Yeah….not really sure how to explain this one. This camera, if you wanna call it that, is camera slash networking device. As you capture pictures with the push of ‘the button’ the device networks with other cameras and distributes your pictures to other ‘Button Camera’ users. In turn you receive other folks photos. Looks totally conceptual. Check the video above.
Add comment May 6th, 2008
Product development. It really has no boundaries. Imagine being at a creative meeting for Spencer Gifts, how fun and irreverent would that be? Think of all the ideas that don’t even make it to production. What do people need? What do people want? American consumerism is blurring those lines more each day. I myself can be a total impulse buyer and a master of delusional purchases, thinking about all the ways I’ll use something I don’t need. Today we have the USB Beverage Chiller
What is it?
The USB Beverage chiller is basically a cold plate with the circumference of your basic 12 ounce aluminum can. It’s a robust little guy with a small cooling fan on the back and a heatsink grill on the front. It needs a powered or dedicated USB port to work, and won’t be compatible with lower powered USB ports such as Apple keyboards. It’s shiny plastic white finish is attractive, and should fit in well near any computer.
How does it chill?
Upon plugging it in, the chiller almost immediately got cold, only taking a few seconds. We then cracked a cold beer and applied it to the cold plate. The starting temperature of the beer was 34 degrees Fahrenheit and we left it there “unsipped” for two hours. At that point the temperature had risen to 56 degrees, which means you have to drink your drink in a short period of time in order for this device to work effectively. The specs on the site says the cold plate chills to 45 degrees, but no mention to the variable of time. Also, due to the narrowness of the cold plate’s circumference, any container with a base bigger that of an aluminum can won’t fit. Gangster’s won’t be able to chill their 40’s of Old English, though tech blogger’s will have no problem jamming a Red Bull atop the cold plate. I’m sure if you got all MacGyver on it you could configure a way to expand the base, but I don’t see anybody with the time or passion to do something like that.
In the end?
There are definitely some practical applications for this device. It would be great in hot and tropical climates where your drink just sweats balls from start to finish, or you are like my roommate who is a human aquifer of Pabst Blue Ribbon. An exceptional gift idea, it should be fun to talk about whenever your showing a new person around your house. That being said, the USB beverage chiller does it’s job for the most part, provided your drink of choice is it’s drink of choice.
For Company Specs, FAQ, and to Purchase for $24.99 go here.
1 comment April 30th, 2008
I always make my chain-smoking roommate wash his hands before touching my Xbox 360 controllers or to share a bowl of popcorn with me. I guess I’m a little OCD like that. Though I had no data to support these requests, I knew it was dirty. Recent studies have proven that Hospital Acquired Infections are on the rise and much of it can be attributed to keyboards and other related computer equipment that are in heavy use by multiple people. Along comes Seal Shield
So what is it?
The Seal Shield Waterproof Keyboard
Besides the obvious, what are the Seal Shield’s features?
The Seal Shield connects to your computer via USB or the supplied USB to PS/2 converter. It doesn’t contain any USB inputs for additional devices such as a mouse or a Bluetooth attachment. Those used to the Apple keyboards may find this annoying as all current Apple keyboards have two USB inputs, though I’m sure it was an easy design decision as these keyboards were primarily built for PC usage. It also has a rubber cap to seal the USB attachment for washing. Beyond that, it has the full range of keys and options you would expect out of a PC keyboard including: adjustable two position height risers, sleep and power buttons, number lock, etc.
Well then, how was your field test?
The first thing I did was get this thing wet. I poured a pitcher of water on it and watched the beads of liquid gather. Next I fully submerged it in a tub of water, which just looked odd. Taking it out of the water, the keyboard drained itself from specific drainage points until the bulk of the water was gone. From there I left it out for the night to see if it would dry on it’s own. The next day it was about 95% dry with some water still collected around the base of some of the keys. The night after that I soaked it again and let it dry upside down for the evening. To my surprise it was actually less dry at around 85%. The day after that I dried it sitting on it’s side, which ended up also being around 95%. The instruction card provided had nothing in regards to a drying method so your guess is as good as mine. Fortunately, the residual wetness didn’t affect typing so who knows, it might not matter anyway. The Seal Shield felt a lot nicer than any keyboard you’d find in a public place (e.g. unemployment office, department store, etc), and it had a functional and ergonomic feel, complimented by smooth keystrokes.
Any Last Words?
Absolutely. The keyboard was designed for the medical workforce right? Wrong. It was designed for dirty environments, and who better than beer spilling college students to take advantage of such a device. In fact, anyone in close proximity to beer and alcohol could make great use of this keyboard. My roommate replaced two keyboards in college due to beer flooding. I’m sure the executives over at Seal Shield have already thought of this and are bringing a plan together, or at least I hope so after this review, to target high alcohol consuming households. In the end, a keyboard that you can put in a dishwasher, and clean on a daily basis should easily outlive any normal keyboard of comparable functionality.
Buy it here starting at $49.
Related articles:
Seal Shield Keyboard
Add comment April 28th, 2008
File this one under nuts. Mimicking that of a hamster wheel, the conceptual design puts a handful of rooms in a giant wheel like device. As you turn the wheel - looks like it takes some leg power - and alter its orientation it changes its functionality. In other words, turn it 180 degrees and the kitchen becomes the ceiling and the floor the living room. Hey, it might be viable in a really long tube like design. Ideal for NYC living where you often feel like a rodent anyway.
[Bornrich]
Add comment April 8th, 2008
More safety than vision, this pair of concept sneakers - called the Pioneer - include a built-in LED that will shine a path up to 4.9 feet in length. The LEDs are powered by kinetic energy, so no need to worry about recharging.
One more pic after the ‘leap’
[Gearlog]
1 comment April 7th, 2008
More info here.
Add comment March 24th, 2008
[Tuvie]
1 comment March 19th, 2008
At first glance the demo appears to be nothing special. But once the demo get’s into the ordering part, and you realize that the Surface is the actual table you’ll be sitting at, it’s pretty damn cool. Just watch the video already!
Add comment March 17th, 2008
