News about Home Gadgets:
Dreamtrap EASYWAKEme Sleep Stage Alarm Clock
Sleep is vital to the well being of humans, any doctor can tell you that. Heck, you need not slog your way through medical school (suffering from a lack of sleep in the process, how ironic is that?) to know that having the right amount of sleep is important to make sure you function at peak efficiency. Well, some of us get too much, most of us get too little, but the EASYWAKEme Sleep Stage Alarm Clock from Dreamtrap intends to help you achieve the perfect balance.
Native Union announces Gold POP phone
Want to introduce some bling into your life? Well, you can do so with the Native Union Gold POP phone. This is something that might appeal to the little boy in you who grew up reading James Bond novels, and wanting to play the role of a suave, debonair super spy who has everything under control no matter how harrowing it might seem, why not get the Gold POP phone and make it a part of your home as well? It would go down well with the James Bond persona, since Bond never skimps on his gizmos.
Contigo Autoseal Kangaroo Bottle
When you mention the word ‘kangaroo’, it is not uncommon to think of the hopping mammal with a pouch from Down Under. Well, that’s the case with the £24.99 Contigo Autoseal Kangaroo Bottle – this is a 100% leak-proof bottle which boasts of Contigo’s patented Autoseal push ‘n’ sip lid system that will automatically seal between glugs; a bottle with a pouch so to speak. All you need to do is press a button to take a sip of your drink, where releasing it will instantly reseal the bottle.
Withings Body Scale now connected to Panasonic Viera TV
Withings, the company that released its wireless Body Scale to the masses, has now expanded the functionality of the device by letting the Withings application being made available for download on Panasonic’s very own VIERA Connect Market. Originally announced over at the Consumer Electronics Show in January this year, your body scale and TV can now “merge” thanks to the partnership between Withings and Panasonic, letting you access your Withings health dashboard on the Panasonic VIERA Connect-enabled VIERA HDTV display with but a touch of a button. Fancy that, transforming your living room into a virtual gym – albeit sans all the gym equipment.
Star Wars Trash Compactor Bookends
Those who have developed a healthy reading habit (and by that I mean actually purchasing real books, instead of downloading PDFs from the Internet) might want to spruce up that aging bookshelf of theirs with the Star Wars Trash Compactor Bookends. After all, most of us who grew up during the Star Wars era might just be undergoing a second childhood experience at the moment, so a gift (for oneself or for others) like this makes perfect sense.
Elgato HDHomeRun lets you enjoy wireless HDTV on computer at home
Elgato’s latest device to hit the market, the HDHomeRun, is a dual network tuner that enables you to watch HDTV sans wires regardless of whether you are on the Mac or PC camp. After all, HDHomeRun will connect to a TV antenna or digital cable, where it will go ahead and stream live TV in full HD to any Mac or PC in the house. One more step closer to the wireless lifestyle, we guess.
Outdoor Inflatable Theater
Love watching movies with your family and friends? Well, with summer on its way for folks living in the Northern Hemisphere, then how about letting your next movie watching session be held outdoors? That’s exactly what Hammacher has in mind with their Outdoor Inflatable Theater. The name itself says it all – this inflatable theater system will be able to turn your backyard into a vivid cinema. Of course, you would do well to have some anti-mosquito devices hanging around just in case, no?
Cell Phone To Home Phone Redirector
How many of you no longer have a landline, and hence, a home number for others to reach you? Surely there would be a fair amount, but what about those who do own both a landline and a cell phone? Why, here is the perfect device to bridge both the old and the new in the form of the Cell Phone To Home Phone Redirector. The name more or less explains its position – it is a device that can redirect calls made to a cell phone directly to a home phone handset.
TRENDnet 500Mbps Powerline AV Adapter Kit
TRENDnet has just announced another device for those who want to up their home networking game – we are talking about the 500Mbps Powerline AV Adapter Kit that will feature a bonus outlet. Also known by its model number TPL-402E2K, the kit will ship with a couple of 500 Mbps adapters that will boast a built-in electrical outlet and embedded power saving technology. All the better to suit your green lifestyle, no?
