January 2008
Scooba Floor Scrubber
The Scooba 5900 floor scrubber doesn't do as good a job as a professional house cleaner, but my wife and I are lazy, and we figured an automatic floor scrubber that washes the floor and does an ok job would still be better than the job I do. I used the same logic on vacuuming and bought a couple Roombas. We've come to find out these robots don't do just an ok job, they actually do a very good job each and every time they run. I'm always amazed at how dirty the water is when I clean out my 5900 and I cannot believe how clean our floors are. My floors are now automatically swept, then mopped every week. I only spend 10 minutes preparing the 5900 robot: adding hot water and a cup of the Scooba Clorox solution, then emptying the dirty water, cleaning a few parts and putting it on the charger for the day after tomorrow (we now sweep and mop up to three times a week). The robotic brothers and sisters all like to entertain. I clearly have the cleanest floors; and the best thing is I'm not the one doing the scrubbing anymore. I bought my Scooba brand new from distributors on eBay and ended up saving a lot of money and still have full warranties.
-- Don Tharpe
Scooba Floor Scrubber
$170
Available from Amazon
Manufactured by iRobot
Clorox Scooba Cleaning Solution
$10
Available from Amazon
[When this review was submitted almost a year ago, the Scooba retailed for $300 on Amazon. At that price, it was cool. The 40% price cut just made the Scooba even cooler. -- sl]
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Favorite (15)Balikbayan Box Cover
The Balikbayan Box Cover is a heavy-duty canvas bag with reinforced seams and side handles that's designed specifically to fit a 20" x 20" x 20" cardboard box. The beauty of the box cover is that after TSA officials inspect and reseal your box, they can zip up the top flap on the bag closed and your box is further protected from re-opening. The bag also helps guard your box (and its contents) from rough airline baggage handling. Gearing up for an extended visit to Moscow, my wife and I struggled to find a way to pack a large box of provisions that would still be well-sealed even after TSA inspection. I'm typically a minimalist when packing for trips, but this was a much different situation than your typical few days on vacation. I was concerned TSA folks might not be especially thorough about re-taping the box seams, which could lead to the box tearing open in transit. A Filipino friend came to the rescue with this simple, but incredibly effective solution (in the Philippines, when someone travels abroad, it's customary to ship his/her relatives a Balikbayan box filled with gifts/goodies). At 60 inches linear total, the box cover conforms to major airline luggage size restrictions, although it may take some creativity to keep the weight within the 50-lb. limit in this large of a box.
-- Rob O'Daniel
Balikbayan Box Cover
$27
Available from Balikbayan Gear
[The covers come in an array of colors, including "bubblegum pink"; helpful if you're looking to make a quick ID at baggage claim. --sl]
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Doc Allen's VersaTool
When I am wearing my 5.11 tactical cargo pants, this pocket-sized screwdriver/Allen-wrench with interchangeable bits always goes in the right-hand cargo pocket. I'll often use the screwdriver of my Leatherman several times a day, but the VersaTool does a better job due to the interchangeable bits (better fit to the screws). Also, the handle can be adjusted to provide additional leverage or to fit tight spots. To get greater torque, you just slide the handle into "T" or "L" configurations. Recently, I used it to reinstall a bathroom cabinet door that the kids somehow managed to detach. My kids are good at dismantling things, so having this on hand saves time and allows me to complete repairs immediately without having to remember to return to them later. In one weekend, I also managed to complete several repairs on my truck without having to grab the tool box. Interestingly, the hex adapter will disconnect and the VersTool will then accept any 1/4" socket so that it can be used as a nut driver. I do not have enough room left in my pockets for a set of 1/4" sockets, but I plan on buying a couple more VersaTools, one of which I'll be dropping in my briefcase long with a spare socket set.
-- John Rigby
Doc Allen's VersaTool
$17
Available from Duluth Trading
Manufactured by and also available from Doc Allen
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Anniversary for Your Editor
Although my name sits above, someone else has been editing Cool Tools for the past 12 months. Steven Leckart has been coordinating and selecting the reader-written reviews, editing them into clarity, double-checking the purchasing information and scouting out the related items (his idea, too). Readers of the blog probably haven't noticed him, because of this back-stage position. In fact, I've only met Steven in person once myself, for 5 minutes in passing; as in the age of the internet, everything is done remotely from our homes. Readers of the weekly email version of Cool Tools (you can sign up here) do see him because the emails come from him, rather than me.
Visible or not, there is more work than appears in keeping this site simple, reliable, efficient and clear. My goal has always been to provide direct recommendations of great stuff, without a lot of distracting noise. Steven has done this with flair and quiet professionalism. He is much more thorough and diligent than I ever was. His day job is a freelance writer, researcher and fact-checker for Wired.
This week is the one year anniversary for Editor Leckart. Would you give him a round of applause, along with a recommendation for great tool that you love (hint hint)? Cool Tools runs on the enthusiasm of readers like you.
He is steveleckart gmail com.
