Gadgets Galore
GO GO GADGETS*They come loaded with acronyms like GPS and LED, but underneath all of the tech lingo, they’re really just toys for adults. Here’s our list of 20 cool gismos that will make your work time more effi cient, and your fun time more enjoyable.
words by > Nick Burry
01
Outdoors/Sustainability
> The Juice Bag
$275 www.rewarestore.com
The Juice Bag is a boon for the both the tech-savvy hiker and the urban environmentalist. A solar paneled backpack, the Juice Bag converts the sun’s rays into power for your cell phone, MP3 player or digital camera. Under the right conditions, the fl exible and sturdy solar panel generates enough juice to charge any 12-volt electronic device as quickly as a wall socket. The new ES Series bags take sustainability a step further—the bag material is woven from recycled, shredded soda bottles.
02
Barbecuing
> The Grill Alert Talking Remote Thermometer
$75 www.brookstone.com
The origins of barbecuing may be primitive, but there are plenty of high-tech gadgets to help take the guesswork out of grilling. The Grill Alert Talking Remote Thermometer allows weekend grill-masters to spend more time with guests, and less time with smoke in their eyes. The thermometer is connected to a wireless transmitter which sends cooking updates to a small LCD receiver. The “chef” can mingle up to 300 feet away, confi dent that the receiver’s voice alert will announce when food has reached a preprogrammed temperature, thereby preventing under-or-overcooked meat.
03
Health
> Snore Stopper
$59 www.gadgetuniverse.com
Roughly one out of three people snore on a regular basis. And it isn’t just annoying; snoring can leave you and your spouse tired in the morning, and can even lead to potentially dangerous conditions like sleep apnea. The Snore Stopper can help reduce the frequency and volume of snoring. Biosensors on the wrist-worn device register snores and deliver a gentle impulse on the skin that causes the snorer to change position without waking up. It’s less invasive than surgery and far gentler than a whack from a pillow.
04
Portable Audio
Samsung Helix XM2go
$399 www.xmradio.com
Gone are the days when you needed a large tuner to receive satellite radio. XM’s new portable audio player not only downloads and plays MP3s, it also lets you listen to live and recorded XM content. The Helix stores 50 hours of XM programming and allows you to bookmark songs for later purchase and download onto your PC via Napster. The customizable stock and sports tickers are just two of many handy features that make this the next level in portable audio.
05
>Golf
iGolf GPS Caddie
$230 www.igolf.com
Perhaps it’s the thoughtful pace of the game, or maybe it’s the agonizing precision required, but there are more performance-improving gadgets for golf than any other sport. The iGolf GPS Caddie is one of the more effective products for shaving points off your score. Pocket range fi nders have been on the market for a while, but they can be diffi cult to use accurately. The palm-sized iGolf is virtually foolproof. It uses GPS to pinpoint your location against pre-downloaded maps of courses, giving you exact distances to the front, center and back of the green. It also highlights hazards in your approach. Unfortunately, it can’t help correct your slice.
06
> Garden
Solar Wireless Rain/Freeze Sensor
$64 www.smarthome.com
Your automatic irrigation system might know what time to start and stop the sprinklers, but it can’t predict sudden rainfall. The Solar Powered Rain/Freeze Sensor wirelessly transmits rain conditions to your watering system and automatically shuts off the sprinklers during downpours. It saves money and eliminates needless wasting of water. The unit also contains a freeze sensor that protects your lawn by preventing watering during freezing conditions.
07
> Bluetooth Laser Virtual Keyboard
$180 www.virtual-laser-keyboard.com
For anyone suffering from a numb thumb brought on by awkward text messaging, the Bluetooth Laser Virtual Keyboard may be the answer. It’s a full-size keyboard that fi ts in your pocket. Standing only 3.5 inches tall, the device projects a glowing red keyboard on any fl at surface. Satisfying key-click sounds enhance the typing experience, and messages can be sent via Bluetooth enabled PDAs and cell phones. The rechargeable battery lasts for 120 minutes, plenty of time to shoot off a few emails from the surface of a café table.
08
>Reading
Sony Portable Reader System
$349 www.sony.com
Reading from an electronic screen is something that most of us are forced to do at work, not something we would choose to do during our leisure hours. The Sony Portable Reader System is changing the perception of the digital reading experience. New E Ink technology creates a display screen that is almost paper-like, therefore easy on the eyes. The unit is less than nine ounces, only a half-inch thick, and boasts a six-inch viewing screen that has nearly a 180-degree viewing angle. The Sony Reader comes equipped with software that allows for browsing thousands of book titles as well as downloading web content like blogs and news feeds.
09
> Extreme Fashion
Audex Ordinance Padded Hat with Bluetooth Speakers
$179 http://motorola.digitalriver.com
Extreme sports seem to inspire a fusion of fashion and technology, and snowboarding in particular has a style all its own. The functional and fashionable Audex Ordinance padded hat keeps your head warm and your senses stimulated on the street or on the mountain. It has built-in Motorola Bluetooth speakers, so you can wirelessly take calls on the lift or listen to your playlist while shredding the slopes. The hat also features a wind-resistant, hands-free microphone, so you can pre-order a hot beverage at the lodge below.
