We’ve played some pretty good pinball games on the iPad — but somehow, we still missed the visceral experience of button-mashing that comes from playing a real game. The Duo Pinball iPad Controller ($60) bridges this gap by holding your iPad at a reclined angle and adding a spring loaded plunger, two side buttons, and realistic bump and tilt mechanics to your iPad via Bluetooth, getting you far closer to the feel of a real machine. It’s also compatible with the iPhone and certain versions of the iPod touch, but somehow we guess a smaller screen just won’t do it justice.

By Lex Friedman, Macworld.com

 

Hate dragging your luggage through the airport? With the PA Series Power Assisted Suitcase ($1,200), your luggage can pretty much drag you. Grab the handle and tilt, and this admitted not-very-sexy-looking suitcase revs up its tiny battery-powered engines, driving itself along for about 1.5 miles. Which would be super cool if it didn’t cost us a month’s rent.

• Additional Details
• Fit: See Size Chart
• Gender: Men
• Includes: Top, Bottom, Dress Shirt, Tie
• Made Of: 80% silk, 20% Cotton
• Weight: 0.46 lbs

Introducing Barney Stinson’s legendary, awe inspiring Suitjamas; the finest sleepwear a man can buy because you should always look your best.

Colors available:
Black/White Combo
Iron Purple/Grey Combo

The Suitjama is manufactured from 80% pure silk and blended with 20% cotton for improved comfort and breathability you’re sure to be dressed for success all the time. These Suitjamas will make you more appealing to women, more successful at home and the office, and generally make you more awesome in every way.

This set includes:
1 Silk/Cotton Suitjama top
1 Silk/Cotton Suitjama bottom
1 Silk/Cotton Suitjama dress shirt
1 Silk/Cotton Suitjama tie

My Other Bags Are Prada… 100% Organic Cotton Oversize Tote bag.

Made from 100% pure organic cotton this beautifully made oversize tote will fit all of  that extra stuff we need day to day! Stylish with a sense of humour it is also durable, environmentally friendly and will last a lifetime; the perfect plastic bag alternative.

43cm high

the Galileo is a revolutionary, iOS-controlled robotic iPhone platform with infinite spherical rotation capability. Just swipe your finger on the screen of your iPad or other iOS device and Galileo reacts, orienting your iPhone or iPod Touch accordingly.  With applications in areas of photography, cinematography, social networking, and video conferencing, Galileo gives iOS devices endless possibilities of remote-controlled motion. Capable of infinite 360° pan-and-tilt at speeds up to 200° per second in any orientation, Galileo is an invaluable tool to everyone from an amateur photographer to the professional cinematographer, and vastly improves the experience of video chat for anyone needing to stay connected.

How Will You Use Galileo?

To bring distant experiences closer than ever before?  To capture an exquisite sunset panorama?  To film silky smooth gimbal shots with unparalleled power and ease?  Galileo gives you the ability to do things you never thought possible.

• Video calls and conferencing – stay connected as you follow the action
• Baby monitoring – see what you want to see, not just what the babysitter shows you
• Remote learning – follow professors around the classroom; see who is asking questions
• time-lapse photography – create dynamic time-lapse videos that encompass movement along with passage of time
• Cinematography – Shoot interesting transition shots, panning down, panning across and up, etc.  Mount the Galileo on rails and create a mini-rig for your iPhone camera!
• Real estate photography – build 360° spherical virtual home tours with ease

Below is a short time-lapse demo video to give you a sense of what’s possible with Galileo. The clips within this video were shot on a prototype Galileo with an iPhone4.

Galileo Features

• Infinite 360° panning and tilting rotation. 200° per second pan-and-tilt speeds.
• Remotely controlled from your iPad, iPhone, or web browser. Swipe your finger across the screen or move your mouse to control the movement of the Galileo and your device.
• SDK (software developers kit) for app development. Freedom to integrate Galileo functionality into existing apps or to create entirely new apps built around the movement capabilities of Galileo.  Or build software to integrate the Galileo with other hardware (e.g. camera rails).
• Outfitted with a standard tripod screw, the Galileo can be mounted on any tripod.
• Fabulous charging station for your iPhone or iPod. Charges your device while plugged in (USB cable included).
• Rechargeable Lithium polymer battery lets you use your Galileo anywhere.

