December 3, 2007

Got You Covered

Ambient Forecasting Umbrella

Swinging around lampposts and dashing through puddles may give Gene Kelly a reason to sing. But getting caught in a Boston downpour without shelter just makes you curse the bastard’s name.

The brilliant techno-nerds at Cambridge-based Ambient Devices felt the same way and did something about it. Their solution? The Forecasting Umbrella.

It’s a smart little number with a 58-inch canopy that receives weather updates from AccuWeather.com. If there’s rain in the forecast anytime in the next twelve hours, the handle flashes — slow and steady for a light rain or fast and furious if there’s a serious storm brewing. Plus, it’s always on (up to a year), thanks to a decent C cell battery.

Set upright in an umbrella stand or by the door, it’ll ensure that you never leave the house without proper weather protection again.

And that’s a glorious feeling.

Available online at hammacher.com.