Following on from their Nightstand iPhone Dock we saw recently, Kensington today announced their lengthily-named Charging Dock With Mini Battery Pack solution for people who need more juice from their iPhone or iPod.

This dock is a little different from most Made for iPod charging stations, supplying you with a backup battery for extended play when you’re out-and-about, plus a dock that will charge both the backup battery and your iPod or iPhone at the same time - over one USB cable.

If you’re a heavy user, you can also leave the battery attached to your iGadget and using the pack’s detachable USB charging and syncing cable - charge both the external and internal batteries simultaneously from either a wall socket or a single USB port (see image above).

The Mini Battery Pack will get you an extra 30 hours of tunes, 6 hours of video and 3 hours of talk time and the kit is compatible with virtually all iPhone and iPod models - though there’s no mention of Shuffle or 3GS compatibility.

Kensington’s Charging Dock With Mini Battery Pack is available now on pre-order from Amazon.com for $69.99 and will begin shipping in late October.

Source:markstechnologynews

The peripheral purveyors over at Genius today announced two new smart looking graphics tablets - going by the name of the EasyPen i405 and the MousePen i608. Both tablets are priced below $100, which should make hand drawing, sketching and signing abilities more attractive to everyday computer users.

The EasyPen i405 includes a 4″ x 5.5″ tablet with 28 programmable hot-keys, plus a cordless pen with 2 buttons and 1024-level pressure sensitivity. The MousePen i608 gets the same pen, 1 extra hot-key, a cordless mouse and a tablet size increase to 8″ x 6″.

Bundled with a stack of software and compatible with both PC and Mac, the EasyPen i405 and MousePen i608 will hit Amazon and other big retailers this month for a modest $79 and $99 respectively.

Note: If you’re after a bigger bargain, check out Genius’s now discontinued 8″ x 6″ MousePen at Amazon.com. 4 Stars from 256 reviews and currently just $55.

Sources:
BusinessWire (Press Release) and Monday.com.tw

While not typically known for their pointing peripherals, Verbatim recently released a line of small, portable notebook mice that should make your mobile computing more productive. Called the Color Nano Wireless Notebook Mouse, it features a tiny USB dongle / receiver that is designed to be left in your USB port without risk of snapping off, making setting up easier when working on-the-go.

Like the Lingo Wireless Mouse we’ve seen previously, Verbatim’s Color Nano Wireless Notebook Mouse also includes a small storage space in the mouse itself for the USB dongle (in case you run out of ports and can’t leave it plugged in). This optical Color Nano uses the 2.4GHz wireless spectrum for reliable and responsive performance, comes in your choice of 7 colors (hence the name) and plays equally well with both PC or Mac.

The dimensions of the mouse itself have been omitted, but the focus here is on the diminutive size of the transmitter and usability. It is certainly not a Z-Nano competitor.

Verbatim’s Color Nano Wireless Notebook Mouse is available now in pink, blue, red, green, purple, yellow or graphite - priced between $20 and $30 from Amazon.com.

Source:markstechnologynews

MSI have announced that their new X600 X-Slim notebook is now available for sale, bringing to market a very attractive offering for people who need to work on-the-go. The Ultra Low Voltage (ULV) ultraportable sports a 15.6-inch 16:9 widescreen LCD and a six-cell battery for decent operating times when you’re out-and-about, yet measures less than an inch thick and weighs in at just 5.5 pounds.

Featuring an Intel 1.4GHz Core 2 SU3500 processor, an ATI HD 4330 GPU, a 320GB hard drive and 4GB of RAM, the X600 also includes Windows Vista Home Premium, a bundled external DVD drive, a 1366 x 768 resolution 1.3-megapixel webcam, 2 x USB ports, Bluetooth, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, HDMI out, a memory card reader and in case you’re worried about how it will hold up - a three year warranty.

Available in either silver or black, measuring just 15.4″ x 10.04″ x 0.63-0.98″ and with an MSRP of $899.99 - this ultrathin offering sounds like a pretty sweet deal. It gets better though. Amazon.com currently have it in-stock and available now for $799.99.

If you’re after a small, decently-specced and affordable ultraportable, the X600 is definitely worth a look.

If you do a lot of traveling and have trouble keeping all your gadgets charged - particularly in foreign countries with different plugs and voltages - then this slim, rugged, all-in-one back-up power solution may make your life a lot easier. Called the PowerGorilla Portable Laptop Charger, it is essentially a high-capacity battery the size of a slim paperback - that will not only charge almost any gadget in over 150 countries worldwide, but charge two devices simultaneously when you’re also short on time.

Equipped with a full kit of adapters, the PowerGorilla will work with just about any battery-powered device of up to 24 volts including laptops, video cameras, cellphones, iPods/iPhones, DVD players, Sat Navs and more. Simplifing the charging process when you’re on the road, this slim portable power supply acts as a power hub and can even be daisy-chained to charge your gadgets while charging itself from the mains.

Fetching up to 6 hours of extra laptop power (ideal for long flights) and over 20 hours for other gadgets, the PowerGorilla includes surge, overcharge and overheat protection, a sleek LCD display for status and voltage info, plus a worldwide AC adapter pack for easy charging no matter where you find yourself.

With fixed voltages of 5v, 8.4v, 9.5v, 12v, 16v, 19v or 24v and a weight of just 1.39lbs (631g), the PowerGorilla is ready for action and available now from Firebox.com for $247 | £150 | €172. Beware of (aping) imitations.

