Scott Bodnar, director of project development for Youth InterACTIVE, is the brain behind the GameCoach, having developed and written it all by himself. The lessons found inside GameCoach will employ the high technology of popular video game consoles, among them the GameBike and GamePads which enable participants to “plug into” these gaming systems, to work in tandem with traditional (old school) equipment including basketballs, volleyballs, jump ropes and the like. These GameCoach lessons were specially formulated around a circuit-training model where GameBikes and GamePads are interspersed among traditional equipment to provide maximum enjoyment and interaction among the participants. Parents might be aghast at what they see during PE lessons since they’re much more used to old school methods, but hey – if it works, why not? After all, aren’t all developed countries battling the curse of obesity across all levels of population these days? If there is a way to kindle interest in physical activities using non-traditional methods, that would help save the government billions many years down the road where healthcare is concerned.

If you’re interested, the GameCoach will be available from physical education catalogs and other companies that distribute PE equipment.

Press Release

With the SoundBag, you are able to experience superior surround sound anywhere you are. Inside, you are able to store and connect just about any portable digital device, ranging from MP3 players as well as Apple’s iPod and iPhone units, to its patented flat panel speaker that not only blends in with the backpack without sticking out like a sore thumb, it can also be detached and used independently as and where the need arises. The flat panel speaker won’t bog you down since it is exceptionally light and thin form factor and is made entirely out of fabric, rendering it virtually undetectable within the SoundBag’s sleek design.

The SoundBag also comes with an adjustable shoulder strap that stores the portable device, and good thing Sharper Image has the common sense to include a 3.5mm mini-plug that hooks up most media players to the speaker, complete with a protective clear covering that enables access to the player’s controls without having to remove it. It is also a bonus to see the detachable speaker come with a built-in stand and auxiliary input, allowing users to play other audio sources including portable DVD players and notebooks. A trio of AA batteries can offer anywhere from 8 to 10 hours of continuous audio playback before you replace them, and I would recommend getting rechargeable batteries if you’re going to spend long hours with this. The Sharper Image SoundBag will retail for $99 and will come in several colors. Image courtesy of Gadget Review.

Press Release

Whether conducting an interview, taking lecture notes, or capturing the sounds of life happening around you, simply attach Lloyd to your iPod nano 4G for immediate voice recording capabilities. Lloyd’s built-in headphone jack allows you to listen by connecting your headphones or external audio source while on the go. This compact microphone adapter fits easily into any purse or pocket and can even remain on the nano 4G at all times. (Simply rotate to charge)

You will be able to pick up the Lloyd for $17.99 in classic black or soft white colors.

Product Page via Press Release

• 15kHz (Mosquito tone - young folks can hear it, older folks cannot!) (full volume)
• Cricket chirping (medium/low volume)
• IM Doorbell (low volume)
• Grating Electronic noise (full volume)
• Typical Electronic Beep (medium volume)

What would make this most interesting would be setting the cricket sound - make sure you place the Annoy-a-tron 2.0 somewhere a few feet off the ground, since most people would look for that dastardly cricket at floor level and will most probably miss the Annoy-a-tron 2.0’s secret location. Well, only your clueless colleagues will be irritated - our loyal CG readers will definitely throw a knowing wink at the prankster. The Annoy-a-tron 2.0 will retail for $12.99 each.

According to Stuart Farmer, president of Open Air Cinema, “The 16-foot screen is the largest screen available for backyard use on the market. This new size truly converts your backyard into a huge cinematic experience. With the included blower fan, it takes just a few seconds to inflate. And even though it is the biggest screen we recommend for home use, it is still easy to set up, use and take down.”

