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SkyMall Monday: Cell Phone Handset Battle

Dec 19th, 2011
by mike barish.
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gadling skymall monday iphone cell phone handset batttle

If you’ve used an iPhone, you know that holding it up to your ear for a long period of time can be uncomfortable. If you need to be on a lengthy call, cradling the iPhone in your hand can get tiresome. Speakerphone is not always a viable option and headphones can be unsafe for your ears. Thankfully, SkyMall offers two options for adding a handset to your iPhone. This week, SkyMall Monday pits the iPhone Desktop Handset against the Retro Cell Phone Handset. Two handsets enter; one handset leaves.

SkyMall Monday: Clocks

Dec 12th, 2011
by mike barish.
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skymall monday gadling irrational numbers clockWe’re a culture that’s fixated on time. We schedule meetings, play dates for our kids, parties and dates. We’re hyper-aware of the time. Here at SkyMall Monday, we have our days scheduled right down to the minute. We keep clocks on the walls, watches on our wrists and smartphones handy to check the time no matter where we are in the ol’ HQ. Our lives can get pretty chaotic this time of year, but you don’t have to let the holidays get the best of you. Stay calm, organized and precise and you’ll not only get through the holidays but also get your whole life in order. Thankfully, SkyMall has clocks for every personality and decor. Let’s take a look at some of the best options.

Read the entire SkyMall Monday post here.

SkyMall Monday: Protein Ketchup

Nov 7th, 2011
by mike barish.
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gadling skymall monday protein ketchupThe other day, while relaxing in SkyMall Monday headquarters, I was about to enjoy a juicy hamburger with some french fries when an alarm went off in my brain. I realized that a burger and fries was not a very nutritious meal. Here I am, trying to get in shape for my wedding and I’m denying my body what it really needs. I immediately put the burger down and thought about what I could do differently to ensure that I was eating healthier. This hamburger situation was dire and needed to be corrected. I had to take better care of myself and treat my body with more respect. That’s when it hit me. I had to turn to some real nutrition experts to fix this mealtime dilemma. Surely SkyMall could teach me to eat better. And thanks to our favorite catalog, I ended up having a healthy meal. What did I eat? That very same hamburger and french fries…smothered in Protein Ketchup!

Read the entire SkyMall Monday post on Gadling.

Gear Tip: Store your hydration bladder in the freezer

Nov 2nd, 2011
by mike barish.
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gadling hydration pack bladderIf you love hiking, cycling, mountain biking or any other outdoor activities, you need a good hydration pack. Carrying your water in a bladder stored in your pack keeps your hands free and you hydrated. The problem with hydration packs, however, is keeping the bladders clean. Try as you might, you won’t be able to get all of the water out of them when you get home. Stagnant water is a breeding ground for bacteria, which will make water stored in your bladder taste funky and potentially unsafe to drink. Bladders aren’t cheap, so you don’t want to replace them the minute they start to smell poorly. So, how do you keep your water bladder clean and safe? Here’s a simple trick to avoid bad smells and worse bacteria.

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On my feet: shoes & boots I’m wearing this fall

Nov 2nd, 2011
by mike barish.
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gadling fall shoes bootsFall is a sad time for feet. After months of fresh air, getting shown off in flip flops and enjoying their day(s) in the spotlight sun, it’s now time to cover them up for cold and inclement weather. Inspired by our very own Pam Mandel’s post on her favorite boots for the season, I thought I’d pass along some tips of my own by sharing with you what I’m wearing on my feet this fall. When it comes to footwear, style and fit are subjective, but I feel pretty comfortable recommending these shoes to you because they’ve kept me and my feet very happy.

