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SkyMall's savior might be one of the products that it used to sell
Rumors of SkyMall's demise might have been exaggerated, at least if the CEO of Scottevest gets his way. Scott Jordan, head of the company that makes coats with pockets sufficient to carry your entire gadget haul, believes that he's the man to save the moribund publication. According to the businessman, SkyMall was "doomed to fail." Presumably because being trapped 30,000 feet in the air isn't enough to convince you to buy a beer pager or protein-infused ketchup.
Crapgadget: summer show-off edition
When summer starts to creep up, so does that dreadful jumble of terms like "swimsuit season," "beach body" and "crippling insecurity." But these crapgadgets would like you to stop being so dang selfish and think about your tech's appearance for a change. After all, what you lack in muscle you can always make up for in accessories that inspire, intrigue and lead others to speculate about your financial standing. Read - All that darting around corners and covert memo-recording just makes you look creepy, but it could make you look as cool as this man with a mission. Japanese retailer Strapya World would have you know that its radio transceiver for the iPhone is "made for the everyday awesome person." Read - Those Swarovski crystals decking out your smartphone? They might as well be lumps of coal. The discerning consumer knows that it's diamonds or nothing, and this $11 million diamond laptop sleeve -- complete with sable fur trim -- is certainly something. Read - Just as you wouldn't ride a bike without a helmet, you wouldn't be caught dead holding your phone without a ring to secure the device to your finger. Don't you care about safety at all? Read - Maybe you're one to buck all this flashy materialism, but still want to be recognized for the unique soul that you are. No one will accuse you of gadget snobbery if you stick to a soup can for all your telephony needs.%Poll-75147%
Crapgadget CES, round seven: Because everything looks better in fur
This furry case was unfortunately un-priced. But nothing exudes premium more than the combination of faux pomeranian tail and leopard print.
Crapgadget CES, round six: 4D Vibestar vibrating lumbar speaker system
Combining two of our favorite things, massages and LOUD noises. Feel the sound... in your lower-back.
Crapgadget CES, round four: iBallz is the ultimate, intimate gadget protector
Grab your iPad by the iBallz. It's safer that way. Trust us.
Crapgadget CES, round three: EZ Gas Check draws you into danger
Remember kids: when you're hovering over copious amounts of leaking gas, that yellow icon means you're basically safe. Maybe.
Crapgadget: BFF Gemz dilute the notion of a best friend (video)
If you want a charm that hangs 'round your neck and glows whenever your friend Missy tells you she loves Justin Bieber, then eMotion Inc has the gadget for you. The BFF Gemz sends pre-written coded messages to pals up to 450 feet away, which they can access the next time they're at a computer. You can add up to eight best friends (the BFF currency devalued to Weimar proportions) and four more if you buy some GPA: Girl Power Average points. It's not entirely private: Mom and Pop will get a weekly email, listing who you're messaging, so if you swap notes with that gal from the wrong end of town you'd better stick to paper airplanes. Those curious to see what the kids might be clamoring for instead of a new cellphone, check out the video after the break.
Crapgadget: 'Just because you can doesn't mean you should' edition
To be quite frank, CES this year was so tame that we kinda thought our beloved Crapgadget series would have to go on hiatus. We needn't have worried. This latest batch of technological breakthroughs includes the regular team starters we know and love -- a mangled animal-emulating USB hub and a heart-shaped Bluetooth dongle -- but also some new recruits from way out of left field. We've got those crazy awesome finger lights above and a starfish-shaped quad-band cellphone that apparently manages to fit in a camera and space for dual SIMs, but the true winner has to be the camera-shaped spy camera. Working off the classic spy trick of double- and triple-bluffing, this pinhole camera is embedded inside what looks like a poor (really poor) man's point and shoot compact camera, which we suppose is the last place anyone would look for a spy cam. Hey, maybe there's something to this idea after all. Anyhow, get clicking then come back here and vote, won't ya? Read - Party rats finger lights Read - Heart-shaped USB Bluetooth dongle Read - Doggie 4-port USB hub Read - Starfish GSM cellphone Read - Camera-shaped spy camera %Poll-42906%
Crapgadget CES, round 2: The Phubby (wrist-on)
It's advertised as a cubby for your wrist, but it doubles as an opposite-sex repellent. Update: Don't worry, it probably repels members of the same sex as well. %Gallery-82091%
Crapgadget: 'All hope just might be lost' edition
Tell us, readers -- haven't you dreamt deeply about shoving your hand into a toasty, moist hamburger at work in order to warm your digits without cranking the thermostat and irritating the Antarctica-born top brass? And tell us, haven't you always wanted a USB hub that doubled as an airplane toy? And honestly, don't even try to act like you've never longed for a fine-toothed comb that would stick out from your MacBook Pro whilst waiting at an airport. Amazingly, all of these radical fantasies can now be your own personal reality, as an unknown amount of faceless companies have inexplicably produced these very items and listed them for sale. Sure, the recession may be "over," but "hope" is still a long, long way from being found. Read - iPhone chocolate case Read - Crab earphones Read - 4-port USB Aeroplane hub Read - Hamburger USB warmer pad Read - Monkey USB warmer pad Read - Metallic car USB flash drive Read - Fine-toothed comb USB drive %Poll-36644%
Valentine's Day: last minute, last resort gifts
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gadgets/Valentine_s_Day_last_minute_last_resort_gifts'; Sure: you could get your sweetheart some totally awesome gadget -- our pages have numberless examples of all the finest that tech has to offer. But did it ever cross your mind that maybe -- just maybe -- what your beloved actually wants is... something light-hearted (preferably heart-shaped)? Go ahead and bite the bullet this year, get him / her something cute: we promise, your sensitivity will be rewarded with um... eternal love. Need suggestions? Sure, why not try the bedazzling, Swarovski-encrusted Crystal Heart Mouse. This puppy comes in three lovey-dovey flavors, each of which is $79.99 -- a triflingly small price to pay for this luxurious token of your affection, right? Check the rest out after the break. Read - Crystal Heart Mouse
