USB Drumming Santa
This cheery Santa sits happily next to your PC to add instant festive
cheer to any office! He drums away merrily to get you in the Christmas
spirit (admittedly it can get a little tiresome after the 12th rendition!)
Archive for Uncategorized
Clocky - What an awful Concept!
Now I have to admit that when I look at gadgets that I know I would personally detest, I can usually see how they would appeal to someone else. There’s a market for most things. As one of the Dragon’s once disparagingly told a lady on Dragon’s Den “It’s rubbish and you’ve only managed to sell it, because some people will buy any old rubbish” - harsh but true! But, I have to say the concept of an alarm clock that leaps off your bedside table and scurries away to hide is so hideous that I can’t see why it would appeal to anyone! Clocky, as it is called likes to wake you up in the morning with a game of hide and bleep! The only way you can shut up the incessant alarm is to get your lazy self out of bed and chase after it!
Ok, I suppose I’ve realised the target market - it’s all those mothers who are at the end of their tether because their lazy offspring just won’t get up in the morning. Saying that, I’m sure this alarm clock would be out of the window after the first morning, so it would be the poor mother playing hide and seek as she attempts to retrieve it from the bush in the front garden while her smug child snuggles back under the covers saying “just another five minutes”.
Is it just me, or is this the craziest idea for an alarm clock you’ve ever heard?
Hot and Cold Water on Tap
The other day (what a day it was!) I was gagging for a nice hot cup of tea (doesn’t it solve the problems of the world!) and I thought to myself as I waited impatiently - how true it is that a watched kettle never boils! Imagine if you never had to wait for another kettle to boil. Just think of all the fun you could have with the extra time you’ve saved!
Now here’s a clever little kitchen device that I’d seriously consider investing in - the InSinkErator provides instant and constant hot and cold water - on tap. This means you can benefit from a nice hot drink whenever you fancy it without have to waste time waiting for the kettle to boil. Perfect for those occasions when you have a few friends around for a cuppa, a bit of cake and a catch-up. You’ll no longer have to spend most of your time running back and forth to the kitchen to make the drinks, as the hot water will be there when you need it.
It also comes into its own on a baking hot day when you’re gasping for a chilled glass of water. I’ve cursed so many times when I’ve come into the kitchen for a cold glass of water only to discover that the water filter has been put back into the fridge without being refilled -aright - it’s so frustrating. Not a problem if you’ve installed this ingenious tap in your kitchen.
So, if you fancy both hot and cold water on tap, you could do worse than take a look!
Rub my Dickie, sorry I mean Duckie!
I was watching ‘Loose Women’ today as I often do at lunchtime (a little light relief in my otherwise busy day!) and was amused by the little gizmo they brought out to test on Jane McDonald which Denise Welch described as ‘Rub my Dickie’. This obviously resulted in great mirth as they all examined the massaging bath duck.
As bath ducks go, this little guy gets extra marks for novelty value. I’m not sure you’d actually put him in your bath, although it is fully waterproof, but it’s guaranteed to soothe those aching muscles and leave you feeling relaxed. This is not your bog standard bath time duck - this Duckie even comes with it’s own sexy feather boa and a bit of bling on it’s beak (Swarovski Crystal). This cute little duck is also the sole of discretion - it quietly vibrates as it massages those hard to reach places.
A male model kindly demonstrated the benefits of ‘Rub my Dickie!’ It has to be said that he looked a little bemused as he rubbed the duck across Jane’s shoulder blades. The reason became apparent when Denise later realised that this quakers toy is actually called ‘Rub my Duckie’ - oh dear - what are those Loose Ladies like!
The Most Mobile Laptop?
I’m not the sort of person who has to have the latest gadget - far from it, but as someone who is giving serious consideration to updating their laptop in the not too distant future this has really caught my attention. It looks pretty nifty, but I’m not too sure how well I’d get on with navigation with that tiny keypad!
How far would you go to test your Phone?
I was out shopping the day the iPhone was launched and was amused to see the queues forming outside the mobile phone shop as people were eager to be amongst the first to get their hands on this long and eagerly awaited mobile. If you were one of those queuing for your iPhone, I’d be interested to know if it’s lived up to expectations.
The reason for my curiosity is that I was watching the Gadget Show a few weeks back when they put the iPhone through its paces alongside the Nokia N95 and the extremely enthusiastic and passionate iPhone supporter (male presenter, Jason) ended up admitting to feeling a little deflated by the results.
