Hasta La Gadget!

Red Solo cups are a staple at every party – except at fancy ones, that is. They’ve become sort of like a symbol for parties where alcohol is particularly abundant. This image was no doubt bolstered by movies which show everyone chugging down from a red cup with the music playing full-blast.

But who says red cups are only for holding beer or punch?

If Red Cup Living had their way, you’d be using red cups at your fancy dinners, too. They’ve recently reconfigured the iconic red cup into all sorts of other cups that frequent alcohol consumers would almost immediately recognize. In addition to the traditional tumblers, there’s a 14 oz. wine cup, a 15 oz. margarita cup, a 12 oz. cocktail cup, an 8 oz. wine cup, and a 2 oz. shooter cup. Unlike the cheap originals, these ones are crafted from durable, double-walled, break-resistant ABS plastic and are dishwasher-safe.

There’s even a 12 oz. coffee mug which you can use the morning after, made from stoneware instead of plastic.

The cups debuted last week at the International Housewares Association show and they’re already available for sale online, with prices ranging from $4 to $10(USD) each.

[via Food Beast]

We’ve seen some pretty unusual vending machines these past few years, ranging from the playful to the extraordinary and downright strange. The soon-to-be-released Dreambox, however, is in an entirely different league. It doesn’t sell any specific goods because there’s nothing on display except a 3D printer.

And you know what that means: virtually unlimited possibilities. All you have to do is find a 3D model of whatever you want to print, and you’re good to go.

Unfortunately, 3D printers are still quite expensive and if you only want to use it to print stuff sparingly, then it’s a wasted investment. The people behind Dreambox are probably aware of that, which is why they’re pushing forward with this vending machine of sorts in the first place. They’re in the prototype stage, and you can watch it in action in the clip below.

Obviously, there are still limitations to prosumer 3D printers like the one in the Dreambox – most specifically the size of objects they can print, as well as printing speed. To tackle the latter, you’ll upload your order remotely for pickup, and receive a message when your object is ready for pickup at your local Dreambox. That said, if you don’t mind waiting a couple of weeks to receive your 3D object, you can always use an online service such as Shapeways or Ponoko.

[via Inhabitat via Dvice]

No matter what kind of geek you are or what you are into, you will find something to love on this awesome knitted blanket. Ravelry member Leilaniac designed it in Excel and then knitted it with Shibui Knits sock yarn.

It has everything that any self respecting geek could want. There are Cylons, Spock’s hand, the TARDIS, squares devoted to cats, dinosaurs, Serenity, the Millenium Falcon proclaiming that Han shot first and more. Oh, and the center square is binary for the name of Leilaniac’s nephew, who she made this blanket for.

This blanket will not only keep you warm, but it will also warm your geek heart.

[via FYGNK via Neatorama]

Some interests are pretty morbid. For instance, I’ve always wondered just what kind of person would want to become a coroner or an undertaker. It’s just weird to me. The same thing applies to people who collect bugs and display them. Seems pretty gruesome to me. I’m just not that fascinated with dead things. However, dead bugs in LEGO? Yeah, I can see how that could be neat.

Insect fans are about to have their bug-loving nerd minds blown by these “taxidermied” LEGO insects. Each detailed LEGO insect was hand-made by Siercon and Coral and put into shadow box insect display cases.

Now this is insect taxidermy that I wholeheartedly approve of.

Head over to flickr to see the entire collection of LEGO creepy crawlies.

[via IT LEGO via Obvious Winner]

Hey! Listen! Shields are supposed to tough and durable so that they can protect you from swords and arrows and stuff. Not this shield. A knife attack will cut it to shreds. And then you get to devour it and eat it all up.

This super nicely detailed Hylian shield cake was made by Redditor Riorus’s mom. One kid’s love of Zelda, a few layers of cake and fondant, and a mom’s love and knowledge of geeky baking are all it took to make this baked masterpiece.

Look at how shiny this beautiful cake looks. You have an awesome mom, Riorus. I’ll bet he returns the favor and does something like this for his own kids one day.

[via Geeks Are Sexy]