10.29.2006
Ice Kabob: skewer your drink
Gimme that that "thing-a-ma-bob." What'd you say? Actually it's called an Ice Kabob and it makes one heck of a skewer for your tasty drink. So silly you wonder either why or how somebody came up with it, Ice Kabobs are the quintessential non-essential item that makes you smile. Imagine heading to a party where cocktails are served with little icy stirrers? Fun, absolutely unnecessary, but fun nonetheless. (And what's wrong with having a little fun, I might ask?) Each tray, made of food-grade silicone rubber, makes three sticks. They comes in assorted colors. So what are you waiting for? Snap up a few for your next dinner party and forget about serving drinks "on the rocks." Serve them with skewers instead.
Posted by Katherine
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10.28.2006
Robot learns how to stir fry and more
Spending a quarter of a million dollars in development costs, Chinese robotic scientists created the AIC-AI Cooking robot that can fry, bake, boil as well as steam. The robot's repertoire covers Sichuan, Shandong and Cantonese recipes. I'm withholding judgement until I find out if it can make decent Ma Pu Tu Fu.
They are readying it to be sold next year; however, pricing has not be determined.
Posted by Ray
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10.28.2006
Tuffwrap
Hoyun, our fearless leader, just reviewed the marvelous Fluffpod and Cotton Candy for the well-dressed iPod. Here's another from MP3 Additions, the TuffWrap Accent.
The TuffWrap is about as far away as you can get from fuzzy pink. This tough, two-tone iPod case looks like it's going surfing, dude.
The TuffWrap case offers durable protection against scratches and bumps and feels good in your hand. Also, the tactile finish prevents your iPod from sliding on surfaces like the dashboard or centre console of your car (I put mine in my cup holder, but if that's otherwise occupied, it's good to know my iPod won't slip and slide.)
Available in the following colour combos:
Blue and white
Grey and orange
Red and black
Yellow and black
Green and Orange
White and Blue
These trendy cases are available at MP3 Additions in the UK for just £12.99.
Posted by Evan
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10.28.2006
Lipstick Pen
Here's something for when you're feeling glamorous. This lipstick pen gives the look of luscious red gloss while hiding a pen underneath. Though certainly not a necessity, fun design and a novel contradiction of form and function make this writing instrument an unexpected pleasure. Drop it in your clutch for a night out with the girls, keeping it handy for when you need to scribble down a phone number on a paper napkin. Or give it to one of your cosmetics-loving friends who always forgets to bring along a pen. Either way, at only $2.50, you may want to pick up a few just for kicks.
Posted by Katherine
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10.27.2006
Wearables hit fashion week
Ever since Paris Fashion Week ended in this month, I've been obsessed with Hussein Chalayan's 2007 Spring collection. Thoughts which linger long after seeing a collection are a good sign of its strength.
Chalayan has built a reputation on innovative uses of material, while blending the boundaries of fashion and art (he was included in last year's Venice Biennal.) However, Chalayan also has (often less talked about) distinct ideas about fashion itself, including making interconnections between various fashion eras.
This season, he took this idea to its literal and logical extreme by having dresses which physically transform. Collaborating with 2d:3d, he created these one-off prototype dresses with embedded motors, microcontrollers and microswitches. A Victorian-style gown was presented whose hemline automatically rose and neckline dropped to shape shift into a flapper hemline. A skirt also lifted and its opaque material became reflective. The movements ranged from smooth to abrupt, which were played up for dramatic effect.
One of the more clever pieces was a dress which retracted into a wide rimmed hat, leaving the model naked and viewers wondering if we had just witnessed the future or the Emperor's New Clothes. My money is on the future.
Posted by Ray
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10.27.2006
Skype me: the USB Skype phone
Voice over IP (VOIP) has got to be one of the greatest things around. What's better than calling your friends across the globe using your personal computer for either dirt cheap or totally free? The only bother is sitting at your desk with a set of headphones on and speaking into that poor quality computer mic. That's where VOIP handsets come in, which have been steadily getting better and better. Now for Windows 2000 or XP computer owners, $14.99 gets you a USB powered phone to chat with all your friends the old-fashioned way, while still using the technology that is totally of today.
The USB Skype™ Phone comes in black or white, features a bright LCD screen and keypad, is fully compatible with Skype functions such as Skype titles, dial, and contact lists. It even supports the Skype speed dial function. Oh, and by the way, did I mention that the phone is actually cute? As a Vonnage subscriber I'm a little concerned. I just may find myself exclusively Skyping from now on...
Posted by Katherine
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10.27.2006
O ROKR Bluetooth sunglasses
Motorola and Oakley got together to make the next generation of "wearable electronics" and came out with the O ROKR, a smart combination of Oakley sunglasses with a stereo Bluetooth wireless headset that sells for $249.
I gave it my husband, a non-techie, to experiment with. He reported that the setup was easy, and the sunglasses and the ear speakers "surprisingly comfortable." As a beach volleyball player, he was already familiar with the optic superiority of the Oakleys.( A few techincal specs: Oakley's are made from a durable PLUTONITE� lens material which filter out 100% of all UV, not just UVA and UVB.You can pretty much take a VB spike to the face and your Oakleys will survive just fine.)
