If you’re thinking of buying a digital reader in the next six months and you’re wondering what device to get, here’s a handy chart that compares six of the most highly publicized models side by side. As you might guess, bigger screens and more flexibility with file formats means higher prices. Also, the iPad is sort of a misfit here as it’s the only device that’s not a dedicated ebook reader. [More]
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Airnergy Charger Generates Electricity From WiFi Signals
By 1.12.10
One nifty device unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show was the Airnergy Charger, which generates electricity just by snagging WiFi signals. A demo on the showroom floor had it powering a Blackberry from 30% to full in 90 minutes. RCA says they’ll have a USB charger available summer 2010 for $40, with a battery soon to follow. Sweet idea! It remains to be soon how efficient it really is though. [OhGizmo!] [More]
Preserve Your Modesty With The Pee Without Noise Stool
By 1.12.10
Guys, as you probably already know, your bathroom is currently a horrible megaphone of urination when you’re in there. Everyone can hear you! Gah! Luckily the Pee Without Noise stool will fix that right away. If you’re still skeptical, check out this copy from the product page: [More]
Do Not Leave Common Sense Behind When Trying Out Your Shiny New GPS
By 1.2.10
Like many Americans this year, I received a GPS unit as a Christmas gift. Its first real test was navigating to an unfamiliar town for New Year’s Eve, and it sent me on a circuitous, traffic-clogged route to the nearest freeway entrance after picking up a friend. “What? No!” I yelled at the device when it asked me to make a pointless, impossible left turn onto a dead-end street.
I only ended up a half-mile away from my route at any given time, and quickly realized that global positioning satellites are no substitute for actual common sense, assuming that you have any. But some of my fellow holiday GPS recipients haven’t been so lucky.
Self-Described Toy Tester Will Go Through Your Stuff If You Pay Her
By 12.29.09
Every time there’s a warning or recall over lead-tainted toys–and it hasn’t happened much this past year, but check out our archives from a couple of years ago–lots of people get up in arms about not being able to trust the government or big business. Well, one woman has bought herself an X-ray flourescence (XRF) analyzer and now hires her services out to worried families, reports the Washington Post. For a fee, she’ll come to your house, point her gun at your kids’ toys, your heirlooms, the fishtank, whatever you ask her to test, and then tell you whether you should throw it out. [More]
Never Embarrass Yourself Trying To Unscrew A Wine Bottle Again
By 12.4.09
The horrible thing about screw-cap bottles of wine, says the website butterflywineopener.com, is that they suck all the romance out of bottle opening. But lucky you! “The Butterflyâ„¢ solves that by flawlessly and expediently opening any screw cap bottle while retaining the elegance of traditional wine service.” [More]
Meet 'The Imaginary Refund Policy' From Hammacher Schlemmer
By 11.24.09
It turns out Hammacher Schlemmer doesn’t want their goofy products any more than you do. Tanya in Canada has been trying for a month to get a refund on a product she felt didn’t live up to its promise, but the company won’t even acknowledge whether they’ve received it. Update: Hammacher Schlemmer has responded, and issued the refund. [More]
Kodak: Your Camera Has A Beach Mode, So Don't Take It To The Beach
By 11.21.09
Brandy’s Kodak digital camera comes with several pre-set modes, one of which is “beach.” However, when her camera stopped working after a trip to the beach, she reports that Kodak’s mystifying response to her service request was that just because a digital camera has a setting for taking photos at the beach, that doesn’t mean that you should actually take it to the beach.
The Dumb Health Scare Gadget
By 11.19.09
Quick, give Hammacher Schlemmer $70 + shipping so you can bring one of these magic H1N1 wand obliterators with you on Black Friday! The “technology for people who don’t get technology” catalogue explains that the wand’s UV light will kill “99.98%” of H1N1 viruses after you hold it 3/4″ above a surface for at least 5 seconds. That’s certainly convenient. Just carry it with you and use it on doors, boxes, shopping carts, and of course the cashier’s hands before you accept any change. Be sure to bring an adapter for your car, however, because it only lasts about 90 minutes after an 8-hour charge.
Newegg Files For $175 Mil IPO – Going All Hollywood On Us Now?
By 9.28.09
Popular electronics retailer Newegg filed for a $175 mil initial public offering today, becoming the 3rd internet darling in recent memory, after Zappos and Mint, to seek a cashout. Let’s hope Newegg doesn’t switch their business model from being entirely beholden to customers to being entirely beholden to shareholders. Otherwise, the customers’ battle cry of “It’s Newegg or nothing!” will be getting a tryout. [Reuters] (Thanks to GitEmSteveDave!) (Photo: Matt & The Camera)
Do We Really Need To Market Beds Specifically To Guys?
By 9.24.09
The Wall Street Journal has some ridiculous looking photos of beds designed for the male shopper. Apparently guys want built-in coolers, safes, TVs, and iPod docks in their beds. Sorry, we mean “man caves.”
Carry Liquids On A Plane In 2-Liter Bottles
By 9.3.09
“Baby Soda Bottles” are 2-liter bottles before they’ve been heated and formed into their soda bottle shape. In this pre-bottle stage, they make waterproof, hard-to-crush containers for small objects, and they hold approximately 2 ounces of liquid which makes them useful for air travel. Oh also, you can use regular 2-liter bottle caps on them.
Use ID Guard Stamp To (Sort Of) Block Personal Info
By 8.28.09
We’re not sure how effective a stamp would be to truly block out personal info on your mail—cross-cut shredding is always better—but at the very least this would be a fun thing to do while sorting your mail. Maybe it would be good if you’re one of those people who hates throwing out old magazines with your address info printed on the covers.
Microsoft Retail Stores Prepare For Sensory Overload, Global Domination
By 7.29.09
This is old news to some of our readers, but not all: Microsoft is planning to open their own retail stores. What would such a wondrous place look like? Gizmodo has a concept Powerpoint presentation (what else?) that shows what the stores could look like.
The Megapixel Wars Must End
By 7.17.09
Consumer Reports has the guts to say what nobody else does. Too many innocent kilobytes have been overwritten in vain. Too many other digital camera features not given their chance to shine. It’s time. We all must agree that it’s time for the megapixel wars to end.
By 6.20.09
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Don’t know how to take your new baby’s temperature? Babyglow will take care of it for you! These new $35 outfits, which seem to be coming out in the U.K. only, change color when your infant has a fever. This makes a lot more sense than wrapping the baby in a blanket made out of color-changing coffee mugs.(Also: doesn’t babyglow+fever sound radioactive?) [OhGizmo!]
Recycle Old CDs Into An iPhone or iPod Dock
By 6.15.09
Do you have a dozen or so unusable CDs or DVDs lying around, some glue and tools, and a burning need for a cool-looking iPod or iPhone dock? Geeky Gadgets can show you how to combine all of these things into a functional, and fashionably recycled, gadget.
Meet The New iPhone, Not Quite The Same As The Old iPhone
By 6.9.09
Another year, another iPhone. Next up to drive early adopters furious is the newly announced iPhone 3G S, which opens applications faster, goes easier on the battery, packs a sharper camera, records video, includes voice control and adds a compass that points to the inevitable reality that Apple will announce a fourth iPhone next year.
