Must-have gadget? A portable barcode scanner

Imagine being able to keep track of everything in your pantry, in your CD collection and in your DVD cabinet.

For just (just?) $250, you can. The Portable Barcode Scanner holds up to 250 (ironically) barcodes at a time and fits right in your hand.

If you're one of those folks who's always lending out books or movies or games to friends and have trouble keeping track of who has what, this just might be the solution, hmm? The Intelliscanner Mini has a rechargable internal battery, a USB interface for downloading your information, software to help manage wine collections, inventory, groceries, books, CDs, DVDs, comic books and more. It even — gasp! — has a neck lanyard with detachable clip.



With your groceries, for example, if you run out of Cheerios, you just scan the box before tossing it. Next time you go to the store, you just check out all the grocery items you've scanned as you ran out; you don't even have to make a list. Heck, even if you haven't run out of the item, if you want more, you just scan the box or jar in your pantry.