The Tron Lightcycle Motorcycle - I Want One!

This may not be the Jetpack that we were expecting in the 21st Century, but this beast of a bike looks fantasticly futuristic.

Based on the original design of the lightcycle featured in the forthcoming Tron movie, this bike is available with a 1000cc or electric engine and fully road legal!

Only 5 of these will ever be built and if the movies a hit the value of them would rocket faster than the bikes look. Even if the film is a complete flop these bikes would remain amazing additions to any batcave! No speeds are being advertised on this bike, though I guess in that ride position 55mph would seem like 200!

Only a couple of days to do a 'buy now or make an offer' on ebay- (few more pics and detailed description) The base model starts at a miserley $35,000! Auction closes Jul 02, 2010 at 13:55:31 PDT

Now who wants to buy me one? :)

Gadgets for Christmas - Part #2 Desk Gadgets

I've been hunting down some desk gadgets that would make ideal presents for Christmas. Having found quite a few freaky and unusual gadgets ideally suited to desk use here are a few of my favorites.

This Miniature Henry vacuum is going to be well loved by those who eat their lunch over their keyboard, or have to keep their own desk space clean. Powered by 2 AA batteries (not included as usual!), this little palm sized hoover will brighten up anyone's "admin time". With interchangeable nozzles and enough length on the hose to reach behind the monitor. Just one of these in every office in the country will make cleaning your desk a pleasure. Simply unscrew the top to empty, though a tip on preserving battery life is to keep in a locked drawer, or Henry the Hoover will be in constant use on other peoples desks!
prices as of 18th Nov 08 -
Iwoot - £9.99
Amazon UK - £9.99
Ebay - from about £14.99

I mentioned the USB Cup Warmer in my previous post about Christmas Gadgets, this time I'm flipping it and going for the USB Fridge! Perfect for keeping that cold can in sight whilst working and knowing it is staying cold! Big enough for one standard soft drink can, chills to 8.5 degrees after being plugged in for 5 minutes. Neat or pointless, you decide but the inclusion of an led fridge light is a fine touch of detail to this retro style desk fridge.
prices as of 18th Nov 08 -
Iwoot - £19.95
Amazon UK - £14.99
Ebay UK from about £13.99

For those looking at buying for a Dr. Who fan, this rather unique TARDIS USB hub (that's Time And Relative Dimensions In Space if you didn't know!) will be the centerpiece of any desk, or possibly even the whole office. When you plug a USB device into it the light on top flashes, but that's not just all.... It also makes a sound like that of the TARDIS taking off, though if you don't want to disrupt the whole office every time you plug something in, prefering to save the audio effect for 'special moments' you can switch off the sound. Though as an alternative you may want to look for the R2D2 USB Hub for those who are more into their Star Wars.
prices as of 18th Nov 08 -
Iwoot - £19.99
Amazon UK - £14.99
Ebay - from £14.99

Gadgets for Christmas - Part #1

With only a few weeks left until Christmas are you still looking for the right gift for your gadget-loving buddy/partner/boss/etc?

I'm going to showcase a few of the gadgets I've been looking at recently from a few of the top Gadget Stores in the UK.

First store up is IWOOT (I Want One Of Those!), they really have a great range of gadgets and some of the oddest gifts available. Just randomly surfing their website will bring up countless of new and classic gadgets. What caught my eye today was a pair of Wind-up Walk Talkies, great for the eco-geek, The Wi-Fi Watch, easily tell when you are in a Wi-Fi zone, and a USB cup warmer so that your cuppa will stay warmer whilst your distracted by your computer!

There were many items on iwoot that turned my head, but the one gadget that I have to showcase, purely on novelty value, is the Poptastic Keyfob - Electronic Bubblewrap that you can just pop & pop! For a reasonable £4.99 you can have the satisfaction of thousands of bubbles to pop with none of the waste! Everyone knows someone who gets really excited about the prospect of popping bubbles, imagine how excited they will be with one of these on their keychain!!

Gadget Sale at Play.com

Play.com have just announced a massive sale with bargains in every department! You can find plenty of Gadgets like the Doctor Who's Sonic Screwdriver - LED Torch & Harry Potter's Ford Anglia - Die Cast Vehicle for under a fiver! And all prices include Free Delivery!

