GroovyOrNot.com - Groovy

Groovy! Vista Print Marketing Products

nospam@example.com (Admin) — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 12:54:42 -0400

I've used VistaPrint.com for many years. During their infancy, their customization interface was way ahead of its time. Several years later, it's even better.

It is extremely user-friendly. Just click and type, drag stuff around, insert their images or your own and then order a small or large quantity. I haven't tried all of their products, but I use their business cards a lot...not always just as business cards, though. Sometimes I get a small amount that has my new address on them to send to friends who don't have email (yes, those people still exist) or if I have a temporary promo that I'm doing. Their very inexpensive and I can create it in any way I want.

They want to get you hooked (like me) so they always seem to offer some small amount of stuff for free. This gets you inside their site to play around with their user-friendly interface. After you see how easy it is, you'll be certain to come back for more or...just maybe...blog about it

Click Here To Visit VistaPrint.com

Groovy - Philips Photonic Textiles

nospam@example.com (Admin) — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 14:54:01 -0500

If the above YouTube video doesn't work, then you can see it HERE.

I hate when companies release info about something that's totally awesome, only to find out that it's only available in Japan or isn't available at all to consumers (and no ETA on when it will). Regardless, I think the concept and implementation of the Philips Photonic Textiles is awesome. Of course, if it begins saturating the market we'll all grow to hate it fairly quickly as all of the additional advertising will be (even more) out of control.

Groovy - Crucial Gizmo USB Flash Drive

nospam@example.com (Admin) — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 08:00:00 -0500

These flash drives really gained momentum quickly. I put important files on my
Crucial Gizmo USB Flash Drive
and then put into my safety deposit box, in case there's ever a disaster at my home.

It works right out of the package without having to install anything (XP and Mac Mini tested only). Just put into your USB port and your computer reads it as a drive letter to copy files to or from. Works very well with both pc and mac and I use to to transfer files across the room without the nightmare of networking (I have a mac and pc in my office).

Click Here To View the Crucial Gizmo USB Flash Drive

Announcement - Pre-Order The Nintendo Wii

nospam@example.com (Admin) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 18:00:00 -0500

I'm finding there are a few thing that I can't do on video (or it would simply be pointless). This is one of them. So, I'm not going to sweat future ones like this, as the crux of this site is definitely vlog over blog.

That said... WalMart today announced they are accepting pre-orders for the Nintendo Wii. I hope this aids in preventing the same holiday rush drama that the Xbox 360 experienced.

If you're a video gameaholic, Nintendo fan, or newbie wanting to get your start, this thing is going to be awesome!

Click Here To View and Pre-Order the Nintendo Wii.

Groovy - HP PhotoSmart All-In-One Printer

nospam@example.com (Admin) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:00:00 -0500

A quality "all-in-one" (printer, copier, scanner, fax) machine is all you really need. Although my 2510 model isn't on the market anymore (nothing wrong with it, it's just what these people do....stop models from being produced to give them cooler sounding names and slight improvements I did find what appears to be its upgrade, called the HP Photosmart C4180 All-in-One Printer Scanner Copier. Notice, however that the fax has been removed.

It's probably safe to assume that there's no need for a fax now that people are learning how to scan, email, and print documents. I haven't used a fax in ages and it's usually only done now with companies who are still newbies to the ways of technology.

I've been happy with my all-in-one HP and have never had a second of trouble with it. Neither should you, since this is the area in which they excel. Yes, they've hit the computer market....but, like an eager 2nd grade boy, they cut in line. They merged with real computer companies (my first pc was a packard-bell) and then slapped their brand-name recognition on the emerging models and then learned from them. Not to take away from their brilliance, of course, as they truly do printers right (not to mention I use a tricked out HP desktop in my home office

But I digress. Get a quality (I repeat...quality) all-in-one to save space and get all your crap done effectively and efficiently.

Click Here To View the HP Photosmart C4180 All-in-One Printer Scanner Copier

Groovy - Pentax Optio 550 Digital Camera

nospam@example.com (Admin) — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 06:00:00 -0500

As you can tell, I'm an electronics and gadgets nut, so it stands to reason that people often check in with me to get my opinion on geek items Which digital camera to get is probably the most common question I'm asked...so here's my logic:

I own the Pentax Optio 550 5MP Digital Camera and I chose it for several reasons. It's lightweight so I don't feel the burden of carrying it around. It's 5MP (five megapixels) so I can take extremely high quality pics or just basic ones. It's a name brand I equate to quality camera hardware. It has a rechargeable battery and easily connects to my PC.

