Flying cars or space-age transporters aren’t coming to showrooms any time soon. But some of the technology on the market is still amazing. For the right price, you can buy an electronic substitute for common sense or a little work. In the time that some of these gizmos save, you could squeeze in another episode of Seinfeld. FM has explored the farthest reaches of the Internet to compile a list of the useful, intriguing or merely wacky.
MP3 Alarm Clock
$47.00
www.firebox.com
Waking up to the radio is always a gamble. The price of having a song you hate stuck in your head all day is too great for some; they would rather sleep through class. Firebox.com offers the perfect solution-—wake up to the melody of your choice with their MP3 Alarm Clock. This technologically advanced timepiece connects to the USB port of your computer to download songs. You can even visit a designated website with 118 preprogrammed sounds ranging from instruments to machine-gun fire. It’s a shame that only 50 seconds of your song will be transferred to the clock, but the ease of transfer means you can wake up to a different tune each day.
EndNote
$109.95
www.endnote.com
If you dread the research time and citation procedures that go along with your final papers, then EndNote is for you. This software program can search bibliographic databases on the Internet, including the LOC and PubMed, and export the references to your computer. This time-saver can also help organize your references and images into databases. The program also links entries to PDFs on the web or on your hardrive, so you’ll be able to find them faster. Your bibliographies can be flawless even if you’ve never heard of MLA style with the help of the “Cite While You Write” function, completely compatible with Microsoft Word. The latest version, EndNote 8 for Windows 2000 and XP is a pricey $329.95, but with your student ID it can be yours for $109.95.
Microsoft OneNote
$99
www.microsoft.com
Missed a question on your midterm that came straight from lecture because you couldn’t read your notes? Microsoft OneNote could have saved you some points. This program lets you record audio while you type notes during lecture so you won’t ever miss a thing. If you have a tablet PC (see below), you can incorporate handwritten diagrams too! Art history majors can appreciate the drag-and-drop feature that lets you add pictures/slides from the Internet. This is a must-have for people who can’t keep their notes organized. And, if you’re not one of the lucky ones who found a copy of the software in your dropbox last month, you’ll be happy to hear that OneNote 2003’s price just dropped from $199 to $99.
Flash Drives
$90-$220
www.jr.com
After the first time your computer crashes, you swear you’ll never lose another file. But even with the ease of CD-burning, backing-up can be a chore. USB Flash Drives come to the rescue. The portability of these key-ring size drives makes them perfect for transferring information from one computer to another. And with the increased memory capacity of the latest models, flash drives could be the next big way to back-up files. Try the Migo Smart USB Flash Drive—it comes in 256 MB, 512 MB and 1 GB sizes.
Pen Scanners
$130-$170
www.academicsuperstore.com
You’ll have as much fun as Inspector Gadget when the text you highlight gets scanned into a digital format. The IRISPen Express Text Recognition pen scanner can read almost any font, as well as 55 languages. Since it reads 1000 characters a second, it won’t slow you down. If you want to scan full pages, Planon System Solutions’ DocuPen is the smallest option out there. With an advanced charging feature that recharges the pen every time you upload data to your computer, you’ll always have enough juice to finish the week’s reading. Prices range from $130 to $170, depending on the brand and model.
Tablet PC
$2,000
www.sony.com
The Blackberry is so last year. The newest high-tech handheld is the Tablet PC. These “pocket PCs” have a number of interesting features, including the ability to take notes directly onto a thin screen. The Sony VAIO U-Series looks like a PDA but has the power of a PC. The full-fledged Windows operating system means that you can do anything on this device from word processing to movie watching. The fold-out keyboard, mobile AC adapter and ethernet adapter make this device appealing. This one-pound wonder will be released in time for for Christmas.
Wristwatch Remote Control
$25
www.smarthome.com
When you're done with schoolwork and are ready to kick back, there's nothing more annoying than not being able to find the TV remote. With Smarthome's Wristwatch Remote Control, you can channel surf on all major brands of TVs and cable boxes. The watch is pre-programmed, so even the most technologically inept can use it. At only $25, it's probably cheaper than the watch you have on. At last, you can mess with the unsuspecting victims watching TV in your house's common room.
Electronic Locator
$40-70
www.sharperimage.com
Absent-minded folk everywhere rejoiced when they realized that cordless-phone stands had a "pager" button to help them locate their misplaced handsets. Now this convenience can be brought to any frequently mislaid item with The Sharper Image's Now You Can Find It! Wireless RF Electronic Locator. Beeper discs can attach via key ring or double-sided adhesive pad to keys, glasses, and even your Harvard ID. A different button on the portable base will make each disc beep loudly. With a 30-foot range, you'll never have to rifle through the papers on your desk again. Available in three different models -- flaky, absentminded, and senile.
