Stop Buying

I know it is easier said than done. Buying things we simply do not need might be the biggest cause for an e-waste problem. Do you really need that new shiny iPad? We really need to listen to that voice in our heads that talks to us and prevents us from buying electronic items we do not need.

Give Back

These days, a number of stores are investing in a buy back program. If you’re making a new purchase at a store, be sure to ask the store if they will buy back your old camera, laptop or any other electronic item. Best Buy has a trade-in option, where you can get rid of your old equipment in exchange of Best Buy gift cards. I think this is a very good idea for any retail business to practice.

Sell Your Stuff

Craigslist and eBay are the best places to sell electronic items that are potentially valuable to someone else but useless to you. Be sure to sell your electronic items right away – they will lose value rapidly as later models come into the market. Craigslist is a good option to sell heavy or lower value items, since shipping is often not involved.

Local Options

If you are in the United States, the EPA website has information on your local options for recycling your electronics. And no matter where you live, check out your options to recycle locally.

“The Cloud” Living

If you are running a business, there is no longer a need to buy a large server or heavy-duty machines for your work. SugarSync and SpiderOak are great resources for you to back up and sync your files across multiple machines, without having to invest in a server. For the technical people, the cloud is also a great option for businesses to expand their memory on the fly and as needed.

Learn

Most electronic gadgets have toxic materials in them, so it is extremely important to dispose of them in the right way. Make sure to educate yourself and anyone else you know. Discovering all the toxins in electronics will push you to be more mindful of e-waste.

Buyback Options

This could of course fall under “sell your stuff” but there are a number of services on the internet that pay you for your electronics besides selling on Craigslist and Ebay. You’ll know you will be getting something for your electronics at least. BuyMyTronics pays you for your new, used, or damaged electronics when you send them in by mail. To receive some money for your “tronic,” you will need to use the provided options to describe the condition of your item. BuyMyTronics will then generate an approximate value of your tronic, like a blue book value. Should you choose to accept their offer, BuyMyTronics will reimburse you via check or PayPal for the amount they quoted you within 24 hours of receiving your item. There is also a service called Gazelle that works the same way. Both companies are Green which is of course good for the economy.

So there you have it. Go and practice these options!

A Few Ideas On Tech / Computer Recycling originally appeared on The Coffee Desk on April 9, 2010.

I decided that I would add another post on the Magic Jack phone device since the first post has well over 100 comments. If you do not find enough feed back on this post then grab a cup of coffee and check out our original post on Magic Jack Reviews. Those interested in cutting costs on their cellphone bills should also look out for Ymax’s newest product to hit the shelves some time this spring. It’s called the FemtoJack and will allow you to route cellphone calls through your computer just like the Magic Jack allows you to do with landline calls. If you would like more information then feel free to check out our FemtoJack Reviews article.

100% Risk Free – Try Before You Buy http://www.magicjack.com

I just picked up a Magic Jack and set it up on both my Desk top computer and my Laptop .. this has got to be the most amzing product ever.. i love it! on my Desk top it did not run as well as on my laptop .. on my Desktop it has some cutting out and was not working too well .. but on my Laptop it runs very nice and smooth . voice quality is excellent and very little cut out . its like using a land line honestly. amazing. and so easy.

Below are actual Magic Jack User Reviews.

I feel this has to do with the Desktop machine specs . as i’m running the same operatiing system on both machines Windows XP Pro. you need at least Windows service pack 3 installed to run Majic Jack. there are alot of variables that determine call quality. Machine speed , USB port speed , Ram , internet connection quality .. so i was using the same internet connect .. local high speed wireless service. my Laptop has a 2 gig (2000 mghz) processor speed , 500 meg ram. .. my Desktop isn’t as fast as my laptop and was the cause of the cutting out and poor voice quality.
Desktop specs – 1 gig processor , 300 meg ram . maybe a lower speed usb port on that machine too. so that combination did not work good for the MagicJack .. with the Laptop tho its excellent. and i would highly recommend it.

