Less is more

For a new level of flexibility and convenience, try Emerge Technologies’ ReTrak 4 in 1 Charge & Sync. The combo unit can charge in a car, a wall outlet or a computer. Its two USB power ports allow users to simultaneously charge multiple devices and the retractable USB 2.0 cable can be used separately to sync with a computer.

ReTrak combos are available for mobile phones, Zune, Sansa and the Nintendo DS Family through www.emergeretail.com. Each model comes with the charger unit and USB cable with the appropriate connection for each device. The company will also be launching GPS and Bluetooth charging adapters with similar functionality.

Eco-friendly mobile phone

From Samsung Electronics comes the Samsung Blue Earth, an environmentally friendly mobile phone with a full touch screen. Samsung Blue Earth combines the latest multimedia features and stylish design, while achieving lower energy consumption and incorporating eco-friendly materials. Blue Earth offers a user interface designed to draw attention to preserving our fragile environment. With “Eco mode,” screen brightness, backlight duration and Bluetooth can be set to an energy-efficient mode with just one click.

Blue Earth is made from Post Consumer Material (PCM), which is extracted from water bottles. The device, including the charger, is free from harmful substances such as Brominated Flame Retardants (BFR), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and Phthalate. Blue Earth comes with a 5-star energy efficient charger, which draws only 0.03W of power in standby mode. Additionally, there is a solar panel located on the back of the phone, which can also be used for charging.

Save time, cook ahead

User-generated recipe site Recipezaar.com has come up with a new concept called “Once-a-Month-Cooking ideas,” (http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes/oamc-freezer-make-ahead). The idea is to plan and prepare several dishes in one day and then freeze them to serve throughout the month. That way, on busy days, the cooking is already done. There are over 5,300 make-ahead recipes in the Once-a-Month-Cooking category. The recipes include user reviews and ratings, as well as photos.

Make mine high-def

For new camcorders, Full HD is a must have feature. Toshiba has added three HD camcorders in its Camileo range, to offer the broadest choice. The ultra-slim Camileo S20 is targeted at style conscious trendsetters searching for a light and easy-to-use camcorder. The Camileo H30 is a reliable, robust device for all-day usage. And for the most demanding users, there’s the Camileo X100, targeted at those who value a very powerful zoom to capture even distant scenes.

The new devices are able to record video in high quality, in nearly all lighting conditions, as the optimized night mode captures images as if they were taken in bright sunlight. The Camileo camcorders also serve as digital still cameras and take superb snapshots, with a resolution of 5 megapixels (Camileo S20) and 10 megapixels (Camileo H30, Camileo X100).