Charging Stations- How Do You Choose The Right One?

Hi Everyone!  It’s me again, Laurie.  Your very own Gadget Gandhi here to provide you consumer information.

Gen Z Power- Eco Friendly Charging Station

I have done research on Charging Stations.  The Gen Z Power is truly a great item.  I have enclosed a link to a blog I found on Green Gadgeting for this item.  This blog gives a lot of helpful information on green, energy-efficient products when deciding on the right gadget for you.  The Gen Z Power comes with 11 adapters and 2 removable usb ports. It can charge more than 1500 various models of mobile devices.  The item is Eco Friendly because it shuts off the power to your device when it is done charging.  This adds to the longevity of your device and a lower consumption of electricity.  This technology does its part to keep those batteries out of the landfill as well as save you money on new rechargeable batteries and electricity.

Currently you can find this item at Think Geek and Cable Organizers.

Color: Black–Price of the Gen Z Power  $59.99

Currently you can find this item at: Think Geek or CableOrganizers

http://www.thinkgeek.com

http://www.cableorganizers.com

http://greengadgeting.com/consumer-electronics/eco-friendly-charging-station-for-your-gadgets.html

Sanctuary Charging Station

If you’re like me, you want to make sure you know what you’re buying.  I found a product by the name of “Sanctuary Charging Station”.  It is a device with built-in connectors similar to the concept of the Gen Z Power.  This device has 11 connectors and 1 usb port.  This device is compatible with 1500 various mobile devices. I couldn’t find any information on automatic shut off when the device is fully charged.  I can neither say it does or it doesn’t have this feature.  This device does have an interesting extra feature not currently available with the Gen Z Power.  You can buy up to 6 extra connectors to plug into the USB port to charge a PSP or a Nintendo Game Console.

Various Colors– Price for Sanctuary Charging Station: $129.99-$149.99

Currently you can fine this item at: Bluelounge and Red Envelope.

http://www.bluelounge.com

http://www.redenvelope.com

Duracell My Grid

The third item I have reviewed is called the Duracell My Grid.  Very interesting item.   This brings charging to a whole new level.  Duracell My Grid is a WIRELESS charging station. (I truly love this technology!!!!)  Basically, you put your cell phone on the charger mat and it charges.  Simple as that.  The Grid is able to charge up to 4 devices simultaneously. Unfortunately, with all great advances in technology, there is always a down side.  All the phones need to have a power clip or power sleeve attached so the phone can charge wirelessly.  The Duracell My Grid provides power clips for the Blackberry, Motorola and Nokia units at this time. You need a power clip or power sleeve to regulate the current for each device.  I am certain this technology will advance.  It is only a matter of time before manufacturers insert a power clip for the wireless charging in all mobile devices.  This is just the beginning of a great technological advance in mobile technology.

Color: Black- Price of the Duracell MyGrid $69.99-$79.99

Currently you can find this item at Amazon and Staples

http://www.Amazon.com

http://www.staples.com

It is my analysis, that the Gen Z Power is the best device for the money. I like the extra feature of the Sanctuary but not enough to pay double for the unit. I guess if I was a gamer, the extra feature would be something that I would consider.  As for the Duracell MyGrid.  I LOVE the whole idea of charging with no wires!  I do however need to consider that I can only charge my cell phone and not my iPod and I need to add a power clip to my device.   I am certain this item will be my next “buy” for the future.  But for now, I’ll wait until they build a power clip in mobile devices.

Note: Click any of the photos above to purchase the item in the picture.

New Gadget- Gen Z Power Charging Station

Hello all!  It’s me again, your very lovable Gadget Gandhi!

I have patiently awaited the release of the New Gen Z Power.  I have been told I have the patience of an ant but that’s another story.  It is finally happening.  I am alerting all the techno- junkies, like myself, of the release of The New Gen Z Power. This is a fantastic, must have item.  I can charge my cell phone, my iPod and my husband’s cell phone all at once without even looking for our chargers. I don’t need my computer to charge our  iTouch, and a Charging Station to charge the rest of my mobile gadgets.  I can do it all with The Gen Z Power.  Everything is built in.  This is the Next Generation in charging stations.

The company that manufactures this item is Domaine Ltd.  Domaine Ltd expanded its well known jewelry and novelty business in January 2010.  This expansion was the birth of a Consumer Goods Division called “Domaine Consumer Goods”.  Domaine Consumer Goods is devoted to bringing new innovative technology to the US market.  With their highly inspired and creative team, DCG’s  plans are to make an impact with the latest gadgets and gizmos for all the techno-junkies out there.   I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.

