R/C Drinks Cooler

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Household, Misc. Tech

Next time you are waiting for that brew to come to you rather than you going to the fridge, you can be happy in the knowledge that you have the R/C Drinks Cooler. At a size of 35 x 30cm, the device works with a battery operated remote (batteries not included) and can carry up to 12 cans or 3 wine bottles. It also has a carry strap and folds up when not in use. You can pre-order the Cooler for $101.96 and expect to receive it in October. Come to think of it, it may be so cold by then, you can insert a bowl instead of ice and use it to trot out all that leftover Halloween candy.

Read More | Latest Buy

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Ravi Instant Wine Chiller

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Household, Misc. Tech

Impress your friends with the Ravi Instant Wine Chiller. Your favorite Chianti can go from room temperature to perfection in just a few seconds. Stick it in the freezer until you need it, and its frozen steel chamber will make your wine or other alcoholic beverage the way you always heard that it was meant to be. At a size of 7 1/2 x 2 1/4-inches, the device has finger-tip control to adjust temperature and prevent dripping. You can find the instant chiller with a price of $49.99.

Read More | Wine Enthusiast

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Wine Stopper USB Memory Stick

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Accessories, USB, Design, Software

Wine connoisseurs/geeks, it’s time to say “Cheers!” Arwye Wan has designed a USB 2.0 flash drive shaped like a cork wine stopper. Handmade and at a size of 50 x 20mm, the stick holds 1GB memory and supports Windows, Linux and Mac. The storage device comes in a white gift box and will be available soon, so contact smediart for details and price. What a great idea for for a vineyard and/or retailers to get one with their logo on it and information about their product included in the design. Personally, our wine knowledge is pretty much limited to Ripple.

Read More | smediart

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Beerbelly, for Lazy Drinkers

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Misc. Tech

Once you become a male over the age of 30, if you enjoy a good brew often, chances are you will develop a larger midriff to show your indulgence. Get a head start with the Beerbelly, an 80 oz. polyurethane “bladder” and an insulated neoprene “sling” that you can strap on before the next scrimmage. The gadget was devised by 3 men who wanted to sneak beer into a movie theatres and ball games. The device will hold hot or cold drinks and one size will strap on up to 40-inch waists. You can either pour the liquid into a cup or drink from the tube/nozzle. The Beerbelly carries a MSRP $39.95 and the company also offers a Winerack for the ladies.

Read More | The Beer Belly

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Winery Owner Is Everyman’s Connoisseur

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Household, Internet

How do you turn a small business into a multi-million dollar operation? In Gary Vaynerchuk’s case you create a podcast from the back of your Wine Library, extolling the virtues of various selected types, and then selling them over the Internet. The business was started by his parents, and Gary became an aficionado of the fruit of the vine as a teen. Based in Springfield, New Jersey, he airs his opinions three times a week, and refuses to use the terms and descriptions of most connoisseurs. He will also taste real items, such as dirt and rocks, to compare the taste. Gary is hoping that his Internet lessons will make wine more popular at sporting events. We are not sure that Merlot really goes with stadium hot dogs.

Read More | Wine Library

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Winebot, Pass The Wine and Cheese

Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Household, Misc. Tech, Science, Toys

NEC and Mie University have teamed up in Japan to create the 2-foot Winebot, a cute little bugger that can not only discern good wine from bad, it can also name the brand and suggest a cheese.

“There are all kinds of robots out there doing many different things,” said Hideo Shimazu, director of the NEC System Technology Research Laboratory and a joint-leader of the robot project. “But we decided to focus on wine because that seemed like a real challenge.”

Speaking in an underage voice, the robot names the brand and adds a comment to its taste. It can also be programmed to recognize wine that its owner prefers. Because of its ability to analyze the chemical composition of wine or food placed next to it, it could caution its owner about such health-related factors as fat or salt content.

Winebot doesn’t come cheap. “Buying one of these would cost about as much as a new car,” Shimazu said. “We’d like to bring that down to 100,000 yen ($1,000) or less for the tasting sensor if we were to put it on the market.”

We figure that if you can afford the wine and cheese, you can afford the Winebot.

Read More | USA Today

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