Pimp your ride with a taxi meter replica

If you're tired of dealing with freeloaders always looking to hitch a free ride, this is the one gizmo to get for your car. Simply dock the meter on the dashboard before you start the journey and it'll display the charge at the end of it. The calculation matrix is, of course, rather iffy here since we don't know if this replica taxi meter calculates by the distance traveled or time taken. Then again, it doesn't really matter since you'll at least be able to recoup some petrol money. We're also not sure if the built-in buttons such as "empty car", "occupied", "extras", etc., really work. This one bills your passengers in Japanese yen, but you could provide an extra service if you keep a calculator handy to convert the cost into your local currency. At 3,200 yen (about US$33), you'll soon be able to recoup your capital and start making profits.

Via AkihabaraNews

Sonogram Photo Cufflinks of your budding bundle

Alas, we didn't spot the Sonogram Photo Cufflinks in time for Father's Day. But they'd still make a great little gift for proud pops-to-be, no matter the occasion.

As the name suggests, the cufflinks feature ready-to-wear images of your budding bundle. Sure, you could carry those early pictures in your wallet, but the cuffs make the shots readily viewable every time you shake someone's hand or gaze down at your wrists (which will likely be often).

The cuffs go for US$65 a pair, and take about three weeks to arrive. You can send in a different photo for each cufflink--a nice option for those expecting twins or wanting a different view of the little one on each wrist.

My co-worker Steve, a new(ish) dad, said he'd like the Sonogram Photo Cufflinks even better if they featured a live feed of baby in utero. Maybe next Father's Day.

Via Crave CNET | via InventorSpot

Bandai to debut Doraemon robot on its 30th TV anniversary

Claws unsheathed. If you remember the Hello Kitty ROBO back when the pink feline celebrated her 30th anniversary, it looks like there may be a cat fight in the works. Doraemon, the cat-like robot from the 24th century, is about to get his own birthday bot for 30 years of TV anime. Bandai Japan's will unleash a 16cm-tall robot called, drum roll… "My Doraemon" [updated from "My robot"].

Here's where the one upmanship comes in. While ROBO sports a rather fixed stare and is mostly stationary, Doraemon employs Epaper eyes capable of expressing up to 10 different emotions. It also has a light, motion and infrared sensor to react to where it is, as well as a clock and temperature sensor that lets it respond with "good morning", "good night" and other preset sentences.
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USB airconditioner, anyone?

This takes the, gasp, cool(?) for being something we'd never have dreamed possible for taking the USB route. Aside from the fact that Japanese retailer Taito's T: Style range of mini home appliances are more gimmick than gadget, you gotta hand it to the Japanese for keeping it unreal. While this doesn't look like it can huff and puff and blow the house down, let alone beat the crazy heat in Asia, the T: Style USB desktop airconditioner which even comes with its own remote control is a keeper. The catch: This isn't sold, but offered as a prize in game contests.

Via New Launches

Diskette flash drive

We've seen some nice flash drives in our time, but this one just made its way to the top of our list of cool USB products. Shaped like a diskette, the USB connector of this flash drive is exposed when you slide open the aluminum cover that protects a 3.5-inch floppy disk's magnetic tape. While not the most practical of designs, it's very clever and gives that touch of nostalgia from the days when playing a simple game required swapping through three or four diskettes. As far as we can tell, this is a concept from a Portuguese designer, so don't expect to see it in stores anytime soon. Click to see another picture of it in use.
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