Technical Pro

Shiny black plastic? Check. iPhone/iPod dock? Check. Ability to explain the “k” in its name? Okay, so the Roth KRadio (£200; roughly $330) can’t do everything, but it can give you access to thousands of Internet radio stations thanks to an Ethernet port and built-in Wi-Fi, playback music from your iPhone or iPod while it charges, hook up to DAB and DAB+ stations in Europe, wake you and your significant other up on time thanks to twin alarms, and even tune in “old time” radio with its FM tuner — and that’s good enough for us. [via]

Bluelounge’s latest gadget is made to even more de-clutter your charging solution with a convenient, ultra simple mini dock. The MiniDock’s compact form factor makes it a perfect essential when traveling, and doubles as a display stand, in case it’s plugged in a well positioned wall outlet or over the bedside table. $20

UPDATE: Ever Since Photovine cut its vine.

 

The Check Engine light: the bane of many a car owner’s existence, who’ve helplessly forked over hundreds of dollars only to find out that there was a $5 sensor that needed replaced. Well, enough of that. The GL1 Vehicle Diagnostic Tool for iPhone ($100) plugs simply and easily into your car’s On Board Diagnostics (OBD-II) port, letting you run an app to find out what your car’s actually up to. As a bonus, it will charge your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch at the same time, although you might look a little dorky with your phone permanently attached to a cord emerging from your dash.

Jason Fitzpatrick —Public declarations and diatribes have their place, but sometimes you need a private space for your thoughts, dreams, and ramblings. Whether you crave a digital or analog tool, you’ll find it in this Hive Five.

photo by Barnaby.

Earlier this week we asked you to share your favorite journaling tool. We’ve tallied the nominations and now we’re back to share the top five journaling tools. This week’s Hive Five is a mix of online and off, digital and analog, and a rather interesting sample of how Lifehacker readers like to record their thoughts for future reflection and posterity.

Microsoft Word (Windows/Mac, $99)

Many a person has started journaling by simply opening up the default word processor on their computer and setting to work. Microsoft Word is a fixture on hundreds of thousands of personal computers, and many Lifehacker readers found it more than adequate for their journaling endeavors. On top of creating documents in a commonly used format, most of us use Word at work and at home and are already quite familiar with the interface, formatting, and shortcuts. Being comfortable with your journaling tool of choice goes a long way towards encouraging you keep at it.

Pen and Paper (Analog, Variable Cost)

Long before people were pecking out their missives on typewriters, let alone keyboards, they were quietly scribbling them onto paper. In an age of instant sharing and easy digitization, many of you showed a strong affinity for recording your most private moments with the solidly analog and difficult to share medium: pen and paper. For many Lifehacker readers there is no substitute for the privacy and ease of use that comes with keeping an old fashioned paper-based journal. Among the variations of the pen and paper motif you submitted, readers showed a distinct passion for high-quality pens and Moleskine notebooks. Rich paper and smooth flowing ink is apparently the icing on the cake of analog journaling. Photo by MShades.

Microsoft OneNote (Windows, $99)

Designed as a sophisticated note taking tool, Microsoft OneNote can easily do double duty as a journaling tool. If you like to drop photos, music, and other media into your journal entries, the file integration of OneNote makes such journal keeping tricks a cinch. The app can also easily link together your journal entries by text links and tags. OneNote’s Windows mobile client and hand-writing recognition make it easy to record your thoughts during the day and dump them into your journal when you return home. If you’re unfamiliar with OneNote, our review of OneNote 2007 is worth a peek.

Evernote (Windows/Mac, Free-to-$5/month)

Evernote is a wildly popular application for capturing and organizing all manner of information thanks to its trifecta of desktop application, web-based interface, and mobile client. For many readers, it makes sense to simply work their daily reflections into the tool they already have at their fingertips. If you’re using Evernote as your personal journal, you can leverage the text recognition and tagging to make your journal entries available and easily search friendly. If you’ve avoided journaling because you consider it antiquated and hardly something a busy modern person takes the time for, Evernote makes it easy to write when you have the time, since it’s almost always with you thanks to a web and mobile phone presence. The free account can easily handle basic journaling, but if you find yourself needing more storage or use of the multimedia functions, there is a $5 a month premium account.

 

WordPress (Web Based, Free)

While blogging is usually intended for a larger audience, many of you used blogging software to maintain a personal journal. Among the blogging tools used, WordPress was a clear favorite thanks to its ease of use, ability to keep entires completely private, and a free-as-in-beer price tag. Using blog software as your journal tool has several benefits: You can log into your journal from anywhere, tag your entries, use text and calendar-based search, and take advantage of WordPress’s vast extensibility to customize and tweak your journal to include all the tools and information you desire. WordPress will run on your own web server (including your personal home web server), or you can sign up at WordPress.com for a basic account.

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Now that you’ve had a chance to check out how your fellow readers journal, it’s time to cast your vote to determine who will be quill-wielding king of the self reflection castle.

If you’re aghast that your favorite method of journaling—cuneiform tablets anyone?—didn’t make the Hive Five, or you’ve just got a great journaling tip burning a hole in your pocket, share your thoughts in the comments below.

2011 seems to be shaping up as the year of the wireless portable speaker, and the Perch Speaker ($180) looks to be one of the more stylish options out there. This two-piece speaker/dock features Bluetooth for wireless audio streaming, a magnetic charger built into the dock, which also sports a tray for charging your smartphone or media player, a built-in digital clock with alarm function, and an integrated microphone for speakerphone calls. Get in early to lock in the price – it’ll rise to $200 once the first round of commitments is over. [Source Uncrate.com]

Here’s an interesting take on a clip for your shit. Essentially, it’s just a self locking mechanism that will attach to just about anything – your iPod, phone, knife, etc… I haven’t used one, but I’ve heard pretty good things about them. You can get yours for $10 from County Comm. Here’s there demo video: