Strange New Products: November 2005

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Temperature Controlled Butter Dish

by Steve
Wednesday, November 30, 2005

The ButterWizard keeps your stick of butter at the optimum temperature for soft, easy spreading.

Previously, folks kept a stick of butter in a butter dish on the kitchen counter. Depending on fluctuations in room temperature, or if it took some heat from the oven, it might get too soft, or too firm.

Powered by its nickel-metal hydride batteries, the ButterWizard never lets your butter get too soft or too firm. When finished at the dinner table, return the ButterWizard to its charging base.

£34.95 ($59.93) from ButterWizard

Thanks Sheri Morita

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This Company Wants Everyone to Screw for Christmas

by Steve
Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Sophron Marketing, Inc. is selling a new tool called "The Screw Up", which makes screwing those hook-screws into high places easy.

A hook-screw is inserted into the socket, while The Screw Up is fitted onto an extension pole, allowing you to screw in places you might not have ever screwed before!

It's also has a "hang finger", that can be used to lift a cord or cable up to the screws you just put into place.

Only thing is that it doesn't come with the extension pole; you'll have to find that yourself. Sophron Marketing ought to sell 'em from their site, me thinks.

$4.99 from Sohpron Marketing

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Surfing the Internet from a Printed Book

by Steve
Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Somatic Digital Touch User Interface (TUI)

Somatic Digital has a product called Touch User Interface (TUI), effectively a book containing paper pages, that interacts with other Internet-enabled devices.

Imagine sitting at Starbucks, opening up a fashion catalog, pressing on the photo of a purse, and watching the product video come up on your iPaq!

When someone presses the pictures and words on the printed ink and paper TUI page, it sends out a command to your PC, laptop, phone, or whatever Internet-connected device you're using, to retrieve a file, and display it on that device. It's a book that acts like an Internet remote control.

Somatic Digital already has some publishing partners, and is looking for more.

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Aromatherapy Energy Drink

by Steve
Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Purifique is the name of a new beverage claiming to be the world's first all natural aromatherapy energy drink.

It's not just for drinking, but for smelling too!

It claims its "botanical infusions" deliver pure plant oxygen and a compliment of aromatherapy benefits to lift your spirits, regulate your system, and focus your mind. In fact, the makers of Purifique explain that their product should be enjoyed like a fine wine.

It comes in two varieties...

Purifique Harmony - Cinnamon Rose Bouquet - the taste and smell of cinnamon enhanced with the smell of roses.

Purifique Spirit - Ginger Mint Bouquet - the taste of mint combined with the scent of ginger blossoms.

As an energy drink, Purifique's website doesn't appear to explain what ingredients it relies on to deliver its boost, other than saying it contains "pure plant oxygen".

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Naughty Nads Bikini Design Kit

by Steve
Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Available in New Zealand is "Naughty Nads Bikini Design Kit". It's a "bikini area" depilatory kit that comes with four templates to create fun and shapely designs.

Naughty Nads uses a hot wax application to remove unwanted pubic hair. You first apply the template of your choice, then apply the wax.

Templates include, "love heart", "lightning bolt", "landing strip", and "bermuda triangle".

The kit contains a 140g jar of Mango & Peach-scented bikini wax along with spatulas, orange sticks, soothing and finishing wipes, and an extensive instruction booklet.

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Brandy in a Sword

by Steve
Tuesday, November 29, 2005

The next offering from our Strange New Bottle department is Ararat5, a brandy that comes in a unique sword-shaped bottle.

Distilled by J & J Decor Sp. z o. o., a Polish company, it contains 40% alcohol.

Perhaps this is why Polish soldiers fell to the Nazis in just two days; they were drinking their swords!

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Virgin Body Cleanser

by Steve
Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Maybe I just don't know enough about soaps and body washes, but when a product is named "Virgin Body Cleanser", it makes me wonder if there is a marketable demographic of virgins with dirty bodies.

Actually, there is another product called "Virgin/Slut Soap", but it's more of a novelty item. From what it appears, Virgin Body Cleanser is a serious product with an interesting name.

