Camscanner allows your Android or iOS smartphone to function as a document scanner. And while there are other competing apps from the few I've tried it's clear that Camscanner is the pack leader.

This app is better than the rest because it is intuitive and produces great results. It includes a virtual bubble-level shown on the screen when you are taking the photo, so you get the picture straight on and undistorted. When you get it level, it disappears, which is excellent design (both giving feedback that you 'got it right' and uncluttering the view at the same time). [Note: Strangely, the bubble level seems to be an Android-only feature.--OH]

When you need to crop, the cropping screen shows a thumbnail 'peek' window at the opposite corner while you pull the crop line, showing crosshairs of where you are placing the corner on the photo. No need to try multiple times since you can't see what is happening under your thick finger! The layout is very intuitive, five unambiguous icon buttons, and a quickstart document with a guided tour included (no searching for the documentation)! Did I say great design?

After you've scanned something the cropping and enhancing happen before your eyes, recapturing some of the thrill of watching a Polaroid develop. The enhancement options work well, turning even faint pencil scratchings into well contrasted digital versions.

Once the document has been processed, Camscanner can either email or upload the document as a JPG or PDF to a number of hosting services including Google Docs, Dropbox, Box.net, Evernote, and iDisk.

There are no ads in the free version, though it is limited to generating 10-page scan-pdf's with a 'watermark' line at the bottom of each page and also doesn't feature the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for text searches or AirPrint (which is iOS only). But other than that no annoying (and bandwidth guzzling, cpu-battery hogging) ads! The full version costs $5 and removes all limitations.

There are sound effects libraries that cost more than a small car, and they're probably worth it to certain kinds of users — like movie studios or audio production houses — but not to me. In search of interesting, appropriately licensed sounds for personal amusement, some google searching led me to Freesound.org, which has many thousands of freely usable, user-contributed sound recordings, all Creative Commons licensed. Some of them are tiny snippets, the audio equivalent of the icons on a computer screen, and some are lengthy field recordings. (Many of the sounds here are purely synthetic, too, or remixes that the CC licensing facilitates.) Last Halloween, I set up a playlist for my family's "haunted condo," consisting of screams, clanks, and creepy laughter (but also repurposed sounds like foghorns and musical instruments I thought sounded ominious), with sounds drawn entirely from this site.

It's also a good place to find ring-tone and computer alert sources, if you're just looking for audio clip art, or (with headphones, especially) fascinating "you are there" audio experiences; being transported to an audio landscape inhabited by gentle waves, ships' horns, and thunderstorms is a legal way to escape ordinary consciousness.

Freesound really is free, too, though donations are accepted; it started as a project of the Music Technology Group of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra. One (very small) catch: you can listen all you want just by visiting the site; downloading the files requires free registration.

I've been using Dropbox for over a year now. It just works. It copies stuff you save to a specific folder on your computer to the cloud, while also keeping old versions around. I've set up my daughter's computer to save documents to the Dropbox folder by default. Now it is so much easier to find what she has worked on and to go back to a previous version if she accidentally erases her document.

Her important documents are backed up and available if her computer dies. I share the folder she works in, and can edit or comment on what she's done and save those changes on my machine. Dropbox synchronizes the changes automatically. It works seamlessly and quickly.

The best description I've seen of Dropbox comes from Bill Gurley who said "once you begin using Dropbox, you become more and more indifferent to the hardware you are using, as well as the operating system on that device." I've personally enjoyed the service for quite a while, and the more I learn the more I respect what they are trying to do.

When I was in Texas last week I wished I could somehow see my cat hanging out at home. When I got home I decided to make yet another attempt to find some sort of home camera system that would let me do this, using my Mac. Therein lies the rub, as almost all the home use cameras out there are PC only.

Lo and behold, a Google search brought up Witness. Long story short: for $39 you buy the software, download it to your iSight camera-equipped Mac running Snow Leopard or Lion (OS X 10.6/10.7), choose a password, go the iPhone/iPad App store and get the Witness app, sign in with your user name (email address) and password, then configure the thing to do what you want when you want.

Proof of concept: I was able to get it up and running first time through, and my cat (Gray Cat) triggered it on my iPhone just like she's supposed to, when she walked through the iSight camera's visual field.

Bonus: Whenever you're homesick you can have a look at what the camera sees, even if there's nothing activating the device — and it works from anywhere in the world.

You can have multiple cameras all feeding through your one mission control-like iPhone and/or iPad. The program takes a snapshot if it's a quick motion or defaults to movie mode if the movement's sustained. It saves the photos and videos and you can watch them whenever you like, and/or download/email them to whomever.

Pretty impressive all in all for not having to buy any equipment but, rather, just using what's in the room.

SupportDetails.com is a simple site with an easy-to-remember URL and a singular purpose: it allows you to see all of the tech support information you might need to pass along to a customer service technician or impatient family whiz kid.

It's great because it works equally well for helping customers as it does for troubleshooting the remote machines of those who don't have the tech experience to understand where to start. It's only "feature" is that it allows the visitor to send these details along to you via email.

It's got one ad and costs nothing to use. There's nothing to log in to, and the results aren't impacted by security settings in most typical scenarios. I also think that unlike a lot of sites that will tell you your IP address, the designer of SupportDetails.com clearly wanted to help people that aren't tech savvy (and not make your eyes bleed out at the same time).

I've been using the Windows-only Bluebeam PDF Revu professionally for two years. As a PDF reader and markup tool for construction and design professionals, or anyone who works with large format drawings, there is no equal (Bluebeam is not for creating drawings, plans or text documents, but for converting them to PDF and working with them once in this format.). I have gotten our entire office of designers and estimators to switch from printed plans to using Revu with little to no coercion. Even the strongest proponents of paper, those who print their email, have decided to switch to digital plans after seeing how easy and fast Revu really is.

For the light user it provides all the tools you would have on your desk: a scale, pen, highlighter and calculator. This allows you to switch to on-screen takeoff and markup without changing your workflow, making it less scary for some folks. For the more progressive people, you can dig in to the more advanced functionality of the markups list, custom columns with formulas, filtering, scripting, even visual search where you draw a box around something (pictures, text, or both) and it will find the same image elsewhere in the document. The "eXtreme" version even lets you OCR the plans and search the text.

I have found Revu to be better than any other PDF software because of it's ease of use for beginners, advanced features for power users, and its absolute speed of rendering the page on screen. Zooming in and out, and panning in any direction is seamless and smooth with native vector based PDFs (results vary with scanned PDFs). Bluebeam also has an active user community with an online forum with multiple Bluebeam employees contributing to the forum daily.

In addition to being the best PDF tool, it's cheaper than Adobe's own Acrobat Pro. Bringing this tool to my company has saved us thousands by eliminating paper printing and shipping costs, digitizer board costs, and Acrobat costs. Bluebeam PDF Revu is hands down the best and most important piece of software on my computer

I've had an iPhone since the first model and despite trying out probably hundreds of apps I have a relatively small collection that I use every day.

One of the things I use my iPhone for every day is catching up with blogs and news through RSS. I'm a reasonably heavy Google Reader user, following 294 feeds (including BoingBoing and Cool Tools naturally). There are a host of RSS feed reader apps in the app store, and *most* of them integrate with Google Reader. I've tried most of them, seduced by the promises of new features and pretty UIs, but I always return to one of the first I tried: Byline.

The Byline Google Reader integration is straightforward, and offers all the features you would expect. These are the same features offered by many a reader:

• Syncing of read items
• Badge showing number of unread items
• Starring and sharing (with or without notes)
• Showing all items, browsing by label or by feed
• Instapaper and mobile safari integration

And so on....

