Logitech 300i Universal Remote

Who said men can’t multitask? With this new universal remote, mastering the art just became a little easier.

On receiving this remote for his birthday, my cousin was beside himself with childish excitement, even squealing, “It’s a thing of beauty!” And while I initially thought that was taking it a bit too far, I now agree with him.

For a start, this be-all-and-end-all URC has a whopping 55 buttons to play with, each of which can be customised with a simple click of a mouse.  The thought of getting out your PC and connecting to the net might seem like a pain but honestly set up is dead easy and only takes about 10 minutes to complete.

Cool features include the “one-button on and off” function for all devices, as well as a robust and hardy shell. It also works with your PVR like a dream. The best thing about this remote, however, is the price. Retailing at just R270 you’re getting good value for your money.

Other remotes with fancy LCD touch screens that also control your blinds and air conditioner are great, but they’re not as cost effective. And anyway, if you had a remote for everything you might never get off the couch.

Apple iPad2

The question looms: Is the release of the second-generation iPad something to get excited about?

The design of the iPad 2 has evolved slightly. It’s thinner, lighter and seemingly more contoured, which makes the tablet easier to hold. It also now comes equipped with a rear speaker and camera, although neither are anything to rave madly about.

The iPad 2 comes with a dual core 1Ghz “A5” chip, which allows for faster loading of websites, as well as switching between Apps and games. The battery life is pretty impressive, with up to 10 hours of continuous video playback. Display is the same brilliant 9.7 Inch LED backlit 1024x768 resolution as the first iPad, offering an incredible viewing experience from any angle.

The one cool inclusion that I would stand on a soapbox for is the Smart Cover that comes standard with the new iPad2. The cover magnetically attaches to the iPad and locks and wakes up the tablet similar to the lid of a laptop. What’s pretty neat too is that you can fold the Smart Cover into a prism, which acts as a stand for your device.

While this is all great, it’s not a good enough reason for updating your existing iPad. Our advice would be to hold tight for number 3, which promises new functionality and upgrades.

Apple iPod Nano

Attractive and functional, the new iPod Nano with multi-touch functionality will make Apple fans go gaga.

The updated device is smaller, lighter and comes with a built-in clip, which means it’s perfect for men on the move. Simply tap and swipe the 1.5 inch touch screen with a resolution of 240x240 pixels and you’ve got your music library at your fingertips!

The iPod Nano’s rechargeable lithium-ion battery means that you get to enjoy up to 24 hours of non-stop music. The FM Tuner is another super-cool feature that allows you to pause live radio with just a tap of your finger, so you’ll never miss a wicket, try or goal ever again! You’re also able to rewind up to 15 minutes back to catch up on what you’ve missed. This really is dynamite in a small package.

The 8GB retails at R1599 and the 16GB for R1999.

Controlling the Beverage Opening

Are you a geek who likes beer? Are you proud of that fact and want to take every opportunity to announce it? Are you a fan of inside jokes? If the answer to these questions is “Hells Yeah” then have we got a gadget for you. It’s a bottle opener with CTRL + O engraved on it, and the O is where you put the bottle cap.

Isn’t that awesome?

In true geek fashion there will undoubtedly be upgrades. Version 2.0 will probably have a wi-fi component to Tweet everytime you open a beer, 2.1 will have GPS capabilities so friends can find you for a social drink and by the time they release V3 you probably won’t even need to use your hands.

It will all be mind-controlled via the RFD chip implanted at the base of your brain.

TomTom Go Live 1000

My bro visited us over Easter and was advocating the latest TomTom Go Live 1000. Not wanting to have missed out on something new, I decided to check it out myself.

What’s cool about this system - apart from it having an 11cm touch screen and weighing only 220g - is that it comes with a 1-year free subscription to TomTom’s easy to activate Live Services. This includes (my favourite) HD traffic, which is updated every two minutes, allowing for near real-time notifications of delays and alternative routes. After your free year of Live Services, the subscription fee will set you back R499 per annum, but if, like me, these traffic updates were the deciding factor for you, you won’t mind splurging.

The only thing that annoyed me was the absence of a ‘back’ button on the menu. Once you’re in a sub-menu you have to hit ‘done’ in order to return to the navigation screen and then re-enter the menu. Apart from that, though, this little buddy is a welcome addition to my travels.

The TomTom Go Live 1000 retails at R3199.

Blackberry PlayBook

Blackberry’s answer to the iPad and Galaxy tab is here! Enter the Blackberry PlayBook, a 7-inch tablet with a dual-core 1 Ghz processor.

The playbook doesn’t run Android but rather QNX, a UNIX-based industrial platform recently acquired by RIM. This interface is very slick, multi-tasks brilliantly without any freezing, plays multimedia well, and web browsing is fast, effortless and even renders Flash, which iPad users will welcome with open arms.

While the tab is fully touch-screen dependent without any physical buttons, users have iterated that it’s quick and easy to master. The rear camera shoots 5MP as well as video, and the front camera shoots 3MP and allows for video calling. Blackberry phone users will be able to pair their devices with the tab, so you’ll be able to view your phone’s info on the tab.

Visit your nearest mobile retailer to find out more about this wishlist item.

DSTV Mobile Drifta

To be able to watch TV on the go sounded like a pretty damn fine idea, so I was keen to try out the new DSTV Mobile Drifta, which promises just that.

The Drifta is essentially a mobile decoder that uses a USB or WiFi connection to pair with your iPad, iPhone, PC or Mac for instant television satisfaction. Users can switch between large and small format windows effortlessly, which is really useful when you’re trying to write an email and keep an eye on the game at the same time.

What’s not so cool is that the Drifta’s battery life is poor with only two hours viewing at most, and it only has a handful of channels available - no movie channels!

The best news is that there are NO data fees involved in running the decoder. The Drifta connects directly to DSTV’s own DVB-H network and what’s great is that you don’t have to be a DSTV subscriber to use the service.

The Drifta retails at R599, and monthly subscription for non-DSTV Premium subscribers will cost you R36p/m.