Um... yeah.. I'm lost...

I have to admit that I am definitely a person that needs a GPS system. I get lost just trying to get home from work and the thought of listening to someone tell me to go South and then South West gets me a little panicky.

If you're at all like me, then you're completely on board for putting a GPS system in every car. At Pixideal, we're about to introduce a GPS system section, so I figured it would be a good idea to do a review on the Garmin GPS system, which is a cost efficient and high quality GPS sytem currently on the market right now.

Rather than do a boring, how much, what is it, etc review, I thought I would tell a little story.

About 4 months ago, my dad and I decided to drive to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario from Montreal in order to attend my grandparents 60th wedding anniversary. Although we've driven this 12+hour route a ton of times, my dad and I are hugely into gadgets... so, we decided to check out the new Garmin GPS.

The perks: Garmin GPS systems work pretty much everywhere. We only had one moment where we had to wait for it to connect to the satellites... the rest of the time, it was running smoothly, giving us everything we needed to know from directions to travel time.

The downfalls: The only thing I have to say that's negative about this GPS system is the fact that it is battery operated. We had to stop and change batteries twice, which wasn't the end of the world (as we used it throughout the trip), but was an inconvenience.

All in all, I'm a huge fan and gadgets, once again, made the trip interesting and productive. We got into Sault Ste. Marie an hour early and even had time to stop at the trading post :)

Stay tuned for Pixideal's GPS system section... coming soon!

Have a great weekend,
- Katie

Gadgets for the Lazy Man

With obesity on the rise across North America, clearly what we really need is to make things easier for the lazy man, who spends most of his (or her) time on the sofa. Or not.

Regardless of the fact that our society continues to delve into more lazy habits every moment, we continue to release a number of gadgets which are specifically catered to the lazy man. These lazy gadgets do the mundane tasks we should be doing ourselves and help us to avoid getting off the couch. I mean, I am all for gadgets, but lazy gadgets? They may seem unbelievably attractive on the surface, but what they're actually doing is teaching us that we don't have to do anything for ourselves anymore. Have we not seen the movies where all of our technology dies and we cannot even make food for ourselves? Let us hope that we are not as reliant on our technology as we may seem. After all, gadgets should exist to help us make things simpler, not to make us idiots.

Recently, the Onion did an article on a new remote control for remote controls. Of course, the Onion is a satirical online magazine that writes fake news reports for laughs, but their point is clear. We are getting lazier by the day.

Let us take a look at some of the lazy gadgets we probably have lying around our houses. I will readily raise my hand to admit that I own three of the five listed items.

How reliant are you on your lazy gadgets?

The Top Five Lazy Man Gadgets

1) The Universal Remote Control
- Don't even bother getting up to change the channels. This gadget will do it all for you.


2) Electronic One-Touch Can Opener
- Crank a can open the old fashioned way? Never. Simply touch once and no more lid!


3) Electronic Toothbrush
- Moving back and forth with my toothbrush was such a pain. Now I just hold it.


4) Self Stirring Mug
- Stir my own coffee? Insanity.


5) Robomower
- Don't ever mow your own lawn again. Don't even pay the neighborhood kids to either.

Have a thought about lazy gadgets? I'd love to hear it. Leave me a note below.
-Katie

The Nintendo Gameboy taught me everything I need to know

Remember the Nintendo Gameboy? Recently I've been blogging about new gadgets and the insane world of things to come, but I thought this post I would reflect back on past gadgets, namely the Nintendo Gameboy. Handheld game consoles have come a long way since the Nintendo Gameboy was released in 1989. Sega Gamegear brought us coloured screens and Sonic the Hedgehog and now handheld game consoles have everything we could ever imagine or expect including the ability to watch movies, access the internet, play games with amazing graphics, save images and more.




I still think that everything I needed to know, I learned from the Nintendo Gameboy.

• Life is about sharing - When you don't share the Gameboy, no one gets to play.


• It is OK to lose sometimes - When Mario falls off a cliff and dies, he always gets another chance.
  
• Never give up - No matter how many times you fill the screen at Tetris, you can get to the next level with a little bit of perserverence.
  
• Good will triumph over evil - Maybe not right away, but if you wait for it, good always wins.
  
• Don't forget to stretch - There's nothing more painful then getting a cramp when you're in the last level of the game.
  
• No cheating - You cheat, you die. It's that simple.

If handheld game consoles have taught me anything over the years its that people love to play. We create gadgets to help us make work less difficult and fun more... well... fun. Nintendo Gameboy made a child out of all of us and taught us that there is more to life than work.