Kneader hits all the right spots
Those who work long hours at the office will know that there is nothing quite like a nice, relaxing massage after a particularly difficult day at the cubicle. Of course, reaching home and asking your equally tired spouse to give you a nice back rub might not be so wise an idea, but what if he/she has the proper tool that requires less expenditure of strength? That is where the Kneader comes in – this £24.99 purchase will offer a nice therapeutic massage, which will of course be augmented greatly if one has a good understanding on how muscles work.
Hand Pedal Float
You know that you would love nothing better than to hang around on a float during the summer in your pool, relaxing with a good book in one hand and a pina colada in another (while slapping yourself liberally with plenty of sunscreen)? Well, there is one minor gripe about such a float – you will need to launch yourself to the middle of nowhere, and getting back to “shore” might be more of a hassle than you originally thought. What better way to reach the side than through the use of a pedal?
Going green sees new projects materializing
It goes without saying that in this day and age, going green is more or less mandatory if you or your company wants to win brownie points with people around. Sure, we have solar powered cell phones and electric cars as well as the slew of recycling programs that you participate in on an almost religious basis, but what about the home that you live in?
Christian Schallert’s shape-shifting apartment
We have reported on many small apartment dwellers who have turned their cramped spaces into something innovative. There was that Hong Kong man who created the Domestic Transformer, and the Japanese man who built his house in a space designed for parking.
Thirsty Light signals for more water
If you lack green fingers, fret not – there are some remedies out there that can help you (and your plants) out. Firebox steps right up to the plate with the Thirsty Light, and by the name itself, you know that it serves as a visual aid so that you will never go through the nuances of under- or over-watering your precious new green addition in the home.
emWave2 launches this week
We have reported on the emWave before, a personal stress reliever that I have tried out for myself. The user puts his or her finger on the emWave sensor, and a red light or a green light tells the user where he or she is relaxed. Even though most devices would have a second generation by now, the emWave2 by HeartMath is better late than never.
Puppy Robotic concept vacuum makes Roombas into cute pets
Considering that most of us have Roombas or other robot vacuums patrolling our floors in search of stray dirt, it almost seems like they are pets in some households. This particular concept device really takes the pet vacuum cleaner to a whole new level with Puppy Robotic. You can probably see how it works.
The Icon Link: A bright light in a small package
There is no end to miniature flashlights, and since we will always need them, there will always be a market for them. I got a chance to try out the Link from Icon, and it is quite a light.
Color Adjusting Illuminated Vase
Until someone comes up with a color-changing flower so that you can always have a different on other days, I guess we will just have to make do with the Color Adjusting Illuminated Vase. Hey, don’t look at me this way – at least you can have a different cycle of colors for the vase instead of the flowers, giving you a change either way.
Amplified Answering Machine
Are you hard of hearing, or thinking of what gift to get for grandma or grandpa during the coming Mother’s and Father’s Day? The Amplified Answering Machine might be just the right ticket item for them (and to earn brownie points on your behalf), where it will amplify played back messages by up to 30 decibels more for easier hearing. The amplification can also be adjusted by up to 10 different levels, where it will play back messages at three speed settings.
Hands on with the NightWave Sleep Assistant
We have reported on the NightWave before, and it is essentially a light in a box that helps users fall asleep.
5″ Angry Birds Plush with Sound
Now this is one cash cow – or should I say, cash bird, that needs to be milked for all it is worth while still possible? I’m talking about the Angry Birds franchise, where you will now be able to carry those pesky avian friends in the comfort of your bosom while letting out their signature sound – sans the creaking of the catapult, of course.
Star Wars Chop Sabers
Forget about the power of the fork, you have the Force to help you pick up those slippery noodles from a bowl and shove them into your mouth – strand by strand, thanks to the Star Wars Chop Sabers. Of course, you can always choose to align yourself to the Light Side or the Dark Side, it doesn’t matter – after all, money is neutral, and as long as you decide to part with £9.99, Firebox is willing to let you have your pair of saber chopsticks of your choice.
The Only Inflatable Dog Shower
Dogs aren’t self-cleaning like cats, although they tend to lick at their wounds until the sore starts to fester – so make sure your four legged buddy remains nice and clean at all times by sending Fido to a bath, or doing it yourself. Unfortunately for those of us living in apartments, it isn’t so conducive to bath a dog in the apartment itself, never mind if you have a large breed like a labrador. What can you do then?
