gadgets

Click, send, call, text, Like, tweet, undo, reset, delete... it just doesn't end. Which is why a couple of marketing guys are dubbing September 18 "No Device Day" for consumers who might be too involved with their gadgets.

Though the idea of dedicating an entire day to shutting devices off may seem silly (or virtually impossible) to some, Mark DiMassimo, CEO of ad firm Digo, and Eric Yaverbaum say they believe Americans need to be reminded to turn off their electronics from time to time. Thus, their "lifestyle intervention."

They didn't randomly choose September 18 for the latest installment of the larger Offlining ad campaign, though. It's also Yom Kippur, considered by many Jews to be the holiest day of the year. On this day, also known as the Day of Atonement, observant Jews disengage from things like playing on their BlackBerrys, as well as other daily activities like writing, playing instruments, and even eating.

DiMassimo and Yaverbaum are applying the same tradition to No Device Day, but here's their shtick--"You don't have to be Jewish..."… Read more

Record-breaking heat in San Francisco earlier this week got me thinking about the effect of temperature and other external conditions on portable electronics. Most gadgets weren't designed to withstand extreme heat or cold, or to fend off excessive moisture (with some notable exceptions). With that in mind, I've compiled the following tips to help you keep your tech in good working order.

It may already be nearing the end of August, but many of us still have several warm, sunny weeks left. During that time, DON'T leave your cell phone, MP3 player, or other portable device in your car all day long--especially in direct sunlight. (In this city, doing that is just begging to have your car window smashed in, as well.) Gadgets, like prescription meds, are best kept at room temperature. Exposing them to extremes can damage the internal hardware, causing system malfunctions and general user unhappiness.

If you're wondering about the limitations of your device, DO check out the packaging; most electronics call out an appropriate temperature range in the specs. For example, the iPod Touch is guaranteed operational between 32 degrees and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. As you can see, the upper end of that range is not all that high. From what I've been told, many parts of the country also dip well below freezing some months of the year, so heed this advice in the winter as well. (Or just spend November through March in California--it's totally affordable, I swear.)… Read more

If you're looking to bring a little levity to your morning cup of tea--and who isn't?--you'll appreciate this fun infuser from RSVP International. The infuser is made of 18/8 stainless steel. Fill it with loose tea leaves and drop it in your hot water. Then, when your tea has brewed the proper amount, there's no need to fish around for the infuser or to dirty a spoon. Simply lift Ducky out and place him into his handy drip cup. It's about $10 online, and makes a cute gift for any tea lover.

Ducky … Read more

You may have heard there's a new iPhone hitting stores this week. If you're planning on buying one and still have your old iPhone, why not sell it?

There's a good chance you can recoup much of what you originally paid and put it toward the new iPhone 4. Individuals, resellers, and retailers are willing to pay for old iPhones, you just need to know where to look. 

The gadget resale market, especially for the iPhone, is hotter than ever right now. Consumer electronics reseller Gazelle.com said last week that 10,000 iPhones were sold to the site in the week following the iPhone 4's introduction on June 7--and that was 10 times the number of old iPhones sold to the site following the iPhone 3GS announcement a year ago.

Your best options for making money off your iPhone include the obvious places like eBay and Craigslist, but if you don't feel like doing the work yourself, gadget resellers will do most of it for you: they'll buy your phone from you and handle the reselling themselves. And this year, iPhone retailer RadioShack is offering an incentive to sell back your old phone.

Though most places will take any model iPhone with normal wear and tear, the later the model of iPhone you're selling, and the better the condition it is in will increase the resale value. And, of course, before you part with your phone, remember to wipe it of all your personal data.

Here are some of your best options:

Gazelle.com Gazelle will buy your old iPhone and pay you depending on the condition. It'll wipe the data for you as part of the service (though you should probably do it yourself just for peace of mind). You just answer a few questions about your phone's condition and which accessories you have, and it'll spit out a price and send you a box for shipping your phone. Last week a 32GB iPhone 3GS in good condition with normal wear and tear was worth $198.

NextWorth.com Like Gazelle, it'll buy your old iPhone provided it's in decent working shape. If it's close to new, with everything in working order, a 32GB iPhone 3GS will fetch as much as $300. For an iPhone 3G in good condition, NextWorth is offering more than $100.

RadioShack The consumer electronics retailer is offering perhaps the most efficient way of reselling your old iPhone and getting a new iPhone 4. For the first time, RadioShack has been included as one of the first retail outlets to get the iPhone on launch day. And it's sweetened the deal for potential customers by adding an extra incentive.

RadioShack will let you turn in your old iPhone for store credit toward the new one. The retailer says it will pay "up to $200" for an iPhone 3GS. Just bring it into the store and an employee will plug the device's specs and condition into their system and pay based on that recommendation. That value can be put toward a new iPhone 4 the same day or kept on a RadioShack gift card for future use.… Read more

Ever find yourself bringing a purse along somewhere for the sole purpose of having a place to stash your cell phone and/or MP3 player? The Showstopper out of Australia offers a hands-free alternative in the form of a zippered wrist-worn pouch offered in enough styles that you can probably make it look like part of your outfit.

Creator Stacey Cole was tired of lugging around a hangbag to hold her essentials and didn't think her valuables were safe in her boyfriend's pocket (but that's their issue). Also, she didn't find the typical arm pouches, travel … Read more

Microsoft shook up its entertainment and devices unit on Tuesday, with unit President Robbie Bach and Chief Technology Officer J. Allard both leaving the company.

Bach, who joined the company in 1988, is "retiring" and will leave the company in the fall, while Allard will be an adviser to CEO Steve Ballmer on "a specific set of projects," according to a Microsoft spokesman.

"At Microsoft, I've been so fortunate to spend more than two decades of my life working with incredible people and doing amazing things like launching Office, Xbox and Xbox Live, the '… Read more

Dieting is hard enough if you're a reality show contestant with a personal chef and a trainer at your beck and call. For those of us left to our own devices in ordinary kitchens, we've got to remove every possible obstacle if we're going to meet our goals. That's where products like the Measure Up Bowls come in. These microwave- and dishwasher-safe porcelain portion bowls keep you on track by letting you serve proper portions right in the bowl you're eating from. Nothing extra to wash, and you can simply eat--and enjoy.

The bowls come … Read more

Summer is almost here, and if you're not quite swimsuit-ready, these utensils might just help you out. The Knife and Fork Lift each weigh in at a pound and a half to remind you that every bite you put in your mouth has to be exercised off eventually. If you're trying to be more conscious of what you put in your body, this silverware will definitely do the trick.

Although the site claims that the knife and fork would make a great gift for someone starting a diet or having trouble sticking to one, I'm fairly certain … Read more

A computer can be a truly useful kitchen gadget. Don't believe me? Just point your browser to Steep.it and behold! It is a handy chart of tea-steeping times and temperatures, with a timer functionality that works with visual and aural cues, and the flexibility to work it any way you want. You can type various commands right in your browser's address bar: steep.it/2minutes30seconds or steep.it/herbal, for example.

The timer counts down with a color-changing screen effect and dings (and displays a pop-up) when your tea is ready. You can even navigate away from … Read more