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You can Thank NASA for Your Cordless Drill

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If you plan to give Dad a cordless power tool this Father’s Day, you can thank NASA for the great gift idea.

According to Howstuffworks.com, Black and Decker created the cordless idea back in 1961 with battery operated tools, but NASA helped refine the technology that led to lightweight, cordless medical instruments, hand-held vacuum cleaners and other tools.

In the mid-1960s, to prepare for the Apollo missions to the moon, NASA needed a tool that astronauts could use to obtain samples of rocks and soil. The drill had to be lightweight, compact and powerful enough to dig deep into the surface of the moon. Since rigging up a cord to a drill in outer space would be a difficult feat, NASA and Black & Decker invented a battery-powered, magnet-motor drillWorking in the context of a limited space environment, Black & Decker developed a computer program for the tool that reduced the amount of power expended during use to maximize battery life.

After the NASA project, Black & Decker applied the same principles to make other lightweight, battery-powered tools for everyday consumers.

GE CEO cites five potential bidders for appliances

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General Electric Co Chief Executive Jeff Immelt on Wednesday named five non-U.S. appliance manufacturers, including China‘s Haier, South Korea‘s LG Electronics, Sweden’s Electrolux, Mexico‘s Controladora Mabe and Turkey’s Arcelik, as potential bidders for the company’s century-old appliances business.

The chief of the second-largest U.S. company by market capitalization said it was “obvious” who would be interested in the unit, which last year sold $7.2 billion worth of refrigerators, washing machines and other household appliances.

“The players have become somewhat obvious,” Immelt told reporters in South Korea. “It is Haier in China, it is LG in Korea, it’s Mabe in Mexico, it’s Arcelik in Turkey.”

In Beijing, he added another name to the list of suspects: “Whether LG or Haier or Electrolux or others participate remains to be seen.”

None of those companies confirmed their interest.

After stunning investors in April with an unexpected drop in quarterly profit, GE said this month it would look to sell or spin off its appliances unit, saying the business was too focused on the United States.

Analysts and investors have estimated the business, which is No. 2 in the U.S. behind Whirlpool Corp. could sell for $4 billion to $8 billion. Whirlpool is the world’s largest appliance maker.

Immelt’s comments could be an effort to see if there are other interested bidders who have not yet made themselves known to the company, said Peter Sorrentino, senior vice president and portfolio manager at Huntington Asset Advisors, which manages $6.5 billion in assets and holds GE shares.

“I wonder if he’s not tapping tree trunks with a stick trying to figure out if there’s bees in there,” Sorrentino said.

STILL ‘EARLY ON’

Immelt’s remarks came just a week after he told investors GE that the company was “seriously” considering spinning off the appliances unit.

“The appliance process is still very early on, and much still has to be decided,” Immelt said in Beijing on Wednesday.

GE’s well-known brand name could appeal to a foreign appliance manufacturer looking to build its profile in the United States while capitalizing on lower-cost production.

Goodmorning Shinhan Securities analyst Steve Lee said, “I doubt LG Elec would be interested in pursuing this deal, since there’s little the company can gain. There’s a lot of overlap between the businesses with little premium potential for LG.”

Lee said Immelt’s comments could be aimed at drumming up interest from a small pool of potential candidates with deep-enough pockets to buy the business.

Frigidaire’s Beverage Center

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Frigidaire has a fun extra for your outdoor entertaining kitchen or home theatre- a beverage center that dispenses cold beer and other beverages and has room to keep trays of foods cool as well.The beverage center has a 12.75 Cu. Ft. refrigeration capacity, can accommodate 1/2 barrel or 1/4 barrel keg sizes and  a fresh food shelf to hold party trays and other food items (must be removed when using full barrel keg).

More features include:

  • 2 heavy-duty slide out wire fresh food baskets
  • 2 in-door freezer storage racks
  • Empty 5# CO2 Tank Included
  • Extra deep drain sump with durable stainless cover
  • Five level wire shelf includes can dispenser, wine storage; also perfect for two liter bottles
  • Fresh food door storage for gallon or 2-liter containers
  • Pressurized Tap System (includes: Tap, Regulator, Faucet, Hoses and CO2 Canister)
  • 2 Humidity Controls
  • Never Clean™ Condenser

    • It comes in a Silver Mist color with a suggested retail price of $899.

