Gadgets

For those consumers who get particularly creeped out by the idea of bacteria, Samsung has added to its line of Jetsons-worthy home appliances with a new range of front-loader washing machines that utilize nano-size silver ions to kill the microbes. The company says machines with Silver Wash technology destroy 99.99 percent of bacteria in the wash load and coat clothes with antibacterial protection lasting up to 30 days.

The Silver Wash machines are part of the Korean company's Silver Nano Health System, a group of appliances (refrigerators, microwaves, air conditioners) that use silver ions to slay disease-causing molds, … Read more

Demofall One of the amazing things about the Demofall show, which ended on Wednesday in Huntington Beach, Calif., was just how many compelling technologies were showcased.

The idea was to cover as many of them as possible during the show, but there just wasn't time. But good technology deserves a hearing, and it would have been a shame to ignore the innovation that is Streamload's MediaMax media center.

Designed to give consumers a one-stop shop for handling, collecting and sharing all manner of digital media, the Web-based software seems like something that could appeal to just about anyone. … Read more

Babyhugs is looking out for exhausted parents. The Australian company has come up with a remote-controlled crib that rocks your infant to sleep.

The Lullabub consists of four modules placed under each leg of a crib. The modules produce a gentle rocking motion that emulates the suspension in a car. The product has four settings and an automatic timer, so it can be shut off after a certain amount of time. It will be available for purchase online later this year.

SanDisk is preparing to launch a new flash-based storage device at next week's CTIA Wireless trade show in San Francisco, according to a partner of the company.

Click&Buy, a New York company that makes e-commerce software, sent out an advisory Wednesday saying it is an exclusive partner with SanDisk and will unveil its own secure mobile payment software for SanDisk's new Trusted Flash Card on Tuesday at 1 p.m.

If Trusted Flash is a name you've not heard before, don't worry. You will.

Apparently, Click&Buy's software lets consumers purchase songs … Read more

Demofall HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif.--There are so many digital choices for music today that if you're on an Internet-connected computer, just about any song in the world is a click or two away.

But the folks at Palo Alto, Calif.-based Roku think digital music shouldn't be trapped on computers or MP3 players. They feel consumers know and love their radios and that a tabletop radio-like device that can play digital tunes of all kinds is sure to be a hit.

Thus, they've rolled out their SoundBridge Radio Wi-Fi music system, and showed it off at the … Read more

Tim Campbell, winner of "The Apprentice" in the U.K., is getting into the beauty biz. On Tuesday, the reality TV star from across the pond unveiled the Integra Face Care System, a micro-current treatment unit that uses small pulses of electricity to isolate specific facial muscles. The resulting contractions purportedly promote better circulation and yield a more youthful appearance.

Infomercial fans probably know that such devices aren't new, but the Integra is getting special attention because of the man behind it. Campbell, a 26-year-old former transport manager with the London Underground, has been developing the product … Read more

Demofall HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif.--At 8:49 a.m. on Tuesday morning, U3 of Redwood City, Calif., took the stage at Demofall 2005. The company was the first of 65 presenters, each of which gets no more than six minutes to show off their new product or service at this annual conference focusing on emerging technologies and new products.

U3's offering, a new-style USB drive, could well revolutionize the market for flash devices as it renders the notion of device-centric information moot.

Until now, USB drives have been a great answer for small-format storage, allowing users to carry large … Read more

Pass me my Mr. Bubble, my rubber ducky and turn the lights down low.

GNR8 (pronounced generate) designers Jan Puylaert and Alexis Oskam have come up with a new twist on the family bathroom--bathtubs and sinks that glow.

Internal halogen or multi-chromatic LED lights can be programmed to change color or stay on your favorite neon shade. Faucet fixtures are not included.

The self standing, single color polyethylene bathtub sells for $1,399. A multi-color version will set you back $2499. The wall-mounted sink retails for $249. The company said it will sell the bath set to you without the … Read more

It's time to step out of the shower and live out your karaoke dreams.

That's what Carlo Franzblau did when he founded Carry-A-Tune Technologies. The company founder has just released a software package for the PC called SingingCoach.

The basic package costs $49.95 and comes with 20 singing lessons and a headset with a built-in microphone. The software includes a vocal analyzer that gives you feedback on your performance as you sing. At the end of each performance, the software calculates and displays a score from 1 to 100.

SingingCoach Unlimited ($99.95) lets you access more … Read more