Gtribe.co.za

Gadget Reviews: Issue 9
Written by Charles
Wednesday, 28 September 2011 10:54

Tech - Gadget Reviews

waterH-Racer 2.0

Who says that driving an eco-friendly toy is no fun? Check out this awesome radio-controlled car that runs on... hydrogen! It runs 100 percent clean fuel produced by a miniature solar-powered refuelling station that transforms water to hydrogen. What you’re looking at is a miniature version of the car of the future. It’s an assemble-it-yourself gizmo that is made completely from “green” materials and it falls into the zero-emissions category, of course. A great gift for kids who are interested in alternate fuels (or giant kids who want to save the planet while having a blast). The H-Racer comes boxed with a solar cell, hydrogen station, remote control, hydrogen fuel cell, car assembly parts and an instruction manual.



 

 

waterPOWERplus Cobra Solar Charger



The 1.5W solar cell of the Cobra is powerful enough to fully charge its power bank in two to three hours. And the 1.000 mAh power bank itself is slim enough to slip into a pocket. It comes with a number of adaptor tips to fit your smart phones and other devices. It even comes with Velcro, so that you can strap your solar charger to your laptop bag or backpack while you’re on the move.




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

waterECO Kettle


You know it is more energy efficient to boil just enough water for one cup of coffee, right? But it’s such a pain! The ECO Kettle brings the perfect solution. You fill it right to the top, then press a button for how many cuppas you’ll be making. It releases the exact amount of water you need into a separate reservoir and boils it for you. It uses up to 31 percent less electricity than a regular kettle.




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

waterBokashi Composter


You can put this starter kit in your kitchen for indoor composting. It comes with a five-gallon container and a bag of Bokashi. Then all you do is tip your organic kitchen scraps into the bin and voilà – you have homemade compost for your garden. It’s odour-free and ferments materials in the half the time of regular composters. It’s also great for schools, restaurants and small businesses.




 

 

 

 

 

 

waterEfergy Showertime



This handy device not only shows you how long you’ve been standing under that shower, it also measures how much water you’ve used. (A bath generally uses about 80 litres of water, while most showers use between 30 and 50 litres.) You calibrate the Showertime by inserting your showerhead into the calibration bag and timing the water flow until the bag is full. Armed with these stats, you can set the timer for how long you’d like each shower to last before – ahem – pulling the plug.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

waterWiKi ECO Water Powered Clock


The eco clock makes all the energy it needs using only water and a small splash of lemon juice. It’s easy to use, and you’ll never need to buy batteries for a clock again. Plus it’s kind to the environment and looks pretty nifty on your desk or bedside table. Your eco-clock is powered for up to six weeks after one filling. Available in five colours.




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

waterBiowashball



Ditch the detergent and fabric softener, and throw a laundry ball in with your next load of washing. The ceramics inside the Biowashball break the water surface tension, allowing water to penetrate the fibres of your laundry more easily. It also emits negative ions that attach themselves to the positive ions of dirt in your laundry – these are then washed away in the rinse cycle. Plus, the chemical-free grey water from your washing machine can now be used to water the garden! One ball for loads under 4kg, two balls for bigger loads. Lasts for three years.




 

 

 

 

 

waterDyson’s Air Multiplier



Sir James Dyson was best known for his vacuum cleaners. That is, until he designed this bladeless fan! How does it work? Air goes in at the base, where it’s forced up into the loop amplifier and through an aperture, creating a jet. While exiting the loop, the jet pulls air from behind the fan into the airflow. At the same time, the surrounding air from the front and sides of the machine are forced into the air stream – amplifying it 15 times! The result: a flow of cool air. And no blades mean no safety grill, and no need for extra dusting.




 

 

 

 

 

 

waterGarmin’s Approach series for golf



Just in time to hit the greens in the springtime, Garmin has brought out the Approach series for golfers.

Approach 1: It’s a sports watch and golf GPS in one! Just consult your wrist to measure individual shot distances and track how far you walk on your favourite South African golf course. It works right out of the box without a subscription and is rugged and waterproof for those rainy days on the course. The rechargeable lithium ion battery lasts for three weeks in watch mode and eight hours in GPS mode.

Approach 3: With its transflective TFT touch screen, this rugged golf device uses a GPS receiver to measure each shot and how far you’ll need to trek to fairways, hazards and greens. It’s lightweight, waterproof and doubles as a digital scorecard for up to four players. Other features include Tree Line Coverage to help you see where trees line your fairways and Green View, for lining up your ball with that pin.

Approach 5: The big daddy of the Approach series, the G5 has everything the G3 has and more! Such as Stat Tracking, so that you can analyse your game while you play. It tracks your putts per round, greens hit in regulation, fairways hit and the average distance you hit every club. After a hard day on the green, plug your G5 into the computer and upload your stats and scores for review.




 

 

 

waterMicrosoft notebook cooling base



Nothing wastes power like a CPU in overdrive! Keep your laptop cool and promote energy efficiency with this ergonomic and stylish-looking cooling base for your notebook, measuring 29cm x 29cm. It also has a flip-up stand for more comfortable typing, and you can place it on your lap instead of the desk – as the cooling channel ensures that air still flows freely beneath your precious hardware.




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