Nothing is more inconvenient and uncomfortable than clearing the snow, ice and frost off of your windshield first thing in the morning when it’s freezing cold outside. The Heated Windshield Washer Fluid System from Alphatherm will make your life much easier with this ingenious heated fluid windshield clearing device. This system provides heated washer fluid to quickly remove frost and ice from your windshield.

The Heated Windshield Washer Fluid System connects to the car battery and the windshield washer fluid reservoir and its internal heating element warms the windshield washer fluid to between 143º F and 150º F in about 30 seconds. The heated fluid instantly melts ice (eliminating the need to scrape the windshield), helps clear frozen spray nozzles, and easily frees windshield wiper blades that get stuck to because of ice or snow. While driving, the heated fluid helps prevent ice from building up on your wiper blades and windshield wiper arms.

The Heated Windshield Washer Fluid System – Side by Side Comparision

Installation is relatively simple and straightforward. If you’re mechanically inclined and like to work under the hood, installing the Heated Windshield Washer Fluid System should be a breeze for you. If not, any qualified local auto mechanic will be able to easily install this system for you. See the following video for an installation demonstration.

The Heated Windshield Washer Fluid System – Demonstration and Installation

The unit draws an average of only 2 Amps from your car battery while operating and heating the washer fluid. This is less than 1% of a typical car battery’s electrical power. And the system automatically shuts off when the engine is turned off, so no problems with battery drain.

The Heated Windshield Washer Fluid System is not only useful for clearing snow and ice off of your windshield. During the warmer months of the year, the heated fluid helps remove insects, road grime, and tree sap much more effectively than cool windshield washer fluid.

Available: Hammacher

Price: $89.95

I am a gamer and I enjoy games, especially ones that involves car racing, hot wheels and police pursuit (come on, you know what game I mean). I usually play games on my computer or my laptop and the arrow keys are my main control keys. But, pressing up and down or left and right doesn’t really satisfy my need for more excitement in the game. That’s where Thrustmaster Ferrari F1 Wheel Integral T500 comes in.

As most people know, Ferrari is a well know sports car manufacturer. The Trustmaster Ferrari F1 wheel integral T500 is designed to replicate F1 car power. Imagine yourself racing (via PC or game console of course) with a built-in industrial-class engine (150 mNm torque, 3000 rpm, 65 W, Ø 52) delivering force feedback effects that could can literally give you the realistic feeling of racing an actual car. Its designs and gadgets mimic the real deal and this may be as close as you get for most of us who can’t really afford a real Ferrari.

The wheel is also equipped with an internal dual belt that gives you the feel of flexibility and that smooth ride. If that isn’t enough, the wheel is also equipped with H.E.A.R.T. I don’t mean that the wheel is emotional, no. H.E.A.R.T stands for HallEffect AccuRate Technology providing you with precision in your steering. No more pressing up for acceleration, or pressing left and right to steer. The pure adjustable metal pedal and the smooth wheel of the Thrustmaster Ferrari F1 Wheel Integral T500 will satisfy your need for speed.

Available: Amazon

Price: $159.99

Currently, the automobile industry is brimming with the latest vehicles, boasting high-end stereo systems that can be sync to your phone. So much has changed so quickly with stereo and entertainment features in today’s vehicles. It was only a few years ago that I test-drove a car that still had a cassette player, and this was a $100,000.00 luxury model! If you had not had the chance to drive a new vehicle with the latest in car gadgets, you might want to give the latest O Car iPhone Stereo Controller a shot.

The heart of any sound system is the head unit, which enables the user to listen to the radio or soundtracks on the iPhone, by integrating the phone into the entire sound system. The iPhone dock was specifically designed to serve this purpose, which renders the head unit obsolete. Also, it’s flexible enough to rotate your phone. In addition, apps incorporated into the system include audio settings adjustments and radio.

Bluetooth connectivity will permit any device that is Bluetooth-enabled to connect to the car. In the case of a cell phone, the driver is able to receive calls without having to lift and hold the phone. This is a wonderful advancement in communications, especially in regard to safety.

However, with a price tag of $300, this system might burn a hole in your pocket, depending on your budget. Ultimately, we have to ask ourselves, which items are worth the money and which are ones that you can live without?

