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Hello? Dummy? Time to water me!

Plants need water - even the most arid-climate-loving plants need it from time to time. As a geek, you might very well have a pot with something brown that was once green in it. Shame on you. All you had to do was give it a drink every now and then, and you failed. Way to go.

There are plenty of detectors on the market. They all check the conductivity of the soil. If there is enough water, than the salts in the soil dissolve, allowing a tiny amount of current to run through the electrodes. The lower the resistance, the higher the water content. Trouble is, that's not accurate enough.

Our Thirsty Light digital moisture meter uses a patented process to actually interpret the readings it gets, and gives you a far more precise measurement of the dryness of the potting medium. No cryptic readings to gauge - if your plant needs water, the head of the Thirsty Light blinks. It's really that easy.

So no more excuses! Get yourself a little living plantlife in your office. Give it enough light and water, and it will thrive.

Features

• Drypoint Digital Circuit
• Long-lasting LED
• Corrosion resitant Brass Probe
• 2 replaceable 1.5V Lithium batteries
• ABS plastic casing
• On/Off switch

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A classy watch with great video display!

For a wristwatch to be considered truly geeky it should have one of two things - the ability to play audio and video or some kind of communication functionality (like a built-in cell phone). Well, you can definitely put a big bold check mark in the "yes" column for the Metallic Video Watch with OLED Screen. With a full color screen this watch displays video and images very nicely with a 128x128 pixel resolution. The OLED screen is crisp and bright and the watch itself is surprisingly well proportioned (not thick or bulky). It also has a stylish band and metal case.

Audio is accommodated very nicely, with MP3/WMA playback and 5 equalizer modes. A built-in microphone allows recording of notes to self, meetings, conversations or various ramblings for later playback. Battery charges via USB and sports a 7 hour play time (4 hours for video playback). Available with 2GB storage capacity.

• Built-in 2GB flash memory
• Plays videos in full color on 128x128 pixel screen. Impressive crisp, bright display
• Clock displays time and date (day, month, year)
• Plays MP3 and WMA music
• View images (thumbnails, slideshow, manual)
• Voice recording and playback with built-in microphone
• 5-equalizer modes, super bass 3-D sound effect playing modes
• Battery charges via USB
• Leather band
• USB 1.1
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 1.5" x .5" thick (4cm x 3.8cm x 1.2cm)
• Band Length: 8.66" (22cm)
• Includes: earphones, mini CD with video conversion software, user guide, USB cable, Wall AC-to-USB charger
• Download a User manual

Hidden camera with remote control

Now available with 4GB of storage capacity! New super low price!

We all remember seeing those incredible ads for x-ray specs in the back of comic books and some of us probably even mailed in the $3 to a PO Box in New Jersey for rush delivery. "Surprise your friends with amazing x-ray vision" the ads would read. Yeah, someone is going to be surprised but it's not going to be your friends.

These camera sunglasses certainly aren't x-ray specs, but they do capture 1.3 megapixel still images (at a resolution of 1280x1024). The included RF remote-control is ideal for easy, stealth-style photo shooting. High-quality lightweight frame material and UV400 polarized flip-up lens. A polymer li-ion rechargeable battery provides a battery life of up to 9 hours (shooting 1 photo/minute). USB 2.0 interface via a standard Mini USB port for data upload and download & re-charging the battery.

The sunglasses also allow you to enjoy your music via built-in MP3 playback. Built-in earbuds provide super convenient listen capability and can be hooked out of the way when not in use.

• 1GB or 4GB of storage (can hold thousands of photos)
• Plays MP3s and takes 1.3 Megapixel digital photos
• Embedded ear buds for MP3 playback
• Remote control for taking photos
• RF remote frequency: 2.4GHz
• Li-ion rechargeable battery (3.7V, 240mAh)
• USB 2.0 connection for transferring files and re-charging the battery
• Control buttons for Vol +/-, Fwd, Rwd, Play, Pause, Capture
• Includes: sunglasses, remote w/ strap, USB cable, storage case, cleaning cloth, extra clear lenses

The Shelby Aero EV is a new electric car that holds the current title as the world’s fastest electric sports car.

