DescriptionThis week, Avram Piltch shows off a preview of the newest addition to the Sphero lineup: the Sphero Mini Activity Kit. This kit builds on top of the existing Sphero Mini robotic ball, adding to it a variety of pre-planned activities that can be done with the ball. These activities give new owners ideas of things that can be done with their ball. This has long been a leading problem with robotic toys like this. Without ideas on how to use it, educational toys tend to be abandoned in fairly short order.One of the activities that come in the kit is building a maze. To accomplish this, the kit also comes with the parts and pieces to build such a maze. Another activity is bowling and, once again, the kit has bowling pins to help encourage the activity. After working through some of the included activities, kids' minds can be sparked to look for new things to do or new ways to accomplish the same goals.As with other Sphero products, the Sphero Mini can be controlled in several different ways. You can use it in play mode, where you run it like a remote-controlled car. It can also be controlled using the accelerometer in your phone or tablet, to move in the direction of the device. It can even move based on your facial expressions, with a smile moving it forward and a frown moving it backward. There is also a programming interface, which allows you to move the device around programmatically. This is where the fun of a Sphero really comes in. You can use the included block-based programming system to build logic, but you can also use full programming languages, like C#. With all of these options, you can come up with any number of ways to bowl or complete a maze.The Sphero Mini is available now (https://amzn.to/2Lw50LS), but the Sphero Mini Activity Kit comes out in early October.ParticipantsScott Ertz (https://plughitzlive.com/staff/1-scott-ertz.html)HostScott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLuGHiTz Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the DDR community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bar Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and judging engineering notebooks at competitions. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors.Avram Piltch (https://plughitzlive.com/staff/15-avram-piltch.html)HostAvram's been in love with PCs since he played original Castle Wolfenstein on an Apple II+. Before joining Tom's Hardware, for 10 years, he served as Online Editorial Director for sister sites Tom's Guide and Laptop Mag, where he programmed the CMS and many of the benchmarks. When he's not editing, writing or stumbling around trade show halls, you'll find him building Arduino robots with his son and watching every single superhero show on the CW.Live DiscussionPowered by PureVPN (http://piltchpoint.live/purevpn)

Welcome to The Gadget Professor Show #423 hosted by Don Baine.(https://thegadgetprofessor.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2019/09/power.jpg)

Want to CLONE a new operating system hard drive ? Make a Backup drive copy ? This will do it.

Dual-Bay 2.5”/3.5” SATA Hard Drive (HDD) & Solid State Drive (SSD) Docking Station;Screw-less and Easy-to-Plug Top-Loading Design (Hot-Swap Capability); SD Card Reader

Super-Speed USB 3.0 interface offers 10X faster performance (up to 5Gbps);Vertical HDD insertion allows faster heat dissipation and cooling solution

Standalone Drive Duplicator Dock (no need for PC connection); LED indicator for HDD Access and Power status

Supports 2.5” and 3.5” SATA I/II/III Drives;Backward compatible with PC USB 2.0 ports (USB 3.0 cable compatible with USB 2.0 ports); 2 Port USB 3.0 Hub

Supports up to 4 TB SATA HDD;Fully compatible with Windows 7, 8, 10, Mac OS X, Linux;Includes PD-2537U3, USB 3.0 cable, power adapter, and User Manual (HDD not included)

We also feature our weekly Free APPS selections as well as tech news and comments!

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The post TGP #423 Power Dock PLUS (https://thegadgetprofessor.com/2019/09/12/tgp-423-power-dock-plus/) appeared first on Gadget Professor (https://thegadgetprofessor.com).

