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Geek Wish List Entries
What gadgets are your peers scribbling down on their Holiday Goodies List? Read on Geek, read on!
November 19, 2004
7 Min Read
Paul Rouk
Product: Aurora? ALX System
Coolness: How is it possible to spend over $11,000 on a DESKTOP computer today?!?
Company: Alienware
IT Value: Runs Microsoft Word MUCH faster than any of our current systems!
Features: High-end gaming computer. When configured with ALL the options, sells for over $11,000!
Reasoning: Ultimate gaming machine.
E. Alexander Gerster
Product: radioSHARK
Coolness: Time Shift Recording! Plus, Look at that shape!
Company: Griffin Technology
IT Value: Here in Florida, you can keep up with the hurricane reports!
Features: AM/FM radio with time shift recording
Reasoning: For recording broadcasts to listen to after work.
Carlos Legarda
Product: Treo 600
Coolness: It does everything.
Company: palmOne
IT Value: Taking notes, keeping in touch, schedules.
Features: PDA/phone does everything.
Reasoning: I can leave my phone and PDA at home and take this instead.
Emilio Trenzado
Product: TIVO
Coolness: I never have to worry about missing shows and I can skip commercials, yet I don't have to deal with VHS tapes.
Company: TIVO
IT Value: I can work late on projects and record shows while I have to be on-site for an emergency.
Features: Records shows, pauses live shows and many more.
Reasoning: I can now work or workout until late and not worry about missing "The Apprentice."
marc
Product: B3-1550 brewing sculpture
Coolness: I like beer
Company: Beer, Beer & More Beer
IT Value: It will keep me happy and focused at work. Also, beer goes over well for work parties!
Features: Helps you make beer.
Reasoning: Makes more beer.
Creed White
Product: IFP -799
Coolness: 1 Gig for under $250 with FM, small, 40 hours on battery, can store files and record music on the fly.
Company: IRiver
IT Value: It does not have the software to be a Flash drive, but promises to have it soon for a 1 Gig Flash drive...for those large DATA files, yeah that's it!
Features: 1 Gig Flash MP3 with FM radio
Reasoning: Mostly a large collection of MP3s.
Ivan Santayana Rivera
Product: Powerline Networking Adapters
Coolness: No new wires.
Company: D-Link
IT Value: I could pay for Fiber Internet access and then offer it to PLC network users. Start my own company.
Features: Connects PCs and other devices over the existing electrical network.
Reasoning: To build a LAN in my neighborhood.
Zonker Harris
Product: Squeezebox
Coolness: Wired version works with Mac/Linux/Windows, wireless will be cooler.
Company: Slim Devices
IT Value: Streaming Audio client in the lab, so I can hear training Web conferences while I'm still working in the lab.
Features: Wireless MP3 player, client.
Reasoning: With battery-powered speakers, backyard parties!
Thomas Voigtlander
Product: A8 Earphones
Coolness: Because I tried one on once, and it's like having your own little surround sound system wherever you go.
Company: Bang & Olufsen
IT Value: Able to help integrate sound into IT publications.
Features: Uuhh...It plays sound, into your ears....
Reasoning: On the PC, watching late night TV, on the mini-disc player, having music running at uni!!
Davis Bailey
Product: Samsung
Coolness: Plays MP3s and has an FM tuner.
Company: Yepp
IT Value: Samsung makes our laser printers and cell phones, need to research other consumer products.
Features: MP3 Player
Reasoning: Running, sitting in the hot tub with a cold beer nearby.
Tony Augelletta
Product: Swiss Memory USB
Coolness: Because of the look on people's faces when you pull it out.
Company: Swiss Army Knife Company
IT Value: Always having a place to store data when you're out and about.
Features: Cuts, lights, writes and has a bigger hard drive than my first computer.
Reasoning: Mainly for storage use and to jot stuff down sometimes.
Mark Villecco
Product: OfficeConnect Wireless 54-Mbps 11g Travel Router
Coolness: This unit has all the capabilities of a traditional SOHO wireless router but is the size of a deck of cards.
Company: 3Com
IT Value: This product would be useful to business travelers who need wireless Internet access in meeting rooms, hotel rooms or elsewhere.
Features: Allows sharing of high-speed Internet access where ever a broadband connection exists.
Reasoning: This router could be kept in a briefcase or laptop bag and then plugged into a wired Internet connection to allow multiple wireless users to connect.
Aman Bhasin
Product: P900
Coolness: It's a solid 'all in one' device with cool features like a removable keyboard, Bluetooth and cool video games.
Company: SonyEricsson
IT Value: Replaces Blackberry and cell phone. Allows troubleshooting Web thin-client issues while commuting.
