Smarter Goods

Digital scale measuring cup

Christina Bay — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 16:43:42 +0000

Take cooking to another level of precision with this digital scale measuring cup. Experienced chefs and bakers know that volume alone is not an accurate measure for ingredients. The integrated electronic digital scale measures volume and to get more accurate, the weight of dry and wet ingredients as well.

The digital scale measuring cup is powered by a replaceable lithium battery. It has a 1 1/4″ LCD on the handle showing measurements in ounces, pounds or grams.

The great thing about the digital scale measuring cup is automatically converting weight of dry or wet ingredients into volumes (cups). This allows for perfect accuracy that will satisfy even the most demanding and precise chefs.

Another great feature is the tare function. Layer each ingredients your recipe requires in the cup. Measuring them one at a time.

Available at Hammacher Schlemmer for $40.

Black & Decker Alligator Lopper scissor-like tree branch cutter

Christina Bay — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 17:52:49 +0000

Black & Decker Alligator Lopper LP1000 Electric Chainsaw is a light-weight scissor-like tool for pruning tree branches safe and fast. Capable of cutting up to 4-inch diameter thickness, it make light work out of trimming heavy tree branches.

The bottom part resembles a clamping jaw that grabs onto branches while the electric chainsaw in the upper part cuts into it. The entire assembly is compact and weights only 6lbs. With the blades and teeths enclosed, the Black & Decker Alligator Lopper LP1000 Electric Chainsaw is a safe device to handle.

Black & Decker Alligator Lopper LP1000 Electric Chainsaw retails at $80 and is available from Amazon.com.

Shutter Buddy Baby Snapshot Sidekick helps baby look at your camera

Christina Bay — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:33:36 +0000

Taking photos of babies? Getting your baby to look at the camera is not an easy task, let alone pose for you. Expect having to constantly attract her attention with funny sounds and faces. And when you finally get her to smile at the camera, she turns away the moment you click the shutter button. Chances are out of ten photographs, you may be lucky to get just one keeper.

Shutter Buddy Baby Snapshot Sidekick helps get your baby’s attention and keep his focus longer. Long enough for a perfect shot of your baby’s smile. Babies are visually attracted to high contrast objects. An infant below six months doesn’t have perfect vision yet and are not sensitive to low constrast shades of colours. Shutter Buddy Baby Snapshot Sidekick uses contrasty black and white chequered squares, printed on a large enough surface to get your baby’s attention.

Shutter Buddy Baby Snapshot Sidekick

Speaking from personal experience, if you use a point-n-shoot compact camera that takes about a second to snap after pressing the shutter release button, you’ll need Shutter Buddy Baby Snapshot Sidekick to keep your baby looking your way long enough for a shot.

Shutter Buddy Baby Snapshot Sidekick is available at Amazon.com for $19.95. It fits any cameras, is light and foldable.

Cleaning keyboard with soap water possible with Econo-Keys EK-97-TP

Christina Bay — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 04:50:11 +0000

Every computer keyboard should be built like this. Waterproof and able to withstand the punishment of alcohol, bleach, disinfectants and soapy detergents. Reading the specs of Econo-Keys EK-97-TP, it looks as if this formidable IP67-certified keyboard would survive the dishwasher. But a decent waterproof keyboard you can wash with soapy water and rinse off with tap water should suffice for most users.

When it comes to keyboard hygiene, I’d be the first to admit mine needs more frequent cleaning. Merely wiping the keyboard surface might satisfy most people but germophobics beg to differ. Pry the keys off your 2-year-old keyboard and you’ll find enough dirt and grime to clog your portable vacuum cleaner.

Econo-Keys EK-97-TP is fully sealed with no seams or crevices:

Touchpad with left- and right-click keys
97 keys, including 12 function keys
10-key numeric pad
5.25′ USB cable connection
Compatible with all Windows operating systems
Plug-and-play setup requires no software installation or special drivers
14.93” x 5.52” x 0.38”
379.2 x 140.2 x 9.7 (mm)

What’s the big deal about IP67? An IP67-certified device can withstand:

Splashing, hose-directed and submerged water
Bleach, alcohol and hospital-grade disinfectants
Corrosive, abrasive, acidic and alkaline substances
Dirt, dust, sand and other airborne debris
Extreme temperatures

Aperion simple wireless Home Audio Link (HAL)

Christina Bay — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:28:24 +0000

Aperion Wireless Home Audio Link (HAL) do away the wires that connect your music player and speakers. You can wirelessly stream music from your PC, iPod, HiFi or any audio source to speakers anywhere up to 100 feet throughout your home. Aperion Home Audio Link is an affordable and simple way to have your speakers placed somewhere else and wirelessly link it to your audio player.

When paired with optional additional HAL receivers, a single music source can be sent using 2.4GHz wireless signals to up to three speaker systems. You can play music across your entire house without running a single wire.

