You can file this one under desk crap, but as desk crap goes, it’s a rather clever combination of an hourglass ‘sand’ timer and those immiscible liquid devices. Instead of sand, this hourglass timer, which runs for about 30 minutes, uses an orange colored liquid that is lighter than the clear liquid, so when flipped upside down the hourglass appears to run in reverse. The sand effect is more convincing if you give the thing a healthy shake before flipping it so that thousands of tiny bubbles are created, and though I’m no scientist, I’m pretty sure if you use it during a lightning storm, or on the day of the equinox, it will reverse time. Get it from the Implex Online Store for about $36. (¥3,150)
Those handheld personal security alarms aren’t a bad idea if you often find yourself in sketchy areas, but if they’re not easily accessible – ie buried in the bottom of your bag or accidentally forgotten at the office again, they’re pretty much useless. So these iSafe Bags solve that problem by simply turning the bag itself into the actual alarm. They’re available in a wide variety of styles for everyone from kids to college students to even business types, and they each feature a strap that when pulled sounds an alarm that’s louder than a car alarm, and triggers a hidden flashing light.
On a set of 2×9-volt batteries the iSafe bags can continuously sound the alarm for up to 2 hours, making them useful for emergency situations like getting lost when hiking, and an interval mode will keep it running for even longer. The bags start at $59.99 for a kid’s backpack, and range in price up to $89.98 for a laptop-friendly messenger bag. And the company even has a policy whereby they’ll replace your bag when it becomes old and unsightly with a new one for up to 50% off the original price. (The replacement bags basically don’t come with the alarm system, and require you to transfer it from your old bag.)
SEGA’s original UFO Catcher game was introduced way back in 1986 and used conventional ‘claw game’ controls, but this new version, which premiered last week in Japan, features a balance board/rocker platform requiring you to move your body in order to guide the claw mechanism to your desired prize. And instead of it being a one-shot deal, there’s actually a time limit letting you make as many attempts as you can, and you can even get a time extension by rocking back and forth on the platform like a madman, filling up a meter which freezes the countdown when it’s full. I’ve included a video of the game in action below, but you might want to turn your speakers down a bit because the background music has already given me a headache.
At CES earlier this year GM showed off a new mobile application that would be available for their highly anticipated Chevy Volt that would let owners do everything from monitor the battery levels to remotely starting the engine to even pre-heating or cooling the interior to comfortable temperatures before they get in, all from the comfort of their smartphone. And while the Volt is certainly shaping up to be the vehicle of choice for gadgetophiles, it looks like the same functionality will soon be available on a wide range of 2011 vehicles from the General including Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC.
You’ll need to have OnStar installed in your vehicle with an active subscription in order to take advantage of the app, but being able to remotely check your car’s diagnostics, or even simple things like checking the fuel level makes the OnStar service even more valuable. And even though the screenshots I’ve included show the app working on an iPhone, there’s also a matching Android version for those who’ve chosen that camp.
If that Quick Reference apron wasn’t geeky enough for you, I doubt you’re going to find anything that tops these Darth Vader or Princess Leia aprons available from the StarWarsShop.com starting August 5th for $24.99 a pop. In fact all you still need is a lightsaber-themed set of BBQ accessories and a local butcher who specializes in tauntaun meat to max out the geek factor for the rest of your Summer.
Watermelons are a great summertime snack. My grandparents grow them, so I usually have some in my fridge. However, some people are serious about their watermelon. I’m talking about the kind of person that never leaves the house without one in a cooler. Granted, I’ve never met one of these people, nor have I heard of one. I just assume they exist, because this Portable Watermelon Cooler exists.
This device was apparently designed with the intention of carrying and cooling a single watermelon. Sure, you can put in something else instead to keep it cool. Heck, you can even keep some things warm in it too. I’m still just not quite sure why. Whatever the reason, if you’ve got an extra $230 and an unhealthy obsession with watermelons, this is your gadget.
Hello everyone. My name is Andrew Liszewski, and I’m an organizationaholic. It’s been 3 days since I last re-sorted my sock drawer, 2 weeks since I re-organized the app icons on my iPhone, and I have a closet full of backpacks and messenger bags that represent an ongoing hunt for the perfect way to stay organized on the go. Now I may never find that perfect bag, but companies like Cocoon Technologies give me hope that it might one day exist. I first stumbled across the company at CES last year, and their claim to fame was a unique organizational system known as ‘The Grid’ which used a series of criss-crossing elastic straps to secure an almost infinite variety of gear and accessories.
So when I visited the company’s booth at CES back in January I was pleasantly surprised to find they had expanded their line of bags, cases and backpacks considerably over the past year, and I recently had a chance to try out two of their new offerings, the Soho Messenger bag and the Tribeca DSLR Sling. From what I’ve seen the company is definitely on the right track, and in just a short amount of time they’ve already positioned themselves to be a worthy competitor to other bag makers like WaterField Designs, Crumpler and Tom Bihn. You can find my hands-on look at both bags after the jump.
I don’t think anyone can ever get tired of playing Tetris. The game definies ‘replay value.’ But if you feel you’ve already mastered those falling blocks and are looking for more of a challenge, then give this version of the game a shot. Not Tetris looks and plays just like the original game, except that real-world physics and gravity come into play. And it doesn’t clear lines either, the goal of this version is to basically stack as many pieces as you can without them reaching the top of the screen. Doesn’t seem like a challenge? Perhaps this video will convince you it’s not so easy.
You can download Not Tetris from the Facepunch forums where it was posted and created by user Maurice, and as far as I can tell it’s PC only at this point. Also, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I still think Tetris has one of the greatest, most catchy soundtracks of any game, ever.
To some people, a tangled cord or a desk full of messy cables can be an emergency worthy of calling in the fire brigade. But you can save yourself the hefty fines from calling 911 for your so-called ‘emergency’ and get a set of these AC Adapter Rangers instead. They’ll work diligently to ensure the charging cable for your phone is always in reach, and once they’re set to the task you can rest assured knowing your cords will remain tangle free. A set of two AC Adapter Rangers are available from iida for about $22 (1,880 YEN) and it looks like they even come with a colorful children’s book highlighting their past heroics.
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