Panasonic Blood Pressure Monitor
The blood pressure monitor I recommended previously has been discontinued, but no matter: last year I upgraded to Panasonic's EW3006S, a comparably-priced wrist sphygmomanometer with several advantages. It is MUCH quieter than the EW3002W: perhaps 25 percent; as loud of a buzz as it powers up and inflates the cuff. It takes readings faster: about twice as fast from button push to readout. It's more comfortable: doesn't seem to constrict as tightly as the previous iteration. The display is larger and less cluttered, therefore, easier to read. The buttons are also much larger and easier to activate, but without being too easy ( i.e. no accidental pushes). Although the EW3006S is slightly larger in size than its predecessor, it's noticeably lighter, which is important - like my last monitor, I carry it in my fanny pack when I'm in the OR.
-- Joseph Stirt, MD
Panasonic Blood Pressure Monitor
$45
Available from BrilliantStore.com
Or $60 from Amazon
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Utrition Liquid Vitamins
I had a problem taking glucosamine in tablet form. I was gagging on the horse-sized pills and this seemed to cause an automatic antipathy to swallowing pills of any nature. After some research I discovered Utrition liquid vitamins. Their Liquid Vitamin Plus has an excellent lineup of vitamins A, B, C, D, and E + other ingredients and tastes like frozen orange juice (ed. note: it's "pineapple orange juice" according to Utrition). Their Liquid Joint Repair has 2000 mg glucosamine, 1200 mg chondroitin and is good-tasting as well. I keep these in the fridge and take a swig each day. Simple.
I also discovered a very sharp website (Bodybuilding.com) that is totally on the ball, has quick service, and offers thousands of nutritional products.
-- Lloyd Kahn
Liquid Vitamin Plus
$13 (16 fl. oz.)
Available from Bodybuilding.com
$23 (32 fl. oz.)
Available from Amazon
Liquid Joint Repair
$17 (16 fl. oz.)
Also from Amazon
Or $18 from Bodybuilding.com
Manufactured by Utrition
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Double Paper Holder
Modern public toilets employ versions of these dual TP holders, and even though a private household has no similar absolute need for one, it's very nice to permanently eliminate one of life's little nagging gotchas. I've been using this model for 15 years, and it's served its purpose admirably: having an at-hand spare roll when the primary roll unexpectedly runs out. It's bound to happen someday to someone (maybe to a visitor), so why not attack the problem proactively? Rather than being haphazardly located under the sink, next to the john, etc., the spare roll is rather tidily found& #8212; neither in the way nor out of the way.
Also, there is no spool to thread through the roll(s), meaning there's no detachable part to drop while re-threading or misplace while moving or painting. Instead, there are a couple of 3/8" circular projections on each side that fit snugly into each roll's cardboard center. Press a little black button and an arm on the side pivots out an inch. Insert one side of the roll onto the center (fixed) post and swing/click the arm back into place -- fast and foolproof. This design also fits the roll more tightly than a spool, so the TP doesn't rattle on its axis while being turned and thoughtfully stops turning when the pulling stops. There are slightly cheaper versions of this style of holder, but they have spools. Besides, in 15 years mine hasn't failed, tarnished or scratched. I think building codes should encourage such dual TP holders.
-- Roger Knights
Double Paper Holder
$17
Available from Amazon
Manufactured by World Wide Sourcing
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IRWIN Unibit Drill Bit
I've been easing into more and more metal work over the last year and half (propane art, collapsible fire fans and fire hula hoops a la Burning Man), so I drill a lot of multi-size holes in aluminum tubing. This is by far the best bit I've found for drilling through such thin materials. To get precise placement and a clean hole, normally I'd drill a small pilot hole, then run a larger drill bit in that hole to get the size and placement right. With this bit, I do not need to create a pilot hole (though, a center punch can help). I simply drill until I get to the right size (1/4" and 1/2" mostly). Because the bit has a single flute (cutting edge), it makes very clean holes. It's also very accurate: the bit is very stiff, so it wanders less when starting a hole. Since I don't need to change drill bits in my drill press to successively drill larger holes or change the jig I'm using to hold the part, it's become a real time saver.
-- Sean Rutledge
IRWIN Unibit
$14
(3/6" - 1/4")
Available from Amazon
$62
(three-piece set)
Also from Amazon
$67
(four-piece set)
Also from Amazon
Manufactured by IRWIN
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ClickBook
ClickBook is a super simple to use, reasonably-priced program that lets you create simple booklets, and more, with a regular, non-duplexing printer. I found it via PaperDirect more than 10 years ago, before ClickBook was bought by Blue Squirrel. I was looking for some fancier templates for personal business cards and other small projects, like tri-fold brochures. When I got it (I use the Windows version), I discovered it could do a whole lot more than just brochures. It was a lifesaver when I was in charge of my Masonic Lodge and had to do a monthly newsletter and all the mailings for Lodge events. I was able to churn out tri-fold mailers quickly and easily, and I even used ClickBook to make the programs for several public events. I don't regularly create booklets these days, but I still use it to make personal reference mini-books and role-playing game handouts.
