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January 31, 2006 (TechTuesday)

Here is a new piece of Slappa gear for the road warrior.  The BulkHead PRO is a travel bag that is made up of 4 smaller separate units so the traveler can take just what is needed for the trip.

Each bag is individually padded to protect its content.  If the BulkHead PRO is anything like the other stuff we have seen from Slappa, you can be sure it is built to TAKE IT.

Last TechTuesday we showed how to upgrade the G3 laptop's 12GB hard drive with a Seagate 100GB unit.  The goal was so we can install OS X and iLife and give some new life to this great old laptop.  We ran into a few incompatibilities trying to install OS X  and iLife onto such an old system.

After a few tries, we were able to determined the proper install sequence and got everything installed and tested.  With a 100GB of disk space, iMovies and iTunes now have plenty of room to run.  Go here to see how we did it. 

In February, we'll be upgrading the laptop's memory to its maximum limit.  We are also looking to see if we can get a G4 processor upgrade for the machine further down the line.

We also had time to work on the CoPilot Live installation on the old iPaq 3850.  With the iPaq's OS upgraded to PocketPC 2003, the Belkin Bluetooth card talking to the GPS, and the application installed on the PC and the iPaq, it was time to give the CoPilot application a test run.  However, before we could do that, we found we had to first download some map data onto the iPaq.

It seemed simple enough, but as with all RainyDayProjects, we ran into some unexpected "gotchas".  Of course, NONE of it was entirely our fault :-)  Fortunately, we managed to work around the problems and got the data download and the CoPilot application up and running on the iPaq.

If you want to avoid some of the issues we ran into with our installation, then go see what we did and how we got past our road blocks.  Next week we'll show you how well the CoPilot Live performed on the road.

January 30, 2006 (MakeItYourselfMonday)

We have been working this past week on getting this NeurosCAM to work the way we would like.  There are still a few improvements we need to make to this totally tapeless setup, but it is fairly functional now.

We do wish we had a better mechanism for starting and stopping the recording.  The IR module will be adequate for now, but we will be looking to make a wired controller so we don't have to fish out the recorder in order to start/stop the device.

Another project that has made a lot of progress this past week was the Mac mini MediaCenter.  Once we got FrontRow up on the Mac mini, it was easy to get the rest of the system running.

We'll have more detail on this project soon, but here are the current pieces we have assembled:

We'll be adding a Seagate 400GB drive for video/music storage.  Everything will be tied together by the Belkin USB hub.  We still need to add some kind of IR control to the whole thing.  We may be able to use the Logitech Harmony controller, but we'll need to find a suitable IR receiver for the Mac mini.  We are also looking at how to automate the system using Apple's voice input.  If you have any input or suggestions, feel free to drop us a note.

 

January 29, 2006 (Year Of The Dog)

 

January 27, 2006 (FoodFriday)

Somebody in the RainyDayKitchen read an article about this place in Boston's Chinatown that makes their own noodles.  So being FoodFriday, four of us decided to check it out.

Noodle Alcove is a small walk-up restaurant at 10 Tyler Street.  We got there around 12:45 and the place was packed.  The noodle maker was putting on quite a show at the front window; he can make 4,000 noodles from one hunk of dough...we couldn't get a photo because we couldn't get the camera up, was so packed :-)

Most of the locals were there to pick up their take-out orders, so getting a table was actually easier than we would have thought judging by the size of the crowd.  We ordered four different kinds "hand drawn" soups.  This was the first time we have ever had "fresh noodles."  The texture was surprisingly springy and very delicious.

We chatted with the staff after the meal and they suggested that next time we try the fried noodles...apparently it is what all the "regular customers" order :-)  I guess we'll be back next Friday.  Next time we'll see if we can get some video footage of the noodle-making process.

RainyDayMagazine hosted the first annual RainyDayKitchen SteakFest a few weekends ago.  The SteakFest was a crazy idea hatched by one of our RainyDayKitchen folks so we could compare the taste of the buffalo meat with that of the regular bovine variety.

