otters

April Fools' is a big day for conceptual technology products. Big tech companies get to let their hair down and come up with gadgets that would earn them ridicule and criticism if they were introduced on any day other than April 1.

We have some real doozies for 2013 when it comes to prank tech gear. ThinkGeek, as usual, has an entire lineup of weird and wonderful items. There's a Play-Doh 3D printer that forms figures out of the famous squishy clay-like material. If you enjoyed listening to Bane's garbled and growly speech during "The Dark Knight Rises," you'll want your very own pair of Bane Mask Walkie Talkies. Other fictional products from the geek retailer include an "Aliens" Chestburster-in-a-Can, a Creeper Body Pillow, and an Eye of Sauron desk lamp.… Read more

MONTEREY, Calif.--It's 1:30 in the afternoon and three of the most famous residents of this coastal town are getting ready for lunch. A very large crowd has gathered to watch.

These, of course, are Joy, Mae, and Abby, the Monterey Bay Aquarium's three resident sea otters, and it's standing-room only up against the glass separating visitors from the animals as several staff members appear with small buckets full of shrimp, clams, and squid.

I've come to the aquarium as part of Road Trip 2012, and I've been treated to a very special viewing … Read more

I knew there was something missing from my life. I just didn't know what it was until I came across ToyOtter's latest list of rejected "Star Wars" merchandise ideas on Action Figure Insider.

I'm missing a Luke Skywalker/Darth Vader salt and pepper shaker set, without which my life will never be complete. How did this product not get made?

"Let these legends of the kitchen table be a constant reminder of the battle over good and evil in the galaxy," the concept reads. Each morning there could be an epic battle for the very soul of my scrambled eggs.… Read more

I'd like to say that all my fretting about dropping a $500 smartphone was baseless. But it wasn't--various Androids and iPhones under my stewardship have taken the plunge over the years as I fumbled them while walking, bumped them off the dresser, or let them slip out of a shirt pocket as a bent down.

This is why I'm a fan of phone cases.

I like those sleek phone designs, but not as much as I like the phones continuing to function. Indeed, about a month ago, I somehow cracked the transparent cover over the camera of the Nexus One I'm using, a big annoyance for taking snapshots and videos, scanning QR codes and business cards, and periodically renewing my frustration with the Google Goggles visual search app.

Alas, though, I'd been dissatisfied with the cases I'd tried--until now. The OtterBox Commuter series is just for me.

I like the rubbery cases for their shock absorption and for the friction that keeps them from falling out of pockets. But I like the hard-shell polycarbonate plastic cases that don't require me to turn my pockets inside-out to retrieve the phone. The OtterBox Commuter combines both approaches, with a rubbery wraparound case and a plastic sheath that snaps on the outside.… Read more

The OtterBox Defender Series case is arguably the most popular tough iPhone cases out there and we've got a Defender for the iPhone 4 ready to give away to one lucky winner. OtterBox says the Defender has a textured silicone exterior for an improved grip and the touch-screen membrane that protects the iPhone's display resists fingerprints. The case also includes a holster, and we have to say that this Defender has a better overall design than the Defender for the iPhone 3 and 3GS. It doesn't look and feel quite as bulky.

Normally, the OtterBox Defender case … Read more

I've been wanting to write about the phenomenon of animal Web cams for several years when I first learned that my good friend Susan was addicted to the sea otter cam at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Every time I would see Susan she would regale me with information about her favorite sea otter, Toola. Toola, who often serves as a surrogate mother to stranded otter pups, doesn't like to be weighed on the scale, she only leans on her right side and grooms her fur with both paws and feet, and she is very shy despite assuming center … Read more

Forget copyrighted comedy ripped off from some cable channel. Even forget the made-for-YouTube teen fantasy. This is real video of a real-life couple, laid bare before all the world. And the world, as reflected by YouTube, seems to love it.

You may be the last person on earth who hasn't already seen the hand-holding otters. The video is years old, but it wasn't posted until March. In less than two months, nearly 6 million viewings have been recorded.

Canadian TV reports the two otters have become big celebrities thanks to the video. Here you can learn the two … Read more