Saverclip won't save the world, but may shrink bills

Don't get us wrong, we're all for saving the world by going green. But nothing's going to stop us from whipping up a good microwave meal, booting up our computer, and charging our electric shaver. Not even if designer Lee Young Don's Saverclip concept hits production lines.

This clothes peg-like toy clips onto power cables and reads off the electromagnetic fields emitted by connected devices. Then it gives you a tight slap by telling you in numerical values (just in case you can't read equations) how much energy you are wasting.

There are two ways to look at this situation. One is you religiously believe what the numbers tell you and start switching off all your electronic devices when not in use. Or, two, you could simply remove the cables from the clip and you won't have to worry about saving the world anymore.

Via Yanko Design

Let Doraemon control all your remotes

Those uninitiated in the world of anime might not be familiar with Doraemon, a robotic manga cat from the future that's known for its infinite Inspector Gadget-like supply of gizmos.

One of the Japanese character's many tools, Tokyomango says, is an air gun that could fire a fake bullet simply by the voice command of "Bang!"

Epoch has taken that concept and turned it into a real-life device, a voice-activated control that can take over the functions of regular remotes with built-in IR signals already programmed into it. The result, if all works correctly, is a Doraemon "pistol" that can be worn on your finger and can control the functions of up to four devices with just a "bang" or two.

It even comes with its very own Doraemon, which will take care of it when you're done. All of which sounds infinitely more fun than those tired old Phasers and Lightsabers.

Via Crave CNET

A "personal" microwave--never share again

In our day, most dorm rooms got by with makeshift "kitchens" that consisted of a hot plate and maybe a toaster oven. But that was back in the days when space was at a premium because the stereo--and stacks of vinyl LPs--took up half the room.

Now we have "personal" microwave ovens to do the job, some of them barely bigger than a breadbox. The iWavecube, for example, will heat up frozen pizzas like the best of 'em while occupying under a cubic foot of space and weighing just 12 pounds.

It may not be as mobile as the portable WaveBox, but it comes close. Either way, you can save a little money on this Tailgating Trailer by passing up on its optional microwave. Or, if they start making one with an LCD built into the door, you could just watch the game at home.

Via Crave CNET

The People's Car from Tata

Got US$2,500? Then Tata Motors may have just the car for you.

If you live in India, that is. The tiny little bubble of a car, which made its debut Thursday at the New Delhi Auto Expo, is expected to go on sale to Indian consumers later this year, but it won't hit the export market in the next few years--and then it'll likely be to dealerships nearby in Southeast Asia and farther afield in Africa and Latin America. Too bad for a San Francisco-based colleague of ours, whose first reaction was "I want one of those. It's like a big street-legal go-cart."

Officially, it's the Tata Nano, but the company's preferred moniker is the People's Car. Yes, at that price, it's intended for the masses. Not all at once, of course--the 3m long car will hold only about four people at any given time, and not much in the way of luggage or grocery bags.
If you're will to spend a little more--roughly twice as much--you might want to consider being the first on your block to get a car that runs on compressed air. Europe-based Motor Development International, which last year got a hefty investment from Tata Motors, is getting closer to delivery of its MiniCat city car and similar models.

Via CNET Crave | Photo credit: Tata Motors

Extreme wheel chair redux

There's a new baddie wheel chair on display in CES. It has rubberized tracks instead of standard wheels and looks more like a miniature Terminator 2 hunter killer tank than any of its regular cousins. An improved model of the original TankChair, the MK II offers a lower center of gravity, more torque and a stronger chassis--not to mention a full-height chair with abundant cushioning for added comfort to smoothen a bumpy ride.

The TankChair was initially conceived 2 years ago for the designer's handicapped wife who is an avid lover of the outdoors. This prompted a design which is capable of traversing difficult terrains such as streams, mud, snow, sand and gravel. On a side note, we are also touched by the company's generosity with a TankChair donation to a rural area fire station for every 10 sold--in the US, of course.

Via Register Hardware | Photo credit: Tankchair

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