The goal of the SteakFest was to compare the steaks from The Buffalo Guys to other steaks to see if we could taste the difference.  We got some fresh boneless ribeye delmonico steaks from McKinnon's Meat Market in Davis Square.  We also got some mail-order steaks from Omaha Steaks.

With all that red meat, it was the seemed the perfect opportunity to pair it with some interesting red wines.  The folks at the Charles River Wine Company made some great suggestions (Joel Gott Zinfindel 2004, Epison Shiraz 2004, Waterstone Cabernet 2003).  Go read about the whole food orgy here.  

We have since come out of our "meat coma" and have started to think about the next "food event"...maybe lamb for Spring?

 

January 26, 2006 (TunerThursday)

A while back we got the CarChip from Davis Instruments for the folks in the RainyDayGarage.  The CarChip is an OBD-II reader/recorder that is both easy to use and very informative.

As it happens, one of our Contributing Editor, Carolyn, was having trouble with her car so we gave her the CarChip to see she could figure out her Camry's problem.  Go here to check out her most amusing view on automotive care...the guys in the RainyDayGarage have since made her one of their honorary mechanics.  They, however, still won't let her drive the Boxster :-)

A few months back we showed the Boxster Carputer running with a Mac mini and a LCD touchscreen interface.

It was fine for GPS navigation, but the 800x600 screen resolution was not optimal for the passenger watching a DVD.

We finally got our act together and got Apple's FrontRow running on the Boxster Carputer.  We have also set up a custom 800x480 screen resolution for the retractable LCD.  Videos now look MUCH better.

We have not had time to write all this up yet, but it's coming :-)  We are still working out some technical problems with controlling the FrontRow application without a physical keyboard.  Hey...that just all part of the fun, isn't it???

 

January 25, 2006 (WowUsWednesday)

Kite Aerial Photography (KAP) has been a growing segment of the panorama photography crowd for the past couple of years.  One of the best "How-To" sites on making your own KAP rig is the one from Scott Haefner.

Definitely check out his 360º Pano gallery!  Scott's photos have us inspired. We are thinking seriously of making our own RainyDayMagazine EyeInTheSkyCAM ourselves!

 

January 24, 2006 (TechTuesday)

We took a some time out yesterday to play in the little storm that hit Boston during the morning rush hour.  Instead of fighting the traffic, we strapped on the Tubbs and headed to the Arboretum. 

It was pretty quiet there and the snow was fresh...but quite heavy.  By the time we left, the snow had stopped falling and had already started to melt.  Got to get out when there is a chance.  Besides, what's the point of having interns if you don't let them DO anything:-)

OK... so what we "do" most of the time is basically play around with cool products and write about them, but hey... if we didn't do it, who would?  One such cool product is the iRocks EL-X Luminescense USB keyboard.

When we first saw illuminated keyboards, we thought they would be perfect for our Mac mini MediaCenter project.  Unfortunately, those keyboards were PC only.  Why? We don't really know.  Fortunately, a company called iRocks released an illuminated version that will work for both PCs and Macs.  Go take a FirstLook at this cool piece of gear here.

Last week we showed how to add Bluetooth capabilities to an old iPaq PDA.  The main reason was so we could get the PDA talking to the wireless CoPilot GPS.  Now that they are working, it's time to install the CoPilot application on the laptop and the iPaq. 

In this segment, we'll walk you through our CoPilot Live install experience and give you a few tips on how avoid some of the land mines we stepped on in the process.  In the end, everything installed properly and we were able to activate the CoPilot Live application.

 

January 23, 2006 (MakeItYourselfMonday)

The AdventureCAM project started because we needed a way to hike and shoot video footage at the same time. 

We are constantly reworking this setup, but the basic configuration is pretty much the same (digital storage, remote camera, remote trigger, backpack).  Next update to this setup is to completely replace the tape based DV Camcorder with a solid state recording mechanism. 

