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Take-A-Seat Concept Has Your Library Chair Follow You Around Like a Dog After a Bitch on Heat
Posted by Addy Dugdale at 11:45 PM on December 14, 2007
This idea, by Eindhoven graduate Jelte Van Geest, is for a smart chair. Wave your library card in front of the chair's sensor and it will follow you around like a lovesick puppy, providing somewhere for you to park your butt while you flick through various tomes in the library. Now, is this where I write something about saluting our smart-chair overlords, or something? [Core77 via Fresh Creation]
Those fellows at Unwired View have spotted an interesting Sony Ericsson patent application, which seems to depict an auto-cleaning function for mobile phone screens. The concept is simple; a cleaning blade is coupled to the opening/closing mechanism of a clamshell or slider phone. When the phone is flipped/slid open, the cleaning blade runs across the length of the screen removing grubby prints.The same process repeats in reverse when the phone is closed, keeping your screen in good viewing condition at all times. It's a good concept, much like communism is a good concept. Ultimately, it will end up making more problems than it solves. That fiddly cleaning utensil is sure to snap off, at which point the remnants of the device will end up scratching your sexy display. Even if it doesn't break, the cleaning process will soon get really annoying, unless it is super speedy, (which it definitely won't be). Either way, you're better off just washing your filthy, chubby, clammy, blotchy, putrid paws. [
Bill Gates has scribbled a piece for the BBC News website on what he reckons you need to succeed in today's world. As well as an ability to understand IT, surprise surprise, the Microsoftie talked about how a good knowledge of Math and Science was essential for people to get ahead in the 21st Century. Choice quotes, plus Bill's body art shocker, are below.
Jin Woo Han's design for a Home Theatre PC concept is certainly innovative. Somehow reminiscent of R2-D2, it has a built-in projector flanked by speakers that you can detach for optimum positioning. The slimline unit has retractable cords and a collapsible keyboard. Gallery is after the jump.
AMD has just announced they shall be releasing three new graphics processors. The R680 is the new model grabbing all the attention, thanks to its dual 55nm processor core. AMD were clear in stating the 55nm processors are identical to those used in an earlier model, but the older RV670 GPU contained only one 55nm Phenom processor. The R680 will bring twice the fun with its dual core goodness and CrossFireX support.AMD are also set to revise two existing models, the RV610 and RV630, which will both be treated to new 55nm processors, but shall remain otherwise identical. We know that Phenom cores have had a tough time courting favour with the experts, and though the new AMD triplet seem great on paper, we'll reserve judgment till they are unwrapped and put to the test. The products will all hit next month. Happy New Year, gamers. [
There is something a little bizarre about the idea of flying a kite indoors —but in reality, that characteristic makes the BioKite is ideal for the disabled.Thanks to a super aerodynamic structure and extreme light weight of only 10 grams, the BioKite can fly in completely windless environments. It can also be accurately controlled using the fishing rod and reel attachment. Just don't this sort of cutting-edge kite technology to come cheap. Available for 11,000 Yen or $110. [
Our good friend Ramon of 
I suppose it goes without saying that the kind of person that would buy a mirrored watch is most likely obsessed with their own reflection. Either that, or they are a bunch of buck-toothed spinach eaters. Still, you can't take away from the clean design and the animated dot-matrix style LED display that can be turned on or off at the push of a button. Not my cup of tea, but I don't need a watch to tell me I'm looking dead sexy. I much prefer to continue living the lie. Available for $US159. [
Japanese entertainment rag BARKS is floating the idea that the Wii puts out a sound frequency that "calls out" to and attracts the dirty little creepy-crawlers—gokiburi, one of my favourite Japanese words, even though I hate roaches. It's probably bunk and (BARK admits it might be), but have any of you noticed your pad's become a roach motel despite maintaining the same standard of (un)cleanliness? The 360's bomb shelter-flattening fan would probably negate the effects if you're looking for a quick fix. Also! 
