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DVICE ARCHIVE FOR March 2006
Whether it's because of a clumsy caddy or a tantrum over missing an easy putt, most golfers have had their clubs spill out of their bag once or twice. Kaala's Evolution Bag will ensure your gear stays inside no...
POSTED Friday, March 31, 2006
A new procedure can provide sight to people who've lost their eyes: a camera is attached to a pair of glasses, the camera sends signals to a portable computer, which — here's the fun part — stimulates electrodes implanted in...
POSTED Friday, March 31, 2006
Ever wonder why the back of some speakers have two pairs of terminals? There is a great deal of folklore among audio fans concerning the connections between stereo speakers and the rest of the system. One popular wiring technique is...
POSTED Friday, March 31, 2006
The first HD DVD player, Toshiba's HD-XA1, is now on sale in Japan. HD DVD is one of the two mutually incompatible formats that put high-definition movies on disc, the other being Blu-ray. Retailing for 110,000 yen ($935), the...
POSTED Friday, March 31, 2006
For our international audience, we should probably talk about how timely a soccer ball beer cooler is given the imminent World Cup — and don't forget the UEFA Champions League semifinal. But we just like that it looks kind of...
POSTED Friday, March 31, 2006
Making low-cost or free calls using the Skype VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) network can be a tremendous cost-saving move if you do a lot of long-distance or international dialing, but the setup can often involve wearing some kind...
POSTED Friday, March 31, 2006
The first thing I think of when I hear "Porsche" is speed. The second: expensive. But what about a Porsche watch? Obviously, a Porsche timepiece doesn't tick any faster than a normal watch, but at $150,000, the car giant's...
POSTED Friday, March 31, 2006
There are times when I wish I had a time machine so I could turn back the clock and become a kid again. Certainly, today's kids get much cooler toys to play with, and they don't get much more impressive...
POSTED Friday, March 31, 2006
For Buslink 64-GB PRO 2 owners, I'm not sure what's more impressive: you've got 64 GB of memory in your pocket or you've got a $5,000 keychain. Either way, if you need to carry around… well, a crapload of...
POSTED Thursday, March 30, 2006
Both Paramount and Universal Studios will stop releasing movies on UMD (Universal Media Disc), the format created by Sony for use with the PlayStation Portable (PSP). An unidentified Universal executive told The Hollywood Reporter, "Sales are zilch. It's another Sony...
POSTED Thursday, March 30, 2006
Apparently designer Ricardo Figueiro has a thing for Green Lantern. Nokia hired him to break the cell-phone mold and he's done just that with the green-themed "4th Generation" mobile. The idea is to offer "different means of accessing and...
POSTED Thursday, March 30, 2006
Off hand, I know probably three addresses: my current home, my childhood home, and work — obviously, I don't need GPS to get to any of those places. Visiting Mt. Rushmore is a different story. I know what it looks...
POSTED Thursday, March 30, 2006
At just 3 pounds and 1 inch thick, Gateway's NX100X notebook follows everyone's favorite tech trend of making gadgets as thin and lightweight as possible. But as anyone who owns a RAZR phone or a 30-gig video iPod knows,...
POSTED Thursday, March 30, 2006
Unlike a certain popular portable music player that's been massaged into a personal video player (think different), RCA's Lyra X3000 was designed from the outset for video. When it comes to peering at a portable's video screen, size does...
POSTED Thursday, March 30, 2006
A device developed by MIT Media Lab researcher Rana El Kaliouby could one day make socializing a little less worrisome. Designed for people with autism who struggle to pick up on social cues, the emotional social intelligence prosthetic device uses...
POSTED Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Apparently heeding warnings that portable audio players can cause hearing damage if turned up too loud, Apple is including a volume-limiting feature in its latest software upgrade for the iPod. Owners can download iPod Software Update 1.1.1, which allows the...
POSTED Wednesday, March 29, 2006
If a Crazy in Love ringtone isn't customization enough for you, Printz Skins should make sure nobody ever forgets which mobile is yours. The service allows you to slap your favorite photograph, art, or design directly onto your phone. The...
POSTED Wednesday, March 29, 2006
You can pack to look your best on vacation, but some splattered spaghetti sauce here, a tipped-over wine glass there, and suddenly you're contemplating whether a pitted-out T-shirt is better dinner attire than a button-up with a giant crusty red...
POSTED Wednesday, March 29, 2006
While labeling a product "extreme" hasn't inspired much excitement since the late '90s, the Bedmate from Sapapa is still intriguing. Part of Sapapa's "extreme" line, the bed comes equipped with a hydraulic or electronic lift system (think Craftmatic Adjustable Bed),...
