It's been too hot lately to go camping, but I'm planning on camping sometime this fall. And if there's one item I don't want to leave home without, it's Guyot Designs' Firefly.
Invented by Eric Goldfarb, the Firefly is a lid with a built-in LED that fits wide-mouth bottles from GSI, Nalgene, Outdoor Products, Cyclone and Stansport (I tried it on a Nalgene bottle). You can think of the Firefly as a night light, trail light, and lantern all-in-one! Mostly made from glass-filled nylon, the top of the Firefly contains a tether, which is handy for hanging it from your tent. To use it as a table-top lantern, the three grips let you stand up the Firefly so that the light shines up.
To power the Firefly, simply press and release the orange button at the top. To activate different levels of light, press and hold the button, then release it when you've reached your desired light level. To turn it off, press and release the button once. Shown here is the Firefly lit during the day, and it lit at night.
Can you pour hot liquids in to the bottle, and will it affect the LED? According to a company rep, "hot liquids should be fine, but because Firefly is compatible with many different bottle manufacturers, it's a good idea to consult with your specific bottle manufacturer's recommendations. The liquid temp shouldn't affect light level...I've also heard of people having fun with different things - like iced tea with ice cubes or clear water with lemon slices for a cool, lava lamp effect. Experimenting is half the fun."
I added water and some slices of lemon to the bottle to see the effect, and you can view a photo of it here.
Overall, everyone here at the office thinks the Firefly is such a practical and cool product, and they want to use it for their next camping trip! Plus, the lid doesn't really weigh down the bottle, so it's still light enough to carry, even with liquid in it.
Purchase the Firefly for $21.95 (bottle not included). Three AAA batteries required.
I also took a look at another Guyot Designs product: the Gription. Also made up of glass-filled nylon, the Gription is a lid with a leak-proof internal seal and a locking valve so you don't have to worry about spilling your drink while hiking. Just hold the trigger down to take a sip, and then push the lock pin in to seal your drink.
I liked the big handle, and the hole in the middle is for a carabiner so you can attach the bottle to your backpack. It's a bit more heavy than the Firefly, but it's still pretty easy to carry. The Gription sells for $12.95 (bottle not included). View photos of the Gription here.
Updated 8/15/06 to clarify compatible bottles and what the Firefly and Gription are made of.
GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner recently announced that GM will build an all-new version of the Chevrolet Camaro sport coupe, based on the award-winning concept car (left) showcased at this year's North American International Auto Show. The company was apparently inspired by the overwhelming response from passionate car enthusiasts to bring the concept into reality. The next generation of the classic car goes into production in late 2008, and will be available to purchase in 2009.
The new Camaro will be almost identical to the concept car GM showed: a thoroughly modern interpretation of the 1969 model. The front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sport coupe will feature an independent rear suspension and will be offered in a variety of models. Buyers will choose between manual and automatic transmissions and V-6 and V-8 engines. The new Camaro will complement Chevy's already-popular portfolio of performance vehicles, led by the Corvette and including its broad SS lineup.
Okay, so it seems like every manufacturer is designing cases for the iPod. But I'm glad that Pacific Design took a different approach and created the Uptown Clutch, a posh-looking wallet made of leather that carries and protects your iPod nano (1GB, 2GB, and 4GB), money, credit cards...anything you can squeeze in. It measures 6.75" x 3.0" x 0.75" and comes with a removable wrist strap.
What I really like about the Uptown Clutch is that it's stylish enough to bring along to parties or dinners, because if the night gets dull, at least you'll have your iPod nano to entertain you.
Colors available in Big Sky Blue, Precious Pink, and Rally Red.
eBags.com is selling the Uptown Clutch for $26.96, and 10 percent of the sale will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
Thanks to Editor, Reviews Lance Ulanoff for this report!
Few can forget the infamous series of photos showing U.S. president George Bush attempting to ride Dean Kamen's "revolutionary" Segway human transporter, and then going nearly "ass over tea kettle" onto the pavement. Bush is quick, though, and landed upright—the Segway was not so lucky.
