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So far as I know (can't say I looked farther due to being satisfied enough), these are the best-quality modest-price headphones Radio Shack sells. They also tend to be on sale fairly often at a reduced price.

Oh I agree totally. I grew up with an old crystal scanner on in the background all the time in our house; in a small town it's always entertaining, to say the least. Sadly since then I seem to have had the ill luck to move between the handful of cities that all use digital radios for their police and fire services -- not encrypted, but digital (APCO-25). Unlike the regular analog scanners, the digital ones are still a wee bit pricey. (Both the new Radioshack digital or the Bearcat 396T will set you back five C-notes by the time you're done. Ouch.)

I should be quick to point for anyone who's reading though, that a digital and/or "trunking" scanner isn't necessary to hear the spacesuit (or any other kind of amateur radio) transmissions. For that all you need is something that will pick up the 2-meter band, like this $75 one from Uniden. (That's brand new, I'm sure you can find a LOT cheaper ones around.) One like that will also get you a lot of commercial radio -- not commercial as in ClearChannel pop rock, commercial like taxi cabs, tow trucks, etc. -- plus railroads, and public safety stuff if you live in an area where they haven't spent gobs of taxpayer money upgrading to APCO-25 or trunking.

Why not sell the general public a version of this for $200

AMD's Personal Internet Computer had a similar goal of bringing cheap computing to the world. They're sold in the US for USD199.

Is a USD100 laptop do-able?

This is what you need, recommended by MacAddict Magazine (Dec 2005): http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?produc tId=2102669&cp

Set top boxes cost from as little as £30 for terrestrial thus meaning those 70 million analogue TVs will be good for years to come.

Exactly! This article description is hugely misleading. There is no need for new television sets - using converter boxes has been the plan all along.

Indeed, you can already purchase ATSC recievers for as little as $90:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?produc tId=2104191&cp=&pg=1&y=6&x=2&kw=hdtv+tuner&s=A-Sto rePrice-RSK&parentPage=search

That's $35 more than £30, but it's still pretty affordable. And the price will only drop as demand increases - there's just not that much in an ATSC IRD.

I recently set up my father in law with a cheap amplified set of rabbit ears for his new Panasonic 42" EDTV Plasma TV. He's in Las Cruces, NM, and we were easily able to pick up 5-7 digital channels from El Paso, TX, over 60 miles away! Most prime time networking is transmitted in 720p or 1080i, and even the non prime-time programming, which is simply up-converted to HD, looks clean and static free -- a remarkable improvement over traditional analog broadcasting, and analog cable quality. The broadcast HDTV is of remarkable quality (even on a widescreen EDTV display). PBS in particular has some outstanding HD programming, and typically most prime time, major sporting events (think: Olympics), and other high-rating programming is now being produced originally in HD.

He liked it so much, he's cancelling his cable, and just enjoying the pristine, over the air programming brought to you free of charge by the largesse of our fine friends at the FCC. My mother in law calls the little radioshack antenna "the satellite dish". Somehow I just can't manage to convince her that what she is watching is being beamed free over the air.

If you have a new TV, but are too cheap to get HD cable or a satellite service, check the digital transmission status of your local broadcasters, drop $40 at your local radio shack, and let the fun begin.

This bit comes from the struggle between those who wish to cancel analog tv broadcasts and go digital completly (saves cost and avoids dragging the conversion on for decades) vs those who do not with to burden every household with the costs of a new expensive hd tv.

Repeat after me, digital TV doesn't mean HDTV. The transition to ATSC is mandated. The transition to HDTV is not.

No one is going to be "burdened" to buy a new TV - your NTSC tv will continue to work just fine, along with a low-cost converter box to recieve the ATSC signal.

RadioShack currently sells an ATSC reciever for $89. Considering the fact that an ATSC reciever is really no more complex than a DVD player, we can expect to see ATSC recievers in the $30-$50 range as soon as demand picks up.

forget all that, I want the Vex Safety Glasses

I'd be the coolest kid on the block if I had a pair of those.

