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RainyDayMagazine's content can now be licensed for your print magazine or web site. Please contact us directly here. If you want to see something reviewed, then drop us a note with a link and we'll be happy to take a look.
NOTE: Click here to read more about our approach to product reviews. |
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January 31,2012- iBooks Author FirstUse... |
Adobe built their Digital Magazine Publishing (DMP) tools by leveraging their Creative Suite (CS) platform of applications. As we use CS5 (Dreamweaver, Photoshop) for much of our work, we were eager to give them DMP tools a try. We created a few issues (2010 Holiday Gift Guide, Spring 2011 issue, 1000 Character Reference) for the iPad using the beta version of the tools and would have kept using the released versions had Adobe priced them within our reach. Unfortunately, we had to look for other options.
When Apple announced they would reveal their plans regarding textbook publishing, we were hoping they would release a tool which will enable small publishers to build books for the iPad quickly and inexpensively. On January 19, Apple unveiled iBooks Author (iBA), the "iMovie" of iPad book creation. We have been playing with the application for the past ten days and have been duely impressed. iBooks Author is not as flexible as... [more] - iBooks Author FirstUse
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January 30,2012- Geckos at the MOS... |
The Museum of Science unveiled a new exhibit last week. Geckos: Tails to Toepads is a traveling exhibit created by Peeling Productions, part of Clyde Peeling's Reptiland. With over 60 living exotic geckos, it is the country's largest and most advanced exhibition of its kind. RainyDayMagazine was on hand for the preview and it was amazing!
"We are excited to introduce our visitors to the fascinating world of geckos," said Paul Fontaine, Museum of Science VP of Education. "The exhibit allows visitors to take on the role of biologist and observe these intriguing creatures in naturalistic habitats. By immersing themselves in the geckos' world, visitors will enjoy a unique educational experience that includes... [more] - Urban Safari: Geckos at the MOS
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January 27,2012- Digital Innovation... |
Laptops run hot. Some run so hot that they can be uncomfortable when used on a lap. However, if recent research is to be believed, EMF and Wi-Fi radiation may also be a problem. Of course, the concerns are not universally accepted. According to the CDC, “evidence for production of harmful biological effects is ambiguous and unproven.” Still, whether EMF or Wi-Fi radiation poses a problem, there is no doubt that heat from the laptop alone can be a issue.
Whether we need to be concerned about EMF or Wi-Fi radiation is not yet clear, but those concerned and want to err on the side of safety can find two well-made solutions from Digital Innovations. Even if... [more] - Digital Innovations LapGuard
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January 26,2012- Zerust FirstLook... |
When we posted the review of the Craftsman project cart, we mentioned that lining the drawers was a good idea. Padding keep the tools from shifting and protect the drawer bottoms from getting scratched. Little did we know that we would receive a slew of suggestions for alternatives to using commercial paddings. Some folks line drawers with bubble wrap, others use carpet reminants, some even made custom-fitted liners with expanding foam! While we are as DIY-minded as anyone else, protecting our tools is one area where we don't mind looking for a professional solution.
A few readers suggested we check out Zerust. They offer drawer liners with a chemically-based rust inhibitor integrated into the material. In checking out the Zerust site, we noticed they offer the Zerust Vapor Corrosion Inhibitor (VCI) technology in a capsule form. We thought both were... [more] - Zerust FirstLook
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January 25,2012- Craftsman GripLatch Series... |
Proper tool storage is essential for both the organization and the protection of the tools we use for our projects and repairs. As we are constantly acquiring new tools, we are always on the lookout for good tool box deals. We have had enough experience with tool boxes and tool chests to know what to look for when we go shopping for one on Craigslist.
A few weeks ago, we came upon a listing for a "like new" 41" Stainless Steel top chest at a price which we just could not pass up. After a bit of haggling, we came to an agreement and are now the owner of a tool box from Craftsman's heavy-duty GripLatch series. The last Craftsman tool chest we acquired was the Rolling Project Center from their QuietGlide line. Having both in house enabled us to... [more] - Craftsman GripLatch Tool Chest
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January 24,2012- Lego Mindstorms Competition... |
The FIRST LEGO League (FLL) is a program designed to get kids ages nine to sixteen interested in science and technology. Founded over 20 years ago by inventor Dean Kamen, the League has gotten more popular with each passing year. The goal is to challenge the participants to be innovative, to explore, and to promote competitive creative play or "coopertition." Unlike a sports competition, in FLL, coaches and teams are encouraged to help each other. FLL wants everyone who participates (team member, coach, event volunteer) to have a fun time and a rewarding experience. That’s the reason why FLL has a clear set of Core Values that guides everything they do.
