Netflix Roku Instant Movie Box
Netflix has really outdone themselves on this one. Now you can watch movies on demand with this little lovely device. No more trips to the movie store to pick or return. You don’t have to wait for one in the mail either. You simply pick any one of their mail plans as low as $8.99 a month and get 1 DVD at a time through the mail and have access to thousands of movies to watch on your computer instantly or if you buy the box you can watch them on your TV. The box is only $99.00. They are also coming up with a blue-ray DVD player that will allow you to do this this fall. The Xbox 360 will also have this same capability this fall as well. The nice thing is that it still cost only $8.99 a month for this service. Their selection for instant movies on this box is over 12,000 movies and television series. They do not have the new releases available though so you will have to rely on the mail service for that. There is enough to make you happy. I personally love it because I usually always watch movies instead of having to rely on what is on TV. You can pause, rewind, fast forward, scene select and have it remember where you left off at. All you have to do is add all the movies you want to the instant viewing list and it will appear on your TV screen. You have to have a wireless connection in your house or a access to a lan cable to make it work. The setup is very easy too. It simply walks you through the process and only takes a few minutes. The box also has HDMI connections in the back in case you have a LCD or Plasma instead of of a standard TV. It will work on any TV. The quality is really good and it doesn’t have a hard drive so you don’t need to worry about storage. I never understood why anyone would want to buy these movies and store them when you have unlimited access to any of them instantly on your TV. The quality varies upon the internet connection you have. It will automatically adjust it based on your connnection. Most of them hav been pretty clear ranging from Standard to DVD quality. I am sure they are working on improving that as well. I also like the fact that the box is very small and comes with a simple remote instead of one of those complicated ones we are so used to dealing with. Overall, this is definately worth it if you like to watch a lot of movies or want to catch up on some old series from the original Incredible hulk to The office or Dr. Who. There are so many movies too! I would definately recommend it as a “Gadget to Get”! Goto http://www.netflix.com/NetflixReadyDevices?lnkctr=mfNFRD&lnkce=nrdfm&trkid=438224 to find out more. Thanks!
Slingbox AV
This is awesome! I only wish I would have tried the HD box to see if the quality was any better. It may also be that because I have the middle grade high speed internet that it is not as good as it could be. The quality is decent enough to watch though. The controls are a little slow and annoying but for the most part…it does what its says it will do. It is really cool to be able to watch and control your own TV including DVR recorded shows from any computer with high speed internet. Let’s say you are on a trip somewhere and your kids are bored in the hotel. Flip open your laptop and have them watch your programming from home or a recorded “Hannah Montana” show. Maybe you are a business traveler and you want to watch the superbowl in China. You can with this little nifty device and the cool thing is that there is no monthly fee. You can also purchase “slingplayer mobile” and watch it on your phone or pocket PC. I recently discovered that Echostar purchased slingmedia so I am a little afraid they might try charging for the service soon…Let’s hope not.
GadgetToGet: Yes! I have seen these going for as low as $99.00. It is definately worth it. Go to Slingmedia.com to find out more for sample videos…
Sceptre X20WG-1080P 20.1″ 5ms(GTG) Monitor
Pros:
I really love the widescreen. It is awesome for watching football games(using slingbox) and checking out my fantasy points on the other half. I also like the fact that the viewing angle is pretty decent too. The screen is adjustable too. I have to buy a DVI cable to be really fair on the overall picture quality. Check back later for the results.
Cons
The 20.1″ Sceptre X20WG-1080P Monitor has been a big disappointment for me. The built speakers have a constant hum or buzz the entire time you have them on. I finally unplugged them and went back to my old pair of speakers. Problem solved. The control buttons are on the bottom of the screen and very difficult to use or see. It is just a luck and guessing game. So far I have only used it with the VGA cable and am not very impressed with the overall quality. I just purchased the DVI adapter and hardly noticed any difference…. 
GadgetToGet: For an average picture…I would say yes…I honestly think there are better deals out ther but they may cost a few dollars more..
Zonet ZVC7500 Webcam Review by Mike
Pros:
This camera is awesome! It is very easy to use and has an nice picture. It almost has too much detail that you may want to downgrade so everyone won’t see all your blemishes. I don’t have any imperfections so I am not worried. 
It has a built in light that makes it easy to see you in dark rooms. It also had a built in microphone. It also has some cool effect options that can be a lot of fun too. I have used it with Skype, MSN and Yahoo without any problems.
Cons:
The cable could be a little longer and the only thing it may match is a white apple macbook….
GadgetToGet:
This is definately a GadgetToGet….. A great webcam for the price….I really love how it keeps you out of the dark like many other webcams.
The GE Dect 6.0 Skype Internet Phone by Mike
The GE Dect 6.0 Skype Internet Phone
This device is used to make regular and skype phone calls. It can make free phone calls to anyone around the world who also has skype. It will ring like a regular phone does when someone on skype calls you too.