One possible (though not inexpensive) solution is to use Radio Shack's Adaptaplug products. You will still need one adapted for every discrete voltage you require, and they'll need to be beefy ones, probably. But each transformer has a socket on the end, like this, which you can then split as many times as necessary with a bunch of these or these. Purchase the appropriate tip for each of your devices, connect it to a lead from the appropriate voltage source, and you should be able to drastically reduce your power outlet usage. If you're really clever, use a surplus PC switching power supply as a single voltage source for all your rails (built in 12v and 5v, use voltage regulators to get the rest).

One possible (though not inexpensive) solution is to use Radio Shack's Adaptaplug products. You will still need one adapted for every discrete voltage you require, and they'll need to be beefy ones, probably. But each transformer has a socket on the end, like this, which you can then split as many times as necessary with a bunch of these or these. Purchase the appropriate tip for each of your devices, connect it to a lead from the appropriate voltage source, and you should be able to drastically reduce your power outlet usage. If you're really clever, use a surplus PC switching power supply as a single voltage source for all your rails (built in 12v and 5v, use voltage regulators to get the rest).

One possible (though not inexpensive) solution is to use Radio Shack's Adaptaplug products. You will still need one adapted for every discrete voltage you require, and they'll need to be beefy ones, probably. But each transformer has a socket on the end, like this, which you can then split as many times as necessary with a bunch of these or these. Purchase the appropriate tip for each of your devices, connect it to a lead from the appropriate voltage source, and you should be able to drastically reduce your power outlet usage. If you're really clever, use a surplus PC switching power supply as a single voltage source for all your rails (built in 12v and 5v, use voltage regulators to get the rest).

One possible (though not inexpensive) solution is to use Radio Shack's Adaptaplug products. You will still need one adapted for every discrete voltage you require, and they'll need to be beefy ones, probably. But each transformer has a socket on the end, like this, which you can then split as many times as necessary with a bunch of these or these. Purchase the appropriate tip for each of your devices, connect it to a lead from the appropriate voltage source, and you should be able to drastically reduce your power outlet usage. If you're really clever, use a surplus PC switching power supply as a single voltage source for all your rails (built in 12v and 5v, use voltage regulators to get the rest).

Actually, something more like Radio Shacks Vex line

http://www.radioshack.com/family/index.jsp?categor yId=2032404&cp=2032062.2032398

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?parent Page=search&cp=&productId=2103342&kw=rubber+feet&k wCatId=2032058&tab=summary here you go (but would these be high enough?)

For the same price I can get a Spinblade Heli from Radio Shack, and it's a real flying heli with a real motor (vs a model of a motor)

Not to grouse, but in the last year there has been a lot of companies offering RTF aircraft for under $100, I think slash should do a story on a few of them since it's so close to christmas.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?produc tId=2111626

They have small ones.

You know they sell ground loop isolators right? Sure it would cost more than you paid for the box ($16), but it's cheaper than burning your house down:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?produc tId=2062214&cp

http://www.radioshack.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId =2032057&kw=40-1462&kw=40-1462

Go and try to play some racing game with keyboard/mouse. It sucks and it doesn't hold a candle to playing with a control pad.

Yes, it's a known fact that there is no way to attach a PS2/Xbox controller to a PC with a $12 adapter from Radio Shack. Especially not this one.

I use the Leatherman Squirt EL.

...next thing, there will be wireless television, supported by ads.
Apparently, Radio Shack is already selling the hardware to do this. :-)

That's absurd! That is, it's absurd how right you are.

I live in the heart of Silicon Valley; if any place should have fast broadband, surely it should be here. But I can't get DSL service faster than 600 kbps, so instead I pay about $60/month for 4 Mbps cable, and the only way I can make it not crap out every other minute is with gold-plated cables and a bidirectional coax amplifier.

