leds

The "Havaleena" cordless LED lights from Tayo Design Studio are marketed as a kind of quirky-cool lighting for outdoor parties, but personally, I think they look like sleeker versions of the glow sticks that are frequently associated with the raver scene. They're not cheap--$59 bucks a pop, or $149 for a set of three that you can arrange into a "bouquet"--but they look pretty darn awesome, and you can customize the colors by switching around a variety of vellum filters. Additionally, the filters can have a short line of text printed on them. … Read more

If you've got $33,000 earmarked for a new television, then Sony's main CES announcement might pique your interest. If you don't, you'll have to wait until the company's February show to hear anything official about the company's 2007 products. Eschewing CES for significant product news is nothing new for the company, but the price point of its new flagship HDTV still represents a certain kind of bravado. At least Sony knows how to capture headlines from the mainstream press.

The $33,000 KDL-70XBR3 (did I mention it costs $33,000?) happens to be … Read more

DLP-based rear-projection HDTVs have always been a mainstay of Samsung's extensive HDTV offerings, and offerings at this year's CES are no different. To follow up on its release of the HL-S5679W--the first widely available DLP to be powered by LEDs and 2006 Best of CES winner in the television category--the company announced three new LED-powered DLP sets for this year. The 61-inch HL-T6187S, the 56-inch HL-T5687S, and the 50-inch HL-T5087S all replace standard bulbs with a trio of light-emitting diodes, which imbues them with a longer life span (20,000 hours before needing replacement, as opposed to … Read more

In a smart move, Philips is shifting away from plasma and focusing almost exclusively on LCD TVs in 2007. The notable exception is its moderately priced ($3,500) 63-inch plasma TV, which has more potential than the company's earlier 42- and 50-inch plasma TVs that had to go head-to-head against Panasonic's highly regarded models.

According to Philips, its new Ambilight LCD FlatTVs "range in size from 32- to 52-inches (32PFL7332, 42PFL7432D, 42PFL9832D, 47PFL9732D, 47PFL7432D and 52PFL7432D). The 42-, 47-, and 52-inch models now boast 1080p resolution, Perfect Pixel HD Engine to maximize 1080p content for the best … Read more

Next to digital photo frames, one of the most common products in gadget catalogs is the weather forecaster. But this trumps them all: an umbrella that tells you if it's going to rain.

The "Ambient Forecasting Umbrella" has an LED light built into the handle that pulses when it detects chances of showers according to an automatic AccuWeather feed. As Gearlog says, "If the chances of rain are 60 percent then the umbrella handle will pulse once every second. But if you see it pulsing a hundred times a minute then that means there's a … Read more

It's rare that something so utilitarian as a wristwatch can leave Crave speechless. And we don't mean for reasons of beauty or engineering either.

There are so many bizarre aspects to the "Pleasure Seeker" timepiece that we don't know quite where to begin. The issues present themselves right at the outset, starting with the name of its manufacturer: "Pimp," as in the makers of the ever-popular "Pimpin Ain't Easy Gold." Don't ask.

Then there's the, er, concept. "Once the button is pressed, the watch will light up … Read more

Once again, simplicity wins above all else--in this case, of all things, manifested in the form of a miniature flashlight.

It seems as though a new LED keychain flashlight comes out almost every day, but who's buying them all? We've had them at various times, but they always end up being too bulky or impractical. Then we saw the "LockLite," which addresses both issues.

Red Ferret says the device, made by True Utility, turns the key itself into a flashlight by embedding it in a case that also houses a bulb and battery for less than $… Read more

The evolution of language moves so quickly wherever technology is concerned. Some day soon, the term "hybrid" may come to refer almost exclusively to alternative energy for automobiles (and maybe the occasional train or golf cart). But until then, it could apply to any number of combinations in any number of products--even watches.

Tokyoflash is selling a timepiece called the "DT1" from Fusion, which it describes as "a hybrid LCD/LED." That, we're afraid, is where our respect ends. The site, which says the watch is "very simple fo read" (yeah … Read more

We're just as tired of LED products as you are, but this one is worth mentioning.

This mirror can show up to 4,000 characters that can scroll personalized messages displayed in different fonts and effects of your choosing, such as "Put down that cigarette" or "No doughnuts today." And you pay just $585 for the privilege of reading them all day.

On second thought, maybe this wasn't worth mentioning after all.