Category — GPS

You know the feeling…being blasted out of a good dream by your screaming alarm clock. Here’s an alternative to that weekday morning sound blast- a silent alarm clock.

The silent alarm clock shown above is design by Johan Brengesjo. Users simply wear a ring on their finger which vibrates them awake at the set time. The vibrating alarm clock is designed with two rings allowing it to be used by two people. It also has a snooze feature which is activated by a simple wave of the hand.

Although the alarm clock shown above is only a concept model, there are other vibrating alarm clocks already on the market. Some models include a vibrating pad which shakes you awake by shaking your bed.

This alarm clock is a great idea for couples who rise at different times…no more being annoyed by your partner’s snooze button habit!

There’s no doubt about it- having all the latest gadgets means a mess of power cords and chargers. Here’s an easy and neater way to charge all your gadgets at one time without the massive tangle of AC adapters and cell phone chargers.

The Family Charger Station allows you to charge up to three gadgets at once, including your iPod, cell phone, Blackberry or PDA. It works like a power strip with built in adjustable holders. Simply plug in your chargers, hide the cords in the built in compartments on the back side and pop in your gadgets. You can set this charging station on a desk or counter top or mount it to the wall. If found this charging station at Improvements for $39.99.

Having problems reading your GPS system and driving at the same time? The Garmin Nuvi 260 GPS converts GPS text into voice so you can keep your eyes on the road. The new portable GPS device comes with City Navigator North America which includes maps of Canada, Puerto Rico and the United States.

In addition to telling you where to go, the Garmin Nuvi 260 will nearly plan your trip for you. It comes with a trip organizer which will record your mileage, speedand time traveled. And, there are other features on this GPS gadget such as a currency converter, a world clock, and measurement converters.

You can get up to 5 hours of GPS use on a single charge, and the GPS system comes with an SD card slot for memory expansion. The Garmin Nuvi 260 retails for around $200.

The Weemote 3 remote control for kids let’s you control what your kids watch on television, and gives your kids a cool gadget to call their own. Parents can program up to 10 channels with the Weemote, limiting the child’s viewing options. With 5 dedicated channel buttons, the Weemote remote control seems simple enough for a toddler to use. The control panel on this child’s remote control is hidden under a cover plate, out of sight for curious tots. Made by Fobis Technologies, the Weemote is also available in a senior citizens and child’s DVD version. It retails for $24.95 at www.weemote.com.

Here’s a great gadget for parents who want to keep a close watch on their kids. GPS Magazine recently named the WorldTracker GPRS the best GPS tracking device for child safety. In its review, GPS Magazine tested several GPS trackers and radio frequency devices in several settings including movie theaters, shopping centers and outdoors. The GPS tracker can be used with GPS tracking software to set boundaries known as geo-fences which alert parents when a child leaves a predetermined area. A panic button on the side of the GPS tracker will quickly alert parents by sending a rapid series of location reports. The WorldTracker GPS system is smaller than a cell phone and is rechargeable. In addition to tracking the whereabouts of a little one, this tracker could also be tossed in the glove box of your teenager’s car for added peace of mind. The WorldTracker GPRS is developed and produced by TrackingtheWorld, Inc., a California company.

Beyond geocaching and all the fun you can have with GPS trackers, business owners are increasingly turning to GPS units as security devices for expensive equipment and cargo. After purchasing a GPS tracker, business owners typically must pay an activation fee in addition to monthly service fees for continued tracking service whether they need it or not, which is sometimes more than they want to invest in GPS tracking. As an alternative to ongoing fees, a new GPS tracking device, known as the GAT , or Global Asset Tracker, requires no monthly service or activation fees until it is actually needed. Made by TrackingtheWorld, Inc., a Burlingame, CA firm, the GAT can be remotely activated via a pre-installed SIM card and holds a single charge for up to 3 years. In the news, GPS trackers have recently been credited with foiling the efforts of thieves. On April 28, The Dallas Morning News reported that GPS tracking led to the recover y of 2 air conditioning units valued at $2,000 each. Theft of air conditioning units is rapidly increasing due to the escalating value of brass as scrap.

Over a year ago I got my very first car GPS unit, the Garmin Streetpilot C550, but already it has saved my ass many times while driving around the poorly visible and M.C. Escher-esque streets of Los Angeles. I’ve taken it with me to Vancouver and Texas where it surely saved me hours of wrong turns, and potential accidents caused by using my former navigational system, the venerable Paper Map or its offspring, the printed map from MapQuest or Google Maps.

Like pretty much any global positioning system out there, it’s not perfect. I bought it with the traffic alert attachment, which at least in L.A. is not terribly useful — it saying “Traffic Ahead” is about as silly and helpful as “Look Ma, a cow!” Gee, really? That’s nice dear.

Its navigation around total gridlock is, well, not any more useful than your own senses and knowledge of the area. More than once I have let it throw me into the middle of traffic morass when I just knew I should have acted like Luke Skywalker, listened to Ben Kenobi, turned off my “navi-computer”, and just let the Force guide me around.

Probably my favorite feature is just its ability to tell me what streets are coming up (particularly in the dark). That and being able to bookmark wherever you are the moment. I like to change my car icon to fun things like a monster truck, or a pirate ship. I have mine set to an Australian female voice. Oh, and it’s got a Bluetooth “Hands-free” mode for my cel phone, where it becomes almost like an iPhone touchscreen can spend the hour long, 7 mile commute calling friends.

One thing I don’t like about it — sometimes it says “Please drive to highlighted route” and shows a twisty purple line without any arrows indicating which way you are supposed to drive.

Still, I can’t live without this gadget now.