Top 10 Tech Toys the Sportsbooks DON'T want you to have?

[Bill Dozer]

With Christmas coming Iv'e been checking out the gadget websites for cool stuff I can use at my desk. I'm a gadget junkie and am always looking for an excuse to buy something cool and call it an "investment".

I bought a 8x DVD and external analog to video converters over a year ago after convincing my wife we need to digitalize our wedding films...never burned a single DVD. I also picked up a video phone when they were at their peak prices. The problem is the only person I can use it with is one ugly bastard...again, didn't need it.

But, I have picked up a few things that I love and am looking for more. I may be the only nerd who posts in this thread (at least one mod better throw me a bone here) but I'll start with ...

[Bill Dozer]

This baby has programmable buttons all over it. The Back and Forward browser button are right by your thumb and it has a speed scroll which will make any bettor faster getting up and down the betting pages. If you are using an old trackball mouse, Santa needs to buy this for you.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1028355&Sku=L23-6408

World's First Laser Mouse
If you thought smooth tracking optical sensors were an advancement over mechanical ball-based mice, let us introduce you to the mouse that takes precision and performance to a whole new level: the Logitech® MX™1000 Laser Cordless Mouse, the world's first laser mouse.

Now optical is obsolete. And your computing experience will never be the same.

Featuring the Logitech MX™ Laser Engine, the MX1000 delivers a new pinnacle of performance no optical mouse can match. With an incredible 20x more sensitivity to surface detail—or tracking power—than optical, laser can track reliably even on tricky polished or wood-grain surfaces. And the MX1000 offers even more advanced features that will make you more productive and more comfortable.

[onlooker]

I have that MX1000, its still in its package from 2+ months ago. Havent used it yet. Just use this bluetooth MX900 I got. So I dont have no wires coming off my notebook.

[onlooker]

And your not the only gadget junkie here Bill. Wait to you hear what I just bought and really didnt need. I will post it later.

[Dave]

I also picked up a video phone when they were at their peak prices. The problem is the only person I can use it with is one ugly bastard...again, didn't need it.

Since I am the one on the other end of the video phone I think it is only fair to let the guys see what I have to look at when you call.

[Bill Dozer]

Is that Spongebob? Nice to see you are maintaining a professional atmosphere.

[Dave]

Watch it. I have plenty of other photos I could throw up there. You wouldn't want that would ya?

And whats un-professional about sponge bob?

You got kids, you know how it is, I dont own anything that my little girl hasn't 'tagged' with sponge bob.

[JoshW]

Unlimited music cheap keeps the bettor calm.

I have found Yahoo's Unlimited program to be quite good, really for my uses, excellent.

For $60 a year or $6.99 a month they have about half the albums I look up in their entirety. That includes new releases they day they come out as well as albums going back 50 years or more. You can play these songs streaming over the Internet, but even better you can download them as MP3s to your computer and even play them when you are not connected to the Interent. You can also transfer them to certain MP3 players. Both the players I own (Rio Carbon and Creative Zen Micro) are covered, while Ipods are not.

I listen to call kinds of different music, so I am amazed at all the different albums they have available. Since they don't have everyone it will never entirely replace CDs or downloading MP3s, but I have to say I am very impressed with what is offered for the price. I have looked into the business model and Yahoo is pretty much only breakeven on this so they aren't making any money, but are getting more people to use a Yahoo product.

I think anyone who buys even a couple CDs a month would get a lot out of this service.

http://forum.sbrforum.com/showthread.php?t=2249&highlight=yahoo+music

[bigboydan]

Is that Spongebob? Nice to see you are maintaining a professional atmosphere.

thats not spongebob bill. thats the prick !!! ... now everyone sees why i call him a "hehaw reject"

[Bill Dozer]

Okay, this one I have posted before but I think everyone would like to have it. Every year I see posts from a player who is getting a spanking new monitor for Christmas. I remember when the bulky 19 in CRTs were pushing a dime. Now, you can get three 19 inch LCDs for that. These crazy stands are a little much but I wouldn't take them back.

