Oh! Gizmo

By Andrew Liszewski

If you’re an avid cyclist who’s always been frustrated that your local lakes, rivers and ponds are off limits to your bike, then Hammacher Schlemmer has the solution for you. The Performance Water Cycle is a single seat bike designed for use on water instead of land. You’ll have to sit in the same position as if you were riding a recumbent bike, but the pedal-powered 15-inch 2-blade propeller will allow you to reach speeds of up to 7 mph. I guess that’s where the ‘performance’ part of Performance Water Cycle comes in. While you won’t be hydroplaning across the surface of the lake, it’s apparently faster than an Olympic swimmer or a traditional paddle boat.

The Water Cycle can support up to 350 lbs and the fiberglass-covered high-density foam core features precisely balanced pontoons on either side for a stable ride. It needs at least 2 feet of water in order to operate, but it can apparently remain upright even in waves as high as 3 feet. You can get it from Hammacher Schlemmer for $2,995,95, which is smart pricing because if they had listed it for $3,000 I would said it was too expensive.

[ Performance Water Cycle ] VIA [ Born Rich ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Outside of scientific and research applications, I’m not really sure why someone would need a rain gauge at home. I guess a farmer might like to keep tabs on how much water their crop is getting, but knowing how much rain fell last month just seems like a boring conversation starter. On the other hand, who am I to pass up anything with an LCD? This Wireless Digital Rain Gauge (wireless because it runs on a single AA battery) is accurate to a thousandth of an inch (0.001) of rainfall and includes an LCD display that’s readable from up to 10 feet away.

The Digital Rain Gauge is also self-emptying since the water droplets are measured as they flow through the device and exit out the bottom. The rain isn’t actually collected, which means you never have to empty it out and there’s no risk of it freezing up overnight. It also features a one-touch reset button allowing you to track rainfall over a set period of time, or on a storm-by-storm basis.

You can get if from Sporty’s Tool Shop for $59.95.

[ Wireless Digital Rain Gauge ] VIA [ bookofjoe ]

By Andrew Liszewski

For some people the Summer means long hours spent in a pool, lake or other equally refreshing body of water. But if you wanted to enjoy your music at the same time, it usually means settling for a splash proof radio sitting at the water’s edge. Lame! Instead, you might want to consider this waterproof case that will allow you to take your iPod Shuffle underwater with you. The case will protect the Shuffle to depths of about 10 feet, while still allowing you to push the volume and playback controls, even if you’re wearing a glove.

The H20Audio waterproof case also includes an armband which will keep your hands free for swimming or fighting off sharks, and there’s even a belt accessory if you wanted to go that route instead. The case is available from iPodWorld for about $60, but to ensure it remains completely watertight you need to use it with a set of headphones attached. And since it’s designed to be used underwater, you’ll also need to make sure those headphones are waterproof too, which will add to the cost.

[ H2OAudio Waterproof Case for iPod Shuffle 2G ] VIA [ The Gadgeteer ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Got a problem with nuisance animals in your backyard or garden? Why turn the hose on them when you can reach for this contraption instead. The Mega-Sonic Scatter-Cat Repeller looks like a megaphone because it actually is one. To use the Scatter-Cat you just point it at the cat, bird, dog, squirrel or other non-human intruder on your property and pull the trigger. An ultrasonic signal that’s undetectable to the human ear will scare off the varmint from up to 65 feet away. It may take a few blasts before the animal stops coming back, but they’ll eventually get the picture.

To ensure the signal is being aimed in the right direction, the Mega-Sonic Scatter-Cat even includes a laser sight that’s activated when you pull the trigger. And while the ultrasonic signal won’t disturb your neighbors, it can also be switched to a sonic signal that can be heard by humans, presumably if you’re trying to scare off a group of toddlers or small children who are tearing up your garden.

You can get the Mega-Sonic Scatter-Cat Repeller from Selections.com for about $30.

[ Mega-Sonic Scatter-Cat Repeller ] VIA [ Crave ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Even though it’s not actually Summer yet, everyday feels more and more like it is. So if you’ve already got the backyard pool opened up, this floating Homer Simpson themed radio will provide you with a constant flow of songs from your favorite AM or FM radio station while you enjoy the water. Homer floats on his back while the can of Duff beer balanced on his gut is used to tune the radio and adjust the volume. He requires a set of AAA batteries to run, and I can only assume that the battery door, speaker holes and beer can tuner are all waterproof, otherwise the splash from a single cannonball will probably kill this radio star.