They put both phones to the test and when I say test, they went to some quite extreme measures to find out which hone was the best. This included jumping off a bridge and then competing to see who could use their phone to text and phone for help in the fastest time. Jason struggled to text with the iPhone under such extreme conditions and concluded that while the beauty of this ‘must-have’ mobile is it’s touch screen, it’s also it’s achille’s heel.
In fact the feature rich Nokia N95 seemed to hold it’s own and come out ahead in many of the tests conducted. The super sexy iPhone can only use iTunes, whereas the female presenter was quick to point out that with the Nokia N95 you can drag or drop tunes from any source. She was also less than impressed with the fact that you can’t change the iPhone’s battery yourself (as you can with the Nokia) suggesting that Apple will cash in on that, charging a fortune to do it for you. Jason argued that whilst you may be able to change the battery in the N95 yourself, that is because it’ll probably run out really quickly and says while the N95 has great features, what’s the point if the battery can’t support them?However as the tests continued, he was really disappointed by the camera and had to admit that the iPhone had consistently let him down all night. But, he still maintains that it is the most designer phone in the playground. So, if you are the type of person who has to have the latest ‘must-have’ item regardless of functionality or performance, I’m sure you won’t be put off by these findings, but as I say, I’d love to hear if the iPhone has lived up to the hype…
Don’t go Overboard!
Ok, I’m not great Seafarer (in fact my experiences with going on boats quite often result in severe nausea!), yet I still watched with interest last night at the slick business pitch for Water Buoy on Dragon’s Den this week. I may not venture off dry land very often (apart from my weekly swim at the local pool), but as someone who is forever losing things I appreciated how Water Buoy could be an ingenious device for boating fanatics.
Water Buoy claims to be the world’s first and strongest intelligent miniature flotation device that is also visible at night. If you accidentally drop your keys overboard, Water Buoy will save the day, so there’s no need for you to go diving in after them! Using gas, a balloon and a light, this little device may be small, but claims to be capable of lifting up to 1KG of weight!
You simply attach it to your valuable and should they end up overboard, the device will trigger the balloon before they sink too far and they’ll soon reappear on the surface of the water. If only someone would invent something similar for use on dry land - but then again, with the list of things I mislay around the house, I’d end up attaching one to everything I own!
In the Frame
I really fancy investing in a digital photo frame, but have to agree that I wouldn’t want one that’s going to dominate my living room! The frame I have in mind would sit neatly on the shelf, yet still attract attention as the photos change. So, I wouldn’t invest in this one.
Not another iPod Accessory!
Are you fed up of the never-ending list of iPod accessories flooding the market or are you always on the lookout for the next must-have iPod companion? There are loads of different iPod speaker systems around, but this one looks pretty cool to my (admittedly inexpert) eye.
Logic3’s i-Station Traveller is the iPod-accessory maker’s latest portable speaker system. With it’s compact and lightweight design, it’s perfect for listening to all your favourite tunes wherever you are. The i-Station is pretty robust and the speakers have a folding design which pulls apart to form a base for your iPod ( or any other MP3 player). Plug the player in using the speakers’ integrated 3.5mm jack and you’re ready to crank up the volume and party!
Available in six vibrant, funky colours, it is powered by four AAA batteries, or a mains adapter and the 32mm neodymium drivers deliver a total of 4W music power. Small enough to fit into your pocket, the i-Station Traveller comes complete with a protective travel case, a mains power connection and a 3.5mm to 2.5mm Stereo converter - all for just £20 (I love it when you can justify a purchase!)
So, if you’re still loving your iPod and on the market for new accessories, check out this great little travel item and let me know what you think.
Wake up, it’s a Beautiful Morning!
If like me, you’re not a morning person, the sound of an alarm clock going off must be up there with your most horrible sounds ever! But here’s an alarm clock you’re going to love. Whatever your favourite tune, you can wake up to it every morning with the MP3 Alarm Clock. This is one wake-up call that won’t have you cursing and reaching for the Alarm Clock to chuck it as far as possible across the room!
This cool, compact cube has the capacity to hold up to 6 albums so in the morning you can be gently stirred from your sleep with whatever piece of music you fancy (for some of us deep sleepers you might have to resort to something of the heavy metal variety, but hey at least it’s not an incessant alarm ringing in your ears!)
It’s simple to upload your MP3s via USB and then you can sleep easy knowing you’ll be waking up to a tune that will set the mood for the day, whether that be ‘Just another Manic Monday’ or ‘Friday I’m in Love’!
Measuring just 7 x 6 x 6 cm this stylish cube will sit inoffensively on any bedside table and swearing at the alarm will be a thing of the past!
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