Archive for February, 2009
Saturday, February 28th, 2009
For those who have a lousy memory (me included, what a shame!), Topobo was an incredible construction toy that was developed by a couple of ingenious designers working at the MIT Media Lab, such as Hayes Raffle, Amanda Parkes and Hiroshi Ishii. The novelty this toy brought in the spotlight consisted of the fact that it could be programmed to move and there was no computer involved in the “dirty†business. Curious about the secret? Well, a set of kinetic memory motors.
All you had to do was to just be creative, to give birth to the most amazing creature or object ever and to move its limbs or other parts. The movements were to be automatically remembered and then reproduced. There was no need for batteries or charging. However, the toys are brought to life, being able to move just like you want them to move.
When the Topobo toys were first unveiled to the public, the project was still in its concept phase. The amazing news is that the company has managed to make this dream come true. This means that a limited number of sets are available from the official website of Topobo.
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Now, let’s talk about figures. The 1,000 Piece Classroom Set, which includes 850 passives in 9 different shapes, 950 extra-strength connector pins, 16 independent (blue) actives, 8 queen (orange) actives, 16 connector cables (of various lengths), 8 power supplies and 8 invention booklets, is priced at $4,999. The 100 Piece Experimenter Set costs $499. They might deserve to become top selling toys, but this is too much, for God’s sake!
Anyway, if you have the means to purchase these Topobo creations, then you should hurry up, you rich guys!
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Friday, February 27th, 2009
None of my friends believed me when I decided to share with them the most exciting news ever; my first trip to the mountains during the winter time ended in a unique experience: I’ve glided down the track with the skis on my feet. It wasn’t the smoothest slide over the snow in the history, not the most impressive, artistically speaking, but I’m quite proud of myself.
The trip turned into a pleasant memory, but the only thing I didn’t enjoyed was the fact that I wasn’t prepared for such an adventure. This is why I had to bear a frosty weather that didn’t allow me to feel my feet for a couple of days. In addition, it got me a cold that I still have to fight.
Speaking of that, one of the worst nightmares of my life is being cold. I hate it. I hate so very much and I don’t know whether there’s something for me to do in order to solve this problem. I’m always cold, no matter what, even when the thermometer shows 30 degrees Celsius. It’s only then that I start feeling… comfortable. But no more than that.
In the given context, the Burton Women’s LTD Heated Mighty Pants would have been just what the doctor ordered for me during the trip I had. Even if it sounds unbelievable, the pants you see in the picture above are aimed at women. Yes, I also found it difficult to “swallowâ€, but you shouldn’t blame me! Blame the designer if you like, not me! But, on the other hand, you shouldn’t look spectacular on the track! You should feel warm and cozy.
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Anyway, the heated pants are such a blessing for your legs, as they will feel like being wrapped in an electric blanket. As a matter of fact, there’s an entirely safe current that heats the Thermo-Tex ink-printed liner the pants are provided with. What’s very important is that you have total control over the temperature, which can be adjusted with a tiny rechargeable battery pack. And if you’re worried about heating too much, then you should know that this problem was also taken care of with the mesh-lined vents that eliminate the excess heat.
Available in two color versions: Shark and True Black Plaid, the heated pants can be purchased for $121.48 from Dogfunk.com.
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Thursday, February 26th, 2009
People are fired, losing the jobs they had for decades, prices are higher and higher for basic products, banks reach a point where their only choice is to ascertain their bankruptcy, while powerful companies from all over the world restrict any possibility for their employees to get promoted or any other benefits they used to have in the past (this is one hell of an option compared to losing their jobs).
The general context isn’t a very promising one, nor encouraging, and this is why I just can’t understand why companies like Electrolux persist in releasing wacky products at skyrocketing prices that overwhelm the regular people. What could a fired man say when hearing about the €15,000 Crystal Ergorapido, a Swarovski-encrusted vacuum cleaner that costs more than a normal car does?
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The worst thing, if you ask me, is that Electrolux seems to be very proud of their and they’re bragging about the fact that they were approached by the Guys over Guiness, who believe that the new version of the Ergorapido is the world’s most expensive.
