Toys

          My infatuation with gadgets began from watching The Man From UNCLE.  As a wee lad, I played with toy guns.  Everyone my age did.  That was the one-word noun we used—guns.  Playing guns.  I recall my favorites in the mid-60s would transform from everyday items (camera, radio, movie camera) into a plastic pistol, rifle, or machine gun.  From then on, the best gadgets were multi-functional tools.

           Although 'watch' is the label the Dakota company has placed on this timepiece, I call it one of my favorite gadgets.

          To describe it with more precision, it is an outdoor gear travel-clock (it's too large for a belt loop, body heat raises the thermometer, clothing blocks the UV sensor).

          I clip it to the shoulder strap of my hiking case or golf bag.  I keep it in the campsite.  I use it on my nightstand.  I take it to the beach.

          It has all the standard features of most waterproof watches as well as:  ultra-violet radiation level, moon phase, tide level, and temperature (centigrade/Fahrenheit).  

          The hinged clip is designed to act as a base which supports the clock-face at an easy-to-view, 60° from horizontal, angle.

          My favorite features are:  the nightlight automatically shuts off after five seconds and the alarm automatically shuts off after 30.  The only negative:  no quiet mode; when setting or scrolling through functions every push causes a beep.

          Price range:  $45-$60.

          For those Gidgets who are unfamiliar with gadgetophilia I provide the following:  Although my ability to gaze outside and skyward is undiminished—and, therefore, this pocket-sized back-up isn't a necessity—I revel in über-preparedness and enjoy my increased potential to mitigate the effects of our overhead orbs (the blistering one and the waxing-waning one) with more/less clothing, sunscreen, flashlight, or an altered beach destination.