(Credit:
Maplin)
Cats may be really funny at times, but when all you want to do is get a good night's rest, some stray specimens can be downright annoying with all the noise they make. In such situations, the Mega-Sonic ScatterCat Pest Repeller could be your solution.
This battery-operated "gun" actually fires an invisible high-frequency sound that's inaudible to humans but scares the felines--and other creatures--away. It even has a laser sight so you know you've pointed it at the right target. It can target animals more than 65 feet away.
Such products aren't new, but this one hits the spot by looking like a cheap prop from a tacky science fiction TV show, which makes it perfect for homeowners who love the occasional geek motif in their home decor. It's available from online store Maplin for 10 pounds (about $15).
(Source: Crave Asia via Red Ferret Journal)
(Credit:
Setgo)
If your gadgets outnumber your pockets but you're not quite resigned to suspender geekdom, there may be a compromise. Setgo's "Transport," as Dvice puts it, is "a kind of wearable man-purse for the 21st century" though we assume it's not necessarily gender-specific.
It's basically the equivalent of an updated tool belt with "strategically placed pockets" that's worn like a big sash over the shoulder instead of around the beer belly. The idea is valid, but we can't see paying $80 for something like this. And if you think that wearing just one strap instead of two will somehow lessen the date repellant factor, you'd be sadly mistaken.
(Credit:
Maplin)
Let's say you have a backyard rodent issue. A big one. So big that you can't watch Caddyshack anymore without getting a tic.
The "Mega-Sonic Scatter-Cat" device supposedly "repels dog, cats, squirrels and other nuisance animals without harming them," according to Pocket-lint, using sonic and ultrasonic waves instead of buckshot. But who are we kidding here? Rather than something like the passively situated "Solar Chaser," the real reason to get one of these is to pretend you're aiming Harry Callahan's .44-magnum at the dastardly four-legged vermin up to 65 feet away.
In a perfect world, perhaps this technology will be developed for bi-pedal pests as well.
(Credit:
SlashGear)
There's no two ways about it: Bird droppings are dirty business. And people who spend an inordinate amount of time cleaning them off their property may understandably wish they had a "Falco" robotic raptor to limit the avian population, but that would probably be overkill (though that may sound good). Still, there's a more appropriate technological response to the problem in the "BirdXPeller Pro."
This device repels winged rats with sounds that deceive them into thinking that a predator is in the vicinity, according to SlashGear, covering an area as large as an acre. There are even different versions for particular types of birds. (We suspect that the "Pro 1," which deters pigeons, is among the most popular.)
At least it's a somewhat more natural way to control the problem, compared with other solutions. In a way, it's more humane than gadgets like the "Solar Chaser" that drive rodents out of their little minds.
(Credit:
Pro-Idee)
We keep hearing that body conduction technology is the way of the future, usually in the form of sending soundwaves through bones, though some extremists apparently would like to turn the human race into walking routers. Usually the technology manifests itself as some kind of passive skull-vibrating headset, even under water, but rarely does it involve any kind of voice application. Now, after viewing the photo accompanying this item, we may know why. The "Roadrunner" Bluetooth headgear may indeed be effective when talking in a crowded room or in a convertible with the top down, as Gadget Review suggests, but you'd look like some kind of Borg while doing it.
Its microphones are "strategically placed next to your voicebox"--which sounds even creepier--to minimize background noise aboard your alien vessel. For terrestrial use, it would be a perfect complement to the "Light Head Magnifier" to complete the ultimate date-repelling ensemble.
(Source: Gadget Review)
(Credit:
Corbin)
Not everyone has the kind of decor that's appropriate for a couch made from a vintage British sportscar. Sometimes an American model is much more fitting. And what could be more classic than a 1957 Corvette?
Corbin has made a loveseat modeled after the iconic roadster for those intimate occasions at home, complete with "a romantic undercarriage lighting with an 110v lighting fixtures tucked underneath, tail lights, and exhaust pipes," according to BornRich. There's even a "smart dimmer" in the armrest's storage compartment for the perfect Barry White moment. And for those times when you're alone (more likely), that same space can be used to stow the remote.
(Credit:
Entertainment Earth)
Of all the ridiculous Star Trek product marketing in the world, we're surprised that a working Communicator phone hasn't become de rigueur among the nerdsome faithful. In fact, the last one we heard of was a DIY version on eBay, but even that one was just a Bluetooth receiver that still needed to connect to a cell phone.
Granted, you could get an Enterprise model, but it's not exactly convenient to lug around the convention floor. So we could only imagine the disappointment over this "exclusive" Communicator replica that can only feign conversation with sound effects and recorded phrases, according to Chip Chick. If you're really hard-core, you could probably gut this toy and try to fashion a real phone out of it. After all, whatever you come up with, it's got to look better than this.
Solar radio visor
(Credit: Gearfuse)
Solar fan hat
Finally, the solar-powered fan hat has a mate. Let's have a round of applause for the "Solar-Powered Visor Radio."
Like its counterpart, this is a functional piece of headgear that makes use of the sun's rays to impress your friends, but for entertainment purposes as well as protection from melanoma and heat stroke. The visor has a speaker on each side, Gearfuse says, piping in tunes from a built-in AM/FM tuner.
It just goes to show that being green is no guarantee of immunity from the dreaded Date Repellant Syndrome.
(Credit:
NCS)
We'll refrain from the obvious nerd references here, as some people are a bit sensitive about the topic of date repellants. A little too close to home, apparently.
So we'll just pass along this item from Technabob about a "Lightsaber lamp" from Japan. We're not so sure how much light they give off, but they do come in Jedi and Sith models (green and red, respectively).
But be aware that these lamp-sabers measure less than 16 inches, so don't expect to have any impromptu duels.
(Credit:
Play.com)
If the Lucas empire and its legion of trademark attorneys get all hissy about this latest Wii attachment, they have only themselves to blame for not making it first. The "Wii Light Sword" is coming out in time for the long-awaited Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.
Although the game isn't expected until the spring, U.K.-based Play.com has jumped the gun--or the sword, as it were--and will unsheathe its luminescent weapon for shipment soon at about $31, according to Coolest-Gadgets. This saber-like remote accessory gets its intergalactic glow from 22 LEDs but can be dimmed if necessary to conserve energy for marathon battles. And that's probably a good thing, because you'll have a lot of time to play with it on Saturday nights.