Source:markstechnologynews

I’ve no idea how headphone and earphone cables get so knotted, even with careful use. What I do know is that with a pair of iMuffs, you won’t need to untie them any longer. These wireless headphones make use of a little Bluetooth transmitter that plugs into your iPod Nano, Classic, Touch, Mini and all latest-gen igadgets (iPhone works too but is not supported).

This neat set of cans look as cosy as earmuffs and feature playback and volume controls right on each earpiece…beware annoying people who may derive an almost sadistic pleasure in anonymously pausing or skipping your tracks in a crowd.

The iMuffs claim to deliver near-CD quality sound up to 10 meters away. Lets remember that only applies if you’re using a CD quality sound source, if you’re listening to MP3s, expect near-MP3 quality sound.

One great feature is the integration of a hidden microphone in the right side of the headphones, which can be used to take calls and for use on Skype. The iMuffs charge via USB and fetch around 16 hours of playback while the transmitter feeds off your iPod’s battery. You can pick up a set for $129.99 over at Wi-Gear.

Source:markstechnologynews

The number of different eReaders on the market is growing rapidly, but in the aesthetics department - none look cool-er than this super-thin, ebook reading / music playing hybrid. Called the COOL-ER eBook Reader, it features a black and white e-ink display that’s unaffected by direct sunlight and can hold from 500-800 novels on its (expandable) 1GB of storage.

The COOL-ER features a large 6-inch display, yet measures a mere 7.2″ (183mm) tall, 4.65″ (118mm) wide and 0.43″ (11mm) thick. It weighs a tiny 6-ounces (almost half that of Amazon’s Kindle 2) and will handle MP3 music files plus PDF, RTF, TXT, HTML, JPG and more.

The iPod styling knockoff is blatant, yet well executed and even includes a form of Apple’s scroll-wheel for easy navigation through menus and for turning pages. The eReader’s Lithium-Polymer battery charges in around three hours and will get you up to 8000 page turns, while storage can be boosted with the addition of your own SD card.

Available in 8 colors and with a 25% lifetime discount at coolerbooks.com who stock over 300,000 titles, the COOL-ER eBook Reader is available now from Firebox.com for $310 | £190 | €217. With the convenience and the colors, how could this thing not make you cooler more well-read?

Source:markstechnologynews

If you’re a knotted-up stress-head like me and don’t have the time for frequent massage therapy sessions (lack of time is part of the problem, right?), then this robotic wonder-chair may be just what the doctor ordered. Called the Only Whole Body Massage Chair, it delivers the most comprehensive robotic massage available - delivering Shiatsu, penetrating kneading and gentle traction to over 1,200 square inches of your body.

This supreme stress reliever features 22 integrated inflating air cells in the armrests alone, for therapeutic message from your upper arms all the way down to your finger tips. Your hips and outer thighs are treated by inflating/deflating air cells on both sides of the seat, while your tensed-up back receives a four-roller kneading and squeezing - which apparently provides the most faithful reproduction of actual hand massage available.

This high-tech massage chair also features optical sensors, which scan your body for Shiatsu points to develop a custom massage program tailored-made for your build. Also, not to neglect your legs, the chair includes 14 air cells which work on your calves, ankles and feet. The whole body massage is fine-tuned via a remote control that provides instant access to all the chair’s functions.

The Only Whole Body Massage Chair is available now from Hammacher Schlemmer for $6,000 and looks like a very convenient way to thoroughly relax at the end of each day. Newspaper, glass of wine, whole body massage chair…heaven!

Source:markstechnologynews

For those of you in larger families, there’s not always just one camera for the household. It being just me within mine, even I have two different types of cameras. Which makes charging them up a little obnoxious. Personally, I’m getting tired of trying to remember which cord goes with which camera. Well instead of putting yourself through all of that nonsense, you could pick up this universal camera charger that not only simplifies your life but is capable of charging your camera in an eco-friendly manner.

The charger can function with 85% of the block camera batteries. If you’re concerned that it won’t work with your cameras there is an online tool they offer to allow you to check things out before you purchase the universal charger. It’s compatible with both Solar Technology’s FreeLoader and FreeLoader Pro solar gadget chargers. The CamCaddy can also be hooked up to your car socket or your PC or laptop. For those of you that do a bit of traveling in both the US and the UK you’ll be happy to know that it comes with an adaptor for both US and European outlets. You can purchase the gadget for £24.99 or about $41.

Source: Ubergizmo

Mortgage refinancing is a valuable option for homeowners who want to lower their monthly payments, reduce the amount of interest on their current mortgage, or get access to extra cash. With mortgage refinancing, the borrower essentially pays off a preexisting mortgage with a new, more favorable loan, taking advantage of term renegotiation and lower interest rates. For those that have built up enough equity in their homes, mortgage refinancing can also be a way to put cash-in-hand for home improvement projects, pay off high interest credit cards or other expenses. Even if you've had financial difficulties in the past, it's worth spending a few minutes to asses your options and the potentially lifestyle changing benefits of mortgage refinancing.

When to consider refinancing

Struggling with high monthly payments?
If mortgage payments are looming over your monthly budget, refinancing can help. There are many options you can chose from in order to relieve the stress of high monthly payments:

• Switch from a high-interest ARM loan to a lower interest, fixed-rate loan
• Take advantage of declining rates and refinance your mortgage with another, low interest loan
• Lengthen the term of your loan and immediately lower your monthly payments.

Need cash now?
If you have equity in your current home, you can refinance for a larger principal than your remaining mortgage and use the difference to pay for any number of expenses. This type of refinancing, called "cash-out" refinancing, can be used for:

• Home renovations
• College tuition
• Car payments
• Or to pay off high-interest credit card debt

Would you just like to save thousands of dollars?
Even if you aren't struggling with your mortgage payments or currently in need of extra cash, you can still take advantage of nationally lower interest rates or renegotiate the term of your loan and potentially save thousands of dollars in interest!