Every September, a new Challenge, based on a real-world scientific topic, is posted. Each Challenge has three parts: the Robot Game, the Project, and the FLL Core Values. Teams (up to ten children + one adult coach) tackle the Challenge by developing a solution to a problem they have identified. Teams may then choose to attend an official tournament, hosted by... [more] - Lego Mindstorms Competitions
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January 23,2012- Year of the Dragon... |
Happy Chinese New Year!!!!! We are off today. See you tomorrow :-)
[Permalink] - Year Of The Dragon
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January 20,2012- iBooks Author... |
Each generation is entrusted with the responsibility of educating the next. This task is uniquely different for humans in that we have the ability to record our knowledge. While the amount of accumulated knowledge has long surpassed what any one person can know, the development of tools (paper, printing press, computers, Internet) has made it possible for our collective knowledge to be disseminated without the constraints of either distance or time.
On January 5th, we posted our speculations regarding the January 19th Apple announcement. Our biggest wish was that Apple would provide an inexpensive tool that would enable content providers to easily create interactive iPad-specific books. That is exactly what Apple announced yesterday. Not only has... [more] - iBooks Author
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January 19,2012- LEGO Mindstorms NXT... |
The name LEGO has been synonymous with interlocking plastic bricks for over 80 years. While those colorful pieces has been the foundation of endless hours of creative fun, LEGO wanted to leverage their brand to expand into robotics. In 1998, LEGO launched the first generation of the Mindstorms Robotic Invention System (RIS). Eight years later, they followed up with the easier-to-program NXT 1.0 system. With the LEGO Mindstorms NXT, kids as young as 10 can design, program, and construct real working robots! In keeping with the LEGO traditions, the kind of robots one can build with the Mindstorms is only limited by the imagination.
The Mindstorms NXT kit comes with 577 pieces of building material (struts, connectors, etc.) It also comes with various sensors (sound, light, ultrasonic, touch) and servo motors. At the heart of the system is the 32-bit microprocessor-based controller. The NXT controller can handle... [more] - LEGO: Mindstorms NXT
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January 18,2012- Anti-SOPA blackout.. |
... [more] - Anti-SOPA blackout
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January 17,2012- Epson WiFi printer... |
Buying a new computer these day more often than not also gets you a free printer. We already have a nice photo printer, so we typically just sell them on Craigslist or give them to one of the interns. Another reason why we don't keep them is because most inexpensive printers do not use individual ink cartridges. When one ink color runs out, the entire cartridge must be replaced. We find the approach both expensive and wasteful, so we avoid using printers which require those all-in-one cartridges. Apparently we are not the only ones who felt that way and printer makers have adjusted their offerings.
Recently, we acquired a printer (Epson NX420) which not only uses individual ink cartridges, but is also a scanner/copier, is WiFi accessible, and only costs around $50! With all the iPhones and iPads around the office, we had been thinking it would be convenient to have a WiFi-capable printer on the network. So we decided to set up the Epson NX420 and... [more] - Epson NX420 WiFi Printer FirstLook
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January 16,2012- Snow on bamboo... |
Winter has finally arrived in New England. The temperature scraped the low teens for a few days last week, and even dipped into the single digits over the weekend. To the delight of commuters and the dismay of skiers, snow has not made much of an appearance (discounting the freak October storm) except for some light dustings.
