Strange Gadgets sent in by listeners to WBAL and the Daily Giz Wiz.
Remember “Clocky” The Alarm Clock that Walks Away When It Rings? Here’s Another Weird One! Laser Target Alarm Clock – This is for the person who has a hard time getting up and is forever shutting off the clock and falling back asleep. You place the Laser Target Alarm Clock on the other side of your bedroom. When you wake to the sound of alarm you just can’t reach over and shut it off. No way! You have to pick up your laser ‘gun’ take aim at the target to shut it off. That should get you angry enough to get up and make some coffee and stay up! Right now it’s available overseas for. £19.58. That’s about $40.00 US.Postage? Hmm, I have no idea! http://www.redferret.net/?p=10400
Think that’s weird?How about using your iPod to Whiten Your Teeth!
Here’s some “serious” info from the company’s website: The Institute for the Advancement of Musical Science researches and develops new products using musical energy as the base science.Founder and Scientific Director Mr. Mike Williams and the rest of the institute's team works with music to invent new and unique products that are fun, effective, and simple to use and understand. Professor Bocelli's Musical Tooth Whitening is the most exciting, unique and fun whitening system ever invented! Soon, millions of people will be whitening their teeth with their favorite music using their cd players, mp3 players, cell phones, and computers. The kit comes with musical whitening tray with speakers, high quality headphones and tray cable with in-line volume control, 14 dissolving whitening strips, and one whitening pen with free pressure tray in clear storage tube. Whitening strips have 5% peroxide and whitening pen has 9% peroxide. Price: $29.95 www.rockmyteeth.com
Are You Old Enough To Remember The Typewriter?
Well now there’s the Typewriter Key Necklace! The necklace has a single letter from an authentic vintage typewriter, backed to a sterling silver finding. It hangs on an 18" silver chain. "Q" is for Quilter. What more do you need to say? Vintage typewriter key necklaces are extremely well made, but because typewriters weren't meant to go swimming or into the shower, don't take your necklace into the water with you. Supplies are limited. You have been warned! $36.00 Color: Cream http://www.amisimms.com/tykeyne.html
WBAL – MAY 19th, 2008
Cables running everywhere behind your desk, and/or your home theatre system?
Monster Cable-It To The Rescue!
Cables have a tendency to tangle. And us geeky types with our home theaters, home offices, project studios, and more – have tons of cables. Is there an easy way to organize them. Well, yes. Monster Cable-It provides an really simple way to tidy up any cable mess. They’re available in three sizes for both small jobs and big projects, with can hold as many as 12 cables and cords. Cable-It can make all your spaces cleaner and more organized. Here’s how it works – although you should watch the video to really get the idea. But basically you gather up your cables. Choose the correct size Cable-it. Snap open the Monster Cable Holder and insert your cables. Close the Zipper around the cables and pull it down the length of the cable. Suddenly all your cables are uniformly organized. But like I said, watch the video. Prices start under $13 for the small 8’ Cable-It up to about $100 for a 50’ spool of Cable-It. http://www.monstercable.com/productdisplay.asp?pin=4675 I did a Netcast on this product.Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw561 A USB Flash Drive Like No Other I Know About. SanDisk Cruzer Titanium Plus 4GB flash drive is very different from any USB flash drive you own or even know about. (I think!) This 4 GB USB drive will automatically transfer all copied files to online storage. Talk about safe keeping.Even if you lose the drive your files are there online. The online service itself is powered by BelnSync, a private Israeli company specializing in data synchronization, and storage space is provided by Amazon Web Services, a subsidiary of Amazon.com. The drive waits for an Internet connection and then transfers all data to your password-secured account. The first six months of the service are free, after you have to pay $30 a year, which is $2.50 a month. When you stop paying, your files disappear from the web in about a week. Also included is two years of free service from BoomerangIt, a service where you affix labels to your equipment that offers cash rewards for lost goods in hopes that people will mail the items back to you. The drive