There was this episode of Seinfeld where George was telling a girl (for conversation) how the toilet paper hasn’t changed much since its invention — agreed. Though the well, medium it’s being used for, the toilet, has changed bit by bit over the years — there were overhead tanks, the usual 13-liter monster, and there are the water-conservation models.

Here are 5 of the latest innovations in toilet technology.

Toilet Tunes – Ever had a soundtrack for, well, whatever activity you choose to do by the toilet? If you have $30 you can get one of these automatic entertainment devices. With a choice of jazz, latin or nature sounds, it’s sure to cover up the sound of, well, whatever activity it is you do in there.

WashUp – Is a mash-up of a toilet and a washing machine. (Think toilet with a washing machine for a tank.) It uses the water for washing your clothes as the flush water — not only does it help conserve water, it also eats up one space instead of two! (My only concern would be, what if the clothes fall in the toilet after washing? Hmmm)

Kisses! – Is a lip-shaped urinal. Not that it’s innovative or whatever, it just gives guys something to help their aim.

Neorest AH – Developed in Japan, this hybrid tank draws inboard and outside water sources to fully utilize 5.5 liters for flushing, instead of the usual 13. Not only does it flush the toilet, the water gushes out of the hard-to-reach-spots, making it a self-cleaning eco-friendly toilet. Did I mention it also has seat warmers?

The Cell – This beautiful piece of tank-less wall-mount will be something you’d be tempted to keep pristine. It doesn’t eat up too much space, perfect for bachelors in small apartments.

So, in an earlier entry, I talked about getting a PSP modded. Here’s something that I didn’t mention: I just got a PSP. Yeah, yeah, I know – it’s been out for a while — I waited out ‘til the game library grew, ‘til I finally got one.

This’ll do well for those long trips, (got the idea from this article — I mean, on long trips I gotta keep myself entertained — yes, I’m my own kid, haha!) though I doubt if I’m gonna get to do any playing done once I get to where I’m going, as I like taking in new environments and taking pictures.

Obviously the PSP’s an impressive piece of portable gaming, and, with my bundle, I got Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories and Wayne Gretzky Hockey thrown in. I did grab a few games the other day, and so far, here they are:

God of War: Chains of Olympus – Okay, I admit — I haven’t played this one too much yet, but hey, I loved the PS2 games and am really contemplating on getting that PS3 for the third installment. The story involves our ever-intense anti-hero Kratos, roughly 10 years before the first game and … well, I haven’t played through it much yet. (I’ll follow up on this one in a later post.)

Tekken: Dark Resurrection – If I was to point out a game that made a couple of past controllers’ buttons floppy, it’d be Tekken. I’ve literally spent maybe weeks just looking forward to getting home for it! But now, no no no, I could bring it with me! If there’s a word describing any new version of Tekken, it’d be “MOAR!” The added characters + features guarantee a few months’ worth of replay value, plus, did I mention it looks great? (the PSP d-pad thing takes a bit of getting used to)

And now, for the game that truly occupies most of my PSP time — the one I didn’t see coming — the seemingly-simplistic Patapon! Both of the other games I bought mentioned above are kids of a franchise that spawned them — and this, a true PSP child, is one of the very unique reasons to get one. A rhythm-based strategy game (yes, you heard right!) that will have you chanting, Patapon truly is a unique experience. It’s just one of those, seemingly-simplistic-yet-truly-deep instant classics that won’t impress with words, but by actual gameplay. It has the same appeal as Pikmin, in my opinion, with the player actually developing concern for the cute little critters.

Gameplay is commanding your tribe by timing drum beats to the rhythm. Drum beats are different per button, and combinations of beats make up the commands, say, moving forward is “pata pata pata pon,” meaning you have to press square, square, square then circle. I just defeated the third boss, and learned a new song — plus, the light-hearted music and visuals make it appealing to both kids and adults alike. It will have you chanting “Pon Pon Pata Pon” in your sleep!

