The Key Buoy

Arrr, me mateys! Let's walk the plank, and then watch as your keys rise up while you sink like a stone. Designed for seafaring boaters, the Key Buoy makes losing your keys in murky waters a thing of the past. It's an idea that's been floating around some time, but now that it's real, this should prove a lifesaver for butter fingers. The magic happens when the fob, which fits onto any keychain, is submerged. Once wet, this prompts the buoy to open up and release an orange tube that automatically inflates with air, ensuring your keys are back in your hands rather than in Davy Jones' locker. Do note. It's a one-time use option. So bring along a spare. Oh, and it'll stay afloat for 40 minutes, unless a passing whale mistakes it for chow.

See large image | how it works

Via coolest-gadgets.com

Price: N.A.
Availability: More info at Davis
Device: Buoy for keys
Basic specs: 30 seconds to fully inflate, good only for items weighing up to 120g, single use, 31g, inflated airtube 47cm long

ReadEzy

For the ultimate sloth, there's the Rainbow Book Stand. But for the one book holder to rule them all, ReadEzy apparently takes on the challenge of gripping any type of book, from tomes to textbooks. Two polycarbonate leaf springs hold the open novel in place along the lower edge, leaving the reader handsfree, with only one hand required to flip the pages. This was, unsurprisingly, designed by a student, Macquarie University's David Wild, to counter the neck aches and cumbersome textbooks. What started out as a personal project quickly caught on with friends and family, and grew from there. The rest is, as they say, history.

See more details

Via Gizmag

Price: A$29.95
Availability: More info at home site
Device: Book stand reading aid
Basic specs: N.A.

Egokast video belt buckle

Wearable tech just took another turn. As if it ain't strange enough having your belt buckle make music, now China-based Egokast has a clunky palm-sized video version that serves no higher purpose than to promote navel-gazing--specifically yours. If you have a narcissistic streak, the Egokast is aptly named (it's all about you, baby); though those with beer bellies might want to give this a miss. A plastic shield to protect its scratch-prone display would have been nice. Otherwise, this personal media player bundles a disc chockablock with hundreds of prefabricated video loops for those who can stomach the attention this will draw.

See package | player upclose | worn

Via News.com

Price: US$289
Availability: More info at egokast.com
Device: Personal media player
Basic specs: 512MB SD card, JPEG and BMP images, AVI, MPEG, MP4, MPEG-1, -2, Audio Layer 3 (MP3, WMA), 3.5-inch TFT display, 260K color, 4+hrs video on full brightness, 3hr recharge time, 84.5 x 75 x 25.2mm, 163g, stainless steel, fits 38mm belts, USB 2.0, video-in, video-out

M300 GSM wristwatch phone with SMS

It's been a while since we've seen a watch phone. So here's an update which dropped into our inbox recently, with SMS Developments claiming to retail "the world's first truly mobile watch". Of course, being Down Under, this company totally discounts all the other brands on the other side of the equator with their own mobile wristwatches. However, the M300's build quality appears to be a notch above the competition, and its GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900MHz network is good news for the rest of us in this part of Asia. Bluetooth also means you don't need to stick your wrist awkwardly near your ears and mouth to talk. Simply hook up a Bluetooth headset, and you're good to yak.

See side by side with a phone | worn | larger image

Price: A$649 (US$499.70)
Availability: December 1, 2006, Australia
Device: Watch phone
Basic specs: Over 70 hours of standby, 80 mins of talktime, 65K OLED display, full SMS functionality, Bluetooth compatibility, USB, 99 number memory storage, 40 embedded real tones, push-to-talk support, USB connectivity, 43 x 56 x 14.8mm, 500mA battery, SIM card support, speakerphone, text-base UI

Urban Basketball Backpack

Just what it says. This backpack packs an area for a basketball, that is if you're into the game that Michael Jordan plays. Designer Ramon Villanueva shoots hoops with the conventional haversack by marrying form and function, since the ball is not only stored, it becomes part of the design element. A case of thinking out of the box, or bag, hmm?

See various views

Via Yanko Design

Price: N.A.
Availability: N.A.
Device: Backpack
Basic specs: N.A.

Crave is...

The name says it all. Crave is our new blog about cool gadgets and other crushworthy stuff.

Drop us an email if you have tips or suggestions.

Crave for...

» Mobile Phones (744)

» Digital Cameras (406)

» Notebooks (466)

» PC & Peripherals (482)

» Handhelds (254)

» Printers (44)

» Home AV (496)

» Music & Play (428)

» Gadgets (953)

» Future Tech (161)

Previously...

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

Subscribe to
Crave

Today on CNET |  Reviews |  Crave |  Blogs |  CNET TV |  Digital Living |  Downloads