This item is being sold at Cable Organizers.

www.cableorganizers.com

Click any of the photo’s and it will bring you to Cable Organizers site so you can get your own Gen Z Power!

Valentine’s Day- A Man’s/Husband’s Guide to Gift Giving

Lock and Key Necklace

Passionate Pink Cat Eye Necklace

Orange Heart Necklace

Sparkley Love Necklace

Hi Everyone!  It’s me again, Laurie

Valentine’s Day will be upon us in the next 30 days.  I am writing to share some good advice and save all you guys out there from a night in the doghouse.

For most of the men in this world, I know life’s daily routines and responsibilities are your main objective.  You work hard to provide the best life you can for your wife and kids.  You want to be acknowledged once in a while for all that you do to provide the good life you created for your family.  Those are some tough shoes to fill but you do it everyday without complaint or any expectation of reward.  Most of the time you’re wondering if your wife and kids understand all that you do to provide for them.  Do they appreciate what you do?  You become the silent soldier.

Then, once a year, an unofficial holiday arrives that can literally wreak havoc on your life, “Valentine’s Day”.
1.    If you forget it, you have a one-way ticket to the doghouse for an unspecified amount of time.
2.    If you buy something that is not personal enough, you could be expecting the cold shoulder for at least a few days.
3.    Or, one of the worst things, you buy her some household item she needs and she completely explodes telling you how utterly thoughtless you are.  You on the other hand are baffled and try to understand what you did wrong and just try to defuse the situation.

I get it.  That’s why I’m here to help!

Let’s start by saying, your wife, just like you, wants to be appreciated for the things she does.  She might wash your clothes, make your meals, clean your house, tend your children and/or work a full time job too.  She might do it all but whatever it is she does, it is done because she love’s you and the children.

The big “to do” about “Valentine’s Day” for women is this.  This is the one-day your wife is recognized as an individual.  Not for being mom, not for what she does for you but for who she is to you.  It is the one-day that she wants you to acknowledge her as the women you pursued and proclaimed your undying love for. (Do you remember that?) Those were the days when you treated her like a queen.

Often, couples that have been together for many years loose passion in the relationship.  It’s easy to understand; life’s situations kind of sucks it out of you.  The best part is you can get it back and it’s simple really.  Let your wife know how much she means to you.  DO NOT just buy her a card.  Write it, or say it.  It was always told to me that a man wants to be king of his castle, as no man likes to be told what to do.  Well then, elaborating on that thought, a good king (who doesn’t want to be overthrown) will lead his people with compassion and understanding.  The key here is, “lead”.  A man who can lead his marriage with compassion and understanding will be a happily married man. I can assure you that your wife will make you feel like a king.

So, I leave you with this.  Start this Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2010 making your wife feel like your queen.  It never really was about the gift you buy for her but how you make her feel about you and her.  I have put up some links for some great inexpensive gifts so you’re not empty handed.  But make sure you give her what she really wants and that would be you!

Powermat vs Gen Z Power- What is Best for You?

Good morning all!  It’s me Laurie, your very likeable Gadget Gandhi!

The world is forever changing and so is our technology.  With the introduction of the PC and the internet, the world has been on a tech- revolution for the past few decades.  In the past couple of years, I have seen the greatest technology to hit the tech-revolution since the introduction of the internet or the cell phone.  It is called wireless charging.  What is wireless charging you ask?  Wireless charging is the ability to charge your hand-held devices without any wires.  No more adapters and no more wires, just put your device on the mat and that’s it!  Charge!

At the beginning of 2009, the world was introduced to the Powermat.  I have to admit, seeing one of the first wireless devices gave me shivers.  What an amazing device! This device oozed cutting edge technology.  A way to change all the wires and cords as we know it, but being familiar with gadgets and gizmos, I realized that this technology is in its infancy stages.  I know there will be much more amazing things to come!  (Kudos to the engineers at Powermat!)

After seeing that device, I needed to investigate.  I had so many questions.

1. How does it charge wirelessly?
2. Is it cost-effective to run?
3. Does it need accessories to work?
4. How much is it?

