gadget

The human brain uses a complex system of senses, thoughts, and feelings to help us survive our environment. Feelings, in particular, play a critical role in warning us that something may be wrong. The brain interprets all these signals and determines what, if any, action should be taken.

What do you think would happen if that delicate system ceased to function properly? I'm not a shrink, but I'm relatively sure it would be a real mess. Well, you know what? I think we're beginning to see the signs of that mess all around us. And that's because we're all becoming addicts. Gadget addicts.… Read more

Sure, it's still November, and we've got several major holidays to go before the Consumer Electronics Show takes Las Vegas in January. But in the interest of keeping you in the know gadgetwise, we offer this sneak preview gallery.

CNET News.com's Marguerite Reardon attended a New York event in which the Consumer Electronics Association announced its innovation and design award winners for the upcoming show, and she tells us--through the gallery--about a few that caught her eye.

Couldn't you use a gutter-cleaning robot? How about the latest helmet-mounted ruggedized video camera? Click on over and … Read more

Today we close out our three-part series on Thanksgiving cooking (read about gadgets for cooking the turkey here and gadgets to help with side dishes here) with--what else?--sweets. An informal poll of eaters around our office revealed that pumpkin pie is far and away the preferred closer for a Thanksgiving meal, though apple and pecan pies also have a respectable following. And while I considered dishing up tools for such alternative desserts as cr?me brulee and fondue, it seems prudent to stick with tradition; some folks I talked to view even pumpkin cheesecake with suspicion. So I focused … Read more

Today, we forge ever forward in an attempt to bring you the kitchen gadgets that will make your Thanksgiving preparations go as smoothly as possible. You can read our previous entry on cooking the turkey here. And Friday we'll satisfy your sweet tooth with a feature on gadgets used to make desserts. Today, we focus on the all-important side dishes.

Multitier oven rack A chronic problem with Thanksgiving meals is managing oven space, namely, finding space in the oven for all the side dishes and dips that need baking while your 25-pound turkey hogs all that prime real estate. … Read more

Now that Thanksgiving's just around the corner, it's a good time to take stock of the equipment in your kitchen to make sure you have everything you need to pull off the big feast. We've put together a three-part series of gadgets that can help with every stage of the meal. Today we'll focus on cooking the bird, with side dishes on Thursday, and desserts on Friday.

Dual baster/injector The bulb baster is a tried-and-true turkey tool used to keep the skin of the turkey moist and flavorful. Recently though, there's been a trend … Read more

Digital timers can be invaluable to a cook, especially for slow-cooked food like stews or for roasting large portions of meat. But most of them can be used for only one dish, potentially problematic if you're working on a big meal with lots of individual parts.

This "triple timer" from Williams-Sonoma lets you set a timer for up to three dishes, which would be especially useful during the holidays when you might have a turkey in the oven, potatoes on the stove, and a rainbow-colored Jell-O marshmallow mold chilling in the fridge.

The timer is portable but … Read more

Because it isn't disruptive enough when a bunch of cacophonous ringtones sound off in the office at once, we present you with the Ferris Wheel Phone Stand.

Place your phone in this holder and there'll be no mistaking it when you get a call. The wheel spins, the red and green LEDs flash, and a not-so-soothing round of "Rock-a-Bye Baby" fills the air. (And your co-workers may just want to have you sacked.)

You can buy the gadget (and watch a video of it) on USB Geek. For $27, you'd think they'd include a … Read more

Let's have a show of hands of all the people who have an espresso maker (probably from their wedding registry) that's still sitting in its box or is stowed away in some unreachable cupboard. Machines that make espresso drinks are one of those kitchen gadgets that seem like a great idea but never seem to get used.

This is probably due to a variety of reasons: they're complicated to use; the espresso's cool by the time the milk is hot; or they just don't make good espresso.

But here's one I dare say I … Read more