The Galileo charges your device while plugged in

Specifications

• Works with: iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, and iPod Touch 4th Generation
• Controlled by: iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPad 2, iPad 3, iPod Touch 4th Generation, and web browser
• Colors: black, white, limited edition Kickstarter Green
• Weight: 7oz
• Size: 2 x 3.25” closed, 3.5 x 4.3” open
• Tripod Mount: Universal 1/4” thread; compatible with all standard tripods

Available in black, white, and limited edition Kickstarter Green

Join the Galileo Community!

What excites us the most about Galileo are the uses that we haven’t thought of yet. With our Galileo SDK, app developers have the freedom to integrate Galileo functionality into their existing apps as well as create entirely new apps around the unbounded movement of Galileo, expanding the possibilities for automated tracking and photographic and cinematographic applications.

So what will you do with Galileo?

Freedom to develop apps or integrate into other hardware with our SDK

Remember that crazy Sony dock that swiveled around, tracking faces and taking pictures while you chilled? Well, the Swivl ($160) is kinda like that, only it works with iOS devices, so it’s useful to a helluva lot more people. Instead of tracking faces, the Swivl follows a paired marker, twisting side-to-side and tilting forwards and backwards to make sure you’re in frame. It connects via Dock Connector to allow for remote control of the action, and also includes a tripod adapter, so you can use it with your existing pocket cam. Now if the photo’s off, you’ve got someone else to blame.

No coffee is complete without sugar or cream.  the Tonfisk Newton is a brilliantly designed apparatus that facilitates both of these necessities.  However, it costs $125, so you’ll probably think twice, if not three times, before investing in this elegantly designed mechanism.

The base contains the cream,while a removable cup coated in real gold inserts into the top.  Tilt the Newton forward and the cup holding the sugar will automatically swivel to a level position ensuring that the sugar isn’t spilled.  The pictured example shows cubes of sugar but you could use granular sugar or whatever sweetner your pallette desires.

The Tonfisk Newton is designed by Tanja Sipila.

Great Song

 

“Trust me girl/You’ll wanna be high for this,” purrs a seducer near the beginning of this mysterious mix-tape debut. It’s reasonable advice. A seamless, self-released concept album that set off an internet brushfire — complete with Twitter clues from evident co-conspirator Drake and Weeknd itself — it traces a woozy, debauched journey over nine slow jams that join the current conversation in hallucinatory r&b and indie rock: James Blake, Frank Ocean, jj, Salem, and Beach House. The latter even appear to get sampled here, twice: “Gila” bubbles up in “Loft Music,” as does “Master of None” in “The Party & The After Party.” (B-more, you have much to answer for.) The rest of the tracks are equally haunting: the rhythm of the aching “What You Need” is built around the surprisingly sad sound of what may be a straw sucking up the last drop of a milk shake — or something more potent.

Artist to Watch: The Weeknd

Toronto singer Abel Tesfaye, who seems to be the entire group, has a striking high tenor: at points on “House Of Balloons/Glass Table Girls,” he sounds like Michael Jackson yelping into an intercom in a Propofol haze. It can all be disturbingly raw, even when — especially when — Weeknd overplay the tales of the tragic high life — check the plea “Bring the drugs, baby/I can bring my pain,” on the killing, blue-black “Wicked Games.” The wormy hooks and earnest falsettos suggest the possibility of ginormous hits if Weeknd were to clean things up a bit, both lyrically and sonically. But let’s hope that doesn’t happen too soon. (The production team was reportedly led by progressive Toronto hip-hop producers Martin “Doc” Mckinney and Illangelo.)

All the Cool blogs are doing it so why can’t we do it too. I’m talking about a year in review wrap-up of the most popular and heavily viewed postings from the previous year. People are still saying “Happy new Year” to me so I guess I am not too late to the game. We did one of these last year, The Most Popular Tailgating Ideas Posts From 2008, so why not again th

<strong>25. NFL beer Pong table Is Pure Hypocrisy — Prior to the start of the 2009 NFL season I spotted that the NFL and Other retailers were selling officially licenced beer pong tables complete with NFL team logos. This blatant hypocrisy by the NFL encouraging “responsible tailgating and respectful behavior from its fans” yet they are willing to sell something that encourages binge drinking needed to be called out. A number of follow up posts came out after this one but the original post took in the most visitors and was linked to by other websites the most.

