Gizmodo: black & decker

The Dustbuster: Cleaning Up After You Since 1979

Dan Nosowitz — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:30:00 EDT

Unveiled in 1978 but released in 1979, the Black & Decker Dustbuster was a revolutionary home-cleaning device, and the only power tool a parent was likely to let a children play with. Vroom!

Reading this retrospective, I'm both surprised and unsurprised at how innovative and well-designed the Dustbuster is. It was rechargeable, wall-mountable, used a high-tech (for the time) design based on a familiar product (the dustpan), had an immediately catchy name and was instantly indispensable for every suburban family in the country. I remember sitting on the carpet and playing with it, which is certainly not something I was likely to do with a damn cleaning product, and the product's name quickly became both a universal noun and verb ("Oh yeah, I Dustbusted the stairs yesterday."). It definitely wasn't the most powerful vacuum cleaner on the market (any modern Dyson would clean its clock) and the filter had a tendency to jam, but for sheer utility, style and "I want that gadget!" appeal, the Dustbuster was and maybe even still is the tops.

The Dustbuster is, I'm comfortable saying, the gadget nerd's cleaning tool. It's portable, battery-powered, cute, and versatile, and has definitely made our lives better. Cleaner, at least. [Popular Mechanics]

Gizmodo '79 is a week-long celebration of gadgets and geekdom 30 years ago, as the analog age gave way to the digital, and most of our favorite toys were just being born.

Foolproof Black & Decker LI4000 SmartDriver Screws Perfectly Every Time

Jack Loftus — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 21:28:05 EST

Using a screw guide to keep fasteners on track, the Black & Decker Ll4000 SmartDriver might help that special poseur carpenter in your life who's nothing but thumbs.

Because in addition to the typical magnetic drill bits that save sanity and screws from falling between the cracks of your current project, the 3.6-volt, Lithium-Ion battery powered SmartDriver also has a little extended arm that holds the screw in place while you work. Add in an LED work light and a six speed clutch and you have a pretty indispensable little gift, should you be a butterfingers handy man, like me.

Pay no attention to the wacky $4,000 Amazon price tag—the SmartDriver supposedly only retails for about $40. [Craziest Gadgets via Coolest Gadgets]

Black and Decker LightsOut IR Gizmo Turns Lights Off For Lazy, Green Types

Kit Eaton — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 08:40:00 EDT

My old office used to have those irritating IR-sensor lights, so if you were working late and popped out—say to the loo—for more than a few minutes, you'd be welcomed back to uninviting darkness: now you can have the same facility in your home thanks to Black&Decker's LightsOut. Well, actually it's quite a neat gizmo—it's battery powered, and simply mounts directly over a light switch, which it then throws for you if it doesn't detect movement in front of its sensor. Plus it turns the lights on when you enter. You can even change the "off" preset delay time, up to 30 minutes. Handy if you forget to switch the light off in your garage—like I often do. No word on pricing yet. [NewLaunches]

Wired Cuts Through the Latest Electric Lawnmowers

blongo3 — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:19:59 EDT

In keeping with our "Laziness in Domestic Chores" theme, we bring you the electric lawnmower shootout. That way we can rid ourselves of all the annoyances of gas mowers once and for all, but still keep our yards in tip-top shape.

Wired tested out four of the latest electric lawnmowers on the market and broke it down real simple. What did they think?

The Worx WG712: 4th Place

They liked how light it was but hated its terrible handling and custom wheels.

Cub Cadet CC500 EL: 3rd Place

This one handled better, but it was corded, wah-wah-wahhh.

Black & Decker 24V CMM1200: 2nd Place

This one might be able to trick your friends into thinking it's a regular lawnmower, both in looks and performance. Although like an iPod its battery is locked inside so its extinction clock is ticking.

Sunlawn EM-2: The Winner

This guy looks straight out of yesteryear but added all of the modern benefits of today. It's nice and tiny like your grandpa's mower, but cuts like one from today. But they did complain about the miniature grass clipping catcher.

And there you have it. Four mowers went in, and only the Sunlawn EM-2 came out. Now you have no excuse for your yard to be in shambles.– Ben Longo

Summer Test: Electric Lawn Mowers [Wired]