The program install runs you through a short setup procedure which configures the software for your printer. When finished, the software has installed and configured a virtual printer which can be used to generate pamphlets and booklets from regular word-processing files. All you have to do is open your document, then print it to the ClickBook virtual printer, choosing a final output format. There's no need to worry about measuring margins or fitting documents to a page. The program then sends your job to your printer, complete with instructions for re-inserting the paper to print the back side of the sheets, allowing for automatic aligning of pages in the final booklet. It is one of the most helpful little programs I've ever used, perfect for the budding pamphleteer. I've never found a free version or anything comparable, though I have to admit, since getting the software, I haven't really felt the need to look. This is simple, easy to use, and works every time.
-- Jim Hoffman
ClickBook
$50
(Mac)
Available from Blue Squirrel Software
(Windows)
Also from Blue Squirrel Software
Or 15-day free trial
(Windows only)
Additional info available at ClickBook.com
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ACME Workhorse Bags
These reusable nylon bags are about the size of a plastic grocery bag, but are stronger, can hold a lot, and they pack into a self-contained pouch attached to the bag. They become very small when collapsed/packed and are very lightweight (1.5 oz). It takes me around five seconds, to stuff one back into its pouch (I think I've even done it in two). I find I can easily keep three ACME's in my not-huge handbag so I don't have to remember them; a lot of my shopping is done walking, so the car isn't the best place for them. I use them multiple times per day because of their convenient size and weight. Unlike the reusable shopping bags sold at grocery stores, these don't have a logo emblazoned on them, so I feel comfortable bringing them into any store. They're cheaper than similar bags of this nature I've seen. They also come in subdued colors -- I have three in black (I originally ordered four, but my boyfriend nabbed one as soon as he saw them! I also just ordered four more in a different color). Before purchasing I was concerned that they don't have a flat bottom -- I thought they might spill all over when I do throw them in my car. Turned out not to be a problem, because it's very easy to knot and unknot the handles. Because ACME's handles are part of the body of the bag, there are no seams to get stressed by the load. I definitely haven't maxed mine out, but ACME advertises it can hold up to 25lbs. I've mainly put things like a gallon of milk, plus other stuff - definitely things I would have doubled up a regular plastic bag for.
I save about 3-4 plastic bags or 2-3 paper bags each trip to the grocery, about 12 plastic bags per week, not counting all the other non-grocery places I pick up additional bags. I used to have a few of the Whole Foods-style reusable bags, but don't use them at all now. The ACME bags are far more portable. Helping the environment feels good, and I find the concept of reusable/self-contained things to be elegant, but the main reason I am so happy with the ACME bags is how much they've reduced the clutter in my life. I have a tendency to carry a lot of "junk" from place to place--home to car, work, and even within my house--and then I end up with large numbers of bags hanging around the house/car/work. Having only three ACME bags in use at once forces me to empty them immediately so I can use them again. And then I don't have to wonder what to do with the plastic bags I get from the store.
-- Maria Blees
ACME Workhorse Bag
$8
Available from ReusableBags.com
Or $24, buy 3/get 1 free from ReusableBags.com
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Col. Ichabod Conk Shaving Soap
After receiving some nasty shaving lotion in a foil package at a hotel, I went on a quest for a travel shave soap I wouldn't have to declare as liquid or gel at airport security. This soap comes inside a hinged, clear plastic container. Pack it wet or dry the soap off first with a towel or piece of toilet paper/Kleenex -- either way, you shouldn't have any water/dampness issues in your luggage, as it seals well. The soap foams up a little when you get it nice and wet, seemingly a bit more than regular soap. Based on my usage, I'd say it's good for at least 25 shaves (at the rate I seem to travel that should do it for life). Though ease of carry-on was my initial criterion, the quality of the shave, price, expected lifespan of the product, and the functionality of the packaging make this a great option. Bonus: it smells really good (I use the lime version).
-- Joseph Stirt
The soap lasts *hundreds* of shaves from my experience. I've tried all the flavours, but prefer the Amber and Bay Rum. I use these at home, a couple or three times a week. The tubs are all over a year old; the Amber is in its second year and is only now down to the bottom of the container. Of course, if one's making enough lather to shave a ship of sailors, it's not going to last as long.
-- David Priest
Col. Ichabod Conk Shaving Soap
$3.50, shipping excluded*
(lime)
Available from Amazon
Also available from Amazon in almond, bay rum, and amber
Or $3.50, w/cheaper shipping
Available from Best Grooming & Shaving Tools
Manufactured by Col. Ichabod Conk Products, Inc.