Not only is the 16ft x 9ft Open Air Home Screen practical for backyard use, it is also easily transportable, capable of transforming just about any venue into a big outdoor theater. Of course, that would mean having to install some sort of insect repelling devices in the vicinity since you wouldn’t want your guests to get bitten by bugs while watching the latest blockbuster, would you? Sounds like the perfect set up if you’re holding a poolside party or hosting a BBQ by the beach. Features of the inflatable 16ft x 9ft Open Air Home Screen include :-

• 220″ Diagonal Projection Surface
• Matte white, wrinkle-resistant ripstop nylon projection surface
• Black-backed projection surface blocks lights from behind, improves contrast ratio
• Ultra lightweight — weighs less than 20 pounds when deflated and fits inside a duffel bag
• Air blower provides constant inflation
• Heavy duty PVC carrying bag for screen, air blower, ropes, stakes etc.
• 20 MPH wind rating

You can pick it up for $999, but if your budget doesn’t permit, there is always the 12ft x 7ft version which is going for $599 while the 9-foot version will retail for at $449.

Press Release

The Sharp PG-F255W WXGA projector will come with a high brightness of 2500 ANSI Lumens and 2,200:1 contrast ratio that is able to conjure a clear picture in virtually all lighting conditions. Let’s face it - this is not going to be used for outdoor presentations, right, unless you’re trying to have a garden wedding or something, but where boardrooms and classrooms are concerned, even the person sitting at the back row won’t have to suffer from a blurred image due to the lack of brightness or washed out color. Sharp’s very own BrilliantColor technology is able to offer up to a 50% increase in mid tones and expands the color palette beyond red/green/blue to include yellow, white, magenta and cyan for more realistic and lifelike color reproduction.

No matter how hot a projector works, it ought to run quietly as well so as not to interrupt the train of thought of the audience. Good thing the PG-F255W features ultra-quiet cooling fans that helps reduce the amount of distraction to an almost unnoticeable level. In addition, its filter-free DLP sealed system prevents dust, dirt and smoke from entering core parts of the optics, helping reduce the cost of ownership in the long run. You will be able to pick up the Sharp PG-F255W WXGA projector from authorized dealers and resellers this month for a yet undisclosed price.

Press Release

Any GPS that is below $100 is a pretty good deal, especially in light of the holiday season. Navigon sweetened the deal even more by removing the subscription charge included with most GPS devices. That’s right, the real-time traffic updates are included for the life of the GPS.

In addition to real-time traffic updates, the Navigon 5100 has a “reality view” that presents photo-realistic images of complex highway interchanges, along with actual road signs and exit-ramp guidance.

Other features include trouble-spot detection, and the 5100 is set up to suggest alternate routes. Also included is text-to-speech capability that pronounces actual street names, and a lane-assistant function that recommends the best lane to be in as you travel.

This Navigon 5100 deal can’t last long, and I’m wondering if this low price will be the beginning of an age of low-priced GPS navigation units. One can only hope that the quality of these cheap GPS navigation products will be as good as the quantity.

Source

Devices like the solar-powered Solio or other AA-battery powered chargers might give a cellular phone a tiny bit of juice that it needs, but what if there was a simpler way? What if charging our phone was as simple as talking to it?

This is what some University of Houston scientists are suggesting is possible with piezoelectricity, when a mechanical force is converted to electricity. For example, a barbeque grill lighter uses piezoelectric forces when you push a button. The button puts pressure on a crystal, the crystal produces a voltage, and the result is a spark that lights your coals.

A specific size of crystal or ceramic material could become a power cell for a mobile device, and the sound waves for our own voice could be the spark that powers it. Some of the power generating crystals would have to be very small, only 23 nanometers wide. To put this into scale, a human hair is about 100,000 nanometers thick.

Something that miniscule would be hard to perfect, and scientists are saying that it could be years before this technology gets going. However, phones that run on speech alone would save a lot of energy. After all, most teenagers are chatting on their phones constantly, so you might as well put this chatter to good use.

Source

Since iPods and iPhones are so popular, the accessories have gotten a great deal of business.  A lot of the companies selling accessories have started to attempt to think outside of the box.  Which does mean that there are a lot of bizarre iPod accessories out there.  However, this one actually makes sense, at least to me.  A lot of people like to have a night light in different places to make wandering the house at night a little safer.  Well then why not combine that with a charger?