Not to mention DVD recorders are at $199 or lower. Stand alone units with VCR+ of all things...

Another great option is the Hauppage MediaMVP. The guys over at MVP Media Center (MVPMC) have ported a mythtv client to it, as well as a replay client, nfs, and other useful transports. It's as thin a set top box as you could ask for (about the size of DSL modem) and costs $80 US (I've heard rumors as low as $40).

Radio Shack has them (or had them, at least) on clearance for ~$40. This link will tell you if any stores near you still have them available.

I picked one up last week. It was fairly easy to get it talking to my MythTV box (just needed to tweak the DHCP server settings a bit and set up a TFTP server to push the mvpmc image out to it), but it crashes my backend when it stops playing video. I don't know if I have a version mismatch somewhere or if I'm doing things the wrong way on the MediaMVP end. Playback quality was fairly decent while it was running, though, and it'd be more convenient than running the MythTV frontend on a computer because it already has a remote control.

The big difference between Scientology's theories and Pastafarianism's is that anybody can make up stuff about the Flying Spaghetti Monster out of whole cloth, but only El-Ron and a few of his successors are Allowed to make up Official Scientology Stuff unless they want Bad Things to happen to them.

You can sort of hack such a system together, using Radio Shack's adapt-a-plug system. You just need a plug that splits into two parallel plugs (like this), repeat as necessary (and a PSU with enough current capacity to power all the parallel devices, of course - you can buy wall warts from the shack, but there's no reason you couldn't use an old switching PC PSU.) Only technical drawback is this only provides one voltage per wire "rail". But one PSU per voltage (generally, you only ever need 5, 9, and 12) is a lot better than one PSU per device, which is the status quo. Sadly, Radio Shack absolutely rapes customers on the prices for these bits of wire.

Good for you, millions of people disagree. Its fairly obvious Apple has done their "cost-benifit analysis" on that one. If you want a radio so badly, go to the ATM and withdraw a crisp $20. Then head to your favorite radio shack and look for this.

Stop bothering the rest of us with how adding an AM/FM tuner into the iPod is going to make %.0001 of the population get one.

Radio Shack has the D-Link DI-524 for $20 after rebate this week which suspeciously uses the same chipset as the Fry router.

The DI-524 has WPA encryption, transmit power control, mac filter list, time-of-day limiting. etc Not bad at all for $20.

It's nigh upon impossible to even find a phone that doesn't require AC to operate any more.

Not so.

In fact, it's trivally easy.

My VOIP phone box even comes with a battery pack that keeps the phone alive for a few hours even with the power off. Along with the corded phone I've had since before I was married, I don't have any worries of not being able to dial "9-1-1" in an emergency.

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name =CTLG&product_id=42-8071/ Its small and does not require sdpecial drivers.

How about those "Atomic Clocks" sold at Radio Shack and Wal-mart?

If the one sold at Radio Shack is this Atomic Digital Travel Clock, then it receives a signal from WWVB, and their digital signal includes a daylight savings time indication, so assuming they do the right thing the "atomic clock" will Just Work.

Really, people, this is probably a lot less complicated than you might think. Many UN*Xes can just deal with it with zoneinfo file updates, and several people have indicated that it's a registry change in Windows. Perhaps some applications have their own time zone rule files, and perhaps OS/360^H^H^H^H^H^HMVS and z/OS aren't as easy to fix, but a lot of machines and applications will require only a small file/registry tweak.

You could alway go with a DLP projector. It has VGA and Component input.
So it will work with HiDef Cable, Sat, PS, and the DVD is built in. Plus it has gotten a few good
reviews.

You could alway go with a DLP projector. It has VGA and Component input.
So it will work with HiDef Cable, Sat, PS, and the DVD is built in. Plus it has gotten a few good
reviews.

