SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
Stay informed! Sign up to get expert advice and insight delivered direct to your inbox
Geek Wish List Entries
What gadgets are your peers scribbling down on their Holiday Goodies List? Read on Geek, read on!
November 19, 2004
7 Min Read
Paul Rouk
Product: Aurora? ALX System
Coolness: How is it possible to spend over $11,000 on a DESKTOP computer today?!?
Company: Alienware
IT Value: Runs Microsoft Word MUCH faster than any of our current systems!
Features: High-end gaming computer. When configured with ALL the options, sells for over $11,000!
Reasoning: Ultimate gaming machine.
E. Alexander Gerster
Product: radioSHARK
Coolness: Time Shift Recording! Plus, Look at that shape!
Company: Griffin Technology
IT Value: Here in Florida, you can keep up with the hurricane reports!
Features: AM/FM radio with time shift recording
Reasoning: For recording broadcasts to listen to after work.
Carlos Legarda
Product: Treo 600
Coolness: It does everything.
Company: palmOne
IT Value: Taking notes, keeping in touch, schedules.
Features: PDA/phone does everything.
Reasoning: I can leave my phone and PDA at home and take this instead.
Emilio Trenzado
Product: TIVO
Coolness: I never have to worry about missing shows and I can skip commercials, yet I don't have to deal with VHS tapes.
Company: TIVO
IT Value: I can work late on projects and record shows while I have to be on-site for an emergency.
Features: Records shows, pauses live shows and many more.
Reasoning: I can now work or workout until late and not worry about missing "The Apprentice."
marc
Product: B3-1550 brewing sculpture
Coolness: I like beer
Company: Beer, Beer & More Beer
IT Value: It will keep me happy and focused at work. Also, beer goes over well for work parties!
Features: Helps you make beer.
Reasoning: Makes more beer.
Creed White
Product: IFP -799
Coolness: 1 Gig for under $250 with FM, small, 40 hours on battery, can store files and record music on the fly.
Company: IRiver
IT Value: It does not have the software to be a Flash drive, but promises to have it soon for a 1 Gig Flash drive...for those large DATA files, yeah that's it!
Features: 1 Gig Flash MP3 with FM radio
Reasoning: Mostly a large collection of MP3s.
Ivan Santayana Rivera
Product: Powerline Networking Adapters
Coolness: No new wires.
Company: D-Link
IT Value: I could pay for Fiber Internet access and then offer it to PLC network users. Start my own company.
Features: Connects PCs and other devices over the existing electrical network.
Reasoning: To build a LAN in my neighborhood.
Zonker Harris
Product: Squeezebox
Coolness: Wired version works with Mac/Linux/Windows, wireless will be cooler.
Company: Slim Devices
IT Value: Streaming Audio client in the lab, so I can hear training Web conferences while I'm still working in the lab.
Features: Wireless MP3 player, client.
Reasoning: With battery-powered speakers, backyard parties!
Thomas Voigtlander
Product: A8 Earphones
Coolness: Because I tried one on once, and it's like having your own little surround sound system wherever you go.
Company: Bang & Olufsen
IT Value: Able to help integrate sound into IT publications.
Features: Uuhh...It plays sound, into your ears....
Reasoning: On the PC, watching late night TV, on the mini-disc player, having music running at uni!!
Davis Bailey
Product: Samsung
Coolness: Plays MP3s and has an FM tuner.
Company: Yepp
IT Value: Samsung makes our laser printers and cell phones, need to research other consumer products.
Features: MP3 Player
Reasoning: Running, sitting in the hot tub with a cold beer nearby.
Tony Augelletta
Product: Swiss Memory USB
Coolness: Because of the look on people's faces when you pull it out.
Company: Swiss Army Knife Company
IT Value: Always having a place to store data when you're out and about.
Features: Cuts, lights, writes and has a bigger hard drive than my first computer.
Reasoning: Mainly for storage use and to jot stuff down sometimes.
Mark Villecco
Product: OfficeConnect Wireless 54-Mbps 11g Travel Router
Coolness: This unit has all the capabilities of a traditional SOHO wireless router but is the size of a deck of cards.
Company: 3Com
IT Value: This product would be useful to business travelers who need wireless Internet access in meeting rooms, hotel rooms or elsewhere.
Features: Allows sharing of high-speed Internet access where ever a broadband connection exists.
Reasoning: This router could be kept in a briefcase or laptop bag and then plugged into a wired Internet connection to allow multiple wireless users to connect.
Aman Bhasin
Product: P900
Coolness: It's a solid 'all in one' device with cool features like a removable keyboard, Bluetooth and cool video games.
