Feb 10
Beijing’s smog problem isn’t exactly new information, but it’s been getting way worse lately. In response, local artist Matt Hope decided to integrate an air purifier into his bike so riding around the city would be less hazardous. More »
Feb 10
If you’ve ever been asked to shut up, you probably are familiar with the phrase “stick/shove/stuff/put a cork in it.” Now there’s a radio concept which wants you to do just that.
Designed by Skrekkøgle, the PLUGG radio is a basic digital radio with one unique feature – it’s turned off by shoving a cork into it, and removing the cork turns it on.
I assume you’ll still need to use normal controls for changing volume or stations, but the cork power switch is pretty clever. That is, until you lose the cork.
[via Fan the Fire]
Feb 10
Most folding scooters are missing something. You know, like a seat or actual portability. But the MOVEO from Turkish nonprofit Antro has a true mounted seat and folds to the size of a wheely suitcase. Intriguing. More »
Feb 10
Disappearing Packages: When the Product is the Package, and the Package is the Product
Posted in: Today's ChiliEvery year, 140 billion pounds of packaging are disposed of in the United States alone. The world is running out of space for land fills and we’ve already got enough particulate matter in the atmosphere, just in case some people think burning the whole lot is the solution.
Design student Aaron Mickelson is well aware of the impact that all this packaging has on the environment. His alternative? Disappearing packaging.
Not the type of disappearing that involves magic, but ingenuity. Instead of using non-biodegradable materials to package various household products, Aaron’s packaging calls for the product itself to be integrated into the packaging, so the latter gets used up in the process as well.
Instead of ending up with an empty bottle, you’ll end up with… well, nothing. Some example designs include detergent pods which punch out of a perforated sheet that forms the package, soap packaging made out of soap, and garbage bags that are packed in, well… a garbage bag.
Doing something like this might be easier said than done, but it’s worth a shot, at the very least.
[via TAXI via Bit Rebels]
Feb 10
There’s only so much room overhead for umbrellas. An easy solution would be to share, but then comes the question of whose turn it is to hold the umbrella upright. Quentin de Coster’s simple solution to that? The Branch Umbrella.
I think the name of the umbrella pretty much explains the entire design. Instead of a single handle, it branches into two so the people under it can do their part and take a branch each to keep the umbrella over their heads.
The handle was created for Les Petits Rien / Spullenhulp, a Belgian non-profit organization that invites product and fashion designers to come up with unique pieces from secondhand materials for their Second Hand, Second Life auction. All of the proceeds, of course, are used to fight poverty.
Of the design, Coster explains: “When it is raining and you are accompanied, it is often difficult to wait for the other and adjust your stride compared to its own. This double handle allows two people to hold the umbrella and leads them to walk at the same pace.”
[via MocoLoco via Gadgets Matrix]
Feb 10
Hole-y Air Conditioned Shoes! Now You Can Say Goodbye to Stinky, Sweaty Feet
Posted in: Today's ChiliSo these air-conditioned shoes from Chiyoda don’t exactly come with an actual air conditioner, but they’ll have to do for the moment until someone figures out a way to do that. Not like the latter sounds like a very practical idea, but if there’s a market for it, then why not?
Chiyoda’s air-conditioned shoes follow the same concept used by makers of breathable sneakers and running shoes. You’ll find not one, not two, but six air vents on the shoe’s sole to facilitate air movement from your feet to the outside world.
But the added airiness comes with a price: you run the risk of dirtier soles (your actual soles, this time) because of the openings. You’ll also have to wary when it’s raining, because the water will probably creep up the holes and into the shoe itself.
They’re being sold for 7,245 yen (~ $78 USD) on Chiyoda’s site.
[via Bit Rebels]
Feb 09
With all of the people we meet in business and our personal lives, sometimes it’s hard to leave a lasting impression. Sure, you could do something outlandish, like juggle kittens or something, but they’ll probably just think you’re nuts.
Instead, most of us just like to leave behind a calling card of some sort. But paper business cards are so easily buried in a drawer or tossed in the trash that they’re not that effective. What you need is the CallingCube.
This inventive object is a actually a calling card, printed onto a small cube using 3D printing technology. Just pick your color, provide text for the sides, your logo or graphic – and the designers at CallingCube will do the rest. Of course, you’ll get a proof of your design before they’re printed too.
They’re available in a variety of colors, and will definitely leave an impression wherever you leave them. I certainly wouldn’t throw away a business card this cool. It’d probably be sitting on my desk somewhere.
Keep in mind that CallingCubes aren’t exactly cheap. 20 of the suckers will set you back $99 (USD) – about $5 per cube – though there are substantial discounts for ordering more. An order of 240 cubes runs $799, which works out to about $3.32 per cube. They are also offering an additional $50 off orders of 80 or more cubes until March 1st, 2013. For 5 bucks, you can order a sample CallingCube to get a sense of how they feel in your hand.
That all said, you’ll still want to keep some cheap business cards around and save these for your most important contacts.
Feb 08
This week has been bleakly overcast with constant talk of dull, dreary weather and unwelcome torrents of snow. Take a break from the grayness, and bask in the most beautiful things we laid our eyes on this week. It’ll help; we promise. More »
Feb 08
I guess that balloons and airships are in, because they are popping up everywhere. I remember one year, there was even a personal balloon with a rotor available for $10,000 in the American Express rewards catalog. This project takes personal ballooning a step further because it’s solar-powered and you can make it yourself.
This balloon is the brainchild of Argentinian artist Tomàs Saraceno. It’s called 59 Steps to Be on Air by Sun Power and is an exploration of architecture, art, and physics. The project is presented as a set of instructions that are supposed to be used as a sequence for creating a hot-air balloon-style flying device, which uses solar power.
The materials used to build your own are garbage bags, transparent tape, rope, bicycle wheels, and various bits of “flotsam and jetsam” to make the structure. You can download the steps here [PDF]. It takes about 24 hours to complete the project, if two people are working on it. You’ll probably want to have a friend around anyhow to make sure that you don’t float away.
[via designboom]
Feb 08
Season three of The Walking Dead may still be airing, but it is never too soon to get a sneak peek at the case for the limited-edition Blu-ray set. MTV Geek has outed the collectible packaging, and it’s nice and gruesome and features a replica of the Governor’s head-filled aquarium.
This is a must have for Walking Dead fans and I’m sure it is creepier than anything you have on display on your shelf already. This Blu-ray case was a collaboration between Robert Kirkman and McFarlane Toys comes with five plastic decapitated heads – all nicely decayed and nasty as you’d expect. It’s even got LED illumination to proudly showcase your floating heads.
If you collect Blu-Ray sets and love this show, you will want to get this one when it is eventually released.
[via Nerd Approved]
Who's in charge here?
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.