My brother-in-law is a funny guy with a number of catch phrases. He’s the guy that announces at the family gathering that he and his wife would have arrived a lot earlier but because they drive a Prius, they had to stop at the gas station and give back some gas. His newest phrase is “It will change your life.” I have now heard that in reference to a variety of things from a bottle of pinot noir, a certain video poker machine, to which flat screen TV I should be buying. We have a lot of laughs and I try to always let guys retain exclusivity over their own catch-phrases but I am going to drop his line on you…and I think…this is the first time I have ever used it seriously.

The Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 will change your life. Ok, maybe not all that much, but I love mine. I thought I was getting a great deal on it when Apple.com had it on sale at 50% off for $200 during Black Friday. has gone even further and is offering it right now for $179.95 with free shipping.

I needed a small camcorder I could call my own for use with the Infotech classes, so I jumped at this one. However, I have to admit that the most intriguing part was the fact that it is waterproof down to 5 feet. I was quick to try this out and dunked it immediately into my daughter’s fish tank. The most fun we have with the waterproof feature is when we take it sledding. Video:
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During my experiences with the camera, I have been very pleased. Like most point and shoot cameras, there is a bit of shutter lag but other than that the quality of the images have been good. With the video, the lighting is everything. The picture gets grainy when you don’t have enough light.

I had a blast recently in Florida exploring all of the possibilities it can have in a swimming pool. The touch tanks at the Mote Aquarium on Longboat Key provided the chance to film stingrays underwater.

The thing I enjoy most about the set-up is the fact that SD cards are used as the recording media. No heads to clean and no tapes to wear out is a huge convenience. The included usb cable makes transferring video and images a snap…at least on my Mac.

Here is a pic from the Chinese joint in Houghton Lake, MI. It is great for stuff like this but if you are looking for professional results it doesn’t compare to using my Nikon D40 but can be a lot quicker and easier to carry. It all depends on what your objective is. This does a lot for me and now the price keeps getting righter.

My goal is to do a few quick video questions with presenters after their sessions. Look for them here on the MACUL blog.

Beware when you see me at MACUL. It’s been said I knock people unconscious. Not intentionally but I just can’t seem to help myself. I’m really a nice person (really). It’s not my winning personality (although I’ve been told I have one of those) that seems to knock people flat on their face when meeting me. It’s my “70-lb” backpack that I tote around everywhere I go. Here’s a word of advice. If you’re standing next to me and we are deep in conversation and you hear someone call my name…DUCK! As soon as I turn around, my extremely large and heavy backpack will gain momentum within the turn, and before you know it, you’ll become close friends with the carpet at COBO Hall, (Did you know it says “COBO” all over it?).

I tend to carry more things than your average geek would ever need, even if they were stranded on a desert island. I’m always afraid of being with out something so I carry everything. My favorite gadgets that you will find weighing me down are the iTouch, Flip video, Kodak Zi6, a USB flash (it seems I have an entire family of these), my cell phone with unlimited text, calls, web, camera, video, and an espresso machine, (not really but wouldn’t that be cool?), and a digital camera. I also carry my laptop (HP 17-inch screen), an extension cord, and a variety of cables just in case anyone is without.  So when you see me around MACUL, don’t be afraid to come up and say HI! Just be prepared to duck at any given moment though and don’t say I didn’t warn you! Maybe I should get one of those rolly-thingys.

I think I have a disease.  I am a gadetaholic.  I have all this stuff and I still want more.

Look at all these gadgets that I’ll be bringing to MACUL with me!  I’m facilitating a half-day preconfernce session in a blended PC/Mac lab, so I’m taking both an Apple and a Windows laptop to be ready for anything!  Other smaller items include:  a USB microphone, a flash drive, a digital camera, an mp3 player with built-in voice recorder, a portable GPS, a mini digital videocam, a webcam, a palm, a portable external hard drive, and some ear buds.

After the MACUL Confernce two years ago, a invested in a rolley bag to help me carry all this stuff.

What gadgets are on my wish list?  An Apple iTouch (I really want an iPhone, but the monthly fees are beyond my family’s budget), and an HP 2140 mini PC.  I’ve been using a demo model to test how it will work for our district’s laptop program, and LOVE IT.  I’ll probably come home from the conference with a new and improved wish list after cruising through the vendor area.

Carolyn McCarthy and I are resurrecting our popular tech gadgets session again. We needed to have a two year absence to collect some new gadgets. They do get pricey. We will be showing less gadgets this year, but will talk more about each of them and how they can fit and integrate into your classroom. We promise this will be a fun and exciting session and we will have the gadgets on display!