Scanners can be painfully bulky. Much larger then the printers that they are so often attached to… not a good thing if you happen to be light on space, which many of us are both at the office and at home. Not to mention that they are heavy to carry around. If you want to stay away from the back strain, and clear up some space for your other needs then you may want to consider getting your hands onto the Fujitsu ScanSnap S3100 Portable Scanner. It can give you what you need without all of the waste. This thing is small enough to fit into a briefcase.

Think that a smaller scanner can’t give you what you want? Well this one comes with a robust set of features. It has the ability to scan to standard images as well as a variety of other formats. It can scan directly to a PDF, which is perfect for sending business documents. It can also scan directly into Microsoft Excel , which allows you to input data into your spreadsheet on the fly. No stress and no mess.

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Christmas came a little early for me this year in the form of a 23 inch widescreen monitor I bought for myself a couple of weeks ago and I just wouldn’t have felt right if I didn’t take the time to share it with you. Like most of you, I have been using what I thought was a great little flat screen LCD for the past few years and was totally happy with it… that was until I unboxed this widescreeny goodness.

The HP w2338h full HD monitor truly is one of those things that you don’t know how much you need until you actually have it. From the casual everyday computer user to the full time online worker like myself this sleek and stylish monitor really makes everyday online use a joy and much more productive.

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I don’t know whether to embrace or run away from this stylish USB & FireWire combination hub by LaCie. What looks like robo-tentacles are actually 4 USB ports, 2 FireWire ports, a USB fan, a USB light and both a USB and FireWire extension cable affixed to flexible cable “arms.”

I think my favorite part is the fan. Are people really getting *that* hot while working at their computers? Couldn’t they just layer or turn down the heat? Maybe a cool glass of water could do the trick? Clearly, I don’t get the appeal of the USB personal fan, but it seems to be a pretty standard USB gadget.

Seriously though, this is an extremely sleek and very multi-functional hub that’s sure to impress Apple lovers (for whom everything must be white) and design aficionados. It kind of reminds me of the camera-ball device from 12 Monkeys, or something built by the Kaminoans (the really tall aliens responsible for building the clone army in Star Wars). It retails for$89.99 on the LaCie site.

The orb-hub was designed exclusively for LaCie by Paris-based Ora-Ïto, the same designer behind the company’s golden hard drives and lego-brick drives.

The best thing about this USB powered Star Trek communicator VOIP phone is that it has a velcro backing, allowing you to mount it prominently on most pieces of clothing (which is exactly what I plan on doing). Once the phone’s hooked up, you can use it to make VOIP calls over Skype and it works with XP, Vista, Tiger and Leopard.

Did I mention it comes with all the super-awesome communicator sound effects? The only downside to this is that I work from home, meaning no one will be able to see how truly awesome I am every time  I take a Skype call. I think a trip to the neighborhood wifi coffee shop will be in order.

The phone’s not released yet, but it’s due out in April through Dream Cheeky, a site known for its bizarre USB-powered gadgets.

You have until February 20th to vote for your favorite Greener Gadget before the Greener Gadgets Conference in NYC on Feb 27th. I’m leaning towards the RITI printer (uses tea or coffee dregs instead of traditional ink and is pictured below) because it seems to be the one thing I could actually buy and get that really nice “green” feeling every time I used it. I also have a*lot* of coffee dregs.

Of course, fuzzy green feelings aside, there are definitely some other products on the short list that could have a far further-reaching impact than a coffee-powered printer.

Like a power socket that offers 5V, 16V and standard 120V to cut down on the need for power transformers and the use of disposable batteries in our electronics. Or Blink, an affordable attachment that uses a photo-sensitive cell to turn off lights when they’re not needed.

I was also intrigued by Eco-Neighbuzz, an internal telecom system that lets residents of a housing development or building exchange messages quickly. What kind of messages? Well, ones about needing to borrow a tool, giving away something, wanting to share a ride, etc. At first I was blown away by this one, but then I remembered that I’ve been a member of my neighborhood email listserv for years and it serves the same purpose, but without the need for a dedicated communications device in every home.

You can’t buy the coffee-ink printer yet, but we’ll keep you posted on the status.

A few weeks ago I set out to buy a new external hard drive. Admittedly, I wasn’t looking for a blinged- out piece of golden desk candy (at first), but I found one and it was pretty hard to resist.

Definitely not your standard-issue black plastic, this hard drive is designed by Ito Morabito of Ora-Ito. You may remember him as the Parisian designer who created a series of Lego-block-shaped hard drives for LaCie back in 2005. Well, he’s back with another LaCie drive and this time it’s a 500GB, Hi-Speed, USB 2.0 beast that looks like a gold brick (click here for more specs).

The drive sells for $189 and it’s surprisingly functional for what seems like a novelty product. You’re only getting 500GB of storage, which for $200 isn’t the best. But, the drive is driver-free, plug-and-play and fanless. That means it’s quiet and easy to use. It also comes with a two-year warranty from LaCie, one of the better drive manufacturers.

The best part? LaCie describes it on their website as “500GB of capacity under a glitter wave.” Something definitely got lost in the translation there, but we’re loving it anyway. Of course, I chickened out in the end and opted for a more “practical” (read: boring) 1TB Western Digital My Book.

Granted, solar chargers are just about everywhere these days, but how about one that doesn’t cost upwards of $100 and can still jack in to all of your mobile goodies? Get excited for the FreeLoader Solar Charger, able to soak up the power of the sun and store it for up to 3 months in a pack small enough to fit in your pocket. Whether you’re off the grid completely or just absentminded and in need of a power kick, a solar charger is one step up from an emergency battery since you’ll still not need an outlet when even that winds down — just pray for clear skies.

