The Geeks Gift Guide

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The Geeks Gift Guide
David Bott Manager, IT Networks St. Catharines
Public Library
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Gadgets Gear for Your Geek
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Gadgets Memory

• Memory Storage
• Floppy disks are slow, low-capacity (1.44 MB)
  and unreliable
• USB Thumb Drives
• Faster, higher capacity more reliable
• Replacing floppy disks and CD-R / DVD-R
• New generation of USB drives
• U3 and PortableApps.com
• Applications run right from the drive
• Digital Memory Cards
• Cameras, MP3 Players, Phones
• Compact Flash, SD Cards, MMC
• Portable USB Hard Drives
• USB 2.0, Firewire, Ethernet/NAS

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USB Thumb Drive with U3

• Stores data applications
• Office applications documents
• E-mail, browser bookmarks
• Passwords, anti-virus
• Free commercial applications
• U3
• Proprietary software pre-installed on certain
  models
• PortableApps.com
• Free alternative that you can install on any USB
  drive

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Digital Cameras

• Point-and-shoot
• Digital SLR
• Get that perfect shot
• Instantly preview every shot
• Edit print your own digital pictures
• Make digital movies
• Post pictures online
• Flickr.com
• MyPhotoAlbum.com
• Facebook.com
• Weblogs (aka blog)

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MP3 Players

• Hottest MP3 Player on the market
• Apple iPod
• Shuffle
• Redesigned Nano
• Redesigned Classic
• New Touch based on the iPhone interface

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Digital Video Recorders Players

• Not your fathers VCR
• Pause rewind live TV
• Appliances
• TiVo, AppleTV
• ExpressVu PVR
• Cogeco DVR
• Sony, Panasonic, Phillips
• PC-Based
• MythTV,
• Windows MCE
• Portable
• iPod, Archos
• Cell phones
• Sony PSP

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GPS Devices

• Global Positioning System
• System of 24 GPS satellites
• Device uses Trilateration
• Various Implementations
• Factory-installed devices for cars
• After-market installations
• Portable Units
• Software USB GPS Receiver
• Laptops, Palm Pilots iPAQs

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PDA Personal Digital Assistant

• PocketPC, Palm Pilot even Linux E-mail
  Internet
• Address Book
• Calendar
• Task List
• Applications
• Word processing
• Spreadsheets
• Media
• Audio Video
• Digital Camera

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Cell Phones - Convergence

• One device to do it all!
• Krzr, Blackberry, iPhone
• Phone
• Audio Voice Recording
• Video Pictures
• Internet
• E-mail
• PDA
• Camera
• Games

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Wireless Technology

• 802.11 a/b/g/n
• Computers, PDAs
• WLAN - 30m up to 100m
• 11 Mbps, 54 Mbps, 108 Mbps
• Similar technology to cordless phones
• Bluetooth
• Keyboards, mice, headsets, cell phones
• PAN - 10m
• CDMA GSM
• Cell phones
• PC Cards (for laptops)
• Must be in digital coveragearea for enhanced
  services
• Service is very expensive
• WiMAX Wireless Internet Access
• New broadband service offered by Bell/Rogers
• Portable can be used anywhere service is offered
• 40 - 60 per month for up to 3 Mbps
• Provide high-speed access in rural areas
• Utilizes digital cell tower infrastructure to
  deliver last mile connectivity

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Fun Games - Handheld

• For the serious gamers
• Sony PSP
• Nintendo DS
• Some devices have
• Built-in web-browsers
• Wireless
• Media Player for movies and music

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Fun Games - Console

• Console-based systems
• Microsoft Xbox 360 (HD-DVD)
• Sony Playstation 3 (Blu-ray DVD)
• Nintendo Wii
• Some models have
• Built-in hard drives
• Wireless access
• Media center for movies and music

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High Definition TV (HDTV)

• What is it?
• Standard Definition
• 480 Lines
• 43 Image Ratio
• High Definition
• 720p (progressive)
• 1080i (interlaced)
• 1080p (progressive)
• 169 Image Ratio
• What kind of TV do I need?

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High Definition TV - Plasma

• Plasma Television
• Advantages
• Slim, light generally cheaper than LCD in
  larger sizes
• True black and very good viewing angles
• Disadvantages
• Shorter lifespan than LCD
• Phosphors lose luminosity over time
• Results in gradual decline of picture quality
• Screen burn-in Susceptible to reflection glare
  in bright rooms
• Run hotter than LCD

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High Definition TV - LCD

• LCD Television
• Advantages
• Slim and light very good viewing angles
• Does not suffer from screen burn-in
• Disadvantages
• Poor black levels
• Slower response times results in image
  ghosting and blurring of fast images
• More expensive to make than plasma

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High Definition TV - Projection

• Projection Television
• Different types
• Front vs. rear projection
• CRT, LCD and DLP
• Cheaper than LCD/Plasma
• CRT has poor viewing angles expensive to repair
• LCD has screen door effect
• DLP is best

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Getting High Definition Content

• How Do I Get It?
• Most HDTV sets are consideredHD Ready, which
  requires
• Built-in HD Tuner
• CableCARD
• Set-top Box (STB)
• Free O-T-A (Rabbit Ears)
• Cable (Cogeco, Shaw, Rogers)
• Satellite (ExpressVu, StarChoice)
• HD-DVD or Blu-ray DVD Player
• Beta vs. VHS all over again
• Disney supports Blu-ray
• Universal supports HD-DVD

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Questions?

• This presentation can be downloaded
  fromwww.stcatharines.library.on.ca/content/pres
  ent