Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Well, that adage will definitely apply to those who actually fall for the antics of the Annoy-a-tron, which is now available in version 2.0. This time round, it comes with six sound choices along with volume control, making sure that you are twice as fun and annoying at the office! Some of the sound and volume combinations found on the Annoy-a-tron 2.0 include :-

• 15kHz (Mosquito tone - young folks can hear it, older folks cannot!) (full volume)
• Cricket chirping (medium/low volume)
• IM Doorbell (low volume)
• Grating Electronic noise (full volume)
• Typical Electronic Beep (medium volume)

What would make this most interesting would be setting the cricket sound - make sure you place the Annoy-a-tron 2.0 somewhere a few feet off the ground, since most people would look for that dastardly cricket at floor level and will most probably miss the Annoy-a-tron 2.0’s secret location. Well, only your clueless colleagues will be irritated - our loyal CG readers will definitely throw a knowing wink at the prankster. The Annoy-a-tron 2.0 will retail for $12.99 each.

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This isn’t the first time we have reported about new Navigon GPS navigation devices, as we covered the Navigon 5100 max about a month ago. Today’s breaking news is that the Navigon 5100 (not the max model) is available at a very low price of $99 (with a mail-in rebate).

Any GPS that is below $100 is a pretty good deal, especially in light of the holiday season. Navigon sweetened the deal even more by removing the subscription charge included with most GPS devices. That’s right, the real-time traffic updates are included for the life of the GPS.

In addition to real-time traffic updates, the Navigon 5100 has a “reality view” that presents photo-realistic images of complex highway interchanges, along with actual road signs and exit-ramp guidance.

Other features include trouble-spot detection, and the 5100 is set up to suggest alternate routes. Also included is text-to-speech capability that pronounces actual street names, and a lane-assistant function that recommends the best lane to be in as you travel.

This Navigon 5100 deal can’t last long, and I’m wondering if this low price will be the beginning of an age of low-priced GPS navigation units. One can only hope that the quality of these cheap GPS navigation products will be as good as the quantity.

Source

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In case you don’t know what the MvixBOX is, it’s a NAS Server. You can get more info about it here at GfG or over at MvixUSA. Also, it was named as one of InfoWorld’s top 10 gadgets of the year.

Get more details at MvixCommunity.

Posted in Miscellaneous

There have been several attempts to find alternative methods to help you fall asleep. Some seem a little ridiculous, but if you don’t want to take sleeping pills a lot of them are worth a try. This light actually seems to be based on a decent idea, whether or not it works is as always questionable. It basically coaches you through breathing exercises till you fall asleep. Which is no different than what you would do to for meditation, so if nothing else it will likely at least get you to relax and unwind before sleep.

The Nightwave has a pale blue light that is supposed to be barely visible. The light fades and rises, you’re supposed to match your breathing with the light. Having something as simplistic as breathing to focus on, it might help you drown out the thoughts that keep your mind too active to sleep. As time goes on it will slow your breathing down more and more. It doesn’t advertise spectacular things, like suddenly making you fall asleep heavily every single time. It merely states that it will help you sleep by relaxing you before bed. To pick it up it will cost you $59.98.

Source: Ubergizmo

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Firebox has made available the revolutionary Tikitag, touted to be the first commercially available DIY RFID tag kit to the masses. This piece of high-tech wizardry enables users to connect real world items to online electronic applications, opening up the doors to unlimited, on-the-spot information at a single touch.

Utilizing Near Fields Communications Technology (NFC), Tikitags increase the value of everyday items. Simply attach a tiny tag to pretty much any object and through www.tikitag.com, users can add potentially limitless amounts of information to it, which can therefore be read by any online NFC reader and automatically spurt out information in a number of different environments. Just think, a Tikitag could be added to business cards which once read, could link directly to further company bumf or even that persons Facebook account! Or, in an outdoor environment a visitor to an art gallery could wave his NFC enabled phone at a Banksy print and find out some more about his lowly beginnings as a butcher!