24. The Bucket list For Tailgaters — An oldie but a goodie, this was posted back in 2008. It sparked huge controversy in regards to which locations were included and which ones were left off. Until we ran a comments contest to win a Home Depot Gift Card, this post was the reigning comment king with over 20 comments on this post.

23. The 14 Tailgaters Who Annoy the Crap Out of You — Last year’s undisputed champion of traffic generators, this year it slips all the way back to No. 13. That’s to be expected seeing how the post was published over 18 months ago. It still reeled in over 6,000 visitors over the course of 2009 and continues to get links in forums and message boards as new visitors discover this site. As far as one of our humor pieces goes, this has to be our best effort.

22. Super Bowl Watch party Essential: The Stadium Pal — This was the first posting of 2009 to gain a link out from the coveted Sports Illustrated hot Clicks section. The post basically describes a contraption that allows men to strap it to themselves and relieve themselves into a collection bag without ever leaving the couch. perfect for a Super Bowl party when you don’t want to get up and miss the game by hitting the bathroom or worse, coming back to find someone has claimed your favorite comfy chair.

21. Play Beer Pong Anywhere with Port-O-Pong Inflatable Beer Pong Table — The oldest post that still makes the list year in and year out is the product review of the Port-o-Pong inflatable Beer Pong Table. This post was published back in October 2007 and still took in over 8,600 views two years later. I still contend that a hot girl with a big rack holding up a beer pong table will bring in the eyeballs any day.

20. Summer Tailgating: How To Spike a Watermelon — Another post from 2008 that still pulls in visitors like the undertow of a tidal wave. Interestingly, while most posts see a traffic spike around the start of football season, this post saw strong response from May through August. I guess the fact that this post ranks No.1 on Google for “How to Spike a Watermelon” doesn’t hurt when people are looking to do a little backyard boozing.

19. Boycott Concessions at ACC Championship Game — One of the readers of this site had emailed us and it was the inspiration for this post. Apparently those in charge of running Raymond James Stadium in Tampa have a disregard for tailgaters. The ACC Championship Game was being played there and despite pleas from both Georgia Tech and Clemson fans, the stadium management refused to open the parking lots early to accommodate them. A group of fans called for a boycott of all stadium food and concessions sold inside in order get the attention of those in power. We just used the power of the internet to help spread the word in support of this action. Many read this post via incoming links from supporting fan forums and message boards.

18. video: Nike Commercial Parody – Beer Pong — This was a YouTube video that was a parody of those overly dramatic Nike commercials. Instead of being a finely tuned athlete running stadium stairs in the dead of winter, this parody showcased a beer pong player’s training regime and his determination to be the best. This particular post hit the front page of Digg and blew up from there. Here is the video if you missed the original posting.

17. buy Tailgating games — When we find new tailgating games that you just can’t find anywhere else, we test them out and if they meet our high standards, we offer them for sale directly from TailgatingIdeas.com. This page organizes those games you won’t find in stores in one easy to find location. I guess you people when browsing the web are looking for new and unique tailgating games which can all be found in here.

16. Bud light Rolls Out “Tailgate Approved” Marketing Campaign — By now I am sure you have seen all of the commercials Bud Light bombarded us with during the college and NFL football season. The premise of the ad campaign was the over-the-top character “Jimmy Football” doing these infomercials for tailgating products. Think more like Billy Mayes if he were trying to get you to buy a cooler that turns into a grill. When it was all said and done, this article ranked in the major search engines No. 2 for the term “Tailgate Approved”. So while Bud Light was paying millions of dollars to advertise on TV, we were raking in those people searching Google and Yahoo for “tailgate approved” items to buy.

