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Yes you read the title correctly, Toshiba is releasing a new set of SD cards that will please tech geeks worldwide. This new line includes some whopping 32-GB and 16-GB SD cards as well as an 8-GB micro SD card. Can you imagine being able to have one card to hold all of your pictures for the rest of your life? Or how about being able to have as much MP3 space as a high end iPod Nano on you're cell phone? Toshiba is really delivering with these new cards and most importantly they are proving the endless possibilities for mobile storage! If you're as excited as I am about this announcement you may be joining me in the wait for these cards to be available via getitnext as soon as they hit the stores in Asia. If you don't feel like hunting for these cards 24/7 I will make it easier for everyone by ensuring that as soon as these cards are available through getitnext I will write up a quick blog! Keep posted!
Victor
For the longest time I've wanted to buy a interactive robot and give it to my son as a present. But for a variety of reasons I've never found one that was affordable and/or has the right functionality. I've been researching and reading up on the new Wowwee Robopanda and so far it looks promising.
The Robopanda is a talkative, interactive robotic panda friend for kids. Each one has an engaging personality and bright animated eyes, can share stories and jokes, play games, sing songs, and can chat with children. The Robopanda bear can even crawl and then returns to a sitting position, it can even give hugs. So it will make teddy bears obsolete and it won't crap on my floors. This could be the solution to the never ending "I want a dog".
The Robopanda is controlled directly by touch and sound, with eight touch sensors and a sonic sensor located throughout his body. When you touch its head he'll respond with a nod. If you pick him up he'll giggle and ask for a ride. It seems for the price Robopanda's advanced artificial intelligence and awareness will keep my kids attention, heck maybe it'll even replace me. The bear even knows how to track objects with his eyes and avoid obstacles. Pretty cool, I'm thinking of picking one up and if I do I'll post a full review. If anyone has one please post a comment or send me an email at matt (DOT) williams (AT) getitnext.com.
Interested in getting your own Robopanda? Click on the links to purchase your very own Wowwee Robopanda from Amazon or for a Wowwee Robopanda on eBay via getitnext. To search for more Robots check out this link to all kinds of cool Interactive Robots.
Matt
Searching eBay made easier! getitnext
In today's mobile age, we are fortunate to be able to have all sorts of information at our finger tips. While Ericsson developed and commercially released the first mobile phone in 1956, it wasn't until the 1980's that cellular phones started gaining popularity. Two generations later, it's difficult to find someone in the Northern hemisphere without a cell phone. A clear example of this has occurred in Sweden; a country that is known to have more cell phones than inhabitants.
The wireless world today is increasingly dominated by devices like the Blackberry and other so-called 'smart-phones'. As the desire for mobile information increases, so too does that for luxury applications - such as mobile television. Slingmedia, an early leader in this space, prides itself at providing mobile TV on any mobile device that has an active, hi-speed internet connection.
In case this is new to you, a Slingbox is a small box that connects to your cable or satellite box, and then to your home router. The Slingbox then takes the incoming TV signal from the box and encodes it real-time into a Windows Media video stream. Once you’ve installed the Slingmedia software on your computer you can access that TV stream, whether you’re sitting next to your tv box or in a hotel in Dubai. The Slingbox comes in 3 different types: Slingbox Tuner, Slingbox AV and Slingbox Pro - each with their own set of attributes. The Slingbox is now available in 12 countries! 
I've had a Slingbox for over a year now and it's great! The quality is very impressive and the fact that I can watch my home TV while on a business trip (and wireless) is extremely important and valuable. If you're in the market for a Slingbox, you may want to check out all these great Slingbox offers. getitnext offers the best prices on Slingbox players out there!
Eric
getitnext.com
Soon after Apple's Summer Conference back on August 7th, I rushed over to the Apple website to check out all about the newly updated iWork '08. To my delight I was happy to see that not only did Apple include helpful tutorials, they also had a 30-day trial of the new software suite. After downloading it I was very curious to see the newly added Numbers application that finally completed the family and made it a realistic competitor for Microsoft Office. My first impressions with Numbers is that it is a great spreadsheet application that gives Excel a run for its money. As with all Apple products and programs, it has a very sleek interface and most importantly everything just works and makes sense. It has several unique features that makes Excel look years behind. One of my favourite would have to the automatic calculation feature in the bottom left corner that automatically calculates sum, average, minimum, maximum and count. You can also drag these amounts onto the spreadsheet for easy calculations. I am also am pleased to see that you can export these documents as Excel documents that are fully compatible with Microsoft's Excel (yes I even tried it out for myself, it works!)
