Mega Roundup: part 7 (final Part for 2007)
Collection of 2007's best Gadgets, Goods and Gizmos
Take 2 or I'll call in the Morning
If a patient doesn't take crucial meds on time, this pillbox alerts a central server that sends relatives a voice or text message. InforMedix Med-eMonitor $50, plus $60/month; informedix.com
Phosphorescent paint on this watch's dial and hands shines brightly for several hours after exposure to light. As a backup, fainter, tritium-filled tubes keep the dial legibly illuminated for at least seven years. Reactor Trident $300â€$450; reactorwatch.com
Replacing laptop components like the processor or graphics card can require hours of removing tiny screws and plugs. But the tinkerer-friendly C90S lets you access most parts simply by lifting off a bottom panel. The warranty stays intact, too. Asus C90S $1,300 (est.); asus.com
Remember when plug-in air fresheners covered the whole outlet and were totally useless for anything but freshening the air? Thumb drives have been wallowing in their own bad time for a while now-plug one in, and say goodbye to a port (no small sacrifice now that everything seems to use USB)-but at last, one company is addressing the shortcoming. This drive is equipped with two hubs, so you can not only access its port when it's plugged in, but you get a bonus hub as well. Added password protection means you can safely leave your devices charging even when the office snoop asks to use your computer for "just a sec." Yego Price not set; ritek.com
Keep the kiddies calm on road trips with the first satellite tuner for Sirius's live TV broadcasts. Hook it up to an in-car TV system, and they can watch Nickelodeon, the Cartoon Network or the Disney Channel. Sirius Backseat TV Audio/Video Tuner $300; sirius.com
Zero to 50 mph in 6.8 seconds, a top speed of 62 mph and a near-silent engine are great specs for any scooter, but the Maxi-Scooter has one other thing going for it: it runs on a battery. The first all-electric scooter gets about 68 miles between charges and takes 2.5 hours to rejuice. Maxi-Scooter $11,000 (available soon); vectrixusa.com
Open wireless networks are great, but searching through them, dealing with weak signals, and being booted anytime the one you're using shuts down is a pain. Enter the Slurpr, which promises to pull every available signal, aggregating their bandwidth into a super broadband connection. Caveat: The legality of this product is, shall we say, iffy. Slurpr $1,345; slurpr.com
It´s the solution heavy sleepers have been waiting for: Apparently, all it takes to avoid repeated tardiness to work is a helicopter! This alarm clock launches its little foam payload at the critical moment and doesn't stop wailing until you get up, fetch the mini copter on the other side of the room, and place it back in its holder. Not as cool as that roof-to-roof chauffeur service you were considering, but still. Flying Alarm Clock $50; gadgets.dk
To make the first tattooed bicycle tire, ink saturates a thin skin of rubber. High heat and pressure meld it permanently to the rest of the tire. At night, the ink is reflective. SweetskinZ Tire $40; sweetskinz.com
Long showers are great, but they wreak havoc during droughts, rack up the electricity bill, and suck for the person stuck with the dregs once the water heater's depleted. This timer shuts off the water after a predetermined time has passed. A large clock counts down your precious minutes, but once it's done, it's done. There are even options to put a waiting period between showers (so you can't just start up again once the water's off). Sure, it's brutal, but sometimes tough love is the best kind. Shower Timer Approx $340; showertimer.com.au
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