pool

Microsoft shakes up emerging market unit

SAO PAULO, Brazil--Microsoft on Monday shifted the leadership of its emerging market unit, placing former unified communications chief Anoop Gupta at the helm.

Orlando Ayala, the Microsoft executive who had been leading the unit (and with whom I had been traveling with in Colombia) is shifting to a new role inside Kevin Turner's sales unit, while Microsoft veteran Will Poole is retiring from Microsoft this fall. Poole, who had been heading the unit with Ayala, is a former top Windows executive, while Ayala had been sales chief and head of the midmarket group at Microsoft, prior to joining the … Read more

Gadgettes 84: The Li'l Critters Episode

Molly must say "nubbins" at some point, because this episode is pretty much dedicated to the cute li'l critters of the world. Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 84

The Duck Show http://duckshow.com/

Meet Tengu the Next American Idol http://chipchick.com/2008/04/meet_tengu_the_next_american_idol.html

Pool-cleaning robot powered by the sun http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9910173-1.html

USB Home Pregnancy Test Kit http://www.everythingusb.com/pteq-usb-pregnancy-test-14515.html

KickTrak pregnancy monitor http://www.shinyshiny.tv/2008/04/review_kicktrak.html

Itch Cat Scratch Pad http://www.popgadget.net/2008/03/itch_cat_scratc.php

Stop Motion … Read more

Pool-cleaning robot powered by the sun

It may not be long before solar-powered bots are taking care of all our household chores. Already we've seen robotic lawnmowers get powered by the sun, and now pool cleaners are going solar too.

The "Solar Breeze" is apparently the first pool-skimming robot of its kind, capturing ultraviolet rays with two panels and storing the energy in its rechargeable batteries. It requires no electrical connections and "never stops working," according to its Web site. The bot is also capable of dispensing chlorine as it cleans, though it should be noted that another solar product, the &… Read more

Download customizable NCAA tournament brackets

It's the big dilemma for the fantasy NCAA basketball tournament pool manager: paper brackets or digital? Whichever option you choose, I've got you covered.

When I was a kid, the announcement of the teams and seedings in the NCAA men's basketball tournament was always accompanied by furious scribbling as I tried to manually create an instant tournament bracket. I just couldn't wait until the newspaper arrived the next morning to start making my picks.

The advent of the VCR reduced the furious scribbling, and the Web eliminated the need to write down teams at all. Now … Read more

Mood lighting for pool strikes out too

Crave's in-house dating expert Carolyn McCarthy dispensed some invaluable advice last week regarding the shortcomings of under-bed lighting. Following that logic, we assume the same applies to the water as well--specifically, combination pool float-lamps.

The "Aqualibrium Pool Float" would seem to labor under the same misguided principles as the sub-bed lighting apparatus and, worse still, is considerably more expensive. BornRich says it originally listed for $1,000, though it's on apparently on sale now for $400 or $500 depending the color. Which just goes to show that money can't always buy you love.

Size matters: the world's largest swimming pool

Who needs the ocean anyway? This artificial lagoon and swimming pool in the San Alfonso del Mar resort in Chile is eight hectares in size and contains 250,000 cubic meters of water, equivalent in size to 6,000 standard domestic pools.

Via Spluch

Homer, the singing pool boy

Just the thought of being in a swimming pool with Homer Simpson is enough to make anyone cringe. But if the situation is inevitable, it's probably best to have him in a supine position. The best feature of this floating Homer radio, aside from the sight of it alone, is the beer can on his belly: It serves as a volume or station control, depending on how his legs are positioned. On the other hand, it might be asking for trouble to have him involved in anything that requires electricity and water.

The Aquapub never closes

Falling off a barstool has never been this refreshing.

The Aquapub is either the best idea ever, the worst idea ever, or somewhere close to either hash mark. It's been available for a while, but it's hard to find any pricing info on the official site. Other blogs claim it costs around $1,400.

The six-person table weighs about 90 lbs. and can be used both in the water and poolside. The Aquapub's surface is made from recycled materials, and the table itself is filled with polyurethane to keep it from sinking.

Obvious pros include having your … Read more

Cool your house with a pool heater

Here's a convergence device you probably haven't heard much about at technology conferences, but it's interesting.

SolarAttic sells a system--the Pool Convection System 2--that sucks hot air out of the attic of your house and pumps it into a heat exchanger to heat your pool. In the summertime, the temperature in your attic can get up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit, says SolarAttic vice president James Kantorowicz.

"It also helps cool down the house by transferring that heat out of the attic," he said.

The system costs around $5,000 (including installation), which makes it comparable … Read more