backs up only when it is connected to PCs running Windows. You can get access to the backed-up files from any Web browser. If you prefer not to pay for the service, the Cruzer can still be used as a regular thumb drive. www.sandisk.com I did a Netcast on this gizmo.Hear it here:www.twit.tv/dgw563 How’s This For Comparison To the Cruzer Flashdrive? do a weekly Netcast (Podcast) called The Daily GizWiz. One of the most popular days of the week is Friday. That’s the day we do Dick’s Gadget Warehouse, a look at technology of the past. We recently talked about the IBM Microdrive. It was developed and launched in 1999 by IBM with a capacity of 170 MB. Over the years it expanded to 8 GB by 2006. But let’s look at prices. The 4 GB San Disk USB Flash Drive above lists for about $60. I found a review of the IBM Microdrive from just about 9 years ago. Price? Are you sitting down?Back then the 1GB Microdrive was about $360, the 512MB Microdrive $260. Today you can buy an entire PC cheapie system for $360. Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw570
Monday, May 12th, 2008
Gadgets you probably don’t know about ---
“Going Green” has brought many new products. One of the more unusual ones is the Hymini.Looking at it, you would think it was a small battery operated fan, but it’s not. It has a battery inside, but the fan is there to charge it!Once the internal battery is charged you use it to charge almost all of your 5V digital gadgets (mp3 players, iPod’s, digital cameras etc.) via the included USB cable. You keep the Hymini battery up by harnessing the power of the wind, as well as solar energy with an optional solar charger. They also offers bike holders and arm bands so you can charge the device on the go. The arm band will also be quite a conversation starter. $8.99 for either the Arm or the Bike Kit.You can add a solar panel to charge the Hymini for an additional $24.99. Inside the device is a 1200 mAh built in lithium ion polymer rechargeable battery power bank. Hymini $49.99. www.hymini.com Dispenses tape and USB connectivity Think Geek bills themselves as “official fans of multi-function gadgets, especially those of the USB variety”. So, this USB hub and tape dispenser combo hits right in the sweet spot. Yes, we suppose it could be improved if it held a roll of duct tape instead of regular invisible tape. This is a USB 2.0 hub and tape dispenser with 4 ports. Three ports on the side can be rotated 180 degrees. Data transfer rate is up to full high speed (480Mbps) and its plug-and-play capable with no power required. Link up to a maximum of 127 USB devices. USB mouse is not included, sorry!$11.99. http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/gear/95e8/ You Gave Me What????As a Gift? Gotcha Gift Boxes look exactly like a product you’d find at Macys, or your gift store. But the products aren't real. However, the empty boxes are real! The plan is to wrap your otherwise forgettable gift in one of these “gift” boxes. They watch as they struggle to feign enthusiasm for a smoke alarm that would probably kill them if it were real. Or take joy as their faces fall upon realizing there is no such thing as a hat-affixed pocket accessory—just a crappy bric-a-brac inside you waited until the last moment to buy. Sold through the Onion website, the best value is the four pack. Your GotchaBox 4-pack includes one each of the following: (1) Visorganizer, (1) 28-Piece Professional Whisk Set, (1) Peaceful Progression Smoke Alarm, (1) Auto Power Strip. Box dimensions: 12"x9"x4"All four for $19.99or $7.99 each www.gotchabox.com
Monday, May 5th, 2006.Cheap gadgets
No, we’re not talking about not the noisy guy in the cubicle next to yours! We’re talking about Animal Clips - playful, soft little animal heads that will hold all sorts of desktop wires in place for you! They’re from the folks at Cable Organizers and they're all-purpose clips to hold lots of stuff. Best of all, they are very inexpensive!! Add personality and charm to any dull workspace. (They won't help with your actual work, though!) Use them to organizes your cables, neaten up your desk, and help protect your equipment. They help because they'll be less wires to trip over or accidentally pull on! They use hook and loop attachment for versatility. And there are 30 designs to choose from. Kids love them! I love them. You’ll love them! A great way to get kids to organize their gadgets. Can be used for USB flash drives, cables, ear bud headphones, etc. Cost?55 cents each!!!! (Plus shipping). The best deal is get all 30 for $14.50 (Plus shipping.)
