For the Car: Beeping Keys

With all the new gizmos for improving car travel, it’s amazing there’s room for passengers. Following are handy products for the road. Many items may be available in area stores. Prices do not include shipping. Jump in battery starts: Jumper cables may be the tried and true way to start a dead car battery, but here’s a nifty alternative that won’t have you worrying about getting the wires mismatched--and your hands will stay clean as a bonus. Safe Start battery charger cables, from Franzus, connect from the cigarette lighter of one car to the cigarette lighter of the car with the dead battery. Green and red LED lights indicate when there’s a good connection and when the battery is in charger mode. The 14-foot cord makes for easy access to both car lighters, and a travel pouch is included. Sounds unlikely but it really works. Why didn’t someone think of this before?

Franzus Safe Start Battery Charger Cables (TSA-174B) are $20. For a nearby store, telephone (800) 706-7064.

Key ovation: You can whistle for your dog and beep for your phone messages; now you can clap for your wayward keys, thanks to the Sharper Image, which is always inventing offbeat electronic toys. The Ultra Key Seeker Organizer is a key chain with a built-in battery-operated sensor that lets out piercing beeps when you clap. The sensor can be adjusted for sensitivity so it doesn’t activate while the keys are bouncing along a rough road. The five removable rings slide on an internal track, and there’s a push-button mini light for illuminating keyholes as well as a 120-minute timer to help you avoid parking tickets. The clap function works over a range of about 12 feet and runs for about a year on the included, replaceable lithium battery. I found the Key Seeker helpful once I mastered its somewhat temperamental sensors. You have to clap just right to get it to beep. At first it responded when I yelled but not when I clapped, but I soon learned to clap its language.

Ultra Key Seeker Organizer (SI552) is $39 from the Sharper Image; tel. (800) 344-4444.

Road relief: Jeep Electronics has developed a heavy-duty portable emergency kit for the car. Inside a bright yellow 17- by 8- by 6-inch plastic case are a slew of items for easy-to-fix roadside emergencies or quick first aid. Included are a flashlight (operates on two D batteries, not included), lift-out tool tray, tire inflater, jumper cables, utility knife, baling rope, duct tape and antenna. A built-in first aid kit contains first aid cream, cotton-tipped applicators, tweezers, scissors, gauze pads, adhesive bandages, adhesive tape, aspirin and alcohol wipes, with plenty of space for additional items. The main case itself has a built-in blinking red warning flasher and spotlight at each end and, inside, an antenna jack and three-band radio, all of which operate on the included cigarette-lighter car-power adapter or four D batteries (not included).

Jeep Home/Road Emergency Kit is $99.95. For a nearby store, tel. (800) 354-8785.

Cool for kids: Plenty of cars have windshield covers and steering wheel covers to ward off heat in harsh sunlight. Kel-Gar, a maker of children’s products, has developed a lightweight but effective cover to keep kiddy car seats from getting too toasty. The 31- by 37-inch gray reflective cover fits most infant and convertible car seats and folds into its own little pocket for storage.

Kel-Gar Sun Stop Car Seat Cover is $7. For a nearby store, tel. (800) 388-1848.

Lap liberator: Eating in motion can leave laps in a sorry state of crumbs and condiments. This small plastic tray is the perfect solution to the problem and works a lot better than trying to shield yourself with just a napkin. The crescent-shaped Lap-Top Commuter sits on your lap and attaches to the seat belt via a middle hook. The 15 1/2- by 7 1/4- by 1 3/4-inch-thick tray has three food compartments and a deep cup holder that fits most cups. It fits easily into the dishwasher for cleaning, stores under the car seat and has spared me the heartbreak of mustard and catsup stains en route.

Lap-Top Commuter (420760) is $6.98 from Miles Kimball; tel. (800) 546-2255.

Gear & Gadgets appears the first week of every month.