Inside CNET Labs Podcast

Jasper, my tour guide du jour, and a tracking device from his company, Skeye.

(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)

Editor's note: CNET editor and Crave contributor Dong Ngo is spending several weeks in his homeland of Vietnam and will file occasional dispatches chronicling his adventures. To read stories from Dong's last visit, in December, click here.

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam--Last December, I visited Ho Chi Minh City and discovered that while Wi-Fi was ubiquitous and the Internet was fast, it was incredibly hard to get across town.

Seven months later, the traffic here is still terrible. This time, however, I found that if you are in the right place, dealing with traffic isn't necessary at all.

The right place is District 1. Other than being the center of tourism with lots of hotels, famous landmarks, restaurants, and bars, D1 is also the site where you can get pretty much anything you need, especially when it comes to technology and digital entertainment. And it's all within a short walking distance.

I actually heard about this area during my last trip here. Jasper Waale, owner of Skeye, a GPS- and GSM-based tracking company operating in Vietnam and Laos--and an avid listener of the Inside CNET Labs podcast--insisted I check it out. I took a rain check till now.

Hung checks out my D80. (Just another example of how good I am with the iPhone camera.)

(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)

We met at Cafe Centro, a trendy yet casual coffeehouse located in the middle of D1's most bustling section. According to Jasper, this is a popular place for ex-pats to hang out for both fun and business. It offers reasonably priced refreshments and, of course, free Wi-Fi.

(By the way, there are lots of cafes in Ho Chi Minh City, and pretty much all of them offer free Wi-Fi. My other favorite is Cafe Da on Alexandre De Rhodes Street. Also in D1: the best ice milk coffee and smoothies I've ever had. If you go there, make sure you try the "Dong Tim" fruit shake. It's so good, it has my name on it!)

"You'll find me at Centro at least a couple of times a week," Jasper said. Then, in a slightly show-offy manner, he pulled out his brand-new-looking Nikon D300 camera.

"I just got a good deal on this one. I traded in my D80 and got about 80 percent of new value to put toward this new one. You'll have to come see this place," he said.

I was intrigued, partially because next to his D300, my 4-year-old D80 looked somewhat pathetic. I've considered upgrading my camera for a while, but anticipating the whole hassle of selling my D80 on eBay or Craigslist has stopped me.

He then took me to Thuong Xa Tax, a mini shopping mall that's just a five-minute walk from the cafe. "Mini" here, by the way, is according to American standards; this is actually one of the bigger trading centers here in Vietnam, and it is indeed very large.

As in most shopping malls here, you can find pretty much everything, but we walked straight to the Vinh Hung Camera shop. The owner, Hung, a friendly 40-something man, greeted Jasper like an old friend. He then took a quick look at my D80 and said, "I'll give you $600 for this one, body and lens." ... Read more

Brian Mcgee himself.

(Credit: Fox)

Since Dong is still away in Vietnam, we discuss just how hot he must be right now, and I mean literally temperature hot. We all know figuratively hawt, right ladies? All four of you?

Anyway, I tell a story involving GameStop, a Wii, and bad customer service. Also, why Palm Pre testing is dumb and time consuming.

Dong shows us that he's still the best at putting our audience to sleep as he talks about the Verizon Mifi 2200 Mobile hot spot.

This is our final prerecorded week! Next week, we return live! If by "live" I mean recorded at least a day before you actually get to hear it.

To subscribe to this podcast, visit us at our main page and click the podcast link on the right. Don't forget to leave us voice mail at 1-800-947-6399 or e-mail us at insidecnetlabs@cnet.com.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Although the very sleek-looking H235H will not manipulate time and space, it at least looks like it could.

(Credit: Acer)

For the most part, I'm really loving this era of 16:9 LCD computer monitors. The fact that we can get a 21.5- or 23-inch monitor with a resolution of 1,920x1,080, can't be a bad thing since previously monitors of those sizes would have topped out at 1,680x1,050 in 16:10. While I have a little something to say about 20-inchers with 16:9, for the most part I'm happy.

Today, Acer continues the trend of giving us more pixels by announcing the Acer H235H. It's a 23-inch LCD computer monitor with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a 1,920x1,080 resolution.

According to Acer, the monitor includes a 2ms response time, 300 cd/m2 brightness and a 100,000:1 contrast ratio. That last number can mostly likely be attributed to its dynamic contrast ratio however.

The display features Acer's SensorTouch technology. Which shuns buttons in favor of a touch-sensitive space on the monitors bezel used to control the On Screen Display. Not anything new really as other monitors have done this, but judging by the picture, the lack of buttons does allow the Acer to maintain a clean, sleek look.

Connection options include VGA, DVI, and HDMI. Also, Acer includes two built-in speakers, and judging from the narrow 160-degree viewing angle quoted in their press release, the panel type is most likely a TN, since they are known for having narrow viewing angles.

Acer says the H235H will be available in July for a MSRP of $239.99. Look for a full review soon after they send me a unit. In the meantime, you can check out all our monitor reviews here.

