Super Mario Bros. Magic Billet Box Hides Your Coins & Power Ups

Hide your mushrooms, buds and leaves in these Super Mario Bros.-themed boxes. They’re special editions of a trick safe called the Magic Billet Box, which has a lid that can only be opened a certain way.

super mario bros magic billet box 620x465magnify

Each anodized aluminum box has two lids. Anyone can take the outer lid out, but you have know the trick to remove the inner lid and finally open the box.

super mario bros magic billet box 2 620x465magnify

Here’s a demo of the boxes by inventor Eric Krusenstjerna.

Punch your browser and head to Magic Billet Box to order. Each box measures about 2″ on each side and costs $100 (USD) each. You can also get a three-piece set  – two brick blocks and one coin block – for $240.

[via DudeIWantThat]

Apple Smart Magnet Technology Could Result In New iPad Accessories

Apple Smart Magnet Technology Could Result In New iPad AccessoriesLike it or not, Apple has been at the forefront of innovation in recent times, and it seems that they have another interesting innovation that will involve magnets. The magnets involved will be located within the iPad, where it could see the expansion of additional smart accessories down the road for the likes of the iPad. Right now, the magnets that are located within the iPad will see action in anchoring the cover and case to it, but there might be additional improvements with the proposed “keyed magnetic structure”. This particular use of magnets will involve a specific arrangement that can be positioned on any side of the tablet. This enables them to be deployed in addition to traditional magnets and electromagnets which will then receive input from the operating system.

(more…)

  • Follow: Apple, , ,
  • Apple Smart Magnet Technology Could Result In New iPad Accessories original content from Ubergizmo.

        



    Insult Magnets Send a Message to Inconsiderate Parkers

    Some drivers are horrible parkers. Some are careless, there are others go out of their way to be rude, while some just can’t help it. Regardless of which kind of bad parker they are, they’re still bad parkers all the same. And for that, their cars deserve to be magneted. Okay, so I just made that word up.

    Do Your Park2magnify

    Sticking these Do Your Park magnets onto cars might not seem to do much, at least, in the physical sense, but the insults printed on them will send a message that the recipient isn’t likely to forget. Each pack contains ten magnets with an assortment of insults, ranging from subtle to in-your-face cracks about their inability to park courteously.

    Do Your Parkmagnify

    Do Your Park3magnify

    Do Your Park4magnify

    Do Your Park5magnify

    The Do Your Park magnets are available online for $12(USD). That’s way cheaper than the bill you’ll pay for keying their car.

    [via Laughing Squid]

    A Dress That Magneto Will Approve Of

    A Dress That Magneto Will Approve OfWhen it comes to fashion, you know for sure that strides in this department cannot be made if no one is bold enough to experiment with new ideas. This time around, here is something that even the master of magnetism, Magneto himself, would approve. As part of Dutch Design Week, artist Jólan Van der Wiel alongside designer Iris Van Herpen have worked on a couple of dresses which were specially designed more by magnetism rather than the product of their own hands.

    Why do we say this? Well, Van der Wiel has chalked up quite a history when it comes to featuring magnetism in his work. To make sure that his creations will be forged in a unique manner, he came up with something he dubbed “the gravity tool,” which would seem like an old torture device. In a nutshell, it is a housing for a bunch of magnets, and whenever a composite of iron filings and molten plastic is loaded into the gravity tool, Van der Wiel will be able to manipulate the material as it hardens. Hence, you get something like the dress that you see above. Will opposites be able to attract if your date decides to wear something as outrageous as this?

  • Follow: General, , magnet,
  • A Dress That Magneto Will Approve Of original content from Ubergizmo.

        



    littleBits Modular Magnetic Electronics Kits: No Solder, No Problem

    A few months ago I talked about a Kickstarter project called the LightUp, an electronics kit for kids and newbies. Instead of wires or solder, LightUp uses magnets to connect the modules together. It turns out that there’s already a very similar product out on the market. It’s called littleBits, and it already has a growing number of modules and a healthy community.

    littlebits modular magnetic electronics kit

    Like LightUp, littleBits uses color-coded modules that easily snap together using magnets. Each module also has screen-printed labels that identify its parts. Unlike LightUp, littleBits uses the polarity of magnets to prevent you from sticking a module to another module the wrong way.

    The modules are separated into four types: power, input, output and wire. The first three are self-explanatory, while the wire module is used to extend or branch out your circuit. Each type has multiple variants. For instance, there’s a USB and a coin battery power module, a button and a light sensor input module, an LED and a DC motor output module and more.

    Head to littleBits’ online shop to order a kit. The base kit costs $99 (USD) and comes with 10 modules. You can also buy more modules separately.

    Check out the littleBits website and their YouTube channel to see what customers have built with the kits.

