CONTENTS Battle of the Box Sets Entertainment Gadgets Gear Style Interiors Furniture Kids Books Revel in Relics Kitchen Food and Drink Body Frivolous

BY JAY SANDERS Gigapets Are So Passé The newest entry in the virtual pet invasion is here. Say hello to Weebots ($39, Sharper Image, Pioneer Place, 700 SW 5th Ave., 228-4110). While they look like mobile smoke detectors, don't be fooled. These little critters have minds of their own. With a hand-held remote control, you can issue such commands as "dance" or "feed"--and your Weebot may or may not comply. Weebots move about, speak to you in their native tongue of chirps, beeps and whistles, and survey their environment with illuminated LED eyes. Plus, when you stroke a sleeping Weebot, it purrs contentedly (and there's no litter box to change). Choose between "Amble," "Chirple" and "Bleep." These robotic buddies are animated, fun, cute and unpredictable. Buzzkill The perfect stocking stuffer for any audiophile, A.R.T.'s Q-Damper anti-resonant feet ($35, Corner Audio, 1204 NW Glisan St., 227-1943) are sure to create a buzz--by eliminating one. Though it's not always noticeable, stereo components vibrate, causing distortions in the sound. The Q-Dampers are small discs made of a special graphite compound that reduces much of the distortion in electronic components (turntables, amplifiers, CD players, etc.) and small speakers. Simply position them between the piece of equipment and the surface on which it is resting. An improvement in the sound quality will be immediately apparent--namely, greater detailed resolution and improved sound-stage reproduction regardless of the quality of one's hi-fi system. Crazy for You Get acquainted with the world of espionage when you give this spy alarm clock ($1,195, Fox's Spy Outlet, 9103 SW Barbur Blvd., 452-4645). Recipients would be less than thrilled to know the real function of the innocent-looking Magnavox alarm clock, which houses a concealed wide-angle surveillance camera able to transmit its images up to 300 feet away. You can monitor bedroom action from a video monitor (sold separately). The clock looks 100 percent legit and comes in an authentic Magnavox box, so at least your secret will be safe. Parents, are you worried your teens are having sex or abusing themselves? Jealous lover, do you fear your partner is being unfaithful? Cats start coming out of the bag as soon as this baby comes out of the box. Wake up, Little Buddy Cyclists aren't really that limp; they're just using the wrong seats. Specialized's body geometry sport saddle ($39.99, River City Bicycles, 706 SE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 233-5973) is just the cure. Designed to reduce genital numbness that may be linked to male impotence, this saddle has two unique features: A wedge in the rear of the saddle eliminates potentially dangerous pressure on the pudendal artery and nerve; and firmer, more supportive foam combined with a flatter top helps elevate the rider off the perineal area onto the ischial tuberosities ("sit bones"). For men and women alike, this safeguards blood flow and genital sensation. This is one seat that won't leave you cold, and it's available without a prescription. Picture Perfect Surprise an artist with something other than paints, charcoal and sketch pads this holiday season. The Artograph Prism image projector ($188, Art Media, 902 SW Yamhill St., 223-3724) is an affordable, professional-quality piece of equipment. The Prism is specially designed for projecting a wide assortment of originals, patterns, sketches or line drawings in full color. Its lens is reversible, allowing for a wide projection range of 80 percent reduction to enlargement 20 times the actual size. This projector is perfect for fine art, illustrations, murals, airbrushing, decorative arts, craft projects, banners and more. Its portable size and rugged construction ensure that it will get ample use. Scaling artwork and designs will be faster and easier than ever before. Let's Get Digital With digital cameras becoming increasingly common and affordable, maybe it's time to help one of your friends get on the technology bandwagon. Replace your pal's Pentax with Sony's easy-to-use Mavica MVC-FD51 digital camera ($499.99 list price, Camera World, 400 SW 6th Ave., 205-5900). The device stores images on standard 3.5-inch floppy disks instead of on film, and it has an e-mail mode for downloading images to the Internet. But that's not all: It also supplies continuous recording in 10-second intervals and is powered by a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery. The 2.5-inch LCD display allows for speedy viewing and operation. Plus, it's markedly cheaper than the lifetime supply of film and processing it replaces. One warning: Friends may tend to get annoying when they succumb to the guilt-free overuse these cameras encourage. Back to the Future Following in the footsteps of such trailblazers as the Swatch phone and the new Volkswagen Beetle comes the super-sexy Apple iMac ($1,299, The Computer Store, 700 NE Multnomah St., 238-1200). Its striking design, convenient portability and easy set-up and operation make it a good choice for those who need/want a computer but don't want to get bogged down by technicalities. Accessing the Internet, for example, couldn't be simpler. Families, students and the fashion-conscious will be thrilled to find one of these aqua beauty queens under the Christmas tree. In case you're curious and able to translate this babble, here are the stats: 233MHz PowerPC G3 processor, 32MB SDRAM 4GB hard disk drive, 24x CD-ROM drive, built-in 56K modem. Not included: mirror so you can see how you look in front of one. Vintage Violence For the axe-grinder in your life, the hottest guitar accessory this season is undoubtedly the new line of Danelectro effects pedals ($59.95-$89.95, Guitar Crazy, 1739 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 238-4487). Along with reissuing its vintage guitars, Danelectro has created a series of brand-new guitar pedals that are sure to alert some ears. Offering a killer retro look and vintage sound, but using today's technology, these babies can't be beat. They're easy to use, feature a sleek design and are painted in classic 1950s car colors. Five different pedals are available: Dan-O-Matic (tuner with LED display), Cool Cat (chorus), Daddy-O (overdrive), Fab Tone (distortion) and Dan-Echo (delay). Never Lonely Alone Behind the wheel, most of us sit transfixed in boredom and frustration. But the Clarion AutoPC P310C ($1,749.95 and up, Car Toys, 333 SW 10th Ave., 226-0855) can give someone the joy of commanding an impressive arsenal of features with the sound of his or her voice. The AutoPC employs a global positioning system (a navigator that leads you to your destinations using simple turn-by-turn instructions), a virtual phone book, real-time news and traffic updates, and much more. It's also a fancy car stereo. All this and it's only Clarion's basic model. The voice-activated P310C utilizes a small screen and a 200-word audio vocabulary so your eyes never have to leave the road. It can even dictate routes and addresses to you. Things have obviously come a long way since "the door is ajar." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Willamette Week | originally published December 2, 1998