Your buddy has been bugging you for his Best of Warrant CD he let you borrow last month. It's been great listening to it in that 1996 boom box sitting in the passenger seat, but wouldn't it be even better if you could play it on that iPod you scored for [insert holiday]? You can see it now: cruising down the highway, windows down, in your pimped out Geo Metro, tunes blasting.
But wait, you don't even have one of those fancy new radios with a cassette player, much less some kind of auxiliary thingamabob to plug the iPod into. Enter the HandHeldItems iPod FM Transmitter.
Just set your dial to an empty station, match up the frequency on the transmitter's LCD screen, and you are rocking out to Cherry Pie anytime you feel like it. Unless that is you get too close to a real radio station's frequency, then it's time to search for another blank spot in the airwaves. Don't worry, it's not difficult, and thanks to the weak transmitter built into this unit, you'll get lots of practice seeking out a new station to usurp.
That is, you'll get lots of practice when you can actually get the transmitter to broadcast to your FM radio at all. Luckily it can be powered from the iPod itself, so assuming you have adequate battery power left, you can move the iPod to any position in your vehicle to achieve maximum sound quality. And if your iPod is threatening to die on you before you can make it through another replay of the album, just plug in the included power adapter to your lighter socket and you are back in business.
Don't get too excited with your air drums though; the transmitter doesn't have any clips to keep it firmly affixed to your iPod. One wrong jostle and your jam session comes to an abrupt end. The iPod is intelligent enough to pause the track for you, so you miss none of Joey Allen's killer guitar solo, complete with just the right amount of static you can never seem to get rid of, no matter how close the HHI iPod FM Transmitter is to your radio. That's ok though, Warrant was a gritty band, and the static reminds you of just that.
Final Grade: C+
So it goes,
Zach
Gear Review: HandHeldItems.com iPod FM Transmitter
Gear Review: Ducti Classic Bi-Fold Wallet
Ducti makes accessories for nerds, geeks, and others who may have a duct tape fetish. Their flagship product is the Classic Bi-Fold Wallet, the perfect companion for your pocket binary to hex conversion chart, homemade AD&D creature cards, and photos of your online girlfriend from Japan.
You may ask yourself, "why buy a duct tape wallet for $20 when I can easily make one for a fraction of the cost?". The answer is twofold: your wallet will be uglier and less functional than the Ducti, and after sitting in front of your computer for hours on end, the glue from normal duct tape will melt and ruin your finest pair of keyboard infused trousers.
Ducti uses a magical, space age duct tape that, while not bulletproof, could easily and permanently heal a flesh wound. The adhesive used is much more like Super Glue than tape glue, refusing to give way under almost any circumstance. Now don't get me wrong, if you often let your dog use your wallet in lieu of rawhide, then this wallet isn't for you. However I can personally attest to the durability of the Ducti Bi-Fold; I finally retired my first Ducti after over 5 years of service. Note that this almost entirely for aesthetic reasons. I can't have the cashier at Grand Asia Market think I'm passing fake bills to pay for my Giant Pocky because my wallet is in such disrepair.
The innards of the Ducti Bi-Fold are what you would expect out of a wallet. Four card slots on the left side and a clear five card / photo book on the right. Beneath each is another pocket for miscellanea. The top opens to reveal the standard cash pouch, in which comes a 3.5" x 2" patch of the aforementioned magical Ducti duct tape for repair work or emergency skin graft. Four shiny rivets ensure that your valuables remain in place and two metal grommets are available for those who enjoy the extra security a wallet chain provides. A divided cash pouch would be appreciated as would slightly wider card slots on the left, but these minor complaints hardly detract from the utility of the wallet.
Besides the functional aspects of the Ducti, there is the added bonus of carrying an instant conversation piece in your back pocket. Countless times have I received a complement or comment from someone tasked with taking my money. Too, it's hard to mistake your wallet for someone else's, as you will probably be the only person you know carrying a Ducti. Add in the fact that it's not made from a mammalian carcass and you have a no-brainer of a wallet choice.
Final Grade: A
So It Goes,
Zach