Every so often one of our favourite hardware manufacturers sends us something really ‘stand-out excellent’ to review.  And this week, thanks to Don at Plantronics, the bar for PC gaming headsets has been reset once again.

Having suffered with a cheap headset for games and Skype over the last few months, the difference between the cheaper headset and the Plantronics GameCom 777 was absolutely mind-blowing.

While I must admit the GameCom 777 headset won’t win any awards from Vogue Magazine for styling, it looks right at home when you’re hard at work playing Halo.  Aesthetics aside, the headset is extremely comfortable with plenty of adjustment options.

The USB Dolby 7.1 adaptor adds an expansive sound-stage and the “big” feel is great for listening to those upbeat soundtracks or your MP3 collection.

While not the most inspired aesthetics, the GameCom 777 clearly demonstrates that there’s more to technology than good looks.  The grey military styling certainly matches the army feel some might be expecting from utilitarian head-gear – but it’s not everyone’s idea of cool.  But of course, the styling is where utilitarian stops and performance begins.

Just one look at the well-designed, big and well padded earcups rightly suggests that this headset is going to be comfortable to wear for extended gaming or video conferencing sessions.   A few hours in and the soft, comfortable cups and headband didn’t disappoint.

Audio from these open-air design headphones is nothing short of amazing with the Dolby function active.  It’s well suited to games, movies, and just about anything else you can throw at it.  As you’d expect for a headset with a bias towards games, there’s a mid-range focus and vocals are crisp and up-front.  Something the Dolby 7.1 dongle achieves nicely.  Skype takes a little getting used to if you’re used to a tinny little set of headphones – but you’ll soon start to enjoy conversations at a whole new level.  Actually, each Skype contact complimented the audio without me even mentioning the new headset.

Comparing the absolute Hi-Fi aspects of the headset against my studio ART reference headset, it was clear that the high-end and low-frequency sounds were a little cut-off compared to the reference – So the GameCom 777 certainly isn’t a “reference” – but it isn’t designed to be.  It’s the ultimate Gaming headset.  If you want a studio Hi-Fi headset, shelling out $1000 on an AudioTechnica ART set will certainly do the trick there – but won’t impress like the GameCom 777 for games.

The low-end bass sounds play well and don’t feel artificial – You may want to crank up the bass on the EQ if you’re looking for a real ‘bang’ though.  The headset’s open-air design means an airier feel.

The Plantronics GameCom 777 connects to your PC or Mac using regular 3.5mm jacks or the included USB Dolby dongle.   Connecting directly to the PC without the dongle made the headset sound like a regular good quality, and well-constructed headset – solid and effective with a 2m cable, utilitarian volume control on the cable, and with an impressive adjustable boom microphone that tucks into the headband when not needed - plus clear, crisp audio on the headphones and mic.

Adding the Dolby 7.1 dongle into the loop changes the whole experience.  The virtual surround sound is really something you need to experience to understand.  Despite the somewhat bulky feel of the package, the audio is simply breathtaking.   Excellent noise rejection, well-tuned frequency response tailored for games and a really expansive feel.

Congratulations to the team at Plantronics on an excellent headset.  While, I’d love to see a version with some slimmer styling and sexier colours (which of course would make it a general-purpose headset rather than a gaming headset), the Plantronics GameCom 777 is certainly the most impressive gaming headset I’ve come across.

Anyone who has been on the interent for any length of time is aware of some of the dangers that lurk in cyberspace.  The kind of malicious software that gets the most attention are viruses and other destructive internet attacks.  These kinds of invasions over your internet modem can destroy your computer or seriously hinder your ability to use it. But there is another classification of online malicious software.  It is a kind that happens far more often than a devastating computer attack. It is a classification of online invasion called Spyware.

The name "spyware" is well chosen. This kind of computer program invades your system the same way a virus does.  You might get it from an attachment in an email or from something you download online.  But unlike a virus, spyware is not out to hurt your computer or damage your ability to use it.  It is there to reside in your computer and run behind the scenes doing its dirty work without you ever knowing it.

The kinds of unwanted things spyware might do are diverse.  One kind of spyware simply waits while you are enjoying the internet and pops up advertising.  That advertising isn't coming from the interent.  It is coming from inside your computer but you never know that.  Antler kind of spyware records your internet activity including your log on identification codes and passwords.  That is sent off to a crook that is waiting to use it to commit identity theft on you by breaking into your financial websites using your personal data as the key to the front door.  Other kinds of spyware may even hijack your computer to make long distance calls or to become part of a network that is used to spread a virus far and wide.

