I wake up fairly quickly, while my wife is a snoozer; when the alarm goes off, she lays in bed, trying to put off the inevitable (i.e. getting up) as long as humanly possible. In fact, a few weeks ago, she didn’t get up at all, and ended up being late for work — something that almost never happens.

That wouldn’t have happened with today’s gadget. But, to tell the truth, I don’t know if I’d love this gadget or hate it with every fiber of my being. It’s an alarm clock with a…unique twist. It’s called the Princess Flying Digital Alarm Clock, and is unlike any clock I’ve ever seen.

To begin with, the alarm makes the sound of a plane taking off and landing. That appeals to me, a private pilot. The crazy part is what comes next. When the alarm goes off, a little propeller on top of the clock is launched, and flies around the room. The alarm will continue to sound until you retrieve the propeller and return it to its spot on the clock’s base.

One thing is guaranteed — you would be awake after turning off this alarm clock! Hmmm, my wife’s birthday is coming up…

It’s hard to believe, but there are people on the planet who don’t use an Apple product as their music player. I know this surprises many of you, but it’s true — or so I’ve heard. As you may know, I’m an iPhone guy (16GB, of course), but there are other options out there.

I’ve looked at Microsoft’s entry, the Zune, and today I wanted to take a look at a lesser-known player from a lesser-known company. It’s the S9 8 GB Titanium MP3 player from Cowon. Never heard of Cowon? Neither had I — but now we both have.

One of the things that stands out on the Cowon is its touch-screen interface. Sound familiar? Yep, since the introduction of the iPhone and iPod Touch, it’s become a touchy-feely world. This screen is highly regarded, and is quite sharp. The screen is 3.75″ X 4.25″ and plastic — I prefer the glass screen of my iPhone, but media reviews report that it’s highly scratch-resistant.

The gadget is made mostly of plastic, which is a little concerning in terms of durability, so you’ll probably want to test it out for a bit and see if it feels sturdy enough for you.

The Cowon has a built-in FM tuner, and has the ability to handle audio (it supports a wide range of formats, including MP3, WMA, FLAC, OGG, WAV, and APE), videos, photos, podcasts and more, and works with both Macs and PCs. The audio and video quality of the player is reported to be superb, which is one of the most important considerations.

One feature this has that my iPhone lacks is Bluetooth audio. Bluetooth is wireless technology that allows devices like headsets to be paired with other devices like cell phones. To hear audio through headphones on my iPhone, I have to be hardwired.

In all, this MP3 player looks like a solid unit with a lot of features and a reasonable price. Consider checking it out if you’re not hungry for an Apple.

This gadget is for all you drummers out there (and musicians of any stripe, actually.) The Tama RW105 Rhythm Watch is an electronic metronome/timekeeper with lots of built-in functionality.

I’m a beginning drummer who’s basically a weekend hacker. Since I’m in my formative years, skin-bashing-wise, I’ve learned that the most important thing a drummer can do is keep proper time — it’s really why you’re there. You need to keep the band “tight”. And the only real way to develop a sense of the proper time (unless you’re Buddy Rich or Neal Peart, and are born with it) is to practice incessantly with a metronome.

The problem, as I’ve learned, is that most metronomes don’t do much more than click softly (too softly, in most cases, to be heard over the drums) and bounce a little red light back and forth. But, thanks to the wonders of electronic gadgetry, the Tama can do much more that can help your drumming, whether you’re practicing or playing live.

First of all, it has a large digital display, as you can see at right. That’s good for seeing from a distance, or for those of us with old, weak eyes; no more squinting at the tiny numbers on a typical metronome.

It also has a big wheel to easily change the tempo settings — once again, making it simple to handle one of metronome’s most important duties.

There are separate volume controls for quarter notes, eighth notes and triplets, allowing you to separate out the different beats to help you build independence. And finally, this metronome is LOUD — loud enough to hear over the noise you’re making as your limbs are flying around, smashing drumheads.

It can do more than this, too, but that list by itself is enough to make it a must-demo for drummers.

Those with iPhones, iPods, or pretty much iAnything from Apple quickly realize that the included headphones bite. Like Dracula. I’m constantly pressing them into my ears to get decent sound out of them; but they always start working their way out again, usually within a few seconds. I mean, they work well enough, but that’s not going to cut it for me.

So now I’m in the market for better in-ear headphones, to better hear my Miles, Thelonius and Brubeck. My search starts with these headphones from Bose. Of course, the name Bose is renowned among audiophiles. They also make great computer speakers — I have these for my main work computer, and love ‘em.

