According to Ambient Devices, you'll never get caught in the rain if you have the Ambient Umbrella. The Ambient Umbrella alerts you to upcoming rain by illuminating the umbrella's handle with different lighting patterns that predict the weather. If the handle shows a slow pulse of light, that means sporadic rain; the faster it blinks, the more intense the storm. Ambient suggests you keep it standing (handle up) by the front door — that way you can't miss the blinking light on your way out. See a close-up of the handle after the jump.

What makes the Ambient Umbrella so smart? It receives weather data from AccuWeather.com via Ambient's broadcast Infocast Network. It won't work for everyone, though, because while Ambient's Infocast network reaches many households, it doesn't reach all of them. Then there's the price: $125, making it the most expensive umbrella you'll ever own — or in my case the most expensive umbrella I'll ever lose. And then there's this alternative: You can always look out the window. — Ken Sander