Crave

One of the big surprises at CES 2007 was what we didn't see in the home-theater space. Despite expectations that a slew of next-gen A/V receivers would debut, Sherwood Newcastle was the only brand of note to announce a receiver offering HDMI 1.3 connectivity and built-in support for Blu-ray and HD DVD-friendly Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD decoding. But now that CES is history and the 2007 product cycle is ramping up, details on new receivers are finally starting to leak out: Home Theater Blog posted details on five new Denon receivers that it says will debut in … Read more

A new Web site aimed at motorcyclists lets users share their favorite pleasure rides for use in GPS navigation devices. The site, Sunday Morning Rides, uses Google maps and a few other Web widgets to let users either build a route or download one. It includes on- and off-road courses. Once you select a ride, you can download it as GPX (an XML file), GDB (Garmin mapsource), or KML (Google Earth). Currently, a large number of rides are posted all around the country. One of the coolest things about the site is that along with graphical and satellite maps, it … Read more

Now that you've ordered your Porsche yacht, what will you do in it when not racing? Raymarine has just the antidote to your boredom with its satellite HDTV system.

The seagoing dish is made specifically to work in boats, according to Gizmowatch, with antennae that continually change angles for optimal reception. The package, which includes an HD DirecTV receiver, is designed for uninterrupted signals even in extreme weather and oceanic conditions.

Depending on the model, it can cost as much as $9,000. But that's a drop in the Atlantic compared with the $300,000 you'll be … Read more

We view marketing campaigns with a great degree of skepticism, although we found a couple of things to like in Mini's new Hammer and Coop Web series. Hammer and Coop is a series of short movies with elements of 1970s and 1980s action series that tracks the adventures of a guy named Hammer and his trusty ride Coop, a 2007 Mini Cooper S. First, and what we do best, the criticism: Mini's announcement of the new campaign repeatedly claims that Hammer and Coop is a viral video. I'm sorry, but videos only become viral once they've … Read more

Most would agree that trash is smelly, no fun to look at, and tastes funny. This is why garbage cans with lids were invented.

Lidded cans solved the problem of not having to look at or smell trash, but the risk of brushing one's hand up against dirty trash-can flaps still existed for some time. This led to the discovery of foot-pedal-operated trash cans.

And now, in this age of cell phones and 60-plus-inch HDTVs, comes the dawn of self-opening trash cans. Options abound, just as long as you're willing to drop a couple hundred dollars on something … Read more

In the Digital Age, the postman never needs to ring twice. That's because of inventions like the "GSM Doorbell" from Dutch start-up Waleli, which will automatically call your mobile phone if you're not immediately available to greet visitors--and you can unlock the door remotely just by punching in a designated number.

As Gearlog points out, it's really more of a smart system that includes an intercom, electronic lock and SIM card for your handset. Waleli says the system, which works with any phone on an international GSM network, has already been on the market in … Read more

Summer is coming, eventually, and bare necks bring an opportunity for neck decoration: scarfs, ribbons, necklaces....resistors.

For the chic geek in your life there is unique jewelry that actually looks fashionable.

The Green Resistor Triplets Necklace for $110 from Fractalspin at first glance resembles turquoise beads. Seven sets of tiny green resistors hang from a silver chain.

While unconventional jewelry made of tech parts and video game icons may be too quirky for some, Popgadget agrees that the Green Resistor Triplets Necklace joins the ranks of the sleek and chic.

It looks as if the obituary for CRT TVs will have to be postponed yet again. Sales of the bulky tube models bested the flat-panel and projection TV competition in the run up to the Super Bowl, according to data released by the NPD Group. Sales of tube TVs were up 61 percent the week before the big game (compared to the previous week), as opposed to a 40 percent jump for flat-panel LCD TVs, a 23 percent increase for plasmas, and a 25 percent rise for projection TVs (such as DLP and LCoS models).

While the sales figures may … Read more

There are some household gizmos that I thought would never get "sexy." Air purifiers, for example. I thought they were doomed to look like a cross between air conditioners and old-school computer towers for the rest of history. But Blueair's Airpod, as featured on Eclectic Detective, has proven me wrong. The Airpod looks like a cross between a wrapped gift box and a high-end audio speaker (though its design, as well as its name, is clearly inspired by the iPod), and comes in four pretty patterns to match your impeccably designed living space. They retail for around $… Read more