We will be evaluating how to to use the Neuros MPEG-4 Recorder 2 for this purpose.  There are some control issues, but we think we may be able to configure a setup and get it to work.

 

January 22, 2006 (WeekendEdition)

Getting enough exercise in the winter time can be a challenge.  Motivating ourselves to do "something" when the weather outside is a mess is not that easy.

We found some wonderful scenic diversions created by the folks at Bike-O-Vision which should help us stay on the training cycles a few extra miles this winter :-)

When  we do need to brave the winter weather and venture outside, we go prepared with the proper gear.  The first priority is appropriate footwear because if our feet were not well protected, we are not getting very far.

Know that hiking shoes are like a favorite pair of Levi's, when properly broken in, they are too comfortable to trade-in.  One of the staffers have had a pair of old hiking boots that are literally almost 30 years old! 

We wanted to get him to try a new pair.  So we found a pair of Dunham Waffle Stomper Paramount boots that were similar to the 30 year old boots... but with some improvements! Go take a FirstLook here :-)

 

January 20, 2006 (FoodFriday)

We have made over 140 bottles of soda with the SodaClub Edition 1...and have FINALLY exhausted the canister!  The canister was rated for 110 fillings, but we guess that would depend on how much gas one puts in each bottle of soda...go checkout our InTheWild report on the SodaClub Edition 1 and see what was our favorite flavor :-)

We eat a lot of energy bars and other types of trail foods when we hike.  After a while they all start to taste the same.  So some of us started to look for an alternative.   Interestingly enough, we ended up rediscovering one of the "original" trail foods...the beef jerky!  The Final Frontier Jerky was first one we tested.  Go read what we thought of these "World Famous" pieces of pepper coated dry meat.  I guess it was a good thing we recharged the soda machine!

Not that the folks in the RainyDayKitchen don't make great food, but once in a while it's great to go out for a special treat...especially if they get to put it on RainyDayMagazine's tab :-)

Some of the folks were up in Jackson NH last week testing a bunch of winter gear for RainyDaySports.  While the warm weather didn't make for the best snowshoeing, they reported that they had the most amazing meal at the Wentworth Inn.  We don't remember anybody bringing any doggy bags home for those of us back at the office!

 

January 19, 2006 (TunerThursday)

RainyDayGarage installed the Neo iON into our buddy Toby's Volkswagen R32 a few weeks ago. 

Toby does a LOT of driving around for his high-powered sales job so he was a perfect candidate for testing out this Neo iON car stereo/iPod connector.  Toby just filed his FirstUse report... check it out here.

We'll let you in on a secret...glue guns aren't just for the Martha Steward crowd :-)  When the RainyDayGarage folks want to tack stuff onto panels or covers or neatly tuck stuff (cords, cables) out of the way, they usually use a hot glue gun.  Cold Heat just made that task a lot easier with their cool looking FreeStyle cordless unit!

This unit has a small window on top so the user can see how much glue is left.  There is a built in stand at the front that flips down to act as a rest between use.  The grip is comfortable and the unit is well balanced.  I have a feeling that there will be a LOT more excuses to glue things around here in the next few days as we check out this new tool.  We'll have the FirstLook of the ColdHeat FreeStyle glue gun soon...if you can't wait, you can order one on the ColdHeat site now :-)

 

January 18, 2006 (WowUsWednesday)

Last year we walked you through how to turn the Mac into a Tivo.  We also showed you how to play back the recording on an iPaq...a full year before the video iPod hit the scene. 

We even showed you how to make your own EyeCAM for recording your extreme sports activities :-)  We hope you used all that knowledge to shoot a lot of videos and make a lot of clips for the PDA.

If you did, you probably realized that while it was fine to use MPEG-2 for recording stuff that you would be watching on the computer, it would have been preferable to use a more space efficient format like MPEG-4 for playback on smaller devices (iPaq, iPod video, etc...). 

We could have showed you how to convert from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 but didn't because the conversion was always kind of a hassle and time consuming.  