Sliced cucumbers on the eyes are all in a day's work for this spa owner.

(Credit: Eric Franklin/CNET)

A funny thing happened to me last weekend on my way to save the galaxy, chainsaw aliens to death, and beat the living snot out of the world's top martial artists. I painted a stranger's toenails purple--and helped her shape her eyebrows.

That's right. Instead of logging countless hours on Xbox Live, I was taken in by the unstoppable force that is Game Cafe's iPhone game, Sally's Spa. Not only is this the best iPhone game I've played (not saying a lot, since I don't play many, but still), it's one of the most addictive handheld games I've ever played.

If this is your first time hearing about Sally and her addictive qualities, here's the deal in a nutshell. In the game, you play a young entrepreneur (Sally) who starts her own spa business.

Although you'll eventually hire others to help, you take a very hands-on approach to running your business. When patrons enter the shop, an icon over their head hints at their current need. So, if a patron enters with a yellow-chair symbol, it's up to you to drag that customer to the big yellow masking chair. Once a patron is situated, you'll usually have to interact with them in some way, whether it's plucking eyebrows, applying facials, or giving the occasional mani-pedi.

This is all completely addicting thanks to simple mechanics (dragging and tapping), gameplay that keeps you constantly busy, and an upgrade system that gives you long-term goals.

Upgrading your spa equipment directly impacts your customers' comfort level, which makes them less likely to leave before you've served them, thus making them happier (and the happier they are when the check out, the higher your tips). The more money you make, the more you'll have to spend on upgrades.

Also, the side mini-game game of selling supplementary items like shampoo and skin creams earns you promotions if you sell enough. The promotions grant you access to even more expensive ancillary items that make more money when sold.

If this seems like the most capitalistic game ever, you're not far off. Although I guess Mercenaries 2 would give it a run for its money.

The P2210 is a low-priced 22-incher with features up the DVI port.

(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET)

No, I don't mean 22-inch rims. I mean monitors, silly. Why the heck would I be talking about 22-inch rims on Crave? Hmmm, I guess I could be a spy from Car Tech, in which case talking about 22-inch rims wouldn't seem so out of place.

Alas, no. As much as I'd like to be an Antuan Goodwin, a Wayne Cunningham, or especially a Cooley, I'll have to settle for boring little old me. Talking endlessly about aspect ratios, color temperature, and bezel widths.

Monitors are really just smaller TVs. Interest in TVs has never been higher and yet, I have to point out on a constant basis where to find monitor reviews (right here ----> Monitor review POWA!!)

Enough about my life and on to the things that fill my life. This week I took a long, hard look at two 16:10, 22-inch monitors, and I've decided that one is actually better than the other. Earlier, I featured both the Dell P2210 and NEC MultiSync EA221WM in slideshows.

Now they each have full reviews on the site. The NEC MultiSync EA221MW and the Dell P2210. Read them now, and remember, monitors are people too. Electronic people.

Ngaycuame.com's Web site offers suggestions for digitally celebrating Mother's Day, such as getting and sending e-cards.

(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)

Editor's note: CNET editor and Crave contributor Dong Ngo is spending several weeks in his homeland of Vietnam and will file occasional dispatches chronicling his adventures. To read stories from Dong's last visit, in December, click here.

HANOI, Vietnam--I'm not a big fan of holidays. I don't mean the time off, of course, but the mass consumption that generally accompanies them.

For this reason, I've been sort of secretly happy that my parents live in Vietnam. This means that for years I haven't had to pay attention to Mother's Day or Father's Day. The Vietnamese, one would think, have no reason to even be aware of these American days. And for a long time, they weren't.

Thus, it was a revelation to me the other day, during a casual conversation at Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport, when a trendy-looking and friendly Vietnamese girl asked me if I had done anything for Father's Day.

Learning where I stand on the issue, the girl, Lan, expressed surprise. "I bought my dad a Gillette shaving set," she shared, "and he was very happy. You should have done something! I bought my mom a nice bouquet for Mother's Day a month ago, too."

Original American movies and TV programming with subtitles are popular in Vietnam.

(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)

I was speechless. I live in America and my American friends have hardly ever asked me the same question. As it turned out, over the years I was away in America, American pop culture, via TV and the Internet, has sneaked into my home country in a big way.

Apparently, a month ago, for the first time, Mother's Day was a big event in Vietnam. Newspapers talked about it, TV talked about it, teenagers blogged and made YouTube videos about it, and people went out to buy flowers and presents for moms.

The day was hyped so much some people even felt guilty because they hadn't known about it in previous years. Yet at the same time, most didn't know the origin of it. "I had never heard of it and all of a sudden everywhere people started talking about it," Lan told me honestly. "But I think it's meaningful to honor your parents. Don't you think?"

Though it might have seemed "all of a sudden," the introduction of Mother's Day marked a very deliberate attempt by businesses here to sell products. ... Read more

The FreeAgent Go Pro for Mac external hard drive.