A Wind Up MP3 Player! Reviewed

Trevor Baylis launched the wind-up radio to great acclaim over a decade ago. This years launch of his wind-up Media Player has been a little more subdued, but heaven knows why as this gadget is wonderful in so many ways! It includes many additional features you would not find on any other MP3Player, such as a bright LED Torch, and a method of providing your mobile phone with an emergency charge.

Features -
1.8" colour screen.
video player
fm radio
led torch
phone charger -use the winder to power your phone!
photo viewer
ebook viewer
hi-fi recorder - Record Gigs!
memo recorder
data storage -Use it to carry and store your data files
dual power charge- USB or eco-windup

Critique
Well, the 1.8" screen isn't quite upto as high a standard as an iPod, but it is functional and still worth including. The card based memory may not suit all users, though as a flexible and easy way of transferring and carrying media it is very widely used, hard-drive based media players use a lot of their power just spinning the drive so this is obviously why they decided on a card based system. With SD-Cards available which hold 2gb widely available, you don't need many to rival the capacity of most MP3 Players.
The plus side of things obviously comes from being able to charge it up by winding wherever you happen to be. The additional features which include being able to use the winder to power up a mobile phone and including an led torch are just genius, also the FM radio is a great addition for people who wish to listen to the radio whilst on the move as well as their own library of music.
For a full review of this, including more pictures and specifications - The Wind Up MP3 Player

The Wind Up Media Player is available from All Things Green

Get Paid to Surf on Your Mobile!

M:Metrics are a new survey company who are studying the browsing habits of people using mobile devices such as the Nokia N95 & N73 as well as other web capable mobile devices. The software installed on your device records anonymously your web usage and uploads this data. In return you get £15 for signing up and £5 a month there after, as well as entered into a competition to win a 40" LCD TV!

This is what they say about themselves

The Smart M:Panel is a targeted research panel comprised of Windows, Palm, and Symbian “smartphone” users who voluntarily install a software client on their mobile device that measures their real-world data usage. The software client, or M:Meter, captures activity around messaging, browsing, application usage and media consumption.

Once installed the M:Meter operates with no user interaction. M:Metrics is focused on accurately capturing data usage and consumption while protecting panellists privacy and ensuring our software does not adversely effect device performance.

iPhone Now in the UK! Order it from Amazon!

Amazon have just announced the Apple iPhone is in stock! Expect it to sell very quickly! Priced at £600 and it appears to be unlocked for use on any network as no mention is made of a contract!

Drop me a line if you know anymore than I do!

Review - Philips HS8060 Shaver - The Best Electric Shaver a Man Can Get?

In this Reveiw we shall be looking at the Philips Nivea Moisturizing Rotary Shaving System - HS8060 Shaver - Currently available from Amazon at the price of £100, a discount of £50 from the RRP.

What's so special about this razor? - Well, Phillips do have a range of razors that have been getting rave reviews and the HS8060 is the latest in this line. The unique feature that the HS8040 and HS8020 shared with this new model is the revolutionary moisturising dispenser, which dispensing moisturising shaving foam as you shave, giving the look and feel of a wet shave. You just push a button to dispense the gel whilst shaving to get the required amount of lotion. These shavers have been selling like hot cakes as a result of this and are on the wish lists of the well groomed gent up & down the country, if not already in their bathrooms. The new feature that the HS8060 has is that you don't have to mess around refilling the razer, it refills automatically whilst in the charging cradle, all you have to do is replace the cartridge which sits in the cradle occasionally.

Plus Points - This is probably one of the only razors that can take off a few weeks of stubble as easily as a wet shave, with the closeness and smoothness of using a twin or triple bladed safety razor. Also due to the moisturising action it doesn't leave the skin at all irritated. Another big plus is the ability to use this razor in the shower, which certainly helps cut down on 'grooming time'.

Bad Points - The only drawbacks I can imagine with this razor is the funny eeee noise it makes, which is more amusing than annoying. Mildly annoying is the fact you are almost locked into buying the nivea moisturiser to refill with. Maybe not such a big deal when you compare it to the cost of shaving foam and razorblades, but no choices in what brand, so it's a good job this Nivea moisturising cream is such good stuff!

