INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Being a person that enjoys Tootsie Pops, I’ve often had to deal with the issue of getting frustrated when I need to set it down. I’ve yet to figure out how to deal with that, well apparently someone has solved the problem. By creating a solid chunk of wood with a hole in the center. It weighs 2lbs and only two have been created. Apparently two is all that will be created. It’s currently up for auction on eBay for 24 more days. There are no offers, but don’t worry, you can buy it now for the low price of $2,700.

Time to ‘come clean’ on whether you’re dieting or not, but this Chocolate Donut Soap will definitely cause even the most iron willed dieter out there to waver but for a moment, as it looks good enough to eat while you’re busy working up a lather to keep your sweaty body nice and clean after a session at the gym. We’re pretty much guessing that some people would actually give this $4.50 soap a bit just out of curiosity, it nothing else.

If you think your sticky notes need a little extra excitement, don’t go for that boring square pad of yellow notepads. No, instead you need a pad of paper the size of a hand and in the shape of a hand. These notes are just as sticky as your average sticky notes, they just happen to be slightly more whimsical. You can purchase these Talk to the Hand! Palm Sized Sticky Notes by Fred for $6.99 from Pop Deluxe.

Hippos might be portrayed as cute, lovable creatures that amble about in the mud while taking their own sweet time doing stuff only hippos do, but in reality they possess unusually strong jaws that could crush a human bone easily when caught in its grip, and are excellent swimmers not to be trifled with in a river. The Hippo foot massager comes with a fleece cover and will knead and pummel your feet to get rid of the day’s stress, featuring two hippo heads on the end of your feet at the same time. You can choose from two different speeds according to your preference, while carrying at £24.99 price point. Sounds cheaper than other more established foot massager brands, so hopefully it won’t deliver a less than satisfactory experience.

Chivalry seems to be a dead virtue these days, but women also play a role in that situation since they want to be empowered. Well, for those independent ladies in iron suits who yield considerable power and influence in the corporate world, show those around you that you have no need for a boyfriend with this umbrella shoulder holder. Good during the summer when you want to shield yourself from the harsh rays of the sun, or during the rainy monsoon season, all you need to do is attach the umbrella handle to the red wire sausage and tie a knot around your shoulder and you’re good to go. Absolutely weird, this!

There are always plenty of gadgets out there that require a USB port to charge themselves up again. The more gadgets like that, the more our USB ports stay full, which means we have to pay for an extra hub to make life a little easier. Well when you’re traveling or just someplace without a computer, it causes a problem with charging your gadgets. If you want to make sure that you’ll have an alternative method to charge your USB gadgets, this affordable adapter would be a big help.
These adapters from iLuv come in two different forms, one is better suited for someone who isn’t that big into their gadgets, the other for more serious gadget lovers. The first has only one USB port to plug into and the second has a total of three. If nothing else, you could even use the adapter with 3 ports to free up room on your computer instead of purchasing yourself a hub. These adapters are able to handle from 100 on up to 240V at 50 or 60Hz. You can purchase the iLuv iAD116 and the iAD117 for $14.99 and $19.99. I’m sure you can guess which price goes with which one.

With more and more folks jet setting around the world and the proliferation of fast mobile connectivity thanks to 3G technology, it makes perfect sense for notebooks to be similarly equipped in order to tackle the well seasoned traveler who absolutely cannot live without an Internet connection for more than a day. Instead of searching for the nearest Wi-Fi hotspot at your destination to get your daily Facebook fix, why not settle for something that is more reliable (and on-demand to boot) in developed areas, which comes in the form of a Mobile Broadband USB modem? Verizon Wireless and ZTE USA have teamed up to bring their latest Mobile Broadband USB modem, the AD3700 to the masses that boasts global connectivity, offering customers access to high-speed networks in over 175 destinations which covers Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO), Global System for Mobile communications (GSM)/General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)/Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution (EDGE) and High Speed Packet Access (HSPA)/Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) wireless platforms.
Among the key features found on the AD3700 include :-
Runs on Verizon Wireless’ high-speed network, which uses EV-DO Revision A (Rev. A) technologyIncludes VZAccess Manager software for easy connection management and automatic installationSwivel hinge USBWindows Vista/XP/2000 Operating System compatibilityUSB 2.0 high-speed interfaceWeight of 1.6 ounces3.1″ x 1.7″ x 0.5″Lifestyle features:
The AD3700 can be said to be perfect for individuals and organizations that want to make sure there is a way to remain connected while on-the-go, where all you need to do is activate the global feature on your Verizon Wireless account and you’re good to go. Upon doing so, the AD3700 will detect the local network and connect to the fastest Internet speed available automatically, regardless of where you are in the world - of course, it does help if you tend to spend most of your time in fairly developed areas so that you won’t have to “suffer” on painstakingly slow GPRS speeds. The AD3700 USB modem will retail for $79.99 after a $50.00 mail-in rebate alongside a new two-year customer agreement on a Mobile Broadband plan