15. Tailgaters, This Is Why The NFL Hates You — This post consisted of a YouTube video of some drunken Cleveland Browns fan tailgating in the Muni Lot. The thing that made this video extraordinary was the fact that he climbed on top of a port-a-potty, poured a full beer over his head and started stripping off his clothes and throwing them into the gathering crowd. At one point he dances a drunken jig that almost has him falling off the port-a-potty onto his head. It was like watching a train wreck but you couldn’ help yourself from looking. I originally posted it as graphic example as to why the NFL wants to limit tailgating times because people abuse alcohol and act stupidly. Instead it was picked up by Digg (submitted and made popular by Steven of the popular humor blog, stevenhumour.com) and in poured over 14,000 visitors in the course of three hours. It’s a good thing we switched host servers by that time because that kind of traffic in a short amount of time would have definitely killed our old servers. Here is the video for those to lazy to click on the link above.

14. Off Topic: Top 15 Most Quotable Movies — Inspired by Kareem Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s epic fail on Celebrity Jeopardy where he missed on a movie quote he himself uttered in the movie Airplane!, we compiled this list of the 15 most quotable movies. Obviously it created some controversy and discussion as to why a particular movie was left off the list but maybe in 2010 we’ll put together a second list. This post was also linked to by Sports Illustrated pumping its traffic numbers to over 15,000 page views.

13. The 10 Most Annoying People You Meet At A Super Bowl Party — This one ranks No. 2 mainly in part because it was prominently featured in the Super Bowl edition of Sports Illustrated’s Hot Clicks. A number of other prominent blogs linked to it as well but the lion’s share of the visitors came screaming in from Sports Illustrated. No matter how you slice it, this post reeled in 19,370 visitors over the course of the year.

12. Buy Tailgating gear — You people sure like your tailgating gadgets and supplies. This page was the most popular article visited in 2009 and wraps up all the tailgating gear and items you can buy directly from TailgatingIdeas.com. As we discover new and unique tailgating gear, we test them out personally and if they are quality and help tailgaters tailgate better, we offer them for sale. This particular article just groups all those items into one easy to browse page showcasing the items with a brief description and image. So chalk it up to the power of the internet search engines doing their jobs because this article reeled in the most eyeballs, 21,661 when it was all said and done, all year.

When it comes to new tailgating gear coming onto the market, the month of September is the time to do it. Common sense would draw the conclusion that companies use the start of football season and the enthusiasm that comes with it to carry over to the launch of their products. That said, we had quite a few tailgating products and games to check out in September and here they are:

11.The GrillGrate — The GrillGrate is a series of 13.75″ x 5.25″ interlocking anodized aluminum panels that create a new cooking surface for your grill. The interlocking Design allows you to connect as many of the panels as you would like. The panels are designed in such a way to allow perfect searing but avoid burning of many foods such as lean meats, fruits, vegetables, fish, and even pasta. This is accomplished by using a raised rail design that focuses most of the grill’s heat through those rails. In addition to this, the rails are spaced in such a way that by using The GrateTool, you can go underneath your food and pick straight up rather than try and jam a spatula underneath. The bottom of the GrillGrate has spaced elliptical holes for excess liquid to fall through, but also reduces flareups. The areas between those holes allows the fats and juices to sizzle and steam. The steam naturally moves upward and contacts the food, restoring some of the flavor that has leaked out.

should you decide they aren’t for you, they offer a 30 day, no questions asked warranty. You can’t argue with that. For all the advantages with no obvious disadvantages, the GrillGrate gets the TailgatingIdeas.com stamp of approval.

10.Clear view Propane Tanks — Since starting TailgatingIdeas.com over three years ago, I have come across a number of products that have made me say, “Why didn’t I think of that?!?”. I’ve also discovered tailgating gear that has made me say, “Why didn’t they think of this sooner?”. Clear View Propane Tanks By Ragasco fall into both the “Why didn’t I think of that?!?” and the “Why didn’t they think of this sooner?” categories. Truly a remarkable product with 100% upside and zero downside for tailgaters who choose to grill with propane.

Simply stated, Clear View Propane Tanks by Ragasco are translucent composite fiberglass propane tanks with a protective outer plastic casing. Safer than steel propane tanks, the Clear View Propane Tank will not rust, has a wider base than steel cylinders and when empty, is 50% lighter than old fashioned propane cylinders. The best part is that the composite fiberglass allows you to see the fuel level inside, ensuring you will never run out of gas. By actually seeing how much propane is left in your cylinder you’ll never have to guess how much is left in the tank by picking it up and feeling how much is in there.

