Many small items could serve as interesting gifts this holiday season. In U.S., mobile headsets could be on many wish lists as a growing number of U.S. states enforce laws requiring drivers talking on mobile phones to use hands-free kits. A mobile headset worth considering is Cardo Systems Inc.'s Scala 700, which includes a phone-swapping feature that lets users switch between two mobile devices. Chefs would enjoy Food Quality Sensor International Inc.'s SensorfreshQ, a gadget that detects bacteria levels in meat and poultry and indicates their safety for consumption. Identity theft is an ongoing fear, and GuardID System Inc.'s ID Vault prevents that by storing and securely transmitting a user's log-in information from a USB (Universal Serial Bus) smart card to financial or e-mail Web sites. For frequent flyers, Compact Power Systems LLC's Cellboost iRecharge for Laptops could be a handy component.
The Scala 700 headset from Cardo Systems Inc. is an innovative cell-phone headset with a few treats. It has the usual features found on many headsets, like voice commands and sound cancellation technology, but the phone swapping and headset locator technology make it spiffy.
The phone swapping technology -- termed SWAP -- makes it easy to switch the headset's connection from one mobile phone to another by just pressing a wheel button twice. This feature is handy for people who use two mobile products, like a personal cell phone and a Research in Motion Ltd. BlackBerry. Unfortunately, the swap happens when both phones are inactive; a user cannot swap from one active phone call to the other.
Another cool feature is the headset's "buzzer locator" feature, where a lost Scala 700 keeps buzzing until it is located. After initiating a call using a cell phone, pressing the volume button up and down keeps the headset buzzing. It works only for a headset within a 30-foot range of a cell phone.
An indicator on the outside of the well-designed headset shows the battery life remaining. It weighs 11.6 grams and fits snugly around the ear. It offers a talk time of 10 hours and a standby time of 40 hours. At US$69.99, its strong features make up for the high price. It is available worldwide through retail stores and its Web site.
Take charge of your laptop
Compact Power Systems LLC came to prominence with its Cellboost instant cell-phone chargers, and it now has a universal rechargeable laptop battery. The lithium-ion Cellboost iRecharge for Notebooks universal battery powers a laptop -- similar to an AC adapter -- and recharges a laptop’s internal battery. If used at an optimum level, the battery can run a notebook for up to four hours, the company claims. A partly charged internal laptop battery results in inefficient usage, as iRecharge powers the laptop and charges the internal battery simultaneously, according to the company. It weights less than one pound (453.6 grams), making it fairly portable. The $149.95 charger supports laptops from Dell Inc., Apple Computer Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co., Toshiba Corp. and Sony Corp., among others
Lock up your ID
Hackers are looking for your identity in today's connected world, and many hardware and software products help minimize that risk. One good product is ID Vault from GuardID Systems, a secure USB smart card that serves as a repository for sign-in credentials to financial and e-mail Web sites and newsgroups and forums.
The product is easy to use. With the oddly shaped smart card plugged in, users select a log-in site from Internet Explorer's Favorites list. Before connecting to the site, ID Vault asks for a pin to verify the user. On entry and verification of the pin, ID Vault connects and passes a user's sign-on information from the smart card to the Web site without the need to type it.
As the smart card automatically logs users into Web sites, hackers and keystroke loggers don't have access to log-in credentials. "It is safer than storing [sign-in credentials] on your browser," said Bill Loesch, chairman and chief operating officer at GuardID Systems.
ID Vault securely logs a user into more than 6,000 financial sites, according to Loesch. To prevent users from being directed to malicious Web sites, GuardID validates the IP (Internet Protocol) addresses of Web sites that users may log in to, Loesch said. A warning dialog box also pops up if a user is not connected to the proper Web site.
The smart card works with Windows XP and Vista and Internet Explorer 6 and 7 browsers. The company hopes to add Firefox support soon. At $49.95 for the first year and $19.95 per year after that, it's a bit expensive, but worth it for those who wish to keep their identity safe. The subscription charge is mainly to keep the database of valid IP addresses updated, a company spokesman said.
The bacteria detector
The longer uncooked meat and poultry lies in a refrigerator, the more bacteria it accumulates and the more inedible it becomes. Now levels of bacteria in them can be ascertained with Food Quality Sensor International Inc.'s SensorfreshQ, which also has lights to indicate if they are safe to eat.
The size of an electronic toothbrush, the $89.95 gadget in under a minute measures the levels of bacteria, which causes meat and poultry spoilage. Like traffic lights, the gadget has three indicators -- a green light means meat and poultry is safe to eat, yellow means it is fresh enough to eat, and a red light does not assure freshness, according to the company. A sensor cartridge, or a QCard, has to be implanted in the gadget for a reading. Each QCard lasts about 200 readings.
A two-pack QCard replacement costs $9.95. All the appropriate tests were done before putting SensorfreshQ on the market, the company said. It is available internationally through its Web site and retailer Sharper Image.
