Top 10 Gadgets to be Avoided

Fusion Garage JooJoo Tablet Photo: jon snyder/wired.com

We may have gawked at the shining glowing glow of the iPad 2, or swooned at theJawbone Jambox, or sat amazed by a slew of handy Android handsets that blew away theiPhone in some key areas.

But a lot of the gadgets we reviewed plain sucked.

Some were atrocious train wrecks, hurriedly pushed out by companies looking to bring a product to market before it was ready. Others were just ill-conceived pieces of garbage that, for whatever reason, slipped past the quality-control department and made it onto store shelves.

These are the 10 absolute most hideous pieces of trash to have crossed the review desk. Brace yourself for these epic failures.

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Fusion Garage JooJoo Tablet

(Shown Above)

Twice the weight of an iPad with half the usability and an interface buggier than bucket full of cockroaches. And no access to apps. And a $500 price tag. No 3G connectivity, Google Talk or Adobe PDF reader. POP3 e-mail? Support forMicrosoft exchange? Keep dreaming. A battery that conks out after only a few hours of use. All this can be yours for the low, low price of $500. We wish the JooJoo were just a bad joke with no punch line. Sadly it was a real thing and the absolute worst gadget we reviewed.

Photo: Courtesy of The Shake Weight

The Shake Weight

When was the last time a pushup made you laugh so hard, you actually got in a decent ab workout? Say hello to the infamous Shake Weight, a device that's been spoofed so rampantly (see SNL's faux commercial) that most people probably don’t realize this thing's actually a real product.

In practice, the "workout" wasn't terribly satisfying. We'll admit you do feel reasonable tension in your muscles. However, jerking this 5-pounder only got our max heart rate up to 114, which pales in comparison to a standard weightlifting session, let alone back-to-back sets of pushups. More importantly, after a few days of use, our muscles didn't feel nearly as sore as they do from weightlifting. And, as everyone knows: no pain, no gain.

Photo: Courtesy of D-Link Boxee Box

D-Link Boxee Box

The Boxee came close to being tossed into the vaporware pile, but low and behold, the media-streaming device came out late this year. It should have been put back in; it's not even close to being done yet.

The hardware, which is made by home-networkinggiant D-Link, is unusual-looking. It's cool, but it won't fit on a narrow entertainment center shelf, and it doesn't go nicely in front of the TV, either. You need to find a tall shelf somewhere.

The remote sometimes gets confused if you press buttons on both sides at once, which is easy to do unless you hold it carefully. Also, entering passwords using the QWERTY (as you have to do for secured Wi-Fi networks and to access your Boxee account) is extremely frustrating, especially if your passwords have a mix of upper and lowercase, because you can't see what you’re typing on the screen.

Photo: Jon Snyder/wired.com

Looxcie Bluetooth Headset-Camera Combo

Warhol was only half right. Sure, everyone is famous these days, but only for 15 seconds and in 15 fps. At least that's what the Looxcie, a wearablevideo camera, presumes. Integrated into a flashyBluetooth headset, the device is meant for capturing happenstance moments where whipping out a phone or cheap portable camcorder may not suffice.

In practice, Looxcie still doesn't seem quite ready for its close-up. The entire headset is less than 28 grams and fairly comfortable -- until you really start moving around with it on. A light jog crossing the street required holding the camera in place. Every time we bent the flexible boom to frame a shot, the whole package jerks out of ear. The problem isn't just hardware, either. Looxcie's app is easy to use: Short clips are e-mailed within a minute. But for now, it's compatible with Android cell phones (sorry iDrones).

Photo: Jens Mortensen/Wired

Samsung HZ35W

Is Nathan's Hot Dogs in Kyrgyzstan? The GPS-enabled 12-megapixel Samsung HZ35W certainly seemed to think so, placing Coney Island's culinary landmark in the mountains of Central Asia when we pulled our images into Apple Aperture 3's "Places" mapping feature. When the same thing happened with a replacement camera, we switched to Apple's iPhoto, which also has Places, and the geotagged photos were dropped properly into a map of New York City. Go figure.

Photo: Courtesy of As Seen on TV Smart Mop

As Seen on TV Smart Mop

The Smart Mop, (from the As Seen on TV® people, natch) ostensibly eliminates all those hassles so you can experience the many transcendent joys of mopping. Except, no, it doesn't. It may be lighter and a bit easier on the nose than a traditional slop-mop, but smart? Um, no.