Clear View Propane Tanks are:

• Lightweight in design and is 50% lighter than steel
• Translucent cylinder provides visible fuel level so you won’t run out unexpectedly
• Easy to transport design has ergonomic handle and tip-proof, flat base
• Corrosion-free, non-marring material keeps your vehicle and tailgating space clean
• Proven safety — fire-tested cylinder will never burst
• UL approved OPD valve
• d.O.T. approved for safety

In all honesty, I am failing to see how a steel propane tank would ever be better than one of these. The price of a Clear View Propane Tank might scare you off at $99 plus shipping. Then again, consider these tanks will never rust or corrode over time. You could buy a Clear View Propane Tank today and still be using it tailgating 15 years from now. I doubt anyone would want to take a 15 year old steel propane tank tailgating with them no matter how well they took care of it.

Because this product is brand new to the American market, the 20 lb. standard sized cylinders are currently on sale. The smaller, 10 lb. tanks will be coming soon. To get your Clear View LPG Tank, visit shop.tailgatingideas.com. The price of each tank is $99 plus $10 shipping. Buy two or more and we’ll waive the shipping fee on all tanks. To get your own Clear View Propane Tank, click HERE.

7. Willy Washers — Tailgating games are as much of a part of tailgating as are grills and the food you serve. Washers is an extremely popular tailgating game but there are some hazards to playing washers while tailgating. Retrieving errantly thrown washers or just the constant bending over and picking up the washers that did land in game box can be back breaking. I know a lot of tailgaters that choose not to play washers strictly because they have back problems. I recently discovered a new product that will have those that have sworn off washers in the past, playing washers again. It’s called Willy Washers Pick-Em-Up stick and Caddy.

Willy Washers is a retractable, magnetic stick that retrieves washers without having to bend over or get on your knees. The stick extends to about 30″ and easily picks up washers with its magnetic tip. The caddy portion of the Willy Washers will hold your washers tightly when not in play. It also retracts up small enough to fit in your game box when not in use. Another cool feature is the hook on the back of Willy Washers allows you to hang it from your back pocket, off your belt loop, a nearby fence, car door handle, etc. and stays easily within arm’s reach. The magnet on the end of Willy Washers is plenty strong too. Take a look at their video of Willy Washers in action.

I would highly recommend Willy Washers to any tailgater that likes to play washers and wants an easier way to pick up thrown washers. Now you don’t have to dread if a washer rolls under a car. Get a Willy Washers and you can grab the washer without having to crawl on your hands and knees on a dirty parking lot.

Willy Washers is normally priced at $19.95 plus shipping. In honor of football season and of course tailgating season, Willy Washers is being offered at a special price of 20% off plus free shipping when you select the free shipping option in checkout. To buy one or two, make sure to visit their home page, playwasherswithwilly.com, and select which Willy Washers you prefer. From each individual Willy page, you can then add it to your cart. If you do end up buying a Willy Washers, make sure to let them know you heard about their product from TailgatingIdeas.com.

The Freedom Flask — First on the scene was the Floppy Flask then The Beer Belly and Booze Belly and even the Wine Rack. Other stealth and concealable drinking devices include Disposable Flask, the The Body Bottle and most recently we reviewed The Bootlegger. So when I was approached by the folks at Freedom Flask to review their product, I was a bit skeptical. After all, we’ve seen this type of thing before ad nauseum. The only way to be considered the best brand in the space is to either be the first on the market or to improve on previous versions so much that all the predecessors then become obsolete. Although the Freedom Flask may not be the first on the scene I believe they have built a better mouse trap than those who have tried previously.

In looking at the photo, you’ll probably say, “Big deal. It looks like a Floppy Flask or a Booze Belly”. That’s true but the design of the Freedom Flask has take that concept and improved upon their shortcomings. There are two major flaws with both the Floppy Flask and the Booze Belly.

1) The rectangular shape and wearing it around your stomach/mid-section area
2) The drain valve is located at the corner of the flask.

First, let’s hit on the drain valve flaw. Once you’ve had a few tall ones and start to run empty, you have to lean your whole body over to the side and jump up and down slightly in order to pour out the last drops into your cup. The Booze Belly added the hose extension, but it doesn’t solve the issue of having to lean over to get the last bit out.

