Hasta La Gadget!

There are bicycles, and then there is the next step up – electric bicycles, which would definitely come in handy especially when you live in extremely hilly areas such as San Francisco. Of course, purists would want to argue against the presence of electric bicycles in the market, touting that it takes away the experience of pushing your physical self to the limit, but others who are more practical would not mind getting some assistance from technological advancements, too. The thing is, purchasing an electric bicycle outright from the market could be pretty expensive, as the cost could run into a few thousand for the higher end models, which is why the Rubbee device that you see here – a Kickstarter project that is extremely close to achieving its funding goal with four days left, could be a viable alternative.

The Rubbee is an easy conversion device which will be able to transform your current, manually powered (pedal powered in other words) bicycle into an electric one, taking just a matter of seconds to get the job done. The Rubbee would tip the scales at just 14 lbs, and it is capable of offering assistance as you cycle for up to 15 miles of travel on a full charge, hitting a top speed of 15 mph along the way, courtesy of its integrated battery pack which carries a full charge of 20,000 mAh. The Rubbee will take approximately 2 hours to fully juice up, so you can always do so at the end of the day so that it can be ready to jump into action the next morning.

Installation of the Rubbee is simple and painless – you need not have to tinker around with wires and tools the way a standard conversion kit requires you to, but rather, it boasts of a design which was specially intended to reduce wear on your bike’s wheel, where kinetic force will then charge the Rubbee’s battery pack, and if you need a break during the ride, you can also ensure that the tire does not touch the Rubbee. Would the £799 price tag slapped on the Rubbee hold you back from picking one up?

Kickstarter Project
[ Rubbee transforms your normal bicycle into an electric one copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

In this day and age, more and more people are paying attention to the effect we’re having on the environment. Gone are the days where were believed that pollution wasn’t a big deal. Instead, many people are putting a great deal of effort into using alternative fuels, and finding ways to cut back on their carbon emissions. Unfortunately, while we all wish that we could do more, we can’t all afford to drive hybrid cars, or ride bikes everywhere. But what if there was a way to cut down on the amount of CO2 that our cars are putting into the air?

The CO2ube is a new gadget that hopes to cut down on the amount of pollution the average car gives off. It might seem crazy that a small gadget could cut down on the emissions from your car. (The ATMOS anyone?) However, this one isn’t promising to just magically make it disappear, or anything. Instead, it’s supposed to use a combination of algae and sodium hydroxide to filter out the CO2 as it exits the muffler.

While this sounds like a great idea, it’s going to be a hard sell for consumers. The device is only going to set you back $45 right now ($60+ after the Kickstarter campaign is over), which doesn’t seem too bad. However, you’re going to need to replace it every 8-10 weeks. While people might want to feel better about saving the environment, most aren’t going to want to shell out that much money every couple months, when they’re not going to see a return on their investment.

Source: Technabob
[ CO2ube cuts down on your car’s CO2 emissions copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

The last few years have given rise to a new breed of people. They can be found at vegan coffee shops, using the Instagram app to take “artistic” photos of their coffee next to a book that looks interesting, so that they can tweet it to their friends. We call these people “hipsters.” When not in a coffee shop, you can also find them in record stores, letting you know why you shouldn’t listen to music unless it’s on vinyl, because digital music is an affront to your ears. Hipsters do tend to be fashionable, which is why I’m not surprised to see a company making glasses that are marketed to this specific demographic.

Now don’t get me wrong, I understand the appeal of listening to vinyl. I just think that some people take it to an extreme. A company called Vinylize is more than happy to take money from these people however. By bonding a vinyl record with cellulose acetate, they are able to cut out the frames for a pair of glasses that will let everyone know just how much you love your records.

The glasses come in a variety of styles, including the classic hipster frames that you see above. You’re going to be paying a hefty premium on these, however. For a pair of sunglasses, you’re looking at around $440. If you want prescription lenses, you’ll need to send them an email for a quote. I actually think the concept of recycling old records is a great one, however, the price is going to be hard for all but the most fanatical of vinyl lovers.

Source: Gizmag
[ Vinylize turns old records into glasses copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Sure, many of us have at the bare minimum, one smartphone with us at all times, while others who are more liberal with their wallets have an iPad or tablet device to play around with, not to mention majority of the modern day workforce relying on a notebook or Ultrabook to get their work done on the go. This has certainly led one to think along the lines of ensuring that every single device must be charged the night before so that they have enough juice to last at least throughout the next day. While this is the ideal situation, it does not happen the way you want to all the time, and in the event of an emergency, what are you going to do? This is where the Goal Zero Yeti 150 and Yeti 400 Solar Generators would come in handy, also helping those who want to be prepared for the fast approaching 2013 hurricane season complete their preparations.

The Yeti 400 tips the scales at 29 pounds, and yet it can deliver 400 watt-hours of power, which is the same amount required to juice a smartphone 30 times over, a laptop 5 times, being able to power a TV for 3 hours (although I am quite sure that the brightness level does affect the final count), or even more than 100 hours of light thanks to Goal Zero’s Light-a-Life LED lantern. You can juice up the Yeti 400 from a wall power outlet in a matter of 5 hours, or just like Kal-El, use the sun and wait for 30 hours thanks to the Nomad 27 Solar Panel.

The smaller sized but similarly equipped Yeti 150 Solar Generator will be able to carry enough juice to have it deliver 50 hours of light, 15 smartphone recharges, 6 tablet recharges or 2 laptop recharges, all the while tipping the scales at a relatively lightweight 12 lbs, now how about that? It takes 24 hours under direct sunlight to charge to its maximum capacity, or 5 hours via a wall outlet. You can pick up the Yeti 150 and Yeti 400 Solar Generators for $199.99 and $459.99, respectively.

Press Release
[ Goal Zero Yeti 150 and Yeti 400 Solar Generators ensures you have juice at all times copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

With the economy the way it has been, it’s important to cut costs wherever you can. Everyone has a different approach to this, whether it’s taking a bike to work, instead of a car, or trying to eat out less. However, there are some people who really want to save every cent, and for those people, the best place to look is at your electronic devices. Each and every one of these needs power to run, and electricity isn’t free (unless you’re using some sort of alternative energy, like solar power, but that’s a different conversation). So how to you keep track of how much juice each of your gadgets needs?

I’ve seen plenty of devices that you can use with most two or three-prong power cords, to see just how much electricity is flowing to the gadget. While these are great, they don’t cover everything. What about your USB devices? How much electricity are they sucking up, when they are in use? Well, this PortaPow USB Power Monitor can tell you that, and more.

By plugging this gadget in between your computer, and whatever device you have plugged in, you can see how much power is being drawn. You can also use it in conjunction with a solar panel, to see how much electricity is being generated. This will allow you to reposition the panel to ensure that you’re getting the most out of the light. This nifty little device might not be a life-changing purchase, but the $19 price won’t break the bank.

[ PortaPow USB Power Monitor lets you know how much power your gadgets use copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]