to give, convenient, versatile. Prices start at $15
  • Go Get It! Visit the Apple Store online to purchase and ship a gift card today.

(Note: If you use an iPod yourself, you can also send an e-gift card through the iTunes software.)

• Kodak Gallery - A picture is worth a thousand words. So, a $15 gift e-certificate to buy 4″x6″ prints of digital photos for .15 cents each from Kodak is worth…100,000 words!
  • Pros: Budget Friendly, Delivered by Email, Can be used to buy some other photo products* too (restrictions apply*)
  • Go Get It! Visit the Kodak Gallery web site for more details and to buy an e-certificate.

Thinking of Others

Consider donating money to a charity or a cause in the name of your special someone. Below is one that I recommend:

• Tribute Gift to “Nothing but Nets” - Malaria kills and nets save lives. The goal behind this charity is to save lives by sending bed nets to Africa to keep mosquitoes away while sleeping. Read about it in detail how “nets save lives”.
  • Pros: Generous, thoughtful and affordable.
  • Go Get It! Visit the donation page to choose your amount. Don’t forget to check the “Tribute Gift” option at the bottom of the screen.

Mobile Software

• Handango.com – Purchase a gift e-certificate and your special someone can load up their smart phone (Blackberry, Windows OS, Palm OS, Android) with software. Hundreds of software programs are available: Games, city guides, budgeting and expenses, nutrition and fitness, translations, bibles, ringtones, maps, GPS, music, medical, horoscopes and more.
  • Pros:Versatile, helpful, Email-able, an unexpected gift.
  • Go Get It! Visit the Handango web site to purchase.

(Note: Take a moment to verify that your gift recipient has a “smart phone” like a Blackberry, Blackjack, Palm Treo, etc. Handango does not make applications for the iPhone at this time.)

If you have any ideas to share, please post a comment below. Thank you!

More to Read:

SuccessfulSoftware.net’s blog post: What do you buy a programmer for Christmas?

How would you like to take notes with a pen and a small electronic device about the size of garage door opener? 

Wirelessly Record Your Handwriting

Meet the Mobile Digital Scribe by IOGear.

 No wires. No special tablet or paper.

No computer needed until you wish to transfer your writing into a digital format.

The wireless receiver records your handwriting and drawing on any paper or surface. You can later connect the receiver to a computer via USB cable to have it transcribed into typed text.

Don’t confuse this product with the similarly named IOGear Digital Scribe either —note the omission of the word “Mobile” —as this model is not wireless and requires a USB connection to work at all.

Who Can Use it?

A wireless digital pen really has the potential to attract a wide range of customers, including:

• Students
• Health Care Professionals
• Outside Sales Representatives
• Parents
• Administrative Assistants
• Paralegals

Good News - Hardware

Consumer reviews on Amazon.com indicate that the pen and receiver work great.

Bad News - Software

Consumer reviews on Amazon.com indicate that the handwriting recognition software shipped with the product does a below average job of transcribing your scribbles into typed text on the screen. 

Possible Solution to Bad News

IOGear offers an upgrade to the software that presumably “learns” your own handwriting style to improve the accuracy of the transcription.  It is *not* included in the original purchase.

Read G.B. Ludwig’s comment titled “product with potential.”

Final Thoughts

My impression is that this gadget needs some fine tuning and better software included. 

Comments about ink refills, flimsy spring load clips to hold the receiver to the paper and problems for left handed writers indicate that IOGear needs to release an updated model to address these issues.

Until then, the pen is not yet mightier than the keyboard. 

However, the Mobile Digital Scribe should make keyboards very nervous about their long term future in the computing world.

Read More Gadget Posts:

Green Umbrella’s Extended Warranty Service for Electronics

Hot Holiday Gadget: Pocket Video Camcorders

“Take the ease of iTunes and apply it to IT Management.”

What is Spiceworks?

Spiceworks is free software designed to help small or medium sized businesses on a budget manage technology assets.

• Track inventory, including software, computers and network devices.
• Monitor a network, Exchange service or software licenses.
• Generate reports on assets and inventory.

What Information can it give me?

Network scans can identify which devices are attached to your network at a given time. It will display information on personal computers, network printers, Cisco switches, routers and anything else that has an IP address.

For each device, the scan can display detailed information, such as:

• Service Tags
• Serial Numbers
• MAC Addresses
• The Operating System version

What else can it do?

• You can add non-network devices into the inventory (like phone equipment or projectors or furniture)
• Track IT projects like equipment upgrades or office moves.
• Manage Help Desk activities, like submitting tickets for problems.

