excuses

Scarlett Johansson album debuts on Imeem

If you simply can't wait for Anywhere I Lay My Head, the album of Tom Waits covers as sung by sultry actress Scarlett Johansson, you're in luck. Although it isn't in full release until next week, social-media site Imeem is streaming the album live in advance.

You can't actually download it, but you can listen to the whole thing for free, and judge whether she does justice to the Waits classics or just totally botches them. As a Tom Waits fan, I'm curious to find out.

Streaming-music sites have become a hot spot for album … Read more

Any excuse at the touch of a button

In Crave's eternal quest to find the latest trends, this is one discovery that we're particularly proud of: excuses.

Let us explain. It seems that an entire cottage industry has sprung up around people who want to call in sick or need excuses to get out of other commitments. And now there's even a gadget to help fulfill your mission.

ThinkGeek's "XCuse Box" plays all manner of sound effects in the background of a phone call, ranging from traffic jams and crying babies to car-repair noises and final boarding calls. Its uses aren't … Read more

Let this jacket answer the phone

Goofy as it may look, the Audex knit cap with built-in MP3 player would still have some practical applications in cold-weather activities. But spring skiing is just around the corner, and you may not want to mess up your mullet with a knit cap if you don't need the added warmth.

One alternative is the Audex Motorola cargo jacket, a waterproof coat with Bluetooth speakers sewn into its collar. The jacket can play MP3 tunes or answer your phone with a built-in hands-free microphone. But for a retail price of $645, we think this garment should screen calls and … Read more

Warm digits for digital happiness

Like many bloggers, some of our fellow Cravers are occasionally a tad more anxious than we prefer in sharing their personal issues. One such unnamed acquaintance (Caroline McCarthy) recently complained of poor circulation in her extremities, particularly the fingertips--a wicked chill that apparently is well beyond the capacity of over-the-counter devices like heated mice.

So after embarking on an exhaustive search, we came across a potential solution: the "iTWYF" gloves, which stands for "I Touch With Your Fingers," of course. Gearfuse says the secret to these $45 gloves are three "stylus pen point-like grasps" … Read more

But officer, I didn't see a thing...

A device that reads road signs. We're not sure if this is good or bad news: On one hand, it seems certain to improve safety; on the other, it means one less excuse if we get pulled over.

Siemens is developing a gadget that scans posted speed limits and matches them with your speedometer in real time. It then compares the numbers in front of your windshield and warns if you're going too fast.

But we won't be canceling our next optometry appointment just yet. According to The Raw Feed, the system is probably two years away. … Read more