With the travel season upon us, here’s a neat new travel item. MyTags travel bag tags. They’re made of heavy duty polyester webbing with heavy duty steel split key ring (to prevent getting caught in the baggage handling systems). The key ring is stronger and far more catch free than leather straps with buckles. Inside every MyTag travel bag tag are two clear pockets, the first for name and address, the second for your current trip itinerary so that if your bag gets separated from you, the carrier knows how and where to get a hold of you or to forward your bag to you. You can them with catchy slogans already on them, such as: GRAB THE NEXT ONE, DIRTHY CLOTHES, NOT YOURS, etc.Or you can have them custom embroidered like one that says The Giz Wiz. I think this is another great idea for travel. 3 Tags for $29.95, plus S&H.
Here’s a clever idea – and an inexpensive one too!
Socket Pocketcreates the perfect place to store your electrical items while charging, keeping them safe and secure.Just remove that little screw that holds the cover plate over a two plug outlet and replace it with a Socket Pocket. Put it anywhere – it’s great to use in the kitchen, bedroom, office, dorm or garage. Besides cell phones, PDA’s and ipods, the Socket Pocket is great for holding almost anything. Use it while charging digital cameras, MP3 Players or Bluetooth devices. It can also hold non-recharging items, like pens, scissors, keys, paper, remote controls, you name it.Two for $10.In white, tan and soon, many new colors.
SanDisk Introduces Another Great Audio/Video Player – The Sansa Fuze.
With each new device, SanDisk ups the ante for performance. They say you can now listen, watch and play all day with 24 hours of battery life and room for up to 2000 songs. (Your battery life will vary, depending on what you listen to and watch. Video will reduce that number. The new Sansa Fuze from SanDisk is a portable music machine with 2GB, 4GB, or 8GB of storage. Watch your favorite video clips on the Sansa Fuze’s 1.9" color screen. (You’re not going to want to watch wide screen epics on this screen, but to watch a recorded TV show while waiting for the bus, it’s ideal!) There’s a built in FM radio with 40 preset stations, a built-in voice recorder, and you can share your photos wherever you go. The Fuze marks the next wave of music & video players. The pricing is very aggressive!2GB BLACK$79.99/4GB BLUE$99.99 / 8GB Silver model $129.99. A few other colors are available. Check their website:
With the Neuros OSD. Start by connecting the Neuros OSD to your DVD player, VCR, cable box or video camera. Then plug your storage device into Neuros OSD. Storage device includes USB flash drive, external hard drive, and memory cards. Then hit “play” on the DVD/video player/etc and hit “record” on the Neuros OSD. The output from the DVD/video will record to your storage in real time. Once your video content is archived, it appears in a menu on your OSD
Play back your video anytime on your TV, PC or laptop, or your portable video playerBecause the OSD saves the recordings in the popular compressed video format MPEG-4, the programs can be watched on a host of devices, including iPods and smart phones. So if tired of stacks of DVDs and VHS tapes piled everywhere, and falling everywhere, the Neuros can become your electronic housekeeper. You can record an entire library on a U.S.B. hard drive. $250. (But do a web search and you can find it under $200.)
The Brookstone iConvert can bring those old favorites into the digital age. It’s a
USB turntable that converts old records – 33’s & 45’sto MP3 files instantly as you play them —no computer necessary! It’s really easy to use. Just insert a flash drive or SD®/MMC memory card, play your album, and press “record.” Your favorite songs are instantly transformed into digital MP3 files. There’s no computer, so there’s no software—it records directly onto your digital storage device in real time. The built in sound is okay, but you wouldn’t want to be your full time music system. It even comes with remote control, but you supply the 2 AAA batteries. I think this is an excellent value at$129.00. It’s branded Brookstone, so I’m assuming it’s an exclusive with them. By the way, I did receive a comment from a person who has a pristine classical record collection he wanted to digitize. He found the turntable was not professional enough for his needs. So it’s better suited for the casual record collector, which includes me.
The new, improved Giz Wiz LED Logo Hat! It features the Giz Wiz's new two color designer logo!
A new on/off switch built into the brim!
A new battery holder built into the liner!
A new easy way to change batteries!
New easy-to-adjust to size Velcro strap!
Lower profile!
Just $3 more than the original hat - $22.99 includes all the new features.
Available starting January 10th! So order one now! Shipping is $5.99 and it goes Priority Mail!