You won't have to bother with format conversions any more because of the Neuros MPEG-4 recorder.  With this unit, it is now possible to record directly to MPEG-4!  There have been other devices with this ability, but none so streamlined, flexible, and cost effective!  We just got this unit and we'll have a LOT more to say about it in a few days.  You can read about the specs directly from Neuros.  They also have some new info on how to record for your video iPod!

We here at RainyDayMagazine are excited to give it a try.  It was a good thing we upgraded the Powerbook G3 with the larger Seagate drive!  We'll need that space for editing the new footage.

 

January 17, 2006 (TechTuesday)

We showed folks a few years back how to give their Powerbook G3 that carbon fiber "look."  It was a fun upgrade project, but it didn't make the Powerbook run any faster :-)  

Since Apple's new laptops recently got a performance boost, we decided to give this great old laptop some upgrading as well... RainyDay style!

These laptops still can be found on EBay and they are an amazing value for the money.  We have posted the first three installments of a series of upgrade articles for the Powerbook G3 laptop. 

The first article is a quick overview of the Powerbook G3 laptop.  It also shows the reader how to gain access to the internal upgradable components of the unit.

The second and third articles deal with how to remove and upgrade the 12GB internal hard drive with the new Seagate 100GB unit.  We'll probably explore a new G3 upgrade topic (memory, processor, software) each month.  By the time Spring comes around, we should have one amazing G3 Powerbook :-)  Enjoy!

 

January 16, 2006 (MakeItWorkMonday)

Why do we here at RainyDay Magazine keep trying to make our old discontinued gear work with the new technologies?  Well, we can think of plenty of reasons (too much time on our hands, not enough money, too cheap to upgrade, etc...)  However, sometimes we do it just for the fun of it :-)

Sure, we could have gotten the CoPilot 6 Live GPS to work with the latest Pocket PC PDA with no problems, but anybody can do THAT.  To get it to work with a discontinued iPaq 3850 PDA...now that's a RainyDay project!

In order to do that, we needed to add Bluetooth capabilities to the iPaq.  The simpliest way was to use the Belkin Bluetooth Adapter card.  It was a lot easier to get the Belkin card working than we had anticipated! Go check out this chapter of the project here.

Another project currently in progress is to upgrade (memory, hard drive, G4 processor) an old Apple G3 laptop so it can run OS-X, edit iMovies, and god knows what else :-)

We'll show you how to swap out the 12GB OEM drive and replace it with Seagate's 100GB Momentus 7200 RPM unit.  We will have the complete write-up of this project later on in the month.  BTW... Seagate just announced that their Momentus drives will be using perpendicular recording technologies!  This means they will be able to cram a LOT more storage into the same space!

 

January 15, 2006 (Weekend Edition)

With Apple's OSX now running on Intel processors and more companies (DualCor and OQO) making uPCs ...we think it wouldn't be long before someone figures out a way to bypass Apple's hardware restrictions and get OSX running on these ultra portable handheld computers!

Hmmm...we are going to have to rework the layout of RainyDay Magazine so it will fit better on the small screen:-)  It would also make for a great carputer installation project!

 

January 14, 2006 (Weekend Edition)

Gleason Sensei of Shobu Aikido of Boston held the first of three planned Yudansha (Black Belt) Seminars today.  This was an amazing opportunity for higher level aikidoka to study and train with peers.  Gleason Sensei had not conducted this type of seminar for over three years.  The next two seminars are on Feb 18 and April 8.  All yudansha pratictioners are welcome...more details here.

 

January 13, 2006 (FlatPanelFriday)

We don't really like thin supermodels, but when it concerns portable speakers... the thinner the better!  The Logitech mm28 flat panel speakers is a very compact unit.  The unit is about 11.5" long x 4.25" wide and folds up to about 1.25".  It reminded some of us of a large pencil box :-)

We had reviewed another unit from Logitech last year...the mm50.  The mm50 is a slightly larger unit with more functions and features (remote, rechargeable batteries, etc...) than the mm28.  However, the mm28 is about half the price!  Go check out the complete FirstLook of the mm28 here.