• Interest rates are now extremely low
• Quickly reduce your monthly mortgage payments
• Your new low payment can free up funds for a better quality of life for you and your family

Mortgage Refinancing Benefits

No matter what your current financial situation is, anyone can potentially take advantage of the numerous benefits of mortgage refinancing. With refinancing you can:

• Lower you monthly payments
• Use your home equity to get extra cash now
• Swap high-interest credit-card debt for a lower-interest loan
• Adjust the term of your loan and get on the fast track to owning your home outright

Since the benefits of refinancing are based on the terms and conditions of your individual loans, take a minute to fill out our quick approval form and find out how you can personally benefit from refinancing your mortgage today.

Source:mortgagerefinancing

When shopping for a loan, it's important to compare lenders as well as loan offers

You're shopping for a mortgage and you've received four offers from four lenders. How do you choose? The first factor most people consider is the interest rate and other costs, but that's only the beginning. You'll also want to think about the lenders themselves, not simply the numbers they're tossing your way. Source:realestate.yahoo

r 3rd, 2009 by Ally in Audio/Video Gadgets

Thin, Light Dell Laptop Gorgeously Overpriced

What kind of a computer did you buy when your eye is on the bottom line and you didn't give a damn about aesthetics? No brainer: Your top choice was a Dell.

And it can still be a Dell. (Don't worry there's still enough nondescript desktops to go around.) But the Texas-based PC maker also wants you to look at it as a forward-thinking, design-centric hardware maker with its thin and light Adamo.

Quite lovely to behold and, at $2,300, roughly four times the price of your typical Dell computer, the Adamo is without question one of the most handsome notebooks on the market. Sure, in typical Dell fashion, the industrial designers were allowed to run amok a bit more than they ought to have, leaving the top of the Adamo awash with five different stripes of color and texture. Combined, the striping lends a retro effect that's thankfully more Mad Men than Mad Max.

The rest of the laptop invokes Apple all the way, featuring a silver chassis with clean edges, an infinity-glass (read: frameless) screen, a backlit keyboard, and even a Mac-like skin for the preinstalled Windows 7 operating system.

Sadly, for all its glitz, the Adamo is a bit lackluster in the performance department. General application benchmarks are on par with many cheap laptops, and serious gaming on the Adamo is wholly impossible due to the lack of any kind of serious video processing power. Even battery life is nothing special, just a touch over two-and-a-half hours.

Blame the pokey 1.4GHz Core 2 Duo for the notebook's minimalist chops. But the other specs -- including a 256GB solid state hard drive, 4GB of RAM, and a super-bright LCD (1366 x 768 pixels) -- are generally top shelf.

As is the price, unfortunately. One of the most expensive laptops on the market (outside of juiced-up, ultra-gamer notebooks), the 4-pound Adamo is a tough sell versus, say, the 4.5-pound MacBook Pro 13-inch. Apple's notebook, which isn't officially a "thin and light" machine, is considerably faster and has an optical drive. It's also $800 cheaper. Geez, when's the last time you saw Apple as a bargain?

WIRED Amazingly slim. Gorgeous screen and, for the most part, attractive design. Sturdy build.

TIRED Difficult to open. Keyboard backlighting ineffective at many angles, making it difficult to read the keys. No memory card slot.

• Style: Thin and light
• RAM size: 4GB and under
• Clock Rate: 1.5 GHz and under
• Processor Manufacturer: Intel
• Hard Drive Size: 200GB to 299GB
• Manufacturer: Dell

Fridge Case Cools Jets on Speed-Burner Gaming PC

The Signature Edition Raptor has only a basic 3.0-GHz CPU, but it's overclocked and swaddled in an electric refrigeration watercooler to reach a gnarly 4.28 GHz. Combine that with the three top-shelf Nvidia GeForce GTX 280 videocards running like a pack of frame-rate-rabid dogs and you've got the fastest gaming PC in our entire roundup. The case shape is uninspired — OK, it borders on tacky, what with a window that glows like a blue slushy. But we're not arguing with the benchmark scores — or the price tag, which is half that of its closest competitor in the bunch.

WIRED Balls-out speed from the three graphics cards running in tandem. Cheap, thanks to a midrange processor overclocked to atmospheric performance levels.

TIRED Front-mounted USB and audio ports are too low to be very useful. Hard-to-open case looks like it was pulled off a generic gaming PC and assaulted with a BeDazzler. Chip manufacturer Intel will not guarantee its processor's longevity when overclocked, so cross your fingers. Comes with only 2 GB of RAM.

• RAM Size: 2 GB
• Clock Rate: 4.28 GHz
• Hard Drive Size: 750 GB (x2)
• Operating System: MS Vista, MS XP
• Processor Manufacturer: Intel
• Optical Drive: Blu-ray Drive

• Consoles: Gaming PCs
• Manufacturer: Velocity Micro
• Price: $7,350

Source:wired.com

Novint Falcon Gaming Controller Takes Aim on Your Mouse

Behold, the Novint Falcon. This menacing orb has taken upon the lofty task of replacing the mouse as the PC gamer's preferred implement of destruction, letting you feel, lift, push and grope every bit of the action. It sits on your desk and provides force feedback- but not the vibrating - controller effect that console couch surfers are familiar with. Instead, powerful motors within the device provide a full range of responses, whether you're bouncing a ball on a string or reloading a shotgun. Because really, what good are advances in technology if we can't focus them on the obliteration of our gaming peers?

