Reinventing the Wheel

Michelin Tweel
Originally uploaded by thegadgetguy.

No flats. Ever. No tubes. No valves. No air! At the Autoshow last month, Michelin introduced the "Tweel", initially intended for Dean Kamen's iBOT systems (and a new Segway prototype which he is also the inventor of), but demonstrated this new technology on an Audi A4 as well.

"The heart of Tweel innovation is its deceptively simple looking hub and spoke design that replaces the need for air pressure while delivering performance previously only available from pneumatic tires. The flexible spokes are fused with a flexible wheel that deforms to absorb shock and rebound with unimaginable ease. Without the air needed by conventional tires, Tweel still delivers pneumatic-like performance in weight-carrying capacity, ride comfort, and the ability to "envelope" road hazards."

This could literally revolutionize all wheeled transportation for the 21st century. To read more about this technolgy just click on the headline.

Retro Gadgets - Vibrating Football

Vibrating Football
Originally uploaded by thegadgetguy.

I remember being about 7 or 8 (this was the mid-70's) and going over to a friend's house. We went down to his basement where he had this big metal box, on top of which were a jumble of plastic football players that stuck magnetically to a metal field. When you plugged the box in, the box began to vibrate and was so noisy that a leaf blower would seem quiet by comparison. The "object" of the game was to set up your players so that they would vibrate over the goal line. You would usually end up playing until your parents would yell at you to shut that noisy thing off.

Part of the "charm" of the game was the mild electric shock you would get if you attempted to readjust your players while the vibrating feature was on (I don't believe the "shock" aspect was a documented feature).

Anyway, you can relive those glory days and order your own vibrating football game ranging in price from $50.00- $150.00 depending on whether you want the nighttime lights feature. Click on the headline for link.

"What's that you say? Penguin has escaped! We'll be right there!"

Hot Line Phone
Originally uploaded by thegadgetguy.

Impress your friends (as if you really had any to begin with). Get yourself a "no dial" ego boosting phone:

"If you want to feel more important, make people think you're important, or make someone else feel important, get one of our high status bright red ego-boosting VIP phones."

It really works. Just program a number and you can instantly wind back the communications industry about 20 years. Anywhere from $60.00 to $120.00. Click headline for website.

Buy Your Own "Helmut Cam"

Samsung SC-X105
Originally uploaded by thegadgetguy.

Want to pretend you are in the X-Games? Samsung has just announced its new video camera with extra sports cam module. From the website:

"The SC-X105 features a durable, rubberized body that is water resistant and built to withstand harsh conditions. The pocket-size chassis and streamlined design provide maximum portability for the modern "on-the-go" lifestyle fitting directly into pockets, backpacks and other athletic gear. An extra sports camera module provides hands-free shooting capability and can be mounted on a helmet or other stable surface for extreme-sports recording."

Available in March for about $800.00. Click headline for more information.

iPod Shuffle Worthy Competitor

Jens MP-120
Originally uploaded by thegadgetguy.

The Jens MP-120 is a 1GB player with an OLED display. The MP-120 can play a variety of formats, including OGG Vorbis and WMA. The players all have an excellent battery life of 22 hours, and a built-in USB 2.0 plug.

Oh, and it does more then just "shuffle". You can actually pick which tracks to play. What a novel concept. Those Swedes can be such rebels.

Should be priced at about $150.00

Wireless Speakers

Wireless Speakers
Originally uploaded by thegadgetguy.

These are such a great convenience, I think that I'm going to need a pair for the house and patio before (or if as it seems these days) the weather ever turns warm. From the website:

"Our 900 MHz wireless speakers have up to a 150-foot signal range, so you can easily listen to music, movies or TV shows anywhere around your home or office. Set up impromptu parties on the patio. Listen in the kitchen or bedroom all without moving your stereo system or TV or running speaker wires. Auto-tune technology automatically locks into the correct signal there's no tuning ever. These full-range speakers feature 3" woofers and 1" tweeters. Simply plug the transmitter into your stereo or TV and enjoy crystal-clear performance up to 150-feet, through walls and floors. Speakers use included AC adapters or four D batteries per speaker (not included)."

From the Brookstone website. About $150.00. Click on the headline for link.

This Is Not A Sex Gadget

banana bunker
Originally uploaded by thegadgetguy.

