Cool Product of the Day

The computer keyboard is a tough device to customize.  Computer keyboards are a standard device with a standard layout.  Keyboards have remained virtually unchanged in form and function from the typewriter to the earliest computers to now.  With smartphones, tablet computers, notebook computers and virtually every display interface made in a way that offers options for customizing, the keyboard remains one of the least personal, least customizable computer devices.  MapKeyboard changes that!

MapKeyboard is a program from InchWest that is available for free (though if you find it useful, you may donate funds to them) online.  MapKeyboard is not a virtual keyboard in the physical sense, but it does essentially create a virtual keyboard within your computer.  With MapKeyboard, you may reassign the values of each keyboard keystroke.  Have you always wished that the “a” key was where the “h” key is?  With MapKeyboard installed, you can program your computer so hitting the “h” key reads as “a” to your computer!  MapKeyboard allows you to reassign all 101 keys on a standard keyboard or even eliminate keys from functioning.  If you constantly, accidentally hit the “Print Screen” key, you may use MapKeyboard to disable the key!

MapKeyboard has a surprising number of practical applications.  If you are an editor who finds yourself editing works where one or two words – like “a” or “the” – need to continually be inserted into document, you can program MapKeyboard to make any four lined-up keys spell those words!  Through such customized programming applications you may increase your productivity.

As a security measure, MapKeyboard may be absolutely invaluable.  If you are one of the many people who loathes having to change your passwords because you cannot keep track of them, MapKeyboard may allow you enhanced security.  Instead of changing your password, you can change your keyboard.  Then, even if someone knew your password, when they attempted to type it using traditional keystrokes, they would essentially be inputting gibberish.

MapKeyboard works on Windows 7, 2008 and Vista and prior versions of the program which you may find online with ease worked with Mac computers as well.  For those who want everything their own way, MapKeyboard allows you to customize your keyboard.  It is about time.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

Ipads and tablet computers in general have unquestionably changed the computer industry with their unprecedented levels of technological computer support, entertainment capabilities, and ease of connectivity. People using the iPad for both business and pleasure praise it as a revolutionary device from which there’s no going back. Yet despite the advanced capabilities of iPads, critics have deemed it a still problematic candidate to replace laptops for one major reason— typing limitations.

Indeed, if you’ve ever used an iPad, you probably know that the cool, Star-Trek-like screen keyboard gets old quickly. It is neither ergonomic nor intuitive to use—your fingers bounce off the screen uncomfortably and unless you have superior post-human muscle memory, you simply cannot get used to typing on a flat surface without looking. Barring the typing issue, many people say that their iPads could easily replace their laptops. Well thanks to a new iPad gadget, you can now turn any iPad screen into a real keyboard complete with physical keys that you click—just like a laptop’s keys.

TouchFire is an ultra-thin, flexible, silicone cover with protruding buttons. It aligns perfectly with the iPad’s keyboard, so you can rest your fingers on it and use it in the same way you would a regular keyboard. It’s soft and noiseless, but most importantly, its design allows it to fit perfectly under the Apple Smart Cover, as well as the standard iPad 1 case. The manufacturers say it works with any case that leaves a little bit of room.

The TouchFire takes advantage of the iPad’s built in magnets to clip on. So even if you just gently toss the silicone gadget over an iPad, it’ll align itself with very little work on your behalf. The TouchFire weighs less than an ounce and attaches to the inside of the iPad cover—it even folds with it. When you don’t want to use it, simply push it downwards and it clicks into an elegant storage position.

One of the best practical qualities of the TouchFire is that it’s super easy to clean—simply wash with water and pat dry with towel. As it is made of high-performance silicone rubber, it’s also well suited for lots of movement.

Though the advent of such a device may not seem like that significant of an event in the technology world, the reality is that this thin silicone layer will almost certainly take tablet computing to the next level. Many people who need computers primarily for typing will now turn to iPads as legitimate and sustainable alternatives thanks to the TouchFire.

That said, the TouchFire is problematic in its own way. The upward wrist angle required to type on the flat surface can cause RSI, and the fact that it physically takes up half the screen isn’t too great. Still, it should come as no surprise to anyone if Apple tries to buy the copyright for the device in order to make it a regular staple of the company’s future tablet market.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit http://https://www.rescuecom.comor call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

Since 1997, the coolest dentist offices in the world have all been treating their customers with a surprisingly awesome device from Milestone Scientific.  Originally called The Wand, Milestone Scientific’s CompuDent Instrument revolutionized the way dentists deliver anesthesia for oral surgery.  The CompuDent Instrument does not provide dentists with computer imaging technology to better visualize dental problems better; it makes the pain of oral surgery go away!

