Summertime and the living is easy. Or so goes the old song. These days, many of us turn to high-tech devices to make the prophecy come true. And wow, does the Gizmo guy have a bunch to share today.
BEACH COMBING: Don't want folks to be humming "Gorilla My Dreams" when you walk on by on the beach or pool deck? Philips Norelco has you covered with new cordless, rechargeable electric shavers designed for specific areas.
For guys, there's Bodygroom (around $40) to remove hair on the legs, chest, back, groin - wherever. For the ladies, Philips has joined with the Bliss spa chain to offer Bikini Perfect (about $60), a hair-removal kit with custom trimmers, plus trial-size Bliss products to refine eyebrows, de-fuzz limbs and deal with whatever you'd rather the world not see when you wear that itsy, bitsy bikini.
Both these electric body razors, usable in the shower or out, feature a five-level adjustable comb fitting for those who don't want to take it all off. They promise minimal irritation to sensitive skin.
MAKE SPACE BEFORE EXITING THE PLACE: Those disk-based digital video recorders we use to capture TV shows have a weak link - limited capacity.
This shortcoming is especially vexing in the summertime, when we venture off on vacation and pre-set the DVR to record favorite shows. On return, the new content will be there, but the oldest (and maybe most treasured) programs previously recorded on the box may have been involuntarily eliminated.
To the rescue comes Western Digital with a line of compact, external hard-disc drives called My DVR Expander that boost the storage capacity of Dish Network ViP series DVRs, Tivo boxes and Scientific-Atlanta cable TV tuners/DVRs. (Neither DirecTV DVRs nor Motorola cable boxes/DVRs currently work with external storage expanders.)
The 500 GB version (about $150) I tested with a Dish DVR offers 60 hours of additional high-definition-program recording capacity, or 300 hours of standard-definition TV storage. It's easy to plug in and activate (though Dish asks $40 for a one-time software upgrade).
Then, just click on the list of stored programs that you'd like to archive, walk away and the deck cleaning begins. Two hours of SD content move to the Western box in maybe eight minutes; two hours of HD content takes about 40 minutes to relocate.
Picture and sound quality for the transplanted programming was perfect, a "mirror image" of the original.
GRILLING TO PERFECTION: While the flavor can be great, it isn't easy to cook small, delicate items on a barbecue. Invariably, some pieces stick to the grate or fall into the fire, sacrifices to the Great God Charcoal (or propane).
Now to the rescue comes Cuisinart with a new line of stainless-steel grilling platters, baskets and woks ($30-$40 each) designed to sit atop the grate. Even the smallest vegetables or most delicate fish can be safely handled, while small holes in the pans infuse the food with barbecue smoke. More details at www.cuisinart.com.
Ever run out of gas, halfway through an outdoor barbecue session? Install Gas Watch, a gauge that screws in between the tank and the regulator, and you'll always know how much fuel remains.
The original model with analog gauge, Gas Watch I, sells for $20 at hardware and home centers. The new Gas Watch II ($30) adds a second, remote LED display unit that sounds an alarm when the tank gets low. Even this Gizmo Geek thinks it's overkill, but whatever.
Like to grill in the park or stadium parking lot? The new Kingsford Tailgate Grill lets you get the party started seconds after you arrive. The barrel-style grill attaches directly to most truck and SUVS that have a 2-inch trailer hitch receiver or Hitch-Haul cargo carrier.
It has 480 square inches of cooking space, a warming rack and detachable side shelf, can stand alone as a tabletop grill and has a safety lock to keep the lid down for fast retreats after the coals have died down. Sells at the usual places for $139.95. www.masterbuilt.com or 800-489-1581.
WELCOME TO MARGARITAVILLE: Of course, man (and woman) does not live on barbecue alone. Complete the picnic experience with a Waring Pro Tailgater Blender, designed for on-the-road (or boat) preparation of drinks, smoothies, salsa, creamy soups and more.
Selling for about $100, it features a 15-foot cord and DC adaptor that plugs into a 12-volt cigarette lighter or boat adapter, plus a convertor that allows for use in a standard, 110v home outlet. The 48-ounce carafe is made of break- and heat-resistant Lexan.
BACKYARD CINEMA: Wanna put on a show? A Gemmy Airblown Inflatable Movie Screen turns the backyard into a drive-in theater, blowing up in about 10 minutes with its air-pumping motor. Just add a video projector with speakers, DVD player and serve!