You know we're getting close to MacWorld when the Apple noise shifts from steady hum to full-frenzied thrashing. Spooks report spotting an anorexic "dark grey" or "gun metal" 13-inch aluminium notebook prancing around campus, which could be a new MacBook model Apple's supposedly 
Next time you open up that "past due" notice you can still feel like a bad arse with this Zeus lightning bolt letter opener. All junk mail and coupon flyers will tremble before you and your awesome power —not to mention mailmen, neighbours, kids, and small dogs (if things get out of hand). Available in solid or silver plated brass. Pricing upon request. [
This handmade, sterling silver ring from Analogue Aesthetics features a built-in microphone and a standard 3.5mm plug. Surely you can imagine the sort of fun that can be had with a device like this—plus, if a verbal jousting match with a heckler turned ugly, you have the satisfaction of knowing that a punch to the face with this baby on would be devastating. Available for $US105. [
How do you manage to run up a $US85,000 mobile phone bill you ask? Apparently, 22-year-old Calgary native Piotr Staniaszek was under the impression that his $10 "unlimited browser plan" on Bell Mobility gave him carte blanche to use his mobile phone as a PC modem. Unfortunately, when a $60,000 bill arrived in his mailbox for the month of November he learned the hard way that this was not the case. The charges were later upped to $85,000 "because the company was charging him on a per-kilobyte basis."
Another entry in the swelling mound of 
We met with Divx earlier today to discuss their upcoming plans, and one of the topics that came up was support for the PS3 console. According to the company, they expect the 
Popular Mechanics knows how to get people pissed off. They just released their "Worst of the Year" list, and while much of it is the time of crap that I've never heard of that I'm sure is lousy. it has some stuff on it that quite a few people might actually, you know, like. Such as Apple TV, Zune 2 and Pleo. What were they thinking?
It's been almost two years since the first Motorola Ming shipped, but the Chinese site Enet says its successor, the Moto Ming 2, will be shipping next February. According to Enet, the A1600 will have quad-band GSM, GPRS, a faster CPU, 3.2-megapixel camera with autofocus, AGPS, Wi-Fi, and run on Linux. Not many other details other than these, bit we do know that it's going to look quite sophisticated with its sleek black finish and silver backing. [
This Sony Twirl N' Take camera seems like an interesting concept, even if its execution is somewhat strange. The camera is shaped like a pizza cutter that you roll back and forth to get enough energy to take a picture with. Roll it for 15 seconds and you'll be able to take a shot. Unfortunately, there's no LCD screen, so you can't tell whether that shot was good enough—which means you're going to have to spend another 15 seconds twirling and telling your subjects to "hold that pose" while you're vigorously pumping away. [
Showing both that they've learned their lesson and just how lousy GameCube sales were, the Wii has passed the latter's lifetime sales in just about a year's time. In the time period between November 27, 2006 and now, the Wii has sold about 4 million units while the GameCube has sold only about 3.9. And the GC came out on September 10, 2001. In comparison, the DS has sold just about the same amount of units as the Wii, with the GBA actually selling more than either of them. More fancy charts if you follow the link. [
The Zune Social, Zune's social networking site, just got a slight upgrade yesterday. Besides general stability and performance enhancements, there's navigation improvements that let you remove friends and view song and album information in send dialogues. The coolest thing is the Zune Gadgets page, which lets you embed a profile card (much like the Xbox Live gamercard) that shows the last few albums and artists you listend to. [
This DaVinci inspired gadget won't help you find a secret religious conspiracy and seduce a French lady, but it will help you get up and down mountains slightly easier. It's called "The Ride," and it's a bike that has a "NuVinci" transmission with ball bearings and metal disc systems to allow you to set the gear ratio at exactly the rate you want—essentially giving you an unlimited number of gears. 
We just got the heads up that Warner Bros. and Digital Blue were going to be showing off prototype Bat-Gear at CES. (Pause for tingling sensation to subside a little.) Every so often we dream of hanging a Bat-arang, Bat grenades and other items off of an official or unofficial bright yellow utility belt. God knows if this round of gadgets will be a disappointing lineup of Bat-branded crap, or if there will be some astonishing feats of design. The as-yet-unseen products will cover next summer's movie, plus the animated series and comic books. Here's the early word on the gear itself:
Apple's plied Cinema Displays off of the online store's front page and stuffed them under a couple menus so it takes some hunting and a couple of clicks to get to 'em. That snubby little spark, mixed with the fuel they're old as balls at this point (over three years) has rumours of new Cinema Displays lodged in Apple's chimney all aflame.