Are you sick of having to go to your car to charge your electronics? Did you lose your phone charger and have been taking long car rides just to charge up your cell so you can text your bestie?
The AC to DC Power Converter (ThinkGeek, $7.99) allows you to change a normal outlet into a 12v DC car charger compatible power source. This means that you can charge any of your electronics without having a charger for wall outlet power. It’s cordless and compact, so you can basically carry it from the home to the office without a problem.
ThinkGeek has a nice version of this product for about a fraction of the price of the competitors. Other sites like Amazon have a similar product for $20.49, and it isn’t as portable as the one at ThinkGeek because of its long cord.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Convert A/C wall outlet to DC power
-No cord, plugs directly into the wall outlet
-Up to 1000mA unregulated output
Are you worried about thieves in the workplace? Are your coworkers of a shady or untrustworthy nature? Do you need a place to hide your precious possessions, out of sight but still within your reach at a moment’s notice? Well then come in close to your computer, and I’ll let you in on a little secret…closer…closer…
With the Wireless Garden Stash Card (Amazon, $12.99), you can hide your important items within plain sight: your computer! The catch? Only you’ll know that they’re there. The Wireless Garden Stash Card fits into the PC card of your laptop. I mean, come on, you weren’t really using it anyways, so what better than stashing a few things in there every now and then.
This itty bitty secret storage facility can be used for any number of things: stamps, photos, memory cards, etc. Maybe you have one of those tiny keys to the safe in the bottom drawer of your desk, but you’re afraid that if you put it on your keychain, not only will people see it and know that you have a safe in the bottom drawer of your desk, but you might actually lose it and then you’ll never again get to access that candy stockpile. Did you forget your wallet today? That could mean that you have to forego lunch, or worse, eat the abandoned decaying leftovers in the back of the fridge in the employee lounge. Not you. No, you don’t have to scrounge for scraps because you put some extra cash in your Wireless Garden Stash Card. You’re not only going to be able to eat a tasty lunch, you’re actually going to have dessert today.
The only qualm I have with this product is that it is not compatible with ExpressCard slots, or for that matter, desktop computers. But come on, who really cares about those suckers? You’ve got a laptop with a beefy PC slot, and I know just what you’re going to use it for.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 6.5″ x 0.2″ x 6.5″
-Weight: 2 lbs
-Fits into PC slot of most laptops
Do you like to listen to your music at deafening volumes to experience its true artistic impact? Are you missing important phone calls from your boss, girlfriend, or complaining neighbors because of it? Then turn up the stereo because I’ve got you covered.
The Telephone Ring Signaler (ThinkGeek, $39.99) makes it so you never have to miss a phone call ever again…well, if you’re near an outlet, that is. The Telephone Signaler is a device that alerts you to an incoming call not by emitting loud beeps or other noises like those other inferior ring signalers, but instead with flashing lights.
It’s really easy to use – I’ve even included a picture if these step-by-step instructions get you a little confused.
All you have to do is (1) plug the device into the wall.
Then, (2) plug the telephone jack into the back of your phone.
Next, (3) plug your light source of choice, aka lamp, into the device’s plug.
Presto changeo! You now have visual stimuli to alert you to your incoming phone calls.
Ok, so a few issues with this life-altering gadget. The most apparent is that fact that it only works with a landline telephone/videophone. While the idea itself is good, it would have been even better to make it cell phone friendly, as most people I know don’t even have landlines anymore because a cell phone is cheaper. Along the same lines, what if this was a portable device? Make it AC adapter friendly and you can bring it on the road with you. I don’t know about you, but I’ve missed many an important phone call in the car because I was singing along to my favorite song on the radio (softer at stoplights, of course).