[*Before buying, please note the Amazonian shipping price ($8+); the best deal is to stock up on several at once or go in with some friends who also want to try one out -- sl]
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Long-Reach Stapler
My theater group always uses these for stapling our programs together. It's a serious workhorse, big and heavy, and the longer reach will allow you to make booklets out of much, much bigger material than the Mini Booklet Stapler. The stapler has a 12" reach on it, so you can staple anything up to 24" wide pre-fold (so architectural 'D'-sized paper could be used, if you felt like it). And unlike the mini model, it takes standard staples. The staplers we use were old when I got involved with this theater group (about 7 or 8 years ago), and they're still working like brand new. They are made almost entirely out of steel and are incredibly durable. We mostly use them for programs of no more than 6 sheets of standard paper and a heavy high-gloss cover sheet, but we do several hundred of these programs in a batch every couple of months. We also use them for stapling short scripts, say, 20 pages (long scripts get the three-ring binder). There's a neat little plastic clip on the stapler (which is nicely graduated) that lets you set the width, which makes lining up the fold on your booklets very convenient; you just push your material to the clip and staple. Great for big batches.
-- Andy Martin
Long Reach Stapler
$24*
Available from Amazon
Manufactured by Stanley-Bostitch
[*There are significantly cheaper versions, like this $6 made by Sparco on Amazon; if you've used one for a reasonably significant amount of time and can report positively or negatively about that stapler or any others, please let us know --sl]
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Pacsafe Travelsafe
The Travelsafe 100 is a heavily reinforced, lockable nylon bag with steel cable woven through the fabric and an external steel cable which makes it possible to lock the bag to a stationary item (such as the frame of a bed in a hotel). The bag is 8+" x 13" and quite light. It's more of a deterrent to casual thieves, as a well-equipped, professional thief armed with a hacksaw or 5" bolt cutters could probably penetrate it (a knife would not be sufficient to cut the steel mesh). On a recent surf trip to Costa Rica, the hotel safe at the main office was only open 8am-6pm, and was basically unavailable given our daily schedule. I used the bag to store my digital camera, iPod, passport, wallet, traveler's checks and money by locking the bag to the hotel bed frame (my travel buddy also put some of his things in it, too). If you don't want to be burdened with a key, you can buy your own combination lock, though the spindle needs to be thin enough to fit. Pacsafe also sells lockable knapsacks, shoulder bags, computer bags, and even steel mesh covers to extend over large backpacks or suitcases. I chose the model I did because I wanted something relatively inexpensive and small enough to just hold valuables and electronics.
-- Carl Hamann
$40
Available from Amazon
Manufactured by Pacsafe
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Headsweats Coolmax Skullcap
My desire to ride a bike during winter dwindles as the temp drops, but traditional beanies -- aside from being bulky under a helmet -- can feel way too warm, especially once you really get pedaling. This ultra-thin polyester skullcap has cut down on those downhill-windchills without overheating me. The material breathes (hold it to the light and you can see through it), and it dries quickly. It also packs tiny (see below). If you desire more ear coverage, there's the previously-reviewed thermal Maxit beanie or Headsweats also makes a MidCap as well as several other thicker, more expensive options I have not used, including a few in micro fleece. As it is, I get 2/3 ear coverage with this skullcap, which is generally fine for the climate I ride in (San Francisco). Headsweats makes a cycling cap complete with a bill; I prefer being able to carelessly wad mine up and throw it in my pack, plus the lack of a bill affords other uses: I've donned mine with a hooded sweatshirt to play basketball and under a $.99-store beanie to add a bit more warmth. Above all else, this polyester cap makes my helmet much more comfortable.
-- Steven Leckart
Headsweats Coolmax Skullcap
$12
Available from Amazon
Manufactured by Headsweats
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Art Comber
Efficient equipment, tool or "stuff" management is always an issue with creativity. With the Art Comber, I always have a portable art studio at my beck. I draw everyday, but attend paint-ins/outs a minimum of least once a month. It is one thing to simply draw with a pad and pencil; it is another to be able to get out of my vehicle or attend a workshop with a self-contained studio intact and, almost instantly, sit down and let colors fly and create. The seat is quite comfy, much more than a campstool. The average indoor dining chair seat measures 17"; the Comber measures 14 1/2" and the height is quite close to a regular chair, too. I've taken the Comber through a variety of terrain -- roadside, parks, reserves, beach, arboretum, poolside, barns, and other artists' homes. The relatively light weight is important since you are pulling and lugging around a lot of stuff.
My cart (approx. 21" x 8.5") holds: 1 digital camera (strapped on), 1 14"x18" cushioned lap desk w/metal clip-fastener, 1 sketch pad/book, 1 14"x20" watercolor-paper block pad, 1 ceramic/metal mixing pan (15 1/2"x 11 1/4"), plastic or paper trash bags, 1 12.5" x 9" clipboard, 2 collapsible canvass paint tube caddies, 2 brush caddies, 1 portable easel (use depends on style of painting), 1 tri-leg 23" x 3" camp stool (for an extra flat surfaced mini-table, if necessary), scissors, tape, water spray bottles, 4-6 stackable water containers w/closeable lids, Kleenex, jar or plastic bottle, bottle of water, sandwich, bug spray. I use portable caddies and Ziplocs to handle much of the stuff (erasers, glue tubes, sponges, frisket, rulers, water bottles, etc.). One improvement would be to add side pockets and a few compartments, so unpacking for the colorful spontaneous event would be even simpler. Until then, I am very pleased with the Art Comber and the caddy also serves as tidy storage when I am not painting.
