Imagine being forced to use a sandpit as a toilet, in full view
of your family - horrible, right? Yet cats are forced to suffer
similar indignity every day by their human masters; their shame is
so great they even bury the fruits of their labours afterwards. But
kinder cat owners can now spare their kitty's blushes by purchasing
the Litter Kwitter, a 3-step training system designed to help cats
to use a human toilet. All that's needed now is a follow-up gadget
to stop tomcats leaving the seat up once they've done their
business.
It might sound like a super-advanced machine for disposing of
important documents, but the DTV Shredder is much cooler (and more
daft) than a boring old office gadget. This extreme machine
combines motocross bike, skateboard and Johnny Five in one
all-terrain package. The rider stands sideways on a modified
skateboard deck, barrelling over bumps and leaping from natural
ramps at speeds of up to 30mph. Ice, snow, sand, mud - nothing can
stop this over-the-top vehicle in its...well, tracks.
Now, until we saw the iCap we were under the impression that a
regular MP3 player, earbuds and baseball cap combo worked just fine
for most people. But apparently not. This gadget is completely
wireless - the stereo sound from the built-in speakers takes the
place of a set of headphones. The 2GB MP3 player sits under the
brim of the baseball cap, and when worn backwards will, according
to the creators, "fit under standard bicycle helmets, hard hats and
shorty motorcycle helmets". A bonkers bit of tech.
Have you ever seen someone metal detecting? They're usually old,
beardy and convinced they'll soon discover a hoard of priceless
Roman coins. But their 'finds' are more likely to be a rusted coke
can, a bottle cap, or, if they're lucky, a horse shoe. These
Treasure Seeker's Shoes aim to make metal detecting less obviously
nerdy - the pack on your leg beeps or vibrates every time your feet
pass over something metal. Shame it'll look like you've stepped in
something nasty whenever you stop to unearth a hidden treasure.
Zipping along on the UNO III Streetbike is the closest you can
get to riding a transformer. This eye-poppingly odd machine can
switch from a two-wheeled 'dicycle' (i.e. balanced on its rear two
wheels) to a three-wheeled sports bike in next to no time, allowing
you to squeeze into tight city spaces or speed along the motorway
at will. Internal gyros help maintain stability when the bike is in
dicycle mode; when you open up the throttle a third (front) wheel
automatically folds out, and the rear wheels move backwards. A feat
more than worthy of the robots in disguise.
If Dirty Harry needed to use a power drill he'd undoubtedly
reach for the Magnum Power Driver (though possibly not the powder
pink version). This cordless screwdriver looks as if it's been on a
course of steroids, packing six different heads into one device.
Its revolver design adds an extra dose of testosterone to the DIY
process, and there's even a small on-board torch should you, erm,
feel compelled to put up some shelves in the dark. You know, like
'real men' do.
A 'faceless watch' sounds like an oxymoron - at least until
you've actually clapped eyes on one. This kooky but cool timepiece
actually works just as well as a regular watch. Four LCD displays
built into the stainless steel band itself illuminate at the touch
of a button, forming digital numbers that tell the current time; a
further press brings up the date. This gadget has an added bonus
too - your non-watch-wearing friends will soon stop pestering you
for the time once they realise you only wear a steel 'bracelet' on
your wrist.
Motorised Monocycle
It looks like it shouldn't work, but the Motorised Monocycle is
actually a precision piece of engineering, capable of travelling at
speeds of up to 25mph. Although it seems rather sci-fi in nature
the original monocycle design is almost 150 years old. The driver
sits within the wheel itself, and steers by leaning to one side or
the other. Sadly this modern version isn't road legal, though
considering how many accidents would happen as a result of car
drivers rubbing their eyes and staring in disbelief as a monocycle
zooms past, that might actually be for the best.
After an hour on the tube or train, or sat in a traffic jam with
only Simon Mayo for company, the last thing you want to do is stand
by the hob stirring your dinner. But microwave meals and pot
noodles can only sustain a person for so long (four years and
counting in our case). The answer? A self-stirring pot of course.
The ultimate kitchen gadget for the discerning non-chef, this
device features an automated spatula that mixes ingredients and
lifts bits of food that would otherwise stick and burn on the
bottom of the pan. In fact, it's a better cook than we are.
USB Aquarium
When you first glanced at the photo, you probably thought, a USB
fish tank filled with virtual fish - how is that over the top? But
we've got news for you. This isn't your bog standard crappy office
toy. Oh no. As far as USB peripherals are concerned, this crazy
gadget takes things to a whole new level. Why? Because it's
designed to provide "a comfortable habitat for real fish". Yes, you
read that correctly - real, all-singing, all-dancing (well, perhaps
not) fish. In a tank. On your desk. Plugged into your computer's
USB port. It certainly puts our USB mug warmer to shame.