If you think that Spyware isn’t something you have to worry about then you need to think again. Even with precautions being taken, there is still a serious threat here. It seems that Spyware is the number one issue online these days, and it affects people on a global scale.

Some people think that Spyware only occurs with viruses from links.  However, you can also be exposed to it when you download various types of software. There are also concerns with different types of links that you click on. As you read information online you may click on a link unsuspectingly, and that is all it takes before you experience problems with Spyware.

Today you will find many applications online that you can conveniently download for free. Stop and ask yourself though what it is that they are gaining by offering it to you? These seem to be common locations where Spyware is hidden. While you consent to the download, you certainly didn’t consent to their Spyware being there behind the scenes.  It is smart to find good software that can detect spyware on your computer and then get rid of it.  But go with a reliable source for that software because there are even programs out there that advertise that they will cure spyware but in fact only put more spyware on your computer.

Not only does Spyware slow down your computer but many of them can corrupt files. Even with a pop up blocker you may start to get pop ups. This is often one of the first indicators that you will have about such a problem on your computer. Yet not all of the problems are that obvious.

There are many different classifications of Spyware and those categories depend on how they go about attacking your computer. Some of the words that you hear in conjunction with them include Adbot, modem hijacker, browser hijacker, and keyboard logger. All of them are forms of Spyware to be concerned about.

While most agree that something has to be done about Spyware, it is very tricky to take action against. Finding those that are responsible for such issues is very difficult. Regulating it is hard as those that put Spyware out there are very good at what they do. It is virtually impossible to trace it back to them.

With that in mind, you need to be an advocate for your own safety. Spyware is out there lurking so you need to be conscious of it. Don’t have the attitude that you are protected from it. Do all you can to prevent Spyware from your computer through antivirus and firewalls programs.

You also need to immediately take action if you think there may be some form of Spyware on your computer. Always make sure the protection you have on your computer is updated. Children should be taught to never click on free advertisements or those that say they have won various prizes as they are commonly associated with Spyware problems.

You can also find some great programs on the internet that have been recognized as the best software there is next to your internet security software for finding and getting rid of spyware.  And what is very surprising about these small number of reliable anti-spyware programs is that most of them are free.  One such program is called AdAware.  You can download it for free and it will fight advertising programs that create pop ups on your computer.  These forms of spyware are called Adbots and AdAware is great at getting rid of them.

One of the best anti-spyware programs in existence is called Spybot Search and Destroy and probably the third most popular spyware fighting software is called CrapCleaner 1.0. The great thing about these programs besides the fact that they are free is that they will contstanly update themselves from a central database so they are always up to date with the most recent evolutions in spyware so that they are never caught by surprise by a spyware attack.

Along with using some of the free tools to fight spyware that we have talked about, do not neglect to keep your interent security software up to date.  The good internet protections software like products sold by  Norton or McAfee can also catch spyware and get rid of it before it can do any real damage.  When you add to those precautions learning how to protect your computer through responsible online behavior, you have a good formula for keeping spyware off of your computer and keeping it that way.

When your computer starts acting up, it is something to worry about because you don't know if there is something fundamentally wrong with it or if it is something easy to fix.  What not many people know is that a computer that is acting up may not be showing any signs of a serious problem that could lead to a crash. It could be a problem with an internal part of how the computer works called the registry.

When your computer starts up, it knows what to do.  When you click on your profile, it knows what picture to use in the background, what icons to show on your desktop, what will be in your startup menu and even what screen saver you will use.  Have you ever wondered how your computer keeps all this information sorted out?  It does it with a small file of information that serves as the internal roadmap of how your computer operates.  That roadmap is called the registry.

Because things change so quickly in how your computer interacts online, the registry goes through a huge amount of modification each day and week. The result is that it can often get "cluttered up" with dead links, entries that are no longer valid or slots in the list of things for your computer to do that are blank which can cause the computer to freeze up. In a perfect world, the PC registry would take good care of itself and you would never have to worry about it.  But in reality, performing routine registry cleaning is necessary or your computer will begin to act like it is sick.  It isn't sick. You just need to run a good registry cleaner software.