The rectangular shape does not have a natural body shape to it. Most guys I know that have a little beer gut do not have a layer of fat in the shape of a rectangle. This shape and the location of wearing it around your stomach enables easier detection.

6. The Freedom Flask has taken the overall concept of these previous designs and made simple but far reaching improvements. Improvement No. 1: Offering a curved bottom edge to allow all of the liquid to drain directly into the drain valve until completely empty. Improvement No. 2: Placing the drain valve in the middle of the flask so it lines up perfectly with your zipper. Instead of wearing the Freedom Flask around your stomach, it tucks into the top of your pants or shorts. I have been through my share of security pat downs and never has anyone patted me there. Check out this two minute demo video of how to use the Freedom Flask properly.

The Freedom Flask is manufactured right here in the USA which is not the case with some of the other game day flasks on the market. I am sure they would probably be able to manufacture them more cheaply in China or Mexico but the makers of Freedom Flask feel very strongly about manufacturing them here in the USA.

A single Freedom Flask will run you $24.99 plus shipping. Orders of multiple units range from buy 2 for $23.75 each, buy 3 for $22.49 each, buy 6 for $21.25 each or buy 12 for $19.99 each and get free shipping.

In all honesty, with the prices of food and drinks in the stadium, buying one Freedom Flask could pay for itself on your first time using it. Wash and rinse it out after use and the next time the money you’ll have saved can go towards other tailgating gear.

To learn more about the Freedom Flask or to buy one, visit their website: FreedomFlask.com

Keg-A-Que Football Grill — The latest product that Chris had a chance to sample (and now review and introduce to you) was the Keg-a-Que Propane Football Grill. In the end the product performed very similar to the play of the Philadelphia Eagles QBs. The start wasn’t too great, but the end was certainly a lot better.

5. During football tailgates we usually pack up the “full-size” grill from the back yard. The larger grill allows for more food to be cooked in a shorter amount of time. But given the opportunity to sample and review the Keg-a-Que Propane Football Grill we decided to go portable for Sunday’s tailgate.

Prior to jumping ahead to the actual tailgate and use of the grill I wanted to first provide some feedback on the assembly of the Football Grill.

Yes, I realize that putting together a grill isn’t rocket science and should be pretty self explanatory and easy to assemble. Despite this fact I was disappointed with the lack of assembly instructions provided with the grill. The written instructions were sparse and the various parts and screws were not numbered or labeled (I was even missing two washers for connection of the handles). Even more frustrating was the fact that the “straight” grill handles were being screwed into the curved areas of the grill. The end result was handles that did not have fully inserted screws. Regardless, everything was securely put together within 30 minutes.

The next step in the process was attaching the portable propane tank. Not wanting to screw myself the day of the game (while in the parking lot) I did some testing from the house. What I found out was that despite securely attaching the propane tank to the grill it didn’t always ignite. To get the grill lite it required a “perfect” attachment of the propane tank to the grill. After two consecutive, successful starts of the grill I was confident that there would be no issues come Sunday (I had mastered the required “perfect attachment).

Well so much for being a master of the attaching!

When we went to go start the grill on Sunday, in the parking lot, we couldn’t get the grill to start. Thankfully Pops and I are persistent (plus we had shrimp and steak that needed to be cooked) and after about 5 minutes and several attempts at attaching the propane tank we were finally able to get the grill going and the food cooking.

On to the good news… once the grill was started, I was very impressed. In a few minutes the grill was hot and the food was cooking. Adjusting the level of the flames was easy and worked without issue. The grill grate was large enough to cook both the steak and shrimp together. The flame and heat were evenly distributed over the grate, resulting in perfectly cooked / grilled food.

After enjoying the grub, the grill continued with positive marks for clean-up. The various pieces of the grill were easy to remove, clean, and then reassemble for packing back into the car. If only the end result of that day’s Eagles’ game had a similar, positive ending!

4. As you can see the Keg-a-Que Propane Football Grill had some ups and some downs. But with the low cost of the product (regularly $69.99 but on sale right now for $59.49) that is to be expected. And maybe there was some human error in the attachment of the propane tank or maybe this particular grill was a one-off. Regardless, if you are looking for an inexpensive, portable grill for the occasional tailgate I would still recommend going with the Football Grill.