What you've got here is a pole with a hyper-absorbent towel attached to the end. (Think gray-market Shamwow.) It's fastened onto two rings and cut into loops so it spreads out on the floor, mop style. After sponging up the remains of, say, a tipped 2-liter, you twist the sections of the handle in opposite directions to squeeze out the soda. After a few minutes of mopping, the plastic screw-plug at the bottom end of the contraption came loose. Five minutes after screwing it back in, it came loose again. Oh, and if you don't wiggle the Smart Mop so that its tendrils are just so, you'll hear that plug scrape along the floor as you go.

Photo: jon snyder/wired.com

Seagate GoFlex FreeAgent TV

One look at the interface and you'll see the clear embodiment of a cheap import that's had someone else's name slapped on it before being rushed to market. It's not just an affront to the eyes to look at, in use it's a disaster.

The FreeAgent is so sluggish that you soon adapt to it by punching buttons three times and hoping for the best. You're hoping that eventually one of those presses will actually register and do something, sparing you from simply sitting there in wait. What it might do, who knows: The interface is so badly conceived that the remote features both Home and Menu buttons, and they do wildly different things. Actual performance is dismal. Raw video quality is horrid and for some reason, audio playback came through at an extremely low volume, requiring that we jack up the sound on the TV.

Photo: Courtesy of MSI

MSI GX660 Notebook

The only explanation we can guess at for why the MSI GX660 looks the way it does is that someone made a bet with an MSI engineer, challenging him to design the most horrendously ugly computer possible. We were less thrilled with the much-touted Dynaudio speaker setup, which puts very visible, oversized speakers on both corners of the base. They're nothing to write home about. In fact, it would have been nice if they'd been even louder, so as to drown out the jet-engine–class fan that's installed to cool the dang thing.

Photo: Courtesy of JakPak

JakPak All-in-One Waterproof Jacket/Sleeping Bag/Tent

The JakPak is simply a bulky, 3-pound raincoatthat costs twice as much as other waterproof jackets and isn't of much use, even to a hobo. Once you've set up your personal tent, you're left with what is essentially an unsolvable waterproof puzzle. A bunch of straps, dangling pockets and zippers makes reassembly of the JakPak an exercise in bodhisattva-like patience. On this particular day, we grew frustrated and simply unzipped the extras and walked home … wet.

It gets worse. Once inside your personal "shelter," you'll be greeted with a pungent urethane smell and another disconcerting realization: There's no way to keep your hands dry. Yes, the only shielding your mitts get (unless you stick them in your pockets) is the flimsy mosquito netting from the top of the tent (again, not much help in a downpour). We will say: It works fantastically well as a $250 tarp for our woodpile.

Photo: Jens Mortensen/Wired

Bushnell StealthView

Spaghetti Monster forbids you need to actually change thismonocular's magnification powers. We found changing focus on anything to be a massive chore, and our few successes seemed almost accidental. Even when in focus, however, it felt like peering through a keyhole, with a viewing area so small that it was practically useless.

Although the monocular has a dimmer, we found that even on the low settings the black-and-white image was too bright, leaving us night-blind and stumbling when we stopped looking through the viewfinder. All told, you'd be stealthier with a spotlight and a tuba.

Source: Yahoo.com

Bersih 2.0: Najib Has `Everything to Lose’ From an Early Vote After Malaysia Protests

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak may avoid calling an early election this year after police clashed with thousands of anti-government activists July 9, signaling a rise in political risk in the Southeast Asian state.

Police detained 1,697 people as protesters demanding changes to voting practices marched in Kuala Lumpur. Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections chief Ambiga Sreenevasan was among those held, and local media reported opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was injured when security forces fired tear gas.

The protests were the biggest since 2007 in a nation governed by the United Malays National Organisation since Malaysia’s independence from the U.K. in 1957. They coincide with rising pressure for political change in Malaysia’s neighbors, with Thai voters this month ejecting a party that used soldiers to disperse opposition protests in 2010, leading to more than 90 deaths, and Singapore’s ruling party in May winning its narrowest election victory since independence.

“Najib will likely delay calling for early general elections until next year, given the possible fallout from the crackdown,” Hak Bin Chua, a Singapore-based regional economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, said in a note to clients. He will “be under even greater pressure to accelerate the pace of infrastructure project spending to ensure that investment and confidence does not slide back.”