Read a detailed review from the HelpDeskGeek to get another opinion on the software.

Cost/Benefit

The software is free, but ad supported. The ads are not aggressive or irritating, but they do exist. It is a small sacrifice for access to such an immensely useful software program that can help you get control of your technology once and for all.

Get Started

Sign up to download Spiceworks software today to get started or visit their web site for more information.

“Simply put, it’s a complimentary theme installed as a plug-in on your WordPress blog or website that will format your content with this Apple-inspired, full-featured theme when your visitors are using an iPhone or iPod touch. ”

That’s a direct quote from the coding gurus, Dale Mugford and Duane Storey, at BraveNewCode.  I couldn’t state it any more clearly.

They’ve developed a free Wordpress plug-in that makes your existing blog more friendly to iPhone/iPod Touch viewers.  With smart phones making people more mobile than ever before,  it is important to take their viewing needs into consideration.  This plug-in helps deliver all of your content in a slimmed down theme that helps your site load quickly onto mobile devices.

Best of all, it is easy to install and customizable.

Click here for further details about the WPTouch Plugin from BraveNewCode.

I was able to quickly install it for my blog and I’m thrilled with the results.  (I don’t use the word “thrilled” often when referring to technology, so take that for what its worth.)

If you have an iPhone or iPod Touch, please take a moment to visit this web site from your mobile device to see how the plug-in changes the look of this site to emphasize the content.

A Few Features to Highlight:

• Speed up the page loading on mobile devices (including Blackberry) on slower networks, like EDGE  from AT&T.
  • Uncheck the options “Javascript Effects” and “Enable Gravatar” in the plug-in settings.
• iPhone Users can click a link at the bottom of their screen to switch to the original view of your site.
• Customize colors and icons
• If using the WP-Cache plugin too, please read the following instructions to be sure the WPTouch plugin works properly on your web site.

So far, BraveNewCode claims 25,000 downloads and counting, a number which will surely grow steadily.

A special thanks to Brodie Beta aka iPhoneGirl for tweeting about this yesterday.  I wouldn’t have found it unless I read her tweet.

DOWNLOAD THE WPTOUCH PLUGIN

There are other products within this “Mini Camcorder” category that you should consider as well.

Below is a collection of information and links to review regarding the Flip Mino (sometimes mistakenly spelled “Mimo”), RCA Small Wonder EZ200 series, Kodak Zi6, Best Buy’s Insignia and Creative Vado.

1. The Flip Video Mino

• Price range from MySimon: $150 and up
• Product web site: TheFlip.com
• Read reviews from Best Buy Customers
• Read 253 (and counting) reviews from Amazon customers
• New(er) feature: Buy the camera from TheFlip.com site and choose (or create) a custom design.
• Typical features: Built-in software, 2 GB internal flash memory, no media slot for expansion memory, internal battery.
  

2. RCA Small Wonder EZ200 Series

• Read a review and see a video demo on Cnet.
• Price Range from MySimon: $85-$99
• Product web site: MySmallWonder.com
  
• Read reviews from Amazon customers
• Key differences from the Flip Mino: Lower price, media slot for memory expansion, flip out LCD display.

3. Kodak Zi6

• Price range from MySimon: $179.99 (site lists Amazon.com as only seller)
• Product web site: Kodak.com
• Read reviews from Amazon customers.
• Read a product review from Cnet.
• Key differences from Flip Mino: HD camcorder, larger size, media slot for memory expansion (which is essential), only 128 MB onboard memory with 30 MB reserved for storage, rechargeable batteries.

4. Insignia 5.0 MP Digital Camcorder (Best Buy exclusive)

• Price at Best Buy: $99.99
• Product web site: BestBuy.com
• Read reviews from Best Buy customers.
• Key differences from Flip Mino: Swivel LCD display, uses 2 AA batteries, 64 MB internal memory, media slot for expansion memory.
  

5. Creative Vado

• Price range from MySimon: $79-$107
• Product web site: Creative Labs
• Read reviews from Amazon customers.
• Read review and watch a demo video from Cnet.
• Key differences from Flip Mino: Lower price

A camcorder like these make it easy to capture life’s spontaneous moments and share them online. While the Flip Mino has gotten the buzz, there are other products with similar features and lower price tags for those keeping an eye on their holiday budgets this year.

Click here for a side by side comparison by CNet of most of these “You Tube” camcorders.