-- Carol Watson
Art Comber
$50
Available from Jerry's Artarama
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Grand Central
Referring to the Mini Phone Recorder and the request for web-based recording solutions, I've been using Grand Central and Free Conference Call to record calls for a few months now. Both are free services, with Free Conference Call giving you the option to record calls between many many callers (up to 96 callers at the same time!). It works great, like FreeConference.com, and registration is open to all. However, I really prefer Grand Central (owned by Google). The service's main benefit is that you can route multiple numbers through one line. But it's rather easy to
-- Ed Fonseca
When I requested a number from Grand Central, I received one the very next day. Once you're in, you can invite 10 friends. I sent it to a few writer/journalist colleagues. Documenting interviews via cell phone on the fly is a truly remarkable development for any reporter, especially those used to being tethered to a desk with an old-fashioned phone tap. From the interviewee's perspective, you always know when you're being recorded because a voice prompt interrupts the call each time the interviewer presses 4. Grand Central has plenty of jazzy features -- centralizing all your numbers alone is the main selling point -- but eliminating the gray area of what's on and off the record ranks high on my list. Also, just a reminder, the laws about recording on the phone vary by state in the US.
-- Steven Leckart
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Leather Therapy
I have been a horse owner for over 15 years. Throughout that time I've tried a variety of different leather cleaners and conditioners on my saddles and tack. Leather Therapy is by far the most effective cleaning & conditioning system I have ever used. It is easy to use, has a pleasant smell, and never leaves the leather feeling greasy. The Leather Wash comes in a convenient spray bottle. I've used this on several pieces of forgotten tack that were covered in dust, grime and mold upon their re-emergence from a damp old barn. This spray dissolved the grime like magic, allowing me to wipe away years of neglect with nothing more then a soft cloth. There is no need to rinse off the spray once applied. It leaves the leather with a nice shiny finish and also helps the leather regain some suppleness.
The second product I've used is the Restorer and Conditioner. It has the consistency of thin oil and is absorbed readily into most leathers. I once used this conditioner on an antique saddle, which was horribly dried out and moldy as a result of 20+ years of neglect. It restored the leather's sheen and much of its flexibility after only a few treatments. The conditioner also helps to prevent mold from reappearing. This is a huge plus for horse tack as once mold takes hold it is often very difficult to keep it from coming back.
This product is also great for giving new life to 'cheap' leather. I've bought several new bargain bridles for training purposes, some of which were made of such a low quality leather it was reminiscent of cardboard. After a couple of treatments with the Restorer & Conditioner these items suddenly had a respectable amount of suppleness. I believe the life of these items will be greatly extended as a result of using this treatment. The Restorer and Conditioner has become an integral part of my brand new saddle's maintenance routine. I treated this saddle immediately after purchasing it, and I do believe it helped to speed up the break-in time. (The same goes for my riding boots as well.)
Of course, these products aren't just for horse owners. The manufacturer's website states the products work well on leather jackets. I don't have anything like that to try it out on, but I use these products quite often on my $300 leather riding boots. I've also sprayed the wash on a cloth and used it on my car's interior. I haven't yet tried it on my new leather couch, but I will not hesitate to do so once the time comes. I really would use it on any smooth leather surface without hesitation, as it is not sticky or greasy at all. There are a variety of leather cleaning, conditioning, and waterproofing items on the Leather Therapy website. You can order online and each product comes in several different sizes. The products are listed as being biodegradable, which is another big plus in my book.
-- Talia Chiodo
Leather Therapy
$10
(Restorer & Conditioner, 8 oz.)
Available from Amazon
$14
(Wash, 16 oz.)
Also from Amazon
Manufactured by Unicorn Editions
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Removable Magic Tape
By the same token as the Restickable Glue Stick, 3M's Scotch makes a product called Removable Magic Tape which I use extensively in doing rough page layouts of books with a lot of graphics on each page. It sticks to paper or just about any dry surface. Pulls off easily, leaves no residue. Unlike the regular Magic Tape, you can easily pick it up and move things around. I've been using it for over 10 years and find it's less messy and way quicker to use than the glue sticks. If you already have the Magic Tape dispensers, the removable refills come in a blue box (Cat. # 811).
-- Lloyd Kahn
Removable Magic Tape
$3
Available from Amazon
Manufactured by 3M
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FuBar Demolition Tool
The FuBar is a single cast piece of high carbon steel that looks like a prettied up hammer. One end has a hammer and a tearing, armour-penetrating beak, while the opposite end has a conventional pry bar and nail puller. You can use it to drive nails, but what it really excels in is F'ing things up beyond recognition -- hence FuBar. You hit something with the axe-like end until it's weakened, then hit again, twist to pry, and CRUNCH!
