Microsoft’s Table PC

Say goodbye to your old school coffee table. It’s being replaced by its high-tech cousin.

Microsoft has unveiled the Surface.

You’re looking at a PC, but it has a 30-inch touchscreen and sits on a 2 foot tall table.

This is an amazing piece of technology! It brings the movie Minority Report to real life!

But in order to really grasp how awesome Microsoft’s Surface is, you got to watch

my Plugged In story.

Links N’@

We have started a new adventure here at Channel 4. Some of you have probably already checked out thePittsburghChannel’s new Webcast with Becky Emmers and me. Becky is the producer of our 6pm newscast here at the station.

We are calling the Webcast “Links N’@.” Every day, we’ll bring you the four latest and greatest happenings from the wonderful place we call the Internet. This might include YouTube videos, celebrity gossip, TV moments you may have missed, technology news, funny Web sites … really, anything goes.

You’ll also find links to all the things we talk about under the Links section on the Links N’@ page:
thepittsburghchannel.com/linksnat

The idea is to get you — our viewers — involved. So, if you have a site worthy of being mentioned in our Webcast, send us the link. You’ll find a feedback section on the Links N’@ page.

Site Predicts Airline Ticket Prices

Looking into buying airline tickets? A new website claims it can predict the rise and fall of airline ticket prices, ultimately saving you money.

The site is called Farecast.com. The site claims to be the first airfare prediction website offering predictions from over 75 U.S. departure cities to top domestic destinations. The site shows if fares are rising or dropping over seven days.

Based on the prediction, the site provides a recommendation to buy now or buy later.

Farecast backs up its predictions with something called FareGard. It costs $9.95 and guarantees the low price for one week. If you find out the price you paid is higher than the guaranteed price, Farecast will pay you the difference. Not a bad deal!

The site will also connect you directly with the airlines sites making it easy for you to purchase tickets.

Job Hunting?

So you graduated…now it’s time you sink your teeth into the job market right here in Pittsburgh.

According to CollegeGrad.com entry-level employers are increasing their hiring by 7.7 percent this year!

The site lists the Top 500 Entry Level Employers for 2007 and it includes more than 170,000 jobs. On the list you’ll find local companies like 84 Lumber, PNC, U.S. Steel even Alcoa makes the list.

The top launch list can be found at CollegeGrad.com/topemployers.
With a list this long instead of hoping for just one job, there’s a good chance you’ll get multiple offers.

Just click on the company you’re interested in to get additional information, including links to their career pages.

So get that resume and cover letter ready, with the 2007 job prospect there’s no more excuses that the ‘burgh doesn’t offer.

High Tech Sports Monitors

If you’re a dedicated runner or walker I’ve got your new best friend.

New Balance, the company that makes those great athletic shoes, and Highgear USA have teamed up to launch the New Balance Sports Monitors.

These devices are packed full of features to help reach your fitness goals. They’re broken down into three different categories- fitness, running and training.
You’ll find basic pedometers and body fat monitors as well as the more advanced devices.

For example the male/female friendly $90 N5 Max Heart Rate Monitor is designed for the dedicated runner involved in training or competition. The watch has a 24 hour chronograph that not only displays, but also records heart rate information using the chest band. Additional features include a calorie and fat counter, stopwatch and of course a Heart Rate Monitor.

This is the new balance $80 HRT Mini designed specifically for women. It falls under the fitness category. It has a “touch” rate heart monitor, so there’s no need for a chest strap. This wrist watch also has a calorie counter so you can easily track your calories and fat burned during your workout. It’s a perfect fit for walking and cardio fitness training. It also comes with chronograph so you can target in on your workout intensity and a memory function so you can review your workouts

Finally, the $70 VentMini is also designed for women. The mini comes with easy to use features and has the ability to store up to 25 workouts which will help you decide which workouts are working best for you.
Additional features include a Chronograph with Workout Memory and a training Log with Best / Average workout information

There are still plenty of other New Balance monitors to choose from, including plenty geared toward men.

The biggest problem I found was the amount of time it took to program these watches. It took me a long time to figure it all out even with the help of the manual. Just make sure to read directions and BE PATIENT.

Coupon Codes= Bargains Online

Looking for some online bargains? Then do I have a site for you! Whether it’s clothing, gadgets, home decor or accessories, there’s probably an online coupon out there that can save you money. By entering a special code at an online checkout, you’ll get a discounted rate that can save you money, free shipping, even free extras.

RetailMeNot.com is a site that offers a massive list of current coupon codes for popular shopping sites all over the net. This is the place for finding and sharing these coupon codes.

Search for a store using their search tool at the top. Just click on the “get Coupon” button or search through their paragraph of categories. You should get a page of results listing any coupons currently available for that store. Obviously, you should write any codes down you think you could use and then enter the code or codes when checking out from the online retail store. It’s really that simple.

