gadget

If there is, indeed, a second life, I'm still not sure I would want to come back as a bishop. It's not merely that I don't look good in a long skirt. It's the difficulty of the job.

Somehow, you have to try to influence people who have long ago sailed down the Material River, as if their first port of call will be Nirvana.

However, this seems not to have stopped the bishops of the Church of England from suggesting that, now that we are in the ashen 40 days and 40 nights of Lent, you should, for these few weeks, give up on Nirvana. And the Cowboy Junkies. And Jay-Z. And any other musical accompaniment with which you normally plug your ears.

The bishops have found a very material argument for this highly spiritual sacrifice. According to the Telegraph, they are suggesting that you go on a technology fast to save the rotting planet, as well as your equally putrid soul.

Indeed, the whole project is called the Carbon Fast and its motto is phrased in serious tones: "To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8) What does the Lord require of you?"

Hark, too, the herald of doom that is the Bishop of Oxford, the Rt. Rev John Pritchard: "Giving up technology is a more serious way of looking at the issues that face us as a global community. It is a statement [of solidarity] with a world that does not have that ability to communicate the way we can and a reminder to us that perhaps we may have got beyond ourselves in terms of our own consumption of technology."… Read more

Some people get angry about anything to do with Apple. It's not for me to suggest they should get a life, because I am sure they feel they already have one, thank you very much.

However, the launch of the iPad seems to have revealed a rather more base and extreme level of emotional outpouring, last seen, perhaps, when Sports Illustrated created its first swimsuit edition.

Engadget, for example, decided to shut down its comments for a while in order to let the bile float off down the Nile.

For those outside the Fanboy Funhouse, it all seems rather odd. Which is why I was moved to pay attention to an e-mail I received from Sandee Cohen, self-confessed angry person. Cohen is no ordinary angry person. For a start, she is running a two-day seminar at next week's MacWorld Expo. How many angry people could do that?

Cohen is a mistress of the Adobe Creative Suite, but, as an intelligent angry person she has some theories as to why she and others are experiencing their negative emotions.

"Mac users feel they have some sort of investment in Apple. The older ones kept with the Mac platform when it was in danger of dying out. They may feel that since they supported the Mac, they have a right to tell Apple how to make products, operating system, etc.," she told me.

And you more junior, unwashed enthusiasts, well, you have some issues too, apparently.… Read more

If you're a true tea aficionado, you know that bags are just not the way to go. Nothing beats the quality of loose tea leaves--but you need something to hold them while they steep. You could go with a traditional stainless steel tea infuser. But why would you do that when you could instead use a yellow submarine?

Designed by Ototo, the TeaSub is made of silicone and dishwasher safe. It submerges your tea leaves to the very depths of your cup, and it looks totally fab doing it. Someone should tell these guys to make a Lost version--you … Read more

Droolr is the newest single-serving site from the folks at Stateless Systems, the makers of BugMeNot, TrendsMap, and coupon site RetailMeNot. The site, which went live early Wednesday, caters to online shoppers who may not follow gadget blogs, but that still want a steady influx of shiny things to look at, and maybe even purchase.

The site takes a page from places like Digg, and the recently launched Deals.Woot site in letting users submit, and vote up items of interest. In this case, it's tech products, which are then categorized by whatever tags are provided by the submitter. … Read more

If you're looking for a filling food option that won't weigh you down, fish is a great choice. But just try to flip that fillet on the grill or in the pan; more often than not, it falls apart.

Try this fun new silicone fish spatula from Kitchen Friends. You can slide it under the entire fillet and keep the piece intact as you turn it. The bright red color and the funky fish cutout are just bonuses.

The spatula is 8 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches and heats safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, so … Read more

Even though I take the time to write out a dinner menu plan each week, I frequently find myself looking at a hunk of non-marinated meat at 5 p.m. on a school night. Sure, we can slap some barbecue sauce on it and toss it on the grill, but when you actually take the time to let the meat absorb the marinade, it's more tender, more flavorful, and just plain better.

I've accepted that I'm not the girl who checks her list the night before and makes the marinade well in advance. But I could be … Read more

Cooking is in the details. A little lemon pepper on a chicken before roasting makes for a juicier bird. A handful of capers will bring out the flavors in an artichoke dish. And fresh lemon or lime juice? No substitutes--particularly not the stuff in squeeze bottles.

When I have fresh lemons and limes on hand, I love to juice them to add a little pop to my dishes. But I don't enjoy picking out the seeds, which is a must if you have picky children like mine. And if a recipe calls for more than a squirt? Well, maybe … Read more

What's more annoying? Batteries or people who sneeze without covering their mouths? Batteries or Jay Leno?

I choose batteries. They always give out at the least opportune moments and I'm always stunned by how much they cost at the local supermarket, or, indeed, the local Apple store.

So I have not been able to resist hitching up my pants with joy on hearing that some very clever engineers at Stanford are working to make your T-shirt, your pants, or, indeed, your favorite purple undies become, well, Energizers.

I am indebted to the fine minds at Engadget who tossed the news my way that Yi Cui of Stanford's Department of Engineering is leading a team that may revolutionize your intimate relationship with your iPhone, BlackBerry, or any other highly personal gadget.

Professor Cui and his team have already turned paper into power with the ingenious (to me, at least) use of ink infused with carbon nanotubes. (I have embedded some evidence.)

Now, they have taken the same principle and applied it to your wardrobe.… Read more

I'm kind of a klutz. I can set a beautiful table, and then drip salsa on it the first time I dip a chip into the bowl I've so carefully set out. Even if you personally are more graceful than I, you probably have friends or occasional guests who share my clumsiness. The CaliBowl from SimpleWave will keep your table looking lovely by preventing drips and spills.

The simple, patent-pending design features an inward-curving lip--the company compares it to the tide of a wave--that scoops food and dips onto your chip, utensil, or food, or back into the … Read more