Lifestyle

Hey, I heard about a new advertising campaign that's giving away free Guinness, Jose Cuervo, Captain Morgan, and more...to your Second Life avatar. There are a lot of companies turning to the Linden Labs virtual world as a new means of marketing, and most of them seem a little bit gimmicky. The one that TheBar.com has just launched seems to have a bit more promise, though. Basically, they've worked with Second Life gurus Millions Of Us (who, by the way, also constructed CNET Networks' virtual office space) to develop a virtual "bar kit" for … Read more

If you have a mean landlord who doesn't let you paint anything in your house or apartment, this could be a solution to your lack-of-color woes. The Morpheus Ambient Lighting Modules use really, really, really, really high-end LEDs to mix a combination of red, green, and blue light. Then it projects it on white walls--sorry, I'm not sure how it would be distorted by that lovely eggshell or alabaster color you've got in your living room.

It'll cost you the Brit equivalent of $167.

Basically, it's the ultimate haute end of color-changey gadgets. Because here'… Read more

This gadget made me do a total double take. It looks just like the machines we had in the dining hall in college that dispensed soda, Powerade, and iced tea. (A mix of Sprite and lemon-lime Powerade was my favorite.) But it's actually the "Vin au Verre," a European device designed for serving wine at parties. It has electronic temperature control to keep both reds and whites at the perfect temperature. The contraption can also control oxidation levels, serve up to eight varieties at a time, and keep the stuff fresh for three weeks.

Eh, I still … Read more

Readers of this space likely know our stand on Hello Kitty (or "Kitty Hell," as we call it), so there's no need to go over that again. So suffice it to say that we cringed at the thought and sight of this karaoke system from said feline.

The latest evil incarnation comes with two microphones, speakers, an LCD screen and a CD player that even has a shuffle button, according to Gadgetizer. And it closes up into a compact case so it can be carried anywhere. Oh joy.

We have just one question: How can Hello Kitty … Read more

If you're in or around the New York City area, this could be something cool to check out. A Brooklyn artist who goes by the name of [dNASAb] (complete with brackets) has a new exhibit up at the Vertexlist gallery in Williamsburg in which he displays iPods in various states of destruction, surrounded by wires and cables and odd translucent arrows. On the iconic little Apple devices' video screens, the artist has selected video files that, according to Gridskipper, are "somehow relevant to their discombobulated state." The exhibit's up through April 22nd.

If you want to … Read more

Are we the only ones who get freaked out by the idea of having soundwaves shooting through our bones? Apparently so, judging by the number of products on the market that do just that.

The latest skeleton-rattling device comes from China, where a company called Temco just released a "bone conduction" Bluetooth headset that forgoes the usual earpieces and sends your tunes via vibrations directly through your skull, Akihabara News reports. But it looks kind of clunky, especially considering that it apparently doesn't have a built-in MP3 player as similar products do. And what good are these … Read more

If this looks like something that was made for military specifications, there's good reason--it was. But despite the macho appearance, it's not as exciting as an assault-rifle scope or anything. (Unless, that is, you get excited by flashlights, in which case we already have way too much information.)

The waterproof and shockproof "Tactical Blue-Dot" series from Bright-Strike Technologies--the proud manufacturer of "tactical illumination products"--was originally designed for law enforcement. And though it may not be a weapon per se, it can be used as a defensive device: "When set to high, these … Read more

Technology has allowed more amateur guitarists to take their instruments on the road, from guitars to keyboards. Yet the possibility of an easily mobile set of drums has been confined largely to the likes of the "Finger Drum Mousepad."

But percussion lovers can take heart now that the "Portable Electric Drum Set" is here. Similar to roll-up pianos that have been on the market for awhile, this virtual instrument is built into a 20-inch rubber mat that can be rolled away anytime, anywhere. Tokyomango says the eight-drum set even has "preset tunes and rhythms to … Read more

Sometimes it seems that there's some kind of competition to see which gadget can be subjected to more abuse, especially of the water-torture variety: the MP3 player or the USB drive.

Although the latter gladiator seems to be well ahead in the games, a tough new media player has entered the contest--a 1GB version of the "Freestyle Audio Digital Music Player." (A 512MB model had been promised to come out this year as well, affixed to a helmet.)

Chip Chick says the 1.3-ounce player can be submerged up to 10 feet in water and last for … Read more