When it comes to design elements in a home, men are usually on the outside looking in. And while many men are not overly concerned with duvet covers, throw pillows and the shade of yellow going in the bathroom, they still deserve and enjoy a say in the process, even if it’s just lip service. A better way to get men involved in the design process, however, is to give them a blank palate to work with…like a man cave.


Source

The origin of the term is tough to pinpoint, but the concept has grown exponentially based on a DIY network show appropriately named Man Caves. Two men, one designer and one ex-football player descend upon one lucky dude’s abode, learn a bit about him, and proceed to build a personalized in-home retreat where the only pink to be found is in a bottle of Pepto handy for washing down piles of buffalo wings or nachos.

Constructing a man cave doesn’t necessarily mean a second mortgage for the house. While some men go all out for their home team or personal passion, most men are just happy to have a dedicated spot where they can watch, listen to and smell like they want. The personalized space is the real appeal but David Lupberger, home improvement specialist for ServiceMagic.com offers this take in a recent video, “It has more to do with digital and wireless than it does with paint colors or faux finishes.” Going a step further, the site offers the following stats on items men desire in their man caves:

1. Flat screen TV (75%)
2. Recliner (69%)
3. Stereo (68%)
4. Refrigerator (67%)
5. DVD player (67%)
6. Computer (65%)
7. Bar (64%)

Based on the fact that only the bar and recliner don’t require power (unless it’s a massage chair), it’s clear the desire for converging entertainment is in high demand for today’s modern man. The rough part is convincing the wife, girlfriend or checkbook in the equation that the home requires this extra set of devices. It may be an uphill battle, but IOGEAR is here to help.

Instead of buying a separate computer for the downstairs, utilize an existing laptop with our Wireless HD Computer to TV Kit to provide a connected TV experience without purchasing one of the uber-expensive new TV sets. Aside from extending the laptop screen to a big screen, the HD kit can also stream a music library or Internet radio from your computer to your home theater system, potentially saving on a pricey AV receiver. Plus, if you throw a wireless keyboard into the mix, you can Trash Tweet with Chad Ochocinco, work on fantasy baseball trades and write lamenting blog posts about the NFL lockout, without leaving your seat in the cave.

Since many man caves are re-finished basements or garages, proper wiring was not always taken into account. For that reason, something like the Universal Wi-Fi N Adapter might be useful for things like gaming consoles and Blu-ray players, which feature an Ethernet connection. If running cables through the floor or wall isn’t your thing, this little adapter allows these devices to pick up a Wi-Fi signal without a single cable cluttering your man space. Streaming Netflix and online gaming will become much tidier, something the ladies will like.

The days of a family huddling around the radio listening to a ballgame are long gone, having been replaced by HD TVs, surround sound systems and other devices that practically give us the in-game or movie theater experience at home. Considering the growing popularity of Staycations, a technology-driven man cave is not only a masculine retreat, but potentially a long-term money saver.
We’d like feedback from both sexes:

Ladies – Would you be cool with a dedicated man cave in the home? How much is a reasonable budget?

Guys – What would you include in your ultimate man cave: mechanical bull, cocktail waitresses, kegerator?

If you already have a man cave, we’d love to see pictures Tweeted to us or shared on the Facebook wall.

We have once again passed another Thanksgiving. As we slowly come out of our Tryptophan and pie-induced comas, it’s only natural to think, “what better way to work off those extra calories than to shop for some amazing deals”. As the first Monday after Thanksgiving is traditionally known as Cyber Monday, we thought we’d take a closer look at this online shopping day. Specifically, what changes are we seeing this year from year’s past.

Source

According to a recent WSJ article, it looks like the search for online deals has ramped up around this turkey-induced holiday – and it’s not just on Cyber Monday! Early data from ComScore shows that consumers are getting started on their online holiday shopping right after the Thanksgiving dinner. In fact, Thanksgiving Day spending online increased 28 percent in the U.S. to $407 million.

WSJ comments that this shift to earlier shopping is a sign that e-tail is becoming mainstream. The early start to online shopping extended into Black Friday, too, which saw a 9 percent increase in online shopping, according to comScore.