Company: SonyEricsson
IT Value: Replaces Blackberry and cell phone. Allows troubleshooting Web thin-client issues while commuting.
Features: Phone, organizer, imaging, browser, e-mail, camera, etc.
Reasoning: Read e-mails, play video games, watch movies and, of course, answer support calls.
Doug Herman
Product: Research in Motion's Blackberry handheld
Coolness: Outlook on the go!
Company: RIM
IT Value: Collaborative tool that keeps sales force, managers "in the know."
Features: GPRS cellular device that delivers Outlook/Lotus Notes and the Internet, and it is a phone.
Reasoning: I rely on it as a tool to stay in touch with my users even when I'm out of the office/town, etc.
Fred Johnson
Product: iMac G5
Coolness: Just look at it! Apple has redefined cool with this computer.
Company: Apple Computer Inc.
IT Value: It is immune to 99.9 percent of all viruses.
Features: It is a real computer, not just a PC.
Reasoning: It would replace my 400-MHz G4 Cube. The Cube is still cool, but it's no longer fast!
Steven White
Product: Portege 3500/3502
Coolness: The tablet feature.
Company: Toshiba
IT Value: The three uses below are all useful IT functions.
Features: Tablet/notebook PC.
Reasoning: 1) For replacing the handwritten notes on my desk, 2) For reading printed listings while I code on my other computer, 3) For dialing in from home during a crisis.
Tim Kelly
Product: Sony MVC-CD350 3.2 MP 3x Zoom CD-R/RW Recording Camera
Coolness: I don't have to copy images or movies to my PC then burn to a CD.
Company: computergeeks.com
IT Value: Create movies for presentations and training CDs.
Features: Records still images and movies to 8-cm CD-R/CD-RW discs.
Reasoning: To record history in the making--my family mostly.
Chad Yoshino
Product: OQO Model 01
Coolness: Geez...it has got to be the smallest and lightest PC with the works.
Company: OQO
IT Value: Don't need a Palm and a laptop. This is one and the same! Full Windows in the palm of your hand.
Features: It's the "ultra personal computer."
Reasoning: For day-to-day network troubleshooting, with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, I wouldn't need my laptop anymore!
Sean K. McNicholas
Product: Kameleon 8 Device Universal Remote
Coolness: Electro-luminescent touch display makes it look like it belongs with your plasma (oh, and no more three remotes hanging around your coffee table).
Company: One For All
IT Value: All techies want less devices that do more.
Features: All-in-one universal remote for your home entertainment center.
Reasoning: To centrally power my entertainment needs.
Steve Delahunty
Product: ToughBook P1
Coolness: It's ruggedized, has GPS, phone and wireless, and it's moisture resistant.
Company: Panasonic
IT Value: Will even let me respond to e-mail and phone calls when in the steam room at the gym.
Features: Wireless, Ruggedized PDA/Phone
Reasoning: Can check e-mail while rock climbing (would need to learn rock climbing first).
Dave Zielinski
Product: Axim X30
Coolness: Integrated Wireless + PocketPC 2003 OS
Company: Dell
IT Value: With Wi-Fi access anywhere I go and a VPN client, I can access EVERYTHING I need at work anywhere I go.
Features: Pocket PC-based PDA
Reasoning: Wi-Fi access anywhere I go.
Jeff Elliott
Product: UltraSharp 2001FP 20.1-inch Flat Panel LCD Monitor
Coolness: Big and beautiful
Company: Dell
IT Value: Saves desk space, allows for more multitasking.
Features: LCD monitor with 16-ms response time and 1600x1200 native resolution.
Reasoning: For use as my main monitor for gaming and DVD watching.
Mark Bolick
Product: Apple Xserve G5 (business), Apple iPod (leisure)
Coolness: Xserve: that much power and usability with unlimited license for that price, gotta try it. IPod: see earlier statement.
Company: Apple computer for both
IT Value: Faster file serves, more seats, better uptime, more power, lower price. No way they'd sponsor an iPod.
Features: Very nice server, very low price. iPod: I mean geez, it's an iPod. Does it need an explanation)
Reasoning: File serving and use of our corporate accounting database. Once again, it's an iPod!
Justin King
Product: WiFlyer
Coolness: I never have to sit at a hotel desk again.
Company: Always On Wireless
IT Value: Wireless with the security of dialup (even though it can use broadband, too).
Features: Wireless base station for dialup.
Reasoning: Um, the way it is supposed to be used?
Cliff McCullough
Product: Linksys Speedbooster Access Point
Coolness: No more wires
Company: Linksys
IT Value: Less manpower. No hanging wires. Cleaner work area.
Features: Wireless network communications
Reasoning: Wireless communications anywhere in my home.
You May Also Like
More Insights
