Earlier than heading into 2022, this is a fast look again at among the columns that had been fashionable with readers final yr. Date of publication and firm web sites are additionally listed.
Medisafe. (Jan. 9): A free model is on the market for Apple- and Android-based smartphones. The fundamental model ought to fulfill most wants. The app retains observe of when drugs needs to be taken and the way (with meals or on an empty abdomen; morning or night, for instance). In the event you record a caregiver or buddy, it’s going to robotically notify them for those who miss a dose. www.medisafe.com.
Illumibowl. (Mar. 6): This little motion-activated night time gentle runs on batteries and is designed to drape over the sting of a bathroom bowl. It offers a tender gentle (which might change colours or stay one regular shade) which activates when it senses motion and turns off about two minutes later. About $10-$15. The night time gentle grew out of a partnership with Kevin O’Leary shaped on the March 11, 2016, Shark Tank program. Will be discovered at big-box and home-improvement shops, in addition to the corporate’s web site: www.illumibowl.com.
Blackboard. (Might 1): A writing pill that is available in varied sizes. It is form of like an Etch-A-Sketch, however as an alternative of utilizing knobs to jot down on it, a plastic stylus is used. When achieved, press a button and the display screen clears for a brand new session. Good for to-do lists or jotting down fast notes. Will be discovered on Amazon by looking for “Boogie Board.” Sizes, colours and capabilities fluctuate, as does the worth. Web site: www.blackboard.com.
Chess for youths: Chesster and Fritz. (Might 29): This chess-teaching program for youths first appeared on CD-ROM in 2003. Kids’s Know-how Overview wrote that it gave a “intelligent overview of the chess items and strikes,” and concluded: “That is the perfect youngsters’s chess program available on the market. “It nonetheless is – and now could be accessible for Apple smartphones and tablets. Chesster is a Cheshire rat who, because the spelling of his identify implies, can also be a trainer of chess. His methods are imaginative and enjoyable. It may be discovered within the Apple Retailer. About $25.
DjuiinoStar Spinning High DST-808. (Sept. 4): The headline on this column summed it up: “Time losing at its finest: A high-tech prime that spins for quarter-hour or extra.” Proper out of the field, I used to be managing spins that lasted eight minutes. My longest spin thus far went for almost 20 minutes. Time spinning comes with a worth. Offered by itself, the highest is $60. For the longer spins, the corporate suggests a concave, clean glass base. It is 4 inches throughout; a half-inch thick. The concave floor forces the highest towards the middle, additional conserving vitality. The glass provides one other $30 to the associated fee. Out there from Amazon.
The C64 Mini: A Commodore 64 duplicate. (Oct. 9): In a computing world way back, the Commodore 64 was the world’s best-selling laptop. The brains of the pc had been all housed in its beige keyboard. The Mini is a smaller duplicate of the unique C64 keyboard (with nonfunctioning keys). It is about half the size and width of the unique C64, is similar beige shade, and comes preloaded with 64 of the pc’s best-selling video games. To the touch on just a few: Boulder Sprint; Jumpman; California Video games; Pitstop II; Speedball II; Road Sports activities Baseball; Summer time Video games; Winter Video games and Temple of Apshai Trilogy. About $40-60 on Amazon.
The Vivitar Bluetooth Exercise Tracker. (Dec. 10): I purchased this exercise tracker/watch at a neighborhood low cost retailer simply earlier than Christmas. It was the VIVIMP1016N mannequin, promoting for lower than $15. It wasn’t essentially the most trendy or largest watch, nevertheless it did preserve time, counted steps and energy and had another options. It principally was a great way for the folks carrying it to be taught what was necessary in a smartwatch. It paired with a smartphone app for report preserving.
Lonnie Brown might be reached at [email protected].
This text initially appeared on The Ledger: A glance again at Gadget Daddy’s prime picks of 2021