I heard the same studio that developed Patapon made another game, Loco Roco, and reviews online are positive, so I might pick that one up once I finish.

Any game recommends?

There are a couple of must-haves when traveling. (There’re even posts about things you SHOULD bring when traveling.) Forget cameras, cellphones, etc — what about the fun stuff? The stuff that eats up too much space in your bag — I’m here to remedy that. Here are the toys that would make certain trips a whole lot more fun, assuming, of course, that they make it through the airport. (I’m pointing at the knife/comb)

So the following items aren’t exactly necessity, big whup, they make trips a whole lot more fun!

The Sport Utility Comb – If you’re into versatility and modular design — forget that multi-purpose screwdriver/swiss knife/spoon — get the Sport Utility Comb! (Though admittedly, combing your hair with something that has both a comb AND sharp pointy things in the picture is scary.) The modular handle fits an ultra sharp knife, a quality compact saw, a steel file, a bottle opener, an interior ruler … and a comb.

Surf Board Towels – So you’re in some bad-ass beach … and the waves are killer! Time to show off your “mad” “skillz,” right? What if you can’t surf to save your life (or wife? or dignity? or pet?) Get one of these surfboard-shaped towels. You could always carve yourself some waves in the sand and play make-believe.

Natural Wood Effect Electronic Cigar – Face it, smoking’s a bad habit — but it looks pretty-darned cool! Before it kills you (and before you find out how much cigars are in some other country) try out an electronic cigar. It satiates the need for nicotine, so that you won’t snap into a nicotine-deprived rage, plus, it’s a whole lot more convenient to carry than bringing individual pieces.

Brad Pitt California Driver’s License novelty ID – You never know when the need will arise — to pretend to be the guy from Fight Club. To me, this serves two purposes that sound hilarious, but in reality, will get you into much trouble – one, it might piss off a police officer who’s just caught you speeding, and two, if ever your wallet gets stolen, you’ve given a thief street cred for stealing “Brad Pitt’s” wallet.

The Annoy-a-Tron – Given bad service at a restaurant? Your travel buddy steals your sandwich while you were sleeping? Place one of these bad boys in a concealed location and watch the insanity cultivate!

The Annoy-a-Tron generates a low-frequency beep noise at random 2-8 minute intervals and is fitted with a magnet for easy concealment. (Remember kindness once the insanity sets in. And mercy, too.)

Marshmallow Pop - Love the marshmallow-over-the-campfire, but hate setting up twigs and marshmallows and campfires? Try these out — marshmallow-flavored-lollipops that simulate the effect. It looks so much like a marshmallow-on-a-twig, it even screams it in the packaging!

…and for the last one, which I think is the most important!

15 Point Guide to Peeing in the City – The book was mainly written with NY in mind, but several of the tips there are pretty useful. Instead of learning how to deal with rude strangers, you could instead learn where the public restrooms are, which ones need pay, and, upon desperate, desperate need, you could learn covert tactics to taking a leak.

Most of the items spotted at NerdApproved.

Let’s talk about watches.

I’ve been an avid fan of watches for years now, and if you’ll notice, they don’t really complement a man’s style, but is MORE telling of a man’s lifestyle.  Now, if we dissect the brands and the types of people watches cater to, it would just eat up too much space.  This is more a style-of-watch topic, rather than a primer to watches. 

The Gentleman:

A gentleman is a guy who prefers things simple.  By leaving out a few details, he leaves a mystery for everyone to unravel.  Is he just simple, or is he hiding layers underneath?  The preferred style of watch The Gentleman wears is one that speaks: timeless. 

Consider black/brown leather bracelets, or, if the watch is metal, it has the same material on the face as the bracelet.  This goes with most casual/formal affairs. 

Sometimes, The Gentleman may even prefer having a pocket watch instead.

 The Adventurer:

For the adventurer, the quality of materials used, coupled with extra features of the watch is the order of the day.  Depending on what manner of adventure it is, he would need a compass, underwater capabilities, or a heart-rate monitor. 

