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My brother is a good friend of mine and so he tells me about all the purchases he plans out like his high performance computer, video games and now a superb GPS. The Magellen Maestro 4050 is an amazing device, and if you're in the market for one, you shouldn't at all be surprised about what I'm going to tell you. I'm going to go from obvious to cool features on this GPS.

First off there are pre-loaded US, Canada, and Puerto Rico maps all displayed on a 4.3 inch screen. It is 5. 0 (l) x 3.75 (w) x 0.88 (h) and contained in a high quality plastic case. It can run 2 hours with continuous use but isn't important because mostly you'll have it plugged into your car at all times.

My brother just bought a BMW 328xi with a load of feature including Bluetooth and an integrated feature called BMW assist. BMW Assist system offers safety, security and convenience services at the touch of a button. Using advanced technology, BMW Assist connects you with a trained response specialist, much like OnStar, to help you with almost everything, from an emergency situation to directions and traffic information. How does this relate to the Magellan Maestro 4050? If you didn't pay for some of the luxuries you can add to a car, then this GPS will provide at least some of those for a fraction of the cost. Bluetooth, hands-free calling, and Built-in AAA Travel Information, this will rival an integrated navigation system.

I haven't even got to the best part yet. Next is the included services offered by Magellan. TrafficKit can be added onto the GPS with applicable subsciption fees. Basically, TrafficKit will tell you traffic updates faster than your local radio. Finally, there is voice recognition software. There are two YouTube videos that I found to be quite good. One shows a close-up of the GPS being used with not the best function(click here) and then the other one is more of a review of the voice recognition with a demo(click here).

Compared to TomTom there are some advantages and disadvanges. For one, TomTom has mapshare which is really helpful when you find an error, you can help correct it, and therefore in turn, you'll have a more reliable map. Magellan though has the amazing Voice Command and wins my heart.
I looked at the big three in the industry, Magellan, TomTom, and Garmin and took into account their routing engine and map accuracy. There are two different mapping data providors for these 2 companies, NAVTEQ and Tele Atlas. NAVTEQ is better for North America and comes standard on Magellan units and Garmin (Garmins is several years old but soon to be updated) while TomTom uses Tele Atlas.
I'm not done yet. Here are some pros and cons about the Magellan Maestro 4050.
Pros

• Great, easy to use interface
• notifies you well in advance of turns
• 4.5million P.O.I.S that is better than larger databases on other GPS systems
• Multi-destination routing with route optimization
• QuickSpell, to speed up entering text (no real need to use it with voice commad)
• Loud speaker
• Allows you to see your current location w/ time, speed, direction, & allows you to save your current location
• Four routing methods to choose from
• Only GPS on the market that includes AAA's TourBook information

Cons

• GPS voice is hard to understand and is the worst text-to-speech of Magellan, TomTom, and Garmin
• Cannot enter a street address using the voice command
• Hard to use voice commands while driving
• Docking system is hard to use
• Map colour scheme makes it hard to read
• Sometimes wakes up without you saying "Magellan"
• Icons are transparent, making them hard to see
• Traffic Reciever is big
• P.O.I lookups don't use QuickSpell
• Bluetooth is difficult to hook up with your device
• Map Screen only uses night mode, all other screens stick to day

Retailling at $499, I think I'd pick one up for Christmas.

Buying an HDTV has never been harder and now with LCD fast approaching Plasma set prices, it's getting even harder to differentiate them. That's where I come in. I'll give you the lowdown on the advantages and disadvantages of each platform and I'll help you make the better choice.

LCD

An LCD HDTV seems to be the right choice at first with it's higher price and with more sizes to choos from, LCD would seem the hands down choice. Wrong (for now). While LCD has made significant strides in the past years, Plasma still has the edge over LCD. If you are looking for a smaller screen size then LCD may be your only choice but with fairly good picture and decent viewing angles it isn't the worst thing. One of the huge advantages of LCD is there is no burn-in produced after static images but they do suffer from retained pixel charge which basically means some pixels will stay at a certain spot. The other key advantage is LCD TVs have a higher native resolution. Basicaly what that means is a 42 inch LCD TV will have more pixels than a 42 inch Plasma TV which results in a slightly better picture. They also weigh less and are more durable so personally installing your LCD TV is possible. They don't overheat and are more energy efficient so it can be a more of an environmental choice for people that are trying to cut there energy bill.

Plasma

We are considering a Plasma HDTV because it is better for watching sports with rich colours and deeper blacks. This can also help the picture for regular use and movies. They do suck up more power and suffer from burn-in but if you are pro-active, this will never be an issue because burn-in happens when you leave a static image for too long (pausing a video game or live TV). They are cheaper which is surprising because they are more expensive to ship and handle. If you are mounting it, a professional would be highly recommended and would come with a price tag. Plasmas have a wider viewing angle than LCDs which can be a factor if you have a large room.

Best Buys

Pioneer is by far the best bet for a plasma TV but they will run a little more on the price side. If you are looking for a more bang for your buck, then a Panasonic plasma will be good, just ahead of a Samsung. My two favourite Plasmas are the Pioneer PDP-4360HD ($1700) and Panasonic TH-42PZ700U ($1500).

My favourite LCD is a Sony KDL-46XBR4 ($3000). All three of these TVs are 46-inch (except the Panasonic- 42inch) which I believe most people do buy. Note: US prices.

Canadian retailers

Panasonic TH-42PZ700-ShopBot has a list of retailers including Henry's and The Brick from $2500-$3100.

Pioneer PDP 4360HD-Not sold in Canada but similar model PDP-4280HD at Best Buy for $3000.

