Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Make room for Samsung's Galaxy Note 3

I finally figured out what I'm supposed to put in those square thigh pockets on cargo pants. An iPhone gets lost in those pockets and they're too small for an iPad Mini or Google Nexus tablet. But Samsung's new Galaxy 3 Note seems to be right at home.

The third generation of Samsung's popular Note targets the sweet spot between a large mobile phone and a small tablet. Yes, it can make calls on the major carrier networks, if you don't mind being seen with a outsized slab held to your ear. But it also delivers a welcoming platform for movies and TV shows on a 5.7-inch screen that tops the quality of Apple's best mobile displays.  

If you liked the previous Note - or any of the oversized "phablet" phones, the new Note will please you even more. It has a paster processor, more memory and longer battery life. 

And, Samsung continues to improve its stylus and note-writing software. I thought I was done with stylus writing when I moved on from my Palm V PDA. But Samsung's S Pen system could win me back. The stylus tucks into the bottom of the phone and when you remove it, you get a block of commands that take you to various pen functions. You can tap a selection or let the pen hover over the icons to review your options.

Scribble a note and the software lets you do something with it, like file it in a scrapbook, send it to Evernote or add it to a to-do list. I wrote a phone number in my ugly scrawl. The program turned it into text and asked if I wanted to dial it or create a new contact. It all worked smoothly.

I don't know if I'm ready for an oversized phone (I may need more cargo pants). But when I am, this looks like the one to get. Verizon sells the Note 3 for $299 with a two-year contract.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Uber is the future of city travel

We were finishing coffee and dessert with my nephew at a restaurant in Washington's DuPont area and it was time to consider our options to get back to our hotel.It was a good opportunity to check out Uber. 

Uber is a company that provides on-call car rides in 26 cities in the U.S. and 20 more in Europe and Asia. Strictly speaking, Uber cars aren't taxis. They are privately-owned vehicles that operate under a city's rules governing limousines, not taxi cabs. But they compete with taxis on price and convenience. Fans of Uber's service say it's more accessible, reliable, comfortable and convenient than a traditional taxi ride.

We got a new Toyota sedan, a friendly driver, a reasonable fare billed directly to my credit card and a receipt on my phone that included a map of our route.

Read more about Uber in my column for MyWell-Being.com.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Logitech's do-it-all remote control

If your entertainment room has a TV, stereo system, DVD player an other equipment, you probably also have a stack of remote controls. in my house, we keep a basket on the coffee table just to collect remotes.

But that was before the arrival of the Harmony Ultimate Remote. This new remote from Logitech can replace almost any remote and squeeze multiple remotes into one. Logitech says the remote will control of up to 15 devices and will work with more than 5,000 brands and 225,000 devices.

You have to do a little groundwork to start. First you make a list of the brand names and model numbers for the devices you want the Harmony to control. Then plug the Harmony into your computer, enter the list and you're ready to go.

you can select each device to control it separately or set up functions for the things you like to do. For example, you can compress three steps -- turn on the TV, the stereo and the DVD player -- into one function called "Play a DVD." The remote will also tune your television or radio to your favorite channel.

Here's one more trick that I like. The Harmony Ultimate works with a hub device that can also communicate with Apple or Android smartphones. With Logitech's free app installed, everyone in the house can have their own personalized remote control.

The Harmony Ultimate costs about $300 at Amazon.com. That makes it one of the most expensive universal remotes available. But it's also one of the most versatile.

Monday, October 7, 2013

A woofing good time with the Go-Go Dog Pal

My dog's especially happy when he's running through an open field. I do just fine sitting on the sidelines with a cold drink. Now I have something that keeps us both entertained. The Go-Go Dog Pal is designed to give a dog plenty of exercise while you take it easy.


The Dog Pal is a radio-controlled vehicle, like the four-wheel tricks and other remote-controlled toys. But this one has a larger frame than most RC cars. And it's encased in a sturdy plastic cover that conveniently looks like a grinning woodchuck .

My guy sniffed the robocritter, jumped back when he moved, then set off in hot pursuit when Chuck started to roll. It was pretty easy to keep the Dog Pal out ahead of the posse. On a smooth, flat surface, it can hit speeds up to 22 miles an hour.That's fast enough to outrun even an Australian Shepherd.


The Dog Pal survived a couple of flips and minor collision with a tree. But I learned that it's not indestructible and it works best on open ground, away from obstructions.

Go Go Dog Pal costs about $230 at amazon.com. That's certainly not cheap. But the rule in our house is, nothing's too good for the dogs.

Here's a YouTube video that shows the critter in action.


Saturday, October 5, 2013

Heavy sleeper? Screaming Meanie will blast you out of bed

Have you ever overslept and missed an early-morning flight or an important meeting? I've found the cure for heavy sleepers. It's called the Screaming Meanie and it will blast you out of bed with the power of an air raid siren.

The Screaming Meanie is a battery-powered clock combined with an adjustable high-volume alarm. For lighter sleepers, set it at 70 decibels. That's comparable to a dog barking. To wake the dead, choose 120 decibels. That's like great seats at a Kiss concert.

The Screaming Meanie can also be a comfort when you're sleeping in an unfamiliar place. The alarm can scare away an intruder or be your call for help.

You can find Screaming Meanies in a variety of colors for about $35 at amazon.com and other online sources.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

How to get a BOOM out of Bluetooth speakers

With music collections packed into our portable devices and streaming service offering made-to-order mixes, wireless Bluetooth speakers have become our sound system of choice. They're more portable, convenient and often less expensive than cradles or plug-in powered speakers.

But a frequent complaint about wireless speakers is they're not powerful enough. Just two of you relaxing on the back porch? Just about any wireless speaker will keep you entertained. But if you're at the beach, around the pool, at a park or a party, you need something with a lot more muscle.

I think the folks at Logitech may have solved that problem with the Ultimate Ears BOOM. Built in a tube-shaped case that's about he size of a tall soda can, the BOOM is durable and easily portable.

And, boy, can it crank up the volume. This is the loudest and clearest of any Bluetooth speaker that I've tested. UE says the speaker has a maximum volume of 88 decibels, about as loud as a motorcycle or a power mower. If that's not enough, a free UE app lets you link a pair of BOOM speakers, with stereo on each or splitting the left-right channels.

The speaker was easy to pair with both my mobile phone and my tablet and its rechargeable battery is designed to last up to 15 hours between charges. I also like it's convenience. It comes with a small metal loop that can be attached to a clip or cord. It's size also makes it an easy fit for the bottle holder on a bicycle.

The BOOM speaker costs $199 and can be ordered in a variety of colors from amazon.com or from the Ultimate Ears website.


Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Louisville's Hacker Hostel

My friend Richard Meadows looked at a four-room shotgun house in Louisville's Portland neighborhood and saw something no one else would see: a site for the city's first hacker hostel.

Richard and his wife, Suzi, renovated the house, adding some special touches including a five-foot conference table, a wall-sized whiteboard, two sets of bunk beds and a Wi-Fi network. Oh, and the wall outlets have USB ports for charging cables.

Hacker hostels have popped up in other cities, including several in the Silicon Valley area. Meadows sees the house as a place where coders and entrepreneurs could gather for meetings and coding sessions and give out-of-towners an inexpensive place to crash.

The Louisville hostel was profiled in  this week's LEO Weekly and in an post at Insider Louisville.

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