Lifestyle

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

We can just hear the Enya track now.

Stress relievers--or, more accurate, products that claim to relieve stress--are nothing new, of course, but that doesn't seem to deter a steady stream of them from coming onto the market seemingly every few days. The latest goes by the sci-fi-sounding name "MindSpa," which we appropriately saw on SCI FI Tech.

Like so many other so-called stress busters, this one uses a combination of calming lights and other New Agey stuff to lull us into a state of relaxation. According to its Web site, "The frequencies of light … Read more

See bird. Look it up. Bird gone.

This is the usual sequence of events whenever we've tried our amateurish hand at birdwatching. That's why the pocket-sized "Audio Visual Handheld Bird Encyclopedia"--a specially outfitted Palm Tungsten E2--would be tempting were it not for its $450 price. (The regular PDA goes for around $200, and Palm's future might be a consideration if support is an issue.)

If you are so inclined, however, the Hammacher Schlemmer device is a treasure trove of birding information that's searchable by name, color, size, location and other parameters: 867 … Read more

This 'Twirl-a-Squirrel' markets itself as a way to keep pesky rodents off your bird feeder. But honestly, it's really just a playset for making funny YouTube videos. I can imagine the squirrels got a little bit ticked off, though. Seriously, why is it bad to have these little guys around? Don't you think they're kind of cute?

Besides, the Twirl-a-Squirrel video is nowhere near as funny as the one about the squirrel who ate fermented pumpkins and got hammered.

If you're still afraid that the Wii might send you to the emergency room, perhaps the "JumpSnap" is right for you. At least there's no rope to strangle yourself with.

That's right, this is jump sans rope. The JumpSnap is basically a set of two electronic handles that are programmed to lead you through workouts, with sensors to gauge how well you're doing along the way. However, as SCI FI Tech points out, the coordination aspects of analog rope-jumping seem to get lost in the translation to the virtual version.

A kids-size alternative could … Read more

Die-hard surfers, rejoice. You needn't fret the effects of global warming or other elemental obstacles any longer.

With the "Hydroglider," a motor-powered board from Inventist, you can get you can rip to your heart's content under just about any aquatic conditions--with or without waves. Coolest-Gadgets says a hourlong charge provides enough power for two hours of shredding goodness.

"Powered by a quick-charge, high-torque electric motor, Hydroglider's patented design has a wing that lifts the surfboard and you up out of the water, greatly reducing drag and allowing you to achieve speeds up to an … Read more

The weather must be changing, because we're seeing more items that actually involve the outdoors (and not snowplowing). Just yesterday, for example, we noted an anti-insect LED lightbulb to be used outside, but Gizoo's "Wind-up Magic LED Lantern" does it one better: It doesn't need any batteries or power outlets to work.

How is this possible? It's called a hand crank, Sparky. Just one minute of winding will get 30 minutes of light from the lantern's five LEDs, according to SCI FI Tech, and it can stay lit for up to four hours … Read more

Recent products from Japan's NTT DoCoMo continue to reflect that country's aging population, as we saw the other day with a phone created for the elderly or others hard of hearing. Its latest offering is aimed at seniors who might not be able to use a handset at all.

DoCoMo's new video phone device stays connected to NTT's broadband cellular network for health care and emergency situations, according to Electronista. Homebound patients, for example, can contact their doctors and show them their conditions on the device's 7-inch display, which also serves as a touch screen … Read more