Write for the Future

Jessie Atkin posted a new blog up on Digital Landing! Read about how you can make your laptop into a touch-screen related.

So you’ve already bought a lap top but that whole touch screen craze still tickles your fancy, well here’s at least one option to upgrade your current notebook.

The Duo Pen mouse can turn any Vista running PC into a tablet if you so choose. The set basically includes a stylus type pen and sensor you attach to the top of your screen. It’s pretty simple and pretty reasonably priced at $44.

I’m a Mac person so the Duo won’t really work for me, but I still think it’s cool. The questions is how well it performs, and what sort of mark it’s gonna leave on your screen or monitor …

iPhone as baby monitor?

Chris McGinn posted a new blog up on Digital Landing! Read about how you can use your iPhone as a baby moniter.

Traveling and don’t want to take your baby monitor? Use your iPhone.

This new app allows you to leave your iPhone near your baby and it will call you on another phone when the baby wakes. It’s available via iTunes for less that $5.

Yet another reason to get myself one!

Found via Lil’ Sugar

Up in the Atmosphere

Jessie Atkin posted a new blog up on Digital Landing. Read about the latest discovery that methane linked to life on Mars.

Methane is the principle component of natural gas, it’s a greenhouse gas and has high global warming capabilities. Methane can be produced by anaerobic processes and methanogenesis . Digestion processes too release methane into our own earthly air. Methane has also been found on Mars.

It’s in the atmosphere, says NASA, and along with ice, the methane gas points again towards the possibility of life (now or at some other point) on our red neighbor. Geological activity (like volcanoes) or microorganisms could possibly have produced this newest find, and the need to continue exploration is now, as usual, obvious. Hey, if no one else wants to go, I’m all for the job .

Portable Entertainment on the Fly

Jessie Atkin posted a new blog up on Digital Landing. Read about the new technology in watching videos. Set up in a sort of glasses-headset form, you can watch videos and have the screen move when your head does.

I posted about Myvu crystal specs a while back, and it seems, since then, Nikon too has jumped on the portable entertainment band wagon.

The Media Port Up 300 and 300X look very much like flight control headsets, although it’s not a microphone out front, it’s a screen. I don’t know how I feel about the look of the thing, but I don’t know about the Myvu glasses either. The models come in 4 GB and 8 GB and offer up to 120 minutes of video. The coolest feature is really the no hands control. Nod your head this way or that and you can control your own video playback (be careful if you’re falling asleep).

On Location Tech Assistance

Jessie Atkin posted a new blog up on Digital Landing. Read about the revolutionary way to make sure your pictures are centered.

Of course the digital camera market has exploded and there are all sorts of new ways to take pictures, but there’s one thing that has always been the same, the need to center.

Whether you use a point and shoot disposable or a Canon EOS setting a horizon can be a problem all its own. That’s where the 3-Axis Bubble Level comes in. It’s a cube with your standard bubble balancer in the middle (3 of them actually) to help set straight shots without the aid of a tripod (though it helps with tripods too) or other bulkier accessory.

The level fits into any basic accessory foot (so unfortunately not so useful for average point and shoots), but any professional like cameras are in luck, digital or film. Such a simple solution, and so travel friendly too.

It’s 3D

Jessie Atkin posted a new blog up on Digital Landing. Read about the all new printer that can do what a normal printer can't; print in 3D!

We’ve got 3D movies why not 3D printers? Okay, so one really doesn’t have anything to do with the other, but they’re both pretty fun, right? It’s much more difficult to develop your own at home 3D movie (especially without those special glasses) but at home 3D printing has come a little bit closer. At least now the printer will fit in a home.

The Alaris 30 is really one of the first some what desk top sized 3D printer. Basically you can print models when ever you like, even with moving parts! It’s really set for office work and concept type of stuff, but personal model creations are never out of the running. Once the price is released I’m sure it’ll be a bit too much for me, but a kid can dream right?

Gas Saving GPS

Chris McGinn posted a new blog up on Digital Landing. Read about the new option on the Garmin GPS that is more fuel efficient.

Garmin’s new ecoRoute software update for its nuvi GPS was announced at the recent Consumer Electronics Show.

The free update helps drivers conserve money and gas by showing the most fuel-efficient route. In addition to “faster time” and “shorter distance” route preferences, drivers can now select “less fuel.”

The software also has a Fuel Report feature that tracks fuel usage over time and a Mileage Report that monitors mileage and fuel usage on a per-trip basis. The program allows you to customize for your vehicle type, fuel economy and the current price of gas.

