Japan’s Rare Mono Shop sells far-out, amusing and somewhat useful gadgets, most of them involving USB devices. I only know because the company is poised to open a U.S. store in August and the English language catalog is now online. I highly recommend a visit to browse products such as “bone conduction headphones,” which transfer sound through the cheekbone rather than into the ear. If you love the unintentional results of bad Japanese-to-English translations, there’s plenty to enjoy here. (“Outside sound can be heard as it does not close your ears!” reads the copy beside a male model demonstrating the headphones with ears uncovered.) The funniest mistake in translation I found was a $2,980 price tag for a combination USB hub/tape dispenser that looks to be worth $29.80 at best (or else our currency is in much worse shape than I thought). Actually, not many of the items are priced yet and the site warns visitors, “We do not accept return of the product due to misuse or misunderstanding of the product. If you have any concern, please wait until we introduce officially for international market.” That should be in August. I can hardly wait to learn more about the gold ingot USB hub, pictured, which looks like a real gold brick into which one can plug eight USB devices. Also of interest: the compact, portable USB AC charger, which powers USB-driven devices without a computer. Just plug it into an outlet and plug-in up to two devices. The Rare Mono Shop sells all sorts of gadgets to use with it, such as a USB eye warmer and USB aroma diffuser. You get the idea.

Why are people still buying book lights with conventional incandescent bulbs? The answer isn’t price: The famous Itty Bitty light costs $45 (some of which probably goes to that cutesy package), and users have to budget $7 a pop for replacement bulbs. Meanwhile, LED bulbs practically last forever and are more eco-friendly to boot, using much less energy to deliver comparable light. This Xtra Flex 2 from Mighty Bright has a more easily maneuverable neck than the Itty Bitty lamp, clips firmly onto your book (or stands by itself), and at $17 is just over a third of its competitor’s price. Granted, those of us who don’t want to run on battery power have to spend another $10 on an AC adapter — it’s still a bargain, and the cord is long enough to reach the most inconvenient under-the-bed power outlet. The Mighty Bright folks have branched out cleverly, with a two-arm light/magnifier gizmo for crafters and some sleek workhorses for musicians, but the item that will likely come in handy for us all at some point, whether we read at bedtime or not, is a magnifying glass with a built-in lamp — you may still have a hard time comprehending the fine print of that new cell-phone contract, but at least you’ll be able to read it.

So you’ve decided to bite the economy bullet and head out on vacation. But after the $1,500/week beach rental, the $300 gas tab and food for the week, you’ve already spent the bulk of your budget. Never fear: Stock up pre-vacation with inexpensive recreational activities to keep your clan occupied once you get there. If you’re beach bound, don’t get caught up in the surf store toy mark-ups. Come prepared with a six-pack of water noodles ($10) and a stock of colorful rafts ($15 each). For outdoor fun wherever you’re headed, a bocce set is always a crowd-pleaser ($18). This Frisbee golf set can entertain the troops inside or out ($20), while the Poolmaster floating table tennis game ($80; pictured) or the floating dart game ($90) will undoubtedly keep the kids entertained in the pool or lake. Board games aren’t just for when you’re bored. They’re a perfect family bonding activity for rainy vacation days, plus, they’re an alternative to that money pit that is the beach boardwalk. You can’t go wrong with Monopoly ($20) or Clue ($27), but your kids might thank you for getting something more hip like the Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? DVD game ($18) or the High School Musical 2 DVD game ($20). To spark that creative flame, bring along some craft kits. The Natural Science Smithsonian Gummy Bugs Lab allows youngsters to make their own gummy treats ($13). For more scientifically inded kids, the Giant Volcano kit ($14) simulates a volcanic eruption. Who said vacation couldn’t be inexpensive and fun?

The Handy Magnet is an idea so simple it might not even be immediately apparent how neat it is, much less why somebody would need to claim having “invented” it: A strip of plastic with nine small magnets in it. So what, you ask? Well, once you have a strap of them in your hands you start thinking of all kinds of ways to use them. Doing a project in your driveway? Slap some magnets on the garage door to keep nuts and screws from rolling into the street. Need to keep a toddler from digging around in the fridge? The magnets’ combined strength is more than enough for an impromptu temporary lock. The product’s promotional site offers ideas both clever and — magnetized water, anyone? — totally kooky, but it emphasizes their versatility and (given the useful way the magnets are integrated into a watertight plastic enclosure, with hangers on either end for attaching to non-magnetized surfaces) might convince you they’re worth the 19 bucks each set costs. Don’t think this company has the corner on magnets as tools. You can find quite a selection from the Joe Tool Company , The Magnet Source (both primarily an assortment of telescoping magnet tools) and Ace Hardware, which offers pages of handy magnets for lots of uses.

Like cookouts, sunbathing and vacations, live music is a staple of summer. Get into the groove this season with the best concert-going gear on the Web. If you’re lucky enough to score tickets to a venue that permits coolers or picnic baskets, try the coastal basket from Picnicbaskets.com ($100, with free shipping).  The basket includes picnic supplies for four. Choose a gingham lining that’s red and white or blue and white. Igloo’s Playmate icy tunes gripper cooler (pictured) gets you jamming before the performer hits the stage ($66).  Hook up any MP3 player to this cooler, which is equipped with speakers and an amplifier. Stadium seating is often the norm for bigger-name acts like Bruce Springsteen or Coldplay. Keep your bottom comfy, while keeping your whistle, ahem, wet. The sippin seat has an internal flexible flask that holds 3 12 oz. cans worth of cold or warm beverages ($29).  Find your way back to your seat from the concession stand (or back to your car when the usher discovers your Sippin Seat) with this mini microbeam flashlight that attaches to any keychain ($20 each or 2 for $30). For those all-day outdoor gigs like Lollapalooza or Virgin Fest, sunscreen is a must.  MD Skincare’s SPF  30 individual towelettes are perfect for slipping into your bag and applying on the go (60 applications for $42).  Keep the sun out of your face and your head cool with one of the season’s trendy fedoras. This Spillane straw fedora from Urban Outfitters hits the right mix of cool and utilitarian ($28).  You never know when Mother Nature might unleash a thunderstorm.  Don’t be stuck scurrying for cover with thousands of fans : Be prepared with this stylish Marimekko “Ruusupuu” rain poncho ($75).  It comes with a small tote bag for easy storage.

One of the things that distinguishes amateur woodworking from serious projects is sanding. If you’re willing to spend some time smoothing the edges, a do-it-yourselfer can make decent looking bookshelves without getting into any fancy joinery tricks. Sanding is also a prerequisite if you want to paint your project and have it not look like yard sale junk. But sanding is a huge time drain, and it’s hard not to blame a guy for skipping it. A new piece of hardware is intended to eliminate that step without diminishing the final product: The ominously named Final Cut blade sands cuts automatically as they’re made. The heavy-duty table saw blade has discs of sandpaper affixed to either side so that it power-sands as it slices (replacement sanding discs are available without the blade). Not only does that leave users with clean pieces of freshly cut work, it also allegedly cuts down on “kick-back,” the dangerous moments in which a board is pushed backward when it hits the saw incorrectly. Looking over sample cuts made on moulding, solid wood, laminated sheets and composition board, it’s hard to believe they came straight off a table saw. At $75 per blade, the FC isn’t cheap, but it’s not much more than high-end discs made by Ridgid and Craftsman — and that difference will seem pretty trivial if woodworkers suddenly find their projects taking far less time than they once did.