The lightweight aluminum FreeLoader unfolds to reveal two solar panels and comes with a USB charging cable, plus eleven standard adapters for your major cell phone, digital camera, PDA, GPS, and MP3 gadgets — and if the standard set doesn’t fit your device, there are extra accessories available to fill out your set (like an iPod adapter — now you can take long roadtrips and not worry about running out of tunes after 8 hours). Available for $49.95 from firebox.com, the FreeLoader is a great add to your power arsenal without breaking the bank.

When your parents first taught you how to ride a bike, I bet they also showed you how to swing your arm out to indicate that you were about to make a turn, right? And even though there are actual laws on the books that require bike riders to make these moves while riding in traffic, I can’t tell you the last time I actually saw someone do it. Why? A) it’s kind of a pain in the ass, let’s be honest, and B) if you’re about to make a fast tight turn, do you really want to give up one of your arms and risk losing control of the bike? Heck no. So you keep zipping on and pray that nothing jumps out at you or a car suddenly decides to zig when you zag.

Easy fix: Bicygnals, detachable magnetic lights that fix to your handlebar and under your saddle that’ll tell everyone in traffic just where you’re headed. The signal switches are located right beside your handlebar shifters, so doing the right thing is as easy as pushing a button. Each set (front and back LED displays) require 4 AA batteries, with an option to use the front headlight and rear red indication in full beam or flashing mode. And when you’re not on the road, the kit comes with a compact carrying case so you can throw it in your bag and not worry about leaving the lights on your bike. All in all, this genius set is a must-have for any city or night riders, and is ready to order now for £39.95.

We’re SUPER distrustful of universal remotes that claim to be able to power everything. Why, you ask? Because over the course of ten years we’ve plunked down thousands of dollars on remote controls, from fancy schmancy touch-screen devices that promise to do everything but wash the dishes down to the cheapo versions that you can find hanging on an endcap at Best Buy, and invariably there’s always ONE component that won’t take orders from anyone but its original remote master, even when told to beam those controls via IR remote info-sex. Take a good hard look at your entertainment center: if you’re anything like us, there’s no less than 5 components from as many manufacturers all awaiting your command, and they’ve each got their own special little remote control language.

But whatever, let’s pretend that 2008 is the year of renewed optimism and faith — yes, dear advertiser, we will eat up every promise you throw at us and swallow with a smile because it’s 2008 and we really want to believe! So Logitech, here’s your shot, make us proud: hot off the PR wires, take in the Harmony One Advanced Universal Remote. It’s black, it doesn’t have a zillion buttons, it’s got its own full color touch screen, it’s ergonomic… it’s… it’s even ever expanding. With the self proclaimed “World’s Largest A/V Control Database”, the remote is ready to support more than 225,000 devices from more than 5,000 brands, with new items being added to the list every day. Could this really be the end of multi-remote woes? For $249.99, here’s to hoping.

Maybe somewhere during the holiday crunch last week you paused for a moment and realized just how much nonsense we lug around with us for the sake of technology — between the power cords, adapters and carefully wrapped electronic goodies, most luggage cases end up looking like the waystation for tech support. It’s this waste of space that’s edging out more important travel packages, like presents and clean underwear, so here are a few products we’ve been using to maintain our connectedness while keeping the packing light.

Universal A/C Travel Adapter
Forget all of those travel adapters you’ve bought to meet each region you visit, or carrying around multiple adapters for country-hopping. The Universal A/C Travel Adapter is a mildly-priced must-have for power anywhere — covering more than 150 countries, the adapter adapts to each region’s plug system with collapsible plugs and prongs making it a perfect fit no matter where you’re at (there are even handy clues on the backside marked “USA, Japan, Europe, China, Australia, and Thai” if you find yourself trying to force a connection that won’t seem to work). The Adapter also features a power indicator, safety shutter and surge protector so you’re properly protected. For $10.99, don’t leave the country without it!

USB 5-in-1 Daisy Wheel Universal Adapter

…and let’s not forget the need to charge up all of your goodies while you’re on the go, too. The USB 5-in-1 Daisy Wheel Universal Adapter is a two-set package: you get one retractable USB cable (30″ fully extended) that connects the wheel to your computer, and the wheel itself that’s ready to hook up to your USB Mini 5 pin, USB Mini, USB Mini B, USB B, and USB Mini 4 pin plugs. Buyer beware, though — this is for charging only, the wheel does not let you sync your devices, so don’t get frustrated when you can’t pull your pictures off of your camera. But for power on the fly (maybe you’re only traveling for a couple of days and want to be sure you don’t run out of juice), the 5-in-1 is a great tool for keeping your cameras, phones, mp3 players and PDAs charged. Also available from usbfever.com for $12.99.

5-in-1 USB Cable with iPod Dock connector

Lastly but certainly not least, there’s the 5-in-1 USB Cable with iPod Dock connector. Similar to the wheel, the USB Cable is built to charge your electronic gaming devices, plus it goes one better than the wheel and actually lets you sync up your iPod so you can charge and change your playlists while traveling (it’s the little things, right?). Though the USB Cable is a little more bulky with its white bound-together cables vs. retractable zip line, it’s got all of your major entertainment electronic needs covered — with USB-iPod, USB-PSP, USB-NDS Lite, USB-NDS, USB-SP and Mini USB 5 pin connections you’re ready to charge up all of your travel entertainment electronics (if the port names didn’t give it away, this includes your PSP, NDS Lite, iPod, NS and SP). Word to the wise, though — don’t try charging more than one device at a time, it just doesn’t work. Also available from usbfever.com for $12.99.