Available: Amazon

Price: $299.95

I wanted to fulfill my brother’s birthday wish of owning a motorcycle and I think I have found the perfect present for him. After some researches online, I have found what is known as the Micro-Cycle, designed and developed by RYNO Motors. It is a combination of a motorcycle and a bicycle but it has only one wheel. I was worried about its balancing but was assured when I read that it uses an active balancing method.

My brother is quite small in size, thus this micro-cycle that weighs only 125 lbs is very convenient for him to use to move about. It will not just be light enough for him but also for me if I were to use it one day. I was at first worry that this micro-cycle may not have the ability to even move with speed. I was wrong as it does have the capability of speeding after I watched a demonstration video of this very cool ride. It can go up to 25mph within a range of 30 miles.

With all of its great features, I was still not convinced enough to get it for my brother because he is just a student. The maintenance fee for the micro-cycle may turn out to be a burden to his non-existent income. But then, I found that the micro-cycle does not work on petrol but on a 36V 32Ah battery. All that is needed is to charge the lithium iron phosphate battery for about an hour and a half and you are good to go!

The Micro-Cycle Video

[Source: RYNO Motors]

Are you sick of the boring cars you see plying the road every day? What if I told you that there is another option for those who love being out of the ordinary? Well, I recently found out about the External Combustion Kraftwagen and I must say that it truly looks like a work of art. It is made of solid brass, stainless steel and aluminium so you know that it is of high quality.

However, its “petrol”, so to speak, is made of ethyl alcohol and a full tank will only give you a running time of 20 minutes. Still, the novelty of this is that it will definitely get you noticed and it will still be a fun ride on top of the External Combustion Kraftwagen.

If you think this wacky invention is brand new, think again because External Combustion Kraftwagen’shave actually been around since 1818. It is a picture of German efficiency because all parts move in perfect sync in order to allow it to even get from Point A to Point B. At $999.95, the External Combustion Kraftwagen is definitely not for the faint hearted.

If you can afford this little engine, it will definitely give you the fun of your life. Be the talk of the town and enjoy puttering around the areas of your house on the External Combustion Kraftwagen. Anyway you look at it; it is still a pretty amusing and clever invention. This gadget definitely tops my list as one of the most fun I’ve ever seen.

Available: Hammacher

Price: $999.95

Unless you are a dedicated parent who has had more than rudimentary experience in taking care of children, boys in particular, you probably do not realize the extent of their hyperactivity, the astonishing brevity of their attention span and the complexity involved in getting them to sit down quietly for more than a few moments. In the scenario that you have some important work to get down to and have no choice but to do it at home, you might want to consider splashing the cash for a Carrera Slot Car Race Set.

As you know (or probably you don’t), the Carrera brand name is one that has often been associated with fine racing development and the slot cat race set which is the focus of this article certainly lives up to tradition. Constructed of hardy ABS plastic, the Carrera Slot Car Race Set  will certainly take more than a fair share of knocking about from your children, and probably survive the ordeal. Two intricately designed and finished 1:43 Formula One Race Cars accompany the set and these utilize special technology to prevent loss of traction when a race is in session.

To prevent altercations between your kids regarding the issue of cheating, which you would then have to interrupt your workflow to sort out, the race set also thoughtfully includes an automatic lap counter. At $99.95, the race set is not cheap, yet if what you are doing is important enough, occasionally spending a few extra bucks to pamper your kids might not be a bad idea.

Available: Hammacher

Price: $99.95

When the heat waves strike during the summer, all you want to do is to stay put under cooling air conditioning. However, you simply can’t stay indoors all the time. If you have a big and expensive car with good air conditioning, it makes a difference, as you can enjoy cool temperature on the road or when you are just chillaxing in the car. The problem is, you will need a fancy, expensive car to enjoy this luxury. But now, you have a slightly cheaper option – the Water-Cooled Seat Cushion by Thanko, which can keep your car seat cool in the warm months.

The Thanko’s Water-cooled Seat Cushion car gadget is able to reduce the temperature in your car from an unbearable 140 degrees Fahrenheit to a cooling 85 degrees, in just five seconds. With this effective cooling system for your car seat, you can enjoy cooler temperature in your car in a few seconds, which is even quicker compared to the air-conditioning system in a good car that needs at least a couple of minutes to significantly lower the temperature. It also doubles as a seat cover for the car seat.

