Don't toss it and buy a universal remote. (How many things are really universal, after all?) Try this jar of Keypad Fix, designed to clean and restore conductivity to the carbon on the keys and the copper PC board pads that make up the rubber-coated switches on remotes, game controllers, and security keypads. Contains enough to coat over 200 button contacts.

Works on all of them except the ones stuck to your eyeballs. Corrosion-Be-Gone is a gel made to remove the schmutz from all types of battery terminals, circuit boards and contacts, on everything from cars to computer boards. Our each is a 0.3 oz jar.

Go digital without paying the cable guy. This refurbished digital amplified indoor antenna from RCA features a switchable inline amp with a 55dB boost and a pair of 7-draw dipoles (think: ears of a very large rabbit). Slick looking. Measures 8-3/8" tall x 4-5/8" x 4-1/8" before extension. The only cable you’ll ever need is the 6-foot coax from the unit to the TV.

Break free of cables with this passive RCA HDTV antenna that’s so thin it virtually disappears. Made to receive free HD/VHF/UHF signals, the antenna is a pair of extremely thin black plastic wings, each 14” long x 3” tapering to 3/8”. Overall, it’s 29” long x approx nothing deep. The center connector has a 50” length of thin COAX cable with an “F” connector to mate with the TV input. Marked refurbished, but you can’t tell them from new. A little assembly is required.

Get plugged in with this pair of jacks, one each: 1/8” (3.5mm) feminine jack to 1/4” plug; and 1/4” feminine jack to 1/8” (3.5m) plug. Both are TRS--tip/ring/sleeve--wired. You get (4) jacks in all, you lucky thing, you.

These 36-Ohm ear buds have 15-foot leads, so you could practically leave your pod/pad/phone in another room, with the standard 1/8" plug at the the end that isn't in your ears. We'll send (2) pair because we know you keep losing these things or ripping the wires off (although 15-foot leads may just take care of that little wire problem).

Build your own quartz antenna. These (2) 4-3/8" x 3" x 1-5/16" plastic boxes each have (2) boxes of quartz crystals inside and (2) aluminum U-brackets that are attached to a single screw terminal on one short side of the box. Back in the early 70's, they were originally made to be used in pairs as part of a 300 Ohm antenna. Not sure if they will work with today's TV's but all you need is cabling to connect them and give it a try. Made in Brazil, the antenna capital of South America, probably.

This little package of take-out parts is from a marine public address system, but you don't really have to be on the water to use it. You'll get a 15K-Ohm handset mic (1/4" out) with an 11-foot cord partially coiled, an in-line level control with a telephone plug input, a mount for the mic and a 20-foot DIN-telephone plug cord.

Look around and see if you have a giant universal remote control that smells like chocolate. No? Guess what. Ours is over 9" x 4-1/2" x 3/4" thick, which is hard to lose in the couch cushions, and it looks and smells like a big ol' chocolate candy bar. Can be programmed (via 3/4" square buttons) to control a TV, VCR, DVD player, DVR, cable box, satellite dish, audio equipment (from hundreds of manufacturers) and streetlights. (OK, we lied about the streetlights, but still.) You add (2) "AA" batteries while ignoring the "AAA" printed on the package.

These comfortable and excellent-sounding headphones are marked "Professional DJ Series" so it must be true. They fit over your ears and are, according to our office DJ, "darn fine phones" with an in-line Hi-Z microphone, and a flat 5-foot cord with a standard 1/8" plug. Good bottom end, just not as hyped up as some that bear celeb rappers' monikers.

Don’t blame us, it says that on the box. Measuring 9-1/2” x 4-1/2” dia, this canister-shaped amplified speaker system for your Bluetooth device has a pair of full-range speakers on one end and a sub-woofer on the other, which is why it’s the meanest speaker in the jungle. Internal rechargeable battery with mini-USB, rotary volume control, power switch, pause/play, next/prev song. No blueteeth? It accepts SD cards, external USB and an auxiliary input. Plays for 1-1/2 to 4 hours depending on volume, so listen to your mother and turn it down. Has a carrying strap, too.

Electronic stuff sticking out, is it? Cozy your HDTV, DVR, Blue-ray or whatever right up to the wall or cabinet with this 180-degree swiveling HDMI adapter. Maximum cable length is approx 30 feet.

Need a clean screen, Gene? This little tacky gel roller is made specifically to clean smart phone screens. Just roll it across the screen and watch it remove fingerprints, smears, chicken-finger grease, all the schmutz that gets between you and those cat videos. Rinse in warm water and dry, and it’s good as new. (Also good for squeegeeing the air from under screen protectors.) Measures 2” across x approx 1” dia on a 6” handle with a little cover.

You’re not alone. Lots of people pretend they’re rock stars in the bathroom, and you can enhance the pretense with this 9” long, red-handled hair brush with a built-in electronic microphone (“…we’ll be back to pick you up later!”),1/2W amp and 1” speaker in the handle. Will also play sounds from a media player or phone via standard 1/8” input jack on a 4-foot jumper cord. Has power, dual-level volume and mic kill buttons. Runs on (3) “AAA” batteries that you add. Brush is removable for cleaning.

Tell them these are cell phones with only a one-number contact file, and with no texting. Your kiddlier kids still enjoy walkie talkies, and this Educational Insights set has a 300-foot range. Press the connect-disconnect button and the other kid has (5) seconds to respond and you’re both ready to talk at the same time. Also has a cricketish call signal and high/low/off switches. Units are 4-3/8” x 2-3/8” x 1-1/4”. All you add is the gum.

Now you can share your music with your friends, Romans, countrymen, and even strangers on a train. Just plug your buds into the standard 1/8” headphone jacks and you’ll both be tuned in. Slides into a little black rubber case that has a 7/8” slip ring so you can hang it on whatever. Bonus: the bottom of the case is a touch stylus. We’ll pick one in red, black, green, blue, pink or purple.

Plug this cut-diamond-shaped, white plastic speaker into your audio player, and its internal amp and 3/4” speaker will go to work. Measures approx 2” across x 1-1/4” deep not counting the standard 1/8” mini-plug. Recharges via the included USB cord. (Charge for a couple hours before using, and adjust the volume, as it’s prone to clipping.) You pick red, white or black.

These little 1/2W waterproof amplified speakers measure 4-5/8" x 2" in an oblong plastic case with a 1-1/8” standard jack to connect to a smart phone or MP3 player. Drop your device in the waterproof bag, connect it to the speaker. Instant tunes in the shower or at the beach. On a 20” rope cord. We’ll pick one in white, gray, green or blue.