Have a Nintendo Gameboy memory you want to share? You know I'd love to hear it. Leave it in our comment section below.

-Katie

I want a talking robot

The ConnectR robot is one of the coolest new inventions I've seen in a long time. Attempting to connect people to one another, the ConnectR is one of those everything-in-one sort of gadgets. Not only does it have a wi-fi connection to the internet, it also has a built-in video camera, microphone and speakers and even vacuums the home.

Can a robot really replace a family member? This gadget is meant to allow busy family members to virtually be in two places at once, but it seems to me like all it really does is give family members a reason to be away from their family longer and more often. Oddly enough, it seems as though new gadgets and technology are serving more to extend work hours then to help us manage our hectic lives.

The ConnectR robot is definitely a modern marvel and a great robot, but the concept behind it leaves this gadget geek a little troubled. The ConnectR robot will undergo a test cycle before released to the market for a starting price of $499.99. If you'd like to try out the ConnectR robot during the test period, they'll give it to you for only 199.99. A steal of a price to replace your loved ones.

Three Cheers for Solar Technology

There are a lot of cool gadgets out there today. From digital cameras and camcorders to digital frames and MP3 players, today’s technological gadgets have really developed over the last twenty years. These gadgets are becoming more and more commonplace in our lives and the cost is definitely dropping. The mass majority of North Americas own a variety of gadgets that they use at home and on the go and we have all come to rely on the new technology of the 2000s. What is interesting to note is the new rise in solar technology and a thought-pattern of going green.

As our planet continues to face global warming, pollution and energy-waste, more gadget-makers and distributors are exploring using alternate power sources for their gadgets. Aside from hybrid cars and solar panels for rooftops, new gift ideas and unique items are starting to surface around the world that also have the “going green” focus. One such item, called the Sun Jar, is a simple lamp that soaks up the solar energy throughout the day and uses this solar technology to glow at night. A great way to teach kids about solar technology, the Sun Jar is a wonderful example of a movement towards positive change in the world of gadgets.

The Solar Tent is yet another interesting example of merging technology and nature together. It is equipped with a 7-inch solar panel designed to capture sunlight to power the interior LED lights and charges your batteries. Family fun that doesn’t wreck the environment is always a great thing.

While I am no way suggesting we toss our gadgets off a cliff because of their battery operated-ness, there is something to be said about checking out some new products that actually benefit the environment, while at the same time being cool and trendy. Going green can be a lot of fun in the gadget world as more and more interesting items surface on the market.

MP3 = Music on the Move

Wait a minute -- does everyone have an iPod?

I remember being ten years old and getting a Sony Walkman for my birthday. Remember those? I thought it was just about the coolest thing ever… that is until the Discman came out and all my tapes started converting into CDs. Nowadays, I sport my video iPod, which I’ve convinced myself that I “need” for my thirty minute train ride into work. I have to admit, I love using it and it was a good investment. Whether it’s checking the time, watching a TV show or movie, or simply listening to music, the video iPod is one of those all-around useful gadgets. It makes the train ride zoom by.

MP3 players like the iPod, Creative Zen, Sandisk and Sony are all competing to make our life a little more enjoyable. Instead of staring off into space while we are stuck on public transit or working out at the gym, we can be entertained. Longer battery life and new features like video capabilities and car adapters have made owning a MP3 player similar to having your own portable entertainment system in your pocket. More than that, they’ve also become a lifestyle in themselves. It’s trendy to have a MP3 player, and all of us who held off for a bit will admit to being jealous when all the “cool kids” had one and we didn’t.

The vast selection of iPod accessories only serves to prove the immense popularity the gadget has risen to. iPod headphones, protective covers, speakers, splitters, voice recorders, car adapters and more are sold every day en mass. While other MP3 players, such as the Creative Zen may even be more user-friendly, cost-efficient and powerful, the iPod remains the trendy MP3 player of choice. It’s variety of colours and sizes appeals to its target market of teenagers and young professionals. What started off as a niche market has quickly grown into an empire. Apple’s extensive advertising campaigns have been immensely successful and it shows.

MP3 players, which used to simply play music, are now being incorporated into many cell phones. These “smart phones” allow you to call your friends, check the time, listen to music and video, surf the web and much more. The only question that remains is how did we ever get along without these gadgets?

Today the average price of an MP3 player starts at around $40.00 and continues upwards the more bells and whistles you want to add. It’s always a good idea to browse around before settling on a choice as each brand and model offer different options. Check out http://www.pixideal.ca/ for great deals on MP3 players.