The description says the headphones “use proprietary TriPort acoustic structure to provide greater low-frequency output than most conventional earbuds.” Did you understand that? Me neither. But I assume it means they sound better than other headphones. And they sure look comfortable.

The price is moderate, and I expect typical Bose build quality — that means they should last a long time. I’m looking forward to catching every note of Kind of Blue now, and hearing Miles the way he should be heard.

It’s always nice to catch up with gadgets a few years after their introduction — especially gadgets that made a big splash initially. How have the devices evolved over time? Are they even still around?

In the case of the Slingbox, the answer is a definite “Yes” — and it’s better than ever. The Slingbox was a huge hit when it first came out several years ago. Imagine firing up your laptop anywhere in the world, and being able to watch what’s on your home TV at that very moment. It was exciting and exhilarating, and gave people a new way to think about how TV and the Web can interact.

Sling Media, which makes Slingbox, has a number of new models out, including the Sling SOLO. The SOLO is a significant update from the original gadget, which looked like a giant, silver Hershey bar. Here’s how it works: you hook the Slingbox up to your DVR, satellite receiver or cable box. Then, through the magic of the Internet, the signal is sent anywhere you have access to the Information Superhighway. Setup of the Slingbox is simple — so simple, even my wife could do it!

The SOLO upgrades include the ability to receive high-definition signals, as well as using your smartphone/cellphone as the receiver. Have you ever wanted to turn your BlackBerry, Windows Mobile or Palm Pilot into a TV? Now you can.

The other cool part is that there are no subscriptions: plunk down your plastic for the Slingbox, and that’s it. If you’re going to be out of town for the Super Bowl, and can’t stand the thought of missing Pittsburgh crush Arizona like a bug, do yourself a favor and get a Slingbox SOLO. Then you won’t miss one moment of the Steelers’ beatdown of the Cardinals.

I don’t often write about gadgets that aren’t available yet, but I thought this particular product was worth a preview. It’s a charger for small devices like cell phones and iPods that you don’t have to plug in; in fact, it has no batteries at all. How does it generate power for your device? You generate it — by walking.

From a new company called nPower, it’s called the Personal Energy Generator, or PEG. The nine-ounce, nine-inch PEG takes the kinetic energy you create by walking or running and converts it into usable energy for your portable device (I was glad to see that nPower specifically lists the iPhone as a candidate for this power generation.)

Here’s the key part of the description, taken from the company’s Website:

“When a user carries an nPower PEG and connects it to a personal electronic device, the PEG provides a constant flow of electricity that charges the battery while the user walks. It allows the user to personally generate enough electricity to charge handheld electronic devices at the same rate as a wall outlet.”

So it’s not only useful, it’s also green — everybody wins!

A partial list of compatible gadget includes the aforementioned iPhone and iPod, Motorola cell phones, Magellan GPS units, Palm Treo, Nintendo DS Lite, BlackBerry and more. The company says that pre-order isn’t yet available for the PEG, but a consumer site listed the cost as $149. Since nPower did not list a suggested retail price yet, however, there’s no guarantee the PEG will come out at that price.

I’m a full-time telecommuter. Since I work out my home office nearly 100 percent of the time, I spend many hours on the phone. Adding video to some of those calls would make them more interesting (and make it less likely that I might lose interest in the conversation and start surfing the ‘Net!) Being able to see who you’re talking to just makes the experience more immediate, more “real” in a way.

My MacBook Pro has a built-in Webcam, but like most of those, the quality is just OK. I’ve used it for work a few times, but would like something better.

Meet something better. The Logitech QuickCam Orbit Webcam does a lot more than my built-in Webcam, and does it stylishly as well. I like the shiny black shell, with the transparent top. OK, style isn’t ordinarily a big deal for me (ask my wife or kids, for instance, how stylishly I dress most days). But it is way cool looking, and more importantly, has terrific functionality (always more of a consideration for a true gadget geek.)

One of the Orbit’s most impressive capabilities is that it follows the speaker automatically. That’s right — it tracks you as you move around (assuming you want it to; you can turn off those abilities if you want). Both left and right, up and down: no repositioning needed. It also includes a 9-inch stand, which would raise the camera to about eye level. Most Webcams sat at or near the top of the monitor, giving that “looking down on you” feeling.

Reviews indicate that the video quality is outstanding; it has a 2.0 megapixel lens, so the images should be sharp. It also automatically compensates for low-light conditions, making the picture brighter when it needs to be.

The audio is reportedly quite good as well; a problem with earlier Orbit models was an echo. That problem has been fixed, users report.

One fun software feature is the ability to create cartoon “avatars”, or characters that become an online identity of yours. Move your head, and the avatar mimics your move; smile and your avatar smiles. Neat!

