May 2009 - Page 6 of 12 - The Red Ferret JournalThe Red Ferret Journal

Gadgets May 18, 2009 posted by Dan

StickPic – self portrait improvement on a stick

The StickPic is an attachment for walking poles that gets your camera out of arm’s reach for more impressive shots of yourself, and yourself+others. Sure GorillaPods are cool, but they’re a one-trick pony and they’re just more weight that you don’t need to carry. The StickPic weighs nothing (well 10 grams) and attaches to the tripod socket on any point-and-shoot camera. You can then push it onto the spiked end of your walking pole (it doesn’t say anything about ski…

Gadgets May 18, 2009 posted by Nigel

Wireless Digital Security Photo Frame – check your crib remotely, dawg

Tshaw, instead of displaying cutesy images of your gran and her puppies on your desk, which not grab this Wireless Digital Security Photo Frame and watch people rob your house or office instead? The seven inch wireless frame is so much better deployed as a security rig than a trivial screenshow engine, eh? And you get some added enjoyment at the identification lineups later on down the police station. Bargain. £119.99. The complete kit includes a 7-inch wireless colour photo…

Gadgets May 18, 2009 posted by Nigel

GameDr Video Game Timer – regulate your child’s gaming and enforce some quality time

The GameDr Video Game Timer is the perfect product to enforce draconian game playing rules on your offspring. Clamp the power lead into the timer enclosure, set the alloted time for games and slot the whole thing into the power strip. Voila, you now control your roost with an absolute iron grip. Feel good? $29.99. Um…if you’re so unable to exert loving discipline on your child that you need one of these, good luck with the next few years of parenting. (press…

Awesome May 18, 2009 posted by Nigel

Google search results update – lots of nice stuff arrives to bolster their style

Wow, Google has just updated its search results page and it’s a doozy. Just click on the ‘Show options..’ button at the top of your search results and you’ll get a an awesome list of subordinate criteria. What makes it v. cool is the excellent value of the filters, e.g. video, forums, reviews, time, images and even a very visual search Wonder Wheel option. Wow. Try it, it looks like an excellent addition to the page, and something I’ll be using…a…

hardware May 18, 2009 posted by Nigel

Drug Identification Kit – make like the law and impress your dealer

This Drug Identification Kit is sure to impress friends and family no end, as you stride boldly down the road clutching your case looking for assorted n’er do wells to assault. Make sure you research hospital visiting times first though, just in case. $99.95. Virtually No False Positives * Easy to use * Environmentally Safe Disposal * Detects Trace Amounts * Results In Seconds * Unique Design * Utilizes Advanced New Patented Kit Design and Chemical Technology Tags: drug+identification+kit

Gadgets May 18, 2009 posted by Nigel

Bosch DNM60L – electronic spirit level keeps you on the straight and narrow

The Bosch DNM60L Spirit Level is proof that you can digitally enhance almost anything, even the humble level finding tool. No more peering myopically at a small yellow bubble (although it still sports one for the purists), instead you can read off actual angles and inclines on the LCD and even hold and store results at the push of a button. Isn’t technology marvellous? Until you run out of batteries, that is. £59.95. Automatic rotation of the measured values when…

Free Software May 18, 2009 posted by Nigel

Essential PIM Free – your free olde schoole personal information manager

Essential PIM Free is a free personal information manager which delivers traditional scheduling, to-do list, contact management and a note taker in a downloadable desktop application. All the data can be password protected and you can export and import lots of different data formats to keep stuff synched as necessary. This is the kind of software that does all the PIM tasks, rather than a lot of online services which handle one bit or another. The $39.95 Pro version gives you much…

but is it art? May 18, 2009 posted by Nigel

LoopLabs Online Music Mixer – electro-house music maker

The LoopLabs Online Music Mixer should please those electro-house lovers who fancy having a go themselves. It’s easy and free to use, and comes with the usual competitions, charts and ego smoothing stuff you come to expect. It’s no Musicshake, but it’s awright. Looplabs is the web’s premiere online music mixing application and platform. Since 2000 we have connected millions of web users from around the world to the art of music mixing through our extremely intuitive and easy-to use software interfaces. Tags: looplabs,…