Computers are involved with the CompuDent Instrument, which delivers local anesthetic to oral surgery patients.  Milestone Scientific realized that much of the fear of oral surgery – of all kinds – comes from a very rational fear of pain.  The initial pain that patients felt when the oral surgeon or anesthesiologist first delivered the local anesthetic realized the fears of all those patients.  The CompuDent Instrument eliminates that initial pain.

The CompuDent Instrument is a two-piece device that includes the computer injection system and the wand.  When the dentist places the wand in the patient’s mouth, the computer injection system takes over.  The CompuDent Instrument transfers local anesthetic to the gums, teeth and other precise targets in the oral cavity through the wand.  After the wand is rooted, the CompuDent Instrument delivers the anesthetic painlessly.

The painless aspect of the CompuDent Instrument is its big selling point and the computer-assisted injection system makes the injection painless.  The initial pain of receiving local anesthetic usually comes from the pressure of the anesthetic being blasted into the tissue during the initial injection.  The CompuDent Instrument eliminates that initial pain by monitoring the pressure in the tissues surrounding the wand and adjusting the anesthetic injection and drip accordingly.  Through precision measurements and adjustments, the CompuDent Instrument makes the injections painless.  This frees up your oral surgeon to pay attention to the procedure they are doing, not your pain management.

The CompuDent Instrument’s precision delivery had an unexpected secondary benefit.  Because the CompuDent Instrument provides precise levels of local anesthetic exactly where you need it, the device all but eliminated peripheral numbing.  If you are having your wisdom tooth extracted, the anesthetic will not be so strong as to numb your lips or cheek when delivered with the CompuDent Instrument.  That precision also leads to faster recovery times, as your body metabolizes the discrete, targeted local anesthetic better.

While there have been many advances in computer imaging technology and data storage devices that have inarguably aided dentists, it is hard to argue with the benefit of a device that causes patients less pain.  The CompuDent Instrument helps make going to the dentist painless and that is very cool.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

Virtually every portion of your computer can be customized.  You can easily change your wallpaper on your screen to make a statement about your interests or apply a skin to your laptop computer to protect it as well as show off your own sense of style.  The computer mouse is one of the more standardized computer components, though many independent artists have created audacious, unique computer mice that make the ordinary computer mouse into an extraordinary accessory.  Arguably the most incredible mass-produced computer mouse is the SONY VAIO Mouse Talk.

The VAIO Mouse Talk appears to be a regular optical mouse with scroll wheel.  The Mouse Talk connects to your PC, laptop or Apple computer through a standard USB port.  Once attached, the VAIO Mouse Talk – which is available in black or a stylish silver-blue color – functions like a standard laser-guided optical mouse.  What makes the VAIO Mouse Talk so special is that it opens up into a Skype phone!

With a standard clamshell phone design, the VAIO Mouse Talk seems instantly familiar when opened to reveal its phone function.  Skype, which is a Voice Over Internet Protocol program, allows users to effectively turn their internet connection into a phone line.  The VAIO Mouse Talk allows you to highlight and do computer work one moment and talk with a friend over your computer the next!  Anyone who has Skype may access it easily with the VAIO Mouse Talk, which eliminates the need for a Skype headset.  The VAIO Mouse Talk is a real asset on older computers that have fewer USB ports because it allows you to benefit both from a convenient optical mouse and a Skype phone through a single USB port.

In addition to the dual function of the VAIO Mouse Talk, SONY has created another product that is sleek and stylish with this mouse.  As a Skype phone, the VAIO Mouse Talk is comfortable in the hand and it is easy to use.  While open as a phone, the VAIO Mouse Talk’s scroll wheel becomes a volume control dial!  With the flick of a small button, the mouse controls are automatically switched to the phone controls, making this a very flexible to use device.

For most computer mice, you would have every reason to be alarmed if it suddenly began glowing blue in your hand.  With the VAIO Mouse Talk, the sudden blue glow means adventure is calling and you can take that call right away!