Do it Yourself?

Microsoft gives users the tools to make changes to the registry.  There is a program that comes with windows called "regedit".  You can actually run it yourself and as soon as it starts up, you will be looking at the registry that runs every aspect of how your PC operates. Microsoft gives to us great instructions on how to use regedit here - http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/tools_regeditors.mspx?mfr=true

But there is one very simple guideline that you should regard with the greatest of priority when it comes to using regedit.  That guideline is simply put as….

DON'T!

Regedit is a very basic utility that will let you do anything you want to do to your registry.  There are no protections that would stop someone who doesn't understand the registry from doing some serious harm to their computer.  It is one of those utilities that was created by the very technically savvy programmers who created Windows to give them the ability to make adjustments to how the operating system runs while it is running.

You should never get into regedit if you are not fully trained on what to do and what not to do.  It is entirely possible to delete the wrong thing in regedit and bring your system down just as drastically as a hard disk crash.  Regedit is not a utility that is for users who are not technical experts in the inner workings of Windows to be fooling around with.  In fact, it is best if you completely disregard anything you learn on the link we gave to you above and never start regedit yourself at all.

Nonetheless, everyone who wants to operate a PC at its peak performance needs a way to clean up the registry when the computer begins to perform badly.  Instead of attempting this clean up yourself, there are good registry cleaning programs that you can get that can become part of your standard arsenal of computer tools that you use to keep your system working well. 

You can find a wide diversity of programs that will do the job for you by using a search engine with the phrase "registry cleaning software".  Of course, as is true of any product you might shop for on the internet, you will find good ones and you will find products that are fakes or that could harm your registry. That is why it is good to know some tips on….

How to Pick the Right Registry Cleaner Software

It is a good start when you set out to find good registry cleaning software to regard it with the same seriousness that you gave to buying your internet security software.  You do not want to turn over this vital task and give access to your registry to some software that may do more harm than good.  Keep in mind that the one part of your computer that hackers and people who would download spyware or virus software would love to get inside of is your registry because using it, they can learn anything they want about your computer and virtually take it over.

To be blunt, there is a lot of junk out there on the interent being sold or given away free under the title of being "registry cleaning software".  As a rule, it is wise to avoid free utilities that perform this function entirely.  While there may be a few free registry cleaning software packages in cyberspace that can do the job, there are far more that will be dangerous to your computer or that are fronts for spam, adware or other malicious software.  It pays to be skeptical and guard your computer before you set off a software program that will affect your registry.

Use the same wisdom you used when investing in your internet security software when buying registry cleaning software for your PC.  In fact, check your menus of the package you may be using for online security.  Often good programs like Norton or McAfee either come with registry cleaning utilities or there will be a link to upgrade your package to get a reliable registry cleaning utility from a company you already know and trust.

So.. Before you format your PC.. Try a few of the obvious registry optimisers...

Here's one we recommend: 1-Click-Fix 

There is one other guideline to go by when you do find good registry cleaning software and you buy it and get it installed.  That guideline is…

USE IT!

You should run your registry cleaning software routinely.  That routine can be once a month but it is still an important part of keeping your computer running well.  If the software comes with a scheduler, set it up to run every couple of weeks. You can always run it on an as needed basis as well.  The important thing is you put the time and the resources into finding registry cleaning software that you can trust.  So put that software to work keeping your registry working in tip-top shape.  You will be glad you did.

Try 1-Click-Fix Today

The iPad Took the mobile computing market by storm in the last few months.  So it stands to reason that there are plenty of big internet and mobile communications companies that want a piece of the pie.  The announcement that Google and Verizon were working on their own version of a pad style technology should not take anyone by surprise.  The competition and emulation of creative ideas between the bit internet and communications giants is well known.  The problem that comes with creating an “iPad wannabe” is that the public will be spoiled by the groundbreaking technology that Apple brought to the table and it will be tough to capture that market now that Apple is carving most of it out for themselves.

Because the announcement of the partnership between Google and Verizon is making news only a few weeks after the arrival of the IPad, the deal has been in the works for some time.  At this point, the solidification of the partnership on the product is as far as the big media and internet giants have gotten.  The time frame for getting early versions of their product on the market are a year away.  No doubt those projections are optimistic.