Now Reuters is reporting that the new generation of Segways actually let you steer by leaning to the left or right while standing on the gyroscopically-balanced platform. To steer the original versions, you twisted one handle bar one way or the other. Never very intuitive, but it worked like holy heck and the Segways could turn faster than you could say "Hey, which way am I going?!" I rode one and the sharp turns almost caused me to smash my body into an office wall while the Segway kept on going.
Over time, anyone can learn to steer this way, but certainly turning the handle and doing it at your own comfortable speed is waaay more intuitive. It also features a wireless electric key and alarm system.
It's probably worth keeping in mind that most cities still ban the use of these transporters on municipal streets, and that a Segway sighting is almost as rare as seeing the "does it or does it not exist" ivory-billed woodpecker.
Just think, now we get to see Segway inventory, the wacky, Dungaree-shirt-and-pants-wearing Dean Kamen move his arms while riding here, there, and everywhere on his beloved Segway. Oh joy, Oh rapture.
By fall, Chrysler, Infiniti, and Mercedes-Benz cars will have them to use for navigation and for entertainment. Since early this year, Mercedes-Benz has been shipping the $85,000 S-Class with a 20GB hard drive for navigation. And Chrysler and Infiniti recently detailed plans to ship cars that will have hard drives for both navigation and music storage.
With Chrysler MyGiG , built into the Sebring, Dodge Nitro, and Jeep Wrangler, you can rip CDs to the hard disk or slip a USB key into a jack on the dash: The audio system offloads MP3 and WMA tunes to the hard disk. Infiniti, with its Bose-designed Studio on Wheels system, lets you rip CDs, and you can also load music from memory keys. Both have the Gracenote music identification system, which adds artist, track, and album information to the music files. MyGig also lets you upload photos for a slideshow and personal screensaver.
Hard drive technology should lower the cost of the car you want. If a car has a ruggedized hard drive (add $50 to $75), you'll no longer need a dedicated DVD reader for the navigation disc (subtract $25). The in-dash CD drive now has to be a DVD drive to read the nav disc (add $5), but when you've got storage for 150 CDs on the hard drive (assuming a 20GB drive with half the memory allocated for music), you no longer have much need for a six-disc CD changer (subtract $100).
The hard disk is just one part of a new-technology infotainment system; you also need a connection to outside data. In addition to an optical drive, every car needs to have a port for USB keys. The USB jack should also be able to connect with music players, including the iPod, and let you control your music via the radio. A key could also transfer your Outlook address book for use by the navigation system and hands-free phone.
With these new memory options integrated into your car, you may just decide to leave your laptop at home.
AK Designs announces today the availability of the AK Creature, dubbed the world's first furry inflatable chair. Perfect for the dorm room, this furry furniture weighs seven pounds when inflated and measures 30" (h) x 34" (w) x 37" (d). It comes in Mammoth (brown), Primate (black), and Yeti (white/gray).
AK Designs stopped by our offices a couple of weeks ago, and I had the chance to lounge in the "Primate" AK Creature. I thought it was really comfortable, and I wanted to take it home for myself! This would have come in handy when I was in college, especially since it inflates.
The faux fur cover is also removable, in case your PETA advocate friend stops over and gasps.
Disney/Pixar's movie "Cars" is truly a love letter to the mother-road, Route 66, as well as to gearheads of all ages. While children love the cute talking cars and action sequences, adults—car nuts especially—will find moments and in-jokes in the movie that appeal to the part of them that bleeds 40-weight. I took a look at two of the videogames "Cars" inspired, and they prove that being "adapted from the hit movie!" isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Both Cars games follow up after the movie: Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson, and based on a late-model NASCAR race car) now lives in the Route 66 town of Radiator Springs, and the games document his interactions with other characters from the movie.
The Sony PSP version of Cars is certainly prettier than the Nintendo DS version, especially during the racing scenes that make up the majority of the game action. It's an arcade racer, and it's relatively easy to learn; you might even win the first couple of races. You can unlock over 15 playable characters from the movie, 20-plus tracks, and different skins for the various cars.
