Friday, April 25, 2008
Vehicles
Dinghy + Hang Glider + Giant Engine = Hilarious Obituary
11:44PM Adam Frucci | Boats are pretty sweet, as are planes. But when you combine the two? You get a flying boat, my friends, and that just takes shit to the next level. Doi Malingri realised this basic fact, which is why he decided to stick a hang glider and a big engine on the back of a dinghy, creating one of the sweetest and most dangerous-looking ways to travel around. Sure, it costs a ridiculous US$32,300 for something that looks like you could cobble it together in your garage in a weekend for a few hundred, but who has time for garage projects when you could be flying over the waves? [Wefeeld via BornRich] More »
Gadgets
Disco Bath Means There’s a Party In My Tub and You’re All Invited
11:40PM Addy Dugdale | The Underwater Disco Light Show is a small waterproof contraption that you chuck in the tub for a full-on psychedelic bath-time experience—although, if you want really full-on, it might help to get the hallucinogens in before you strip off your clothes and your dignity and jump in. Turn it on, and LED lights in four colours whoosh around, and there’s a little button to change the pattern, as well as a weight underneath so that it doesn’t upend itself. Thomas and Guy-Man of Daft Punk should put these US$15 gizmos on their Christmas wish-lists now. [Firebox] More »
Design
Pole: Is This the Most Minimal Lamp Ever?
11:24PM Gizmodo US Edition | Designed to use a minimum of materials and components, the “Pole” lamp just looks very, very cool indeed. Designer Paul Cocksedge was trying to create the illusion of bending light, so made the acrylic and concrete design “to send rays of light on a journey of internal reflection.” Simple: the bulb is in the base and light emerges from the giant fiber-optic at its top, providing a bright directional beam and an ambient glow. It’s available from Established and Sons as either a desk lamp or floor lamp, for an unknown, but presumably high price. And you know, it would go perfectly with (what else?) the Ghost chair. [Dezeen]
Gadgets
The Best Way To Break RFIDs: Smash ‘Em
11:00PM Mark Wilson | Over the next decade, we’re bound to see RFID chips in more and more involuntary applications…which is a scary proposition for a technology that has been successfully read from 69 feet away. But just because, say, your credit card company wants you to use RFID, it doesn’t mean you have to comply. Instructables ran through the best ways to deactivate RFIDs in passports and credit cards without the appearance of tampering. Their verdict? A hammer. More »
Gadgets
Wacom New Touchscreen Perfect for Fabled Tablet MacBook
10:40PM Jesus Diaz | Wacom, maker of the best graphic tablets available—as our video review of the latest Cintiq points out—says their new technology may be the key in developing perfect tablet computers, like the fabled MacBook Tablet. Their new surface has pressure-sensitive pen input and “pinpoint precision and drift-free” finger touch capability for low-power operation and lower cost for device manufacturers.
Gadgets
Alpha-Oxy LED Spa Zaps Zits, Cellulite, Blues, Brings Peace to the World?
10:30PM Addy Dugdale | Admit it, we’re all fans of LEDs—especially when they come packaged like this, but the world’s first LED health spa? Purlease, is any woman gullible enough to get into something that looks like a Cylon’s sleep pod and have what the blurb says is “body-intense LED light energy… together with physical stimulation, dry thermal heat and vibratory massage.”? Vibratory massage, you say? Let me just slip into my bikini. More »
Music
The 99-Cent iPod Radio Cheapo Knock-Off of the Year
9:30PM Addy Dugdale | Last week, Stephen Gerding of the Kung-Fu Rodeo blog found this 99-cent iPod lookalike radio in his corner store. There are two buttons on the “click” “wheel.” One for scan, another for reset, and you’ve got to marvel at the technology they must have used for the full-colour screen. Unboxed pic below. More »
Toys
Steampunk Nerf Rifle Lets You Get Victorian on Someone’s Ass
9:02PM Gizmodo US Edition | Those of you who like steampunk, and the clarinet gun mod in particular, will love Professor Shagnasty’s Model 101 Steampunk Nerf Assault Rifle. Looks amazing, and comes with “Halofex targeting device” or plasmatical ejector, manual and an “electron recharging stand.” That is to say, a green light and a display stand… because this masterpiece is just a foam-dart firing toy after all. It’s based on a Nerf Longshot and contains real vintage pieces, including 19th Century gas lamp parts vintage aircraft bits. It’s a one-off, but it is for sale on Ebay— offers over US$125 by the look of it, and closing tonight. [Ebay]
Design
F1/Carbon Watch has Expensive Looks, Like Real Formula 1
7:43PM Gizmodo US Edition | Designer John Pszeniczny was trying to combine elements of Formula 1 racing with gems and crystals, and we think he’s done well with his F1/Carbon GMT watch. It’s even got a stopwatch and laptimer built in, and has the time in each of the cities on the F1 calendar. The red-lit display looks kinda mean, and the 18 identical embedded rubies sure are in the spirit of the huge cost of F1. The bracelet style would make it look like a high-tech tyre wrapped round your wrist— though we can’t help but wonder about chafing. Just a concept. [Yanko] More »
Science