Although the $245 price tag may seem a little pricey at first glance, however, if compared purchasing a much expensive car with a good air conditioning system, it is considered pretty affordable. The chilled water filled cushion will cool you down in no time. The Water-cooled Seat Cushion works with the help of a water pump and cooler, and it runs on a 12 VDC cigarette lighter in a vehicle.

[Source: Thanko]

Electric vehicles render good performance and energy efficiency. However, for EV vehicle drivers, the range anxiety will always be there. The worst thing to happen is your EV suddenly comes to a halt when you are on the highway, or in the middle of nowhere without a charging station near you. Now you need not worry if this happens, as AAA is now deploying mobile charging units for electric vehicles all over the country, with Washington, Oregon and California being the pioneer states that AAA is working on.

If your EV happens to run out of power on the highway, all you have to do is to call AAA, and they will send out their mobile EV charging units out for roadside assistance. Each of the units is equipped with Level 2 and Level 3 chargers. Level 2 charges can have your EV fully powered in a matter of hours. On the other hand, Level 3 chargers which can only be used on vehicles with CHAdeMO charging technology are able juice up the vehicle in a matter of minutes.

Therefore, with the road assistance by Mobile EV Charging Units, you don’t need to have your car towed to the nearest charging station. With just a phone call, your car will be attended to as soon as the mobile charging units arrive. This is definitely a great piece of news for EV owners. More people will consider purchasing electric vehicles too, as they would not have to worry about being stranded just because the power in the EV ran out.

[Source: Gizmag]

A new speakerphone – the Jabra FREEWAY Bluetooth Speakerphone is designed in mind to bring audio quality to greater heights, aiming to cause a great impact in the industry with its three speaker system. This Jabra product is the first of its kind in the mobile phone industry, featuring revolutionary features that cater for those who receive most of their calls when they are on the road. It not only is safer for road users, but also more convenient and cost-saving, with fewer tickets issued by the traffic police.

So what does the Jabra FREEWAY Bluetooth Speakerphone car gadget offer? The best part is that it delivers rich and crisp sound quality with its 3 speaker system as well as the Virtual Surround system. You also won’t need to use your hands at all, as you can make and take your calls using your voice completely. It also announces the incoming caller’s name, so that you won’t have to take your eyes away from the road to see who the caller is.

It also has Voice Guidance, which gives spoken battery level, pairing instructions as well as the connection status. Its multiuse feature also supports connection to two Bluetooth devices at the same time. The A2DP streaming also enables music playback, podcasts, as well as GPS directions. In addition, the Jabra FREEWAY also offers you up to 14 hours of talk time and a standby time of up to 40 days. The Jabra FREEWAY will also automatically shut off if your conversation has ended or when you have reached your destination.

With the Jabra FREEWAY Bluetooth Speakerphone, you can now make high clarity hands-free calls with effortless controlling.

Available: Amazon

Price: $104.94

As the world enters a new generation and has come to a new era, the world is greatly advancing in technology and most of it is designed to prevent global warming and save the environment. 16,000 solar panels were built on top of Belgium’s high speed rail line over a two mile stretch of tunnel to provide power about 4,000 trains every year. It runs through Antwerp Central Station and generates power through it as well as the surrounding infrastructure in the tunnel. This project was built to prevent global warming and reduce the consumption of electrical usage.

During the summer of last year, engineers started covering the 164,000 square ft surface with monocrystaline solar panel over the surface area of the roof of Belgium’s HSL4 high-speed rail tunnel. The solar panels are rated at about 250 watt peaks for each panel and it has been installed using an extraordinary ballast tile structure that negates the need for rooftop perforations. The installation began generating power estimating about 3.3 GWh of electrical power each year said Enfinity. The power generated every year by the solar panels can light up around 1,000 houses for a year.

The total project costs about US$20 Million and it will be the first railway that is powered by green energy. Also, not only that it saves the environment, it will also save a significant amount of money that Antwerp Central Station spent just on the electrical consumption before the solar panels were installed.