The Coolest Gift
Looking for a great gift for that special someone in your life who happens to be part techno-geek, part oenophile and just a little bit hip?
Call me your personal creative gift guru; because I’ve definitely found the perfect gift-combination:
USB-powered Beverage Chiller (plug it into your computer’s USB port and let the coldplate chill out to 45F [7C] - hat tip to Ubergizmo)- A couple of stemless wine glasses that’ll sit right on top of the bev chiller
- A few bottles of white wine or bubbly
Now that, my friends, is one happy Hanukkah/Christmas/Festivus gift.
Don’t drink & drive. But sipping & surfing is a-OK.
You have to be really careful with these USB-powered gadgets. Some of them are poorly designed, such that they draw more current than the USB spec allows for, and run the risk of overloading your motherboard.
The USB spec allows for no more than 500mA of current draw, and to exceed 100mA, the device needs to negotiate with the host.
It appears that the device in question draws 5.75 W of power. USB provides 5V (nominal), so, the current draw is 1150mA—more than twice the allowed draw.
It might not fry your motherboard. But I wouldn't risk it. At the very least, use a self-powered USB hub to isolate the device from your computer.
Posted by: Mithrandir | 01 December 2005 at 11:35 AM
Yow. A fried motherboard might drive one to drink even more! Thanks for the warning.
Posted by: beau | 01 December 2005 at 11:37 AM
I saw those glasses at Williams-Sonoma the other day. They're too cool!
Posted by: Ali | 02 December 2005 at 02:20 AM