POSTED Wednesday, March 29, 2006
One problem with those ubiquitous flash drives is that there's no easy way to figure out what's on them short of firing up your computer and plugging them in. Sure, you could always scribble some notes on the little...
POSTED Wednesday, March 29, 2006
We're not exactly sure how this works (details are sketchy at best), but apparently a pair of research groups is developing a mixed-reality computer game that people and their pets can play together. Dubbed Metazoa Ludens, the project from...
POSTED Wednesday, March 29, 2006
I must say, 2006 is really starting to feel like the year of HD DVD and Blu-ray — those two shiny new technologies that promise to bring us high-definition movies on disc — with a cascade of news coming...
POSTED Wednesday, March 29, 2006
If you think your cell phone's screen is a little confining for digital pics, Parrot is offering a convenient way to give your masterpieces a little more room to stretch out. The Bluetooth Photo Viewer allows you to wirelessly transmit...
POSTED Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Anyone with an HDTV — even one that has only component-video inputs for HD — will be able to watch Universal Pictures' HD DVD movies in high-definition. The company announced that its discs in the new format, coming later in...
POSTED Tuesday, March 28, 2006
The 80,000 Volt Electric Suitcase has two defense systems: a loud (107-decibel) alarm and an electric shock. You arm both security measures with a remote control and when a thief tries to swipe your valuables — unmarked bills, uncut diamonds,...
POSTED Tuesday, March 28, 2006
The Flap Flap is to home furnishings what the Dodge Tomahawk is to motorcycles: A fun-looking concept, but unlikely to show up at a dealer. Singapore-based architect and designer Han Kiang Siew won the 2006 silver Furniture Design Award...
POSTED Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Men losing their lustrous locks have options to consider: Rogaine, Hair Club for Men, or my personal favorite, the combover. But, if you've tried everything and your shower drain still clogs with lost hair, restoration headgear is an alternative. Developed...
POSTED Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Another week, another clever timepiece. This time it's the Equalizer Watch, which has a display that emulates a stereo's graphic equalizer. Besides having a cool futuristic-yet-retro look, this piece of high-tech bling actually tells the time, believe it or...
POSTED Tuesday, March 28, 2006
I can claim with confidence (and some personal experience): even the most dedicated cat lover probably wouldn't complain if they never had to scoop feline waste again. While I'd have to see it to believe it's truly sanitary, the CatGenie...
POSTED Tuesday, March 28, 2006
If you still think your spinners are the way to roll, think again. PimpStar is offering up wheels with built-in full-color LEDs. A wireless modem lets you use a Wi-Fi-equipped computer to customize your rims on the fly — dressing...
POSTED Monday, March 27, 2006
With its PlayStation 3 game console set to hit store shelves this December, Sony stopped production of the PSone, the miniaturized version of the original PlayStation console. The PSone first went on sale in September 2000, and PSone games are...
POSTED Monday, March 27, 2006
Most of my memories of rotary phones go back to a crotchety great aunt who used to stuff me sick with Jell-O and send me to be bed at 7 p.m., but if you're feeling nostalgic, Digital Cowboy's DC-NCTEL1 VoIP...
POSTED Monday, March 27, 2006
Imation believes the best place to store a portable flash drive is somewhere on your bag (as opposed to, say, in it). Thus, the Clip USB 2.0 Flash Drive. The press release describes the actual clip as "ultra-tough caribineer,"...
POSTED Monday, March 27, 2006
For members of the Woodstock generation, the expression "home grown" may conjure up images of plants with five-fingered leaves, but most people these days are more concerned with growing their own herbs and vegetables indoors. Now there's a way to...
POSTED Monday, March 27, 2006
I always thought AAC was just a digital music format, but apparently the abbreviation also stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication, a field dedicated to helping the hearing and speech impaired grasp language. By combining a new language structure...
POSTED Monday, March 27, 2006
It seems like only yesterday we first heard about the Mosquito, yet already the teen-repelling black box finds itself in trouble. The device emits a high-pitched sound that's said to be unbearable to people under 20 and undetectable to anyone...
POSTED Monday, March 27, 2006
Most PC gear has about as much visual appeal an air conditioner with a simulated wood finish, but LaCie's looking to brighten up your desk with its playful new Brick hard-drive designs. Styled by the world-famous designer Ora-Ïto, the...
POSTED Monday, March 27, 2006
Most fridges won't earn you style points. Yes, gluing up LEDs will draw some attention, but a fridge's façade won't make you in vogue. Electrolux might change that. Hoping to break out of the "white-box business," the company unveiled...
POSTED Friday, March 24, 2006
For all you PI wannabes, Endoacustica's CP-1 mouse will boost your surveillance powers. After you plug the CP-1 into a USB port on a PC, the built-in microphone will record all noise within a reasonable distance, transmitting to a receiver...