The first version of the Falcon we saw was a bit of a renaissance — well for games like Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 anyway. When gripping the original control interface (a small, multibuttoned round knob), controlling Tiger's swing becomes a matter of muscle coordination — for better or for worse. In our vain attempts at perfecting our line drives, we hit dozens of shots, each wildly different from the next, by simply adjusting the angle and force with which we moved the knob. Suddenly, following through on a swing becomes incredibly important, as the slightest adjustments to the pressure you apply can wildly alter the ball's flight.

But chances are, you're not checking out the Falcon for the fully immersive golfing experience: You want to light shit up with a high-caliber firearm. Well, Novint has got you covered. Using the Falcon's new Pistol Grip, titles like Half-Life 2 suddenly become an entirely different game.

Forget fragging as you know it. With the pistol grip coming dangerously close to flying out of your hands after a few quick bursts with a submachine gun, you may wonder how you got along without this level of feedback in the first place. Every weapon takes on new life, from the meager jostling of the standard pistol, to the forceful thunder of a rocket launcher's blast.

Of course, there's more to force feedback than weapon recoil. Lift an object, and you'll feel the appropriate amount of weight on the grip — barrels being heavier than a wooden board. In the airboat section of the game, splashing leaps on water contrast noticeably with cruising over slick mud. Or, get in the car and feel the difference between navigating on paved roads and crunching over sand. Even jumping is a joy, as minute vibrations ripple through the underside of the controller, depending on how hard you fall. And the same goes for grenades falling around you — you'll finally know exactly where to run screaming for cover.

You can adjust force feedback as much as you'd like. Eliminate it completely if it's not your thing, or tweak the settings down to the individual weapon: an option you'll find useful the first time you let off a shot with the .357 magnum. For multiplayer matches you might feel inclined to turn off weapon recoil altogether, and focus on environmental cues to determine where damage is coming from, giving you a bit of a tactical edge should a hidden sniper fail to make a lethal shot.

Half-Life 2 is just one of many games currently supporting the peripheral, and many more (including upcoming Left for Dead) are in the works. Supported games will have to be patched, to add on the haptic functionality. When we met with Novint CEO Tom Anderson, he mentioned that there would even be haptics-only servers on some games, so gamers could choose to only play against others who were dealing with this entirely new control scheme.

A glaring issue with the device is how well game developers choose to implement it. With Half-Life 2, there were a wide range of options for tailoring the experience to your liking. Battlefield 2 also featured many nice touches, with reload animations that were replicated by the device. With Quake 4 however, the whole notion of haptic feedback felt tacked on: You can adjust sliders to determine some of the sensitivity, and there's definitely a difference in recoil with weapons, but overall, it doesn't add much to the game.

The level of detail that the Falcon adds may also be detrimental to seasoned gaming veterans. As expected with using an entirely new method of control, there's a steep learning curve involved. You'll have to dedicate quite a bit of time to tweaking the sensitivity settings, from looking around to interacting with the environment. Running around smacking things with a crowbar feels great, but until you're used to the controls even simple battles become chaotic, with recoil and external forces sending your arm flying wildly, and consequently screwing up your aim.

Whether or not the Falcon replaces your prized gaming mouse will be a matter of how well you adjust to really feeling what your character is up to. For sports games, the superiority of the experience is a no-brainer, as you just can't get this level of control from a standard mouse and keyboard setup. With shooters, the single player experience is unparalleled (if it's implemented right), but without the proper "training," you might just end up frustrated, particularly when enemy mouse-jockeys wonder why you're twitching so much.

Source:wired.com

Hybrid Meets Hypermiling in Ford Fusion

The new Ford Fusion Hybrid isn't shaped like an almond. It doesn't have badges shouting "hybrid" from every surface. And it won't make you sacrifice fun for fuel efficiency. That's what makes it so great.

Of course, fuel economy is the first thing you think when you think hybrids, and the Fusion is a first-rate miser. The EPA says it's good for 39 mpg (combined city and highway), and we averaged 36.6 during a week of daily driving. The gas gauge barely budged despite hellish commutes, occasional lead-footed sprints and wanton use of the A/C. You've got to really try hard to get lousy mileage in this car.

Ford scored a direct hit on the Camry Hybrid, topping the Toyota by 5 mpg, and almost took down the 41-mpg Honda Insight. But as Ford was shooting for fuel efficiency, it didn't forget a car should be fun to drive and a joy to use. On that score, the Fusion excels. It combines excellent fit and finish with smooth driving dynamics in a handsome mid-size sedan that also happens to get excellent mileage.

That fuel economy is as impressive as the drivetrain Ford designed for the Fusion. The 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine carefully tweaks intake valve timing and raises the compression ratio to increase efficiency. Low-end oomph suffers as a result, but the electric motor makes up for it and the gas-electric combo provides 191 horsepower. That isn't much in a car that weighs 3,720 pounds, and the Fusion doesn't sprint off the line so much as it sashays. While you won't win any pink slips in a car that needs 9.2 seconds to reach 60 mph, merging into that small hole in traffic is no problem. The electric motor provides abundant torque.

The beauty of Ford's hybrid system is it has none of the shudder or lag often experienced in hybrids when the electric motor hands off propulsion to the gasoline engine. It's seamless, as is the electronic continuously variable transmission. Ford muttered something about "proprietary" when we asked how it pulled that off, then mentioned the terms "variable cam timing" and "variable voltage converter" before saying it had nothing more to say.

