Hot wired: New technology for couch potato heaven

Technology. It's what divides us from the apes. That and, of course, our ability to use underarm deodorant.

While some make do with tapes, others load digital music. While some make do with television, others interact with thousands of like-minded souls in virtual reality games. While some struggle to get their email, others soar like the demigods they think they've become. Yeah, right.

Mostly technology is used for entertainment, for a high-brow version of couch potato-ness, for searching for trivia answers if the mood takes you.

Still, what better way to use military-strength communications protocols, eh?

Here are three gadgets that caught our eye because, when it all comes down to it, why on earth not?

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MIDAS REMOTE CONTROL WATCH

Not content with letting us struggle with one of life's great mysteries (namely, where did I put that remote control?) Midas have given us the answer. It's strapped to your wrist, you muppet.

There have been TV remote controls in the shape of watches before but somehow they looked, well, bolted on.

This looks like something you'd wear to run a marathon, something that would tell you your pulse rate and compare it with your last jog. It does none of these things. Instead it tells the time and lets you change the channel and isn't that enough?

Price: US$29.95 ($42.40)

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LITIHOLO HOLOGRAM KIT

"Help me, Obi Wan. You're my only hope."

No, this isn't George Lucas' cry to a long-gone Alec Guinness (it's too late, George). Anyone of a certain age will remember exactly what they were up to when they first saw Luke Skywalker get R2D2 to show him Princess Leia saying that.

Now you, too, can create your own holograms, albeit not quite at the same level as Leia's. Think, more like your credit card, which has a tiny hologram on it.

The kit comes with all you need - laser, instructions, film. Extra film can be bought from the company as well. Nice.

Price: US$139 ($196.80)

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LOGITECH WIRELESS HEADPHONES

Bluetooth is a wonderful idea - the short-range radio connection means you can look like Lieutenant Uhura with your earpiece hanging off your lobe or you can connect your PC to your printer without wires. Nice.

Logitech, which makes those cool keyboards, webcams, and optical mouse, is now making gear for the iPod range.

Hook up your iPod and listen to tunes while leaving it anywhere up to 10m away. Volume and playback controls are on the earpieces. Coming soon, says Logitech.

Price: US$150 ($212.40)