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Fujitsu ScanSnap S510 Color Scanner

Updated Dec 9, 2007

1st to recommend

Description

Thanks to Ask for recommending the Fujitsu ScanSnap S510 scanner (though I'm sure he bought the Mac version). This thing is amazing!

I'm scanning in all my bills, statements, and other documents and then dropping them right into the shreader below the scanner. Use Amazon S3 with encryption for backup and my documents are safer for long term storage than in my house and they take up much less room.

Best features:

- This scanner is tiny. It's a bit wider than a sheet of paper and about as deep as a hardback book.

- It is fast. Sheets you're scanning get zipped through one after the other. Oh, did I mention it has an automatic document feeder so I can scan my entire 50 page phone bill?

- It scans both sides in the first pass.

- The scanned image is crystal clear. It looks like a perfect reproduction of the printed document in every detail (including creases).

- It works with Linux, though not right out of the box. Ask me how if you don't find it on Google.

Now for the bad news: The Fujitsu ScanSnap S510 scanner is expensive. However, the usability means I actually use this scanner instead of letting a less expensive scanner gather dust. (via Ask Bjørn Hansen)

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Linksys Compact Wireless-G Broadband Router

Updated Aug 19, 2007

Description

The key here is "compact". This is a slim little wireless router that can easily be slipped in your laptop case and then you can set up a temporary wireless network when you arrive at your relatives. Or use it as a permanent wifi router instead of those big ugly ones.

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Netgear 8-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch

Updated Jul 31, 2007

1st to recommend

Description

Plug in and forget. I have no idea if other switches work better or worse. All I know is I've never had to worry about the Netgear gigabit switches so I keep buying them.

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Sabrent IDE to USB 2.0 Adapter

Updated Jun 26, 2007

Description

This adapter is perfect if you want to access the information on old IDE hard drives you have sitting around. It's also decent for using a new, loose IDE hard drive as a way to transfer large amounts of data between two computers. Best of all, it was plug and play on Ubuntu Linux.

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R/C Laser Tag Shocking Tanks

Updated Jan 3, 2007

Description

I have to agree with Joe. I wholeheartedly recommend you buy this toy and have your co-workers play with it. Their yelps as they (violently) let go of the controllers are very entertaining. Even when you tell them they are going to get shocked, they still want to try it, not believing it can be that bad. I have no personal knowledge of how bad the delivered shock is because I saw the reactions of too many victims and I will not go near this toy. Not for kids!

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Puzzles, Challenges, and Playthings

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Power Ball

Updated Jan 3, 2007

1st to recommend

Description

A friend brought a Power Ball to the office and it stopped all productivity for a half hour as each person first tried to figure out how to get it to work and second tried to beat the high score set so far (as recorded on the digital display). This gadget is entertaining, a bit addicitive, and an amazing way to work out your hand and wrist muscles. The first time you pick one up you should make sure you don't have to use your hands for a while afterwards as you will be shocked at how little strength you have left when you finally put down the PowerBall.

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Chefmate Ice Cream Scoop

Updated Dec 12, 2006

Description

Ice cream scoops are, in general, poorly designed. The standard half-sphere scoop tends to get the ice cream stuck in it and scoop manufacturers create all sort of devices that attempt to get it unstuck. These devices always break, if I don't break the handle itself first on the frozen ice cream.

The Chefmate ice cream scoop pictured here is unlike any other. It has a flatter scoop, a very sharp cutting edge on the front, sharp points on the sides, and a nice, solid metal construction that even I can't break or bend. Scooping even frozen ice cream is easy with the knife-like blade and getting it out of the scoop is no trouble.

My wife found this Chefmate ice cream scoop at Target, but I am unable to find this same model on any web site. You will need to look at the pictures I took of this ice cream scoop and try to find this model in a store.

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NukAlert Radiation Monitor and Alarm

Updated Oct 15, 2006

Description

The hype about potential dirty bomb threats has died down a bit, but for about $150 you can still own this nifty gadget that detects radiation and alerts you to the approximate danger level. How cool is that?

I was trying to figure out how to test this device. I considered taking it up in an airplain which is where we are exposed to the most radiation in normal life, but then had second thoughts when I pictured trying to explain to the security fellows about the quietly ticking device with the nuclear symbol on it.

Note: Though the marketing material depicts this on a keyring, it's really too big to carry in your pocket all the time, and given the risks and likely stigma it would generate, it's probably not necessary. But as a gadget lover, it's pretty cool to own one.

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Oral-B 9450 Triumph Professional Care Power Toothbrush

Updated Aug 21, 2006

1st to recommend

Description

I've looked at a bunch, owned a few and this is the winning power toothbrush. It has more power and gadgets than you need, but at least it has all you will want.

You can probably toss the "polishing" and "whitening" brushes. They can't sell a tooth producton the market today without claiming it does whitening (not even chewing gum).

I avoid the default high speed setting and push the mode button once to get to the slightly slower speed. It's still all the power I need to get my teeth clean and some day when the toothbrush starts to seem a bit sluggish (and they all do) I'll start using the high setting and feel like I have a new brush.

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Ricoh Caplio R4

Updated Aug 26, 2006

1st to recommend

Description

I don't own this yet, but I just saw one in action and am considering getting one.

It's tiny (4.7oz, 3.7x2x1"). It has a 7.1x optical zoom. These two factors alone are impressive, but when I noticed in the specs that it can take wide angle shots, I was pretty much sold. It's range is 28-200mm instead of the usual 35-105mm of your standard 3X zoom digital camera.

My only other concern is how fast the shutter response time is. I'm tired of missing just the right expression on my kids' faces and am willing to pay anything to have a picture taken when I press the button.

Hmmm... Looks like the R5 is coming out soon... (via Andreas Weigend)

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Treo 650 Li-Ion Extended Battery

Updated Aug 2, 2006

Description

Your life is in your Treo 650 and the life of your Treo 650 is in its battery. Why not have a spare on hand? They've really dropped in price, especially if you pick it up from my friend Patrick at TechBudget.com.

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Sabrent SATA to USB 2.0 Cable Converter

Updated Jun 28, 2007

Description

This cable lets me access my internal SATA disk drives by plugging them into a USB port (instead of shutting down the computer, opening it up, installing a drive, closing it up, and booting).

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Luxeon V 5-Watt LED Aluminum Hand Torch

Updated Jun 23, 2008

1st to recommend

Description

[UPDATE: Flashlight technology has made dramatic progress since this review was originally written. You can get better, cheaper LED torches today.]

Blinding white light (120 lumens) in a compact hand-held torch. If you're going to spend over $100 on a small flashlight, this is it. Warning: They claim the LED bulb can't be broken if you drop it, but I dropped it on concrete and *something* broke. If you're going to spend over $100 on a flashlight, don't drop it.

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