Imagine strapping one of these things to your wrist.

It reminds me of the Origami project Microsoft unveiled recently, except it's even sillier, so I thought I'd throw this one into the mix.

It's called the Wrist Worn PC(WWPC), developed in concept by Eurotech. In other words, it's not real until I see a formal announcement. But for all you Inspector Gadget fans, this device does offer built-in GPS, WiFi, and Bluetooth, for all your wireless connections. It has an "outdoor" touchscreen which I believe uses a virtual keypad. The WWPC apparently works for both left and right handed people(Woohoo!), and Eurotech claims the device weighs around 7 ounces, not too bad for a wrist worn PC.  

The not-so-great news is that the device is powered by either Linux or Windows CE. You might as well get a cell phone/PDA if it's Windows CE. Linux might be a better option. The site doesn't talk about processing power, but I imagine this thing can get pretty hot over time.

Via Linux Device News

I'm always interested in trying new ways to save wear and tear on my delicate wrists; I'm currently giving the Evoluent Mouse-Friendly Keyboard and the Evoluent PostureRight Wrist Support a whirl.

The idea of the Mouse-Friendly Keyboard is that with standard keyboards, you usually have to reach too far to the right to get to your mouse; it's inconvenient and can stress your arm. With this one, the number pad's on the left, leaving room for the mouse on the right. (This is all fine assuming you're right-handed.) My problem is that the keyboard is several inches smaller (it's 15.4 inches wide) than the one I'm used to; I tend to prefer a more spacious layout for the keys. I could probably get used to it. The Mouse-Friendly would, however, make a really good travel keyboard; it's light and slim. And an attractive metallic-purple, I might add. 

Unequivocally, though, I love the wrist rest. It's extremely comfortable, with sloped indents for your wrists and a cushy gel filling. This one stays on my desk. 

You can get the keyboard for $64; the wrist support is $32.

Does your home phone yearn to roam? The beefy new DuraFon Lite is a cordless phone with leather lungs: thanks to an amped-up 700-800 mW radio, it can cover 250,000 square feet or 12 floors of a high-rise. It has a built-in walkie-talkie function, as well, so a pair of handsets can be used as two-way radios when you're away from home. Makers EnGenius told me that extensive special shielding protects your sensitive brain parts from the extra-strong radio waves. (If the FCC says it's okay, I'm not one to argue.) The DuraFon uses digital spread spectrum security technology on the 900 Mhz band; as a phone geek, I prefer 900 Mhz and 5.8 Ghz phones to the more common 2.4 Ghz models because they don't interfere with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connections.

The extended range will cost you, though: the DuraFon runs a painful $699 for the one-line base unit, with one handset, and $349 for each additional handset. I'll try to get a few of these into PC Labs so I can see how different they really are from ordinary cordless phones. You can buy 'em now from EnGenius.

I didn't get to CeBit in Hannover, Germany this year. Maybe, someday... Meanwhile, though, I am experiencing the show vicariously thanks to Dvorak's photo essay at PCMag Online.

He's got shots of the Microsoft Origami (shown at left); a floppy keyboard; a cool-looking Hiper SLI computer, in a transparent case; and of course, the requisite booth babe shot (though he claims he's cutting back on those).

My review of the Sirius S50 ($265 Street) posted yesterday and I got my first reader feedback today from "AngryTypingGuy". Basically, it went something like "it's not portable, its doesn't receive live content on the go, it is over-priced, and the MP3 capabilities are limited." Oh, and "Cover more XM products."  Except for that last one they are all good points and I made them in the review. (I promise to test some new portable XM products soon.)

Still, the author misses the real appeal of the S50, and that is the programming itself. Long before Howard Stern moved over, Satellite radio was incredibly addictive. I have been a Sirius listener for nearly two years and I will never go back to standard, commercial-laden radio. Even living in NYC, the stations are just better. I can get my Alt/College radio fix (Interpol, Art Brut, My Morning Jacket) with "Left of Center" and then switch over to Pure Jazz for dinner music (Miles, Coltrane, Armstrong). The S50 has some quirks, the biggest being you have to pre-record your music, but after a week of using it you can quickly collect hundreds of your favorite songs--even if you have only heard them once. There is a ton of value in that.

Oh yeah, if you look at the photo on the left, you will see that Weird Al Yankovic is playing. I have no idea how that got there and it would never make it onto my iPod, but I love it. That is the charm of radio.

I've always wanted to learn how to play a musical instrument. The closest I ever got was the guitar, but since my hands are small, it's difficult for me to perform most of the chords.

Maybe the trumpet is more my speed? One of Hammacher Schlemmer's newest arrivals is the Digital Trumpet. Consider it a stepping stone toward a real brass trumpet. It that can generate over 20 sounds, including seven trumpets, eight brass instruments, five woodwinds, strings, and even a synthesized human voice. All you do is hum or sing into the mouthpiece to create real notes and tones.

The Digital Trumpet comes pre-loaded with 10 songs (including "Respect" and "When The Saints Go Marching In"), and a training mode that uses illuminated LEDs so you can learn how to play a song with the guided lights. Includes an AC adapter and a headphone jack (which I'm sure your neighbors will be happy about).

Get the Digital Trumpet for $399.95.