Hasta La Gadget!

Picture this: you’re on your way to work with your briefcase in one hand and  a cup of coffee on the other. Suddenly, the skies go dark and it starts raining cats and dogs. You reach for your umbrella and then you realize you have to get rid of something because you aren’t exactly born with three hands. Sadly, it’s the coffee that ultimately has to go…

Solving this problem are Andrew Tan, Mike Elam, Jordan Schlipf and their Morella.

It’s essentially a cup holder that attaches to the handle of your umbrella. It’s got a gimbal mechanism to ensure that your cups always stay level and don’t spill. That way, you can carry your drink (and even an extra one!) while holding your umbrella with one hand and whatever else you need to carry in the other.

The cool part about it is that you can use it with umbrellas that are in use (as in the picture) or closed, so you can just stick your umbrella into the ground and transform it into a drink stand.

Morella is currently up for funding on Kickstarter, where a minimum pledge of £10 (~$16 USD) will get you both a single cup and a double cup Morella.

Remember: With Morella, you’ll be able to do more-ella with your umbrella! (Was it that bad? Sorry, I couldn’t resist!)

[via LikeCool]

They say that two’s company, and three’s a crowd. However, when it is pouring cats and dogs, nobody is going to claim that three’s a crowd if there is only one umbrella to use in the vicinity. The thing is, most umbrellas are way too small to fit in three humans underneath, unless we are talking about hobbits and dwarves. Carrying around a golf umbrella also does not make too much sense at all, so why not settle for something that is prim and proper – with the $34.95 Packable Three-Person Umbrella in tow?

The Packable Three-Person Umbrella is special in a sense where this three-person umbrella is not bulky when not in use, where it will be able to retract to just 22″ in length and sports a 2.5” diameter, making it a snap to carry around whenever you travel. The 58” diameter vented nylon canopy and its 40″ shaft will deploy with but a simple press of the spring-activated auto-open button so that you receive instant coverage for a golf threesome, or perhaps a trio of shoppers alongside their bags. How about having it provide adequate cover to a gaggle of teens as well? There will be vented openings in the canopy that disperses wind to eliminate inversion.
[ Packable Three-Person Umbrella ensures everyone remains nice and dry copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

The big kid in you would have definitely wanted to duke it out like a man with your siblings or friends using lightsabers when you first watched the Star Wars movies, never mind that the kind of physics involved in the movie are shaky at best. After all, what better way there is to settle a dispute than in a duel set in a fantasy environment? The lightsaber has proven itself to be a tool of offence as well as defense, and Obi-Wan Kenobi is a shining example of strong defense with his ‘saber skills. With the $35.99 Star Wars Lightsaber Umbrellas, you will be able to protect yourself from the rain without having to invoke any midichlorians along the way, while ensuring that you will always be prepared to meet the threat of any Jedi, Dark Jedi, or Sith.

The Star Wars Lightsaber Umbrella sports an anodized shaft in the appropriate color of the saber blade, where each purchase would come with a carrying sheath alongside a shoulder strap. The hilts are not according to scale so that they will be easier to hold in the midst of a storm, and the canopy segment even comes with the saber owner’s affiliation insignia (Jedi or Imperial) silk-screened on it. Guaranteed to turn heads whenever you go out with one of these during those bright sunny or rainy days, you can choose from a green, red or blue shaft that represents Yoda, Darth Vader and Obi-Wan. Each of these are fully licensed Lucasfilm collectibles just in case you were wondering.
[ Star Wars Lightsaber Umbrellas lets you duke it out with one another copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Have you tried sharing an umbrella with someone who’s shorter than you? It’s fine if you’re the one holding it, but if the other person is holding it, then you might feel a couple of bumps as the frame scrapes against your head, because your companion might be holding it a wee bit low.

Clearly, that’s a first-world problem. But it’s one that Hiroshi Kajimoto has solved with the UnBRELLA. When it’s closed, the UnBRELLA appears upside-down. When it’s open, you’ll see that the frame is placed on the outside instead, which makes it inside-out as well.

With these design modifications, the user gets more head room and the potential for tangled hair is eliminated.

The UnBRELLA is available for pre-order online. It will be released in mid-February 2014.

[via Laughing Squid]

Whenever I go take the dog for a walk on a rainy or snowy day, it’s challenging to carry around an umbrella to keep from getting wet, so I usually just end up soaked by the time I’m done. But if I had a Nubrella, all of my problems would be solved.

Current Nubrella Design

Though I’d create a new issue for myself – embarrassment. I’m just not sure I’d be able to walk down the street wearing one of these silly looking things, even though I like the concept of a truly hands-free umbrella. The Nubrella was originally launched back in 2009, but the original design was too constraining, and bubble like, which made it uncomfortable to wear and use. Its designers are now readying a new version which solves many of the problems of the original.

Improved 2013 Nubrella Design

The new Nubrella (say that 10 times fast) is worn like a backpack, but when it’s wet outside, it can be opened up to cover your head and upper body – like a giant hood. It’s got a see-through front and top, which provides greater visibility than with umbrellas too. The updated design also allows for an open front which improves the ability to communicate and see while wearing it.

It’s really a pretty ingenious design, but I still don’t think I can get past the way it looks. Am I just too vain? If you’re not self-conscious, you can get on the list to own a new backpack-style Nubrella over on Kickstarter with prices starting around $50(USD) – about half of the planned retail price.

[via LikeCool]