We recently picked up a Logitech Harmony 510 universal remote (for only $55!) to reduce some of the clutter in our living room. I knew it would replace the remotes (including the Apple Remote for the Mac Mini), but didn't expect it to basically replace the Bluetooth keyboard and mouse as well (except for rare cases). Using a combination of Remote Buddy and this tutorial, now all my applications (DVD Player, Boxee, EyeTV, iTunes, etc) have real buttons on a real remote (e.g. the keypad allows for channel switching in EyeTV)! It took a few hours to setup, but now that it is, my media center really feels like a media center, and is usable by anyone. As long as I'm giving out helpful links, a main issue many people have with Logitech Remotes is slow response, But with the information in this forum posting you can alleviate that. I really like the Harmony remote, and highly recommend it to anyone in a similar situation.

If you are in the market for a camera bag, your will certainly encounter the Lowepro brand. In fact, I don't think I have ever purchased another brand of camera case. It's not that I didn't consider other brands, but instead the Lowepro seems to always win out in everything I'm looking for. That was, until I started considering the styling of the bag (my wife said "no black bags"). Luckily, Lowepro has some options for DSLR users that are available in multiple colors, including the Nova series. Of course, not only are these bags nicer looking, but also fully functional, as you would come to expect from a Lowepro bag. See my review of how the Nova 170 AW bag fits the needs of those starting out with DSLRs.

Star Trek fans and SCUBA divers have one main thing in common: they really love their show/activity. Combine them, and you have potentially the nerdiest, yet coolest thing ever devised. Eugene Roddenberry (son of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry) is an avid SCUBa diver, and has created that ultimate combination in the Roddenberry Dive Team. This dive team boldly goes into oceans donning their Trek wetsuits (which can be purchased through the site)! Check out their site for information on memberships, merchandise, and mission logs.

I have a habit of keeping a lot of temporary links and notes on my desktop, but I also hate when I have more than a few icons on my desktop. What do I do about such a paradox? Install ShoveBox, which can best be described as a junk drawer for your Mac. This menu bar based application has really helped me be organized with all of the random stuff I have keep in untitled folders for too long.

One of the gifts I received for Christmas was a gamepad for my MacMini. I had installed a bunch of emulators for older systems, and playing with a keyboard just doesn't feel right. The Logitech Cordless Rumblepad 2 fits the bill nicely. Being wireless, I can sit across the room and play Commodore 64 games on a screen much larger than ever intended.

One of the my post-Christmas presents to myself was a new laptop case. My old case was bulky, heavy, and uncomfortable to keep on my shoulder for any length of time. I wanted something that was easy to carry, and was "airport x-ray friendly." After researching a wide variety of laptop cases and sleeves, I decided upon the Brenthaven Edge II in jet black. This case is many times better than the old case. Check out my quick review to see why.