The Modern Materialist

Browse by Tags

• This Umbrella Sale Will Save You From Drowning (In Debt)

  Okay, it's really only one umbrella, but I think it might be worth it. After all, if you're caught unprepared, you'll be soakced for the duration of the day, and your nips will be showing, as in the photo above. Read More... Posted May 08 2008, 01:00 PM by Steph Auteri with | with no comments Filed under: gadgets, tech

• Video Game Nostalgia: Wolfenstein

  OMG, Oh Gizmo! posted about Wolfenstein's 16th birthday, and it made me sooo nostalgic for the days before Tekken 3, when I used to experience motion sickness while gunning down Nazis for hours on end. Apparently, you can now play a similar version of the game in your web browser, right here. God if only I weren't at one of my office gigs right now... Wolfenstein is admittedly one of the more violent games I spent my time with in days of yore. After the jump, my for-serious list of fave video games from my childhood, with bonus nostalgia-video.   Read More... Posted May 06 2008, 04:30 PM by Steph Auteri with | with no comments Filed under: tech, games

• I'm So Vain: Stealth Headphones

  I feel lame for being so vain about my headphone style, especially since y'all voted that my oversize headphones were a good look. Still, I can't help feeling ridiculous those times I pair my massive headphones with a hat. Which is why I'm sorta intrigued by this get-up: Read More... Posted May 06 2008, 12:00 PM by Steph Auteri with | with no comments Filed under: gadgets, tech, Music

• Test Drive: Loc8tor Lite

  [$79.99, Loc8tor] God, I'm unphotogenic. Anyways. Way back when, I posted about the Loc8tor Lite, a new personal tracking device. In the interests of science, I thought it would be good to borrow one for testing purposes. After the jump, I play hide & seek with my lens cap, an item that is always getting misplaced.   Read More... Posted May 05 2008, 04:30 PM by Steph Auteri with | with no comments Filed under: gadgets, tech, test drive

• Hands On: The New iMac

  Very, very rarely do I buy myself a nice big present, but coincidence at fate brought me to this point, and so I embraced it. Some background: I’ve had the same laptop since 2004 or so, which replaced the same version of laptop, which I had previously lost in the back of a cab (long, awful story). It was/is a PowerBook G4, and I’ve loved it for as long as I’ve known it. So much so, that it’s in my bio blurb, over to your right. More on this sad tale, and hands on pictures with the new iMac, after the jump...  Read More... Posted May 02 2008, 11:00 AM by Alex Zalben with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: gadgets, Apple, tech, hands on

• Love It or Leave It? BoomBox-Style iPod Dock

  [$219, Lasonic]  Part of my wants to hitch this up on my shoulder and bop on down the street, whilst blasting the Beatards. Another part of me realizes that I didn't even do that shit in the '80s. Plus I sort of already love my DLO travel speakers. After the jump, a bonus music video, and then vote for whether you'd love this or leave it. Read More... Posted May 02 2008, 10:30 AM by Steph Auteri with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: gadgets, tech, Music

• Love It or Leave It? Adjustable Heels

  [$210-$325, Camlieon Heels]  The price tag is hefty, but it this the answer to all of our prayers? After the jump, a how-it-works video before you vote. Read More... Posted May 01 2008, 06:00 PM by Steph Auteri with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: tech, Fashion

• Hat-Shaped Spaceship Spotted In the Night Sky

  Oh come on. It totally looks like a hat-shaped UFO! Don't tell me it doesn't.Okay, you're right. This is actually a picture of: Read More... Posted Apr 28 2008, 03:30 PM by Steph Auteri with | with no comments Filed under: gadgets, tech

• Caught in the Act

  I may not have had neighbors conducting body dumps in the middle of the night during the course of my adolescence, but there was that old guy across the way who always shoveled his snow into the street (illegal!), and Timmy — whom they eventually sent away to military school —  terrorized my little brother and me to no end. (I once got back at him by dumping a full bucket of water on him when he was all dressed up to go to his Little League game, and then running like hell.) Whether you have neighbors who conduct illegal activities like snow-shoveling, or just terrorize small children, you can capture all their transgressions with this: Read More... Posted Apr 28 2008, 11:00 AM by Steph Auteri with | with no comments Filed under: gadgets, tech

• Geek Out: New iMacs

  Yesterday I was walking down the street, and there was an Apple G3 desktop sitting in the trash with the note, “Works! No hard drive,” on it. I almost took it home, which shows how much I love Apple stuff, cause I really don’t need a slow computer with no hard drive, plug, or software. Or, you know, a monitor. But I could definitely use one of these: Read More... Posted Apr 28 2008, 09:30 AM by Alex Zalben with | with no comments Filed under: gadgets, Apple, computers, tech, Geek Out