When my girlfriend's home suffered minor flooding, the damaged furniture needed removing urgently. But the furniture, including a bed and a very sturdy sofa bed, were too big to be removed through a doorway that had been put out of commission. The sofa bed just laughed at our attempts to take it apart using a heavy claw hammer and pry bar. The hammer bounced off the thing's ultra solid construction, making it more likely that I'd be damaged than the sofa. Hitting with a hammer can be dangerous; even if it has a straight beak instead of a claw, it's comparatively likely to recoil and bounce; you need many more hits and each one is much riskier. Demolition is a very violent activity and from my experience FuBar can make it safer, as well as much faster. There's more control, fewer blows are needed, and less contact with the object being destroyed are required - which matters, because said object usually becomes a mass of sharp nails and wood early in the process, and the less you have to risk cuts and tetanus by getting close up, the better. It’s also durable -- looks the same now as before I destroyed enough furniture to fill a pickup.
I have the smallest version, a 2.5-pound FuBar 2. The FuBar has just been updated into the "FuBar 3" model, which comes in 3 sizes (2.5, 4 and 8 pounds) and has a few minor changes to the shape of the hammer/pickaxe and prybar. I think you'd only want a larger FuBar if you were doing some very serious demolition. And even then, you'd probably want the 2.5-pounder as well. I find it can be used one or two-handed (making use from a ladder possible) and it also works well as a nail driving hammer. It's a little heavy, but superbly balanced. Note: Be sure to buy safety goggles -- and I recommend well-ventilated ones with an anti-mist coating. You'll sweat much more using a FuBar than an electric drill, and misted up goggles can easily result in a badly gashed hand.
-- Jonathan Coupe
FuBar
$30
Available from Amazon
Manufactured by Stanley
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i-Blue 747 Bluetooth GPS Logger
Once you've got the GPS bug, you'll find there's a lot more than simply knowing where you are and where you're going. There's also knowing where you've been, so you can plot your bike rides in Google Earth, geolocate your trail photos after the fact, or otherwise track your movements. This requires what's known as a GPS "logger," which is either a feature in some of the higher-end handheld GPS navigation gadgets, or a stand-alone device. I’ve used two of the stand-alone variety on robotic aerial photography planes, which is admittedly a little extreme, but the conclusions are useful for anyone just going for a walk in the park.
The first is the i-Blue 747 Bluetooth device from Transystem, and the second is the TrackStick II. One is great, and the other isn't. Both come with software that will output your track data to a Google Earth file that you view and send around to friends. (Note: neither support the Mac, so you'll need to use Parallels, dual-boot or find a different device if you're one of those happy Apple folks.) There are probably other uses for these GPS loggers involving your teenage children, your car and various banned locations (and no doubt even creepier uses that I haven't thought of), but I didn't test those.
The i-Blue 747 can be found for less than $70 at Amazon. It's got 16MB of memory, tracks 32 satellites and has Bluetooth so you can use it for real-time communications with a PDA or smartphone. It comes with rechargeable lithium batteries and is really small (approx 2.9" x 1.75" x 0.75"). It also saves GPS positions once per second, which is important when you're moving fast, either on a car or bike or -- in my case -- in the air. In our testing, the i-Blue 747 acquired a satellite lock in less than minute and was rock-solid in keeping it. [Note: the software communicates with the device via a virtual Com port, handled by a driver. It can be a little tricky to figure out which Com port, however, so I suggest you go to your Windows device manager and see which port was assigned to the device and set the software to use that. On one of my machines it was port 5; on the other it was port 10; it depends on how many other drivers you've already loaded.]
The TrackStick II costs a jaw-dropping $190 at Amazon. It only has 1 MB of memory and only tracks 12 satellites. No Bluetooth, so it's just a logger with no real-time function. It requires AAA batteries, which only last for a day or two of regular use, and is long and rectangular (4.25" x 1.25" x 0.9"), about twice the total size of the i-Blue. It has a built-in USB jack, so you can plug it straight into your PC. Aside from that advantage (the i-Blue requires a standard USB cable), the software does essentially the same thing as the i-Blue's.
In testing, three serious problems cropped up with the TrackStick (aside from it being expensive, big, and badly underfeatured): 1) It only records a GPS record every 15 seconds in low-power mode and every 5 seconds in high-power mode. Even at the highest, battery-draining settings, that's too slow for accurate tracking; 2) It takes forever to get a satellite lock. The first time, it took more than half an hour and subsequently it took more than three minutes; 3) Keeping that satellite lock is a struggle, too. By having a GPS chip that only sees 12 satellites, the TrackStick II suffers from frequent drop-outs and glitchy datapoints. We found it essentially unusable.
Basically, I can't understand why the TrackStick is even sold. The i-Blue 747 does everything at a third the price, and it also does important things like Bluetooth, 1-second GPS sampling, and has a useful amount of memory.
