Gadgets

From iPod power to fusion power

Andrew — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:29:04 -0700

Have you noticed that the battery on your iPod doesn't last as long as it used to? According to Aaron Vronko, Rapidrepair's service manager and co-founder, you can expect to get 250 - 500 charges out of an iPod battery. After that the battery starts to degrade until it finally needs replacing. That translates to about a year and a half of prime battery life, almost scandalous when you think about it, especially since you can't replace the battery yourself. Rapidrepair, a company based in Kalamazoo Michigan, charges a very reasonable $20 plus sh

April First Report From CTIA - No Fooling

Andrew — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:10:04 -0700

It was opening day at CTIA today and no one was fooling around. I have to say this show is a lot easier to deal with than CES; much more manageable and less crowded. You could actually get a chance to check out the products at the booths and lunch in the press room didn't vanish at 11:45.

Speaking of the press room I ran into a Becky Waring, an old colleague who has a degree from MIT and has been writing a lot recently for PC World. She just finished a roundup of new wireless routers due to be published soon. One thing she told me that I wasn't aware of is how WiFi networks ca

Report From Showstoppers at CTIA

Andrew — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:03:57 -0700

Retrevo is at the CTIA show in Las Vegas this week. CTIA is the big cell phone conference. Showstoppers is an event held at all the most popular tech conventions that brings the press and vendors together in a comfortable setting. The draw for journalists is easy access to the right people from companies with cool products. The attraction for companies is access to fish or rather journalist in a barrel. The fact that they always have great food helps lure in hungry journalists looking for a free meal. It's always a great place to see cool new stuff and meet interesting people.

Mothers Day Gifts for Under $50

Keri — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:04:20 -0700

This year money is going to be tight for many consumers and you may not be able to afford to buy Mom that new sports car she’s had her eye on. Fear not, Retrevo has some great recommendations for gadget gifts that your Mom will love and will leave you with enough money left over to fill up the gas tank.

Mothers Day Gifts for Under $100

Keri — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 10:33:31 -0700

Moms love gadgets just like everyone else. They’re fun to own and can make your Mom's life easier. We know money is going to be tight this year but just in case you can afford more than the $50 for gifts we suggested in the other Mothers Day gift guide, here are some picks for Mother’s Day gadget gifts that cost around $100.

MEMC Could Be Next Hot HDTV Feature

Andrew — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 16:38:39 -0800

This year, the hot new feature in HDTV just might be "motion control motion enhancement," or MEMC. MEMC chips can help reduce blurring in fast-action programming like sports. This has been a differentiation between Plasma TVs and LCD TVs. Plasma TVs have had fewer problems handling fast moving subjects than LCD TVs. LCD TVs have countered with faster refresh rates (120 Hz) and faster pixel response times (8 ms. and lower).

MEMC promises to narrow the gap further. MEMC has been used for some time in the compression and decompression (CODEC) schemes but is

The Best Part about Working at a Startup!

Vipin — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 10:29:02 -0800

A little before mid-night on Nov 18, Retrevo launched its next big innovation. This innovation dramatically simplifies gadget (electronics) shopping for masses. You see, consumer electronics category is inundated with constant technological innovation, price changes and obsolescence. It is daunting to take the shopping journey even for the tech-savvy consumers. You don't know where to start and when you do manage to start the journey and zoom into a set of products that meet your brand and feature preference, you are never sure which product delivers a good bang for the buck.

Are Immigrants More Entrepreneurial?

Vipin — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 18:21:50 -0800

A few weeks ago I was on a panel at Investor Business Forum when one of the venture investors attending the session asked "why is it that we see more entrepreneurs and even companies we fund founded by immigrant entrepreneurs"? I answered the question and it is not hard to understand why it is so. From 1513, when the Spanish explorer Ponce De Leon discovered Florida to French and German emigration in mid 19th century to emigration of Russians in late 19th century, Italians in early 20th century and Asians in mid 20th century, America has been the land of opportunity that has attracted talent, labor and intellectual capital from all over the world. And I would argue this has been the major driver behind the growth that has made America the super-power it is today.

Retrevo Selects the Best High Definition Consumer Camcorders

Andrew — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 13:20:42 -0700

The High Definition Difference is Remarkable

Once you see a high def recording on your HDTV you'll never want to go back to standard definition. Sony, Panasonic, Canon, and JVC dominate the field of quality affordable HD camcorders and our analysis of camcorder reviews and camcorder user reviews confirms that some of the best buys are from these manufacturers.

How Much Energy is Longer Daylight Saving Time Going to Save?

Vipin — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 11:13:52 -0700

Many of us have still not gotten used to the changed daylight saving time (three weeks earlier in March and one week later in Nov). And those of us who are at least aware have often rationalized the inconvenience by savings in energy cost (myself included). Yes, we will get used to starting work at odd hours and working at odd hours in the evening. But will we really save energy? There was an article in the journal today that covered this topic at length. According to Megan Barnett, the spokeswoman of US Energy Department "The jury is still out on the potential national energy savings". Well, that kills my excitement about the change in daylight saving implemented earlier this year.