I have been using the MJ for about 2 1/2 yrs now, would I trust it as my only source of phone service…NO…but it does work sometime’s well other time a little crappie but it works none the less……One thing that bug’s me a bit is in their TOS it states that if you use the magicjack 20 times more then the average user they can (and will from what I have read in other complaint blogs) shut your free sevice down and offer you a pay by minute plan…almost forgot to mention that they wont tell you what the average usage is, not even if you get one of their service reps. in the chat room,s…..which by the way the customer service sucks “all canned answers to your questions”, kinda odd, a phone company without a phone number to get help !………Good thing is it can and does save you a lot of cell phone minutes, more then 20 dollars worth….

100% Risk Free – Try Before You Buy http://www.magicjack.com

We moved 8 months ago and were debating whether to get a home line since we both have cell phones. I got a Magic Jack and have been using it as a home line since then. I have experienced some problems – early on, they were worse. On some calls it would drop syllables – like a cell phone breaking up – on other inbound calls, the person could not hear me but I could hear them. I haven’t really experienced that lately. Often when I pick up to dial, I get no immediate dialtone. I hang up once or twice and get a dialtone. No big deal.

I like being able to receive voicemails in my inbox. If you are the type of person to let your calls go to VM anyway, and/or like to be able to get your home voicemails while at work this may be a plus.

I am using a 3-handset Uniden wireless system. I plugged the base system into the MJ, and have the other handsets elsewhere in the house (the other 2 do not require phone jacks). This works very well. I was also pleasantly surprised that the Caller ID function on my phone does display incoming and missed phone numbers from MJ! I never used Caller ID before, but now that it’s free, it’s a nice bonus.

I am running this on an extra older PC that we don’t use much. My kid plays computer games on it sometimes but otherwise it’s for MJ. We made sure that MJ launches automatically on restart in case of shutdown, we have it running on some kind of lowered power mode, and I suppose we could shut it down it at night to save even more power. I don’t want calls at night anyway, and we have our cell phones for emergency calls.

100% Risk Free – Try Before You Buy http://www.magicjack.com

More Authentic Magic Jack Reviews originally appeared on The Coffee Desk on March 31, 2010.

Photography:

Most of us love pictures, but remember having the 35mm cameras that you had to buy the film, take the pictures, take out the film and run it by your local Walgreens, CVS, or Walmart to get the film developed? Those were the days, right? Digital photography is my favorite thing, and probably yours too. Digital cameras and videocameras have made professional photographic results achievable by all of us. One way digital photography has impacted our financial increase is digital yearbooks or scrapbooks as they can be finished up just weeks before graduation as opposed to the paper yearbooks which require months of production lead time. Digital photography makes all this possible inexpensively and, most importantly these days, instantly.

No Wires

Persoanlly, I can’t stand wires. If I could get away with no wires at all – meaning wireless power as well – I would. That is a good thing though because no wires is definitely cheaper. I say go wireless! Wireless networks and cell phones have dramatically increased technology’s mobility and flexibility while at the same time dramatically cutting the costs. Wireless is ideal for most settings: cafes, classrooms, large buildings, parks  - you name it. It’s cheap and easy to install compared to traditional wired networking. You might have heard of the newest thing – Mesh networking. Essentially wireless mesh networking makes one giant hotspot which is super convenient and usually campuses have them. Check out our wireless speakers review for more on how wireless is the future for many technologies.

Online Backup

I realize just how expensive backing up a computer could be when I went out and purchased a pack of DVDs and backed up all my data then had to go and buy more, only to be very disappointed to find that they were ruined months later during a move. I could have saved so much more money if I backed up my files online. This is not to say you shouldn’t but I think you should definitely have an online backup option. If not because it is extra safe, but it is extra cheap as well. For anywhere from $10-$100 a month you can backup your data automatically on a schedule you decide or automatically. Best of all you won’t have any more backup CDs to worry about. If you would like to know more about this technology check out our online backup review.