Sony KDL-46XBR4-ShopBot has a list of retailers including Sony Style Canada. for $3300

Cairo is a new type of Windows Shell alternative that will be released as a free standing application. There is no word yet on when it will be released but we can all hope it will be sooner than later. Many, including me at first, don't have a clue what a Windows Shell Alternative is; but let me dumb it down for you. When you install a WSA, it replaces explorer.exe. Explorer.exe displays the icons, folders, start menu, and taskbar but Windows has made it possible to change it in numerous ways only if you are good at computers or if you've downloaded something like Cairo.


I was told about this revolutionary piece of "software" by a friend and I decided to do some of my own research. So far though, Cairo's official website is the only place with reliable information.
Even with an official website it isn't sufficient enough to write a full article so this is just an article in development. There are 9 features on Cairo that are either new or improvements on Windows' version. Some of them are:

• A start bar with easy access to all your files and applications.
• Slick and Stable, you never hear those words together
• Multi-Desktop lets you easily organize your workload by desktop
• Dynamic Desktop enables you to browse files and folders right there
• Make virtual file stacks to easily locate files with File & Application Grouping
• Launch applications that are more frequently used and hide the ones you don't with LaunchCairo
• Preview files and folders such as documents, music, and images with File Explorer
• Configure Cairo just the way you like it by adding and removing features with Cairo's unique plugin system

LCD Monitors have become more popular just this year and now the 22-inch segment is the best buy. They are much less priced than 24-inch screens and usually, less than a $100 upgrade from a 19 or 20 inch screen. HP, ViewSonic, and Samsung all offer great looking packages in this size category.

The ViewSonic entry is surprisingly good looking except for the speakers which dull it down a bit. It has more of a bang for your buck coming in at a reasonable $319US. It is not offered in a physical store but you can buy it from a number of online retailers. The graphics, text, and DVD quality are all very good and it comes with analog and digital inputs. It has multiple adjustments and 5ms of repsonse time and 700:1 contrast ratio.

HP offers a brilliant package with good looks and good features for a small premium over the ViewSonic at $330US. The surprising thing is there is a huge difference between the Canadian price and the American price. HP Canada offers the very same monitor for $450 but luckily I stumbled upon an even cheaper price offered by Office Depot at $400. The difference between the HP and Viewsonic is the text quality which goes to the ViewSonic but it makes up in contrast ratio (1000:1) and features. It looks like an HP product which is not surprsing because they are known for there aesthetics. The w2207 combines styleand practicalization with USB ports, pivoting panel, and EasyClip. Easy Clip is a feature on this monitor that will allow you to add different accessories alongside your monitor including a webcam, picture frame, and a flower vase.

Finally, Samsung has come out with the SyncMaster 2232GW. It's a name you'd think you'd hear from an infomercial. It brings it's 'A' game though with great graphics, text and DVD quality. It surpasses all the other monitors in terms of processing power with 3000:1 contrast ratio and 2ms response time but lacks in ergonomics with only tilt adjustment. It's priced a bit higher versus the ViewSonic and HP with a pricetag of $360 US from Circuit City and it is not sold in Canada unless you want to ship it from Samsung.

In conclusion, the ViewSonic is good value for the money whereas Samsung offers a great monitor for gamers and people who need the graphics and suc. The HP monitor is targeted to the mainstream consumer who wants to personalize there technology but desires above-average technology. So find out who you are and purchase accordingly.

GPS systems have slowly been making there way into cars and I have participated in that trend while I was in England and France. We had the opportunity to rent a GPS for the duration of our rental or get my mom secondary insurance. Guess what my dad chose.

We had the pleasure of using a TomTom and today, I have the pleasure of reviewing the newest addition to there lineup, the TomTom GO 720, a high end GPS that will rival any commerical GPS out there. Portable GPS systems have two major advantages over the in-car navigation system. In-car systems may have wicked multimedia centers but they are more expensive (up to 10x if you go for a cheap portable GPS) and they aren't portable. Since this is a high-end model offered by TomTom, it comes with a hefty price tag of $500US, but again, nothing compared to a base $2000 in-car system. It offers much of the basic features you'd find on a regular portable GPS that include text-to-speech and clear 3-D images. But it also comes with a large screen and it can play audio files through your car's speakers. The GO 720 gave accurate directions on screen despite being late with voice directions. When planning a route, they give you the fastest, but they also suggest other routes that are scenic, don't include tolls, avoid highways, etc. Another neat feature that wasn't on my model is a warning that lets you know you are going over the speed limit. This works in conjunction with another warning you can turn on, to notify you that your speed is above a preset level. This definitly comes in handy when you are going to new place as it makes the job much easier and puts your mind at ease. It saves you time and I can vouch for that many times as we didn't have to look at the map, print out directions, or scan through a portable map in the car. Go to TomTom to get the detailed specs or purchase it from Best Buy Canada for an extra $100 (ripoff!).

Personally, storage is not an issue in my world, but over the last few years, there has been an onslaught of websites dedicated to sending larger files and storing files online. There are two major services that are currently offering online storage and now Microsoft has introduced SkyDrive which is in beta and only available to users with Microsoft accounts (Live, Hotmail, Msn). It supports 500mb of storage but there is a limit of 5mb per file. Once the beta stage finishes it will be open to everybody where it then will truly be up there with the big boys, XDrive and MediaMax. Currently, XDrive and MediaMax are the frontrunners as they both offer key advantages over SkyDrive. XDrive though allows you to stream audio files and Streamload offers automated backup and synchronization between two computers. A plus though from SkyDrive is it allows you to upload files to a private, public, or shared folder on the network. Therefore it's perfect for sending Word files, images over to someone halfway across the world, where they can always access it. Anybody can view your public folders but only your invites can access your shared folders. Go to SkyDrive to sign up yourself.