A few weeks back we did a review of the StarTech AirLink transmitter/receiver system.  The AirLink lets the user send music from any music player (MP3, iPod, etc) to a stereo system or amplified speaker setup.  The unit worked well, but had no controls on it at all.  It was strictly a transmitter/receiver pair.

Logitech has gone one step further with their Wireless Music System.  They have made the transmitter unit totally portable, added some controls to the receiver unit, and made the system expandable.

We have not had a chance to hook it up to our audio system yet, but we will soon :-)

Power...the more we have, the more we want :-)  One problem has always been how to carry a little extra with us so we don't run out when we need it most.  Last year we showed you a few ways (Brunton SolarRoll, Tekkeon myPowerAll) to keep your batteries topped off. 

Next week, we'll give you a FirstLook at the Xantrex XPower Pocket Powerpack 100.  No need to use different tips with this unit...just plug your device directly into the AC socket on the side!

Running out of room on the power strip for all the AC adapters?  Are the adapters colliding into each other or covering up more than one socket on the power strip?

We had that same problem until we found the PowerSquid!  This 5 outlet power strip from PowerSentry may look a little odd, but it was exactly what we needed to make all those oversized AC adapters "play nice" behind the desk :-)

 

January 12, 2006 (TripReportThursday)

A few of us just got back from a couple of days in New Hampshire testing some winter gear for RainyDaySports.  The weather was a lot warmer than we expected so we had a wetter time than we had planned.  We'll be writing up the gear reviews in the next couple of days, but we wanted to give a quick mention to our fabulous hosts at the Wentworth Inn

This inn was one of the nicest places we have stayed at in New Hampshire.   The accommodation, food, and service were all fabulous.  We have a lot more pics, but we are saving them for the trip report :-)

 

January 10, 2006 (TechFestTuesday)

We received a copy of the new Porsche Boxster Manual in December for review.  We got to talking with the folks at Bentley Publishers and thought it would be great to get some New England Boxster owners together for a little Tech Session.  Bentley Publishers have graciously agreed to sponsor and host the first...

New England Boxster TechFest

We are hoping the Boxster TechFest would give folks a chance to check out the Boxster Service Manual, meet some of the great people at Bentley Publishers, and to put some faces to some of the online "handles" on the PPBB!

If you like to join us...there are still a few spots available.   The event is FREE, but space is limited and pre-registration is required.  You can sign up for the event by sending email to us here.

 

January 9, 2006 (Muffs&GlovesMonday)

About a year ago we told you about a company called 180s that made some pretty cool running gear (Exolite ear warmers and Convertible Running gloves). 

Since we had such good experiences with their running gear, when we started outfitting this winter's snowshoeing trip, the first place we went looking for gear was to 180s.  We decided on the heavier ExoLite TI and the Convertible Training gloves. 

We also just got in some 180s Exhale last week.  We'll bring the Exhale along to the Winter Outing just in case the weather turns nasty, but we are not sure if we'll have time to fully test them on this trip.

What we will tests along with the 180s are the TAVO gloves from 4Sight Products and the BackCountry gloves from Kombi.

The TAVO gloves were designed specifically for use with the iPods, but they also make great liners...just in case we needed an additional layer inside the 180s!

Folks around the office knows Kombi because of their cold weather gear for skiers and snowboarders.  So it was not surprising that we are packing Kombi's Backcountry gloves with us on our first Winter Outing. 

These Backcountry gloves are part of Kombi's technical outdoor line.  The top surface of the gloves are made with Polartec's WindPro and PowerShield fabric.  The stuff is suppose to be wind resistant, water-repellent, and tough.  We'll see how they hold up to a couple of days of snowshoeing in the backcountry.

