This year, three of our Gadget Gurus attended the SEMA show in Las Vegas, which drew more than 130,000 people, a new record. SEMA stands for the Specialty Equipment Manufacturer Association, and it is all about automotive aftermarket products. Our favorte event-within-the-event was the AutoFocus press event held the night before SEMA opened, and from this single press event, we drew more than half of our best-of list for SEMA, which includes:
- MIO T720C - A bluetooth speakerphone GPS unit which is equipped with a geographically aware digital camera that can even scan your business card and read it into the bluetooth contact database.
- Go Pro Video Motorsports Hero - For an amazing action video experience, this waterproof video camera can be mount on helmet, helmet, car, or wrist.
- Intellistick - This digital dipstick can analyze the condition of motor oil by sensing additive depletion, coolant, fuel intrusion and contaminate build-up.
- UFO Light - This time disc-shaped object would probably be unidentified in your tool box, but it is designed to slip around any screwdriver or other tool, and it illuminates what you are working on with three LEDs.
- Sears Craftsman AXS - A standing toolbox with integrated workshelf, and more importantly, music with an iPod port, LCD readout with temp, time and even a stopwatch.
- GasLock Indy-Cator - This shifter knob displays your gear in a large colored readout and works with almost every car.
- Green Earth G-Oil - Engine oil made without petroleum using rendered beef tallow. This oil is carbon-neutral and based on a domestically-produced renewable resource.
- Hot Wheels Bone Shaker - Hot Wheels sponsored the SEMA awards breakfast this year, and produced 1200 special edition "Bone Shaker" 1:50 roadsters for those in attendance. Just for grins, we put it up on eBay to see what collectors would think, and it fetched an amazing $122.