Another very similar site I have talked about before is CurrentCodes.com. This site lets shoppers search through lists of stores that are offering discount codes.
You’ll find hundreds of well-known online stores. The list goes on and on and on!

So before you make your next purchase online, make sure to check out these two bargain sites! Chances are you’ll find some kind of coupon.

4 Multi Media MP3 Players

It’s almost unheard of to have an MP3 player that just plays music. These days you want movies, TV shows, photos and podcasts. Here’s a list of four multi-media MP3 players the market. They range in size and in price.

You had to know it was going to be on the list. Topping in size and in price is the $350 80GB Apple iPod. This guy can hold up to 20,000 songs, up to 25,000 photos, and up to 100 hours of video – or any combination of each. But the ever popular iPod does have a downside…it doesn’t come with an FM tuner built in and you can only sync it with the iTunes music store. Don’t get me wrong I love my iPod, but sometimes I just want to listen to the radio!

Microsoft’s Zune is a good iPod alternative. This $250 device comes with 30GB of space, a 3 inch screen and a built in FM radio. The Zune also comes with WiFi. Using WiFi your Zune will connect with other Zunes, allowing you to share music and photos with your friends. The downsides are that there are no video or podcasts option under the Zune Marketplace.

The Archos 404 is a personal favorite of mine. This $250 device allows you to store up to 40 movies, 300,000 photos, 15,000 songs or some combination of all three. What I like about the 404 is you can create, delete, edit, and rename multiple playlists directly on the device without a PC. How great is that! And, did I mention the 404 comes with a pretty decent built in camcorder. The downside, it’s a little bulky to run with and the battery life isn’t the best.

Finally, the teeny-tiny $200 iRiver Clix finishes off the list. This 4GB device is for the person who wants all the cool features and is looking for something a little cheaper. What I like about this device is that it comes with an FM radio and there aren’t any buttons to push. Instead, you just click on the face. The problem with that is you’ll find plenty of fingerprints.

Whether you’re looking into the ever popular iPod phenomenon or you’re deciding to be a little bit more adventurous, one of these devices should appeal to you.

Glimpse for you Fashionista Out there

Ladies listen up, have I got a site for you. It brings together the best stores and must-have brands in one place. You can search for clothes, shoes, beauty products, jewelry, even home décor. You may never need to leave your house again to dress yourself or your home.

Glimpse.com is a shopping site geared for fashion-savvy women. It offers more than 130 fashion and beauty stores from Banana Republic to Manolo Blahnik.

Think of it as part fashion magazine, part search engine.

You also have the option of searching by celebrity style. I absolutely love this feature. You can get the same look as America Ferrera whether you want to spend $1100 or just $75.

Glimpse.com also lets you search by price range, another feature I love.

There are two other features the site offers that are worth mentioning. The List feature lets you keep track of all your shopping finds, and the Sales Alert feature will notify you when prices drop on your favorite items.

I have to say this site is awesome! I love shopping online and even though the site lists higher-end stores, you can still find some pretty great deals. Make sure to search through their 10 hottest Deals of the Day section. Happy Shopping!

Mother’s Day Gadget Gift List

Mother’s Day is approaching fast and it’s important to show your mother just how much you love her.

So in honor of Mother’s Day I have put together 4 gadget gifts perfect for almost any mom, and they won’t empty your wallet.

1. Mom can capture everyday moments that happen anywhere with the Flip video camcorder. There are no tapes or memory cards needed with this little guy. It all comes built in. The pocket-size device records 30 or 60 minutes of pretty decent-looking video. The only features you’ll find are record, zoom, playback and of course delete. You can connect it to your TV for viewing or plug it into your computer with the USB arm that swings out from the side. With the camera’s software, you can then edit clips, use your own music for mixes, email to friends and family, or even upload directly to YouTube.

I reviewed this device before. It used to be called the Point and Shoot video camcorder, but Pure Digital has renamed it and added some better features. I give this little device four stars. I absolutely love it and it’ll cost between $120 or $150, depending on whether you want the 30 or 60 minute device.

2. If you’re looking for a simple point-and-shoot digital camera for mom, invest in the Sony Cyber shot DSC-W55. This 7.2 megapixel camera comes with a large LCD display that makes taking pictures easy for any mom, and it comes in several different colors- silver, black, pink, blue.

3. Instead of selecting just 1 picture to display on a desk or mantle, let mom enjoy a slideshow with the Westinghouse 8 inch LCD digital photo frame.

4. If your mom needs to get organized, a perfect gift would be a PDA, particularly the adorable Palm Z-22. This handheld organizing device is perfect for your mom. The best part– it’s $100.

Remember Mother’s Day is Sunday May 13th.