Coming soon: Printed latte art

We thought latte stencils were pretty cool, but this really takes the cake--er, foam.

A new company called OnLatte has grabbed the attention of food blogs (and mainstream press like The Wall Street Journal) with its tech-centric approach to the practice of latte art.

The project began last year, when inventor Oleksiy Pikalo saw a video on latte art and decided to make a machine that would decorate his lattes for him. Using a hacked x-y flatbed plotter and edible brown ink, he built a prototype and jokingly filmed it printing a Starbucks logo on a homemade latte.

Pikalo demonstrated his custom-built printer at Siggraph 2008, using digital photos, freehand drawings, and logos as image sources (you can admire some of the images on his blog). He's now working on turning the concept into a revenue-generating venture; pricing for the device is tentatively set at US$1,500. If you simply must be among the first to get your company's brand etched in foam, or you just like playing with your food, OnLatte will also consider a custom build request.

Via CNET Blogs

Ashtray screams, coughs at smokers

Want to annoy the nicotine addiction out of your smoking friend or family member? A battery-operated gadget named the "Screaming Coughing Ashtray" might just do it.

Though it's sold as a "fun" way to help people quit smoking, the gift giver might be the only one laughing. The US$11 lung-shaped ashtray not only reminds smokers which body part is most adversely affect by smoking, but whenever a cigarette sits in it, it starts coughing and screaming.

Though the annoying ashtray could simply be thrown out a window, those who are sincerely trying to quit smoking could keep it around knowing they'll be subject to its awful noises if they give in to a craving. If the subtle e-cigarettes don't work maybe this screaming therapy will. I know what my brother will be getting for Christmas...

Via CNET Crave

Portable photo frame targets consumers, but better for business?

Everyone wants a cool device to whip out of a bag or pocket to showcase photos--lord knows I've had plenty of iPhones shoved in my face for just that purpose. But somehow, products like the recently announced Jobo S4, a traditional digital photo frame shrunk to 3.5 inches and powered by a 2.5-hour rechargeable lithium-ion battery, don't seem to do it for me. Especially since the Jobo only has 4MB (yes, that's megabytes, not gigabytes) built-in storage, which holds 90 low-resolution photos appropriate for the 320x240 display. That means you really have to store the photos on an SD card. And just it comes in boring old black or white.

But what the Jobo lacks in coolness, it might make up in practicality for certain types of businesses. To me, this class of products seems a natural for using as a point-of-sale tool at craft fairs, flea markets, animal adoption events, low-rent charity auctions; anywhere you display a lot of small items, move around a lot, and don't have access to an outlet. (Though optimally you want user-replaceable batteries, which I think this lacks.) Or as a high-rent wedding-photographer takeaway. Just load it up with photos from the wedding--they're low-resolution enough that you don't have to worry about rights issues--and give to guests on their way out. Like many of its kin, the display can't manage a full gamut, just 65,000 colors, but that should be sufficient. And at US$49.90 apiece, the price tag isn't too onerous.

Via CNET Crave

Mercedes-Benz is going HD

Following in the footsteps of BMW, Mercedes-Benz announced it will offer HD radio in some of its 2009 models. HD radio is a digital broadcast that offers CD-quality sound for FM stations. BMW has been offering it on its models for the past year, and now Mercedes-Benz will include it as an option on the 2009 E-, M-, R-, GL-, and G-class, all but the E-class being SUVs.

Most radio stations in major cities have an HD broadcast now. There are approximately 40 stations in San Francisco alone. Because the format requires less bandwidth, many stations have multiple HD channels.

In our testing of various BMWs with HD radio, the sound is very clear, although it is still limited by the receiver's distance from the transmitting antenna. While we were listening to an HD radio station, we found that as the broadcasting distance increased, the HD would drop out and we would get the analog signal for a brief time before we lost the signal completely.

More importantly, the announcement by Mercedes-Benz also mentions that the 2009 E-class and its SUVs will get the same updated navigation and entertainment system we saw on the 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300. That's a welcome change.

Via CNET Reviews

The Mile High Bed: Yeah, baby!

"Join the mile-high club without the hassle of going to the airport," MotoArt says of its new Mile High Bed, which, like all of the company's products, is created from aircraft inventory.

At US$35,000 (and no, those pretty flowers on the bedstand aren't included), this mod piece of furniture had better lift you to new altitudes of um, comfort and style. You could, after all, get a two-seat Cessna 152 for less. And seriously, if you're that intent on joining that proverbial action-in-the-sky club, might we suggest you just snag a couple of Southwest tickets?

In any case, we have to give the quirky Torrance, Calif.-based MotoArt credit for high levels of creativity. The bed is designed and fabricated from two DC-9 rear stabilizers and a C-130 inner flap. It's 11 feet long; 7 feet, 6 inches wide; and 4 feet, 6 inches high. All surfaces are sanded and mirror polished, and it's accented by Plexiglass and illuminated with internal LED lighting. We're so picturing an Austin Powers seduction ritual right now.

MotoArt--which also brought us the B-52 Stratofortress Ejector Seat Chair--finds its inventory in hangars and barns the world over. To date, it has designed and fabricated nearly 100 styles of recycled functional art.

Via CNET Crave

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