Looks like it though, eh? Rather it is the "Banana Bunker", designed to "protect this delicate fruit from bruising when placed in your backpack, nap sack, soft carrying case, or briefcase. The container also protects your backpack's valuable contents, such as CD players, textbooks, binders, and business documents."

Yeah. I mean I hate when my banana gets crushed. Click headline for link.

New Sony Camera Phone

Sony S710a
Originally uploaded by thegadgetguy.

Cingular and Sony have finally got around to releasing the S710a, which is certainly a beautifully designed phone. Features include:

2.3 inch 262K color TFT display
Swivel-style design
EDGE high-speed data
1.3 megapixel digital camera
8x digital zoom
MemoryStick Duo card slot
Bluetooth

These features do not come cheap: $449.99 with a 2-year contract, $499.99 with a 1-year contract, and $549.99 without a contract. Should be available at Cingular stores.

'Tween Gadgets

Teen Tech
Originally uploaded by thegadgetguy.

I'm not convinced that there is a real market for these toys. It's a DVD player for someone older then 6 but younger then 13 (at which point they won't want a 'toy" anymore).

With a 3.5-inch color screen, remote control, 2 headphone jacks (for car rides) and an external speaker, the portable player can handle VCDs, CD, and MP3 Playback as well as DVD. Available for $99 on Amazon.

Greatest Web Site Ever!!! (Updated with Correct Link)

Super Mario
Originally uploaded by thegadgetguy.

Re-live your youth (or yute, if you are from Brooklyn). Play every Nintendo, Sega, GameBoy and old Arcade Games online and for FREE. How I managed to not run across this website previously is beyond me.

I played some 1942 and some other games and they worked great. This site is like a stroll down memory lane and finding out that some of your old friends still exist is a great feeling.

Click on the headline. Trust me - you won't be sorry.

Toys Not To Buy Your Kids

Spy Bug
Originally uploaded by thegadgetguy.

Simply pop this super-duper spy bug on any surface and you can listen in to people's conversations from another room in your house. The antenna transmits to the clip on receiver unit, through walls, for a distance of up to 75ft.

Although I wouldn't recommend that you buy this device for your kids - I can think of more then a couple of "fun" ways to use. Click headline for information.

New iPods!!

New iPods
Originally uploaded by thegadgetguy.

As expected, Apple released some new iPods today. Updates include:

A new 6GB iPod mini without a color screen

The 4GB iPod mini gets a price cut to $199

The 20GB iPod stays at $299

The iPod photo now comes in two sizes: a 30GB version which goes for $349 and a 60GB version which sells for $449


Check out the Apple Store for full details!

No Power Outlets? No Problem

Gamboy Charger
Originally uploaded by thegadgetguy.

Don't you hate when you are in the middle of a hadheld game and the batteries start to run down? Even worse, you only have one good new battery and you end up having to try and trick your machine into letting you play with one good and one bad battery. We've all been there.

Well, if you own a Nintendo DS, and you can read Japanese, then we have a gadget for you. It's a hand crank charger. Now you can develop a few more of your hand muscles instead of just your thumbs. To get to the unreadable Japanese advertising page, just click the headline.

New USB Storage Devices

SanDisk USB
Originally uploaded by thegadgetguy.

Delkin Devices Inc., announced the SD-Xtra card which allows effortless transfers between any SD slot and any USB port. The innovative design allows photos, music or data to transfer easily without the use of a reader/writer or cables. Built into this SD card format is a USB 2.0 high-speed flash drive in capacities from 128MB to 1GB. With the removable cover installed, the card plugs into any standard SD or MMC card slot in kiosks, cameras, PDA's or Digital Music players. When the cover is removed, the card becomes a USB thumb or flash drive. This drive plugs into any standard PC or laptop USB port and is read like a disk drive.

These devices are amazingly convenient and allow for a quick and painless transfer of your music, pictures or files for use on other computers. It won't be long before these will be standard carrying tools for people on the go. A 256Mb card should be about $60.00

Travel Back In Time

Tetris Game
Originally uploaded by thegadgetguy.

Remember when Tetris was "the" game? The game that you had to play over and over and over again on your black and white GameBoy. Well, now you can relive those pathetically lonely times again - but this time in color!

The Tetris Tower 3D Board game uses sensors and lights to tell you what pieces to grab and then track where you drop them. It's for one or two players and should be selling for about $25.00.

