OK, I’ll admit it: it’s rare that I come across a do-it-yourself project that even for a moment makes me consider getting off my lazy arse to actually make something. This compass-inlaid table points me in that direction. More »
Over the past few decades, the Space Invaders have been tamed. Formerly vicious killers, the systematically brutal alien race now lets of steam by waging war on water rings.
As a cream and sugar kind of guy—that’s a “regular” to we Yanks in Boston—getting a cup of coffee that’s consistently at the “right” temperature is a crapshoot at best. If there’s not enough cream, I’ll scald myself with a fresh cup. Other times there’s not enough; I’ll get sidetracked, and then go back to my cup for a disgusting gulp of cold nastiness. The cream throws me off. It ruins my calm, and plays havoc with my coffee temperature. I need something that keeps my cafe at a consistent temperature. Popsci, thankfully, has delivered this evening with a DIY “Smart Coaster” they’ve made using an old shoe polish tin. The work week starts tomorrow; this couldn’t have come a moment too soon.
This hand-sewn floppy disk coaster set will put you back $US28 for stain-free coffee-table goodness for the neat-freak nerd. Available in five colours, it’ll also make you reminisce for the times you sat there for forty minutes, inserting floppy disk after floppy disk to install Microsoft Office 6.0. At least you won’t have to worry about those drink stains when you are sitting in front of the televsion Election Night, with your ol’ friend Jack Daniels, choosing between celebration or consolation. It’s a shame they also don’t cure hangovers for a bright and early day at work Wednesday morning! [Etsy via GeekSugar]
We know that you probably don’t need help figuring out if what you’re drinking is hot or cold, but that only makes these Smart Coasters all the more endearing. Essentially a solar cell trapped in waterproof resin, cold drinks light up blue and hot drinks light up red. Full instructions to build your own can be found in The Hungry Scientist Handbook (which runs about $US12 at Amazon). But for the less labour-inclined, sticking your finger into visitors’ drinks has always been considered a fine gesture of hospitality. [Evil Mad Scientist Lab via boingboing]
From Meninos, the same designers who brought you the Samuel L. Jackson hard drive cases, these iPhone coasters have harnessed fanboy obsession into practical functionality—to protect your table from dangerous glass condensation. Constructed of thin plywood wrapped in a vinyl decal and bottomed in rubber, the 8.5cm coasters come bundled in a pack of 16 for $US60. Sadly, there’s no support for downloadable coaster apps at this time. [Meninos via technabob]
These four retro-exotic beauties had nothing to do with your past exploits, but hey, Polaroid coasters make for great cocktail conversation—especially when they depict semi-tasteful, half-naked women. Rarely do we find coasters worth ruining your coffee table for, but this $US12 set is so much hipper than your yellowing IKEA furniture anyway. So go ahead, put that glass right on the veneer and tell us a tale about the lovely Luna from Liechtenstein. We’re listening. [GAMA-GO via Nerd Approved]
These pixel drink coasters are made of paper and come in 50-unit packages for US$8. Nothing special there until you notice that they have different shapes, which are not actually made at the factory: The coasters come in a single sheet, folded in 50 segments that you can cut in any way you want using the one-centimeter-long square perforations that divide each segment into 110 pixels. The results are beautiful, including an obligatory Space Invaders theme.
