Niche Markets Archive

  • Best Buy now hawking Viliv’s wares

    Best Buy now hawking Viliv’s wares

    Viliv makes some hot, little portables. That's a fact. The X70 and S5 touchscreen along with the S7 convertible netbook are among the best in their respective niche markets. But previously the products were only available from online retailers, which of course limits their visibility from a whole segment of potential customers. Starting Monday though, Best Buy shoppers will be able to pick up the products in store and online. There will even be an instant rebate available on the none-3G modem-equipped models.

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  • Apple has a solution for the iPad’s missing SD card slot and USB port: adapters

    Apple has a solution for the iPad’s missing SD card slot and USB port: adapters

    Don't you worry about the iPad lacking an SD card slot and USB port. Apple has you covered with adapters! How nice of Lord Jobs. Instead of building in two industry standards, users are forced to buy extra items with their new iPad. It's not like the these standards are large and would take away from the oh-so-important design. But it really is ridiculous that the iPad doesn't have an SD card slot built-in. USB port, fine. Apple is sticking with its massive dock connector, but an SD card slot -- or microSD card slot -- would actually open the iPad to some niche markets.

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  • Double Review: SolarVoice 908 and SolarCharger 906

    Double Review: SolarVoice 908 and SolarCharger 906

    My first experience with solar energy was in Cub Scouts, when we made a solar-powered hot dog cooker. Unfortunately, solar technology hasn't advanced terribly much in the intervening decades. At the consumer level, solar power still isn't particularly useful for very much outside of a few niche markets. i.Tech has a couple of products that make a real effort to bring usefulness to solar power for the average user: the SolarVoice 908 Bluetooth headset and the SolarCharger 906 multi-device charger.

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