There are a lot of cars that come with built-in heaters in the seats and even if your car doesn’t have that, you can always put something in your car to solve that problem. One thing you don’t see a whole lot is something on the seat to keep you a little more cool. Which during a long road trip or when you’re stuck in a traffic jam would be really nice. There are times when the air conditioning just doesn’t cut it. For those times, there is this seat cooler.
This would be especially nice for those of you that have leather seats. Yes, the leather looks great, but when it’s hot and sticky out, a leather seat does not help matters any. This stays powered by either using the power from your car battery or can be plugged into your average wall socket. This will provide instant relief while you’re waiting on your air conditioning to cool the rest of the car. Plus you’ll no longer have to worry about your back being sweaty from not getting any air circulation thanks to the cooling fan. You can purchase one of these 12V Cooling Car Summer Seats for $59.99.

If you like to let your pet wander instead of keeping them tied down to a small area, you might still want to be able to keep track of them. Otherwise they could wander too far and you’d never know if they’re somewhere hurt and unable to get back. With this RoamEO Pup you’ll always know where your dog is at and won’t have to worry quite so much. If you have two different dogs, you’ll still only need one receiver, which could save you money.
It will locate your pet for you up to 1 to 3 miles away. It’s also weather resistant and has an LCD display. It uses rechargeable batteries and when charged they’ll run anywhere from 18 on up to 30 hours. You can also use the receiver indoors to keep track of your dog inside the house. To purchase the receiver, one dog collar, as well as the batteries and the charger it will cost you $279.95. Then if you do have a second dog you can purchase a spare collar for $159.95.

This isn’t what one would normally envision when they think of an Alien Lamp, but that’s exactly what this lamp is called. I am not sure if the designer just thought that this is what alien lighting might look like or what, but they named it that either way. There is no doubt in my mind that it’ll turn heads anytime someone enters your home, aliens just might not be the first thing that pops into the viewer’s head.
As they put it on the product site, it’s supposed to look like an otherworldy creature sliding down a rope. Which after you see that description, you can kind of see how they would say that. It still doesn’t look quite like an alien though. The light can be purchased with either a red or a silver cable. It measures 9.5” x 11” x 25.75”H. They don’t say what kind of bulb this is going to use, but if you’re going to spend the money to buy this, it’s probably not going to matter much. After all, when you pay $529 for a lamp, you’re pretty much willing to spend any amount on a fancy light bulb.

Now that it’s August students will be making their way into dorms and sneaking in ways of making a quick bite to eat as well. Be it a toaster oven or a hot plate, desperate college students always find a way. Well this 3-in-1 Breakfast Center will work out great to cook up something really fast between classes. Whether you need something to eat or some coffee to keep awake, this gadget has plenty.
The Breakfast Center has a 4-cup coffee maker with a permanent filter, along with an 8 x 10 ½” griddle and a 4-slice toaster oven. It has a 30 minute timer with an auto shut off, which makes it slightly more safe. The glass carafe itself is dishwasher safe. The entire thing measure 16 x 14 x 13” H and is 1300W. It used to be that this would cost you $79.99, but JCPenney has it marked down to $39.99. Which is enough of a price cut that it might be reasonable for a broke college student