IMPORTANT!!!! Here's the bad news on postage to Canada. I just sent my first Canadian LED hat order. Priority Mail to Canada is $15.20. That's what I pay, I don't make any money on postage. And I need to fill out a customs form and deliver the package in person to the post office on the same day as the label is printed and dated. The only good news is that it's the same price to mail one hat or two hats. So you if live in Canada and have a friend who wants to order one, you can divide the postage. PayPal isn't set up to apply the proper postage, so if you order one or two hats, I'll send you PayPal invoice for the difference in postage. I wish was cheaper and easier, but it's not.
Travel Gadgets, Part 2, Monday, April 21th, 2008
Here’s a Great Way to Cover Strange Sounds When You Travel.The Marsona Sound Machine helps muffle unfamiliar hotel noises with regular, soothing sounds that help you get a good night's sleep, even if you've got a case of jet lag. You can count on traffic noise, comings-and-goings in the hallway, and noisy neighbors. Add a case of jet lag and you're likely to have big problems getting a good night's sleep. That's why so many experienced travelers depend on their MarsonaSound Machines to mask these sleep-disturbing noises. Just plug it in, select the natural sound you'd like to lull you to sleep (from "rainfall" to "waterfall" to "surf"), adjust the volume, and sink into the peaceful, calming sounds of nature. Includes dual-voltage power pack, nylon travel pouch.
Another Travel Clock with Different Useful Features. Eagle Creek Multi-Function Travel Clock is an alarm clock, calculator and currency converter in one! This versatile alarm clock from Eagle Creek is compact and lightweight, yet offers so many travel-friendly features. It tells the time in 16 cities around the world with just the push of a button, and there's a full-function calculator and currency converter built right in! Alarm has a 5-minute snooze function, and the easy-to-read screen (no light) even displays the date and temperature. Takes button batteries (included) and comes with a handy travel pouch. (4½ x 2½ x ½"; 3 oz)$14.85 www.magellans.com Here’s Something Very Expensive That Will Worth It’s Worth in Gold if You Need It! The TT Pack. (Toiletry Travel Package).This little plastic pack is great for those unknown restrooms when you travel. Throw one in your pocket, even for a day trip. Perfect for luggage, the glove compartment, backpack, etc. Inside each packet you’ll find • Toilet seat cover • Toilet seat wipe • Hand wipe • Tissue • Paper towel • and Disposable glove! When I first found them the manufacturer was selling them wholesale for a buck a pack, plus shipping. But I'm afraid we drove so much traffic to their website that other websites selling the TT Pack got annoyed. So now they're only available at retail. Best price I found was 10 for $25, or $2.50 each. But trust me, if you go into a filthy restroom and really need to use it, you'll find it was a great investment! www.ttpacks.com Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw558 www.ttpacks.com
Monday, April 14th, 2008 Travel Gadgets
Need More Outlets in Your Hotel Room?
The Belkin Mini Surge Protector with USB Charger. Hotel rooms and airport terminals never seem to have enough power outlets to plug in and charge all the devices us geeky types bring along when we travel. Belkin knows that too because those folks are on the road a lot. Thanks to their new gizmo you can now you can add 3 AC outlets, two USB charging ports, and peace of mind on business trips and vacations with the Belkin Mini Surge Protector. It has a rotating plug so you can face the device in the direction that is most convenient. And there’s a green LED to let you know the surge protection is on. It even comes with a full size to mini USB charging cable. And I’m sure you know this, but Belkin has this important warning on their website: Important: This product’s USB outlets cannot be used as a USB hub and does not transmit data. The powered USB outlets on this unit are intended solely for charging devices that can be charged via a USB interface$24.99.
Here’s a Piece of Rolling Luggage that Turns into a Cart!
It’s called Porter Case. Porter Case manufactures rolling airline carry-on size hard-side, wheeled travel cases with a big difference. Unlock the top of the case and it folds down to become a cart that carries 200 pounds of luggage on top! This is a neat idea. They make five sizes and many models for your travel needs. Transport, protect and organize your valuables inside and stack on the rest. Great for computers, cameras, projectors and more. Price start at about $130.
An Alarm Clock that Set’s It’s Own Time & Has a Built-in Flashlight!
