A little more than a year ago I wrote about a  Nerf launcher that was powered by USB. In that article I wrote about some of the other nifty USB gadgets that can be found, and now I have yet another fun toy to add to the list.

As suggested by the title of this post, yes, I believe that I have stumbled upon the World’s Smallest Microwave. Not only is it what I believe to be the world’s smallest, but it also, get this, plugs into a USB! Yeah! If you are too busy to tear yourself away from the computer to break for coffee or lunch, have no worries because you now can have a microwave sitting right next to you. Granted that you would not be able to heat up large quantities of something, but it is still big enough to heat up a cup of coffee.

Just how small is it? It measures just 150mm x 160mm x 190mm. That is about 6 inches by 6.5 inches by 7.5 inches. It was developed by Heinz and others at GAMA Microwave Technology. It was created after performing a study in the UK and finding that many workers, 20% in the study, skip meals simply because they are too stressed out.

I am not quite sure how these two companies were able to work around the problem of being able to draw enough power via a USB connection, but I doubt that Heinz would advertise a product that does not work. They also claim that the microwave can heat a snack or a drink within a matter of seconds– I would like to see if this is actually the case.

The Beanzawave, or so it is called, also might be made available in a battery powered version. However, as of right now both versions have not been made available on the marketplace. Heinz will make a decision about actually producing it once they have some feedback from the public. This gadget would probably cost around $165, so that is a little too high of a price tag at this point in time.

Summer is here, as is the warm weather you have been awaiting to begin an outdoor exercise regimen.  So, now what are you going to do?

After speaking with Rachel at Brodeur Partners, she had a handful of suggestions for tools that you can use with your BlackBerry smartphone that will help with exercise, fitness, and nutrition.

If you are looking for something to supplement your workouts, here are some ideas:

• Track your speed, distance and calories burned with Trimble AllSport GPS. You also can wirelessly download routes, maps and training programs, and race virtually against yourself or other users – all for $19.99.
• Perfect for beginners, FitDeck Mobile leads you through 50 effective exercises that don’t require any equipment. You even can target specific body regions and customize the intensity as you build up stamina! At $14.99, it’s far cheaper than a personal trainer.
• For the exercise-savvy, Total Fitness offers the complete package for only $9.99: personal trainer + nutritionist in one! Stay on top of your goals with advanced graphs for exercise and nutritional tracking.

In addition to suggestions for tools to help with your exercise, there are tools that can help with your diet.  Whether you are traveling and need a healthy restaurant or just want to track your calories, here are two options:

• Hitting the road this summer? Let’s be realistic, it’s a challenge to eat healthy on the go. GoodFoodNearYou helps locate the healthiest food options at the most popular restaurants near you. The app sorts nearby options by the lowest calories, lowest carbs or lowest fat, empowering you to make fast, health decisions! And best of all, it’s free to download.
• We’ve all heard the solution: more calories out + less calories in = weight loss. Calorie Tracker by LIVESTRONG provides nutrition facts at the click of a button and tracks your calorie intake in a personalized nutritional diary. The app even offers customized goals, weight tracking and an exercise log – all for $2.99.

Take out your BlackBerry, and exercise more than just your thumbs!

Read more articles from our summer fitness series, which cover topics, such as kids & fitness, warm-up and cool-down ideas, workout suggestions, and hydration tips.

Each month as I pay my bills I look for ways to cut back.  I could put glow in the dark stickers everywhere and never have to turn a light on again. :)  That probably will never fly with the Mrs., however, there are many who are cutting costs during this recession by cancelling their cable.

The Internet has made it possible to make phone calls over the web through VoIP and people are loving this phenomenon.  A new trend wave has people watching TV over the Internet…for free.  That is right, no more cable television bill each month.

Most networks are now placing their line-ups on the company website.  I go to these sites all the time to catch up on shows that I have missed and forgot to DVR.  The quality is great, dependent on your computer setup.  There is really no difference except for the need to sit at the computer to watch shows isn’t quite family friendly.

The solution to that is linking the family room TV into the loop.  By assembling a cheap PC built specifically for the purpose of playing videos and using the television as the monitor, you are good to go.  Most of the people I have read about use wireless keyboards with a built-in mouse to navigate the web.  For style point, there are remotes that can be used for this purpose.  There are even application on the iPhone or iPod Touch to control your computer remotely.

Websites like www.hulu.com have television shows, movies, cartoons, etc. already cataloged.  All you have to do is search the website and click the link that will lead you to the show’s website and you can watch all day long.  Most shows still have commercials but only one instead of the usual 2 minute break.

You even can watch the movies you have backed-up from your DVD collection without getting off of the couch.  The only downfall I have discovered is the watching of sporting events.  Has anyone tried this idea out yet?  Thoughts?  How can I get sports and live television for free?

In today’s world, we tend to see a common theme–going green.  Whether it be using fabric bags at the supermarket or buying cars that run on electricity, people are trying to be more and more green. As society becomes more and more green, the amount of gadgets that are starting to become green are gaining as well. For instance, they now have a necklace called the Lux that has solar panels, two by three inches, arranged around on a string that are hooked up to LEDs.

