When All Fails, It’s a Backup

Now let there be light. If the lights in your home go out because of a power failure, the Garrity Power Failure Light goes on automatically.

The Power Failure Light, which with its round design looks like a small flying saucer, is simply plugged into a wall socket anywhere in the house (it is not recommended for outside use). Using two AA NiCad batteries (included), the light comes on when the rest of your power fails and will provide up to 90 minutes of continuous illumination. It also has a small pop up handle on the back so you can carry it from room to room.

Garrity reps say that it takes 12 hours for a full charge of the light and that it will hold a charge up to one year.

For more information on Power Failure Light ($16.99), call Garrity Industries in Madison, Conn., at (800) 872-5483.

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All the Right Moves: Chess purists need not read this item: the Kasparov Talking Coach is a new electronic chessboard that can assist parents and children in learning the game.

Named for world champion Garry Kasparov, the player who beat IBM’s Deep Blue computer, Talking Coach is designed for beginners and intermediate players and takes them on a step-by-step trip through the basics. It allows players to select a voice mode for the coach, who warns when pieces are threatened, offers hints on moves and includes 384 level settings, from beginner to club level.

Talking Coach also features a library complete with most major openings and has a memory that stores an unfinished game for up to 18 months. It comes with information from the U.S. Chess Federation.

Talking Coach will tutor anyone who wants to learn chess, says Nicholas Gibbons of Saitek Industries, its Torrance manufacturer. “We think it’s a perfect game for parents and kids who may be burned out on video games.”

To order Talking Coach ($79.95), call (800) 45-CHESS.

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Safety Net: Parents with little kids may wonder why nobody thought of this before--an additive for toxic household products that helps keep small children from swallowing them and being poisoned.

Ro Pel Poison Pruf, developed by Burlington Scientific Corp. in Farmingdale, N.Y., is a bitter-tasting liquid that is added in a couple of drops to things such as polishes, paints and cleaning fluids. It tastes so acrid, according to Burlington, that children will spit it out before the liquid can do serious harm.

Of course, it’s better to keep your toxic products locked up, but locks can break or be accidentally left open.

Ro Pel Poison Pruf ($3.99 for a 1.25 fluid ounce bottle) is available at Home Depot, Builders Square, Servistar, Lowes and nationwide hardware stores.