A Win Win if it Works

Both Google and Verizon stand to win big if their entry in the pad technology market is a success.  For Verizon, they can reap an explosion of communications revenue because they can capitalize on the ability of Google to make their version of a pad technology so attractive to customers.  Google has already shown a talent for taking over markets from smaller competitors by either buying out smaller players or deploying their own competition in that market.  If Verizon can ride the wave of popularity of the pad technology combined with the leverage Google brings to the table, that could represent a very profitable venture for them.

Google has also been looking for ways to deploy their massive investment in internet products and services into the mobile marketplace.  By cashing in on the excitement of the Apple iPad product concept, Google could have found it's platform to take their phenomenal success in the internet environment and stage a similar coup on the mobile computing world.  For Verizon and Google, this is clearly a "Win Win" project.  But those big wins will only be realized if their gamble that they can take on the mighty Apple and AT&T partnership and win.  That is a big gamble.

Finding a Weakness to Exploit

There is no question that the strength that the Google and Verizon partnership can bring to the pad wars lies in Google’s huge inventory of internet products and services that could then be deployed to the mobile world. In order to beat the iPad in a market they now own, the Google and Verizon team will have to find and exploit weaknesses in the IPad product and demonstrate that they can provide a product that is not limited by those weaknesses.

Google has the financial clout to offer many apps on their version of the iPad as standard with the purchase of the software.  Already one of the complaints users of the iPad system have lodged is how they are called upon to purchase apps for some very basic functions early on. 

For example, the iPad does not come with a product similar to Microsoft Office that comes with the unit out of the box.  Google is putting a lot of effort into turning the Google Docs suite into a viable competition for that application area.  By offering those services without extra changes, Google and Verizon can woo customers with the idea that they don’t just more for their money with the new product, they get a lot more for their money.

Other weaknesses of the IPad technology are that the device does not allow users to run more than one application at a time and the screen itself could be easily be scratched or damaged.  By coming into the market with those issues addressed and showing up out of the box as a robust and feature rich system, the Google and Verizon pad technology could make the iPad offering look clumsy and poorly designed. In that way, if the shortcomings of the iPad get more publicity in the next 12 months, that will set the stage for a very successful product launch for Google and Verizon.

Or Too Little, Too Late

Google has had a lot of success taking on smaller competition and winning a niche of cyberspace and making it their own.  However, Apple and AT&T are not little players in the internet or the communications markets.  Apple in particular has shown a market savvy and an ability to compete and take on the big players in both the internet and the mobile worlds and win big.  So the strategies that Google has used to shut down the little guy may not stand up against these formidable internet and mobile computing giants.

In addition, the problem of being late to market has a lot of hidden dangers. Google and Verizon cannot count on Apple to just sit still and not improve the iPad technology to resolve the weaknesses of the system and to give the product all of the functionality that users expect long before Google and Verizon can get their product to market. 

In order to beat Apple at their own game, Google and Verizon must find ways to develop a new product offering that is better than the iPad as it is today and better than the iPad will be in a year to 18 months when the Google and Verizon product hits the market.  That means more than just fixing what is not working in the Apple product because Apple can do that.  It means fixing what is wrong with the iPad and then offering something that is new and innovative before Apple can do so.  Considering the ability of Steve Jobs and Apple to stay ahead of the game in technological innovation, that is not going to be an easy battle to win.

In a conversation with a friend about the ongoing sophistication of television, he once remarked to me, "It won't belong before all TV will be done with holograms so the characters will be right in your living room interacting with your family."  Of course, this sounds like a science fiction or science fantasy imagination.  But you don't have to go very far to notice how the next step toward that crazy idea is almost here in the form of 3D televisions that you can have in your own home.

The reality of 3D television is already here.  There are models of 3D televisions being advertised right now that are trying to cash in on the huge popularity of 3D movies.  Probably the biggest 3D movie sensation was the movie Avatar. James Cameron, the genius behind this amazing movie has openly predicted that 3D televisions will be the standard for TV watching within a couple decades.  From a consumer perspective on the push to get everyone onto HDTV, that prediction could come true a lot faster.

A Little Soon after the High Def Push.

The drive to yet another new format is questionable and one wonders how much these frequent format changes are about marketing more than demand.  After all, when was the last time you heard someone say, "I would kill to be able to watch Fear Factor in 3D"?  Probably never. Yes, it is one thing to see a big screen blockbuster movie in 3D because that adds to the spectacular nature of some films.  But even then, there are lots of movies such as romantic comedies or independent films that would be a waste of technology to apply the 3D method to them.

