A jacket that turns to a vest in seconds! Magic? No, Magnets!

Don't worry - you can't see thru the real jacket! ScotteVest is famous for making clothing that can hold all your electronics without showing bulges. This newest lightweight Transformer jacket features sleeves that can be removed in a few seconds, while you’re wearing the jacket! That’s because they’re held in place with a dozen rare earth magnets! The sleeves pull off easily, even while you’re wearing the jacket. Because there’s no Velcro or zippers, you can Transform the jacket to a vest in about 5 seconds or less. It’s easy to get the sleeves back on too. You’ll hear the magnets click into place and every time I’ve done it, it seems the magnets know exactly where they should be. The sleeves and the fabric that join them are one single piece. And don’t worry want to do with the sleeves once you remove them. One of the 20-pockets in the Transformer Jacket has been specially designed to hold the sleeves! There’s even a pocket big enough to hold your iPad. Other pockets hold sunglasses/eyeglasses, passport, keys, water bottle and other essentials. So you know which pockets were designed to hold what, the glasses compartment has a useful diagram. The cloth the diagram is printed on is designed to clean your glasses. That’s a nice touch. It’s available in black, red, and grey. $160.

www.scottevest.com

Giz Wiz Video: http://youtu.be/P59xG7tqUHQ

A Multi-Plug Adapter for those who travel overseas.

When you stay in a hotel, one of the first things you’ll most likely notice, especially if you’re a gadget freak, is that there are very few outlets for your toys. Several companies have addressed this problem for AC powered devices here in the US, but how about if you’re an International Traveler? That’s why the Conair Travel Smart All-in-One Travel Adapter with USB can save the day, and your trip. (It also can be entered into our list of products with really l-o-n-g names!)  ... The Conair Travel Smart All-in-One Travel Adapter with USB you will let you plug-in three appliances at once – and that includes four most common adapter plug configurations; grounded/non-grounded, polarized/non-polarized plugs from Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, North and South America. There’s also built-in surge protection. Conair makes it clear that this device is not a transformer or current converter. It’s for devices that don’t need them. But wait, there’s more. The Conair All-In-One Adapter with USB Port will also let you charge one USB device. It can charge most smart phones, iPods and iPhones, but not iPads, which requires a higher power USB charger. List price is $29.99, but do a web search and you should be able to find it at a discount. This plug is new to the market and Conair makes a wide range of travel plugs; this model is the TS238AP.

www.conair.com

Can I Save Money On Gas? Yes, there's an app for that!

With gas prices ever climbing, is there an app that can help me find the cheapest gas near where I am? The answer is “yes, there’s an app for that!” Since I don’t own a car, I figured I’d ask people who drive a lot. So I asked taxi drivers, chauffeurs and friends what app they used to get the best price. Shockingly, the most given answer was: “There’s an app to find the cheapest gas? I have to get that!”  Yes, there are several apps, so I asked those who used an app, which one they like best. The most given answer was GasBuddy. It’s a free app, and it’s available for iPhones and Android devices. Gas Buddy is ad sponsored, but the ads are in a little bar at the top or the bottom of the app, and they don’t interfere with the information on the screen. You tell Gas Buddy where you are by entering your location or zip code, or just hit the “find gas near me” button so it can use the device’s GPS. In a few seconds you will get a list of local gas prices. You can select how you want them ranked; distance, price, etc. You also tell the type of fuel you want, regular, premium, midrange or diesel. You’ll find info on the Gas Buddy website as to how you can report local gas prices and win prizes. That’s how Gas Buddy gets the latest prices, from people who are out there buying gas. Gas Buddy is often the #1 App in Travel on iTunes.

www.gasbuddy.com

They Invented the iPad for this???

Launching on Sunday --- April Fools Day (2012) --- and why not?  Digital MAD.

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

Would you like more landscape for your laptop computer without buying a bigger model?

The AOC USB Portable 16” Monitor, model e1649fwu could be your answer. AOC calls it the ultimate laptop accessory. Using this 16:9 LED monitor is unbelievable easy. First I downloaded the software. Then I connected one end of the included USB cable into the built-in USB port on the monitor and the other end into my computer. The single USB cable receives both power and signal for a true plug-and-play connection. And after a few minutes my AOC monitor came to life. I took one program from my main screen and using the “extend right” software control, slid over the new screen. I just about doubled my screen space! The monitor offers impressive image quality with a 1366 x 786 resolution. The actual screen size is 15.6” viewable image size, diagonal. The hardware is enabled by DisplayLink’s DL-125 chip. The AOC 16-inch USB Monitor easily integrates with existing desktop / notebook environments and is supported on all leading operating systems including Windows XP / Vista / Windows 7 & Apple MAC OSX Tiger / Leopard and Lion. (Linux support is also available through many of the standard distributions.) The AOC USB Monitor features a handy built-in Smart Stand that pivots out when needed and stores flush against the back of the monitor when not in use.  The foldable stand supports both portrait and landscape display. I like the button-free e1649fwu monitor. It has a clean and high tech look complemented by a black piano-polish finish on the bezel. (Yep, you will have to clean off fingerprints from time to time.) A hard glass screen offers protection for the monitor. AOC says that one laptop can support multiple USB Monitor connections to create a multi-monitor setup. And they say every AOC monitor is manufactured to meet the most stringent green standards. Along with being mercury free, the packaging for the eco-friendly USB Monitor is made from recycled materials. And here’s some really good news. From March 16 through March 31, 2012, the monitor will be available for $99, which is $40 off the MSRP of $139.

http://us.aoc.com/monitor_display/e1649fwu#buy_online

Amazon has the $99 sale price. Most other websites I checked, didn’t as of 3/16/12