3 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 1.25″ x 3.75″ x 2.5″
-Phone cord length: 7′
-Plugs directly into phone jack to alert to phone, fax, video phone, TDY/TTY, and/or other phone device
-Works with all Sonic wireless receivers for multiple room notification
-Integrated on/off switch allows lamp to be used for regular lighting
-Phone signaler visually alerts you when your landline phone rings
So say you’ve got this fantastic trip to Japan planned, and you’re all packed – you’ve got your pocket translator and everything. But what about you apartment? Who’s going to make sure that all your goodies stay intact in your absence? You could leave a TV on for 2 weeks or maybe you could go out and buy some timers for all you appliances? Neither of those sounds like much fun for you or your wallet. So what do you do?
The FakeTV Burglar Deterrent Device (ThinkGeek, $39.99) is the solution to insuring your stuff stays your stuff while you’re out of town. This device simulates the light from a real TV, making it look like you’re home while you’re out of town, at work, etc. It also uses about fifty times less electricity than a real TV, so it saves your stuff without breaking the bank. The lights even change color to mimic the effect of a TV show going to commercials. You can choose from three different timer settings: on, dusk to dusk + 4 hours, dusk to dusk + 7 hours. And the pattern doesn’t repeat within the cycle, so the potential burglar will never be wise to this ingenious device.
How it works:
You plug this teeny 4.5″x4″x4″ contraption into the wall (120v AC adapter also included) where its lights can be seen from the street, perhaps behind some nice blinds or drapes. You select your desired settings, and then the multi-color LED lights simulate your 27″ HDTV to make it look like you’re at home watching your favorite shows. The best part? You get to go to Japan worry-free.
Sayonara.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-FakeTV makes your house look occupied by simulating the changing light from a TV screen
-FakeTV’s LEDs mimic regular TV scene changes, fades, swells, flicks, on-screen motion, and color changes to look just like they came from a real TV
-Computer controlled, super-bright multi-color LED light output equivalent to a typical 27″ HDTV LCD television
-FakeTV consumes fifty times less power than a real TV
-3 settings: ON, dusk to dusk + 4 hours, dusk to dusk +7 hours
-120V AC adapter included
-Dimensions: 4.5″ x 4″ x 4″
So if you’re like me and you worship the caffeine gods, but you’re not always in the immediate vicinity of a coffeepot, then you’re in luck. The Zelco Brisk Brew Travel Coffeemaker is a portable (and compact!) coffeemaker that can be used just about anywhere.
Included in this teeny contraption is a personal coffee mug, 2 canisters that can be used for storing ground coffee, sugar, creamers, etc., and a 3 1/2″ collapsible spoon. The best part? All of the above are conveniently stored inside the unit itself, so you don’t have to lug this stuff around in an extra container just to have a decent cup o’ joe. The coffee mug doubles as the top, so nothing spills out during your travels. The Zelco Brisk Brew also has a permanent nylon filter, so there’s no need to worry about buying itty bitty coffee filters.
At just 1.8 lbs and with a interchangeable voltage that can operate at 120 or 240 volts, this coffeemaker is built for travel, whether it be that important business conference in Vegas (apparently their hotel rooms are void of coffee machinery), or just a road trip with some friends. And its functionality doesn’t just stop with coffee – basically whatever you can create using hot water and a cup is fair game. So break out the tea, hot chocolate, and instant soup mixes because this is your one-stop shopping device.
Available at many retail chains and online stores, most quoted its cost around almost $50. The best value I found was at either ThinkGeek or Amazon – both offered the Zelco Brisk Brew at a cool $39.99. However, Amazon goes one step further and offers its Free Super Saver Shipping on this device, which saves you about $5-$10. Also, it comes with a cute nylon storage pouch so that should your coffee cavalry shift its contents during travel, you won’t end up with a mess upon arrival.
The main drawback to this brewtastic coffeemaker is that while it boasts of being able to brew just about anywhere, that really means anywhere with an outlet. To upgrade this already remarkable little machine, how about outfitting it with AC power for those of us who take those road trips literally on the road? Because unless you have a power inverter, you’re going to have to settle for dreadful gas station coffee.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Keep your coffee, creamer, and sugar all in their own canisters inside the unit
-Ultraportable single-cup coffee pot
-Dimensions: 6.6″ x 6.3″ x 4.3″
-Weight: 1.8 lbs