POSTED Friday, March 24, 2006
You can't help but to be impressed by The Imp's moxie. For one, it could be the only Apple-influenced gadget that begins with an "i" that isn't lowercase. It also tunes into your Wi-Fi connection to stream Internet radio —...
POSTED Friday, March 24, 2006
Known among communications nerds as DO (don't think Homer Simpson, it's pronounced dee-oh), EV-DO is a standard for transferring data wirelessly at near-DSL speeds. Developed by Qualcomm, EV-DO originally stood for Evolution-Data Only. Some marketing genius figured the "Only" was...
POSTED Friday, March 24, 2006
The details are appropriately sketchy, but Japanese company Takara claims they've invented a gadget that can control — or at least influence — your dreams. Supposedly, you stare at a picture of what you want to dream about (say, the...
POSTED Friday, March 24, 2006
The wait for the next generation of DVD might last a little longer as Toshiba will delay the release of its HD DVD players until April. The debut of the machines will now coincide with the first wave of movies...
POSTED Friday, March 24, 2006
Anything that helps recreate the joy of the Vegas strip at home is all right in my book. With just conductive nickel paint, an AC power supply, epoxy, nickel magnets, and some LED lights (okay, there are a few...
POSTED Friday, March 24, 2006
Although this new BlackBerry, the 8707v, will only be available in the U.K. from Vodafone, it's a quad-band model that can be used in North America and Asia as well. So it's okay to go ahead and get one...
POSTED Friday, March 24, 2006
Whether ripping wheelies on a Ninja or rolling with the Hell's Angels, returning Grandma's call can be a complicated proposition on a motorcycle. BMW's WCS-1 System 5 helmet ($910) should help. A built-in mike and Bluetooth wireless tech offer...
POSTED Thursday, March 23, 2006
Pictures of a new Pioneer surround sound speaker system have us thinking that a deluge of Xbox 360 accessories might be on the way. The HTP-XGS1 is a 600-watt 5.1-channel system that automatically calibrates its sound to match room...
POSTED Thursday, March 23, 2006
Since its 2003 release, Sony's EyeToy has given Xbox owners reason for jealousy. The EyeToy, a USB webcam for the PlayStation 2, tracks a user's movements and translates them to the player's avatar onscreen. Used with games ranging from kung...
POSTED Thursday, March 23, 2006
Dude, you're getting an Alienware! That slogan could be coming your way soon as world's largest PC maker, Dell, announced that it's acquiring Alienware, known for its gamer-friendly UFO-themed PCs. The Miami-based Alienware will continue operate under its own brand...
POSTED Thursday, March 23, 2006
For those of us raised on Lego, it's hard to imagine small building blocks containing more than the magic of molded plastic, but there are some other high-tech bricks out there meant to give kids insight into how gadgets are...
POSTED Thursday, March 23, 2006
Casually tossing your travel receipts into the trash is a good way to become a victim of identity theft, but who wants to drag all of that paperwork home for disposal after a long trip? Now the super-careful traveler —...
POSTED Thursday, March 23, 2006
Tubthumper speakers will help you get your garden groove on. You plant flowers or shrubs normally in the faux terracotta pots, which have 90-watt speakers built into the base ($100 each; $175 for a stereo pair). Then you wire them...
POSTED Thursday, March 23, 2006
No, it's not a still from some kind of sequel to Tron — you're looking at one of the works of artist Tatsuo Miyajima, who's been merging art and numbers for years. This digital aquarium is entitled "C.F.Bubble in...
POSTED Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Cell-phone cameras typically shoot pictures so bad that even Mr. Magoo would insist on better equipment. The number of models that actually capture decent photos is growing, however, but the problem is that many of these phones suffer from lousy...
POSTED Wednesday, March 22, 2006
If you use Yahoo's instant messenger, now you can give your fingers a rest and let your voice do the talking — on the cheap. Yahoo Messenger with Voice allows for free computer-to-computer voice chats and will soon include inexpensive...
POSTED Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Of course, April 15th is tax day, and we'll understand if you'll be more concerned right then about convincing the IRS your trip to the Caymans was a business expense than the release of the LaundryPure. But maybe next time...
POSTED Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Microsoft's new operating system (OS) won't ship this year, but that could be good news for Windows users. Windows Vista has been delayed until January, a push back of a few weeks from the earlier December release date, to ensure...
POSTED Wednesday, March 22, 2006
For a quick and easy way to tell fact from fiction, there's the DeFIBulator, a $40 handheld voice-tension detector. The device measures vocal vibrations to unearth nervousness in someone's speech. Just ask your potential fibber three routine yes or no...
POSTED Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Although it looks like a futuristic ashtray, this slick-looking item from designer Jacob Jensen is actually kind of the opposite — a smoke alarm. Beyond just giving your domicile some high-tech cred, the $150 alarm is "intelligent," with a...