It makes it so that you’re using less outlets and you get yet another multi-function gadget.  After all, we can’t stand gadgets with only one function.  The charger works for both the iPhone and the various models of the iPod.  Which would be great for families with more than one iPod or iPhone.  Of course then you also have the fight over who gets to use the charger.  You can pick up the night light/charger for $39.99.

Source: UberReview

Okay, not really. But this R2D2 standup alarm clock is bound to attract the Star Wars faithful who’s bedroom at their parent’s house is filled with thousands of dollars in Lucasian memorabilia (wait, that’s Star Trek fans, Star Wars fans actually have lives). Now that I’ve taken the loving swipe at SciFi fans (I kid with love, you know), how can anyone not think that this R2 Alarm clock isn’t the coolest for anyone even with a passing fancy for the SciFi epic?

R2 stands up 6 ½” tall on his three adjustable droid legs which can be changed to alter the angle of projection. R2 also makes classic beeps and chirps from the movie as he displays the time, in hours, minutes and seconds, on the wall along with the current date. The time can be displayed in either classic AM/PM time or in military time using the 24 hour clock designation (where 1pm is 1300, etc.).
The time is also displayed on an LCD screen on R2’s body so that it isn’t displaying the time on the wall all the time. But owners can manually display the time should they choose to.

Cost is about $30 US from Firebox.

Hat Tip – ZATH UK

The Sonic Nausea is also capable of causing “headaches, intense irritation, sweating, imbalance”, as well as making people puke. It is powered by a 9-volt battery that is actually bigger than the device itself. That won’t get you too much power, but it is possible to increase the runtime with six AA batteries with transistor clips.

The device is available at the SHOMER-TEC site for about $29.00, and the description states the possibilities are endless. For example: “hiding this device in your inconsiderate neighbor’s house might put an end to their late-night parties”. It went on to suggest other covert operations, such as hiding the Sonic Nausea in “the abusive bureaucrat’s office or the executive lunchroom”.

However, most of these examples are nothing more than petty revenge. I think the only situation that would justify using a device like this would be a hostage crisis or an unruly mob. The flashlight that induces puke was certainly designed for such events, but that particular device used LEDs, not sound.

I’m surprised that this vomit-inducing technology is readily available on the market. I’m not certain whether the power to make people vomit should be in just anyone’s hands. Chime in with a comment if you agree or disagree.

Source

Ultimate Package Opener - $7.98

Plastic “Clamshell” Package Opener safely cuts through any size or shape product packaging in seconds! Even the awkward plastic “clamshell” curves of electronic, cosmetic and toy packages are no match! No longer use harmful knives, break nails, or chip teeth trying to access contents.

The Ultimate Package Opener is available from Taylor Gifts for $7.98.

Swiss Tech Multi-Tool - $8.95

These impossibly tiny multi-tools will soon become an indispensable take-everywhere item, alongside your keys, wallet, cell phone and SpongeBob Pez dispenser (what, haven’t you got one?). Because let’s be honest, carrying around a full-size toolbox wherever you may roam is impractical, not to mention pretty weird.

The Swiss Tech Multi-Tool is available from Firebox for $8.95.

MagnoGrip - $14.99

The MagnoGrip is a magnetic wristband guaranteed to securely hold nails, screws, drill bits, fasteners and tools. It allows professionals and do-it yourselfers to finish jobs in less time and with less frustration. The magnogrip is built to handle the most rugged of jobs. Its fabric construct consists of durable heavy duty canvas, industrial grade velcro and high-powered magnets that are strong enough to hold a hammer

The MagnoGrip is available from Think Geek for $14.99.