You can find it at Drinkstuff.com for about $40.

[ Homer Simpson Floating Radio ]

By Luke Anderson

What’s more manly than walking around with a six-pack of your favorite brew? While walking around with beer might seem manly, it also cries out “I’m gonna go get tanked,” which isn’t always the impression you want to give off to those around you. So here’s a clever way to disguise your drinks while keeping them cool.

This Chill Stick looks very much like it would house a pool cue, rather than six frosty beverages. It’s made of neoprene which should keep them cold for a little while, and best of all, it’ll only set you back a measly $12 bucks. Surely you’ll save that much by using this thing to sneak beer into a variety of places that would otherwise charge you a small fortune for a sip.

[ ThingsYouNeverKnew ] VIA [ CrunchGear ]

By Andrew Liszewski

The Slip N’ Slide brought most of the fun of a waterslide to every kid’s backyard. And while the experience wasn’t exactly like you’d get at a waterpark, at least you didn’t have to stand in line for hours on end. The Banzai Skimboard Surfer hopes to do the same for surfing, allowing you to enjoy the sport in your backyard without the risk of sharks, drowning or breaking your neck. (Well at least the first two.)

Just connect a garden hose and when the bumpers along the sides are filled they’ll start spraying water into the inner reservoir. Once that’s filled, you’ll be able to skim along the specially designed surface using the included pro-quality (probably not) wooden surfboard. You can find it at Wal-Mart for $49.88.

[ Banzai Skimboard Surfer ] VIA [ BallerHouse ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Where I live the weather has gone directly from Winter to Summer, and while I don’t particularly miss the snow, I do miss the in-between, light jacket conditions of Spring. But on the plus side, the return of Summer means you can dig out all the outdoor toys you had to put away when the weather got cold. This RC Speed Boat Challenge is kind of like the slot car tracks you had as a kid. (Or still play with.) But instead of a plastic groove to keep the vehicle on course, this one uses a large inflatable pool complete with lanes and various obstacles.

The inflatable track includes 2 RC speed boats that can be wirelessly controlled from a distance of up to 50 feet. And while technically the RC Speed Boat Challenge can be used indoors, while I was growing up there was a strict ‘no water toys in the house’ rule which would have kept something like this in the backyard.

You can find it at Drinkstuff.com come May 2 for about $70.

[ RC Speed Boat Challenge ] VIA [ Toyology ]

By Luke Anderson

How many times have you had a dog run away? Usually if you live in the country it isn’t a big deal (except during hunting season) however, in the city your pet can be in a lot of danger from all of the traffic. If you’re concerned about losing track of them, you might be interested in the PetsCell.

This cool device straps around your K9’s neck and can do a multitude of things. First it will track your dog’s location at specific intervals (from every minute to every hour or more) and let you know when they have left a specific area. If they do go outside of your designated perimeter, you will be notified via email and SMS. The GPS tracking of your pet is also stepped up to once per minute until they are back home safe and sound.

You can also use the web interface to track where your dog goes throughout the day, that way you can get to know their habits. You can even export these tracks to Google Earth for a better look. One more excellent feature is the inclusion of Skype compatibility. Why would you need to call your pet? Sure, it would be funny to see their reaction, but that’s not why it’s there. If your dog is taken in by someone, they can call you to let you know where they are. There is also a smaller model that does not include this.

There is no word yet on pricing, though they do hope to ship it out sometime in the fall of this year. Expect to pay a price for both the collar itself and a monthly fee for service.

By Andrew Liszewski

I usually go out of my way to hunt down the best shot for a product, but this is the actual photo Coleman uses for this tent light on their site. I know it’s not exactly their flagship product or anything, but come on, someone needs to be supervising those website interns. And even though a remote control tent light is a pretty simple idea, I could’ve really used one during my camping adventures last year. The light uses a bright Xenon bulb powered by 4 AA batteries, and it easily attaches to the roof of your tent. So while you’re getting ready for bed, you don’t need to fumble with a flashlight.

The tent light I used last Summer unfortunately didn’t have the luxury of a remote control, so I had to get up and manually switch it off. At that point I had to find my way back to my bed and climb into my sleeping bag in complete darkness. Now I know camping is supposed to be about ‘roughing it’ and all that, but I’ll gladly include a simple convenience like this on my compromise list. Unfortunately though, while the light is listed on Amazon, they don’t appear to have any in stock at the moment.

[ Coleman Remote Control Tent Light ] VIA [ GadgetGrid ]