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OuterNotes: Truly Unique and Useful Gadgets
http://www.cpen.com/product/cpen600.shtml It looks like a bulbous fountain pen, weighs less than three ounces (that's not a misprint), and can record up to 2,000 pages of text that can be zapped into your computer or Palm device via an infrared port. Steady hands can swipe it across a page (flat surfaces work the best) or business card (up to 250 addresses can be stored) to capture the needed information into either the pen itself or directly onto your PC screen (it's thoughtfully designed to auto-switch between righties and lefties). As it that wasn't impressive enough, the small LCD screen in the handle also acts as a language translator, a free dictionary and organizer. The Oxford English Dictionary is included, while additional Spanish, French, Italian, German or Swedish are available for $40.00. But after visiting a few retailers sites, be warned -- this costs a big more than a buck Bic. The C-Pen 600 will set you back $149.00 for the pen itself, and $40 for each an extra dictionary. And you'll need to spring for the infrared connector as well. --Max Kovins Timex's Data Link Synchs and Swims http://www.timex.com/bin/detail.tmx?item=802:69787 Personal Digital Assistants continue to shrink, but Timex has long offered an alternative: the $80.00 Data Link 150 watch, which (based on my own experience) is an underrated and indispensable tool you will turn to again and again. It's capable of storing up to 150 phone numbers, appointments, birthdays and anniversaries, several whimsical and attention-getting alarms, and a to-do list on its 31-character display. The downside? You can't input entries directly into the watch; instead, Timex's free software allows you to download the information from your PC (Macs are not supported) by holding the watch up to your monitor (laptop screens require a separate $30.00 adapter), and clicking your mouse. This may not be Dick Tracy's two-way wrist radio, but it's not your Dad's watch either. And how many PDAs are water-resistant to 30 meters? --Max Kovins [Editor's OuterNote: As Max says, "This is truly one of those items you use and then smack yourself in the forehead and say "How did I get along without this gadget for so long? I feel naked without it on." Stay tuned for another product that can cover many bases:] Odigo Combines AOL, Yahoo and ICQhttp://www.odigo.com/ Instant messaging is great, but it comes with a big problem: Three different networks hold massive numbers of users but don't interconnect. Many writers use chat to talk back and forth to editors -- and face the pain of running different programs for different people. A new free client called Odigo (from the Greek word for guide) tries to fix the problem, using plug-ins so users can talk to AOL, ICQ and Yahoo! users from the same program. Odigo has fought a long war with AOL that saw them get kicked out of the AIM system, but released patches to restore service. Within the Odigo network, the client uses an interesting set of descriptives like mood, intention (wink, wink) and occupation so people can find one another in the never-ending cocktail party of chat. The interface may be initially confusing for newbies, but it doesn't take long to catch on. --Chris Stamper Comet Cursors Puts a Dictionary on Your Pointer http://cometcursor.cometsystems.com/smartcursors/ Comet Cursors used to be just for fun -- you could personalize your mouse pointer with animals, Dilbert, flowers, sports images -- but they've now evolved into a useful editorial tool. If you're running a PC with Internet Explorer 4.01 or higher, you can easily download the 300K Smart Cursors package that lets you click on any word, anywhere on the Web, and receive search-engine results, definitions from the American Heritage Dictionary and Britannica.com in a new window. A well-written FAQ, screen shots, and an e-mail newsletter are also there to get the point across. --Karin Call OuterNotes is produced using the OuterForce Platform, which allows publishers to easily recruit and manage remote and freelance content creation and export it into their publishing platform of choice. For more information, see http://www.outerforce.com. Copyright 2000 by OuterNotes and Trotta Media, Inc. All rights reserved. OuterNotes is a trademark of OuterForce Systems, Inc.Return to OuterNotes Home |