CELL PHONE POPCORN

WTF? Yeah, that's what I thought too. Thanks Toby for the tip!

SMART CAR TEST DRIVE - VIDEO

Here's the skinny: I would probably only buy one if I needed space, if I only had $15k, if I loved being stared at on the road, or just was in love with the cuteness of it. Otherwise, I might still have to wait for the Prius. 

I really did enjoy the Smart Car, it was good quality (materials, the cage, etc.) and definitely cute, but there's not enough value for my needs. Meaning, I would rather have more space and more car and pay just a bit more money for a Prius, and the Smart Car uses only gas. 

People ask about the mileage, and I believe it's 33/45 even though unofficially, the girl was told people are getting into the 50's. Not too shabby. The version here that we test-drove was the Cabrio and with the upgrades and taxes, was right around $17K, give or take. They are definitely worth looking into, and are indeed fun. I'm glad I did it, so I won't see one zipping around and wonder, "What are those little things like to drive?"

THE NEW IPHONE - STRONGER, FASTER, CHEAPER!

Apple’s new iPhone — faster, cheaper and with more features — is winning praise from analysts who say the device has already more than earned its place in cell phone history.

The company, aiming to make its goal of selling 10 million iPhones by the end of this year, Monday slashed the price of the phone by half from $339 to $199 on its least expensive model, and said it will have faster 3G networking speed, as well as GPS.

“Whether or not they make their goal of selling 10 million iPhones by the end of the year doesn’t matter,” said David Chamberlain, principal wireless analyst for In-Stat Research.

“Apple has absolutely succeeded in this market, whether they hit that number,” he said. “The iPhone has forced all the major handset manufacturers in the same direction.”

That direction includes having a touchscreen and combining smartphone features, like calendar-keeping and e-mail, with entertainment uses, including music.

The new phone, which will go on sale July 11 in the United States and 21 other countries, is being called the iPhone 3G, a reference to the faster Internet surfing and e-mail access that it will get from AT&T Wireless’ third-generation cellular network.

3G speed means the phone is capable of more quickly processing data, at rates of up to 2 megabits per second. The original iPhone was 2.5G, which generally transmits data at a rate of between 144 and 384 kilobits per second.

Click here for the rest of the MSNBC article.

APTERA: A CAR OR A MOTORCYCLE?

Plug it in for 2-4 hours and drive 50 miles.

Drive further and the generator turns on to recharge the batteries. At 350 miles of driving the generator will keep the batteries charged enough for unlimited driving at about 130 mpg. 75 mile trips are about 400 mpg.

At $27,000 - $30,000, Aptera is expected to be safe as any auto. Plug in for 50 mile trips for $1-$2. Want to learn more? Go to Aptera's website and have a gander.

Here's a commercial it was featured in. Could you drive one?

Source: Three Minds

(Thanks for the article Toby)

THE FLIP MINO - COME TO DADDY!

Flip Video Mino Takes Aim at the Cool Set

When Pure Digital Technologies Inc. introduced its Flip point-and-shoot camcorder a year ago, it dramatically simplified video recording. The Flip measured the size of a small digital still camera, cost less than $150 and its videos could be emailed in one quick process. Consumers gobbled up the tiny, nonintimidating device.

But to the style-conscious set, the Flip looked like a clunky Fisher-Price toy — especially when compared with a sleek, new iPod or more-sophisticated digital cameras — and was too thick to comfortably slip into a pocket. Last fall, Pure Digital introduced an enhanced version: the Flip Video Ultra, but its biggest aesthetic difference was new orange, pink and green colors.

Today, the company will begin sales of its $180 Flip Video Mino (pronounced “minnow”), the hippest offering yet from Pure Digital. This 60-minute Flip includes many firsts for the company: rechargeable batteries; touch-sensitive buttons rather than old-school, push-down buttons; and a thinner build that measures 40% smaller, overall. The Flip Mino is also the first one in the family to enable publishing to MySpace (NWS); prior software limited Web-site sharing to YouTube (GOOG) and AOL (TWX) Video.

I’ve been using a glossy, black Flip Mino (it also comes in white) for the past two weeks and it looks much cooler than older models. Its newly positioned USB adapter pops up from the top of the camera like something from a Swiss Army Knife. The Mino offers features such as the ability to lock the delete button, so no one accidentally deletes your videos, and mute all camera sounds, so as to record silently during quiet moments like wedding ceremonies or speeches. Click here for the rest of the Wall Street Journal article. 