It's made by a company called Ziamese Sisters Company Ltd., based out of Bangkok, Thailand, a place where virgin body cleansers ought to sell pretty well.

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Yogurt made from Water Buffalo

by Steve
Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Woodstock Water Buffalo Co., LLC has a line of yogurts and cheeses made from the milk of water buffalo.

The company says that water buffalo milk has advantages over cow and goat milk, in that it is higher in calcium, higher in protein, and lower in cholesterol. It's also rich in tocopherol (Vitamin E).

Their line of water buffalo yogurt is said to be a healthy, creamy treat made from farm fresh water buffalo milk, pure and natural Vermont ingredients and live probiotic cultures. Available in several flavors, including Vermont Maple, Vermont Cappuccino, Vermont Strawberry, among others.

Actually, cappuccino yogurt sounds kinda good, but water buffalo?

Via Junk Food Blog

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SNP Added to Daily Rotation

by Steve
Sunday, November 27, 2005

Hey, we've been daily rotated!

If any of you are monitoring tech headlines at Daily Rotation, well now you can find our headlines there too. Go ahead and add us to your daily rotation.

Of course, you can always just subscribe to one of our newsfeeds. Plus, you can get SNP via e-mail too. Or, you could just visit this website!

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"Chi" WaveGuard Fights Electromagnetic Fields

by Steve
Sunday, November 27, 2005

If you're thinking you're going to get brain cancer from using a cell phone, then why not spend a mere $19.95 to get a "Chi" WaveGuard?

This little red disc emits positive "Chi" energy to counter the worrysome electromagnetic fields generated by your cell phone. Just stick it on your cell phone, and they cancel each other out, restoring your confidence in using up airtime.

And it's not just for cell phones either. Stick it on anything that emits EMFs. Heck, stick it on your forehead and cover all bases.

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PawPlunger Cleans Your Dog's Paws

by Steve
Sunday, November 27, 2005

The PawPlunger is the latest in pet cleaning products, designed to help you keep your dog's paws clean.

When "Mimi" is ready to come into the house, you "plunge" each foot into the PawPlunger, and the soft bristles and water cleans off all the dirt and mud. All you have to do is fill it with water, and it's ready to use.

PawPlunger is expected to reach store shelves next week, or can purchased online for $29.95 from its website.

Via DoggieNews

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Toiletiquette Stickers

by Steve
Friday, November 25, 2005

Toiletiquette is a set of stickers designed to be placed on the underside of a toilet seat, to remind all those hen-pecked husbands that the job isn't finished just because the weasel is back inside.

The stickers are in the shape and color of a stop sign, containing stern warnings to clean up those over-shots and put the seat back down.

I'm surprised they don't have a sticker for putting a new roll of paper on the holder.

$3.99 per set at MyToiletiquette

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Charcoal Nose Strips

by Steve
Wednesday, November 23, 2005

It's said the charcoal in these nose strips works like a magnet to pull the zitty plugs out of your pores.

Cool & Cool Deep Cleansing Nose Strips contain charcoal extract to clean away pore clogging dirt two times better than other pore strips, leaving your nose pores visibly cleaner when used once per week.

These strips actually have hundreds of tiny fingers below the pad that actively squeeze out your zits!

I think the girl on the package looks awfully cute with that big black thing on the breather!

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Try Woveling Your Snow

by Steve
Wednesday, November 23, 2005

The Wovel is a new type of snow shovel designed to save your back from blowing out.

The manufacturer claims it's designed to utilize your body weight to scoop up some some snow and propel it forward for about five feet. By just pushing down on the handlebars and shoving the wovel forward at the same time, it throws a load of snow.

Check out the demo video.

$119.95 from Wovel

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Hold'em-opoly

by Steve
Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Hold'em-opoly is designed after the now so famous Texas Hold'em Poker Game, combining poker and real estate trading.

Hold'em, players collect hole cards, then buy online gambling sites, and trade them in for casinos. Other players pay in chips every time they land on your cards.

When a player lands on the "Play Hold'Em" space, everybody plays a hand of the popular poker game.