BodyGard Self-Powered Emergency Tool - $19.99

The BodyGard Self-Powered Emergency Tool is 12-in-1 unit featuring a built-in hand crank, so you can generate power when you need, wherever you need it. Never worry about batteries for your flashlight or radio. Never worry about charging your cell phone and MP3 player. The flashing red light, panic button and motion activated security alarm help to protect you from harm - at home, while biking, camping, hiking, fishing, hunting and boating. If you get lost, the compass and signaling mirror can help you find your way or lead others to find you.

The BodyGard Self-Powered Emergency Tool is available from Think Geek for $19.99.

8-Inch Auto Wrench Adjusting Wrench - $19.99

Manually adjusting a wrench to fit particular nuts and bolts can be a real hassle, especially in tight spaces. Enter Black & Decker’s battery-powered Auto Wrench, a phenomenally handy tool that opens and closes with the push of a button. Boasting 220 foot-pounds of torque, this wrench is powerful enough to handle most household tasks, from car repair to fixing leaks.

The Auto Wrench is not meant to replace specialty tools like pipe or torque wrenches, but the jaws open wide enough (up to 1-1/4-inch) so that it could conceivably replace a range of manual wrenches sitting in your toolkit. This is an ideal product for someone looking to buy a wrench that’s both easy to use and versatile. At 8-inches, you could toss it in the silverware drawer and whip it out when you need it.

The 8-Inch Auto Wrench Adjusting Wrench is available from Amazon for $19.99.

Auto LED - $24.99

It’s just big enough to sit in your cigarette lighter and trickle charge off of your car’s electrical system. All the while, emitting a soft blue glow. When you need a quick light to highlight that road map, or to track down that errant french-fry that fell beneath the seat (just let it go, man), this little guy is Johnny-on-the-spot.

The Auto LED is available from Think Geek for $24.99.

Power Welder - $29.95

Discover the power to make and create with the tool that safely welds plastic to plastic.

-Make 3 fun projects – dinosaur, plane and car
- Safely welds plastic to plastic
- A hands-on way for kids to learn about welding
- Includes templates, welding rods and re-usable pieces

Weld a design, break it, then reuse the pieces to weld something else! Non-stop fun and learning the hands-on way.

The Power Welder is available from Discovery for $29.95.

Leatherman 830039 - $93.00

The most popular full-size Leatherman tool is now better than ever. Larger knives, stronger pliers, longer wire cutters and all-locking blades make the new Wave an essential piece of equipment for any job or adventure. The pliers have been redesigned to withstand more than double the previous squeezing load, and the new bronze bushing makes one-handed knife access a smooth operation — plus, the one-at-a-time blade selection function means that the tool you want is the tool you get. The versatile Wave comes with a durable and attractive leather sheath.

The Leatherman 830039 is available from Amazon for $93.00.

Handyman’s Chrome-Vanadium Tool Set (124-piece w/ Cordless Drill). - $329.95

This 124-piece tool set contains all the tools needed by a handyman. Made of high-quality chrome vanadium steel, a metal compound stronger and more rust-resistant than carbon steel, the tools are housed in a sturdy, well-organized portable case, secured with elastic straps, and five pliable foam dividers protect the tools. Set includes the following chrome vanadium tools: six metric combination wrenches, six SAE combination wrenches, one adjustable wrench, one needlenose pliers, one slipjoint pliers, one tongue-and-groove pliers, 41 piece socket set with ratchet, four nutdrivers, and 16 hex keys.

The Handyman’s Chrome-Vanadium Tool Set (124-piece w/ Cordless Drill). is available from Hammacher for $329.95.

There have been several attempts to find alternative methods to help you fall asleep. Some seem a little ridiculous, but if you don’t want to take sleeping pills a lot of them are worth a try. This light actually seems to be based on a decent idea, whether or not it works is as always questionable. It basically coaches you through breathing exercises till you fall asleep. Which is no different than what you would do to for meditation, so if nothing else it will likely at least get you to relax and unwind before sleep.

