Apple's iPad will be hitting the market in about 60 days. It is cross-breed that lies somewhere between an iPod touch and a netbook. Apple hopes it will sweep the market like the iPod touch and iPhone did, but we are not sure that Apple will have a repeat success with the iPad.

The iPad is basically a netbook without a physical keyboard (it has a software keyboard). The cheapest version (16GB flavor) will run you $500 dollars without a 3G AT&T data connection. We find it real hard for Apple to make this product as popular as their iPod touch, after all, it's just a super-sized iPod touch. You can't really install full-blown applications on it like you can on a laptop or a netbook -- only apps that appear at the Apple store. Realistically though most of those apps are basically for fun and lack real meat and bones we need for real productivity. We also feel as if 16 gigs is mediocre for a device that costs $500.

Sure the Apple iPad acts as a movie player, music player, and web browser, but are you really willing to pay that much money for that use only? The real question is, will the Apple iPad be a product you use vigorously for a few weeks and then toss it in your pile along your endless Wii accessories?

Only time will tell if we are wrong about this one.

All sippy cups aren't made equal. I can attest that I have tried almost every sippy cup out there with my 18-month old daughter. I have come to the conclusion that the Playtex Sippy Cups are by far the best sippy cups out on the market today. Why you might ask? Well its simple, they don't leak and my daughter doesn't turn blue when she is drinking her milk.

The cups are BPA-free so they are safe for your little one. They have built in handles that are great tiny hands and they come in a wide variety of colors and designs so you have a choice of which one you like better.

The Playtex Sippy Cups are well built. My daughter drops them all the time from her high chair and I have yet to see any of them break.

We did not like two things about the Playtex Sippy Cups: they do not have a lid and they do not have markers for ounces.

THE GOOD
- Does not leak
- Variety colors
- Inexpensive

THE BAD
- No lids
- No markers for ounces

IN THE BOX
- Sippy cup

WHERE TO BUY
Amazon

MANUFACTURER
Playtex

Going out to dinner with the kids? Make sure you pick up a Kiddopotamus Tinydiner Placemat. It's a little apparatus that will help you keep germs away from your little one -- no more eating off the restaurant table. The placemat is made of a soft rubber that can be rolled up for easy storage. It stays on the table by using small suction cups that do an outstanding job at gripping to virtually any surface. However, we did notice the product had a little bit of a problem adhearing to mesh tables or tables with holes.

The Kiddopotamus Tinydiner Placemat also has a little sleeve on the side that overhangs from the table to catch any food that rolls off. This will keep your baby dry in the event of a spill.

Kiddopotamus Tinydiner Placemat comes in a variety of colors and designs and sells for approximately $9.99.

THE GOOD
- Soft rubber can be easily folded
- Easily fits in diaper bag
- Easy to clean
- Keeps your child from getting dirty
- Powerful suction cups

THE BAD
- Won't stick to mesh tables or tables with holes

IN THE BOX
- 1 Kiddopotamus Tiny Diner Placemat

WHERE TO BUY
Amazon

MANUFACTURER
Kiddopotamus

If you want to get something for someone that has everything this Christmas, but haven't found anything, take a look at the Cinemin.

Since we weren't able to get our hands on one of these to do a full review, we went out to our nearest Brookstone store and had the manager give us a demo. This little thing is amazing.

The image is very good and can be projected on pretty much anything. It uses Texas Instruments' DLP projection technology to do its magic and we recommend a white surface to project onto. The uses for this little guy are endless: you can project onto the wall to show friends and family a slideshow, YouTube videos, presentations, and so forth. You could even watch a movie on the ceiling of your room while you are on your way to catch some Z's. Honestly the gadget is pretty cool. The image was a little dim when we saw the demo, but it was probably due to the bright lights in the room. The Cinemin Projector can be used with portable media players, pretty much any apple product from the i family (iPhone, ipod), Flip Video, PSP, digital cameras, portable DVD players, netbooks, notebooks, and smartphones with video-out functionality. One thing to caution: the screen wouldn't project what was on the iPhone screen as we were going through the menus. It basically only works for pictures, movies, and presentations on the iPhone.

The Cinemin Projector has a resolution of 480 x 320 (HVGA). Its 90 degree swivel allows you to use it pretty much anywhere without using anything to prop it up. The Swivel can project a 60-inch image from over eight feet away.

This mini projector has a built-in speaker with adjustable volume and a headphone jack. The audio from the projector through the built-in speakers was decent, but if you have a large crowd you will probably want to connect your own powered speakers. The batteries should last up to two hours and are rechargeable.

Although the Cinemin Projector is a bit pricey at $299, we are sure that its usefulness outweighs the price.

THE GOOD
- Has many uses
- Multiple AC plugs allows for international use
- Small package delivers big image
- Can be used with multiple devices

THE BAD
- Battery life seems a little low
- A little dimmer than we expected
- Pricey
- Can't be used to scroll through iPhone menus

IN THE BOX
- AC/DC power adapter
- Power plugs for North America, UK, Europe, and Australia
- USB (A) to mini USB (B-5 pin) cable
- USB (A) to mini USB (B-4 pin) cable
- 3.5 mm to 3.5 mm cable
- AV composite to 3.5 mm cable
- Battery
- Padded soft case with Velcro flap
- Quick start guide.

