Read all about it! Entertainment Weekly has published the first video advert with built-in speakers to get the attention of readers conditioned to respond to screens.

A report by the BBC explains the screen is built into a wafer-thin, cardboard insert and contains an ad for Pepsi Max, as well as trailers for CBS television.

“This is an extraordinary way to refresh how we interact with consumers,” said Pepsi-Cola’s chief marketing officer, Frank Cooper.

Desperate ploy, marketing breakthrough or annoyance? The chip technology, which holds up to 40 minutes of video, is likened to those singing greeting cards which have gained popularity. They are activated when you open the card.

The cardboard can add bulk to the magazines, and some male consumer have already complained it makes it hard to roll up a journal and stick it in your pocket.

BBC News‘ Los Angeles correspondent, Rajesh Mirchandani, says the magazine advert is mounted inside a cardboard insert and is instantly distinguishable from a normal flimsy page.

“You can’t really flick through the magazine, because the 4-page insert that includes the video screen is relatively bulky,” he reports.

“And when you do open up the relevant page, the actual advert takes several seconds to load and play and that’s a lifetime’s lag in the advertiser’s world,” he added.

Magazine containing the screens have been sent to several thousand subscribers in Los Angeles and New York. Will they catch on by other magazines to save the trade? We shall see.

Some other facts about the adverts:

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Next time your iPod dies at the gym or your cell phone runs out of juice en route from one destination to the next, be prepared with this windup rechargeable battery. Convert kinetic energy to electrical energy by turning the crank to generate hours of power.

Whether you’re headed into the woods for a camping trip or hunkering down for a big storm, this crank LED flashlight is one handy gadget to have around.

Not impressed? Okay, then I dare you not to marvel at this crank radio flashlight iPod player. Yes, you can listen to music, get weather updates and light the way by winding up a single gadget small enough to fit in your backpack. Plus, it’s equipped with a solar panel for when your hand gets sore.

Your shaver keeps you on a tight leash, so trade it in for one that gives you room to roam. The Freedom shaver is a truly liberating device that makes it possible to groom on the go.

Bring picnics in the park to a whole new level by blending up some tasty shakes, smoothies or cocktails with the portable GSI Vortex hand crank blender.

I like to keep my morning coffee routine as peaceful as possible, and the obnoxious drone of an electric grinder just kills the mood. Instead, save the serenity of first light and some power with a hand crank coffee grinder.

Attention outdoorsmen and women: with this two-way crank radio, you can communicate with others on 22 different channels, listen to the radio, illuminate a dark path and blast an earsplitting emergency siren.

The concept of the hand powered portable washing machine is pure old-fashioned genius. Perfect for small loads, road trips and camping, this clever green device doesn’t require an iota of electricity.

Keep a can of gasoline and this hand crank fuel pump in your car, and you’ll never again have to call AAA in embarrassment when your car putters to a stop in between stations.

Aiming to bring affordable technology to the youth of developing countries, the XO laptop only costs $100 and can be powered by a hand crank.

The post Wind “˜Em Up: 10 Coolest Hand Crank Gadgets appeared first on EcoSalon.