Lifestyle

If automation breeds laziness, this is a prime example. It's one thing for Japanese scientists to develop robots that can help their country's aging society for such reasons as health and safety, but is a tissue-dispensing bot really necessary?

InterRobot, maker of the ever-smiling "Mospeng-kun," also rents out its creation to the tune of 100,000 yen for five days (about $835). That seems pretty steep for an automated tissue box, but Mospeng might have a more sinister--and therefore more valuable--use as well: for "gathering information about the people it encounters on the job," … Read more

We surrender. Hello Kitty has now invaded every aspect of life, including the very air we breathe.

The evil feline's latest incarnation is an air purifier being marketed first, of course, at Sanrio stores in Japan. Not only does it promise to reverse the negative ions at home, but Plastic Bamboo says it will also cleanse the oxygen in our cars if we use its cigarette lighter adapter.

If a pink bow begins to grow out of our expanding heads, you'll know we've been already been exposed.

How many gadgets can you lug around while exercising? On one extreme, there are lightweight straps like the skull music headband, but we know you need more than that--the true gadget freak needs something like the "Soundwalk MP3 Player Audio Vest."

The vest claims to go a step beyond other products that simply provide secure pockets, featuring "hands-free functionality" for such controls as toggling from cell phone to media player. (The product literature doesn't explain exactly sure how this works, however.)

GeekSugar isn't thrilled about its value as a fashion accessory , but we still … Read more

Sometimes, a gadget can be too smart for its own good. That's our opinion, anyway, about an unforgiving fitness device called the "Body Watch."

Why? Because this little sadist will unflinchingly deliver unwelcome news about the state of your physical condition--complete with body fat, body water and body mass--all in real time . And if you try to blame the results on mechanical error, be aware that the watch uses "bio-electrical impedance analysis" and "strain gauge precision technology" to determine the effects of all those Krispy Kremes, according to OhGizmo.

On the flip side, … Read more

This really takes the stupidity cake. Looking at the first few pictures, I thought the "Skycycle" in Okayama, Japan, was a sort of bike-ride-meets-skyway. You know, something that you could pedal around on at a nice, leisurely pace to get a birds' eye view of sights on the ground. But, no. It's a roller coaster. You get on it, and you pedal, and you go wheeeeeee.

This is scary for a number of reasons. Okay, so it might be eco-friendly because it's all done by manpower. But personally, I like my roller coasters to be automated. … Read more

Why should skull music be enjoyed only under water? We don't think so either.

Just as aquatic products send soundwaves directly through the cranium for swimmers, Thanko Japan's "Vonia" headband gives runners a similar experience while on terra firma. (It's supposedly waterproof too but doesn't look like it was meant for swimming, especially with a Shuffle tucked in the side.)

The "bone conduction" device works like its seagoing counterparts, tickling the auditory nerves with melodious vibrations. That, according to Newlaunches, means you can blast your tunes without blowing out your eardrums and … Read more

Could a teenage girl undo what Microsoft hoped would be the Zune's iPod-killing feature?

Microsoft has long hoped that its MP3 player's wireless music-sharing abilities would help it gain precious ground on Apple's market leader, though that notion has hardly yielded any magic bullets. And now Kristyn Heath, a 16-year-old from the San Francisco Bay Area, has reportedly come up with the concept behind a device called "SnoopTunes" that lets iPods beam their music as well.

Moreover, unlike the Zune, "this one doesn't limit you to three days or three plays," according … Read more

We knew this was coming. Ever since the first heated mouse showed up on the gadget scene (yes, there's more than one version), thanks to those prolific but insane people over at Hong Kong-based Brando.

Enter the "USB Mouse with Electrical Muscle Stimulation"--or, as we like to call it, the "massage mouse." Tokyomango says this supposedly therapeutic device "helps work and tone your muscles while you sit and work," offering three modes and 20 speeds.

We're not exactly sure how one would apply the mouse to the lower lumbar region as … Read more

Imagine if you had one of these in your yard. It's a floating fountain that you can place in your decorative pond of choice (provided it has at least a foot of water in it) and it'll create an array of water that's 10 feet in diameter. Plus, it's illuminated by 42 LEDs that make it an awfully pretty sight. There's even a sensor that will make sure that the lights are only on when it's dark out. Sure, it costs $850, but that's a small price to pay for such coolness. (Right?)… Read more