04.28.2008
Back in 2000, Brazilian artist Carla Tennenbaum discovered that the packaging material EVA foam can not be recycled and was clogging up landfill sites. Disappointed, she decided to take action and recycle the foam herself. As only an artist could, she created a range of beautiful and unusual works of art and pieces of furniture, like the ottoman pictured below.
You can find out more and see the full range of Carla's works via her website, but you can see my favorite over the page. And if you're inspired, maybe you'll decide to make your own!
Continue reading "Foam! What is it good for? Making art and furniture, apparently"
Posted by diane
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04.25.2008
I'm not entirely sure how a folding balcony is superior to one that doesn't fold, considering you're not really saving interior space, and presumably there's sufficient space on the outside to expand out the balcony. Still, the award-winning Bloomframe by Hofman Dujardin Architects is rather cool. Bloomframe balconies can be added to existing buildings or made part of the design of new buildings, and are basically innovative window frames that can be pushed out to form an exterior balconies, expanding your interior space to the outdoors.
Via Smart Stuff.
Posted by lydia
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Tags: architecture
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04.20.2008
Mimoco, maker of the popular Mimobot designer USB flash drives, has partnered with tokidoki, the brand created by pop fashion designer Simone Legno, to create the tokidoki for MIMOBOT series. This newest group of flash drives is part of Mimoco's MMOBOT Artist Series, and comes in three different characters, each priced at $39.95: Pirate Nero, Pistaio, and Meletta.
Mimoco has released tokidoki for MIMOBOT preloaded with the second issue if its mimoZine, the first digital magazine delivered via flash drive. This pop culture magazine features interviews with Japanese pop-rock artists, videos of art events, and musical videos.
See a preview of the mimoZine after the jump.
Continue reading ""tokidoki for MIMOBOT" USB drives come preloaded with mimoZine digital magazine"
Posted by lydia
Category:
accessories
| computers
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| entertainment
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Tags: mimobot tokidoki
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04.15.2008
For the existentialist in your life who has everything, how about the Milky Way galaxy suspended in a glass cube? Supposedly, there are 80,000 stars inside the cube, rendered using three-dimensional data from Japan's National Astronomical Observatory. In the exact center of the cube is our solar system - a tiny speck, a reminder of how invisible we are in the cosmic scheme of things.
Because it's a cube, you can view the galaxy from different angles:
Available from Living World for a mere $80,000 JPN (about $770).
Via Crave.
Posted by lydia
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Tags: decor
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04. 4.2008
Ever wanted to feel like you were floating on air, in more than the metaphorical sense? Well, a revolutionary new lounger lets you get as close as science currently allows to doing just that - and it's all thanks to magnets (understandably, they are a little bit larger than these babies).
Made by British Company Hoverit, this lounger appears to be defying gravity thanks to the clever use of repelling magnetic forces. The makers say it feels like floating on a cloud - and who wouldn't like to try that?
The company's website points out that magnets have been found to help people with all kinds of health problems, so you could even justify the expense (each lounger is custom-made) by saying it will have therapeutic benefits.
But beware: electronics and magnets do not mix well. So you'll need to find some way to levitate your laptop in midair or perhaps only use the lounger when - gasp! - you're not surfing the net/using your iPod/texting your friends.
I've never owned a sun-lounger because I'm British and would never be able to justify the cost-per-use ratio. I think I could justify the Hoverit however, on a happiness-per-use ratio. And because it can be used inside or out.
Via The Gadget Show.
Posted by diane
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Tags: chair
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04. 2.2008
How unique an idea would it be if you could juice up your cell phone just by cranking it up manually? Sound too good to be true? Maybe not – if the concept for the Bamboo phone by Dutch designer Gert-Jan van Breugel makes it to production.
The Bamboo cell phone, one of the finalists at the 2008 Greener Gadgets Design Competition, leaves no stone unturned in being eco-friendly. The most striking feature being: by keying it up for around 3 minutes, you can generate enough charge on your phone to take you through one call (call duration not specified). Which to me, is really exciting – apart from the fact that I do not have to carry my charger around at all times, it can also be a lovely power-saving mechanism.
The cell phone case itself is made up of 100% bio-degradable materials such as corn and bamboo, which means, if the phone is thrown into a compost (without the battery, antenna and printboard), it will decompose completely in a few weeks. With all this, the phone doesn’t compromise on looks either; if given a few options on the color, you'll love to show off its sleek design. A sure winner, this one.
Via Inhabitat.
Posted by kanchana
Category:
cell phones
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Tags: bamboo biodegradable
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04. 1.2008
Designer Pavel Balykin has decided to revamp the retro sand-hour-glass by conceptualising a digital version with his Sand Time Watch. Well, sort of.
The Sand Time Watch, according to me, might be a misnomer because the watch uses a “digital hour glass” only as a screensaver. The actual time, however, is shown once you press a button – and the screensaver then disappears. Much to the disappointment of traditional folks (which includes me), there is no sand and the hour glass does not count time. Nevertheless, the concept is pretty cool and the watch itself looks trendy. Will the Sand Time Watch make it into production? Only the hour glass can tell.
Via Yanko Design.
Posted by kanchana
Category:
design
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| wearables
Tags: watch
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04. 1.2008
How much would you pay for a phone with Bluetooth, integrated 2-megapixel camera with flash, and MP3 playback capabilities? I know such phones are standard fare these days and often offered as free upgrades when extending your cell phone contract, but let's say this new phone was given an "ultra limited edition" label and only 100 of them were being made.
If you guessed 550 euros (about $870), then you're obviously in cahoots with chic Parisian retailer Colette, who's got exclusive dibs on Levi's new Red Tab phone. Think $870 is too much to pay for mediocre features and winged skull etching? Then you must not know about the metal chain and carrying case packed into the "premium" presentation box along with the phone. Mm-hmm. That's where the extra $800 is.
Via Luxury Launches.
Posted by Jenn
Category:
cell phones
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| luxury
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03.28.2008
Word-a-day calendars might improve your vocabulary, but unless they're electronic, they're not exactly great for the environment. Here's a more creative and lasting alternative that you don't have to wait for a new year to try out: the key calendar from Takumi.
I'm not sure exactly how it works, but it seems that you move the key every day to keep track of the date. It would be very cool if turning the keys revealed some kind of secret compartment (you could set it to deliver a love note on your anniversary or something) but I don't think that's an option yet.
Apartment Therapy says the calendar "plays upon both the metaphorical and also the innate physical desire to manipulate the mechanical as an effective way to keep track of the days of a month."
I just think it's pretty.
Posted by diane
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Tags: calendar
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