Tom Keating : VoIP & Gadgets Blog
Tom Keating
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Computer Hardware

New iMac Specs Are Good To Have ...

April 28, 2008

Plantronics SupraPlus HW251N-USB Wideband Headset

April 11, 2008


Rich and I reviewed the Plantronics SupraPlus HW251N-USB Wideband headset, featuring wideband codec support for use in VoIP applications such as Skype and Microsoft Office Communicator. Rich actually got two pre-production models and was kind enough to give me one of the SupraPlus headsets. Actually, he wanted me to be his guinea pig to test the audio quality since I get to hear and review quite a few VoIP products.

We tested the monaural style Plantronics SupraPlus HW251N-USB using both Skype and Microsoft Office Communicator. The audio quality was quite good.


Sony PSP GPS

January 9, 2008

Sony announced GPS functionality for its Sony PSP gaming platform. While the GPS accessory was released in Japan in late 2006, this marks the "demo" launch (at CES) of the product in North America. It was simply a demo at CES, but Sony reps said they expect the product to ship sometime this year.

The GPS device will load map data from an included UMD that's region specific. Updated or additional country maps can be purchased and downloaded to a Memory Stick.

Streaming TV with Skype

January 2, 2008

How would you like to use your Slingbox with Skype or is it Skype with Slingbox? Anyway... For a few months now I've been playing with using Skype along with a Slingbox, a popular gadget that lets you stream your home TV content, enabling remote viewing of live and pre�-recorded television over the Internet. I've been a huge advocate of streaming live TV across the Internet for years, so figured I'd post my tips on streaming TV utilizing Skype, Slingbox, and TV tuner cards.

Slingbox includes a software player for remote playback of your TV/video content, so you're probably wondering why anyone would want to use Skype instead.

Touch-4-VoIP Adds Microphone for iPod touch

December 6, 2007

VoIP on the Apple iPod touch just became a reality with the help of some iPod touch enthusiasts/hackers over at Touchmods. Touchmods writes, "As promised, we can make you some Mics built into the DockConnector with the preamp." The Touch-4-VoIP connects to the touch's dock connector thereby enabling audio-input via the microphone. This can then be used for voice annotated notes and of course VoIP! Boy, life is good!

If you recall, I hypothesized about VoIP support on the iPod touch back in September.

Logitech Quickcam Orbit AF Review

December 4, 2007

The Logitech QuickCam Orbit AF is Logitech's best webcam money can buy. The QuickCam Orbit AF is Logitech's flagship webcam featuring Carl Zeiss optics, integrated microphone, and a cool motorized tracking that automatically follows your every move. The QuickCam Orbit AF (AF = autofocus) also has premium autofocus, up to 30fps, a true 2-megapixel sensor, with up to 8-megapixel photos (enhanced), 960 by 720 pixels, 24-bit true color Video capture, and RightLight 2 Technology which adjusts intelligently to produce true-to-life clear images in dim or poor backlight settings.

The QuickCam Orbit AF also has a 'trick' up it's sleeve. Not only can it sit low in its base, but it also comes with a 9" long stem that lets you mount the camera up high.

Dataprobe iBootBar Review

September 20, 2007

Ratings Score Installation Documentation Features Usability Performance Overall You Mr. Administrator think you know it all. You think you've got all the bases covered and you scoff at disaster recovery.

Well... Pop quiz, hotshot.

Microsoft Surface - Cool!

May 30, 2007

Microsoft dropped a bombshell with their new Microsoft Surface touchscreen computer that is a touchscreen coffee table with "eyes" that can see what is placed on it blending the virtual and real worlds together. Microsoft thinks this technology developed under the top-secret codename 'Milan' will change the world and be used as a coffee table replacement in living rooms and family rooms. According to Popular Mechanics, here's how the screen works... A diffuser turns the Surface's acrylic tabletop into a large horizontal "multitouch" screen, capable of processing multiple inputs from multiple users. The Surface can also recognize objects by their shapes or by reading coded "domino" tags (i.e.

Reasons To Switch to a Mac 1, 2, 3 ...

March 8, 2007

Singing the Notebook Battery Blues ...

March 7, 2007

Can I ever buy another notebook computer again?

Or maybe they can just come up with better power supplies for notebooks -- you never hear about notebook recalls, only battery recalls.

Lenovo's recent recall of 100,000 battery packs used in ThinkPad notebook computers got me to thinking about this.  This time, the fire hazard is if the battery is struck forcefully on the corner, such as from a direct fall to the ground.

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