The Walkman has certainly come a long way since that bulky cassette player. Yes, I still have one on the back of my closet, but it probably won’t get as much play as the NWZ-W252, which is Sony’s newest entry into the classic line.
This one-piece MP3 player is part of the W series, which means it’s water-resistant. However, this is the first MP3 player in that series (the rest are headphones). In other words, you have absolutely no excuse not to do five miles in the rain — unless you consider laziness to be a valid excuse.
Aside from technology, Walkman design has also really evolved. The NWZ-W252 features a wrap-around neck design not just for the headphones, but for the entire device. The whole thing wraps around your head!
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The Titan collar stays from Exuvius might not be your typical “gadget” since they don’t fly or have HDMI inputs but in my mind, anything that you can wear to a business meeting and doubles as a tool, is welcome in my book.
These titanium laser cut collar stays are 3 times stronger than stainless steel and feature a thread cutter, bottle opener, and both Phillips and Flathead screwdrivers. Not bad considering the alternative is walking out the door in the morning with a sliver of plastic that doesn’t have a chance of coming in handy.
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I’m not sure I believe it either, but Nuvo says that future fathers are strapping on the Ritmo pregnancy sound system to bond with their future offspring.
The Ritmo is a crazy contraption that mommy-to-be straps to her belly — you know, because she doesn’t feel self-conscious enough. However, instead of measuring her circumference, this device allows her to phone in her thoughts, using a cell phone. You can also hook up an iPod so baby can get an idea of your horrible taste in music in-utero.
Also, if dad is feeling left out of the whole pregnancy process, he can strap Ritmo to mom’s belly and get to work on his “I’m number one” claims.
Nuvo says the Ritmo system can be effective as early as 17-week gestation, when a baby’s sense of hearing starts to develop.
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Could you be loved? Or at least love Bob Marley-branded electronics?
We are used to seeing the Rastaman’s face emblazoned on T-shirts, college walls and weed paraphernalia worldwide. Now, Marley will soon grace a line of consumer products made by HoMedics.
The venture is a HoMedics/Marley family joint (no pun intended) titled The House of Marley. The initial products will include boomboxes, docking stations, ear buds and headphones, with the intent to develop other categories in the future.
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With a lot of the consumer electronics industry clamoring to release 3D TVs, Vuzix is quietly bringing the same experience straight to your cornea.
We’ve seen Vuzix video eyewear for years now. At first, it seemed a little goofy. After all, slap on a pair and you look like you’re headed to a Laser Tag tournament. Style issues aside, the individual experience is pretty cool.
Now, to jump on the 3D buzz, the company just announced that they are selling 3D DVD titles. Each one is mastered for use with Vuzix’s Video Eyewear and is also compatible with 3D TV sets — which no one has yet. Another thing they have in common? They are all equally bad.
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By Lonnie C. Best | Mar 8, 2010
Just when you thought that there were enough extra gizmos and doodads for the iPhone and iPod Touch, one European company has released the ultimate in wearable gadget accessories. Say hello… or WTF… to WTFJeans.
The jeans, which are being produced in limited supply of 1000 pairs, are specially designed to hold and protect your portable gadgets, particularly Apple’s popular touchables — special pockets are designed to hold the toys snugly and feature microfiber lining to protect the devices from scratches and clean them when they’re taken out.
Don’t have either one? WTFJeans may still be right for you, whether you’re a guy or a girl, as they protect (or show off) your own personal touchables. iPhones and iPods aren’t the only things protected, as the mens’ version features extra padding to protect the family jewels; the womens’ version features Sexyass™ (that’s right, it’s trademarked), so that “the pockets … are positioned in such a way to make your ass stand out in a crowd whether you’re slim or big.” Meaning that the guys aren’t going to be poking your iPod. “Never been groped? There’s always a first time.”
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Uncle Milton does it again with this Star Wars “The Force” Trainer. Due out in just under 2 months (link leads to a massive countdown clock for the UM Star Wars Science launch), this toy is set to revolutionize the industry. It also kind of gives me the willies.