The game's voice acting, with the original movie cast, is top-notch, and cut scenes are well rendered. The racing sequences are smoothly animated, and the backgrounds are almost as detailed as the movie scenes you can call up in the options menu. It really looks like you are racing through locations from the movie. Controls are responsive, and I didn't find too many collision errors during my races (a sign of positive quality control).
Where Cars for the PSP falls short is that it quickly becomes too hard for the intended market: children and casual gamers who saw the movie. Since it is an arcade racer, you always start in the last row of the pack, and the leaders become increasingly hard to catch, especially before you learn to hit every turbo patch and shortcut. "Boss" races must be run perfectly to win, which will frustrate casual gamers: It's hard to advance the story when you spend 25 to 45 minutes on one course trying to beat the boss character without hitting a guard rail or missing a turbo patch. Cars for the PSP is a fun game, but it might be given up on too readily by some.
The DS version of Cars takes a totally different track. It leverages the touchscreen on the DS well—as well as the Nintendo's self-produced games.
The racing part of Cars on the DS is a relatively minor facet of a gem of a game. Several times during the game, you need to race as Lightning McQueen against Chick Hicks, the main antagonist in the movie. The race recalls racing games of yore, such as Super Sprint: You don't get to do a lot of moves, and races are always close.
An in-race minigame, in which you have to change Lightning McQueen's tires during a pit stop, is the first hint of the touchscreen goodness. Other minigames are quite enjoyable too: In one, you go fishing with Mater (a tow truck); in another, you're stacking tires with Luigi (a micro forklift), and one more recalls the petting feature in Nintendogs. The games are unlocked in sequence, so there's 15 to 30 hours of gameplay in there, and each of the minigames is replayable. As a racing game, the DS version of Cars isn't anything special, but as a game that ties into the Disney/Pixar story, it shines brightly.
These two games based on the movie "Cars" are lots of fun in their own right. The PSP game is more difficult to play, thus suited well for action gamers; The DS version is accessible to all.
Both games extend the story of the movie, instead of just rehashing. Each is a fun game in its own right.
The PSP game may be a bit tough for casual and younger gamers.
A complay called Green Power thrilled spectators July 26th when it demonstrated a new technology that turns landfill waste into diesel fuel. The process, catalytic depolymerization, coverts regular household waste, medical waste, metal, glass, porcelain, or anything that is not radioactive, into diesel fuel.
The company plans to take its mobile demonstration unit to cities across the country this summer and fall. This unit is a miniature version of a much larger, permanent plant that will consume 500 to 2,000 tons of landfill waste per day, depending on size.
A typical 500 ton-per-day plant is actually five 100-ton plants stacked together. This design allows for easy repair and upgrades, since the entire plant doesn't have to be shut down. Should the demand on the plant increase, extra 100-ton plants can be added without any major redesign.
The plant will yield approximately 75,000 gallons of diesel fuel a day, with zero pollution, thanks to Green Power's patented, low-temperature process. The cost to produce the fuel is estimated at .52 to .58 USD per gallon.
The first plant is set to open in 2007 on tribal land in Tacoma, Wyoming, with a second plant opening in Montana after that. Green Power plans to open 1,500 operational plants across the country eventually, which they believe will solve landfill issues and ease our dependence on imported oil.
Maybe Apple should hook up with Helio for their iPhone. The MySpace-happy wireless carrier announced late Friday night that they're opening a handful of retail stores designed by the same firm that created the Apple Stores. Helio's stores look great -- all clean lines and glass -- and they will have several innovative features, including standalone "pods" where consumers can check out, configure and purchase devices on the spot (no cash register lines), a lounge area, and "spa kits" for free cleaning and light retouching of well-used devices.
The first store will open in October on Third Street in Santa Monica, connected by underground pneumatic tube system to Helio's headquarters in west Los Angeles (okay, maybe not.) It will be followed by stores in New York, San Diego, Denver, Palo Alto, and more cities in 2007.