Another article from TWICE also points out the results of a new survey from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and Caravan. Not surprisingly, the survey has found that electronics were among the most popular items purchased this weekend. Additionally, their popularity had increased over last year. Among those who went shopping on Friday, 58 percent bought some type of consumer electronic product, up 4 percent from last year. These are just the beginning of the findings being reported from this survey. TWICE and The NPD Group will be providing a full report within a Black Friday webinar on Wednesday, December 8 at 2:00pm. EST.

Are electronic products on your mind for this holiday gifting season? Did you secure any solid deals on consumer gadgets and gizmos today or over the holiday weekend? Why do you think consumer electronics spending is on the rise this holiday season? Tell us here on our blog or company Facebook page.

We keep track of deals around the web that are black friday / cyber monday like at our @IOGEARDeals Twitter page. Be sure to follow to keep up to date on the latest deals.

Because of the economy slowdown, we have been witness to Black Friday like deals all throughout the year. So will this Black Friday be anything special, or more of the same?

Judging by the resources we are making available in this blog post, the answer is yes! Black Friday will still be a day to catch savings that ordinarily you would not have access to … at least all at once.


Source

One thing is for certain, here at IOGEAR, we have some amazing Black Friday offers to take advantage of. For example, we are giving away 50% off discount codes starting Friday 11/26 at Midnight PST. So stay tuned and be ready for some great savings.

Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday

So which has the best deals? This is a question only answered through pros and cons. For example, while you will find unbeatable door buster and freebies by standing in long Black Friday lines; however, the time savings you get shopping strictly online may provide an offset. Also, consider that many retailers are offering their Black Friday deals online, effectively becoming a Cyber Friday deal. Take a look at this closer examination by WalletPop and MSN has some thoughts with regards to strategy here.

Small Business Saturday

There is a new shopping phenomenon this weekend, for the first time we have a Small Business Saturday. With almost 1 Million people liking their FaceBook fan page, it looks like this movement has some legs. Why not support your local small business?

Black Friday & Cyber Monday 2010 Tips

These are general tips and tricks to help you navigate the shopping explosion this weekend:

• Top 10 Tips to Getting the Best Bargains on Black Friday – About.com
• Black Friday has lost its luster … or has it? – MSN.com
• Black Friday Tips for Savings & Sanity – ConsumerReports.org
• Top 10 Tips to Bag a Bargain – ConsumerWorld.org
• Top 10 Social Media Deals – Mashable.com
• Black Friday Countdown: How to Prepare for the Big Day – WalletPop.com
• Black Friday Tips – Mahalo.com
• Cyber Monday Tips – Mahalo.com

Black Friday & Cyber Monday 2010 Deal & Coupon Sites

These sites aggregate all of the deals (Ads, coupons and more) in one place from many different sources:

• DealTaker.com
• FatWallet.com
• GottaDeal.com
• CheapCheapCheap.com

Black Friday & Cyber Monday 2010 on the iPhone and/or iPad

If you need to have your Black Friday resources available on your iPhone, these are the resources for you:

• DealNews Black Friday
• FatWallet Black Friday
• Black Friday Wish
• BF Deals
• BlackFriday2Go

Black Friday & Cyber Monday 2010 on the Android

Now with the Android gaining mainstream traction, we have a few good apps available to help facilitate your Black Friday weekend activities:

• TGI Black Friday
• Black Friday Survival Guide

Here are a few other resources:

• 6 Android Shopping Apps for Black Friday and Beyond – Androinica.com
• The Best Black Friday Apps for Android – PCWorld.com

Black Friday & Cyber Monday on Twitter

Of course, you will want to follow all your favorite stores, such as @IOGEAR — here are some other Twitter feeds you want to keep track of:

• @blackfriday_fm – 23,417 followers
• @blackfriday – 9,602 followers
• @blackfridayweb – 3,931 followers
• @blackfriday_org – 2,312 followers
• @cybermonday – 1,219 followers
• @dealnewsbf – 847 followers

Don’t forget to follow @IOGEARDeals for all the latest IOGEAR deals. We push out new Black Friday like deals every Monday and Tuesday.