      

     

    Recycle Your Old Monitor and Other Electronics

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    Best Buy will take and recycle your unwanted appliances free of charge.  One hundred seventeen stores in the Baltimore, San Francisco, and Minnesota areas are welcoming customers to bring in no more than two units per day, per household, for recycling at no charge. Customers can bring in items such as televisions and monitors up to 32-inches, computers, phones, cameras, and other electronics devices and peripherals.

    Best Buy said it would work with its stores, recycling partners, and manufacturers to evaluate the success of the test and determine options for scaling it across the United States.

    Her Magic Bullet- Infomercials

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    I think infomercials are unbearably annoying, but somehow I find myself pausing on the way to my show of the moment to see the latest gadget being hawked.  Sarah Aycock at Louisiana State University has discovered that she is drawn to appliance infomercials.

    You flip to your favorite channel, but instead of the familiar lineup, there’s a friendly woman reminiscent of your mother, grandmother or aunt with neatly manicured nails and a kitchen full of the same peculiar appliance.

    Suddenly you find yourself sucked in to this infomercial, watching this woman make steak roll-ups, garlic bread and strawberry shortcake with ease in this magical appliance. It’s complete with dual cooking chambers and a sleek, compact design that would fit in any kitchen.

    You begin to think, “Hey, I really could use this. The kitchen in my apartment is really small, and this could come in handy. I would make these breakfast sandwiches in the morning, and for dinner it would be so simple to make a stuffed chicken breast.”
     am proud to admit that I get a huge amount of pleasure from watching infomercials. Sometimes, if the infomercial is a really good one, I’ll watch it instead of regular television.

    And I’m not alone. Many people share my view that infomercials are the comfort food of the television world.

    When I saw that the Magic Bullet – yes, the personal, versatile countertop magician – had come out with a brand new infomercial, I rushed to call two friends, and they were both as excited as I was to find that chain-smoking Hazel and grumpy Berman, two characters from the original infomercial, had returned and were joined by Tina, who may or may not be a recovering alcoholic, and Betty, who loves garlic.

    All infomercial fans seem to have their favorite genre. I’ll watch anything hawking a kitchen appliance, but many people prefer beauty products, workout equipment or music compilations.

    And these fans can watch the same infomercials again and again, never purchasing a single product. Viewers keep tuning in to see the overzealous hosts, the delicious food or the compelling demonstrations. Something about the infomercials draws them in. But they can’t exactly explain why.

    Some viewers eventually succumb to the pleadings of the hosts and invest in the product they’ve been secretly wanting for months. I’ve personally fallen prey twice. I am the proud owner of the Magic Bullet and the Bare Minerals makeup kit.

    How to Buy a Microwave Oven

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    Whether you are looking for a basic model for heating up leftovers or one with options for baking and broiling, we have tips and information to make your decision easier.

    Counter top ovens are the least expensive starting at as low as $25 and ranging in size from a compact 17″wide by 13′ deep to a larger 24″x20″.  Although these are meant to sit on the counter, some come with brackets for mounting under a cabinet.  Over-the-range models hang over the range (seems obvious!) which saves space and doubles as the vent over the oven.  Most are 30″wide.  o may require professional installation which will add to the cost.  These start at around $150.  Built-in microwaves come in many sizes to fit with various kitchen designs. They can be recessed almost flush with a wall or cabinet and placed at any height.  I have seen family rooms with kid level microwaves for heating up snacks.  Built-ins require professional installation.  Prices start at about $225

    Some features to look for in your new microwave:

    • Shortcut keys: One touch preset buttons for defrosting and preparing microwave favorites like popcorn. Also, one-touch buttons for adding additional time or quick heating.
    • Removable turntable: Makes cleaning much easier
    • Sensor Technology:Measures food temperature ad automatically adjusts oven power to prevent over- or undercooking.
    • Steam element: A nice addition for vegetables or rice
    • Child safety lock: Password required for use

    Another interesting option is the microwave-convection combination oven.  This oven uses an internal fan to heat food more evenly than a standard microwave.  It also has an additional heating element that allows you to roast, bake and brown like a conventional oven, just not quite as effectively.  These ovens are priced higher than standard microwaves.

