Ecogadgets Gifts for Christmas

Wanna hit a bargain for the great gift for the geek this Christmas? Not for the money this time. With all the attention given to eco-friendly lifestyle, the technologically inclined have been hard at work making this easier to achieve – with gadgets. There is quite a long line of supply out there that will help you trim down your effect on the environment, so a pick over them all can be a challenge (for one who’s not tech savvy like myself). Found below is a short list of of the most useful, eco-friendly or utterly remarkable modest innovations that have freshly snatched my attention.

Hymini - a device that collects solar and wind power, so you can charge your portable electronics anytime, anywhere. Just leave it someplace sunny, or strap it on the front of your bike, and your Hymini will power up and be good to go. Plus, for those times when you're traveling all day -- in and out of airports, without any access to the bountiful power-generating resources of Mother Nature -- you can still plug it into the wall.



SolarRoll - a green gadget that allows you to finally have a truly "mobile" laptop. There has been lots of talk flying around recently about how much energy computers consume and waste, so if you feel like opting out of the "computer drain," this might be the ticket. It's obvious that this thing is a turn-on for the backpacker who has to have it all, but I get way more excited when I think about its practical applications: using my laptop at the park or in remote locations, not needing to sit in a coffee shop to work. If you don't own a laptop, the SolarRoll comes in other sizes and outputs, so it can support devices like your cellphones, 2-way radios, digital cameras, or even your car battery.

Water powered alarm clock - Need more juice? Simply add more water right from the tap. Features include the time, an alarm, a countdown timer, the temperature, and a gravity sensor that lets you switch from function to function just by changing the clock's position. Plus the whole thing is recyclable and you'll never have to buy batteries again.

Wattson - this gadget could save you plenty of money on your electric bill while using only a little bit of juice itself. All you do is plug a transmitter into your electric meter or fuse box, and it will send information wirelessly to your Wattson unit, which will display the amount of electricity you're currently using. It sounds simple, but having an ever-present color-coded reminder in the house could really change the way you use electricity. The Wattson also has a ton of other useful features. It can store 4 weeks of energy data, which you can download to your computer for analysis. It can display your energy use in Europs, Dollars, Pounds, Stirling, and Yen. If you're not using much electricity, the Wattson will glow a calming blue color. If you're using the microwave oven, vacuum cleaner, blasting the stereo, and typing away on the computer at the same time, it will glow an angry red color.

Wind-up phone charger: This incredibly clever gadget does just what you'd think -- charges your phone with nothing more than elbow grease. Just spend a minute or two rotating the crank (which, as you can see in the photo, works more or less like a fishing reel), and presto! -- your phone has juice. Now you can rotate between your solar charger, your wind-powered charger, and your Wind Up charger (for real emergencies), and power your phone from now until eternity without ever plugging it in.

Solar Bluetooth headset: The Iqua BHS-603 SUN offers complete freedom from chargers, wires and delays allowing for 9 straight hours of talk time and up to 200 hours of standby. Plus, it's compatible with everything from the iPhone to LG to Motorola and more! The perfect holiday gift for those who are on the go and wanting to take a small green step for 2008 -- plus if you are like me and traveling for the holidays this will easily fit in your carry-on.

Further Readings

• Denmark to power electric cars by wind in vehicle-to-grid experiment (guardian.co.uk)

HOT SERVICES FROM COOL GADGETS

I have come across some amazingly cool gadgets that could make life imaginatively easier. The modern lifetrend has somehow plugged our affairs with optional necessities. These objects would remain elective until one takes a closer look at the exceptional hot services they provide for our current lifestyle. A second look at their individual features draws you away from the naïve temptation towards languid contentment. Let us see what they have to offer.

USB Beverage Chiller and Warmer

Like your soda cold or coffee hot and close to you? Look no further! This USB pad will chill any drink. Just plug it into the USB slot on your laptop or desktop computer, put a glass on the pad, and choose if you want to keep your drink cold or warm. Never drink warm soda or cold coffee again!. Temperature of the drink will go as low as 45 degrees Fareinheit.Only thing to watch out for (trust us, we know), try not to spill on your keyboard. The price is around $24.95

Light Bulb Candles

I don’t think anyone has ever glanced at a light bulb and thought it was such an exquisite and shapely object. Therefore I can’t really see that many will quite understand the need to design something in the same shape as a light bulb. Well either way, someone did indeed create a candle in the image of a light bulb. Sit around by candlelight with these odd candles. They come in the shape of your average bulb, as well as one in the shape of an incandescent bulb. For once these two bulbs are equally energy efficient. You can pick up the pair in either gray or white for $25 on Design Public.

Sonic UV Screwdriver

This Sonic Screwdriver is a gadget for all those Doctor Who fans that weren’t satisfied with just the Tardis USB hub. Remember that saying, “if it’s made like a screwdriver and it looks like a screwdriver, it must be a screwdriver”? Oh, and you are so very wrong! It actually has a pen on one head and a beam of UV light at the other. So now you you can write anything you want with UV ink and not worry about other people reading it. Just imagine handing your boss an amazingly favorable report and between the lines your real thoughts. Ha, ha, ha what a subtle revenge. And the revenge costs only 12.99$ and 3 AG 13 batteries. Small price to pay!

Pillete Bluetooth

Pillete, the new concept of Bluetooth headset is so tiny, it’s almost invisible to the untrained eye when you are wearing it. So you don’t have to worry anymore about looking like Robocop when walking down the street with it, but you have to consider the possibility of people starting to think you’ve lost your marbles and you’re talking to yourself. The downside is the fact that people have different sized ears and the device might be to small and slip out or to big and not fit. People who often use earphones will tell you I’m right. But once they’ll figure out a way to make the Pillete adjustable, this design will be the future of all headsets.

Further Readings

• Crapgadget: 'Gee... thanks?' edition (engadget.com)
• Just a Stylish 'Wall Socket' USB Hub [Peripherals] (gizmodo.com)
• Shadowy modder gives Eee PC a risky back alley trackball implant (engadget.com)