Regarding bulky summer pools/toys, I would think it'd be regional. Here in the Northeast, there's still a LOT of summer left to go (and the summer is short, so people tend to get out and do as much as possible while it lasts), so I don't see them discounting that stuff until September. In the south, summer starts…

@CaptainCynic: I think part of it is a spill over from the "Arial is a bastardized version of Helvetica" argument, that has been raging for years.

@battra92: Well, your wedding band might only weigh 1.5 grams, but mine weighs about 50. Seriously, a 1.5 gram ring would be a piece of wire!

If we're just talking kitchen drawer, then kebab skewers pretty much do only one thing (unless you count stabbing someone in the eye as multi-tasking). Garlic crusher is another one, and fondue set is a third.

@mrchnd: No indication in the press materials that it actually does work with windows. And even if you can pair it with windows, you can bet the multi-touch implementation will suck (if current performance of Win& on a touch-screen PC is anything to go by).

@zmnatz:

@TendoMentis: That works, unless you go over the maximal contributions allowed.

@Zuzax: Well spotted! Yet another "show us your workspace/desk" with a box if tissues next to the computer. LH readers must do a lot of (ahem) sneezing!

@MrCrispy: Agree this is silly.

ACAB

A few things it might be useful to add to this great guide...

@ElizaGray: Why not just get a verizon 3G dongle for the laptop, and a regular (non smart) phone for making phone calls?

@bmj2728: Cool, thanks for the info' - do you work for the SSA?

@Xagest: Yeah, I thought that too.

Great idea, but I would want to see a voltage regulator circuit in there somewhere, with a couple of big capacitors for intermittent storage. Lithium-Ion batteries like a nice constant voltage for good charging, and on a bike the volts would drop to zero every time you stop at a light. This device went from 5 to 7…

I'm torn between...

I'm torn between...

Please add to the list, people who, when hitting "reply" or "forward"...

And they wonder where the phrase "information overload" comes from. If I wanna see if my plants need watering, I go look at them. If I'm out of town, I ask a friend to look at them. Why make life complicated? All of the non-RoHS compliant crap in that arduino circuit, and the power it draws, more than cancel out…

@timgray: Great advice, but don't forget to leave the media PC plugged in - you'll need it for recording network TV while you're away, and for it to download updates etc.