Here’s a high tech cooler to help you finish out what’s left of the summer. Not only will it be great for the warm weather, but it’s completely collapsible. Which makes it ideal for those that have zero storage space. Instead of trying to find a spot for some clunky plastic cooler, you can just fold this up and store it away until the warm weather comes back again. Then once it does you have someplace to store your drinks and you have music no matter where you go.
Probably the most disturbing part of this cooler is that it makes no mention of whether or not the music end of this will be damaged by water. Unfortunately, that means you’re going to have to be careful with this cooler. As far as the music goes the audio device features a zip closure as well as an AM/FM radio and a spot to plug in your MP3 player. Inside the cooler you can store up to 16 cans. Overall the cooler measures 30” x 12” x 12”. You can purchase the Accordian Expandable Music Cooler for $24.99 from Overstock.

Usually I prefer for my flash drives to be small, but not so small that I’m constantly worrying that I’m going to lose it. You know the kind I’m talking about, the ones that are so small you have to attach something to it to make sure that it stays with your keys, otherwise it wouldn’t last a day. Well this one goes for the opposite end of things, it’s a touch larger than your average USB drive. Which is alright, since it looks great doing it.
This drive comes from Russia, which seems to be where all the good mods come from. Sadly, as with all the best mods, you can’t purchase this. However, the person that created this drive was kind enough to give a few details and extra pictures on how it was done. It’s nothing quite as in depth as a step by step guide, but if you’re good at DIY projects it should be enough to get you started at the very least.

For the person that is extremely committed to their grilling, I’m sure top of the line accessories are the absolute only option. However, if you’re fairly casual about your grilling, but would still like some grilling accessories to make your life easier, this affordable gadget could be a big help. It will allow for you to grill without being tied right next to it. There have been other remote BBQ thermometers, but this is by far the most affordable one I’ve come across.
There was a talking thermometer posted here on Coolest Gadgets, but it will cost you $70. Whereas this much more simple version of the gadget will only cost you $19.95. It’s a big price difference, especially when both gadgets still do the same thing. One just happens to have a lot more tricks and other fancy extras. This Remote BBQ Thermometer also includes a timer and will monitor your food up to 100 feet away.

Now this is the coffee mug you buy for that favorite tough guy you know. This coffee cup makes it look as if you’re ready to pounce on anyone who happens to get just a little too close. This ceramic mug is a part of Fred’s brand new line, so it hasn’t hit any vendors yet. Fred products tend to end up getting sold fairly quickly though. So hopefully someone will snatch this up soon so that it can be purchased.

Have you ever seen a concept device of some gadget, and wished that all gadgets of its type were like it? Okay, that was a little bit of a confusing opening, but this is what I was feeling when I saw designer Ryan McGinley’s Amur Leopard. I wished that all bikes were like it.
Of course, not all bikes have to be electric, but this one is. The electricity is needed for the navigational and communication unit that you can barely detect just below the handlebars.
The big selling point for me was that it opens up like it does. I’m told that space is wide enough to accommodate a laptop, briefcase, or a six-pack. It doesn’t look like it can keep the beverages cold, though.
Well, this is definitely the bike you want to have in countries where every citizen has a bike instead of a car. Also, the Amur Leopard could be the latest for those bike messengers that you see on the road in big cities.
It is something that I would like to be riding. Let us hope that Mr. McGinley finds a manufacturer and marketer of this fine product, as I will be smiling when I see the first Amur Leopard puttering down the road.

This is officially the coolest little kid to walk the face of the earth. Plus I’m sure the kid thinks that he has the coolest dad on the face of the planet, considering that’s who built the AT-AT bunk bed for him. The absolute best part of this creation is that the creator was kind enough to post a video on Instructables to help out those who would like to tackle this project themselves. Technically it’s not really a bunk bed, the creator calls it a loft bed, but it’s not really that either. The top part isn’t a bed, it’s more like a play area or a fort that just happens to be over the top of the bed. There’s even an emergency escape hatch at the floor of it for quick getaways. If you do tackle this one yourself, hopefully you’re just a touch better at artwork than this guy was.

Now this is the way to get the ladies, purchase a pair of Handerpants and pair it with the Instant Kilt Beach Towel and you can be truly sexy. These Handerpants are one size fits all, so all you have to do is order you a pair, you won’t need to worry about guessing the size. These Handerpants even come with a slightly disturbing infomercial. To purchase yourself a pair they’ll cost you $11.95 from Archie McPhee.

