Rescue gadgets from plastic prison
Put away the scissors and pocketknives: Those hard-to-open plastic packages that encase new gadgets have finally met their match in the form of a clever new tool called OpenX. To open a plastic package, pierce the case’s edge with the tool’s retractable blade and make a small slit. Then insert the tool’s tip into the slit and slide it along the edges until – voilà – the case is open and your new gadget is freed. You can also use OpenX to open sealed boxes, DVD cases and other hard-to-open packages. It’s available online for $4.95.
www.myopenx.com
Camera can drop in for a swim
Butterfingers needn’t worry about dropping the Olympus Stylus 720 SW digital camera: Thanks to a shockproof body, Olympus says its camera can withstand a 5-foot drop.
The 7.1-megapixel shooter also is equipped with underwater housing and sealants, making it a fun choice to take on underwater adventures up to 10 feet deep. Measuring less than an inch thick, the fast-working camera has a 3X optical zoom, a 2.5-inch color screen and 28 preset shooting modes. It will go on sale in March for about $400.
www.olympusamerica.com
Make movies worthy of honor
Just because you haven’t been nominated for an Oscar doesn’t mean you can’t produce polished movies. With the Magix Movie Edit Pro 11, you can create videos that can be played back on a wide-screen high-definition television with surround sound. You also can use the Windows-based title to make precise cuts, create special effects, add 3D transitions, dub in sounds and create a picture-within-a-picture. The finished videos can be saved onto discs or shared online for free on the company’s website. The program will go on sale in late March for $60.
www.magix.com
Program keeps files in sync
If you have trouble remembering which file you stored where, Siber Systems’ GoodSync program can help. After installing the program, you can synchronize data between home and office PCs, between a laptop and a desktop computer and between a PC and external devices, such as USB drives, digital cameras and MP3 players. The syncing of data can be achieved directly or through a network or Internet connection. The program is free for moderate personal use. A computer license for commercial users, or those who synchronize more than 20,000 files in 30 days, is $19.95.
www.goodsync.com