It could be that it is the television manufacturers who love to push a new technology and it is the genius of marketing and advertising that makes everybody think they need that new format.  Then as the new technology takes over the market, it gets harder and harder to find a new TV in the old format. The push toward HDTV has gone this way in some ways.  When the time comes that you cannot buy a new TV that isn't HDTV, then everybody will have one, even if many consumers could care less about High Def technology.

Consumers are aware that they are being pushed toward new technology.  That is why this new concept in watching television may not be as exciting for many consumers as it is for the retail market that sells televisions. The campaign to get everyone on HDTV has been unrelenting and many consumers resent being pushed toward a technology that they do not really want.  And while there are some added values to HDTV, it has taken consumers a while to take to those new features.  As more and more channels switch to HD format, that acceptance level is catching on.

This newest push to the new 3D technology may be more difficult to get past a skeptical public.  For many it is hard to see a future where everything from their local news to reruns of Cheers being presented to them on a 3D television.  Even big screen televisions are not as massive as a movie theater screen so home viewing of big budget movies like Avatar is going to lose something seeing it in a home setting.  That is assuming that the 3D experience at home can be done to a high enough quality to live up to the movie experience.  That is a tall order.

Wearing Glasses to Watch Gilligan's Island Reruns.

One question that industry experts have had to field about whether 3D television will be a success is whether consumers will have to wear those cumbersome 3D glasses at home to get the value out of their new TVs.  The answer is yes. And they won't be the cheap cardboard kind either.  The 3D glasses needed for get a full 3D experience from a home television unit will be large and complicated affair that are powered by batteries themselves. 

Once again, there are lifestyle issues with introducing these bulky and uncomfortable glasses to the home viewing experience.  There is no question that we simply watch things at home differently than we do in the theater.  For one thing, if you need expensive and complicated glasses for a 3D television shows, how many will you need?  If you have a large family or frequently enjoy television with friends or extended family, does that mean keeping 5 or 6 or 10 3D glasses on hand for everyone to wear?  If the 3D television comes with 2 pair of glasses, that will be an additional expense to buy more. The overhead and fuss and bother of dealing with the 3D glasses for every show you watch may be more than the average television audience will be willing to put up with.

So the argument will be made, you will not see every show in 3D.  You might just watch an occasional movie, concert or sporting event in 3D.  So will that justify replacing existing television equipment with expensive 3D televisions just for an occasional use?  A TV is a part of life that everybody is exposed to every day.  Mom and dad might watch must see TV at night and then allow the teenager to watch music videos or Disney shows and then later on the little ones to enjoy the latest cartoons.  If 3D does not dominate the daily routine viewing of television, it may not be worth the investment for the average television consumer.
When Will it End?

There are additional overhead issues that could stand in the way of 3D television.  To use these new television to watch rented video, you will need a Blu-ray player. Once again, consumers may feel pressured by the constant replacement of their video equipment. First it was VCRs then CD and then DVD and then HD DVD and now Blu-ray.  One has to wonder, when will it end?

If the powers that be can get 3D television to that point that James Cameron predicted, there are lots of growth that can happen.  One can envision 3D HD coming along after that and further developments on the glasses technology as well. Another hurdle to be conquered is to get enough television stations to broadcast in 3D to justify the sale of the equipment.  It seems like an uphill battle to get a viewing public to make this transition in light of what a limited type of viewing one would do on a 3D television.  But let's not underestimate the persistence and talent of marketers of this kind of product.  Even if you are skeptical, sure as anything you will find yourself watching TV with big 3D glasses on in a few years thinking, "What happened?"

We all like to know what we are getting into.  Whether you are buying the latest and most sophisticated hardware product on the market, a new phone or a new laptop, the last thing you want to have to deal with is buying a lemon.  When you see advertisements for a new gadget that has just hit the market, you would think that new technology was the beginning of the Star Wars age and that you just have to have it right now!  But anyone who has been buying into new technology knows that the promises of the marketing of new technology often does not live up to what the gizmo will actually do once you get it home.

One solution that many of us turn to are product reviews.  The idea is a simple one.  Experts try out a new technology breakthrough that is coming to the market.  They review it and you can get to those reviews on the internet.  Then you have some insider information on whether your hard earned technology budget should go for this new, highly touted new device and end up satisfied that it is just as amazing as you had hoped it would be.