The Fusion is a full hybrid, so if you use a light touch on the accelerator you can tool around on electric power -- although the engine will come on if you need a little boost getting away from a stoplight or up a hill. If you're gentle with your right foot, you can go as fast as 47 mph on electric power alone. We got a thrill every time we pulled it off, but you can only get a mile or so out of the battery before the engine kicks on to top off the charge. When the engine did come on, we used remarkably little gas. Our personal best was 51.5 mpg (according to the extremely accurate dashboard computer) during a 2.3-mile errand, and we burned just two-tenths of a gallon during one 12-mile commute home. That works out to 47.6 mpg. Ford says the Fusion has a range of 700 miles from its 17-gallon fuel tank. Sounds about right, based on our experience.

The Fusion is as fun to drive as it is easy on gas. The suspension is pillow-soft, and a front-wheel-drive car approaching 2 tons can't be called nimble, but the chassis felt tight and Fusion was sure-footed. We took a freeway cloverleaf at 60 and the 17-inch tires didn't even squeal. Steering was responsive and the brakes lacked the squishiness you often feel in hybrids. Regenerative braking returns to the battery 94 percent of the energy otherwise lost to heat and friction.

Ford's still using a 1.4 kilowatt-hour nickel-metal hydride pack, but it's smaller and lighter than the one in the Escape Hybrid. It sits behind the back seat and takes a big bite out of the trunk. There's just 11.8 cubic feet of storage space compared to the gas-burner's 16.5, and you can't fold the rear seats down.

One of the coolest things about the Fusion Hybrid is the SmartGauge dashboard display. It turns hypermiling into a videogame that makes you want to save fuel. The traditional speedometer is flanked by two LCDs showing everything from how much gas you've got to how much energy you're generating while braking. A glowing vine off to the right grows increasingly lush as your efficiency climbs. We almost cheered whenever another leaf appeared. It's brilliant, and it does a remarkable job showing how driving style effects fuel economy. An intuitive menu lets you choose one of four displays, each presenting more information. You can shut it off, but it's so much fun you won't want to.

Fuel efficiency doesn't count for much if you don't like driving the car. But the Fusion is more than comfortable; it's inviting. The seats -- ours were heated leather -- are firm and supportive. The steering wheel and console-mounted shifter feel great. Switches and knobs are readily at hand. The optional Sony 12-speaker system provides impressive sound and Sync remains the best media integration system on four wheels. The fit and finish are excellent, nothing feels cheap and everything is thoughtfully laid out.

Even the bare-bones Fusion Hybrid is decked out with features like stability and traction control, six airbags and power everything, including a six-way adjustable driver's seat. It's a car you could live with, without ticking off options. Ford sent us one loaded with optional electronic nannies. The blind-spot detection system flashes a small yellow light when someone's over your shoulder. It's reassuring, especially in heavy traffic. The rear-view camera makes backing up a breeze. Visibility out of the car is good enough that youdon't need the camera, but we loved having it.

The Fusion Hybrid is more than a great car. It is an example for others to follow. Hybrids will become increasingly common as automakers strive to meet the government's tough new fuel efficiency standards. If those cars are to truly catch on, they can't be any different than cars consumers already know and love. Ford has proven they don't have to be.

Source:wired.com

Summer might be over for most of us, but those who live in tropical climates that is basically sweltering all year round, the Handycooler Personal Air Conditioner might come in handy especially during the more unbearable moments.

Take cool air with you with our new Handycooler personal air conditioner! Evaporative cooling is the trick here. Simply drizzle a few ounces of water onto a sponge, and place it in a device a little bigger than a cordless phone, and enjoy cool breezes wherever you go. The fan draws air over the damp sponge, cooling it by up to 25 degrees Fahrenheit. The ducted fan rotates to move the air where you want it, but you’re gonna want to blow that heavenly cool air right past your sweating noggin.

It will require a quartet of AA batteries to keep running, so we’d suggest getting rechargeable batteries to go along with this if you want to be environmentally friendly in the long run. Of course, four batteries will bring you around 5 hours of cooling, but you can always opt for USB power whenever your computer or notebook is turned on. The Handycooler Personal Air Conditioner will retail for $39.99 a pop.

Source:coolest-gadgets

We were as shocked as anyone when BMW announced it was quitting Formula 1 to devote more resources to developing cleaner, greener automobiles. There was some skepticism, but BMW wasn’t blowing green smoke. It’s serious about building eco-friendlier pavement-peeling cars.

First up is a slick 356-horsepower all-wheel-drive plug-in diesel-hybrid concept that BMW claims accelerates like an M3, sips gas like a Toyota Prius and can go 31 miles on battery power alone. It’s called the Vision Efficientdynamics Concept, and we’ll see it later this month at the Frankfurt auto show.

No, Vision Efficientdynamics Concept doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. But the name aside, BMW has a dynamite idea on its hands here.

The EfficientDynamics is a 2+2 four-door hybrid that combines M Series performance with better fuel efficiency and less emissions than you see in many compacts. BMW performs this magic by marrying its ActiveHybrid technology with an extremely economical engine and excellent aerodynamics. The result is a concept car with a top speed governed at 155 mph and a zero-to-62 acceleration time of 4.8 seconds. More impressive, the car gets 62.2 mpg and emits a Prius-like 99 grams of CO2 per kilometer.

Power comes from a 1.5-liter direct injection 3-cylinder turbodiesel engine and an electric motor on each axle. The engine was small to squeeze in between the rear seat and the rear axle, which should make the Efficientdynamics Concept very agile. The diesel puts out 163 horsepower and 214 pound-feet of torque. Add in the motors and total output is 356 ponies and a stump-pulling 590 pound-feet, though you can only get that much power in short bursts. The car has all-wheel-drive when running in electric mode. BMW says the car can run on the diesel engine, either one of the electric motors or any combination of the three.