The killer feature for me, and one I've not found in any other reader app, is that Byline caches (optionally and configurably) the webpage associated with an RSS entry. That means that partial RSS entries, or feeds like Daring Fireball that link to an alternative page, have the *actual content* fully stored on the device. When travelling or somewhere without mobile internet you have full access to your RSS feeds and their precious payload of information or LOLs.

Byline isn't perfect, but every time I've tried another feed reader app I've found I can't live without the offline caching and come slinking back to byline. The *biggest* flaw with Byline was the lack of a native iPad app, but since I originally wrote this review a native iPad app was released and it works very well. Byline has only improved in stability and reliability, and I'm still using it every day. Byline coped with the Google Reader changes very well. It hasn't yet got Google + integration, but hopefully that will come soon (but it isn't core functionality anyway).

I did use the old Google Reader sharing feature to post items from reader to twitter via the shared items RSS feed. Funnily enough, despite this feature being removed from the Google Reader UI it still works in byline!

From a relaxed standing position with your arms at your side raise your right hand while holding your elbow still until your fore arm is level with the floor. Spread you fingers apart and rotate your hand until your palm is facing down - keeping your elbow at your side. Now if you are anything like me your hand is rotated about as far as it can. In mechanical parlance, the wrist is “hard against the stops.” When you are using a conventional mouse it is in this rather tense and uncomfortable position that your hand remains. As a designer I often spend days on end at the computer modeling in 3D - left hand on the space ball and keyboard with right hand on the mouse. Over time I began experience a myriad of painful symptoms from fore arm throbbing to thumb tenderness to shoulder aches. These discomforts grew into debilitating pain to the point I wondered if I could continue in my chosen profession. And then I discovered the Evoluent Mouse - and instantly the pain and discomfort tailed away to nothing.

Repeat the previous exercise but this time place your hand in a vertical - hand shake like - position. You will find that your hand is now very relaxed residing as it does pretty close to halve way between hard right rotation and hard left. The Evoluent mouse looks like a mouse turned on its edge with the laser tracking business on the edge of the mouse. This configuration positions the hand and wrist in a basically neutral position thereby avoiding the stresses rotating the hand to a palm down position induces.

I cannot overstate how drastic an improvement this mouse is from all others. Both Microsoft and Logitech make products which rotate the hand partially toward the vertical but these are partial measures and do not afford the total neutral ergonomics provided by the Evoluent. If you are fighting soreness or pain from you mouse arm-hand - please give your body a break and give the Evoluent mouse a try.

I keep my keyboard clean and protected from spills with a Moshi keyboard cover. They're very thin, very flexible, and highly durable. In my experience the covers last for about two years.

The covers accumulate oils from your hands, but if you keep a little microfiber towel handy, that cleans off most of the oil. I wash the cover once a day or so. They're a bit hard to clean; I use foaming soap with warm water. Lather, rinse, repeat, and then let it drip dry.

The moshi covers are for MacBooks and most other Apple products (ncluding the previously reviewed Bluetooth Keyboard. I'm guessing that covers exist for PC laptops, but I don't know who makes them, or which ones are good (Note: if you have a suggestion for a good brand for covering PC keyboards let me know and I'll update the post.--OH). The thickness/flexibility of the covers is very important. One of the brands for Mac computers was very thick and felt yucky to type on. I recommend trying a cover before you buy it if you can.

The previously reviewed Logitech Solar Wireless Keyboard is one of the group of wireless products from Logitech that can share a unifying receiver. The receiver, which you get with each product, is very small, projecting less than 1/2" from your usb port, and allows me to put my laptop in my case while still attached. Multiple devices can be used with just a single receiver, freeing up usb ports and giving you extra receivers in case of a failure.

Of the products that use the unifying receiver I own the previously mentioned keyboard, the M570 Wireless Trackball and the Wireless Headset h800.

I have rather severe arthritis in my left thumb at the very base where the thumb connects to the wrist and was told in 2004 that I would need joint replacement within 5 years. Eventually I switched from mice to trackballs and quit having any pain at all from the thumb (even though I also quit using the brace). The Logitech M570 is my favorite trackball of the ones I have owned. You don't have quite the control and accuracy that you do with a mouse so I do switch to a mouse for working in Photoshop and the like, but for regular tasks, I prefer the trackball.

I haven't had the Wireless Headset h800 for long but like them very well for my purposes which is using them to take advantage of voice control for my PC. I wear them for up to 4-hours at a time and find them quite comfortable, but I have not used them for listening to music so can't really evaluate that aspect.

Pairing of all three devices is instantaneous and trouble free, and I don't think that I have given up anything in exchange for the convenience of the single receiver. The keyboard and trackball are both excellent products compared to similar devices that I have owned through the years. It is harder to give such praise to the headset, in part because I have limited experience with it, but also because headset preferences vary greatly from one individual to another due to comfort issues, etc.

Logitech does offer quite a large range of products that will work with the unifying receiver which are shown on the following web page. Please note that my headset is not shown on the page, nor are any headsets, so this is apparently not an exhaustive list of compatible products.

I would also like to thank Cool Tools for making our Christmas a bit merrier since several of the gifts I gave were purchased after seeing them on the blog and they all went over very well!

Droopy (or Droo.py) is the most idiot-proof way for other people to get files to your computer that I have found, and I have been using it for a year now.

It's a Python script (so you would need to have Python installed) that creates an HTML page that lives on your computer. You give your IP address to whoever wants to send you a file, and they go to the page and click "send file," which gives them a way to send you a file directly to your computer (rather than via a remote server).

It's definitely not idiot-proof to set up (if you want people to be able to reach the site from the outside world, you have to set up port-forwarding on your router), but the important thing, and the thing that makes it my go-to way for somebody to send me a file, is that I need to know nothing about their computer, and neither do they. Once I get it set up, it is virtually impossible for the other person to mess up the file transfer.

I bought these conductive Agloves soon after getting my first iPhone (not my first touch-screen phone). They are made with conductive silver thread that allow you to use your capacitive touch-screen devices with gloves on. No more freezing fingers while trying to use your phone or tablet/reader!

I haven't used other conductive gloves, but the Agloves work well and have been an awesome tool as the temperatures start to drop.

The gloves extend over the wrist and fit snugly to keep all heat in. They may not be thick enough to ward away strong chill, but can easily be worn under thicker gloves. Whether you are using them to keep your fingers warm or for hygienic reasons while using public transportation, it's handy to be able to use your touch-screen devices without pulling your gloves off.

I own the plain, original Agloves. They also make a sports line and a bamboo line. You can purchase the gloves easily on Amazon or the Agloves website. Agloves have been the perfect solution for me. Because they also work with computer trackpads and the Apple Magic Mouse, I hardly take them off throughout the cold mornings.

They are so good that I bought several more pairs for gifts. Hmm, stocking stuffers anyone?

I use Ninite.com to install packages of software whenever I need to set up a new computer, or reinstall a Windows/Linux OS. I have found that ninite.com is the best way to install or update software if you are either buying or building a new PC.

You go to the website, click on the software you need to download or update, and it downloads a custom installer program that will install ALL of the software in a couple of clicks. This is far easier than having to visit each individual website, clicking around till you find the right software to download, and waiting for each individual file to download. An added bonus is that it will always install the most up-to-date software, and will update any software already installed.

There is nothing else available on the market that I have found that provides a service like this with similar efficiency.

Format Factory is a Windows-only piece of software that will convert any video format to any other video format. It will do the same for audio files. It will do the same for digital photos. It is free.

