Cache & Carey

Boca company helps Wendy's launch mobile phone coupons

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS:

Wendy's is about to test coupons sent to cell phones as text messages.

Customers of the nation's No. 3 burger chain who sign up for the promotion and provide their phone number will receive a discount by showing their mobile device to a Wendy's cashier.

Options Media Group of Boca Raton is running the program for Wendy's International, which is based in the Columbus suburb of Dublin, Ohio. Options Media CEO Scott Frohman says the mobile coupon campaign will have a tryout in the Northeast before a planned rollout nationwide.

Frohman says advertisers are spending more on marketing that involves mobile devices, as opposed to traditional media.

Wendy's is part of the Atlanta-based Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc.

Re-gift and re-purpose old tech gadgets

If you're short on cash and in need of some last-minute gift help, poke around your home for some old tech that you can put new life into.

Got an old Atari, Nintendo or Sega Genesis lying around? A video game nut would love to re-live the good ole days with these retro systems (just be sure to dust 'em off a bit before handing them out). It's also a good idea for young kids who might not mind getting a Genesis over a PS3. Hey, it's new to them!

I have a friend that just found their old Game Boy Color. Styles from the '80s and '90s are in these days (if you've been to clothing stores targeting teenagers, you know what I mean), so some teens might love the chance to show off in school by firing up Tetris on a retro system.

If you can get away with doing crafty gifts (like with family members), then someone might appreciate you taking the time to convert old printed photos into digital photos -- or even converting old home VHS movies into DVDs. And if you have a useless older computer, why not give it some spark by using it as a way to display all your digital photos? If you have a home office, put it in the corner and have the photos rotate as a screensaver, rather than buy a new digital photo frame.

Also, there's no need to buy a whole music entertainment center if you have a wireless connection and a Xbox360 or PS3. You can stream your media from your computer to your television using a game console. Good idea if you have to host a last-minute holiday party and don't want to deal with switching CDs or having guests mess with your iPod. Geek Squad has a how-to video for that here: Stream content from your PC through your game system

I also got the idea from a Geek Squad e-mail to use one monitor for your TV and computer. If you don't have a monitor that has enough inputs to support both, you can buy a switcher for multiple inputs and feed it all into one output. Might be a helpful solution for someone who is tight on space, like a student heading back to college.

Got any other ideas on re-gifting or re-purposing old technology? Post a comment and share!

Product Review: Logitech WiLife Digital Video Security System

Why is it that holiday movies typically feature some sort of breaking and entering? How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Home Alone. Jingle All The Way. Die Hard. (Well, it's Christmas-ish.) I suppose even Santa himself is guilty.

So if security is on your mind, this week I reviewed a pretty simple do-it-yourself home or office camera security system by Logitech. I got to test the basic home starter kit with one camera, but keep in mind there are additional accessories available, like extra indoor or outdoor cameras. Check out the full print review here, or watch the video below to see how it works.

Product Review: Cyberus Smart Info Engine is one big FAIL

It probably sounds like I'm being a big heartless Grinch to give such a nasty review during the holidays, but Sungale should be ashamed for putting out this product -- because several features just don't make sense or work. The Cyberus is an electronic book reader gadget that tries to be a Jack of all trades... but succeeds at none. For more details at where it fails, check out my print review, or just watch the video below.

Product Review: Moshi voice-controlled alarm clock

The holidays and being out of the office have set me back a bit in updating. But in case you missed the review on MiamiHerald.com, here's a video on the Moshi, a hands-free alarm clock that is set by your spoken commands.

I tease about how shutting the alarm off with voice can be silly when you're tired, but it really is a neat clock and works (almost) every time. But I rather wait until the second generation of Moshi comes out. The site says it's working on versions that will play your music and turn on your electronics (like a bedside lamp) all via voice commands.

Product Review: Sansa Clip+ MP3 player kicks iPod Shuffle butt

This week's review is on SanDisk's Sansa Clip+ MP3 player, which is a great alternative to the iPod Shuffle. The 2GB model retails at $39.99, the 4GB $49.99, and 8GB $69.99. It can play mp3 and wma files (it can't play those .m4p and .m4a files you get from iTunes), as well as audio books and Ogg Vorbis and FLAC audio files. Has an FM radio tuner, voice recorder and microSD memory card slot. Use the slot for storing extra music or insert preprogrammed slotRadio and slotMusic cards, sold separately. And, as the name suggests, it has a belt clip.

With the option to use slotRadio and slotMusic cards, this is the ideal player for someone who might not have the patience to manage downloading a ton of music -- they can just buy the cards instead.

But it's not perfect. Creating playlists is a major pain. And if your music library is from iTunes, you'll have to convert those files to .mp3 to play them.

Product Review: The senior-friendly Doro PhoneEasy

This week's review is of the Doro PhoneEasy, a cellphone marketed for seniors. As you would expect, it has big buttons and a large, easy-to-read screen. But it's got a few more features than its competitor, the Jitterbug J.

Normally I love more features on a phone! But if you are buying this phone for someone who doesn't know how to use a cellphone and get nervous easily around technology, you need to ask yourself if having a few more options in the menu will be a turn-off.

For example, you can scroll through a menu that has an FM radio, calculator, calendar, settings options and games. In comparison, Jitterbug J has none of that. In fact, it is so basic that you can call an operator (by dialing 0) to change a setting or add a contact.

Don't get me wrong -- the Doro is easy to use. It's just that having more features could be a downer, depending on the user. The way I see it, the Doro is less expensive and worth taking the time to learn the extra menu features.

Product Review: Jabra Stone Bluetooth headset disappoints

The new Jabra Stone Bluetooth is a pretty sexy headset with a cool portable charger that's shaped like a stone. But when it comes to call quality, friends sometimes had a hard time hearing me while I was using it. And another downer: It's one size fits most, and that most isn't me. You can read the full review here or watch the video below to see what I mean.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Midnight Release

Can't wait for the next installment of the Call of Duty series? Stores are opening up 12:01 a.m. Tuesday to sell Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, which is expected to be the hottest selling game this holiday season.

Here's a list of Best Buy stores that will open up tonight: Best Buy Midnight Release (Best Buy will be offering a $10 Best Buy gift card for Reward Zone Gamer’s Club members.)

And here's a PDF of GameStop stores opening up: GameStop Midnight Release

Product Review: Verizon is a little cooler now with the Motorola Droid

The Droid hit stores this weekend, which means Verizon customers can finally own an app-tastic phone they can show off with pride. (Although there are unconfirmed reports of Verizon offering the iPhone by 2010... something to keep in mind if you're on the fence and waiting.)