Pros:
One thing I really like about this phone is it’s very small and easy to carry around. It reminds me of the older nokia cell phones. I like the fact that It works as a regular phone and a skype phone. It will automatically store your skype contacts so you will know who is calling or whom you may want to call. You can customize the ringers and themes on it so you will know if it is a skype phone or a regular phone call. I know you will be excited to know that it comes with two games. I am not sure why you would want to play games on a cordless phone unless you were sitting around waiting for someone to call. The range is very good and you can go all the way out to the front yard without getting any static. The battery life is pretty descent too. It easily charges in a cradle like normal cordless phones do too. I never had a problem hearing anyone talk or have any complaints from them about hearing me either.
Cons:
The phone earpiece is uncomfortable to talk on for a long time. I wish they would have made it softer and indented. I have lost my connection many times but think it is skype and not the phone. You must always have your computer and skype on in order for this phone to work. That is about all I can complain about it. What can I say…It is a phone.
GadgetToGet:
I would have to say this is definitely a Gadget To Get. It makes it nice and easy to keep in touch with relatives,penpals and friends. It also allows you to be free from being attached to a computer using a headset. I picked mine up for $80.00 but feel it is worth it since you can use it as a regular phone too. You can’t call international landlines for free but it is very cheap compared to normal international calls. Please contact me if you have any questions or comments. Thanks!
The Nikon Coolpix L5 Review by Mike
I picked this camera because Nikon has always had a good reputation for taking good pictures.
Pros:
One thing I like about this Camera is that it has a very sturdy feel to it. It doesn’t feel cheap like my previous cameras. The LCD is easy to see at various angles and doesn’t have too much glare. It has plenty of features to appease most photographers. I really it’s has image stabilization and panorama assist features. I think the best thing it has to offer is the quality video capturing capability. It worked awesome at the last baseball game I went to. I only wish I had a bigger card. The battery life is just above average. It is nice that it only takes two AA instead of the typical four. It can also use regular AA but I would recommend using Nickel Metal Hydride for longer use. The red eye reduction is also above average. I also like the 5 times zoom instead of the typical 3 times zoom offered on most other cameras in this price range.
Cons:
I think the one thing I can definitely say I hate the most about this camera is the shot to shot delay. It is horrible. My kids are grown up before I get the next shot in. The pictures are descent but not as nice as my old Kodak Easyshare Z700. I must say Kodak is really stepping it up on their lower end cameras. I wish this camera had a viewfinder so you are not always forced to use the LCD screen. That is normally okay except on very bright sunny days when you can’t see the screen.
GadgetToGet:
Well I hate to do this but I will have to give this one a “Heck No!” My number one reason is that it has such a long delay between taking each picture. The reason anyone gets a camera in the first place is to take pictures. You want to capture the moment. You can not do this if the moment was over 5 minutes ago. I do like the build, multiple features and ease of use but just can’t get over the delay. Hope this was helpful. Thanks
The T-Mobile Samsung t629 Review by Mike
This is the phone is one of T-Mobile’s latest Slider phones that is also a myFavs phone.
Pros:
This phone feels pretty sturdy and doesn’t give you that cheap plastic feel like many others do. It seems nicer that the Motorola Razor phones and is just about as thin. The screen is very clear and easy to read. It has a very user friendly interface and just about anyone could figure it out. It is also has a music player built in but needs stereo headphones and a micro SD card to get the most out of it. The picture quality comes out pretty good for a camera phone. Just remember that there is no substitute for the real thing. The instant messenger and text messenger programs are very easy to use, but you have to force yourself to learn the predictive text. I know it is frustrating at first, but it will pay off in the long run. The reception is very good. I have not had any problems hearing any of my callers or that static sound I get sometimes in my sidekick phone. The Bluetooth works pretty well too. I had no problems connecting it to my Dell Axim X50.
Cons:
I do not have too many complaints with this phone. It does seem like the battery life drains pretty fast when I send a lot of instant messages. The camera forces me step back pretty far when taking pictures as if it were zoomed in too close. The screen is very big and vulnerable to scratches. It is a shame they don’t build it to hide and protect that area. The phone doesn’t come with many standard accessories. It only comes with the charger and hands free headset. I wish it came with a stereo headset and a case. I would highly recommend buying some clear screen protectors for it to prevent scratches.
GadgetToGet:
I highly recommend this phone. It is not one of the free ones but is worth taking a look at. It looks pretty sharp and has all the basic functions of all the other new phones out there.(Music player, 1.3 Mega pixel photos, video capture/playback, Hi-Fi ringers, EDGE capable, Bluetooth, instant messengers and actually works as a phone!) I would use it all the time myself but I can’t live without my full keyboard on my sidekick.