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For many of us, it is the time of the year when we start thinking about staying warm. If you happen to be one of those people who is already lounging on a Lego couch or lighting things up with a Lego lamp, you will probably enjoy "Brick"—the latest product designed for the Italian company Scirocco. Apparently, a Lego motif actually makes for a thermally-efficient radiator.
With gas prices approaching "damn, I'm going to have to start walking more" levels here in the States, everyone's doing their part to increase efficiency and reduce energy consumption, and that includes the genius farm MIT. The institute already produces 80% of its own energy, courtesy of its on campus "cogeneration plant," but a few students have found a way to make the system even more self-sufficient using a new thermoelectric prototype. The great thing is the device has the potential for applications beyond the walls of MIT, and already the students are examining ways to apply it to the home heating industry in general.
The winter may bring with it romantic comedies featuring Hugh Grant, but the downside is the drop in temperature. Fortunately, the Webasto Thermo Top E Parking Heater allows users to send a text message to a car where it is installed, which then kicks it into action, ensuring your car is warm to the touch when you get in. The self-contained unit uses a tiny amount of fuel, and can also be activated by voice or remote control. The heater outputs 4.2kW for a maximum of 60 minutes at a time. Sure, that would keep you from hanging like a brass monkey, but the US$1,695 price tag seems a little on the hefty side to us. Remember; it's not cold if it's free cold, whatever that means. [Red Ferret]
Does the ability to heat a cup of water in 3 seconds interest you? Then take a look at this Teal quick Cup, which produces hot (we're not sure if it's near boiling) water by spinning the cold water you pour in around the spiral heating element. Not only is it fast, it's supposedly more efficient than a standard kettle or hot water heater because it only needs to be "on" for those three-ish seconds. Useful for your instant cups of tea or filling up a bathtub the dumb way. [Quickcup via Giz Mag via Boing Boing Gadgets]
Leave it to the Japanese to create a heater that's as ingenious as this. It may look like a cross between an LCD display and a space heater, but the display part of the gadget actually shows a "real" fireplace. The end result is that you get to imagine that your (really tiny) Japanese apartment has a fireplace in it while you're warming up your fingers and toes during the long Kyoto winters. Too bad it's 25,800 yen ($270) or we'd import one for ourselves. [Hammer Price via DVICE]
We've been lucky enough to not have to deal with carpal tunnel, but those of you who do might be interested in this Brando "Infrared Thermal Patch." We're not sure which part of it is infrared, or which part of it is a patch, but it's just a little plastic plate you place on the affected area that will warm it up to relieve stress at temperatures up to 40~45 Celsius. Or, you can just wipe your arse with a twenty and two ones and be done with it. [Brando]
This USB Geek mini fridge and heater may look like the USB mini fridge we've seen before, but it's got a whole 100% more functionality—namely, heating. Not only can you keep your already chilled drinks from warming up slightly slower, it does the same thing in reverse for hot drinks. If only all our gadgets could perform their functions in reverse, we'd be able to blow the dust in our living room instead of just sucking it. [USBGeek]
The girl in the picture may look like she has just let one rip, but she is in fact enjoying the heat emitted from Thanko's USB Warmer Cushion.
If you can guess what this is at first glance then you're a better man than I ...