From the folks at Magellan’s -NEW Seiko Global Atomic Travel Alarm Clockw/Flashlight. Keeps perfect time, but if you need to move around a strange hotel room in the middle of the night, just pick up the clock and the built-in, automatic LED flashlight turns on. This new, easy-to-set alarm clock picks up radio signals from atomic time transmitters in the United States, Europe, Japan and the Far East, adjusting automatically to each region where there is a transmitter (it functions as an accurate quartz clock in other countries.) A handy flashlight built into the base shines a bright blue LED light whenever you pick up the clock and turns itself off when you set it down. Has soft backlighting, five-minute snooze, date, calendar and temperature display. Includes four AAA batteries. (4¼ x 2"; 72 dB)Under $45.
It’s The Power-Failure Light from the Hammacher Catalog. This device attaches between the socket and bulb of a standard table or floor lamp and automatically provides up to 8 hours of uninterrupted light from six bright LEDs as soon as power is lost, eliminating the need to search for a flashlight during a blackout. Powered by built-in rechargeable batteries that automatically recharge via the lamp socket once power is restored and never require replacement, the device has an integrated photocell that detects ambient light and prevents the LEDs from turning on during the daytime or when power is restored. Compatible with incandescent and compact fluorescent bulbs. 5" H x 5" W x 3" D. (3 1/2 lbs.)Hammacher................. $39.95
A Whole New Kind of Lighting System --- Energizer Light On Demand
Energizer is introducing seven different Light On Demand products that only are great for everyday lighting, but double as emergency lighting too. I’ve seen 3 of the 7 products and they are very easy to install. A couple of the devices just need to be plugged into an AC outlet. Since they use LED’s, they’re energy efficient and affordable. The basis of each device is the unique LED light stick which contains a backup, rechargeable battery pack. That means your light can come on automatically during power outages or other emergencies All the Light on Demand products automatically default to rechargeable batteries in the instance standard electricity is cut off. But the light sticks do double duty. They function in their specific product, but they can also be detached and serve as an area light and/or a flashlight when the power goes out, providing continual, emergency lighting. The pricing is reasonable. All the Light on Demand devices will be under $50. Target will carry them first, and then they’ll be rolled out more widely.
I did a Net/Podcast on this gizmo. Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw539
Here’s a Flashlight with a Built-in Flashlight!
And it’s called the Stanley Tripod Flashlight
This new Stanley Tripod Flashlight more powerful that it’s predecessor. If you want the latest one look for model 95-146. It offers twice the light output at the same or just slightly higher price. Features include: High power LED with 40 Lumens of light output. Hands-free tripod design. Push a button, the legs spring open and you have a tripod to hold the flashlight for you. Aim it where you need light with the 4 position rotating head. 369 technology lets the flashlight run on 3, 6, or 9 AA batteries. More batteries equals longer burn times. A nice is the low-battery indicator. Easy to hold with the water-resistant and slip-resistant rubber grip. Also has a shatter-resistant lens. The 3-position switch - low, high, off.Price around $25 to $30.It is just starting to ship in April.
Watch out! Lock the Doors! It’s the Battery Eater!
This is a fun, fairly inexpensive gadget from our friends over at www.spoonsisters.com. Even when you think the last little drop of power is gone from your AA batteries, you know there’s still some energy in there. Now you can use that remaining bit of power to have some fun. Just feed your double A's to the power-hungry Battery Eater and watch his LED eyes flash on and off until your battery is truly dead. When he’s finished, you can recycle them. Made from an exposed circuit board with bent-wire hair and a capacitor for a nose, he’s just doing his part to keep the world Green, and you will be too. But there’s more! Battery Eater is also a magnet, so you can stick him on the fridge to bring attention to important notes. $7.50
You don’t have to wait for the rain to see a rainbow.
