By Andrew Liszewski

Here’s a clever little contraption for those of you who suffer from escaping dogs every time you try to open the front door. It’s a 31-inch high vinyl barrier that automatically extends and retracts when you open or close the door, allowing you to receive deliveries or packages while keeping your pooch contained inside. It has the added bonus of being opaque so your dog can’t see what’s going on outside, theoretically causing them to lose interest, and the vinyl is tear and puncture resistant to hold up to even the most persistent of pets. $69.95 from Hammacher Schlemmer.

[ The Dog Escape Preventer ] VIA [ Coolest Gadgets ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Even if you’re not an investigative reporter, private eye or just plain creepy, there are a lot of times when being able to record a telephone conversation could save your butt. In the past, wires and microphones were an essential part of documenting a call, but now all you need is this compact Mynah handset. Named after a bird that’s capable of mimicking humans, the handset connects to your cellphone via Bluetooth and has enough storage to record 340+ hours of calls on its lengthiest setting. Obviously if you want higher quality, you’ll be able to record less.

It has a host of features for documenting the date, time, number and duration of a call, and you can set it to record everything carte blanche, or only when you specifically tell it to. And like with a TiVo if you get halfway through a call and realize you probably should have recorded it, the Mynah actually records it all along and will simply save the entire call when you tell it to. The recordings can then be uploaded to your PC via a miniUSB connection, and on a single charge the handset is good for about 8 hours of record time. The Mynah won’t be officially shipping until December 28, but you can order one now from their site for $249.

[ Mynah Bluetooth Cellphone Recorder ] VIA [ The Gadgeteer ]

By Chris Scott Barr

The iPad is one of those devices that’s too big to fit in your pocket, but still small enough for someone to easily swipe off of a table or desk. The really bad part is that there is absolutely no way of securing the gadget to a specific spot, unlike a laptop that has a security lock slot. So what do you do? Either don’t let it out of your sight, or buy a case that can be locked down.

This iPadLock is a case that features a security lock slot, which can be used with a standard laptop locking cable to lock the device to a table or other fixture. What seems strange is that the case is made of plastic (though it is advertised as a “hard” plastic). Would it really be so hard to break off part of the case that is attached to the cable? That seems like a security risk to me. If you think that is enough to deter would-be thieves, you can get the case by itself for $40, or bundled with a cable for $65.

[ Maclocks ] VIA [ Gearlog ]

By Andrew Liszewski

For once here’s a post about a LaCie enclosure that doesn’t include any specs about gigabytes or capacity. That’s because their new ‘Tank’ case doesn’t come with a drive inside. You’re welcome to stick one in there, but it’ll be just as happy to protect other smaller electronics or valuables from dust, pouring rain, drops, shock and anything else that falls under the U.S. Military’s IP-63 specification.

A customizable foam interior ensures that what’s inside won’t bang around while in transport, which is important because LaCie seems to be positioning this as a safe way to ship or mail hard drives. Since it’s lacking in storage the Tank will only cost you ~$31 (£19.99) and even though it’s currently only listed on the U.K. LaCie website, I’m sure it will eventually make its way over here.

[ LaCie Tank ] VIA [ Professional Photographer ]

By Andrew Liszewski

There’s no point in locking checked luggage when flying. If customs or security wants to take a look in your bag, they’re just going to circumvent anything you do. But carry-ons? Well that’s a different story. A little added security never hurts, and with this ‘Crown Edition’ carry-on luggage from Heys, you’ll never have to worry about keeping track of those tiny keys either.

A built-in rechargeable biometric fingerprint reader ensures that only you, or 7 other people of your choosing, have access to your precious toiletries and change of underwear. And the shell is made from “nearly indestructible, 100% German polycarbonate” which is important to note because Germany is well-known for their polycarbonate. (Actually I have no idea if that’s true.) There’s a bunch of other high-end features outlined on the Heys’ website which don’t sound as fun as biometrics or German plastic, but how else are you going to convince people to spend $2,200 on a carry-on?

[ Heys Crown Edition Carry-On Luggage With Biometric Locks ] VIA [ bookofjoe ]

By Andrew Liszewski

In addition to their indispensable graphics tablets, Wacom also applies their technology to more mundane solutions like their new line of eSignature tablets designed for checkouts, banks or anywhere an electronic signature is required. Three different models were recently announced including the top-of-the-line STU-520 which includes an 800×480 color LCD display which can be used for additional point-of-sale marketing and the STU-500 & STU-300 which feature basic monochrome displays designed to just get the job done.

And besides just capturing a signature, Wacom’s pen technology can also record and store additional information like pen speed and pressure which helps generate a unique biometric profile for the user making it particularly difficult for others to forge their John Hancock. It’s just too bad that their clever wireless pen technology is rendered moot in such an application since the stylus will inevitably end up tethered to the tablet.

[ Wacom's eSignature Line ] VIA [ Electronista ]

By Andrew Liszewski

While it’s not mentioned in any of the tech specs, I’m hoping this U.S. Patrol padlock, which features a built-in 110dB motion-triggered alarm, has a small delay before it starts blaring. It’s designed to basically scream bloody murder whenever it’s disturbed to scare off would be tamperers, but hopefully it gives someone with a key enough time to open and disengage the alarm before they’re deafened.

The padlock appears to be powered by 6 x LR44 button type batteries and it can be locked without activating the alarm for use on trailers, gates, bikes, toolboxes or anything that will probably be frequently moved. $19.99 from Northern Tool + Equipment.

[ US Patrol Siren Padlock ] VIA [ GadgetReview ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Once again I can’t give secu4 the credit for being the first to come up with this idea, but I like the fact they’ve managed to get their BlueWatchDog security ‘dongle’ almost as thin as a credit card, making it less of an inconvenience to actually use. The idea is you stash one of these cards inside something you don’t want to go missing, and then connect it to your cellphone over Bluetooth.

Everything is hunky-dory until you and said article are separated by a preset distance, anywhere between 1 and 30 meters. At that point an alarm on your cellphone will sound letting you know the protected item has been forgotten or taken, and the BlueWatchDog itself will emit a 100db alarm serving as a reminder and/or a deterrent. The system is compatible with a wide variety of phones, though oddly enough not the iPhone which was supposed to be supported sometime this year. And while ~$95 (€69.99) isn’t chump change by any means, it could be cheaper than having to replace a laptop or other more expensive device.

[ BlueWatchDog Bluetooth Personal Alarm System ] VIA [ Gizmag ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Longtime readers will already be familiar with the saga behind the Keyport, so it’s nice to see that not only is the company still going strong, but they’re also expanding the usefulness of their device. While it hasn’t officially been announced as being available for sale just yet, a new 4GB USB flash drive ‘blade’ that turns one of the Keyport’s slides into a handy bit of extra storage has been teased on the company’s website. Now personally I’d be a little hesitant to let the Keyport hang off the back of my computer like pictured here, but when used with a USB extension cord I think it’s a clever idea.

[ Keyport 'On The Drawing Board' ] VIA [ SlashGear ]