But deep in the renderings of the Santa Monica store, I found a disturbing image. Look over to the right. Is that the true face of Helio? Is the store just a clever ruse to attract the sort of tasty youth that the tentacle monster most likes to devour? I mean, think about this. "Standalone pods." A slow process of spreading across the United States. That underground pneumatic tube system.
I'll be bringing my BFG to the store's opening event, you bet. Better safe than sorry.
Justin Timberlake may be bringin' "sexyback", but I'm bringin' strange back. Here are ten of the strangest gadgets and gear for the back-to-school season.
10. RedWire DLX Levi's iPod Jeans ($TBD) Seriously, do we have to design clothes now to fit our iPods in? Weren't the iPod boxers enough? The RedWire DLX jeans will have a built-in docking cradle and retractable headphones. Look for them in stores this fall.
9. Pixel Blocks ($8/200 pieces) I don't know of anyone growing up without playing with LEGOS at some point or another. But a California-based company decided to take a different approach with building blocks by designing PixelBlocks. You can build PixelBlocks by stacking them top to bottom or side-by-side, resulting in a 2D and 3D design. The blocks are approximately 3/8" translucent cubes that come in 20 rainbow colors so that kids can learn about subtle shading. Well, this is 2006, and kids today are adapting to technology quickly. But seriously, teaching your kids about pixels at an early age? Okay...
8. Superman Light-Up Tracing Desk ($17.99) Nothing like teaching your kid how to copy the art of others! This is a red, yellow, and white-colored portable desk with a built-in light to trace Superman drawings. Includes 12 Mini Colored Pencils, 20 Tracing Sheets, and 20 Blank Sheets of Paper. I'd rather sign them up for art lessons.
7. Sonic Sleuth Listening Device & Binoculars ($40.00) Just what you want your student to go back to school with: spy binoculars so that he not only can use them on girls in the locker room, but also hear which guys they think are cute. Can pick up conversations hundreds of feet away, recommended for 6 yrs to 12 yrs.
6. Quik Top Can-to-Bottle Adapter (£4.95, $6.30 USD) We've all run into the problem where we open a can of soda and don't have time to finish it so we just throw it out. The Quik Top fits snugly over the top of an aluminum can so that you can enjoy that fizzy feeling later. The funny thing is that the site shows an image of the Quik Top attached to your backpack. I don't think kids will think this is cool to show off to their friends!
5. Mousepad with Radio Calculator & Clock ($15.99) Too many all-in-one devices people!! This mousepad dons an FM radio, speaker, volume control, clock, calculator, and a slot to hold notes, paper clips, and pencils. Comes with earphones and operates on two AAA batteries. For the low quality I'm sure this thing produces, you're better off just listening to your MP3 player or songs on your PC!
4. Pocket Plasma Belt Buckle ($19.99) I don't know why you'd want your kid drawing attention to his or her waistline while walking down the halls. This flat panel disk with a plasma light responds to touch, voice and music. Displays two light modes and requires three batteries to operate.
3. Girls Charm School String Lights ($9.99) I know that sometimes guys have a thing for Catholic school girls and Field Hockey players, but why get them more excited with lights shaped like a female's school uniform? Includes pink and green fabric-covered skirt lights.
And the strangest of them all, as voted on by the PCMag Online Staff...
1. Deluxe Librarian Action Figure ($12.95) Collectible school authorities? I never knew a librarian was special enough to have an action figure! Each figurine is 5 inches tall and comes with a reference desk, computer, book cart, book stacks, and some loose books. Press the button on her back to hear her shush you!
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These two games based on the movie "Cars" are lots of fun in their own right. The PSP game is more difficult to play, thus suited well for action gamers; The DS version is accessible to all.
Both games extend the story of the movie, instead of just rehashing. Each is a fun game in its own right.
The PSP game may be a bit tough for casual and younger gamers.
Maybe Apple should hook up with 
But deep in the renderings of the Santa Monica store, I found a disturbing image. Look over to the right. Is that the true face of Helio? Is the store just a clever ruse to attract the sort of tasty youth that the tentacle monster most likes to devour? I mean, think about this. "Standalone pods." A slow process of spreading across the United States. That underground pneumatic tube system.