VoIP

You have probably seen a few articles on magic Jack on this site. Another cost cutting VoIP service that we have reviewed on the coffee desk is the NetTalk Tk6000. That is one way to save money as anyone who has one can contest too. VoIP has dramatically lowered the cost of residential and institutional phone service. It makes use of your existing network and adds dozens of new features inexpensively. Some of the more traditional VoIP carriers include Vonage, Comcast, and Skype. One of the most exciting and controversial VoIP devices is set to be released by the Ymax corporation. The FemtoJack is supposed to allow users to route their cellphone calls through the Internet. The technology that makes this possible is something called femtocells which have been around for a couple years but has yet to be a cost effective alternative.

Home Tech

You may think it is ridiculous to install automated shades or blinds in your home. I remember seeing a movie which had a home with automated blinds and I was thinking to myself – why? However, I have come to realize there is actually a reason for them other than the cool factor. They save on your energy bill. The benefits of automating your shades is obvious; by programming them to open and close at certain times, you can maximize the amount of natural light and heat that comes in to your house. This also may fit in my last post on Green tech.

Thermostat

Another home tech item that would save money is controlling your temperature. Controlling your heating and cooling can have a huge impact on your bottom line costs.Programmable thermostats and remote access allow you to change your home’s temperature without much effort, and can effectively manage your home’s heating and cooling without you even being in the house. There are some thermostat technologies out there that will blow your mind, trust me.

There are quite a few more ways to save money using tech. I guess that is why better tech comes out. It saves us money in the long run and it is easier. Easier and cheaper is what we like to hear; I know I do anyway. If you have any other ways/tech you would like to share that have saved you money, then we at The Coffee Desk would love to hear them!

How to Save Money Using Technology originally appeared on The Coffee Desk on March 30, 2010.

The phone is awesomely fast. More so than my iPhone and  features some cutting edge hardware, like a large AMOLED display and a 1GHz CPU. The screen is beautiful. Controls on the Nexus One are pretty easy to use. There is a color-changing trackball that is below that gorgeous, bright and colorful 3.7-inch, 800 x 480 pixel AMOLED touchscreen display. Both the trackball and the capacitive touchscreen perform very well. The touch sensitive controls for back, menu, home, and search that sit between them are OK. Hardware keys would have been greatly preferred, even if it messed up their form factor just a tad.

The phone offers wonderful audio clarity on calls. In fact, possibly the best I’ve heard in a phone. Unfortunately, the speakerphone functionality leaves a lot to be desired. The Nexus One does a great job with contacts as well. The Android OS allows for 3rd party developers to integrate directly into the main contacts system, and Google includes a nice Facebook app that works rather well with integrating into the system. I am actually jealous of the OS because my iPhone wishes it had such a manageable contact system. Multiple Gmail accounts can be added to the device for contacts or email  and the same is true for Microsoft Exchange accounts.

The 5 megapixel camera is quick to focus,  and even has a nice LED flash. I didn’t have much time to play with the camera, but was definitely liking the results. The wide screen 720 x 480 pixel video that the Nexus One shoots is also pretty good, and certainly good enough to upload to YouTube or other video sharing sites. Videos and photos can be easily shared from the new Gallery application on the Nexus 1 which I found is pretty awesome. Moving onto music, the Nexus One handles that really well. Both 3.5mm headphones and Bluetooth stereo headphones are supported, and the music app organizes tracks by album, artist, and playlist. Since I’ve always used iTunes, it was a little different to get music on the phone. The ability to link to playlists from the home screen is brilliant, and the new animated “live” homescreen wallpapers that are linked to the music as it is played is a nice touch as well.

So all in all, I was very impressed with the Nexus One. I love the hardware design, the amazing CPU, and the beautiful AMOLED display, but I just would not recommend getting it for T-Mobile. Again, I want to mention the processor because it is worth mentioning twice. The new 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU in the Nexus One is what makes everything work at blazing speeds. I’ve not seen a faster device on the market. The rendering of loaded web pages might be the best example of this speed. All smartphones need one of these processors.