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SkyMall Monday: Create a SkyMall product, earn a $1 million investment

Oct 31st, 2011
by mike barish.
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gadling skymall monday edison nationHow often do you flip through the SkyMall catalog and think to yourself, “I could have created that”? If you’re like me, you do that every single time you read it. For all of the jokes we make at SkyMall’s expense, it is a lucrative business and many of those zany inventions have done quite well financially. It’s easy to think that you can create something just as good, if not better, than what’s currently in SkyMall, but what if you really had the chance to prove it? All I have to do is sit here in SkyMall Monday headquarters and pass judgment on all of these inane gadget. It’s much harder to be an entrepreneur and launch a successful product. Well, now’s your chance to get your idea off the ground and into the pages of SkyMall. Edison Nation, a company that helps retailers, As Seen on TV companies and manufacturers find new products and concepts has partnered with SkyMall to find the next great products for our favorite catalog. They’ll present the best ideas to SkyMall and invest up to $1 million in the concepts that are selected to launch their development. Do you have the perfect idea for the $1 Million Challenge?

SkyMall Monday: Large Universal Skate Sail (the worst SkyMall product ever?)

Oct 24th, 2011
by mike barish.
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gadling skymall monday large universal skate sailI want to love every SkyMall product. I mean, they’re all so gosh darn loveable. And, like the infomercials that you see when you can’t fall asleep, the descriptions of each gadget in SkyMall lead you to believe that they’re the greatest thing since the Edge Brownie Pan. Every SkyMall product that we’ve ever reviewed for SkyMall Monday has touted itself as life-changing and showcased all of its best attributes. All of that changes this week. We were embarrassed for the makers of this week’s featured product. After discovering it in the catalog, we were beyond excited to see it in action. We looked up every video that we could find only to be more disappointed than a Washington Generals fan. Each video is more amateurish and underwhelming than the last. Each video makes it look as if the product doesn’t even work. Each video makes us shake our heads at how awful the Large Universal Skate Sail must be.

Read the entire SkyMall Monday post on Gadling.

SkyMall Monday: Sit Fit

Oct 3rd, 2011
by mike barish.
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skymall monday gadling sit fitNow more than ever, we all spend way too much time at our desks staring at computers. That means that we have less time for long walks, brisk jogs and other aerobic exercise. All of this leads to weight gain, diminishing health and lazy lifestyles. With winter just around the corner, exercising outdoors becomes more challenging. That means that we have to get more creative about how we find time to take care of ourselves. Longtime fans of SkyMall Monday know that we’re huge proponents of fitness equipment that can be used to build muscle at the office and increase cardiovascular health at our desks. That’s why we’re not the least bit surprised and couldn’t possibly be more excited to see that SkyMall has once again made exercising at the office easy, fun and completely normal. The next time you’re whiling away the hours at your desk, leave the snacks in your drawer and instead use the time to get into shape with the Sit Fit Exercise Device.

Read the full SkyMall Monday post on Gadling.

SkyMall Monday: Personal Infrared Sauna

Sep 6th, 2011
by mike barish.
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Ah, Labor Day. It’s a day to honor the hard work of the people who make America strong and stuff the last few hot dogs of summer down our gullets. After months spent baking in the sun and indulging in fried items on sticks at state fairs, our skin is tight and our bodies are full of cheese. To properly cleanse ourselves, we could spend a fortune on a fancy spa treatment, but that’s just a waste of money. Spas are covered in fungus and require awkward nudity with strangers. Why should we have to leave SkyMall Monday headquarters (or, in your case, whatever you call your headquarters) just to sweat out three months worth of fried dough and turkey legs? Thankfully, now we can heal our bodies and maintain peace of mind in the comfort of our own homes thanks to SkyMall. All we need to do is drop $500 on the Personal Infrared Sauna.

Read the entire SkyMall Monday post on Gadling.

Aug 22nd, 2011
by mike barish.
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You simply don’t hear very many people complaining about the lack of new instruments being invented. Basically, since we electrified the guitar, we’ve been set with all of the instruments that humanity needs. Granted, converting turntables from music players to music makers was pretty ingenious, but it wasn’t necessarily the invention of an instrument. At this point, we’re set for making music. Yet, this week’s SkyMall Monday features the quintessential SkyMall instrument because it, of course, has lasers. Sit back and enjoy the melodious seduction of the Beamz Interactive Music System.

Read the entire SkyMall Monday post on Gadling.

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