POSTED Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Checking out photos and videos on portable devices is definitely a big perk of today's gadgets — as long as you can stand squinting at micro-size screens. But if Polymer Vision gets its way, your view of portable entertainment...
POSTED Tuesday, March 21, 2006
With today's SUVs and minivans growing ever larger, the view of what's behind us as we back up can be dangerously limited. There's always a chance small children will be well below our field of vision, not to mention Fido...
POSTED Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Europeans looking for a little cocoa therapy will soon have LG's KG800 as an option. Nicknamed the Chocolate Phone, the mobile has been the belle of Korea's cell-phone ball since its Asia release in November, selling more than 300,000...
POSTED Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Microsoft is kicking its A-game up a notch as it will soon be boosting Xbox 360 shipments. The software giant said it plans to increase shipments of the game console, first released last fall, by "two to three times" this...
POSTED Tuesday, March 21, 2006
As you can tell from the Timeflex, Binary, and Talus watches, we have a thing for clever timepieces. Add to the roster the Neolog, a wristwatch that eschews both traditional digital and analog timekeeping. Instead, it shows the time by...
POSTED Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Of course, with any mention of the Dance-On Piano, a Big quip is obligatory. So, here goes: the piano that helped a 12-year-old land an executive job, spend $4 million on a New York loft, and score with a 28-year-old...
POSTED Tuesday, March 21, 2006
If you believe the FBI, American companies lose around $250 billion a year due to counterfeiting. That's a lot of spurious scratch floating around. With the Authenticator Detector ($299), you can avoid the embarrassment of getting caught trying to hawk...
POSTED Monday, March 20, 2006
The SkyLine Green Laser Pointer emits a beam that'll "stretch all the way to the stars… the green beam just keeps going and going, seemingly to infinity." Yes, agreed, that sounds like total b.s. Stars, especially for us city dwellers,...
POSTED Monday, March 20, 2006
SlimTRAK is a covert way to keep valuables under constant surveillance. The 3.6-ounce homing beacon has a GPS transmitter that runs on four AA batteries (should last three months). After you've stuck it on your quarry, just fire up your...
POSTED Monday, March 20, 2006
Say hello to the iPhone — that's the word from Morgan Stanley analysts who claim an iPod phone is in the works. According to the recent report, Apple is developing "an iPod with phone functions," a departure from Motorola's iTunes...
POSTED Monday, March 20, 2006
While the world has gotten more and more inundated with gadgets, books have remained stubbornly low-tech. But this year could mark a turning point in tome technology, with two electronic reading devices debuting this spring. Next month iRex will...
POSTED Monday, March 20, 2006
If the posters and trailers don't already have you in an X3 euphoria, the Floating LCD Clock ($90) should help. You might not share Magneto's desire for mutant supremacy, but with the Floating Clock, you'll share his ability to...
POSTED Monday, March 20, 2006
While James Bond relies on Q Branch for high-tech gadgets, the U.S. military has DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) to dream up far-fetched military gizmos. The BBC reports DARPA has plans to develop a living cyborg butterfly. Yeah,...
POSTED Friday, March 17, 2006
If you've already got a flat-panel TV, a color-changing kitchen table, and an Internet fridge, the LED faucet will give you that last push you need to truly transport your home into the future. The 2½-inch long silver tube attaches...
POSTED Friday, March 17, 2006
I'm not comfortable with the idea of heating up my socks in the same place as my Hot Pockets, but I guess a pair of Polar Fleece Microwavable Slippies ($26) might be nice. Unless you followed Napoleon Dynamite's lead and...
POSTED Friday, March 17, 2006
Every television picture is made up of a number of horizontal scanning lines that "paint" an image on the screen line by line. In old-fashioned analog television, there are 525 of these lines (in North America, anyway), although not all...
POSTED Friday, March 17, 2006
There are many ways to appreciate Ireland's patron saint, and most involve wearing green or drinking yourself blind. Obviously, drinking's the most important part, but just to make sure you cover all your Irish bases, check out the Shamrock Flashing...
POSTED Friday, March 17, 2006
If you caught a glimpse of last night's American Inventor, you know good ideas are few and far between. To ensure your great ones aren't lost, you might want to invest in a voice recorder like IBM's planned Magic...
POSTED Friday, March 17, 2006
Microsoft announced a deal with Epic Records that will let Xbox 360 owners get a year of free music videos and other content from Epic, whose roster includes Shakira and Audioslave. Over the course of the year, 12 Artists of...
POSTED Friday, March 17, 2006
Why should the road demand turn signals but not the sidewalk? When it comes to navigating a crowded path, Pedestrian Turn Signals may instigate a sea change — or a pavement change, I suppose. Fitting around your ears and controlled...