The only things that disappointed me was the horrible speakerphone, the bad battery life, and sketchy reception, and this is probably because of the T-Mobile reception in my area. I am very curious to know how many Google has sold. I am sure the numbers will rise once Verizon gets their hands on the phone this spring. The minor problems will more than likely be solved. If you want to buy one now, you’ll need to go to Google.com/phone and pay $529 for the unlocked version, or pay around $179.00 for a version with T-Mobile service. Upgrades for existing T-Mobile customers are possible, but the early termination fees for this device can reach upwards of $550 so don’t cancel

Google Phone Review – Finally an Honest Nexus One Review originally appeared on The Coffee Desk on March 4, 2010.

New legislation prohibiting drivers from talking while behind the wheel, so combined with a demand for more fashionable and advanced devices with more sophisticated phones, you get Bluetooth headset makers that are forced to innovate. I took a look at the newest Jawbone technology and I must say, it is very nice.The latest addition to the wireless world is Aliphs Jawbone Prime with “NoiseAssassin” technology.

Aliph set out to blend science with beauty in a new design that is 50 percent smaller than the original Jawbone, and is even smaller than the Jawbone 2. The new Jawbone Icon and Prime models feature noise-elimination technology that promises better voice quality. The new headset is available at AT&T retail stores and at Jawbone’s site. The new Jawbone features military-grade NoiseAssassin technology, designed to address real-world noise environments like busy streets, cars and airports. Aliph said, “it has 10 times better voice clarity than competing headsets” — meaning it is virtually quite.

The Jawbone bluetooth headset uses the VAS (Voice Activity Sensor) to distinguish the sound of your voice from ambient noise and then uses proprietary Digital Signal Processing (DSP) algorithms to subtract the noise so only the sound of your voice comes through. You are probably thinking, “wow, this is high tech for such a simple piece of equipment.” You are right – it is – but for good reasons. Not only are you getting military technology for your phone, but you are getting it in style.

The new Jawbone headset is designed to look and feel like an accessory along the lines of jewelry and eyewear. It offers a customized fit with three sizes of earbuds and four ear loops that can be worn on either ear. It is important to not only be functional, but fashionable as well. I’ve noticed quite a change in the younger crowd. Kids are practically born with cells phones and unlike my days of school where it was cool to show off your coolest shoes, CD Player, or hat, the cell phone industry has made a remarkable turn to attract with the coolest cell phones and accessories. Why not add some style to a Jawbone Bluethooth headset! Sure, you can grab a cheap Bluetooth headset off the shelf for no less than $20.00 now, but the Jawbone has class and style coupled with some of the most advanced technology offered in a headset. Price ranges from $99 to $129.99 in matte black. Other colors are also available.

Cool, Fashionable, and Safe – A Look at Jawbone Bluetooth Headsets originally appeared on The Coffee Desk on February 12, 2010.

First, you have to understand how speakers actually work before I get to wireless speakers. Though I am not a technical guy, I do know a thing or two about speakers from all those music classes in college so I’ll give you a rather rudimentary – yet brief -understanding of how speakers work. Obviously, speakers are opposite to a microphone, so a microphone is used to capture audio and a speaker is used to play the audio captured; This audio is called impulses. Our ears cannot hear impulses, so that is where speakers come in. They translate those impulses into vibrations (using awesome technology) that our ears can understand. Therefore, we have music which is pleasing to the ears — sometimes.