I have been using it for six years in my job as an eLearning producer, and my hobby as a "Let's get this movie to play on the computer, the iPod, the iPad" and so on.

I have paid for and used virtually every other video format converter, and this one is the clear winner for ease of use, flexibility, speed, and being able to stack up several conversions and have them run serially. You can even add a new task while it is busy working on another.

Want to rip a DVD to play on your iPad? Easy.
Want to convert a video file to Flash? Easy.
Want to extract audio from a video file? Easy.
Want to convert your home videos to YouTube format? Easy.

It has built-in settings for iPod, iPad, Blackberry, Asus, PSP, and many other devices.

Advanced tools for the tinkerer allow you to choose the codec, aspect ratio, bit rates, and other settings. You can also trim segments from the video, or join video files. You can name and save your settings.

Did I mention it was free?

I've used the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard for two months and am impressed. Wireless computer peripherals are a great productivity tool for enabling freedom of movement, and because it uses solar panels it is only 1/3" thick (no thick battery compartment), and no need to worry about charging/replacing batteries. At the same time it feels more durable than any keyboard I've used before. It replaced my prior favorite, the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic 7000 wireless.

The K750 has instant responsiveness compared to the slight delay in response when using the Microsoft after a period of inactivity. It feels built to last, not made of cheapo injected plastic, and more along the lines of an Apple product. The nano-sized USB Unifying receiver can connect multiple Logitech peripherals, which is handy for me since I also have a Unifying-compatible Logitech mouse.

As far as the solar charge is concerned, I use it throughout the day in a room that has a window but not a lot of direct sunlight. I also use it for several hours at night with no apparent loss of functionality. It actually has a little button to the left of the on/off switch that lights an LED beside either a smiley face or unhappy face to indicate whether it has sufficient/insufficient light.

IrfanView is a Windows-only swiss army knife for images. It's lightning fast, opens just about any format known to man, and runs off a portable or network drive. Oh, and it's free as in beer.

I've used IrfanView for more than a decade, and the developer has been cautious to add features but not interface bloat. It's never gotten slower. It gets really powerful when you start using shortcut keys.

Want to resize an image? Ctrl-R.
Rotate it? Press R for right, L for left.
Save? S.
Crop? Draw a box and hit Ctrl-Y.
Screen capture? C.
Paint tools? F12.

It's not a full-fledged photo editor, but it does come with a basic assortment of filters, including pixelate, blur, and red-eye reduction. It can use standard 8bf (Photoshop) plugins too. It's got a very powerful batch processor and converter. Watermarks, sizing, compression, naming, it's all there.

About the only feature I wish IrfanView had was a curves editor, but that's easily solved with a free plugin called SmartCurve. For marking up screenshots and documentation, it can't be beat. For cropping and resizing, there's nothing faster.

IrfanView doesn't replace PhotoShop, Gimp, or even Picasa. It just means you'll use them a whole lot less often, and only when you're planning to spend some quality time with an image. For day-to-day editing and management, IrfanView is infinitely faster and easier.

It's free for non-commercial use, $12 USD for commercial use.

Password strength has been a topic about the Internet lately. I have seen lots of clever methods for generating and remembering strong passwords. Some are better than others, but IMO, none are adequate. Here's the problem: It doesn't matter how strong your passwords are if you use the same one on multiple sites. All it takes is for a site to get hacked, like Gawker media, or even Sony did, and now your super-strong password has been compromised, and every site on which you used that password has been accessed.

So, the bottom line is that no matter how strong your passwords are, and no matter what clever tricks you use to help you remember them, if you're like the average Internet denizen, you have way too many logins for you to remember a unique password for every site. And that means that the only truly secure password system is one that remembers them for you.

Enter LastPass. It's not the only password manager out there, but I like it the best. You create ONE strong password that you have to memorize and use it to access your LastPass database. The LastPass database is stored online, on LastPass's servers, and is accessed either via HTTPS, via a browser plugin, or via an app on your smart-phone. If you use the browser plugin, logging into sites is seamless: LastPass recognizes the site you're on and automatically logs you in (after, optionally, asking you to re-enter your master password). LastPass also has automatic form fill and automatic password generation. This means that you can have a different, unique, very strong password for every site you log into, but you only have to remember one master password. It's the best of both worlds.

One argument against LastPass is that if their database is compromised, then all of your sites are compromised, and that's true, but given that their entire line of work is keeping that information safe, I'm willing to take that chance. The alternative is rolling dice or picking phrases to create passwords, writing all of them down on a piece of paper or something, and then having to manually type them in when I go to a site. A clunky mess.

There is a free version of LastPass, with some additional features unlocked if you pay a $12 a year subscription.

I've used Diceware to generate secure passwords for a few years now. It really is a simple system. Basically it's just a list of 7776 common English words, mapped to the outcomes of dice rolls. Combined with a set of five dice (or one die rolled five times), it is an easy and extremely secure method for generating strong passphrases.

As highlighted by XKCD, most human-generated passwords just aren't very strong - they don't have high levels of entropy.

Creating a password using Diceware allows you to create passphrases that are very easy to remember, yet extremely strong. A passphrase comprised of four or five words (typically 15-20 characters) is far stronger than one that contains fewer characters but a more diverse character set.

Generating truly random passphrases is difficult, though. If you pick words out of your head or a newspaper, they won't be very random. Diceware takes the human element out of the equation and replaces it with true randomness, dice rolls, and is a simple method of creating secure passwords with minimal effort.

As noted on the Diceware web page, Diceware is easy to use, secure, prescriptive, transparent, and free. Diceware is my tool of choice for generating passwords, and I've used it for years. It creates easy-to-remember passphrases that have high entropy and can be extremely secure, provided you use enough dice rolls.

This is the best general purpose, USB powered, adjustable speed, muffin fan on a stand. It is great for random cooling of equipment, or blowing away solder fumes. I bought it to cool an external NAS drive I have on my home network. The adjustability lets me turn down the speed so that it's almost inaudible. USB power is becoming ubiquitous around computer equipment, so it is conveniently powered.

Most of the time I use my Macbook Air while sitting at an old wooden table. Recently I noticed that my Magic Mouse wasn't working very well with the Air even though I'd Pledged the wood as best I could. So badly was it tracking that I had to switch to a wired mouse which worked just fine.

But who wants that? So I did a bit of research to see what I could find to make my wireless mouse work the way it's supposed to. After a bit of searching I stumbled upon this tool.

Bottom line: this mouse pad works perfectly, does what it says, tracks precisely and effortlessly, and thus consigns my backup wired mouse to the utility drawer.

The pad is a 7-inch x 8.5-inch piece of thin plastic with some sort of specialized texture akin to a diffraction grating engraved on the top. The reverse side has a repositionable backing that keeps the surface in place and lifts off without damaging furniture or leaving any residue. The package shows some guy removing it from the top of his laptop, which would be an easy way to take it with you. Also works nicely with a wired mouse, by the way.

Bonus: On the front of the package it says "Extends battery life up to 75% for wireless mice." You'll have to take 3M's word for the battery life extension but even if it's wishful thinking, the improved mouse function makes this an excellent addition to your batterie de computer.

Highly recommended.

I bought my Casio FX-115 Solar Calculator 25-years ago, probably in Malaysia. It replaced my then aging Texas Instruments calculator. The thing I like most about it is that it doesn't need batteries. None. You can pull it out of a drawer after a year and it just works. No fretting about whether you left it on or not, and I've never needed to replace anything.

The new ones come with a dual solar and battery combo called "solar plus". Don't be fooled. The closest new equivalent is probably the Casio FX-260 Solar ($9.99), but that model doesn't have some of the features of the FX-115.