[onlooker]

Ok, here is my new phone when it arrives. Even though I dont need it, It will be replacing my current Treo600. I like that it has Windows Mobile on it, and not Palm. I hope I like it, or it will be going back for something esle.



It has bluetooth, Wifi, and can be used as a wireless modem. Data is EVDO that can get up to and over 1MB download on the Sprint Network.

Here is the full review on it from MobileBurn:

http://www.mobileburn.com/review.jsp?Id=1755

[onlooker]

The wife is getting a new phone to, she dont like smart devices, so Im getting her the lastest phone from sprint and samsung. Its the "Blade", Samsung's version of the Motorola Razr.

[Bill Dozer]

Nice Onlooker! A good Windows based cell/pda can be real handy when sitting courtside. Does the windows version work with the major sportsbook software brands?

[onlooker]

Nice Onlooker! A good Windows based cell/pda can be real handy when sitting courtside. Does the windows version work with the major sportsbook software brands?

Im not sure Bill, I havent got the phone in my hands yet. Ordered last week, Im hoping to get them this week.

Well with my Treo600 I can get on Pinnacle and place wagers there thru the Blazer brower it had. This windows mobile 5 has Mobile IE, so Im sure I can get on and go to the books and place wagers. Besides CRIS, what other books say to have wireless wagering?.

I like that you can go landscape on the 6700 to give it a widescreen effect.

[tacomax]

Okay, this one I have posted before but I think everyone would like to have it.

What's your set-up, Bill? The "Four panelled tiled" looks juicy to me.

[onlooker]

I got one these Friday, to keep my important information on to take with me where I need it. 1GB PNY Flash Drive. I got for $35 off ebay, these retail for over $100. I didnt need it right away, but at that price, I couldnt pass it up.

[bigboydan]

i'm just waiting on x-box 360 chips to come out. then it will be fun

[JoshW]

Onlooker, that Treo600 looks awesome. Might actually get me to purchase one of those.

[onlooker]

Onlooker, that Treo600 looks awesome. Might actually get me to purchase one of those.

Hey lakers, that pictured above is a PPC-6700, I currently have the Treo600. So dont go buy the wrong phone bud.

This is the Treo600:

[Illusion]

Those new blackberrys are nice to.

[pags11]

a DVR, great for watching games taped earlier in the day and week...can also pause live TV...excellent handicapping tool...

[Bill Dozer]

What's your set-up, Bill? The "Four panelled tiled" looks juicy to me.

Taco,
I have four 19in Samsung 910Ts and that mouse I posted about. I only use two at a time these days. The cool part about these is they rotate. So, you can make them go vertical and split the screens. If you use two it's almost like having four 15 inchers stacked up. Or, you can fit a long betting page and not have to scroll and not waste the space on the sides.

I used to love em on Saturday mornings when Pinnacle has the long football and basketball pages and with Bodog who leaves the closers up and makes you scroll.

[onlooker]

a DVR, great for watching games taped earlier in the day and week...can also pause live TV...excellent handicapping tool...

Got a DVR for my cable, and ordered a DVR for Dish. Excellent device, and a must have.

Hey Bill, did you get your XPS notebook?

[pags11]

yeah onlooker, I took some of my winnings from football season and re-invested...lol...

[Bill Dozer]

No Onlooker, not yet. I don't think I'm going to go with a laptop that has a subwoofer. I might as well strap my desktop on my back.

OK, we are getting real geaky now. Here is a graphics card that supports two monitors. Add a couple of these and you can run the 4-screen setup above.

[onlooker]

No Onlooker, not yet. I don't think I'm going to go with a laptop that has a subwoofer. I might as well strap my desktop on my back.

Well dont complain to me when your back starts hurting from carrying that tower, LCDs, KB, and Mouse. You can always turn the sub off on the notebook.

Thats alright, I will still be the elite one with the kick ass notebook.