POSTED Friday, March 17, 2006
My Mom always told me to dress in layers when the weather got cold, but I certainly don't remember her mentioning to make sure my batteries were fully charged. All that may change now that WarmX has introduced its...
POSTED Friday, March 17, 2006
With millions rediscovering portable music thanks to the iPod, those same millions are discovering something else: the earbuds that come with their players suck. MP3-player earbuds are typically fragile with weak, tinny sound — overpowered by even light background...
POSTED Thursday, March 16, 2006
If you've been thinking about buying a PlayStation Portable (PSP), Sony Computer President Ken Kutaragi has some enticing news for you. Starting March 22nd, the PSP will have two prices: the $249 Value Pack currently available and a $199...
POSTED Thursday, March 16, 2006
Real Web-(based) TV has arrived. AOL launched In2TV on Wednesday, one of the biggest free-video services on the Internet, serving up vintage shows from corporate sibling Warner Bros., including Welcome Back, Kotter and Growing Pains. Those shows and other downloadable...
POSTED Thursday, March 16, 2006
You're at the bar checking out Letterman, when Dave starts in on a particularly witty line of quips. You'd love to show the bit to your friends, but — damn, you didn't set your TiVo! Well, you could just...
POSTED Thursday, March 16, 2006
Your iPod won't help you fillet a fish. Okay, that revelation might not destroy Apple's market share, but for those who value versatility above all, Swiss Army is offering an MP3 knife. The Victorinox Swiss Beat MP3 ($170) is packed...
POSTED Thursday, March 16, 2006
Dick Tracy's watch radio had enough gee-whiz factor to set many a schoolboy's head spinning in 1946, but today's technologically jaded generation will need a far more spectacular wrist gadget to generate anything beyond than a sleepy yawn. Eurotech's...
POSTED Thursday, March 16, 2006
If you're getting the flash-memory cards from your digital camera and MP3 player mixed up all the time, the Memory Card Travel Case ($20) can help keep your bits organized. Developed by Digital Foci, known for digital photo albums and...
POSTED Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Japanese researchers are sweeping old timers off their feet with a 5-foot robot. A government-backed institute has developed a seeing, hearing, and smelling robot strong enough to carry human beings. The 220-pound 'bot, dubbed RI-MAN, could aid healthcare workers needing...
POSTED Wednesday, March 15, 2006
The video game wars will heat up this year, but not until November. Sony's PlayStation 3 will launch simultaneously in Japan, North America, and Europe for the holiday season, with an estimated 6 million units to be shipped by...
POSTED Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Iris- and fingerprint-scanning may leave frequent flyers without one of life's great joys: a rubber-gloved stranger sifting through your unmentionables. The Department of Homeland Security has approved a program, optional to all U.S. airports after May, treating travelers to faster...
POSTED Wednesday, March 15, 2006
With diabetes rates skyrocketing in the human population, it comes as no surprise that as many as one in 200 dogs and one in 400 cats are also afflicted, according to Abbott Labs. Along with getting regular insulin shots, diabetic...
POSTED Wednesday, March 15, 2006
This is barely a prototype, but it's so wildly cool, it screams for attention. Glooo, a globe-shaped "world browser and communicator," brings you the Earth from a deity's perspective. The almost-spherical screen (looks like it doesn't cover the poles)...
POSTED Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Is it more harrowing than skydiving, base-jumping, or cheese rolling? Don't know. Would a six-pack of Smirnoff Ice and a promised date with Keira Knightley convince me to do it? Probably not. The Buggy Rollin' suit, still in the...
POSTED Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Taiwanese company Micro-Star International, known primarily for motherboards and graphics cards, is showing a solar-powered MP3 player concept at CeBIT. With a backside covered in solar cells, the 4-GB player can hold a charge for eight hours and will continuously...
POSTED Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Not coming soon to your home theater will be the first wave of HD DVD movies from Warner Home Video. The only studio that had set a firm date, which was March 28th for their release of titles on...
POSTED Tuesday, March 14, 2006
The parking challenged take note: the Laser Guided Parking System can help you pull into your garage perfectly. Mounted to your garage ceiling, the system detects when you come in and emits a laser beam pointing at the perfect stopping...
POSTED Tuesday, March 14, 2006
A month ago, it looked like if you were one of the first people to buy an HDTV, you were out of luck with the new high-definition disc formats, HD DVD and Blu-ray. Thanks to an "image constraint" flag on...
POSTED Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Soon the expression "fill 'er up, Mac" will take on a whole new meaning. Taiwanese manufacturer Antig has demonstrated a production-ready version of its laptop fuel cell, which it claims will be hitting store shelves in early 2007. The high-tech...