Too often, those product reviews steer you wrong. Sometimes it takes a month or two or even up to a year for the real problems with a new kind of technology to get to the public attention.  But why didn't the product reviewers let us know that we were not going to be happy with the new device we just bought? There has to be a reason for the huge credibility problem with technology product reviews. Once we figure out that reason, it might change how you buy technology and how you approach finding a review of that product that you can depend on.

Who's Whispering in Your Ear?

Part of the problem that we may have with product reviews of new technology is where we get them.  When a marketing campaign is put together for a big technology release, the website that is put up to support that product is often jam packed with information.  It is very easy to find product reviews there that bring to light all of the wonderful new features of the hardware or software.

The problem with getting a product review from the website supported by the maker of the machine is that they will always be positive.  If there are any negative comments, they are only being put there to give the reviews a small amount of credibility.  Even then, whatever the "problem" is, it is almost always something inconsequential or something that is there to make the device look better or to give you anticipation of even better things coming along with future releases of the product.

It is smart to know a little bit about where you are getting your information.  If you have a favorite website to get product reviews, take a look at reviews of some notorious lemons in the technology world.  If you have trouble finding negative reviews, that brings to question any review on that website.  The same could be said of technology publications as well.  Not only should you have a critical attitude about the sources of your product review, it is also smart to look at product reviewers and ask…

Who Are These People?

There is a dirty little secret behind who writes technology reviews and where they get their information. The people who write those reviews are, and this might surprise you, writers. Now being a writer is the noble profession of Hemmingway and James Joyce.  But people who write technology reviews are not writing the great American novel.  They are doing a job to make a living like you and I.  The job they do is to write about what they are assigned to cover whether they know anything about the technology or not.

It is highly likely that the person who is writing the technology review that you are basing your buying decision on may have never seen, touched or used the gadget he or she is reviewing.  Writers are adept at finding reviews that other people write and using what they learn to write their own stylized review. In many cases what a technology reviewer will do is to go out on the web and find reviews that are already there and then use those reviews to write his or her own piece to sell to the website that is providing you with a review.

Even if the technology reviewer actually has a chance to spend time with the new technology, what they will probably review is a prototype that they tried out at the computer or phone store or a loaner that was given to the reviewer to make it possible for him or her to write the review.  The reviewer will not have the time to genuinely get to know the device so they will simply talk about the cool features that jumped out at him when he spent his 15 minutes looking over the new technology.

Also consider that when product reviewers ask a manufacturer of a new technology for a loaner to review, the maker of the device is going to give the reviewer one that is packed to the teeth with quality applications and that works flawlessly.  The prototype is a marketing copy of the technology. "Lemons" very often happen when the technology goes into mass production. So you may never read a word about the real problems with the technology until you get your own gadget and discover the flaws.

Where to Find the Good Reviews

One great tactic for making sure you buy a new technology that will not disappoint you is to wait and not buy it when it first hits the market.  That goes against that natural instinct we have to buy the hottest new thing the minute it comes out.  But technology manufacturers are notorious for rushing a new device to market with flaws in place with plans to fix the problems after the fact.

If you wait a few months until the new technology is no longer new, two things work in your favor. First, you give the manufacturers the time to fix the problems with the device so by the time you invest in it, you are getting technology that works in the real world the way it was advertised in the first place.

Second, you give people a chance to surface the problems with the device and then write real reviews that reflect those problems. The best reviews you can find are blogs where the content of the site is entirely driven by people who are actually using the technology so they can tell you what is wrong. Let someone else discover the problem so that when and if you do decide to invest in the device, you will get a good one.

The Beginner's Guide To Choosing a PDA

For everyone thinking of buying their first PDA, this guide's for you! A gentle introduction to these devices should be all you need. PDAs aren't like other computers - they're compact, user-friendly, fast, featureful, and even fun!

The first thing you have to do is figure out what you want to use a PDA for. The most common use is as a datebook or appointment planner, a purpose for which PDAs are suited like no other device. Address books are the second most common feature, and something else that are very well-managed on a PDA. A calculator is a given. Email and Bluetooth/ WiFi connectivity is usually required as well. PDAs also make great eBook readers. And for jotting down quick notes or sending text messages, an onscreen keyboard or stylus with handwriting recognizer.