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

With the holidays behind us and many struggling already to keep their New Year’s resolution, it is nice to know that one of the most common subjects for a resolution has a little help this year.  If you are one of the millions of people who made a New Year’s resolution to lose weight, technology is coming to your aid.  You might achieve success this year with the DietMate Weight Loss Computer.

The DietMate Weight Loss Computer is a handheld computer device designed exclusively to help you monitor your eating and exercise habits and keep you focused on achieving your weight loss goals.  The best aspect of the DietMate Weight Loss Computer is that it is a very simple specialized device.  Ideal for those who are easily distracted, and for whom a weight loss app on an otherwise cluttered smartphone or tablet computer could be ignored, the DietMate Weight Loss Computer helps you remain focused on a single goal.

The DietMate Weight Loss Computer is a handheld computer with a simple monochromatic LCD screen.  When activated, the screen has a clear, sharp readout and easy-to-use interface.  One of the striking aspects of the DietMate Weight Loss Computer is its lack of a keyboard.  The entire system works off seven buttons in conjunction with the screen.

The brilliance of the DietMate Weight Loss Computer is that it does the thinking about food and exercise so you do not have to.  Many diets fail simply because it takes so much work and effort to count calories each and every day.  Proper dietetics is a skill set like computer programming or accounting; asking most people to be so attentive to all of the nuances of nutrition is folly and the manufacturers of DietMate understand that.  The DietMate Weight Loss Computer comes programmed with all of the information on nutrition and aspects of dieting you need, so when you turn control of your diet over to the DietMate, you no longer need to be preoccupied with food.

Using the DietMate Weight Loss Computer is very easy and truly only requires a bathroom scale to use it successfully.  Each morning, you simply weigh yourself and then activate your DietMate Weight Loss Computer.  After inputting your current weight, simply carry around the DietMate and do what it tells you!  The DietMate Weight Loss Computer will tell you when to eat, it helps you choose your meals and it calculates the most efficient forms of exercise to help you reach your weight loss goals!

Approved by the National Institutes of Health, the DietMate Weight Loss Computer uses a powerful database and computer to take the thinking out of your diet.  By adapting your diet more to your existing life and patterns, you maximize your chances of weight loss success.  The DietMate Weight Loss Computer helps you change some of your patterns to help you lose weight!

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

Geeks, as a general rule, tend to be a highly-educated, highly literate subculture in the United States.  Part of the reason geeks end up so smart is that they are raised smart.  Geek families tend to teach acceptance, manners and commitment to the things that interest them.  In other words, not even having children can keep geek parents from watching their Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica or other smart science fiction television shows or movies.  George Lucas seemed to understand that, and the eagerness geek parents have for sharing their beloved programs with their children, when he designed programs like Yoda’s Challenge for the Lucas Learning branch of Lucasfilm.

The Star Wars Yoda’s Challenge program has been winning awards since 1999 when Lucas Learning introduced it and the program remains popular with parents and children to this day.  Yoda’s Challenge is educational software intended for children ages six and up and for students in grades one through four.  One of the first key selling points of Yoda’s Challenge is its ability to grow with your child.  Yoda’s Challenge features four different skill levels that parents may change.  This allows you to use the same basic program to adapt to your child’s individual learning curve.

Yoda’s Challenge comes on CD-ROM and is compatible with both Windows and Macintosh computers.  Macintosh computers running OS 7.6 or higher should have no trouble installing Yoda’s Challenge.  For Windows users, patches may be required from Microsoft as Lucas Learning wrote Yoda’s Challenge for use on Windows 95/98 systems!

Do not let the age of the software give you pause!  Yoda’s Challenge is as useful and cool today as it was when Lucas Learning released it over a decade ago!  Yoda’s Challenge helps children learn how to read both words and basic sheet music.  Beyond the concrete skills, Yoda’s Challenge encourages logical development through challenges that require deductive reasoning in order for students to progress to the next level.  Children learn spatial relations and how to manipulate objects through tangram puzzles.

Lucas Learning keeps children stimulated by disguising their education as fun.  Activities like piloting a ship through a cave help children learn directions and the properties of motion, without explicitly directing the student.  The entire interface for Yoda’s Challenge is Star Wars based, so children who have seen the movies with their parents – or watch The Clone Wars animated series – will recognize characters and scenarios from the movies.  Because the setting if familiar to children, they are more likely to absorb the lessons than through unique or new environment.

