Gillian Shaw
Sun
These are the next generation of the Clickfree portable backup drives, bringing hardware-based encryption and some other useful features. Photograph by: Handout, Vancouver Sun
Ornithopter, Interactive Toy Concepts
Savant, Apple-based control and automation system, Evolution Home Entertainment Corp
Kindle, Amazon
C2 Portable Backup Drives, Clickfree, $140 to $190 US
These are the next generation of the Clickfree portable backup drives, bringing hardware-based encryption and some other useful features. It can extract attachments from your Outlook or Outlook Express e-mail; it will do scheduled backups; and one drive can be used to back up multiple computers. Comes in 250 gigabyte and 500 gigabyte, with a larger version expected out soon. Automatic so you don’t have to worry about hitting the wrong buttons or backing up the wrong files. No excuses for not backing up your computer. www.clickfree.com.
Da Vinci Micro Aerial Vehicle
Ornithopter, Interactive Toy Concepts, $50
Add a bit of fun to the upcoming holidays with this high-flying toy from the Toronto-based Interactive Toy Concepts. Flying like a bird, it goes up, down, left and right, all following directions from the controller. Its wingspan is less than 13 centimetres, height just over 2.5 centimetres, length just under nine centimetres, and a very lightweight 3.5 grams. www.interactivetoy.com or www.thesource.ca.
Savant, Apple-based control and automation system, Evolution Home Entertainment Corp., from $6,500
Pricey, but beats building a new house. Savant’s home automation application creates an automated solution that combines audio, video, lighting, security, climate, communications and the Internet into one system, with customizable touch panels and remote controls. Savant’s system can turn your iPhone or iPod Touch into a controller that can manage the house even when you’re far away. Now, if it could just get the kids to keep their rooms clean. www.savantav.com.
Kindle, Amazon, $259 US
Amazon’s popular electronic book, up until now only available for our American neighbours, has finally arrived in Canada. You have to order it from Amazon’s U.S. website though, so tack on border fees that, along with taxes, will bump to price up to around $330 Cdn. For that, you get a reading machine that lets you download books wirelessly, either via WiFi or through a 3G connection that is included in the price of the books or subscriptions you buy, so you don’t have to have a mobile data plan with a Canadian carrier. Store up to 1,500 books on the device. If you don’t want to keep them on your Kindle, you can also leave them on your own electronic bookshelf with Amazon. Kindle’s store has more than 300,000 books available for Canadians, not as many as available for the U.S., but Amazon says more are being added all the time. Prices are typically $12 or less. Unlike Sony’s eReader, the Kindle uses a proprietary format. www.amazon.com.
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