The original set will comprise of a USB-enabled NFC reader and 10 DIY NFC tags. These tags require no batteries to run, and it is expected that the NFC market will grow significantly in due time. You will be able to pick up the Tikitag for £39.95 per set.

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Last week, Apple was forced to pull a UK ad for the iphone 3G after the Advertising Standards Authority upheld complaints by viewers who felt that the ad exaggerated the speed at which users can access applications, both visually (skipping several steps) and in the language used ("really fast!").

The company defended its claims, saying they were "relative rather than absolute in nature" and that the 3G iPhone was "really fast"... in comparison with the 2G version. It didn't fly and Apple has now released a modified version of the ad which makes clear that the speed and performance of the smartphone will vary from how it appears onscreen.

Perhaps Motorola just felt left out of the excitement surrounding the earlier Nokia N97 announcement, or perhaps they just felt they needed to announce something new with the Motorola name on it.  Regardless, they have announced the not-quite-as-exciting MOTOROKR EM35.  Keeping with tradition of the ROKR lineup, the EM35 is a slider style music centric phone.  The EM35 features the MOTOMUSIC player, has built-in dual speakers, virtual stereo surround sound and an FM radio with RDS. 

Additionally, the EM35 also has support for stereo Bluetooth and a standard 3.5mm headphone jack.  As for the phone features, they include a 2.2-inch QVGA display, a 3.1-megapixel camera and 110MB of internal memory that can be expanded up to 32GB via the microSD card slot.  Despite the full feature list being included in the announcement, Motorola has kept quiet on the price as well as just which carrier will be offering the EM35.  As for a release date, it is “expected” to be available sometime in Q4 2008, or in other words, pretty soon. 

Read [Motorola]

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Struggling to find a gift for a hard to please geek, then how about a geeky gift for their home, here’s 10 to choose from.

Hidden Bookshelf - $12.99

Look at this stack of books… How is it staying up? Is it glue? Velcro? Tractor beams? The secret is a simple and clever little device called the Hidden Bookshelf! An L-shaped wedge of metal holds your books up against the wall while a tiny clip holds the inside cover of the book up, giving your larger books the illusion of sticking to the wall as if by magic!

The Hidden Bookshelf is available from Think Geek for $12.99.

Glow Flow Faucet - $19.95

Give your sink a touch of sci-fi chic with this nifty LED faucet attachment that illuminates flowing water in cool blue when it\’s cold or warm red when it\’s hot. Perfect as a warning device for kids or a pretend alien mouthwash dispenser for adults.

The Glow Flow Faucet is available from Firebox for $19.95.

Celebrity Weighing Scales - $34.95

With these deeply ironic scales you get to compare your weight with the likes of Fozzie Bear, Mr Ed (yes, the talking horse!), Donald Trump\’s Combover and even the Baby Jesus. Just think, with the Celebrity Weighing Scales in the bathroom you\’ll be itching to step aboard, not dreading the prospect. After all numbers are so final, aren\’t they?

The Celebrity Weighing Scales is available from Firebox for $34.95.

There\’s no place like 127.0.0.1 Door/Floor mat - $39.99

Tired of people stepping all over you? Well take your frustrations out by stepping all over these choice door/floor mats. Adorned with the peculiar \’There\’s No Place Like 127.0.0.1\’ phrase, consider them your own personal wormholes to a place where users invented clue and upper management gets outsourced.

The There\’s no place like 127.0.0.1 Door/Floor mat is available from Think Geek for $39.99.

Self Sustaining Ecosphere - $89.95

A self-contained, self-supporting ecological system is permanently sealed within this hand-blown borsilica glass sphere. Its careful balance of air, water, plant and animal life was developed as the result of years of NASA research into self-sustaining, bio-regenerative systems where the equilibrium must be maintained for long periods of time, such as long-term space stations. Inside, tiny shrimp feed on bacteria that metabolize organic waste into nutrients for the algae which, in turn, photosynthesize the oxygen needed for the shrimp and bacteria to survive.

