Tech companies got a jump on the holidays in New York where they showed off cool new tech toys they hope will be big hits with gift givers. Here are some of the product highlights from the fall event sponsored by ShowStoppers.
New and Improved Slacker Portable Device
Love streaming music so much you wish you could take it with you? If you’re a Slacker.com streaming music fan, you can. The Slacker G2 is a portable device that fetches your Slacker.com personalized streaming music playlists and puts them on a portable player so you can take your streaming music with you wherever you go (no Net connections needed). Slacker is selling a $200, 25-station 4GB model and a $249, 40-station 8GB model. Downloading and listening to Slacker.com streams is free, but ad-supported. The premium ad-free service costs $10 a month.
Keyless Wi-Fi Deadbolt
Nothing captures the warmth of the holidays like a new deadbolt lock for your spouse or loved one, right? Well this Schlage Link locking system is Wi-Fi-enabled and might just be the key to a geek’s heart. This lock lets you create up to 19 different four-digit codes to program your door. The Schlage Link also allows for password-protected remote access via the Web for ultimate door control. You can control the time, date and frequency with which visitors can use their code. You can also configure the lock to e-mail or text-message you when someone uses a pass code. The hardware will cost you $300; you'll also have to pay $13 a month to subscribe to the Schlage Web service for remote access to your lock.
In-Car Wi-Fi
Traveling during the holidays may never be the same (or as peaceful) with AutoNet Mobile, a wireless Internet service for your car. Great for long road trips, this device, which can be mounted almost anywhere in the car -- in the trunk or under the seat, say -- lets passengers go Web surfing, do instant messaging or play on their PSPs. The hardware costs $500 and comes with a monthly charge of $29. The Wi-Fi range is about 100 feet -- just enough for tailgating freeloaders.
GPS Does Double Duty as Rear-View Cam
Nextar is introducing a dashboard-mountable GPS unit, the I4-BC Navigation System, that doubles as a rear-view camera for your car, so you can avoid mishaps when backing up. The GPS unit will run you $260; bundled with it is a camera that you attach to your rear license plate. The cam connects wirelessly to the GPS unit and is powered by an adapter that hooks to the light that illuminates your car's license plate.
Attack of the Night-Vision Borg
It's a good thing toymaker Jakks Pacific's $80 EyeClops BioniCam night-vision goggles are made for wearing in the dark, because if you're caught wearing them in the light of day someone might mistake you for a Borg. Jakks Pacific claims these goggles allow you to see for up to 50 feet under pitch-black conditions thanks to both infrared and LED sensors mounted on top of the goggles. The downside is these goggles allow for only one eye (the left) to see.
Wii-Remote Knockoff? Cool Console Games
The Nintendo Wii game console can be notoriously hard to find during the holiday season. One way to get in on some Wii Remote action games without having to fight to buy a Wii is to purchase Jakks Pacific's UltiMotion Swing Zone ($75), a game console system that uses the same type of accelerometer and optical sensor technology that the Wii Remote uses. UltiMotion Swing Zone comes with baseball, tennis, golf, bowling and football games.
Remote Control Bar-Bot (or Beer-Bot?)
My guess is that the demographic of lazy beer drinkers is pretty high, increasing the odds that InterActive Toy Concepts might have an instant customer base with its R/C Cooler. This $70 beer-bot is a motorized collapsible drink cooler that you direct with a remote control. Eat your heart out, Homer Simpson.
Robotic Fly on the Wall
With InterActive Toy Concepts' (ITC) MAV Ornithopter ($60) you can be that fly on the wall you've always said you wanted to be. The only catch: You can’t see or hear. The MAV Ornithopter is a thumb-sized indoor flying gizmo with a 5-inch wingspan and a 1-by-3.5-inch body. ITC says that you’ll be able to get seven minutes of flying time between charges and that the gadget takes only five minutes to juice.