Black Friday & Cyber Monday on FaceBook

For you Facebook fans out there, here are some fan pages that may be worthwhile for you to like:

• BlackFridayInfo – 316,947 people like this
• BFAds – 146,590 people like this
• BlackFridayAds – 11,137 people like this

Of course, you also want to like our Facebook page to keep up to date on our latest deals.

IOGEAR Products

If you are specifically looking for great deals on IOGEAR products, first head on over to our Black Friday page and follow us on Twitter.

Then, take a look at some these great deals some of our re-sellers are offering:

• Target – IOGEAR products – Black Friday Deals
• Wal-Mart – IOGEAR products – Black Friday Deals
• Staples – IOGEAR products – Black Friday Deals
• Best Buy – IOGEAR products – Black Friday Deals
• OfficeMax – IOGEAR products – Black Friday Deals

What deals are you hungry to find? Have you found any awesome IOGEAR product deals out in the wild? Do you have any resources we should add to our list? Share them with us here on the blog, on Twitter or FaceBook.

From laptops to iPads, Blu-Ray players, gaming consoles and other devices, we surround ourselves with an increasing number of components, cluttering our living and entertainment rooms with cables and black boxes. While some consumers are happy to live with high-tech inspired decor, many others just want the performance without the visible hardware.

Fortunately, one of the greatest innovations in home entertainment over the last five years has made cable and black box clutter obsolete. Wireless HD streaming, once littered with endless buffering, colorful scroll bars and interrupted audio, has made great strides on the back of research and development by companies like IOGEAR.
Of course, not all wireless HD streaming products are created equal, and settling for an untested, low-end solution can result in the same problems mentioned above, or worse. IOGEAR spent countless hours in the lab developing the most reliable solution possible, and the result…Ultra-wideband (a.k.a. Wireless USB or UWB).

This new radio technology can be used at very low energy levels for short-range high-bandwidth communications by using a large portion of the radio spectrum – 3.1GHz ~ 4.8GHz (WiMedia Band Group 1). By using this frequency, our Wireless Audio/Video Kits have a minimum level of interference with other wireless signals such as WiFi, Bluetooth, or cordless phones.

As mentioned, wireless HD streaming is an ideal solution for eliminating cable clutter, but if signal clutter is wreaking havoc and interrupting your wireless HD streaming, there’s really no convenience at all. Our wireless products may not clean up the clutter in your closet, but they can reliable make your entertainment more accessible.

If you could eliminate one cable or wire in your home, which would it be?

Now that school has started for most, we have a burning question – what’s in your backpack? This question was asked over at Lifehacker with interesting results, so we thought we’d do the same.

Here’s how it works: post a list of those items you have in your backpack here in the blog, or post a photo on Flickr with the tag “IOGEAR Backpack” (be sure to include the quotes) and we’ll offer some advice on how to reduce cables, extend the capabilities of the devices you carry or simply how to be digitally awesome!

Following are some backpacks we found on Lifehacker where we thought some improvements could be made. This is an example of the type of advice we will give if you participate.

Keeping it Simple, Keeping it Techie

Source

• While the BlackBerry and iPad may stay charged for the entire day, the Sprint Overdrive Mobile Hotspot could benefit from a spare Gear Power (or two), making sure that you stay connected when you need to most.
• Turn that iPad into a TV when you get back to the dorm room with a Composite AV Cable.

Adam’s Backpack

Source

• For the times when you need finer precision than the PogoStick can offer, or you just want to experience that old sensation of pen to paper, there is the Digital Mobile Scribe, which allows you to write on paper, but save your notes onto your computer.
• That MiFi’s battery can drain pretty quickly, most likely right in the middle of uploading your homework, and that’s why you should be carrying around some backup power.

Bag O’ Stuff

Source

• You’ll want to keep a Gear Power or two handy for that battery hungry iPod Touch and the Bluetooth headset could likely use a refill later in the day.
• Cut down the size on your Bluetooth Adaptor with an IOGEAR Bluetooth Micro Adaptor. It’s small enough to leave attached to your laptop.

Now it’s your turn. Please take some time and share what’s in your backpack here on the blog, on Twitter, Flickr (remember the “IOGEAR Backpack” tag) or Facebook.

And, don’t forget to check out our back to school checklist, and to help ease the pain on your wallet, use coupon code iosep25n at www.ShopIOGEAR.com to save 25% on selected items.