Now Kevin can switch effortlessly from taking phone calls to listening to music without fumbling for a cell phone or geting tangled in his music player's wires. When he takes a call, he simply clicks one of the buttons on the side of the sunglasses, and then seemlessly switches back to his iPod.
The O ROKR comes with the optional icombi� adapter which fits into the bottom of your iPod and utilizes Bluetooth technology to wirelessly stream music from your iPod . With the icombi, you can use the buttons on the O ROKR to stop, pause, or skip songs. The best part is that you can be up to 33 feet away from your iPod without a single wire to tie you down.( If you're using a compatible Bluetooth-enabled phone for your music or a portable music player , you can use an add-on Bluetooth adapter.)
Continue reading "O ROKR Bluetooth sunglasses"
Posted by Evan
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10.27.2006
Biometric nightclubs - Round Two
Back in May I'd made mention of nightclubs in Yeovil, Somerset that required their patrons to submit to biometric cataloging. The premise being that if a patron causes trouble in a single establishment he'll be automatically banned at all other nightclubs using the identification system. The goal was to reduce horrific bar fights that often resulted in maiming and mutilation. The problem was so bad in Scotland that the country considered banning bars from serving glass to customers.
The town council of Yeovil has now made the fingerprint systems mandatory for reducing liability; those pubs that refuse to implement the system are in danger of losing their licenses. The much lauded reports have cited a 48 percent decrease in incidents where 15 or more policemen were needed to control the patrons. Seeing as there have only been two reports of major alcohol crime (one rape, and one riot involving 435 teenagers) under the new system we can deduce that the 48% drop is fairly close to being a decrease of only two major incidents since February. The council is unconcerned with the minor alcohol crimes, though domestic crime has risen as a result of the nightclub policies. The council's full findings will be released in November, and I'm eagerly awaiting their report.
Mark Ballard and Gemma Simpson disagree on whether other cities will be adopting the systems in the near future, but as I have a history of championing the right to privacy I would like to say that I will never drink in an establishment that must resort to such tactics. If the landlord can't guarantee your safety then avoid the bar at all costs.
As sad as I am to think that the Yeovil residents are accepting this system it still isn't as bad as the microchip implants that the Baha Beach Club in Barcelona is offering to their VIP members.
P.S. Do you really want to give your personal information to some random nightclub owner? I haven't seen any regulations published to prevent them from selling me a database of their patron's fingerprint scans, and I know a guy who is willing to buy scans of fingerprints so long as they have the identifying personal information attached.
Posted by Johnny
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10.26.2006
Verilux Rise & Shine Natural Alarm Clock
Getting up early in the morning to greet the rising sun is not really one of my strong points. However, I do have people to meet and work to get done, and so an alarm clock is an essential part of my life. My personal favourite has always been one that shrieks and wails loudly enough to drive away any further desire I may have to sleep.
The Rise & Shine Natural Alarm Clock from Verilux is targeted at a different set of people. From the product blurb, I can gather that they're the ones who believe that "nature has intended the gradual darkening of night to lull you to sleep and the rising sun to wake you refreshed." This smart looking device dims the light and sound during the night to help you doze off. In the morning, the reverse happens, with exotic sounds of nature gently dragging you away from the clutches of sleep. The other features include an inbuilt AM/FM radio, high-fidelity speakers and an energy efficient Xenon bulb. If you are concerned about how the light will affect the decor of your room, there are 7 shades of light colors to choose from. Available in two colors - Ivory and Graphite, this is priced at a-not-so-cheap $150.
Via Coolest-Gadgets.
Posted by kanchana
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10.26.2006
GoSmile for curing wine stains on teeth
I was behind the bar a few weeks ago and was entertaining a first date couple drinking a heavy Argentine cabernet. Their date was going well, but the woman's teeth were stained a deep red. The lady excused herself to the powder room and came back five minutes later with clean white teeth. I was, in a word, amazed.
Her little secret was a touch up ampoule from Go Smile. Single use whitening stain removers are great for removing wine stains from teeth without the risk of leeching off the enamel. With a water based formula the scrubby oxygen bubbles work just like commercial teeth whitening, but they work quickly and can fit in pocket. They've been on the market for quite a while, but the gentle formula and handy applicator are perfect for sneaking off to discreetly clean up after holiday glasses of wine.
The whitening compound is contained within a glass tube. The tube is surrounded by a cardboard sleeve, and capped with a foam applicator tip. Just crack the glass tube (like igniting a glowstick) with a gentle squeeze, and lightly rub over the teeth. Gum resins in the whitener keep it on the teeth and working for a quarter of an hour as it naturally dissipates. Ampoules are available in mint, pear, or peach for a double action bit of breath freshening.
The ampoules are available directly from the company in a five pack for $8.00 or a thirty pack for $39.00. There's also a $29 seven piece refillable compact, but for the price you're better off buying one of the refills.
Posted by Johnny
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