Flying Alarm Clock

Talk about time flying. Well, this devious little alarm clock is the best thing you can give your worst enemy. The moment the alarm sounds, the propeller unit launches off and flies around the room. Even if it doesn't whack you in the face for a rude awakening, you'll still have to get up, locate the propeller, and return it to base because that's the only way to turn off the infuriating alarm. Either way, you're sure to be wide awake by then. Lovely!

Larger image here

Price: US$39.20
Availability: At Firebox.com
Device: Alarm clock
Specs: About 14 x 14 x 10cm, requires 4 x AA batteries

Olympus rolls out new E-series dSLRs and a µ

As we reported last week, March 5 is the day of reckoning… for Olympus camera aficionados. Since the E-500 won our Editors' Choice award in 2005, we have been pining for its successor. The Japanese firm is updating its E500 with the E-510 which features live preview (framing image via LCD screen instead of the viewfinder), an in-body image stabilizer (IS) and an old friend--the Supersonic Wave Filter (SSWF). Along with the E-510 is the E-410 which is pretty much akin to the former, save for the lack of an IS.

While the spotlight will be on Olympus' new dSLRs, there's also room for a new compact camera, the µ 780. As with Olympus' tradition, the 7-megapixel camera is waterproof and offers 5x optical zoom as well as a Dual Image Stabilization for IS properties.

Both the E-410 and the µ 780 will be available in May, while those eager for the E-510 will have to wait till June for its debut. Compare them here

Read more camera gizmos here | Latest PMA 2007 coverage

More images of Olympus' new cameras:

Waterproof Paper

Reasons to consider this: Google Map doesn't get all mushy and fall apart on you in the rain. Your soufflé for once doesn't collapse because the recipe is well splattered with milk, egg, flour and butter stains and you can't make out the amount of ingredients. Those coffee mug rings are a thing of the past! Reasons not to consider this: Who in the right mind would be out in the rain reading a map in the first place? Your dog's poo rolls off the slick waterproof surface before you can say "shit". You can't use the excuse of a soggy parking ticket to plead innocence. It's US$30 for 25 sheets, for pete's sake!

Via Red Ferret

Price: £14.95 (US$29.33) for 25 sheets
Availability: At Memory Map
Device: Waterproof paper
Specs: N.A.

PS3 available for bundle only

Following our earlier report on the Sony PlayStation 3 pre-order and launch promotion, fresh information has arrived indicating a game bundle pre-requisite for both programs. So if you are all charged up for that sleek-looking console, be prepared to cough out good some money for the games. This particularly is a potential sour grape for home theater enthusiasts looking at bagging the heavily subsidized Blu-ray player.

While we are still awaiting confirmation on the pre-order packages offered by the official 13 retail partners, Sony Singapore will be offering the console bundled with Ridge Racer 7 and Resistance: Fall of Man for S$963 (US$676.83). You could place your order with Sony from now till March 5 via its hotline at 65448600.

Alternatively, you could give a go at the 200 units reserved for the March 7 launch party. These will be sold bundled with any one of the 10 games at prices starting from S$42 (US$29.52). To sweeten the deal, you will have a chance to purchase either Genji: Days of the Blade or Mobile Suit Gundam target in Sight for S$1 (US$0.70) only.

If both deals are not attractive in your opinion, you may have to gamble on stock availability as Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong was unable to comment on this matter.

Sony "resurrects" Watchman

Rumors regarding Sony launching a video Walkman have turned out to be true after all. Resembling the A-series less the OLED display, the NW-A800 series instead goes with a 2-inch, 240 x 320 screen. Though it doesn't have a widescreen aspect ratio, it'll do if you want to catch up on recorded television programs on-the-go.

Rated to playback videos for up to 6 hours, it's super slim at just 8.3mm, and come in capacities of 2GB (why even bother?), 4GB and 8GB. And no, they don't let you watch over the air television like the 1982 Sony Watchman. At the same time, new thumbdrive-sized players have also been announced. The Sony Walkman NW-E010 series can give up to 30 hours of music playback in one charge and comes in three different storage capacities--1GB, 2GB and 4GB. Read more here.

Read more gizmos here

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