Now this is a concept that needs to be created, it’s a bomb shaped USB drive. Why? No reason really. It’s an awkward shape and you could never carry it around, but it is kind of nifty. It comes in black, a strange yellow type color, pink and silver. It was designed by Joel Escalona, who reminds people too ignorant to figure it out themselves, that this drive was meant to sit on a desk, not be carried around. You might get into a bit of trouble if you were casually carrying this through a crowded area. Which one would think might be common sense, but it would be dangerous to assume that. Sadly it’s just a design as of now, so you’ll just have to wait and see if it ever becomes a real live product.

USB flash drives come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and today we have a look at yet another offering from the crazy land of Japan, as the USB flash drive comes in the form of a delicious-looking bento box. Too bad the storage space is nothing much to shout about at a mere 2GB compared to the market average these days, although the main drawback we see with this would be its innate ability to make you wish lunchtime came about much quicker than normal as your eyes remain fixed on the faux food within the USB Bento Box instead of concentrating on the task at hand. Ah well, at least this doesn’t hump anything…

If your workplace allows you to bring your pooch with you, then you might want to consider the $178 P@W device. It is in essence, a pet back-pack, laptop computer carrier and foldable pet crate merged into a single contraption, letting you tote your precious four-legged friend around in safety with your laptop in tow without keeping both your hands occupied. We just wonder what happens if your pooch has put on a fair number of pounds over the years, otherwise your back might suffer and curse you for it when coupled with a heavy laptop inside.

Back in the days where Play-Doh was not mainstream, moms had to bake their own versions for kids who wanted to sculpt their imagination to life. Once done, these dough can be eaten, although in this day and age kids might find it gross and prefer to stick to their computer games instead. Well, here’s a new edible play dough your your little ones known as Yummy Dough for obvious reasons - this baking mix was developed with vegetable coloring agents only, and when added with water, the powder will change into a smooth modelling clay which can be shaped accordingly. Once you’re happy with the results, slot them into the oven to bake it, turning your handicraft into a delicious snack. £7.95 will net you 113 grams of red, yellow, green and blue Yummy Dough Mix alongside a measuring and modelling tool.

This summer, instead of spending time in the park throwing the old pigskin around with your kids, why not try out something different and new instead? The Flyro Gyro might not be the next big thing, but it sure as heck is very different from traditional outdoor past times, where it is thrown like a ball but comes with a caveat - it flies like a jet instead. This half-plane, half-gyroscope hybrid is able to fly up to a whopping 100 feet in the air, thanks to its gyroscopic stabilizer wheel and special shape. All you need to spend is £9.99 to see this engineering aeronautical feat unveiled in front of your eyes.

Nothing says fresh and clean like having your toothpaste spit onto your toothbrush, courtesy of a furry dog or cat. Yum. Just pop Oscar (the cat) or Pete (the dog) onto the end of your toothpaste and it will come out through their mouth. Even if it is a slightly disturbing way to brush your teeth, it might motivate the kids to brush their teeth a little more often. You can purchase one of them for $4.99 from The Spread Heads.

The next time you’re going to hold a barbecue in your home, how about sprucing up the event with the Baseball Bat Pepper Mill? This natural wood spice mill measures a good 2 and a half feet long, which is more or less the same size as that of an actual baseball bat. Inside it, however, you won’t find the technology required to hit one out of the park - instead, you will realize that a stainless steel pepper-grinding mechanism resides within to make sure that pepper fans will always be able to find something worth looking forward to. Just in case you think this dining table accessory cum weapon is too big, there is a smaller, 19″ version. Best not to criticize the food of the Baseball Bat Pepper Mill’s owner unless you want to run the risk of getting clubbed!

Since the movie Jaws was released a few decades back, plenty of people were horrified at how sharks were supposedly so ferocious, and while the movie might have been a brilliant scream thriller, it sure did send wrong signals to the public about how sharks were perceived. Well, the Shark Fin Ice Tray won’t send chills the wrong way down people’s spine, but it will instead invite laughter and a topic of conversation with family and friends. All you need to do is fill the silicone ice tray with some water, leave it in the freezer and see those fins start to float around your drink. Each of these novelty ice cube tray will produce up to 5 shark fins that float around your favorite poison of choice. It will cost you £6.98 to bring home the Shark Fin Ice Tray.