Next week, AV installers, media, manufacturers and distributors in the AV space will spend a few days at the annual CEDIA Expo (Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association Expo…phew, that needed a breather!) in Atlanta, GA. Every year, the CEDIA Expo showcases the latest and most innovative electronics and solutions for retrofitting homes, businesses and office spaces.

In this week’s post, we talk about what cool, cutting-edge ideas AV installers take away from shows like CEDIA and how they incorporate those very same products and creative ideas into stylistic home entertainment set-ups. Just this week, Electronic House, a publication focused on integrated home technology, posted its latest ‘celebrity home’ feature, and it was none other than Charlie Sheen’s. You know, the guy from Hot Shots! Part Deux? Now, we here at IOGEAR don’t normally boast, but while Mr. Sheen’s home has some pretty cool electronics set up, we’re not sold on the décor. Mr. Sheen, your interior designer needs a lesson in style! However, you’ll notice he has a TV in almost every room of his home, including the bathroom. Now that’s livin’.

At CEDIA next week, AV installers will be able to lay their eyes on the 12 entrants to CEDIA’s Electronic Lifestyles Designer Awards, and you can too by checking out this slideshow, compliments of Electronic House.

Entrants to the competition were required to create a media room with a 32” diagonal or larger display system and a 5.1 or higher surround sound system. Winners will be announced next week and we are curious to find out who made the cut!

Speaking of which, IOGEAR’s Wireless HD Kit is a finalist in CEDIA’s ‘Best New Products‘ award, and we on the team here are crossing our fingers in hopes that the Wirless HD Kit takes the gold!

As you can see, AV installers from around the nation lay witness to the latest cool electronics that have made such featured homes finalists at shows like CEDIA. It’s events like these that bring the most passionate in the AV space together to talk, shop and experience the technologically advanced world of audio and video electronics.

What grand retrofitting ideas would you incorporate into your home? How creative would you get in your design? Let us know here on our blog, Twitter or Facebook page.

During the holidays, it’s a time of reunion and celebration and many gifts will exchange hands. It can be very tough to find that perfect gift for the special people in your life. At IOGEAR, we have put together some gift ideas to help you find that perfect gift for your mom, dad, siblings, co-workers, boss and friends.

Before we get into the ideas, here is one bit of exciting news; be sure to check back on Friday, December 11 at this blog for an exciting giveaway!

For Mother

Bluetooth Stereo Headphones – $69.95



Especially suited for mothers on the go, this device allows her to enjoy music stored on Bluetooth enabled mobile phones, mp3 players and a host of other audio sources wirelessly within a 33-foot range.

Bluetooth Hands-Free Car Kit – $49.99

Does mom drive often? This device, which mounts on a visor in the car, will help her keep safe while obeying cell phone laws with the freedom to wirelessly place and receive calls.

56-in-1 Memory Card Reader/Writer – $19.95

Does mom take lots of digital photos of her loved ones? This device will make sure she can easily save those photos onto her PC or Mac. With support for all major memory card formats, you can feel safe that her media is supported.

For Dad

Wireless Audio / Video Kit – $299.95

If dad loves his entertainment center and computer with equal love, then with this device he will be in heaven! The Wireless A/V Kit allows dad to connect his PC to a HDTV wirelessly to stream videos, movies and music, all from the comfort of his couch.

4-Port USB Net ShareStation – $99.95



This device allows you to share up to 4 USB devices over a wireless network, a perfect solution for a dad who does not mind sharing their USB devices with the rest of the family. Dad will be extra excited as it does not involve physically moving those devices from computer to computer.

USB Laptop KVM Switch with File Transfer – $49.95

So dad now has a new Netbook or Laptop, but how will he easily transfer files to his desktop home or work PC? The USB Laptop KVM Switch is the answer! This device even has an extra USB port that can be used to attach an external hard drive.

For Your Siblings

Powerline Stereo Audio System – $444.95

Does a multi-room audio home system that is truly DIY sound appealing? Well your sibling may think so! This device allows you to connect an iPod or other audio source and listen anywhere in the home that has a power outlet.

