Tech Talk 2

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



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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.)