Veronica Belmont
tech.gadgets.video.geekculture.gaming.kittens.
Getting a look at the Looxcie
91 year ago
There’s no shortage of ways to capture video clips these days: smart phones, Flip cameras, dSLRs… they can all take good quality video that can easily be uploaded to YouTube or Facebook to share with your friends and family. The downside? It’s an active process. You have to concentrate on getting the shot you want, instead of actually enjoying the moment you’re trying to capture.
On this episode of Tech Unexpected, I take a look at the Looxcie Wearable Camcorder. It sits on your ear like a Bluetooth headset (which technically, it is), and you can use your iPhone or Android device as a remote control to record and play the videos, and to trim the clips and send them off into the Internet aether once you’re done.
Is this something you would want to use? What would you use it to capture? I can also see it being very useful to record concerts or sporting events. At $199, is this something you would integrate into your tech collection?
If you do get one, show it off! Just take a video with your Looxcie camera, upload it to YouTube and tweet us the link to @Cruzearati with the hashtag #LooxcieHere.
Oh, and P.S: When I told Devo she could be internet famous “too,” I was referring to her becoming famous like Mr. Littlejeans. He’s extremely famous on the internet.
Travel essentials
211 year ago
I travel more than anyone I know. This is not bragging; it’s gotten to the point where I’m relating more to the 50-something male business travelers I share the airports and hotel bars with than peers my own age.
One thing makes traveling a cinch for me: technology. There are a few essential apps and tools that I use daily that make life so much easier for me. Without them, I’d be utterly and completely lost.
TripIt
I use TripIt for everything. Flights, hotels, rental cars, car services, etc. If there’s a confirmation email associated with my trip, it gets forwarded to plans@TripIt.com and instantly added to my itinerary. Then, I just pull up the information on my iPhone, and I’ll never forget where the hotel is or what flight number I’m on. I use the Pro account (which has a $60 yearly fee) to keep track of all my frequent flier miles and to alert me to any changes in my itinerary.
FlightTrack Pro
This $9.99 iPhone app works with data from TripIt Pro, and has saved my ass more times than I can count. I typically know a flight is delayed or cancelled before the crew does (well… It seems that way, anyhow). I can use it to cross-reference SeatGuru, find alternate flights, and give me up-to-the-second gate information. A must-have for the frequent traveler.
Expensify
This handy app works on the iPhone and iPad, and allows me to put together expense reports quickly and easily. Using my iPhone, I can take pictures of my receipts, add them to a new or existing expense report, and mail them off to their intended recipient. The only downside is that you need a data connection to work on your reports.
TaxiMagic and Uber
Need a ride to the airport, but don’t know the local cab companies? Try TaxiMagic. In some places, like SF, you can book and pay for Luxor Cabs using the app directly. Otherwise, it lists the local cab companies in your area and helps you to call them from the app. Uber is only available in SF (AFAIK) but this town car booking system is the most reliable and comfortable way to travel. It’s more spendy, at 1.5x the price of normal cabs, but sometimes it’s worth it!
Dropbox and EverNote
I use these apps to sync my data across multiple devices, but I use them differently. Dropbox is mainly for sharing documents (in my case, VO files and scripts) while Evernote I use to keep track of ideas and business cards when I’m on the road. It’s my virtual Rolodex! Instead of taking cards, I snap a photo and upload it to my business cards notebook. Then, once it’s indexed, I can search and access that info from anywhere.
MyLink from OnStar
If I feel like maybe I forgot to lock my car after leaving it at the airport, I use the OnStar app to remotely lock Terry Cruze. You can also see the cars specs, remotely turn it on and off, and get roadside assistance. Now, if only they had an app for turning off the oven…
3G iPad
First I felt kind of guilty buying the 3G version. Then I felt even more guilty paying the $14.99 a month data plan. But after two months of using it, I don’t feel that way anymore! You’d be amazed by how many hotels still charge an arm and a leg for Wifi, and how many coffee shops don’t offer it at all anymore. This 3G tablet has been great for emailing and blogging on the go. Also, it means I don’t have to lug my laptop around, which is a big plus. I actually wrote this post on my iPad on the way home from Portland last night.
Kindle 2
Yes! Even with the iPad, I insist on bringing the Kindle with me on every trip. Why, you ask? The battery life is forever, the screen is much easier to look at after long periods, and it’s smaller.
What are your travel essentials? Anything you can’t live without when you’re on the road?
My stop at TechShop!
41 year ago
A few weeks ago, I “cruzed” on down (sorry, it was too easy to pass up) to Menlo Park to visit TechShop, an awesome space where inventors and innovators come together to cook up some really great ideas. You know how everyone whines about it being the future, and “where is my jetpack?” and all that? Well, we got your jetpack right here, baby!
Check out the video below, and head over to Cruze-arati.com for all the videos from my friends! Here are some photos from the shoot on Flickr as well.
Let me know what cool places you think we should check out on a future episode! Email them to submit@cruze-arati.com or send us a Twitter reply at @cruzearati!
Your new Tech Cruze-arati!
171 year ago
I’ve had a few new projects pop up recently, but this is one that I’ve really been excited about! Chevrolet has invited me to be a part of the Cruze-arati campaign; they’ve invited experts from many fields (like fashion, sports, travel, music and entertainment) to use the new Chevy Cruze and shoot videos about the topics they love. I’m happy to announce that I’ll be their Tech Cruze-arati, and we’ve already shot some great technology segments during the past few months!
Just to be clear, Chevrolet is paying me to shoot the episodes (full disclosure and whatnot!), but the segments we’ve shot so far are very much in the vein of my other projects: we’ll drive and travel all over the country, meeting awesome people in the tech industry, reviewing some hot new gadgets, and heading to conferences that are highlighting everything cool the tech industry has to offer.
So stay tuned! Check out the Cruze site at Cruze-arati.com and follow all the Cruze-arati on Twitter @cruzearati, plus keep an eye out for my tweets and blog posts announcing the new videos.
If you have any ideas for shoots, let me know in the comments! And take a look at my bio video below to learn more.