Now when you have your own Rainbow Projector. This is great for kid’s room, or for any room you’d like to see a rainbow. Project an colorful rainbow in your room with just a wave of your hand! This motion activated projector shines a brilliant rainbow across your wall and ceiling. Place it on your nightstand or desk for the ultimate under the rainbow moment!I played with this quite a bit.Of course the lighter the color on your walls, the brighter the rainbow image. I found it worked best tilted on its side to project a large rainbow on the ceiling. You can turn the multicolor LEDs on with a wave of your hand. It run on 4 AAA Batterieswhich are not included. And there’s a jack for an AC adapter which is also not included. But the price is pretty good. $29.95. Measures approximately 9” tallx4.5"wide. http://shmyl.com/hyspson I recorded a Netcast on this product. Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw538
Perpetual Kid 500 XL Desktop Earbud Speakers
Several Daily Giz Wiz listeners asked if I had heard these speakers or had seen them in person. Our friends at Perpetual Kid sent me a pair to play with. They're desktop speakers designed to look exactly like a pair of iPod earbuds - except they are 500 times bigger! The sound is not "knock out" quality, but there impressive for their size and their price. And people will freak out when they see them on your desk! I recorded a video so you can see them for yourself. Click on link on the right. These speakers include a built-in amp, and they're powered by either batteries, USB (included), or a standard wall-plug power supply (which is not included). peakers measures approx 7" long x 4" in diameter. Rating Power: 3 Watt Cost is $49.99
I recorded a Netcast on this product. Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw
Gadgets from The Miami International Boat Show
Light for Docks & Decks.
At the Miami International Boat Show, the H2 LED Dock, Marina and Pier Lights by TouchStone Accent Lighting took home an Innovation Award in the Consumer Installed Docking & Fendering Equipment category. The H2 LED cleat light is a simple, well-engineered and sleek light available in 12-volt or solar versions that mount under a standard 10-inch cleat.This company has been doing custom lighting for gardens and grounds, but customers near the water kept asking for dock lighting. So they branched out into lights that can be installed on a dock, or even the boat itself. The solar powered versions make it easy for the boater to locate the deck and cleats when returning home after dark. Prices about $50.
Walker Bay Boats’ Airis High-Pressure Inflatable Kayak was deemed the winner in the Inflatables, Small Boats Up to 15’ and Tenders category. Constructed using patent-pending AirWeb technology, this one-of-a-kind performance hull design can be inflated to more than six psi, resulting in a rigid and stable platform that is lightweight and compact enough to be carried as a backpack. The Airis Play 8 is eight feet in length, 15 lbs and retails at $749, while the Airis Play 9.5 is a little over nine feet long, weighs 18 lbs and retails at $849. The Airis Sport has a longer hull design for better tracking and features more storage making it well suited for short expeditions. The Airis Sport 10 is ten feet in length, 20 lbs and retails for $1,149, while the Airis Sport 11 is eleven feet long, weighs 21 lbs and retails for $1,249. Walker Bay stands behind all Airis Kayaks with a 2-year limited warranty. Contact Walker Bay Boats for more information
It’s not really for the general consumer, but it is perfect for medical facilities, hospitals, beauty salons, computer clean rooms, model homes, etc. The Little Bootie Boxcan help maintain a germ free, professional environment. Its a hassle free foot covering device. Just put one foot in the Little Bootie Box and push down. In a second your foot is fitted with a plastic bootie. Do the other foot and you’re ready to walk on parquet floors, white carpeting, etc. The company says it meets and exceeds health codes. At the boat show, some manufacturer’s were using this before people boarded brand new boats to look around. If you have white carpeting maybe you should have one near the front door for guests to use. $99.00. 96 Plastic Bootie Covers $21.
WBAL, Monday, March 17th. Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Neat Things that Aren’t Toys Found at Toy Fair
Pet’s Eye View Camera. Ever wonder what life is like for your pet? Uncle Milton’s Pet’s Eye View Camera gives you a dog’s-eye (or cat’s eye) view of their world with this lightweight digital camera that attaches easily around the neck of your dog or cat. Set the self-timer to take a picture every 1, 5 or 15 minutes. When you come home you can download the photos directly to your computer with the included USB cord. Then you’ll be able to take a sneak peek into the secret world of your pet!Ages 6 and up. SRP: $49.99. FALL www.unclemilton.com A great safety device for under $10! SparxLine Safety LED Helmet Strobe. This is a helmet light that auto activates when it senses the movement of the helmet. Auto shut-off -- after the helmet stops moving for 22 seconds, the light will turn off. Attach with super adhesive tape (included) that’s weather and water resistant. Batteries last up to 80 hrs and are replaceable. A set of free replacement batteries included. LED's rated for 100,000 hrs (about 11 yrs) Hi-visibility up to 1/2 mile away. Available starting this spring in motorcycle and bicycle shops. Wal-Mart by late summer. Under $10. 1-800-878-3413 or go to www.sparxline.com . It’s a kid’s alarm clock and a teach tool! Teach Me Time Talking Alarm Clock. There are interactive games on this analog and digital alarm clock. The games can be tailored to a child’s age.It also serves as a night light. And there’s a special “Okay to wake” light parents can set. It tells the child it okay to get out of bed if they wake up early. Coming soon. Under $40. It will first be available at the company’s own website where you can pre-order it now: www.americaninnovative.com Don't forget. The Pet Cam won't be available until the fall. The Helmet Light and the Teach Me Clock will be available first on the manufacturer's website. Probably in early spring, so check back often.