This House can become a Fortress
Clearly, a man’s home is his fortress. I believe that “Fortress” is the appropriate name for this house/compound, which can transform better than Optimus Prime.
R/C Whoopee Cushion
Want to bring the classic whoopee cushion to the 21st century? That’s not a problem, as you can choose who you want to embarrass, and not anyone who plants their rear end on one of these hidden devices. We’re talking about the R/C Whoopee Cushion, and while April Fool’s Day might have past, that doesn’t mean you cannot throw your very own prank in the office or at a family gathering.
Cordless Backyard Mosquito Mister
If you sometimes feel as though you were the only person in the whole group whom the mosquitoes are feeding on you, then we would highly recommend getting the Cordless Backyard Mosquito Mister. This cordless mister comes without any wires for a very obvious reason – so that you can roll it anywhere within a yard, creating a 2,000′ square area of “silence” for mosquitoes, thanks to the use of EPA-registered permethrin – a synthetic form of naturally occurring pyrethrin derived from chrysanthemum which is able to kill up to 90% of mosquitoes, flies, gnats, ticks, and other biting insects.
Solar Pool Light
There is nothing quite like the use of solar power to make sure that there is still an earth around for the next generation to live in. After all, using fossil fuels for so long has clogged up our atmosphere, not to mention having countries go to war just to get a spoil of its natural resources.
18 Foot Splashing Soaker Slide
No idea on what to do with your back yard that is currently home to plenty of weeds, with some dog poop randomly deposited because Fido has a free reign of the area? You might want to take stock of the situation with the 18 Foot Splashing Soaker Slide then, as this inflatable water slide will be able to give your kids (as well as their friends in the neighborhood) a time of their lives, soaking them with a fusillade of water from a built-in water squirter.
Self Stirring Electric Pot
They say that too many cooks spoil the soup, which is why it is advisable to have two cooks at most in the kitchen. What happens when you’re shorthanded and need to whip up a delicious meal for the rest of the family that day? Fret not, the Self Stirring Electric Pot is here to save the day, and as its name suggests, this electric cooker will be able to automatically stir ingredients, freeing you to prepare other parts of the meal.
Day/Night Mug
Want to have two mugs for the price of one? That’s easily done with the Day/Night Mug, where £12.99 will net you this rather cool looking piece of drinking equipment that is set to let you stand out from the rest of your colleagues in the office pantry.
Floating Bean Bag Toss Game
Have all those family games that you play with one another gotten boring and stale? Well, in order to spruce things up this coming summer (applicable to those living in the Northern Hemisphere, of course), how about trying out something different? You might want to give the Floating Bean Bag Toss Game a go instead of the usual Hide and Seek or Cowboys and Indians sessions in your backyard.
Garment Deodorizer for a breath of fresh air
Some of us tend to sweat more than the others, and even after using the most powerful cleaning agent off the supermarket shelf to do your laundry, it still can’t quite get rid of the stink. So what do you do with your laundry after it has dried? Hanging it in your closet with mothballs might do the trick, but there is the Garment Deodorizer that can step in to do a better job.
Eight-legged Wooden Walking Table
Well, I suppose that someone was bound to make it sooner or later, but this wooden table can walk.
In case you are wondering, it isn’t a table that can walk on its own through motorized power. If you watch the video, it looks like the walking only works if someone is pushing it. You can watch the video after the jump to see it in motion.
In Pool Exercise Bike
Swimming and cycling are two forms of exercise that are touted to burn the most calories, although the former tends to make you a whole lot hungrier than normal. With the In Pool Exercise Bike (which is patented by the way), you will need to be pretty well off in the first place since not everyone can afford a home with a pool in the first place. Of course, it should be a relative bargain to you if you fall under that category at a mere $899.95 a pop.