The Orbit is one of the more expensive Webcams on the market, but this is a case of getting what you pay for. For basic needs, a basic Webcam will work. If you do a lot of videoconferencing, or want to upgrade the quality of your YouTube videos, keep this one in mind.

High-definition video used to be prohibitively expensive for anyone not named George Lucas or Steven Spielberg. Now, almost everyone can afford an HD recorder, thanks to companies like Pure Digital Technologies, which offers the Flip Video MinoHD 4GB camcorder.

The MinoHD is one of a number of camcorders in the Flip line, but it’s not much more expensive than the standard definition camcorders, and the advantages of high-definition make it a worthy upgrade for the few extra dollars. With the proliferation of plasma-screen and LCD TVs, you’ll enjoy your videos more if you can see them at the higher resolution.

The MinoHD is simple to use; it’s truly a point-and-shoot camcorder. If you’re one of the types that likes manual control of your gadgets, and actually understand terms like shutter speed, aperture setting and the rule of thirds, you’ll probably want to look elsewhere. If you just want a camcorder that you turn on, hit a button and start recording, give this one a good look.

The video from the MinoHD is flexible in that it can be used on both Macs and PCs. You will need a computer with a USB 2.0 port, so remember to check that first; older-generation computers will often not have USB 2.0 capability. It will work with both Vista and XP on the Windows side, and Tiger or Leopard on Macs. All of those operating systems have some built-in video editing ability, so with the camera and a computer, you’ll be all set. If you’re looking at making a Hollywood epic, you’ll need to invest in higher-end software like Adobe Premiere or Final Cut on the Mac side.

Who knows: with a little work and the MinoHD, you could end up watching your blockbuster next summer!

It’s Jan. 11, 2009 as I write this. And the big question is: Have you kept your New Year’s resolution to start getting in shape again? No? Well, then start again, and make another resolution to get a Wii Fit; it will be fun way to get back on your weight-losing, body-shaping course.

Wii, for those you living among the aborigines of Borneo, is a game system from Nintendo that competes most directly with Sony’s Playstation and Xbox from Microsoft. It is the least exciting from a graphical point of view (in fact, they’re almost laughably primitive), but they make up for the lack of eye candy with extremely fun playability, including the use of the controllers to manipulate the characters on the screen.

In other words, you can turn the controller like a wheel if you’re playing a driving game and the car will turn in that direction — unlike Playstation or Xbox, in which you’d manipulate the car via buttons. It’s much more intuitive, and for many people that’s what makes the Wii the superior gaming system (although, of course, their counterparts would disagree, probably strenuously.)

Recently, Wii extended the usability of the system by adding the Fit device. It’s a plastic controller, about the size of a couple of pizza boxes, that sits on the floor and which you stand on. You can then do all kinds of exercises while following the action on the screen, video-game style. It includes running games, other aerobic workouts, strength workouts, balance exercises and more.

My son Patrick recently did the “Hula Hoop” aerobic workout on the Fit at a Christmas party we attended. He wiggled his hips as though he had a hula hoop around them, watching his on-screen avatar mimic his actions. To make it more fun, the characters started tossing hoops at his virtual double, and Patrick had to twist his body so that the hoop would encircle him, as if he were a  stake in a game of horseshoes. It was an eye-opener for me, to see the merging of video games and fitness, and I came away impressed.

Another colleague who has a Fit likes doing the running program. During these frigid January days, I can see a definite advantage to running indoors, without eight layers of clothing. So get a Wii Fit and stop feeling guilty about blowing your New Year’s resolution so soon.

If you’re like me (but I doubt many of you are), you wonder just how you got along without TiVo. I’ve had DIRECTV for a number of years now, but it didn’t really shine until I got a TiVo and was suddenly able to record programs in a way so simple that it could make a brave man weep (hat tip to the late, great Douglas Adams), as well as stop, pause, rewind and fast-forward through shows.

Now, I’ve had TiVo for several years, and have discovered a new (for me) gadget that makes it even more valuable. It’s a wireless USB network adapter (much like the ones I recommended recently, only it’s just for TiVo) and lets me connect my TiVo to the Internet, through my broadband connection.

Simply plug in the adapter to the back of your TiVo, and follow the on-screen instructions to connect it to your home network. With the link established, you now have access to Internet content on your TiVo and, hence, your TV.

So, once you’re set up, what can you do? How about downloading movies from Netflix, if you have an account? Or link your TiVo account with your Amazon.com account, and rent or buy movies or TV shows from the more than 30,000 available? Or browse and watch YouTube videos? Heck, with the right software, you can download almost anything video-related from the Internet and watch it via TiVo.

I need to stop now. I’m getting giddy!