WBAL, Monday, March 10th, 2008
Toys from Toy Fair 08.
Be aware that these toys are not available now. Some aren’t due out until the fall.Bookmark the manufacturer’s website so you can check back later.
A Microscope with a Built-in Camera!
The new EyeClops BioniCam, is the next generation of EyeClops with one new feature they claim they did because of something I said on ABC News. That I wished there was more than one magnification. Well now kids can adjust the new multi-zoom lens for 100x, 200x or 400x magnification. And with BioniCam’s new portability feature, kids can now take EyeClops on-the-go: a color LCD screen and clip-on battery pack allows kids to view amazing discoveries right on the hand-held EyeClops unit, anywhere! And finally, a built-in camera and flash drive empowers kids to capture images and video of specimens and, with the included USB key, upload them to a computer to be printed, emailed, posted and shared. Fall. $79.99
Here’s a device that lets kids play electronic games – AFTER they exercise to earn point!
The ME2, or “My Electronic Double,” features a character or avatar, which becomes the virtual representation of the gamer and helps motivate the child to be as active in real life as their avatar is in the games. “No subscription fees or micro payments, just run or walk around the block and you are good to go! A cell phone-looking game, the ME2 features a Tri-Axis Sensor that records vertical, horizontal and diagonal movements as they happen and awards points for the activity. Kids simply clip the ME2 to their clothes, or put it in their pocket to rack up points for every move they make. Good for age 8+. Available for an SRP of $34.99. But not until May!
The Megatech Mantis The R/C Mantis is one of the wildest R/C flying machines ever offered. It's also very sophisticated incorporating Spectra-Link Optic-Control for guidance. On-board rechargeable Lithium Polymer battery (You supply 6 AA batteries for the controller/charger. Hovers up to 50-feet high. (They recommend indoor use only.) The two stick dual-function transmitter features built-in charging circuitry. Flight Duration:5-6 minutes / Charge Time: 20 minutes /Ages 10 and up.Not till Holiday 08 and under $40! You cannot believe the interest in this “toy” at the studio. Stagehands, producers, tech guys, everybody loved it.It should be a big seller this holiday season!
WBAL, Monday, February 25th, 2008 --- Cheap gadgets:
The Thirsty Light is an intuitive digital plant moisture sensor that blinks an LED to alert the user when it is time to water a potted plant. It is designed to be unobtrusive when left in the soil of a plant, where it continuously monitors conditions, testing the moisture level once per second.Features include: Long-lasting LED/ • Corrosion resitant Brass Probe /• 2 replaceable 1.5V Lithium batteries • On/Off switch / Drypoint Circuit: /Frequency of testing: once per second. The LED starts blinking slowly and speeds up the drier the plant gets, so be sure to glance over at it once a day or so. It does make it very easy to see when the plant needs water. I’ve been using one for about 2 months. Battery life depends on how much the light is allowed to blink. Optimal battery life is 12 months.$9.95
At Last Those Heavy Duty Plastic Blister Packs Have Met Their Match!
Open It can help, big time! It’s two cutting devices in one so you’ll be able to open even the most indestructible plastic blister packs that almost all new small electronics are packaged in! My guess is you hate those anti-theft heavy duty plastic packages as much as I do! Well OpenIt says the nightmare of trying to get the contents out is over. OpenIt looks so much like pruning shears when I got a product sample in the mail,I put them aside. I thought I'd look at them in the Spring when people started thinking about gardening. But then at CES I heard someone talking about OpenIt and how quickly they could cut through heavy duty plastic shell packages. So I got home I took them out and tried them. The first you see is that the OpenIt is packaged in -