If you can’t ever seem to keep real plants alive, then you might as well pick up a robotic one that responds to you. These plants incorporate muscle wires that make it appear to have nice fluid movements. It’s shipped from Japan, so the instruction manual is printed in Japanese, but I’m sure you can figure out how to pop in the 3 AA batteries anyway. When you talk to the plant it responds to you by bending and moving. You can purchase it for $17.99 from Think Geek.

Love fishing but seem to be lacking the X-factor that allows you to land the right catch every single time? Perhaps the Radio-Controlled Feed Boat might be able to help you out, coupled with a sonar sensor, tipper for 4.4 lbs of bait, an underwater LED light and a range of up to 948 feet.
This Radio-Controlled Feed Boat will bring your bait and floaters to places that can’t even be reached with the best casting technique. Up to 300m (984ft) from your location. The one-hand control is easy to operate and will take the agile electric boat to the exact spot where the fish are – tracked by the built-in sonar sensor. The 5.3 x 5.4cm (2″ x 2 1⁄10″) display on the remote-control will show you where to find the fish and at which depth the shoal is moving (up to 30m /98ft in 2m/6ft5” units). In addition it will indicate the water temperature (0-40°C) and the absolute water depth as well as all boat movements and activities. The tipper discharges up to 2kg (4.4 lbs) of bait at the touch of a button. Along with your hook bait, too, if you wish.
The Radio-Controlled Feed Boat will be equipped with a couple of powerful jet motors from the 540 Series that are located within the hull, allowing you to navigate safely through severely overgrown waters, making short work of algae and twining plants. Powered by a quartet of AAA batteries that last up to 3 hours, the Radio-Controlled Feed Boat can be yours for £435.

We all know what mom’s stand is when it comes to playing with food, and this interesting six-quart bowl comes with a kernel separator as well as holders for a remote control, beverages and napkins - perfect for those summer moments when you want to spend all day long in front of your TV with enough snacks right in front of you. In addition, you can always have some fun with your food by launching kernels through the net before they enter your mouth later on. After all, you’re already an adult now and mom isn’t here to knock some good table manners into your psyche, although do think of the impact you’d leave on the younger generation as they watch you eat using this $24.98 contraption.

For those of you that can never seem to pamper your pets quite enough, here’s a gadget to pick up for your cat. It’s an actual heated blanket specifically for the cat. It heats your cat to a consistent 192 degrees Fahrenheit. How much does such a luxury cost? Well for the 24” x 36” it will cost you $55.99 or you can pick up the larger one measuring 36” x 50” for $87.99. Keep in mind you can get a people sized twin blanket for only $40, which measures 62” x 82”. Somehow I just can’t justify a smaller heated blanket that costs more, just for a cat that would be perfectly happy warming themselves up in a windowsill.

Think Geek is branching out and creating a gamer friendly set of tarot cards. This set features the usual cards you would find in your traditional tarot deck, but the images on each card are done in true 8-bit style. So if you’re dying to find out the future to your truly geeky life, this is the way to do it. It comes with a full 78 card tarot deck, which is the average size. It’s based on the classic Rider-Waite Tarot Deck. You can purchase the deck for $29.99 from Think Geek.

Love singing to your favorite singer on radio while showering? Chances are you might be looking for a new waterproof radio then, and the Chameleon Radio might just fit the bill. It clings onto the wall securely via its feet that have suction cups underneath, and to live up to its namesake, it will change color according to the rhythm of the current tune being played. Pretty neat idea, although it remains to be seen whether people would find this £13 addition to the bathroom endearing in the long run or not.

No, this is not a Photoshop trick and neither are you about to die from thirst in the technological desert with this “mirage” in front of your eyes - it is the Parasync iPod/iPhone dock that can actually charge and synchronize up to 20 iPhones and iPods of varying descent simultaneously without missing a beat. While that’s cool and all, we’re still not too sure how that is going to translate into something practical in this day and age.

