The Hawkeye

You are a stern-yet-cuddly Government minister with a busy schedule. You have more to be doing with your time than dealing with ridiculous questions about your State car, how fast it was going last weekend and where it might have been.

But the media, dogs that they are, keep on howling for answers. Was your car speeding? Were you even in it at the time? Now the opposition spokespersons are up on their hind legs, barking and salivating. You check your diary - you were somewhere else that day. But you just know that "Lookit lads, I haven't a clue" is not going to get you off the hook. If only you had answers.

Weep no more, minister! With the Hawkeye, a cellphone-GPS tracking device is placed in your car, and it can send all the answers you need, as a text message to your own mobile. The Hawkeye knows to within a few metres where the car is, and can tell you how fast it is travelling. When the car is parked, the device can tip you off as soon as it goes 200 metres outside its authorised area, then tell you where the thieves - or indeed errant members of the family - have taken it.

The Hawkeye, £1,210 (€1,536), is available from Cellular World on 1850-300200 or www.cellularworld.ie

Become a gizmo source: smaccarthaigh@irish-times.ie