The Powermat charges by using Magnetic induction.  Basically, you need to attach a receiver to your device that will sync with the Powermat.  Each one of your devices will need a receiver to work with the Powermat.  Per the people at Powermat, this system is as cost-effective as using your current adapters. After much investigating of the Powermat, I realized a couple of things.  1) This is truly a great device. Just the fact you can electrically charge a device without the wires is truly amazing.  You do however need to purchase various adapters in addition to purchasing the Powermat to power up your devices. This brings me to: 2) The Powermat is expensive for the average person.  The Powermat retails for $99.99.  The additional adapters range from $30-$40 depending on what you need; adding additional cost to the wireless charging.

The GenZ, which is also a charging device, works on a different concept. GenZ Power is a charging station produced by Domaine Consumer Goods.  I have seen many charging devices.  In this day and age of personal wireless electronics, I see charging stations as an absolute necessity.  Without them, we would have the spaghetti of wires all over our house and office.  GenZ Power provides the unique concept of built-in adapters in the charging unit.  No more looking for the correct charging cord.  Currently, I use it for two cell phones and my iPod.  I truly love this device.

Main Features for the GenZ Power:

• Built in with 13 of the most common connectors which includes 2 USB ports
• LED light indicating status of charging (Flashing when charging)
• Different voltage for each connector with IC control
• Auto cut-off when battery is fully charges  (Green Charging Station)
• Can charge up to 4 devices at the same time

What makes the GenZ most appealing is its price.  This item retails for $59.99.  You don’t need to purchase additional applications to make this item work.  Just open the box and use.  The product shows on the back panel of its packaging the adapters that are inside the device. No question about knowing what you are getting.  The people at Domaine Consumer Goods have done a remarkable job with this item.  It is not as advanced as wireless charging but it eliminates looking for the chargers at half the price.

Well that’s all for now!!

Jewelry- Where are all the Great Deals?

Hello Everyone! It’s me again, Laurie!

Now that the major “Gift Giving” holidays have passed, I can begin to concentrate on starting my list for next year.  (I know, I’m a dork-What can I say?)  After this year’s holiday, I promised myself I would never do the last minute gift gathering hustle again.  I know I say it every year but this time I really mean it!

A few months ago, I decided to set up a Face Book Page. At first, I was a little apprehensive about it but now that I have established my network of friends and family, I am more than happy I did this.  I have many old friends on my page that I had lost track of do to Life’s infamous ups and downs. Many of those people from my life mean the world to me.  I wish I had stayed in contact all these years.  Unfortunately, sometimes the craziness of life brings us down another path and we loose touch with some of those great people in our lives along the way.  The great thing about Face Book is you don’t need an address or a phone number, just your friend’s name.  Kudos to the people at Face Book!

With the expansion of my friend network (new friends of recent years and great friends of years passed), I realized my gift-giving list had increased by quite a bit.  (Hence, my resolution to start shopping now for gifts.)  With many family and friends to buy for, I decided I needed to put my shopping skills to the test.  We all know I like a bargain and know I am to the verge of OCD when it comes to getting the best product for my money.  I researched some of the great programs out there to get the best return on my shopping experience.

I found two programs that give you great return on your money spent.

1. Kohl’s Cash- For Every $50 you spend at Kohl’s, you get $10 in Kohl’s cash towards your next purchase.  They do have a time frame on the Kohl’s Cash Coupons but still it’s a great deal!  Kohl’s has a huge selection of clothes, furniture and decor, jewelry and watches, electronics and much, much more. Their prices are very reasonable and you will get a great selection of products to choose from to use your Kohl’s Cash.

1. Domaine Cash- If you like jewelry, this is the place to go.  You get $5.00 for every $50.00 you spend from Domaineltd.com.  The best part about this program is the Domaine Cash is good until December 31, 2010.  You can use on your next purchase or accumulate them for a free shopping on domaineltd.com website. (and they’re good until the end of 2010)  Domaineltd.com has the best prices I have seen for Quality Fashion Jewelry.  In combination with the Domaine Cash, you are getting the real deal.

Ok people, that’s all for now!  Until next time.

You can find those great deals at:

www.kohls.com

www.domaineltd.com

Jewelry- What Can You Get For Free?

Good afternoon all!

It’s me again, Laurie! Your very lovable Gadget Gandhi! LOL

Today I come to you with a great new service. It is called the Accessorize Queen. The Accessorize Queen is a person (yes people, a real live person) who will give you great gift advise for your entire gift giving needs. The best part about this service is it’s FREE.
Now, you all know I’m a skeptic. Especially when someone is telling me a service or anything for that matter is free. We all know everything comes with a price or at least an ulterior motive. So, I made it a priority to check it out. The Accessorize Queen is the Marketing Manager for Domaineltd.com located in Providence, RI.