A few days ago, we woke up to such a dusting and mananged to grab a few quick snaps before the sun got high enough in the sky to make it all disappear. The one downside of taking shots so early was we could not get any pics with the new glass feeders sparkling in the sunlight. We had mentioned these glass feeders from the Gardener's Supply Company in the 2011 Holiday Gift Guide. The Crackle Glass and Moon feeders are designed to... [more] - Moon and Crackle Glass Birdfeeder
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January 13,2012- Leader Impressions 7"... |
Android tablets are going to swamp the market this year, and many of them are targeting the 7" segment of the market. There are two reasons for this: competing in this space means not having to go up directly against anything from Apple, and it is a practical way for hardware-only vendors to bring something to market near the magical $200 price point. Over the course of 2012 we'll be paying attention to the 7" tablets. We think there is a lot of potential in the 7" market (more on that in a future article). It will be interesting to see who will be able to stake their claim in this emerging market.
To start things off, today we take a look at a 7" Android tablet from Leader. Leader has managed to not just break the $200 barrier, but has punched through it aggressively with a price of $129 (available now at Kmart and Sears)! Leader has made some reasonable choices in its feature vs. price compromise for the Impression 7. They didn't try to... [more] - Leader Impressions: 7" Android Tablet
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January 12,2012- Headlight Restoration... |
Plastic headlights can yellow and dull from UV exposure, resulting in a dimmer beam at night. Dim headlights at night can be dangerous. A few years ago, one of the editors tackled the problem with a "home-brewed" method. The result was pretty good, but the haze came back after a year or so. This time around, she decided to see if a commercial product would give a better or longer lasting result. The product she picked for the job was the Meguiar's Heavy Duty Headlight Restoration Kit.
We took a FirstLook at the kit last March. We just never got around to using it. The Headlight Restoration Kit comes with all of the bits (two different grades of sanding pads, a liquid polish, AND a wipe-on UV protectant) needed to sand, buff, and polish the plastic cover back to clear. The biggest difference between this restoration and the first one may be the... [more] - Headlight Restoration: Meguiar's
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January 11,2012- The Elements... |
Everyone (we know) is familiar with the Periodic Table from high school science class, and we have little doubt that few have given it a second thought since (unless of course they work for an elemental analysis company, and they never stop talking about cadmium and magnesium and sometimes gold). Over the past few years, however, Theodore Gray has pretty much single-handedly brought it out of (adult) obscurity. He did it by spending more than seven years painstakingly obtaining, photographing, each element and offering the collection in a number of mediums (book , puzzle, iPad app) in an informative and entertaining way. Talk about an itch! (We have no information on whether Marilyn Monroe was familiar with the Table...)
The claim of being "the most beautiful Periodic Table Products in the world" may sound grand(iose), but in this case we think it is justified. Both the book and the iPad app have received widespread praise from scientists and artists alike. Of the various products, though, our favorite is the card deck. The gorgeous photography paired with the wealth of technical-but-succinct data on each card makes looking at the card almost as interesting as if... [more] - The Elements
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January 10,2012- Boston Nature Center... |
The first in the series of Urban Safari got quite a nice response and a lot of excellent suggestions on other locations. One of those suggestions was the Boston Nature Center (BNC) in Mattapan. As with the Franklin Park Zoo, this wildlife sanctuary is just a few miles from the RainyDayMagazine office. While we are frequent visitos to the BNC in the Spring and the Fall, we have never been there during the Winter months.
With the weather being unseasonably warm this January, it felt more like a day in late Fall than the middle of Winter on our visit. We arrived fairly early. The Nature Center building was not yet open and the grounds were very quiet. This urban sanctuary was built on the grounds of the... [more] - Urban Safari: Boston Nature Center
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January 9,2012- Boogie Board RIP FirstLook... |
We posted a quick mention of the Boogie Board RIP at the end of 2011. Many of you emailed us asking what we thought of the device. Well, we are happy to report that the RIP is exactly as we had hoped...an easy-to-use digital sketchpad which can save the drawings and transfer them to the computer for further manipulation or to share with others.
The specs for the RIP is as follows:
- Plastic Scratch-Resistant LCD
- 7in x 11.1 x 0.5 (179mm x 282 x 13), 9.5″ LCD
- 11.5 ounces (325g)
- Rechargeable (Polymer Lithium Ion) battery
- Files saved as vector PDF (editable in Adobe Illustrator)
- 8MB of internal storage sufficient for 200 typical images
- Standby Time: 60 days; Usage Time: 1 week (typical usage)
We have no idea how the image capture is being accomplished. Our guess is that there is a pressure-sensitive layer underneath the LCD panel which is detecting and recording the strokes. This conclusion was based on our observation that light strokes, while clearly visible on the LCD layer, are not recorded by the tablet. For the marks to be recorded, a firm stroke is... [more] - Boogie Board RIP
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January 6,2012- The Book of Secrets... |
Our review of books on da Vinci brought forth a welcomed slew of suggestions regarding technological achievements from times past. All of them were fascinating and worthy of coverage, but the one which stood out was The Book of Secrets by the Andalusian engineer Ibn Khalaf al-Muradi.