Now on the other hand I have to admit, as far as I have seen with Pages, it has not really changed much and does not seem to be quite on level with Microsoft Word as a word processor. As much as I would like to see all the functionality there is in Microsoft Word in Pages, I will have to wait for the next version and hope for better functionality added by Apple. Aside from the typical word processing jobs I do for school though, Pages has tremendous functionality for other creative jobs and it can offer a professional and creative interface for almost any type of document you can imagine. Definitely worth taking a look at. I even used it when I made my most recent resume!
Unfortunately for all you fans of Keynote, I have not had a chance yet to take a decent look into it but either way it has always been a great program and IMO much superior to Microsoft's petty PowerPoint. It does apparently offer new transitions and slide interfaces which can only mean it has been improved. When I do get a chance to give the new Keynote a fair trial I will be sure to let you know my thoughts...From what I have seen it looks just as great as before!
If any of you are interested in iWork '08 whatsoever I highly recommend checking it out! Definitely a worthwhile suite of programs for anyone with a mac computer. If you're looking into getting a mac for the first time though I recommend checking out the great deals on macs and mac products available through getitnext.
Victor
My family recently stayed at the Marriott Ocean Pointe Resort on Singer Island in West Palm Beach Florida. This is my 3rd review and 4th blog about the Marriott Ocean Pointe Resort check out my previous blogs: Marriott Ocean Pointe The Basics, Marriott Ocean Pointe Review- The Good and Marriott Ocean Pointe Review - The Bad. Between the 4 blogs I am going to try and help people learn everything they need to know and might not want to know about the resort.
This one is Marriott Ocean Pointe Review - The Ugly:
now that is UGLY (see photo). I can't imagine having a beautiful ocean view from the Kingfish bldg and staring out at that eyesore.In upcoming blogs I will be posting tips on finding great deals on timeshare rentals, and a timeshare rental vs buying comparison. I also plan on reviewing a couple of better timeshare resorts that I have stayed at in Florida. Despite what I have posted I would actually stay at Marriott Ocean Pointe again, however it would depend on what kind of deal I could get via an Interval getaway or via eBay. Check out this link if you're interested in finding a great deal on rentals at Marriott Ocean Pointe. You can literally find rentals for half the price that Marriott charges for the exact same units.
Let me know if you have any specific questions on the resort.
Matt
Searching eBay made easier! getitnext.com
My family recently stayed at the Marriott Ocean Pointe Resort on Singer Island in West Palm Beach Florida. This is my 3rd blog about the Marriott Ocean Pointe Resort check out my previous blogs: Marriott Ocean Pointe The Basics and Marriott Ocean Pointe Review - The Good. Between the 4 blogs I am going to try and help people learn everything they need to know and might not want to know about the resort. This one is Marriott Ocean Pointe Review - The Bad:
Ok, I've talked about the things I liked about the resort, now here are the things that were bad with the resort/service during my stay:
- We requested a newer, or remodeled bldg and we were given the oldest. No problem this is not our home Marriott resort, we can deal. However the location was one I would not expect since I am a Marriott owner. The room over looked the check-in parking lot and was extremely noisy: delivery trucks, tractor trailers, cabs and cars honking, and pool gates slamming so loud that we could hear them inside our room. Oh I forgot to mention we were right outside the elevators and people were loud all night. Yeh, Yeh I know I'm whining.
- The Sailfish, the oldest bldg has old carpeting that are stained and dirty, if you wear white socks they are black within minutes of walking around. At a minimum they need to steam clean the carpets.
- You need to wake up real early to "reserve" a chair at the pool. The picture of the beach chairs that I've attached was taken at 6am, by 7am alot of the chairs already had towels on them reserving them. This is against the "rules" but no one at the resort enforces them.
- The cabinet door fell off the cabinets.
