Ever been a time when the yakety-yak-yak of a TV interfered with your ability to read the paper, converse with a friend, or daydream? Maybe at a party, or the laundromat, or in the company conference room during one of those mandatory safety training videos? Wouldn't it be great at such times if you could just inconspicuously zap the TV off? Well, now you can, with TV-B-Gone! It'll turn off just about any TV within a range of 50 feet. Just point it at the offending boob tube, press the button, and an invisible infrared beam clicks the TV off. Press the button again (if you're feeling guilty) and the television will turn back on! TV-B-Gone is small enough to conceal in your hand, so no one will suspect it's you that is wreaking havoc on their idiot box -- he he! It's perfectly safe and comes with three button-cell batteries and a key ring. Now if only someone would invent a Cellphone-B-Gone, then we could have some real peace and quiet!

You're sitting in a restaurant with your friends. The TV in the corner is blaring. You realize that none of you are actually talking to each other. Instead, you're all staring at a piece of furniture!

Now there's a solution: the TV-B-Gone. This small keychain wonder is designed to turn off virtually any television. Invented by Mitch Altman, a former Silicon Valley entrepreneur, the TV-B-Gone is a simple remote control device with a single button. When activated, the unit emits 209 different turn-off codes for nearly every TV. The unit takes a little more than a minute to cycle through all of the turn-off codes, but fortunately, codes for the most common TVs are emitted first. And because it's small, unassuming, and attaches to your key ring, you can always be discreet about offing that off-putting talking head.

Just think, more authentic and meaningful social interactions can be yours in seconds. Be prepared when the TV goes off, though; you may have to talk to those friends of yours at the table. Of course, if it's just simple silence you're after, the TV-B-Gone delivers that, too. So pick up that book and enjoy!

What's in the Box
TV-B-Gone keychain remote control, increased sense of wellbeing, less anxiety, more time for productive activity, more satisfying social interactions, user's manual.