There are many other reasons too, but that's what most people need to determine for themselves, generally speaking and assuming that you just want a camera to work and not have to deal with a huge learning curve. Regarding the 5MP: yes, they have cameras out with 6MP, 7MP, and so on, but here's the 411 on that....you don't need any higher unless you've got money to burn. The only thing a higher MP is good for is if you're shooting photos that you want to make into a wall mural or side of a building. In a nutshell, the MP is really only noticeable when it's blown up to something mega-huge. Even for a poster, 5MP is more than adequate. As higher MP's become dirt cheap, it certainly won't hurt to get higher...but not right now. If you just want to print out 4x6, 8x10, etc. photos, then a 4 or 5 megapixel is groovy.

I happen to do higher end and fast-action amateur photos, so I'll be reviewing my other cameras on here soon.

Click Here To View the Pentax Optio 550 5MP Digital Camera

Groovy - Mac Mini

nospam@example.com (Admin) — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 17:09:10 -0500

It's great when a computer is your friend and not your enemy. Altough I use my PC for everything else, I would never trade my Mac Mini for editing my videos. It's brilliant and extremely user-friendly and, unlike my very powerful PC, never crashes trying to edit video footage.

It comes with iMovie, the editing software, pre-installed and requires just a little playing around to learn.

As you can see in the video, it's mega-small and takes up no space. The Apple Cinema Monitor is both PC and Mac compatible, but is a separate purchase. Definitely the best monitor I've had to date.

The Mac Mini offers a combo-drive, which means that you can both play and record DVD and CD discs. The pre-installed software makes recording DVD's very easy after you've edited your video.

Do NOT get the Mac Bluetooth Mouse, however, as it is NOT groovy. Their Bluetooth Keyboard is a must-have, though.

Click Here To View the Mac Mini

Groovy - Denon Home Theater with iPod Controls

nospam@example.com (Admin) — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 09:00:00 -0500

After reading a CNET.com review about the Denon S-301 DVD/iPod Home Theater, I decided it was time to finally pick a system for my new tv.

I've never really had any use for an iPod (or anything requiring ear buds) since I don't like to have music playing in my ears when I'm out walking, driving, or whatever. I enjoy the sounds of the world when I'm out n' about. When I'm at home, however, is a different story. I play my music loud and often and demand a setup that's very user-friendly and allows me to blast without causing too many neighborly issues.

This system was a great choice. It's compatible with about every DVD, CD, image, and sound format that's out there currently and I don't have to deal with a bunch of speakers and wires (comes with two satellite speakers and one subwoofer that beats any 5.1 I've ever had to date). I even sprung for an optical digital cable and noticed a difference on my DVD's (no difference on my iPod, strangely).

Click Here To View the Denon S-301 DVD/iPod Home Theater

Groovy - Honeywell Touch-Screen Thermostat

nospam@example.com (Admin) — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 06:00:00 -0400

The Honeywell Touch-Screen Digital Thermostat was suggested to me by my heating guy, while we were attempting to weatherproof this 1963 house I'm remodeling. The turn-knob style is just too inefficient and not at all accurate, so he suggested this item as a remedy.

The Borg-green light is pretty cool and the touch-screen is awesome. I chose the option of the light staying on constantly, so I don't have to turn on a light to adjust a setting. You can read the tech specs yourself, but it's one of the most adaptive thermostats out there to just about any heating/ac system a home might have...so compatibility shouldn't be an issue. The original thermostat was for a one-stage furnace, but my furnaces is a two-stage furnace, so I noticed a drastic help after replacing with this model (and a drastic lowering of my gas bill!).

The programming options are extensive and very easy to do...mostly yes or no questions and then it does the rest. It allows you to program it to turn on/off throughout the day/night, as needed, although I haven't had a use for that feature yet since my hours are extremely inconsistent. A person or family on a fairly regular schedule will love this feature though and should notice the drop in the heating/ac bill. I noticed a drop in my bill and a more consistent temperature throughout my home after replacing my antiquated thermostat.

