Chris Baker and Brian Lam

July 5, 2005 - Shhhh. Keep it down. After our July 4th gadget-enhanced booze blowout, the G-Lab posse is running on low batteries. We've turned off the ringer on our cell phones and are testing the performance and durability of our couches. If only there were some patch that could prevent the aftereffects of alcoholic overindulgence. Oh wait, there is! It's called the Sober-X , and you just slap it on like a nicotine patch, while you tipple. Look for an in-depth review in next week's edition.

While we nurse our hangovers, here are three little playthings to amuse you: a Nikon tinycam, a portable retrogame device, and a mini-UFO. Drop us a line at gadgetlab@wiredmag.com and let us know if your night before was worth the morning after.

Coleco Head-to-Head Electronic Football Game

Retail: $10

Erik Malinowski

I try to avoid gadgets that remind me of my '80s childhood. BlackBerries make me think of calculator watches, and the lack of available content for portable video players gives me Betamax flashbacks. But this Coleco-branded handheld football game from Techno Source is pure retro joy. The beeps and boops and elementary gameplay hark back to the best of the good old days. Coleco's minimalist take on football -- black dots vie with white squares on an LCD playing field -- makes for surprisingly addictive action, and the user-friendly interface reminds me of a simpler, pre-Nintendo age. One update I would have appreciated: a headphone jack. If I could keep this baby silent while out and about, I'd take it over one of those newfangled Sony PSPs. After all, there's room in my heart for just one handheld-gaming device, and Coleco got there first.

[Rating: 9/10]