    One last tip before you head out to the store- bring along the largest dish you plan to use in your new microwave, that way you can be certain it will fit!

    Cuisinart’s Brick Oven

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    Here’s a fun gadget for the baker in the house. A .90 cubic foot brick oven that sits on your counter top. Cuisinart offers this oven with permanently built in bricks on the top and sides, two racks for multi level cooking, three settings and 1700 watts of power to reach up to 500°F . It has industrial style stainless steel housing and a tinted glass window to allow you to check your stone baked bread or pizza. It retails for around $250.

    Dacor’s New Indoor/Outdoor Refrigerator

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    Dacor’s newest addition to its Epicure line is designed to fit neatly under any counter in an outdoor patio or kitchen layout, the unit stands at 33″ tall and 24″ wide and will easily slide into standard cabinetry openings. An innovative digital electronic control panel allows users to adjust the temperature with the simple touch of a button, a charcoal filter removes unwanted odors, keeping contents pure and the unit boasts quiet storage due to a vibration-free compressor.

    Available with a stainless steel door with left- or right-hand door swing options, the refrigerator is built to withstand temperatures from 50 degrees to 109 degrees Fahrenheit, is efficient at maintaining internal temperatures and can to be used to store milk and fresh food storage in addition to beverages. The refrigerator is the ideal accessory for any bar or entertainment area and has the capacity to hold 124 cans or 50 bottles.

    Considering Vita-Mix

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    I’ve always thought of Vita-Mix blenders as a health food, hippy blender, one that has been replaced by juicers. Nevertheless, in the back of my mind I can ‘t help wondering if it is the answer to my ice crushing, smoothie making needs.  Sylvia Carter seems to feel the same way, but she finally gave in and purchased one.

    At some point in my distant past, I had acquired a Vita-Mix, lured by devotees who swore by it. It could grind grain! Make soup! Make ice cream! It could grind the fiber, stems, seeds and skins of vegetables to a puree, unlike a blender, a processor or most juicers. You waste less, since the machine lets you use whole foods.

    Reader, I never removed my Vita-Mix from the box, so intimidated was I by the large, powerful machine. My cat is fond of the original packing box as a scratching post.

    Then Vita-Mix, a family-owned company in suburban Cleveland, sent me notice that they had a new version, the 5200 model, with a shatterproof container that is BPA-free and a more efficient motor. (BPA is the substance that leaches out of common household plastic containers and may be harmful.) The improved model came in red, a color I can’t resist when it comes to kitchen appliances or shoes.

    Vita-Mix sent a pro, Wendy Manfredi, to put the monster through its paces. First, she dumped some ordinary brown rice into the Vita-Mix container and in a couple of minutes, voila! We had fine, evenly ground rice flour. You could use the flour to make rice noodles, if you felt ambitious, or you could use it to bread foods, or just as a soup thickener.

    The machine operates at a velocity so fast it can create heat, and it sounded like an airplane taking off. At first, I backed across the kitchen. Then, I got used to it.

    Next, Manfredi made tortilla soup. We didn’t even peel the carrot that went into it. No seeding the tomato, either. She made a smoothie, strawberry stems and all.

    For ice cream, she tossed frozen peaches, soy milk and a little honey into the container. When the mixture forms mounds, she cautioned, it is done; blending too long will cause melting.
     

    The Vita-Mix comes with a 64 ounce container which has its pros and cons- it holds almost all you could want to make, but is so large it is difficult to store.  A smaller 32 ounce jar is available for purchase separately.  Vita-Mix is not sold in stores but can be purchased online at vitamix.com. The 5200 model begins at $449.

    Whirlpool’s Fourth Annual Mother of Invention Grant Competition.

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    We all know the old saying: “Better later than never” well, I’m a bit late, but there is still plenty of time to enter the competition for Whirlpool’s Mother of Invention grant.

    Beginning on May 11, the 100th anniversary of Mother’s Day, and running through July 31, moms may submit their unique business, service or product ideas for consideration at http://www.whirlpool.com/moms . In addition, to recognize moms who develop an environmentally-friendly product/service or use natural/recycled materials to create their invention, the company has added a green category for the first time. Five winners will be announced in September and will receive grant money (up to $20,000), home appliance prizes and an invitation to a business boot camp at Whirlpool headquarters.

    The program closes on July 31, 2008.