Domaineltd.com is a designer and manufacturer of Quality Fashion Jewelry. If you had read one of my previous blogs, I had blogged on their product. They have great quality fashion jewelry at very reasonable prices.

Well, since I had a birthday party to go to over the weekend, I decided to put the Accessorize Queen to the test. I anticipated, given the fact she works for DomaineLtd.com. that her ambition would be to sell me jewelry. I sent the Accessorize Queen an email asking for her advice. She promptly sent me a reply asking me specific questions about the girl I was buying for. Ironically, the girl I was buying for is a bit of a “Tom Boy” or as my daughter likes to say “Tommy Girl”.( I love that expression!). I’m sure you understand that jewelry would not be an appropriate gift for this individual. I figured I had nothing to loose since I’m a bit girly, girl myself and I really had no idea what to get her.

After answering a few questions about my friend, she came back with a recommendation of a “Barnes and Noble Gift Card” with a recommended amount. Honestly, I was shocked. I thought for sure, she would recommend jewelry.

So, to satisfy my own curiosity, I sent her an email thanking her for the great gift idea and asked her how this “service” benefited her company? Her recommendation had no mention of the DomaineLtd.com product. Her answer was truly inspiring. She said, “The objective of Accessorize Queen is to provide a true service to people out there who have a tough time trying to find the perfect gift. Keeping in touch with people helps them identify peoples needs so they can continue to be a leader in their industry and ensure they provide the best to the consumer. If a jewelry piece had been applicable, she would have provided me a link to domaineltd.com as well as other companies providing the same product so I could choose for myself.

Honestly, I was amazed by her answer but am pleased with the results of this service. I highly recommend “Accessorize Queen” to anyone looking for the perfect gift!

Check it out: www.accessorizequeen.wordpress.com

Holiday Traditions- A Special Gift for Her?

2009 Swarovski Holiday Ornament

Good morning all! It’s me again, Laurie. Your very likeable gadget Gandhi! – LOL

Well, last night, since nobody was home, I decided to venture into my basement and pull out the holiday décor. After a very grueling 30 minutes of hauling boxes up the basement stairs, I was finally ready to sit down and begin the ritual of sorting through the holiday decorations.

It’s amazing how many happy memories that floods you when you’re sorting through items you haven’t seen in at least a year. I found many homemade gifts that were made for my husband and me by our children. Shells painted with holiday cheer, paper Mache decorations with loving notes and I can never forget, the infamous spaghetti necklace. Now that was a long, long time ago.

As I was taking out the last of the homemade gifts and decorating them around my house, I finally came to my box of special ornaments. This particular group of ornaments has a very sentimental meaning to me. It is my collection of Swarovski Special Edition Holiday Ornaments. There is a new ornament made for each passing year.

Many years ago, when our children were small, my husband and I decided it would be best not to buy each other gifts at the holidays. We were already strained trying to raise 3 children and most of our money went to living expenses, or the children. My husband has always been a very proud man. He has always done his part to ensure that our children had the best holiday they could possibly have. He would work many; many extra hours to make sure each of his children got that one special gift they had asked for. I have to admit, he never once failed in his quest.

On one particular year, after the children had opened their presents, I noticed there was another small gift stuffed between the branches of our tree. Puzzled, I walked over to see whom it was for. To my surprise, it was for me! As my husband looked up at me sheepishly, I opened the box. It had to be the most beautiful crystal I had ever seen. It was a 2000 Swarovski Special Edition Holiday Ornament. I could tell from looking at it, it was expensive. I asked him, “Why would you buy something so expensive for me?” He said, “ To see the happiness on your face when you opened the box.” I was beyond surprised and amazed that he purchased such a beautiful, thoughtful gift. Feeling less than thoughtful myself, I said, “But I didn’t get anything for you.” He looked at me in surprised and said “Yes you did. The happiness on your face is the best present you could ever give me”. (I got to admit, he really is a great guy).

Every year since that day, there has been a box with a new Swarovski Special Edition Ornament for me under our tree. He has bought me one every year since that day. (And I make sure I have a present for him too.) It always makes me smile and has become my most favored tradition.

Please feel free to email me at lplante@resourceproducts.com or leave me a comment.

The 2009 Swarovski Special Edition Holiday Ornament can be purchased at

www.merchantsoverseas.com
You can purchase the authentic Swarovski ornament for $75.00. Make a lifetime worth of memories that she’ll never forget!