- We went on a Marriott sanctioned (booked through Marriott concierge) morning sailing tour, yet they never put up the sail, seems a bit misleading. Why go on a sail boat if you're only going to use the motor. I complained to Marriott concierge who apologized and said they usually put up the sail which contradicted what the staff on the catamaran told us. Oddly enough the Marriott concierge wear shirts from the operator visitpalmbeach tours, hmmmm. If you book anything with this operator make sure you ask alot of questions and find out what is included and what you get prior to booking.
- The ice machine in our bldg was broken during our entire stay.
- Outside bar, bar tending service was good at times and absolutely dreadful at other times even though they weren't busy. You literally had to yell at them to get a drink, you couldn't sit there with an empty drink and expect service. You basically had to be rude, if I wanted this kind of service I would have stayed in Jersey.
- Ice clogged blenders, nothing worse, read my blog about this - Marriott Vacation Club Beware of Ice Clogged Blenders.
- MAZE (kids rec area) was run down and dirty, needs to be improved and more/better kids activities need to be added. The pool table is so run down that it is an embarrassment to the resort.
- Edy's ice cream needs to hire people that are friendly.
- A kid took a uuhh, made a deposit in the pool, this is not Marriott's fault but closed the pool for a day.
- 32 bucks for 2 beach chairs and an umbrella, thats a bit a steep. I know its a 3rd party vendor who manages this, but Marriott can control their vendor pricing or they could lower the fee they charge this vendor.
- If you look at the attached photo (click on it to enlarge) there is a bldg all the way on the left called Kingfish. All the reviews I read online say this is the nicest bldg since its the newest and is set away from the rest of the resort. I couldn't disagree more, its basically its own resort. Marriott apparently couldn't buy out a bldg, see the pink bldg, and therefore their fifth bldg is not on the same property as the rest of the resort. There are very limited amenities there, a small pool, small gym and the outdoor bar has limited hours and no live music. You either have to walk all the way out on the beach and then a couple of hundred yards to connect to the rest of the resort, or walk out on the street or drive over. No big deal if you're looking for a quiet getaway, but if you have kids it is a big hassle as everything is located at the main resort (ie the bldg all the way on the right).
Make sure you read my last blog about Marriott Ocean Pointe Review - The Ugly. If I haven't scared you away, check out this link to find great deals on rentals at Marriott Ocean Pointe. You can literally find rentals for half the price that Marriott charges for the exact same units.
Matt
Searching eBay made easier! getitnext.com
My family recently stayed at the Marriott Ocean Pointe Resort on Singer Island in West Palm Beach Florida. I am going to blog about our stay, both the good aspects, the bad and the ugly. I also posted a blog about Marriott Ocean Pointe The Basics. You might want to read that one first so you have an overview of what the resort offers. Between the 4 blogs I am going to try and help people learn everything they need to know and might not want to know about the resort. This one is Marriott Ocean Pointe Review - The Good:
The Room:
Check-in was a breeze and the staff cordial. We didn't get into the bldg we had requested (Kingfish) nor did we get a high floor, oh well. Our room was located in the Sailfish bldg, the oldest bldg on the property. It is also the most convenient to the pools, store, concierge etc. We scoped out the room, a 2 bedroom with the lock-off which includes a small fridge and microwave and separate entrance. My kids liked having their own fridge and we instructed them to keep the door 
deadbolted and not to use that entrance.
Parking on-site was a breeze, you can park underneath the bldg, spots are limited and tight. You also have the option to park right outside and we never had to walk very far. Unlike some other Marriott Vacation Club resorts, elevators were very efficient and we never waited long. We also used the stairs alot since we were on the second floor.
The Pools:
There are 4 pools on-site and all were in good shape. We stayed mostly at the pool next to the Sailfish bldg and found ample shade from the huge Palm trees. The pool at the Kingfish bldg is quieter and smaller and has a zero entry end. There is the typical chair towel reserving process that started around 7 am but we never had an issue finding 4 chairs at any time. Everyone in and around the pools was polite and friendly. Most of my fellow vacation club members knew the system and brought their own coolers of water, beer and sodas. While I saw alot of people relaxing and drinking alcohol throughout the day nobody got out of hand. There are no lifeguards at the pools or beach so you have to keep a watchful eye on your little ones.