Portable Media Server Player – $349.95

If your sibling is a media-phile, then they must own this device. With storage of up to 34,000 digital photos, 30,000 songs (mp3) and 50 hours of DVD quality video, this device is a media lover’s portable jukebox!

Turbo Powerline Networking Kit – $149.95



Your sibling owns an Xbox 360, Blu-ray Player or Sony Playstation 3, and now they may have discovered that to connect those devices to the Internet, they will need to buy a WiFi adaptor or run an Ethernet cable from the router all the way to the device … not very attractive. This device allows you to use your power outlet as a Ethernet port! No more Ethernet wires running across the living room floor.

For Your Co-Workers

Pocket Card Reader – $7.95

Give your co-worker the gift of being able to take their media with them in their pocket with support for a PC or Mac. They will be able transfer pictures, data and music at USB 2.0 speeds from a device that easily slips into their pocket.

GearPower – Rescue Charger – $9.95

We’ve all experienced the dreaded dead cell phone battery predicament, and usually at the worst times. Save your co-worker from the stress that entails with this convenient rescue charger.

Bluetooth 2.1 USB Micro Adapter – $22.99

Not all computers come with Bluetooth support, but there exists many useful Bluetooth devices. Allow your co-worker to take advantage, whether it is with a PC or Mac with this tiny unobtrusive device.

For Your Boss

Wireless USB to VGA Kit – $229.95

Your boss is on the road about to give a presentation. She plugs one end of this device into her computer, and the other end into the projector or TV. She then wirelessly transmits her Power Point onto the screen. The client is amazed, the boss smiles and perhaps you have just earned a raise.

Mobile Digital Scribe – $99.95

Allow your boss to reach another level of productivity with the mobile digital scribe. He can take his notes on ordinary paper and then transfer to his PC to store those notes in a digital format.

Wi-Fi Finder – $12.95

Internet access is perhaps the lifeblood of business today. Make it easy for your boss to find out whether a hot spot is nearby without needing to boot up her netbook.

For Your Friends

2.4GHz Multimedia Keyboard with Laser Trackball and Scroll Wheel – $99.95



If your friend has a computer, then he uses a keyboard, but probably the stock keyboard that came with the computer. Upgrade his life with this next level keyboard that sports a built in laser trackball and scroll wheel.

Bluetooth (R) Wireless Stereo Headphones with Built-in Mic – $37.95

Give your friend the gift of wireless audio, and witness her doing the robot without getting entangled in a mess of wires. Whether it is a computer, PDA or MP3 player, this device allows 33 feet of wireless freedom.

GearPower – Portable Battery for Mobile Devices – $19.95



When we need it most, it is not there. Of course, I’m talking about battery power! Don’t let your friend venture out into the world without the necessary power to keep all of his gadgets running. With 5 connectors, your friend can be the MacGyver of batter power!

Please take the time and share some of your gift ideas for this holiday season in the comments below, on Facebook or via Twitter. We can’t wait to hear from you!

We hope that regardless of whether or not you take our ideas to action, that at the very least are inspired to give the one gift that is irreplaceable, your time. Happy Holidays!

As consumers recover from their turkey hangover and dive into the holiday shopping season this Friday, they are scouring the Web and retail stores for the best and most affordable items on their X-mas lists.

IOGEAR offers many great green gadgets for under $50!

Consumers can save the green and become greener with the USB Laptop KVM Switch with File Transfer, which allows users to easily control, and switch (as well as transfer files) between two computers on only one monitor. The USB Laptop KVM Switch with File Transfer can be purchased for an impressive $49.94. Now users can seamlessly control their secondary computer with a netbook, laptop or desktop PC as the console.

For $44.95, shoppers can pickup a MiniView™ Micro USB PLUS KVM Switch with audio and cables. This KVM is the simplest way to simultaneously run and share audio between two computers with a single USB keyboard, monitor and USB mouse. No more extra money spent unnecessary cables that take up space.

Lastly, for those on a budget this X-mas, IOGEAR offers the entry level 2-Port USB KVM Switch with Cables and Remote. Another great way to share a VGA monitor, a USB mouse, and a USB keyboard between two computers with no fuss.

What’s on the top of your list this Black Friday?

Check out IOGEAR’s ‘Black Friday Guide’ and for more information on IOGEAR items online, visit www.iogear.com.