That is basically how speakers work. Of course, there are much more details involved, however, I will spare you from boredom. Whether the speakers are wired or wireless, the technology behind playing music through them is generally the same. However, the technology behind making a speaker wireless or wired is, as you might expect, a little different. Wireless speakers must come with a transmitter that sends the audio signal to the wireless speakers. Most transmitters have a standard input connection in the transmitter that allow you to connect any audio device to it. You can connect a CD player, an MP3 player or any thing that has audio output. There are several frequencies at which wireless speakers operate: 900Mhz, 2.4Ghz and 5.8Ghz and even 1.9Ghz using DECT 6.0 technology. Generally the less congested frequency band has better reception and sound quality based on the environment you are operating the wireless audio speaker. Another type of technology around wireless speakers is bluetooth which is a unique and complex wireless speaker method, but a technology that has flourished and will continue to do so.

Once the sound source is plugged into the transmitter, you should be able to take your wireless speakers any where within the specified range and turn them on, and listen to your audio source. Some transmitters or speakers have a frequency nob that you can adjust to change the channel get the best audio quality and some wireless speakers change the channels automatically.

Do wireless speakers work well?

Yes. Audio quality from your wireless speaker is the most important factor. Advanced technology has limited horrible quality wireless speakers fortunately. Bose is one of my favorite audio companies who have produced hundreds of high quality products for years. Bose wireless speakers come with a small ‘USB key’ that’ll allow you to insert it into you computer to play music from you computer through the speakers anywhere in the home. They have had great reviews. CNET reviewed four nice wireless speaker systems that used a number of technologies and range from $199 to $600. Last year, I was given the opportunity to review a marvelous multi-room wireless speaker system by Sonos and was blown away with the results. There are wireless home theatre systems as well, such as the Sony Bravia systems, or the brilliant Harman Kardon systems that all have good reviews.

There are advantages and disadvantages to owning wireless speakers. To be clear, a wireless speaker system is not truly wireless. In the audio world, it simply means less wires. Still, this in itself can turn out to be a great advantage. I remember when I was younger, my father and I spent countless hours hooking up his new entertainment system. You should have seen the mess of wires we had to fight with and try to conceal so my sister and I would not inadvertently trip over them one day and send his pride and joy crashing down. Today, you have wireless speaker systems and though you have to deal with a few wires, they are pretty easy to maintain and that is what I love about wireless speakers. Mobility is another reason why I love wireless speaker systems. Want to listen to your music outside by the pool? Now you can. Despite the misunderstanding that all wireless speakers don’t have good range – they do, and that is why I love wireless speaker systems.

However, there are some disadvantages such as batteries. Most wireless speakers systems (if not all) come with rechargeable batteries. Therefore, it is important to always make sure you have fully charged or new batteries. The battery on  wireless speakers is very important, and it has a direct impact on the quality of the sound. To me, i feel this is the biggest disadvantage to wireless speaker systems, but something that can improve in the future. These days, all of us are all about getting rid of the clutter so as technology advances and wireless systems become even more prevalent, I think we will see an even more wireless world with better battery technology to back up the demand.

Wireless Speakers Review: Wireless Speaker Systems Right For You? originally appeared on The Coffee Desk on February 4, 2010.

Soldiers are said to “sometimes carry more than 30 pounds of batteries to run GPS units and other critical gear,” so a company called Ardica took this opportunity to not only make a similar jacket for soldiers, but also for civilians like me and you that charge our phones and keep us nice a warm. Ardica’s Moshi Power System has a heated lining and able to power your gadgets. Ardica’s military pack is said to store hydrogen fuel cells and lithium-ion batteries into a flexible case. However, the Moshi only uses batteries since you can’t find fuel cells just anywhere. Seven batteries are linked inside a foam sleeve. It slips into the jackets back and holds enough power to simultaneously drive heat-creating conductive yarn and send a current to a USB cord in a pocket. It provides up to 25watts of power and keep you warn up to 8 hours at a time!