The lithium-polymer battery pack sports 98 cells. It delivers 8.6 kilowatt-hours for driving the car, and BMW says the serial arrangement of cells has gross storage capacity of 10.8 kilowatt-hours. The pack weighs 187 pounds and BMW says it doesn’t need an active cooling system. BMW says the battery recharges in 2.5 hours at 220 volts.

All that tech is housed in a body designed with some serious inspiration from BMW’s Formula 1 cars. BMW says the Vision has a drag coefficient of 0.22, aided in part by the myriad vanes and ducts. People are going to love it or hate it, but you’d expect nothing less from BMW even without controversial designer Chris Bangle around anymore.

So far the Vision is just a concept. Still, BMW has made it clear it plans to make sustainability a cornerstone of its lineup, so we’re sure to see some of the technology in road cars before long.

Images and video: BMW

Source:wired.com

Classic as we know it, is dying. It is due to the sales of the iPod touch and iPhone are climbing, but the sales of the traditional iPod are declining.

Yes, pretty soon those iPods that were so hot a few years ago will be seen in the same light as the Sony Walkman (The ones that just played cassettes). Then I suppose all that we will have is just touchscreens, because that’s what everyone wants, right?

It would appear that Microsoft is seeing the end coming for their traditional Zunes. Yes, the Zune HD is planning on being “the” Zune as Microsoft will no longer be making the earlier version of the Zune. (Not that anyone was buying them. Oh, snap!)

Yeah, I think we all know how much people have been making fun of the Zune since its initial announcement. Perhaps this supposed iPod come lately will have a revival when the Zune HD appears on the market September 15th.

So, if you want a Zune without a touchscreen, better hurry out to the nearest store and get it. Otherwise, the only Zune you’ll be buying will have to have a touchscreen and cost $220 for 16GB and $290 for 32GB.

Source:wired.com

Before You Start:

• Remember that refinancing to reduce debt can be a smart move, but refinancing in order to borrow more for consumer purchases (car, vacation, etc.) could set you back significantly.
• Read the fine print on your current mortgage to learn whether you'll be assessed penalties or fees for "getting out" of that loan early.
• Make sure you know whether you have a fixed or variable interest rate and what the terms are.

Home Refinancing Basics

In recent years, Americans seeking to take advantage of low interest rates have lined up to refinance their mortgages. In fact, refinancing hit an all-time high in 2003, and remained high in both 2004 and 2005, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association of America.

But while it's true that refinancing has the potential to help you reduce the costs associated with borrowing money to own a home, it is not necessarily a strategy that makes sense for every individual in every situation. So before you make a commitment to refinance your mortgage, it's important to do your homework and determine whether such a move is the right one for you.

To Refinance or Not

The old and arbitrary rule of thumb said that a refi only makes sense if you can lower your interest rate by at least two percentage points for example, from 9 percent to 7 percent. But what really matters is how long it will take you to break even and whether you plan to stay in your home that long. In other words, make sure you understand - and are comfortable with - the amount of time it will take for your overall savings to compensate for the cost of the refinancing.

Consider this: If you had a $200,000 30-year mortgage with an 8 percent interest rate, your monthly payment would be $1,468. If you refinanced at 6 percent, your new monthly payment would be $1,199, a savings of $269 per month. Assuming that your new closing costs amounted to $2,000, it would take eight months to break even. ($269 x 8 = $2,152). If you planned to stay in your home for at least eight more months, then a refi would be appropriate under these conditions. If you planned to sell the house before then, you might not want to bother refinancing. (See below for additional examples.)

Remember: All Mortgages Are Not Created Equal

Don't make the mistake of choosing a mortgage based only on its stated annual percentage rate (APR), because there are a variety of other important variables to consider, such as:

The term of the mortgage - This describes the amount of time it will take you to pay off the loan's principal and interest. Although short-term mortgages typically offer lower interest rates than long-term mortgages, they usually involve higher monthly payments. On the other hand, they can result in significantly reduced interest costs over time.

The variability of the interest rate - There are two basic types of mortgages: those with "fixed" (i.e., unchanging) interest rates and those with variable rates, which can change after a predetermined amount of time has passed, such as one year or five years. While an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) usually offers a lower introductory rate than a fixed-rate mortgage with a comparable term, the ARM's rate could jump in the future if interest rates rise. If you plan to stay in your home for a long time, it may make sense to opt for the predictability and security of a fixed rate, whereas an ARM might make sense if you plan to sell before its rate is allowed to go up. Also keep in mind that interest rates hovered near historical lows in recent years and are more likely to increase than decrease over time.

Points - Points (also known as "origination fees" or "discount fees") are fees that you pay to a lender or broker when you close the deal. While a "no-cost" or "zero points" mortgage does not carry this up-front cost, it could prove to be more expensive if the lender charges a higher interest rate instead. So you'll need to determine whether the savings from a lower rate justify the added costs of paying points. (One point is equal to one percent of the loan's value.)

Stick With What You Know?

Finally, keep in mind that your current lender may make it easier and cheaper to refinance than another lender would. That's because your current lender is likely to have all of your important financial information on hand already, which reduces the time and resources necessary to process your application. But don't let that be your only consideration. To make a well-informed, confident decision you'll need to shop around, crunch the numbers, and ask plenty of questions.