A few years back, the terms sports car and electric car were two concepts that were mutually exclusive. It was something that was unheard of in the auto industry. However, American automakers are being forced to reinvent their vehicles and even the high end sports cars are now being designed as electric alternatives.

The Shelby Super Car offers some impressive numbers that the car enthusiasts will appreciate. It’s All-Electric Scalable Powertrain (AESP) is capable of producing 1,000 horsepower and 800 lb-ft of torque which in turn can push the Aero EV from 0 to 60 in just 2.5 seconds. Top speed on this exotic sports car is 208 mph.

In addition to all of this raw power, the 150-220 mile battery can be refilled in under 10 minutes using a process known as the “Charge on the Run” onboard charging system. This new charging system will also eliminate the need for battery swapping infrastructure.

Pricing for this sports car is not available at this time, but it is anticipated that the Aero EV will be available for purchase this June.

February 25th, 2009 by Al in Coolest Gadget of the Week, Gadget Competitions

The winner of last week’s coolest gadget competition is the Microwave Oven with a Pizza Drawer Underneath.

The days of soggy reheated pizza are over! Where was this when I was in college and ate pizza 6 days a week?! It’s a microwave oven with a built in pizza oven drawer underneath. The Stainless Steel Kenmore 1.1 cu. ft. Countertop Microwave & Pizza Oven has your standard microwave features (popcorn button, defrost, reheat, etc) as well as several very specific pizza reheating buttons.

Congrats again to Craziest Gadgets.

In second place we have the Gigapan Epic For Gigapixel Panorama Photography.

The Gigapan Epic is a robotic camera mount that allows photographers to capture gigapixel images and works with most digital cameras. The process consists of identifying the panorama you wish to capture. The included software will then activate the camera to take hundreds or thousands of pictures and will subsequently stitch them together to make the finished image.

Finally in third place comes the The Third Eye Video Camera.

Smaller than a golf ball, this ultralight spherical video camera attaches to a headband, providing a third eye while biking, hiking, or during other activities. The camera’s sensor captures images at 320 x 240 resolution at 30 fps (the built-in microphone records audio).

Many women believe that having their unborn child listen to certain music is highly good for them. That usually means they have headphones playing Bach attached to their belly. However, for others it means that they’re educating their child on a few rock legends or their favorite artist. Well why end it when the child is born? Now with this Combi iPod Bouncer, you can have your child bouncing away to your favorite songs. Perhaps it will also mean that when they’re older you won’t get stuck listening to Disney’s greatest hits in the car just to keep them quiet.

The bouncer can be hooked up to either an iPod or just any other type of MP3 player. The bouncer also includes a canopy (that is removable) and a bar with toys hanging from it to keep your child happy and entertained. The seat itself has two different positions it can recline into. It is meant for children 6 months and older, with a weight limit of 25lbs. It does say that it could be used for newborns in the fully reclined position, but for preemie babies weighing less than 5lbs you should consult a pediatrician. You can purchase the seat for $79.99 on Think Geek.

Source: ShinyShiny

Scan It Allows You to Check Out Your Own Groceries

February 25th, 2009 by Mark R in Miscellaneous Gadgets

About two years ago, we covered the Intelliscanner Personal Barcode Scanner which allows you the user to scan your own merchandise and upload them to the PC. That might be good for establishing your personal inventory in your home, but I have recently discovered the Scan It, which is good for business on the road.

Simply put, the Scan It is a barcode scanner that allows you, the customer, to self check your groceries. All you need to do is scan your merchandise, put it in the bag, and scan the “all done” bar code when you are finished.

Just think! No more waiting at the checkout line for something that you can do all by yourself. No more bagging all your groceries at the end when you can just do it as you go. You can save at least fifteen minutes on your next shopping trip, easily!

So, how soon can you get one of these? The scanners are made by Motorola, and they are not quite ready for full mass production just yet. My source had a chance to try this out, and there is a catch when using this technology. The user has to agree to a random audits, and it will keep track of what you’re doing. In other words, Big Brother is watching you shop.

Still, you got to admire the Scan It’s initiative for changing the face of grocery shopping with the use of technology. Perhaps there will come a day when a Scan It is on everyone’s cellular phone.