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I can’t remember the number of times we’ve lost the remote. Living in a house with 4 people and 4 TVs meant a very high chance at least one remote would go missing at a time. I’ve seen it all, from the classic “fallen between sofa pillows” to the weird “someone took it to the bathroom for some reason then threw a towel on it”. And I don’t even want to mention how it feels to be late for school and realize your keys are nowehere to be found…

The Find One Find All key finder and remote locator is an absolutely brilliant idea for anyone with a tendency towards messiness. The coolest thing about it is that it doesn’t require a “master finder” - each device can find any other device. You just need to assign each of them a number, then push the corresponding key on any of the finders (you can use up to 36 FOFAs in one household, although I don’t know how that works since each only has 6 keys). The finders come in two shapes - key fob and flat style - to go with your keys, wallet, remote etc. and they have a 3-ft range. Their beep is loud enough to be heard and the XD Proximity Detect radio feedback feature lets you know if the object you’re looking for is there, but buried under things.

You can get a set of two key fobs and then an additional flat style finder or more sets to suit your lost object needs.

How much under $29.99?
A little: $24.95 for a set of 2 on FindOneFindAll.com.

Via Coolest Gadgets

The first thing I did with my latest USB stick was lose it. Well, I put it in “a safe place” - and promptly forgot where. An USB stick that looks good and can be attached to my keys or phone is therefore a very good idea. I’m sure there are lots that fit the description, but today we have the Jt Baby USB Drive.

This 2GB drive comes in black, green and purple, is about 31 x 12 x 2 mm and weighs only 2 grams. It’s a good thing it can be attached to a larger object, otherwise it would get lost in minutes. But it has a major downside: the back seems unprotected and, hmm, a bunch of keys banging on the connectors doesn’t seem like a smart thing to me.

Mr. Manufacturer, you got the general idea, but you screwed up at the end, I’m sorry.

P.S. If you’re still planning to get one, watch out for the 4GB version too (which was too pricey at $37 and didn’t fit the scope of this blog).

How much under $29.99?
A little: $22 on Brando.com.hk.

Keeping young children busy can prove really tough, especially if you’re not keen on letting them stare at the TV for hours on end. And that’s not even on option on a long car ride.

The Mudpuppy Monsters Magnetic Figures are, first of all, creepy, which automatically ensures the attention of at least half the kids. Second, they let children be creative. A customized monster sounds like an awesome idea even now, in my mid-twenties, so I would’ve probably loved it when I was 7.

Each set includes 4 (appropriately spooky) backgrounds and more than 40 monster bits and pieces, all stored in a tin that can also be used as a board for attaching the magnets. This particular feature can be extremely helpful on car rides, as it ensures that you won’t find loose monster limbs under your seats two months on.

How much under $29.99?
Some: $14 on ChocolateCakeClub.com.

Via BoingBoing

Most of the items covered here target the youth - easily explained by the age of internet users and my own. But this Pill Organizer is much useful for a different demographic: elderly people.

As you get older, you have to take more and more pills. But, as you get older, your memory also gets worse. We’ve all heard our grandparents wonder if they’d taken their medicine… In my grandpa’s case, my mother tried to remind him what he had to take, but she couldn’t be there 24/7 to check. An organizer like this can be priceless in a situation like this: the patient or someone close can fill up all the containers at the beginning of the week, eliminating the risk of over- or underdosage. The boxes are color coded and printed in large text, so most people should have no trouble figuring out which pill they are supposed to take.

How much under $29.99?
A lot: $5.98 on HarrietCarter.com.

Via bookofjoe

Make-up skills are not something genetic, so the simple fact that you’re a girl doesn’t ensure that you can actually apply that expensive blush you just bought and make it look like on the models. What to do when you want to look fabulous, can’t do it yourself and can’t afford to pay for a professional make-up job?

Until recently, I would’ve said “tough luck”, but it appears there’s a solution: the ColorOn Instant Makeup Applicators. You get an oval applicator which you just press onto your eye, then you adjust the look with the included brush and setting powder and you’re set.

Too good to be true? Exactly what I thought, so I googled and found this wonderful video demonstration where you can see that they actually do work as advertised. All I can say is “wow”. There’s a wide range of colors to choose from and most of them are lovely combinations of colors (the zebra print is a bit toooo much, though).

