Want to vacuum at 118 mph?

At the NYC Housewares event, I wondered about the strange shape of the Rowenta 18-V Delta Force Cordless Sweeper.  A spokesperson explained that the triangle “delta” shape lets this sweeper reach into the very corner of any room. The handle swivels 180° to easily grab dirt and dust. Add to that an engineered power boost, which accelerates vacuumed air up to 118 miles-per-hour! It’s a bagless design, with a 33 ounce easy-to-empty dust container. Rowenta says the Delta Force sweeper is the best sidekick a full-size vacuum.Once fully charged via A/C, you’ll get up to 40 minutes of cordless run time. You can use the Delta Force stick vacuum to clean hard floors and stairs, plus touch-up for carpeting. It picks up 99% of dust on hard floors, thanks to the patented suction-boosting delta head that features one large and two smaller canals. The integrated motorized brush that spins up to 3,000 RPM’s adds to the cleaning efficiency. The Delta Force Cyclonic system accelerates the vacuumed air through three filtration systems before it goes into the dust container. They didn’t have any dust at this event, but they did have small bags of oatmeal. I emptied one on a scatter rug and easily vacuumed it up. The Delta Force stands up for storage so you don’t have to worry about leaning it up against something, or it constantly falling over. It ships with a 6’ charging cord. Weighs less than 10 pounds.  It’s currently available in Harvest, but will be available in Pearl, Copper Red and Intense Blue, starting April 1^st. Under $180.

The Giz Wiz Video: http://youtu.be/LJeo9owftNs

More info at the company website: http://www.rowentausa.com/rowenta/frame.aspx

They Invented the iPad for this???

Once it launches, you'll be able to buy a digital subscription, buy single issues, buy back issues - or even --- and this may be a marketing 1st --- buy nothing at all! But wait, there's more! You can do the famous MAD fold-in electronically, or manually. Manually, you have to buy a new monitor each time you do it, but it makes for a great YouTube video! John Ficarra, VP and editor of MAD, thinks the magazine's new app just might be the sales boost that "saves the struggling iPad." Then again, "it may be just the thing that kills it altogether." The Usual Gang of Idiots know a lot of people who would like to read MAD out in the open, but wouldn't be caught dead holding a copy. Unfortunately, that includes most of the UGOI! But now anyone can have a copy of MAD, without having to hold it in their hands." And in a second, if caught reading it, just hit the menu button and it disappears! The MAD app is free and you can download it on April 1st, so you CAN feel like a fool! (It will be available after April 1st too, you clod!!)  It will include exclusive content, interactive stories, MAD TV videos and access to an archive of issues from the past.

More Details here:

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/MAD-ipad-app-april-fools.html

Wouldn’t you like to know about a company whose website is: I Break Plates (dot) com?

Well, I’ll tell you about. At the Green Products Show I saw a youngish lady at one booth, which had broken plates on display. I asked if she fixed broken antique or heirloom plates. She said, “No, I break them even more!”  Huh? Actually, the idea behind the Broken Plate Pendant Company is really clever, and it can save a family from the sorrow of dropping and shattering grandma’s serving dish that’s been in the family for more than 100 years. Instead of trying to glue it back together, which never really works, you sent to the Broken Plate Pendant Company. There is will live life again in as it’s transformed into a renewed form. Artist Juliet Ames told me she breaks each and every cracked or chipped plate with love…and force…crafting them into a collection of inspired and versatile pieces. Did you break your Great Aunt Myrtle’s favorite serving plate? No bother! Send the shards her way and she can craft a number of wearable jewelry for family members. The man’s selection is far less, mostly cuff links, but it’s a way for the whole family to own a piece of family china that was accidentally broken. Most pieces I saw the Green Products Expo ranged in price from $25 to $65. You can check out the various options and get more info at the company website:

www.ibreakplates.com

Some gadgets can take a long time to the reach the market. Here’s a prime example.

As I was walking around Eco-Fest (in honor of Earth Day) I came across the nPower PEG. I knew the name instantly, and you might remember it too. That’s because I reported about it way back in January, 2009. Here’s what the gadget does. Using the energy you generate while walking, running, or biking, the nPower PEG stores it in an internal battery. The company say it’s the only product of its kind, and I would assume they’re right. Here’s how it works: place your nPower PEG vertically in your backpack, briefcase, or purse and go about your daily activities. As you move, your PEG captures and stores your kinetic energy, providing you with extra power where and when you need it. If you want to know exactly how much power you can generate while you’re on the go and off the grid, nPower offers these examples: Output varies by user, activity, and the device being charged. For example:

1 minute of walking = 1 minute of listening on an iPod Nano

11 minutes of walking = 1 minute of talk time during a 2G call on an iPhone

26 minutes of walking = 1 minute of talk time during a 3G call on an iPhone

nPower Peg is 10.5” (27cm) long and 2.125” (5.2cm) wide. It weighs 14oz. Inside is a 2000mAh lithium polymer battery. Ouput range is 5V DC, 500mA and is uses standard USB 2.0. Connectors: iGo cable and interchangeable iGo adapter tips, making the PEG compatible with over 3,000 hand-held devices. You can preorder one now, and Tim, the guy in the video, says it should (hopefully) be available in a month or so. I’d keep in mind it’s been in the works for more than three years. Cost: $169.99

http://www.greennpower.com/

World’s First Battery Powered, Remote-Controlled, Cellular Shades.

That’s what the folks call their new Serena Remote Controlled Shades. Want to lower the shades for the perfect movie-watching environment, or ensure privacy in the bathroom, or turn bedrooms into the ultimate relaxation chamber - all by remote control? Well you can, ---- otherwise that long lead-in would have been a waste of time! Lutron Electronics, known for its lighting controls is launching a new product in its shading category. Yes, shading, not shady. Lutron’s Serena is a low-cost, battery-powered, remote controlled, cellular shade system. Prices start at $299. I saw and played with them at Eco-Fest and asked why they were at a “green” event. I thought they were ordinary paper shades, but then the folks there showed the cellular construction that can help keep out heat in the summer, and hold in heat in the winter. Serena shades are available in three fabric styles, for three different levels of light to filter into a room—Single Cell Light Filtering, Double Cell Light Filtering or Single Cell Blackout. They’re available in more than 50 different colors, to match your shades with any your décor. Another interesting features is something Serena calls Triathlon power technology, which extends the shade’s battery life up to three years. The three-year figure is based on raising and lowering each blind twice every day. And it uses standard alkaline D batteries. The company says Serena blinds can be installed as quickly and easily as hanging a picture, with no damage to the walls. And since the batteries are right in the top of the unit, there’s no power wiring. If I recall correctly, all shades up to 3’ X 5’ custom cut to your exact measurements are $299, plus $15 for the remote. If you order more shades, one remote can control them all. Remotes can be IR or RF controlled. IR remotes (like the one your TV uses) are a low-cost way to provide remote control. Additionally, IR “codes” can be learned into some universal remotes—giving you the ability to control your Serena IR shades from the same remote you use for your TV. Our RF remotes have two benefits over IR. First, the flexibility of the Pico RF remote means you don’t need to point the remote at the shade. You can hold it in your hand, keep it docked on your table in a pedestal, or even mount it to a wall using an optional faceplate adapter and faceplate. Second, RF signals can go through anything that isn’t metal. 

Visit www.serenashades.com for more info or to order.