 Want to get the most out of life? Want to be smarter, thinner, richer, more efficient? With the help of the latest innovation you can turn work into play and accomplish more. Serious activity occurs in the world of make-believe, and just the right tool-toy can make all the difference (If cell phones and palm pilots weren’t so much fun do you think so many people would be using them?).
Play is the most influential element in human culture so why not whistle while you work and really be productive? The following tool-toys are a sneak preview of what’s hot. Most of them are designed to streamline your workday, help you meet your goals, and make you feel like a kid again while you’re working.
• WAP – Web enable phone. These days BlackBerry™ is the leading wireless email solution for the mobile professional. Now, with a powerful wireless handheld, you can stay connected to your email. BlackBerry™ offers a combination of hardware, software and service to provide easy and affordable access to your corporate email wherever you go.
• Webley — a virtual secretary that forwards phone calls, voice messages, and email to you wherever you are. Webley manages your messages for you. It doesn’t matter if the messages come from your home phone, office phone, cell phone, home or office email, or fax machine — Webley will check all of them and notify you when something new arrives. Webley even tells you who is on the line and asks whether you want to take the call. Callers don’t need to state their name; Webley knows who they are (via caller ID).
• Palm III™ — the latest Palm Pilot to help manage all your details. Most professionals rely on their computers or some type of organizer to stay on top of it all. Unfortunately, a paper organizer is almost an oxymoron and you can’t exactly whip out your computer everywhere you go. At just 4.7” tall and a mere 6 oz you can store thousands of names, addresses, phone numbers, to-do’s, and expenses, plus hundreds of e-mail messages.
• PDAs - handheld personal digital assistants that combine computing, telephone, fax and networking features. A typical PDA can function as a cellular phone, fax sender, and personal organizer. Unlike portable computers, most PDAs are pen-based, using a stylus rather than a keyboard for input. This means that they also incorporate handwriting recognition features. Some PDAs can also react to voice input by using voice recognition technologies.
• MouseMan+ — an internet mouse designed to make it easier to get around online. These wired rodents include a wider range of features — from extra buttons to spinning wheels — to accommodate and accelerate your web ventures.
• Floating Arms Keyboard — a keyboard made cool. This sci-fi design splits the board in two, allowing you to attach each piece to an arm of your office chair. Not only can you sit upright while typing, but you can also issue commands like, “Warp speed, Mr. Sulu!” with convincing authority.
• WinRadio — a high-end, wide-coverage radio receiver in your PC. WinRadio’s interface looks like the front of a serious, high-spectrum radio receiver, but there’s a lot more under the cover. Easier to use than most traditional receivers: just mouse-click to adjust the large tuning knob, and use the keyboard to enter exact frequencies.
• BlasterKey MP3 — internet-centric keyboard. If listening to other people’s songs isn’t enough for you, create your own! You can easily make that gig happen with your own party mixes — whether you know music or not. Record and capture those sudden moments of inspiration that hit you. BlasterKey MP3 allows you to download new music styles, rhythms and songs from http://blasterkey.creative.com so you’ll never run out of ideas.
• Vivonic Fitness Planner — a virtual personal trainer that creates and tracks an optimum personalized fitness plan for you. Paperless exercise and nutrition monitoring provides regular feedback to guide you through your training program.
• Cross Country Lap Top Carrier — convertible back pack has room for folders, computer, palm pilot, pens, business cards, checkbook, airline tickets, cell phone and other essentials. Shoulder bag converts to a backpack for “hands free” travel.
• 2000 Sports Stroller — for active parents, is safer and sturdier than last year’s model. Your fitness walks and runs are easier and more comfortable than ever. Includes hand brake, parking brake and harness for your tot. One child, two children, convertible bike trailers, quick release wheels, cargo baskets, and retractable weather canopies are available.
True, the trend towards Tech is as prevalent as ever in our choice of day-to-day necessities. But because we are human beings and not all plastic and speed, I can’t resist adding one more tasty toy:
ICBM — Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream By Mail packed in dry ice and sent anywhere Federal Express the next day. Use your MouseMan+ and Floating Arms Keyboard to transmit your friend’s and relative’s addresses from your PDA to the Ben and Jerry’s website. Webley can handle the “thank you” e-mails and calls while you are pushing your 2000 Sports Stroller on a course programmed by your Vivonic Fitness Planner. Oh and after all that hard work, don’t forget to ICBM yourself. | 
