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Latest Gear Live Videos
JVC’s Bathtime Plays in Your Tub
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smart Home, Music, Portable Audio / Video,
You can now dispense with candles and electric radios near your bath. The JVC XA-AW33 Bathtime plays MP3s, WMAs, and WMA-DRMs. The PMP is waterproof, has a built-in 256 MB memory, hooks up by USB, has an NXT flat panel speaker, and gets up to 15 hours of playback time at a price of $239.00. It also comes with a stand if you simply want to sing in the shower. We dig the way that the company referred to its blue LED (at least in the translation,) “With music the relaxing space is produced.” We want our relaxing space to be filled with Mr.Bubble and strains of Barry White.
Read More 
| Red Ferret
Gallery: JVC’s Bathtime Plays in Your Tub
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eBay Sells Recalled Items
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Editorial, Smart Home, Toys,
According to a recent study in Injury Prevention Journal, many recalled products that are never returned end up in thrift stores, garage sales, and on eBay. Researchers randomly picked 141 items for children recalled between 1992 and 2004, including baby walkers, furniture and riding toys. The items were found on 190 different auctions. The company says that it doesn’t permit listing of U.S. CPSC recalled items and suggests that buyers check their “security and resolution” page.
We suggest they do more than that. With a mimimal effort we found an Elmo Guitar and Sesame Street Tub, Pots, and Pans, both up for sale on the site. Until eBay gets a clue, if you suspect that one of the items you want to purchase has been recalled, check with Mattel before you purchase.
Read More | MSNBC
Gallery: eBay Sells Recalled Items
Franklin Image to Move in $100.00 Bills
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Smart Home, Misc. Tech, Science,
Look closely at the new $100.00 bills that will soon be issued (Oh sure, like we see a lot of those.) A new security thread, similar to those found on 1,000 Swedish kroners, sounds pretty eerie to us. Move the bill side to side and the micro-printing with tiny lenses allows you to see the image of Ben Franklin moving. Although holograms such as those on credit cards were considered for part of the design, the government felt they were not strong enough visual signals. Other features, such as pastel colors found on the recently released $10.00, $20.00, and $50.00 bills, will also be incorporated. For more information about the designs, visit The Bureau of Engraving and Printing online.
Read More | Yahoo News
Gallery: Franklin Image to Move in $100.00 Bills
Reseachers at Ohio State recently concluded a study that eating certain foods in specific colors may help you ward off colon cancer. Monica Giusti and her team found that anthocyanins, found in red, purple, and blue fruits and veggies can make a difference when added to your diet. Included in the list were grapes, radishes, purple corn, and elderberries.
The scientists fed rats, who had been induced with colon cancer cells, a diet of chokeberries and billberries which reduced signs of tumors by 60 and 70%. We remember reading not so long ago that you should look for brightly colored fruits such as strawberries and melon, but there is no way we are going to dine on eggplant.
Read More | USU Research News
Gallery: Think Purple Foods For Better Health
Analog TV Will Cease to Exist in 2009
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: HDTV, Home Entertainment, Smart Home, Misc. Tech,
The Bad News
Analog broadcasting, as we now know it, will end by February 2009. When the time comes, your TV has to be capable of receiving digital signals or you will end up with a very large paperweight. If you have satellite service or cable they will provide you with anything you need, but if you use an antenna you will need an ATCS tuner.
The Good News
If you need the tuner (which costs between $50.00 and $70.00,) the government will help subsidize your purchase if you apply for up to two $40.00 coupons between January 1 and March 31, 2008.
The Best News
If you have a VCR, or DVR with a digital tuner that will do the trick, so save your old VCR even if you never got around to fixing that broken belt. Contact the FCC’s site for more infomation.
Read More | USA Today
Gallery: Analog TV Will Cease to Exist in 2009
Roomba 500 Series Now Available
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Smart Home, Misc. Tech,
Roomba has reinvented itself. After almost 2 million of the vacuuming bots have been sold, iRobot decided to upgrade after listening to owners’ suggestions. The robots can now get out of more jams, slow down when they detect a wall or obstacle, and have one-button activation. They also have the capability of traveling on thicker carpets, avoiding stairs, transitioning easily between floor surfaces and, most importantly, have a built-in tutorial.
The new Roomba 500 series will be shipping in the U.S. in September at prices of $249.99 to $399.99 and for those budget-minded folks, the basic 400 model is available for only $119.99.
Read More | roomba 500 Series Product Page
Gallery: Roomba 500 Series Now Available
Plan an Adventure Without the Hassle
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smart Home, Internet, Transportation,
Andrew Playford loves adventures, but would rather not have to plan all the details. With a little effort, he came up with Signature Days, over 3 thousand different trips that completely supply everything for the traveler. Think of being able to give a someone a hang gliding, scuba or helicopter lesson, or sending your kid away to Rock ‘n Roll Fantasy Camp in New York for a week. And, if you want to hint around for a gift for yourself this upcoming holiday season, tell your loved ones that you want a VocationVacation so that you can become a dude rancher, pit crew member, or Schooner captain.
There are all kinds of options on the site with prices to fit every budget, and each experience is provided by an independent verified partner. You can also opt for a gift voucher that will allow the bearer to choose her/his own adventure. Andrew’s words say it best, “You can create the charade that you are the most thoughtful, creative person on earth and disguise your inherent complacency with a few well placed clicks.”
(Thanks, Tony)
Read More | Signature Days
Gallery: Plan an Adventure Without the Hassle
Kaleidoscope Projects Light Show
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Smart Home, Misc. Tech, Toys,
Takara Tomy doesn’t just make animated aquariums for adults/kids. It has also developed this UMate Mangekyo Kaleidoscope, which projects a revolving image onto your wall or ceiling in dazzling colors. The Mangekyo (which means kaleidoscope in Japanese) runs on discs, beads, and other objects placed inside it to create original patterns.You can also turn it into a mini-lamp by closing its lid. Our buds at C Scout tell us that they have seen it in action and that the effect is awesome. Look for its release by the end of the summer.
(Thanks, Michael)
Read More | C Scout
Gallery: Kaleidoscope Projects Light Show
MyFountain Pours, Then Cleans Up
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Smart Home, Misc. Tech,
This certainly puts Robocco to shame. Digital Beverages’ MyFountain can pour mixed drinks, beer, wine, and soft drinks with a tap on its LCD touchscreen. With Virtual Bartender software, you have the option of creating your own ingredient list and proportions or use their online drink recipe generator. There is also password protection to keep the kids from imbibing. A mini-fridge sits below your counter and can hold up to a dozen different bottles of booze and mixers. After it pours your drink, it will sanitize the liquid lines with hot water. The company is planning to have them available by the Spring of 2008 with a hefty price of $2,500.00.
Read More | Digital Beverages via technabob
Gallery: MyFountain Pours, Then Cleans Up
Reflect Your Moods with Mirror Tiles
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Smart Home, Misc. Tech,
Now that someone has discovered a way to reflect moods in furniture, along comes Generate’s ultra-bright LED light matrix with an RF Mood-Light Reflector program. The 19.7 x 19.7 x 3.75-inch panels look like ordinary mirrors, but turn them on and you can display random colors, rainbow sequences, gradually changing hues with pulsations, or preprogrammed mood sequences with red, blue and green light. Each panel will set you back $600.00, the remote goes for $45.00 (which runs up to four panels,) and the power supply is $279.00. We think we would program the tiles to show how we see red after adding up the exorbitant price tag.
Read More | Generate
