TekPicks

I will blame my lack of children on just finding out about Charlie’s today but the stay at home crowd has been all over this laundry soap for years. And if the reviews are even half right, I will be dumping my usual detergent very soon. So here is scoop…Charlie’s only needs 1 tablespoon to eliminate oders and eradicate stains. Stains like those found in a reusable diaper. Yeah, sounds like my marinara and grease stains should be child’s play for ole Charlie. The word is there is no need for fabric softner either so not only is Charlie’s cheaper per load (only $0.13) but you save on not having to buy all the extra’s like Oxy Clean and Downey. I just placed my order today for the soap and all purpose liquid cleaner so look for an update as soon as UPS drops off my loot.

Link: Charlie’s Soap Powder – 2.64 lb Bag (80 Loads)

I have been looking to augment my home theather setup with a Slingbox, but for that to be possible, I will need to add an access point for additional dataport that I will need as I have no intention of taking my xbox offline. I have been looking around for a cheap but faster router for a few days and stumbled on the TRENDnet this morning. It has something the company is calling “green” technology where as the router is smarter enough to know what ports are actually in use, devices are on or based on the the length of the cable run. The reviews are great and the prices are right starting at just $14.99 so if you are in the market be sure to check out the whole line including the wireless-N options.

Link: TRENDnet Green Routers

I have been a loyal Firefox user for years (although I have been using Chrome a bit more lately because of its tight integration with my Google Apps and I am sorry to say because it makes FF look downright pokey in page load comparisons) The primary reason behind my affinity for either browser are the hundreds of user created extensions that make my internet experience much more enjoyable.

With my internet shopping addication well documented it is no surprise that Invisible Hand is among my favorite browser extensions. Once you installed IH, it just sits in the background waiting for you to start shopping. Go to any of the 53 partner websites including Amazon, Buy.com, Sears, Best Buy and Walmart, click in the product you are interested in amd IH pops and tells you were the best price is at.

While you are limited to price comparison within in the partner network, in the year or so I have been using it, I have yet to find a lower price anywhere else.

Perhaps the second most important piece of safety equipment you can have in your home next to smoke detector is a carbon monoxide alarm. With cold temperatures already hitting much of the country, now is the time to make sure you have one.

The Kidde Nighthawk is one of our favorites. The display is large and easy to read, the sensor never needs to be replaced and the it even comes with batteries. We recommend a unit in the furnace room plus another covering the main sleeping areas.

Link: Kidde Nighthawk 900-0089 Carbon Monoxide Alarm

Its Earth day, so what better time to see what a an energy hog that old beer fridge is. The Kill A Watt, is quick and simple way to track your usage and calculate expenses by the day, week or year. I think it would be especially helpful if you are on the fence on whether or not to take the plunge on those shiny new energy star appliances.

Grab It: P3 International P4400 Kill A Watt Electricity Usage Monitor

The PogoPlug makes a lot of sense. It is a wicked simple and affordable way to share and access your files over the intrawebs. Just plug in any USB drive (flash or external HDD plus you can use a USB hub to support multiple drives) setup your Pogoplug account and you are good to go. The downside? The interface is web based so if PogoPlug crashes and burns as an enterprise your are left with nothing more than a paper weight. Still its much cheaper and just about another other NAS solution out there and requires no additional hardware a la Windows Server so it is definitely worth the look. Oh yeah, it has an iPhone app too which mean you can do cool things like stream your entire MP3 collection to your iPhone…pretty sweet.

Grab It: PogoPlug

This is one super charger if you ask me. The convenience of a larger multi-tap outlet in a much smaller and sleeker package. Since just about all of my gadgets and phones charge via USB, I ordered several for house, shop and travel bag. If you are feeling especially industrious, pair it with your own custom super cable.

Grab It: AC to 5-USB Power Adaptor

Makita has been impressing us as of late (see our write up on their impact driver) so we thought it was time to take a look at their 18v drill/driver offering. It is a crowded segment of the power tool market with every manufacturer offering at least one model. Standard features include: 1/2″ Keyless Chuck with shaft lock for tighter securing bits for professional demands; Makita built 4 pole motor design for high performance lasts 5 times longer than competitive motors; built in LED light to light up the work area and a 16 Position Clutch.

Overall, our feelings about this unit are positive. We especially liked its best in class weight of just 3.3 pounds. However, for a professional grade tool the Makita just lacked the “punch” that we felt it needed. Despite that, we do recommend it as great homeowner option. For the price it has all the power and durability you will need for completing tasks around the house.

Grab It: Makita BDF452HW 18-Volt Compact Lithium-Ion Driver Drill Kit

As my quest continues to find the ultimate home backup solution, I have found a key piece of the puzzle in the HP MediaSmart Server. Using a 2.0 MHz Celeron processor and 2 GB of RAM to run the Windows Home Server OS, HP has create a very simple and affordable solution for data backup and media streaming for your small office or home. The system comes from the factory with either 750 GB or 1.5 TB of storage plus two additional HDD bays for on demand expandability.

The MediaSmart Server is compatible with iTunes, Time Capsule and Amazon’s S3 servie (i.e. Jungle Disk) making media streaming, local backup and offsite storage a breeze. The Server also allows for remote connections so you can access and share your data as needed. Simple, scalable and cheap – makes for a god combination in our book.

Grab It: HP EX487 MediaSmart Home Server

Paying for a XM Sirius subscription for your home of office? Then you should really check out what internet radio has to offer. There are thousands of channels of available with no monthly fee, just the one time equipment cost. Our favorite model is the Sangean WFR-20. It won’t win any design awards but its easy to use, compatible with both WiFi and hard wired connections and sounds great too.

Grab It: Sangean WFR-20 WiFi Internet Radio & Media Player