Gadgets

The Weekly Goods: October 23

From a watch-sized coach to a caretaking water bottle, it's our picks for the week of October 23, 2006

October 9, 2006

Tell the bottle how much water you want to drink daily. It schedules sips throughout the day, and a sensor in the straw knows if you skip a dose. Sportline HydraCoach $30; walkingadvantage.com

Now you can play "Name that Tune" with your friends using any kind of MP3 player. Like the very popular "Music Quiz" designed for Apple's iPod, iGamez lets you and three friends test each other's music knowledge using any downloadable digital audio device. Simply plug your players into the main unit, let it pick a track, and well, you know the rest-name that tune. Pressman iGamez, Price TBA; pressmangames.comCompiled by Joe Brown and Chuck Tannert

If you just can't let your old VHS tapes go, here's a VCR/DVD recorder combo that's built for the high-def age. It'll upgrade your old VHS tapes to 720p or 1080i, which can be transferred to your HDTV. It also offers bidirectional dubbing between DVD and VHS. An iLink input is onboard for transferring footage from your DV camcorder. JVC DR-MV7S VCR/DVD recorder combo, $270; jvc.comCompiled by Joe Brown and Chuck Tannert

Here´s a better option than triple-tapping your text messages: In between each number key on this phone is a letter of the alphabet. Alltel LG AX490 $60 after rebate and with contract; alltel.com

Bring a little nature into your office space with these unique USB 2.0 memory sticks. Made with uniquely shaped pieces of wood that have been hand picked for their beauty and then transformed into 256MB, 512MB or 1GB storage devices, they're compatible with Windows, Linux and Mac systems.** Wooden memory Sticks, $57-$90; oooms.nl**Compiled by Joe Brown and Chuck Tannert

This ultimate in-car speakerphone has dual microphones for noise reduction and text-to-speech capabilities to read back your phone's contacts. And when you're not chatting away, play streaming music from any Bluetooth-equipped laptop, phone or audio player. Parrot MK6000 in-car Bluetooth speakerphone Price TBD; parrot.biz/usa

Despite its bargain price tag, this pint-size nav device packs in the features. In addition to all the navigation basics, the Nav200 features a 3.5-inch touchscreen, a multimedia player and a 1.5-gigabyte SD card preloaded with NavTech maps. Need more? Try the optional add-on for real-time traffic updates. Delphi Nav200 $350; delphi.com

Don't strain your hand cranking an old-school clamp. Pull the trigger on this motorized one, and it will cinch down on wood with an unmovable 400 pounds of pressure. Black & Decker AutoClamp $40; blackanddecker.com

Keeping your hands cool and dry in the heat of videogame battle can be the difference between a triumphant virtual kill and a shameful, sweaty-palmed death. Ultra-quiet cooling fans inside this controller ensure that PlayStation 3 early adopters will be at the top of their game from the start. Logitech ChillStream Controller for PlayStation 3 $40; logitech.com

The Light Pick is both a glowing guitar pick for those lights-out solos and a programmable flashing metronome. It comes with interchangeable tips in light, medium and heavy gauges, so you can shred hard without worrying about replacing the entire pick. **Santa Cruz Light Wells Light Pick $60 (tips $1.29 ea.); sclw.net **

Denon's A/V systems can be a bit expensive, but you get what you pay for-top quality, great sound and killer feature sets. The AVR-5805MK2 is no exception. It's got everything, but the real hook is its ten fully configurable amplifier channels (rated at 170 watts each) and all the possibilities that they present-particularly the option of simultaneously running two entirely independent 5.1 home theater systems with fully powered main channels. I don't know of any single piece of equipment that currently offers more options, flexibility and operational freedom. Denon AVR-5805MK2, $7,000; denon.comCompiled by Joe Brown and Chuck Tannert