Another green gadget is a set of solar powered Bluetooth headphones. They were developed by a student from the Translyvania University of Brasov, Shepeleff Stephen. He was able to harness energy by using the sun and has created these eco-friendly Bluetooth headphones. They are called Q-Sound and feature solar cells that are installed on the top of the headband. These solar cells generate power for two removable and rechargeable NiMH batteries. Each battery operates at a voltage of 1.2V and have capacities of 800mAh. These two batteries will allow the headphones to run up to 40 hours.  The Bluetooth headphones are kind of massive and alien looking, but they are innovative!

Another concept that is in the workings is a solar powered lunch box. By using solar energy, this lunch box would be able to keep food warm. What this means is that you could pack something in the morning and keep it warm until you wanted it for a snack or for lunch. I think that an interesting concept would be to create a cooler that would keep food and drinks cold, like a refrigerator would, that is run by solar power. That would be much more efficient than melting ice, as you would be able to put more things in the cooler!

Solar power has made a huge difference in the world, and we all can see, there is much to be expanded upon with using this type of energy. It is very green and useful!

My roommate was watching Room Raiders one day on the TV, and my eyes couldn’t leave the screen. In Room Raiders, a guy or a girl goes through three other peoples’  rooms without knowing their names or faces. Based on the things in their rooms, the other person  will pick one of the three options to go out on a date with.

Okay, so on this episode there was a guy who was trying to look into one of the girl’s computer. When he saw her keyboard, he looked at it in disgust and refused to touch her keyboard because there was food in between the keys. Instead, he pulled out a Virtual Laser Keyboard.

About the size of a small cellular phone, the I-Tech Virtual Keyboard can be used like any other ordinary keyboard. The I-Tech Virtual Keyboard uses a light projection of a full-sized computer keyboard on almost any surface. It can be used with your PC, Mac, Blackberry, Smart Phone, and more.

One perk about it is that it is a keyboard that you can use in the dark! It also makes sending an e-mail much easier. For instance, if you were sitting at an airport with your Blackberry and you wanted to send a long reply to an e-mail, would you want to be using the keypad on the phone (pressing all of those little buttons), or would you rather whip out this little gadget and have a full keyboard to work with? I think you know the answer to that question.

This little I-Tech Virtual Keyboard  is pretty expensive. Purchasing one of these keyboards will cost you about $199, or 135 Euros, a piece. It is not a necessity, but hey, it seems like a fun little toy to have. One thing is for sure, it could definitely start some conversations for you!

As more and more people go “green” with their autos and start driving hybrids and electric vehicles, there will become a much higher demand for charging posts of some sort that will allow users to charge their auto batteries. More than likely gas stations will have to implement charging posts to complement those drivers who don’t use gas anymore.

The only problem is, how do you bill users when you have no way of tracking individual electric use?

The EBConnect Elektrobay built by Elektromotive  will do just that!

The EBConnect device software will monitor the power consumption of each user that plugs in and will exchange the data via GSM and the Internet to the required source. Users can pay several different ways: a “pay-as-you-go” gift card, which allows users to purchase Elektrobay keyfob credits, a credit or debit card like at traditional gas pumps, or all as one lump sum included in their household utility bill.

EBConnect unveiled the first prototypes at the Norwegian zero-emissions exhibition, the International Battery, Hybrid and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS 24). The event is one of the single most popular attractions to display technology pertaining to hybrid or electric vehicles (if the event name didn’t already imply that).

The Elektrobay is already being used at over 140 charging areas in gas stations across the United Kingdom.

Although, technology is not always perfect, one can only wonder if the related customer service department will be helpful pertaining to “accidental” overcharges on said bill. Let’s hope this device IS as accurate as they say it is.

A lot of things these days are available on the go: email, Internet browsing, gaming, portable DVDs and now television… not that it wasn’t portable already.

Imagine being at your least favorite place: the mall, shopping with your girlfriend or wife. Bored out of your mind, and as always holding your significant other’s purse while she tries on clothes or browses the clothing racks.

Isn’t it terrible to miss that game you’ve been waiting for all week, your favorite television show, or even a movie you’ve been wanting to see for some time?

Now, there’s an incredible option to pass some time, and it might just make shopping a little better.

The BagTV is an incredible handbag/purse fashioned out of high quality leather complete with a built in 7″ LCD screen and stereo speakers. It features full support for DVDs, mp3s, photos, and videos of differing formats to allow full entertainment while on the go. All files can be transferred to the bag via PC, but the BagTV also supports SD memory cards for additional storage, which gives users an added option to transfer files.

Usually items like this aren’t very attractive, and no female out there would be caught dead using something so sinister. However, the BagTV has seven different flavors, all of varying tastes, which don’t look half bad either. In fact, I think many women will agree they’d compliment their outfits amazingly!

The BagTV itself retails for a total of 295 Euros and is sold in London. A BagTV handbag can be ordered on their website and shipped to the United States, just visit the official site here.

I certainly will pick one of these up next chance I get, just to keep myself entertained!