Now this is the way to tell your friends that you think their music is total crap. Hand them a speaker in a miniature toilet and that pretty much says it all. Each speaker has a whole 2 watts of sound with a frequency range of 80Hz to 25kHz, it also has a signal-to-noise ratio of less then 98dB. You can purchase yourself one of these classy toilet speakers for $14.99 from China Grabber.

There’s no need to toss all of those old x-rays in the trash, instead reuse them like the designer Anastacia Spada did. Then all the world can see just how many bones you’ve managed to break. Since this is a design, you can’t just go purchase it. However, it wouldn’t be so difficult to take an umbrella frame and place your x-rays on it on your own. It’s definitely going to turn a few heads.

Since Star Wars exploded onto the scene, most kids grew up wishing they had lightsabers to swish around, not knowing just how dangerous a real lightsaber would be in a pair of untrained hands. Well,you need not deprive your kid any longer with the Star Wars Inflatable Light-Up Lightsaber. At least they can have a field day battling it out with one another without having to be poked in the eye by something sharp, while adults who brandish this can always have some post-lunch fun before the boss waltzes in. The Inflatable Light-up Lightsaber measures 20″ long will up whenever you touch the handle.

Just when you thought that you’ve seen all sorts of radios available in the market, along comes the Ceramic Radio that will change the way you view things. This isn’t 100% ceramic though, since it comes with wooden knobs that allow you to surf through channels while adjusting the volume to a decent level. Whenever it is not in use, it will relax in your kitchen while blending in nicely beside the salt and pepper shakers. Best to keep this far away from the reaches of kids though since someone clumsy might actually break this into smithereens.

Picture the first cars that were ever assembled, such as the Model T and what not. They look very different than the cars than the cars of today, right? I suppose that automobile design has a certain (for lack of a better word) evolution to it.
So let’s hit the fast forward button to see what the shape of cars will be in the future. I’m not certain what you were thinking, but I never would have come up with this. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that designer Ralph Tayler-Webb’s Halcyon car is ugly, I’m just saying that I wouldn’t have gone with such an indescribable, almost amorphous, shape.
Tayler-Webb was apparently inspired by nature to create the Halcyon. He was inspired by the tranquility and silence of a glider flight, and realized that technology should blend in with nature, not stand out from it.
The Halcyon is designed to glide through landscapes rather than drive, and it is good for the planet in other ways. It is lightweight and fuel-efficient, with an electric motor constructed from porous aluminum.
In all honesty, I can’t help but think that cars will never look like this. However, I’m sure if you were to go back in time and show Henry Ford what his automobiles look like today, he would probably laugh at

Fire alarms and smoke detectors are more often than not overlooked in most homes, and some people who sleep like the dead through the night might want to take less chances with their lives by picking up the Lifetone Bedside Fire Alarm Clock. This unique alarm clock not only helps you wake up at the specified time in the morning, it will also be able to sniff up the screech of your home smoke alarm, pounding out a 90-decibel alarm into its immediate surroundings (which would normally be on your beside table) while working in tandem with a bed shaker located right under your pillow to make sure you can wake up in time to save your bacon from getting roasted. Surely $179.00 isn’t too much of an asking price?

Anvil Cabinet and Mill have just introduced their fully automated “smart” kitchen cabinets. All I can say is that if I had a kitchen that looked this good, I would be satisfied with “dumb” kitchen cabinets.
What makes the cabinets think that they are so smart is that they can “automatically fold and disappear”. Apparently, these cabinet doors don’t need hinges, but rise and fall vertically, like cabinets in a science fiction movie. All it takes from the user is a wave of the hand or a tap on the sensor, and the cabinet doors slide open and closed, hopefully with a cool-sounding whoosh sound.
Another feature is that some cabinets feature biometric scanners, so you can keep other people from stealing your secret ingredients. For example, if you don’t want your kids to raid your liquor cabinet, make it so only you can access it.
So what does that mean? It will make cooking easier by insuring that you don’t take the trouble of opening your cabinet doors. That’s right, if you want to cook something, then you can use a pre-set program so all the right doors open for flour, sugar, etc..
I got to admit that this is a good application for “smart house” technology. However, I don’t have any word of the cost of such a system. It can’t be too cheap.

