This under-the-stairs solution would be a perfect addition to our recent Best Staircase Storage Solutions list or a companion piece to the secret kitchen laundry room. It's definitely an efficient use of space, but we're not sure about the decor effect.
[via remodelista]
What a bummer to wake up to. Dish Network made a big hoopla about adding 22 new mostly quasi-HD channels (anyone who has HD knows all too well about stretched and upconverted content) but then all of us Dish Network subscribers discovered it came at a price: the removal of 10 of the 15 VOOM HD channels...
[via AVing.net]
Looking for a new laptop? The National Cristina Foundation and PC Magazine have worked together with a variety of well known artists to create and auction eight one-of-a-kind, artist-designed HP laptops on eBay with a starting bid of just 99 cents. Sales of these unique laptops goes to benefit the National Cristina Foundation, which provides computers to folks in need. The initiative—dubbed The Computerlicious Design Experience—is part of PC Magazine’s 25th anniversary celebrations. More details below...
It's funny how manufacturers seems to relegate white and coloured case flat panel displays to the kitchen, when from personal observation there seems to be a healthy demand for these type of displays at larger sizes (look at how much nicer a white frame set looks in a typical white wall interior here). The 20-inch Sony Bravia KLV-20S400A HDTV comes in four colours, alongside a grey and black version, part of the Sony's "Draw the Line" product line that aims to integrate fashionably within the home (market speak for "aimed at women"). We just hope they bring out a few in sizes larger than just 20"...one of these would look pretty nice in the bedroom or office.
[via Crave]
Now this is one retro-tastic DIY coffee table. Kyle Downes measured the proportions of an NES controller and super sized it into one gigantic working control pad that doubles as a coffee table. Made of MDF board and topped with a protective glass sheet, the control top flips open to store all his Nintendo power. Check out the table in action under the jump...
[via Gizmodo]
Over at ATNY they ran a survey about plans for readers' economic stimulus package plans with plenty comments of how everyone was going to spend or not spend their chunk of change. Sadly, we checked our bank account just now, and we have yet to be stimulated so we're just daydreaming bystanders at the moment. I've occasionally tempted myself with the idea of using the money for a Playstation 3 now that Criterion has announced Blu-ray support, but I'll likely instead make a few donations and purchase a low tech bicycle at the end of the day. But who knows...I might splurge at the last second and give into the tech lust. It's happened before. How about you out there? Any tech gadget purchase plans with your gift from the government? If so, tell us what you're planning to get.
Very slick, Macessity...very, very slick. The LowKey Stand is a powder-coated platform that perfectly compliments your aluminum sheathed iMac or Apple Display, providing a measured cubby slot to tuck away your keyboard while also providing a useful and easy to reach 4-port USB 2.0 hub up front. Love this type of minimal-modern integration...
As much as there's always been a temptation to upgrade to Blu-ray for the HD home theater experience, my pragmatic side has always kept me in check for the simple fact that Blu-ray movie selection sucks for anyone looking for cinematic choices beyond big budget entertainment. But it looks like come October, picky cinephiles like myself will have a reason to join the Blu-ray camp (The Last Emperor...yes!)...
The Wanetlight continues the Wiimote hackery with a suspended lighting system composed of 25 blown glass candles with 5x5x5 LEDs clustered in the three axes (LxWxH). The cluster forms a luminous 3-D screen cage. Each LED can be individually controlled for on/off setting for customizable lighting modes, while the Wiimote controls the sensors that pilot the ascending/descending movements of the LEDs. We'd love to see something like this implemented on a huge wall of LEDs that would respond to gestures across it, becoming one huge LED wall paint program.
[via Newlaunches.com]
We'd like to apologize for the site being down for most of the day today. Although we think "small is cool", this apparently doesn't apply when referring to server traffic capacity. An unusual spike in reader traffic brought our site to its knees this morning and we've only just recovered. We're getting everything upgraded now so we can avoid this problem. Thanks for being patient with our growing pains...
