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Timely Technologies
upgrade
Time not on your side? Make the most of your minutes with gadgets that won't slow you down.
By Jessaca Massey, Jayplay writer
Ambient Orb
It looks like a glowing ball, but it checks something for you that you check throughout the day. What does it check? Whatever you want it to. The Ambient Orb uses wireless technology to keep track of changes in a stock, e-mail, your instant messaging list, weather or anything else you can imagine. If the status of whatever the Orb is tracking changes, it changes to another color, informing you to investigate.
Images: Contributed art
Time saved: Instead of signing online, just glance at the Orb. It takes a second to find out whether or not your stock has jumped (or dipped) or if you have a new e-mail message. You save at least 10 minutes.
Cash spent: Around $149.
It looks like...a watch, but wait, there's a picture of your family on the face. Yep, this little timekeeper not only stores pictures, but also carries all the names from your little black book in its address
Smart Watch
book function. The Smart Watch functions much like a PDA. It keeps track of all your important dates and can transfer information from and to your computer or PDA.
Time saved: Considering that the Smart Watch lets you know when you're late, it may save your day. The Smart Watch cuts minutes off of your day because it makes it easy to transfer information to and from your computer or PDA Cash spent: Around $189.
DocuPen handheld scanner
It may look like a pen, but this technology packs a scanner, not ink. If your in a jam for time and need to copy down what looks like a book of information, whip out this instrument, slide it down the page and you have all the information in less time than it takes to write it. It may take you some time to get your scanning
moves down, but after a few trial runs, you should get the hang of it.
Time saved: It scans a page in four seconds Unless you have super-human abilities, one page of text will probably take you at least 10 minutes to write. This scanner shaves off writing time and helps avoid writers' cramp. Cash spent: Around $199.
Where to buy: All three products can be purchased on numerous Web sites including www.amazon.com and www.thinkgeek.com.
- Jessaca Massey can be reached at jmassey@kansan.com.