The original dates back to the eleventh century. A copy of it was made in Toledo, Spain in 1266. The only copy of this manuscript is conserved in the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana in Florence. The thousand-year-old manuscript is a collection of drawings and descriptions of more than thirty fascinating devices, from mechanical apparatuses to water clocks to automatic calendars to war machines. The manuscript is important to the field of the history of science because it... [more] - L3: The Book Of Secrets
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January 5,2012- Interactive Books... |
There is a rumor going around that Apple will be announcing some sort of iBook-related
news at a New York event at the end of the month. The speculation on what the announcement will be has started making the rounds. The droning will get louder as the day of the event gets closer.
It should be no surprise that the interns have been having lively and spirited online discussions with many out there regarding what the announcement could be. Our hope is that Apple will announce that they will be providing a free authoring environment to aid in the development of truly... [more] - Interactive Books
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January 4,2012- Vixen Polarie FirstLook... |
Last Spring we attended our first Northeast Astronomy Forum (NEAF) conference (Day1, Day2, Day3). The conference is an annual gathering of astronomy enthusiats and vendors from around the world. We got a first-hand look at some amazing astro gear, met a lot of great folks, and had the best time at a conference in a long time. One of the nice folks we met was Kensuke Kazama from Vixen. He showed us one of the most intriquing devices at the show. Mixed among their many fine optics on display was a prototype of a small device called the Polarie. We would have missed it had it not been for Kensuke. The Polarie is a pocket-size motorized camera mount designed specifically for wide-field astro-photography.
Astro-photography used to be a highly specialized niche of astronomy. The main reason wasthat in order to get acceptable images one had to have a combination of sophisticated hardware (scope, camera, tripod), expert knowledge, and patience, lots of patience. With the switch to digital photography and the availability of sophisticated astronomy software, the cost/time of experimentation and the expertise required dropped dramtically. Vixen recognized this trend and... [more] - Vixen Polarie FirstLook
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January 3,2012- DomeSkin FirstLook... |
Some of you may have received shiny new gadgets as presents during the holidays and may be wondering how best to protect them from the bumps and bruises of everyday use. The choices are extensive and may be sorted into three basic types: skins, covers, and cases. Over the years, we have found good ones in all the different categories. Cases offer the best protection (Otterbox, LifeProof) and are especially suitable for those who tend to drop their gadgets. Covers give scratch and bump protection, but may not protect a device from a fall. Skins are thin but the tradeoff is that they only help prevent scratches and are completely useless if the gadget goes flying.
We use cases and covers on occassion, but have to say that skins are our preference. Gadget designers spent a lot effort to make the gadget svelt. It seems a shame to bulk it up with a case unnecessarily. For everyday use, we either go "commando" or protect the screen with a... [more] - DomeSkin FirstLook
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January 2,2012- Urban Safari:Franklin Park Zoo... |
The Franklin Park Zoo is just a few miles from the RainyDayMagazine office, yet in all the years we have been in Boston we have never been there. So over the Holiday break, we dropped by for a visit (basically because somebody in the office was a little disappointed---yet again--that she didn't get a pony for Chrismas and insisted on an animal interaction nonetheless). We were not sure what to expect, but what we saw amazed us. Right in the middle of Boston were numerous exotic animal species from around the world! We were so impressed that we decided to lead off the new year with an "urban safari" to this wonderful city zoo.
The Franklin Park Zoo in Boston and Stone Zoo in Stoneham (Massachusetts) make up the non-profit corporation, Zoo New England. If you want to avoid the crowds and spend some quality time with the animals, get there early (and not during school vacation). We arrived right when the... [more] - Urban Safari: Franklin Park Zoo
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