Hasta La Gadget!

3D printing is changing how people make and build things these days. From printed guns to gowns, the sky’s the limit when it comes to 3D printing. This, you can clearly see, with the shoes that Alan Nguyen of Freedom of Creation has come up with using 3D printing technology.

The iPhone Mashup Shoe features an overlapping strap with an intricate heel that has its very own iPhone case. You can slip your smartphone snugly into the case so you can carry it with you wherever you’re headed in the most unconventional way possible. Each shoe comes with its own iPhone case, so you can carry up to two phones at a time.

While they look kind of cool, it’s not a very sensible design, since your phone will probably be worse for wear after a short while. But while the wedges won’t be so gentle on your iPhone, at least they’ll be kind to your feet.

The iPhone Mashup Shoe was exhibited last year at Milan Design Week and Maison et Objet Paris.

Nguyen explained: “They actually work. I heard they’re pretty comfortable but I haven’t tried them myself.”

[via C|NET]

Clips. They’re used to hold stuff together, from hair to paper and other stuff in between. Binder clips are most common in an office setting, holding stacks of documents in order so they don’t get mixed up when they’re moved from one department to another.

I might be biased, but I look at women the same way. Often, they can serve as the ‘clip’ of a family or a community, even though they might just be acting on the background. Aptly getting that point across is this giant binder clip purse by designer Peter Bristol.

Unfortunately, regular folks like you and me can’t get one of these bags yet, because they’re currently not being produced commercially. Peter explains that he’s considering the possibility of mass producing the bags, although nothing’s been set in stone yet.

Just to make things clear, the giant binder is only a purse. It doesn’t function as an actual giant binder clip, in case you were already thinking of holding together 1,000 pages of loose paper.

[via Geekologie]

Sure, alarm clocks are a dime a dozen these days – and many people even use their mobile gadgets instead of a traditional alarm. But if you’re looking for a truly geektastic looking alarm clock, you’ll want to check out the Xronos.

This custom-built alarm clock has a unique style that would look perfect in a home game room or a geeky bedroom. It’s got a large LED dot-matrix display that can display time in green, red or orange, as well as in several fonts. Adding to its gamer style is the fact that it’s programmed and snoozed using real arcade buttons. The clock offers both 12- and 24-hours modes and can also speak the time or date, as well as provide audio feedback when setting the time. You can even set independent alarms for each day of the week.

In addition to offering alarm functionality, the Xronos offers a built in temperature sensor. And since it’s built on the open source Arduino platform, you can customize the programming to your liking. But the customization doesn’t end there. Alarm sounds are stored on a MicroSD card, you can change those if the 10 built-in sounds don’t entice you to get out of bed.

You can check out the Xronos clock in action in the video clip below:

If you like what you see, head on over to Len’s Digital’s Etsy shop, where you can order the Xronos clock for $200(USD).

We’ve already seen a handful of concept videos – some legit, some humorous – about the real world use cases of Google Glass. Digital creative agency Playground Inc. illustrates more practical applications of the much hyped augmented reality headset in its own concept video. They also have good news and bad news.

Like any other computer, the functionality of Google Glass is as dependent on its software as it is on its silly-looking hardware. The video below focuses entirely on apps, from simple ones like a map and a barcode scanner to fancier ones like an emergency service hotline and a guitar tutor.

What you saw are just mockups, but the good news is that according to Playground Inc., each and every single one of those apps could be made today. Put another way: what you just saw wasn’t a vision of the future. It’s a window to a parallel present.

The bad news? Playground Inc. says that there are two things that make it virtually impossible to implement these apps – the Glass’ battery and its API. I’d add a third: try filling a street, a room or even just an elevator with people using Google Glass. See how that works out. Seriously though I highly recommend you read Playground Inc.’s blog for more on the agency’s thoughts on Glass.

[via Say OMG]

You can be a romantic by wanting to lay yourself down on a bed of roses, but I’d rather be comfortable and lie down on a bed of foam balls instead. Not just regular foam balls because they’ll clearly roll all over the place, leaving you to lie on nothing but the hard floor.

Rather, I mean the Feel Seating System Deluxe. While it can be used in the home, it’s also office chair, but it looks far from being a chair – and for the office, at that.

The entire thing is comprised of 120 fabric-covered balls that are linked together with elastic strands. You’re not limited to just having a chair with the Feel Seating System, since the buckles on the edges let the user reconfigure the shape. Push and move the balls around to come up with a recliner, or flatten it some more to make a cushy bed.

The Feel Seating System Deluxe costs $7,950(USD). It’s steep, I know, but where else can you find an office chair that’s as comfortable, versatile (and productivity eliminating) as this? Fortunately, there are smaller, significantly less expensive versions for kids and smaller adults.

[via Neatorama]