Click Here To View The Touch-Screen Thermostat

Groovy - Lutron Smart Dimmer with Remote

nospam@example.com (Admin) — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 06:00:00 -0400

The Lutron Smart Dimmer with Remote is great for a sleek light switch and to accomidate the lazy man, like me! I can sit on my couch and control the lights with my remote control. This, accompanied with my Automatic Blinds, puts me on the road to becoming the laziest man in America

It's worked flawlessly in the three locations I've installed them in, so nothing more to really say about it. It's a dimmer with a wall switch and a remote control. I guess the only caveat is that this can't be used with fluorescent lighting (although I strongly encourage everyone to switch all light bulbs in their homes to compact fluorescent or LED's. I'll remain a bit hypocritical until they make a similar item for fluorescents, even if I have to install a new ceiling light).

Click Here to View the Lutron Smart Dimmer with Remote

Groovy - Roomba Vacuum Cleaner

nospam@example.com (Admin) — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 06:00:00 -0400

The Roomba Robotic Vacuum Cleaner is old news as far as technology goes. I've had one for years, but thought some of you might like to see it in action. (I'll be reviewing the Scooba Floor Washing Robot, the floor washing version of Roomba, soon.)

Yes, it's more expensive than a regular vacuum cleaner but the convenience and wow factors more than make up for its cost. Although not for heavy cleaning, it does light sweeping/vacuuming on a regular basis with little to no energy (and no bags to replace).

I just showed a small area that I blocked off for this review, but it can cover tons of square footage before having to recharged on its recharging base. The infrared beam object shown came with my kit and, of course, you can order more. I have three of them because I have more areas than most people that need to be blocked off. One or two should be fine for most (you can always put something big/heavy to block it, as well).

I put it in a bad spot for the video because there's a piece of granite on the floor that has a flaw in it that looks like a speck of something, so when the Roomba when over it it appears as though it didn't vacuum it up....but that's not the case. It vacuums great...even pet hair.

Once in a while it will get caught on a floor vent or something odd, but it's pretty consistent about where it might have problem areas. I have a new version that its original model that does an amazing job of getting itself unstuck without needing me. If it gets stuck, you'll hear it stop and give an "I'm stuck" series of tones. It will also stop and tell you if its dirt chamber needs to be emptied or if it needs a recharge. There are warning lights that appear at different stages of the battery being drained that you'll easily memorize after a few uses. IRobot, the company who makes it, made it as user-friendly as I could've ever asked for.

The front of the Roomba is rubber, so it does no damage at all to walls, etc., in case you noticed it running into the walls in the video. After a couple of years of using this, I've never had it damage anything. It will, however, scare the crap out of your cats

Click Here To View the Roomba

LG Refrigerator with LCD TV

nospam@example.com (Admin) — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 14:29:50 -0400

This is definitely for the geek who has everything: The LG Refrigerator with Built-in LCD TV.

This was my house-warming present to myself. It had been a while since I went a bit overboard and since it was a new home and the holidays, I decided that this would be a fully-functional "wow" factor for my kitchen.

I bought mine from BestBuy.com and had a flawless experience (you'll hear soon about my horrible experience with Lowe's!). BestBuy.com assigned me a time window for delivery (7am-10am) and arrived at 7am (hey Best Buy corporate office....that is WAY too early for such a major delivery. Let a guy wake up a bit and eat something first 8 or 9 would be much more acceptable). That's my only "complaint", however. The guys did an awesome job removing my old fridge and replacing it with this one. They cleaned up any mess and made sure I received all support info in case anything went sour after they left. It's been almost one year and I still LOVE my LG fridge! Everyone who comes over says something cool about a tv in my fridge and it's a nice wake-up to sit down at my kitchen counter to drink coffee and watch the news.

I find that most are like me in that they don't think of Best Buy when they think of home appliances, but hopefully this positive review will change that. Order online and have it delivered (and beg that they don't show up before 9am!

Click Here To View the LG Refrigerator with Built-in LCD TV

Groovy - Automatic Towel Dispenser

nospam@example.com (Admin) — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 06:00:00 -0400

I originally got the Kimberly-Clark Automatic Towel Dispenser for fun, but later discovered its use is very practical. I don't have to deal with guest towels anymore (batchelors will love this and so will the people visiting I put a roll of towels in it almost a year ago and, after many parties, cookouts, etc. it still has the same roll inside (and the original D batteries it runs on are still going strong!).

Click Here To View The Automatic Towel Dispenser