Consumers : Timepiece Whose Time Has Come: A Throwaway Watch

Gotta Watch, a new throwaway digital watch with a paper band, is the hottest disposable product to hit the market in a long time. Not only is it functional, it’s fun.

The disposable watch comes in 24 designs, ranging from Cool Cows--seven cows in sunglasses--to a crocodile to a slab of bacon to a street map of the Big Apple. There’s even a High Society model with strands of paper pearls.

The first product of a new Sony Corp. subsidiary, Sony Creative Products, Gotta Watch is “targeted mainly to teens and young adults,” according to a company spokeswoman. But it’s so campy, Sony may be surprised at the age range of people who buy it. The company promises to produce additional Gotta Watch models for holidays and special occasions.

Gotta Watch is packaged to look like an unusual greeting card; you just punch the watch out, set it and wear. The company projects that its life span is “at least a year, maybe longer,” unless you get it wet, hit it hard against something or pull hard on it.

Basically a nonreplaceable digital battery sealed inside a plastic disk, the watch can be easily set to the hour and minute, month and date. You also can time something in seconds, if you wish, then return to the hour and minute display. The watchband is made of pliable composition paper that has been coated with “a slick wipe-off surface for easy cleaning.” It has a small plastic safety lock, so you won’t lose it easily.

It already has been marketed successfully in fad-mad Japan and Australia, Sony representatives say. In the U.S., its suggested retail is $4.99, and it will be available mainly in gift shops and stationery stores. Right now, it’s available at Movieland in Buena Park and Trendy Gifts in Torrance.

High-Tech Pepper Mill

Another innovative product is one for the kitchen--a one-handed pepper grinder with a salt shaker on top.

This high-tech pepper mill comes in sturdy black or white plastic with a lever on the side that you simply squeeze to grind out fresh pepper. It also has a grind control knob that you can set from fine-ground to cracked peppercorns. The salt cellar on top is easy to fill.

The Pepper Machine is a popular item offered through the Sporting Edge Co.’s four catalogues: B N Genius, Everything Overnight, Sporting Edge and Homescapes. “It just keeps selling over and over, no matter what season it is,” said Richard Purcell, director of circulation for the firm, based in Bothell, Wash., a suburb of Seattle. “I have a friend whose husband lost an arm in Vietnam, and she got one of the mills for him because he can’t use a conventional pepper mill. He wrote to thank us for such a great product.”

The Pepper Machine costs $19.95, plus shipping and handling. Call (800) 468-4410.

A Portable Oasis

WaterLug, invented by Robin Veffer of Sherman Oaks, is a mesh bag with an adjustable strap that’s specifically designed to fit 1.5 liters of bottled water, so you can carry it easily if you’re traveling, camping, bicycling, going to the beach or the gym.

“I got the idea for it during a trip to Egypt and Israel last May,” Veffer explained. “In some countries you have to carry bottled water, and there wasn’t a convenient way to do it. So, I came up with WaterLug.”

In addition to the mesh bag, Veffer also offers LugLiner, a wraparound “bottle blanket” that can be sealed around the bottle with Velcro edges. It is made from Astrolon VIII, the material used for emergency blankets, and according to Veffer, will keep water cool for eight hours.

“People think WaterLug is an excellent traveling product, because you can hang it on your shoulder, across your chest, around your waist or strap it onto your bike,” she said.

WaterLugs come in black or white with straps in various colors. Suggested retail is $10; LugLiner, $3. The bag is available at Fred Segal on Melrose Avenue, Gold’s Gym on Laurel Canyon Boulevard, L.A. Wildlife in Studio City or by mail order from Veffer. Write to RV WaterLug Products, P.O. Box 56203, Sherman Oaks, Calif. 91403 or call (818) 905-0332.

The Proper Measure

Gadget buffs, home decorators and realtors may be intrigued by AccuTape, a new ultrasonic measuring device.

Developed by Measurement Specialties Inc. in Wayne, N.J., AccuTape can measure distances from 2 feet to 33 feet with its ultrasonic Polaroid sensor; it computes distances to 1/10th of a foot. All you do is place the device flush with any surface and press the button.

“It has better than 99% accuracy,” said Mark Cappiello, vice president of sales and marketing.

AccuTape has two permanent, sealed-in lithium batteries that Cappiello says will last more than 10 years, is lightweight (5 oz.) and about the size of a package of cigarettes. It could be helpful for someone who is house-hunting--to take quick measurements of room dimensions--but it must have a clear path between the AccuTape distance estimator and the “target” to avoid a false reading.

The measuring device retails for $49.99 and can be purchased from Measurement Specialties Inc., 1133 Route 23, Wayne, N.J. 07470; (201) 633-0440.