Fetish - F E T I S H
Flatlight
Without a source of radiation to generate waves at a frequency somewhere between the ultraviolet and the infrared, you're whistling in the dark. Hence, I'm happy to get my hands on the FlashCard from Lumatec, a neato device that allows me to bounce photons off objects so I can see them instead of trip over them. The FlashCard measures 3 by 3.5 inches and is as thick as a couple of playing cards. Sealed in a waterproof shell that's been dive-tested to 100 feet, the long-lasting light is ready to shine well after the sun takes off for the day. FlashCard: US$6.99. Lumatec Industries Inc.: (800) 776 7945, +1 (512) 389 3399, fax +1 (512) 389 0808.
Remote Telecommuter
The LYNXX Inmarsat-B transportable Earth station is perfect for online exploring in the middle of nowhere. Just unpack the unit from its travel case, click the flat-panel satellite antenna into place, and start communicating. Digital voice is a snap at 16 Kbps, and the 64-Kbps data-transfer rate makes it easy to send video clips from your Mount Everest base camp back to all the jealous souls stuck in the home office. LYNXX Inmarsat-B: US$34,500. California Microwave Mobile Satellite Products: +1 (516) 273 4455, fax +1 (516) 273 4583.
Jeep Jams
I look great driving around in my open-top Jeep, but I'm tired of having my stereo ripped off by hoodlums. With the Jeep Boom Box, I can take my tunes with me when I shut off the motor - and keep listening while relaxing around the campfire after a long day of four-wheeling. Disguised as a toolbox, the Boom Box's waterproof exterior opens to reveal a CD player, tape deck, and AM/FM radio. Three pockets built into the lid hold 10 of my hottest CDs. But my favorite touch is the radio tuning dial - it looks just like my dashboard speedometer. Jeep Boom Box: US$200. Hammacher Schlemmer: +1 (312) 664 8170, fax +1 (312) 664 8618, on the Web at www.internet.net.
Finger Paint
Mouses and trackballs always gum up and break down, and they're a prime cause of carpal tunnel syndrome. Not so the Touche Touch Pad. Its capacitive sensor pad detects your fingertip's position and pressure - simply slide your finger across the mylar surface, and tap it to activate commands. After taking my new Touche for a spin, I was ready to send my mouse ball rolling stiffly on its way. Touche Touch Pad for Mac and PC: US$59.99. Touche Technologies Inc.: +1 (415) 331 6622, fax +1 (415) 331 6263.
Pain Pill
Using a rest pad at the base of your keyboard is better than nothing, but the spongy slab encourages you to keep your wrists in the same place no matter where your fingers roam across the keys. PC Pucks are designed by Back Basics Ltd. to go under the base of your hand and slide across the desk, thereby keeping your wrists in a neutral position while you type and operate the mouse. PC Pucks will not only decrease the stress on the tendons in your wrists, they'll also give you '70s-style air-hockey flashbacks. PC Puck: US$10.95 a pair. Distributed by Viziflex Seels Inc.: +1 (201) 487 8080, fax +1 (201) 487 6637.
Flight Stimulator
Fasten your seatbelts! The Pan Am International Flight Academy in Miami recently opened access to its professional state-of-the-art flight simulators for US$225 an hour. Set on huge hydraulic legs, these machines fully replicate the experience of flying a jumbo jet, right down to the roar of the engines. In the cockpit, you can not only feel the sensation of takeoff and landing, you can also test your reaction to several hair-raising scenarios, including turbulence, engine fire, and wind shear. Pan Am International Flight Academy: (800) 874 6064, +1 (305) 874 6651.
Perfectly Putt
This odd-looking putter, called The Thing, was designed by a physicist and pro-golfer wannabe. Unlike standard off-center shafted clubs, The Thing's balanced shaft improves stability. The large, square grip keeps your palm parallel to the club face, and the putter's small, football-shaped club head virtually eliminates twisting. Though its shape will garner plenty of weird looks on the green, it's better than a traditional putter at creating overspin for better ball roll. The Thing: US$89.95. Natural Golf Corporation: (800) 219 7307, +1 (708) 781 3000, fax +1 (708) 781 0280.
The Petrified Desk
Are desks a thing of the past? The Executive Power Desk, designed by artist Marcia Stuermer, looks like it's straight out of the Stone Age. But if you take a closer look, you'll see that along with all those weird, fossil-like carvings, the desk also contains embedded electronic components. Look even closer, and you'll discover it's hand-carved out of wood. Once you have the desk, you'll want to spruce up the rest of your cave with a stony bed, chair, lamp, and clock. Yabba dabba doo! Executive Power Desk: US$2,000. Contact: +1 (415) 861 1933, on the Web at http://www .well.com/~fos/faux.
Ice Carver
Those slope snobs tired of shaking their fists at snowboarders and yelling, "Short skis still suck!" finally have something real to gripe about. The Elan SCX Monoblock is on the techno edge of a recent slew of hourglass-shaped skis. In fact, the SCX cuts so well that some skiers don't even use poles. While pros complain that the almost automatic carving provided by the SCX cramps their style, many advanced skiers love the skis' fast turning ability. Rent a pair and try them out for yourself. Elan SCX Monoblock: US$500. Elan Monark: (800) 336 6629, +1 (802) 863 5593, on the Web at www.elanskis.com.
One-Minute Photo Shop
Digital cameras are swell for Web publishing and other online stuff, but what am I supposed to do when I need to convert the colorful pixels to hard copy? If I only want to print out snapshot-sized color images, Fargo's FotoFun! printer will do the trick. The unit uses thermal-dye sublimation technology to crank out 4-by-6-inch glossy prints that come pretty darn close to regular color photo images. With heavy paper, I can even make my own postcards. FotoFun! for Mac and PC: US$400. Fargo Inc.: (800) 327 4622, +1 (612) 941 9470.
Pinch the Salt
The poor saps in the back of the plane are happy to season their "food" with salt and pepper from those little paper envelopes, but Virgin Atlantic's Upper Class passengers expect something better for their gourmet meals. They use a matching set of miniature chromium-plated planes designed by Rodney Fitch and Co.: a jet-engined pepper pot and a prop-driven salt shaker. The 1-inch-high sculptures are too cool not to keep, and the airline knows it. The bottom of each shaker reads: "Pinched from Virgin Atlantic." Upper Class salt shaker and pepper pot: Free if you steal them. Virgin Atlantic Airways: (800) 862 8621, +1 (203) 750 2000.
Present Your Case
The next time you make a multimedia presentation, leave the slide projector, video camera, and transparency projector at home and bring the VID-P100 along instead. This Sony-built hydra has a video camera with a 10-power zoom, backlight, adjustable fluorescent sidelights, video output, and an RS-232C interface so you can control the whole show from your laptop. Now all you need is a great demo, a nice smile, and a strong sales pitch. VID-P100 Presentation Stand: US$3,650. Sony Electronics: (800) 472 7669.
