Weather Widgets

The Las Vegas Convention Center covers almost 70 acres, so when you’re wandering the halls at CES, it’s easy to forget that there’s a world outside. But new weather gadgets help keep indoor geeks posted on the conditions in the great beyond, so they’ll be ready should they ever venture out.

La Crosse Technology Weather Direct
Replace your bedside alarm clock with this box, and you can get online weather forecasts—without a computer. A base station plugs into an Ethernet jack on your Internet router, downloads three-day forecasts, and sends them to this display using radio waves that reach 330 feet. The display can even show info from a wireless barometer, temperature sensor, or weather vane that you set up in your backyard.

Oregon Scientific InstaForecast
Like LaCrosse’s display, Oregon Scientific’s pulls weather info off the Internet, but your computer has to be on for it to work. Software on your PC downloads five-day forecasts from the National Weather Service and elsewhere. Then a USB dongle wirelessly beams data to this tabletop gadget, no matter where in the house you put it. You can also set up wireless sensors to measure temperature and humidity, both indoors and out.

Honeywell Atomic Projection Clock with NOAA
No Internet connection here, but there’s gadget-y fun nonetheless. This atomic clock projects the time and indoor temperature on the ceiling or wall. Its LCD display tells you about public weather alerts, such as tornado warnings, that are broadcast over NOAA’s radio service.—Lauren Aaronson

Want more? Check out our entire CES 2008 coverage here.