h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Back to the alarm clock thing - you can get a natural light alarm clock (not sure of the exact name, but my friend has one and says it's marvellous), which has a domed area at the top that gradually lightens, aping the action of the sun coming up, so that when you wake, your body has had the impression that it has been woken up by the sun coming up, which is infinitely preferable to a scary morning DJ/sudden burst of sound, in my opinion.

Must rush out & get one for myself for Christmas, in fact!

Melx

Safe football terraces.

Bring 'em back!

It's not disrespectful to the memory of the Hillsborough victims; the technology exists to police the terraces effectively.

yup im a fan of that one(re; notepaad for windows that doesn't etc;
also a pre-reader for strands and postings that pick out the stuff that you're interested in

How about, for those mornings when you haven't got time for coffee and to clean your teeth, but you need to wake up - Caffeinated Toothpaste!

I', sure it would be a winner!

CHawke

Coffee flavoured ?

Doesn't have to be - could be Cola or Tea flavoured

CHawke

I've read that they've started selling donuts injected with caffeine instead of jelly or custard. That ought to wake you up!

Mmmm Donuts

Gosh, T'is true

http://www.ncbuy.com/news/2003-12-29/1008567.html

CHawke

Why aren't there carbon monoxide sensors inside cars? First a warning buzzer and then the engine eventually shuts off. A recent horrible tragedy involving an infant prompts this idea.

I do not think I read that storey, if true, then that would certainly be a good safty measure, alongside the 'air bags', and 'side impact bars' etc., that cars already have I think* that CO1 detectors are actually fairly cheap and easily availible, so it would theoretically, as far as I know, be an pretty easy thing to wire in to the electornic magicary of what is already in the average car I can't think of any other inventions at the moment, if I do, and they are really* good, you will hear when they hit the 'high street' if not, you will hear of them here first!

Mmm how many new cars are prone to CO leaks? Unless intentional - or is that the plan to stop people killing themselves by shutting the engine off? COUld be worth a try.

As thread starter here is my lastest idea. We recently got a new cat, and she has just been let out for the first time, whilst cat flaps that limit use by various electro-magnetic devices are common I think they can be improved.

Firstly, dispense with the big thing on the collar and detect the ID chip inside the cat, that way you can let some out but not others, and also have an indicator to show which cats are IN and which are OUT - saves a lot aof searching under beds to check they are not in the rooms they are not allowed in if in fact they are outside.

CHawke

Morning CH,

If the chip detector was cheap enough you could place one in every room. This could trigger a - possibly ultrasonic - alarm to scare the cat out of rooms it's not allowed in. Linked to a voice activated computer you could have a Star Trek style whereabouts request - "Computer; where's Tibbles?". "Tibbles is in the master bedroom."

Real enthusiasts would have the kids chipped too: "Jean-Luc is in the nursery."

F

In addition to locating the cat, the system could also tell me where my purse and keys are! I'd buy it!

I'd like someone to invent a brake light that could be fitted to a bicycle as I think it would improve road safety for cyclists.

Perhaps we should hire Dyson for the afternoon, I'm sure he could plan all of these things given a few hours.

B

A bicycle brake light shouldn't be too hard to organise - I'll fit one to mine I think. That's a splendid idea.

F

http://www.kingsword.com/1.htm

Bicycle brake light - done already!

CHawke

The cat idea is a goodie! Cats look daft with that big black box round their neck.

So where can I buy this cafine toothpaste?

I'd like to see a computer/OS where 'shut down' actually means shut down, finished, kaput. How many times I've shut down my computer only to be prompted about ending some task. Very irritating if you've got up and already collapsed on the bed.

I find pressing that oval button on the front works pretty well. You know, that one th