A USB tanner for pale geeks?
Just when you think it's safe to go back on the Web in search of cool new gadgets, you discover that April Fools' lasts longer than a day in some circles. I confess that I was excited to see a USB Desktop Tanning Center advertised on ThinkGeek on Monday. The device, a sunlamp that hooks on to your PC, purports to consist of two base units, attached to either side of your monitor, that bathe you in ultraviolet light as you toil away.
Tan while you type.
Yes, yes, the health perils of sun exposure aside, I had visions of emerging from a long day at the office with a lovely bronze glow. And I couldn't help but think that geeks who surrender days at a time to "World of Warcraft" might appreciate a rejuvenating dose of sunlight now and then, as well. A noticeable number of bloggers who wrote up the USB tanning device in the last couple of days seemed to agree.
Fortunately, upon hearing of my potential plans for an indoor tan, my co-worker Jim sounded the skeptical-journalist alarm. I contacted ThinkGeek, and the gang there confirmed that the tanning device is, in fact, a gadget meant only for April 1. Still, for the pasty PC user, it's not the worst idea for a product.
Leslie Katz, senior editor of CNET's Crave, covers gadgets, games, and most other digital distractions. As a co-host of the CNET News Daily Podcast, she sometimes tries to channel Terry Gross. E-mail Leslie. 