Mine, along with the action attachment so I can attach it to my bike, and the tripod, was shipped today, so stay tuned!

DID YOU KNOW?

1. A single piece of spaghetti can be used as a match to light multiple candles?  If you don’t have a long match, give this a try!  
2. You can use an old tissue box (think Kleenex) to store your old grocery store bags and simply pull out as needed.
3. In 1508 Leonardo da Vinci sketched an idea for the contact lens.
4. If you are concerned about puncturing your cake with candles (not sure why one would be concerned about that), you can use a traditional Lifesaver to secure it in place on top of the dessert.  It should be a nice snug fit, and edible too! (source: REAL SIMPLE magazine, 1/2008 issue)

Check this out from www.polder.com:

 
The cutest little timer for the kitchen!  I want one and I don’t even cook!  Click here to get it, $14.99 won't break you.  Well, um, I don't think it will. 

CITY CAR FROM JAPAN

I want one. Ok, not really - I would feel just a little too silly in it. It seems to say, "Hello, I have arrived and I would like a nice hot cocoa with some marshmallow cream in it right away!"

Wii FIT HAS A RELEASE DATE

Wii Fit is set to release May 21, 2008 - not long from now! Click here to pre-order.

Getting Started: Create a Profile

Before you jump into doing exercises and activities, you’ll start by creating a profile. This is done easily and intuitively by simply choosing a Mii, entering your height and age information, and doing a few quick tests that will serve as a baseline for your new Wii fitness regimen. These tests are:

BMI Check: BMI, or Body Mass Index, is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that is the standard used by agencies such as the World Health Organization and the National Institute of Health. To check your BMI, you’ll enter your height then stand on the Wii Balance Board and let it read your weight.

Wii Fit Age: After you’ve checked your BMI, you’ll do a basic balance test and find out your current Wii Fit Age. This basic balance test measures how well you can control your left and right balance. Based on the results, you’ll be assigned a Wii Fit Age.

Four Categories of Fun
Once you have created your profile it's time to have some fun. Wii Fit features four main categories of exercises to choose from: Strength Training, Aerobics, Yoga and Balance Games. Wii Fit will guide you through the first three with the help of your own virtual personal trainer, while the balance games offer variety and fun to help keep you engaged and excited about your fitness goals. In addition, as you spend time exercising, you’ll earn Fit Credits that unlock additional exercises and activities within your favorite categories that will allow you to continue to push yourself. See more detail on the four categories below:

1. Strength Training: Put your strength to the test with muscle-toning exercises like Single Leg Extension, Sideways Leg Lift, Arm and Leg Lift, Single-Arm Stand, Torso Twists, Rowing Squat, Single Leg Twist, Lunge, Push-Up and Side Plank, Jackknife, Plank and Tricep Extension. Challenges include Push-Up Challenge, Plank Challenge and Jackknife Challenge.
2. Aerobics: Get your heart pumping with fun, interactive Aerobic exercises like Hula Hoop, Basic Step, Basic Run, Super Hula Hoop, Advanced Step, 2-P Run, Rhythm Boxing, Free Step and Free Run.
3. Yoga: Work on your balance and flexibility with Yoga poses and activities like Deep Breathing, Half-Moon, Dance, Cobra, Bridge, Spinal Twist, Shoulder Stand, Warrior, Tree, Sun Salutation, Standing Knee, Palm Tree, Chair, Triangle and Downward-Facing Dog.
4. Balance Games: Get into the action with fun, balanced-based games like Soccer Heading, Ski Slalom, Ski Jump, Table Tilt, Tightrope Walk, Balance Bubble, Penguin Slide, Snowboard Slalom and Lotus Focus.

Keep Track of Your Progress
Because keeping fit is an ongoing process, Wii Fit also tracks the activities you do the most and puts them into your Favorites category. With this information players can note exercises and activities that they are strong in, as well as others that may need to improve at. Some of the ways players can use this information for are to:

• Keep tabs on your daily progress with easy-to-understand graphs and charts. Using your personal profile, you can set goals, view a graph of your BMI results over time, see how many Fit Credits you’ve earned, check your Wii Fit Age and even enter exercise time you’ve done outside of Wii Fit. It’s all about coming back and exercising a little every day, and the personal profile makes tracking your daily progress simple and easy.
• Quickly check your Wii Fit Age and BMI without even putting the game in the console by going directly to the Wii Fit Channel.
• Allow up to eight family members can create their own profiles in Wii Fit. On the profile-selection screen, everyone in the family can see each other’s recent BMI progress and Fit Credit total. This will allow families to have a friendly competition to exercise and get fit.