£24.99 at Drink Stuff

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Feast on This!

by Steve
Tuesday, November 22, 2005

It looks like a battery-operated toothbrush, but it's actually candy.

Don't be mistaken however. It uses a standard battery-operated toothbrush handle, that holds one AA battery. The head of toothbrush is made of candy. When you turn it on, it vibrates like a real toothbrush. Except instead of cleaning your teeth, you foul it up with cavity-causing sugary goodness.

It's manufactured by a Hong Kong company, Candy Manufacturer Inc.

Is it just me, or does anyone else see the adult overtones in this?

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FlavH20 Plastic Can

by Steve
Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Najaro Group sells its FlavH20 flavored water in a cool looking "Plastic Can". It's a plastic bottle that combines the top of an aluminum can.

This concept has been around for sometime, however. Package Design Magazine has an article that discusses the history of the PET/Aluminum can.

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Sea Monkey Necklace

by Steve
Monday, November 21, 2005

You've heard of the phrase, "monkey on your back". Now there's "sea monkeys on your neck".

The Sea Monkey Friendship Locket is a locket containing enough water and space to hold two sea monkeys that can be worn around your neck.

You start by hatching the sea monkey eggs inside the included tank. Once hatched, give them some growth food, and then transfer them to the locket. Once transferred, they live for about 12 hours.

$13.95 at Discover This

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Kleenex Tissue Cups

by Steve
Monday, November 21, 2005

Kimerbly-Clark, which makes the Kleenex brand of tissue paper, partnered with Sonoco, a manufacturer of consumer goods, to produce Kleenex Tissue Cups.

Each cup holds 50 tissues.

Kimberly-Clark's Mexico division wanted an entirely new look in tissue dispensers to stand out against already crowded store shelves, packed with traditional cardboard box dispensers. Sonoco, happened to have existing processes and materials in place to produce these plastic cylinder shaped containers, and hence Kleenex Tissue Cups was born.

Via Yahoo News

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New Pill Helps Make You Psychic

by Steve
Monday, November 21, 2005

A company called Remcure Enterprises is selling pills called Magneurol6-S claiming it will help you read people's minds.

It's based on a proprietary ingredient they call "magnetitum", effectively, magnetized iron.

They go on to describe studies showing that animals contain high levels of magnetite in their brains, suggesting that this is what puts them in tune with the Earth's magnetic field, and gives them the ability to predict earthquakes, follow migration routes, sense danger, etc.

Their FAQ page makes the claim that this pill increases the potential and awareness required for telepathy.

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Captain Muddy's Little Learners

by Steve
Friday, November 18, 2005

Captain Muddy's Little Learners is candy made to look like a bucket of bugs and dirt.

Described as "great taste" and "educational play", they come in functional containers with bug catcher and magnifying glass. The dirt is actually chocolate cookie meal, while the bugs are gummy worms and and red ants.

You can also get a test tube version filled the same ingredients, but come with tweezers to "put things in or pull things out".

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Hershey's Kissables

by Steve
Friday, November 18, 2005

Imagine taking a Hershey's Kiss, shrinking it down to about the size of an M&M, and then giving it a candy coating. Now you've got a Hershey's Kissable!

The new chocolate confection comes in colors of blue, red, yellow, green, and orange.

While Hershey's doesn't say it specifically, it's clearly designed to go after the M&M market. The smaller size is designed for the people on-the-go, and for placement in convenience stores.

They're already out in stores across the USA, and are on their way throughout the world.

Via Junk Food Blog

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Poo Poo Platter

by Steve
Thursday, November 17, 2005

New from BaronBob is this fabulous collection of poop, the Poo Poo Platter. It's all of your favorite fake feces shrinked wrapped together for the first time.

Here's what you get...

Fake cat crap

Fake doggie dukey

Party Pooper (designed to lay on a toilet seat)

Poop Pen (real working pen)

Fart Spray (so that even fake stuff can smell real)

Here's an idea just for shits and giggles. Lay the fake dog poop on a seat inside someone's car. Then spray the interior of the car with fart spray. If they're smart enough to know the poop is fake, the smell will make 'em think twice.

$12.95 at BaronBob.