A bit on the expensive side, it’s true, but I would get a set at least for last minute party preparations. Beats running around like a headless chicken while simultaneously trying to get dressed, put on make-up, call 2 friends and finding that pair of shoes.

How much under $29.99?
Some: $18 for a 10 applications kit on HelloGorgeous.net.

Via bookofjoe

Nope, I still don’t understand why digital photo frames are interesting. But oh well, can’t have it all.

The USB Tumbler Digital Photo Frame at least has a cute shape. Unfortunately, that’s the only thing I like. It’s a miniature frame, aimed at people who don’t want to drag a full-size one with them. But what can you actually see on a screen that’s 56 x 56 x 85 mm (about 2 inches by 3)? It can store up to 100 pictures, but they’d all have to be close-ups, otherwise all you’d be able to see would be some colorful blotches (that green dot is auntie May!).

If you really want to share photos with family and friends while traveling, put them on a memory stick and look at them on a computer. Or don’t be lazy and bring your normal sized photo frame.

How much under $29.99?
A little: $28 on Brando.com.hk.

After this awfulness, I felt the need to write about something to redeem cup-kind. It’s Not A Paper Cup.

Yeah, I was fooled too, it looks just like one. The coffee-addict’s alternative to Not a Plastic Bag, this cup is actually ceramic, therefore just as reusable as your regular cups. If you feel your status depends on whether or not you drink your latte from a trendy coffeeshop, but are against the waste this entails, just get this non-paper-cup and fill it up with your favorite brew. And, of course, be careful not to drop it.

Although I don’t quite get why having a coffee to go might be a social symbol, if something fashionable discourages waste then bring it on. Let’s see if this becomes as popular as its bag counterpart.

How much under $29.99?
Some: $19.99 on ThinkGeek.com.

I’ve seen so many otherwise perfectly good objects encrusted in Swarovski crystals that I have formed a reflex of rejection whenever I see that polished glass mentioned. And, more often than not, my rejection is later justified.

Take the 2 Carat Cup. Someone has taken a perfectly good cup, put the handle lower, painted it gold or silver and added a Swarovksi rhinestone on it. Wow, it looks like you have a ring on your hand if you pick it up. Am I supposed to be impressed by this brilliant idea? It’s ugly and probably difficult to hold, so it’s not even particularly useful as a cup.

The only redeeming thing is the presentation: it comes in an oversized jewelry box with only the “ring” showing, so it can be used as a prank gift (a not too funny one, though).

How much under $29.99?
Some: $14.99 on PerpetualKid.com.

Via TechieDiva

There’s a whole story about the Cantina Band t-shirt over at ThinkGeek, about how the guys ran into the band on a night out, but I suspect Star Wars had something to do with it.

I did a test on my boyfriend: I just asked “Cantina band?” and he immediately replied “Star Wars!”, so, through this detailed scientific test, I have determined this is for sure a t-shirt for the fans. (For fans only, I might add, because I can’t even remember there was a scene in a cantina in A New Hope, let alone if it had a band in it or not.)

But this is what geeky t-shirts are all about: (more or less) obscure references only like-minded people could get. I’m sure that almost no one understands the message on my “Mostly Harmless” t-shirt, but it’s a great feeling when someone smiles knowingly or when a new person I meet says s/he also liked The Hitchhiker’s Guide.

How much under $29.99?
Some: $14.99 on ThinkGeek.com.

I am sure that with a little more self-control I could manage to set a daily schedule and actually follow it, but… right now, it’s not happening. Once in a while, someone asks me why I haven’t done task X I promised to do by yesterday, at which time I go “err… did I promise?”. I tried writing things down, but I lost the notes.

I need a Tear Away Planner Mousepad. It’s brilliant. The pad is basically a stack of planner sheets, each for one week, so whenever you get an e-mail or receive a phone call, you only have to shove your mouse aside and write it down. And how messy can you be to actually lose your mousepad? Chances are this planner will always be handy and you just have to glace down to see that you have a report due in half and hour and panic appropriately.

You can even set future plans: This Weekend, Next Week or, for the less likely, Snowball in Hell. Just don’t let the boss see that the big project that’s supposed to be ready next month is filed under that last heading…

How much under $29.99?
A lot: $9.99 on ThinkGeek.com.