February 2009

ThinkGeek seems to have a penchant for remote controlled helicopters, and their latest attempt in this field is the Dark Blade 3-Channel R/C Helicopter. This surprisingly affordable $29.95 device is an original ThinkGeek creation, featuring a “futuristic drop-ship style design with precise flying characteristics and an innovative rear propeller system.” In addition, it is touted to be the smallest 3-channel R/C copter in the world at the moment, so we won’t recommend leaving the windows open while you fly this thing indoors lest it crashes to the ground with a strong gust of wind.

The Dark Blade 3-Channel R/C Helicopter has dual rotors on the top which spin in opposite directions. These opposite spinning blades cancel out uncontrolled torque making for incredibly stable flight. For forward and reverse motion the tail rotor then blows up or down, pitching the copter forward or backward and causing it to move in that direction. It’s a great control system and a pleasure to fly.

The rate of diminishing returns here ain’t too shabby after all - a 10 minute charge time results in a 7 minute fly time, which is much better compared to others we’ve seen in the market. We’d strongly recommend you getting rechargeable batteries to go along with it though, as half a dozen AA batteries are required at any one time to keep the whole gig going.

• Permalink
• Share
• View Comments

I guess you can call it a rite of passage for drivers where ending up with a flat battery is one of life’s curveballs. After all, most of us have suffered from one dumbfounded moment where we forgot to turn off the lights of our car only to realize that the battery’s as dead as dead can be once we return. With the Car Starter and Torch, you don’t have to worry about asking for help elsewhere (and getting fleeced by unscrupulous mechanics at the same time), as it is able to juice up your car’s battery in less than 15 minutes!

This must-have car gadget provides emergency power to recharge your battery and start your engine – without going near the bonnet and without jump leads! The Car Starter uses a 12V lead that plugs conveniently into your car’s cigarette lighter and recharges a dead battery in less than 15 minutes. LED indicators show the charge status of your vehicle battery, as well as the charge condition of the Car Starter. There’s even a built–in 12V DC socket suitable for powering gadgets like your mobile phone, PDA, car vacuum and tyre compressor!

£49.95 is the asking price for this tool, and it even comes with a built-in torch just in case of emergencies.

• Permalink
• Share
• View Comments

Want to go on an environmental friendly drive in your home but don’t know where to start? Well, instead of overhauling your entire home’s consumer electronics equipment, why not purchase this Energy Detective instead? This meter is able to help you shave off anywhere from 10% to 20% of your electric bill simply by measuring just how much juice you’re using at the moment. Once you have an idea of the amount of energy being sucked up by your home, you will then take more pro-active steps in reducing it. Make the process fun by turning it into a family project as well!

You no longer have to wait for the ‘electricity bill surprise’. Instead, TED will accurately tell you what your bill is going to be long before the electric bill arrives. With its patented solution to home energy management, TED quantifies electricity and displays the results on its easy-to-read LCD screen. Think of it as your home’s speedometer. With a two-second reaction time, TED provides immediate feedback on energy usage. You can see what you’re spending on electricity each second, as well as what you’ve spent so far today or so far this month.

We guess it won’t be long before you save money after investing $149.99 on this.

• Permalink
• Share
• View Comments

Folks living in the US who have long looked forward to the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic handset will be pleased to know that it has finally arrived Stateside after being released in other regions of the world earlier. This looks set to be a feature packed phone without breaking the bank, and potentially offers a high rate where bang for your buck is concerned. The 5800 XpressMusic allows you to tote around a stylish yet affordable music device that boasts a touch screen interface that will appeal to the mass market. More details on this seemingly invincible music phone right after the jump.

First of all, Nokia has ensured that its 5800 XpressMusic covers all bases to satisfy the cravings of more serious than casual music listeners, including a graphic equalizer, 8GB internal memory that can store up to 6,000 tracks on average, support for all main digital music formats and a 3.5mm jack. We heave a collective sigh of relief as Nokia included the 3.5mm jack since that would mean we don’t have to hunt for pesky converters to use with high quality headphones. Just in case you prefer to share your favorite tunes with those around you, there is always the built-in surround sound stereo speakers that can pump up the volume to rock your cubicle (as well as your immediate neighbor at the office).

Touch screen technology is well known to be intuitive, and this is why Nokia has taken this route with the 5800 XpressMusic. Granted, Nokia is still very far behind the game when it comes to building a user interface that relies on a touch screen, but at least they seem to be making progress. The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is able to deliver easy and fast access to all music, video and photos via a one-touch ‘Media Bar’ drop down menu. This very same Media Bar also offers a direct link to the Web and to online sharing. Unlike other phones that need updates to support Flash, the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic doesn’t with native Flash support for a seamless web surfing experience. Other features include a 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl eiss lens, a virtual alphanumeric and QWERTY keyboard, a pen stylus and a 3.2″ widescreen display. You can pick this up for $399 before taxes and subsidies in the US.

Press Release

• Permalink
• Share
• View Comments