Yes, the price of gas has gone down significantly in recent months but it is probably only a matter of time before it bounces right back up. This program makes sense if you are interested in saving green or saving fuel or both!

Digital TV Delay?

Chris McGinn posted a new blog up on Digital Landing. Read about the possible change in date of the TV conversion from digital and analog signals to only digital.

The digital TV conversion may be delayed from its February 17 deadline. On that day, all broadcast stations are dropping their analog signals and will only send out digital signals, but president-elect Barack Obama is requesting Congress rethink the move.

The primary concern is that the government program providing $40 coupons for the purchase of converters is out of money. Currently, you can still get on the coupon waiting list, but the coupon most likely would not be received until after the conversion date, if at all.

Even if the move is delayed, it is going to happen so don’t put off getting yourself ready. For more information, check out Digital Landing’s page about the Digital TV Conversion.

Guitar Hero for the preschool set

Chris McGinn posted a new blog up on Digital Landing. Read about how everyone can experience the fun of Guitar Hero/Rock Band, no matter how good/bad they are.

Parent Hacks has an interesting discussion going on about how to help your little ones join in the fun with Guitar Hero and Rock Band (1 & 2). While you are jamming away, your preschooler or toddler can join in with extra guitars for older game versions or by using the program’s “no-fail” mode. I didn’t even know such a thing existed.

Instead of getting frustrated and booed off the stage when they miss notes, they can play till their little hearts content. Apparently, you have to use a “cheat code” (one parent reveals the cheat) to access that mode in Guitar Hero. Only Rock Band 2 has it for the other game, not the original version.

What’s your trick for letting the littlest ones join in on the video game fun?

Present Day Picasso

Jessie Atkin posted a blog up on Digital Landing. Read about the concept of a digital way to be an artist, past the programs of 'paint'.

Paint has come a long way from paint brush pens to Squeezable 3D options and mess less Color Wonder stuff options continue to exceed all of our most basic needs. But what about us tech people?

Well, aside from the all out professional drawing boards and photoshops of the world a new concept for digital painting brings all the wonders of the real thing to the screen.

Virtuo, a digital toolset could help all of us beginners get a feel for the art without the mess (and we’d look a lot cooler than using that color wonder stuff). The concept is basically a digital pallet with pens, brushes, the whole deal, just no need for paper. Use real painting skills on a less than real canvas.

Too bad it’s just a concept now, but it still look pretty sweet.

Salute to the Science Convention

Jessie Atkin posted a blog up on Digital Landing! Read about the latest science convention, and interesting new ideas to help the needs of soldiers.

The 26th Army Science Convention took place this past month showcasing research and projects meant to make soldiers both more effective as well as safer.

Some of the most interesting projects included Extracellular Matrix or “magic dust” that could help the body regenerate digits or limbs. Rebuilding missing or damaged bone was also a focus at the conference.

Robots were also displayed in great numbers at the convention. The BEAR robot, for example, could assist in removing injured soldiers from battle zones.

It’s great to own a faster laptop or being able to prevent the flu, but beyond civilian applications science makes more sense than anything when applied to army initiatives and needs.

Save A Puppy Hug a Speaker

Jessie Atkin posted a blog up on Digital Landing. Read about the cuddly new speaker for your ipod or mp3 player.

Speakers come in all shapes and sizes, and for the kid in all of us the iDog has been a pretty fun addition to any line of speakers.

The iDog is basically what it sounds like, a speaker (shaped like a dog) that dances and flashed colorful lights to whichever song you’ve plugged your ipod in to play through his innards.

Now, there’s new innovation. The iDog is no longer just a doggy speaker, it’s a cuddly dog speaker. That’s right, the iDog in its “soft” version. No more hard plastic to pet on your way past your desk. Now you can pat a very soft, fake, dancing dog any time you see fit.

A Fresh Start

Chris McGinn posted a blog up on Digital Landing. Read about how you can track your expenses online and see how much you're really spending.

I love this time of year. Starting over with new calendars, new budgets, new resolutions.

In the past I have tried to track my finances with Quicken or Microsoft Money, but this year I learned all about the world of Wesabe, Mint and other online options for making sense of my money.

With the financial world quaking all around, it is more important than ever to get smart about your money and at least have some sense of where it is going. Now is the perfect time to sign up for a service (most are free) and start tracking your expenses. How much is eating out costing you? What are you paying for groceries every month? Who knows, you may find you are paying more for your phone or cable service than you thought. Don’t forget you can shop around at Digital Landing for the best deals on digital service in your area.

Good luck