One reveiwer was able to test it out and it really kept him warm. “A toggle on the left side of the jacket activates the power pack. When I pressed the toggle, the first place I felt the heat was on my back. Then, within approximately ten minutes, the side panels began to heat up. I pressed the toggle again, activating the highest level of heat. Soon, I was feeling pretty toasty; I didn’t want to take it off. But after walking around for an hour and ice skating in Central Park – the closest I could get to treacherous outdoor activity in the city – I was pulling my scarf away from my neck and putting a lot of faith in my antiperspirant. I lowered the heat to the lowest level, which did the trick within a few minutes.”

As mentioned, there is one USB cord hanging out of a pocket when you get it that is connected to the battery pack. Unfortunately, you will need a compatible USB cord or and adapter to plug in a device to use it. Luckily, the company offers a compatible “Technology Connector” which has all sorts of connections to plug up your devices. This adapter is selling for $50. The company says the jacket provides roughly 8 hours of heat at the lowest level, 3 hours at the hottest level, and claims to provide about 20 charges for  certain devices with lower wattages. This video will give you a good idea of how it works.

Here is a summary of what you get with this jacket:

• Power pack provides 8.6 hours of continuous heat on low setting, and 3 hours on medium, and 1.8 hours on high
• Provides 10-20 charges for electronics such as iPods/iPhones, cell phones, GPS devices and more
• Recharges 80% in 1.5 Hours and 100% in 3 hours (* initial charge may take up to 7hrs)
• Simultaneously runs heat and power
• Provides differing levels of heat to multiple locations throughout the garment
• Includes LED Fuel Gauge to monitor power levels
• Total system weight is 295 grams or the equivalent of 2 iPhones
• MSRP: $145 (Power pack, charger and USB block only)

The jacket has received many good reviews however, at $230 for the jacket and another $145 for the battery pack; It is a rather expensive jacket that some of us may not even need. This is what I like to call extreme wear and I don’t see many people wearing it casually on their way to work. However, if you are a skier or an extreme mountain climber, this may be the jacket for you. One thing that bothers me is that I am not sure whether or not this jacket can take the rain. There may be some concern if you might expect the jacket to get wet, but other than that, it appears to be a great jacket and something I’ve always wanted when I find myself outside in cold weather for an extended period of time.

Can Electric Clothing Keeping You Warm and charge your gadgets? Artica Electric Jacket Review originally appeared on The Coffee Desk on February 1, 2010.

AT&T has gotten a bad reputation ever since they signed that agreement with Apple to offer the iPhone 3G. The most common complaints seemed to focus on poor reception in areas that are known to have strong 3G reception. AT&T’s 3G reception is not as pervasive as its Edge reception, but AT&T’s website claims is available in larger cites such as New York and Los Angelas as well as smaller metro areas. Even still, there are numerous complaints poor coverage and dropped calls. Some users even mentioned AT&T reps insisting that they turn off 3G to prevent the problem. Though that would help of course, that is not what users want and there is 3G built in for a reason. In addtion, some users complained of signal fluctuation sometimes going from 3 bars to “No service.” I have not had many of these sorts of problems, but I do have my frustrating share of dropped calls.

Mark Siegel, AT&T’s spokesman, said he has not noticed any issues specific to the iPhone 3G or its 3G networks. He states that wireless coverage depends on a number of things such as proximity and other various factors. He has also stated that they are working hard on their networks and upgrades have begun. This is great, however, will they be able to handel a new device on their networks that focuses on a sturdy internet connection? Mark states, “We’re planning to tackle both iPad and iPhone usage in the feature through dramatic upgrades in capacity over the next 90 days, particularly in New York City and the San Francisco Bay Area.”

The iPhone’s success has exploded with AT&T activating 3.1 million phones for the fourth quarter just shy of the record breaking 3.2 million last quarter. That is a lot of iPhone on AT&T network. During the quarterly results, it was said that AT&T has prepared for the iPad on its networks and I sure hope they are right. AT&T expects the to add about 1,000 new cell sites and twice as much extra capacity this year. AT&T is trying and we see what happens. I suspect that a great percentage of data usage is from items like the Blackberry and iPhone and to add another device to suck up the 3G speeds is going to make or break AT&T. Many of AT&T’s problems are expected to ease once it starts integrating 4G, which will begin by 2011. This service will run entirely IP networking and much cheaper to run cheaper despite being faster. For AT&T sake, I hope they get it right as they have millions of subscribers depending on them.