3. Koolatron 52 Quart 12V Cooler — As even an amateur tailgater will tell you, keeping your food and beverages cold on your way to and during your tailgate party is of the utmost importance. The most common form of transporting and keeping tailgating food and drink cold has been the old fashioned ice chest. The trusty old cooler that you fill with ice and you’ll eventually end up tossing out at the end of the day because it is either melted or no longer needed. What if there was a tailgating cooler out there that kept your food and beverages refrigerator cold and dry and you no longer had to buy ice? There is and it called the Koolatron 52 Quart 12V Cooler

I was sent a sample of the Koolatron 52 Quart 12V Cooler and I was impressed right from the start. The instructions manual was a single sheet of paper. I like things that are simple to understand. And honestly, the only reason it was that big was because it had instructions in both English and French. The Koolatron 52 Quart 12V Cooler is very simple. You plug the cooler connection into the connection that plugs into your cigarette lighter. Because it works just like a refrigerator blowing cold air, you’ll want to have it plugged in for a few minutes to get it cold first. Much like placing items in a brand new fridge that has not been running, for maximum benefit, you want the cooler to be cold first. Then all you do is transfer those items you want to keep cold into the Koolatron 52 Quart 12V Cooler and you are good to go tailgating. If the cooler is loaded with warm items, it will take quite a while for the cooler to do all the work to cool them down. So it is suggested that you placed already chilled items in the Koolatron cooler.

The Koolatron 52 Quart 12V Cooler also has the capacity to get hot as well. Just reverse the polarity of the connection to the red dot, and you are keeping items hot on your way to the tailgate party. Again, all you need is to make sure you have it plugged into your car’s power outlet and you are good to go. The things I liked best about the Koolatron 52 Quart 12V Cooler is that it worked well, kept items cool on the way to and during the tailgate, there was no clean up or getting rid of unmelted ice and the best part, I saved money but not having to buy any ice. By using the power that my car battery was already producing, I not only saved money but this could be considered a “green” product. By using the power of my car battery I was saving water by not purchasing a 10 lb. bag of ice.

The price on the Koolatron 52 Quart 12V Cooler is normally $199 but right now they are running a sale. You can get the Koolatron 52 Quart 12V Cooler for $169.15 plus free UPS or FedEx shipping. To get your own Koolatron 52 Quart 12V Cooler visit CompactAppliance.com or just simply click HERE.

2. Monster Pong — Although I, nor any of the writers and contributors to tailgatingideas.com have not personally tested this game out it does look to be challenging and quite fun. We can not personally vouch for the craftsmanship or durability or portability of the game. With that said, it does warrant a look as a possible new tailgating game.

The game is called Monster Pong. From what I can gather from the website, Moster Pong can be played with up to six players or just two. The individual Monster Pong board has an angled playing surface, guitar pick shape and a goal recessed cup. Rather than trying to win points, players face off directly and fight to retain their starting 12 point score. I came across a video on YouTube showing how the game is played.

The cost of a Monster Pong game set which includes two (2) boards, two (2) paddles and two (2) balls for $129.95. It doesn’t say if that price includes shipping or not.

To learn more about Monster Pong go to monsterpong.com

1.Tailgater Strap — Many tailgaters choose propane to power their grills. For those that choose to use 20 or even 30 lb. propane tanks, transporting them can be a real hassle. Whether they are full or empty, propane tanks sliding around in the back of your truck or SUV can be really dangerous. Most people will use bungee cords, milk crates, ropes or wires to keep their tanks from moving around but none of those options are really effective.

I recently discovered a piece of tailgating gear that will secure your propane tank to the back of your truck’s tailgate and provides stability, security and will prevent the tank from flying through your back window, or worse, exploding. It’s a simple strap system built and designed to hold your propane tanks built with 1200 lb. breaking strain webbing. It’s called the Tailgater Strap. To see a demo video of exactly how to use the Tailgater Strap, you’ll need to visit their website: tailgaterstrap.com

In all honesty, I was very pleased with the Tailgater Strap. It was made with heavy duty materials and in testing I was confident that it would secure my propane tanks not only when I was to get them refilled but on the way to the tailgate party.

You can get your own Tailgate Strap for $14.95 plus $4.95 shipping. Not too bad for an item that can keep you and others safe from a sliding and even worse, exploding propane tank.