Top weird and wonderful gizmos

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Published Dec 23, 2012

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Pretoria - Step aside tablets and smartphones; welcome gadgets. While some are prepared to spend up to R5 000 for a smartphone or tablet, others are prepared to spend the same amount on a robotic dinosaur.

Pleo rb (reborn) topped the list of weird and wonderful gadgets at the Gadget shop this year, said owner Hannes van der Walt.

Van der Walt said the Pleo rb was the ideal gift for any child.

It is an autonomous robotic life form, modelled on a young Camarasaurus dinosaur.

Pleo rb is designed to mimic life, which means it thinks and acts independently, just like a real animal.

Pleo rb’s sophisticated sensory system has devices that enable him to hear, see, touch and detect objects. It is the latest member of your family and retails for R4 699.

Although the Apple iPad mini and Samsung Galaxy SIII made it to the top of most Christmas shopping lists, according to retailers, several other gadgets and gizmos topped the best-selling list too. Van der Walt said the most popular gadgets were:

CardSharp 2

The CardSharp 2 is a super-light, super-thin and childproof utility knife, the size of a credit card. The body is made out of polypropylene and is guaranteed for life. The card is easily transformed into a knife by just three ingenious folding operations. The design ensures that it cannot open in one’s pocket, making it safe to carry any time and anywhere. The CardSharp2 retails for R169.

Parrot AR.Drone 2.0

The Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 is a unique quadrocopter which is compatible with your Apple or Android device.

This flying robot will most certainly attract the attention of people from amateur pilots to film directors. The camera on the drone (fixed lens and no flash) can capture stills and videos, and automatically delivers the captured footage to your phone or tablet via a wi-fi connection. The Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 retails for R3 500.

Neo Cube

This fun and easy-to-use magnetic cube is an entertainment device like no other. The Neo Cube is composed of 216 individual high-energy rare-earth magnets. This allows you to create and recreate an outrageous number of shapes and patterns. The Neo Cube is literally a puzzle with billions of solutions and will ensure hours and hours of unmatched entertainment. The Neo Cube retails for R299.

The Oregon Scientific RGR126 Wireless Rain Gauge

An ideal gift for fathers and grandfathers. This hi-tech wireless rain gauge displays daily rainfall amounts and records total rainfall over a period of nine days. The unit has a high daily rainfall alarm. It not only measures, but also eliminates collected rainfall via the self-emptying rain collector. The Wireless Rain Gauge with indoor thermometer features a wireless transmission of up to 30m through walls. It retails for R699.

Looftlighter

The Looftlighter is the ideal gift for any South African man. The Looftlighter lights your braai or fireplace with super-heated air within 60 seconds. It can also “fast-forward” your charcoal or briquettes, and make it possible to start cooking in just a couple of minutes.

The Looftlighter retails for R599.

l Van der Walt said these gadgets have been hot sellers since the end of November and new stock arrived on a weekly basis. If you are rushing out for some last-minute Christmas shopping, look no further than the Gadget Shop. - Pretoria News

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