Between this and the Wii Fit one could see some physical fitness improvements without every leaving the house. Personally we prefer just taking a simple run around the neighborhood (supplemented with a Nike+ sensor, of course), but we know a few fellow bloggers who might do well using a TrekDesk Chair so they don't have to pull themselves away from their beloved monitors.
[via UberReview]
We're all about multi-monitor setups...once you go dual, single feels a fool. But if you're on a laptop, or don't have any slots available for another video card or just are on a budget, then an external USB vid card like this one from UV Plus+ might be the solution for you...
There are three things that we particularly like about Nostromo's desktop: 1) it's super clean, unlike our own desk at the moment, 2) all his peripherals and decor match (the lamp, speakers and mouse all share an egg-like quality), and 3) the way he's framed his monitor with two vertically situated photo frames creating a pleasing symmetrical workspace. And look, his desktop even mimics the downward light of his desk lamp...very trompe l'oeil.
[photo: Nostromo]
Got a regular landline handset you'd like to convert for Skype use? The CuPhone "Echo Free" USB Phone Adapter is a USB accessory with two RJ-11 ports allowing both landline and Skype use, and even three-way conference call. CuPhone claims an echo free voice quality, but what we really want is the elimination of that millisecond pause while talking to people on Skype. And why does this look like a Coca-Cola giveaway product?
[via Everything USB]
We know fire alarms are a safety necessity, providing renters and owners alike a first line defense of alarm in case of an emergency. Rationally we get it. But we're also not too fond of the aesthetic intrusion (or protrusion) of the typical alarm installed throughout our rental. Since they're mandatory, our landlord installed a couple, but seemingly with neither aesthetics or equal measurements considered. So we're quite intrigued with the idea of replacing at least one of them with these slim-shaped Kidde Silhouette smoke alarms that have more than model-thin looks going for it...
The Kitchen Workstation 1 by Schulte Design acknowledges more and more people are now utilizing computer equipment in the kitchen, both for cooking and non-cooking resources or entertainment ("Wanna check out Digg while the pot roast is cooking?"). More photos of this dual duty surface below the jump...
External drives are practically fashion accessories these days, offering enclosures that compliment not only the computers they're hooked up to, but also the accessories they're sharing desk space with (we keep our Maxtor drive behind our monitors, just out of view, but it's still easy on the eyes). SimpleTech's new Signature Mini is available in 7 different colours that seem recognizably familiar to anyone who owns an Apple Nano or Shuffle...
We hope you're prepared with an emergency kit or two around the house. Better safe than sorry (and living in California, you'd be foolish not to be prepared for earthquakes). But while we've got our emergency water, food and medical provisions covered, we realized we should be preparing for the absence of electrical power. Below are several solar powered options that might come in handy while the power is out:
Do movie studios finally get it? 20th Century Fox, The Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Lionsgate, Image Entertainment and First Look Studios will all be offering new releases via iTunes at $14.99 on the same day as DVD releases (with most catalog titles at $9.99). Disappointingly, we'll all still have to wait about 30 days for movie rentals of new releases from iTunes. Boo~
Sure, this is pretty geeky, and normally we're not one to want our home electronics to look like a "toy". But perhaps it's the 7-year old Jedi-loving kid still within when we say this R2D2 remote projector, complete with Millennium Falcon remote, is sweeter than a Calrissian smile.
[via Gizmodo]
Personally we believe in a very low tech and environmentally friendly solution for drip drying clothing: the clothesline. But Maytag recognizes some folks might find the tried and true drip drying method unavailable due to space, weather, or simply for convenience, so they've created what they call a drying cabinet....
Someone needs to take Michael Sholk's sweet design and make it real. But please, make it the full size 104-keyboard, not a mini version...we feel like we're getting short-ended without the numeric keys.
[via Akihabara News]
"Oh, I've got the files right here in a folder," busting out Folderix USB Flash Drive [laughing ensues].
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