Now this is really a sticky pad for your dashboard!

It’s easy to see why the Impact Gel Grab Pad is billed as the “world's greatest sticky pad.” We took it out on my boat in the Hudson River and installed it in a vertical position. That's right vertical! Then we stuck a smart phone on it and went bouncing over the waves. Surprise, the phone didn't fall off. At first we put it smooth glass side down because the back of the phone wasn't flat. (Droid X2) But that worked so well we did it again with the uneven back of the phone on the Grab Pad; and again, it didn't fall off. My guess is the company doesn't expect anyone to use it they way we did, but it was a rugged test. The company also says it works in extreme conditions and if it gets dirty, it washes clean with soap and water. I did get it dirty when I dropped it on a rug and I was able to wash it clean. The stickiness was still there. This would be great to secure one of the many handheld devices you probably lay on your dashboard, like phones, small cameras, portable GPS devices, even small tablets. Impact Gel also says it’s environmentally- friendly and non-toxic; made from soybean oil. When taking the phone off the Grab Pad, there was no hit on any oil, or residue. The military-grade gel absorbs shock and the company makes phone cases using the same material. It's available in several colors, and is available at Bed, Bath And Beyond for $7.99. Depending on what they charge for shipping, a better deal might be at the company website where on 6/17/2014 it was selling for $5.99 + shipping.   

http://shop.impactgel.com/Grab-Pad-GrabPad.htm

Giz Wiz Grab Pad Shock Test Video:http://youtu.be/SZthnW7Vnek 

Phone Soap Charger, no water or soap needed to clean and sanitize your phone.

Phone Soap Charger, it needs no water, or soap! Just regular 110 AC power. In the past we have talked about a UV phone sanitizer, but Phone Soap Charger adds another convenient feature, charging. Instead of the just cleaning the phone, and then charging it via a separate device, Phone Soap Charger lets you put almost any phone inside where you connect your phone’s charging cable using the 5V USB port also inside the unit. A micro USB cable is included but you can use your own cable, mostly likely the one that came with your phone. When you close the Phone Soap Charger cover, the UV rays will sanitize the phone while the USB charges it. The sanitizing part takes under 5 minutes and will then shut off. The phone will continue to charge until it reaches 100%. There are two LED indicators on the Phone Soap Chargercase. Blue indicates that the UV-C rays are sanitizing your phone and green indicates your phone is charging. (You can use it to sanitize other small items too like toothbrush heads.) Available in black or white for $59.95. BUT – if you’re reading this prior to midnight on Father’s Day, June 15^th, 2014, -- there’s a 20% discount with the code: “dadsday”. That would bring the price down to about $48. You can also do a web search to check if there’s a lower price. 

www.phonesoap.com 

A lot of tech for a bike for not very much money.

A unique gift for a young dad who bikes, likes technology, and is a bit of a show off.

Over the years we’ve seen a lot of devices that let you add LED lights to your bike wheel , but Wheel Writer 2.0 has a couple of features I personally have not seen before. In addition to 63 different LED patterns that are built into the device, it can also be set to read out your current pedaling speed in lights on the bike wheel. The pick-up to register the speed is included in the kit. But wait, there's more! You don't need the free app to use the built in 64 display designs, but if you download it (most late model iPod Touch and iPhone devices) it allows you to createn your own designs and text messages. You can even design your own animations. After you create your designs, you use the included cable to download them from your iOS device to the Wheel Writer 2.0. Your iOS device will also show you all the other available designs so you can pick and choose the ones you want onboard your bike. Once in use, the Wheel Writer 2.0 can be set to show them one at one, moving from one to next. Or you set it to display just one design, or your bike speed. Best part is the price: $19.99. Be sure you get Wheel Writer 2.0. The original Wheel Writer is still available for about $15.00, but it doesn't let you create your own designs and it only has a dozen built in patterns vs. 64 for the new model. Be aware that several places online are charging above the $19.99 price.

Wheel Writer website: http://www.fuzebikefx.com/

The power strip/surge protector that can blend in your hardwood floors.

I talked about the original Invisplug power strip, which is designed to blend in with hardwood floors, right after last year's National Hardware Show. That model is still available, but now there's a new Deluxe version which adds several features. The Invisiplug Deluxe, which is available in three wood grain finishes (light natural, medium cherry, and dark oak) now adds two 2.1 Volt USB charging ports. There are still six three-pronged outlets, but like the original, they are not spaced widely apart, so it's unlikely you'll be able to use all six. But now you also get a pair of LED indicator lights that will indicate that your line is grounded and that the surge protector is working. There is 900 joules of  surge protection in the Delux model, twice what the original has.

Company website: www.invisiplug.com  

Not a tool, but something very interesting from the 2014 National Hardware Show.

At the National Hardware Show iKeyless showed their new Universal Car Remote. The company says it works on 1,080 vehicle models equipped with a factory keyless entry system manufactured between 1995 and 2014. This new single remote replaces 160 OEM keyless entry remotes. Because iKeyless is the world’s largest retailer of replacement keyless remotes, they said they’ve taken the best of all those designs and created a superior product compared to OEM factory remotes. The iKeyless Universal Car Remote is customer programmable for 100% of the vehicles it’s compatible with. A comprehensive compatibility chart is available at the company website, link below. Setup is simple -­ similar to that of a universal television remote. No technical knowledge or tools are needed to program/pair the device. But if you need help the iKeyless support team is available 24/7 via the toll­free help line. On their website, they describe procedure to pair the Universal Car Remote with your compatible vehicle: “Insert the key into the ignition. Turn it from off to ACC eight times. Then, within 20 seconds push any button on the Universal Car Remote. Turn the ignition to off and pairing is complete.” The $49.95 MSRP is about half or even less than retail customers will probably have to pay for a replacement from their dealer. 

http://universalcarremote.com/