Available in both widescreen and standard-aspect screens that measure 12 to 14 feet on the diagonal, the reflecting surface is made of standard movie screen material with a UV coating to prevent fading/yellowing.
The cutest model sports a red base with Disney logo and black Mickey Mouse "ears." The screens pack into an included bag with a total weight of 22 pounds. Available for $179-$199 at walmart.com, homedepot.com and circuitcity.com.
MUSIC TO GO: Even iPod lovers don't always want to listen on earphones. That's why there are a ton of take-it-with-you, iPod-customized amplification systems.
Smallest I've seen is Audiowrapz by iFrogz ($19.95 at WalMart), a rubbery protective case for the 3rd-generation iPod Nano that features built-in, dime-sized passive speakers. Sound quality is decent but not loud, because the device relies on the iPod's headphone amplifier. Good for listening under the covers, though.
It's dangerous to ride a bike with earphones on. A better idea is the iH85 Bike to Beach Bicycle Speaker by iHome (about $50 at iHomeaudio.com and Amazon.com). The water- and impact-resistant case protects any iPod model and fits securely in most water bottle cages or with supplied bike-mounting hardware. Plays at home, too, with an AC adapter that also charges your iPod.
One of the most flexible and best-sounding iPod friendly speaker systems out there is the iSongBook from Tivoli Audio. Building on its sister, the Songbook, this battery-/AC-powered model features a flip-down iPod docking station and an extendable second speaker for true stereo sound.
The hardback book-sized device also boasts an excellent FM/AM radio with station presets and a switchable input to pump up the volume of another connected product like a portable CD or DVD player. Tivoli has reluctantly raised the list price of this item to $399, due to world manufacturing conditions. But I've spotted online retailers selling current inventory for $179 to $199. Sears has the iSongbook on special through July 12 at an unbelievable $79.99.
ROCKIN' DOWN THE HIGHWAY: Can't pry your "Guitar Hero"-loving kid away from the videogame console? Get him/her into the back seat and on the road with Activision's "Guitar Hero On Tour" (about $50).
Stripped (but not dumbed) down to a peripheral that plugs into the Nintendo DS portable game system, the "Guitar Hero" Guitar Grip makes do with just one less button and by asking the player to "strum" with the "Guitar Hero" pick stylus on the DS's touch-sensitive screen. The other screen carries the familiar moving notes patterns, of course, that you must duplicate on the peripheral. Twenty-five familiar rock songs (from Steve Miller to Nirvana to No Doubt) are packed onboard. Two fans can play together in co-op mode using a local wireless network, or duel with distractions such as pyro effects gone wrong or crazed fans begging for an autograph.
FUZZ ALERT: Leave your kitty home alone for a day or two this summer and you'll be treated to a very unpleasant surprise - fur flying everywhere. Yeah, it's shedding season for cats and dogs, too, and the purrfect time for Eureka to be introducing the Boss 4D Pet Fresh Vacuum (about $150).
This heavy (25 pound) but high-powered upright features a rubber teethed "Pet Power Paw" power brush that does an amazing job of removing pet hair from furniture.
Plus, a sealed HEPA filter removes 99.97 percent of dander and dust, and Arm & Hammer baking soda embedded into the vacuum's filter helps combat pet smells.
Not ready to buy a new machine?
Arm & Hammer is also offering a new, baking-soda-based product called Pet Fresh Carpet and Room Odor Eliminator Plus Pet Hair Release (about $5) that you dump into the bag or dust collecting bin of your current vacuum.
When it blows out the exhaust, a static charge eliminator in the powder helps lift up pesky animal hair, while the baking soda neutralizes lingering odors.
INSTANT GRATIFICATION: The Canon Selphy CP770 compact photo printer comes in a basket style storage bucket that just begs "take me with you." All the accessories - paper, ink cartridge, power cord and optional battery - fit in there, too, for instant print processing wherever you're going this summer.
A 2.5-inch, high-resolution LCD monitor screen previews images before you print them on 4-by-6-inch paper. The printer also supports "IRSimple," a high-speed infrared communications standard to wirelessly transfer and print snapshots from compatible mobile phones, PDAs and other digital devices. $149.99 buys the basic package, $79.99 the accessory battery pack. *
E-mail Jonathan Takiff at takiffj@
phillynews.com.