| Ah gadgets, I love them, take something that | | | | Ion iED05 USB drum kit |
| can be done in a number of ways, find the | | | | |
| most pointless way of doing it and there you | | | | Aimed at both beginners and experienced |
| have the making of a good gadget. Why for | | | | drummers, the Ion iED05 drum kit is a digital |
| example would you want to open a bottle of | | | | set-up that connects to your PC via USB. All |
| wine with a bottle opener that will cost you | | | | you have to do is simply connect the |
| 2pounds when you can also do it with one that | | | | adjustable drum kit to your USB port and you |
| costs 50 times as much, or maybe one that's | | | | will have access to over 200 drum sounds that |
| built into your sandal or belt buckle. | | | | will work with the velocity-sensitive drum |
| | | | pads and cymbals, which react accurately to |
| But gadgets aren't just about helping you get | | | | every hit. The kit even includes video |
| your bottle of wine open. They come in all | | | | tutorial software and a drumming game to |
| shapes and sizes and some would say that the | | | | allow you to play along to music to improve |
| term covers the entire consumer electronics | | | | your performance. The Ion iED05 costs 129.99 |
| field. I am a gadget lover, ie to love all | | | | pounds. |
| things gadgety. | | | | |
| | | | Pleo |
| Here are some of my more favourite pointless | | | | |
| gadgets at the moment. | | | | Pleo is the Robotic Camarasaurus Dinosaur |
| | | | from the co-creator of the Furby. The |
| Glow Tap | | | | one-week old infant Camarasaurus from the |
| | | | late Jurassic period created by UGOBE (You Go |
| This little gizmo fits onto taps and has an | | | | Be) is an autonomous Life Form that advances |
| internal switch that lights up a set of LEDs | | | | through life stages and develops a unique |
| when you turn on your tap transforming the | | | | personality through user interaction. Like |
| stream of water into a waterfall of light. | | | | Sony's Aibo, if you treat him well and he'll |
| Rather than just as aesthetic effect, there's | | | | become friendly and outgoing, treat him badly |
| a temperature sensor within the unit that can | | | | and he'll become timid or angry. Initially |
| tell whether the water is cold or hot, and | | | | cautious, Pleo will walk around slowly to |
| changes the colour of the light | | | | absorb his surroundings but may cry when |
| accordingly.Complete with a set of universal | | | | frightened or scared. He will stretch when |
| adaptors for most size taps, the glow flow | | | | waking up and he may even stomp his foot if |
| tap is available now for 14.99 pounds. | | | | he gets angry. Man's best friend had better |
| | | | watch out. |
| Moixa USBCELL batteries | | | | |
| | | | Star Trek "Communicator" |
| The USBCELL as an environmentally-friendly | | | | |
| alternative to normal AA batteries. The top | | | | Flip up the grill, and you'll be greeted with |
| of one side flips up to reveal a USB | | | | the lights and sounds Star Trek fans have |
| connector, and the battery simply plugs into | | | | come to know and love. As an added bonus, |
| an open port. It takes five hours to charge | | | | this replica is complete with voice clips |
| one of the cells if it was fully discharged; | | | | from the actual series pre-loaded. Oh, what |
| each battery has a capacity of 1300mAH. The | | | | japes you'll have listening to Spock ask you |
| USBCELL cost around 12.99 pounds for two AA | | | | if you want an armed party beamed down, and |
| batteries. | | | | just think of the thrills as you call the |
| | | | Enterprise and hear: "Bridge here, Captain"! |