Interesting post on Pete’s Engadget about the Pathlock product. Not so much because of the product itself (which switches off broadband connections via hardware) but because of the thread it has spawned which appears to debunk self proclaimed security tsar Steve Gibson of GRC fame. Now I don’t know the guy from Adam, but I’ve recommended his site in the past to my offline readers, maybe I will be a little more circumspect from now on.

Microsucks.com. ‘…the flagship site of the Microsoft Eradication Society…’

The APC TravelPower Backpack. ‘Carrying Cases with integrated universal charging electronics.’ $119.99. ‘Connecting to a single air, auto or standard ac power outlet provides the power to charge and use all your devices. This integrated power system helps reduce weight and cord clutter since bulky transformer blocks and power adapters are no longer necessary.’

The HT07 Desktop Telephone. �69.99. Really makes me wish I had someone to call, know what I mean? ‘They are beautifully built from original materials such as veneers, carved dark and lights woods. They may look like antiques, but infact they contain the latest telephone push button technology making them suitable for every day use.’

PupLight. The first LED flashlight for dogs. ‘Cause, you know, they have really bad eyesight at night.

One of the reasons I really don’t rate wifi for the home is because the real world range never matches the spec on the box. Unless you live in a completely open plan home that is, minus walls and ting. Well the [big breath] ‘Hawking Technology HWU54D, 2.4Ghz Hi-Gain Directional Wireless-G USB 2.0 Network Adapter’ is here to save the day. I think. $71.95. ‘Hawking solves this problem with a Hi-Gain Wireless-G USB 2.0 Adapter that uses an external Hi-Gain…

Ooh, is it illegal to bolt a $1378.00 snazzy chrome plated, 123 decibel Q-Siren with pedestal to your motor? Well how about a Code-3 DashLaser magnetic flashing light for the roof? Aw c’mon, I wanna play too, and it’s only $55.00.

The Panic Mouse Interactive Cat Toy. $27.99. Fun for 2 seconds? And such an alluring and mouselike shade of yellow, don’t you think? ‘The Panic Mouse is the world’s greatest interactive cat toy…its built-in computer board signals a battery-powered motor, creating random and unpredictable, “mouse-like” movements…The Pink Nose adjusts the speed movements to allow slower speeds for kittens and faster speeds for adult cats.’

Grasspave2 is none of yer mamby pamby soft living turf. No sirree! This stuff is tougher than Arnie on a bad day, and you’d better not forget it. Good enough for car parks even. ‘Grasspave2 is a structure which provides incredible load bearing strength while protecting vegetation root systems from deadly compaction…Suspended pollutants and moderate amounts of engine oils are consumed by active soil bacteria, which are aided by the system�s excellent oxygen exchange capacity.’

This Broadband Reports forum is running a Windows XP SP2 upgrade war story thread. Might be useful. Also you can opt out of the upgrade (whilst retaining your Automatic Upgrade facility in XP) for the next 4 months by visiting this link at Microsoft. Follow the instructions (i.e. Open the download rather than Save it) and bingo, no SP2 until December. I’m not sure I want it at anytime, but we’ll see.

The Terminator 3, 1:1 scale Endoskeleton Replica. Tall, shiny and a snip at around $8,000. Or pick up an arm or two for just $499.00

The Super Wave PC Lock. ‘PC Lock it will disable a computer automatically when the ID Unit is not within a predetermined distance from its Lock Unit. If a user is away from his computer for a coffee break, lunch, meetings, …etc. , the PC Lock will disable the computer, thus preventing information from falling into the wrong hand.’

O-ho! Q: When is a mobile phone not a mobile phone? A: When it’s a single button, single number, single text message, GPS locator phone PSD. ‘PSD is a communication device working via GSM mobile network. It can be used either as a phone with limited functions or as a personal security device. Device has one control button, security loop, headset input and sling for neck strap…Keypress places call to predefined number…SMS with GPS data is sent.’

I’ve always wanted to produce a dove or rabbit from a hat. And now I can with the Magic Hat. Complete with ‘push button fire starter’. Et voil�, fricassee bunny for those all important restaurant gigs? $249.00.

Soda Club. 110 liters of fizzy water per gas refill. 110? Anyone remember those quaint little soda syphons? Anyway $89.00 a starter pack.