If you’re like the rest of the world, you’ve got your SNES and Genesis games stored deep away in the caverns of your basement.  Once a year you unearth them, stick them in their appropriate slot and quickly discover (again) that your console of choice barely works.  No more, provided of course you’ve got a PC.

The Retrode is like no other gaming console.  Why?  It’s actually not a console at all.  In fact, it acts a conduit for your games and controllers such that they can work with your PC.  You simply jack it into your computer’s USB ports and load up an emulator of choice (yes, you need to download and run an emulator).  After that, it’s as simple as transferring the cartridge’s ROM data to your computer’s memory and playing like it’s 1984.  Alternatively, you can use the Retrode adapter to connect your SNES or Genesis controllers to your computer, or simply use it to load the game’s contents to your computer’s hard drive – it’s up to you.

The Retrode adapter will go on sales January 23rd for $85.

Terrestrial TV is a far cry from cable, but in a pinch it can serve a purpose.  At the very least you can catch some news, albeit mostly crap, along with a few home renovation shows.  And assuming you’re into that finite amount of content, you soon will be able to enjoy it right on your Android or iOS device using a very portable dongle from a company called FilmOn.

FilmOn came to fame in September 2010 when they placed not just TV shows, but TV channels, such as CBS, NBC and others online, as in streaming.  For a time there users could access the channels for free, but eventually the company started to roll out a subscription plan and added a variety of channels to their line up, including porn and movies.  Needless to say, FilmOn eventually found themselves in court for a variety of copyright reasons and caught in a legal battle that continues to this day.  But that hasn’t stopped them.

While it’s not really a workaround, FilmOn has announced plans for a dongle that plugs into your iOS or Android device that will allow you to receive and record terrestrial TV.  It’s called FilmOn Air.  And while there is nothing illegal about this particular setup, or at least grounds for a lawsuit, come February you’ll be able to buy the dongle along witha 1-year subscription to their streaming service for $149.95.  Alternatively, you can drop just $95.95 and you’ll score the dongle and presumably a free app.

The dongle’s battery life will last for up to 5-hours and can pass through power to your device for recharging.  From the above pic, it seems to support both USB connectivity as well as Apple’s 30-pin port, leading some to believe that one dongle will serve both types of devices.

Save all those pictures you have stored on your computer on Viewsonic’s VFD823-50 Digital Photo Frame, which is today’s Deal of the Day from TigerDirect. Listed as $59.99, you’ll save an instant $20 on the digital photo frame, getting it for $34.99 with free shipping.

Why bother with traditional photo frames where you can only display one picture at a time, when you can produce an entire slideshow of your favorite pics when ordering the Viewsonic VFD823-50 8″ digital photo frame. Its high resolution of 800×600 provides for a crisp and brilliant picture quality for all your photos. It also features a 4:3 aspect ratio to display the best digital image format without distortion. Since it supports most popular card readers, you can choose all of your best pics to show off when you have people over or choose a couple of regulars to always have around.

With easy to use on-screen menus and controls, you can easily create and edit your own personal slide shows, while the sleek frame design complements any home or office décor! Not only will it look great in any space, but the Viewsonic VFD823-50 8″ digital photo frame also makes a great gift for anyone who loves photos or would like to show off their family and friends. It’s the perfect way to show off all of your favorite photographs with quality, convenience and style.