Crave

This show starts out as the Recycle, Reduce, Re-Use Episode. Shortly into the show, we realize how poorly thought out a theme that was. Wow, it's been a long break.

EPISODE 121

Pee-powered battery (that technically runs on water or juice too) (Thanks Cianna!)

Sega robo-cat will meow, won’t catch mice

Quit smoking or be forced to wear these clothes made from cigarette butts

Breathalyzer key chain lets you see if you’re drunk while on the highway

Recycled condoms used on hair bands???
Snopes confirms this as legit! ACK!

Facebook spoils the free Whopper fun

Microchip Cufflinks

Almost two months ago, I said I would personally try the HairMax LaserComb to see if it worked. Try it I did. Did it work? Not so much.

Since the blog was posted, I have received multiple e-mails from CNET readers asking if I would personally recommend the product.

This guy might not look so confident, but he actually is.

(Credit: Erick Franklin/CNET Networks)

My quick answer is no. And there are a couple of reasons.

First, it is expensive (I have the Premium edition of the comb that costs $545), yet feels very cheap. The whole comb's chassis is made out of third-rate-looking plastic.

During the course of using the device, sometimes when I turned it off, a high pitched mosquito-like noise still came out of it. (This could be good news, as it means I am not too old, but that's a different story entirely.) I then would need to unplug the comb from the wall for the noise to go off. I am not sure if the noise is a feature or a defect, but it sure was annoying.

Second, it doesn't seem to work. I left the comb plugged in at my desk and used it almost every workday, except for one week in September, when I worked in the New York office for four days. When it was on my head--supposedly stimulating the follicles and making the hair grow thicker and fuller--I did feel a little sensation at the spot where it passed by, possibly from the laser beams.

It was really a painless experience and pretty convenient. It almost became a habit when I needed to talk on the phone or watched a clip of CNETTV. My hair has been mainly thinning in the front, and the result? It was like that three months ago, and it still is now. My colleague, Eric Franklin, said he saw no difference.

Last but not least, I believe it's a misconception that your hair should affect your confidence. It shouldn't, at least for men, though that is what companies that make hair-treating products sure want you to believe. Hey, I would love to have my hair back to what it was when I was in my early 20s. It is how it is now, however, and come check me out on the Inside CNET Labs podcast if you ever want to question my manliness.

At least this little device helped me realize I should just come to terms with how I am made to look. Confidence is what you, not your LabserComb, make of it. That lesson was a small price to pay, considering I got to use the gadget for free.

NOTE: You can read the follow up blog about the result of Dong's experiment here.

The developer of the HairMax LaserComb claims the comb will restore your hair and prevent hair loss by applying low-level laser therapy.

(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET Networks)

I just recently got my hands on a product that could potentially restore my thinning beauty as well as my confidence: a comb.

It's no ordinary comb. Calling it HairMax LaserComb, Lexington International, the developer of the product, claims it will restore your hair and prevent hair loss by applying low-level laser therapy--an effect similar to photosynthesis or photo-bio stimulation--to your scalp.

The therapy supposedly energizes and improves blood circulation while stimulating the growth of individual hair follicles, and, as a result, produces thicker, healthier hair and combats hair loss.

Out of the package, the LaserComb comes in a nice case that contains the comb--about the same size as a regular hair brush--plus an introduction DVD, a pair of spare comb teeth, and a manual. It seems to be a very easy product to use.

The LaserComb itself has two pairs of teeth and an array of nine laser beams in the middle. Each of these beams is the same as that of a laser pointer used for presentations. As I powered it on, the lights lit up and the comb emitted a faint beep every two seconds, which is half of the time that you are supposed to keep the comb on your head before lifting it up. The comb is designed to be used just like you use a regular comb but in much slower motion.

The HairMax LaserComb is FDA-approved and safe to be used by anyone, male and female. Lexington International claims that if used regularly--three times or more a week, 10 to 15 minutes each time--you will be able to see improvements, including thicker and more manageable hair. After a few months, you will likely notice their hair becoming fuller and denser as the hair count actually increases, according to the company.

This guy looks like he could use some heavy LaserCombing.

(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks)

Like most hair treatment therapies, there's no guarantee. Lexington International says that the results vary depending on the individual. I will personally use it for about 10 weeks to see if I am the type who's LaserComb-friendly. In the meantime, if you want to try it out yourself, you can get one for $545, which is not cheap but at least it's only a one-time charge. You can also get the HairMax LaserComb SE Edition that's more compact and has only five laser beams for $395.

Related story:

Photos: Beauty tools for gadget lovers

Please don't try these at home without sending us the pictures.

(Credit: Think Geek)

Someone in marketing overreached with this one. While these laser-guided scissors look fun, I'm not sure they're a necessity.

OK, maybe you want to sew your own laptop case and hate chalking or pinning stuff. Or maybe you don't want to be bothered drawing a straight line in grease pencil when cutting those photos you printed yourself.

