remote

How to rule the high seas of your swimming pool

If you spent your days singing "Yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirate's life for me" way before Keira Knightley made it cool, this might be the ultimate pool toy for you. This $330 remote-control pirate ship, which comes with a fully watertight hull, is "faithfully detailed to resemble an 18th-century merchant vessel," according to the product page. Plus, it can be controlled from up to 500 feet away, which means that you can chart its course from the comfort of your pirate loft, or even from the kitchen while you're heating up some Jolly Roger toast. … Read more

Tilting security cams for the paranoid

One of the most vexing things about being chronically paranoid is the limitations of our equipment (technologically speaking). No matter how many security cameras you've installed, for example, there will always be blind spots--and we know that's exactly where our enemies are sure to be lying in wait.

We may be getting some much-needed help, however, from a new remote-controlled tilting camera on the market. This neat little device can pan the landscape at will, controlled from up to 330 feet away with a handheld monitor that includes at 2.5-inch LCD screen to watch your target's … Read more

Laser tanks for sadists

If you're into sado-masochistic gaming (that's enough information, thank you), you might be interested in this next item. Picking up where the "Shocking Duel" leaves off, the "R/C Laser Tag Shocking Tanks" uses the general concept--giving the enemy a physical shock with each "hit"--but without having to encounter your opponent face to face.

By remote control, the tanks shoot at each other with lasers shot from built-in infra-red cannons. If one of your beams strikes the opposing tank, its controller will receive an electric shock pass along to its human … Read more

Read your snail mail on the Web: Earth Class Mail

Editor's Note: RemoteControl mail has changed their name to "Earth Class Mail." The title and name mentions has been changed to reflect this, while the rest of the article remains in its original form.

Tired of opening letters and bills? There's a new service, Earth Class Mail, that will receive your postal mail for you, send you scans of the unopened letters and parcels, and then let you figure out what to do with your mail. Its options include physically forwarding the mail to you, recycling or shredding the mail, or opening it and scanning the … Read more

OMG! It's Robo-Shark!

I'm going to say it up front: this remote-controlled hammerhead shark does not serve any useful purpose whatsoever. It's only two feet long, so it's not very scary. It can only be controlled from up to 50 feet away, so it's not like you could really hide from it. And it can only dive in up to 8 feet of water.

So, basically, it's a glorified pool toy.

Nevertheless, I think this is awesome. I mean, a remote-controlled shark that swims around? And his eyes light up! And at $80, he only costs as much … Read more

Remote-controlled water cannon

Warm weather will be back before we know it, so it's not too soon to start thinking about water toys and beach gadgets. (For therapeutic distractions from the cold, if nothing else.)

This has got to be our favorite so far: a remote-controlled water cannon. Uber-Review suggests getting 10 of them to have a water war.

With backward, forward and spin movements, the water cannon can supposedly shoot streams as far as 10 feet. For our money, that's $129 well spent.

'Phaser' remote for lonely Saturday nights

Apparently, attraction to the opposite sex isn't nearly as important as it used to be. That's the only explanation we can fathom for the continuing trend of new Star Trek items on the market.

The latest date repellant is a $70 "Phaser Universal Remote Control," which claims to feature sound effects from the original series provided by Paramount. Alas, Red Ferret notes that it's already sold out. (What a surprise.)

But don't despair, Sparky. If you play your cards right, you might still be able to score a "Lightsaber Umbrella."

Sharp adds touchpad to the remote

This one definitely falls under the category of What Took Them So Long? Universal remotes have claimed (dubiously) to do everything under the sun, but they've gotten increasingly difficult to use by cramming in more keys and buttons, not to mention indecipherable commands.

Sharp has responded to that frustration with "the world's first remote controller with a touchpad," according to Gearfuse, for its updated line of Aquos TV-PCs. The design overhaul means 40 percent fewer buttons and computer-like navigation on the remote.

The new products appear to be available only in Japan for now, but we'… Read more

Get the door from anywhere on Earth

In the Digital Age, the postman never needs to ring twice. That's because of inventions like the "GSM Doorbell" from Dutch start-up Waleli, which will automatically call your mobile phone if you're not immediately available to greet visitors--and you can unlock the door remotely just by punching in a designated number.

As Gearlog points out, it's really more of a smart system that includes an intercom, electronic lock and SIM card for your handset. Waleli says the system, which works with any phone on an international GSM network, has already been on the market in … Read more