globalpetfinder

Doggone it. Had globalpetfinder been available four years earlier, this would have saved this particular journalist bags of grief, teeth gnashing and time when her wayward mutt jaunted off on unsanctioned road trips--thrice! This 142g GPS device clips onto the dog's collar and acts as a watchdog, so to speak, should the repeat offender stray beyond the boundaries keyed in by its owner. Alerts are sent via cell phone, pager, email and IM, and kiasu Singaporeans will also love that they can track their pet's movements on a Web site, should they be online at the time. Cost: US$350. Peace of mind: Priceless.

Price: US$349.99; tracking service starts at US$17.95 a month
Availability: US, from March, globalpetfinder
Device: GPS device
Basic specs: Ability to define up to 5 boundaries, location alerts transmitted every 15 secs when dog strays, works only in areas with GSM network, shock- and water-resistant, 3 rechargeable AAA batteries, 142g

Kodak EasyShare-One

What's better than a digital camera with a 2-inch LCD screen? A 3-inch one, of course! Kodak's given consumers a sneak look at the One during the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES). It's rare that a camera excites us at CNETAsia, but this 4-megapixel shooter makes sharing images with pals over a cuppa a breeze, thanks to a generous, touch-sensitive, swivel LCD screen. If that ain't good enough, an optional (though pricey US$100) 802.11b Wi-Fi card adds hotspot capabilities to wirelessly share and manage your vacation snaps. We'll reserve judgment on the LCD screen's impact on battery life when a set lands in our Labs. But otherwise, coolio!

Price: US$599
Availability: June
Device: Digital camera
Basic specs: 4-megapixel CCD sensor, 3x optical zoom, 36mm-to-108mm (35mm equivalent) focal length, 3-inch, fully articulated LCD monitor with touch-pad capability, 256MB onboard memory with SD slot, Direct Ofoto compatibility for managing photo albums

C-Car car-finding keychain

Ever had a moment when you simply can't remember where you parked the darn car? Not us (says Pinocchio). But for the absent-minded, this handy-sized car seeker on a keychain is a cheap yet handy tool for locating where you parked your vehicle in a pinch. Created by two (probably forgetful) physicists, the C-Car relies simply on magnets and the earth's magnetic field to act as a compass, producing a magnetic reference of the direction between any two inanimate objects. To find your car, rotate the keychain until the picture of the car aligns, and walk in the direction of the arrow. Of course, this is moot if you've forgotten where you last left your C-Car.

Click to see C-Car packaging

Price: US$4.95
Availability: US, Lancetta, Inc
Device: Car finder
Basic specs: No electronics or batteries needed, uses specially designed magnetic cylinder immersed in fluid, transparent rotating bezel contains the other part of same picture

The MDI Air Car

Here's a car you fill up… with air! While everyone's looking to fuel cells and electric batteries to power the car of the future, French inventor Guy Negre has announced a vehicle that'll not only tap an abundant energy source, it will also result in the cleanest--and cheapest--car to go on the roads. Packed with a hybrid air compression engine, the Air Car is capable of top speeds of 110kmh and claims to cost just 1.5 euros for a full tank of air. Can this new concept car lift off or will it be just so much hot air? We'll know when the Air Car rolls off the assembly lines some time this year.

Other alternative powered cars: OxyRide | CyberCar | Honda Fuel Cell Scooter | Honda FCX Fuel Cell Car

Price: N.A.
Availability: 2005, Europe, by MDI
Device: Air-powered vehicle
Basic specs: 4 hours recharge time at mains, 3 mins recharge time at Air Station, 750kg, 110kmh, 500kg max. load

Hello Kitty Buzzer

Here's just the thing to scare off would-be scoundrels. Toshiba's answer is the Hello Kitty alarm buzzer. Whip it out, yank out the pink ring, and this'll cause the rouge to laugh himself into silly putty such that he'd be too hapless to give chase as you dash off to safety. At 100 decibels, this buzzer is a real screamer, despite the cutesy Hello Kitty trimmings.

Price: N.A.
Availability: Japan, Toshiba
Device: Portable alarm
Basic specs: 100dB volume, doubles as LED light, alkaline battery, continual whistle of about 30 minutes, continual illumination of about 120 minutes, 45g

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