As far as calculations go, it has pretty much all anyone would need. It has a nice friendly EXP button for scientific notation and infinite levels (18) of parenthesis. It converts and computes in alternate number bases (binary, octal and hex) and does linear regression.

The plastic is a bit scuffed after riding around in my backpack all these years, but it's been wet and recovered. It also gets really sluggish when used outside in sub zero (C) weather.

I have a bunch of bookmarks, and I need a good favorites organizer to make them more usable. What are the best services out there?
-- Philntex

While looking for the best bookmarking tool out there I used Delicious for awhile, but eventually switched to Pinboard which is a paid service. I also use XMarks and Instapaper too, just to throw in a tool that's a bit more than a bookmark organizer. I originally dropped Delicious when they were going through their Yahoo issues. I wasn't really unhappy with the service but was unhappy with Yahoo. I use each service differently:

1. Pinboard: I store links to individual articles that I want to find again. For example, I've many links to individual cool tools in my Pinboard account.

2. XMarks: I use organized bookmarks inside the browser to find sites I want to read/visit on a regular basis. I've a link to just the Cool Tools front page in my browser. I then use XMarks to sync these browser bookmarks from my home Mac to my Windows computer at work (and provide an easily restored backup of all my bookmarks). I also have Safari bookmark syncing turned on for my iOS devices. This means I have the same browser bookmarks on iOS, Windows and Mac.

3. Instapaper: I use this to store the full text of articles when i'm interested in reading them offline when I travel or just having because i'm paranoid the article might age away before I get a chance to read it (local news sites can be really bad for this) or if I want an archive of it so I can refer to it later.

Depending on your needs, they're all good tools.

I have a bunch of bookmarks, and I need a good favorites organizer to make them more usable. What are the best services out there?
-- Philntex

While looking for the best bookmarking tool out there I used Delicious for awhile, but eventually switched to Pinboard which is a paid service. I also use XMarks and Instapaper too, just to throw in a tool that's a bit more than a bookmark organizer. I originally dropped Delicious when they were going through their Yahoo issues. I wasn't really unhappy with the service but was unhappy with Yahoo. I use each service differently:

1. Pinboard: I store links to individual articles that I want to find again. For example, I've many links to individual cool tools in my Pinboard account.

2. XMarks: I use organized bookmarks inside the browser to find sites I want to read/visit on a regular basis. I've a link to just the Cool Tools front page in my browser. I then use XMarks to sync these browser bookmarks from my home Mac to my Windows computer at work (and provide an easily restored backup of all my bookmarks). I also have Safari bookmark syncing turned on for my iOS devices. This means I have the same browser bookmarks on iOS, Windows and Mac.

3. Instapaper: I use this to store the full text of articles when i'm interested in reading them offline when I travel or just having because i'm paranoid the article might age away before I get a chance to read it (local news sites can be really bad for this) or if I want an archive of it so I can refer to it later.

Depending on your needs, they're all good tools.

I've been using this travel adapter for over 10 years. It converts one standard European outlet into two US plugs, but best of all is that it has built-in surge protection. That one time in Ireland when I couldn't be bothered to dig it out of my bag? That's when I fried my power supply. Ever since then, this is the only adapter I use when traveling.

I've never seen another combination surge protector/travel adapter, and the fact that it gives you two-for-one outlets makes this a fantastic tool.

I have really been enjoying these simple rubber cores that cheaply and effectively organize cords of all sorts. They make it easy to wrap a cord around due to the shape (like an apple core...duh) with slits on both ends to thread cord through. I find the hardness of the rubber just right; firm enough to hold the cord, but soft enough to be easy to bend open to insert cords.

There are three sizes: small for something like earbud cords, medium for a phone/ipod etc. charger-size cord, and large for computer charges or appliances. I haven't tried the largest size yet, but love the ones I have. They come in a variety of bright colors which helps when it comes to finding and organizing cords.

For years I've been looking for a safe and inconspicuous way to carry around my laptop everywhere I go. Laptop sleeves didn't offer the protection I needed or were just too unwieldy for a backpack/bag. Since I always thought laptop bags made me an easy to spot target for petty thieves, I was stuck with uncomfortable half-assed solutions. That is until I found this Pelican 1490 over a year ago.

Like all Pelican cases this 1490 laptop case comes with 'Pick 'N Pluck'-foam, so I could fit in my brand new 13-inch Asus notebook like a baby in its cradle. That still left some room to spare for the adapter and a wireless mouse. The lid foam keeps the laptop from moving around, which allows to keep my laptop in sleep mode without having to worry about nasty system errors at every bump in the road.

Because the 1490 looks more like a briefcase than a laptop case, I also feel the mugger's eye passing me by. The latches also feature locks for those interested in additional security measures. However, the best thing about this case, beside it being water, dust and crushproof, is that I can easily put it on my lap and work without removing the notebook from its cradle. All I do is open the lid and start typing. Great while on the train or at trade fairs.

The only disadvantage I've seen so far is the rubber handle peeling off with regular use. Apart from that, I couldn't be happier with this unbreakable laptop protector. Now all I need is the lid organizer that comes with more luxurious models.

Whether I am writing email, creating a web page, or authoring a magazine article, I am communicating with others. I communicate best by practicing and by focusing on the content. I needed a powerful authoring tool that I could learn once and take with me everywhere I go, so I learned Vim.

Vim is a programmer's text editor, mostly used by computer geeks. This geeky secret weapon was born many years ago. Vim's interface clones that of a spartan text editor from the 70s called "Vi" (Vim = Vi IMproved). Lately, more and more traditional authors are giving Vim a try.

Vim is much harder to learn than a Web browser or email program. It takes practice. Folks that have practiced Vim for a while become fluent, and are able to effectively edit text at a pace which baffles onlookers.

I've used the Vim text editor for over 10 years. Having been a long time WordPerfect user back in the DOS days, I was open to the idea that a powerful text-only editor was the best way to author content. Buttons, popups, and updates just distract me.

Vim does not do WYSIWYG (graphics, formatting) editing, like Word or LibreOffice, and it doesn't replace tools that do. Vim just does text. But it does text very well. Sure, Notepad does text too, but only just. Notepad is your butter knife, Vim is your Swiss Army Multi-Tool. If you find that most of what you are typing is actually plain text, Vim might be right for you!

Vim is free to download. The best place to start is the built-in tutorial "vimtutor". It will teach you the basics of navigating and editing text with Vim. Be ready to memorize a few short keyboard commands, because using Vim is generally easier without using a mouse! When you need help, ask the myriad enthusiasts in the vim live chatroom and mailing list.

Vim is "charityware": the author encourages Vim users to donate to needy children in Uganda. Noone will sell you Vim, and there are no Vim advertisements. If someone says you should try it, it's probably because they found it useful.

I highly recommend you start writing your first ebook in Vim today!

Richco WHC series nylon cable clamps are the best solution for all wire and cable management needs. They are much better than cable ties because cables are held firmly in place, but can be easily inserted and removed as configurations change. No cutting of cable ties is required.

I have been using them since the mid 1980s to manage cables in 19" equipment racks. They mount to any surface using a #8 or #10 screw. The WHC-1000-01 (with a 1" diameter) is excellent for managing cables under the computer desk and at the back of home entertainment systems. I screw several to the underside of computer desktops along the back edge at 1' intervals to hold cables up and out of the way.

The slightly smaller WHC-500-01 (1/2" diameter) is excellent for holding rope lighting in place. The mounting hole can be tapped with 1/4-20 thread screws to hold a small flashlight such as the previously reviewed Fenix LD01 to a small camera tripod mount. I have also mounted several to 3/4" rare earth magnets to temporarily run cables along a T-bar ceiling. Another trick is to bolt two 1" clamps together to form a figure 8 and you can then use it to manage cables on a wire shelving unit.

