lunchbox

Summer is here in the northern hemisphere and many probably already have their vacation plans set for a short getaway to enjoy the weather. But if you haven't made any plans yet, I've gathered up some highly rated apps to help you get out of town.

This week's collection of apps will help you plan the perfect trip. The first is a popular app that checks for the best flights to your chosen destination and looks for the best deals. The second will help you find the best food in your location once you get there. The third is a mapping and guide app that lets you download the information so you'll never get lost -- even when you have no connection on your iPhone.… Read more

For today only, Monkey Preschool Lunchbox is available, for free, at the Amazon Appstore. A few of the dads here at CNET swear by this game for their young ones, on their iPads, but lest we forget that some of you Android users are parents too, why not share the love? I've watched one of my godchildren play this game on my HTC Incredible, and found myself wanting to get into the action as she passed each level. I get entertained when they're entertained, so it's a win-win.

Monkey Preschool Lunchbox will teach your child the basic fundamentals of cognition through various mini-games consisting of memorization, counting, colors, letters, puzzle-solving, shape identification, and spot the difference. Encouragement is provided by the animated monkey on the screen through way of somersaults, and rewards come in the form of cartoon stickers the child can collect for their sticker board.

The game does not track statistics, nor does it get progressively harder based upon how quickly and/or easily your child goes through the levels.

Monkey Preschool Lunchbox will be free until 3 a.m. ET/12 a.m. PT, so download now and get your toddler learning!… Read more

I gave up on trying to eat a healthy lunch long ago. I'm at the mercy of the burger joints around me. In theory, I could bring my own lunch from home, but I'm 34 years old, so that just sounds silly.

Maybe if I had someone to make my lunch each morning, I might change my tune on that. But not if I'm using this new lunchbox concept from Ochanomizu University in Japan. It has an integrated camera and video touch screen that's activated when the lid is opened.

It's an experiment in family communication. If someone's packing the lunch, it records them doing so to play back later when the lunch is being eaten, and vice versa. The idea is that the eater will see the care that went into packing the lunch, prompting them to return a "thanks, that was tasty!" or something equivalent to the lunch packer. Conversely, the packer gets the satisfaction of a thanks, and can see what the eater liked and didn't like.

It's cool in theory, but I don't like people watching me eat as it is. A noontime Eye of Sauron keeping an eye on me as I munch my Lunchables isn't my idea of a relaxing lunch break. That said, I could see this being very popular with the helicopter parents crowd if it ever makes its way to production.

Check out the video after the jump to see it in action, and maybe get some ideas yourself.

… Read more

Bento boxes are an easy solution for me when packing lunches. They offer an easy way to manage portions, tend to be sturdier than Tupperware, and are often cuter to boot. But because of the size and shape of most bento boxes, packing a freezer pack or something else to keep food cool just doesn't work out so well. The Gel-Cool Bento Boxes seem to have solved that problem, however. They come with a lid with a built-in gel pack that you can freeze overnight. Then, in the morning you can pack your bento box like normal. Cover it … Read more

Like many of my colleagues, I pack my lunch when I go to work. One thing that has always bothered me is the number of plastic bags that go to waste as a result. I try to reuse them as many times as possible, but I can't help but be bothered when I throw them away because I know that they'll end up in a landfill or in the ocean. What's worse is that the plastic utensils my work provides are just as bad at biodegrading as these plastic bags are. As of late, I'd like … Read more

Those of you who've adopted frugality during this recession know that packing a lunch is one of the best ways to cut down on spending. But waiting in line to use the microwave, washing your Tupperware out, and having your lunch stolen from the company refrigerator can make saving a few dollars everyday quite inconvenient.

The USB LunchBox Warmer, by the Hong Kong-based company Brando, keeps your leftovers and homemade lunches toasty hot. Just plug it in to your computer--which acts a power source--via the included USB cable and you're ready to eat a piping hot meal at … Read more

We'll never forget the sight of U.K. Craver Rory Reid lugging one of Dell's 20-inch laptops around the London Underground, miraculously avoiding both theft and herniated discs. But there's a new game in town, and it comes in the form of a lunchbox.

That's how Acme Portable Machines describes its LPG370TS computer, because it needs to fold up into a box if it has any hope of being carried around. The reason: It doesn't have a 20-inch LCD, but it does have a 17-inch screen--three of them, actually. Powering this Hydra-headed beast are a … Read more

Here's yet another offline use for all of those digital photos you've been storing on Webshots, Flickr, iPhoto or the like.

The photo lunchbox from Ogg Studio is $35 for one photo, $45 if you want a photo on each side. Yes, each photo can be different. BabyGadget points out that kids love things with pictures of themselves; so maybe this is a good gift idea for one of the little egoists in your life. Ogg will also put artwork on the box.

Hopefully, you will find an image of something more inspirational than your dog or child … Read more