Google’s statement on Facebook’s introduction of “Home” was short and sweet, but very telling, so let’s dissect it a little bit. As we noted earlier, Facebook went with Android first because of its flexibility. Basically it’s easy to customize. Other platforms, not so much. Zuckerberg even mentioned that Windows Phone might be a bit easier to work with, calling… → Read More
FreedomPop, the wireless broadband company that started out offering free mobile data plans with 500MB of bandwidth for free, today began offering its Hub Burst modem for pre-order with an early 2013 expected arrival date. The modem uses Clearwire’s WiMAX network to provide customers with in-home broadband connections at speeds it claims exceed DSL connections, and comes with 1GB per month of free… → Read More
Augmented reality isn’t always totally pointless. Sorry if you think it’s hugely useful to see an augmented view of tweets around you just by holding up your phone, but I like to find slightly more advanced applications using the technology. One such app, MagicPlan, fits that description.
From the two-year old startup Sensopia, the MagicPlan iOS app is rolling out version 2.0 of its floor plan… → Read More
In December, Eric covered Open Home Pro, a startup that lets realtors sell homes via their iPads. Today, there comes a similar effort from Pixloo, except this service is designed for use by anyone – realtors and homeowners alike. With Pixloo, you can upload information about your home, including text, photos and even videos and then immediately export that data to major real estate sites… → Read More
Today, EnergyHub launched its new, comprehensive, in-home energy management system for U.S. consumers. The system includes the EnergyHub Home Base, for centralized management of the electricity usage in the home, as well as The EnergyHub Thermostat, Sockets and Strips.
The Home Base also connects to the Web via Wi-Fi, allowing users to remotely manage individual components via Web-based or… → Read More
You know how your phone, change, pen, or whatever is always disappearing into that crack between adjacent cushions or the back of the couch? Very annoying, yes. Which is why design studio Daisuke Motogi Architecture decided that we need to own those cracks.
Result: the Lost In Sofa chair, which repurposes that flaw into a feature. → Read More
The design of this little shelf is easy to appreciate. While personally I have little use for bookends (my issue is not having enough bookcases to begin with), it does occasionally happen that you don’t have the exact number of books you need to fill a shelf. That’s where this little cube comes in. → Read More
Oh, soap. You are made in so many shapes and colors. Even, though I never would have guessed it, Super Nintendo cartridge shape and color. I can’t tell you how many of these soaps I want to have, though I’d be hard pressed to choose between Triforce and Pac-Man when washing my hands. Plus, I still haven’t used up my Han Solo. [via GameSetWatch (nice headline) and GearFuse] → Read More
It’s Earth Day, friend reader. Not that you’d know it, what with a gazillion pounds of waste being thrown indiscriminately into holes and oceans every day. But while I am quite sure that we will eventually find a way to deal with that junk (fire it into the sun, am I right?), a more problematic problem is that of fresh water. Sure, your tap will pour out delicious, cold water all the time &mdash… → Read More
I can understand a hose gun attachment to a certain extent, but this is kind of nuts. Seven different spray patterns? On one hand I think “man, I can do most of that stuff without a big plastic doodad.” On the other (my gadget hand), “Man, that thing is awesome. If only I had a garden to water.” The fact that it comes from a site called “Whatever Works”… → Read More
Leading health monitor manufacturer Tanita today announced [JP] a sensor-equipped mat that’s supposed to measure the deepness and quality of your sleep. The company, which is also active in the US, says placing the mat under your mattress is enough. The system will then keep track of your body motion, breath rate and pulse throughout the night. → Read More
Are you constantly in danger of falling asleep while working or driving? Alarm clocks, watches or your cell phone are of no help? Then the oddly named Nap Vieeb Plus II [JP], offered by a Japanese company called Takanoha, might be the right thing for you. The Nap Vieeb Plus II is a simple earpiece alarm gadget whose first version was released about four years ago. → Read More
Japan and its alarm clocks. Most of these devices force you to wake up through an extra-annoying noise (or by moving away from you), but this new one, the so-called Twist Alarm Clock [JP], makes you solve (simple) math problems. → Read More
You could argue massage chairs are something for old people, but after coming to Japan over 5 years ago, I had the chance to relax in more than one of these for a few hours. And let me tell you these chairs, especially those made by Japanese makers, are awesome, provided you don’t mind passing out while watching a movie.
