Do you need a distraction from the fact that a freak storm might kill you by the end of the weekend? Here we are to your mental rescue with light up roads, a giant sewing box that’s actually a cabinet, and much more in this round of the most beautiful items of the week. More »
It wasn’t until recently that I realized that sleeping while hanging from the trees was a popular pastime. However, I guess that hanging tree tents not only give you a cool place to rest, but get you up off the ground and away from critters that can’t climb up and into your hovering outdoor domicile. The latest in the growing genre of tree tents is the Cocoon Tree.
This 3-meter (~9.84 feet) diameter, orb-shaped luxury tent is built from 24 curved aluminum rods which form the sphere, and then are covered with cloth to keep you sheltered from the elements and the insects.
The whole rig weighs about 132 pounds, plus the weight of its occupants. The tent is suspended from sturdy tree trunks using hefty polyester rope, designed to hold up to 1.6 tons each. Plus, there’s a security net that can be suspended beneath just in case anything happens to the tent. Inside the Cocoon is a large circular bed that’s got enough space to sleep two adults, or even a couple and two small children.
Once securely inside, roll-up mosquito netting keeps the bugs out, but lets light in. In addition to “in the tree” mounting, the Cocoon can be intalled on the ground, with lunar lander-like feet, floated on a platform, or even attached to a floating inner tube that lets you bob around the water.
Pricing and availability for the Cocoon Tree hasn’t been announced yet, but you can find out more about it over on the project’s website.
Also, if you get out the grey paint, you can make it look like a Death Star.
[via Likecool via HiConsumption]
Birds need their carbs and fats, too, right? It’s a good thing they can get their fill by ‘flying thru’ these Burger King ‘Fly Thru’ bird feeders. They look so well-made that you’d think the Burger King himself was behind them, but these were actually made by Brian Wolter.
The bird feeder features the Burger King logo prominently and provides a tiny, sheltered space off on one side where the bird food is supposed to be. It looks pretty sturdy, so I’m sure our avian friends can have their fill and chow down on birdseed and bread while being safe from the elements.
The coolest thing about this feeder is that it’s got a solar panel system on top that absorbs the sun’s energy to generate power to light up the Burger King sign at night and during early morning.
[NOTCOT via Neatorama via Obvious Winner]
On a dark night, there can be something malevolent and looming about the trees. They rustle suspiciously behind you. It’s like they’re hiding some invisible monster. Turns out they are, or it least it looks that way when you shine a projector at them. More »
Designed by Fanny Adam, an arts student who was clearly living in a cramped dorm, the multi-functional Story sofa is an even more accomplished transformer than Optimus Prime. It changes from a sofa, to a bed, to a dining table—all the while providing ample storage with drawers and cubby holes. More »
Nothing sucks more than running out of power when you need it the most. And by that, I mean running out of juice to power your smartphone, MP3 player, flashlight, radio, and other gadgets that run on batteries.
Most of the time, it’s inconvenient. But when it happens during natural disasters, crises, or emergencies, then it’s potentially life-threatening (or life-saving.) And in cases like these, having something like Eton’s BoostTurbine would be a good idea.
It’s basically a crankable backup battery that you can use to charge devices that connect to a charger via USB or microUSB. It might take a while before you can crank enough power to send a text and even longer before you can make a call, but hey, it’s better than nothing.
The BoostTurbine1000 with the 1000mAh battery is priced at $49(USD), while the BoostTurbine2000 (which can store twice as much power, and comes in four colors) is priced at $59.
[via Gizmodo]
The slightest gust on a rainy day can make the umbrella you’re carrying completely useless. Besides flipping inside out, it doesn’t protect you from rain being blown in from the side. So Lin Min-Wei and Liu Li-Hsiang came up with the Rain Shield, a radical re-thinking of the umbrella that seemingly solves those problems. More »
Whatever you think of the continual legal tussles between Apple and Samsung, a UK court’s decision to force the former into publicly acknowledging that the latter did not copy its design will have seemed a little egregious even to the most ardent sammy-sympathiser. Well, that post is now live — on Apple’s site at least — and as you might expect, is studiously manicured to almost not feel like an acknowledgement at all. The opening legalese notes that Samsung did not infringe “registered design No. 0000181607-0001,” before going on to point out in perfect lay-terms the positive comments Judge Colin Birss made about its own slates. While Apple does confirm that the UK decision was further upheld by the court of appeal, it is also keen to remind you that other European legal jurisdictions (namely Germany) don’t share this opinion. Head to source to read the statement in full.
Continue reading Apple publishes ‘Samsung did not copy’ statement through gritted teeth
Filed under: Tablets, Apple, Samsung
Apple publishes ‘Samsung did not copy’ statement through gritted teeth originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Oct 2012 04:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The downside to compact, energy efficient vehicles is their lack of cargo space. But designers around the world are hard at work ensuring that doesn’t inhibit your ability to properly furnish your home. Like Carl de Smet who created this comfy foam lounger that smooshes down to a flat block that’s five percent of its original size. More »
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