The uses are endless and the price is right.

Apple's newest iteration of their wireless keyboard is one of the best pieces of design to have ever come out of Cupertino. For the past year this slim aluminum-milled chiclet-styled keyboard commands a central position on my desk (unlike, that is, any Apple mouse). It is simply one of those products that is so well made that if they end production I might have to buy several as replacements.

The minimalist design has been boiled down to the essence of a functioning keyboard. It lacks a numeric keypad (a feature that can only be found on Apple's wired keyboard but that I have no need for anyway). It has none of the unnecessary battery draining features found on other third party wireless keyboards and features only one LED (for caps lock). This means that the keyboard can run for several months on two rechargeable AA batteries (I have charged it twice in 12 months) without ever having to turn it off. The pint-sized (12.8" x 7.3" x 1.4") 11.5 ounce keyboard is dwarfed by other monster desktop keyboards but holds its own and has the added benefit of being small enough to slip into a laptop bag for on-the-go use alongside any Bluetooth-enabled device.

Outside of aesthetics, the keyboard provides one of the most pleasant tactile writing experiences. The angle of the keyboard's surface (formed by the battery compartment) is perfect for extended periods of writing. The thin aluminum edge at the front keeps the keyboard close to the desk allowing my wrist to rest directly on the table unlike other raised keyboards and doesn't dig into my skin or limit circulation. In addition, after a year of hard use (I am tough on my keyboards) it looks brand new with no wear showing on the keys. And because it doesn't have the deep crevices between keys there is little room for cruff to get caught, and a simple spray with compressed air eliminates any residue.

Typing is fluid and easy and I believe Apple has perfected the amount of pressure required to push the keys down. The sound of typing is minimal and not distracting like some of the other hammer keys out there. Simply put, it is one of those products that disappears when in use, allowing you to do what you need to do efficiently.

As far as its wireless capabilities, the range of the Bluetooth wireless signal is impressive. I have managed to use it to pause music playing from two stories up (around 30 ft away). I was wary of using Bluetooth because in the past I have found it to be finicky, but in a year of use I haven't had a single connection problem.

While many may groan at the sight of an expensive Apple product, I believe this keyboard is a peacemaker. It isn't OS X exclusive (for those on PCs, the Apple-centric function keys simply revert to traditional F1-F12), it won't require you to relearn how to use a computer, and it doesn't even have an visible Apple logo (for all the haters out there).

But above all else it is the best keyboard I have ever had the pleasure of using.

I have used this programmable keypad for the past five years, and find it a huge time saver. I am a C.A.D. software user, cnc programmer, and often use graphic software to aid in my work.

This key pad allows the user to program any number of keystrokes, computer functions, or a combination into a single button. The obvious use is to make a single button activate a tool or function in a program that can be done with a keystroke combination, ie: "ctrl+P" which in most programs will activate the Print command. However, it can be much more elaborate than that. I reserve a few buttons to record job specific macros. This might include something like a series of offsets in the CAD program. I set up a macro to change the offset dimension as it creates each object, resulting in a series of concentric objects with one push of a button. A fantastic time saver for repetitive work.

PI engineering makes several models of key pads with different configurations and numbers of buttons. They also continue to improve the software, a free download, that works with the keypads. The software will now detect what programs are running, which program is the active program, and allow the user to program specific macros for each button for each program. In other words, when you are using a word program, a key may, say, type in your name, title and contact information. When you are in Photoshop, that same key may open up the new document window, or start to rip a CD in iTunes, etc.- automatically changing what it does, based on the active program. Or a button can be set to operate the same no matter the open programs - a short cut to open a specific document or program, etc.

In addition to being incredibly handy for anyone who spends a lot of time on a computer, the unit is built like a tank. The model I have is built using a metal carcass. I often use a laptop and have a piece of hardboard setup to hold the computer, this X-keys keypad, other peripherals and electrical strip in place using Velcro - keeping me portable. I recently left this hardboard - without the computer - on the top of my truck as I drove away. It hit the pavement X-keys first. The damage? I lost one cap to one key, for which I had an extra, and a small area of road rash that is simply now silver instead of black.

I, perhaps obviously, cannot say enough about this product, and am constantly finding new ways to use it.

This gadget is a barebones adapter for mildly tech-savvy people to connect a 2.5" or 3.5" hard drive to your computer's USB port.

I've been using it for about six months, and have attached a variety of drives (IDE and SATA) to my Mac, to a PC, to a VirtualBox Windows VM, and to a dedicated NAS box running Linux. I've consistently used it without installing dedicated drivers (and for that matter, without reading the installation guide which is provided on CD-ROM).

For the same money (about $20) you could get a USB enclosure that keeps your drive better protected, but then you'd be locked into one specific drive size and connector type. The Vantec adapter is flexible across several drive types (2.5" v. 3.5", SATA v. IDE) , and comes with adapters for both the data and power connections.

I reach for this gadget when I need temporary access to a drive--usually because I took the drive out of another machine and need to get data off before it dies. Or, because I need to format a drive before it gets installed elsewhere, or just for a fast data transfer.

A year and a half ago I was in the U.S. (my home country) shopping for wireless routers in preparation for an extended trip to China. Surprisingly, I could not find any with dual-voltage adapters which come standard with most electronic gadgets. I ended up buying one in China, again not dual-voltage, so I left it there when I returned.

Recently, I was going on vacation to Asia with a friend and it occurred to me there may be such a thing as a portable router and I was thrilled to find that there is! I purchased the D-Link DWL-G730AP Wireless Pocket Router as opposed to other brands specifically because of its dual voltage capability. The router was fantastic: being able to plug it into the wall outlet directly (rather than power by USB) was very convenient, as was not having to sit at a desk to access the Internet. In all three countries we visited only wired Internet service was provided in our hotels. The router allowed us to wirelessly share the connection across two netbooks and two wifi-enabled devices.

The router itself is smaller than a deck of cards. It comes in a handy carrying case, with a USB cable so you could run it off your computer's power if you want (I didn't) and also an Ethernet cable in case one is not provided in your hotel room.

Some customer reviews I read indicated that the router was hard to set up. They may have been missing some instructions because I found it very easy and quick. No surprises or tricks required. I set it up before leaving on the trip and did not have to do any other configuration. Note that the router also has two other modes which I have not used: access point and client mode.

I highly recommend this travel router if you want a wifi connection while traveling. It's been one of my most convenient travel-related purchases.

HDMI connectors are not my favorite as they tend to easily come loose. The same holds true for the mini-displayport connection. The cable I use to connect my Mac mini to my large monitor kept coming lose whenever either was moved. The solution was to use this tool designed for HDMI connections but that also works well for the mini-displayport.

On the HDMI side, it screws into the screw connector often provided with an HDMI jack. On the Mac side, it can be attached using the included adhesive strip. It clamps onto the HDMI cable keeping things from wiggling free.

This is a neat solution to an annoying problem.

Deep Surplus is a fantastic source for an encyclopedic array of cables.

For example, Apple sells a mini to mini cable for connecting your iPod to your stereo for $24.95. The same cable can be had for less than a dollar from Deep Surplus.

For work I buy all of our networking patch cables, USB cables, etc. for 10% of the cost of buying them at Staples, Microcenter, or Best Buy. I recently bought some rather hard to find white, two-lead speaker wire, which elsewhere was as pricey as $80, for $12 for a 25-foot length. I also bought a 6-foot mini (iPod) to dual RCA (for my older audiophile amplifier) cable for $2.75, compared to $24.95 at the Apple store.

