The Paperless Scratch Pad

 

Just about every busy family employs some means or another to  communicate messages and reminders to the rest of the household. OK, maybe it’s usually Mom reminding the rest of the family members about the chores, things to  do, the kid’s soccer schedule, and well the list is endless, right? Typically, we like to use a chalkboard, or stick-it notes affixed to the refrigerator, or even a small dry-erase white board that we keep in the  kitchen. Now there’s a better way with the Paperless Scratch Pad from Hammacher Schlemmer.

Forget about the countless stick-it notes that are nothing more than an endless waste of  paper. And dry-erase white boards are really  a mess to deal with. You always have to clean them and replenish your supply of  dry-erase markers, not to mention the markers are always out of dry-erase ink just when you need to write something in a hurry – they really don’t last very long. And let’s not mention those dry-erase ink fumes you probably don’t care to inhale. Chalk-boards aren’t too bad, but they’re a mess too. Lot’s of chalk dust, and constant erasing of the board to keep it clean, as well as keeping track of that eraser – now where did I put the eraser?

OK, managing some form of message board in the kitchen isn’t the most insurmountable problem to contend with, but the Paperless Scratch Pad truly does fulfill the “better mousetrap” promise with new and improved technology. The paperless scratch pad is a completely electronic memo board that erases at the touch of a button. It eliminates the mess and hassle of a dry-erase board. No chalk boards, erasers and chalk dust to deal with. And forget about the endless waste of paper sticky-notes that you chase after every day.

The Paperless Scratch Pad is a durable, scratch-resistant LCD surface that responds to pressure using the included stainless steel stylus to capture whatever you want to write. Text, messages, drawings, diagrams, pictures, etc. You easily create lines of varying thickness, the more pressure you apply, the thicker the line. Less pressure with the stylus produces a thinner line. And you don’t even need the stainless steel stylus, you can simply use your finger to write if you like (but the stylus usually produces cleaner looking text and lines).

And here’s the great convenience. A single press of the erase button and you clear the screen. Now that’s much easier than a dry-erase board, don’t you think? You can even lock the paperless scratch pad to prevent accidental erasure until you have a chance to capture the thought, message, text, list or chart elsewhere for more permanent retention (or just insure that the rest of your household has a chance to see the message pad).

The Paperless Scratch Pad includes two AAAA (quadruple-A) batteries that provide up to 50,000 erases. The electronic scratch pad comes with a durable ABS case, has dimensions of 8 3/4″ H by 5 1/2″ W by 1/4″ D,  and weighs in at 4 1/4 oz.

Available: Hammacher

Price: $59.95

The Vertical Turntable

 

I’ve never heard of turntables taking up much space in a house, but here’s a unique turntable that’s designed to be fixed to your wall, playing your vinyl records vertically! The Vertical Turntable defies the laws of gravity, mounting to a wall and securing records with a special locking mechanism with the platter to ensure your records don’t crash onto the floor halfway through a song.

This Vertical Turntable can play your record with a 33 RPM platter speed, or 45 RPM with the adapter included with it, using a two-speed belt drive. It features two built-in 5-watt speakers with volume control and a ruby-tipped stylus to play any record up to 12” in size smoothly with no interruption.

The turntable will automatically stop once a record is finished, and there are literally no wires attached as it runs on 4 AA batteries, so fear not any ugly wires climbing up your wall. Alternatively, you can use an AC adapter to power it if you’re not into changing or charging batteries all the time.

The unique design of the turntable will definitely catch the eye and turn the heads of anyone who sees it, and it appears to be the only wall-mounted, vertical turntable available in the market. It is available at a price of $69.95, and is ideal for small, cramp apartments if you don’t have any space to spare. I don’t think scratching this particular turntable is a good idea though.

Available: Hammacher

Price: $69.94

Wappy Dog for Nintendo 3DS

 

Are you bored with playing dog games on the Nintendo DS because somehow, it repeats itself day after day? Yeah, very boring indeed and all you have to do is to bath them, pet them, comb and feed them and you have to all that with your stylus. Well, why not link your DS with a toy dog and play a real life pet game with the Wappy Dog for Nintendo 3DS! The Wappy Dog is basically a robot dog that you play with your DS but it only is compatible with your 3DS. The Wappy Dog is a product of Activision, the video game industry giant.

The Wappy Dog for Nintendo 3DS connects wirelessly and sync with a 3DS game. The Wappy Dog can express facial expressions with its light up cheeks. It can express numerous types of moods such as happy, sad, angry, and etc by showing different colors. Well, the mission of the game basically is to make Wappy happy and fulfill its needs and keep its cheek colors to a color of contentment. As a player, you will be able to talk to Wappy since it can recognize up to 18 different voice prompts and it will respond to you with a bark. It has more than 350 barks that can be translated with your 3DS.

The Wappy Dog for Nintendo 3DS will only be in the market this winter and there is no specific pricing yet for this toy as well. The only drawback for this item is that you will need to purchase a Nintendo 3DS for about $250 just to play with it. So, go get your Wappy Dog for Christmas and make sure you have a 3DS to play it with.

Available: Amazon

Price: $85

 

Magnetic Stylus for iPad 2 – Magnus

 

To some Apple iPad owners, they may prefer using a stylus on the screen of their iPad, especially when doodling or writing. However, since they do not come with an attached stylus holder, it can be very frustrating when you lose sight of your stylus when you need it. Now, this will never be a problem again thanks to the iPad Gadget called Maglus, a magnetic Stylus for your iPad 2.

Though it is currently a concept, but it has great potential to go viral given its quirkiness. As the iPad 2 has magnets built into it, the Maglus will be able to stick on the screen or the magnetic Smart Cover of the iPad. With this practical little device, you would not have to turn out your pockets, rummage through your bag or look all over the place to find your stylus.

The concept of the Maglus was introduced by Applydea (Apply the Idea), and its design looks like a rectangular version of the AluPen. Its tip is conductive, just like the typical Stylus, but what’s special about it is that it has a magnet within it and a pen-like clip on its side. A plastic cover on the magnet protects the magnet, so the screen and the Magnetic Cover of your iPad will be free of scratches.

For those who think it is a must to have a Stylus as an accessory, then the Magnus is just the one for you, as you can get hold of such an important accessory the moment you need it.

[Source: Wired]

The iHolder Stand

 

Any Apple fans out there? If so, hopefully your reaction to this gadget was the same as mine….Wow, I want one! Designed by Andrew Kim, this holding device for an iPad, iPhone, iPod, and stylus is called the Polyply (named after what it is made with). Specifically, the Polyply is made out of acrylate polymer (acrylic plastic), birch plywood and birch. Designed to keep all your mobile items in one place, the Polyply has the added benefit of holding the Apple gadgets in a way that allows them to be charged.

Word or warning though, the Polyply has been designed with compatibility the of iPad, iPod Classic, and iPhone 4. We like this concept and hope it gets taken further, we also like the iMac in the background, nice touch.

[Source: minimally minimal]

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