Summary:

• The decision to refinance should only be made if the long-term savings outweigh the initial expenses. To calculate your break-even point, divide the cost of the refi by your monthly savings. The resulting figure represents the number of months you will need to stay in the home to make the strategy work.
• Don't select a new mortgage based only on its annual percentage rate.
• Also evaluate the term of the loan, whether the interest rate is fixed or variable, and the relative merits of paying up-front fees in exchange for a lower rate.
• Your current lender already knows you and has your financial information on file, so you may be able to get a better deal that way, instead of going to a new lender.
• To get the best possible refinancing deal, you'll need to shop around, crunch some numbers, and ask a lot of questions.

Source:realestate

What's the difference?

A HELOC is a form of revolving credit similar to a credit card. It allows you to draw funds, up to a predetermined limit, whenever you need money. There is generally a minimum payment due each month, with the option to pay off as much of the line as you want. With a HEL, you receive a lump sum of money and have a fixed monthly payment that you pay off over a predetermined time period. In each case, the amount you can borrow is based on factors such as your income, debts, the value of your home, how much you still owe on your mortgage and your credit history.

Benefits

The appeal of both of these types of loans is their interest rates, which are almost always lower than those of credit cards or conventional bank loans because they are secured against your home. In addition, the interest you pay on a home equity line or loan is often tax deductible (consult a tax advisor about your particular situation).

Which is best for you?

Generally, a HELOC is a good choice to meet ongoing cash needs, such as college tuition payments or medical bills. A HEL is more suitable when you need money for a specific, one-time purpose, such as buying a car or a major renovation.

Comparing the costs

Both HELOCs and HELs usually carry a higher interest rate than that of a first mortgage. With a HEL, you may choose either an adjustable rate that fluctuates according to variations in the prime rate, or you may opt for a fixed rate. A fixed rate enables you to budget a set payment monthly without worrying about increasing costs should interest rates rise. With a HEL, there are also closing costs that you should consider.

A HELOC usually carries a lower initial interest rate than a HEL, but its rate fluctuates according to the prime rate, so there is more interest rate risk. Unlike a HEL, where your monthly payments are a set amount, a HELOC enables you to borrow funds as needed and repay as little as interest only each month. In addition, there are generally no closing costs when you open a HELOC.

Keep in mind, your home is the collateral for both a HELOC and a HEL. If a HELOC's easy access to cash tempts you to run up more debt than you can repay, or if you fail to make your payments, you risk losing your house.

Source:realestate

Tighter lending standards have made refinancing a home more difficult, even for some well qualified borrowers.

You’ll want to be familiar with these standards before you make any life changes; such as a change in career, or a move to a new community.

Why is it important to understand what it would take to qualify before you try to refinance a home? Here’s one way it could catch you off guard:

Bob had worked his whole life in corporate America. He took an early buy out package and began his own consulting business.

He and his wife owned several rental properties in addition to their home. To fund the start up costs of his new business, he had planned to refinance a home or two, but he just didn’t get around to it before he left his corporate job.

Bob didn’t realize that qualifying for a mortgage as a self-employed person was much different than qualifying when you had a salary. Without two years of documented income in his new line of work, he was gong to have to pay a higher interest rate than he had anticipated. Refinancing a home no longer made sense for him.

Don’t let yourself get caught off guard. If you meet all of the following criteria, than when it comes time to refinance a home, you’re probably in good shape:

• 20% equity in your home
• Credit score over 600
• Loan amount less than $417,000
• Two years of documented income (via tax returns if self employed. W-2 income if you work as an employee.)
• Total debt payments, not including the mortgage, are less than 33% of gross income
• Total debt payments, including the mortgage, are less than 45% of gross income

You still need to be cautious: changes in the way lenders value property may mean you have less equity than you think.

Below are the three major changes in mortgage lending that you need to know about before you refinance a home:

Conservative Valuations /Appraisals

Part of the appraisal process involves looking at comparable properties or “comps”: other properties like yours that have been recently listed or sold. This helps the lender determine the current market value of your home.

What’s different now?

More distressed properties: It used to be that if a property under foreclosure showed up in your comps, you were allowed to throw it out. Not today. There are too many bank owned properties on the market. Their lower listing and sales prices will affect the appraised value of your home.

Declining markets: If the lender determines you live in an area determined to be a “declining market’ they can decide to reduce the appraised value of your home by an additional 5 – 10%. This means even if your appraisal shows you have 20% equity in your home, the lender may not accept that.

No Market for Second Mortgages: Means More Money Down or Higher Monthly Payments

Private mortgage insurance (PMI), has always been required for borrowers with less than 20% equity in their home. Its purpose: to protect the lending industry against defaults. The cost of this insurance was added on to the buyer’s monthly payment.

Aggressive lending tactics allowed many buyers to bypass this cost by using a second mortgage. For example, if they were refinancing to get a lower interest rate or take equity out, they could take a first mortgage for 80% and a second mortgage for 10%.

The ability to structure this type of loan has all but disappeared. Lenders are no longer willing to take this risk.

If you have less than 20% equity in your home, expect to pay for PMI insurance.

Some home equity lines of credit will allow you to take up to 75% of your home’s value (using conservative valuation criteria), but you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone willing to lend more than that.

One borrower, faced with rising interest rates and a rising house payment, had a mortgage broker help her find a creative solution.

Solution to a Refinance Problem

Bruce Young, a Mortgage Banker with People’s Mortgage, was working with a credit challenged borrower who had taken a subprime loan a few years ago, as it was the only option she qualified for at the time. The loan was now adjusting with highly unfavorable terms that pushed the new payment higher than was affordable for her.

Due to declining real estate values, she no longer had 20% equity in her home. Due to the lack of equity in her home, lenders were not willing to refinance her home unless she could come up with some cash to contribute at closing.