The problem is that these massage chairs are usually pretty expensive, just… → Read More
Unless your whole home is decorated with weirdo technology scraps, these lamps, cool as they are, will probably look out of place. But! Do you work in an office that values design and decor? These would be perfect for the copy room. Am I right? → Read More
Chances are you already have some furniture made of wood pulp and sawdust in your home — all that Ikea stuff? Yeah. But this is a little different. Some brave furniteers (?) decided that the texture of raw wood bits and resin was too attractive to leave in the workshop, so they put together a few casts and made a coffee table and some stools with it. I think it turned out quite nicely, and… → Read More
Sony hasn’t given up on Home, its virtual world filled with avatars and overall weirdness. It just launched Sodium One, which is the latest Home world you and your avatar can spend the day in. There’s a game to go along with it, one that looks an awful lot like Wipeout, which isn’t bad at all. → Read More
http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=7906019&server=vimeo.com&show_title=0&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=00ADEF&fullscreen=1 I know, I know — this isn’t LampCrunch. But this is just too cool of a home accessory not to share. It’s designed by algorithm, I assume, and produced by a rapid prototyping machine. It can collapse like that because of… → Read More
The DC31 is a handheld Dyson. That’s probably all I need to say for you to know that it’s awesome. → Read More
So far, I’ve avoided the CFL and LED light bulb revolution. The savings, it seems, come around in the second year, which means that whoever has my apartment next will have a reduced power bill. I could always take my light bulbs with me, but that seems a bit miserly. Besides, my power bill is like $5 a month and 90% of that is my fridge and my desktop.
But these Orbeos OLED lights are as bright… → Read More
Bang & Olufsen announced their new BeoCom 5 cordless phone today. I know, I know.. bear with me, it’s kinda cool. Despite the fact that many people don’t even use land lines any more, B&O knows their target audience, and apparently that audience still does. → Read More
I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but this Sharper Image product actually seems to be somewhat useful and – perhaps more importantly — priced reasonably. → Read More
It’s 11:30 PM. You’re all alone. Suddenly!! A knock at the door!! “Who could it be?” you wonder. Oh, two large pizzas just for you. That’s right. You ordered them directly from your TiVo in a fit of self loathing. Better make sure it’s the pizza guy, though. Oh, actually it might be the frozen yogurt you ordered too. Time to use the digital peephole viewer. → Read More
Fall is here, don’t get me wrong. It’s NOT time to start thinking about winter yet – no sir. However, let’s start thinking about winter.
I live in an old apartment in Boston and the radiator in my office is half the size of all the other radiators in my place. As such, it doesn’t put out much heat in the winter time and I’ve had to resort to space heaters (which I’m not too fond of)… → Read More
Oh man, I thought those compact florescent lightbulbs (CFLs) were expensive at around five bucks a pop. Say hello to the $40 LED light bulb — and that’s an introductory price. It’ll apparently cost $50 later. → Read More
SimpliSafe seems like a pretty simple (get it?) home security system for those of us who value our safety, but not enough to get a professional security system installed and, especially, anyone who lives in an apartment or moves around a lot. → Read More
Today, Activision and Sony announced “Backstage with Guitar Hero” for PlayStation Home so players can congregate and accost each other virtually while watching GH videos and sharing their own greatest hits. There’s a GH themed mini-game that tests your mind, body and soul. Heh. Actually, it’s more like Simon Says where you have to follow a lead guitarist and mimic what he/she does by… → Read More
PlayStation Home has been hacked. It’s a fairly benign hack, one that lets you upload your own posters (to decorate your “apartment”) and videos. Sony doesn’t permit the uploading of third-party content to Home since it could leave them liable to some type of lawsuit. That, or Sony is made up of a bunch of jerks. Take your pick. The hack involves installing apache and modifying a… → Read More
The Playstation Home Beta started hitting eager PS3′s today, but there seems to some issues. Network downtime, games not working properly, all sorts of stuff that’s generally happens whenever a company issues a large update. It’s fun living in this world of modern technology, eh? The official word is they are working on it — really? would hope so — with no ETA in… → Read More
The United Kingdom’s Times claimed Sony would be launching the Playstation Home next week and it seems they might be right. SCEA has confirmed with site Joystiq that the launch is almost here. “We’ve been saying it will launch by the end of calendar year 2008,” PlayStation Home director, Jack Buser, responded when asked about a December release. “And that’s… → Read More
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