Chill wine instantly as you pour

Summer can be rough on oenophiles who lack a proper wine cellar. Even if your red wines survive the high temperatures, they'll still need to spend some time in the refrigerator to come down to an appropriate temperature before serving. But all too often the guests arrive and the wine is poured before you remember to chill it (at least, that's how it happens at my house).

Enter the Ravi Instant Wine Chiller. The two-part device includes a cooling tube, which you store in your freezer, plus a base, which is inserted into the neck of the wine bottle when you're ready to serve. As you pour, the wine travels through a stainless-steel spout (the material was chosen so it wouldn't affect the wine's flavor) surrounded by cooling material. You control the flow, and thus the amount of time the wine spends in the cooling chamber, by placing your thumb over an air intake valve.

A dream come true? Kind of. The manufacturer is quick to point out that the Ravi is designed to cool red wines to the proper serving temperature, but shouldn't be expected to chill a room-temperature white--rather, it's suggested as a way to keep already-chilled whites and rosés cool without an ice bucket. Even with that limitation, wine lovers who live in hot climates may find that the US$50 investment pays off in enjoyment.

Via CNET Crave

Cancer doc urges cell phone precaution

A prominent cancer researcher's warning to limit cell phone use has rekindled anew the longstanding question over mobile-phone health risks.

The media is abuzz with news of the memo from Dr. Ronald B. Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. He sent it to faculty and staff Wednesday, saying, among other things, that children should use cell phones only for emergencies, since their developing organs are the most likely to be sensitive to possible effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields.

In his 10-point advisory, Herberman also urges adults to keep phones away from their heads and use speakerphones or wireless headsets.

He suggests that people try to avoid constantly carrying their cell phones on their bodies and also try not to keep the devices nearby at night under the pillow or on a nightstand. He even warns against using cell phones in public places like buses because it exposes others to the phone's electromagnetic fields.

Herberman notes that the precautions have been reviewed by UPCI experts in neuro-oncology, epidemiology, and neurosurgery, as well as and the Center for Environmental Oncology.

The tumor immunologist's words are grabbing widespread attention both because of his professional position and because they contradict numerous studies that don't find a link between cancer and cell phone use.
Read more »

Sanyo's Nintendo-licensed Wiimote charger is Japan-only--for now

Finally, you can save on purchasing all those AA batteries weekly for your Wii remote. Nintendo has teamed with Sanyo in Japan to come up with a custom battery back based on its eneloop technology--a low self-discharge NiMH battery that charges on contact.

This is also the first Nintendo-licensed recharger. The Contactless Charger Set for Wii Remote Control (as the product is called) uses an electromagnetic induction system to charge the batteries, even through the silicon jackets that are now available for the remote. Battery life on a single charge is about six hours. And it takes around 220 minutes to fully charge--not bad for an overnight session, considering the base stations can be daisy-chained together to subsequently (not simultaneously) charge up to four remotes from one AC adapter.
Read more »

Axioo announces Pico Netbook

Singapore-based Axioo is joining the Netbook race with its first sub-notebook, the Axioo Pico.

This 10-inch machine bears a striking resemblance to the MSI Wind. Weighing 1.2kg, the Pico comes equipped with three USB ports, memory card reader, VGA output and a built-in Webcam. Wireless radio and Ethernet are available for Internet connection, but Bluetooth is missing in action.

With a 160GB harddisk, its list price of S$699 (US$513.97) may seem to put it on par with the Acer Aspire One. However, the Pico comes pre-installed with Windows XP Home Edition (the Acer has Linux) and a larger screen. The Pico will be available in Singapore and Indonesia from July 31, with Thailand and Vietnam getting theirs in August. There are plans to release the unit to Malaysia and the Philippines, but availability in these markets are not confirmed at this time.

HP brings Voodoo into the consumer PC fold

The world's largest PC maker has decided it doesn't need a separate gaming PC unit anymore. From now on, Voodoo will be just one of Hewlett-Packard's consumer PC brands.

Voodoo founder Rahul Sood said on his personal blog that this was "always" the intention when HP bought Voodoo PC in 2006, and "the plan is now being accelerated, ultimately making it a reality sooner than any of us ever imagined."

Sood repeats that this is a "good thing" for the Voodoo brand, and he's probably right. HP knows how to move PCs, and has a giant marketing machine that could help push Voodoo into the mainstream, making the new Envy and Omen notebooks and desktops available at retail.

What's not clear is what happens to Sood. He was named CTO of HP's Global Gaming Business Unit, which was responsible for the Voodoo business, when his company was acquired.

The future of the Blackbird gaming brand also seems up in the air. It was introduced last year as a hybrid of HP's consumer PC line with Voodoo-influenced technology inside. It appears unnecessary to have both.

HP couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

Via CNET Crave

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