The solution: she borrowed money out of her 401k plan in order to put the required amount of equity in to qualify for her refinance.

The net savings in her monthly mortgage payment was enough to allow her to set up a repayment schedule for the 401k loan and remain in her home.

Must Have Documented Income

Stated income loans allow borrowers to omit or reduce some of the documentation that conventional loans normally require. For those who are self employed, or recently started a small business, this means they can refinance a home without having to show W-2’s and/or two years worth of tax returns.

While stated income loans are still possible, expect to pay a rate of 1.5% - 3% higher than those who can document their source and stability of income. In addition, you must have better credit scores and higher loan to value ratios than required for conventional loans.

If you are planning on leaving a corporate job, look in to purchase or refinance options while you can still document your income. Once you’ve got the loan they can’t come back and ask you to re-qualify.

Source:moneyover55.about.com

A home-equity loan, also known as a second mortgage, lets homeowners borrow money by leveraging the equity in their homes. Home-equity loans exploded in popularity in 1996 as they provided a way for consumers to somewhat circumvent that year's tax changes, which eliminated deductions for the interest on most consumer purchases. With a home-equity loan, homeowners can borrow up to $100,000 and still deduct all of the interest when they file their tax returns. Here we go over how these loans work and how they may pose both benefits and pitfalls.

Two Types of Home-Equity Loans

Home equity loans come in two varieties - fixed-rate loans and lines of credit - and both types are available with terms that generally range from five to 15 years. Another similarity is that both types of loans must be repaid in full if the home on which they are borrowed is sold.

Fixed-Rate Loans
Fixed-rate loan provide a single, lump-sum payment to the borrower, which is repaid over a set period of time at an agreed-upon interest rate. The payment and interest rate remain the same over the lifetime of the loan.

Home-Equity Line of Credit
A home-equity line of credit (HELOC) is a variable-rate loan that works much like a credit card and, in fact, sometimes comes with one. Borrowers are pre-approved for a certain spending limit and can withdraw money when they need it via a credit card or special checks. Monthly payments vary based on the amount of money borrowed and the current interest rate. Like fixed-rate loans, the HELOC has a set term. When the end of the term is reached, the outstanding loan amount must be repaid in full.

Benefits for Consumers Home-equity loans provide an easy source of cash. The interest rate on a home-equity loan - although higher than that of a first mortgage - is much lower than on credit cards and other consumer loans. As such, the number-one reason consumers borrow against the value of their homes via a fixed-rate home equity loan is to pay off credit card balances (according to bankrate.com). Interest paid on a home-equity loan is also tax deductible, as we noted earlier. So, by consolidating debt with the home-equity loan, consumers get a single payment, a lower interest rate and tax benefits.
Benefits for Lenders

Home-equity loans are a dream come true for a lender, who, after earning interest and fees on the borrower's initial mortgage, earns even more interest and fees. If the borrower defaults, the lender gets to keep all the money earned on the initial mortgage and all the money earned on the home-equity loan; plus the lender gets to repossess the property, sell it again and restart the cycle with the next borrower. From a business-model perspective, it's tough to think of a more attractive arrangement.

The Right Way to Use a Home-Equity Loan

Home-equity loans can be valuable tools for responsible borrowers. If you have a steady, reliable source of income and know that you will be able to repay the loan, its low interest rate and tax deductibility of paid interest makes it a sensible alternative. Fixed-rate home-equity loans can help cover the cost of a single, large purchase, such a new roof on your home or an unexpected medical bill. And the HELOC provides a convenient way to cover short-term, recurring costs, such as the quarterly tuition for a four-year degree at a college.

Recognizing Pitfalls

The main pitfall associated with home-equity loans is that they sometimes seem to be an easy solution for a borrower who may have fallen into a perpetual cycle of spending, borrowing, spending and sinking deeper into debt. Unfortunately, this scenario is so common the lenders have a term for it: reloading, which is basically the habit of taking a loan in order to pay off existing debt and free up additional credit, which the borrower then uses to make additional purchases. Reloading leads to a spiraling cycle of debt that often convinces borrowers to turn to home-equity loans offering an amount worth 125% of the equity in the borrower's house. This type of loan often comes with higher fees because, as the borrower has taken out more money than the house is worth, the loan is not secured by collateral. Furthermore, the interest paid on the portion of the loan that is above the value of the home is not tax deductible. If you are contemplating a loan that is worth more than your home, it might be time for a reality check. Were you unable to live within your means when you owed only 100% of the value of your home? If so, it will likely be unrealistic to expect that you'll be better off when you increase your debt by 25%, plus interest and fees. This could become a slippery slope to bankruptcy. Another pitfall may arise when homeowners take out a home-equity loan to finance home improvements. While remodeling the kitchen or bathroom generally adds value to a house, improvements such as a swimming pool may be worth more in the eyes of the homeowner than the market determining the resale value. If you're going into debt to make cosmetic changes to your house, try to determine whether the changes add enough value to cover their costs. Paying for a child's college education is another popular reason for taking out home-equity loans. If, however, the borrowers are nearing retirement, they do need to determine how the loan may affect their ability to accomplish their goals. It may be wise for near-retirement borrowers to seek out other options with their children.

Should You Tap the Equity in Your Home?

Food, clothing and shelter are life's basic necessities, but only shelter can be leveraged for cash. Despite the risk involved, it is easy to be tempted into using home equity to splurge on expensive luxuries. To avoid the pitfalls of reloading, conduct a careful review of your financial situation before you borrow against your home. Make sure that you understand the terms of the loan and have the means to make the payments without compromising other bills and comfortably repay the debt on or before its due date.

Source:investopedia

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