Cooking for Idiots

Smart Microwave
Originally uploaded by thegadgetguy.

Have trouble reading directions? Can't figure out if half-power for cooking means that you should take the plug half out? Are you one of those people who aren't sure if 90 seconds is the same as one and 1/2 minutes?

If so, then do we have a product for you! From the ad:

"The Beyond Microwave Oven takes all the guesswork out of microwave cooking, letting you cook meals perfectly and evenly every time. You just scan the barcode on your food package, and the Beyond Microwave Oven does the rest! It's preprogrammed with over 4000 UPC barcodes, and it has a learn function that allows you to program new items as they hit the shelves. What could be easier?"

Do I really need my microwave to sync with the U.S. Atomic Clock? Anyway, click on the headline to go to the site. About $150.00

New iPods Coming?

iPods
Originally uploaded by thegadgetguy.

A bunch of the Apple rumor sites are "reporting" that Apple is about to release a new 5GB or 6GB iPod mini (possibly with a color LCD screen) and new versions of the 20GB and 40GB iPods that come in the iPod mini colors.

There is also a rumor that a Motorola product manager in France has accidentally confirmed that Apple is going to introduce an iPod with built-in Bluetooth. Bluetooth would allow you to stream your iPod to other bluetooth devices (car stereos, etc., are the most logical devices).

Uh-Oh! When Private Information Isn't Private

Paris Sidekick
Originally uploaded by thegadgetguy.

As a fellow owner of a Sidekick II (and a previous Sidekick owner), I can only imagine how sucky it would be to have my emails, contacts, notes and pictures plastered all over the internet (of course, nobody in a million years would be interested in my dull work related emails, and I don't have any naked pictures of me kissing anyone on my SKII).

Meanwhile, all of Paris's information from her SKII, including naked pictures, scandalous notes and emails are now available at thousands of sites around the net. Feel like chatting with Christina, Eminem, Lindsey Lohan, Andy Roddick, Fred Durst,Vin Diesel or Anna Kournikova - go right ahead, their numbers are all available.

If you are interested in the photos only, click the headline (NSFW). For the other information, a quick Google should lead you to hundreds of sites. What I don't understand is how Paris can store over a thousand emails on her SKII, when the rest of us have severe limits on email storage? I guess being a celebrity does have its benefits.

Monday Morning Distractions - Air Hockey

Whether you're back at work this morning, enjoying the day off or facing a sidewalk full of snow to shovel like I am here, this is a good game to spend some time playing while you are procrastinating doing whatever other work you are supposed to be doing.

Don't forget to check the archives to see previous Monday Morning Distractions (and I take no responsibility for you really getting no work done). Click on the post headline to go play.

Killing a Sunday Afternoon - Top 100 Gadgets

Game Boy
Originally uploaded by thegadgetguy.

Mobile PC puts themselves out on a limb and publishes its own list of the top 100 gadgets of all time. Their criteria was simple:

"It has to have electronic and/or moving parts of some kind. Scissors count, but the knife does not.

It has to be a self-contained apparatus that can be used on its own, not a subset of another device. The flashlight counts; the light bulb does not. The notebook counts, but the hard drive doesn't.

It has to be smaller than the proverbial bread box. This is the most flexible of the categories, since gadgets have gotten inexorably smaller over time. But in general we included only items that were potentially mobile: The Dustbuster counts; the vacuum cleaner doesn't."

The article is excellent, whether you agree or disagree (I don't agree with number one, but am not sure what I would put in its place) with their conclusions. I was amazed at the number of gadgets on the list that I either had owned or wished I had at the time. Take your time and read it, you won't be disappointed. (Click headline)

Massive Air Assault

Megazooka
Originally uploaded by thegadgetguy.

Annoy your co-workers! The Megazooka shoots a powerful blast of air up to 20 feet at unsuspecting targets.

Requiring no batteries or electricity, MegaZooka can operate simply by pulling and releasing the built-in elastic air launcher. And here's the best part: because it shoots air, you'll never run out of ammo! MegaZooka features a pop-up site, double handle grips for improved aiming and single shot trigger action or rapid fire.

I can think of lots of devious ways to use this. I'm sure you can too. About $25.00 and available from ThinkGeek.com (click headline).