DescriptionThis week, Avram Piltch tries something new and unboxes the Ultimate Hacking Keyboard (https://ultimatehackingkeyboard.com/) live on the show. This keyboard is unique in that it is designed to be modular, both in itself and with accessories. The small-framed keyboard detaches in the middle, allowing you to use it as a standard ergonomic keyboard, or configure it however is convenient and comfortable for you. But, the split keyboard design gives the ability to use the keyboard with additional features.For example, the company will offer attachments for different input methods, like a trackpad, trackball, or track pointer (like on a Lenovo laptop). They will also offer a small additional key cluster. But these add-ons are just the beginning. The name is not just cutesy, it is because the entirety of the keyboard is open source. This could lead to additional accessories from other companies, or even in the form of maker projects. Of course, all of the expandability will only come to fruition if the product and platform become commercially successful. It doesn't make sense to make add-ons for devices without customers, just ask Motorola.The biggest challenge to the success of the keyboard could be the general layout. While a keyboard of this style would likely be targeted at computer enthusiasts, the keyboard layout is far from it. There is no function row, number pad, directional pad, navigation keys, or media controls. For most computer and keyboard fans prefer more keys rather than less. All of these capabilities, except media controls, are only available via a function key combination. Unfortunately, media controls are completely missing, though you could use the key cluster add-on to replicate the missing feature.The Ultimate Hacking Keyboard is available for pre-order, with product shipping in October. The keyboard runs $275, the add-ons run $60 each, and the palm rest runs $75.ParticipantsScott Ertz (https://plughitzlive.com/staff/1-scott-ertz.html)HostScott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLuGHiTz Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the DDR community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bar Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and judging engineering notebooks at competitions. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors.Avram Piltch (https://plughitzlive.com/staff/15-avram-piltch.html)HostAvram's been in love with PCs since he played original Castle Wolfenstein on an Apple II+. Before joining Tom's Hardware, for 10 years, he served as Online Editorial Director for sister sites Tom's Guide and Laptop Mag, where he programmed the CMS and many of the benchmarks. When he's not editing, writing or stumbling around trade show halls, you'll find him building Arduino robots with his son and watching every single superhero show on the CW.Live DiscussionPowered by PureVPN (http://piltchpoint.live/purevpn)

Welcome to The Gadget Professor Show #422 hosted by Don Baine.(https://thegadgetprofessor.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2019/09/belt2.gif)

This is a really interesting survival tool. It is an item you would wear everyday but You can buy a kit of goodie that are designed to fit into the belt. Wazoo Cache Belt comes plain as just a belt but then you chose what you want to put into it. I wear a belt every day and really like this item.

The Adventure Survival Kit is custom designed to fit in the Cache Belt(https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/12.0.0-1/72x72/2122.png) and most components are custom-made and cannot be found anywhere else. Carefully chosen to contain the highest quality parts while maintaining packability, the Adventure kit is meant to be the ultimate compact survival kit maximizing function, form, and space.

What’s in the Adventure Survival Kit

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The post TGP #422 WAZOO Cache Belt (https://thegadgetprofessor.com/2019/09/06/tgp-422-wazoo-cache-belt/) appeared first on Gadget Professor (https://thegadgetprofessor.com).

Welcome to The Gadget Professor Show #421 hosted by Don Baine.(https://thegadgetprofessor.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2019/08/Light.jpg)(https://thegadgetprofessor.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2019/08/Light-2.jpg)

POWER BANK CAMPING LANTERN: This 2-in1 portable charger and high lumen lamp boasts 10,000mAh of shared output across 2 USB A ports for your cell phones and devices while camping or away from a traditional power source

HIGH POWERED LED FLASHLIGHT: Lamp provides up to 40 hours run time and is designed for use on camping trips and outdoor adventures, but can also be useful around the house in areas without proper power access or lighting (garage, attic, workshop, etc.)

DUAL USB PORT: Fast charge your iPhone or Android cell phones and tablets with with 2.4A Max shared output to keep you powered in the wild – also great for camping accessories such as fans and other USB gagdets around camp

4 LIGHT SETTINGS: Camp light features four levels of brightness as well as a SOS flash setting (a must have in your gear in case of emergencies)

MYCHARGE MADE: Quality and customer satisfaction are at the forefront of all myCharge made products – Designed in Michigan using only the finest materials to ensure a long lasting premium design and covered by a 1 Year Manufacturer Warranty

We also feature our weekly Free APPS selections as well as tech news and comments!

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The post TGP #421 myCharge Lumens (https://thegadgetprofessor.com/2019/08/29/tgp-421-mycharge-lumens/) appeared first on Gadget Professor (https://thegadgetprofessor.com).