-- Chris Anderson
i-Blue 747 GPS Logger
$66
Available from Amazon
Manufactured by Transystem Inc.
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Money for Nothing
It's a deceptive title -- but in part that's marketing. Seth Godin, master marketer, sums up the best way to drive traffic to your website (or store, or organization, etc.).
Three words: be useful, unique and updated.
Yep, that's about it. If you can be useful to others (offer value), be unique (by positioning and branding, and being memorable and distinctive), keep showing up, and be current, you've got it made.
It's also a good recipe for life.
This free PDF sermon is short, breezy and right on.
-- KK
Money for Nothing
By Seth Godin
2007, 13 pages
Free
Available via Squidoo
Sample excerpt:
No one cares if your lens is good. They care if it's great. Irresistible. The one and only best spot online. Not in your opinion of course, but in their opinion.
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Motion Mountain
This is not your father's physics textbook. It is the self-published 1,500-page (!!), still-unfinished physics textbook written and designed by your polymath genius uncle who dwells on a mountain with the spirits of departed philosophers (whom he quotes, in German). It's what a physics textbook would be like if a poet wrote it and made no mistakes. The book is massively visual. There is minimal math. It's a textbook with soul.
The guiding metaphor of Motion Moutain, and thus its name, is to frame physics as varieties of motion and change. When it gets to quantum mechanics it considers this in almost Taoist terms, as the "smallest change."
This textbook is a work of art. Unlike standard texts, it is an enthusiastically personal masterpiece, yet still has exercise problems for students to practice. It sprawls across topics you won't find in any other physics textbook: semantics, lying, color theory, the physics of pleasure. In many ways it reminds me of Godel, Escher, Bach in its witty brilliance, stupendous range, and self-designed idiosyncrasies. Motion Moutain is an amazing portrait of the physical world as flux. It has the power to equip you with the intellectual tools to work with, and love, this flux. Studying it is an adventure in understanding.
Best of all, it is a free PDF book. A PDF means that it is hyperlinked to footnotes and intensely cross-referenced. And it is easily searchable. Every student -- anywhere -- can download a copy.
-- KK
Motion Mountain: An Adventure in Physics
By Christoph Schiller
2007, 1498 pages
Free
Available at Motion Mountain
Sample excerpts:
Why do change and motion exist?
How does a rainbow form?
What is the most fantastic voyage possible?
Is 'empty space' really empty?
How can one levitate things?
At what distance between two points does it become
impossible to find room for a third one in between?
What does 'quantum' mean?
Which problems in physics are unsolved?
*
Astonishingly, it is actually impossible to distinguish an original picture of nature from its mirror image if it does not contain any human traces. In other words, everyday nature is somehow left-right symmetric. This observation is so common that all candidate exceptions, from the jaw movement of ruminating cows to the helical growth of plants, such as hops, or the spiral direction of snail shells, have been extensively studied. Can you name a few more? The left-right symmetry of nature appears because everyday nature is described by gravitation and, as we will see, by electromagnetism. Both interactions share an important property: substituting all coordinates in their equations by the negative of their values leaves the equations unchanged. This means that for any solution of these equations, i.e., for any naturally occurring system, a mirror image is a possibility that can also occur naturally. Everyday nature thus cannot distinguish between right and left. Indeed, there are right and left handers, people with their heart on the left and others with their heart on the right side, etc.
*
Do all objects on Earth fall with the same acceleration of 9.8 m/s2, assuming that air resistance can be neglected? No; every housekeeper knows that. You can check this by yourself. A broom angled at around 35 degrees hits the floor before a stone, as the sounds of impact confirm. Are you able to explain why?
*
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Sexual Preferences in Physics
Fluctuating entities can be seen to answer an old and not-so-serious question. When we discussed the definition of nature as made of tiny balls moving in a vacuum, we described this as a typically male idea. This implies that the female part is missing. Which part would that be? From the present point of view, the female part of physics might be the quantum description of the vacuum. The unravelling of the structure of the vacuum, as an extended container of localized balls, could be seen as the female half of physics. If women had developed physics, the order of its discoveries would surely have been different. Instead of studying matter, as men did, women might have studied the vacuum first.
*
*
When do clocks exist?
In general relativity, we found out that purely gravitational clocks do not exist, because there is no unit of time that can be formed using the constants c and G. Clocks, like any measurement standard, need matter and non-gravitational interactions to work. This is the domain of quantum theory. Let us see what the situation is in this case.... In short, quantum theory shows that exact clocks do not exist in nature. Quantum theory states that any clock can only be approximate. Obviously, this result is of importance for high precision clocks. The quantum of action implies that a precise clock motor has a position indeterminacy. The clock precision is thus limited.Worse, like any quantum system, the motor has a small, but finite probability to stop or to run backwards for a while. You can check this prediction yourself. Just have a look at a clock when its battery is almost empty, or when the weight driving the pendulum has almost reached the bottom position. It will start doing funny things, like going backwards a bit or jumping back and forward.When the clock works normally, this behavior is strongly suppressed; however, it is still possible, though with low probability. This is true even for a sundial.
