gadget

Tired of lugging around a battery charger? Not sure how effective those rechargeable batteries actually are at protecting the environment?

TOKYO (AFP) - Toys are no longer just child's play in Japan, where an ageing population and expanding waistlines have spawned a wave of gadgets to help adults beat stress, battle the bulge or relieve loneliness.

Wow, absolutely delicious flash drive, where can I get a few! WOW!

...a technology available right now that can make some wanton energy waste history. It’s a surge protector that stakes the hearts of vampire electronics without hassling you, the sleeping victim.

The DIY Kyoto Wattson, while from a company with a misleading name, is simple in theory. You connect some included doodads to your electricity meter and those doodads communicate wirelessly with the box, displaying your current usage in watts and the amount you will spend in a year at the current usage.

Purifies 16 fl. oz. of water (cold or warm) in less than a minute, or 32 fl. oz. in a minute and a half. Fits in your shirt pocket, a handy gizmo for globetrotters...

Stay in your lane with this Bluetooth cellphone speaker. It's solar too...

Win a bamboo 256KB USB drive keychain...easy entry.

Design firms, up-and-coming designers and students are encouraged to explore gadgets that address energy, carbon footprint, health and toxicity, lifecycle, social development and new materials.

That’s right, it’s WATER power for your alarm clock!

The CS600 tracks things like heart rate, bike speed (current, average and max) and altitude. It was developed by six teams from last year's Tour de France. It costs $700.