POSTED Monday, March 13, 2006
The Biodoctor, developed by Biomedical Engineering Professor Weng Ching-sung of Taiwan, may help eliminate superfluous doctor visits. Combining traditional Chinese acupuncture with Western medical statistical analysis, the pen-like device emits a small electrical current to specific acupuncture points on...
POSTED Monday, March 13, 2006
Cingular and T-Mobile stores today stopped selling Motorola's popular RAZR mobile phone because a defect that causes some models to hang up unexpectedly. Motorola said the problem affects only a small number of phones, but there's no way for a...
POSTED Monday, March 13, 2006
Light Sleeper Bedding, created by U.K. design firm Loop.pH, eases you into the day by simulating a natural dawn. Once the timer hits the wake-up time you've set, Light Sleeper's pillow and duvet gradually illuminate over 15 to 20 minutes,...
POSTED Monday, March 13, 2006
Looking to keep your mouse arrow on target, the Wow-Pen is a hybrid of pen and mouse. You scroll and click just like always, except you hold it like a pen so motion feels more natural. Obviously, any onscreen handwriting...
POSTED Monday, March 13, 2006
The truism "money doesn't grow on trees" might have escaped the people running Dutch company White Lake, makers of a 14-carat gold 1-GB USB memory stick. The decadent dandy costs a whopping $3,000. White Lake claims they've already sold 24...
POSTED Monday, March 13, 2006
Bar stools come in handy: Friday debauchery, drowning a broken heart, picking a fight with a muscle-bound 250-pounder… but getting to work? A barfly's dream, the Bar Stool Racer is equipped with a 4.5-horsepower Subaru engine, racing wheels, slick racing...
POSTED Friday, March 10, 2006
Cell-phone cameras are incredibly handy, since, unlike a regular camera, we tend to have them with us when that unexpected Kodak moment pops up. Too bad that most of them deliver pretty iffy picture quality at best. Enter the Samsung...
POSTED Friday, March 10, 2006
The way we hear is a complicated thing. Our brains automatically pick out the parts of a complex sound that are relevant. Certain sounds mask certain other sounds, but since that's the way we hear everything, we don't notice what's...
POSTED Friday, March 10, 2006
Promises about shoes are always suspect. PF Flyers said you'd run faster and jump higher. Not so. But I can guarantee you this: Dada Footwear's Code M basketball sneaks will make your feet more musical. The shiny silver kicks...
POSTED Friday, March 10, 2006
Whether it's soaking in the hot tub, riding down a half-pipe on your snowboard, or sinking your arms elbow-deep into suds while washing the car, there are plenty of situations when wearing a regular watch just isn't too practical....
POSTED Friday, March 10, 2006
You've got a $1,500 Fendi tote and $500 D&G pumps — an Iconz iPod Case probably isn't gonna cut it. For fashionistas cut in the mold of Carrie Bradshaw, Gucci's offering the chocolate calfskin MP3 Case. Priced at $195 for...
POSTED Friday, March 10, 2006
Digital photographers have reason to celebrate. Coming this summer: Secure Digital flash-memory cards with 4 gigabytes of capacity, courtesy Panasonic. Although 4-GB SD cards were first announced last year, Panasonic's will be the first card to meet the SD 2.0...
POSTED Friday, March 10, 2006
The gadget "street" has been buzzing for a while about one word: Origami. That's the code name for Microsoft's project to create a handheld device to rival all others, including Apple's iPod. At the CeBIT trade show in Germany,...
POSTED Thursday, March 9, 2006
A deck of cards and a candle should be enough to enjoy a blackout, but what if the season finale of Dancing with the Stars is on? For apartment dwellers like myself, a personal power generator and its toxic fumes...
POSTED Thursday, March 9, 2006
Ski season is winding down, but it's never too late for an alpine wardrobe upgrade. The Mobile Mitt, created by Orange, gives bundled-up winter athletes easy access to their mobile phones. The waterproof pile-fleece mittens have a pocket on the...
POSTED Thursday, March 9, 2006
Long-distance lovers have tools for maintaining intimacy: e-mail, cell phones, digital cameras… but Wi-Fi drinking glasses? Human-computer interaction experts at MIT's Media Lab believe communal drinking is an important social interaction. They've designed glasses, dubbed the Lover's Cups, equipped with...
POSTED Thursday, March 9, 2006
TiVo, maker of the eponymous digital video recoder, will start giving away DVRs next week. But there's a catch: you'll have to commit to a one-, two-, or three-year payment plan that includes the subscriber service (with the program...
POSTED Thursday, March 9, 2006
Computer mice have seen their share of practical upgrades over the years — scroll wheels, wireless tech, and optical tracking come to mind — but are we ready for the dual-cursor mouse? It appears to work like this: you...
