The Broida BlogThe Broida Blog

Review: Powerbag Recharges Phones, Tablets, and More On the Go

Rick — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:55:01 +0000

I don’t know about you, but I’m sick to death of schlepping chargers everywhere I go. I need one for my iPhone, another for my tablet, a third for my camera, and on and on. Hassle city.

That’s why I’m head-over-heels in love with my Powerbag–which not only carries all my gear, but also recharges it. It’s pricey, but worth it.

The Powerbag collection includes briefcases, backpacks, and messenger bags that can power your mobile gadgets so they’re always juiced up and ready when you get where you’re going. Ingenious, no? Read more >>>

LoJack for Laptops: Buy One, Gift One Free

Rick — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 14:28:49 +0000

Planning to put a new laptop under the tree or menorah? Get some protection to go with it.

LoJack for Laptops is one of the top-rated laptop-recovery services, offering to locate, lock, delete, and even return your stolen system.

For a limited time, Absolute Software is offering a buy-one-gift-one deal on all LoJack for Laptop purchases. Read More >>>

Review: Jabra Sport Bluetooth Stereo Headset

Rick — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 18:27:01 +0000

If you’re an active person and a smartphone owner, I have two products to recommend. First is the Spibelt, an impossibly comfortable sports belt with a stretchy pouch that can accommodate keys, cash, your phone and other walker/runner/biker essentials.

The second is the Jabra Sport Bluetooth stereo headset, which lets you listen to music and FM radio and make/take calls while you’re exercising–all without wires. (Well, sort of.)

Support the Boy Scouts of America!

Rick — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 13:23:00 +0000

Hey, there, Broida fans. If you’re feeling generous and/or you love popcorn, my son Ethan is working to support the Boy Scouts of America–an outstanding organization that helps young boys learn invaluable skills.

Ethan is trying to reach a goal of $650 in total sales. If you’d like to help out, here’s a referral link for ordering online:

http://www.trails-end.com/estore/scouts/email_referral.jsp?id=9553214

Many thanks!

Get a Refurbished Nook Color for $199

Rick — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:52:16 +0000

In recent weeks I’ve talked a lot about the Amazon Kindle, but let’s not overlook that “other” e-reader: the Barnes & Noble Nook. Specifically, the Nook Color is one of the unexpected gadget success stories of 2011–and for a limited time, there’s a rare deal to be had on one.

Barnes & Noble is offering the “certified pre-owned” Nook Color tablet for $199, shipping included. Normally it sells for $249. Read more >>>

Turn a Spare PC into a Free DVR

Rick — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:00:59 +0000

Lately, more and more people have been asking me about “cutting the cord.” No, this has nothing to do with childbirth; it’s about ditching pricey cable TV–the “cord”–in favor of Netflix, Hulu, iTunes and other digital options.

Much as I’m a fan of those inexpensive alternatives, there are times when I want to watch–and record–live TV. A simple antenna connected to my TV’s digital tuner takes care of the “watch” part, as I can tune in most of the major networks via over-the-air signals.

But what about recording? For that, I rely on a spare desktop PC (though a laptop would do as well), an inexpensive accessory, and Windows 7. Combined, they make a fantastic DVR for watching and recording digital, high-definition broadcasts. Read more >>>

Five Great Free Android Apps

Rick — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 11:57:30 +0000

Everyone knows there’s no such thing as a free lunch. But free apps? Those are a lot easier to come by, especially for Android smartphone users.

For example, today only, Amazon’s App Store has the handy utility TaskKiller Pro free of charge. It normally sells for $1.99.

If you happen to miss out on that deal, fear not: there are plenty of other great freebies you can grab all day, every day. Read more >>>

Get 5GB of Free Cloud Storage from SugarSync

Rick — Wed, 25 May 2011 12:46:06 +0000

SugarSync is a fantastic storage service that syncs files from your PC to the Web, other PCs, and various mobile devices. Don’t think you need it? Read the following TRUE HORROR STORY before you decide.

One dark and stormy night, your computer suddenly locks up. You reboot, and a few minutes later it locks up again. You try another reboot, only this time the start-up screen flashes a message about “imminent hard drive failure.” That eerie feeling creeping up your spine is the realization that your data is trapped inside a dead PC. Read more >>>

Review: Kodak Easytouch Share

Rick — Fri, 20 May 2011 17:32:16 +0000

Kodak may have stumbled a bit while transitioning from its historic film roots to the modern digital world, but lately the company has created some killer products. For example, the Pulse digital photo frame remains one of my favorite products ever, and the new Easyshare Touch is my new favorite camera.

With these products, Kodak has demonstrated a knack for making previously cumbersome tasks–like sharing photos–simple. The Pulse frame, for example, has its own e-mail address; friends and family members can send new photos right to it. Likewise, it can automatically absorb new pictures from the likes of Facebook and Flickr. Read More >>>

Are Penny-Auction Sites Worth the Price?

Rick — Wed, 11 May 2011 19:52:40 +0000

Could I interest you in a brand new Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35 digital camera for $4.26? How about an iPad 2 for $12.75? Or a $100 Bed Bath & Beyond gift card for $0.92?

Those aren’t made-up prices. They’re among the recently completed sales at Sixjax, a new penny-auction site where you can score some pretty big-ticket items for a fraction of the list price.

At least, that’s the promise. The reality is a bit different. Read more >>>