Sandy-gram

[#1]

At this week’s 2011 International Consumer Electronics event, more than 2,700 technology companies revealed a vast array of new and innovative products for consumers. Some were truly inspired, while others, well, not so. Here are some of our favorites, either for their cool…or their dud factor. Take this OLED suit jacket with multiple screens. Definitely a head turner…and handy when you lose interest in your date’s story about his Pez collection . It also comes in stylish hat-wear as well.

At Home 3-D

MakerBot is an open-source 3D printer that really works (and won't break the bank). The device wowed visitors at CES and was dubbed "best at CES" by Forbes.

      A Dud

      These retro-looking phones plug into your mobile phone so you can talk while feeling...uh, cool?

Thumbs Up

Although not extremely portable, or even useful, this iPad accessory won raves for all-around fun. The iCADE provides an interface for gameplay through a joystick and buttons, connecting to the iPad via Bluetooth. They've partnered with Atari to offer classic games like Asteroids. It's reported to be available in the spring at about $99.

Yuck...

First, packaged soups are bad enough, but now, we have packaged soup that you just put on a wireless hot plate to heat up. Julia would turn over in her grave.

  

Way, way cool

One of the honorees for CES' Innovations Awards, the RCA Airpower charger is said to recycle existing energy from Wi-Fi, artificial light sources and the sun to charge and power mobile devices such as smartphones and other 5V low-power portable devices. 

Move over Jenny Craig

Intuitive Automata's Autom is "a personal coach" that "would love to help you lose weight by improving your eating and exercise habits."  Really?

Thousands of innovative products were presented at this year's CES Conference held Jan. 6-9 in Las Vegas. These products were derived from The Huffington Post's Best, Worst & Weirdest list. Check out for more cool and unusual gadgets.

[#2]

I guess the Autom personal coach spews out nutrition info? I totally can't see it waking me up at 5am to do a workout and yelling at me when I insist that the sheets beckon more strongly then losing inches off my waistline. I'm waiting for a machine that will just do the workout for me, only let me benefit from the calories burned. And if it could make me breakfast and run some laundry, that would be cool too. lol

[#3]

I agree with petgirl that an automatic device to do certain household tasks like laundry would be the bomb.  But I draw the line at an automatic vacuum cleaner.  My son loves the idea (for obvious reasons) and keeps trying to talk me into getting a robotic cleaner that perpetually roams around the house.  Beside the fact that it would probably be burned out after a week's diet of dog hair, paper clips, pennies, and other miscellanea scattered across our floors, I also have this vision of it attacking the piles of books I have next to my bed and terrorizing our dogs by chasing them around the house!   

[#4]

I was actually realled tempted to get one of those so I could watch my cats ride around on it, but heard from friends that it ended up being an expensive dead frisbee after a while. Mine would be destroyed in an afternoon of dog hair and small Lego pieces.

[#5]

I have a slight twist on this conversation about innovations.  

Has anyone ever looked at the magazine Real Simple?   It's actually full of all kinds of useful info but one of the sections I enjoy the most deals with new uses for old objects.  

One issue included a bunch of ideas for socks, especially colorful new ones! Idea 1:  Take a long, striped new sock and place it over the bottom of a bottle of wine; knot the top and carry it to a party as a hostess gift (actually if you're going to do that, then you'd better make it 2 socks and 2 bottles of wine for obvious reasons!).    Idea 2:  Fill a clean sock with rice and a few drops of lavender oil.  Tie with a ribbon and microwave for 1 minute.  Use this to soothe an achy neck or back.  Idea 3:  Take a Mason jar and place it into a clean, patterned sock.  Tuck the excess fabric inside the jar.  Fill with supplies. (This is especially good for a kid's desk).   Idea 4:  Fill a long colorful sock with beans, tie the end, and place in front of a drafty window or door.  

Another suggestion has to do with using a bundt pan as a vertical roaster for a whole chicken.  You first layer sliced potatoes, carrots and onions on the bottom of the bundt pan. Then season the chicken and place it in the pan with the bird's cavity over the center hole.  Set the pan on a cookie sheet to collect any drippings and roast as usual.  (I haven't tried this yet, but I'm dying to).  

All of these ideas are from Real Simple.  I can't take any credit for them!

[#6]

I love the Real Simple ideas! They make so much sense! I like that they're useful but also creative in a quirky kind of way, often encouraging color or some sort of whimsical twist to things. I bought a collection of their ideas, and I guess I must have really liked it. When they came out with another version of it (same info, different cover), I bought it again!

[#7]

Just last night my husband and I were talking about the all-time best innovations -- especially the simple ones that have made such an improvement to our lives.  We were going through a stack of papers and organizing them and, of course, using post-it notes.  That's when it hit us.  Post-its have to be at the top of the list.  How wonderful to be able to write a note while you're thinking of it and put it on an important paper/bill/document so that you can deal with it properly but not permanently change the document.  And they last for a long time and can be removed at will without damaging the original paper.  The fact that they come in different colors and different sizes only adds to their appeal and usefulness.

[#8]

I have some more innovative uses for old objects from Real Simple to pass on.  

Here are two new uses for bobby pins: 1) when doing an at-home manicure, dip the end of a bobby pin into polish remover and then trace along your cuticles to remove excess color and 2) as your toothpaste gets used up, roll up the end of the tube and secure it with a bobby pin.  (I especially like the last one; I'm going to try it tonight.)

Here's a new idea for a turkey baster: use it to clear the dust from tiny spaces like between your computer keys.

Here's a funny one: slide a pint of Ben & Jerry's into a mitten pot holder to keep your hands from freezing when you eat out of the container!

Enjoy!

[#9]

I tried the turkey baster idea that scout11 posted and it worked. It's much cheaper than buying those cans of compressed air (or whatever they are). I'm going to avoid the Ben & Jerry's idea since I already have a hard time showing restraint when it comes to icecream.  I don't need anything that makes eating it easier!

[#10]

These are neat ideas. Were they from the magazine or the Real Simple book that got published? I love Post-It notes, by the way. They are the best invention. I like the colorful ones because I have the memory of like, a koala bear or something. I leave myself notes all over the place. But I do have to remember to actually read them because after a while they just seem like part of the decor since I like the neon ones and they match the throw pillows in my living room which is really retro and all 60's and stuff.

[#11]

Those ideas were from one of the Real Simple magazines. I agree about the post-it notes, too. Actually the bright ones are supposed to affect some people neurologically, enhancing their memories and attention. Maybe that's the case for you honeybuns....I know it is for many people I know. 

[#12]

I read Real Simple periodically, too. There was a recent suggestion that I really want to try. They suggested filling empty egg shells with potting soil and planting seeds in them. Once they start to sprout, you can just put them in your garden and let them grow. The shell is biodegradable so you don't have to worry about it. I love the idea of this. Has anyone ever tried this?

[#13]

Oh, sure, they can make a 3D printer, but they're waaaay behind on the whole Flying Car concept.  I mean, really, it's 2011 already!  Where's my flying car? And my house cleaning robot?

At least they're getting closer to having computers you can wear. 

Now, what could possibly go wrong with that?  Driving your flying car and texting via your omni-present computer??  (Oh, they'll have it all voice actuated, not to worry!)

But picture it, then you can work on your calender, flying out to the Keys while the "bot does the housework.  My luck would be getting that android from Bladerunner...  *shudder 

Unless Autom can get the full-on "Full Metal Jacket" Drill Instructor thing going, it's not getting me out of bed.  Period.  It looks rather like an expensive paperweight.  :-)