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Gelatine Air Filter

by Steve
Wednesday, November 16, 2005

NasalGuard Allergen Blocker is a tube of gel that you spread around your lips and nostrils, and it's supposed to reduce airborne particles from entering your airways.

Billed as a "Personal Air Filter", it's described as drug free, safe, and invisible. You apply it every 3-6 hours, or as often as needed. One tube is said to provide about 200-225 applications.

They're also coming out with a variety just for blocking cold and flu viruses. I suppose you'll have to apply both tubes if you want total protection.

$9.95 from the NasalGuard website.

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The Deeper the Water, the Healthier it Gets

by Steve
Tuesday, November 15, 2005

Kona Deep 100% Deep Sea Drinking Water is desalinized water sourced exclusively from 3,000 feet under the ocean, off the coast of Kona, Hawaii. The company that makes it claims it's the deepest source of deep sea drinking water in the world.

Manufactured by Hawaii-based Deep SeaWater International, Inc., it's said that at this exceptional depth, the pristine seawater is extremely cold, electrolyte rich and virtually free of pathogens and pollution.

The company uses a process of reverse osmosis to remove the salt, but not all of it. What small amount of sodium remaining in the water is supposed to provide Kona Deep its taste.

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Wasabi Weiners

by Steve
Tuesday, November 15, 2005

Kosher Today Magazine reports that Abeles & Heymann have introduced a wasabi-flavored weiner, along with a chipotle-flavored weiner as well.

The new spicy varieties of hebrew sausage perhaps demonstrates that gentile dining is embracing a more diversified taste, reflective of the culture we live in today. I imagine the extra "kick" that comes in these new hot dogs is enough to put an extra curl in a rabbi's sideburns.

The new wasabi and chipotle flavored hot dogs are already available nationwide and have a suggested retail price of $5.99 per one pound package.

Via Junk Food Blog

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Santa Claus is "Coming"

by Steve
Saturday, November 12, 2005

From Ann Summers, a UK-based adult toy retailer, is this Santa Claus gag gift that dispenses bits of candy from his rather large sweet-shooter.

You push his head down, and he shoots out a wad of sugary goodness for you. Pump him several times and he'll reward you over-and-over.

And Europeans blame us for crass commercialism??

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Liquor in a Test Tube

by Steve
Saturday, November 12, 2005

Mmwah is the name of a new brand of alcoholic beverage packaged in test tubes.

Global Leisure Enterprises Ltd, the manufacturer, says they spent two years testing it in bars across the UK, and are now ready to go global.

Right now, Mmwah comes in three varieties, Cream Dream, Strawberry Ice Cream, and Blue Raspberry. Each contains 14% Alcohol by Volume.

The test tube itself is made from "soft PP food grade plastic", and doesn't break when stepped on, making it great for sale in bars.

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Smiley Faces on a Colon

by Steve
Saturday, November 12, 2005

This type of product isn't exactly strange or new, it's just a probiotic supplement to boost the health of your large intestine.

I just couldn't help laughing at the cartoonish picture of the happy little probiotics dancing on a colon. Who else could get so happy about a colon? Well ok, we won't go there.

Click the image to see more detail.

Kinda like something you'd expect to see from Japan, or out of 1950's Americana.

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OGO Oxygen Water

by Steve
Saturday, November 12, 2005

OGO is much more than just water. It is energy itself. OGO is life.

That's the claim from Ogo USA, Inc. about their new product, OGO Oxygen Water.

The funny looking bottle contains water from the Taunus Mountains (whereever the heck that is), but contains over 200mg of oxygen per liter, about 35 times more oxygen than other products, making it extremely lightweight.

The company goes on to say...
OGO is life force in a bottle, and you'll feel that energy in every part of the OGO experience: your very first taste, its rejuvenating lift, even the aura surrounding its cutting-edge packaging design.
But why stop at just 200mg of oxygen? Why not go for more? How about getting rid of all the water, and just selling clear-plastic bottles of oxygen?

Apparently it's selling like hotcakes in Europe, and is set to take the USA by storm.