Sadly, he has chosen to end his beloved “Opus” comic. You can read about the end of the Opus comic in a letter Mr. Breathed posted on his web site. Here’s what was written in a San Francisco Chronicle article by a reporter who interviewed Breathed recently:

After he brought Opus back in 2003, he noticed that his core audience - readers 13 to 30 - was no longer reading the newspaper. “It wasn’t just that the market had shrunk and some readers had left,” he said. “They had virtually disappeared. “I hadn’t appreciated that until I came back and realized that if I strolled into a college campus after three years of doing my strip, no one had ever read it….Breathed thinks comics will be left behind when newspapers go “fully digital.”

(You can click here to read the full article by Regan McMahon, published on 10/27/08: Berkeley Breathed’s Opus Bows Out.)

Comics.com has helped carry the comic strip torch into the online world. Recently, the web site received a Web 2.0 makeover which will help comic strip fans share their favorite funnies via social bookmarks and RSS for free.

With web sites like this, I hope that comics continue to tickle the funny bone long after newspapers have gone “fully digital.” We could all use the laughs, especially in these dreary economic times.

Below is one of the final Opus comics, courtesy of the new Comics.com web site.

JustTweetIt is a terrific online directory of Twitter users.  If you’re a Twitter user looking to add followers, take 5 minutes to visit the site and add yourself to the directory. At the same time, it is easy to find Twitter users to follow.  The directory is organized by interests, so you can find people who share your love of marketing, blogging, music, social media, politics, books, gadgets or _________ (fill in the blank).

If your goal is to use Twitter to promote your ideas, business or blog, then this site is definitely for you.

Click here to learn more about Twitter in general.

Click here to read about 9 useful sites for finding people to follow on Twitter. Well 8, because I just told you about one from the list.

Click here to follow me on Twitter.

Question: What is the fastest way to get connected to their computer?

Answer: TeamViewer

Simple to Use

Not only do you need to remotely connect to their computer, you need a simple process to help your customer or friend.

How about giving these simple instructions to your friend in need?

• Go to the web site www.teamviewer.com
• Click the “Start Customer Viewer”. (Try the Customer Viewer software here)
• Save the file and open it.
• Read the ID and password that appears in the TeamViewer software after installing.

Watch a brief video clip about how TeamViewer works.

Ways to Use It

• For Technical Support
• For Training
• For Demonstrations
• For Collaboration on Business or School Projects

Secure

TeamViewer uses Encryption, Verisign code signing technology and auto-generates a new password each time the software is opened. Read about the TeamViewer security features in detail.

Additional Features

1. VPN, file transfer and chat (even in free version)
2. Connects to users behind a firewall
3. Ability for remote reboot and reconnect

Free for Non-Commercial Use

Businesses should visit the TeamViewer web site for pricing plans on licenses.

TeamViewer’s simple setup makes it an attractive option for fast technical support, training or demonstrations when compared to Gotomypc.com, Logmein.com and the Remote Assistance feature in Windows.

Note: A special thanks to Mike Mueller for introducing me to the TeamViewer product.

If you’d like to find a farm for picking your own fruits and vegetables anywhere in the USA, visit this web site: PickYourOwn.org.

My long time friend, actor Hal B. Klein, posted a link to this web site on Facebook the other day and I thought it was worth sharing too. Hal also has a love of food and you should read about his culinary exploits on his blog: This Man’s Kitchen.

You can also locate pumpkin patches and Christmas tree farms, if you like chopping down your own tree.

This is a great idea for an inexpensive and educational family outing that also helps support local farmers in your area. You’ll also find tips on picking the best produce, as well as canning and preserving.

Cost to participate?

It is free.  Cartridges for Kids supplies participating non-profit groups with program marketing materials and shipping at no cost.

What items can be recycled?

• laser, fax, copier, and inkjet cartridges
• used cell phones
• laptops
• PDAs (Palm Pilots)
• GPS Systems
• iPods

Click here for a detailed list of acceptable items to recycle.

How much can we earn?

The answer varies, depending on how what items are being recycled and how much is being recycled.

For example,  recycling one Blackberry 7520 model = $5.00.

For a breakdown on pricing, visit the recycling list page.

How do we sign up?

Click here to enroll your non-profit organization now.

Upon enrolling your non-profit organization with the program, you will be sent an enrollment package which includes:

• Program Guide
• Poster
• Fliers
• CFK Stickers
• Pre-paid shipping labels

Getting Started

Click here to read about how to create a successful program.

Also, look on their home page for information on “6 Ways to Boost Your Organization.”

Cartridge for Kids can be an on-going fundraiser for a non-profit organization looking for some additional cash to fund their operation.