Tech Talk 2 11/19/2006 Sponsored by the Beth Aaron Men’s Club Avi Greengart Principal Analyst Mobile Devices, Current Analysis Editor, Home Theater View Agenda  FAQs  How to use technology to improve your     avodas HaShem Disclaimer What’s the Best… SWAG Raffle Q&A Note: this presentation was created for the Internet. I sincerely hope I never create PowerPoint presentations with this much text in them. Technology & Avodas HaShem  Tefillah  Finding a minyan: http://www.godaven.com  Improving your kavanah (see godaven.com)  Davening on your gadget:  PalmOS: EshSiddur  BlackBerry: JewBerry  Checking Your Tefillin position: Cingular 3125  Limud Torah  Web, Mobile Web  iShas  MP3 shiurim Tech & Avodas Hashem, II  Finding kosher food  http://www.shamash.org  Hashkafa (Mind what you watch)  TiVo can help avoid ZWS (Zombie Watching Syndrome)  Tzedaka  “Planning/Savings accounts” in Quicken or Microsoft Money for ma’aser separate out your tzedaka from general funds, so that when you give it away, it’s not “yours”  Supporting Israel  Nike sports clothing, iPod armbands are made in Israel  Morel home theater speakers. Similar in size and cost to Bose Lifestyle systems, but look and sound better. FAQs  Is this really your job?  Yes. Part of my job is to play with gadgets. There is a lot of actual work involved (I write hundreds of reports a year) but, yes, part of my job is to play with gadgets.  Home theater, too?  Not any more – I used to run a home theater research service. But I still write for http://www.HomeTheaterView.com to stay up to date.  Do people send you these things for free?  Yes.  And you get paid for this?  Yes.  Do you have to send them back?  Yes. I send most things back even when the companies don’t ask for them back just to get them out of my house. I NEVER sell things on eBay. This is my job, and access to the products is sacrosanct, because it gives me unique insights. I do not profit from the toys themselves.  Can I have one?  No. Disclaimer While home theater equipment, converged cellphones, and wireless watches are cool:  Nobody needs this stuff  Your wife’s priorities are correct  I’m going to win this game anyway What’s the Best… Cellphone  There is no such thing as the “best” cellphone  Smartphones with/without QWERTY keyboards vs. music phones vs. phones that just make phone calls  Everyone has their own needs  The best values in the market right now:  Motorola RAZR V3m at Verizon Wireless  Motorola RAZR V3m at Sprint  Samsung SYNC at Cingular  All include megapixel cameras (2 MP on the Samsung), MP3 players with removable memory, and high speed wireless networking. All are just $49 after rebates with a 2 year commitment. Best Wireless Carriers for Teaneck  Everyone has gotten better over the past 3 years  Cingular and T-Mobile have gotten a LOT better  Verizon Wireless is NOT the best Spreadsheet with details available on http://www.greengart.com/TeaneckShuls.htm Best Wireless Carriers for Teaneck Cingular – works everywhere, including Glatt Express! T-Mobile – works everywhere but Glatt Express! Sprint – EV-DO almost everywhere! Verizon Wireless – phone calls in most places, EV-DO in half Nextel – Same good coverage as Sprint, but iffy quality for now 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.   Yes, you should update your phone already   Your reception will improve You’ll be safer (lower radiation levels) Cingular works inside Glatt Express! Spreadsheet with details available on http://www.greengart.com/TeaneckShuls.htm Digital Cameras  1st Digital camera  Kodak 5 MP (any model)  2nd Digital camera  Canon 5 MP (any model), Kodak 2 lens, Panasonic super-zoom  3rd Digital camera  Canon Rebel Digital SLR or Nikon Digital SLR  Note: nobody needs more than 6 megapixels (even to crop relatives you don’t like out of your photos). Above 6 megapixels, picture quality tends to suffer. What’s the Best…  Digital camcorder  First decide if you really need one  Then decide if you want to record on DVD  Then any miniDV (Canon, Panasonic…)  MP3 player     iPod nano iPod 30/80 GB …for subscription use: SanDisk Sansa …for gym use: new iPod shuffle What’s the Best…  PDA  Basic: Palm Zire  Anything more than that: Get a smartphone  Gaming device  Nintendo DS Lite  Game Console  Nintendo Wii is the most innovative (and fun) of the new consoles. XBOX 360 and PS3 really require HDTV for the full effect, and you aren’t getting a PS3 any time soon anyway. What’s the Best…  Bang for Buck HDTV  50” Samsung DLP  Plasma or LCD?  Depends on what size you need  Plasma has the better picture except in direct sunlight  You definitely get what you pay for  If you must economize, reconsider  If that didn’t dissuade you, go with Vizio at Costco What’s the Best…  Front projector  You measure your screen in inches? How quaint.  $2,000 - $4,500 = 10’ stunning picture in 720p or 1080p optimized for home theater  Business projectors are cheaper, but different. Don’t go there.  Need room light control  For recommendations, see http://www.projectorcentral.com  Is TiVo worth paying extra for?  Yes  Microsoft Media Center PCs are also excellent, but wait for Vista  Cablevision’s box is better than nothing What’s the Best…  Surround sound system  Anything is better than what you have now  Need to spend $1,500 - $3,000 for good sound  Brands to look for: M&K, B&W, Paradigm, Klipsch (the higher end of their range), Polk (the higher end of their range), Atlantic Technology  Bose is not a good surround sound value (though they make excellent headphones and car audio systems)  Best entertainment system upgrade:  Logitech Harmony self-programming universal remote control 2006 Non-Obvious Gift Guide This list does not contain any recommendations for flat panel televisions, iPods, automobiles, game consoles, or cell phones.  In-ear (passive noise reduction) headphones  Shure e3c  etymotic er6i  Logitech MX Revolution laser mouse  Sonos audio system  Netflix subscription  PowerSquid surge protector  Logitech Harmony 880     universal remote CardScan 8.0 Business Card Scanner SlingBox Dymo or Royal label maker Westinghouse digital photo frame DP-0801 Q&A  Email: [email protected]  Home Theater View: http://www.hometheaterview.com  DO NOT CALL ME. (I will get annoyed.)  DO NOT TALK TO ME IN SHUL. (It’s assur. Plus, everyone will get annoyed.)