The Red Ferret Journal

Just be thankful you’re not this Laptop Lilo notebook cooler, holding a scorching hot computer away from someone’s legs on a cushion of air and super strong plastic. Otherwise you might question your reason for being, or ask why God made you a tiny plastic gizmo, rather than a big strong thing like a bouncy castle. $16.99.

The Biknd Helium must be the ultimate bike transportation bag. It can carry a road bike with a 64cm frame or a full-suspension mountain bike. There’s even room inside for a spare pair of wheels. There’s a lot of novel tech in the Helium including hub covers on the outside of the bag to protect your tyres, and a hard-hitting polyethylene, drop-down endcap that takes all the hard knocks. The bag is even on wheels.

The other neat bit is the pair of inflatable side sections which are pumped up with an integrated foot pump after the bag is sealed. This stops everything moving around and provides extra cushioning. RRP is US$599, but that’s nothing compared to the price of the bike, right?

Traveling with a bicycle has never been this simple: the Helium is light and easy to carry and its revolutionary inflatable padding offers unrivaled protection. Thanks to its minimal dimensions, it fits easily in the trunk of even the smallest cars (width of 100 cm). Every small detail has been looked into: the Helium bike case has special compartments for an extra wheelset and also for stowing you helmet, shoes and other essentials (pump, spare tubes, etc.)

Tags: gadget, biknd+helium, bike+case, bike+travel+case

In my experience the Magic 8 Ball was supposed to answer all sorts of silly, life-altering questions. The only magic this Magic 8 Ball Gaming Chair is capable of is keeping your feet or bum off the ground. It’s inflatable, has an 8 on the outside, and you can choose from number 9 or 11 inside. The top (or is it the bottom) zips off to become a seat or you can just leave it as it is, kick back and put your feet up. �99.

A massive, inflatable Magic 8 Ball that’s actually a chair, footrest and pillow all in one? As far as retro-chic goes, this is the daddy. Anyone who spent a wasted youth in pool halls trying to ‘work the tables’ but ended up being too scared to challenge anyone to a game (guilty) will love this chance to be the most relaxed pool shark in town.

Tags: gadget, magic+8+ball+gaming+chair, games+room+furniture, furniture

The Bathing Cushion is an air compressor powered inflatable cushion that will lower and raise you out of the bath. It can take a maximum weight of 150 kg (330 lb) and it can lift to a maximum height of 40 cm. The compressor is rechargeable so you don’t need to have power leads lying around and there’s a safety feature that prevents it from lowering you into the bath if it doesn’t have enough charge to get you out. Convenience like this isn’t cheap though, �399.95 and a complete lack of respect from your World of Warcraft clan …. I’m just sayin’.

At the touch of a button on the remote control it lowers you slowly to the floor of the bath (you choose whether to leave in some air to inflate the backrest) then steadily elevates you back to a sitting position when you want to get out.

Tags: gadget, bathing+cushion, bath+access+gadget

This AirPro Cordless Air Compressor looks the part all right, what with that nice chunky battery block on the base and the matt black plasto finish. And look, Ma, you get twin LED work lights to make it easy to see the nail sticking out of the tyre in the dark. Marvellous. $69.95.

The Walk on Water Ball is what you get when you cross a fishbowl and a hamster wheel. Dive through the orifice, line up the ball so water won’t get in and run for it. It can take up to one 80 kg person. The red and yellow dimples on the surface of the ball give it traction so you can race across the lake like a ballon in a gale. It’s probably pretty warm in there too, with the sun and stuff. Like running in a greenhouse. Oh well what do you care, you can walk on water. US$299.95 from Hammacher.

This giant 6′ inflatable sphere lets you walk across water as fast as you can stride thanks to hundreds of exterior inset cups that help “grip” the lake or ocean surface as you “clamber up” the sphere’s interior

Tags: gadget, outdoor+fun, walk+on+water+ball

Motorized Bumper Boats should help the summer swing along with a bundle of laughs. Especially when you smash into your opponent at a massive 2 mph. Speed hog. $99.98 (the 2 cents discount makes all the difference eh?).

The Lay-Z-Spa is a portable and inflatable outdoor spa. It can heat the water up to 40�C, has a built-in air pump to blow up the spa and to provide millions of tingly bubbles via the 80 microjets. For the clumsy and/or absent-minded there’s also a residual current device to protect your guests on the off chance someone drops a martini shaker or toaster into the spa.