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HDR
HDR means High Dynamic Range. It's a way of processing a photograph so that it captures the fullest range of highlights and shadows in the original scene. All camera film and digital sensors have restricted dynamic range: the difference between the whitest white and blackest black on the screen or print is less than real life. HDR is a trick to increase the spread between shadows and highlights in an image by taking more than one picture of the same scene -- one shot maximizing shadows, one mid-tones and one highlights -- and then merging them into one unified picture with tremendous range. Of course, in practice it is not that simple or direct, thus the need for this very clear PDF book which will tell you step by step how to produce an HDR photo using Photoshop.
The trick is useful especially for capturing photos of interiors, where, say, there is both a bright window and shadows on a face in one scene. With HDR you can see the patterns outside the window and details in the shadowy face. HDR is also used for twilight landscapes, and anywhere else where there is "tricky" lighting. My guess is that about half of the "best of Flickr" photos are ones that have been HDR processed. Indeed, the look of a high dynamic range is so common now that it is easy to detect, and some fuddy-duddies object to its "artificialness," although all photos are artificial. Like any tool it can be overused and abused. Someday HDR may be built into cameras. Now, it's a hack. A few websites, such as Stuck in Customs, give basic intros to the procedure, although the process described at that site requires an additional software package called Photomatix, which automates the method.
The better tutorial is available from O'Reilly publishers as a Short Cuts paid PDF. It gives superior step by step instructions, and does not require Photomatix software -- it's all done in Photoshop CS.
-- KK
Sample excerpts:
Why try HDR imaging? Imagine you're visiting a cathedral with great stained glass windows, but there is low available light inside the building to show the ornate interior designs. There is also a sign stating "No Flash Photography." Checking your meter, you see that there is a seven stop difference between the brightest highlight area and the deepest shadow detail. With traditional imaging, you are forced to choose and expose for the stained glass windows-turning all the interior to muddy shadows with little or no detail-or you can expose for the interior details, but overexposing the stained glass, which eliminates most of their detail and color. The final option is to pick a middle-range exposure and attempt to twist the single flat image into something that resembles your impression of the scene.
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The three bracketed exposures (over, under and normal) on the left are combined to make the well-balanced, very detailed image on the right.
HDR: An Introduction to High Dynamic Range Photography
By Jack Howard
2007, 58 pages
$8, PDF
Available from O'Reilly
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The Personal MBA
I once dabbled with the idea of getting an MBA. After a life avoiding any work in a business, I wanted to start one of my own and knew zero about it. Like many folks, I thought a heavy-duty school program would cure my ignorance and inexperience. But an official MBA degree can easily cost $100,000. I figured out I would learn more spending $500 in self-education. So I devoted $200 for books and the other $300 actually starting a small mail-order business (the fee went for an ad). In two years I learned more about how business really worked than any MBA graduate I had met. No matter what they tell you, an MBA is not essential for landing or handling a good business job. The chief "skill" you'll come away by your degree is a diploma, and a network of indebted friends in business. The latter is actually useful.
There is another option to an overpriced degree, which is the self-education path outlined above. Pursue your own Personal MBA in tandem with actual experience doing some kind of business. Josh Kaufman has put together an excellent and very hefty reading list which forms the core of his PMBA course. It is downloadable as a free PDF. The recommended readings are wide, deep, holistic, and very good. You could purchase all of these easily available books for $500, and if you combine study of them with actually trying stuff, you'll be far ahead in the business game.
If you go this route, you need to supplement your self-education with a network of live humans engaged in business (the only part of a certified MBA you'll miss).
Kaufman has recently updated his annotated recommended reading list. No PDF yet, but his website is chock full of the new material.
-- KK
The Personal MBA: Mastering Business Through Self-Education
By Josh Kaufman
2005, 33 pages
Free PDF
Available from ChangeThis
Updated version available from Josh Kaufman's website
Sample excerpts:
The Personal MBA is not:
A credential. If you read these books, you won't have corporate recruiters beating down your door, and you won't have a pretty certificate to hang on your wall when you're done. You will, however, have an understanding of business that's comparable to completing a traditional business school curriculum, along with the pleasures of not having to mortgage your life for that understanding. You do not need a certificate to be able to understand, use, and hold an intelligent conversation about advanced business topics. (Employers do, however, respond well to portfolios. If you build a portfolio of notes to capture what you learn through the Personal MBA, you'll have a tangible asset to prove your hard work and dedication during the interview process.)
A stand-alone venture. You can't learn about business solely from books (or sitting in a classroom); you have to be willing to go out and learn by doing. Whether you're working full-time for a company or building your own business, a great deal of your knowledge will develop as a direct result of your day-to-day work experiences, which provide the necessary context for understanding what you read. Reading books is not enough; application of what you read is essential.
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