Oh yeah, got my sprint 6700 today. Thats where Ive been, trying to figure it out. Had my notebook connected to it thru bluetooth using the sprint network to surf the net. It also has wifi in it, so I can use my cable connection on it, or if Im in a hotspot I can use that. Also the EDVO internet access from sprint is pretty fast for a wireless ISP. I got my hotmail, and sbr mail setup on it. I can also get on MSN messenger on it. Its the first device to have Windows Mobile 5. It has excel, word and powerpoint mobile on it. Man, it will take awhile to figure everything out. Im liking so far.

[Illusion]

Well dont complain to me when your back starts hurting from carrying that tower, LCDs, KB, and Mouse. You can always turn the sub off on the notebook.

Thats alright, I will still be the elite one with the kick ass notebook.

Oh yeah, got my sprint 6700 today. Thats where Ive been, trying to figure it out. Had my notebook connected to it thru bluetooth using the sprint network to surf the net. It also has wifi in it, so I can use my cable connection on it, or if Im in a hotspot I can use that. Also the EDVO internet access from sprint is pretty fast for a wireless ISP. I got my hotmail, and sbr mail setup on it. I can also get on MSN messenger on it. Its the first device to have Windows Mobile 5. It has excel, word and powerpoint mobile on it. Man, it will take awhile to figure everything out. Im liking so far.

Alright already, I'll go buy one looker. I hope Cingular carries it.

[pags11]

great thread...we have some real tech wizards on the site...

[tacomax]

i'm just waiting on x-box 360 chips to come out. then it will be fun

Can't wait to get my hands on one of those.

Going to get a PSP after checking out ebay and seeing a number of auctions offering software hacks to enable you to play games from the memory card, especially since the auctions come complete with 50+ games and 50+ films.

[onlooker]

Going to get a PSP after checking out ebay and seeing a number of auctions offering software hacks to enable you to play games from the memory card, especially since the auctions come complete with 50+ games and 50+ films.

It has to be a 1.5 version PSP. I think there is software out there to make the 2.0 go back to 1.5. I have a PSP 1.5, that I havent even messed with yet. But you can get all the old NES games by using a emulator of some sort. I think you can also load movies on the memory stick and watch off it. Its a pretty slick unit , just havent had time to mess with it yet. Maybe on my vacation next week.

[tacomax]

Yeah that's right, onlòóker. The auctions have what's needed to take the software from version 2.0 to 1.5. You just need to upload whatever games/movies you want on the memory stick and you're sorted. I'm definately going to get me one in the post-xmas sales. I was thinking about getting one before, but with those tweaks, it's a no-brainer.

[onlooker]

Yeah that's right, onlòóker. The auctions have what's needed to take the software from version 2.0 to 1.5. You just need to upload whatever games/movies you want on the memory stick and you're sorted. I'm definately going to get me one in the post-xmas sales. I was thinking about getting one before, but with those tweaks, it's a no-brainer.

So Taco, did you ever get you a PSP?
I was doing some searches and came across this thread.

[tacomax]

So Taco, did you ever get you a PSP?
I was doing some searches and came across this thread.

Yeah, onlòóker - and funnily enough I was looking for this thread a few days ago but I couldn't find it so good job.

Basically it rocks big time. I got a 1.5 version PSP with 1GB memory card from ebay and I've been addicted to MVP Baseball ever since I got it. Heck, I don't even miss watching baseball on the TV when I can play it on this. There are loads of people on ebay selling x5 DVDs full of games so I think I'll get me some of that and I'll never have an excuse to be bored again.

Have you got yours hacked and up and running yet?

[onlooker]

Have you got yours hacked and up and running yet?

I havent did anything to it. It is a 1.5 though. I havent really looked into it yet. I need to get a bigger memory stick, I just have the one that came with it, 32MB I think?

[tacomax]

Yeah, there's not a lot you can do with 32MB. Once you've got the hacks on a 1GB memory stick, you've got about 900MB which is good for about 2-3 average sized games.