GadgetReview

OK, so while this bike looks interesting enough, it also looks really for lack of a better adjective, stupid.  With the last decade seeing rise to the fixed gear bike (much to my disdain), this bike seems to absolutely epitomize that design mindset with a little impracticality thrown in for bad measure.

Looking at the picture of the dude sitting on this I can’t possibly fathom how you could want to ride this for more than a few blocks.  He looks pretty poised to take a dive off the front of the thing as soon as he hits a bump.  The only thing inner city about this bike is how ghetto it is.  What do we think?

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While it may look a little frumpy, it also looks pretty cool, especially for $12.  Featuring three rotary 2.0 compatible USB inputs, it also sports a multi-card reader(MS/M2/SD/SDHC/MicroSD), and a fahrenheit thermometer.

What temperature does it measure though?  The room it’s in or the heat of the actual hub?  Useful?  Who knows.  While sort of on par with the Griffin Simplifi, it’s nice to see USB hubs take on more responsibility.  This USB hub is available in three colors and is 0n sale now. …Continue reading: Generic USB Hub With Card Reader And Thermometer Looks A Bit Like A Midget’s Stapler

This may well qualify as the strangest radio I’ve ever seen.  Not only doesn’t it have any outward controls or indicators, it also rolls around freely on a tabletop.

That’s because the very things that make it roll also change the channel and the volume.  The volume and channel knobs are built into the underside of the radio.

While it definitely gets some serious points for being compact enough for anybody, I can’t see people readily using this thing.  The biggest problem I can see is that there’s no way to tell what channel you’re on short of hearing it on the radio.  There’s no indicator to tell you what channel you’ve tuned in.  That and let’s face it, radio isn’t as big as it once was unless a clock or a car is involved.  That’s not the case all the time, but in all honesty, that’s the case most of the time.

So this is a very interesting idea, but sadly, an interesting idea alone can’t make a good product.

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Some days I just wanna fly away on a jet plane, or how ever the song goes.  Now my fantasy, well, ah, can be a more vivid fantasy.  From design Gianni Pedone comes the Orfojet armchair.  Unfortunately, its bark is bigger than its bite, as the jet engine design appears to be aesthetics only.  But the Orfojet armchair isn’t completely void of entertainment.  Integrated into the arms are speakers as well as a CD/MP3 player.  The chair will be on display as part of the Morfonauta collection at this year’s Milan Design Week.

[DesignBoom]

Chocolate and peanut butter, oil and vinegar, cream and coffee – these are things that go well together.  A sink built into a toilet, however, seems to contradict hygienic logic.  Unless of course you’ve got a killer case of food poisoning causing you to excrete fluids from all ends or provided your apartment bathroom is ultra small.

The W+W is from Roca and if you didn’t guess it stands for Water Closet and Washbasin.

[Trendir]

Running a bit tight on desk space?  No prob.  Just install, or should I say ‘clip on’ the DrinkClip.  Just be sure you don’t nudge it the wrong way, because one wrong move and you might end up with scolding hot java all up in your face.

[Moma via Bookofjoe]

Let there be rain!  Yup, that’s something you don’t hear most people saying unless of course they live in a drought infested part of the world.  London design company, Squid London, produced just 100 of these umbrellas that transform when they get wet.  Reminds me of the t-shirts that changed color when you ‘heated’ up.

[Likecool]

As if designer furniture wasn’t expensive enough.  Now you can seriously break the bank with the purchase of the Athena Sofa.  Looking more conceptual than actual, the Athena Sofa stuffs in touchscreen (maybe) monitors in both armrests and includes a wide array of connectivity options and includes WiFi, 8-inch subwoofer, loudspeakers and 100-watt digital amplifier.  Spillage a concern?  No big thing, apparently this thing is weather proof, so I’d assume it can stand up to the every day Jello pudding or late night self seduction.  Price is somewhere in the $15,000 range.

[Artanova via Ubergizmo]

It’s designs like these that really showcase how incredibly creative people can be.  Just look at the pictures!  This design by Jihyung Jung incorporates 5 wireless speakers and a subwoofer that fit together to form a cube.  Held together via internal magnets, the system can perform intact as a cube, or separated and placed however you like.  All wireless!  This could be an ideal solution for the home theater enthusiast on the go.  I know that’s an oxymoron, but that’s the point.  Hopefully we can post on this again!

[Tuvie]

Looks like it’s floating, huh?  Wrong, but you probably figured it out after a few seconds.  Apparently, you’ll be able to buy one later this year here.

[Make]