The floor is no place for a true gamer to flop. Try the Ultimate Game Chair-a throne fit for the most advanced gaming wizard featuring right- and left-side joysticks in the armrests, built-in speakers, force-feedback motors, headphone jacks, beverage and remote-control holders, and-thank heavens-a stain-resistant cover. It works with popular console systems as well as your PC. Ultimate Game Chair $400; ultimategamechair.com

Don't be that out-of-tune poser at your local watering hole's next karaoke night. Practice at home with the iKaraoke. It sends music from your iPod to your stereo minus the lead vocals, so you can step up to the mic and sing your favorite tunes. It can even temporarily add vocals back into the music to help you find your place and includes reverb effects to enhance your performance. It hooks up to your stereo via line-in cable, or wirelessly through your FM receiver. Griffin iKaraoke, available winter 2006; griffintechnology.comCompiled by Joe Brown and Chuck Tannert

Most power strips degenerate over time because they absorb surges by converting them to heat. This model instead creates an opposite voltage that cancels out the spike, for protection without wear. Zero Surge WVR-TSC $150; zerosurge.com

Catch the jerk who dinged your car. This window- mounted camera records constantly. If its accelerometer senses impact, the camera saves a video of the incident to flash memory. TruScene TS-1L $938; truscene.com

Finally, there's a media-center PC for home theater enthusiasts. This AMD X2 dual-core computer claims to be "100 percent silent," so film buffs won't be distracted by a noisy fan or whirring DVD player when they are trying to concentrate on the dialogue. The slick-looking unit features up to 1.5TB of storage, dual standard-def TV tuners, optional dual HDTV tuners, an HDCP-compliant NVIDIA Geforce 7950GX2 graphics card, and most enticingly, optional Blu-ray or HD DVD drives. VidaBox ZERO mediaPC, starts at $4,399; vidabox.comCompiled by Joe Brown and Chuck Tannert

Not only will this hand-knit-style beanie keep your head toasty warm on the slopes this winter, but the built-in Bluetooth headphones will let you rock out to your favorite tunes as you carve up the powder (with no cables to get caught up in your gear). **Burton Audex padded hat $150; burton.com **

Using your tricked-out Treo's high-res screen only for Tetris? This DVR box records any video source you can throw at it (TV, DVD) and saves it directly to an SD or MMC card for playback on a video-capable portable. iTech mDVR Price TBA; itechdynamic.com

To turn a previous-model Segway, you had to twist a little dial on the handle. This one is more intuitive: Just lean. Its handlebar is mounted on a swing-arm that translates your lateral bending into a change of direction. Segway i2 $5,000; segway.com

This is not a watch. OK, it is, but it's also your coach. It sets a weekly regimen and monitors your heart rate to determine how well you stick to it. Overachieve today, and it'll let you go easy tomorrow. Slack off, and get ready to sweat. Suunto t4 $200; suunto.comCompiled by Joe Brown and Chuck Tannert

For builders cutting dozens of 2x4s a day, every second saved helps. This circular saw's 6.5-inch blade whirrs around at 6,100 rpm to rip through boards faster than any other framing saw. Ridgid Fuego Compact Framing Saw $140; ridgid.comCompiled by Joe Brown and Chuck Tannert

The molded silicone palm on these gloves lets the modern-day blacksmith(or mechanic or welder) withstand temperatures up to 600

Germophobes, rejoice! Here´s a wireless mouse that can help assuage your fear of the creepy crawlies. Coated with a titanium-dioxide and silver nanoparticle compound, it supposedly kills off all sorts of bacteria, viruses and other funk that you might encounter during the day, so you can lay off that bottle of liquid hand-wash. IOGear Germ-free wireless laser mouse $40; iogear.com

There isn't a gadget freak alive who doesn't love a good remote control. How about one that can handle all of your electronics, room lighting, and any other remote-controllable device in your home from any room in your house, thanks to its wireless radio transmitter? Now, that's a couch potato's dream. Monster Home Theater AVL300 $600; monstercentral.com

