Gadgets and Gizmos

Political campaigns, down through the centuries have used the technology of the times to help enhance a candidate's competitive edge. Innovating communication channels has always played a key role in reaching and targeting constituencies during national elections. Presidential candidates who failed to embrace the new technologies of their day often found themselves vulnerable in the eyes of the public.

Death is a big business, and if you're a regular reader, you know this already. It is a highly competitive market, with many people hoping to profit off of a service category that is needed by everyone (except for the immortal, like vampires - but for you skeptics, we can overlook this fact). Because of the stiff competition, many businesses are forced to get creative with their products and services. The latest one will be music to your forever at rest audiophile ears.

An Israeli tech startup, StoreDot, has come up with a cell phone battery that charges your phone in 30 seconds!  In its prototype stage right now, it joins several other proprietary products in StoreDot's stable of yet-to-be-released inventions that are based on the properties of biologically available nanodots.

About 75% of Americans suffer from chronic dehydration. What that means is they don't drink enough water. H2O-Pal could help many remedy that problem. The device makes your water bottle a "smart bottle" and helps you monitor your water intake.

.... Don't ask what it does; ask what it doesn't do, and I'd have to think hard. Ah! it doesn't accommodate your bathroom needs and it doesn't bring your breakfast to you (unless you have a robot aide, and then it could command it), but it might be able to cook your breakfast - remotely, of course. 

Collectible. Collectible. Wearable. Customizable. Electronic. These buzz word describe the latest in wearable bracelets: the Nex Band. This next generation charm bracelet comes with an initial set of modular components (mods) that include a microcontroller, a vibration motor, a low-energy Bluetooth radio and a battery that can last for 2-4 days, depending on how much you use it.

Doormats get a bad rap. They take all the dirt we can wipe off on them, withstand tremendous weight, let our dogs urinate on them. And when doormats get very dirty or very old, their owners don't even bother to clean them; they throw them away and lay new ones out.  But a South Carolinian inventor, Andrew Clark, has created a doormat you won't want to throw away... because it's very very smart.

Crashes happen, and sometimes can leave a person incapacated, unable to reach help. That's where the ICEdot Crash Sensor comes in. This sensor can detect impact and contact help in cases on emergency. In short, it can save your life.

The Lumo Lift is little, but it does a lot to better your posture. The small clasp attaches to your collar near the shoulder and lets you know when you need to straighten up. It's time to bling out those shirts instead of being scolded by our mothers for slouching. Check out the details on how it works...

Intel is rather serious about making a mark in the slate PC market. Serious enough, in fact, that it will soon augment its lineup of Atom processors with nine or so new ones. Even the partial specs list we've gotten a hold of is confusing, so allow me to untangle it for you.