DescriptionModern games are fun, but there is something special about retro gaming. The simplicity of the games, the focus on fun over graphics, the limitation of the controls. These old games are just pure, simple fun. While you can play these games on a standard computer, the experience is just better in the environment the games were designed for, whether that be the living room or an arcade cabinet. Luckily, there are ways to replicate those experiences using modern and inexpensive computing hardware, like the Raspberry Pi.Using a Raspberry Pi, you can emulate nearly any gaming experience you want. Using ROMs, which are replications of original game cartridges, you can play the old games exactly as they were made - glitches and all. Some ROMs have been made publicly available legally, while others are available without a proper license. You can also use a cartridge reader to read the games directly. Whatever your method, using an emulator is the key to the experience. It's important to know that the Raspberry Pi 4 currently does no support this, but official support is in the works. If you are a little more adventurous, you can try your hand at a bypass (https://www.tomshardware.com/news/raspberry-pi-4-game-emulators,40102.html).For a console-style experience, you can buy cases online, or 3D print a case, that matches your style. Whether it be an NES (https://amzn.to/325o09m), a Super Nintendo (https://amzn.to/2Ubwyc7), or Sega Genesis (https://amzn.to/2U7kA3h), you can make your Raspberry Pi look like the console you know and love. Some of the cases even come with USB versions of the matching controllers, including some of the links above.For an arcade-style experience, some cases can replicate an arcade gaming stick (https://amzn.to/32e4ms1) or even an entire arcade cabinet, complete with screen, joystick, and buttons. You can also add an external USB arcade stick. Most of these projects require assembly, but others are mostly plug-and-play.ParticipantsScott Ertz (https://plughitzlive.com/staff/1-scott-ertz.html)HostScott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLuGHiTz Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the DDR community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bar Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and judging engineering notebooks at competitions. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors.Avram Piltch (https://plughitzlive.com/staff/15-avram-piltch.html)HostAvram's been in love with PCs since he played original Castle Wolfenstein on an Apple II+. Before joining Tom's Hardware, for 10 years, he served as Online Editorial Director for sister sites Tom's Guide and Laptop Mag, where he programmed the CMS and many of the benchmarks. When he's not editing, writing or stumbling around trade show halls, you'll find him building Arduino robots with his son and watching every single superhero show on the CW.Live DiscussionPowered by PureVPN (http://piltchpoint.live/purevpn)

Welcome to The Gadget Professor Show #420 hosted by Don Baine.(https://thegadgetprofessor.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2019/08/ku.jpg)(https://thegadgetprofessor.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2019/08/ken.jpg)Kensington Cool View Wellness Monitor Stand with Desk Fan

Ergonomically designed to promote wellness and productivity

Dual-Fan Airflow System provides a gentle, wide, and natural airflow with 2 speed options

Steel base for durable support for monitors up to 27”

Can be connected to a USB port on devices such as docking stations, laptops, desktops, and mobile USB power adapters

Portable and removable so fan can be used in other spaces (7.6in x 3.6in x 3.2in)

The Kensington CoolView Wellness Monitor Stand with Desk Fan combines the ergonomic benefits of raising your monitor height with the wellness benefits of circulating airflow. The steel base elevates your monitor to an optimal viewing height to promote a healthy posture and increase productivity. The integrated desk fan provides quiet and gentle airflow for a more comfortable workspace. The sleek 2-in-1 design offers users an organized working environment within a small desktop footprint. Supports iMac and external monitors up to 27″.

We also feature our weekly Free APPS selections as well as tech news and comments!

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The post TGP #420 Kensington Cool View Monitor Stand/Desk Fan (https://thegadgetprofessor.com/2019/08/22/tgp-420-kensington-cool-view-monitor-stand-desk-fan/) appeared first on Gadget Professor (https://thegadgetprofessor.com).

DescriptionThis week, Avram Piltch discusses one of the biggest changes in the tech space for 2019: the price of solid-state memory. Both NAND flash and standard SSD drives have come down significantly in price, making them a great option for upgrading an existing computer. Many of us have an older laptop that is simply too slow for everyday use, but removing a traditional spinning hard drive or a hybrid drive and replacing it with a solid-state drive can completely change the experience.Avram recently did this for a colleague from a sister publication. They had a laptop for their son, who wanted to use it for gaming purposes. The problem was that launching apps and games took way too long. So, Avram swapped out the drive, using one purchased at retail. The price for a 1TB solid-state drive was just over $100, making the price per gig around 12 cents. This represents a major shift downward in pricing. Scott also has a recent example of this upgrade. His business partner at Sumo Software has an older laptop with a hybrid drive, which was so slow that the laptop was retired. However, after ordering an SSD from Amazon, the laptop acts like an almost brand new machine.When making this switch, there is an important part of the process that is required: cloning the old drive to the new one. Doing that will be far easier than trying to start from scratch, having to install Windows, reinstall all of your apps, etc. Instead, you can use a tool to take the original drive and duplicate it exactly to the new drive. Then, simply pull the old drive out of the computer, replace it with the new drive, and you are off and running. It's a small amount of work that can make a big impact.ParticipantsScott Ertz (https://plughitzlive.com/staff/1-scott-ertz.html)HostScott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLuGHiTz Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the DDR community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bar Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and judging engineering notebooks at competitions. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors.Avram Piltch (https://plughitzlive.com/staff/15-avram-piltch.html)HostAvram's been in love with PCs since he played original Castle Wolfenstein on an Apple II+. Before joining Tom's Hardware, for 10 years, he served as Online Editorial Director for sister sites Tom's Guide and Laptop Mag, where he programmed the CMS and many of the benchmarks. When he's not editing, writing or stumbling around trade show halls, you'll find him building Arduino robots with his son and watching every single superhero show on the CW.Live DiscussionPowered by PureVPN (http://piltchpoint.live/purevpn)

Welcome to The Gadget Professor Show #419 hosted by Don Baine.(https://thegadgetprofessor.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2019/08/S270_1_compact.jpg)SUAOKI portable power station S270 recharge and power-up your laptops, smartphones, drones, gopros and camping lights on your camping and hiking trips.