• Love It or Leave It? Walkie Talkie Watch

  Do you copy? Do you copy!? This is Sierra-Tango-Echo-Papa-Hotel Do you copy!? Read More... Posted Apr 25 2008, 10:30 AM by Steph Auteri with | with no comments Filed under: gadgets, tech

• I Cannot Turn Away From My Past

  It was not until my freshman year of college that I owned my first CD. Read More... Posted Apr 25 2008, 09:00 AM by Steph Auteri with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: gadgets, tech, Music

• Happy Hour: The iBar

  [$29.99, Amazon]  Because I don't know the first thing about bartending... iBar is a portable application that allows you to look up 1,000 different cocktail recipes on your iPod, as well as tips, anecdotes, entertaining audio, toasts, and measurements.  After the, a video clip from one of our favorite bartenders: Read More... Posted Apr 23 2008, 05:00 PM by Steph Auteri with | with no comments Filed under: tech, software

• For the USB-Crazy

  [$49.99, Kensington]  Since by now we own so many useless USB-based gadgets that we don't know what to do with them, I don't think it can hurt to have another, easy-to-reach USB hub (seriously, guys; I am so sick of crawling behind my desk to get to the two USB ports on the back of my tower). Read More... Posted Apr 23 2008, 12:30 PM by Steph Auteri with | with no comments Filed under: gadgets, tech, computer

• Intriguing: Another Search Engine Enters The Fray

  I thought this was intriguing, so perhaps you will too.  Or perhaps you and Google will just continue on your merry little way, holding hands, skipping down the sidewalk, declaring your undying love for each other. And that's fine, too. Because while there's a place for Google, I think there may also be a place for this. Read More... Posted Apr 23 2008, 09:00 AM by Steph Auteri with | with no comments Filed under: tech, computer

• Quick Tip of the Day: Spy Lens

  I can't tell you how many times I've let a good picture go simply because I didn't think it was appopriate to point the camera directly at the person I wanted to shoot. Well, it looks like my days respecting others is over: Read More... Posted Apr 23 2008, 08:30 AM by Wendy Atterberry with | with 2 comment(s) Filed under: gadgets, tech, Photography

• A More Pleasurable Waking Up Experience

  [$149.95, Brookstone, Ships 5/28/08] At the moment, I wake up to low-volume NPR. It's so relaxing that, at times, 20 minutes pass before I realize that the voices in my head are radio-voices and not dream-voices. Perhaps it would make more sense to wake up to my Deliriously Happy Mix, the one I often play when commuting to work, in the hopes that it will make me, um, deliriously happy. To be going to work. The iHome Alarm Clock Radio for iPhone would allow me to do such a thing, which is AWESOME!!! After the jump, my Deliriously Happy Mix (please don't make fun of me): Read More... Posted Apr 21 2008, 02:00 PM by Steph Auteri with | with 6 comment(s) Filed under: gadgets, tech, Music

• Mission Impossible: Safekeeping Your Most Prized Possessions

  What would I keep in a safe? If I wasn't paranoid about all the expert lock-picking cat burglars out there? Probably my engagement ring, my wedding band, and the solid gold initial ring with the diamond chip my grandma bought me when I was little. Not to mention all my photo albums, and credit card(s) information, and my passport and social security card. Oh, and that wad of $100 bills I usually keep hidden in my dresser drawer underneath the control top underwear. And then I'd hide the safe in the storage unit, I guess, behind all the Christmas decorations and luggage. But this is all mere speculation. Because of all those lock-picking cat burglars out there. It just wouldn't be worth it. It just wouldn't be safe. Read More... Posted Apr 21 2008, 11:00 AM by Steph Auteri with | with 4 comment(s) Filed under: gadgets, tech

• Naked Case

  If you love getting naked and you love your iPod, you'll probably like this — which combined two of your favorite things: Read More... Posted Apr 18 2008, 11:30 AM by Wendy Atterberry with | with no comments Filed under: tech

• I Am An Embarrassment

  Five Things I Do That Embarrass My Husband Take one of his incidental burps as a burping challenge. Hula hoop in the parking lot. Wear my fuzzy Cookie Monster pajama pants to the QuikChek. Tell other people about his butt dance. Sing "Circle of Life" in the shower, even when we have overnight guests. Read More... Posted Apr 17 2008, 02:30 PM by Steph Auteri with | with 3 comment(s) Filed under: gadgets, tech, Music

