I love Halloween. In fact, it’s my favorite holiday. Some people are all about Christmas, but I think the novelty of the man with the bag wears off after you hit puberty whereas Halloween only gets better with age. When you’re young, you dress up to trick or treat and get candy; when you’re older, you dress up to drink adult beverages and win costume contests. Also, when you’re older you can afford to buy any candy you want so you don’t have to pick through all the cheapo stuff like circus peanuts to get to the real chocolatey treasures.
To maximize your Halloween’s success potential, it’s most important to have a totally boss costume. Second, you should decorate with such gusto that it looks as though Party City threw up all over your house. You can go scary or simply festive, but the 8-Bit LED Jack O’ Lantern (ThinkGeek, $9.99) works well with both motifs. A perfect pumpkin decoration, this one will last throughout the years because it’s made of durable EVA foam and is powered by AAA batteries. It’s lightweight and since there’s no cord, it can be hung just about anywhere. The LED lights flicker to mimic the look of an actual carved pumpkin, albeit carved much more precisely than you or I could probably manage. Basically, it’s the Christmas wreath of Halloween decor.
Remember, store bought costumes are the pits. Make it yourself!
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 11″ x 9.25″ x 1.125″
-Flickering LED lights
-Mimics carved pumpkin
-Requires 3 AAA batteries (not included)
-Made of durable EVA foam
It seems like I always need to look up just one more thing on my computer and most of the time, I think it’ll be a lot quicker if I don’t bother to turn on the light. That would be fine if I could actually type in the dark with any degree of accuracy, but I can’t. This doesn’t deter me though, as I will continue to misspell each word that I’m trying to type at least twice.
Wouldn’t it be so much easier to just turn on a light? Yup. Am I going to do it? Nope. That’s what the Mantis Multi-Purpose LED Light (Latest Buy, $35.95) is for. Yes, I know that it’s technically a light but it’s not an overhead light so it doesn’t count in my book. This clip-on light features 11 LED lights that can provide up to 30 hours of majestic glow for your keyboard. Also boasting two flip-out legs with rubberized end pieces to prevent slipping, the light can stand up to be used on just about any flat surface. Did you want to read a book whilst traveling without disturbing your neighbor’s sleep cycle? It’s not a problem because this portable light is battery operated for your convenience.
Yet another magical product for the lazy generation. Amen.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Clip on task lamp brightens workspace
-11 LEDs provide illumination
-Approximately 30 hours of light
-2 levels of brightness
-Clip allows light to rotate
-Rubberized end pieces prevent slipping
-Battery operated
-Portable
-2 flip out legs
I was driving home from a party the other night and I could barely see two feet in front of my car. As much as I would have loved to flip on my brights, I thought it might be just a touch irritating to the driver in front of me. Also, I’m not even sure it would have helped all the much, seeing as when I got home I saw that my headlights were covered with a cloudy film. I mean, it’s no wonder I couldn’t see that well.
In case you’re having the same issue and you think that all your car needs is a good wash, you’re wrong. Well, your car could probably use a good wash too, but that’s not going to help you see better at night. Short of completing replacing your headlight covers, you could try dousing them with Fast Brite (Taylor Gifts, $9.98) to get rid of the yellowing and cloudiness. Claiming to completely renew visibility and bring your headlights back to showroom quality, the product has some shortcomings. Seriously though, who actually thinks that an As Seen On TV product is going to change their life? If you do, you’s a big dummy. You’re supposed to use the lens polish to remove oxidation from the headlight and then the lens protectant to seal in the results, but I wouldn’t expect anything too spectacular. At best, you’ll get rid of some of that yellowing and even then I wouldn’t hold my breath.
If you’re willing to test this out, do yourself a favor and get it here instead of from the infomercial. At least then you won’t fall victim to their shipping and handling scam of $7.98 per order.
2 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Visibly brightens dull headlights
-Includes two 2oz bottles and a dual sided application sponge
-Wipe on lens polish to remove hazy oxidation
-Apply lens protectant to seal in results
There’s almost nothing in this world better than convenience – well, winning the lottery is up there too (unless it’s Shirley Jackson’s lottery), but I’m being realistic here. I hate it when I need an item and I can’t find it, and then I end up tripping over it when I don’t need it anymore. The worst offender of this notion is the flashlight. I can’t ever find it when I need it and then if I do, the batteries are dead or the damn thing just doesn’t work.
Making it the easiest flashlight you’ll ever use (and it’s not like the original model is all that hard) Battery Snaps (Perpetual Kid, $4.99) are ultra-portable and super convenient. All you need to let there be light is the snap top and a 9 volt battery, then press the top button and you’ve got a hand held light that can fit in your pocket. You’ll never forget what type of battery this flashlight takes (it’s pretty obvious) and the product itself is basically idiot-proof.
Snap to it!
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 1.25″ x .75″ x 3″
-Includes battery snap and one 9 volt battery
-Press button on top to turn on light
-Available in white or pink
I’m gonna cut right to the chase here: riding a bike, while enjoyable, can be downright dangerous. You’re supposed to ride with traffic, but half the time cars pretend like they can’t see you and practically run you over every chance they get. With these Bike Signals (Gizoo, £29.95), there’s no way automotive traffic can argue that you’re not obeying the laws of the road. It’s a wireless device that attaches to your back (via the provided strap) and is controlled by a remote you can attach to your handlebars. If you want to turn left, simply press the left button on the remote and the LED arrow display will be illuminated. Ditto for turning right. The device even has a reminder beep to let your know if you’re left your blinker on. Best of all, the whole shebang is waterproof so you can be out and about in any type of weather and your signal system will remain intact.
The beautiful weather has returned! Go ahead, take out your 10-speed and get biking!
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Includes LED display, remote (battery included), and strap
-Super bright LED when turning left or right
-Stay visible when on your bike
-Completely wireless
-Reminder beep
-Waterproof
