New Home Gadgets

Since no day is complete without "industry sources" or "analysts" coughing up "new details" about the 3G iPhone, today’s rumor goes like this. Times Online in the UK has learned from said sources that the upcoming device will have a "radically different" appearance than the current phone we can all identify blindfolded and by scent alone. What this means remains to be seen, of course, but two possibilities are apparently a clamshell and a slider with a hardware QWERTY keyboard. (Read the full post about ‘3G iPhone Rumored to Look “Radically Different”’…)

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Since its release last fall, the Mugen Puchi Puchi electronic bubble wrap toy from Bandai became so popular in Japan that the company deemed the novelty keyring worthy of an update. The second-generation toy, dubbed Moe Puchi Puchi, retains the same design and "functionality" of its predecessor but adds a little something to appeal to consumers who have a little thing for young Japanese . . . anime characters. Wrapped in packaging sporting wide-eyed girls dressed in anime archetype attire, Moe Puchi Puchi still aims to satisfy the baffling human obsession with popping bubble wrap. But in addition to the standard clicking that accompanies a "pop," the speaker on the back of the toy lets out the whispering Japanese voices of the characters. (Read the full post about ‘Japanese Bubble Wrap Toy Updated With Voices of Girls’…)

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At just 250, this device could turn anyone into a CD/DVD-copying maniac. After all, you don’t even need a computer to work it. Yup, it’s copy-and-go. And, it has the capacity to churn our 14 CDs per hours. For the honest people (say indie artists who want to make their ow copies of CDs), this is really a fantastic tool. But for pirates, this might mean an easier process into illegally copying and distributing copyrighted material. The Forte CD/DVD Duplicator comes with a 160GB HDD and can produce 25 CD copies (at 14 an hour) at the single touch of a button. via (Read the full post about ‘Forte CD/DVD Duplicator: Feeding Your Inner Pirate’…)

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LavNav Avoid that ghastly glaring bathroom light as you stagger lavwards on your nocturnal constitutionals. You can have this for ?19.95 (Read the full post about ‘LavNav’…)

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This is a bit of a twist (well spin) on a traditional bathroom, a bath one minute but a with a 180 degree turn it transforms into a shower. Designed by Ron Arad, the “Rotator” is made out of duralight® and is more of a work of art than just a simple bath. However looking at it does not fill me confidence about the comfort of bathing in it. To empty the bath simply rotate it until the water overflows, just make sure you have a drainage in your bathroom floor. More info over on De Zeen found via ID Asia. (Read the full post about ‘Giant Urinal or Rotating Shower Bath’…)

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Altoids seem to be just as popular for their curiously strong flavor as they are for the metal tins they come in. I’ve seen everything from headphone amps to battery backups to even actual iPods crammed into those tins, so it seems almost logical that someone would make one specifically designed for that purpose. Case Logic, who produces cases for nearly every piece of electronics on the market, is now selling a Traditional Tin metal case for the current generation iPod Nano and 80GB/160GB iPod Classic. The tins are custom fitted for either ipod, and are lined with a silicon insert to cushion the mp3 player while the metal case protects it from wear and tear. (Read the full post about ‘Case Logic iPod Nano & iPod Classic Tin Cases’…)

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Somehow sports that feature projectiles in a game (badminton, soccer, cricket, squash, tennis) have given birth to obsession such as the “fastest serve in the world”. In cricket, the fastest a ball was delivered is approximately 100mph, but those are the domain of professionals. What if you’re a budding cricket fan who adores the sport and want to know just how fast you will be able to bowl that cricket ball? Well, instead of getting a friend to stand at your side and using radar guns to capture the necessary statistics, why not use this Speedsensor cricket ball? For AUD$55 a pop, you get the official size, shape and weight of a standard cricketball, complete with a small LCD readout on one face. (Read the full post about ‘Cricket Ball Knows How Fast It Is Going’…)

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The Department of Defense is currently pouring plenty of dough into a portable handheld device which is smart enough to identify signs of brain damage in a person shortly after a roadside bomb or other injuries which cause trauma to the head within seconds. So far $4.6 million has been poured over four years for such a device, and the final product must be rugged enough to survive extreme battlefield conditions such as Iraq. It isn’t ready just yet, but we do know it features a small high-resolution camera and software that measures just how well a person tracks a red dot which moves in a small circle. Simple tests like that as well as remembering a few words show just how much damage was inflicted. (Read the full post about ‘Device that Gauges Brain Trauma’…)

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The blackberry 8110 offers a 2 megapixel camera with built-in zoom and flash as well as the following features: * Wireless email * Speakerphone and Voice Activated Dialing * Media Player: Listen to your favorite songs and watch video clips * Video recording * Browser: Navigate and browse websites with a roll and click of the trackball * Organizer: Synch and store your calendar data, address book and more * BlackBerry Maps: Get directions and view maps while on the road * GPS capable * 64 MB built-in memory * expandable memory via microSD card * Bluetooth capability * SureType keyboard in QWERTY-style layout (Read the full post about ‘BlackBerry Pearl 8110′…)

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The GPS, the 21st century version of the compass. Invaluable to weary travelers who feel the air suck out of there lungs when they are unaware of the location of the nearest Starbucks. The technology, created by the US military and released to the public in the mid 1980’s by Presidential decree has blossomed into a top holiday gift and dashboard staple. Perfected with the discontinuation of selective availability in 2000 which helped to refine the systems accuracy, and thus enhance its marketability. Companies like Garmin and Tom Tom have lead the market with these tech must haves. But are we too reliant on the GPS? A generation lost when it comes to all matters cartographic? (Read the full post about ‘Is your GPS pointing you in the right direction?’…)

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