Kids Activities:
MAZE or Marriotts Activity Zone Experience, for non Marriott folks - the kid rec center, was a bit run down. The arcade was really limited and a bit in disarray. The staff here make up for the lack of activities and were extremely friendly and my kids loved spending time there. Outside there is a pool table that is absolutely hammered and a foosball table.
Playground, there is a small playground on-site that is well kept. Its located nearby the MAZE and Outdoor bar. My kids spent time here each day and we enjoyed getting their energy out after desert. One thing everyone seemed to complain about is that the base of the playground is sand, alot of the parents complained about this but we didn't see the issue.
Shuffle board, across from the playground there are 2 shuffle board courts, they were in good shape and on some nights it was very crowded.
Tennis Courts - there are tennis courts nearby, across the street from the hotel, we didn't play any tennis so I can't comment on them.
On-site Amenities:
Outdoor Bar, is so-so, they serve bar food and the usual assortment of mixed drinks and beer. They have a mixed drink and beer special, basically you buy a plastic glass for 8 or 9 bucks, then you bring that back each time and they knock a couple of bucks off the price. It's worth doing this if your going to buy beverages during the week. There are no signs about this special and the bartenders rarely mention it so be sure to ask about the special. When they told me about it they also said not to run it through the dishwasher but we did all week and it was fine. For Bar Service, see my next blog about it.
Edy's Ice cream and Pizza Hut on-site - offer standard fare, employees working were rude and/or non social.
On-site store - We did our major shopping at a local supermarket and bought things from the store if we forgot something or needed small items. The prices were reasonable for the things we purchased: milk, eggs, a pool noodle. They even carry NY newspapers, Starbucks and anything you need for the kitchen within reason. It seemed a bit smaller than most Vacation Club stores but every item I looked for they had it, so no complaints.
Gym - was clean, modern and was in really good shape.
Grills - throughout the resort there are barbecue grills (propane) setup, the grills were in good order, plentiful and conveniently located, the only complaint I heard was there wasn't alot of shade.
Beach:
We really enjoyed the ocean and the beach much more than we expected. The water was crystal clear, free of any jelly's or debris and was 80 degrees while we were there. Keep in mind there are no life guards so you are on your own, rip tides were strong when we were there.
You have a couple of different options for lounging on the beach. You can rent chairs and an umbrella for the day, I think it was 32 per day for 2 chairs, a small table and a umbrella. I think its $27 per day if you do a weekly rental. Or you can bring your own, we saw people that bought them from Walmart and avoided the fees. You could also just lay on your beach towels if you wanted, keep in mind the sand is extremely hot and has a pitch so this might not be the best option. We opted for renting and the guys there take good care of you, remember its cash or credit card, no room charge as its not managed by Marriott.
One really nice touch, is they have beach wheel chairs (really big wheels) that can bring anyone from the resort onto the beach to enjoy the beach or the ocean. A family next to us had a child that couldn't walk and they brought him into the ocean each day with the help of the wheelchair and the guys working there did a great job helping his father transporting him in and out of the water.
Seashells, if you like seashells this is place for you. There are so many perfect shells you get bored of looking at them.
Grounds: Overall the grounds at the resort are well kept. The resort is about 10 years old and the Palm trees are at a really nice height around the pools to provide a lot of shade and scenery. Unfortunately they are also tall enough to block any ocean views from the first two floors of the bldgs.
Security: The resort is heavily patrolled and the security staff is really nice. The first night we were there my wife left her purse on a table (our arms were full) and the moment we returned to our room the phone we ringing. Security had found the purse and met me in the lobby, they checked my drivers license to make sure I was the right person.
Check out my two follow-up blogs about the Marriott Ocean Pointe: Marriott Ocean Pointe Review - The Bad and Marriott Ocean Pointe Review - The Ugly, and also tips on finding great deals on rentals, and a timeshare rental vs buying comparison. Check out this link to find great deals on rentals at Marriott Ocean Pointe. You can literally find rentals for half the price that Marriott charges for the exact same units.
Matt
Searching eBay made easier! getitnext.com
