Now the Bingo Parlor Goes Where You Do
Bingo alert: Aficionados will want to check out the latest high-tech device, MaxLite, a portable bingo handset that allows users to play up to 300 electronic bingo cards simultaneously.
Just hitting casinos and bingo parlors, MaxLite resembles a Game Boy in size--12 inches by 9 inches--and has an interesting number of features, the best being Autodaub, which automatically marks off your cards. Another button will show the three cards closest to a bingo, displaying them in their entirety on the unit’s screen.
When a player is approaching bingo, a “one away” message flashes on the screen. And MaxLite beeps to let you know when you’ve bingoed.
Each MaxLite unit communicates via radio frequency with a special caller station installed at the bingo parlor. When, say, I25 or B8 comes up, the handset receives the number from the monitor and records the matches on all cards being played.
Prices for players to rent MaxLite will vary, according to reps from Advanced Gaming Technology, MaxLite’s developer.
AGT’s Darren Little says the electronic units have had great success in parlors that are leasing the system. He says the company plans to expand its Max system next to the Philippines and Mexico, as well as to cruise ships.
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Groovy, Man: Firestone’s new FT70 all-weather radial tire has a new design that makes it especially effective on wet pavements. The FT70 has keyhole-shaped tread grooves (sipes) that enlarge instead of decrease as the tire wears, maintaining its wet-weather performance. Typical sipes get smaller as the tire wears.
The new technology also helps the FT70 keep its new tire appearance longer than others, and offers lower noise levels for quieter driving, Bridgestone/Firestone reps say. The tire has a 70,000-mile limited treadwear warranty and 30-day money-back guarantee.
Available at Bridgestone/Firestone stores, $55 to $100 each, depending on the size.
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Cleanhanded: Workin’ Wooly is a new wash mitt for cars, vans, boats, etc. that does work well. Produced by Roller Fabrics, a 50-year-old Milwaukee company, the mitt is constructed of polyester and nylon, combined with a 25% wool content. It has a knit cuff and fits comfortably on either hand.
$7.95, plus $2.50 shipping and handling. Call (800) 26-WOOLY.
