GeekwithEnvy

Mobile

Product Review: Retractable Car Charger for iPhone

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With all of our smart phones and devices made to be our everything, we can’t have them dying on the road. Most people use car chargers nowadays, and recently my last one broke so I was in the market for a new one. The last one I owned had a long cord and when I wasn’t using it just got in the way or tangled up when trying to put it away.

I thought this retractable car charger was a great idea so I had to get it. With it’s neat retractable cord there’s no wires hanging all over the car and in the way, and prevents tangles. Another nice feature about this device is that there’s an extra USB port, which can be used to hook up many other usb powered devices or to charge two devices at once. There’s also plenty of cord to go around at a total length of 90cm.

The bottom line is it’s a great charger, especially for the price and I haven’t found anything about it I don’t like. If you are looking for a great iPhone charger at a good price, I recommend this one.

For more details on this charger and to purchase, go to MobileFun.com or if you’re looking for other iPhone 5 chargers.

 

Retractable CarCharger

Features:

High performance circuit prevents over charging

Elegant stylish design with compact size

Retractable cable to avoid mess and tangles

Input 12V-24V for any vehicle

Extra USB charges two devices at once

90cm the length of the wire

Blue LED indicator when working

 

Need A MacBook On The Fly? Just Head to The MacBook Kiosk

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MacBookKiosk
MacBookKiosk (Photo Credit: Drexel.edu)

Drexel University is now home to a new type of vending machine that dispenses MacBooks to students to help them get their assignments completed. The machine carries up to twelve 15″ MacBooks. These MacBooks can be used for 5 hours and any time spent over the limit will result in a late fee. The rental is free of charge and only requires that Drexel students scan their student ID. If this system proves to be successful we could see more these  types of vending machines in the future.

 

Nvidia Unveils Project Shield

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Nvidia Shield Onstage

Nvidia has unveiled Project Shield which is a handheld gaming device that runs on the new Tegra 4 processor along with the Android OS. The new gaming device will allow you to play games directly on the device itself or by using it as a controller to remotely control your PC games using Steam.

Nvidia has mentioned that the handheld device will take advantage of Nvidia’s new GRID technology, which is an advanced cloud gaming system. Imagine how Netflix works but with games instead. I wrote an article earlier last year talking about GRID. I am really exited about the direction that gaming is heading and I think we’re in for a big year for gaming.

 

Cycloramic Brings a Unique “Twist” to the iPhone

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Cycloramic is a cool little app that records video while it actually rotates your iPhone by using vibration. Seems like it could be pretty useful, but it would make me a little nervous to use this app in certain locations where the phone could become damaged. Another issue I have with this app is that it doesn’t take panoramic photos, which would be a nice addition. Overall, I like the idea, it’s a pretty clever little trick and it’s sure to get you some attention at a party, but I just wonder how useful it actually is.

 

Do We Really Need Microsoft Office?

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Every time I visit my local computer store and walk past the software section, I ponder whether or not I would benefit from having a copy of Microsoft Office. The product has been around for years and has been extremely useful throughout school. Businesses have relied on MS Office to get their work done as well and no one ever really bothered to ask if it was really necessary. Why would they? It’s just the way things go. If you’re a business or student then having MS Office is just a necessary as a #2 pencil. Open Office Logo

The times have changed though and people are starting to wonder why they keep paying for a product when a free alternative is offering similar quality. OpenOffice is a real contender and it’s getting better. I have been using OpenOffice for years and I don’t even consider using anything else. What makes OpenOffice even more appealing is that it runs on Windows, Linux and Mac OS. So now you have a free software suite with all of the bells as whistles of MS Office and it runs on all three major platforms. Another plus for OpenOffice is that it also has good library of templates and extensions, and yes you can still get access to clip art as well.

So why bother with Office? Really theres not too much to argue against using OpenOffice, except maybe the fact that you might run into a few problems with users getting used to the new suite. It definitely feels a little different than MS Office and that can make people a little uncomfortable. There is also the issue with the lack of pre-installed templates, this is something that’s easily solved by simply going out and getting them but with MS Office most of the common templates are already available.

Some businesses are not only moving away from Microsoft Office but they are moving away from traditional PC’s. OpenOffice is available on the iPad which is the one mobile device that is gaining a lot of popularity with companies and even has the interest of the government making the switch. Given it’s open source roots, the possibilities for OpenOffice seem endless as it allows the software to be engineered directly for a company’s needs. Add in the benefits of cost savings and it starts to look like a viable solution. OpenOffice is a great software suite and if you haven’t tried it yet I highly recommend you give it a shot. I’m sure you will find that it suits your needs.