These might look like your typical AA batteries, but they're so, so much more awesome. They're actually AA-size, rechargeable NiMH batteries that can be recharged simply by plugging them into any computer's USB port for long-lasting green power. USBCell, $25; usbcell.comCompiled by Joe Brown and Chuck Tannert

The Achilles heel of Wi-Fi has so far been its inability to reliably support voice, video and data transmissions within the home, but the Ruckus MediaFlex might be the solution to this problem. It extends Wi-Fi signals and automatically steers them around interference in real time, enabling flicker-free streaming of broadcast-quality multimedia throughout your home. Ruckus MediaFlex System $159; ruckuswireless.com

This is one slick keyboard. LEDs behind the keys shine an ethereal red, purple or blue light on your hands and can be set to low or high depending on your mood. You can also plug in a separate nine-digit keypad that can be programmed as a control interface for games. Saitek Gaming Keyboard $60; saitekusa.com

Every tailgater loves the beverage coozie. It keeps your beer frosty and your fingers toasty on those cold football-season days. What makes this coozie even better is that it´s equipped with magnets that will hold your beverage firmly against any metal surface, such as a car´s tailgate or a refrigerator. ATC Magnetic Coozie $10; search.cartserver.com

Normally, a novelty ice tray wouldn´t be on our list of innovative products. But this one is from Lego, allowing you to turn water into the shape of your favorite plastic building blocks and create a cool ice sculpture. Or simply use them to keep your drinks cool. Lego Ice Cube Tray $8; shop.lego.com

What do you get when you cross a boombox with a PC monitor? The VX2245wm, that´s what. One of Viewsonic´s latest generation of ViewDock LCD monitors, it features a huge 22-inch LCD panel and an iPod docking station built into the base that lets you stream tunes through the monitor´s built-in audio system (stereo speakers and a subwoofer). It also charges your iPod. ViewSonic VX2245wm Viewdock LCD $449; viewsonic.com

Link this watch with your Sony Ericsson Bluetooth phone, and receive incoming caller-ID info on your wrist. Don't like what you see? Save the frantic bag-rummaging for those extra-special calls. **Sony Ericsson MBW-100 $400; sonyericsson.com **

Ditch that cramped and boring USB hub for the Twister, a four-port USB 2.0 expander with Rubik's Cubeâ€like modules that twist 180 degrees, letting you easily adjust the angle of the ports and those desktop cable tangles. **Brando USB Twister Hub $26; usb.brando.com.hk **

Use this Windows Mobile 5.0 PDA as a nav system in the car. Then when you get to your destination, use it to surf the Web. In addition to its GPS receiver, it has Wi-Fi built in. HP iPaq rx590 Travel Companion $600; hp.com

Sync this D-battery-size GPS receiver with your new-model Sony camera, and it will digitally tag each image with the location, date and time it was taken. Sony GPS-CS1 $150; sonystyle.com

Mount your own nocturnal assault with these night-vision goggles from the Discovery Channel Store. They´ll let you stalk your prey in the dark and then disable it with a built-in dart launcher. Discovery Night Vision Goggles with Dart Launcher $20; shopping.discovery.com

Old-school gamers, rejoice! Namco now offers the classic arcade games you enjoyed as a kid on more cellular networks than ever before-and we´re not talking mind-numbing games like solitaire and blackjack. Now Pac-Man, Galaga, Dig Dug and Galaxian can be downloaded directly to your mobile. Namco Games (prices vary depending on network); namcogames.com

Finally, a gizmo that makes an effort to understand you. This in-dash navigation system employs IBM speech-recognition software to accept more natural commands. Instead of "Enter addressâ€New Yorkâ€Two Park Ave.," you can say "Go to Two Park Avenue, New York." Pioneer AVIC-Z1 $2,250; pioneerelectronics.comCompiled by Joe Brown and Chuck Tannert

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