Equipped with 2x AC outlets (150W peak), 4x DC ports (15A / 180W max), 3x USB ports (10.5W max) and 1x QC3.0 USB port (18W max).

This portable power station can be recharged form an AC plug or DC socket. With the built-in MPPT solar charge controller and MC4 solar wire you can also recharge it from a solar panel directly.

Installed with LED light to work as a torch and battery management system (BMS) for added safety that enables voltage and temperature control.

SUAOKI portable power station S270 is one of the smallest and lightest portable power station available in the market; weighs only 2.9 lbs. It is designed and engineered by battery experts to give you power supply on your hiking, camping and long road trips. It has cool, trendy looks and an ergonomic design for convenient usage. The hide-away handles make it super easy to be carried around. Very easy to use and comes with a user manual for instructions and tips. This portable power station is also an ideal power bank for emergency use if unexpected power outages happen.

Portable power station S270 has 3-types of output, i.e. AC, DC, and USB port that can power up all kinds of small electronic gadgets ranging from laptops, smartphones, drones, go-pros, cameras and much more. It can generate a continuous power of 100W and a peak output of 150W to get your gadgets running. In total the S270 portable power station has 4 DC output ports, 2 AC outlets, 3 USB charging ports and 1 QC 3.0 super fast charging port to juice up your smartphones in a short period.

The portable power station S270 can be recharged from three types of input. You can recharge it from an AC plug at your home or from a DC plug in your car such from the cigarette charging port. With a built-in MPPT charge controller and the MC4 solar cable (included in the package), you can also recharge it form a solar panel directly. This means even if you are on an extended camping trip, but you have a solar panel with you can always charge the S270 portable power station and then use the power at night time.

This portable power station S270 is brought to you by SUAOKI, your online supplier of affordable high-quality outdoor gear and automotive gadgets. More Power, Less Footprint!

We also feature our weekly Free APPS selections as well as tech news and comments!

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The post TGP # 419 Suaoki Portable Power Supply (https://thegadgetprofessor.com/2019/08/15/tgp-419-suaoki-portable-power-supply/) appeared first on Gadget Professor (https://thegadgetprofessor.com).

DescriptionThis week, Avram Piltch discusses some of the best technology to send your kids with when they return back to school. Whether they're returning to college or starting high school, certain technology pieces can enhance their learning.For those who already have a laptop, there are a few items that can make using it a little better. For example, an external keyboard makes typing those long papers less stressful on the wrists. A larger external monitor can also help with the overall ergonomics of your desk setup, preventing a lot of neck strain looking down at a laptop. You can also make small upgrades to the laptop to speed it up, including adding additional RAM or replacing a traditional hard drive with an SSD.If you are looking for a new laptop, it's important to consider the usage. For example, a school-age student should look into what technology their school is using. While many schools use Windows, because it is the global norm, others are beginning to adopt Chromebooks because they can be less expensive for schools. Unfortunately, it creates a difficult scenario for parents, who are unlikely to be familiar with the operating system.For college students, however, there are some common things to look for. Ideally, a budget between $800 and $1200 will get you a great laptop for college students. You can get a great model with long battery life, so you can take notes in all of your classes, enough RAM to run any software needed for class, and enough storage to not have to fight with external disks. Tom's Hardware offered their editors' advice (https://www.tomshardware.com/news/back-to-school-laptop-deals,40094.html) on buying a new laptop for students, in which Avram said,I recommend a lightweight Ultrabook such as the Asus Zenbook, HP Envy 13t or Dell XPS 13. If you want a 2-in-1 (better for sketching), consider the HP Spectre x360.ParticipantsScott Ertz (https://plughitzlive.com/staff/1-scott-ertz.html)HostScott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLuGHiTz Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the DDR community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bar Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and judging engineering notebooks at competitions. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors.Avram Piltch (https://plughitzlive.com/staff/15-avram-piltch.html)HostAvram's been in love with PCs since he played original Castle Wolfenstein on an Apple II+. Before joining Tom's Hardware, for 10 years, he served as Online Editorial Director for sister sites Tom's Guide and Laptop Mag, where he programmed the CMS and many of the benchmarks. When he's not editing, writing or stumbling around trade show halls, you'll find him building Arduino robots with his son and watching every single superhero show on the CW.Live DiscussionPowered by PureVPN (http://piltchpoint.live/purevpn)