reprise May 17, 2009 posted by Red

Ferret posts this week

Here’s a quick round-up of Red Ferret posts from the past week for those who missed them. Enjoy. iPod Nano Converter TV – upgrade your handheld viewing experience – This iPod Nano Converter TV… Phex – Gnutella file sharing freeware – Phex is an open… 5 innovative ways cell phones are being used to save lives – the phone as superhero – Helen sent me this interesting… Aerator Sandals – and you thought Crocs looked dorky – Spring’s here (for…

Gadgets May 16, 2009 posted by Nigel

Digital Concepts MP-625 Multimedia Player – the plug and play way to view multimedia on your home TV

This Digital Concepts MP-625 Multimedia Player demonstrates the spartan tech approach to home entertainment. Plug the box into your fave flat screen television and use the bevy of available USB and memory card slots to input your photos, video and audio files for HD consumption in the living room. It’s crude, but probably rather effective, and you don’t have to fiddle around setting up complex wireless networks or suchlike. $99.95. The Digital Concepts MP-625 Multimedia Player lets you view all…

Gadgets May 15, 2009 posted by Nigel

Pepe The USB Parrot – what’s dat you say?

Pepe The USB Parrot sits there tethered to your computer by a USB power cord and repeats what you say at random intervals. Now this could either be a) mildly amusing on a rainy autumn afternoon or b) downright embarrassing if you’re someone with a quick temper and an obsessive love of caffeine. Please think carefully before gifting this to a person you love. £16.49. The USB Parrot plugs into your computer and sits on your desk listening to what you’re…

Gadgets May 15, 2009 posted by Nigel

Cool Lap Multimedia Computer Desk – you hum it, we’ll play it Jack

The Cool Lap Multimedia Computer Desk not only features a swank pair of super quiet cooling fans to keep your laptop environmentally content, but also a set of 5W speakers, a sub-woofer and some audio controls to deliver the multimedia sound levels your ears demand. This is truly an example of caring tech, doncha think? Powered by your computer’s USB port and priced at a relaxed $54.95. Powered by a USB connection to the computer, the 2.1-channel amplifier drives two 5-watt…

Eco Friendly May 15, 2009 posted by Nigel

Solar Powered Bank Note Checker – the perfect gift for the hedge fund manager in your liffe?

We can’t help feeling that these racy sports car shaped Solar Powered Bank Note Checkers really should be branded with major bank logos and sent to every short-sighted, incompetent, careless politician on the planet along with a gently worded demand for reparation embossed on a piece of soiled toilet paper. But maybe we’re just over-reacting. $4.99. Features: 2 Front White LED Light # 2 Rear UV Light (Money Checking light) # On/Off Switch at Top of the Car # Solar panel under the car…

hmm..interesting May 15, 2009 posted by Debra Atlas

Ecofont – another way to help the environment?

Ecofont, is a free downloadable font which apparently uses up to 20% less ink than conventional fonts. It’s been designed to mimic the famous Swiss cheese format (as in holey), after the developers discovered that a font with small holes in the middle would maintain a letter’s readability while using less ink. Use it in low res draft mode on recycled paper and you’re half-way towards doing your eco angel duties for the day. Ecofont is compatible with Mac OSX,…

Free Software May 15, 2009 posted by Nigel

Virtual Photographer – free Photoshop plugin filter adds interest to your images

Virtual Photographer is a free Photoshop plugin which adds a bunch of useful little effects and image tweaks to your photo editing program. It will work with all programs that support the Photoshop plugin format, like Corel PSP etc, and although the list of effects is not massive, it’s good enough to warrant a download and install. virtualPhotographer lets you instantly apply high quality, professional photographic styles to your digital images…with just one click. Adjust film grain, color, B/W, soft…

Monthly Archives: May 2009