Gadgets

Controllers that make you go vrrroom

Fans of cartoon race cars will be happy to know there's a line of game accessories just for them.

The sleek, cherry-red controllers, inspired by Lightening McQueen, the main character in Disney's latest Pixar animation film, "Cars," are racing into stores in time to complement the "Cars" video game.

In the film, McQueen gets lost and ends up in the desert. Now fans can head to the store or online and bring the lost little racer back home again, along with his bonus keychain light, for $19.99.

The controllers and accessories are compatible … Read more

Wardriving in a small Oregon town

ASTORIA, Ore.--I'm well along on my tech-related Road Trip through the Pacific Northwest now, having driven nearly 900 miles from my home in San Francisco.

As I go, I'm constantly facing the question of how to get online so I can file stories and blogs.

So far, it hasn't been that big of a problem. I've found it surprisingly easy to track down free wireless Internet access.

For example, in Eureka, Calif., I went to the Old Town Coffee and Chocolate shop and, for the $2 it cost me to quaff an Italian soda, I … Read more

Car designed only for wheelchairs

Transportation access for wheelchair-bound travelers is often limited to such technologies as hydraulic lifts on buses and cumbersome hoists for cars. But engineers in Hungary have designed an automobile specifically for wheelchair users, with no front seat and conveniently positioned controls centered around a joystick.

A Ferrari made of yarn

How can knitting be combined with high-performance auto racing? Art student Lauren Porter figured out a way, according to this article in The Sun Online, with a full-size replica of a Ferrari knitted with 12 miles of yarn.

Blue Man musical toys

Regardless of what you think of the Blue Man Group, it has become an international franchise that runs the gamut from headlining in Vegas to starring in commercials for Intel. Now, the men in blue are expanding their sphere even further with a line of musical toys made by ToyQuest and licensed under the Blue Man name.

An umbrella to lighten your mood

One of the few staples of life that have remained surprisingly low-tech is the umbrella--until now, anyway. "Twilight Umbrellas" aim to leaven the dreary moods of inclement weather with eight light strips that cycle through five colors.

Yellow chairs for free Wi-Fi

A pair of designer/artists in San Jose, Calif., are trying an experiment in community technology: If they can find a couple of households to volunteer their Wi-Fi networks, they'd like to set up yellow chairs within range for the public to use for free wireless Net access. The idea is modeled after projects in some parts of Europe where yellow bicycles are available for community use.

When you just can't let go of your iPod

Some people are so addicted to their iPods that they're willing to take them everywhere. That must explain the thinking behind the iCarta, the combination stereo dock and bath tissue holder.

It's summer, toss some silicone on the barbee

Silicone cooking doodads have made a fine transition from the kitchen to the BBQ.

For a barbeque-friendly take on the bristle basting brush, check out the Super Silicone Angled BBQ Basting Brush from Grill Friends. The 15-inch red-and-black brush may be long enough to keep the hairs on your forearm from burning. It's $9.99 online at the BBQ Pro Shop.

There's also an $11.99 barbeque mop with 167 dangling silicone bristles that can hold plenty of sauce. Unlike cotton mops, it can be cleaned and used again.

For more protection against smoky heat, the pliable, rubbery … Read more

Top 10 'strangest' mini-devices

TechEBlog has come up with another list, this time of the "Top 10 Strangest Mini-Sized Devices." Our personal favorite: the diminutive "Space Cube"--which, in its 2-inch cubed frame, packs more processing power and memory than our 30-pound-plus first PC.