While a vote isn’t due for two years, speculation that Najib would call an early election rose after his coalition won 77 percent of the seats in a local election in Sarawak state in April. The government isn’t frightened of facing the opposition in the general election, Najib was cited as saying yesterday by the official Bernama news service.

‘Everything to Lose’

“Judging from Saturday’s events, he’s losing support,” Ooi Kee Beng, a senior fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies said in a telephone interview from Singapore. “I don’t think he will call a snap election now as he has everything to lose.”

Equity investors showed little concern at the planned protests in the run-up to the event, with the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI Index closing at a record on July 8. The gauge fell 0.5 percent at 12:15 p.m. local time today, compared with a 1 percent decline in the MSCI Asia Ex-Japan Index.

The July 9 rally attracted less than 10,000 people, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today. Bersih, as the coalition is known, put the figure at 50,000, the Malaysian Insider reported. All those held, including 170 women and children, were later released, a police spokesman said.

Group’s Demands

Bersih wants electoral changes, such as lengthening campaign periods to at least 21 days and using indelible ink on fingers to prevent people from voting more than once, according to its website.

The Election Commission is looking into extending the campaign period and plans to use biometric fingerprinting instead of indelible ink, Election Commission Chairman Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said in a television interview with TV3 and Bernama on July 2. International observers may also be invited, he said.

Water cannons were used to disperse crowds in 2007 when similar protests drew 40,000 people in Kuala Lumpur. This was followed by riots led by Hindu-rights activists.

The ruling National Front coalition went on to suffer its biggest election losses since independence in the 2008 national poll, losing control of five of Malaysia’s 13 states to the opposition. Then-Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi resigned to take responsibility and was replaced by Najib in April 2009. The front has since regained control of one state, Perak.

Malay Groups

Two Malay rights groups, Perkasa and UMNO Youth, which is an arm of Najib’s ruling party threatened to hold rival rallies should Bersih go ahead with street protests. UMNO Youth leader Khairy Jamaluddin was also detained, police said.

Authorities rejected applications to use stadiums within Kuala Lumpur by all three groups, Hishammuddin said July 8.

Major roads into Malaysia’s capital were sealed on July 9 with road blocks, some train stations shut and buses diverted, leaving some parts of the city deserted.

Anwar, 62, was hospitalized for treatment to a bruise on his head and a cut on his leg after he fell when police fired tear gas at protesters, Malaysiakini reported online, citing the opposition leader.

Tian Chua, vice president of Anwar’s party, was among those a Bloomberg reporter saw detained by police. People’s Justice Party deputy president Azmin Ali was also arrested, along with three leaders of the opposition Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, the Star said.

Hishammuddin defended police action during the protest, saying officers had carried out their duty to “protect peace and order.”

Source: Bloomberg

8 Great Places to Retire Abroad

Great places to retire can be found outside of Florida and Arizona. In fact, many can be found outside of the U.S. entirely. Safe, attractive and affordable places to retire are scattered across the globe, from Latin America to Asia and even Europe. We've narrowed our list to eight overseas retirement hot spots.

Two factors critical to retirees (and their wallets) shaped our choices: cost of living and health care. To make our picks we consulted several experts on travel, tourism and overseas retirement, including Jennifer Stevens, executive editor of International Living, and Kathleen Peddicord, publisher of LiveandInvestOverseas.com. We also gave added weight to the cost of living, real estate and health care components of International Living's Global Retirement Index of the top 25 countries for retirees.

A note on cost of living: Monthly budgets for overseas retirees will vary widely, depending on country, lifestyle and housing type. There's no one-size-fits-all dollar amount. The estimates provided for each retirement hot spot offer a ballpark figure, including housing expenses, for how much a "typical" retired American couple would need to live comfortably.

©Enrique Lopez/Tamayo Biosca

Merida, Mexico

Population: 777,615

Climate: Tropical. Temperatures range from the low 80s to the mid 90s. Risk of hurricanes.

Proximity to major airport: Merida has an international airport with some nonstop flights to the U.S. Mexico City is less than two hours by plane.

Access to health care: There's a slew of quality medical facilities, including the highly regarded Clinica de Merida. Some retirees may qualify for Mexico's low-cost public health insurance program, known as IMSS. Mexico ranks 14th out of 25 countries on International Living's Global Retirement Index for health care.