Will AT&T Be Able to Handle The iPad? originally appeared on The Coffee Desk on January 29, 2010.

You may not realize just how useful and convenient solar technology is or how far it has advanced. A solar power charger is able to charge a battery in order to store electricity as a solar energy supply for use when you need power. When solar powered devices first saw the light (no pun intended), the technology could only be used during the day. Fast-forward to today and there is technology that allows a solar product to actually store the energy it collects. That is brilliant. Remember those pesky solar calculators? I would sit at my desk in school with my nifty solar calculator only to ask to borrow a battery powered one due to insufficient light. Those were good times, but today are better times because we can now harness that energy for later.

Some manufacturers have explored the possibilities to run and charge iPods off the sun. Solio is the leader in solar USB chargers.  They have developed four Solio chargers including the Solio Rocsta, Solio Mono, Solio Classic and the Solio Mag. These mobile solar chargers collect power and transfer it to your mobile devices including Ipods, Iphone and just about any other mobile device. The price for these solar chargers ranges from $50.00 – $150 dollars.

Brunton is another leader in solar chargers. They produce a wide verity of portable power devices. At the time this article was written they have five solar charges in there Solaris line. One of my favorite solar chargers is called SolarRoll. SolarRoll is as the name suggest – a solar panel that you can roll out flat to collect that energy. The SolarRoll comes in three sizes depending on the output you need. If you are looking to charge something like a laptop, you will need one with the output of 14 watts. It can provide a full charge in about 5 to 10 hours depending on the quality of sunlight. What is great about the SolarRoll is that you can link them for greater output. When you need to move on, just roll this sucker up and go on your way. Price range from $295 and $695 depending how large you get them.

The Voltaic Generator sounds like a beast and it is. This solar charger is actually built into a backpack. This solar backpack has a battery pack to store the energy it collects. It can charge an array of gadgets and hold a laptop up to 17 inches. It generates a wonderful 15 watts of power, which takes about a day to charge however. What I love about the Voltaic Generator is the fact that it is completely environmentally friendly. Not only does it use the sun’s energy for you gadgets, it is made of recycled PET, making it water resistant and extremely light. Unfortunately, the bag still ways a hefty 5lbs. At $599, you may want to ask your shoulders twice if they want to carry that weight. If you go to school, I have the perfect option by the same company. Voltaic solar bags look like backpacks and charge your devices, generating a generous 15 watts of power.

I’ve only mentioned a handful of solar panel chargers. There are many more products that are specific to your needs. If you need a solar charger that charges smaller devices, I would recommend Solio’s list of great solar chargers. It is without a doubt that solar technology will advance quickly and become part of our lives even more. Like all new technology, the price has deterred many of us from going with solar energy methods, however, according to Earth2Tech, the cost has dropped by half already! As time goes by and the technology advances, you will find that products will be created with solar technology built right in like a few products. The solar technology focuses on cost-effective methods of energy that reduces the country’s dependence on imported fuels, improve air quality, and offset greenhouse gas emission and that spells success for the future of solar technology.

Solar Battery Chargers By Solio, Lenmar, Brunton Wave of The Future? originally appeared on The Coffee Desk on January 26, 2010.

What is the difference between the NetTalk TK6000 and Magic Jack?

The two devices are actually very similar in size and weight. The big difference between the two is that the Magic Jack must be plugged into a computer and must be powered on to make calls. The TK6000 does not require a computer to work. You simple plug your landline phone and your Internet connection into the device. As with the Magic Jack you must have a quality high-speed Internet connection to have quality calls.

