Category: Home Appliances
Minutuner minimal clock radio design – give me now!
According to its designers, the Minutuner is “an attempt to change our perception of time”. Frankly, it could be an attempt to change our perception of a packet of doughnuts for all I care about the pretentions of artistic justification.
Let’s be honest about this. It looks damn good…
Useless feature of the Week: Schlage and its internet-opening door lock
Have you ever wanted to unlock the front door of your house via the internet? Have you? Have you?
I doubt you have. If you have, you’re MAD. I certainly haven’t, but someone who works for lock specialist Schlage has – hence the arrival of the LiNK deadbolt…
CES 2009: Sunpentown personal humidifier
When I first laid eyes on the Sunpentown SU-1051W personal humidifier at CES 2009, I didn’t think the world of it. Nice that you can attach any kind of standard plastic water bottle to the top of it to use as the reservoir…
Japanese space researchers design handy combined toilet/underpant system
Demand a toilet AND underpants in one handy device? The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has got it covered!
The clichéd slightly wacky Japanese scientists have built the amazing below gadget, which could eliminate toilet trips for good. Poo and wee are sucked out by a pump, with a built-in washer/dryer system cleaning up the resulting mess, leaving you relaxed, fresh and dry. It’s genius. Especially if the suction pump also comes with optional ‘entertainment’ attachments.
Might not be the most comfortable thing to wear about the place, but it’ll definitely…
Rain Man wine decanter – lovely kit for a lovely drop
Sadly, I’ll have drained my father’s vintage wine collection long before this concept decanter ever comes to market, but even if you don’t need to remove sediment from your plonk, the Rain Man is a beautiful thing.
Swedish designer Matilda Sundén Ringnér has come up with something not only beautiful but it’d work damn well too…
Peanut butter machine – the gift of a guaranteed heart attack long life
If I eat too much peanut butter, it makes me come out in spots – nothing alarming but it’s not pretty either. I think there’s a lot of nut oil going on in there greasing up my skin, so unfortunately, much as I love the stuff, I don’t think this peanut butter making machine is a good idea for me.
As it goes, this device will make a paste either crunchy or smooth…
Broto aeroponics pot – an alternative way to grow "your favourite plant"
If hydroponics is growing plants in a liquid of controlled PH and nutrient levels without the use of soil, well aeroponics does the same but without the use of the liquid. Instead, a fine mist is sprayed on your greenary under the warming glow of LED lights such as in this Broto future …
VIDEO: Lock and unlock your door with a Nintendo controller
Got an Arduino, a spare CD-ROM drive and an old NES lying around? How do you feel about making yourself a nifty security system out of it?
It’s not as ridiculous as it sounds, and Instructables has the ‘how-to’ guide. You’ll also need a webcam, small speaker, and a bunch of random wiring. Soon, you’ll be foiling would-be intruders with your geek skillz.
Nintendo Keyless Entry System (via CrunchGear)
Related posts: SentrySafe USB Fire-Safe – lock up your data | reNESED: an old Nintendo NES made new (but still old)
HDD Clock – what time is it? It's geek o'clock!
For some reason I have it in my head that clocks are rather redundant. I don’t think I own one any more? Do you? I’m not talking about microwaves or stereos or radios and such with clocks in them but dedicated clocks with their only raison d’etre to tell the time.
I haven’t really wanted one for a while but this HDD Clock has changed my mind. Why? Well, because it’s bloody safe, that’s why…
Nokia developing Home Control Centre technology
Betting that within a few years every appliance we own will be hooked up to the internet, Nokia has announced plans for something called Home Control Centre. It’s basically software that will let you control everything in your home from your mobile device, from the heating to the toaster.
I know, we’ve all been there – gone out with some toast in the toaster, and forgotten that you actually wanted it on browning level three, rather than browning level five.
More seriously, though, this also has energy saving implications. You’ll be able to monitor energy usage from your mobile, and switch off anything that you don’t need remotely. Plus there’s a big convenience factor – preheat your oven 15 minutes before you arrive home, so you can just stick dinner straight in.
The only definite that Nokia has announced is some carbon footprint monitoring technology, from European energy firm RWE. That will use Wi-Fi enabled thermostats on each radiator. Nokia are promising to show this off in December at its annual Nokia World Conference. I wouldn’t be surprised if we heard a fair bit more about the broader too then, too.
(via Reg Hardware)
Related posts: How green is your kettle? | Ecobee – a Wi-Fi thermostat