The things are getting pretty low in price compared to other technologies... http://www.radioshack.com/content/promotionalpages /promo13.asp?find=DLP(keyword)&hp=search/

You can get a USB Mic/Speaker plug:
http://www.usbgear.com/usb-audio-adapter/usb_audio _blaster.html

or just put a stereo mini-pin splitter on your mic and spk out so you can plugin your speakers:
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name =CTLG&product_id=274-894

(you can get them cheaper than the shack, but it's easy to find there in a pinch)

From a related page we see this comment...

"It's just the classic phreak box "The Rock Box" or a Rat Shack phone recorder, but it's the idea that counts. Great idea!"

Assuming they mean this Radio Shack Recorder Control then I already have what I need... the question is am I understanding it right? Will it work?

CompUSA, CircuitCity, and BestBuy. They always have great prices, along with incredibly knowledgable staff if you decide to visit their physical stores. Oh, and always make sure to get the extended warranty. You're a fool if you don't.

I'll up the ante. Go to Radioshack! Reasonable prices* and great service.

*who says $50 for a 12ft USB cable is unreasonable!

Radioshack. You've got questions? We've got blank stares.
[Alternatively, You've got questions? We've got batteries.]

I got snail spam from RadioShack yesterday hawking a personal DVD player the size of a DVD case and it's on sale for $99 I honestly think UMD is another dead-end format.

Actually it uses 4 "AA" cells and you can get a 40pack for $19.99.
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name =CTLG&product_id=64-2102
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name =CTLG&product_id=23-885
The damn thing actually works very well... You should get close to 1000 welds out of a fresh set of "AA" cells.

Actually it uses 4 "AA" cells and you can get a 40pack for $19.99.
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name =CTLG&product_id=64-2102
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name =CTLG&product_id=23-885
The damn thing actually works very well... You should get close to 1000 welds out of a fresh set of "AA" cells.

Well, first of all, I don't see a DVD version of my VHS tape speed rewinder. Why should I go and by a DVD player if I'm just gonna end up burning out the motor drive? Some people just have money to burn I guess.

Here's some reading for you. It's only one page. You should be done in about a week.

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name =CTLG&product_id=15-2572

Guess their lawyers understand the DMCA better than yours.

The closest thing I could find on the web site was the Electronics Learning Lab, but the old style project kits are still around.

You can buy one at any RadioShack although I suggest looking elsewhere for a better price.

While it doesn't play back DiVX/XViD/MPEG-4, Radio Shack has a portable DVD player for $99 after rebate, it has a 3.6" screen and is about the size of a portable CD player(I've tested one, and it has passable playback quality).

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name =CTLG&category_name=CTLG_003_003_004_000&product_i d=16-3912

I'm sure it can be taken apart and fiddled with, but for those who don't want to, it makes a satisfactory substitute.

I don't know why I should get a new expensive system, while FM transmitters are cheap and don't require a new radio in the listener's car...

I thought up all kinds of foods people aren't likely to have in front of a computer, like Maine Lobster with Drawn Butter. However, sticking (pun intended) to foods one might actually try to eat while geeking it up a notch, I thought about two of my favorites: soup (most any kind) and Swiss Miss pudding cups. These bastards more or less ruin a keyboard.

So I went and bought one of these http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name =CTLG&product_id=26-773# and now I can actually wash the keyboard in the sink with the dishes.

Not much of anything has ever stuck permanently on this new keyboard.

Easy to figure out.

Not gonna happen. RadioShack is putting a HUGE focus on the product. There is a lot of excitement company wide.
VEX
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name =CTLG&product_id=276-2151/
And don't forget the Basic Stamp powered Boe Bot
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name =CTLG&product_id=276-629/

Not gonna happen. RadioShack is putting a HUGE focus on the product. There is a lot of excitement company wide.
VEX
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name =CTLG&product_id=276-2151/
And don't forget the Basic Stamp powered Boe Bot
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog_name =CTLG&product_id=276-629/