What other fancy features would you like? A USB connector will let you hook up your peripherals. A backlight is essential if you won't always have full light. And then there's the entertainment value - quite a few games are being written for the PDA platform, and multi-media applications will let you watch movies or listen to music. And web browsers have also become standard with the platform.

All of these will be things to keep in mind when you go shopping. Be sure to ask around your social circle for the model you're interested in; chances are you know someone who has a model they'll let you look at. Work is an especially good environment for shoulder-surfing PDAs.

Major brands include the Windows Mobile Classic PDAs, ASUS - Asus P750 3G/ HSDPA/ GPS PDA Smartphone, Hewlett-Packard - HP iPAQ 212 Enterprise Handheld PDA, 4P - 4P FDA300 - Intrinsically Safe PDA - CE5 / Barcode / GPRS / Atex, Zypad - Zypad WL1100 Wearable Industrial CE6 PDA with GPS, Pocket PC, and the Blackberry. Of course, the market is always changing, and new manufacturers are always coming and going. Some of the PDS market is getting absorbed from either end into the smartphone category at the lower end and the UMPC (think mini, mini laptop) on the high end, so you might consider these devices as well.

Some quick care tips for after you get your PDA: Use furniture polish to clean your PDA, buffing out any scratches. An inexpensive alternative to a screen protector is to use a swatch of clear vinyl tablecloth from a fabric store, cut to fit the screen, stuck on with a few drops of water and using your fingers to smooth out the bubbles. In case your PDA ever gets lost, set an alarm to go off once a week and briefly flash your phone number and address on the screen, to help people find it and return it. And when worse comes to worse, remember that a hard reboot, not a soft reboot, will reset the device just like hitting Control-Alt-Delete on your home computer reboots it.

Things You Can Do With Bluetooth Sunglasses

Let us not be shy about it: When you use Bluetooth-enabled sunglasses and eyewear devices, you are officially living in the science fiction era. It's no joke, you really have joined the era of *Star Trek*. We're only a holodeck and transporter away from exploring the galaxy and talking to Vulcans and Klingons now.

Most of the functions of Bluetooth sunglasses involve features that have nothing to do with protecting your eyes from the sun. Instead, they have built-in digital capabilities which take advantage of the fact that eyewear touches both your eyes and ears.

One such device is the built-in MP3 player and speakers. Now the glasses are a headset of sorts, with USB storage onboard and speakers built right into the parts by the ear. Now you have musical sunglasses. Some of these store up to a gigabyte of music, and can talk to any other Bluetooth-enabled device, so your computer at home can download and store your music, and you can upload your playlist and MP3 to your sunglasses. Is this amazing or what?

How about built-in phone capability? It makes sense to combine a headset phone and sunglasses. You can build the headset bit into your sunglasses bit, and then you can walk around talking hands-free without looking like the Borg got you (we'll be keeping the *Star Trek* jokes at a constant rate here, get used to them).

How about capabilities involving the video instead of the audio? They also make so-called "spy" sunglasses with hidden camera and video recorder, so you can record a you-eye view of whatever you're looking at. This helps if you're on the away team and need the science officer on deck to analyze the alien you're looking at (we told you!). However, should you hit the beach in your video-camera shades and find yourself walking behind a bikini-clad sweetie, well, we didn't mean to put ideas into your head.

Furthermore, each of the above capabilities can be built into the same unit. And with head-up displays and video-aided visual displays, common in industrial use, you could have an image projected onto the glasses as well.

You can wait for your Borg implant or you can get these today. What can you be with them? Could you start your own superhero persona? We don't see any reason why not.

What Accessories Are Available For a PDA?

In light of the explosion in PDA's popularity in the past decade, it's kind of surprising how many people are still running around with just the bare unit. They might keep the AC adapter/charger that came with the unit, and might even drop it into a leather pouch when they think of it, but otherwise they miss out on a whole array of gadgets to make their PDA experience something more enjoyable.

Carrying cases are of course one of the most common accessories. It's worth it to get a durable one that looks good and is even stylish. After all, if the thing is going to follow you around every day, it might as well look good while it's doing that! Cases range from simple pouches to little purses to holsters that clip on the belt (for the "I'm Batman!" factor). More durable cases run to aluminum and other metals, for the rugged bush-dweller. Styles range from mod to hipster to snooty goth.

