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Latest Gear Live Videos
WidgetStation Keeps You in Touch
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smart Home, Internet, Misc. Tech,
Imagine waking up to your favorite midi or MP3 instead of a screaming shock jock. The WidgetStation has two screens and an amazing amount of capabilities such as playing music, receiving stock market and weather reports, RSS feeds, Internet radio, podcasts, PhotoShow, and message notification. Made by Emtrace, it has alarm clock synchronization within 1 ms, a stopwatch, countdown timer, and even world time by country.
It’s easy to see why WidgetStation has already received 2007 CES Design & Engineering Showcase Honors. Available early next year, contact Emtrace for specs, price, and availability.
Read More 
| Emtrace
Gallery: WidgetStation Keeps You in Touch
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SALIX Responds to Environment
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smart Home, Misc. Tech, Science,
SALIX doesn’t exactly qualify for our bot category, but it comes fairly close. Displayed at the recent ArtBots 2006 Regional Show in NYC, these willow trees interact by means of motor prosthetics embedded in the root system. It sends numerical data messages via small GPS accelerometers implanted in the ends of the branches. Next thing you know, it is speaking to humans with a computerized voice. Creator John Lathram claims that his inspiration “came out of an attempt to record the movement of the wind as it moves through willow branches.” Check out his demo to see SALIX in action.
Read More | John Lathram via Wired
Gallery: SALIX Responds to Environment
CeeLite Light Bulb Panel Named One of 2006 Best Inventions
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smart Home, Misc. Tech,
The latest issue of Time Magazine features their “Best Inventions of 2006.” Included in this list is the CeeLite LEC (light emitting capacitors) light bulb panel. These 1mm sheets of plastic contain a layer of phosphor that shines white when hit with AC. You can fade, dim, or flash them almost anywhere, including floors, walls, ceilings, and even people. Contact CeeLite to for price and availability. We’re thinking of installing one in our basement in hopes of luring out the troll that lurks there.
Gallery: CeeLite Light Bulb Panel Named One of 2006 Best Inventions
NevoSL Remote Finds Its Own Connections
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Accessories, Home Entertainment, Smart Home,
Talk about one device doing all. The Limited Edition high gloss black digital NevoSL remote can control your TV, stereo, lights, computer, and video game system, even when they are hiding behind a cabinet. Nevo’s built-in IR database features infrared and WiFi multi-room control, has drag-and-drop functionality, and is customizable. It also boasts auto-discovery of digital media content without the use of a PC. If the Nevo could just tell you what that unknown object is on the lower shelf in the fridge, it would be worth its $1,009 price tag. Contact Nevo for availability in your area.
Read More | Nevo
Gallery: NevoSL Remote Finds Its Own Connections
Godinger Slot Machine Liquor Dispenser for Fun and Profit
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smart Home, Misc. Tech,
Here’s a great way to celebrate the New Year and make some money off your buds at the same time. The Godinger Slot Machine Liquor Dispenser is made of a tarnish-resistant silver plated exterior, fits drinking glasses up to 5-inches, and has a see-through, easy-clean plastic reservoir allowing you to monitor the beverage level. Simply drop a coin in this one-armed bandit, which measures 14 x 7.5 x 4.5-inches, pull the lever, and you win your drink of choice. Ca-ching! You can pre-order now at Latest Buy for AU $79.95 (~$62.)
Read More | Godinger via Latest Buy
Gallery: Godinger Slot Machine Liquor Dispenser for Fun and Profit
Last year, you gave your partner a Roomba for Christmas. This year, ask him/her for the iRobot Dirt Dog, the masculine version that is designed for basements, garages, and shop floors. It can pick up nuts, bolts, wood chips, and probably any other crud that you have lying around your workshop that the Roomba vacuum can’t get. The Dirt Dog features an over-sized dust bin and counter-rotating brushes that work at high speed. There is a 1-year limited warranty and 30 day risk-free trial. If that isn’t macho enough, you also get a 6 month subscription to This Old House Magazine (5 issues, a $10 value) when you order at iRobot for $129.99.
Read More | iRobot Dirt Dog
Gallery: Dirt Dog Cleans Up Workshop
Think outside the box. The PowerSquid frees outlets with MOVs (Metal Oxide Varistors) with the benefit of a greater flexibility. We first discovered the PowerSquid at this year’s CES 2006, and now we can all have one. Flexity claims that their technology provides “enhanced heat dissipation and 27% greater capacity.” Purestream power-filtering protects your equipment and its Tripwire circuit severs electrical current in the event of a catastrophe such as lightening. You get connectivity protection for dial-up, DSL, or coax/cable.
The PowerSquid comes in three models:
- Surge 3000 Calamari Edition PCSQ3K_CAL for PCs, home theatres, and personal electronics - $79.95.
- Surge 3000 PCSQ3K for musicians, professional or wannabe - $69.95
- PSOM_BLACK Outlet multiplier - $12.95.
Both surge protectors offer a $500,000 limited equipment warranty and the outlet multiplier offers a lifetime manufacturer’s warranty. Add to that 2 neon glowing female outlets on the Calamari and you have some serious and sinister-looking protection.
Read More | Flexity
Gallery: Flexity PowerSquid Becomes Reality
Okay, so in a few weeks we are expecting to hear from a bunch of readers who decided to brave the cold in order to be one of the lucky few to nab a PS3 at launch. However, why suffer frostbitten fingers if you don’t have to? This is where the Butterfly Heater comes in. You fill this bad boy with a little lighter fluid, and it goes to work pumping out warm air through it’s butterfly pattern stitched front. Yeah, it’s a little more girly than we would have hoped for, but for an $18 device that will stay warm for a solid 25 hours, we think we can handle that. You can grab two for $30, and then you’ll be the envy of the line at your local Best Buy.
Read More | Butterfly Heater
Gallery: Butteryfly Personal Heater
Static! has unveiled a Power-Aware Cord that visualizes the energy that is flowing through it. The more energy you use with this re-designed electrical power strip, the more it glows. Inventors Anton Gutafsson and Magnus Gyllensward are hoping that their invention will make you cut back on unnecessary appliances, stereo equipment, etc. Although still in production, if it is released before Christmas, you can cut out some of those outside strings of light, replace them with these, and no one will know the difference.
Read More | Static!
Gallery: Static! Glows With Power-Aware Cord
Since the term is all the rage, maybe we can christen this as Rocking Chair 2.0? I mean, this is certainly not something we would expect grandma to be sitting in while she’s getting her knit on. This unique piece is designed by Contraforma in such a way that you should be able to rock comfortable in it, despite the lack of what we like to call a “rocking crest.” Definitely a conversation piece, and we all need one of those in our homes, don’t we not? How else do we curb that whole “awkward silence” thing?
Read More | Contraforma