What’s Up with the Holiday Gift?

3 Pc Plug Extender

Good morning all! It’s me again, Laurie.

The holiday season is again upon us. I have been listening to people chatter about their expected holiday celebrations, gift giving, family traditions and the infamous “shopping trips”.  Regardless of what holiday you are celebrating (Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa), each holiday has its tradition of “gift giving”.

For the past few days, I have been pondering in my own mind “Why do I do this “holiday hustle” every year?” All this time, money, effort and work? Is it worth it? Does anyone care?

As a child I could not wait for the holiday celebration to begin. I would take my saved up allowance and joyously go out and buy all my family and friends what I considered the perfect gift. (At least as best as my allowance would allow.) Ahh, the joys of being a child. The month of December would move by at a snails pace and finally would come the time to start all the cleaning and preparation of the traditional family dishes. The work was always abundant, but I truly enjoyed every minute of it. Then finally, our big holiday would arrive and be over in a blink of an eye, reminding me that I would have to wait another year before we could do it again.

Time eventually passed and I became an adult with my own family. When the children were small, I basked in the traditions of our holiday celebration. I would cook for hours, clean for days, buy and wrap presents and decorate our house in the traditional holiday décor. The happy little faces of my 3 children (and even my husband) filled with anticipation for our holiday celebration reminded me of my own childhood. Knowing how happy they all were, made it all worth it for me. My grandmother, god rest her soul, would be so proud that I carried on all the family traditions passed down by her.

Then something I can’t explain happened. For the past few years, I have drudgingly followed through with our family traditions. Something that used to fill me with absolute joy has now been reduced to an interrupting annoyance in my life. The holidays have become too commercialize. Everyone is in a hurry. I now feel overwhelmed rather than happy and joyous. Gifts have been replaced with impersonal gift cards or gift certificates. What happened to the happiness that the holiday celebrations use to bring?

Then the strangest thing happened to me yesterday. I was looking through an old wooden box that I keep paperwork and personal memorabilia in. I was looking for some paperwork when I came across a holiday card from my grandmother. Stunned, because I haven’t seen it in over 15 years, I opened the card. Inside she wrote, “ I hope you love the coat. You are important to me and I want you to always be warm. I love you always, never forget that.” She passed on that year. I still have the coat and card. My grandmother always had the best sound advise. After reading that card, it occurred to me. She purchased that gift for me because I was important to her. I never once asked for a coat but it is something I use from time to time until this day. I think of her every time I wear it.

After finding that card, I had an epiphany. For many years, I purchased gifts for people that showed I was thinking of them in my own way. For the past few years, I have purchased gifts based on peoples wants. And yes, I have bought gift certificates and gift cards. I’ve never put a personal note with a gift. (Need to change that)  Now thinking about it, it seems foolish that I didn’t. Isn’t the message what it’s all about? My grandmother’s message said it best, she purchased the coat because I was important to her and she wanted me to be warm. Simple. (Maybe that is why I can’t part with the coat, it makes me think of her.)

Feeling a ton better after finding that card, I began to look for things that I wanted to get the people I most care about. My gifts are going to be what I want to give. Honestly, I feel a lot better about it. Believe it or not, much less stressed. My gift should reflect how I feel about my loved ones.   I am also determined to include a card with a personal note for each of my loved ones.

So I began my search and came across an interesting item for my husband. My husband is always looking for additional surge protectors because he covers up the extra plugs with the large transformers from his devices. I found 3 Pc. Plug Extenders for him. A plug extender is a mini cord that you can plug into the end of the transformer and the opposite end into the surge protector. Should solve the problem. I will get him other things but I think he will be surprised that I noticed his dilemma and that his problem mattered enough to me to try and fix it.

The same goes for my 3 kids and their battery obsessions. I am planning on getting each one of them a Battery Rack 40. For my two college going children, I plan on getting each one of them a Power Station Traveller. This way they can make sure their cell phones are always charged and have a case to carry all their small electronics to class rather than leave them in the car.

Nobody has asked for these items but I can see how it will make their lives easier and I want them all to be happy.

Well, that’s all for now. I hope you all enjoy your holidays. I plan on getting my holiday spirit back this year. Remember to buy a gift that says what you want to say. A personal short note will make all the difference in the world.

Please feel free to leave me a comment or email me at lplante@resourceproducts.com

You can find any of the products mentioned above at www.resourceproducts.com

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