New Insurance App Helps you Remember your Important Stuff
Today, our insurance company is coming out to inspect our home, they asked me on the phone yesterday about what the contents of the home should be insured for and, as I looked around I thought how much money IS all this garbage I’ve collected over the years worth? it hit me, this is a huge project… I’ve got a lot more money invested in “stuff” than I ever imagined…
Big Brother Birdhouse
Love your feathered friends, but you do not want to go through the hassle of building a birdhouse from ground up (or do not know how to)? Good thing there is always a prepaid package, and the Big Brother Birdhouse could fit the bill perfectly. Retailing for £49.99, getting the Big Brother Birdhouse will also let you install it in your home without feeling corny – since those who are busybodies would notice a security camera instead.
Rowbike lets you burn that fat off
The best time to start exercising is always now, so if you think that taking the old school route of swimming or jogging isn’t attractive enough for you (even with an iPod attached to your ears), then you might want to consider picking up the Rowbike.
G-1 Glass Pool Table
So you want to let the rest of the world know that you’ve arrived on the world stage, fat paycheck and all. How about making sure your pad stands out from the rest with the G-1 Glass Pool Table? As you can tell by its name, this pool table is going to wow and dazzle visitors to your home, and they need not rack up a set of balls on old school wood and slate – no sir, instead they will rack up on an ultra modern design that is built-to-order.
The Select Air System – Wireless Temperature Control, for Every Room
I don’t know how it’s been for you guys this winter, but here in the New York area it has been brutal. Too much snow, and bitterly cold. The heat was on at our house 24/7 and I have the skin of an alligator to prove it, and the heating bill, well, let’s just say if we opt not to pay for my daughters college, we should be okay.
Handheld Disinfectant Steam Cleaner
Are you a paranoid android when it comes to keeping everything around you free from bacteria and viruses as much as possible, just like Jack Nicholson’s character in “As Good As It Gets”? Chances are pretty high then you would be interested to hear me out on the Handheld Disinfectant Steam Cleaner. The name itself more or less tells the whole story, as this handheld cleaning device is capable of emitting a disinfectant and steam to get rid of up to 99.99% of harmful bacteria and viruses.
Keyport offers Mini LED for your Keyport Slide
Keyport, the name behind their Keyport Slide V.01, is now putting up on offer their very own Mini LED peripheral – or should we say, accessory? The Keyport Slide was a USB flash drive insert, and so its latest addition, the Mini LED insert, was specially designed to fit securely in the Keyport Slide V.01. Being more than ready to ship to the masses, this lightweight and compact accessory will consolidate keys as well as additional personal items, ranging from a USB flash drive to a bottle opener or LED.
Illuminottoman paves the way for a funky living room
These days, if you want to keep up with the Joneses or even outdo them, then you must have some sort of hard hitting financial firepower – or plenty of creativity, of course. When it comes to taste in home furniture, that is a very subjective topic, but Hammacher might let you have a winner on your hands with the aptly named Illuminottoman. Gotta love the creative slant to its name, that’s for sure.
Germ Eliminating Canister Vacuum
Are all vacuum cleaners made the same? The answer is definitely nay, and while some of you out there are thinking that what you can’t see won’t hurt you, the more paranoid among you would go to additional lengths to make your humble abode remains as germ-free as possible. What are some of the ways to do so? We’ve got at least one solution, in the form of the Germ Eliminating Canister Vacuum.
H2O Powered Shower Radio
Singing while you’re in the shower is definitely something that some of us indulge in – heck, it might even be your hobby. Well, just in case you don’t want to let everyone know how out of tune your voice is, why not enlist the help of a radio DJ to play your favorite tunes once in a while? The H2O Powered Shower Radio, as its name suggests, will be able to stand up to your shower moments without missing a beat.
Low Profile Window Fan
Once in a while, along comes a gizmo that will work much better than everything else on the market. For now, Hammacher is offering the Low Profile Window Fan which is touted to deliver superior airflow without being complicated to use – on the contrary, it has been tested and rated to be more or less dummy-proof even in the hands of luddites. Dubbed “The Best Low Profile Window Fan” by our friends over at Hammacher, it is capable of moving a greater volume of air (we’re talking about 58% more compared to the second-ranked model), where analysts’ anemometer readings showed that its dual motors are capable of rolling out 608 feet-per-second air streams from 5′ away, which is far better than the second place model that mustered a mere 560 fps.
