What’s new: Display those digital photos
All those photos sitting in your digital camera could be framed in an instant.
Westinghouse has introduced the Digital Photo Frame, a 5.6-inch LCD display that looks like a picture frame and displays up to 80 digital photos, individually or in a slide-show format. The photos are imported by plugging in a memory card or downloading from a computer.
The device comes with interchangeable mahogany, black and brushed aluminum frames. It can be set on a mantel or table or hung on a wall.
The frame is compatible with XD, CF I/II, MS, SD and MMC flash memory cards. The Digital Photo Frame has an estimated retail price of $149.99. Westinghouse products are carried by Best Buy and Rex stores.
Potential of Modular Homes
If you equate modular homes with double-wides, Sheri Koones wants to disavow you of the notion.
Koones is the author of “Modular Mansions,” a book that looks at the growing upscale side of modular home construction.
Koones said modular homes are simply houses built in portions in a factory and put together on a foundation on the home site. While early modular homes were generally simple, the construction method has evolved to the point where it can be used to build elaborate custom homes that are indistinguishable from stick-built houses.
Those are the kinds of homes Koones spotlights in “Modular Mansions.” Among them are a sprawling estate in Cape Cod, a rustic log home, a sleek contemporary house designed by an architect and a stone house that looks like it’s centuries old.
“Modular Mansions” is published by Gibbs Smith, Publisher, and sells for $39.95 in hardcover.
Radiator’s Lead Paint a Risk
Q: We live in a 1920s house with metal radiators. The radiator in the kitchen has been covered with paint that is now chipping and peeling. What’s the safest way to remove the paint? Can you suggest a variety of paint that will resist cracking off the way ordinary latex paint does?
A: Removing paint from an old radiator is tricky business, since it’s likely that at least some of the layers are lead paint. The paint can pose a hazard even if it’s left in place. Chipping and peeling releases lead dust that can be inhaled, and paint chips that flake off may be eaten by children.
The U.S. Environmental Agency recommends having lead-based paint removed professionally or replacing old radiators with new models. Often the latter will increase the efficiency of your heating system and save money in the long run, the EPA says.
If you do choose to repaint the radiator, you can buy paint specifically made for that purpose. Radiator paint stands up better to high heat.
Petweb: Pricey Pet Hair Removal
Site: Dyson
Address: www.dyson.com
The vacuum maker introduced the DC15 Animal in lavender in September. The unit promises to take the pain out of vacuuming pet hair and keep your home allergy-free. The machine steers on a ball, which operates like a wrist, which you can rotate in any direction.
Whee. The motor has been installed behind the ball, lowering the center of gravity, increasing maneuverability.
It’s way cool, but pricey, for a suggested retail of $699.