Gadgets: Sansa MP3 player widely compatible, screen now fits album art
SanDisk's Sansa Clip Zip MP3 player is the latest addition to the company's popular portable music player line and is packed with what seems to be endless features.
Music fans will like that it's compatible with just about every format available and is displayed on a 1.1-inch LCD screen - 83 percent bigger than previous models and now large enough to display album art.
The Clip Zip measures just 2.25 by 1.42 by 0.58 inches and, like previous Sansa players, features the old-school option (and my morning dog walking favorite) of an FM radio with presets for your favorite stations.
The new player comes in 4GB (storage for approximately 1,000 songs) and 8GB (2,000 songs) models but also offers a great feature of unlimited expandability with a microSDHC card slot.
Cards up to 32GB can be used to store about 8,000 more songs on each card (not included).
The portable player features a clip to attach to yourself for use with just about any activity and also includes a stopwatch.
The features also include a built-in microphone for voice recordings and a built-in battery with a life of up to 15 hours.
Details: www.SanDisk.com 4GB - $49.99, 8GB - $69.99, available in black, blue, gray, orange, purple and white
I've tried several apps to turn my iPad into a universal remote control but never really liked any of my options until trying the Beacon from Griffin Technology.
Before even trying out the device I liked the concept of not having to attach anything to the iPad.
Instead, you connect via Bluetooth to a hockey puck-sized base you must locate somewhere near the entertainment system you want to control.
Since it's Bluetooth, first power it up with the 4-AA batteries (included) and then press down on the top of the unit to put it in pairing mode to connect it to your device.
To work the Beacon you need to download the Dijit app (free) from the Apple App Store for your iPhone or iPad.
From there everyone will be a little different, since you must enter your ZIP code and the satellite or cable provider you have so guides can be downloaded.
My first setup was a basic one to control only a TV and satellite box. The app walks you through the setup in a simple manner, asking questions about what devices you have and what you are trying to have the device control and do.
Then I took it to task to setup a more complex surround-sound system, TV and DVD player. It took a little more time but channels were soon changing.
For me, the critical steps of controlling the volume and setting the DVR were also done with ease.
A recent update to app allows a one-click option to share videos on Facebook or Twitter.
Details: www.GriffinTechnology.com $79.99
With Facebook pretty much controlling everything in the world these days, a new book in the Dummy series; Facebook Marketing All-in-One for Dummies is now available.
The book is in the typical easy, user-friendly manner the series is known for and takes you through the necessary steps of marketing yourself and or a business with the number one online marketing site.
Regardless of what many think, Facebook is not just about letting the world know where you're eating or what you're doing.
Instructions include how to advertise and market within Facebook itself and how to attract the right people to what you are trying to offer or sell.
The book guides you through the easy steps in establishing and creating a business with a game plan instead of the traditional profile of a personal page.
Linking an existing business page to a Facebook page is simple and news feeds can be created to go in both directions and connected to your Twitter account.
The book has endless ideas and with the number of startup businesses these days, it's certainly become a must read.
Details: www.wiley.com $21
Just about any portable electronic device can be charged on the Joy Factory Zip Touch-n-go Multi-Charging Station and all at once.
The oblong-shaped charger has what amounts to 16 ports on top, which are called specifically "dimpled spots" on a recent press release.
Each port can accept a ZipTail connector cable for charging a single device.
The short cables have magnetic chargers on the end, which connect to the charger and the connection needed for charging your particular device on the other end.
Included with the charger are three connectors; one Mini USB and two Micro USBs. Additional connectors for other devices are available on the company website for $12.95 each.
As stated by the company, which I found to be true, is it's very convenient to answer a call while your phone is charging since the ZipTail charging cable pops off with ease.
I only have one-cell phone but I did take out a few older models to confirm the company's claim of being able to charge three at the same time.
According to the company this depends on the power transformer on the devices.
At this time a ZipTail is not available for the Apple 30-in connector charger.
A company official stated, "The Joy Factory is currently in the MFi approval process on the 30-pin ZipTail chargers and hopes to see them hit the market in the coming months."
A wall adapter is included with a microUSB cable to power the charger.
Details: www.thejoyfactory.com $79.95
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