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A landline phone that thinks it's a PC

Home telephones are like TV sets of the '70s and '80s--except for the cordless breakthrough, technology has seen scant change compared with other consumer products. VTech wants to change that with its new "infoPhone" (not to be confused with the iPhone, thank you very much).

The landline handset is designed to handle many functions that most people reserve for the computer. As Gadgetell says, "The new ip8300 infoPhone uses the Internet to access information directly on the cordless handset's color LCD screen, including news headlines, weather reports, horoscopes, local directory searches and more"--all according … Read more

Keyboard as studio apartment

If you live in real-estate hell--as in New York or San Francisco--then every square inch of living space can be the difference between solvency and homelessness. That's just one practical reason for the "KB-Dock" keyboard, which Chip Chick says "tries to pack in everything but the kitchen sink."

In addition to its most obvious feature, a detachable iPod dock, the keyboard includes 14 media hotkeys and a 10-in-1 memory card reader. If it just included a Murphy bed, it could qualify as a Manhattan studio.

USB Webcam key does double duty

As much as it pains us to admit it, some of us at Crave don't have the latest personal technologies in our personal possession. One such glaring omission, for example, is a laptop with a built-in Webcam.

As shameful as this is, we hope to still be able to partly make up for this shortcoming with something like the diminutive "Volvex," a USB stick with built-in camera from Sunyang DNT. Unfortunately, PClaunches says this little combo gadget will be available only in South Korea until further notice, starting at $59 for a model with 512MB storage. But … Read more

A headset for that hearing-aid look

Boring holiday meals spent with relatives provide plenty of time for idle thoughts like this: Where do earphones end and headsets begin? The answer to such pseudo-existential questions may lie in Argard's M10 Bluetooth headset, which is kind of the missing link of headgear.

Although the tiny device looks more like a shiny earbud, Argard says it provides three hours of talk time and 100 hours on standby, according to Gizmodo. Yet, while we're all for wireless technology wherever we can get it, we might be worried about this thing getting lost in our aural canal.

Jeb Bush bids farewell, but his BlackBerry lives on

Leaving all personal opinions about Jeb Bush's legacy aside, it's worth noting, from a technology perspective, that he chose to include his BlackBerry in the backdrop of his official gubernatorial portrait in an attempted nod to his role as the first "e-governor," according to press reports.

Last week, at the close of the Florida governor's two-term administration, he revealed the portrait, in which he's standing next to a bookshelf topped with a family photo and his beloved device. Bush reportedly received tens of thousands of e-mails sent to his very public address, Jeb@Jeb.… Read more

Alarm clock for the self-absorbed

If you're ever in search of a gift for the true narcissist in your life, this may be one worth consideration. You also have our deepest sympathies.

The "Ventriloque" records the voice of your favorite egoist so that he can wake up to his favorite sound--his own voice, of course. (You can always record over the voice just to be irritating.)

Uber-Review says the clock, which is made by France's Tse & Tse Associates, also has a snooze alarm. That may come in handy, or even necessary, depending on how boring your acquaintance sounds.

Printer looks like parking ticket device

The nano-ization of gadgetry has often left printers behind--a frustration for those of us who can't seem to shake the pulp fix no matter how hard we try. Brother Japan tries to address that addiction with a super-thin "MPrint" MW-260, a hanheld printer that's less than three-quarters of an inch thick and weighs about 1.2 pounds.

Aside from its size, the printer is even more portable because it can work wirelessly via Bluetooth more than 30 feet away from laptops, smart phones, PDAs and other devices, according to Fareastgizmos. And you won't need to … Read more

Wii, Wii, Madame

Media sites are watching how we consumers spend our money this holiday season. And it looks like a double victory for the tech world.

First, online sales are up more than 25 percent from last year. Consumers are apparently comfortable now with last minute online buys.

Second, HD flat screens and Nintendo's Wii were both big sellers this season. This week tech gadgets will have to compete with even more heavly discounted general merchandise.

I'm hearing some analysts on CNBC today saying brick and mortar discounters were not even making a profit on the flat screens they sold. … Read more

CD player would make Dr. Evil proud

If CD players like this had been designed earlier, the pending extinction of the disc might have been put off for years.

The "Square CD" player from Yanko Design is as much a work of art as it is a piece of technology, similar to the "Cuboglass" TV. (Both are designed in Italy, of course.) In each case, the appliance is meant to be displayed as part of the decor even when turned off.

Unlike most products created with this concept in mind, however, the Square CD looks even better turned on. That's because the … Read more

A Hummer to terrorize the golf course

Once you've reached your golden years, that's no reason to put all your toys away--you just may have to find other ways to show them off. So while the gold-plated Hummer may have to stay in the garage a little more often than it used to, you can still get your bling on at age-appropriate venues. Such as the golf course.

The H2 Hummer golf cart comes with a chrome grille, alloy wheels, custom stereo and cooler boxes to keep your Metamucil chilled. If you choke on the $38,000 price tag, Lussorian says there's a much … Read more