 

January 7, 2006 (WeekendEdition)

We have done quite a few reviews of iPod cases since Apple's iPod nano was introduced.  Some of our readers have requested we take a look at cases that were more... "upscale" ...as one reader puts it.  I guess Speck's "Grass" cover (one of our favorite) was just too whimsical for suit wearing iPod owners.

Anyway, one of those readers pointed us to Marware's line of leather cases.  We decided to check out their CEO Card Wallet, the Classic, and the SportSuit cases to see if they can help us upgrade our corporate image :-)

 

January 6, 2006 (FieldTripFriday)

Congrats to Nick (aka Mr.Splice) for sending in the high score for that little addictive diversion we posted back in December.  It's time to get back to work :-)

Speaking of work, we have added a new section to the magazine for 2006 called RainyDaySports.  We are going to have quarterly outings where we will be taking a specific set of gear with us for their FirstLook and FirstUse reviews.

Our first RainyDaySports Winter Outing will be at The Wentworth in New Hampshire.  We'll be testing quite a bit of gear during this outing (Adidas, Magellan, Tubbs, 180s, UnderArmour, etc...)!  

  • Adidas XCR Kumasi Trail running shoes
  • Columbia Sportswear Skier Cross Jackets
  • Magellan GPS and HighGear Digital Compass
  • Tubbs snowshoes
  • 180s winter gloves, ear covers, Mortise sunglasses
  • Gloves from Kombi and Tavo
  • CamelBak hydration system
  • Boots from Dunham and Technica
  • Nike ACG and UnderArmour Metal thermal underlayer
  • Miox water purification system and Nalgene OTG bottles

It's tough going...but somebody has to test all this stuff :-)  In March, we are forced to go to South Beach for four days to test out a bunch of swim/snorkeling gear...can you imagine the nerve of the management folks around here!

 

January 5, 2006 (TrackerThursday)

Based on overwhelming requests from our readers asking us when their “favorite” gear will be reviewed by RainyDayMagazine, we are adding a new section called RainyDayBuzz on the front page of the site.  This new section is on the right on this page directly under the "Featured Review".

The RainyDayBuzz will list some of the upcoming gear and products that we will be reviewing.  The links will go directly to the products homepage.  After the product has been reviewed, it will be removed from this section into the regular RainyDay sections (RainyDayGarage, RainyDayKitchen, etc...)

We have been using GPS devices for about six years now.  The earlier devices were hard to use, had little in the way of features, and were expensive.  The newer devices (Navman, US Globalsat, Magellan) are much easier to use, have a lot of different viewing options, and are a lot cheaper.

The ALK folks have always been at the head of the pack when it came to GPS software, so when their CoPilot Live 6.0 version was released, we decided it was time to take a look.  The FirstLook review will take a quick look at the CoPilot Live 6.0 package and what we'll need to get it working with the iPaq 3850 PDA.

In this series of reviews, we will take you through the steps (upgrading the iPaq to PocketPC 2003, adding the Belkin Bluetooth card, installing the CoPilot software, loading the data, etc...) needed to get this GPS to work with an iPaq 3850 PDA.

 

January 4, 2006 (WowUsWednesday)

We got these 180s Mortise sunglasses in July 2005 .  After a few months, most of the folks here at RainyDayMagazine have had a chance to try them out.  We decided it was time to post our InTheWild report. 

We always like to highlight companies that provide good customer service.  While we had some initial problems with the Mortise, 180s definitely stood behind their product and made good on their guarantee.  We'll be taking this new pair on our Winter Snowshoe Outing in mid January in NH...we'll see how this pair holds up :-)

 

January 3, 2006 (TunerTuesday)

We are starting the new year with a few car projects.  The first is an upgrade to the Carputer project we have been working on for a while now.  We had designed a CPU mount for the Mac mini and it worked OK for a few months. 

We finally decided to look for a better solution and found the BEST mount was one designed by Jeremy Hubbell of Hubbell Automation.  Go take a look at the RainyDayGarage guys' new Hubbell Mac mini mount installation project here.