I rely on them whenever I need essential cables affordably.

I recently found this fantastic laptop table at an Ikea for less than $20. Assembly was quick and easy, using the supplied tools (a pair of allen wrenches). The table is sturdy, easy to haul around using the handle cut into the top, and the height adjusts easily so that I can use it in the back room, where the chair is relatively high, and on the porch glider, where I sit much lower.

A simple lever under the top lets you quickly adjust it from level to slanted - but nowhere in between, which is the only fault I've found in it. I'd like a position half-way between dead level, when my arms are not in the most comfortable position, and tilted, when the MacBook tends to slide off.

This table really takes the weight off my knees, and has made an enormous difference. I thought I was going to have to go in for knee replacement, but I quickly discovered that it was the weight of my cushioned lap-desk that was causing the pain.

I've been using the Dave table more or less constantly since I bought it, and I don't know that I've ever bought anything more useful for such a low price. One of the best things about it is the very low height of the feet which support the table post. This allows the unit to easily slide under a couple of pieces of furniture that could never accommodate one of the laptop tables that are on wheels.

Most tech products are a battleground: you want to get in, but the manufacturer wants to keep you out. To do this, they use odd-sized screws that require exotic screwdriver heads to undo. This set of driver bits is the most comprehensive I have found, and includes all of the unusual sized Torx heads that Apple likes to use, plus more unusual ones like square heads and tri-wings. This selection of 54 driver bits should allow access to the internals of pretty much any piece of small electronics that is held together with screws, although you will also need a set of larger cross-head screws for the bigger screws that are present on larger electronic devices.

Also included is a small screwdriver body and a flexible extending neck that makes it easier to work with more concealed screws. The screwdriver and heads are also magnetized, which is handy for keeping the screws attached to the driver bit as you try and put them back in.

Overall, this is an excellent all-in-one screwdriver set for the curious tinkerer who would rather replace their own hard drive than pay the manufacturer to do it, or for anyone who wants to find out exactly what is hiding in there. And at $20 for the set, it's a hell of a lot cheaper than buying a complete set of individual screwdrivers.

The Universal Network Cable is another great gadget that helps me quickly and easily switch to the cable I need when working. You select the cables by rotating the yellow collar to one of the five cables including:

ROLLED: Connect a host to a Cisco(TM) router or switch
CROSSOVER: Communicate directly between computers without a hub or switch
STRAIGHT-THROUGH: Use as a standard RJ45 patch cable
ATM / LOOPBACK: Test if a network card is working by checking for link lights with no need for a hub or switch
T1: Connect to DDS lines / T1 trunk lines

I have had mine a couple of months and found it to be well built and working exactly as advertised. Though you might not need all of the cable types, being able to quickly switch makes this gadget well worth the $30. While I don't use it often, it has been a time saver when I've needed it most.

I've been using a ti89, first the original release and then the titanium release, since I was in high school. It is a calculator for the hardest core of geeks.

Throughout engineering school--I'm working toward my Masters in Mechanical Engineering--I've used the programming app to code contours of cam surfaces as well as a host of matrix and kinetics/kinematics programs to help me through exams and to speed up homework problems. It's a graphing calculator, which allows me to overlay 99 plots of different functions; I can turn on and off different plots to select which functions I'd like to compare.

The ti89 comes standard with a suite of calculus tools such as integration and derivatives, as well as many linear algebra operations. It also comes with support from a Texas Instruments-based free online app store, as well as a programming editor that allows the user to write his own code. There are also preloaded finance and electrical engineering programs.

I own three of these handy calculators: one for my desk at work, another for my desk at home and one for my laptop/school bag.

HP's mid-range business calculator has been around for more than 25 years, and it is still the best choice for all but the hardest-core finance, statistical and actuarial uses. For everyday use by business managers doing profit margin, sell/cost, IRR, percentage, mortgage, cash-flow, discount, net present value and so many other common business computations, it offers incredible ease without requiring the user to learn the RPN notation of HP’s higher-end financial calculators.

Everything about the 10B shows an incredible level of attention to design, from the solid rubber feet, perfect tactile keypress response, and easy-to-read, molded-in key labels. And amazingly, my 10B, purchased in 1989, is still going strong on its factory-supplied button batteries, after some 20 years of dependable and regular use.

Loan amortization calculations, even with a computer, can be tedious, but the 10B’s dedicated functions, for all the usual as well as the out-of-the-ordinary loan computations, make such work quick and reliable. As with all functions on the 10B, I simply input the known values using their dedicated keys (for example, number of months, interest rate per year, and loan amount), and then press the key for the unknown value (monthly payment). Change any of the values, and the 10B can re-compute all the remaining figures just as easily.

HP has updated the 10B now to the 10BII, though user reviews on Amazon are not very positive. If you can find a used model on Amazon or eBay, it’s probably the last calculator any businessperson will ever need to buy.

As an alternative to the previously reviewed Mozy, I prefer CrashPlan for offsite data storage. It'll back you up to external hard drives, or computers on your network, or flat-rate cloud storage, but its great innovation is the ability to back up over the internet, with permission, to another CrashPlan user. This is terrific for maintaining your own automatic offsite backups between work and home, or spreading backup religion to friends and family. All you need is broadband and spare disk space.

You need a backup buddy (which could easily be yourself, if you have computers in different locations) if you want to use the offsite backup features. If you don't have a buddy, it won't find you one anonymously, though you can pay $55/computer/year (or $100/household/year for unlimited computers) to back up to Code 42's cloud storage, which they say lives in a converted bank vault. There is no obligation for backups to run in both directions. The advantages of a "peer to peer" backup are cost, control, and reciprocity. With a Drobo or a big RAID I can hold secure backups for my whole far-flung family, at no additional cost per year. It's a feature that turns two (or more) people who weren't backing up at all into people with offsite backups they never have to think about. I think that's as close to magic as software gets.

Bandwidth and disk storage are conserved through compression, data de-duplication, and block-level file access (for efficient handling of large monolithic data like virtual machines). All data that leaves your system gets encrypted, and sensitive details such as filenames and backup logs are not visible to your backup partner. CPU and bandwidth usage can be throttled, and ramped up when the computer goes idle.

While Mozy or BackBlaze expect you to make your initial backup over the net, CrashPlan encourages backing up quickly to a USB or FireWire disk, then carrying or mailing the disk to its destination, where incremental backups over the internet pick up where the local backup left off. Without this feature, one's first complete backup of tens or hundreds of gigabytes could take weeks.

All of the above features are available for free in an ad-supported version of CrashPlan. The $60 paid version, called CrashPlan+, removes the ads and grants more control over data retention, hours of operation, and backup frequency (15 minute intervals by default, daily in the free version). Computers acting as CrashPlan servers, and not themselves being backed up, don't need a license. And because it's platform independent, including Linux support, your backup partner's choice of OS doesn't matter.

I'm the IT director for an 80-person company, where we've been using the business version, CrashPlan Pro, for a little under a year. The Pro version is centralized, allowing IT staff to keep tabs on clients' backup status and lock down settings. Along with a number of ad-hoc restorations of employees' accidentally deleted files, we've restored four or five entire home directories, without a glitch. When a person sees Word's auto-saved files return from 10 minutes before their disk ate itself, we look good.

