Gillian Shaw
Sun
1. Strike Alert personal lightning detector, $85 US
We could have used this that day on the soccer field when we counted the seconds between the blasts of thunder and the flashes of lightning. This handheld lightning detector saves the counting and promises to deliver an audible warning when lightning is getting within striking distance. If the LED display goes from green to red, it’s time to head for cover — no standing under trees though — and get rid of those iPod headphones. The Strike Alert tracks the storm direction and the lightning strike distance and runs on two AAA batteries. It’s impact resistant so you can sling it in with your gear. However, it is affected by electromagnetic emissions so if you’re planning on nothing more strenuous than being a couch potato in front of the TV, turn it off. Check www.strikealert.com for retailers.
2. Targus Mobile Power Inverter $70 Cdn
Portability demands power and one way to get it is with this little 90-watt inverter from Targus that is designed to fit into any standard cup holder or lie flat on its side. Using the cigarette lighter in your car, it has a single AC outlet to power or charge your notebook computer, portable DVD player, game console or other device. It has built-in surge protection so there are no worries when the car starts up or turns off.
3. Planon DocuPen RC800 pen scanner, $300 US
You’ll feel like a spy with this tiny pen that can scan a page of text and graphics in colour in a mere four seconds. At 57 grams and 20 cm long it has eight megabytes of flash memory and can recharge while you’re downloading scanned information through the USB port of your PC or Mac. At www.planon.com.
4. Mophie Bevy Shuffle case and bottle opener, $15 US
How handy is that: Protect your iPod Shuffle, keep the headphone wires knot-free, carry your keys and open a bottle all with this key-chain device. Made of clear polycarbonate with a stainless steel insert, the Bevy comes from the Illuminator project from Mophie, a company founded by 18-year-old Ben Kaufman with the idea of developing products based on designs generated by Apple users. The Bevy started off as a simple doodle by a 17-year-old visiting MacWorld. Now it’s available in five colours at Apple retail stores and Apple retailers.
© The Vancouver Sun 2007
