Presto

Have you seen this? You may think this is a printer for your computer but you would be mistaken. This is a printer that doesn't need a computer. Yes, you have read that correctly. No computer needed. The Presto from HP allows you to receive emails and photos like you would receive a fax. The difference between a standard fax and this printer is that your friends and family send information via an email address that is set-up through the Presto mail server.

One of the questions that you may have is about SPAM. Since you set up a safe list of senders unless an email address is pre-approved, you won't receive SPAM via your Presto email address.

Another neat aspect is that you can decorate your email to your loved ones or friends. Presto has various styles of borders, special announcements and even calendar formats that you can add your photos to.

In this day and age you maybe asking yourself why would you need something like this. The simple answer is for members of your family that does not have access to a computer because of where they live, they do not know how to use a computer or the cost is prohibitive.

I recently purchased one for a nursing home as a gift of giving. I set it up so the residents could receive special messages from loved ones. I paid for one year of email service for a general email address for the whole nursing home. So far the residents are loving the Presto. They feel in contact with their families. They are getting emails from their grandchildren, photos and artwork that otherwise would never be seen by them.

Learn more : http://presto.com/

Voice Activated Grocery List Organizer

SmartShopper Voice-Activated Grocery List

This device was designed to make your life simpler so you can keep track of your errands, grocery list as well as other things. The device has a library of 2,500 items that can be deleted so you can create your own custom list. The device comes with a thermal printer that doesn’t require ink cartridges. The description says that the LCD is bright and easy to read. I will have to go to the Sharper Image store to see it in person.

For students and adults that struggle with keeping track of their assignments, activities or things they need to bring this device might be the tool that can help them moving forward and being independent. The price is a little high $149, depending on the student or person this might be worth every penny that it cost.

Thumbthing

Ok it doesn't look like much. But if you love to read this is just a very cool gadget. The Thumb thing fits on your thumb like a ring for the first joint and simply used spread the pages of the book open.

I purchased my thumb thing at a small book store. I found it a great little tool for reading while in bed. I can hold the book and not worry about the pages folding over while reading. I also found it immense help while tracking while reading as a line reader with my niece. When you are done reading it is an awesome bookmark.

http://www.fun-n-nuf.com/prices.html (Wholesale only) You can contact them to see where you can purchase them in your area.

Ear Muff Headphones

For the person that loves their music but hates the cold these are the ear muffs for you. For this product I was thinking a little more outside the box of just the cold. I work with children that one their heads are too small for a standard headset or they don't tolerate the headsets these ear muff headphones might be the solution I have been looking for. I found them in two places on the Internet the first was Urban Outfitters. I really like the way the quilted ones look like. They look warm but not so warm that the poor kids ears would melt off in the classroom.

The other place I located a set is at Hammacher Schlemmer. This set looks very warm for the outdoors but I would say too warm for the classroom.

Both sets of Ear Muff Headphones cost $30-$35 without shipping and handling. With the holidays you might not have S/H. If you want to save a little more cash, you can look at how the Urban Outfitters constructed their Ear Muff Headphones it might give you an idea how to create your own. I am not very handy with a sewing machine beyond a simple stitch so I would purchase the pre-made ones.

Portable Reader

There is a new portable readers market. Sony recently updated their reader which can be purchased for $299. So now a competitor has entered the market. Amazon is releasing the Kindle on Monday. There has been some buzz about this new device but most has been speculation. Amazon has kept this device close to the vest. Information would be "shared" here and there but for the most part Amazon has been tight lipped.

The Kindle will retail for $399. There are a few differences between the two devices. The first is that the Kindle will have WiFi capabilities, a headphone port and it's own email address. The Kindle owners are expected to be able to select from a long list of publications for automatic download (50 and 100 newspaper publishers). Amazon has the larges e-book collection and the bundle that your device comes with is impressive.

E-readers have not been the hot ticket Sony thought it would be. In the area of technology the device really was a dust bunny catcher. I am not sure the Kindle is going to feel any increase in the success. If this device was meant for the road warrior there are some major flaws:

1) Wifi Really? But again like the IPhone, I have to go with a specific carrier. Sorry, I already have my cell phone carrier; why on this graying earth would I want yet another carrier.
2) Thank you for email address but why do I need another email address.
3) It has no capability to highlight, make notes on the book I am reading or book marking. At least if I am using my computer, I have the capabilities.
4) It is OMG ugly and bulky. I am hoping the picture leaked from the FCC is just a pro-type and the thing is going to nice and shiny for it’s coming out party.
5) I am not sure if you can zoom into to make the text appear larger.
6) The cost of the device. The device is expensive no matter how you slice it.
7) External light - why didn't they do back lighting. It just seems like something that will get broken when sliding in and out of my bag if I was planning on getting one.

Price is a huge factor for me. I can purchase a high end Palm to read e-books and have all the additional features that I would like to have in one device such as my calendar, email, web access, music and address book. If I am going to spend $399 for this device it needs to offer me something more then an alternative reading format.

The other red flag for me is that the storage of material. If I purchase from an online vendor, I want a storage vault with them. The old saying is Not if but when technology fails. If I am traveling with my device and for some reason I want to re-read a book or share the book with a friend, I don't want to have a back up on my home system or laptop. If I am using an e-reader, I want to be able log on and swap books. These devices are for convinces, so make it convenient for me the user.

I hope that I am wrong about this device. But I have a sinking feeling that this is another dusty bunny babysister.

Make your list .... check it twice .... send a card to a solider

With the holiday’s fast approaching, I ask that you take the time to remember the men and women that are recovering at the medical centers around you. Even if you disapprove of the War / conflict in the Middle East, these soldiers have injuries that were sustained while they were at work.

As you make out your holiday cards take a few minutes and write a letter to a solider recovering at the hospital. There is nothing more depressing then being in a strange place, being in pain and not knowing what the rest of your life may bring. Allow your hopes, wishes and appreciation to shine through during this time of year. Let the men and women that allow you to still have your freedoms that we take for granted everyday know that someone is thinking of them and wishing them well.


A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue,NW
Washington,D.C. 20307-5001

Feeding the World

http://www.freerice.com/ is a website that was designed by a gentleman from Minnesota to help support feed people in third world countries. To date this gentleman with the help of the internet has given 1,897,053,670 grains of rice to http://www.poverty.com/. I love the fact that we are helping the world with the basic necessities of life while helping use practice build vocabulary. I like this dictionary http://www.merriam-webster.com/ because it will pronounce the word for you.

I have found myself using the www.freerice.com each day. It is my task avoidance tool. I allow myself to do 5 words before I go back to work. I then allow my niece and nephew to work on 10 words together using SOLO or Ultimate Talking Dictionary from http://www.readingmadeez.com/UltimateTalkingDictionary.php . The purpose of them doing the activity is not about learning the words for them. But it is about learning to use a dictionary and sharing with others.

Another site that helps feed the world http://www.thehungersite.com . For shopping with this site, I have donated over 200 cups of rice for doing Christmas shopping that not only helped others but also helped me give gifts that have meaning.

Here is another great site or store. http://www.tenthousandvillages.com This website has some unique items that make wonderful gifts. You have to read the write-ups on the artisans.