Gadget Freaks

After the carnage of the Australian F1 Grand Prix where millions of dollars of damage was inflicted in rather slight racing incidents and looking at our USB dongle graveyard we decided to look into indestructible gadgets. So we set to work to bring you the kind of gadgets that would survive a nuclear holocaust and be found in thousands of years by future archaeologists.

Of course following any nuclear destruction of our civilization you will be needing a communication device. You know, something to call around and see who’s left. The Sonim XP1 mobile phone is reported to be indestructible and has been tested by being shot by a 9mm Glock and a Swedish newspaper, Metro, shot it with a Remington Rifle. Hmmm we want one!

As I mentioned before we here at Gadget Freaks have collected what amounts to a ‘Dongle Graveyard’. Old dongles that no longer work because they’ve been dropped or put through the wash or the dog got to them etc etc! When will someone make the unbreakable dongle? Ask no more! ‘From Russia with Love’ comes the Titan USB dongle that can withstand 2000LB of pressure. It is constructed of a space age graphite/aluminium then cased in titanium. Limited to a production run of 100 they come in 1 0r 2 GB models with the 2GB selling for around US$247. Yikes…not cheap but seemingly indestructible. Just don’t lose it!

However, if you don’t want to fork out the big bucks or you are a DIY kinda gadgeteer you may want to check out this clever chap’s solution to the USB Dongle dilemma. Engineering student Russel Jones has come up with a very cool aluminium casing( that be aluminum for those over the big pond) that is fabricated around an existing USB disk. Very gadgety indeed!

Another gadget that could possibly survive a nuke is this ‘Wireless Silicone Keyboard’. We’ve seen the wired version in pubs and they seem to take the punishment handed out by Lagerists ( people who specialize in drinking copious amounts of beer) without problem. You can roll it, you can fold it, you can stuff it, you can wash it, you can squash it!. It is strong and flexible and wireless and whoa look at that colour, we call it Atomic Blue.

Ok so imagine this. You are sitting in your post-holocaust hovel with your indestructible gadgets and there is a cruel nuclear winter going on outside. However, we need to get food and water but it’s glowing green out there! Luckily for us we have a very smart beast of burden we can send out to gather what we need. Due to the ‘predicted’ fact that cockroaches will increase ten-fold in size and rule the post-nuked planet we innovative humans are already at work developing ways to exploit this future resource.

This Sci-Fi scenario is taking shape in Tokyo as scientists are removing the antennae from cockroaches and replacing them with PEE( Pulse-Emitting Electrodes) that can be controlled remotely via a miniature backpack carried by the roaches themselves. Researchers are even developing micro-cameras to equip the mighty roaches with. The range of applications for this technological marriage between Homo sapiens and Anastatus tenuipes is mind boggling. It sure has us here at Gadget Freaks a tad more boggly than normal! Read more………

It would seem nowadays that humans, as a race, are becoming increasingly dependent on that amazing piece of technology known as the USB. We’ve all seen the USB humping dog, USB cup warmers and even a Bacon USB Flash Drive ( Hmmmmm! Not sure about that one.)

There seems to be a USB application to suit all technical needs and personal tastes. The USB has become somewhat of an icon in society today. A quick look around the net reveals a wild and wonderful array of USB gadgets and gimmicks. They range from the sublime to the ridiculous, so we here at Gadget Freaks decided to look at the spectrum of USB gadgets available today.

Let’s start with one gadget that combines a traditional practical device with USB technology. Yes folks it was only a matter of time until the Swiss Army Knife incorporated a USB flash drive of course presenting to the world the USB Swiss Army Knife. Quite handy when one finds themselves in the woods needing to store or access some data! Still it sure is very very gadgety!

Not even household appliances have escaped the USB invasion with numerous mini-appliances appearing. Now it would seem to me that what we are seeking is to be able to remain at our computers for as long as possible thus the USB port has become an indespensible resource for any self-respecting Gadget Freak.

The USB Mini Vacuum Cleaner is one example. Wow…what a pinnacle of human engineering! You can clean up your work station by simply plugging into your USB port and hoover away!

Well now after all that domestic activity you must be dying for a drink! Well just reach over and get yourself one from your USB Mini-Fridge. Ahhhh! Sure is hard work being a Gadget Freak. These little gadgets will keep a can of your favourite beverage cold right off your USB port. I’m waiting for the 6 pack model to arrive!

So with the domestic duties done and refreshed from our mini-fridge we need pizza and a beverage replenishment. Better get on the phone. But wait! No need to get up! Just flip open your mouse and there is your USB Skype Phone Mouse with speaker and microphone!

So with all these USB gadgets we will of course need somewhere to plug them all in. Welcome to the world of USB hubs. Now here is where it gets sublime. The humble USB port comes in all shapes sizes and themes! Even a USB Virgin Mary for those of the Catholic persuasion for cryin’ out loud!