Gadget Guru September 2013

Through the Looking Glass
No more fussing with your phone and zoomed-out Google Maps next time you get lost driving. Just pick up the HUD by Garmin and let your windshield give you directions. It’s a concept already utilized in many vehicles, reflecting digital signals into the glass, but if your car doesn’t come equipped with preinstalled windshield graphics, this is the best alternative. The device sits on your dashboard and reflects real time directions into the glass, including turning arrows, adjusting its brightness based on the natural lighting outside. The data is channeled via Bluetooth from Garmin’s StreetPilot and Navigation apps through your smartphone, providing both the display and voiceover. Pick it up for $129.99 for the device and around $30 for the app when it goes live this summer.   garmin.com

Ocean View
Want to see what’s under the ocean without getting wet? Pick up the Submarine Camcorder from Hammacher Schlemmer. The submersible displays live video from under the sea (down to 100 feet) onto your laptop or iPad via the company’s app. The sub’s controls are displayed alongside the video, so you can easily steer it around whatever sunken treasure you find. Sensors in the sub will relay data such as depth, battery level (which is good for two hours on a full charge), and temperature. Focus control and a camera timer help get those perfect pictures for your collection. The internal HD camera boasts a 1,280 x 720 resolution for video setting and a 1,280 x 800 setting for stills. You can save it all on the 32G memory card to transfer to your computer for later. $6,300. hammacher.com

Perfect Timing
There are plenty of unique clocks on the marker but Qlocktwo by Biegert & Funk wins the prize for both practicality and hip design. Available as both a desk clock and a larger wall clock, the Qlocktwo keeps time by lighting up letters that spell out the actual time, such as”it is half past eight” or “it is seven o’clock.” The time automatically changes every five minutes to keep you in the know, and lighting controls allow you to adjust for lower or higher levels in different rooms. The wood and laminate face of the clock is held on by magnets, so it can be interchanged with several different other colored ones depending on your home’s decor. If you get hooked on its straightforward time display, pick up the Qlocktwo W, which is the exact same thing in watch form. Prices range from $600 to $1,100.   qlocktwo.com   Ryan Thomas