So that's the reason: We have an "overactive mind," and that's keeping us awake at night, not the three triple lattes.

This, at least, is the thinking by the people behind "GLO to Sleep," a product designed to cure your insomnia. (Full disclosure: They didn't actually mention the lattes.) GLO is essentially an eye mask lined with glowing bars of "photoluminescent pigment" that supposedly lets you "fall into the relaxed alpha-waved state and eventually into dreamland," according to Chip Chick.

If you're still having trouble nodding off, we … Read more

We firmly believe in freedom on the road, but we have to draw the line at watching TV in the car. After all, if we're already concerned about using the phone while driving, how do you expect us to feel about channel surfing?

We hope, therefore, that KVH's "TracVision A7" is designed for the passengers in the vehicle because it would be dangerously distracting to anyone behind the wheel. The mobile receiver provides up to 185 DirecTV channels and XM Satellite Radio, as well as standard broadcast transmissions. And if you can't resist sneaking a … Read more

Earlier this morning, fellow Craver Erica Ogg talked about how DNA-related gifts are all the rage this holiday season. Well, here's another option for genetics aficionados. A company called DNA 11 has several options for turning your biological fingerprint (or your physical fingerprint) into visually-pleasing artwork. Here's their gift-giving M.O.: you pay for the artwork before the fact, and then give a DNA collection kit to your favorite Watson & Crick fan for his or her winter holiday of choice. The recipient completes the instructions for a DNA sample, sends it back to the company, and in … Read more

This whole wireless thing has had a good run, but it's getting old. The really hot networking trend of the future is the human body.

We've already seen how Korean researchers are turning flesh and bones into a "body area network." Now, New Scientist reports that Sony researchers can send audio signals from headphones or media players directly through the body of the listener, essentially using it as a living capacitator.

"A music or video player sends a fluctuating signal to a conductive cloth pad--such as a wrist band--and this slightly charges the wearer's … Read more

No, it's not some kind of futuristic crossbow, though we would certainly understand if you thought it was. This weird-looking contraption is the "Loopwing Wind Turbine," a wind-powered energy source designed for home use and scheduled for official introduction at Japan's Eco-Products 2006 Exhibition. Treehugger says the device's wing design operates with "low vibration" but notes that the specs are vague--"43 percent power performance at optimum wind speeds," whatever that means. Still, we're reasonably sure it has more guts than the recently discovered wind-operated lamp.

This is either a mildly interesting gift idea or a way to ruin the holidays/someone's life.

The DNA Ancestry Project has produced a CD-ROM Participation Kit that gives you information on your family history and heritage. Packages range from $119 to $199, not including shipping. The interactive features allow users to collaborate with other project participants to research his or her own ethnic and national origins back 150,000 years ago.

For a fun C.S.I.-style twist, there's a cheek swab kit included. The DNA Ancestry Project will trade you the stuff you've scraped … Read more

Here's yet another stocking stuffer for the 007 wannabe in your family. When he/she is on a mission and doesn't have a miniature spy camera to photograph secret documents, the "DocuPen RC800" might well come in handy.

Portable scanners have been around for years, but this one claims to be the smallest ever made. It isn't really pen-sized--unless you happen to have unusually large hands--but it's close enough, weighing only 2 ounces and scanning a full page in 4 seconds. The drawbacks are the price ($300 or $350) and a few usability issues … Read more

It's one of the experiences we dread most: The cursed "Check Engine" light goes on. That's when you're destined for the even worse experience of seeing the mechanic.

The most frustrating thing is you're never sure if it's something real or just a cranky electrical circuit deciding to be difficult. Either way, you know you'll be paying for it somehow. That's why we have high hopes (and prayers) for the "CarMD" to succeed. We know this handy gadget debuted a few months back, but it's worth mentioning again … Read more

When we got the 2006 BMW X5 in for review eariler this year, we panned it for its pathetic tech offering: the baseline model (which came with a price tag north of $50K) didn't even come with a CD player, insulting our tech sensibilites instead with--brace yourselves--a cassette deck. Well, from famine, we go to feast. Today at the 2007 LA Auto Show, BMW unveiled its next-generation, 2008 model-year X5. We're pleased to announce that the cassette player is gone, and in its place is a veritable host of interior tech features, including a simplified iDrive, a rear-seat … Read more