GUESS WHAT THESE ARE?

Are they silicone implants? Donuts? Jelly bean M&M's? Super-modern living room furniture? 

CLICK HERE to find out.

KICKIN' IT OLD SCHOOL

Old school but with a modern twist - you can plug your Mp3 player into this Singgih Kartono design. The designer chooses wood for his radios not just based on aesthetics but on his appreciation of wood's simplicity and organic vitality. The Magno radio combines the most current mp3 player compatible electronics with sustainably grown woods.

My birthday's coming up - hint hint. You can buy this at Velocity Art and Design. 

AWWW YEAH - KITTY SMELL BE GONE

Bionaire has called this the finest odor-fighting litter box on the planet - you turn it on and it filters out the odors, continuously keeping it smelling fresh. 

I doubt it's truly FRESH but less-offensive for sure. Coming in the fall of 2008.

IPHONE, YOU PHONE, WE ALL PHONE

Here comes another gadget for the iPhone and this one looks pretty nice! Typically, I scour the web for innovative stuff but don't post, but this one deserves a post. It's from DLO and they're portable speakers, not a huge deal right? But unlike my Bose, this one you can take calls from as the base becomes a speaker phone so you don't lose the call functionality. You can also set it to lay sideways for better viewing of videos. 

Hate the interference you get if you use it on your Bose without putting it in airplane mode (where you can't get calls)? Well, this one prevents that with an interference-free amplifier. 

I have quite an affinity for design elements, so the way you pack it up makes it very exciting to me. The speakers fit together to create a ball-like shape, although I prefer to think of it as a giant egg. Go figure. 

Price - $49.99, making this a really good option for your office. I hate having a cubicle, damn damn damn! :-)

ATTENTION RUNNERS!

It's called the Nike + Sport Band. It seems to be sold out on Nike's website, but look elsewhere and you just might find it in stock.

It short, it's another device that works to help you enhance your running routine - it's designed to work with the Nike Sports Kit and basically allows you to track your speed, distance, calories, etc. This seems to be a display device for easier-management of your efforts without the music. 

Price: $59.

Below is the Nike Amp + Sport Remote Control.

This one is a watch and a remote for the Nike+ experience. Hear instant voice feedback of your time, distance, calories and pace when you add the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit and Nike+ Ready shoes. Wear the watch alone for a stylish, unique timepiece.

• Durable polyurethane strap can be cut to your exact preference for a natural, comfortable fit 
• Stainless steel custom-fit buckle 
• LED displays time of day and icons for iPod® nano controls when activated by the remote 
• Instant voice feedback of time, distance, calories and pace 
• Power song accessed through left-side button for quick motivation 
• Raised remote buttons for easy grip and precision 
• 5ATM water resistance

Price: $79.

SO MANY OPTIONS ! 

3 Cool Gadgets

The new LG Prada phone is H-O-T, and I don't really care about having a Prada phone.  I guess it's coming out in Europe (the silver one i mean) but not the U.S.  Click here to see the article on it.


Check this out, I found it on gizmodo.com. If you are like our household, where you have multiple Apple products (see earlier post) and have more than a couple of little white cords hanging around, or if you find yourselves fighting over who gets to charge their phone tonight (as we do sometimes), this could be cool. Yeah, it's $79, but if you can swing it and have the need, it could be helpful. The one you see above with 4 slots is available in the coming months and the 2 slot one is available in June.

Now, say it's Sunday morning and you feel a bit "off" and don't feel like going to church.  I would not say that's a legit reason to skip it, if you feel passionately about it.  But if you do, and you must eat something, maybe there's a way to do two things at once.  Introducing the Jesus Pancake maker - you might not get in the National Enquirer because of your Jesus visions on your breakfast, but who needs that fanfare, you have HIM to eat with.  Or HIM to eat, whichever.  To buy one, check this link.