WHERE TO BUY
Amazon

MANUFACTURER
WowWee

There comes a time in ones life when we need to make hard decision like which casket to choose for a loved one. Walmart, and Costco are just a few of the big time resellers that have entered the game. They are offering quality products at reduced prices.

If you have recently had a loved one passed you may still have sticker shock on how overpriced all the services are. We are here to help you save a little money. If you are a Costco club member make sure to take a look at the selection they have. Otherwise you have Walmart.

The one thing we don't like much about this is that you must wait for them to deliver the casket. . The only way to purchase them is online. From what we have investigated it looks like they can be delivered within 24 hrs. None of the stores carry these items so you wont be able to see them

Pictured above is a Walmart Dad Remembered casket for $895.00

If you have kids you likely go through dozens of batteries on toys. My wife and I have a 16 month old who loves her toys. We were throwing our money down the drain by buying batteries every time we went to the supermarket. Not having a good experience in the past with rechargeable batteries, we were skeptical about purchasing the Energizer 15-Minute Battery Charger.

The charger pictured here is also available with an AC adapter which is the one that we used for the review. It really does take less than 15 minutes to charge and gets you up and going in no time. Even the Energizer bunny himself couldn't catch up with the speed of this charger. The charger typically sells for about $30.00 and comes with 4 X AA batteries, but is also compatible with AAA batteries (great for remote controls). Currently the highest ma rating available is 2500mAh and a pack of four AA will run you about $13.00. We found a good deal on amazon of 2 X 4 AA packs for under $20.00.

The included AA Energizer rechargeable batteries are not as long lasting as the regular Duracel or Energizer batteries you find on the shelf, but they do save you a lot of money in the long run. These batteries can be charged hundreds of times and although the battery life decreases as time passes, the effects are not noticeable until the end of a long life cycle.

A few hints when buying the batteries, make sure that you purchase the highest mAh (milli Amp Hour) rating you can find. The batteries will be more expensive, but will have more power and last longer per charge. Also label and charge the batteries in sets. They tend to last longer when charged as a set. I use a sharpie to label which helps me see which batteries are older and have degraded life. Finally, remember to check with the toy or appliance you are going to put them in to make sure it allows you to use these type of batteries. I have been able to use them on toys, cameras, and remotes without a problem.

If I had to buy this kit again I wouldn't hesitate. It has saved us a ton of money. The instant gratification of having fresh batteries in 15 minutes is also a plus. One last thing to note is that you are reusing these batteries so it is great for the environment.


IN THE BOX
- Energizer 15-Minute Battery Charger.
- 4 X AA Energizer rechargeable batteries
- AC Adapter

THE GOOD
- Saves you money over the long run
- Charges four batteries in under 15 minutes
- Batteries can be charged hundreds of times

THE BAD
- Initialialy expensive
- Batteries tend to degrade after many uses

WHERE TO BUY
Amazon

MANUFACTURER
Energizer

We were always a little skeptical about the tiny little iPod nano but now they have packed so much technology into this little device that we crave getting our hands on one of them. You can record video, listen to FM radio, or even use it as a fitness tracker.

The nano currently comes in 9 colors and either 8 or 16 GB flash drive. The nano has super-sized its display to a 2.2 inch screen for easier viewing. There are two features that make this player stand out amongst the crowd. The first of which is the ability to pause live radio. The second and our personal favorite is what Apple calls their genius system. The genius system simply recognizes songs that mix well together and creates a seamless mix of about 12 tracks so that you can enjoy compatible music without having to even think about it.

The 8GB nano retails for 149.00 while the 16gb nano goes for 179.00. Amazon currently has the 8GB model for $139.00.

Get yours on Amazon.

Well watch out Segway! Honda unveiled their new people mover which they deemed a personal mobility device. This little thing has no steering wheel. It has an electric motor, and a couple of little wheels in series that allow one to move in any which direction you want it to. The U3-x moves based on the movement of your body. Lean to the left and it will move to the left. Lean to the right and you guessed it, it will move to the right.

The U3-x weighs about 22 pounds, its seat and foot rests fold into the device and has a nifty handle that will allow you to carry it from place to place. Honda has not said when it will be available, as it is just experimental at this point, but they are going to showcase it next month in the Tokyo Auto show.

Here is a video of this little sucker in action on You Tube.

Looking for a safe way to transfer your important files? Take a glance at the Ironkey thumb drive. The Ironkey is an AES 256-bit hardware encrypted thumb drive that offers protection without the need to install any software.

The Ironkey features a Level 3 FIPS 140-2 security, which is basically a tamper-resistant and tamper-evident design. The way that Ironkey achieves this is by coating the internal chips with a hardened epoxy potting compound. The Ironkey is even capable of self destructing -- like something out of the spy movies.



