Archives for April 2007
God of Clothes
Juniper Foo | Apr 13, 2007
Blame it on the translation engine, the "God of Clothes" smacks suspiciously of Chindogu, the Japanese art of unuseless ideas. That said, this comes from Japan's online retailer Rakutan which claims this can be used not just in the office but also in your car, and can be adjusted to accommodate jackets and--hang on to your seat--even skirts. Hmmm... As with all things coming out of Akibaland, it's the itsy touches that matter, in this case an onboard deodorizer to keep your clothes smelling like a pine forest. Refills optional. You gotta hang, er, hand it to the Japanese.
Get larger image here
Price: 2,100 yen (US$17.60)
Availability: At Rakutan
Device: Coat hanger
Specs: 443 x 240 x 23mm, 300g
The GasfindIR-LW infrared camera: Who farted?
Will Greenwald, CNET.com | Apr 12, 2007
According to Pollution Online (which, despite its name, is actually against pollution), one pound of SF6 has the same potential global-warming impact as 11 tons of CO2. Sulfur hexaflouride is used in high-voltage electrical equipment. If inhaled, it acts like antihelium, and, according to Wikipedia, makes one "sound like the god of hellfire". Finally, this dangerous (and potentially hilarious) gas is odorless, colorless, nontoxic, nonflammable, and extremely difficult to detect.
That's enough of a chemistry primer. The big news is you (if "you" are a master electrician or environmental engineer with deep pockets) can now buy a camera that can detect the gas. Infrared-imaging company FLIR Systems recently revealed the GasfindIR-LW, a thermal imaging camera that can detect SF6 and 20 other environmentally perilous gasses. If you ever wanted to hunt down acetylchloride; allyl flouride; or Freons 11, 12, 112, 113, or 114, the GasfindIR-LW is just the device you need.
Of course, like most fun toys, it's a strictly specialized piece of scientific equipment. The camera is a four-pound box that can capture footage only at 320 x 240 resolution. You can't exactly find it at your local BestBuy or Circuit City, either; this sort of device can cost several thousand dollars and must be bought either directly from the manufacturer or a very small number of professional supply stores.
Still, if you want to spend the time and drop the cash, it's a great way to find out just how dangerous the air around you really is.
Via CNET Crave
Zune 2.0 and flash Zune coming this year?
Lindsey Turrentine | Apr 12, 2007
Christmas came early today for the folks at Zune Scene--at least, if their story is true. According to the blog, a chance meeting between an undercover blogger and a Microsoft employee yielded some golden nuggets of Zune news.
Zune 2.0 is coming this year. The hard drive player will be thinner with more capacity, but still stick with the double-shot finish (probably in a number of colors). Parts will be made at a new plant in China, implying that Microsoft won't be buying the player from Toshiba this time around.
Flash Zune is coming, too. According to the report, the smaller (also double-shot) flash player will measure 76 x 31.7 x 6.4mm with the flash memory. Supposedly, this leaves some room for a Wi-Fi antenna and a long, video-capable screen.
All of this sounds mighty alluring--especially the promise of a Wi-Fi and video-ready flash player. But the proof lies in the firmware. Unless Microsoft expands the Zune's Wi-Fi capabilities beyond the weirdly stingy Zune-to-Zune "social" world, no amount of double-shot finish will stand up to Sandisk's Sansa Connect.
Oh yeah, and no word on the Zune phone, yet.
This article was first published on Crave.
Crazy Clock
Juniper Foo | Apr 12, 2007
Weird things abound in the land of the cuckoo clock, indeed. It's become almost an obsession for sadistic makers to dream up alarms that buzz you awake, rather rudely, from the smell of grilled bacon to flying versions that won't let up till you locate that darn propeller switch. So have your revenge and return the favor (to whoever gave you that time piece) with the Crazy Clock. It looks like a sweet 1960s retro blender stuffed with styroform bits. But just wait till the action starts. If you thought your neighbor's kid's piano lessons amounted to aural torture, this blender is loud enough to wake even Elvis from his eternal slumber. Too bad this doesn't blend up a cuppa wake-me-up smoothie to soothe those frayed morning nerves.
Get larger image here
Price: US$41
Availability: At Bim Bam Banana
Device: Alarm clock
Specs: Four melodies for alarm, 2 x AAA batteries (not included)
iStockphoto images for your cell phone
Stephen Shankland, CNET Crave | Apr 12, 2007
iStockphoto, an online subsidiary of stock-art seller Getty Images, is taking its business to consumers.
The company typically sells images to newspapers, ad agencies and others with a large appetite for photos and illustrations, but on Wednesday it announced a partnership with Amuse Entertainment Group to let ordinary folks download images to use as mobile phone wallpaper.
The companies began a pilot phase of the project in the United Kingdom. Subscribers using the Orange, O2, T-Mobile, 3, Virgin Mobile and Vodafone networks will be able to download images beginning in April.
The pilot could be expanded to the United States and Canada. A second phase will make the image library available worldwide.
Picture credit: Wikipedia
This article was first published on Crave.
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