A stylus that pretends to be your finger

Many touchscreen phones have come and gone before the iPhone. What's different about Apple's device, though, is that its interface is meant to be used without a stylus. All its icons are fat enough to be easily found by a fleshy digit, and even when selecting text a magnifier appears on the screen so your non-pointy fingertips can move between letters precisely. That's why we find this product, the Brighton Net BI-IPEN, incredibly amusing. You see, it's a stylus that pretends to be your finger.

Instead of being pointed, the BI-IPEN has a tip that has a pretty big surface area. According to the manufacturer's product page, it is made of a resin that "does not injure liquid crystal". The product illustration shows the tip being flexible as well, which further prevents you from exerting too much pressure on the LCD. An interesting idea, but if you ask us, we'll stick with real fingers. Brighton Net has an online store which ships internationally, but this product is not listed there yet. We suggest sending the company an email if you are really dying to get one.

Via Akihabara News

Backpack for voyeurs

We've seen hardworking backpacks being married with speakers, solar panels, even those with everything but the kitchen sink. So no surprise that the ubiquitous camera has hopped onboard a backpack.

The Porta2030 is a bag that's intended for some serious voyeurism. What's made more daunting is the fact that it isn't just a static eye, this is quite capable of streaming (in some cases, possibly damning) images to a Web site. And it's all thanks to a mobile data-sensing storage transmission unit that comprises a wireless hard drive, 1GB flash card, an open source backend and a Webcam with LCD mini-terminal. As if camera-phones aren't bad enough, now even bags are joining the Big Brother nation and watching your every move.

Via Make Blog

Would you let your toddler drive this robot?

Whether they're riding Segways or cleaning buildings, some of the most aggressively animated robots are coming out of South Korean R&D labs. But they also have a softer side too--at least, that's what we hope.

The Ringbo is a robotic vehicle for children that can be steered with game-like joysticks sticking out of its head like a pair of antennae. It can run for an hour on a 6- or 8-hour charge, according to OhGizmo, which added that it's not exactly sure why. We're equally baffled, especially given that this is supposedly designed for kids who are two- or three-years-old, with a 66lb weight limit. (Would you let your toddlers drive anything on their own?).

Maybe it's some kind of scheme by the gaming industry to hook them on joysticks as soon as their motor skills are far enough developed. Or, if we're lucky, maybe a future version will teach them how to do the dishes.

Via Crave CNET

Drop the claw for lobsters

We've all seen these machines. You pop in a coin or two and control a claw to pick up a soft toy or some sweets. Here's one with a twist--you play for live lobsters. According to this photo taken in Osaka, Japan, 200 yen (about US$2) will give you a chance to lower the claw to catch, well, a clawed creature. It's a bargain given how expensive lobsters are, but chances are, like most of these machines, they're rigged to pay out at intervals.

You know all those cases of little boys getting stuck inside these soft toy machines because they try to reach the toys through the exit door? Well, don't let your child try that on this machine, because aside from getting embarrassing stares from the rapt audience, we suspect he'll be in for quite a pinch.

Via Boing Boing Gadgets | Photo credit: Gavin Anderson on Flickr

Get me a washbasin that sings

You know we used to say so-and-so product comes with everything but the kitchen sink? Looks like we'd have to use another parody with the X-Light Surround basin because it really is a washbasin. It's not quite a full-fledge kitchen sink, yet, but close enough. The light-diffusing acrylic polymer basin designed by Jan Puylaert and the guys over at Italian company WET comes with a built-in amplified speaker system that connects to an MP3 or portable CD player. And yes, it dispenses water as well.

Via Trendir

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