+/- hot plate for a new dining experience

Hotplates? Been there, done that. Our Korean neighbors are connoisseurs of this, while back home in the rest of Asia, Korean fast food diners have sprung up like matsutake mushrooms offering D.I.Y. BBQ soul food on a hotplate. What +/- hot plate by designers Ami Drach and Dov Ganchrow offers is a modern update to the hotplate, marrying your standard ceramic dinner plate with conductive material that will run a current through from an electrical source. It'll likely get an endorsement from kitchen goddess Martha Stewart, but is probably more effective keeping food warm than in cooking anything since you'll need a really hot hotplate or fire going beneath to get things smoking. What would be really cool is if this concept hooked up with Powermat's wireless charging mat to make this hotplate truly cord-free.

Via Designboom

Zap introduces zero-emissions, all-electric van

It's not for road trips, but the van that Zap has introduced at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention might just ease the carbon burden for very local transport.

The Zap Shuttle, which can hold five people, is touted as the US' first 100 percent plug-in, rechargeable electric van. It's meant to replace small shuttle vans that you see going from airport terminals to rental lots and around other short-range areas such as corporate headquarters, college campuses, indoor warehouses, and sports arenas.

The mini-van has optional accessories, such as solar panels, for prolonged use. It has a per-charge range of 30 miles, which is fairly impressive. And it charges in 6 hours using any standard 110v wall socket. There's an optional 220v rapid charger for those who are impatient.

Even better is that the van (as well as a new sister model truck) is street-legal in the US for roads 35mph or under, meaning it could replace scooters in some urban areas. But starting at US$14,700, we don't expect that anytime soon.

Via Crave CNET

The wireless speaker bulb

The humble light bulb is something almost every single urban room has. It does one thing: Light up the room. The Soundbulb concept wants to change that notion by integrating a speaker and Bluetooth receiver into an ordinary-looking bulb. This will allow you to stream music wirelessly to it and suddenly, Edison's most significant invention becomes doubly useful.

One crazy thing about the Soundbulb is its on/off switch on the side. Who's going to use a ladder everytime he wants to turn on the speakers? Perhaps the inventor will refine that part if it ever becomes a real product.

Click for another image:

Via DVICE

Fitness Surf Exercise gets you in shape

It's perfectly excusable if you can't afford the SkiGym in the wake of the economic crisis. But some things have got to go, like expanding waistlines. So here's a cheaper alternative that can help you get back in shape minus the adrenalin of slicing snow on the slopes of the Alps.

Available on Amazon.co.uk for a paltry US$276, the Fitness Surf Exerciser has three adjustable exercise speeds which will take you from beginner to seasoned professional with regular 15-minute sessions. Bungees are built-in so you don't break a limb or two to aid balance and provide an upper body workout at the same time.

With the festive Lunar New Year holidays just around the corner, this may be a well-timed investment.

Via Red Ferret Journal

Save your breath for the Kiss-o-meter

Imagine this: It's Valentine's Day and you've just left the restaurant for a stroll on the promenade. The mood is romantic, and your date feels it, too. Just then, you turn to each other, lean in for a kiss and..."Wait! My Kiss-o-meter!"

Come Valentine's Day (or any day), technology will be by your side to assure you that your breath doesn't stink when you lean in for that first (or second, or third) kiss. The Kiss-o-meter is a compact breath detector and perhaps your most honest friend yet.

After breathing onto this gadget, five outcomes are possible: Kiss me, Possible, Maybe, Risky, and Never. If you are one who is self-conscious about your breath, or equally worried about your date's, you might want to slip one of these in your pocket.

Now, if only they made this for B.O.

Via Crave CNET

Crave is...

The name says it all. Crave is our blog about cool gadgets and other crushworthy stuff.

Drop us an email if you have tips or suggestions.

Crave for...

» Mobile Phones (2231)

» Digital Cameras (985)

» Notebooks (1233)

» PC & Peripherals (1312)

» Handhelds (585)

» Printers (82)

» Home AV (1146)

» Music & Play (893)

» Gadgets (1485)

» Future Tech (394)

» Green Tech (172)

» Lifestyle (157)

» Luxury (22)

» Home Appliances (57)

» Cars (99)

» Games and Gear (248)

» Software (95)

» Web (117)

Previously...

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

Hot Topics

Subscribe to
Crave

What's Hot

apple apple inc. apple iphone apple ipod asia battery camera game google inc. iphone microsoft corp. microsoft windows mobile phone photograph singapore smart phone software sony corp. video

Today on CNET |  Reviews |  Crave |  Blogs |  CNET TV |  Digital Living |  Downloads