(Credit: Seagate)

Mac users have had many options for external storage lately. Two weeks ago, Western Digital unveiled its new My Book Studio II for Mac, and Seagate just now released a few of its own.

The company announced Wednesday a new lineup of portable and desktop FreeAgent external hard drives designed specifically for Macs. This includes two portable external hard drives, a regular-size external hard drive, and a docking station.

NEC Multisync EA221WM photos

View the full gallery

While I would not call these pics of the NEC MultiSync EA221WM creepy per se, some of them are pretty intimate. I feel the NEC and I really got to know each other during this photo shoot. Really, I think I've made a friend for life.

Hey, I guess that's what you get when you combine a couple of bottles of wine, friendly debates about David Sedaris books, and some good-natured teasing thrown in for good measure.

Anyway look for a review of my new BFF later this week, but for now, behold...your muse!

On summer nights in Hanoi, people escape to air-conditioned ATM kiosks for relief from the oppressive heat.

(Credit: Viet Dung)

HANOI, Vietnam--A word of advice for travelers: turn off your laptop when you leave the room.

This isn't the first time I've been back to Vietnam, but it's the first time since I left the country some 10 years ago that I've come back during summer. It's really hot in Hanoi during the day, often 100 degrees or more. And as it has always been the case with me when traveling, stuff happens.

After about 48 hours of traveling and coming to terms with the jetlag, I turned my laptop on for the first time. There were so many things to download: new episodes of podcasts, RSS feeds of different news sources, videos--and of course the 3.0 firmware for the iPhone.

As the Wi-Fi I got hooked up to was running at just around 60Kbps, these essential updates of my digital life (though most of them I can't find time to enjoy) would require hours to download. Like usual, I had a huge urge to download all of the data right away and decided to leave the computer running and go out for a jog. After all, it was almost midday and sunny outside.

Here is part of my gum supply for the trip. I may never chew gum during summer again.

(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)

I started the downloads, opened a pack of Orbit gum, took a piece, and left the rest on my new loaded Dell XPS M1530 (for this trip, I upgraded from the smaller XPS M1330, mostly because my eyes are worse now). Before leaving the room, being a good citizen of the world, I turned off the air conditioning.

The moment I opened the door of the room, a wave of stifling heat engulfed me. Outside, the sky was high and pure, and it was so sunny I felt I could hear how bright it was. Or maybe it was the sound of my sweat starting to ooze out.

Unlike the dry and lovely San Francisco Bay Area or somewhat humid New York City, it's so humid in Hanoi that once outside there's no way you can escape the heat during hot days. It's hot when it's calm, and it's hot when it's windy, and fans won't do anything. The breeze actually helps the heat traverse to every corner. Once in a while a quick and so-heavy-that-you-can't-see-anything downpour comes, only to accentuate the heat when the sky is clear again.

For a lot of local people, there's no way to stay away from the heat, as air conditioners are still considered a luxurious commodity that most can't afford. (Plus, they have survived many years without one.) The water in outdoor swimming pools gets so hot that by midday you can't swim in them. During some extremely hot days, you'll even find people staying inside air-conditioned ATM booths to enjoy some free cooling.

After just about a few minutes of jogging, my glasses started to get blurred by steam and sweat and I had to take them off. Four miles later, I looked and felt like I had never worked out so hard before: my T-shirt and baseball cap were completely soaked with sweat and my forehead was dripping.

As I slowly walked back, I stopped by a familiar beer stand to enjoy a few well-deserved glasses of "Bia Hoi," under a common makeshift cooling system: a net of copper pipes that spray water mist in the air. Bia Hoi is a kind of light draft beer that the Hanoi Brewery never produces enough of during summertime. It made all of my sweating and sun-hating activities worthwhile.

A couple of hours later, I returned to my room imagining a cool shower and getting my stuff synced to my iPhone. Instead, I was greeted with a sight of horror: the computer displayed a Blue Screen of Death and I heard the CPU fan roaring to life. The worst of all, the sweet mint chewing gum had melted into some mushy and sticky substance that spilled all over part of the keyboard and completely covered the biometric reader. Some even dripped onto the bedsheet. The laptop was so hot that I couldn't touch it for more than a few seconds.

The LG Flatron W2053TQ mocks you with its aspect ratio.

(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET)

A couple of months back, I asked what I thought was a pretty good question about the need for a 16:9 aspect ratio on a 20-inch monitor.

While I still feel there's little need, if any, for 16:9 on such a small screen, that doesn't mean said monitors can't be useful in their own right.

This week I take a look at the HP 2009m and the LG Flatron W2053TQ. Both are 20-inchers. Both include a 16:9 aspect ratio, which translates to 1600x900 resolution. Both also transform into kid-size robots and battle it out for your entertainment.

OK, the last one was a fib ("Transformers" on the brain this week), but if you really wanna know what I think of these two check out the reviews. Also take a look at the LCD computer monitor hub, for all things, well, LCD computer monitors.