George Lucas’s commitment to education is impossible to deny with cool programs like Yoda’s Challenge from Lucas Learning which uses a galaxy far, far away to teach your child right in your own home!

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

There are few computer accessories that show little or no change from when the personal computer became a household item, but arguably the device that has changed the least is the keyboard.  The keyboard is essentially the same layout as a classic typewriter with an extra number pad on it.  While the ergonomic keyboards broke up the solid keyboards and wireless keyboards made your keyboard more portable, those improvements left the basic keyboard remarkably intact.  The leap forward for keyboards that we have been waiting for finally comes with the Cellulon Virtual Laser Keyboard “Magic Cube.”

As the name implies, the Magic Cube projects a keyboard using lasers to create a keyboard anywhere you might want one.  The Virtual Laser Keyboard is only physical in that it requires a surface to be projected onto; the only physical component to this cool device is the Magic Cube.  The Magic Cube is a laser projector and it is a comparatively small device at that.  At 1.5” wide by 2.95” tall by 1.14” deep, the Magic Box is very easy to transport.  The Magic Cube connects to a PC, laptop computer or any smartphone with a USB port.  Connecting your Magic Cube to a USB port allows you to swap the Virtual Laser Keyboard between any of your computers, tablets or smartphones with which you type.

The Virtual Laser Keyboard is a red laser projection that comes from the Magic Cube to any flat surface nearby.  While the Magic Cubes come in several stylish colors, to date they only project red virtual keyboards.  The projection is a standard QWERTY-style keyboard, so in that way Cellulon maintains the familiarity of the classic keyboard.  The Virtual Laser Keyboard operates easily, with the projected “keys” typing letter on your computer when you break the beam associated with a specific letter.  As a result, you do not need to vigorously press against the surface upon which the Virtual Laser Keyboard is projected.  This makes the Virtual Laser Keyboard ideal for those who have injured hands or overly sensitive fingers.  The Virtual Laser Keyboard is also ideal for travelers who might not have a lot of space before them upon which to project the keyboard.  They may use a smaller surface area for the virtual keyboard, simply by projecting the keyboard with a more narrow focus!

While the standard price of $170 for the Virtual Laser Keyboard may seem steep for personal use, it is a steal for industrial and scientific settings where space is at a premium or industrial elements require you to replace a keyboard frequently.  Because there are no physical keys for the Virtual Laser Keyboard, there are no keys to gum up!

The Virtual Laser Keyboard from the Magic Cube is the next leap forward for both the convenience of a full-sized keyboard and the flexibility of a portable device.

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

In revamping the aviation industry to revolutionize air travel, many new products and technologies are being developed.  One of the Federal Aviation Administration’s highest priorities is to replace outdated systems that have been in place since the 1950s.  To that end, the FAA has developed products like the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast and it is working on revolutionizing the communications systems between air traffic controllers and support workers at airplane terminals.  Another product integral to the NextGen program for changing the airline industry is the System Wide Information Management system.

The System Wide Information Management system is a new software system for the airline industry.  Created as a new, uniform operating system, SWIM is responsible for correlating data in the new vision of the aviation industry.  SWIM has essentially created a National Airspace System intranet and it is one of the NextGen programs that is already up and running.

The aviation industry employs a ridiculous number of computer systems to gather and correlate data.  In addition to plane movements, weather patterns and atmospheric conditions, the FAA receives data from the military, the government and small civilian airports.  Many of those organizations have their own intranets and when they provide data to the FAA, it is not in a form that is easily usable by the FAA.  For the past fifty years, there have been many jobs in the military and civilian sectors manually re-entering data from those disparate sources for the FAA.  Remedying the problems that come from trying to mediate between all of the systems aviation computers is why the FAA developed SWIM.

SWIM eliminates the need for manually re-entering data into an FAA-based program.  The innovative System Wide Information Management software collects data from the National Airspace System affiliates and correlates it into a standardized database.  SWIM provides a new, uniform interface, which will make jobs in the aviation industry much more portable.  With SWIM fully realized, a technician working for the Air Force would not need to retrain on a new system when they re-entered the civilian work force!

The System Wide Information Management system stands to make the aviation industry much safer by providing all of the information collected by members of the National Airspace System and presenting the data to all members in a universal interface.  SWIM will make flying easier and safer and software that can do that is undeniably cool!

