Gadgets Gadgets Gadgets..
I was looking for something that could alert me and I always like gadgets or home automation.
I came across Nabaztag
Its reads out rss feed, news plays your pod cast and your favourite radio station and email not useful for a deaf person, but my family are all hearing so I see some uses.
You can talk to other nabaztag users via its belly button (yes really!)
One had a radio key tag, which sends me an email when wife and kids are at home, I can see this being useful for letting her know that I am working late.
And sending some silly messages to the kids 
Another gadget that does something similar called Tux Droid,
Me being a Linux guy, you can have access to the code and modify it anyway you like.
The only thing that puts me off it has no radio key fob.. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if they are working on this.
Besides all that, this thing looks evil when its eyes light up while it talks!
I doubt kids would like it to read them bedtime stories!
So the next device I came across, which I am more likely to buy (have to convince the wife) is the Chumby.
Looks like a glorified alarm clock but it does much more than nabaztag and tux droid does:
- Reads your news feed, such as bbc news and blogs
- Reads what TonyB twittered about on twitter
- Look at flickr pictures like digital photo frame
- It can be a radio alarm clock and listen to radio shows around the world
Check your Ebay and read Ceefax the list is endless
The down side is they don’t ship overseas so I will have to ask my friend nicely if she could bring it over.
Ben who is a member of Deaf-uk-chat posted a message about a device that may interest us;
A new British start-up has a cool package where you can fit various
sensors, including a doorbell ;-), and it will alert you via SMS (and email if you like)
http://www.alertme.com/
A bit pricey but its more for home security than for geeky fun stuff the only thing that puts me off is the £11.75 a month for using the alert me service.
How ever if they brought it down to £5 a month I would definitely use it.
Looking at the forum they are open to new ideas they have temperature control monitor very handy if you want reduce your energy consumption.
Perhaps if we all go to the forum http://forum.alertme.com/index.php
We could suggest some ideas. What I would like is some doorbell sensor so it can alert us to who is at the door with a web cam.
Possibly a web cam that switches on when the sensor is triggered. Or vibrations alert to let us know what’s triggered the alarm with a built in smoke detector.
The alertme would be so cool and useful not like the ones some of us have which looks cumbersome and designed in the 70’s, and having separate devices for different things when alert me could be an all in one box solution.
I’ve had my eye on Chumby for a couple of years. Thought a few times of buying it when I go to the States next, or begging my sister to get it for my birthday.
I saw alertme on the gadget show and did some looking around for other products because it looks cool but quite pricey for me. Anyhow, i found an identical product but comes with a Panasonic camera in the kit, is only £249 and there’s a free remote storage and access account. You can add other bits to it and upgrade the storage so it looks like a much better deal in my book. http://www.myhome247.co.uk I’m going to get my mum to have a look as we may put it in my nan’s house to check she’s ok as she lives so far away.
Tux Droid beats that awful scary penguin in Wallace and Grommit’s The Wrong Trousers! Imagine waking up to those bright blue staring eyes in the middle of the night, complete with it’s knowing smile.
@sarah Thanks for the link. looks interesting .If you do get it are you going to do a review? ..
@Pauline You have given me a good idea,it would make a good security droid , might get it to keep kids in bed so we can have a lie in
Hee hee! Did you realise that first picture of Caleb looks as if he has a mini chainsaw in his hand! A bit of DIY or looking for a Linux to destroy:-)
Have actually just seen the myhome kit in PC World, which makes me trust the brand a bit more! So i may go get it this bank holiday weekend. will keep you posted!!!!!
Its pure cute but way overpriced I think for what it does