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Keep Your Dog From Snoring

by Steve
Saturday, November 12, 2005

The makers of SnoreStop have come out with a version for dogs and cats.

You open up Buddy's mouth, shoot some of this elixir to the back of his throat, and no more chainsaw throughout the night!

Of course, nothing like bopping him over the head with a pillow to get some temporary relief. Now, if they can only come up with something to get my dogs to stop talking in their sleep!

Check out the streaming video from KCBS Channel 2.

Sells for $9.99 at PETCO.

Via DoggieNews

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Spray-on Pigeon Repellent

by Steve
Saturday, November 12, 2005

New from Guaber, an Italian manufacturer of pest control products, is "Vape Specialist Piccioni Pigeon Repellent".

According to the Vape website, (with thanks to Google Translate), you spray it on your window sill, patio cover, or whereever you have a problem with pigeons, and it creates a "barrier" that keeps the pooping creatures away. Used one or two times a week, and you're pigeon free.

Marketed under Guaber's "Vape Specialist" line, the product is natural, and does not harm the environment. Doesn't affect any other animals, people or plants.

Sheesh! Whatever happened to BB guns?

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Gleukos Energy Drink - Weird Bottle, Bad Name

by Steve
Saturday, November 12, 2005

Gleukos is a new energy drink, said to be "a revolution in energy replenishment and hydration." It uses glucose to "quicken replenishment times and eradicate unnecessary energy dips."

Gleukos appears to be the first energy drink to utilize a plastic collaspable pouch. Pouches used by other energy drinks haved used the rigid, foil-type variety. The plastic pouch is said to take up 50 percent less space and is 80 percent lighter.

The pouch also features a special valve called a "Smart Spout" that makes drinking spill-proof and leak-proof.

It comes in two flavors, Punch and Lemon. Other flavors are on the way. Available only at 7-11 stores.

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Watch Traffic Cameras on your Cell Phone

by Steve
Thursday, November 10, 2005

A company called Vizzion, Inc. has launched a new service called "Traffic Vizzion" that allows you tap into all those traffic cameras located on highways and view the images on your cell phone.

So now as you drive along the freeways, you can spend your time watching your cell phone instead, to see what the road looks like up ahead.

The system enables your cellphone's GPS and Bluetooth capability to determine where you are, so that it can show you images of the road up ahead.

Traffic Vizzion is available in 20 major metro areas, costs only $5.00 a month.

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3-D Wedding Planner

by Steve
Wednesday, November 09, 2005

My Style Wedding released new software by the same name, that allows control freaks to go step-by-step through their future wedding ceremony in 3-D fashion.

Not only can they now perfect the entire wedding ceremony, but they can easily refer back to it to see who screwed up and ruined everything.

The new software enables couples and rival mother-in-laws to create, and move around in, photo-realistic, full color scenes emulating the venues of their upcoming wedding ceremonies, receptions and events.

They can even move around images of guests and participants to various seats and tables to figure out how best to keep opposing families from killing each other.

$69.95 From My Style Wedding

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A Basketball That Stays Hard for 365 Days

by Steve
Wednesday, November 09, 2005

With Spalding's Never-Flat Basketball, you can slam dunk for 365 days straight (8,760 continuous hours) without ever having to fill it back up with air.

That's because the Neverflat basketball, has proprietary pressure retention technology, which makes it the only ball guaranteed to stay fully inflated for at least one year.

According to Spalding, the new basketball has a new membrane technology that tightens the natural pores in the ball's bladder, thus improving pressure retention. (I think my grandma could use that technology herself).

In addition, it's got "NitroFlate molecules" injected into it, providing another layer of leak-blocking protection.

The new ball has a suggested retail price of $39.99, hits store shelves mid November.

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The Memory Maintainer

by Steve
Wednesday, November 09, 2005

This little contraption keeps your car's clock and radio presets from getting reset when it's battery gets changed.

When you take your car into the shop to get worked on, you plug a 9-volt battery on to the Memory Maintainer, and then plug it into a cigarette lighter. No more having to reprogram everything!

$15.95 at AutoSport

Thanks Militant Platypus

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