Other key features of Aperion Wireless Home Audio Link (HAL) :

Wireless Subwoofer – Connect your powered subwoofer or powered speakers wirelessly

Audio input via USB or Audio-In Jack

No software needed, just plug and play
Find new ways to use HAL, its applications are almost limitless
FREE SHIPPING
FREE lifetime technical support
One year warranty

Aperion Wireless Home Audio Link (HAL) System is available online for $149.

Lace-amatic tie shoelaces with one finger

Christina Bay — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:39:08 +0000

Lace-amatic is an ingenious gadget to rid the hassle of tying or loosening shoe laces. Lace-amatic slips under your shoe laces, grab the top seven laces with it’s grooved lever and stays there to tighten or loosen your shoe-laces like a flip switch with only one finger. Gone is the hassle of bending down and using two hands to tie up your shoe laces.

Lace-amatic is particularly useful for individuals suffering from athritis, hip or back problems where bending down is a painful struggle. With Lace-amatic they don’t need someone else to help them tie and untie their shoes laces.

Unfortunately at the time of writing, Lace-amatic availability is pretty limited. Here’s a list of places that sells Lace-amatic.

Mattress Genie turns mattress into recliner bed

Christina Bay — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 07:30:57 +0000

Mattress Genie® Air Bladder, by Contour Products Inc., is a compact three-component inflatable bed lift device that transforms your mattress into an adjustable reclining bed. Mechanical adjustable bed costs a small fortune but if you really need one, take a look at Mattress Genie which sells for just $99. An inexpensive option to buying an entirely new recliner bed. With a touch of a button, Matress Genie inflates or deflates to adjust reclining angle in less than 1 minute. Capable of elevating the head of your mattress up to 40°.

Mattress Genie Air Bladder Bed Lift System

Mattress Genie® Air Bladder is made from high quality materials and is quality tested for durability. Double-welded seams ensure puncture and leakage-free load handling of up to 1,000lbs. When a preferred angle of elevation is set, Mattress Genie maintains the position all night long without the need for re-inflation. When fully deflated, Mattress Genie® Air Bladder lies very flat you can barely feel its presence.

A reclining bed is necessary for medical reasons, for people suffering from GERD, acid reflux, sinus problems, heartburn, indigestion for instance, to have a good night’s sleep. Mattress Genie® Air Bladder provides a very inexpensive comparable solution to an expensive problem.

Mattress Genie® Air Bladder Bed Lift System is available at Amazon.com for $99 (Twin bed size) onwards.

Thanko USB lunch warmer bag

Christina Bay — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:36:27 +0000

Japanese USB gadgets maker Thanko has come up with updated USB-powered lunch warmer bags. It comes in two sizes – compact and super slim. Thanko USB lunch warmer bags have built-in heaters powered by USB slots to keep food at 60 degrees celcius warm. Now you can enjoy a nice warm meal from home prepared hours ago, in the office.

Abiie Good-To-Go (G2G) BabyDeck diaper changing stroller

Christina Bay — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:19:33 +0000

Abiie Good-To-Go (G2G) BabyDeck diaper changing stroller is a lightweight baby stroller that hides a patented built-in fold-out baby diaper changing deck, called BabyDeck. BabyDeck folds out to a padded, flat and waterproof mat whenever you need to change your baby’s diaper on-the-go. Parents need not worry about having to change baby diapers in unsanitary restrooms or baby room changing stations exposing your infant to germs and bacteria.

Abiie Good-To-Go (G2G) BabyDeck diaper changing stroller is a lifesaver. You may think I’m exaggerating but as a mother to a six-month-old baby who have pooped in the most inconvenient places, Abiie Good-To-Go (G2G) BabyDeck diaper changing stroller gives you a proper place to easily and hygienically clean up your baby’s mess. Not everywhere you go has clean and proper baby room facilities that’s for sure.

BabyDeck’s changing mat can be removed for washing. Abiie Good-To-Go (G2G) BabyDeck diaper changing stroller is very lightweight at 17lbs and supports children up to 3 years or 50 lbs.

Abiie Good-To-Go (G2G) BabyDeck diaper changing stroller is available at Amazon for $199.

chef’n Hightailer Shrimp Peeler best raw shrimp shell peeler

Christina Bay — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 04:54:12 +0000

chef’n Hightailer Shrimp Peeler is a simple and compact kitchen tool for every household, whose occupants love shrimps. If you love shrimps but dread peeling raw shrimps, Hightailer Shrimp Peeler is what you’ll need. It is designed specifically to peel nothing but shrimps and it certainly does a good job.

How does the chef’n Hightailer Shrimp Peeler works? The picture below does the explaining nicely:

chef'n Hightailer Shrimp Peeler

chef’n Hightailer Shrimp Peeler is available online and retails for 3,360 yen (approx. $38) which is fairly expensive for such a small and simple apparatus, IMO. But consider this, if you’re in the food business where you peel hundreds of raw shrimps everyday, chef’n Hightailer Shrimp Peeler makes your job so much faster, easier and gives you nicer shrimps.