10
> Accessory
Kena Kai Data-safe Wallet
$49 www.kenakai.com
The DataSafe wallet protects you against the next generation of pickpockets. Contactless credit cards (cards with microchips that transmit data without swiping) are becoming increasingly popular. The leather in the DataSafe wallet contains multiple layers of radio-frequency shielding material that will thwart any thief who tries to illicitly capture your personal information. The DataSafe is also commuter friendly: fl ip it open to transmit your bus or subway pass, and fl ip it shut to maintain secure mode.
11
> Automotive
Traffic Gauge
$79 www.traf.#64257;cgauge.com
Channeling real-time traffi c info directly to your car, the Traffi cGauge is currently available in the gridlock capitals of LA/Orange County, the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle. It pinpoints congestion and updates a handheld digital map up to every four minutes—not only does it help drivers decide which routes to avoid, Traffi cGauge also helps reduce stress by clueing commuters in on what to expect ahead. Traffi cGauge can also transmit info to your PC and cell phone to help coordinate your next trip.
12
> Digital Recording
iKEY Portable Plus USB Recorder
$279 www.ikey-audio.com
For musicians on the go, the iKey Plus is a two-pound studio that can record live audio directly to MP3 or WAV format. The iKey is compatible with external USB storage devices (such as iPods), which makes it easy to back up. It’s suitable for recording speeches and interviews, and it also does a surprisingly good job capturing live music.
13
> Camping
Firefly
$21 www.guyotdesigns.com
The most useful camping gadgets are the ones that reduce the amount of weight you have to carry. The Firefl y completely eliminates the need for an extra appliance—it transforms your water bottle into a liquid lantern. The product features an adjustable LED light built into a lid that fi ts all standard wide mouth bottles. It’s useful for lighting trails or reading in the tent. But above all, the illuminated liquid just looks cool.
14
> Sewing
Brother Innov-is 4000D
$7,500 www.brother-usa.com
With the popularity of design-themed reality TV shows and the renaissance of the arts and crafts movement, sewing has a new cool image. The Innov-is 4000D sewing machine may cost as much as a decent used car, but the functions will do more than save you a stitch in time. A huge color LCD touch screen control panel and dual USB ports —for uploading embroidery patterns—make the 4000D the most technologically advanced sewing machine on the market.
15
> TEEN
Home Entertainment
TiVo Series 3
$799 www.tivo.com
TiVo has revolutionized television watching to the point where “to TiVo” is a legitimate verb. With TiVo Series 3, the basic premise is the same: you can program and record your favorite shows to watch at your convenience. But the Series 3 takes it one step further. Crystal picture lovers will adore the ability to capture 32 hours of high-defi nition programming. Surround sound fanatics will appreciate that the Series 3 is the world’s fi rst THX-certifi ed digital media recorder. And for those concerned with functionality, the new TiVo can now record two shows simultaneously.
16
> Camera Accessory
Sony GPS-CS1
$149 www.sonystyle.com
With the explosion of digital cameras on the market, it’s only natural that a wave of camera accessories should follow. One of the coolest new gadgets is Sony’s GPS-CS1, a device that allows you not only to time stamp your photos, but also “place stamp” them. The GPS-CS1 uses satellite info to pinpoint your position when you snap your shots. With Sony’s Picture Motion Browser software, images can be uploaded to an online map, where friends can track your photo adventure.
17
> Toy
The Carbon Butterfly Radio Controlled Plane
$299 www.plantraco.com
For years, hobbyists have been constructing tiny, ultra-light “penny planes” out of balsa wood and tissue paper, but fl ight time has always been limited to the number of twists in a rubber band. Indoor fl ight has evolved; the Carbon Butterfl y is an unbelievably small, motorized R/C plane that can take off and land on your coffee table. The living room is plenty of space for the three-gram plane to practice aerial maneuvers. You’d think that something so light would be fragile, but the specially engineered carbon fi ber frame makes the Butterfl y both fl exible and durable.
18
> Cleanup
The Dyson Root 6
$149 www.dyson.com
It’s not clear whether the muscle-car design of the Dyson Root 6 handheld vacuum actually improves the performance, or just makes you feel cooler while sucking up dust bunnies. What is clear is that the Root 6’s patented Root Cyclone technology ensures that the handheld will never clog and never lose suction. The Root 6 also features a long neck that can poke into hard-to-reach places and a one-touch emptying bin that makes cleanup quick and hygenic.
19
> Office
Germ Free Wireless Laser Mouse
$39 www.iogear.com
IOGEAR’s germ-free mouse is your fi rst line of defense against workplace germs. The mouse features a six-foot wireless range and advanced laser technology for exceptional tracking, but the real selling point is its germ resistant surface. The titanium and silver coating neutralizes proteins and enzymes in bacteria and viruses that land on the surface, eliminating 99% of germs from the mouse.
20
> Pets
Global Pet Finder
$349 www.petgadgetscom.br>
The Global Pet Finder lets you keep tabs on Fido’s whereabouts without any painful zapping from shock collars. The owner determines the “fence area” and logs it into the online command center where it automatically downloads to the pet’s GPS collar. If your pet strays from the safety area, the collar will alert you via cell phone or PDA, and continue to track the coordinates of the wayward pooch.