Tag Archives : MISCELLANEOUS

This concept design, dubbed the Hungry Battery, is a pretty standard-looking set of batteries when they’re all charged up. But unlike normal batteries, which let you know that they’re dead by no longer working, these guys actually get thinner as they lose juice. It’s a neat idea. It would certainly be helpful to have a visual indicator of how much power is left. But the way batteries fit into devices makes this seem like it wouldn’t really work. If they need to fit in tightly when charged, would thinning down make them loose? If so, these won’t work at all. Maybe [...]

When a friend’s son accidentally sent his iPod through the washing machine for a second time, the kind yet frustrated mom did what any caring mother would do. She bought him a new one. However, she had the replacement engraved with a gentle reminder of the care instructions: Dry Clean Only. Lesson learned. Let us know what clever things you have engraved on your iPod.

Once in a while, while intoxicated, you might end up taking a couple hundred dollars out of the ATM that you really shouldn’t have. It’s not great, but it’s also not the end of the world. But if that ATM could dispense solid gold? Well, that opens the door for much more destructive mistakes. In (where else?) Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Palace, this ATM offers up gold coins up to 10 grams in size with customized deisgns whenever you want. It monitors the daily price of gold and adjusts its rates accordingly, so you know you’re paying the proper price. And really, this is [...]

Even if you’ve never woken up with a hangover after a night out at a bar, you’ve probably had a sore throat from shouting to be heard over a crowd. A design student in Edinburgh has come up with a creative, if not outlandish contraption that’s intended to make it easier to hold a conversation in a noisy environment. The speech bubbles, worn over the head, are meant to isolate the voice from external ambience. Uh-huh. We say: if you really want to carry on a serious conversation, why not just stay home. Using these devices, the only noise you’ll be trying to talk over is [...]

It won’t be long before airlines start charging by the pound. Heck, you’re already docked a $90 fee if your bag’s weight exceeds 50 pounds. That’s why you might benefit greatly from this self-weighing luggage, displaying its weight in an easy-to-read LCD. Simply pick up your bag, and its LCD screen tips you off if you’ve picked up one too many souvenirs on that shopping vacation. Nice idea — if it could prevent you from going over 50 pounds just once, it’ll almost pay for its $100 price. Now if they could just make it self-propelled, it would be ideal luggage

Know someone who still needs to be exposed the joys of Star Wars? This two-minute recap, made entirely from LEGOs and beefed up with some impressive special effects, should do the trick nicely. Hell, I didn’t even know they made LEGO Ewoks. In two minutes and change it really hits all the high points, too — and Han even shoots first (though he puts Greedo back together like the gentlemanly rogue he is). Check it out below.

A volcano in Iceland erupted yesterday, spewing a gigantic cloud of dust in the air, and with the wind blowing from the northwest, it brought air traffic in the northern parts of Europe to a halt. Jet engines can be severely damaged by the glassy silicate in that volcanic dust, leading authorities to close airports and airspace in Britain, France, and most of northern Europe. Such clouds can flame out jet engines, because those silicates have a melting point of between 600 and 800°C, while jet engine temperatures in flight are higher than 1,000°C. The tiny particles melt when they encounter [...]

Normally, a VTR controller is a boring box with buttons and knobs on it that broadcasters use to control videotape machines. It’s a professional piece of equipment, something no layman would ever need. So it’s pretty strange to see one gussied up to look like some sort of steampunk cash register. But that’s just what this is. It’s a totally custom VTR controller made by HiTechSys and on display at the NAB Conference, which is a trade show for the broadcast industry. It’s fully functional, with every button performing a real task that broadcasters need. And now, whenever [...]

Yesterday was opening day for Major League Baseball (it’s today in some markets), making our minds wander toward buying tickets for sporting events. Now that tricky task is a lot easier with Seats 3D, showing you the exact view from that seat you’re about to buy. Given that an outing to a baseball game can run into the hundreds of dollars, this elegant implementation of 3D tech could save you a lot of heartache. The catch: Only nine MLB stadiums are covered thus far, and that selection doesn’t include Miller Park, the home of our beloved Brewers. In fact, they’re playing [...]

If you’re in a band, you know that lugging around huge equipment like synths is a real pain. If only there was an easier way! The Korg Monotron analog synthesizer is the solution to your laziness problem. It’s a fully-functioning synth that just so happens to be pocket-sized. Sure, it’s only got a handful of keys, but I’m sure you’ll be able to work around that, right? Look for it in May for about $67. Via Slashgear