Make your laptop remote controlled
This is a pretty cool device, which is handy if you watch DVD’s or listen to music on your laptop.

Arrow, Enter, Back and Page keys to navigate Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. Media Centre and give PowerPoint presentations.
Volume Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. To crank the volume up and down in any Windows Program. E.g. PowerPoint, Windows Media Player, RealPlayer, Power DVD, Winamp…
Media Controls to Play, Pause, Fast Forward and Rewind videos, DVD, live and recorded TV, even music. Eliminate lost remotes by storing it inside your laptop (PCMCIA Slot), that way it is always available when you need it.
The remote protrudes slightly from the slot, making it easy to pull out and use.
Support user custom key setting Support Windows Vista, XP, 2000, ME
Powered by a (CR2025) battery
Dimensions: 85.8 x 54.2 x 5.0mm
There is nothing flashy about this device, but it does a good and useful job, obviously this is not going to be used all of the time, but it will be handy when using the computer for watching media etc.
Priced at a very neat price of $30!
Source [Gadgettastic]
The desk engine
This one is going to really upset people around the office, it’s just a pity that it is a replica motorcycle engine; I don’t see what is wrong with getting a nice V8 on the desk purring away!
It’s a nice gadget for petrol heads, makes a different from all of those furry animals and massage USB powered devices.

Motorcycle Engine USB Hub features:
3 port hub - USB 2.0, of course
Loud motorcycle sounds with moving engine
Starter pedal and gear shift moving parts with appropriate sound and motion
Dimensions: 4.5″ x 4.7″ x 3.5″
All you need next is some leathers and a crash helmet to complete the illusion!
Priced at £39.99
Source [Think Geek]
A place for your iPod
The Apple is so small now that is it quite possible that is can be lost, so the logical thing to do is to build furniture around the iPod, that way it will always be safe and sound.

These sofas are great they look stylish and will go in with any interior design, and yet they have a purpose, this is where the music comes from. There is a little place for the device, and the sound and other features can be controlled by buttons and switches on the furniture itself.
The prices are not too bad; the dearest item is only $399!
Source [Cool Gadget Zone]
Build your own helicopter
It’s true that with enough determination that a person can do almost anything, in the case of Mubarak Muhammad Abdullahi, a 24 years old physics undergraduate from Nigeria, he did just that.

He always wanted his own helicopter, but did not want to spend the couple of million dollars on buying one, so he went down to the local scrap yard and built his own.
This one is made out of scarp metal, the seats out of an old Toyota car and the power comes from a trusty old 133 bhp Honda Civic engine. The dimensions are 12 m (39 ft) long, 5 m wide and 7 m high and believe it or not it does fly, but he has only flown it around seven feet off the ground!
Source [Gadgets Club]
When is it cookie time?
You can never be too sure what the time is when you have your hand inside the cookie jar, having too many cookies can spoil your dinner you know.
Now all of those worries can be solved with the cookie jar clock, there are no excuses now!

The Snack Time Clock features:
A quartz movement clock.
A sturdy dishwasher-safe glass jar.
U.S. FDA approved materials.
Lid is strong plastic.
Measures: 9¼”L x 7″W x 8″H.
Requires 1 “AA” battery (sold separately).

Of you can keep whatever you like in this jar as the image shows.
Priced at $24.95, but they have a sale on at the moment the price is now $12.95!
Source [Baron Bob]
http://www.baronbob.com/snacktimeclock.htm
DIY HACK - HOWTO make some sounds with Arduino! Sound Part 3 - Playing a Melody

Check out the Part 3 of “HOWTO make sounds with Ardunio” and learn to play melody.
Bit-Banging Sound
To bit-bang sound we toggle an output pin at the desired frequency. To play a musical note, we need to use specific frequencies and play the sound for a specific amount of time.Generating the desired frequency big-bang style means figuring out what the period or cycle time of the desired frequency is. This is easy to calculate, it’s the reciprocal (1/F) of the frequency. As we found in part 2, 1KHz is 1000 cycles per second. So, one cycle takes 1 one-thousandth (1/1000) of a second or 0.001 seconds (1 millisecond). We need to toggle the pin at this rate so we want to keep it low for 1/2 the time then high for 1/2 the time. Therefore we want to set the I/O pin low for 500uS, then high for 500uS and do this over and over for as long as the duration requires.
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HOWTO make Beer Thermostat with Arduino

The ENDO Magnet Clip

Check out this nifty ENDO Magnet Clip. Will they send us a sample so we can hang our shoes?
A solid mass of neodymium, silicone and steel, “Endo” presents an elegant alternative to conventional means of magnetic attachment. No springs. No coils. No internal moving parts. Endo is the one-piece all-purpose silicone magnet with springy clipping action.
Secures poetry, recipes, photos, memos and documents to the fridge, message board or metal surface.
How do you like it soft or hard?
Of course we are talking about chocolate here, what else did you think? This is the DARS brand of chocolate from yes you have guessed it Japan.

You see they just know how to bring in something that everyone wants, now this is it each wrapper has an indicator on it, which simply lets you know if the chocolate inside soft, hard or just right, how great is that.
Apparently 22 C or 71.6 F is the perfect temperature for chocolate!
Source [New Launches]
This clock is a bit fishy
What a great feature this clock will make on any wall, the idea of it representing a sardine can is cool enough for this to take a prime spot on the kitchen wall.

With half of the can opened up as if it were a real can, it exposes the pendulum which is funny enough a fish.
Size 12 inches x 6 inches x 2 inches.
Priced at $22.98
Source [Lighter Side]