THE HARDWARE
There's not really much to say about the hardware. It's about as boring as it gets. Silver tin can comes to mind. Its body and cap are made of a hardened metal alloy that is virtually indestructible. The body has a little pin that holds a ring which can be attached to a key chain. The Ironkey label will peel off if the device is used heavily but there is no harm done to the device. The drive is also a little longer than its competitors but its nothing that we feel will drive business away. Take a look for yourself and be the judge. The one thing we didn't really enjoy was the removable cap that can be easily lost.

OUR IMPRESSION
There is not really much to set up on the device itself, which is great. Just like all other USB thumb drives on the market today, it is password protected so you will have to set that up. Upon insertion of the device into your USB drive you will get a password prompt just like all the other thumb drives. The difference with this USB drive is that it is hardware encrypted as opposed to software encrypted. In layman's terms this means that the device will be much harder if not impossible to hack into. The device was made for the government so you could just imagine the crazy security.

Check out the difference between the Ironkey menu compared to what we think is the most widely used and available thumb drive, the
SanDisk Cruzer Flash Drive.

Here is a screen shot of the Ironkey Menu:


Here is a screen shot of the Cruzer Menu:


From the menu you can see that they are both pretty similar. You can easily notice that although both are user friendly, the U3 device
(Sandisk) allows the installation of U3 applications. The Ironkey is not so friendly in this department. To our knowledge, you are not able to install such applications, at least not yet. It was a big no-no for us. The Sandisk allows you to download and install applications easily over the web. We thought this might be a security feature on the part of Ironkey to keep their device secure. Standalone executables however could be run from the Ironkey device without any problem.

The three demo units that we have are the IronKey "enterprise products". They come complete with web management and malware protection, although these options come at an additional monthly cost.



For large businesses or enterprise customers, the web management allows the administrators to view activity on the device, enforce rules, or deactivate devices at the touch of a button. The product allows a great amount of flexibility, giving administrators full control. We don't see the average user using this but it might be of high value to enterprise customers or businesses that require that kind of security. A good example of one of these rules is a rule that limits the attempts on the device by allowing the device to self destruct if too many attempts are made to log in. Once all attempts are made the device is destroyed never to be used again.



Another plus is what Ironkey calls their "silver bullet", basically it is protection against rogue employees. If an employee is let go or somehow runs off with your data you can send the device a silver bullet through the web. This will destroy the device instantly never to be used again. The administrator can set up a limit on how many times the device can log in without using the web. This rule will force the user to eventually use the Internet to log in to the device and detonate the silver bullet.

The web browser that is available on the personal and enterprise versions forces encryption, and has a monitor for spoofing web sites to keep you safe. The browser always keeps its files on the thumb drive so you will never leave any trails behind. We have been using the devices for about four months now and are happy with them so far.

The enterprise version also allows VeriSign Identity Protection (VIP), RSA SecurID ready, CRYPTOCard One-Time Password which are amazing forms of security on their own.

The Ironkey allows you to store an encrypted backup on your cpu and restore your drive at a future date.



It also features a pretty fancy password manager that is great to keep all 6000 of your user name and password combinations for your favorite web sites or accounts. The password manager will even generate strong passwords if you are having problems creating one. If that's not enough it will automatically fill out this information when you visit the website with what you have stored.



All in all it's a strong device that offers great peace of mind knowing that your files are virtually indestructible and secure. Can't decide which one? Ironkey helps you decide. Take a look here.

The current prices on Amazon are as follows.
1GB ~ $60.00
2GB ~ $80.00
4GB ~ $130.00
8GB ~ $199. 00

Note: If this is for enterprise use you will need to consider the charge for remote administration and extra services, but you will need to contact a vendor for a quote.

Check out the Demos
Basic / Personal Version for the average
Enterprise Version for business or Enterprise customers

IN THE BOX
- Ironkey USB Thumb Drive with Cap
- Key Ring

THE GOOD
- Strong design
- Offers ultimate encrypted protection for any type of file
- Malware Scanner
- Web management for enterprise users
- Web backup available
- Encrypted backup feature
- Password Manager
- Silver bullet feature (Allows admin to destroy a device remotely to protect data)

THE BAD
- Cap is easy to lose
- Expensive for home user
- Not very easy to find applications that can run on the device.
- Devices are currently only available in 2,4, and 8GB sizes

Get yours on Amazon

MANUFACTURER
IronKey

Nissan introduced the Leaf a couple of days ago and while it is causing up a storm, it looks like you will have to wait until late 2010 to get your own -- at least those are the rumors right now.

The Nissan Leaf, a zero emission vehicle, is powered by advanced technology lithium ion batteries -- the same batteries that power your cell phone. The batteries are said to give you enough power to travel at speeds of up to 90 miles per hour and cover up to 100 miles in one charge. According to Answers.com, Americans travel about 33.4 miles per day, so you could technically go about 3 days without charging your car. No detail specifications on how many trips you can make to the pizza parlor with you and four of your best buds however.



The current electric car revolution reminds me of the documentary "Who Killed the Electric Car?" If you haven't seen it, make sure you do. It is an interesting view on GM's EV1, the American version of the electric vehicle, that seems to have come before its time.