Mega Roundup: part 2
Biggest collection of 2007's best gadgets, goods and gizmos
Ears Wide Open
These earphones don't block external sound, so you can rock out while having a conversation or listening for oncoming cars. Instead of plugging your ear canal, the drivers hook in front of your ears and transmit crystal-clear sound waves through the cartilage. InAir AirDrives $100; airdrives.com
A Stickler for Safety
The first spray-on glue without toxic solvents is safer, less smelly, cleans up with water, and permanently bonds crafts or repair projects. DAP Spray 'N Stik $9; dap.com
Zoom On
Most cameras boast impressive digital-zoom capabilities, but the loss of pixels makes it hardly worthwhile. This camera has an 18x optical zoom, something previously unavailable on consumer cameras. Pull it in for a wide-angle shot, and revel in its dual image-stabilization and face- detection capabilities. Now anyone can be a paparazzo. FinePix S8000fd $400; fujifilm.com
Keeping an Eye Out
Accident-prone? Paranoid? Clamp one of these to your windshield. When the camera detects emergency braking, it starts shooting, recording the next 15 seconds. With no moving parts and a heavy-duty magnesium-alloy casing, your video is safe. Lawsuits begone! DriveEye Approx. $415; Japan only; clarion.com
Night Light
When your car breaks down and you find yourself stranded by the highway's edge at night, throw the small orange cone over this tiny LED flashlight for an instant and powerful flare. Your car's cigarette lighter recharges the six-lumen light. Emergency Car Lenser Rechargeable $27; ledlenser.com
Green Ray
To wow audiences in even the largest auditoriums, this presentation pointer's green laser beam shines farther (two miles) and brighter than red ones. It sends radio signals about 30 yards to control your laptop. Jasper Keynote $170; jasperlaser.com
Tape It to the Limit
With just a smidgen of this double-sided tape, we stuck a brick to the wall. Made of solid acrylic adhesive, rather than foam coated in glue, it's superstrong and withstands even the roughest weather. A six-inch strip permanently holds up to 11 pounds, for tasks like hanging signs or molding. Loctite Power Grab on a Roll $7; loctiteproducts.com
Water Word
Crumbs, coffee, bacteria-what lurks between your keys? The first waterproof, submersible keyboard can withstand both spills and cleanup in the dishwasher. A silicone seal protects its circuits from dunks in 10 feet of water. SEAL Shield $50; sealshield.com
One-Handed Bandit
Multi-tools let you fit a whole toolbox in the palm of your hand: pliers, screwdriver, knife, wire-cutters and, of course, the all-important bottle opener. But most of them require you to pry open tools with two hands. The X-Tract is the only one with single-handed access to all its tools. The pliers pop open with a nudge, and the screwdriver slides from side to side with a simple push of a thumb, revealing a Philips head on one side and a flathead on the other. A small notch lifts the bottle opener, for the best kind of instant gratification. X-Tract $50; buckknives.com
Port Security
The longer you´re online, the more time hackers have to invade. This smart plug tracks your monitor´s power usage. When the screen goes to sleep, it closes the network connection. DataBreaker $40; databreaker.com
Source: Popular Science
Ears Wide Open
These earphones don't block external sound, so you can rock out while having a conversation or listening for oncoming cars. Instead of plugging your ear canal, the drivers hook in front of your ears and transmit crystal-clear sound waves through the cartilage. InAir AirDrives $100; airdrives.com
A Stickler for Safety
The first spray-on glue without toxic solvents is safer, less smelly, cleans up with water, and permanently bonds crafts or repair projects. DAP Spray 'N Stik $9; dap.com
Zoom On
Most cameras boast impressive digital-zoom capabilities, but the loss of pixels makes it hardly worthwhile. This camera has an 18x optical zoom, something previously unavailable on consumer cameras. Pull it in for a wide-angle shot, and revel in its dual image-stabilization and face- detection capabilities. Now anyone can be a paparazzo. FinePix S8000fd $400; fujifilm.com
Keeping an Eye Out
Accident-prone? Paranoid? Clamp one of these to your windshield. When the camera detects emergency braking, it starts shooting, recording the next 15 seconds. With no moving parts and a heavy-duty magnesium-alloy casing, your video is safe. Lawsuits begone! DriveEye Approx. $415; Japan only; clarion.com
Night Light
When your car breaks down and you find yourself stranded by the highway's edge at night, throw the small orange cone over this tiny LED flashlight for an instant and powerful flare. Your car's cigarette lighter recharges the six-lumen light. Emergency Car Lenser Rechargeable $27; ledlenser.com
Green Ray
To wow audiences in even the largest auditoriums, this presentation pointer's green laser beam shines farther (two miles) and brighter than red ones. It sends radio signals about 30 yards to control your laptop. Jasper Keynote $170; jasperlaser.com
Tape It to the Limit
With just a smidgen of this double-sided tape, we stuck a brick to the wall. Made of solid acrylic adhesive, rather than foam coated in glue, it's superstrong and withstands even the roughest weather. A six-inch strip permanently holds up to 11 pounds, for tasks like hanging signs or molding. Loctite Power Grab on a Roll $7; loctiteproducts.com
Water Word
Crumbs, coffee, bacteria-what lurks between your keys? The first waterproof, submersible keyboard can withstand both spills and cleanup in the dishwasher. A silicone seal protects its circuits from dunks in 10 feet of water. SEAL Shield $50; sealshield.com
One-Handed Bandit
Multi-tools let you fit a whole toolbox in the palm of your hand: pliers, screwdriver, knife, wire-cutters and, of course, the all-important bottle opener. But most of them require you to pry open tools with two hands. The X-Tract is the only one with single-handed access to all its tools. The pliers pop open with a nudge, and the screwdriver slides from side to side with a simple push of a thumb, revealing a Philips head on one side and a flathead on the other. A small notch lifts the bottle opener, for the best kind of instant gratification. X-Tract $50; buckknives.com
Port Security
The longer you´re online, the more time hackers have to invade. This smart plug tracks your monitor´s power usage. When the screen goes to sleep, it closes the network connection. DataBreaker $40; databreaker.com
Source: Popular Science
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