It also comes with a cover so you can keep the critters out and if you change the water often enough, it won’t need chemicals, but there’s an optional chemical kit anyway. Fully inflated, it’s 2 metres across and 80 cm high, and it can all be yours for just �499.

Lay Z Massage system with 80 individual micro jets Digital temperature control (up to 40 deg C), and Water filtration system, and built-in air pump for easy inflation Includes cover and instruction DVD 206×79cm Built-in RCD protection Everything you need

Tags: gadget, portable+spa, lay+z+spa

Here’s a quick round-up of Red Ferret posts from the past week for those who missed them. Enjoy.

• Money To Burn Firelighters – the perfect gift for one of our banker friends, perhaps? – Money To Burn Firelighters look…
• One Swarm – P2P goes cool style friend to friend – One Swarm is a new free P2P file…
• Airboard – inflatable ultra fun in the snow – Airboards are an inflatable and…
• Google Adsense Generator – show off your massive Adsense earnings…and profit – The Google Adsense Generator is a…
• Universal Laptop Power Supply and USB Charger – with great power comes great responsibility – Universal Laptop Power Supply USB…
• Privacy Safe – snoop out the snoopers – The Privacy Safe detects hidden…
• MID M1 Mbook – prepare for the invasion of the mobile internet device – The new MID M1…
• Find It All Key Finder – dual mode locators make finding your stuff easier – The Find It All Key Finder is…
• PNG Gauntlet – freeware PNG compressor makes your images teeny – PNG Gauntlet is a .NET freeware…
• Winkbill – cute online invoicing service – Winkbill is a ‘simple online…
• Bookmooch – or how to be nice on the web – We featured Bookmooch way back in…
• Sky Cutter Flying Lawnmower – literally cut to the chase – The Sky Cutter Flying Lawnmower…
• Honeywell Forecast Projector – time and tornados on your wall or ceiling, Marge – Guys, this Honeywell Forecast…
• Zeeion Blower – high tech digital camera sensor cleaner – The Zeeion Blower from Visible…
• Quake Live Beta open tomorrow… – Apparently something called Quake…
• JetPhoto Studio – freeware photo management for the Flickr generation – JetPhoto Studio is a…
• Pipl – scarily effective deep web people search – One of the scary things about…
• Cuisinart Mix-it-In Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker – The Cuisinart Mix-it-in Soft Serve…
• 10 Ways to Speed up Torrent Downloads – grease lightning, oh grease lightning… – 10 Ways to Speed Up Torrent…
• Nokia Creative N82 Photo Awards – Nigel and I are both big fans of…

Airboards are an inflatable and lightweight sled for those hard-to-reach peaks. Designed and perfected in the Swiss Alps, they combine traditional sleds, with an inflatable body for ultimate fun. The hard base and runners give you fast response and a very fast ride, while the padded body irons out the painful bits. The airboards come with a hand pump and a carry bag and they can be inflated in about 3 minutes. There is a range of models and prices and sellers can be found through Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. Prices from $US280 with a review of the Airboard here.

For sliding on backcountry ungroomed terrain, ski slopes and terrain parks. This multi-purpose Airboard offers a great slalom style ride. Quick and easy turning on those uneven slopes! Great for catching some air too! If you suffer from back and knee problems and are unable to ski, snowboard, short ski or any snow sport requiring you to stand up with bent knees enduring high-impact landings, Airboard may be the answer for you to get back out on the slopes!

Tags: snow+sports, snow+gadget, winter+sports+gadget

Bounce away your summer with one of these Aquajump inflatable trampolines. Available in 4 sizes, ranging from 1 child up to 4 adults, they come with a stainless steel ladder to help you scramble aboard and a puncture repair kit. But don’t stop there, you can supersize it with attachments and make the ultimate water adventure.

Add an aquaslide inflatable waterslide just like on the aeroplanes but remember to remove your shoes first, an inflatable aqualog to practice your Gladiator moves, or the long range launcher trampoline. US$3,999 for the 4.5m diameter, 4 adult model and they’ll throw in a free pump so you won’t need that spare set of lungs. Attachments are extra.

The Rave Sports Aqua Jump 25 Water Trampoline is the perfect water toy for kids and friends. For hours of endless fun, this yellow and blue water trampoline will accommodate up to 16 lounging children or eight bouncing ones. There are four carrying handles and a six-step stainless steel ladder to get back on once you have had your time in the water.

Tags: aquajump, trampoline+water

Jr Space Explorer. Pah, who needs Branson and his fancy $200,000 space ride tickets, when you can be a space tourist right here on terra firmay? And for just $33.95. And man, that cockpit looks sweet.