Features: Phone, organizer, imaging, browser, e-mail, camera, etc.
Reasoning: Read e-mails, play video games, watch movies and, of course, answer support calls.
Doug Herman
Product: Research in Motion's Blackberry handheld
Coolness: Outlook on the go!
Company: RIM
IT Value: Collaborative tool that keeps sales force, managers "in the know."
Features: GPRS cellular device that delivers Outlook/Lotus Notes and the Internet, and it is a phone.
Reasoning: I rely on it as a tool to stay in touch with my users even when I'm out of the office/town, etc.
Fred Johnson
Product: iMac G5
Coolness: Just look at it! Apple has redefined cool with this computer.
Company: Apple Computer Inc.
IT Value: It is immune to 99.9 percent of all viruses.
Features: It is a real computer, not just a PC.
Reasoning: It would replace my 400-MHz G4 Cube. The Cube is still cool, but it's no longer fast!
Steven White
Product: Portege 3500/3502
Coolness: The tablet feature.
Company: Toshiba
IT Value: The three uses below are all useful IT functions.
Features: Tablet/notebook PC.
Reasoning: 1) For replacing the handwritten notes on my desk, 2) For reading printed listings while I code on my other computer, 3) For dialing in from home during a crisis.
Tim Kelly
Product: Sony MVC-CD350 3.2 MP 3x Zoom CD-R/RW Recording Camera
Coolness: I don't have to copy images or movies to my PC then burn to a CD.
Company: computergeeks.com
IT Value: Create movies for presentations and training CDs.
Features: Records still images and movies to 8-cm CD-R/CD-RW discs.
Reasoning: To record history in the making--my family mostly.
Chad Yoshino
Product: OQO Model 01
Coolness: Geez...it has got to be the smallest and lightest PC with the works.
Company: OQO
IT Value: Don't need a Palm and a laptop. This is one and the same! Full Windows in the palm of your hand.
Features: It's the "ultra personal computer."
Reasoning: For day-to-day network troubleshooting, with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, I wouldn't need my laptop anymore!
Sean K. McNicholas
Product: Kameleon 8 Device Universal Remote
Coolness: Electro-luminescent touch display makes it look like it belongs with your plasma (oh, and no more three remotes hanging around your coffee table).
Company: One For All
IT Value: All techies want less devices that do more.
Features: All-in-one universal remote for your home entertainment center.
Reasoning: To centrally power my entertainment needs.
Steve Delahunty
Product: ToughBook P1
Coolness: It's ruggedized, has GPS, phone and wireless, and it's moisture resistant.
Company: Panasonic
IT Value: Will even let me respond to e-mail and phone calls when in the steam room at the gym.
Features: Wireless, Ruggedized PDA/Phone
Reasoning: Can check e-mail while rock climbing (would need to learn rock climbing first).
Dave Zielinski
Product: Axim X30
Coolness: Integrated Wireless + PocketPC 2003 OS
Company: Dell
IT Value: With Wi-Fi access anywhere I go and a VPN client, I can access EVERYTHING I need at work anywhere I go.
Features: Pocket PC-based PDA
Reasoning: Wi-Fi access anywhere I go.
Jeff Elliott
Product: UltraSharp 2001FP 20.1-inch Flat Panel LCD Monitor
Coolness: Big and beautiful
Company: Dell
IT Value: Saves desk space, allows for more multitasking.
Features: LCD monitor with 16-ms response time and 1600x1200 native resolution.
Reasoning: For use as my main monitor for gaming and DVD watching.
Mark Bolick
Product: Apple Xserve G5 (business), Apple iPod (leisure)
Coolness: Xserve: that much power and usability with unlimited license for that price, gotta try it. IPod: see earlier statement.
Company: Apple computer for both
IT Value: Faster file serves, more seats, better uptime, more power, lower price. No way they'd sponsor an iPod.
Features: Very nice server, very low price. iPod: I mean geez, it's an iPod. Does it need an explanation)
Reasoning: File serving and use of our corporate accounting database. Once again, it's an iPod!
Justin King
Product: WiFlyer
Coolness: I never have to sit at a hotel desk again.
Company: Always On Wireless
IT Value: Wireless with the security of dialup (even though it can use broadband, too).
Features: Wireless base station for dialup.
Reasoning: Um, the way it is supposed to be used?
Cliff McCullough
Product: Linksys Speedbooster Access Point
Coolness: No more wires
Company: Linksys
IT Value: Less manpower. No hanging wires. Cleaner work area.
Features: Wireless network communications
Reasoning: Wireless communications anywhere in my home.
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