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

With advances in technology like the camera and video camera on the Apple iPhone 4S, it seems like smartphone manufacturers continue to forget about the basic purpose of the phone.  The telephone and mobile phone were devices used for person-to-person communication before they were data storage tools, music players or cameras.  Touch, an app for smartphones manufactured by the small Canadian company Enflick, seems to recall the origins of the smartphone and makes texting cool again, by providing more chat options and blending some of the most successful elements of social networking.

Touch, which went by the name Pingchat until recently, is an application for Apple iPhones (or any other iOS-driven device), Android powered smartphones and Blackberry products.  The Touch app is designed to make texting more flexible and to provide options for group communications over your smartphone.

The texting options Touch provides are a bit more sophisticated than standard text programs.  In addition to not having the strict character limits of traditional texting, the Chat function through Touch provides vastly faster back-and-forth messages between you and the person with whom you are chatting.  The interface has more in common with a chat program like Instant Messenger than it does a texting program, including being able to see when the person or people you are chatting with are typing.

The group aspect of Touch is another distinctive aspect of the app.  Touch allows you to chat or share photos with other individuals or select groups of your friends.  You may have a multi-person chat session with other Touch-enabled friends.  During such multi-person chats, you may share photos and videos through Touch with all of your friends.  As a result, Touch becomes a great way to get feedback from all of your friends at once.

As well, Touch allows you to send private messages to individuals or groups outside the Touch conversation.  While obscure social networks like Elftown have had systems where you could see when someone had read your message, a lot of the newer networks and apps leave you in the dark about what happens to your messages after you send them.  Touch goes back to letting you see just how your friends react to your messages, including having status updates noting your friend drafting a response to a message you sent!

By combining some of the best old ideas with some of the newest innovations in social networking, Touch reinvents texting and file sharing for smartphone users.  Touch makes intimate group texting cool and it is a welcome app for smartphone users . . . at least until we all have videophones!

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com

With so many different games moving from the real world into the digitized realms of computer gaming, it is unsurprising that pinball games have been a staple computer game almost since personal computers became popular.  Unlike those who play video slot machines, pinball players tend to like some sense of order to their gaming.  Pinball players want their game to conform to the physical laws of the world and they play to thrill over the speed at which the game changes.  While a video slot machine player may play the same game in the home as they do in the casino, seasoned pinball players will tell you that playing a physical pinball machine and playing a computer pinball program are two very different experiences.

The line between the physical pinball machines and the computer pinball machines is getting a lot more narrow, thanks to Future Pinball.  Future Pinball is a freeware game construction program for Windows XP and subsequent editions of Windows.  The program requires only 19.2 MB of free drive space, but because you get to import many of your own graphics, you will want more space available.  Future Pinball is a construction program that has everything you need to create your own virtual pinball machine!

Future Pinball is best envisioned as a workshop for pinball machine enthusiasts.  You start with the empty frame of the pinball machine and then you select all of the elements you want to add to the virtual pinball machine.  All of the classic design elements of a physical pinball machine are present in Future Pinball, from bumpers to ramps to targets to additional flippers!  You are able to lay out a 3-D pinball machine with all of your favorite elements.

Once you have the basic “physical” elements of your personalized pinball machine loaded, you get to work on the style aspects.  Future Pinball makes it possible for you to load in any graphics you have on your computer.  You can make a personalized, unique pinball machine from your favorite media franchise or superstar or accent it with pictures and themes from your personal life!  After that, you may assign points to each component.  The game supports the addition of music files as well, so this can truly become your ultimate pinball machine.  If at that point you still have the willpower to resist playing your new creation, Future Pinball allows you to create the leveled games and challenges most pinball players have come to expect with pinball machines.

What makes Future Pinball so incredible is the already existing programming.  While there is a lot to configure within this game, Future Pinball comes programmed with the advanced laws of physics that guide pinball gameplay.  Each item you add to the machine has a specific composition and shape that comes programmed with realistic properties.  When you make your Future Pinball game, the virtual metal ball inside reacts as a real metal ball would, making this the most lifelike pinball game yet!

About RESCUECOM:

RESCUECOM provides computer repair and computer support, 24/7: Meeting every tech support need including data recovery, virus removal, networking, wireless services, and computer support for all brands of hardware and software. For computer support or information on products, services, or computer repair, visit https://www.rescuecom.com or call 1-800-RESCUE-PC.

For More Information, Contact:

David Milman, CEO

315-882-1100

david@rescuecom.com