The Nightwave has a pale blue light that is supposed to be barely visible. The light fades and rises, you’re supposed to match your breathing with the light. Having something as simplistic as breathing to focus on, it might help you drown out the thoughts that keep your mind too active to sleep. As time goes on it will slow your breathing down more and more. It doesn’t advertise spectacular things, like suddenly making you fall asleep heavily every single time. It merely states that it will help you sleep by relaxing you before bed. To pick it up it will cost you $59.98.

Source: Ubergizmo

Are You a Geek?: 1,000 Ways to Find Out - $8

Let’s face it–we all do geeky things, from checking e-mail obsessively to playing video games to tripping over our own feet. But here’s your chance to find out just how much of a geek you really are. With 1,000 questions for every area of your life–from childhood to lifestyle to entertainment to sex (you met your wife in a Web chat room–3 points), Are You a Geek? helps measure your precise geek quotient. From challenging intelligence quizzes to testing your dating compatibility with “Geekline,” Are You a Geek? lets you in on the secrets that separate the geeks from the grown-ups. Or the nerdmeisters from everyone else…

The Are You a Geek?: 1,000 Ways to Find Out is available from Amazon for $8.

The Sneaky Book for Girls - $9.99

Let’s face it: girls are sneaky. And they have one advantage to being sneaky over boys - they are girls. Girls out there, you know what we mean: your brains are just smarter or something. We want to help ramp up your sneakiness quotient even more, and this book is it. The Sneaky Book for Girls provides complete how-to instructions and diagrams for sneaky gadgets, survival skills, communication codes, science projects, as well as having profiles of more than a dozen famous women. It also explores recycling and conservation techniques.

The The Sneaky Book for Girls is available from Think Geek for $9.99.

The Sneaky Book for Boys - $9.99

A bit like the sneaky book for girls but err for boys .

The The Sneaky Book for Boys is available from Think Geek for $9.99.

It’s a Guy Thing: Awesome Innovations from the Underdeveloped Male Mind - $11.16

Man may have invented the wheel, but it was a Guy who first looked at an ordinary pogo stick and realized it would be greatly improved by the addition of a combustible-gas-powered engine; a Guy who invented a high-five simulator so he’d never be left hanging again; a Guy who dared to dream of airbag boxer shorts to protect that which he holds most dear.

It’s not difficult to imagine these bold inventors reclining in front of their TVs (or Victrolas), one hand resting halfway down their boxers, the other holding a beer, when inspiration struck! Unfortunately, what they envisioned as the next lightbulb was, in actuality, the first toilet lounger.

The It’s a Guy Thing: Awesome Innovations from the Underdeveloped Male Mind is available from Amazon for $11.16.

The Google Story - $11.20

The strength of the book comes from its command of many small details, and its focus on the human side of the Google story, as opposed to the merely academic one. Some may prefer a dryer, more analytic approach to Google’s impact on the Internet, like The Search or books that tilt more heavily towards bits and bytes on the spectrum between technology and business, like The Singularity is Near. Those wanting to understand the motivations and personal growth of founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin and CEO Eric Schmidt, however, will enjoy this book. Vise and Malseed interviewed over 150 people, including numerous Google employees, Wall Street analysts, Stanford professors, venture capitalists, even Larry Page’s Cub Scout leader, and their comprehensiveness shows.

The The Google Story is available from Amazon for $11.20.

Gadget Nation: A Journey Through the Eccentric World of Invention - $13.57

Greenberg, a writer and “innovation insider” who works the quirky device beat, looks into a number of those “why didn’t I think of that” (and “why did anyone think of that”) products in this colorful, fully illustrated guide. From the incredible (bird diapers) to the practical (mom’s third arm, a flexible bottle-holding device that attaches to car seats) to the ingenious (the slanket, a blanket with sleeves) to the goofy (a kitchen utensil for turning a hot dog into an octopus), Greenberg profiles odd products and the oddballs behind them, dutifully chronicling the ups and downs of inventor-dom. Though the products are interesting, the real story is in the arduous trip from garage to store shelf, a long, expensive and risky enterprise. Greenberg finds inventors in all stages of the process, many of whom face the chilling prospect of losing hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The Gadget Nation: A Journey Through the Eccentric World of Invention is available from Amazon for $13.57.