    [via Make:]

    Pogo Breakaway Headphone Jack: MagSafe Your Music

    A few months ago we featured the Neo-Plug, a mobile device charger with a two-piece magnetic tip similar to Apple’s MagSafe. Designer Jon Patterson recently showed us a similar concept but for a headphone jack. He calls it the Pogo. I call it a headphone saver.

    pogo magnetic headphone jack by jon patterson

    Like many of us, Jon was tired of having his headphone cable snag or break when he accidentally pulls it. When he left his job at Nooka, Jon spent his time developing the Pogo. Now he’s ready to show off his prototypes. Like the Neo-Plug, Pogo is split into two parts. Each part has a neodymium magnet that securely connects the halves and four Pogo pins that bridge the connection.

    All wired connections should be like this. Jon is looking for partners that can help him mass produce the Pogo. If you’re interested, you can contact him here.

    [via Jon Patterson]

    DIY Magnetic Crocheted Katamari is Very Attractive

    Flickr user/Sprite Stitcher/Princess of All Cosmos Mara Cheng made a crocheted katamari that works a bit like its videogame counterpart, and she did it the Jesse Pinkman way: with magnets. Yeah, Science!

    magnetic crocheted katamari by mara cheng

    Actually Mara made it the Amy Shimel way. Amy designed the pattern back in 2007, way before Jesse and Walt needed magnets. Amy’s design calls for 28 0.75″ round magnets stuffed inside the ball along with Poly-Fil. Amy says you have to crochet the main body as tight as you can so that the Katamari won’t be deformed by the weight of the magnets. Roll to Amy’s website for the instructions.

    [via Sprite Stitch]

    Stick ‘em Magnetic Towels: Stick ‘em Wherever You Want

    Towels in the kitchen. Where do you put them? Some people put them on the oven handle, other’s on the fridge handle. But what if you don’t have a handle on your fridge door? That’s where these Stick ‘Em Magnet towels come in handy.
    Magnet towel
    You don’t want your towel to end up on the floor, but in the kitchen that is a serious possibility. The Full Circle Stick ‘Em Magnet Kitchen Towel will attach itself to the fridge so that it’s always handy.

    They say that it’s super soft, absorbent, and the best news is that it will cost you around $12(USD). Why sew a magnet onto your own towel, when you can just buy one? Who needs the extra work? This handy towel will make life easier.

    [via The Red Ferret]

    LightUp Electronics Construction Kit: LEGOtronics

    Stanford University alumni Josh Chan and Tarun Pondicherry invented LightUp, a modular electronics kit that’s as easy to use as LEGO blocks. The kits is designed to teach children the basics of electronics and computer programming.

    lightup electronics construction kit

    LightUp simplifies the process of building an electronic circuit so that it won’t discourage children from experimenting and trying again if they don’t get the result they want. Instead of requiring children to use soldering materials or wires, the parts in a LightUp kit connect to each other using magnets. This means that they’re easy to put together and take apart. It also means that if you purchase more kits, you get more parts to mix and match.

    lightup electronics construction kit 2

    One thing that LightUp kits have that LEGO toys don’t have is an augmented reality app. When you take a picture of a LightUp circuit on a mobile device, the app can point out if any of the parts are incorrectly connected. It can also show the flow of electricity throughout the circuit, as shown in the image above. Finally, LightUp can be programmed using Arduino code, so kids can jump right into coding if they want. I’m not sure if the kit will come with programming aids or lessons though.

    Pledge at least $39 (USD) on Kickstarter to receive a LightUp kit as a reward. The reward tiers seem to have different kinds of kits assigned to them; I’m not sure if the more expensive kits will include all the items included in the cheaper ones, so choose your desired tier carefully.

    Neo-Plug Magnetic Mobile Device Charger & Data Cables: MagSafe All the Things!

    If you own a MacBook, then you’re probably thankful for its handy MagSafe, the magnetized power connector for your laptop’s charger. Not only does it make connecting the charger to your laptop insanely easy, it also detaches fairly easily. When you trip over the cord or yank it off forcefully, it won’t take your precious MacBook down with it. The Neo-Plug works just like the MagSafe, except it’s for mobile devices.

    neo plug magnetic charger adapter

    Invented by Jacob Brozek, the Neo-Plug takes its name from the neodymium magnets that connect its two parts together. Jacob’s design essentially divides the connector end of a charger or data cable into two parts. One end stays on the cable while the other end stays on the port of your mobile device. The magnets embedded on both halves connect the two parts effortlessly.

    Brozek is seeking to raise $167,000(USD) on Kickstarter by May 8 to finish his product, but with such a good product I think he’ll raise more than that amount. As of now the Neo-Plug has three variants – micro-USB, 30-pin and Lightning. Pledge at least $30 and you get a Neo-Plug of your choice. You can also learn more about the Neo-Plug on its website.