POSTED Wednesday, March 8, 2006
Cheap Viagra offers must have an audience, but for most, spam is the Web's Carrot Top: annoying, repetitive, and impossible to get rid of. Spam Cube can help rid your life of unwanted e-mail (but not Carrot Top, unfortunately). About...
POSTED Wednesday, March 8, 2006
The self-balancing human transporter craze is sadly departed, but Segway's not mailing it in quite yet. First, they introduced the Cross-Terrain Transporter (XT) last summer and now they're sweetening the deal with an optional Explorer package. The XT is...
POSTED Wednesday, March 8, 2006
Here's one for the "why didn't they think of this sooner?" file: rotating power outlets. As anyone who's tried to plug two bulky power adapters into the same wall plate knows, outlets were never designed for today's gadget era....
POSTED Wednesday, March 8, 2006
Word processors are powerful tools, though most old-school writers will tell you they still prefer pen and paper. Now you can have it both ways with the new version of Logitech's io2 electronic pen, which imports your musings directly...
POSTED Wednesday, March 8, 2006
If splattering a fly against the wall doesn't alone satisfy your insect vendetta, you may want to add insult to injury with the Talking Fly Swatter ($17). The wisecracking killer delivers five "hysterical" put-downs, ranging from "Die sucker" to "Gotcha!"...
POSTED Wednesday, March 8, 2006
For those who crave algebra's number circus, the Binary Watch ($95) displays time in binary format. It doesn't actually display zeroes and ones, instead turning specific LEDs on or off. The LEDs are organized in two rows: the top...
POSTED Tuesday, March 7, 2006
Is the rack about to go the way of the thumbscrew and the iron maiden? Er, the A/V equipment rack, that is. For gear-heads, the question is no longer "what's the signal-to-noise ratio on this big black box," but...
POSTED Tuesday, March 7, 2006
Saving a life by mixing man and machine has had varied results: Darth Vader tormented a galaxy, RoboCop saved a city. Still, I'm in no way hesitant about the Brain Computer Interface. The system, developed by researches in Berlin, allows...
POSTED Tuesday, March 7, 2006
For lovers of 1.5-inch TV, Cingular is launching an on-demand mobile-TV service, Cingular Video, running over the company's new 3G wireless network. Subscribers can view three- to five-minute clips from 18 different channels, including Cartoon Network, NBC, ESPN, and HBO....
POSTED Tuesday, March 7, 2006
EarthPulse's On Command ($500) turns your bed into a "magnetic cocoon." Placed under your mattress, the device transmits mild electromagnetic waves lulling your body to sleep. Claims like "enhanced cellular energy" and "the most significant longevity and performance-enhancement discovery ever...
POSTED Tuesday, March 7, 2006
There are plenty of docks out there for jacking your iPod into a home stereo, but their remote controls are pretty simple — capable only of adjusting volume and skipping from one track to the next. If you want to...
POSTED Tuesday, March 7, 2006
For us stuck in winter's purgatory, Sanyo's weather-resistant TV is yet another reason to lust for warm weather. If you're like me, a summer day's well spent soaking up the sun and watching (and you can fill in your own...
POSTED Tuesday, March 7, 2006
Walking a dog at night can be a risky scenario if you live in the country. Without street lamps around, you could trip over some hidden obstacle, or worse, step in one your pet just left. Helping light your way...
POSTED Monday, March 6, 2006
Margaret Atwood isn't just the author of best-selling, award-winning novels like The Handmaid's Tale and Oryx and Crake — she's also the inventor of the LongPen, also known as Unotchit (pronounced you-no-touch-it), a machine with a transcontinental reach that's...
POSTED Monday, March 6, 2006
The Drive Alert Master's goal is to keep weary motorists from falling asleep at the wheel. You set the wake-up angle (options are 15° or 30°) and wear it behind your ear. Then, should you begin to doze off, a...
POSTED Monday, March 6, 2006
Andrew M. sent us this link to a video showing off a wicked "multi-touch" screen. Instead of responding to just one poke at a time like today's touchscreens, a multi-touch display could process several touches at once. The ability would...
POSTED Monday, March 6, 2006
Samsung's announced a Windows Mobile-based phone equipped with an 8-GB hard disk. The SGH-i310, similar in appearance to Samsung's long and straight i300 (launched last year), will include dual speakers, an amplifier, a Bluetooth stereo link, and, of course, a...
POSTED Monday, March 6, 2006
Past burgeoning astronauts spent hours assembling ceiling constellations out of glow stars, but kids today can just plug in Segatoys' HomeStar ($239) projector. With a built-in high-brightness white LED, it turns a bedroom into a planetarium, illuminating starry views on...
