TOP TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Does it pay to scream if your cell phone is stolen? Synchronica, a mobile device management company, thinks so. If you use the company's Mobile Manager service and your handset is stolen, the company, once contacted, will remotely lockdown your phone, erase all its data and trigger it to emit a blood-curdling scream to scare the bejesus out of the thief.

Yesterday Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. became the third company in a month to announce a major battery recall, stating that  6,000 batteries used in Panasonic latops could overheat when subjected to strong impact due to a tiny metal spring used in the battery pack that could fall off on to battery cells. Despite the eerie timing, the problem was unrelated to those that caused Dell to recall 4.1 million batteries and Apple to recall 1.8 million in August.

Just because you don’t have a mobile phone, doesn’t mean you can’t get in on the Bluetooth headset craze. The XACT XQ2500 Wireless Landline Headpiece is for folks who only have a landline yet still want the convenience of a wireless headset. We use the term “convenience” loosely as the keypad for the 2.4GHz wireless phone is on the headpiece, meaning you have to take it off everytime you want to dial a call.

You’ve seen the Blue Man Group’s commercials for Intel. Maybe you’ve even seen them perform live. Now you can be an honorary troupe member with the Blue Man Percussion Tubes. The set includes eight motion-sensitive tubes, five programmed instruments (Blue Man Tubes, Blue Man Drums, Blue Steel Drums, Xylophone and Marimba) and an MP3 mode that lets you plug in your iPod or other music player and play along. It also boasts recording capability and line-out jack so you can impress your neighbors with your musical prowess. Blue makeup not included.

If you find yourself factoring parking fines into your monthly budget, you probably need Voice-Recording Parking Timer. As the name implies, this gizmo, which clips onto your key ring, features a voice recorder so you can leave yourself a message detailing your exact parking location; the timer lets you know when your meter time is almost up and saves you another ticket.

If you've ever had a bike — or parts of a bike — stolen, you know that most public bike racks are woefully inadequate at keeping your cycle safe. Cyclepods hold eight bikes in a two-metre-diameter space — approximately half the space that traditional bike racks require for the same number of bikes — and keep them bike safe from thieves by the securing the most prized parts — the frame and wheels. If all that weren't enough, Cyclepods are made from recycled materials, so they're as enviro-friendly as your two-wheel transportation. [Via Gizmag]

Just for the ladies, Nintendo has announced a pink version of its DS Lite console. It will be released in Japan on July 20, retailing for USD$145. No word of a stateside release yet. If pink doesn’t suit you, it’s also available in Crystal White, Ice Blue or Enamel Navy.

If your idea of fun is making brain-busting attempts at solving the New York Times crossword puzzle, you’ll appreciate the Chambers Crossword Pen. More than a mere writing instrument, it contains a 250,000-word database complete with spell-checker and the ability to find missing letters in common words or phrases. You should be aware, however, that the built-in dictionary adheres to U.K. spelling standards, which means “the purportedly true information that circulates via word of mouth” is a “rumour” not a “rumor.” Available from Widget.co.uk for ?19.99.

If you’re one of those folks who likes to hold conference calls or other long phone conversations while driving, here’s a device that’ll make multi-tasking easier for you and the roads safer for us. Hammacher Schlemmer’s Rearview Mirror Wireless Bluetooth Speakerphone mounts onto your rearview mirror and is compatible with any Bluetooth-enabled phone. Incoming calls are routed directly to the speaker and the caller’s ID is displayed on LEDs you mount on the mirror. Calls can also be routed to an accompanying in-ear headset.

Making your first foray into wine culture can be intimidating: the dizzying amount of product and information can be tough to navigate, and wine aficionados can be less than hospitable to novices, if not downright snobby. Cork’d seems like the perfect gateway for neophytes; the free Web service helps you discover and keep track of wines you’d like to try; lets you catalog, rate and review the wines you own; and allows members to share their discoveries with each other. We can’t guarantee it will turn you into a gourmet of the grape but we’ll bet it’ll help you tell Ripple from a Riesling and that’s a good start.