Backyard Ballistics - $14.99

Ordinary folks can construct 13 awesome ballistic devices in their garage or basement workshops using inexpensive household or hardware store materials and this step-by-step guide. Clear instructions, diagrams, and photographs show how to build projects ranging from the simple, to the more complex, to the offbeat. Learn how to annoy your neighbors and amaze your friends by building such things as: a match-powered rocket, a tennis ball mortar, and a pneumatic missile.

The Backyard Ballistics is available from Think Geek for $14.99.

Inside Steve’s Brain - $16.29

“Throughout his storied Silicon Valley career, Apple CEO and Pixar Studios founder Steve Jobs has been labeled, among other things, an egomaniac, a Zen Buddhist, a business mastermind, a sociopath and a music mogul. Blogger, author and Wired News editor Kahney, who has chronicled Apple in previous books (The Cult of Mac), attempts to plumb the depths of Jobs’s prodigious mind in this engrossing biography. The author devotes much time to the sensational aspects of Jobs’ life, including his demeaning and ferocious interactions with employees, his relentless high-mindedness and fanatical attention to detail, clearly demonstrating how his tyrannical and perfectionist impulses have have shaped the award-winning designs and consumer-friendly products that have made Apple a juggernaut. Though it doesn’t penetrate the Mac man’s psyche too deeply, and sections on tangential figures like Apple design guru Jonathan Ive and Apple Store visionary Ron Johnson can meander, those searching for a telling portrait of Jobs’s management style and its impact on Apple will not be left wanting.”

The Inside Steve’s Brain is available from Amazon for $16.29.

The Darwin Awards - $25

The Darwin Award Box Set is a collection of people who did sometimes stupid, yet funny things to die. There are the classic Darwin Awards such as the person who decided to make a neckless out of live amunition and others who did not die, but were injured doing stupid stuff, such as the guy that tied 45 Navy ballons to a lawn chair and sailed up to about 20,000 feet.

All in all a funny look at some stupid people.

The The Darwin Awards is available from Amazon for $25.

Kindle: Amazon’s Wireless Reading Device - $359

Thanks to electronic paper, a revolutionary new display technology, reading Kindle’s screen is as sharp and natural as reading ink on paper—and nothing like the strain and glare of a computer screen. Kindle is also easy on the fingertips. It never becomes hot and is designed for ambidextrous use so both “lefties” and “righties” can read comfortably at any angle for long periods of time.

The Kindle: Amazon’s Wireless Reading Device is available from Amazon for $359.

The iBreath Alcohol Breathalyzer does not require any batteries to run as it sips power off the iPod it is connected to, and all functions as well as results are shown on the iBreath LCD display. It has a BAC range of 0.000 to 0.100% and comes with a timer to let you know when’s the next time for a test. Nice to see it comes with an integrated FM transmitter as well, transmitting your favorite iPod tunes to just about any FM tuner.

Utilizing Near Fields Communications Technology (NFC), Tikitags increase the value of everyday items. Simply attach a tiny tag to pretty much any object and through www.tikitag.com, users can add potentially limitless amounts of information to it, which can therefore be read by any online NFC reader and automatically spurt out information in a number of different environments. Just think, a Tikitag could be added to business cards which once read, could link directly to further company bumf or even that persons Facebook account! Or, in an outdoor environment a visitor to an art gallery could wave his NFC enabled phone at a Banksy print and find out some more about his lowly beginnings as a butcher!

The original set will comprise of a USB-enabled NFC reader and 10 DIY NFC tags. These tags require no batteries to run, and it is expected that the NFC market will grow significantly in due time. You will be able to pick up the Tikitag for £39.95 per set.