There's always time for coffee.
(Credit: Solutions.com)I am always onboard when it comes to a different way to brew coffee. If whatever method I choose lets me make a pot without plugging into the wall, all the better; pre-coffee mornings can be rather hazardous in my household. The Hourglass Coffee Brewer is a cold-brew coffee system that allows for the main benefit of reduced acid content in your joe. For those this may not matter to, well, it's also just kind of neat.
The idea is to set up your morning coffee the night before (something that always appeals to me and my morning motor functions). Add ground coffee and cold water to the filter basket and attach to the hourglass. The coffee basically steeps overnight. In the morning, flip the hourglass over and the resulting brew is an extract that you add to hot water.
While coffee extract does not a cup of coffee make, for those who suffer from sensitive stomachs, this may be an answer. Certainly the concept is sound: coffee grounds slowly steeped in water overnight do deliver a morning brew. Considering that everything runs better on coffee, this seems like a good idea for not only those who may need it, but those who need a little help in the morning.
(Credit:
Coolest-Gadgets)
So you've gotten a "Weemote" to limit your kids' TV hours, but what happens when they get bored of Nick Jr. reruns and want to go online? Even if they've exceeded their allotted time, you know they'll try to find a way to sneak in a few games, especially if they're boys.
Those are situations that could call for the "Best Net Guard," a parental control device that comes in the form of a remote similar to one used to lock and unlock the car. If you're doing dishes in the kitchen and hear something that sounds suspicously like a computer game in another room, you can punch the "Off" button to shut down the PC wirelessly up to 75 feet away, according to Coolest-Gadgets. Combine this with the "Covert Clicker" for the telly, and you'll be in full control of your household in perpetuity.
We at Crave don't advocate such remote parenting on a regular basis, of course, but something like this could be useful in heading off early addictive behavior. Or you can just take the kids to the park and leave the dishes for later.
(Credit:
Smarthome)
It's bad enough to be perennially paranoid about the status of one's home, scoping out all makes and numbers of cameras to keep an eye on your property while you're at the office. But anxiety levels rise exponentially when you're away for extended periods or have a vacation home to worry about. Cameras may be useful for limited surveillance but can't detect all the physical threats to your abode, such as those from the elements.
That's where the "Sensaphone 400" comes in, according to Gadgetizer, with sensors that monitor "water, wind, temperature, rain and freeze that will alert you by phone if it detects abnormal conditions." Plus, unlike its earlier version, this one will actually lets you control the thermostat remotely by phone.
It retails for $430, but you'd end up spending a lot more than that for a housesitter anyway. Besides, it can't steal the towels.
(Credit:
Techie Diva)
Japan may have robots that can clean and tend to hospital patients, but German scientists are working on a model that can do both.
In addition to mopping floors, the "Nursebot" can reportedly take a patient's temperature with laser beams and thermal camera imaging. And, as Technie Diva says, "this means no more rectal temperature-taking treatment for you."
The Nursebot is scheduled for 2010, but we're looking for ways to donate contributions to speed its release.
(Credit:
Uber-Review)
It's resolution season, as we know all too well, and that means the dreaded twins Kitchen and Carbs have reared their larded heads once again. But those of us who are looking to shed that holiday padding too often find ourselves weak of will, if not appetite.
That's why we'll be giving some serious thought to the "Fridge Alert" spotted on Uber-Review. Although it's being marketed as an alarm that sounds when the door is left accidentally ajar, we suspect that its true use is to bust the perpetrator who lingers too long--and too often--in search of a midnight munch. Either way, this kitchen cop gives you just 30 seconds to shut the door before waking up the whole house and exposing your snacking shame to the entire family. Tough love indeed.
(Credit:
Brando)
We think we've finally figured out the strategy behind this whole heated peripheral craze (we're a little slow on the uptake this time of year): The colder it gets outside, the more products are released inside.
That's the only explanation we can come up with for the proliferation of such products as the heated mouse by Brando--which, if you can believe it, has come with its second version in almost as many months. The "USB Warmer Mouse II" seems almost identical to its predecessor but is a bit more stylish, coming in colors like red and yellow.
We wish these toasty USB items came in wireless form, but perhaps the engineering isn't quiet there yet. Anyway, if this doesn't help, you may want to consult a physician regarding your circulatory system.
"CrackBerry" addicts are getting much-needed help from, of all things, the hotel industry.
(Credit:
RIM)
A few months back, the Sheraton Chicago made headlines by offering afflicted guests a harsh but effective cold-turkey treatment that put their BlackBerries under lock and key. Now, Hyatt hotels are offering a special hand massage designed to counter the dreaded "BlackBerry Thumb" malady.
The therapy begins with heat treatment and uses a "BlackBerry Balm" that "focuses on counteracting tension on various hand and arm muscles, specifically in the thumbs and overworked wrists," Hyatt said, adding that a 30-minute appointment runs about $30. Rumor has it that Treo users have been seen sneaking into the sessions as well.
(Credit:
Motorola)
Given the types of headgear on the market these days, you'd think everyone was either trying out for the Olympics or trying to kill themselves in some type of "extreme" activity. For the record, we at Crave are not in either camp.
We are, however, very much into creature comforts. Like hats. Especially in the winter. And what better way to fend off the cold than to do it while entertaining oneself with a built-in MP3 player? The Audex Padded Hat made by Burton and Motorola, which we found on Gearlog, is our kind of roughing it: A knit cap that can keep you warm while allowing easy access to your music with large control buttons on its Bluetooth stereo headphones.
On the other hand, at $180, you might be better off with your iPod and a cheap cap from Wal-Mart.
- prev
- 1
- next
