The Socket Lock idea is to have a system built where your power outlets on the wall are secured to stop potential electricity thieves. This type of socket would be ideal for public buildings to prevent people nicking the power and running up the electric bill of the building. The idea comes from Daily Invention and could work by the socket having internal barrels like a regular lock in which only specific plugs could be connected. Another idea is to have corresponding power leads for laptops which only work with the correct lead. Having the wrong power cord would mean a new battery needs to be purchased by the thief.
From the monthly archives:
September 2007
These cool mice are shaped like Penguins. Linux is not required to use these though. The penguin shaped mice are USB and optical. Three colours are available which are pink, blue and black. They are available from USBGeek and will set you back just $15 which isnt too bad if you prefer a more novelty mouse.
Product Page Via: babble
A project is being started which will convert a Honda VFR700F to electric power. The team is looking for help to get batteries and motors so some testing can be done. I wish them good luck and hopefully this post can send some help there way from our readers. Two chassis are being used which one will be for daily use and another as a drag bike. Sounds great and I look forwards to seeing what happens with this project.
Via: Gosleepgo
This new MP3 player is tiny. The ultra thin MP3 player has 2GB of storage which can be used for MP3s or mass storage. The player is also compatible with WMA files. There is no screen, so it could be compared to a shuffle. Also with it being ultra thin it will fit in your wallet. The MP3 player costs just $42 which is not bad at all.
Via: Engadget
According to some research done in Australia, the colour of your mobile phone says a lot about you. The research found that Aussies have stronger colour preferences. If you have a stone grey coloured phone then you are sleek, cool and modern. If you like bright colours then you live in Queensland. If this survey is real then I think its rather bizarre my self 
I just went for the silver N73 because thats all that they had in stock.
Via: News
The latest GPS device from Mio has arrived. It is named the DigiWalker C320 and has a few cool features. The screen is a 4.3 inch touch screen and the device has pre loaded maps of the USA which includes Alaska and Hawaii. The maps are located on the 1GB SD card which comes supplied. As well as all those streets, there are 1.7 Million POIs (point of interest) in the database. You should never lack a place to visit with all those. The cost of the device is$299.95 and it is in stores now.
Via: Gadgetizer
Transformers are still alive and kicking. This time they come in the shape of USB flash drives which work on USB 2.0 technology. Two capacities are available which are the 1GB model being the Autobot and the 2GB being the Decepticon. They are quite unique and do look quite cool. With them being USB 2.0 you can expect the usual high speed transfer speeds between the drive and PC. If only they could actually transform though
Via: GeekAlerts
The Mygo Cane was created by a design student in Germany and has been named the Electronic guide dog. It hosts a bunch of features such as a sensor camera which can provide feedback about the area through a wireless headset. The can is waterproof so it can be used in rain and has a battery which supplies power for about 6 hours of use. Having these extra sensory features helps those who are blind to know the area they are in a little better. Developers are hoping to see this go out on sale at around $200 to make it affordable to those who need it.
Via: Gizmodo
If you ever get that craving to attach lights to your shoes or clothing and have them flash away then Enlighted have come to the rescue. They make all sorts of customised shoes and clothes with attached lights which flash away. I cant say I have ever come across someone wearing these types of clothes or shoes. Anyway, check them out at the link below.
Product Page Via: 7Gadgets
This little yellow duck is actually an FM/AM radio. It has a splash proof speaker inside and a waterproof body and blasts out music while floating around the bath. To switch it on you need to twist the ducks head. Twisting the head will also increase/decrease the volume. Two rubber buttons can be found on its wing which let you change between AM and FM frequencies. Also twisting the ducks tail changes the frequency. It requires 3 x AAA batteries and will set you back just short of 10 quid.
If you have a PDA then you could use the GPS Speed Sentry software to reflect the image on to your screen at night while driving. Although I havent checked it out myself yet, I assume that there is a way to mirror the screen so you are not looking at everything backwards. This only works at night as you do not see reflections too well through the day. By doing this you can keep your eyes on the road while checking out your speed and other details.
Via: Docfiles
This bike sports some shiny solar panels on the wheels which are responsible for powering this beauty. The solar panels can power a 500 watt motor as well as charge the batteries. It seems like you need to let the bike stand for a bit before using the power so that the batteries can get a good charge and get this thing running at 19MPH. One downside is that it weighs a hefty 75 pounds which cannot be good if you are working your way up a hill and need more sunlight to get you to the top.
Another problem I see if the wheels. No doubt a hefty side wind is going to whip you right off this thing if you are not careful. Just take care as it will cost you $1295 to buy a new one should you damage it. The alternative option is the conversion kit for $800.
Via: EcoGeek
Here we have a demonstration found over at Metacafe which shows you how to wipe out screen scratches on your PDA, Phone, camera screen etc… It works by heating up the egg to 65 degrees C (not higher as egg goes harder at 71 degrees C). You then get a cloth, soak it, put it in the oven and repeat a few times. Once it dries out you have a cleaning cloth which apparently will wipe scratches out (or fill them in). The cloth works for about 100 times and seems like it could do its job. I think I need to try this on my mobile phone screen to see if its true.
Another option is to purchase a cheap screen scratch remover from Amazon costing less than $10.
Sleeptracker PRO is a new cool watch with USB support that monitors signals from your body which indicate if you are asleep or awake. The new PRO version can record historical data to transfer to your PC so you can analyse your sleep patterns. As the night goes by the watch tracks sleep cycles and can automatically adjust the alarm up to a 90 minute window so you get woken up at the point when you are sleeping the lightest. It does it by continually watching the sleep pattern and records when you are almost awake. At this point (if it falls with in the 90 minute alarm window) it will gently wake you up. With being woken up at the lightest point of your sleep you are likely to be less tired and groggy then you would be if woken up right in the middle of a deep sleep.
From the testimonials over on sleeptrackers site it seems like it might actually do what it says on the tin. I might have to go check it out more.
Two versions are available with the first being the PRO which has USB support allowing you to download your sleep patterns to your PC to see historical data of your sleep patterns. The PRO version will be released in October. The other version is the standard which has a few less features. The standard retails for $149 and the pro will sell for $179.
This crazy 2 Seater Bike moves away from the normal one seat behind the other tandem setup and instead, puts the seats side by side. The heavier of the two people on the bike needs to sit on the left so they can take care of steering and balancing the thing. It was found over on eBay in Germany for sale. It sold for $312.49 in the end.
Via: Random Good Stuff