Cheers,
The IOGEAR Team

This year, Black Friday falls on November 27, 2009, which is the day after Thanksgiving. During a time of belt tightening and recession, it is even more important to find great deals; so at IOGEAR we have rounded up a few resources to help you save money and find great value to start off your holiday shopping activities right. Happy Thanksgiving!

Black Friday 2009 Tips

Here are resources for general purpose tips to help you take the best advantage of Black Friday:

Top 10 Tips to Getting the Best Bargains on Black Friday – About.com
10 Survival Tips for the Friday after Thanksgiving – MSNBC.MSN.com
Top 5 Black Friday Shopping Tips – AOL.com
Top 10 Tips to Bag a Bargain – ConsumerWorld.com
Black Friday Tips – Mahalo.com

Black Friday 2009 Deal & Coupon Sites

Looking for all Black Friday ads, coupons and more in one place? These are the places to look (each of these links take you to a specific section for Black Friday content within their sites):

CheapCheapCheap.com
FatWallet.com
GottaDeal.com

Black Friday 2009 on the iPhone

Are you addicted to your iPhone? You are in luck. There are several apps to help you with your Black Friday activities: (note that these are links to iTunes)

DealNews Black Friday
FatWallet Black Friday
Black Friday Wish
BF Deals
BlackFriday2Go

Black Friday 2009 on Twitter

Do you prefer to receive your Black Friday news in 140 character bite sized pieces? These are the people to follow:

@blackfriday – 1,745 followers
@blackfridayweb – 1,024 followers
@dealnewsbf – 723 followers
@blackfriday_org – 2,185 followers
@blackfriday_fm – 3,282 followers

Don’t forget to follow yours truly! @IOGEAR

Black Friday 2009 on FaceBook

For all of you FaceBookers out there, here are the fan pages you need to join:

Black Friday – 95,053 fans
BlackFriday.info – 202,376 fans
BFAds – 77,893 fans
Black Friday Ads – 6,091 fans
Black Friday Savings – 1,458 fans
Black Friday Deals – 732 fans
TGIBlackFriday – 2,677 fans

While you are taking a break from all of those fantastic deals, be sure to join our FaceBook fan page.

IOGEAR Products

Looking for Great Deals on IOGEAR Goodies? Check out the Black Friday deals some of our re-sellers are offering:

Target – IOGEAR products – Black Friday Deals
Wal-Mart – IOGEAR products – Black Friday Deals
Staples – IOGEAR products – Black Friday Deals
Best Buy – IOGEAR products – Black Friday Deals
OfficeMax – IOGEAR products – Black Friday Deals

What deals are you hungry to find? Have you found any awesome IOGEAR product deals? Do you have any resources we should add to our list? Share them with us at our FaceBook page or here on your comments.

A recent survey* commissioned by IOGEAR shows that interest in watching Internet video on a TV continues to grow.

Nearly 40 percent of respondents stated they would consider getting rid of their cable or satellite subscription in favor of using a product to connect their PC and Internet to the TV. Forty six percent might consider the option and only 16 percent said no.

Nearly 50 percent of survey respondents said they spend between $50-$100 on monthly cable or satellite subscriptions. Thirty five percent spend more than $100. If there were a more affordable option to getting your favorite content, how many of you would end a long-term cable or satellite relationship?

Fifty percent of those surveyed said they currently watch between 0-2 hours of video each week on their computer. Thirty percent watch 3-5 hours and nearly 20 percent of people watch 6+ hours of video on their computers each week.

As these numbers continue to grow, it is obvious that a fundamental shift in the cable / satellite TV industry must occur. The cable and satellite TV industry has always assumed that the more content they give the consumer, the more they can charge, the happier we are.  With the busy schedules we all keep now, flipping through 400+ channels to find something actually worth watching can be a chore unto itself.

Utilizing new technologies that provide high quality video streaming over the Internet users can now watch the shows they want, when they want to.  For a minimal cost for hardware up front, often less then a few months’ worth of cable bills, the elimination of the traditional TV is becoming more of a reality.

Cheers,

The IOGEAR team

*The survey of 2,812 people was conducted by LAPTOP Magazine.