squeaky cleaner

Has there ever been a time when we've been more germ-conscious? With a potential killer bird flu looming, it seems a good time to market an ultraviolet sanitizer designed to kill germs on toothbrushes. The VIOlight portable home sanitizer is aimed at the savvy business traveler who wonders just what germs are lurking on that motel-bathroom countertop. It needs only two AA batteries. Put your toothbrush in there and in seven minutes the UV light has killed streptococcus, E. coli and salmonella germs, according to its maker. $29.99. www.smarthome.com/92301t.html.

podcast in a box

Just when you figured out the blog, everyone is moving on to podcasts. These bits of media that are transmitted on the Internet and automatically downloaded to the desktops of listeners eager to hear your daily words of wisdom. They can be heard on a computer or any portable audio device. M-Audio has created The Podcast Factory, a $149.95 package that includes all the programs and hardware you need to create your very own podcast (except a computer, which you surely have). You'll get a microphone, mixer and everything else you need to be Paul Harvey in your home.

seeing is believing

Anyone who has shared binoculars has experienced the "I wish you could have seen this" phenomenon. That's why someone got the good idea to put a digital camera in a pair of binoculars. This Meade Waterproof CaptureView records up to 20 seconds continuously. You can capture a single frame or share a video of your son's winning touchdown. These are even good in the rain or while boating. The binocular plugs right into a computer to download saved images or video. It won't break the bank at $199, either. www.discoverychannelstore.com.

super sonics

Decades ago, only a Nagra reel-to-reel tape recorder could capture the audio fidelity demanded by professionals. Now, chances are even a Nagra couldn't match the digital quality of the Sony PCM-D1 portable audio recorder. This tiny beauty is packed with electronics to record true stereo sound in the field. The sounds are recorded on four gigabytes of internal Flash memory, so there are no noisy spinning drives. Everything is dumped into a computer for editing and processing. Sony suggests it is perfect for journalists, but at $1,995, the company must have no idea of journalists' salaries. It's available now at high-end electronics stores.