Sun
Griffin AirDock with remote, $70 US.
Everybody, or so it would seem judging by the number of products in this category, wants to connect an iPod to a home entertainment system, especially TV sets and sound systems. The difference with the AirDock is that it enables users to pull up photos, music, TV shows and movies via a remote control. The package includes the audio cable. As well, the dock lets users link their iPods to a computer for both data synchronization and battery charging.
Hello Kitty USB Keyboard, $40 plus shipping.
There is something so startlingly and compellingly awful about even the concept of a Hello Kitty Keyboard in eye-bruising pink that we just had to include it among the items featured this week — even though it only appears to be available through eBay UK at this moment. The seller is located in Taiwan, according to the eBay site. But you don’t really need to know this because there is absolutely no way you’re even going to think about ordering it. Right?
SmartShopper, $150 US.
Almost the first thing that people thought as a useful task for home computing was the compilation of a shopping list. And yet the fact is that the closest most of us ever got to this was listing grocery items in a Word document, printing them out and circling them. Well, those days are over. Now you can speak items into the SmartShopper — which has a library of 2,500 items with room for even more — and then have them printed out on a list which you can take to the store. Not that anybody really needs this, but that’s not the point.
Wireless Outdoor Solar Speaker, approx $230.
Again, we have to caution you that this item appears to be available only in the U.K. (www.firebox.com), but it’s a worthy concept that should soon make its way here. You plug your iPod into the base station and its solar panel that generates electricity. Then the panel unit transmits your music to the main speaker device that looks like a giant thermos. Oh joy. You can share your music with everyone around you. And the rest of us will be so pleased.
© The Vancouver Sun 2007