There is a significant difference in price between the two products. The Magic Jack costs $39.00 with a $20 dollar a year charge to make unlimited calls. The NetTalk TK6000 costs $100 dollars upfront although you do have the option of splitting the payments into four parts. Once you have paid the hundred dollars you are then able to make unlimited calls for the “life” of the device. There have been some debates on the bulletin boards about what this actually means. The shipping and handling fee is waved if you decide to pay the whole amount upfront.

What does The TK6000 have going for it?

One thing we really like about the device is that it does not require a computer, which we find one of the more annoying things with the MagicJack. You can save some money not having to pay to keep your computer powered on 24/7. It’s great that once you pay the $100 upfront that you will not have to pay another charge ever again. Although most companies and devices have a life span and we doubt you’ll make free phone calls for life. You are able to use the TK6000 with all sort of hardware including satellite providers, and fax machines. The offer a 1-800 support number and from what we have heard, support is very good. There is a very helpful and active forum where users can get help or make suggestions to the company. We also like that you can change your number and area code when ever you like. Right now NetTalk does not allow you to port your number over but the company has promised that this feature will be available at some point.

The darker side of the TK6000

For people on a budget and trying to save money, the $100 dollar price tag is a lot to swallow. It is especially difficult because the company is new and there is no promise how long they will be around. At the time this article was written, NetTalk lacks local numbers to give out so if you do not live in a bigger area you may not be able to get a local number. This is very similar problem that Magic Jack had when they first started. It is also troublesome that the company does not offer support on the weekend. It most cases the TK6000 is as simple as plug and play but there are a few reported issues with compatibility issues with certain Internet modem/router hardware. In some cases it take some advanced configuration to get the TK600 to work.

Dan Borislow, the CEO of Magic Jack recently made a comment to an online tech magazine dismissing the new competitor.

It’s a piece of shit. It has static. The call quality is pathetic. There’s no phone numbers available, and it’s run by a bunch of fly-by-nights with no assets. They’ll be bankrupt soon. We’re a real company with the best network and best software.

Users have reported that the call quality with the NetTalk USB device to be equal or better than the Magic Jack. The obvious advantage you have with NetTalk is that you are not at the mercy of the performance of your computer. Often times slow or underperforming pcs get in the way of the quality of the call with the Magic Jack.

Only time will tell if the NetTalk TK6000 can truly compete with the well-established MagicJack. Another thing to consider is how many people are ditching their land lines altogether for cell phones. Magic Jack is betting on this trend with there new product dubbed the femtoJack which is due to be released soon.

Here is a fantastic user review of the NetTalk TK6000 that I wanted to include in this post.

I have been a MagicJack (MJ) users for almost two years now. I read a lot of the posting about TK6000 before I decided to give it a try. Nettalk offers 30-day money back. I have my NetTalk (NT) for over a month now and I have been very happy with it. I can use it without computer, but if I go to a location where there wireless Internet, I can plug the TK6000 directly into the USB, just like MJ. The two times in which I called Net Talk customer service I was pleased. The Customer service rep took the time to solve the problem I had and to explain other features in Nettalk. He helped me change my phone number to a local number, at no cost. I have tested TK6000 quality while downloading a large file from the Internet, and I got the same very good quality with and without downloading. This has been a major problem with Magic Jack.

I also like the three way calling/conferencing feature of TK6000. MJ is limited to the case of conferencing two people that call you. TK6000 allows you to call 2 different numbers and conference them. If someone calls you on TK6000 you can put the caller on hold, dial another number and conference everyone. I like seeing the caller ID on the phone set connected to TK6000. For MJ you have to buy a unit to connect between Magic Jack and your phone to be able to see the caller ID.

There are items that TK600 could improve. Voice mail now only gets to you as an e-mail file. You can not listen to your voice mail over the phone (like with MJ). Tk6000 does not have a softphone. But Net Talk plans to come up one soon.

Hope this helps.
Have a nice day.

NetTalk TK6000 Review – Can it Take Over Magic Jack? originally appeared on The Coffee Desk on January 25, 2010.