Multi-function crutch for safety

We are suckers for gadgets that do many things in one package. This is why the Multi-function appeals to us--even though we have absolutely no use for one. This walking stick is meant for hiking, but aside from helping you get a firm footing, it also comes with an LED flashlight in the handle, an alarm and even shock absorption for reducing strain on the wrist.

Aside from helping trekking hikers, this should be great for the elderly. If met with a mugger in a dark alley, someone using this can first blind the attacker with the light, followed by a swift blow to the head with the stick. Don't mess with gramps, he's armed and dangerous. You can order one online from Gadget4all at US$31.

Via The Red Ferret Journal

Click for a closer look at the handle:

Chill wine instantly as you pour

Those blistering hot days can be rough on oenophiles who lack a proper wine cellar. Even if your red wines survive the high temperatures, they'll still need to spend some time in the refrigerator to come down to an appropriate temperature before serving. But all too often the guests arrive and the wine is poured before you remember to chill it (at least, that's how it happens at my house).

Enter the Ravi Instant Wine Chiller. The two-part device includes a cooling tube, which you store in your freezer, plus a base, which is inserted into the neck of the wine bottle when you're ready to serve. As you pour, the wine travels through a stainless-steel spout (the material was chosen so it wouldn't affect the wine's flavor) surrounded by cooling material. You control the flow, and thus the amount of time the wine spends in the cooling chamber, by placing your thumb over an air intake valve.

A dream come true? Kind of. The manufacturer is quick to point out that the Ravi is designed to cool red wines to the proper serving temperature, but shouldn't be expected to chill a room-temperature white--rather, it's suggested as a way to keep already-chilled whites and rosés cool without an ice bucket. Even with that limitation, wine lovers who live in hot climates may find that the US$50 investment pays off in enjoyment.

Via CNET Blogs

New Rubik's Cube ready for challengers

Hey, you there, seated to my left and across the cubicle. This one's for you guys. Lest you readers think I've found new pleasure talking to myself, I am actually dedicating this post to two of my Rubik's Cube-fixated colleagues. It is hilarious watching them trying to outdo each other on a rather frequent basis (mind you, they use timer clocks as well) before slamming down their cubes on the desk to signal the completion of the puzzle.

Enter the new Rubik's Mirror Blocks puzzle which should up the ante a bit. No two blocks are identical, and instead of colors, each cube has a mirrored surface. So I guess the tried-and-tested formula of solving the puzzle no longer applies. The cube is supposed to be available in Japan in the next couple of weeks at about S$28 (US$20.14). Not too much to ask for a few more moments of hilarity, I guess.
Read more »

Blood-type phone charm could score you a date

A bloody odd cell phone accessory--a strap that displays your blood type for all to see--is apparently quite popular in Japan. But lest you think it was invented to aid victims in the event of a medical emergency, it more commonly serves as a sort of relationship road map in a country that views ABO blood type as indicative of personality and romantic compatibility. You know, "You're an A, I'm a B, wanna go out tonight?"

Dating services in Japan use blood type to make matches, employers use it to evaluate job candidates, and morning TV shows and newspapers there regularly feature blood type horoscopes. "They use it like people here follow astrology," confirms my colleague, Download.com Senior Associate Editor Seth Rosenblatt, who lived in Japan for three years. "But, of course, its origins are in eugenics, which is much more sinister."

The charm--which sells at Tokyo's Strapya World for about US$6--looks like a mini IV blood bag with a letter (A, B, AB, or O) written on the exterior. Fortunately, the red fluid on the inside isn't the real thing.

Via Crave CNET

Hear me now: Songbird disposable hearing aid hits market

With all of us destroying our ears listening to our iPods--and other portable music devices--chances are we're all going to need hearing aids someday. Well, there's some good news for those of you looking ahead to your golden years: Songbird Hearing, Inc. has officially released its new inexpensive disposable hearing aid, the Songbird Flexfit.

According to the company's press release: "Traditional hearing aids can cost as much as US$6,000 and involve professional office visits and fittings to be effective." The key development here is that Songbird is selling the Flexfit for US$79 and it lasts two to six months (400 hours) before you have to exchange it for a new one. Songbird Hearing also says that the Flexfit can "be easily adjusted to fit almost anyone without the need for a hearing exam". In other words, you can order it right over the Internet or by phone without having your hearing tested by a professional (I'm not sure whether that's good or bad).
Read more »

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