Pricing for CrashPlan Pro starts at $70/seat and falls slightly with quantity discounts, plus $15/seat/year for support and maintenance; server seats are free. CrashPlan doesn't restore entire hard drives to a bootable state, so it sensibly defaults to backing up just home directories. I wish it could back up varying sets of files to different destinations (like a bigger set to a local disk and a smaller set offsite); the developers tell me this is planned. Its optional pruning of deleted files from the backup archive is aggressive -- it prunes on a schedule you can set, but just-deleted files are removed on pruning day, unlike Apple's Time Machine, which only deletes the oldest snapshots in its archive.

But these gripes are trivial where CrashPlan makes its strongest case, which is as an offsite complement to local backup strategies like Time Machine, or as a seamless solution for users who otherwise wouldn't back up at all, let alone offsite. It's great software.

Along with the previously reviewed Evernote, this ultracompact scanner is the best computer-related tool I've found in a long time. I've owned several flatbed scanners and an all-in-one printer-scanner-fax-copier. The S300 is so far out of their league it doesn't seem right to call it a scanner. It's more like a paperless life enabler.

Because it feeds itself (ADF or auto document feed) and scans in full color duplex (both sides of the paper in one pass), it scans piles of paper in laughably short time, converting them to .pdf (or whatever format you like), auto rotating and stitching pages together, and filing them to your preferences. You can set up and choose multiple scanning profiles depending on how you'd like the material scanned and stored. If some pages in a stack are double-sided and others are single-sided, it will discard the blank pages while stitching together your finished product.

There is only one button on the device: SCAN. The ScanSnap doesn't even have a power button; opening the feeder turns it on and closing it turns it off. And scan it does. After initial setup and some test scans, jaw still hanging open at the sheer speed and quality of the first few scans I'd done, I decided on a torture test, ripping handwritten pages out of a spiral-bound notebook and feeding them into this diminutive powerhouse as fast as it could digest them.

It's been a month. Stacks of disorganized and dusty papers have disappeared from my life, ready to be called up with a few keystrokes in Evernote or on my hard drive. I've jammed this scanner only a few times, and it couldn't be easier to clear. My flatbed scanner will still have its place -- for utmost quality photo scanning or the scanning of books and physical objects -- but mostly it'll now sit idle in my desk drawer.

The ScanSnap is powered via AC or dual USB ports (one for data, one for power) for true portability. The bundled software is excellent, intuitive, and snappy. The CardIris business card software also bundled with it was not impressive. If you do need to scan a lot of business cards, I'm sure there are paid versions that would be superior. This little scanner is one of the rare products I can find literally nothing to complain about. It comes in two versions, the S300 (Windows) and the S300m (Mac).

The iStubz is a miniature USB cable for iPhones/iPods. It comes in either 7cm or 22cm lengths, and is probably the best eight dollar purchase I've made in the past year. The reason I'm so in love with this little tool is that it can live permanently in my bag without taking up any space or tangling up on anything. This is great since I regularly forget to charge my iPhone at night and often have to charge it on the go. It's also ideal for charging/syncing from my laptop, keeping cables from getting tangled in my mouse and still allowing my phone to be within arm's reach. It's doubly useful when coupled with the socket-to-USB converter packaged with the iPhone. I keep them mated in my bag, so if I happen to be somewhere without my laptop or a convenient USB port, I can still stay charged.

AutoHotKey allows me to automate nearly any task on my PC (it's Windows-specific). With AotoHotKey I can create shortcuts for almost any action by presetting keystrokes and specifically located mouse clicks. I can also automate a series of actions. I've never seen anything that reduces monotonous computer tasks or works across different programs this well.

Since I adopted AutoHotKey about two years ago, anything that I do in a consistent way on my computer is automated. An example of a frequent set of inputs and commands I've automated through AutoHotKey: Often when I'm on IM, a friend will use a word I don't know. In the past I used to copy the word, go to my browser, paste the word in Google, hit return and search. With AHK, I simply highlight the word, regardless of the software I'm using when I encounter it, and hit Ctrl+Win+G.

I also use AHK to expand abbreviations as I type them. For example, typing "btw" can automatically produce "by the way." The program's functionality goes much further than these examples. It's a great way to harness the power of your computer without being restricted by software.

-- Dominic Duncombe

While there are a number of other “always on” help programs for loading apps, mouse gestures, shortcuts, etc., I've ended up uninstalling them all for performance reasons. AutoHotKey, on the other hand, is very lightweight. It uses only a few MB of RAM and has never caused any CPU load or affected any other programs for me.

The app itself works flawlessly. I created some simple scripts to aid repetitive text entry and to load frequently used files. These two items have replaced a mess of shortcuts and text files on my desktop.

The sample scripts are where it starts to get really cool. There is one that allows you to middle click and select from a list of frequently used folders. Another lets you find and delete empty folders automatically. One lets you automatically delete files older than a certain date, which is great for log files.

Several years ago, I was at a trade show and I saw and tried an early-generation Kinesis keyboard. I was hooked. As a starving college student, I certainly couldn't afford one then, but once I entered the workforce one of the first things I did was acquire a Kinesis, and I have now been using it for about four years. I've used a variety of ergonomic keyboards in my time, but none was as comfortable to use as this one.

I'm a decent typist, but once it arrived, it took me about two weeks of hunting-and-pecking to figure out where all the keys were, and another week to get proficient with it. During this time, I kept a standard keyboard close at hand, in case I got too frustrated, or needed to type something quickly. However, once I mastered the keyboard, I found that my typing speed went up by about 15 wpm. The reason for this is that the Kinesis doesn't enforce any unnatural motions on your hands or fingers. Hold up your hand, make a loose fist, and then open your hand naturally. That motion encompasses 95% of the motion required to operate this keyboard. It's a remarkably stress-free way to type; very comfortable, and well worth the investment.

I don't have any specific pain or injuries associated with typing. Like just about anyone who uses a keyboard regularly, I'd occasionally get tired or sore hands or forearms (and I still do, when I have occasion to use a non-Kinesis keyboard at length). But since switching, I've found that that kind of pain has dropped off significantly.

The downsides are minimal but worth noting as this is, after all, a very expensive keyboard. The keys are a trifle loud for my taste; I'd definitely prefer a quieter version. Also, the default keymappings are a little odd; the left and right curly braces are in a strange place. While I'm not a coder by trade, I could definitely see that being an issue for someone who does a lot of programming. But it's never bothered me enough to do any remapping. Also, one caveat: you pretty much have to be a touch-typist to be able to use it -- one-finger typing on this keyboard will only end up frustrating you.

What I like best about this keyboard is the natural fit of the keys. The curved cups that the keys rest in are shaped just right for my hands, so the uniquely comfortable typing position is consistently reinforced and supported. I would strongly recommend this keyboard to anyone looking for a comfortable typing experience.

This rubber rocket doesn’t provide as much pressure as Dust-Off, but it exhales a forceful-enough blast for dusting photo/electronic gear, and standing upright on its base sidelines as playful desk dressing/stress-relief toy. I squeeze the oblong bladder (the rocket’s body) and a burst of air entering through a hole at the bottom exits the narrow hard plastic red nozzle. I can't compare their relative dusting power, but unlike the ReAir Duster, the Rocket Blaster doesn't require refilling. Mine’s been in regular use in the office and on location for a couple of years without any noticeable wear.

The general consensus is that products like Dust-Off should be kept away from digital camera sensors, either because the pressure can be too high around delicate internal mechanisms or the potential for harmful residue. Giottos Rocket Blaster is the best alternative I’ve seen -- an inexpensive low-tech tool for maintaining expensive high-tech tools.

I have my home desktop set up with applications for a variety of tasks, but when traveling, at work or at a friend's house (I'm often de facto IT for friends and family) I never seem to have the tools I need. I used to carry around a book of CDs with various applications, but that was bulky and required installation on someone else's machine. About three years ago I discovered PortableApps.com and now I just carry a thumbdrive with the PortableApps suite -- a downloadable collection of freeware and open-source utilities (for PCs only, not Macs) designed to be loaded onto a removable drive.

