Lightsnake

If you're in love with 2-in-1s, SoundTech's Lightsnake is one neat solution that puts a sound card right on a cable. All that's required is to plug in the 3m-long cable (one end's a 6.3mm stereo plug, the other a USB) and, voila, audio gets transmitted via USB and recorded in CD quality on your computer. Sans sound cards, sans drivers. Why didn't anyone think sooner of putting a 16-bit analog-to-digital converter in a cable (this one samples at 48/44.1KHz)? Now for the geek factor. The ends light up in a glow that's almost as peachy as Yoda's green lightsaber. Too bad it doesn't hum like one.

See image A | image B

Via coolest-gadget.com

Price: US$69.99
Availability: More info at Lightsnake
Device: Sound cable
Basic specs: LightSnake ¼-inch to USB cable, ¼-inch to mini adapter, user guide, PC driver CD, Sony Media Software 30-day Demo DVD including Acid, Sound Forge, Vegas and other titles

Golf Launchpad USB Golf Simulator for PC

If your greatest golfing triumph is thwacking the green to bits, check out the Golf Launchpad for practicing that swing at home or in your cubicle without making a fool of yourself in public. Don't make the mistake of thinking this is another naff USB flummery. Like the USB Turntable, the Golf Launchpad is seriously priced at US$380. Used together with your laptop, this USB golf simulator hooks into the bundled Tiger Woods PGA Tour from EA Sports, letting golfers play on some of the world's best courses with their own clubs. There's even a swing analyzer, and the tethered ball is real enough to withstand the violent impact of clubheads. Once you progress past annoying your colleagues with shouting "fore" from your cubicle, you can remove the tethered ball on the Launchpad and tee off to the range to sharpen your game. Unfortunately, where the Launchpad goes, your laptop goes, too. Grin and bear if your notebook weighs as much as that golf bag.

See upclose | details

Via Uncrate

Price: US$381.50
Availability: More info at firebox.com
Device: Golf game
Basic specs: Golf Launchpad unit with 2.4m USB cable, netting and support struts, tethered real golf ball on precision pivot, tethered tee, custom developed turf (spare turf included), free EA Sports Tiger Woods PGA Tour Golf Windows Edition, clubs or drivers should have a reflective surface to work with the Launchpad, plug-and-play

PlugKing

Not all million-dollar ideas come to you when you're on the loo fantasizing about the next Post-It Note or Digg.com. For local boy Ng Yi Han, lying horizontal on his bed scanning his room for potential new products appeared to have provided the vital spark. The result, an idea meant for a school module project, led to PlugKing. So maybe it sounds more like an R(A) title, but it's a nifty idea borrowing from those distant childhood days of Lego set building. All this requires is to plug one desired multi-plug after another, as shown here, and voila, you get one highly versatile modular power socket. Ng sees a PlugKing that can dock your iPod, another acting as a USB charger... with the potential seemingly limitless. His brainwave is pending a patent now, but if you're quick, you can catch a demo of the modular power plug at this week's Global Entrepolis @ Singapore 2006 show. Electric.

See some uses here and here

Price: N.A.
Availability: CopperRED, Singapore
Device: Modular power socket
Basic specs: N.A.

Interchangeable footwear

Now here's an idea that seems to have planted its foot on the behind of stodgy old shoe designs, and taken a step towards a direction that we see and like. We're not, ah, too sole on its rather awkward-sounding Ein Oxalis name, though. That aside, this pair of sneakers is designed not only to be easy to slip on, requiring no hands or shoelaces, it works like those faceplates that Nokia phones used to have. In short, you can change the top cover (via a coupling system) to suit any occasion. Want more formal footwear? Just replace the top display layer. Need fun shoes? Easily done. Because it's all based on one pair of footwear, you won't ever need to lug along several heavy clumpers in your suitcase on your next work trip. Cue Boy George: Karma karma karma karma karma chameleon, you come and go, you come and go...

Three possible designs

Price: N.A.
Availability: More info at the Web site
Device: Interchangeable fashion footwear
Basic specs: N.A.

Casio GPR-100 GPS wristwatch

GPS on a watch? Been there, done that. Just check out Timex and Suunto with their extensive stable of GPS watches. Casio used to have one, but this was apparently discontinued. However, like the enigmatic James Bond, the Japanese never say die. So back to the drawing board Casio went, and the result was the world's smallest GPS-enabled wristwatch. There is a price to be paid for such miniaturization, naturally. Don't expect this to display maps or offer latitude or longitude data on its tiny 49 × 72 full dot LCD screen. Instead, this timepiece was designed for the sporty sort with an, ah, unhealthy obsession for keeping check on the time, speed, mileage and pace of their run. Like joggers, this thing has stamina for just 2 hours (stretchable to 4.3 hours on low power). If you like your watch to keep watch on you, check out this decent-sized person locator.

See it worn

Via ubergizmo

Price: About US$460
Availability: Japan, end next month
Device: GPS timepiece
Basic specs: Screen: 49 × 72 full dot LCD, waterproof, world time for 141 cities + seven marine city +GMT time indication, stopwatch, GPS determination distance, timer, alarm, EL backlight, runs on Lithium-ion accumulator, about 4.3 hours, charge time about 3 hours , 63.1 × 49.5 × 17.1mm, about 64g

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