The Goods : TECHNOWATCH : No Cooking Necessary

A few years ago, this new machine would have been gastronomically incorrect. But timing is everything.

Now, when real breakfasts are back in vogue and the egg has been upgraded to not-as-bad-as-we-thought status by medical researchers, the Breakfast Express from Hammacher Schlemmer hits the market.

The appliance brews one to four cups of coffee, toasts two slices of bread or an English muffin and fries two eggs sunny-side up while you shower or lie in bed.

It’s about the size of a small microwave oven (9 1/2 inches wide, 15 inches long and 13 1/8 inches high), so it doesn’t take up much counter space. It contains a coffee brewer on one side, toaster and non-stick frying pan on the other. Stainless steel cutters automatically slice off the bottoms of two raw eggs, so they drop shell-free into the pan. All the device’s functions can be operated independently, and the frying pan and toaster grills remove easily for washing.

Breakfast Express has a 24-hour clock with a wake-up alarm and can be programmed to begin cooking and brewing whenever you want. The meal is ready in less than 10 minutes.

Breakfast Express ($399, plus $14.95 shipping and handling) may be ordered by calling (800) 543-3366.

A Better View of the World

Sharp has added even more bells and whistles to its Viewcam, the unique camcorder the electronics company introduced last year.

The Viewcam, you may recall, is the Hi-8 millimeter camcorder with a four-inch color liquid crystal display screen so you can see everything you record on a screen instead of through a conventional viewfinder. It also enables you to watch playback on the spot, complete with audio, and it doubles as a portable video player.

The newest model, VL-H400U, the second generation Viewcam, has instant playback with slow motion--a great feature for studying a golf swing or a toddler’s first steps--an added wide-screen capability and a built-in hand strap to keep the camcorder secure if you are recording while in motion. And the zoom button on the lens has been replaced with a switch for easier operation.

An on-screen world clock will tell you what time it is anywhere, and even has a Daylight Savings feature that automatically changes the time when it is time to spring ahead or fall back.

Viewcam VL-H400U retails for about $2,200 at electronics stores or mass merchandiser outlets. An optional accessory, the TV Tuner Pack, is also available. This device, about the size of a cigarette pack, snaps on the camcorder and turns it into a tiny TV capable of getting up to 68 stations.

Just Like Mom Used to Make

Rock-A-Bye Baby Inc., a Pompano Beach, Fla. manufacturer of infant care products, has introduced an innovative baby pacifier--a stuffed animal that emits authentic intrauterine sounds recorded from a pregnant woman’s womb.

Company representatives say the Natural Audio Pacifier has been tested on thousands of newborn babies in hospitals and clinics and was found to calm them.

A small audio unit that operates on a nine-volt battery fits in the back of a stuffed bear or bunny. The unit has a timer option that gives parents a choice of continuous sound or sound in five-minute intervals.

Rock-A-Bye Bunny, a 10-inch white rabbit with black or raspberry accents, and Rock-A-Bye Bear, 11 inches in beige with brown trim or white with black trim, are made of hypo-allergenic, non-flammable materials.

These plush pacifiers ($35 each) are available nationwide in children’s, gift, book and toy stores. You can find them locally at Bellini Juvenile Furniture on San Vicente Boulevard, Sid’s Baby Store in Hollywood and Carousel Toys in Pasadena. Or call (800) 762-5229 for a store in your area.

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Prices for the Space Bag, a reusable storage bag featured in the May 27 Technowatch column, were listed incorrectly. They are: small size, $14.95 or two for $24.95; large, $19.95 or two for $29.95.