First, we had USB heating gloves which our venerable Mobile Ojisan mused as a very cheap cheap alternative to central heating. Just in case your office chilled toes are also complaining, online retailer Thanko has unveiled a pair of, you guessed it, USB heating slippers! And with notebooks making such cosy lap warmers, you're all set for some truly toasty surfing! Rock on.
Another slick corporate gizmo, this one from Finnish company Iqua which has incorporated a wireless Bluetooth headset into the ubiquitous ID badge holder. Which isn't a bad idea since it leaves you totally handsfree when you get that call on your mobile, most probably from your boss. Apparently good for three-way conferences, too, though it'll be downright weird to see a bunch of executives conferencing into their ID badges.
Price: About 120 euros (US$141.45) Availability: See Web site Device: Wireless headset in card Basic specs: Bluetooth 1.2 specification, headset and corporate ID badge holder combined, talktime up to 40 hrs, standby up to 600 hrs, vibration to alert incoming calls silently during meetings, three-way conference call, 100 x 70 x 13mm, 45g, Lithium-polymer battery, user guide, carrying case, travel charger, mini USB adapter
If your cell phone doesn't offer an FM tuner, check out the FM Radio Watch which does more than tell time. In fact, there's nothing cooler than plugging your earbuds into your wristwatch, and have fellow commuters gawk in amazement. Or you can run those headset wires down a long sleeve, tune in during those long boring meetings or lectures, and stay entertained while occasionally nodding your head sagely to show you're paying attention. Just remember not to sing out loud.
Price: US$49.95
Availability: See Web site Device: Watch Basic specs: 1 x 1 x 9 inches, analog watch, FM scan, wired volume control, 3V battery, stereo earbuds
Hi ho, Silver, away! Now here's the kind of wacky idea you probably won't think so crazy when you're stuck in killer traffic, right behind a lorry with a leaky diesel exhaust, and suffering a full bladder. Just take off and fly over them with the Flite Bike, a kit that equips your motorbike with wings. There're just two bitsy problems. At US$19,800 for the kit, that can buy you an awful lot of choppers as gifts for your family. Plus the Flite Bike gear works on only Honda Reflex scooters. If neither is a problem, then your flying carriage can keep 113kg (250lb) of body mass airborne for up to 2.5 hours. One supposes that a status light will alert you when the fuel starts to run low, and that you will need to factor in a safe takeoff and landing distance.
We know a bunch of beer-guzzling colleagues who'd probably love to check this out on a Friday night at the pub downstairs. This gizmo not only makes it easier to create a hole without leaving serrated jaggies, it's made of safety plastic and comes conveniently attached to a keychain. For those green to shotgunning, this isn't so much a drinking game as a contest to see who can down a can of ale the fastest. It involves punching a hole in the bottom side of the can (hence the Shotgun Beer Opener), sealing your lips around the opening, and popping the tab. All of which causes the brew to gush straight into your mouth. Fastest guzzler wins. (Warning: Very high buzz factor.)