Find Our Latest Video Reviews on YouTube!
If you want to stay on top of all of our video reviews of the latest tech, be sure to check out and subscribe to the Gear Live YouTube channel, hosted by Andru Edwards! It’s free!
Latest Gear Live Videos
Wind-up Bird Salt and Pepper Shakers
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smart Home, Misc. Tech, Toys,
As our final contribution on this Earth Day, we found this almost eerie set of Bird Shakers. No batteries or electronics are involved, you simply wind them up and send them across the table while conserving your own personal energy. The Round Salt and Pointed Pepper shakers are hand-crafted of metal and PVC and are each 3.5 x 2.75-inches. Pre-order one for $18.00 or $36.00 for the pair for a mid-May delivery date. Okay, now that you have finished reading this, go out and plant a tree!
Read More 
| Yo Kiddo
Gallery: Wind-up Bird Salt and Pepper Shakers
Advertisement
Amazon has a new service that allows shopping via cell phone, just in case you are having a shopping fix moment and can’t wait to get home or the nearest mall. TextBuyIt is fairly simple. Type in a keyword to 262966 (AMAZON) and they will send you a list of matches. Choose and select the appropriate number. Get more search results by using “m” for a total of 8 selections, “xd” for details, “h” for help, and “x” to purchase. After ordering, they will call you back so you can confirm or cancel. We like using Amazon and even though we doubt that we would use it on the fly, it may be the shape of things to come when computers and cell phones eventually become one.
Read More | Amazon
Gallery: Amazon TextBuyIt Available
A Rubiks Cube-esque Wall Clock
Posted by Lolita Beckwith Categories: Accessories, Smart Home, Misc. Tech,
It’s retro chic, it’s DIY…and it’s 100% cool. It’s the Do It Yourself Cubic Wall Clock, which we think bears more than a passing resemblance to the ever-maddening Rubik’s Cube. Just make sure the block with the clock hands is in the center… and the rest of the design is totally up to you! Comes with 12 self-adhesive colored plastic cubes that measure approx. 2.5 x 2.5”. Requires 1 AA battery. Perfect for the Rubik’s fanatic (we know you’re out there!), 80’s-lovin’ types or to just to add some major pizazz to your home. Available for approx. $70 USD.
Read More | Drink Stuff
Gallery: A Rubiks Cube-esque Wall Clock
How this Glowing Electrical Socket Helps Save Energy
Posted by Lolita Beckwith Categories: Accessories, Design, Smart Home, Misc. Tech,
It’s happened to all of us….you leave for work, and an hour later you’re paralyzed with fear, as you can’t remember if you left the iron plugged in or not. Not so with the Glowing Electrical Socket, which glows a lovely pink color when said outlet is drawing a current! It’s actually a very eco-friendly device, as you are reminded that some of your electronics may be plugged in unnecessarily – and therefore wasting energy. Plus it has an LED, which alerts you when the current is actually growing stronger. And if don’t want the socket to glow, there’s a button to turn that feature off. What’s not to love? Unfortunately, we could not find pricing info, so stay tuned….
Read More | New Idea via Geeksugar
Gallery: How this Glowing Electrical Socket Helps Save Energy
The Korean Company Senslux has released the Light Therapy Desk Lamp SLD series. You can create 7 steps of brightness and 3 moods by adjusting red and blue colors or a combination of the two. The company claims that in addition to natural lighting, the lamps help cure acne, rejuvenate your skin, and cut back on SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder.) The energy-saving LED will at least ease your eye strain at a price of 148,000 KRW (~$152.00.)
Read More | Senslux
Gallery: Lamp Relieves SAD
For those who never make their bed but feel that it is one of those chores that should be done, this self-making bed might be the ticket. The sheet is rolled out by two fasteners that move along on each side of the bed. Inventor Enrico Berruti admits that he created the EasyBed for people who couldn’t do it themselves, but added “also because I’m a little bit lazy myself.”
The bed was displayed at this week’s International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva which also included an injection-giving robot and, believe it or don’t, an e-mail analyzer that its creator says can determine if someone you meet in a chat room is actually the same sex that they claim to be.
Read More | USA Today
Gallery: Bed Makes Itself
Pandora Doesn’t Let You Snooze
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Smart Home, Misc. Tech,
There is no way that you can hit snooze and still be able to do so with the Pandora Alarm Clock. Turn the thing off and just as you start to fall back to sleep, it will issue noises and, as you open your eyes, it plays animation on your ceiling to berate you about what you should be doing rather than hanging in bed. The imaging includes a shower, coffee brewing, a toaster, and tooth brushing. To see a demo and hear the strange sounds it makes, check designer Melanie Graf’s site. There is only one glitch to her prototype that we can figure. There would never be enough guilt to have to go through the routine day after day. Hmm. Maybe Pandora would be a good thing.
Read More | Creative Monday
Gallery: Pandora Doesn’t Let You Snooze
In this election year, we find more patriotic gadgets than we will ever actually need. The Musical Statue of Liberty is no exception, but at least this one is non-partisan. Draped in the American flag and made of hand-painted vinyl, the mini-statue not only looks tacky, but press her button and her torch keeps time to the thrilling tune of “New York, New York.” Standing all of 10-inches, she requires 2 AA batteries (not included) and carries a MSRP of $11.98.
Read More | The Lighter Side
Gallery: Lady Liberty Sings
USB Desktop Mini-Lamp Adjusts
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Accessories, USB, Smart Home, Misc. Tech,
For a little extra light on your desktop when others are sleeping or when you have to work late, this USB Mini-Lamp may be useful when you only need a small amount. Energy efficient, it is 5.6 x 5.6 x 38 cm and weighs 156g. With three LEDs, it has an on/off switch and can be adjusted by its metal gooseneck. Add an extra long cable and you could have yourself a decent night light. Recommended for indoor use only, the plug and play light is available for $17.00.
Read More | Brando
Gallery: USB Desktop Mini-Lamp Adjusts
Wouldn’t it be nice to get up at night for a bathroom jaunt and not worry about tripping over something in the dark? Engineering students Leona Dean and Zoe Robson from London South Bank University have created the Footlume, an electroluminescent rug. Using rechargeable batteries, its light is controlled by a person’s weight. Dean says that it can also “provide ambient mood lighting or flash in time to music as a talking point at a party.”
The prototype will be on display at the Daily Mail Ideal Home Show in London this month. The thought occurs to us that if it responds to humans, it will do the same with nocturnal pets and the idea may backfire if they decide to play “chase the light” as our cat does.
Read More | Live Science