• Music Sharing Sans Computers Or Cables

  [$99.95, miShare]  Music Michael Has Opened My Ears To: Read More... Posted Apr 17 2008, 10:00 AM by Steph Auteri with | with no comments Filed under: gadgets, tech, Music

• Quick Tip of the Day: The ezSpace UFO

  My desk is probably the most horrifically messy area of my entire place, the the area where my feet kick around is probably the most dicey. Some of the things you'll find under there: my charging iPod my extra-large headphones multiple iPod cases a can of compressed air printer paper a three-hole puncher litter that has traveled over from the litter box a multitude of wires reference materials tumbleweeds of cat hair What I wish I had under there: Read More... Posted Apr 17 2008, 08:30 AM by Steph Auteri with | with no comments Filed under: gadgets, tech, Organization

• Useless Yet Necessary: Tengu

  [(£24.99, Tengu] The majority of USB devices out there are completely useless, and Tengu is no different, but he has a personality to him that's difficult to resist. Read More... Posted Apr 16 2008, 10:30 AM by Steph Auteri with | with no comments Filed under: gadgets, tech, computer

• The $5,000 Seal

  [Photo Via]  Paro Robots U.S. Inc. has created a robotic seal designed to make you feel good and stuff. To be more specific, it is being developed as a "therapeutic service robot" for use in hospitals and other care facilities. The press release asserts that this cute-as-a-button doll contains "software behavior generation and voice recognition systems, and an array of sensors that working together, enable Paro to respond in a lifelike manner. The Paro robot can “see,” “hear,” and move proactively as well as reactively." $5,000 people!!! I remember having something very similar as a small child, which gave me comfort and love and a sense of personal well-being... Read More... Posted Apr 15 2008, 12:00 PM by Steph Auteri with | with no comments Filed under: tech, Robots

• Judging a Book By Its Cover

  [$22, Mortimer Snodgrass]  I like the idea of having extra USB ports, as the two on the back of my computer don't really cut it. I especially like the idea of having a practical gadget that is also somewhat adorable. The USB Hub Man has four ports, and a fetching smile. Posted Apr 11 2008, 01:00 PM by Steph Auteri with | with 1 comment(s) Filed under: gadgets, tech, computer

• Happy Hour: Sheer Brilliance

  This could be a Quick Tip product, a Cheap Trick, a Sale of the Day, or a Guess What, but I'm going to christen it a Happy Hour product because it is bound to make capturing drunken moments that much easier. What it is exactly, after the jump... Read More... Posted Apr 10 2008, 05:00 PM by Wendy Atterberry with | with no comments Filed under: tech, Happy Hour

• Chill Out

  Five Things I Do To Relax: Read in bed. Take a 30-minute shower. Watch hours upon hours of quality Bravo or MTV reality programming. Attend a callanetics class. Umm...this is hard. I mean, I couldn't manage to stay away from the laptop for more than three days on my honeymoon. I just felt that I should be productive. Maybe I should incorporate this into my chill-out repertoire: Read More... Posted Apr 09 2008, 11:00 AM by Steph Auteri with | with no comments Filed under: gadgets, tech, toys

• The Envy Of All Other(Tween)s

  [$69.99, Target]  I'm sorry. I really couldn't help myself. It was just too hilarious and, besides, that "See You Again" song they keep playing on the radio was reaching into my soul and tugging at my insides.   This Hannah Montana iPod speaker system is purple as well, and purple is my favorite color. So there. After the jump, sing along to "See You Again" with the help of a karaoke-like video splashed with visually offensive neons, and share how you feel about the teeny pop star with one of our polls. Read More... Posted Apr 08 2008, 09:00 AM by Steph Auteri with | with no comments Filed under: tech, Music

• A New Toy

  So, I've been looking for a new toy. I knew I wanted something sleek and discreet, sexy looking and powerful. I wanted something that could get me moving, that could be pulled from a little carrying pouch in the middle of the night when I'm unable to sleep, and could go hours and hours without needing a battery change. Most importantly, I wanted a big, undistorted sound... Read More... Posted Apr 07 2008, 04:00 PM by Wendy Atterberry with | with no comments Filed under: tech

• Quick Tip of the Day: Four-Port Charger

  [$12, Gadget4all]  This tip is pretty straightforward, and also pretty cheap, which makes it that much easier to put into use. This 4-port USB charger — with mobile phone adapter — could be a lifesaver during those times when your car has broken down and your cell phone is near-dead, or you're on a long road trip and your radio dial is like a barren wasteland. You're welcome.  Posted Apr 07 2008, 08:30 AM by Steph Auteri with | with no comments Filed under: gadgets, tech, car