Sony is off the blocks with new e-book readers that come in the form of the Reader Pocket Edition and the Reader Touch Edition which we’ll look at in greater detail below. This isn’t the first e-book reader to be released from Sony, and will most probably prove to be quite the competitor towards the Amazon Kindle and its sequel. Both of these e-book readers from Sony will be available at the end of this month onwards from various sources including SonyStyle.com, SonyStyle stores and select retail partners. Apart from that, you can also pick up new releases and New York Times bestseller titles in the eBook Store from Sony for $9.99 apiece, making it cheaper compared to the actual paperback, saving you costs on purchasing a bookshelf as well.
First off is the Reader Pocket Edition that comes with a 5″ electronic paper display which is crammed into a stylish chassis. Nice to know that Sony has released it in a bunch of different colors, including navy blue, rose and silver. The Reader Pocket Edition is a snap to navigate through using but a single hand, where the relatively small size also means it can slip into a purse or jacket pocket without causing any noticeable bulge. Also known as the PRS-300, this model can hold up to around 350 standard e-books with its internal memory, and the battery is able to last up to two weeks of non-stop reading before it requires a trip to the nearest power outlet. The Sony PRS-300 Reader Pocket Edition will retail for $199, making it the most affordable dedicated reading device on the market at the moment.
As for the Reader Touch Edition, you can tell by its name that the PRS-600 (model number) will come with a responsive, menu-driven 6″ touchscreen display which makes it possible to take advantage of quick, intuitive navigation, page turning, highlighting and note taking with but a swipe of the finger or using the included stylus if you hate leaving fingerprints over all your devices. The stylus will also come in handy when one needs to take down handwritten notes on the go, while those who are more comfortable with a virtual keyboard can opt for that as well. It will come with a pre-loaded Oxford American English Dictionary to expand your word power, boasting memory card slots for Memory Stick PRO Duo and SD formats. $299 will net you the Sony PRS-600 in either red, black or silver colors.

The ChefStack can make hundreds of pancakes automatically.

Well, busy perhaps. Maybe if you don’t have the time to flip them yourself and there’s hundreds of hungry guests lining up for breakfast. The Chefstack Automatic Pancake Machine can make 4-inch size pancakes from no-mess batter pouches. And it only takes about 30 seconds as the flapjacks get cooked and stacked assembly style while you’re off doing something else.
The machine is about the size of microwave oven and has already been proven quite popular with coffee shops, cafeterias, convenience stores, and other small businesses in Australia and New Zealand.
But will it find a following at a Starbucks here in the States? Well, if competition from McDonalds continues to challenge their java marketshare, it just might. But come on, can a $3,500 machine really make yummy tancakes without being touched by human hands? I’m betting not. At least not in my kitchen

Looking for new ways to turn your computer into an all-round entertainment system? Perhaps it might be lacking the GV-SC31 1Seg USB TV tuner from IO Data of Japan, where the free TVStation application that can be downloaded enables you to view live TV as well as recorded programs right off your computer. Just make sure you have sufficient storage space on your machine if you’re prone to record more than you watch. This USB device can also allow you to view said programs on your iPod touch or iPhone as it streams video straight from the PC onto said devices. It will arrive in Japan later this month for $70 a pop - there is no word on whether it will arrive elsewhere or not.

If you’re concerned about the purity of the water in your home, there are plenty of options out there to solve the problem. Anything from attaching something to your faucet, to pitchers that you pop in your fridge. Well this Zuvo Water Purator is probably one of the most thorough out there. It has a five step filtration process to make sure your water stays nice and safe. If that weren’t enough to convince you, they also donate 5% of their profits to water purification programs in developing countries.
The first step of the process is ozonation which treats the taste of the water, then there is the ultraviolet light that cleans the water, photo-oxidation combines the UV and ozone process and further treats the water. Then it does a filtration process that also removes lead and finally it does a post-filatration UV ensuring that the water is clean and healthy. You can install this on the counter or get rid of the extra clutter and keep it underneath your counter. They’ll of course include instructions for both ways. You can purchase the Zuvo Water Purator for $199.99 from SmartHome.