Things to Keep at Home
By Edwin Kee
PERFECTING THE BODY * WALK into any gym and you’ll be greeted by a few obvious personality types, from the housewife who is there to run her frustrations (and cellulite) away on a treadmill to the health buff who cringes at the thought of putting on an extra 0.1 per cent of body fat.
The Tanita BC-558 Segmental Body Composition Monitor caters for the latter group as it comes with some of the most advanced technology available to examine total body composition, including weight, body fat percentage, body water percentage, muscle mass, bone mass, basal metabolic rate, metabolic age, visceral fat and physique rating.
As you can tell, this weighing scale targets top-tier athletes who strive for perfection in everything that they do. It also comes in handy for people who want to monitor the balance of the body’s left and right side, or those who are working to build or rehabilitate a particular area.
If you want to join the ranks of the body beautiful, the Tanita BC-558 Segmental Body Composition Monitor retails for US$299.99 (RM1,040).
Go to http://richardsolo.com.
NIGHTLIGHTER FLASHLIGHT FOR EMERGENCIES
* WHILE blackouts and brownouts in Malaysia aren’t really common these days, there are still times when you experience the occasional power trip. Instead of bringing out the traditional cylindrical flashlight, why not settle for the Nightlighter Flashlight instead?
It comes in an oval form factor that is ergonomic to the touch, and doesn’t require you to constantly adjust the angle of the flashlight in order to see what’s ahead. There is a forward-facing, narrow-angle beam in front while a downward-facing wide-angle beam, courtesy of a couple of ultra bright five millimetres white LEDs lights up the way ahead.
You can choose to just turn the front light on for power-saving purposes, the bottom light, or both. You definitely won’t get any hand cramps with the Nightlighter Flashlight. It currently retails for US$7 (RM24).
Go to http://www.firststreetonline.com.
CUBE-SIZED AUDIO SYSTEM TO PERK UP YOUR DECOR
* COMPACT audio systems have their own place in every home, and most of the time they don’t reside in the living room (unless you live in a really cramped apartment) but instead sit prettily above a bedside table. The Sonoro Audio compact music system from Germany offers you virtually the whole works in an aesthetically pleasing package. What you get with each Euro255 (RM1,225) purchase includes an integrated FM radio, a CD player, and an auxiliary input for your portable media player of choice.
The Sonoro Audio Cubo will come in a wooden enclosure with either a coloured lacquer or natural wood finish, depending on your preference. Since they are also available in a wide assortment of colours, you can be sure your bookshelves at home won’t stay dull for too long. Take note that the Sonoro Cubo comes with only a single speaker, so don’t expect this to perform any more than it should.
Go to http://sonoro-audio.com/.
PLUSH FOR THE EARS
* WHAT comes into your mind when you think about speakers? Not many of us will have the BooRu-BooRu doll (plush speakers that hail from Korea) in mind though. They resemble some in-bred form of Teletubbies in some way or another, and come with a soft, cloth body with eyeballs, ears, and tummies that hold the keys to controlling your music.
These battery-powered speakers not only pump out your favourite tunes in a cute manner, they also feature an integrated FM radio, an amplified speaker, and the ability to hook up to virtually any MP3 player. It currently retails for 35,000 Korean won (RM132).
If you’re thinking of decorating your desktop with something out of the ordinary, surely you won’t go wrong with these Booru-Booru plush speakers. They also double up as a great office gift, be it a welcoming or parting one.
Visit http://www.storyshop.kr/.
(c) 2007 New Straits Times. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.