Remember disposable cameras? You needed 27 (or if you were lucky, 29) exposures just to get one good picture. It’s not like now when you can repose over and over until your spastic friend finally has their eyes open (alright, that’s me). A friend of mine recently busted out the disposable camera at a party the other night and when I asked her about it, she said that she likes having actual photos where you can’t take a million just to get the perfect one. Hmmm…
For those who want to have their cake and eat it too, there’s the Portable Handheld Scanner (Hammacher Schlemmer, $99.95) – the cake in this scenario being the tangible photo and eating it being the digital copy. It doesn’t just stop at photos though; you can scan anything! Photos, magazines, documents…pretty much anything you can think of. Ok, well you are confined to the limits of the microSD card, but this scanner supports memory cards up to 32 gigabytes in capacity and you can get 180 scans per charge. Each scan is saved onto the memory card as a JPEG file, as either high or normal resolution, and the scanner is both PC and Mac compatible.
Not for retinas.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 10″ x 1.25″ x 1″
-Weight: 7.5oz
-Cordless portable scanner
-Up to 180 scans per charge
-Color image sensor
-High (600 dpi) or standard (300 dpi) resolution
-JPEG images save on microSD card (not included)
-USB cable included
-Uses 2 AA batteries (included)
-Windows 7, Vista, XP, and Mac compatible
Why does it seem like there are never enough outlets? Is it an actual problem with the home’s construction or is it our overreliance on technology? Either way, it’s definitely a problem in my house (and I bet yours too). I’m constantly having to unplug one charger just to plug in another, which basically means I can never find my phone charger when I need it.
The Plug Out Plug Organizers (Perpetual Kid, $7.49) are here to rescue your many cords from obscurity! The silicone plug organizer attaches to the wall via stain-free adhesive and serve to keep your plugs handy even when they’re not in use. Each set comes with two plug organizers so it’s up to you to choose where your problem plug areas are. Even if you don’t suffer from technological dependence (liar), you can still use these organizers to keep track of the electronics you unplug when they’re not in use to save money/energy.
I’m considering fully converting to Apple products, if only for the simplicity of one cord to charge them all.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 3.5″ x 0.75″
-Store plugs near outlet when not in use
-Set of 2 plug organizers
-Stain free adhesive
-Choose from black/white or orange/green
-Made of silicone
Don’t get me wrong, I love technology but it seems like there’s a new gadget every week. I can only carry so many things with me at one time before it becomes a burden and I’m basically under house arrest due to gadget overload. If I can actually manage to get out of the house with my geek bundle, then I have to deal with the issue of readiness. What good is a smartphone if it’s not easily acceptable? Does an iPod play itself? Well, kinda but that’s not the point here.
I tend to fill my car’s cup holders with knick-knacks, trash, and well, cups so there’s not a whole lot of room left for anything actually important. The MagicPad (Latest Buy, $11.95) creates a safe space for your precious gadgets seemingly out of thin air. This stick pad attaches to most surfaces (as long as they are clean, smooth, and dry) and does so without any harsh adhesives. How? Well, that’s the magic part! Once you’ve selected the perfect spot for this pad, you’re all set to stick your items to it. That’s it – no other set-up required. Your objects will stick to the pad without any special devices or magnetic contraptions. If for some reason the pad loses its magical stickiness, all you have to do is wash it in warm water to reactivate it.
Apparently you can also use this stick pad vertically, but that just makes me nervous. I drop things on my own all the time – I don’t need any help in that department.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Stick pad for small items
-Sticks to most surfaces
-Sticks without adhesive
-Wash in warm water to reactivate stickiness
-Heat and cold resistant
-Made of elastic rubber material
I’m one of those people who think clutter is the devil incarnate. It’s something I just can’t get past, no matter how hard I try. It gets underneath my skin and makes me so crazy that I have trouble forming simple sentences because I simply cannot think straight. Clutter is tricky though – a little mess is fine, but it can so easily turn into a giant mound of clutter seemingly right before your eyes. And then it’s too late.
A small table by the door seems like the perfect solution to reduce clutter because you can put down all your important items as soon as you get home and you’ll know exactly where to find them, right? It’s a great plan, but as with all best laid plans it has its drawbacks. The bigger the space, the more clutter that can accumulate. What you really need is something like the Switch Hooks Storage Switch Plate (Vat19, $5.99) because it only has room for the necessities. The switch plate trades places with your standard one and offers three small hooks along the bottom. You can use these hooks for keys, pet leash, or even a light jacket. The whole structure can support up to five pounds, so as long as you don’t go over that you can hang anything you like. Three hooks: no more, no less!
Right now, I can only see half my desk because it’s covered in post-its, mail, and other office items. When it gets three-fourths covered, we’re approaching the danger zone. Completely covered and I have a mental breakdown. Stay tuned.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 5.75″ x 2.75″ x 0.6″
-Weight capacity: 5 lbs (total of all 3 hooks)
-Light switch place with storage hooks
-Includes mounting screws
-Fits any single standard switch
I was making dinner last night and I made a giant mess. This is basically the norm except I was using a new recipe so I was extra sensitive to any missteps. Needless to say, when I broke an entire egg onto the counter I was less than pleased. You people think I’m kidding when I go on and on about kitchen gadgets that make life easier, but I need all the help I can get.
Less mess is always preferred, which is why the Cut & Collect Chopping Board (Latest Buy, $33.95) is a cooking enthusiast’s dream. I tend to cut up all my veggies for the meal at once, which is a great tactic except there’s never enough space to do that. I end up with carrots spilling out onto the counter next to dirty onion skins and it just drives me crazy. This cutting board features an integrated drawer, so you can slice and dice, then slide the pieces into the drawer for safe keeping. If you prefer, you can also use the drawer as a waste bin and save yourself multiple trips to the trash can. The drawer pulls right out so anything you put in there is easily emptied at any time. The cutting board itself is dishwasher safe (my fave) and has non-slip feet so it won’t slide around while you’re chopping (also a plus).
You know how Rachel Ray uses a trash bowl while she cooks? Rachel Ray ain’t got nothing on me.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 11.8″ x 8.6″ x 1.4″
-Cutting board with integrated drawer
-Slide food directly into drawer
-Removable drawer for emptying
-Non slip feet
-Available in green or white
-Dishwasher safe