POSTED Monday, March 6, 2006
Looking like a prop from Charlie's Angels: The Next Generation, this desktop speakerphone can do a lot more than just relay calls from your boss's secret hideout. Besides being a 2.4-GHz cordless phone, the cube-shaped multigadget contains an FM tuner...
POSTED Monday, March 6, 2006
We all have valuables worth protecting — whether diamond ring, antique Armoire or Rocket Firing Boba Fett L-Slot Prototype — and the Fingerprint Keypad Door Lock ($199) is a modern way to keep thieves at bay. A keyless biometric door...
POSTED Friday, March 3, 2006
Seiko's debuted a working Bluetooth watch prototype that connects to your mobile phone to display incoming calls as well as info on your phone's battery condition, network signal strength, and messages. The prototype allows for customized ringtones and will...
POSTED Friday, March 3, 2006
Watch your back, Blockbuster — there's another rental service in town. MovieBeam, out of trials and into the mainstream, launched its movie-download service in 29 major markets around the country. To start "beaming," customers first have to buy a...
POSTED Friday, March 3, 2006
Using data from a barometer and outdoor temperature and humidity sensors, the Color Weather Forecaster with U.S. Atomic Alarm Clock ($160) gauges the day's weather and "translates" it to you with idyllic sounds and pictures, displayed on a 3.8-inch color...
POSTED Friday, March 3, 2006
Think Secret, an Apple rumors Web site, says it was told by "reliable sources" that Apple is planning a spring launch for the company's long-predicted video-specific iPod. That time frame may be pushed back, however, as Apple talks to the...
POSTED Friday, March 3, 2006
Blurb has developed a publish-your-own-book service, BookSmart. For all us bloggers, long vilified for not practicing a real "literary" craft, our revolution will be published! BookSmart's "Slurper" automatically downloads and reformats blog content into book format. After choosing a design...
POSTED Friday, March 3, 2006
This June, TiVo owners will discover a new feature one morning when they turn on their recorders. Right at the bottom of the main menu will be KidZone, the company's bid to make their trademark boxes more family-friendly. TiVo...
POSTED Thursday, March 2, 2006
Independent PC-game maker S2 Games is planning to release Savage 2: A Tortured Soul as a direct download from its Web site instead of selling it through stores. The game will sell for $30 per download — $20 cheaper than...
POSTED Thursday, March 2, 2006
It's baa-ack. Remember convergence? The idea that the PC and the TV would coexist peacefully in the family room and other "living" rooms in the house? So far it hasn't happened, with pioneer technologies like Microsoft's WebTV and Thomson's Network...
POSTED Thursday, March 2, 2006
Traveling in a foreign land and don't know how to ask where the john is? The Voice Travel Mate is a pocket translator capable of interpreting 700 commonly used phrases among 12 international languages including Spanish, German, French, Italian, and...
POSTED Thursday, March 2, 2006
Are you like me? Do you find headphone cables the No. 1 reason you don't use your iPod all the time? I think we could both use a pair of Bluetooth headphones, which do away with those pesky wires...
POSTED Thursday, March 2, 2006
When it debuted last year, the Adidas_1 was the first shoe to include a built-in computer. The hardware communicates with a motorized cable system, adapting to provide the right level of cushioning for your speed, weight, and running surface. The...
POSTED Wednesday, March 1, 2006
Do those concept lamps at design stores make you think, "I could have made that?" Now you can with a Designer Emulation Kit. Each kit mimics a highly praised designer lamp. You snap out the kit's green plastic pieces from...
POSTED Wednesday, March 1, 2006
Blackbox AV is hoping GPS can guide the tour industry. Frontier, intended primarily for train, bus, and boat tours, is the Welsh company's "intelligent guide while you ride." Audio tours are typically designed around estimations of where a tour...
POSTED Wednesday, March 1, 2006
Next time you upgrade your cell phone, be sure to dump your old one legally or you could be slapped with a stiff fine. States and municipalities across the country are clamping down on cell-phone waste, hoping to cut the...
POSTED Wednesday, March 1, 2006
I never thought poking someone in the face was a good conversation starter, until TeleFace came along. The home phone allows you to call a friend or family member just by pressing their photo. Install images on the handset of...
POSTED Wednesday, March 1, 2006
Sony Ericsson showed off its new batch of phones yesterday in New York, including an entry-level Walkman phone and a pair of 3-megapixel cameraphones. For those who like to keep the number of gadgets in your pocket to a...
POSTED Wednesday, March 1, 2006
The IntelliScanner Wine Collector 150 is designed for the accomplished connoisseur. A personal handheld barcode scanner, it picks up the wine's name, varietal, winery, country, type, color, and region. Then, connecting to your computer via USB or Bluetooth, it...
POSTED Wednesday, March 1, 2006
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Editor: Peter Pachal
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