We have been playing around with adding the iPod to our cars since the player first came on to the market.  It was simple enough to add an AUX cable and get the audio signal to the headunit, but it was not possible to have the headunit control the iPod until the Neo iOn.

We have to say this Neo iON installation was VERY simple.  The prep time (making the radio removal keys, tapping the ground wire) was more time consuming than the actual installation. 

 

January 1, 2006 (Happy New Year!!!!!)

Everyone here had a great couple of weeks off. Some of us came into the office today to get a head start on the new year and it seems like we are already way behind!  Apparently the mail still gets delivered when we go on vacation :-)  We'll get to all this gear ASAP.

In the meantime, we want to welcome two of our newest product reviewers... Liam and Hayley!  Both Liam and Hayley live down in Bermuda.  Some kids have it SO tough :-)  Hayley is a 13 year old triathlete.  Hayley routinely finishes first or second in her category... sponsors, are you listening??? 

She will be helping us field test triathalon related (running, biking, swimming, training) gear for the RainyDaySports and Unaccompanied Minor sections.

Liam is an eight year old gadget wiz and will be helping us out with his thoughts on gear for kids.  He will be taking his own digital pics of the products he will be reviewing.

 

Previews for 2006

Since all of the interns at RainyDayMagazine started their vacations today, there won't be anyone in the office to do any actual work until the start of the new year.

However, before they left for the holidays, they were nice enough to compile a preview of some of the upcoming reviews they have been working on for 2006!  From the looks of things...they have been busy and it looks like it will be a great start to the year!!!

RainyDaySports is a brand-new section of the magazine for 2006. There are already alot of great reviews in it, and there is a LOT more cool stuff in the pipeline. 

There will be alot more reviews for our female readers from companies such as Yogitoes, Hugger Mugger, and NuMetrex.  There will also be professional training gear from Suunto, outdoor gear from Miox, Nalgene, 180s, Dunham, Adidas, and SeaScooter.

We will, of course, have tons of reviews on Gear&Gadgets!  We will have reviews of Motorola's new MPX220 SmartPhone and Bluetooth headsets from Plantronics (Voyager, Explorer).  We'll show you how to install the CoPilot Live 6 GPS software onto it so you will know EXACTLY where you are going at all times :-)

Along with SmartPhones, CoPilot Live 6 also runs on lots of Bluetooth-enabled PDAs. 

Most of the PDAs today have Bluetooth built in, but just in case yours doesn't, we will show you how to upgrade an iPaq 3850 to run a Belkin Bluetooth card so it will work with the CoPilot Live!

Media centers will be a big deal in 2006.  We have been gearing up for that since we got back from the DigitalLife conference in NYC in September! 

In 2006, we'll show you how to set up a Media center using a Mac mini, a 500GB Seagate drive, an ADS Drive Kit, and other Mac mini gear (Hubbell mount, iRocks keyboard ).

We'll also have many reviews of ipod, computer and other gadget bags and cases (Marware, Bihn, Marsus, Slappa) to take all that gear with you when you travel :-)

For the RainyDayGarage folks, we will show you yet another way to get your iPod working in your car, this time with a product from Neo Car Audio

For those who hate to fumble around in the dark, we'll show you how to replace all your car fuses with SmartFuses, the "glows when it blows" fuses:-)  In February, RainyDayGarage will be organizing the first New England Porsche BoxsterTechFest to be hosted by Bentley Publishers at their facility!  It will give the New England Boxster fans a chance to tap the brains of the Bentley Porsche mechanics on how to keep the beloved Porsches in top running condition!

Of course...we didn't forget our younger readers!  We'll be bringing more to the Unaccompanied Minor section in 2006.  To start, we'll have more from folks at Wild Planet.

We also plan to have other super fun games and tech toys from innovative companies such as Deflexion, Lego, and Digital Blue.

We are excited about the coming year at RainyDayMagazine!  We have lots of new plans and ideas (more video clips, new sections, events, etc...)  We hope you will join us as we explore great gear and gadgets in 2006!!!!!

 

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