DirtSurfer hybrid skates

It's always amazing to see what thrill seekers come up with for the ultimate adrenalin rush. The DirtSurfer, which seems to be a combo of the skateboard and TrailSkate, was tagged "skateboard-on-steroids" by CBS Television for good reason. Since the two-wheeled inline design mimics the surf- and snowboard's movements, extreme sports fans will enjoy the free-flowing fluidity and much faster speeds of the DirtSurfer. As for moi, solid ground is always good.

Click to see enlarged image | dirtsurfer in action

Price: US$820
Availability: Really Cool Toys
Device: Extreme sports skates
Basic specs: Two inline 20-inch wheels, 28mm diameter frame, alloy, high strength solid (with 15mm nuts), DeckGrip black skateboard style non-skid, brake patented new calf-lever operated V Brake system.

Internet Urinal

Whatever will they think up next? Still, it's no laughing matter when you're desperately torn between dashing for the loo and waiting for that eBay bid to come through, or too busy scoring hits in a LAN party game to afford a pee break (hey, gamers have been known to die in their chairs). The Internet urinal can apparently hold as much as a Big Gulp and even ships with an adapter for the opposite gender, though it boggles the female mind how this can be accomplished without any, erm, accidents. Still, simply priceless, particularly as a hint to gaming-mad spouses.

Price: About US$4.99
Availability: Think Geek
Device: Portable urinal
Basic specs: 32oz, hard plastic material, female adapter included

Flip Flap Rippletone

Gadget Buzz will take a short break over the Good Friday vacation, returning on Monday to bring you more updates to the gizmo scene. But before that, one of our fav Japanese toy makers Tomy appears to be going potty over the life cycle of a plant. Having rolled out the Flip Flap (two giant leaves that flap under a light source) and the Flu Fleur (a flower which responds to sound), it's about to unfurl the bud-shape Rippletone. This "blooms" under solar power, and even glows in the dark. Just watch that your cat doesn't take a swipe at it.

Click to see the Rippletone packaging

Price: 1,890 yen (US$17.80)
Availability: This month, though it's likely to make its way down to shops in Singapore
Device: Solar-powered desktop accessory
Basic specs: In a choice of Passion Orange, Mint Green or Ginger Brown, three movements

Inflate

Lights, camera, inflate! Britisher Ben Wilson's airbag-inspired Inflate is designed for the Extreme Sporting crowd, though this rig looks equally capable of doubling as an emergency body brake or butt cushion for those hard landings. Built for skate- and snowboarders, the Inflate looks a little too clunky to lug along for aggressive sports. But it does what it says, which is to protect your video camera from damage and the elements.

Price: N.A.
Availability: Ben Wilson Design
Device: Digital camera rig
Basic specs: PVC

Sony ICD-CX40 Digital Voice Recorder

As far as hybrids go, this one's no mongrel. Bearing the Sony marque which is generally good enough for most folks, this voice recorder hides a 1.3-megapixel camera in a package that reminds us of a Philips shaver. There's even a 1.2-inch dot-matrix color LCD display within. We can see the ICD-CX40 being used for nature or school field trips, where a 2-in-1 in would lighten the load. The fixed 128MB memory may sound measly today, but given the low resolution of the sensor, you should be able to store up to 1,500 images.

Price: 340.20 pounds (US$651)
Availability: Some online stores
Device: Voice recorder with digicam
Basic specs: Records up to 47 hours 35 mins

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