The vacuum cleaner was first introduced to the public sometime last year, when it was awarded with all sorts of prestigious awards. And to give you some examples of such prizes, I’ll mention the Red Dot Design Award 2009 and the IF Design Award 2008.
ErgoRapido is the result of a collaboration between Electrolux and Polish fashion designer Åukasz JemioÅ‚, who came up with the astonishing idea of adorning it with approximately 3,730 Swarovski crystals. The special edition of this Electrolux vacuum cleaner was presented during the designer’s most recent fashion show, creating sensation in the press. What should also be said is that the manual execution of Åukasz Jemioł’s sketches was made by Gronowalski Crystal Fashion.
“Beauty doesn’t need any justificationâ€, said Åukasz JemioÅ‚. “I knew from the beginning that the public will answer in a positive way to the elegance of ErgoRapidoâ€, he felt like adding. No comment!
Posted in Electronic Gadgets | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 25th, 2009
There was a time when a special someone couldn’t start his day without the blessed cup of coffee. He said that mornings were more fascinating when spent surrounded by the aroma of this divine beverage. It might be true, but I really don’t enjoy losing myself in the coffee fragrance, maybe because I don’t like drinking it.
But I can completely understand the fascination of some people with respect to it though I don’t share it. This is why the Coffee-Light must be aimed at the fine coffee connoisseurs out there, that are most likely to appreciate such modern home décor.
I don’t know about you, but I sometimes feel like the best lighting ideas that you can find in the market are designed to be used in the bedroom or living room, while kitchens are somehow neglected.
Well, this is one unique lighting idea that you’ll be able to use in order to light up your kitchen. And if it wasn’t enough, the light is all made of porcelain teacups or coffee cups or however you might want to call them that measure 150 x 65 millimeters.
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Designed by Juan Valdez, the Coffee-Light can be purchased for 156.00 Euros or approximately $199, which is pretty much. Therefore, if you’re into the modern home décor, and you have a little bit of imagination and time, take a piece of advice: this is what people like to call a “Do-It-Yourself†project (also known as DYO), so it won’t be very difficult for you to create your own Coffee-Light.
Posted in Funny Gadgets | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, February 24th, 2009
I’m not very sure, but I think that during my English classes I first heard of birdwatching. It’s rather boring, if you ask me, but I suppose this is the feeling that people experience when they are not interested in certain areas. I couldn’t observe and study birds for hours, even if I’m a nature lover, but this doesn’t sound interesting at all, maybe because I haven’t had the chance to be part of such an activity.
“Most birdwatchers purse this activity mainly for recreational or social reasons, unlike ornithologists, who engage in the study of birds using more formal scientific methods†( Wikipedia). Ok, you can do whatever you like, but I won’t socialize with people around me while watching some birds that will never stop for a minute in order to follow each and every step that I do.
Anyway, for birdwatching enthusiasts who feel like lacking the energy they need, here’s the Birdwatcher’s Motion Activated Camera from Hammacher Schlemmer, which allows users to continuously track their feathered friends.
This is a weather resistant camera, of course, as it’s exposed to the harsh conditions of the rainy days. The 1.3 megapixel camera is designed to take pictures of birds as soon as it detects motion. In addition, the device has a field view of 9 x 12 inches and captures up to 20 pictures in no more than 20 seconds.
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You can mount it to ant surface you like, such as windows, walls, posts or trees and you’re provided with the accessories you need in order to do this, and “you can pan and tilt the camera up to 15 degrees and the touch of a button projects a laser beam that shows where pictures will be taken, providing a reliable guide for directing the camera at birdbaths and bird feedersâ€.
Whenever the camera doesn’t detect motion, it instantly enters a “sleep†mode, while during the nights it just shuts off. This is a very good way to save energy, right? The pictures taken by this weather resistant camera are stored in the JPEG format on a microSD card of 2GB, which is included in the package.
And the last thing you should know is that the $199.95 camera runs on four AA batteries that should provide up to 6 months of operation.
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