Setting up your home network used to be something you called your buddy from the IT help desk to do. Network storage appliances used to be configured by PhD’s. Apple has changed that.

I recently purchased the 1 TB Apple Time Capsule and like a lot of Apple’s products it does something so nicely you just forget (or choose to overlook) the short comings. Bottom line is that I think this device is well worth the money at $500 for 1 TB of storage.

I initially set this up with my Mac Mini on Leopard as the de facto Time Machine, but shortly realized that it was a waste of 1 terabyte (TB) of network storage capacity. I backup everything I have with a second hard drive and keep it outside the house anyway. I don’t need a back up system for the few files I actually keep on my desktop. Time Machine might be great for the conspiracy theorists who worry about the end of time and all that, but it just wasn’t for me. I found some articles in chat rooms describing how to partition the drive for network storage and the typical Time Machine usage, but I chose just to keep it all as storage and turn the backup feature off.

Below I break down the pros and cons but I just have to say this thing just works like a champ and couldn’t be easier to set up. My only real gripe, that I wish I had a way to address, is that I use this as my storage for all my music files. When it streams a song longer than say 4 minutes it falls into sleep mode and can sometimes delay the start of the next song or stop serving up its buffer all together. I wish I had a way with the Air Port Utility to change this sleep time duration but I don’t. This happens so infrequently that it doesn’t bother me that much. More importantly, I suspect this devise should last me a good four years and hold all the MP3s, digital video, and photos I can produce.

Pros:

• Great range (8o2.11N)
• Very reliable
• Simple
• Fast

Cons:

• Limited Flexibility
• Sometimes sleeps when streaming music via iTunes
• “I” personally don’t like Time Machine backup software

If you know someone who can’t get enough silly cat videos on YouTube, needs to know the weather constantly, or can’t pry themselves away from sports scores on ESPN, then the Chumby looks like the perfect gadget gift. It’s like a second monitor just for your favorite widgets. You could also use this to constantly watch your favorite deal of the day sites like steepandcheap.com or woot.com.

Be sure to check out the list of widgets to get a better understanding of how might want one of these.

Check it out at www.chumby.com

Price:$179.95

(I’m hoping my wife reads this and gets the hint)

I’m in love with this hunk of plastic.

There are times when you find a tool or a piece of gear with tons of flaws yet still performs wonderfully. This speaker is a perfect example. I think this is because the speaker looks so simple that I can’t believe I’ve found as many things to improve. I also don’t think I’ve seen any of these speakers that I’ve really enjoyed listening too in the past.

The bottom line is that I love a full and powerful sound when listening to music, just as my friends how many times they have to turn down music when they come over to my house. This speaker delivers a ton of sound and it very simple and elegant. I’d recommend this to anyone.

My suggested improvements:

• The mesh front isn’t secured very well on the corners
• The docking tray should come with more adapters to fit the specific iPods
• The docking tray is also difficult to open and close
• The volume buttons on the side need to be more sensitive

What I love:

• The great sound
• The simplistic design

Why do you wear headphones? Where do you wear headphones?

If you wear your headphones to get clean accurate sound in environments where you want to focus without interruptions, these are for you.

These headphones produce a clean clear sound. The fit is perfect, and like the name suggest, they feel very custom. The snug fit produces an almost noise canceling effect blocking out all surrounding or ambient noise. I’d say these headphones would be perfect for the audiophile on the commute, at the gym or for use at your desk at work.

Klipsch is known for powerful, accurate and clean audio. These headphones are a good example and representation of the quality and precision they are know for.

These headphones come with a really nice case that can double as an iPod carrying case, a few options for ear jells to insure your custom fit, and an extension for the two pronged 1/8th inch headphone jacks seen on airplanes.

Summary
These Custom-2 headphones produce a bright, clean and obscured sound quality consistent with some of the other high end headphones on the market. They are stylish and fit well.

Where to buy
www.klipsch.com
Price: $199

Product Suggestions
I’d prefer to hear a little more bass boost, have a volume control on the cord, and give the user some options for ear gels that let a little more ambient sound in.

Review Summary

Regular Price: $449.00
Sale Price: $239.37 (as of 1/29/08)
Recommended Use: mountain biking, skiing, hiking and camping
Pros: durable face, trip logging functions, and thin for and altimeter
Cons: band clasp not the best, can’t track altitude and barometer at the same time, and the compass not the best
Avg. Customer Rating: 4/5
Would I buy this again: Yes

Similar Product

Polar AXN700 Altimeter
Price: $429.95

Three years ago I bought my first pair of Salomon shoes thinking that I liked they way the looked and wanted to try out a shoe with the quick lacing system. Well, I was impressed but I don’t think I quite knew what a fit this shoe was for me until last year when I bought another brand of shoes to try something different. I bought a comparable shoe with what was supposed to have a more ridged sole and a traditional lacing system. I then realized how much I missed the comfort, fit, breath-ability, and quick durable lacing system. So, this year I decided to go back to Salomon and try out their Salomon XA Pro 3D Trail Running Shoe. This shoe is even better than my last pair of the same shoe.

How I use the shoe

I like to have a decent pair of every day shoes that I can take to the trails for a run and wear as my every day shoe. I am 6′2” and 195 lbs., and these shoes hold up very well.

Features I like

• The toe piece has been redesigned to protect you from jagged rocks on the trail with an over the top toe-guard. I don’t know about you but I seem to stub my toe at least once on every trail run.
• The look design on the heal is stitched in in such a way that makes it very easy to grab. Again, I use these as my everyday shoe and getting them on and off fast is a plus for me.
• The lacing system now is stitched in a little farther down the foot giving an even better fit up front.
• The breathable sandwich mesh makes this a very comfortable shoe for just about every weather condition and activities
• The sole is surprisingly well built and comfortable for how light the shoe is. There is plenty of support and shock-absorption.

Buy Now: Search for Salomon Trail Runners