Expect to see watch faces that are larger (to make the added features fit in the display) and straps that would be strong enough to hold, even when running, or biking, or swimming, diving in the Caribbean … or conquering mountains.

The Fashionista:

His style of watch defines his outfit.  This is necessary to coordinate with the colors he’ll be wearing for the day (or night) out. 

Be surprised at fashion pieces that masquerade as watches — they might’ve just found a new way to tell time.  Expect nothing.  Bigger time faces, or straps. 

The Geek:
HRM?  Yesterday’s news.  A compass?  He can make one, big deal.  — What he’s really after, of course, are things that haven’t been crammed into watches yet.  FM radio on a watch?  So passé — he has MP3  … and MP4!

I don’t know about you, but I’m just craving for most of the watches I just posted.  What about you, what kind of watch are you?

1. Taking digital photos underwater. This used to be impossible. Now they have cases for specific cameras, and even waterproof digital cameras! How cool is that?!

2. Bringing your entire music collection wherever you go. First, they invented CD albums where you could stash your favorite albums in, and now, it’s possible to bring your entire collection anywhere without the hassle of changing discs in between albums.

3. Transporting gigabytes of information from place to place without lugging around diskettes, CDs, or, in some instances, harddrives themselves. With USB drives, business trips don’t have to rely on getting data delivered without the fragile media being ruined.

4. Calling a friend wherever you are. Cellphones of old used to weigh like a ton of bricks, so bringing one was partly convenient and inconvenient at the same time. Now it’s pretty easy with smaller phone models, stronger signals, and roaming features. Not to mention VoIP and GPRS among the other means of connectivity possible.

5. Surf the internet anywhere. Before WiFi, people used to tug their phone lines while carrying their laptops to surf the net while moving around a room. Now? Pop it open, look for a signal and boom! You’re in. (Assuming it’s a free signal)

Okay, so you saw one of those nifty little gadgets on one of your trips, would you instantly buy it?

If you’re a technophile, then the answer might be a resounding “YES!” (Also, if you’re impulsive, it might be “YES!” too.) Take a step back for a while. Here are some important facts to consider before getting that walking cellphone.

Hopefully, these tips have enlightened you before your purchase. Browsing stores on different shores is always a fun thing, you never know whether back-alley sales have any difference from the ones in the bigger stores.

Getting a gadget that would turn into a useless heap of plastic and metal once you land? That’s a hassle. Being smart about your budget? That’s priceless.

Other articles you might be interested in:

• Flying Stick Camera: Fly Photography Fly!
• 5 Things You Couldn’t Do on a Trip 10 Years Ago
• Keeping the Geek Romance Alive: 4 Tips

I was just about to call it a night when one of my favorite sites gizmodo.com woke me up with this piece of gadget

What in the world is that? It’s the FLYING STICK CAMERA.
This totally reminds me of the time Calvin (Calvin and Hobbes) ate boxes of cereal so he could exchange the proof of purchase for a hat with a mini chopper on top so he could fly – bummer though since he didn’t fly and felt it was a rip off! hehe!

According to yankodesign.com, it’s supposed to take your mind of criticizing, and instead just focus on thinking. I think we’ve all been there before – I’m not a professional photographer but I can be a bit too critical of the photos I take… must be my OC complex.

Moving along, if this were to become reality(Forgot to say that it’s still all in theory – a concept design), I’d think a lot of people would be lining up to buy it. Why so? Well, just placing it on the market as something to “unleash creativity” would encourage would-photographers to try out their skills in Photography. Maybe they can discover they have an eye for detail or something.

HOWEVER, I know a lot of people would say this (professional photographers included) that this would definitely increase the number of “posers” in the field. I’m sure both sides have arguments for and against it (just like digital vs film or medium vs message… ).

Now where was I?

Let me just admire that piece of work, and hopefully in a few years, they’d be able to make this concept a reality.

Related:

• Flying Stick Camera