Bluetooth PDA accessories add a whole new dimension to a PDA. With Bluetooth speakers, it can become your personal music station, or with a Bluetooth headset it can become a communications tool.

Data storage options for PDAs are a must-have accessory. Typically a USB-plugged external drive can store anywhere from 128MB to a few Gigs. This extends the functionality of a PDA, and since they're so affordable, a new trend is appearing: the USB thumb-drive ring. This is a keyring with multiple USB thumb-drives on it, so you can keep them organized and have one for documents, one for video files, one for games, and so on.

You also don't have to limit yourself to using a stylus or twiddling your thumbs over an onscreen keyboard. Keyboard accessories, using either a USB plug or Bluetooth, can extend the functionality of a PDA, letting you type in comfort and accuracy on-the-go. Other input accessories include gaming console devices, including mice and joysticks. PDAs are getting powerful enough now to afford a portable gaming solution.

Screen cleaners and screen protectors are another essential accessory. These come in a wide range of solutions designed to do their job well without getting in the way.

One last accessory worth mentioning is the replacement stylus. Yes, sure, you can order the plain black ones - they point, and for some that's all you need. But recently there are modified devices that include a stylus, such as pen combinations, and even laser-pointer combinations, as well as styluses that clip to your pocket and are styled more like a high-end pen. Practical and fashionable.

What Can You Get in Bluetooth Devices? 

Information technology kind of hit a jackpot with Bluetooth. For once, we have an extremely useful telecommunications protocol which became an open standard, and to this day enjoys an open existence while not being owned by any company in particular. That is, the Bluetooth special-interest-group is actually a conglomerate of electronics manufacturers. So it isn't tied up in patents, and it isn't licensed from some company threatening to sue everybody, and it isn't closed-up proprietary abandonware that nobody in the modern day can crack... we got lucky.

For those of you who don't know, Bluetooth is a wireless communications protocol which can currently send and receive at about one megabyte per second. It is perfect for short-range data transmission which doesn't have to be high-bandwidth. One of the technologies it's replacing is infrared signals.

Some cocktail-party trivia: If the name sounds unappetizing, the name comes from the nickname of King Harald I of Denmark and Norway, who ruled in the tenth century. He's responsible for uniting the tribes of Denmark into a single kingdom, which is sort of what Bluetooth does with digital devices. And the logo is actually a combination of two Germanic runes named "Gebo" and "Berkanan."

Now then, here's a list of devices and applications where you'll find Bluetooth technology in action:

Just about any mobile phone or headset. Just about any computer peripheral, using wireless mice, keyboards, and printers. Wireless networking between computers, laptops, PDAs, UMPCs, pocket-PCs, and mobile devices of every stripe. Speakers and headphones. These are all given, and not too surprising.

Lots of industrial applications. Bar-code scanners, medical scanners, police forensic equipment, traffic control equipment, some retail point-of-sale devices, GPS receivers, security equipment. Anything that uses OPEX (OBject EXchange, the binary file transfer protocol) as likely as not runs over Bluetooth.

And now for some of the more surprising and newer applications of Bluetooth:

Game consoles. Both the Nintendo Wii and the Sony PlayStation-3 use Bluetooth technology for their wireless controllers. This has helped to revolutionize gaming technology. The Nintendo Wii in particular has been noted for being revolutionary in having a controller which allows you to combine exercise and video gaming. In your hands, the controller can double for a tennis racket, golf club, katana, fishing rod, lightsaber, pool cue, laser cannon, and anything else you can imagine.

Small home accessories which use Bluetooth are also becoming possible as well. Bluetooth-enabled TV remotes and garage-door openers haven't yet become commonplace, but their day is coming.

Another growing field is "telehealth" devices. These are devices associated with remote patient monitoring, implanted devices, and sensory aides. Your future pacemaker or insulin monitor may use Bluetooth to communicate with a base in your home or the doctor's office.

Finally, Bluetooth has shown the ultimate sign of adoption - it's starting to show up in marketing! Yes, it is slowly becoming a common occurrence: you're at the mall, walking along by the shops and looking at your phone, when it suddenly displays an advertisement from a store you're passing. Hmmm, we hope that doesn't get too annoying, but even so, it still sounds kind of cool.

And just to balance the cool comment.. Here's the Microsoft driver model!