Lifestyle

Zen, Zune, Zeno. The last one may resemble an MP3 player but isn't one. It does, however, involve another "Z" word: zits. The "Zeno" supposedly zaps acne by stimulating "heat-shock proteins" that in turn cause pimples to self-destruct, according to a description on Coolest-Gadgets. We definitely would have given this a try in our teenage years but, at our advanced age, the idea of using a device designed to burn things off one's face doesn't seem quite worth it for some reason.

We'll confess: When we heard CompUSA was keeping its stores open until 2 a.m. for the Vista launch this morning, we scoffed. Sure, we reasoned, people will show up at the locations where they're giving away free gadgets and food, and a visit from a pro football player will certainly draw more than your typical techie crowd. But we were convinced that every other store would be filled with the sounds of crickets chirping, accompanied by bored employees drumming their fingers on idle cash registers.

But when we pulled up to the CompUSA in Culver City (Los … Read more

Who says geeks don't like football? This Superbowl Sunday you can do your part to shatter that age-old stereotype with these laptop and iPod skins from SkinIt. Even if you're not a Colts or Bears fan, you can show your team spirit with any of the other NFL teams, and Gearlog says the skins will be available for cell phones too. But if you're a 49er fan like us, you may want to keep these under a plain brown wrapper for another season or three.

Now this is a USB drive that comes preloaded with something we might actually use, as opposed to others we've seen recently. Tech Digest says Disgo is offering a 2GB storage key that carries the "Concise Oxford English Dictionary" so you'll never have an excuse for any typos. This could be invaluable for those of us who have become dependent on Web dictionaries but occasionally find ourselves without a Wi-Fi connection. (We don't trust automated spell checkers either.) It even has games designed to improve spelling skills, but we wouldn't recommend this as a … Read more

This is either an ingenious invention or a sad testament to the hopeless laziness of modern society--or, in our opinion, both. The "SmartShopper" is a voice-activated shopping list designed to put an end to the illegible Post-its you leave all over the kitchen.

Just tell the device what items you need as you think of them and print out the list before leaving for the grocery. Gadgetell says it even has 2,500 items already programmed in its memory.

The downside: You no longer have any excuses for not picking up any embarrassing hygiene items requested by other … Read more

If you're thinking at all about fulfilling those New Year's fitness resolutions, here's one less excuse to stay on the couch. The "Syncwear Fitness Tee" from Malachi has three strategically placed pockets: one for your Nano, one for your headphones and one for your keys, gym ID or other essentials, according to Chip Chic. It even has loops that you can thread your iPod wires through. The $34 shirt is made of the same anti-moisture polyester material found in other overpriced workout apparel--not the cheapest shirt, but if it helps keep you from having a … Read more

Next to the mythical Internet toaster, one of the most parodied digital appliances has been the wired refrigerator. But that's precisely what this item is about--a wireless one, actually--and it comes from a decidedly un-dot-com brand: Whirlpool.

Gearlog says the "Centralpark Connection" can control MP3 devices, DVD players, cell phones, digital photo albums and other gadgetry from a hub built into its door. Why the fridge? Because, as anyone in the housing industry will tell you, the kitchen has increasingly become the focal point for entertaining and family gathering alike, especially in newer homes. That means you, … Read more

A few months ago, we showcased a YouTube trend of videos that feature cats on treadmills. Well, apparently, treadmills just aren't good enough. The latest cat-gadget videos involve getting the little fellas wet.

Check out this one, for example, of a guy with way too much time on his hands who BUILT A SCUBA SUIT FOR HIS CAT. I am not kidding. On an unrelated note, that is the fattest cat I've ever seen:

And, in the "is this funny or sad?" department, here is the link to a video from a pet store that installed … Read more

Leave it to the Aussies to create wearable technology for all seasons. Most of the wired clothing we've seen has been more appropriate for cooler climes (and looking pretty dorky at times). But summer will be here before we know it, and we don't have a thing to wear.

Koyono, a company from the land Down Under, is catering to the beach set with its "BlackCoat" short-sleeved shirt-jacket. Koyono's Web site doesn't detail the technical specs for its latest offering, but we assume it'll use the same technology as its heavier coats, which … Read more