The art of book scanning – propelled no doubt by the sudden flood of e-book readers like the Kindle, iPad and others – is hotting up significantly. Where before you would have to spend upwards of $3000 for a ‘cheap’ book scanner, you can now get away with shelling out just a few hundred dollars, or in some cases almost nothing if you can scrounge up the bits. Here’s a quick roundup of some of the most interesting offerings out there. Book Liberator. Nice looking and elegantly constructed…
Read MoreMonthly Archives: July 2010
USB Ethernet Adapter – connect your desktop or laptop to the network via a USB port
This USB 2.0 Ethernet Adapter will convert any standard USB port into a 10/100 RJ45 Ethernet networking socket. It’s a great way to add networking to your computer without having to install a full sized network card, or as a replacement if your existing network port or card has died. It features an integrated Fast Ethernet MAC and transceiver, and supports full duplex high speed data flow. USB powered too, and all for just $9.60. USB to RJ45 interface # USB 2.0 interface with compliant to…
Read MoreSound Sentry XL Alarm – entry alarm speaks your heart
The Sound Sentry XL Alarm will replay your custom recording whenever it detects motion nearby. The possibilities are endless are they not, peeps? Herds of penguins, the Vienna Boy’s Choir, Obama Girl. Enough to scare away the nastiest villain. $24.98. Sound sentry plays your custom recording when it detects motion up to 10 feet away! Use as an entry alarm, message reminders for family (hard to ignore!), sound effects for practical jokes, parties, etc. Thousands of uses! Uses 3 AAA batteries…
Read MoreBunBun Eco Light – cute flashlight gets a charge out of being swung around violently
This BunBun Eco Light recharges by being swung around like a rubber chicken. Don’t forget to use the lanyard though will you, or you’re likely to waste the $24.00 it cost to buy the thing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MglkuX5GGQw Tags: gadget, bunbun+eco+light, flashlight
Read MoreLe Whif – suck it up and lose the pounds?
Le Whif is a weird way to indulge your cravings while staying slim and healthy. Apparently. The idea is that rather than eating a bar of chocolate, you sniff/suck up the flavour instead. Smells a bit suspicious don’t it? The product comes in chocolate, coffee and assorted flavours and each tube will deliver around 8 whiffs of flavour to your taste buds and nasal cavity. Priced at £4.99 a box of three. Le Whif – an amazing way to inhale the taste…
Read MoreStreamripper – free open source audio streaming recorder
Streamripper is a free open source audio recorder which can record audio streams from online services such as Shoutcast and Icecast, etc and save them as MP3 files on your hard disk. The basic software will work seamlessly with the free WinAmp player, but you can also download any of a selection of free and commercial front end user interfaces, like StationRipper, SimpleRipper and Streamtastic for your listening enjoyment. Note that the commercial version of StationRipper has support for recording…
Read MoreMega Android Tips and Tricks – how to get the best out of your Android smartphone
Android is making waves in a big way, so for all of you Android folks, here’s a roundup of Tips & Tricks to make the most of your shiny smartphone. Techcredo Tips & Tricks. Fab list of tips for Android, some basic some not so (e.g. how to clear the custom dictionary). Bookmark it. MaximumPC Tips & Tricks One point I disagree with is the suggestion to root your phone so you can use different operating system versions etc. I rooted…
Read MoreArboform – liquid wood is better than plastic and vastly more earth friendly
ArboForm is a ‘sustainable’ plastic type material invented by a couple of German dudes, Juergen Pfitzer and Helmut Naegele, which is 100% renewable, totally biodegradable (you can even burn it like wood) and can be formed into just about any shape you need. The material is made from lignin, a component of wood and a by-product of the paper making process. Apparently the paper industry throws away around 50 million tonnes of lignin every year, which makes it very attractive as a low cost plastic replacement….
Read MoreMakani Air Turbines – taking power from the wind with added complex
It strikes me – as a rank amateur of course – that the last thing you would want in order to generate electrical power from the wind, would be a complex tethered kite concept. The Makani Airborne Wind Turbine system however combines just these elements in its proposed low cost power generation product. There’s lots of nice charts, pics and videos on the site, but you can’t help feeling that any system which relies on swinging an aircraft around on a bit of string at…
Read MoreFerret posts this week
Here’s a quick round-up of Red Ferret posts from the past week for those who missed them. Enjoy. Automatic Pill Grinder – makes the medicine go down… – The Automatic Pill Grinder accepts… Dog Pee – um…the toy dog that sprinkles – Um…a Japanese wind-up toy… UnderFX Green Screen Suit – full body Chromakey kit for fun video tricks – This UnderFX Green Screen Suit… Paper Cutter Mouse – the left click slicer – This Paper Cutter Mouse operates… QuickMonth…
Read MoreBookBook – disguise your Apple laptop as a vintage book
The BookBook is a case for an Apple Macbook Pro which is designed to look like a leather bound hardcover book of some antiquity. Quite why you would want to make your computer look like a dusty – and possibly very valuable – first edition is a mystery. We’re thinking a pizza box is definitely more secure. But hey, what do we know? From $79.99. Protecting your MacBook is a top priority and it’s job one for BookBook. Slip your Mac inside…
Read MoreMamaRoo – the pretentious geek’s baby bouncer
The MamaRoo is about as over-the-top ridiculous as any baby bouncer you’re going to find anywhere. It comes with five pre-programmed bounce settings to rock your tot to sleep, including ‘car ride’, ‘tree swing‘ and ‘ocean‘, as well as a designer plush balls mobile and the ability to plug your MP3 player into the thing to beam your choice of aspirational audio to the poor babe’s ears. Boggle! $199.99. Here’s where MamaRoo’s attention to detail blew us away. The balls are…
Read MoreMugen Batteries – double the battery power of your smartphone in one step
Mugen Extended Batteries are for smartphones. Actually they make them for smartphone users who are fed up with having to re-charge their handsets mid-day to keep up with their needs. We’re talking a trade off, of course, between doubling your talk/standby time with a c.3200mAh battery (vs the 1500 or so you get as standard), against a large lump stuck to the back of your sleek, trendy fashion statement. Your call. Priced at around $80–96.00 or so, depending on model….
Read MoreVeterinarian’s Dog Thermometer – Fido thanks you…
This Veterinarian’s Dog Thermometer has pets and vets around the world cheering with joy. Rubber gloves and pained looks of shock are banished as you merely hold the thing a couple of inches away from the animal’s ‘perianal region‘ (delightful phrase, eh?) instead of the more painful and traditional alternative. Oh and it’s doggie calibrated, which is useful. $89.95. Used by veterinarians, this is the noninvasive thermometer that takes a dog’s temperature without touching the pet. Unlike probe thermometers that…
Read MoreScratch and Scroll Mouse Pad – the low tech alternative to the low tech Post-It Note
This Scratch and Scroll Mouse Pad combines one of those lift and delete reusable scratch pad thingies with a mouse pad type format. Yeah it’s primitive, but pretty useful too, especially for those quick phone number moments where you need to jot and run. £17.97. There’s no more collecting little bits of paper all over your desk and screen – when you’ve finished with the information, just flip up the semi-transparent top sheet and you’ve got a clean slate! (Which…
Read More