The Self Sustaining Ecosphere is available from Hammacher for $89.95.

Voice Activated Thermostat - $99.95

Using advanced voice recognition technology, this is the thermostat that can be programmed using only your voice and clearly articulates the current indoor temperature. Endorsed by the National Federation of the Blind, the thermostat is ideal for the visually impaired or those who struggle with technology. Clapping your hands twice initiates the voice programming and you can change the temperature by saying \”raise\” or \”lower\” (each utterance adjusts the temperature by one degree).

The Voice Activated Thermostat is available from Hammacher for $99.95.

Digital Picture Frame - from $100

Digital picture frames have really taken off this year. Here we compare some of the cheapest and best digital picture frames that are currently available with regards to both features and value for money. We’ll also provide an explanation of all the features that the various digital photo frames have to offer.

The Digital Picture Frame is available from Amazon for from $100 or check out our reviews.

Roomba Robotic Vacuum Cleaner - $149.99+

Life happens in busy homes, and keeping up with accumulating dirt, dust, pet hair, crumbs, and debris can be a daily challenge. Introducing the iRobot Roomba 560- a member of iRobot’s newest generation of Roomba Vacuuming Robots.

Now there’s a better way to maintain cleaner floors every day. With dramatically improved navigation, cleaning coverage, vacuum pickup, particle filtration, and scheduling capabilities, the Roomba 560 picks up amazing amounts of dirt and debris from your floors with the touch of a button–so you don’t have to.

The Roomba Robotic Vacuum Cleaner is available from Amazon for $149.99+.

Wooden Clock - $199.95

Is it a block or a clock? Plug in the ingenious Wooden Clock and you\’ll discover it\’s both, because digital numerals magically appear from within the wood of this uber-stylish timepiece.

The Wooden Clock is available from Firebox for $199.95.

Professional Automated Living (PAL) Home Automation Kit - $460

TWO LEVELS OF AUTOMATION FOR BUILDERS AND HOMEOWNERSHOME AUTOMATION KITS X10 PRO offers two new product kits: PAL1 and PAL2. Professional Automated Living Kits for either homeowner or contractor at an extremely cost effective price. These two new kits are inspired by the residential construction industry. Each kit contains an ample selection of devices providing lifestyle enhancements for every installation. Builders and/or homeowners simply select the kit suiting their home and lifestyle.

The Professional Automated Living (PAL) Home Automation Kit is available from Amazon for $460.

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Considering the current economic climate, I'm guessing more workplaces then ever are employing a secret santa policy when it comes to gift giving this year. If you got stuck organizing volunteered to do it for your office, you might want to make use of Elfster, a nifty website designed to help keep all the details straight (so you won't find out who is buying yor gift unless they tell you!)

Input the details of participants (along with any extra info such as gift exchange date and price limit) into Elfster.com and it will, assign gift-givers and email them all with the details. The only thing is can't do is take responsibility if you don't get what you wished for...

Following up on the recent announcement that Rogers would soon begin offering the Nokia E71, it seems that it is now available, and at a very nice price.  The Rogers branded E71 will be available for just $49.  Of course, in order to get that low price, you should be willing to accept the three-year agreement that comes along with it. 

Additionally, customers also need to choose a $45 a month (or higher) voice and data plan.  As for that low price, it appears to be “promotional.“  No date has been given as to when it will increase and although the non-promotional price has not been announced (it is expected to be $99).  The E71, as we have seen in the past features a full QWERTY keyboard, 320 x 240 display, aGPS, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, 128MB RAM, 256MB ROM, a microSD card slot, microUSB and a 3.2-megapixel camera with autofocus and flash.

Via [MobileSyrup]

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