Cost of living: Mexico tied for third (with Colombia and Thailand) on the Global Retirement Index for cost of living. A retired American couple can live comfortably in Merida on $1,700 a month.

The draw: City living meets colonial charm. Merida, the capital of the state of Yucatan, is a world away from Cancun, its touristy cousin across the peninsula. Sitting 22 miles inland, Merida has a European feel, thanks to its Old World architecture and abundant culture. There are opera houses and cathedrals to explore, and foodies rave about the dining scene. There's a growing population of retirees from the U.S., as evidenced by an English-language newspaper and library. Merida has escaped the violence that has plagued Mexico's border towns.

©William Domenichini

Lunigiana, Italy

Population: 130,000

Climate: Temperate. Summers can stretch from April to October, with temperatures from the mid 70s to low 90s. In winter, it's in the 50s and 60s.

Proximity to airport: Major airports in Pisa, Genoa and Parma are all about an hour's drive from the Lunigiana region. There's very limited nonstop service to the U.S. Expect to make a connection.

Access to health care: Italy ranks second (tied with Spain) out of 25 countries on International Living's Global Retirement Index for health care. Towns in the Lunigiana region with hospitals include Aulla, Fivizzano, La Spezia, Pontremoli and Sarzana. Pharmacists are found in most villages. Italy offers residents, including U.S. citizens legally residing in Italy, access to its national health plan, though many Americans opt instead to use private hospitals, which tend to provide better care than public ones.

Cost of living: Italy tied for 11th (with Uruguay) on the Global Retirement Index for cost of living, but 18th for real estate. A retired American couple can live comfortably on about $2,500 a month.

The draw: Tuscany on the cheap. The Lunigiana region of northern Tuscany is home to a network of villages connected by well-marked hiking paths. The Mediterranean coast is a short drive away, and Florence, Lucca and Pisa are all manageable day trips. Lunigiana isn't on the radar of too many retirees yet, which means the region is more affordable than areas farther south in the heart of Tuscany. Italy has a Social Security agreement with the U.S. that can benefit people who've worked in both countries.

©Fjdelisle

Bocas del Toro, Panama

Population: 125,461

Climate: Warm and tropical, with temperatures ranging from the low 70s to high 80s. Rainy season can stretch from May to January.

Proximity to major airport: It's a one-hour flight to Panama City, where connections are available to the U.S.

Access to health care: There's a public hospital on Isla Colon, the main island in the Bocas del Toro archipelago. It's adequate and cheap, but most expats head to David or Panama City for checkups and planned treatments. Panama tied for 12th (with Portugal) out of 25 countries on International Living's Global Retirement Index for health care.

Cost of Living: Panama tied for 13th (with Costa Rica) on the Global Retirement Index for cost of living. A retired American couple can live comfortably in Bocas del Toro on $1,500 a month.

The draw: Laid-back island living. Bocas del Toro province, on the Caribbean in western Panama, boasts miles of sandy beaches, turquoise waters and sprawling rainforests. The currency is the U.S. dollar and, while Spanish is the country's official language, English is widely spoken. Panama has a "pensionado" program for retirees that provides discounts on public transportation, entertainment and health care.

©Oliquez85

Granada, Nicaragua

Population: 105,171

Climate: Hot and sticky. Temperatures span the 70s to the 90s, with humidity often high. The wettest months are May to October.

Proximity to airport: It's 45 minutes by car to Managua's international airport, where you can catch nonstop flights to the U.S.

Access to health care: Nicaragua tied for 22nd (with Honduras) out of 25 countries on International Living's Global Retirement Index for health care. In addition to local medical facilities, close proximity to Managua, the capital, gives retirees access to several specialized hospitals.

Cost of living: Nicaragua tied for sixth (with Brazil, Malta and Malaysia) on the Global Retirement Index for cost of living. It tied for second (with Colombia) for real estate. A retired American couple can live comfortably in Granada on $1,250 a month.

The draw: Rooms with a view. Granada, a picturesque colonial city that dates back to the 16th century, sits on the shores of Lake Nicaragua. Brightly painted buildings liven up the architecture, and volcanoes are visible in the distance. There are local restaurants, shops and access to freshwater activities. Nearby Managua has shopping malls, movie theaters and other entertainment options. Look into the government's incentive program for foreign retirees, which offers duty-free imports and other tax breaks.