The Force Trainer has two pieces – the first is a headset equipped with dry EEG sensors (a technology developed by NeuroSky…a name just a little too similar to SkyNet for my tastes). The sensors actually read your brainwaves and then relay that information to a fan inside the toy itself. The idea? The harder you concentrate, the more control you have over the fan. The fan lifts a lightweight ball in the toy, letting you then “control” the rise and fall of the ball.
I am not making this up.
The Force Trainer has 15 training levels and built-in voice guidance from Yoda, your Jedi Master. It’s expected to cost between $90 and $130 (seriously?! that’s it?! are brain wave sensors that cheap?!).
The rest of the Star Wars Science line will clock in at a reasonable $25-$45 price point and includes an optics teaching tool, a Darth Vader Robotic Arm, a Naboo Sea Creatures set (I wonder if they’re all really annoying?), a Dagobah Frog Habitat, a Jedi Telescope, a Jedi Projector and a Mustafar Volcano Kit.
So, how long before The Force Trainer replaces beer pong as the drinking game of choice amongst college students?
This watch has a 50/50 chance of getting you arrested. It’s essentially a minuscule video camcorder (records in AVI format) embedded in a watch. The files can then be transferred later to a computer for viewing/archiving.
It comes with an impressive 8GB of storage (note: by the time you’re finished reading this post, 8GB of storage will no longer be impressive), meaning you can record hours of mindless meetings, encounters at the convenience store and an afternoon spent reading Kindle 2 reviews. I’m not actually sure why anyone would need this watch for anything less than clandestine, but it’s still awesome.
Of course, you could think about it this way – let’s say you stop in at the bank on your way home from work. All of a sudden, a hold-up is underway. Well, guess who’s videotaping the perps and nobody’s the wiser? You, that’s who. Local News Hero Status, here we come.
It’s also kind of a cool watch and certainly beats the calculator watch hands down. It’s full metal, has a glass cover and it’s gear driven in seconds, minutes and hours (how they fit gears in there with a miniature camcorder and flash memory, I have no idea).
The watch comes with a USB cable, user manual, and Power adapter (110-240V 50/60Hz). It sells at ThinkGeek for $99.99
Ever wondered what your best buddy gets up to when you’re at work? Think the cat might be sleeping on your clean laundry? Now you can finally find out. This 640×480 resolution camera (by Uncle Milton Toys) hooks on to your pet’s collar and takes snapshots at 1-minute, 5-minute and 15-minute intervals.
When you get home, simply plug it into a USB-port, download and review your pet’s day. From the 10:00am perusal of the toilet to the afternoon spent licking himself and napping, it will all be there for you, waiting. I’m guessing my own dog’s 35-photo breakdown would look something like this (35 is the maximum number of photos this camera holds):
- 08 photos: Barking at the door.
- 02 photos: Chewing on socks.
- 03 photos: Drinking water.
- 04 photos: Harassing the cat.
- 19 photos: Sleeping.
The novelty would wear off pretty quickly, but at $39.99 this is a pretty fun gift for either the pet lover or the guy who’s convinced his wife cat is “marking” his shoes.
Before the Sharper Image in Seattle closed its doors, I used to stop in every time I was downtown and play with the lightsabers. You see, Sharper Image sold two models of “lightsabers” that made those classic “schwoooommmb” and “schrrrchk” sounds when you swung them or clashed the saber against something. They had a good weight to them too, they “felt right in the hand.” I would say that 90% of all the men that came into Sharper Image would at least touch the sabers, with about 60% of those individuals actually picking them up and 30% engaging in some sort of fake saber battle with a friend or fellow customer/stranger.
But then Sharper Image closed and I was back to dreary days in Seattle. That is until I discovered this LCD Light Saber Umbrella (that’s “light saber” not “lightsaber”). Available in three colors from eCrater, this is the perfect remedy for the gray drizzle of a city like Seattle.
It’s LED-powered though, meaning it’s not exceptionally bright. On the other hand, it never burns out, definitely has a lightsaber look and won’t be an overpowering beacon of light when you’re trying to inconspicuously creep past a group of surly teenagers with your giant lightsaber umbrella. Retails for $22.95 and takes 3 AAA batteries (included).