Conclusion - Well worth the money, this razor is doing stuff electric shavers have been promising to do for years - shave closer than a blade! Just wish I was in a position to buy the company!

Current pricing and availability on amazon UK-


Or just use This Link to check out the customer reviews of this shaver.

And on amazon.com, this model is known as the Norelco 8060x

Review of GPS systems for Trekking, Hiking, Running & Cycling

GPS equipment for trekking, hiking, running, cycling is a little different to that which you'd want to use in the car. There are a number of different units on the market that provide hands free easy use and the features and functions you'll require. As with all GPS equipment there is one company that takes a lead in this field - Garmin.
Here we are going to look at a number of the most popular hands-free GPS equipment for outdoor activities.

Garmin Forerunner 301
Primarily designed for the runner. It comes with a heart-rate monitor and software for you to analyse your training programme.
Features -

• Locations - up to 100
• Training data: Displays training time, pace, distance, lap pace, lap time, lap distance, average and best pace, elevation, and calories
• Lap history: Records up to 5,000 laps by day or week; stores approximately two years of data
• AutoPause: Automatically pauses training timer when you slow down below specified resting pace
• AutoLap: Automatically triggers lap when you reach specified distance
• Virtual Partner: Displays graphic "virtual partner" that runs with the set goal, letting you track whether you're keeping up or falling behind
• Pace alert: Alarm sounds if you're slower or faster than the pace you've input
• Time/distance alert: Alarm sounds when you reach the specified time or distance
• Interval training: Allows you to set up exercise and rest intervals and number of reps
• Map mode: Shows location and marked locations
• Heart rate monitor: Yes
• Heart rate info: Displays heart rate (beats per minute) and zone (between 1 and 5)
• AutoLearn: Learns user's heart rate zones and adjusts them as fitness levels improve
• AutoScroll: Cycles through data pages during workout
• Alerts: Alarm sounds if you reach minimum or maximum heart rate
• Multi-sport: Sets up profiles for running, biking, and other sport
• Display: 1.44 x 0.92 inches, 100 x 64 pixels
• Temperature range: -4 to 140 degrees F
• Interface : USB
• Batteries: Rechargeable lithium ion
• Battery life: 14 hours
• Waterproof: Yes
• Warranty: 1 year parts and labor

Plus Points -

• Lithium Ion battery -14hours
• Nice size display
• Easy interface with pc, USB and good software
• Sattelite reception & pick up is generally good, pick-up 30seconds to 2minutes depending on location. Signal strength remains good in most circumstances.
• Screen Size/Visibilty is very good for such a small unit.
• Heart Rate Monitor is generally good, very occasional spikes, though these are probably caused by not fitting the sensor correctly/securely.
• Training Buddy - fantastic for setting your pace almost worth the price of the unit itself!

Bad Points -

• No Mac Compatability for the Training Centre software
• Signal can break out under heavy tree cover or in built up areas.
• Supplied map software is not very accurate, better maps are available att an additional cost

Garmin Foretrex 201
Maybe not quite as good as the Forerunner 301, but may be a better device for those into watersports due to it's better waterproofing.

Features -

• Racing timers: Configurable start sequence, alert tones and large-number digital readout
• Trip computer: Trip distance, trip timer, plus essential navigation data
• Waterproof: Yes (IEC 60529 IPX-7 standards: submersible in one meter of water for up to 30 minutes)
• Waypoints and routes: 500 waypoints with graphic identification; 20 reversible routes
• Track log: 10,000 trackpoints, TracBack technology and 20 saved tracks
• Display: 100 x 60-pixel monochrome display with backlighting
• Display size: 36 x 23 mm
• Batteries: 1 rechargeable lithium battery (supplied)
• Battery life: 15 hours (typical use)

Plus Points -

• The waterproofing is the best in its class
• Backlit display
• GPS Accuracy - upto 3metres!

Bad Points -

• No supplied base map
• charger quite large

The Conclusion -

The Garmin Foretrex wins on most counts in my opinion, for general trekking and watersports, though if I was in need of a virtual training partner or wanted one to help with a training program the forerunner would win.