Killer Gadgets
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1999
Five Savvy Gadgets Supply Peace of Mind

Nicci Noteboom, Managing Editor
ZDNet AnchorDesk


The only person I still need to shop for is my Dad. But boy, he's got me stumped. Of course, Tech Director Jon DeKeles says I should just pay him back all the money I owe him.

Ha. The odds of peace on Earth are better than for me settling my debts with Dad. However, I could give him a little peace of mind. Check out these surveillance and safety gadgets I found:

X10 Xray Vision Kit: This brand-spanking new product pairs X10’s wireless XCam Anywhere with new Internet photo capture and remote viewing software. Put the cam anywhere in your home and then look in on the kids (or as in my case, the cat) from any PC. Executive Producer Liz Enbysk and I got a sneak peek at this last week, and it is a very cool tool. (But we're worried Jesse will want one so he can check up on us while he’s on the road.) ($199.99) Click for more.

Garmin eTrex: The latest in Garmin’s GPS family weighs only 6 ounces and sports a 12 parallel channel receiver that runs for 18 hours on two AA batteries. It stores up to 500 user waypoints with graphic icons and allows you to reverse your track log. Plus, all the buttons are on the sides, making it easy to use one-handed. ($150) Click for more.

Seiko S.A.M. Spoon: Your pseudo secret agent will love this PDA-like watch. It stores 100 60-character PIM entries, includes a calendar to 2047, a stopwatch feature and also comes with 45 pre-programmed greetings and sayings. ($215) Click for more.

Re-con Spy Plane: A toy and spy tool rolled into one. Re-con is a gas-powered, remote controlled airplane with a recessed cavity for a disposable camera. Works at even 1,000 feet. ($129) Click for more.

McGuyver 33 Function Tool: Get ready. This mega-tool includes: Six Allen wrenches, three box wrenches, Philips No. 1 and No. 2 flathead screwdrivers, one tire lever, a stainless steel knife, bottle opener, can opener, fork, scissors, pliers with wire cutter, magnifying glass, tweezers, reamer, wood saw, fish scale with hook remover and ruler and nail file and cleaner. Enough said. ($69) Click for more.

Now hit the TalkBack button and tell me which one I should get my Dad (or suggest something else). I’ll post responses beneath this article. But please don’t suggest anything over $250, or I’ll have to borrow money from him to buy his gift.