gadgets

Everyone knows that carbonated drinks start going downhill immediately after you open them, at least in terms of fizziness. Putting the cap back on helps, but it's not a perfect solution: even if you screw it on as tightly as you can, you won't have a perfect seal. Carbonation will still move upward and out of the bottle. Jaeseok Han came up with a solution that ensures your bottles don't lose their carbonation: the Legcap. Rather than using the cap that comes with your bottles, cover them with the Legcap and turn them over. The design of … Read more

Google loves to build platforms on which programs run--Android, App Engine, iGoogle, and in the biggest picture, the Web itself. But platforms are of no use, and aren't much fun, without applications on top, so Google often also kick-starts development with applications of its own.

Now it appears Google is interested in boosting development in a variety of casual gaming and entertainment areas with the acquisition of LabPixies, announced late Monday. The company offers a collection of games and lightweight utilities that run on iGoogle, Google's customizable home page, and on the iPhone and Android phones.

Terms of … Read more

GPS devices, cell phones, and MP3 players have been coexisting with cars for years, so one might think that people would know by now how to use car tech without irritating and endangering the lives of others. One would be wrong. To that end, several states (six for handheld calling and 22 for texting, to be exact) have passed laws banning various types of cell phone activity while driving.

But tech in the car isn't all bad. Gadgets can provide much-needed directions for exploring a new city or hours of entertainment on lengthy road trips. Sometimes it's hard to imagine how we ever lived without such niceties in our vehicles, though I'm sure many of you remember it as clearly as I do (I went on a lot of road trips when I was young...and played a lot of I SPY*). I would never suggest we ditch car tech, but I can provide tips to keep yourself safe, sane, and entertained on the road.

First, let's get a no-brainer out of the way: DON'T text while driving! No matter what the law in your state says, it's never a good idea to text and drive. In fact, one Car & Driver study found that it's safer to drive drunk, not that I recommend that, either. If you must check a text from someone or shoot off a note of your own, either pull over or wait until you're at a red light. And speaking of obvious: how about you put down that hamburger/cigarette/mascara/infant (!!!) and focus on the freakin' road already.

Also, DO consider purchasing a Bluetooth headset for talking while driving, though I'm not convinced that this necessarily safer than talking on the handset. However, it is the legal route in some states (including CNET's home state), and--hey--at least it comes in handy for other situations, such as yammering on the phone while you prepare dinner or fold the laundry. And while we're still on the topic of cell phones, DO make sure you brush up on the laws of whatever state you're driving in so that you'll avoid tickets--and the unnecessary delays and humiliation caused by local police pulling you over and doling out a lecture.

Of course, phones aren't the only things that can distract you while behind the wheel. Make sure you DON'T input GPS coordinates while driving; instead, have a passenger do it, or program destinations before your trip or while stopped. Also, make sure the GPS is mounted on the windshield or dash at eye-level or, when prohibited, set loud enough that you can hear audio directions. In other words, limit taking your eyes off the road as much as possible.… Read more

Luggage-maker Samsonite is releasing a new line of bags this summer seemingly aimed at on-the-go green techies.

The bags will incorporate solar panels from Ascent Solar, the same company that provides flexible thin-film photovoltaic modules for Bye Aerspaces' solar-powered surveillance drone, the Silent Sentinel.

The light-weight CIGS (copper indium gallium diselenide) modules to be used in the Samsonite products will produce enough electricity to recharge small mobile devices like cell phones, GPS navigators, and media players, according to Ascent Solar.

While this is the first major luggage brand to begin offering solar products in earnest, it isn't the first. … Read more

The iPad is touted as the ultimate portable-entertainment device, so I'm sure at least some of you are considering retiring your iPod. Trading up to the latest gadget is probably the top reason most folks dump their old music players.

I still have the iPod I bought in 2003, and I use it a few times a week. I've never had a battery problem, and it still has the original battery. I'm a weird guy. I just need an iPod to play music, so all the new apps and features don't sway me. Is anybody still … Read more

We eat a lot of fried food in this house. This isn't necessarily something I'm proud of, but it is an undeniable fact and not something that's likely to change in the future. When I saw a pitch for the Actify from T-fal, I was intrigued by the claim that just 1 tablespoon of oil would be enough for 2 pounds of french fries. Intruigued--but, I must admit, unconvinced.

When the Actifry arrived at my home, I was still a little skeptical. The instruction manual indicated that the machine uses minimal oil coupled with a hot-air distribution … Read more

I make my cappuccino while still half asleep each morning. So a few weeks ago, I did notice that the milk frothed a bit funny, but I didn't actually process that information until I took a sip. What normally hits me as a sweet, sweet drug was instead unceremoniously spit into my sink, much to the amusement of my children.

Entertainment value aside, I'm not a fan of spoiled milk. The R&D team at Cravendale, a British dairy, is currently researching a new milk jug designed to prevent future milk tragedies like mine thanks to a … Read more

My sixth sense tells me I'm not going to make many friends with this article, but I'm just going to say it: if you carry a bag over or across one shoulder, it's a purse. That means all those messenger bags you fellows are carrying around are man purses. I don't care how big it is: it's still a murse. And I've already earned the ire of one coworker by calling it that (I believe his exact words were: "I'll murse you"), so if you want to bombard my comment section … Read more

Need a unique hostess gift or a great centerpiece for your sushi dinner party? Try this adorable sushi candle set. The candles are so realistic-looking that you'll have to remind yourself not to dig in.

The kit features four assorted pieces of sushi that look good enough to eat. Like yours spicier? No worries--you'll find that sides of wasabi and pickled ginger have been thoughtfully included. The whole thing is packaged in a Japanese take-out box for perfect presentation. Order online for $24.