Although you will not have access to your computer after a hurricane because there is no electricity, this handy computer peripheral is essential. All of us have gigs and gigs of music, family movies, important documents, receipts stored in our desktop and laptop computers. However, before a hurricane we all forget to back up this data. Should a hurricane strike and destroy your computer, your data will more than likely be gone.

This is why we recommend the Western Digital 160GB My Book External Hard Drive. You can easily back up your data with the press of a button. Some minutes later, your internal hard drive is backed up into this Western Digital External Hard Drive. When you evacuate your home, place the hard drive in a freezer bag (this will reduce the hard drive's exposure to water) toss the hard drive into your backpack and you are all set.

Many hard drive manufacturers offer external hard drives at varying prices, just check your Sunday newspaper ads or visit a web site like buy.com to see the latest deals.

A radio is important during the hurricane season, but even more important is a television set.

Tool #2: Coby 5in Portable Television (Model CXTV1)

Forget the fact that the Coby 5 inch Portable Television set is black and white. We know that technology has come a long way since the days of black and white television, so we know this television set is underpowered when compared to the color tv sets you find at your electronic superstores. Definitely don't expect HD quality here. What you can expect however, is a TV set that will last a great deal of time on battery power during a hurricane and during the grueling electricity-less aftermath. Best of all, the tv is very affordable: about $17 online and $25 in local retail drug stores.

The TV set has full VHF & UHF channel capability, three ways to consume power (AC/DC Adapter, Car/Boat DC cord both included and batteries). It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack so you can listen to the news as your kids sleep, and it allows the capability to connect an external antenna for better reception (although I've had this tv set for quite some time without the need for one). It also doubles as a radio, so you can carry this around and get the functionality of both.

For those with more money who would like a little something extra, Coby also produces a 5in TFT LCD TV/Monitor (Model TFTV505) which retails for about $114.95.

Why is all the cool stuff in Japan? Check out the Flip-Flap urban flower. Just like a regular flower the Flip Flap needs sun in order to function - the twist is though, that it needs the sun to power the included solar battery. What this boils down to is that there is no need to change batteries or recharge them for the life of the plant. And of course, since it is plastic, it requires no water. Oh, and before we forget to mention, the flower dances by moving its leaves.

Man, I'm so pumped. I've been waiting a couple of years for high-definition movies to hit the stores and it has finally happened. Toshiba recently released the first HD-DVD player on the market, the Toshiba HD-A1. For those not in the know, this is the first DVD player to play high-definitions DVDs. Most people think that when you buy a new HDTV, your DVDs automatically become high-definition, which is not the case.

Either way, I had the pleasure of checking out an HD-DVD in action and the picture quality was beyond what words can express. The colors were sharp and vibrant while the images jumped off the screen. You must see an HDTV set connected to the HD-DVD player to believe just how much better movies look in this new format.

TheToshiba HD-A1 retails for $499.99 and it is available now. Heed this warning though; this player is only capable of 720p/1080i, so if you have a 1080p set, you might want to wait for other players being released at the end of the year. Regardless, give your HDTV some HD-DVD, it has been waiting for years now.

Read up an in-depth review of the Toshiba HD-A1 at HD Beat or read up on actual HD Movies reviews at the Digital Beats.

The Conduit Group is host to many prestigious design awards throughout the years. Day Dreams is one of the award-winning products on their site.

Day Dreams, contains a preprinted image combined with a reflective silver surface. When you walk up to the reflective surface, your image combines with the preprinted image producing a surreal effect. It is almost as if you were in a scene of a movie - specially since the reflective surface itself isn't really a mirror, but a rugged silver surface.

The artwork/mirror retails for $400.00 and you can find them in two varieties Ocean (pictured) and Forest.

Check out the Conduit Group web site for details.

Looking at images of the Wogg-Pavilion reminds me how close we are to living in the world of a Steven Spielberg movie. I mean a sunshade is not a new idea, but when you take a look at the Wogg-Pavilion you can't help but wonder why it took so long for someone to design a sunshade that looked this freakin' cool.

The Wogg-Pavilion in essence is a sunshade. However, you can use it as a picnic pergola, reception canopy, a convention booth; whatever your mind can think of. Imagine taking your sweetheart to a picnic, laying out a blanket, a bottle of wine, then covering the sun with it. Talk about winning points.

The Wogg-Pavilion comes in four colors different colors and it is available in two different sizes.

Check out the Wogg-Pavilion web site for details and purchase information.

I was not aware of this until my friend told me about it, but companies like Images on Title and Tile Pix can take any picture you take with your digital camera (or any image that is in digital format) and print it on single tiles or across multiple tiles to create murals.

The images can be permanently imprinted onto ceramic, porcelain, tumbled stone or glass tiles. Think about how much you can do with this. How about a custom kitchen backsplash, a mural outside of your home, tabletop, countertop, artwork, your imagination is the limit with this product.

Prices vary by size, tile type, and manufacturer so check it out Images on Tile or Tile Pix for details.

You guys know how much we love our blue home. We are therefore pretty excited about these 100% biodegradable food containers made from a corn-based resin. When you throw these guys out, it will take less than 60 days to decompose in your compost bin. Compare that to the plastic and Styrofoam containers that take over and pollute the landfills, these guys keep our garbage a little cleaner. The only real downfall to these containers is that they will buckle if the temperature of your food is more than 110 degree Fahrenheit, so make sure you use these guys exclusively for storing cold food or left-over.

If you own a "green" restaurant, these guys could be the perfect way to show your customers how dedicated you are to preserving planet Earth.

Get yourself some from BiodegradableStore.com or Eco-Products.com

Air filters are often times ignored when we clean and maintain our homes. Part of the reason is that we think that AC systems are workhorses that do not require simple maintaince. In fact, you can extend the life of your AC unit by replacing your AC filter every month. Of course, it is hassle for most of us to have to go to the store and buy a replacement filter that fits your Air Conditioning unit. For example, my air conditioning unit filter is a really odd size: 21 1/2" x 24" x 1". It would cost me about $80 a year to buy custom-fit filters to protect my air conditioning unit.

So, the other day I went to Home Depot and saw the washable-reusable Web Electrostatic Filter for $38.94. Of course, compared to the throw-away filters, $38.94 seems like a staggering figure. But for me, it ends up saving me over $50 for each year that I have my AC. The best part? I don't need to go to the store to buy a custom-size replacement every couple of months since this air filter can be resized to fit almost any size. I just take it out every 4 weeks, clean it for 2-3 minutes, and stick it right back into the AC.

From useful shears to fish tanks - only here at Service Villa. This 7.25in by 6.5in fish tank is just what your office ordered. This is perfect for those of us who wish we were dead instead of working at an office desk for a living. Watch the fish suffer your same fate as they become bored to death in their own little office fish tank.

The Office Fish Tank goes for $24.00, but you will have to provide your own marine life.