Five rad and random products I found this week
A little R&R (rad and random) for the end of the week.
Bond
My job is to find cool stuff. Throughout the week I spend hours scouring the web for things that are useful or fun or ridiculously cheap. Often times, these choices coalesce into a guide of like items—for example, the ultimate guide to making cafe-style coffee in your own home , Apple Watch accessories that are worth your time , or 19 things that make traveling less stressful . But I often stumble across some pretty awesome gear that doesn’t really fit into a list. So I made a list for those.
The WiFi-enabled device turns your "dumb" ceiling fan into an Alexa- or Google Home-compatible smart fan. BOND records the infrared or radio frequencies from the buttons on your fan's remote and then allows you to access those functions—control the speed, dim the lights, and power off your fan—with your voice or using the Bond app on your smartphone or tablet. The Bond hub allows you to connect up to six fans. According to the company's website , compatibility for A/C units, fireplaces, and motorized blinds are in the works. $99 .
Similarly, the Sideclick Remote uses infrared learning tech to record and remember the buttons from your TV, Blu-Ray player, or sound bar's remotes. The Sideclick has eight programmable buttons—most commonly used for power, channel up and down, volume up and down, input button, and then two wildcard buttons. Point your old TV remote at the Sideclick, pair the IR signals, and then program the eight buttons. To avoid needing to use multiple remotes, the Sideclick clips onto your Amazon Fire TV, Apple , or Roku remotes. $29 .
The compact, water-resistant Solight Solarpuff lantern weighs 2.6 ounces, flattens for easy storage, and uses solar energy to power itself. A full charge takes just over four hours of direct sunlight. The light has three settings—low, high, and flash. $27 .
The Fort Magic is an 18-pound, 354-piece modular fort-building kit for children. It includes a 24-page building manual, curved and straight supports, modular connector shapes, and 100 pieces of and accessories to make structures from tunnels to submarines. $100 .
I hate tying my shoes, and I'll admit it that I still tie my shoes with bunny ears. I never learned the "adult" way. These Lock Laces use a no-tie lacing system. Lace up the 2.48-inch elastic strips like they were regular laces, and then slip the ends through their adjustable lock system. If the laces are too long, trim them before putting on the included cord clips at the ends. One size fits any shoe—from children shoes to adult kicks. This set comes with three. $21 .
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