Sounds like a sensible sales pitch, no?

Oh, no. The ambitious seller of these fancy battery-run scissors has far more in mind. Why not try cutting hair with them?! Think Geek, which sells the gadget for $17.99, promises "laser-accurate haircuts."

Razor-cut layers may be the height of hair couture, but laser cuts? I think this one may go the way of the Flowbee.

Incidentally, if anyone buys these scissors and actually uses them to cut hair, we want to see the results. Please send us your photos.

Scientists have had a breakthrough on preventing charged hair situations like this one.

(Credit: Candace Lombardi)

"Hair brained" scientists from the University of Bayreuth in Germany have found a way to observe hair follicles at the microscopic level while it moves and reacts to chemicals.

Hair follicles were mounted on the cantilever tip of an atomic force microscope, allowing the scientists to closely observe for the first time how hair follicles react while they rub against each other--and respond to environmental forces like "humidity, water content of hair, and hair stickiness," Eva Max said in a study presented by herself and Claudia Wood at the American Chemical Society's 236th National Meeting on Sunday in Philadelphia.

The observations are helping the team determine what chemical cocktail can be applied to make your hair healthier.

As you probably already knew from the dozens of hair commercials with graphics, rough hair follicles have scales that project out from their shafts, whereas conditioned hair follicles have scales that lay flatter against the shaft, making it feel smoother.

These scientists have been able to observe these rough hair follicle scales rubbing against each other and exacerbating problems of frizz and entanglement. Their friction creates a negative charge that makes individual hairs repel each other like magnets.

(Credit: GeekAlerts)

I've seen some hair-brained (hey-ooooo) ideas in my time, but this just might take the cake. For those of you who find Bluetooth headsets or the wired headsets that come with your cell phone too pedestrian, here's something that will certainly turn heads: a wired headset that looks like a hair dryer. Trust me, I wish I were making this up.

Yes, for just $7.59, you can talk to your family and friends through a hair dryer and be the object of various onlookers' ridicule envy. The cell phone hair dryer headset comes with various adapters that should work with most Nokia, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson cell phones. But all I have to say is: really? Really?!

Yeah, I'm going to go ahead and nominate this for Brian "Flash" Tong's "Do Not Crave" segment on the weekly Crave vodcast. Do not want.

(DealExtreme via GeekAlerts)

(Credit: Dvice)

It's been more than a year since we wrote of the "HairMax LaserComb" and, shockingly, we haven't heard of a single person walking away with a full pompadour in that time. So for those still in search of that elusive growth, it may be time to consider other options. Enter the "X5 HairLaser."

This latest miracle gadget delivers "15 distinct points of coherent laser light directly to your scalp at the optimum power and wavelength," according to Dvice, though it requires a commitment of three times a week at 10 to 15 minutes a shot. There's a commitment required of your wallet too, to the tune of $300.

It should be noted that this item was listed in an airplane catalog, so it might not work at less than 30,000 feet.

(Credit: Crave UK)

We've all got hair, and most of us leave it sitting around on top of our heads, just flapping about in the wind. That's a great shame, because geeks can do some marvelous things with it, when they put their mighty minds to it.

All of the nerds in this list deserve credit because they've got first-rate dork hair. It's either naturally brilliant or, through clever styling and a judicious use of hair products, has become worthy of our adoration.

Of course, some of the geeks in our list have developed their excellent hair as a result of total neglect. And that's cool too, because it shows you're either too busy being a geek to get a haircut, or you're sticking it to the man with your unruly mop. Find out if you qualify for the list here.

(Source: Crave UK)

Hair plugs. It's a topic no one wants to talk about. Getting hair plugs is a sign of vanity. Besides, what if, instead of using spare arm or leg hair, they plant those crinkly, thick hairs from your big toe onto your head?

Restoration Robotics can't help with that problem, but it will help with the actual planting. The company has created a robot that assists doctors in this part of the operation. Now, doctors put in the hair plugs by hand, just like rice farmers. These robots can save time, money, etc.

A less desirable alternative

(Credit: Party Domain)

The company has also just raised $25 million in a second round of financing, according to VentureWire (subscription required). The company will use the money to conduct clinical trials and move to market. Earlier, it raised $11 million. Despite all the money, the company is still somewhat secretive.

"You have Rogaine and Propecia, but those don't give you the same effect, or there's the comb-over," CEO Jim McCollum told VentureWire. Hey, Jim, what about the cinnamon roll? You forgot that hairdo.

Medical devices are getting big and venture money has been streaming in. Israel, which has a large number of doctors and engineers, has been a hot market. Hair removal and cellulite sculpting company Syneron Medical had a successful IPO a few years back.

The U.S. is seeing a surge too. Recently, Satiety raised $30 million for a in-patient stomach stapling device. Normally, doctors have to perform surgery on obese patients to staple stomachs. Cellutions, for cellulite sculpting (not like ice sculptures, more to smooth it out) raised $7 million this summer.