The "Portable" in PortableApps means that no installation is required and no data is saved to the host machine. You don't need to be logged in as an account that allows software installs (i.e., an admin. account). Your data is stored on the flash drive, so when you load Firefox Portable Edition, you have your bookmarks and passwords at hand. When you load your FTP client, you have your saved IP addresses.

With PortableApps your data is not stored on the host PC. The advantage of this is that data such as browsing history, temp. files and config. files are not stored on someone else's computer. That has privacy and security benefits, and could keep you from getting blamed for problems because you installed unfamiliar programs on someone else's computer.

A huge range of useful applications is included. Some standouts are Firefox Portable Edition, Pidgin Portable (a multi-IM client), OpenOffice Portable, GIMP Portable (image editing) and Firebird Portable (e-mail). Also included are FTP clients, media players and DVD authoring programs.

Aside from the benefit of portability, PortableApps is a curated list of legal, free products. Application versions are kept up to date. The suite is downloadable with one click, and there's a categorized menu to access the files

This suite has come in handy so many times I've lost count. I even keep a folder on my regular hard drive because the apps are so useful. I also appreciate that PortableApps.com continues to update the list of applications and their versions. It's even possible to manually add applications to the suite, but I haven't needed to do that yet.

I am slightly paranoid about backups. I have all my digital files backed up on another disk in my home office. But what if my office burns down? Then I also have a version of critical files copied onto a set of DVDs in my home. But what if both my whole house burns or flattens in an earthquake? So I keep a copy of my contacts, calendar and email on the cloud, in Google. But what about the rest of my stuff? I have 60 gigs of photos, 45 gigs of music ripped from CDs (all legal), 700 gigs of video, and Word docs, InDesign files from books I am working on, PDFs, etc. So I have these on another terabyte hard disk to be kept in a relative's home. But its not very updateable. I needed an easy way to incrementally back up my whole computer to the cloud. Some cheap offsite place to archive my regularly scheduled backups.

I began using Amazon's cloud storage using a utility called Jungle Disk. It worked okay but the deal was more expensive and heavy-duty than I needed.

I am now using Mozy and it seems perfect. For $5 per month (or $55/year) I get unlimited (!!) offsite storage, with invisible regular updating. The interface is sensible. Works on Mac and Windows.

While the daily backup updates can happen at night or in the background, the first time you back up 50 gigs it will take a week. I am not kidding. This is not the fault of the host. Most cable or DSL connects have pitiful upload rates, and working 24/7 it takes a long time to upload your hard disk. Mozy estimates transfers happening at 2-4 gig per day in background work mode, and 9 gigs per day undisturbed. Just be patient.

I am now backed up on the cloud. Whew!

While I've always spent a lot of time computing, the precise, all-day cursor movements of professional writing and designing (a recent switch) got me vexed with my previous mouse's lack of control and an aching wrist. After borrowing a friend's $70 trackball and enjoying the fingertip control and comfort, I set out to get tracking at the lowest possible cost and highest possible comfort. I settled on the Logitech Marble Mouse.

Shaped like a low, oval hill, this $20* mouse is a nice inverse of the natural curve of a hand. The trackball sits naturally under the index and middle fingers and moves very smoothly. The sizable left and right buttons are situated directly under your thumb and ring finger, while the two smaller buttons above them can be designated for a variety of functions like scrolling and zoom. The symmetry also makes it ambidextrous, which is great for any left/right-handed families that share a home computer.

I did try a few thumb-operated trackballs, but a slight weirdness in my right thumb joint causes some discomfort when I move it a lot. Every time I put my hand on the Marble Mouse, I'm able to keep it totally relaxed. The mouse is large enough for comfort, but still relatively small enough to take on the road. The build quality is solid, and it's easy to clean. Best of all, my wrist no longer smarts after a long day's editing.

Bonus: the heavy, low-friction ball makes a nice desk toy when you need a break.

After a while in the desert climate and the occasional clumsy drop, my two HPs were toast. I debated getting another standard laptop and using a Pelican case, but figured it would still suck up dust anytime it wasn't in the case. Made for military, firefighters, EMTs, shipboard and others who need a laptop to use during adverse conditions, the Toughbook has a magnesium shell which is dust, shock and water resistant. All of the various connectors and ports are covered by dust- and water-resistant doors. There are fully-rugged, thicker field models, semi-rugged and the smaller, lightweight, thin "business" line, each with varying specs and options such as GPS, WIFI, Cellular links and specialized test gear.

If I had the money I would spring for one of the newer, thinner notebooks, but for my purposes, the CF-28 I bought on eBay has been great (I paid just $475 -- 10 percent of the list price! -- because it was surplus from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police). I work on movie sets a lot and it seems to shrug off all the abuse it goes through. Aside from the climate (Las Vegas) and getting banged around, spilling a beer on the keyboard is the most extreme environmental hazard thus far. I use a plug in module for wifi and bought an internal wifi chip. It also has a touch screen and pen-like stylus, so you don't need to use the mouse unless you want to.

I have no experience with any of the rugged laptops made by other companies. However, when I worked at the Army desert warfare training center at Ft. Irwin, the fully-rugged Toughbooks were used extensively by the soldiers in the field. I've also talked to a few cops here in Las Vegas who use them and have heard nothing but rave reviews. Plus, I know the company backs up what they sell: a friend of mine with a Toughbook had his motherboard fried after lightning struck near him and they fixed it for free.

This computer screen saver is incredibly beautiful, dynamic, amazingly hypnotic, free (!), and literally alive. You can get the full story here, but Electric Sheep is Scott Draves' open source, distributed computing project which creates and disseminates new user-generated and/or computer-generated fractals to everyone who's downloaded the screen saver. I've been running the Mac version for about four or five years and find myself involuntarily staring at it for long periods. Over time, you'll actually see it evolve, and get to know family trees. I sometimes recognize dynamic fractals patterns I've seen elsewhere in nature. I've seen fractals that resemble the inside of cells (my background is in biology). I'm also a scuba diver, and I've seen fractals that especially resemble lots of marine creatures, such as Nudibranchs and Barnacles and Sea Cucumbers and more. Plus, classic cloudscapes and NASA pics of galaxies forming as well as sliced/polished rock geological forms.

As I understand it, there are essentially three ways sheep come into existence. People can login to the website and use a GUI to create their own sheep to release into the 'flock.' Sheep have a finite lifetime, and users can vote on the sexiest/prettiest or least favorite sheep by pressing the up or down arrows when they appear on their screens. Sheep with favorable ratings get to 'breed' more. When they breed, sheep are genetically recombined to form diverse offspring, which resemble various aspects of each parent. There is also an automatic genetic algorithm that occasionally generates and lets loose new sheep with fresh DNA into the flock. Interestingly, just as in nature, when the algorithm is creating new sheep it analyzes them in various ways to make sure they aren't deformed or utterly pointless (i.e. just as embryos in the womb of mammals are eliminated if there are genetic or developmental problems).

You can get the screen saver for any platform. I've installed both Mac and PC versions a few dozen times on various friends' computers over the years and can assure you it's adware/virus free.

-- Mark Lenhart

I'd heard about Electric Sheep through the years. Was always curious, but for some reason never bothered to try it until recently. I now find myself pausing regularly to gaze at the sheep whenever I get antsy or hit a wall while working. One unexpected side-effect: my Sheep-gawking moments also serve as much-needed stretch breaks.

-- Steven Leckart