By Mike Federman

Most of us have a storage box or closet—maybe a garage—filled with stuff that doesn’t get used as often as we thought it would when we bought it.

Certain things, such as holiday items, camping equipment or “special project” tools, see daylight every once in awhile, but are not something we depend on every day.

In the spirit of our occasional yearning for form over function, here are a few gadgets that offer a solid “gee whiz” factor. The utility of these devices, however, and whether they spend more time in storage than in play, is up to the user.  

Digital Paper Trail

Some people can’t let go of the past, and some people just like retro. For both, there is the Polaroid PoGo, a new take on an old design.

The PoGo is a digital camera with a built-in printer that prints photos instantly like the Polaroid instant film cameras of yesteryear.

This is a fully functional digital camera with 5-megapixel resolution, 4x zoom, 3-inch color LCD viewing screen and a memory card for transferring images to a computer.

The camera’s primary function, however, is instant photos. The 2-by-3-inch borderless photos are printed on paper embedded with colored dye crystals that are activated as the paper passes through the inkless printer. 

Suggested retail price for a PoGo is $199.99. It can be purchased where cameras are sold. A box of 30 sheets of photo paper is $10.

Polaroid also makes a pocket-size mobile printer that uses the same inkless technology as the PoGo for use with any digital camera. It retails for $49.99. Learn more at www.polaroid.com.

Full-Spectrum Lifestyle

Think of the Philips LivingColors lamp as a giant mood ring.

Seven high-power LEDs in the translucent casing are capable of projecting 16 million colors, which can be changed at a whim with an intuitive remote control. The 15-Watt lamp also has an automatic setting for changing colors.

The LEDs have a projected lifespan of eight to 10 years based on 1½ hours of use a day. They give off no heat, so the lamp can be left on for extended periods without fear of overheating.

Philips makes a floor model for flooding an entire room with hues of your choice and a table model for a smaller area of illumination.

LivingColors floor model sells for $199 at www.amazon.com; the table model sells for $84.50.

Not Too Hot, Not Too Cold

Nobody likes a tepid cup of coffee or warm soda. If you have to reheat your cafe latte to keep it fresh or gulp your soda while it is still cold, a desktop beverage warmer/cooler  is for you.

Several companies make USB-powered hot/cold plates, which could be a small but useful addition to your desktop.

Just plug the device into your computer’s USB port and select the hot or cold function.

The Excalibur beverage warmer/cooler is sold by various retailers. Radio Shack sells it for $24.99 as a Web-only item at www.radioshack.com.

A similar device is available through Hammacher Schlemmer & Co., www.hammacher.com, for $29.99.

Mini Survival Kit

Here is a credit card you won’t want to cut up, although you could with its own serrated blade.

Tool Logic Survival cards are filled with lifesaving features, including a serrated knife of stainless steel, magnesium alloy fire starter, whistle and tweezers, plus the choice of a high-
power red LED flashlight or an 8x power lens and compass.

The credit card size unit weighs just 2 ounces. It easily fits inside a car, purse or backpack, allowing you to carry this added bit of security wherever you go.

Suggested retail price for the survival card is $24.95. It can be purchased from various online retailers.

Learn more about Tool Logic products or find a local dealer at www.toollogic.com.

Point and Click For Laptops

Here’s a nifty item that is so new, the company that makes it only began shipping its first sales in mid-August.

The SwiftPoint is a mighty mouse in a small package. It is designed to end the frustrations laptop computer users have with the touch pad, giving laptops a dedicated mouse with functions equivalent to a standard desktop mouse.

The SwiftPoint Mouse is meant to be held between the thumb and index finger of the right hand, as if the user were holding a pen. There is a small button for the index finger to click on for onscreen navigation. A right click option also is available.

The device is used by gliding it along the surface of a laptop’s palm rest. A parking accessory lets users park the mouse while typing.

A docking receiver is used to charge the mouse, which SwiftPoint says can run an hour on a 30-second charge and up to four weeks of normal use on a 90-minute charge.

Learn more about SwiftPoint at www.futuremouse.com. The company in August was selling the SwiftPoint Mouse for the introductory price of $69.99.

Get a Charge Out of Driving

Whether you’re stuck in crosstown traffic or rambling along a lonesome country road, multitasking is one way to make better use of a long drive.

One easy task to fill is recharging your electronic devices with a car adaptor charger.

There are many varieties of portable chargers available, with prices corresponding to the number of options.

The Belkin micro USB charger plugs into a car’s cigarette lighter and provides a quick charge for most USB devices.

Model F8Z445 is a universal charger that requires a separate charging cable for USB devices, such as cell phones and MP3 players. It sells for $9.33 at www.amazon.com.

Model F8Z446 comes with a charge sync cable for iPods and iPhones. It sells for $19.20 at www.amazon.com.

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