©Ntt

Nha Trang, Vietnam

Population: 361,454

Climate: It's hot most of the year. Temperatures hover between the 80s and low 90s. The heart of the monsoon season is November and early December.

Proximity to airport: Cam Ranh International Airport is about 25 miles from downtown Nha Trang. There are no nonstop flights to the U.S.

Access to health care: The 1,000-bed Khanh Hoa General Hospital is located in Nha Trang. International Living didn't include Vietnam in its Global Retirement Index rankings.

Cost of living: A retired American couple can live comfortably in Nha Trang on $750 a month.

The draw: Live like a king for less. Located on the coast of South-Central Vietnam, Nha Trang is encased by miles of beaches and massive mountain ranges. An American couple can get by on less than $600 a month; $1,000 a month would land you in the lap of luxury. U.S. dollars, preferably crisp, clean ones, are widely accepted. There's a small population of foreigners in Nha Trang, as well as many restaurants and bars, a supermarket and a mall.

©Adalberto Hernandez Vega

Roatan, Honduras

Population: approximately 70,000

Climate: The average temperature is 81 degrees. January is the coolest month; August, the hottest. Honduras lies in the hurricane belt.

Proximity to airport: There are nonstop flights to the U.S. from Roatan's international airport.

Access to health care: Roatan has several clinics and two hospitals on the island. Larger medical facilities are located on the mainland in San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba. Honduras tied for 22nd (with Nicaragua) on International Living's Global Retirement Index for health care.

Cost of living: Honduras ranks tenth on the Global Retirement Index for cost of living, but fourth for real estate. A retired American couple can live comfortably in Roatan on $1,200 a month.

The draw: Life's a beach. Located in the Bay Islands of Honduras, Roatan is home to the world's second longest coral reef, warm ocean waters and long strands of white sand. English is the primary language, the U.S. dollar is accepted, and real estate prices have come down in recent years. There's an established expat community. Retirees looking for a Caribbean experience for less probably won't be disappointed.

©Bearn Sebb

Bearn, France

Population: 350,000

Climate: Seasonal. Temperatures range from the 30s to 50s in the winter and the 70s to 80s in the summer.

Proximity to airport: The main airport is in Pau. No nonstop flights to the U.S., but easy connections via Paris, London and elsewhere.

Access to health care: France is tops on International Living's Global Retirement Index for health care. There are several hospitals in the Bearn region, including in the towns of Pau, Orthez, Oloron-Sainte-Marie, Mauleon, Tardets and Mourenx. Private medical insurance is required of non-E.U. residents. The Association of Americans Resident Overseas offers a group plan.

Cost of living: France ranks 18th on the Global Retirement Index for cost of living. A retired American couple can live comfortably on about $2,000 a month.

The draw: Basque in the moment. The Bearn area of southwestern France, near the border with Spain, is influenced by Basque culture from both sides of the Pyrenees (note the berets). The pastoral landscape is dotted with medieval towns, and hunting and fishing are favorite pastimes. There are loads of markets and vineyards to explore, not to mention a fair share of churches and castles. Living in Bearn is cheaper than in better-known parts of France such as Provence, a plus for retirees. France also has an agreement with the U.S. that provides Social Security advantages for people who've worked in both countries.

©Marrovi

Corozal Town, Belize

Population: 9,901

Climate: Warm year-round, with temperatures mostly in the 80s. Mild rainy season starts in June. Risk of hurricanes.

Proximity to major airport: It's a short commuter flight via San Pedro -- each leg is less than half an hour -- to the country's main airport in Belize City, where connections are available to the U.S.

Access to health care: Corozal Town has its own hospital. More extensive medical options are available ten miles away in Chetumal, the capital of Mexico's state of Quintana Roo. Belize ranks 24th out of 25 countries on International Living's Global Retirement Index for health care.

Cost of living: Belize is second on the Global Retirement Index for cost of living, but 19th for real estate. A retired American couple can live comfortably in Corozal Town on $2,500 a month.

The draw: The best of both worlds. The town, located in northernmost Belize, offers retirees beaches and tranquility in Corozal, and big-city amenities such as malls and museums just across the border in Chetumal, Mexico. English is the official language, though Spanish is widely spoken. The government operates a "qualified retired persons" program that allows non-Belizeans to enjoy perks such as tax-free imports of household goods, cars and even airplanes. One-time application and program fees add up to $1,350, plus another $750 per dependent.

Source: Yahoo.com