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Gadget WEEKENDS

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TaoPhoenix:
Okay, my turn to jump into the fray.

"Travel Soothing Sound Machine with Alarm Clock".

Now let's get the "available for sale somewhere".
http://www.buzzillions.com/reviews/radio-shack-travel-soothing-sound-machine-alarm-clock-reviews
Buzzillions seems to suggest it's at least available on Ebay. However the signature seller used to be Radio Shack, though they are now out of stock.

For me at least, I am recommending it in reverse of the purported reason it was sold. Play with the cute little sound effects, sure. But it's the best travel alarm clock "I have seen, and may ever see".



Basically, it's got the essential features all laid out so clearly you wonder why 30 years of other clock makers couldn't do it. Huge clock numerals. Big button to make the light come on in the dark for 7 seconds. I'm not a Snooze Guy but it's also the snooze button. BOTH the "date" and the "day" in half size font below that. 1/4/2012 AND Fri.

It folds up really secure so no one drop will bounce it in half.

And then the feature that made it priceless for me: A thermometer. Absolutely brilliant. It's prob got a margin of error a couple of degrees, but it's close enough. Whether in one job where the company hobby was fiddling with the thermostat, or the funky heating in my building, no more guessing why you are hot or cold. Just look at your clock.

Yeah, *eventually* the contacts will wear out a little. Because I'd not easily like a clock this much for a long time, I bought about 6 of them! One became a gift. I think I still somewhere have my last spare in the stuff I just moved.

NigelH:
Ok today I'm posting about a cheap gadget that I think everyone should have.
It's a battery-powered water leak detector.

(see attachment in previous post)

I have two of these guys, one in the bathroom and one under the kitchen sink.

You put them on the floor and if water ever gets underneath them they let out the most piercing beeps.

Now if you're lucky you'll never have one of these guys go off on you because of a real problem, and only because you accidentally spill some water.

But they provide me with significant peace of mind when i fill up the tub, etc., that if something goes wrong I will at least have a change at being alerted to it before it's too late.

The brand I use is Zircon: http://www.amazon.com/Zircon-Leak-Alert-Electronic-Batteries/dp/B002Q8GRPG but have little reason to prefer one brand over another (these first alert ones also look good and are possibly easier to change batteries on).
-mouser (December 28, 2012, 08:35 AM)
--- End quote ---

Hope these work ... I'm about to put them into service.
Thanks for the tip Mouser.

mouser:
My gadget this weekend is an RF-based universal/learning remote:



http://www.amazon.com/URC-RFS200-PowerPak-MasterControl-PowerBlaster/dp/B000FL9E6U/

What it is?

It's a learning/universal remote control with a very mediocre user interface design, but which can send based on RF signals quite far.  What that means is you put the base where your stereo is and you can control it from 100 feet away regardless of line of site or walls, etc.

I'm sure there are RF universal/learning remotes that are fancier, but this may be the affordable option (this brand can be found on ebay quite a bit as well).

mouser:
For this weekend's post I have a double recommendation.

First, a tiny little cheap gadget that I love (I have like 5 of these in my house, one for every room), a Hygrometer:

http://www.amazon.com/Acu-Rite-Indoor-Humidity-Monitor/dp/B0013BKDO8

A hygrometer measures humidity/moisture in the air; this one that I recommend not only measures the humidity but also keeps track of high and low temps for each day, and high+low humidity, which is nice to help see the fluctuation.

Now monitoring humidity in your house is not something you really *need* to do, but if you are a gadget lover it's a fun thing to do.  I definitely recommend getting more than one because they are cheap (under $15) and sometimes a little inaccurate, and it helps to have a couple so that you can compare values.

In the winter when you have heat running, it can make your house very dry.  Until I started measuring humidity and running a humidifier, my house could get down to 15 and even 10% humidity, which I never realized was an issue.. but when i started running serious humidifier the improvement was noticeable -- less waking up to dry eyes and throat, etc.

So.. my second recommendation is a serious humidifier.  Not one of those 1 gallon bedside things, but a serious evaporative console humidifier that can humidify the whole house, or large areas of it.  They are a little loud but fun.

Like:


http://www.amazon.com/Essick-Air-5D6-700-Humidifier/dp/B000N87YO4
(mini console for a large room)


http://www.amazon.com/427-300-2-Speed-Evaporative-Console-Humidifier/dp/B0000D8EJS
(large console for whole house)

cranioscopical:

I suppose this would be little consoleation

                     

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