Technology & Gadget Blog

Let’s go Canada!

The 2010 Winter Olympics kick off tomorrow in Vancouver, and I could not be more excited. Having the Games being played on our home turf gives me hope that we’ll bring home a lot of gold this year. Unfortunately, being in Toronto means that I can only experience the spirit of the Olympics from my living room couch.

I just discovered this iPhone app that will make sure I don’t miss any of the events I want to watch. It’s the official guide, sponsored by Bell, and it has everything you could possibly require in an Olympics guide:

• directory of venues, including a listing of events held at each and maps/directions
• daily listing of events
• separate categories for each event, featuring times and descriptions
• up-to-date feeds of news, medal winners and Twitter updates

Best part about the app? It’s free! So whether you’re in Van City using it to navigate the Olympic Village, or in Charlottetown wanting to know when the women’s speed skating final is taking place, this app makes sure you don’t miss a thing.

When Incase designs gadget covers, they do it very, very well.

I’m going ga-ga over this case for the iPod Touch (also available for iPhones) that Incase has created for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. It’s a simple plastic slider case in white and features a cool design of our beloved maple leaf on the back.

This limited edition is only available in Apple Stores, so get your butt moving before they sell out!

Check out goincase.com for more details.

When an underdeveloped country in our world experiences a devastating blow, it touches all of us. The Canadian and American Red Cross divisions have been an integral part of rebuilding the lives of Haitians after the earthquake, but they still need your help.

I’ve found a great way to send your support to Haiti, spread the word, and also jazz up your tech. This iPhone case designed by artist Scott Wilson is called ‘Fractured Mosaic’ – inspired by the vibrant colours and market life of Haiti and displaying a fractured but beautifully rebuilt pattern.

When you buy this case, 100% of the proceeds go to the American Red Cross. Not only that, but you’ll have a great-looking iPhone and friends will ask where you got it from, allowing you to spread the word.

$40 US, available at getuncommon.com.

Who said Valentine’s Day has to be sappy? This cute and quirky card from Storey Shop on Etsy sends the right message to the lover of a techie. As a gal who can’t handle a world without wi-fi, sending this hand-cut card to my boyfriend would mean more than if I told him I loved him more than life itself.

Price: $12.50 US

Have you ever wished you could compile all of your fab blog entries into a document to include in your portfolio? Or wanted to save some webpage info for when you’re working offline? Well then you need to check out PDF my URL (pdfmyurl.com).

All you do is go to their site and type in the address of the page you want to turn into a document. Click the big orange button and it will automatically turn the webpage into a PDF and save to your computer. Simple, easy, and a great way to save offline documents for pages that are constantly updated.

Oh, I love a good cord organizer. With the amount of gadgets I have, I need to stay on top of the cord clutter at all times. The new Sling Back from Quirky is the answer to all my obsessive compulsive needs. All you do is lift off the top, wrap any cord around the inside spool, and voila — your cord is now retractable! Use this cool gadget for your USB cords, phone chargers, headphone cords, etc.

The neat thing that Quirky does is offer their products at a discounted price for the first 500 available, then bumps it up to their regular retail price.

Price: $10 US for a limited time, $15 US thereafter

The day has finally come! After long months (and I mean loooong months) of waiting to hear of the gadget mecca’s newest innovation, they’ve finally revealed the newest addition to the Apple family: the iPad.

At 9.56″x7.47″, the iPad is Apple’s answer to the e-Reader craze that is taking over the tech world. Here are a few of the cool features that the iPad has:

• a large touch screen that uses a Safari browser to view webpages
• you have access to all your songs in your iTunes library and the iPad can play them similar to an iPod
• you can watch videos on the large screen (way better than the tiny iPhone screen)
• there’s access to all 140,000 apps and new apps have been added just for the iPad
• iBooks, a new feature that allows you to buy digital books and read them on your iPad

The iPad is basically a large iPod Touch that has some new special features. They will start at $499 US and go up to $829 US. Plus, you’ll have to get a 3G plan from an internet/phone provider.

As cool as this is, I was secretly hoping for an Apple netbook. It’s about time that the company starts offering a cheaper portable computing device like the PC people have been doing for years.

For more info, visit apple.com

Can’t read my, can’t read my, no you can’t read my pokerface…

How simply fab are these Macbook decals from Ivy Bee on Etsy? Choose from a hungry chipmunk, a Twilight inspired magic apple, a French bulldog and the newest It Girl, Lady Gaga (and there’s a bunch more, too). I always think it’s fun to jazz up your tech, and these decals are just too cute. You can’t beat the price, either!

Price: $13 US

As you know, I’m a gadget fiend. I have my iPhone and iPod with me at all times. The only problem is that the juice runs out of the batteries quickly since I’m always using them.

I’ve started using the Bluelounge Refresh charging station, and let me tell you, it’s a lifesaver. Instead of rationing the battery on my gadgets for the second half of the day, I can plug everything into the charging station at my desk and not worry about using up the juice of my laptop. It comes with two iPod/iPhone connectors and other generic device outlets so you can charge your Blackberry or other cell phone. With a sleek design and available in several colours, this charging station keeps my gadgets and desktop organized.

$90 US, available from Bluelounge.

Good morning, sunshine! Chase away the winter blues with Philips’ innovative new Wake-up Light, which simulates dawn, has FM radio and nature sounds. Thirty minutes before the alarm goes off, the light grows brighter, preparing your body to wake up. Not a fan of bright light in your eyes? Adjust the light setting to a level that suits you. Wake-up Light, $190, philips.ca.