I remember being in college, living in a small apartment and thinking there must be some way to maximize the space in here. Compact Concepts have come up with an answer to help with at least one room of the house. The Circular Kitchen is a full kitchen compressed into a 1.8 square meter space. This kitchen includes a stainless steel sink with chrome single lever mixer, a waste bin, drawers, upper circular shelves that rotate 360 degrees to house crockery, glasses, etc., refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, fully integrated coffee machine, ceramic cook top with 2 or 4 cook zones, a built-in microwave/oven-combination and a range hood. This is perfect for small homes or even offices that don’t have a lot of space to put a kitchen.
[Product Page] [OhGizmo!]
Compact Circular Kitchen May 31, 2006
Sardine Can Survival Kit May 31, 2006
With spring and summer upon us it’s time to drag out the survival items and get outside. Camping, hiking, kayaking, fishing and other outdoor hobbies will consume many of us. One thing you cannot forget is the gear to keep you safe in an emergency.
One small item recommended to keep in your backpack is the Survival Kit in a Sardine Can. It is watertight, floats and includes one each of the following items:
- Acetaminophen
- adhesive bandage
- alcohol prep
- antibiotic ointment
- book matches
- tea bag
- chewing gum
- sugar
- salt packet
- energy nugget,
- duct tape
- fire starter cube
- wire clip
- first aid instructions
- fish hook and line
- note paper
- pencil
- razor blade
- safety pin
- whistle
- compass
- reflective signal surface
- waterproof bag
You can’t go wrong while adding this to your collection of needs before an outing. It’s compact and lightweight and could go anywhere with you. They claim you can also use it to drink out of, cook in or even bail water in extreme situations. Hopefully you’ll never need it for the latter.
Water Purification Made Easy May 30, 2006
I have never been a real outdoors person, but I do know that water is the most important thing to have. The problem is, you can’t just drink water from any source. If you were unfortunate enough not to bring your own water, your problems are solved. The SteriPen is a way to sterilize water to make sure it is safe for drinking. Within minutes, you can have water that is safe to drink. Using the SteriPen, you can kill viruses, bacteria and protozoa. It works on 4 AA batteries and weighs 3.5 ounces. This makes it perfect for backpacking and travel.
[Gear Factor]
USB Programs May 30, 2006
If you’re like me, you’re just now finding out how useful a USB pen drive can be. I’m slow, I know…but I found a site today that just blew me away.
It says: These FREE programs do not require any installation and can be run
directly from a USB drive. Keep some useful apps handy while on-the-go!
There are portable versions of Firefox and Office out there as well. Here is a handy site that will take you to the limits of putting programs on your USB pen drives so that you can be as efficient as possible.
Some of the programs listed are:
- TreePad Lite – personal database and more
- Foxit PDF Reader – alternative to Adobe
- Quick ‘n’ Easy FTP Server Lite – as it says, and FTP server
- FollowMeIP Lite – shows your IP address even if you’re behind a firewall
There are MANY more listed here and elsewhere so take a peek and use your USB pen drive to it’s fullest extent!
Sony Ericsson Walkman Phone May 30, 2006
As you might’ve seen on the commercials via TV, Sony Ericsson is launching a new 
walkman phone that is a slider. It features 3GB support and video calling, a 2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth 2.0, a 262k color screen, Walkman player version 2.0 that enables downloads of music to your phone via the 3G connection included.
The W850i comes with a memory stick that’s 1GB and can support up to 4GB (around 1,000 songs). It features imaging and messaging, landscape imaging, 4x digital zoom, LED light, video recording and playback, Push e-mail, Macromedia Flash and much more.
You get a stereo headset, USB cable and other accessories with the purchase of the phone. Watch for it in stores! It certainly looks sleek and snazzy in the photos and I’d like to know how the features work.
DSC-T30 Sony Cybershot May 30, 2006
The latest in the Sony Cybershot collection, the DSC-T30 has included an array of anti-shake and anti-blur measures to keep your shots clear and balanced during any type of movement.
It has a High Sensitivity Mode (ISO 1000) and allows for sharp low-light images without using a flash as
an option. It does include auto-flash, has a high powered 7.2 megapixel sensor and sports a stylish design compared to other Sony cameras. Also boasts Super SteadyShot O.I.S. which claims to reduce blur from hand tremors and a RAW Noise Reduction system that will keep your shots looking clean and crisp.
The T30 also has special features such as the in-camera slide show with background music so that you can program it and share photos with friends later. Using a 3.0 inch LCD and containing a 58MB internal memory plus optional Memory Stick Duo, count on this camera being high priced and highly used.
Visit Sony’s site for more information.
iPod TuneBuckle now available in new styles May 29, 2006
We covered the original TuneBuckle belt when it was introduced several months ago at CES, and now there are already two new styles available: the Full Moon that leaves only the click wheel uncovered, and the Full Metal Jacket that encases the entire iPod. The new styles still allow you to conveniently carry your Nano at your waist, but offer more protection than the original. The new buckles are made from the same chromed aluminum, and the high quality red-stitched leather is available in black and white. Costs $60 for the original, $70 for the Full Moon, and $80 for the Full Metal Jacket. International shipping is also available. [via Link]
Top 10 strangest kitchen gadgets May 28, 2006
Pretty? Check. Useful? Not so much. This roundup from TechEBlog does have a few gems such as a tetris cooking timer and honorably-mentioned programmable drink mixer. But the majority of the gadgets linked, such as the keyboard tablecloth and toasterkettle (an all-in-one device that boils water and simultaneously toasts bread, omg!), seem like a bit of a stretch. The crowning strangeness of this list is Dupont’s Z. Island Kitchen, a "sensory-receptive kitchen appliance" that may or may not be just a computer wrapped in a big futuristic white table. Also may or may not actually have anything to do with a kitchen. But after all, these gadgets are stylish and probably outrageously overpriced, which in some social circles adds to their charm. [Link]
Injection Molded Wallet: Stylish but Practical May 25, 2006
I’ve been purseless for almost 10 years now, but my inch and a half thick man-wallet is a bane to maintaining my bottom’s symmetrically rounded shape. Designer Kristian Aus’s concept for the world’s first injection molded wallet claims to be "durable, waterproof, stylish, and packed with clever features for modern living." The patented but not-yet in production wallet can carry the requisite cash and credit cards, but it also has a divider with space for a number of small items, such as a small stack of postits, extra keys, or memory sticks. The site even explicityly suggests keeping a spare condom in the section, which might be a good idea since this design won’t leave that tell-tale ring like conventional leather wallets. The mockups for this come in white, black, gray, red, and lime, but who knows what will actually be available if this ends up getting manufactured. [Link]
Geeky Earrings May 25, 2006
Although I could not find the site where you can get these cool earrings, Red Ferret pointed me to this site where you can see the different designs this very creative person made with capacitors, resistors, and other electronic parts. Impressive and by far the best use of creativity I’ve seen! I’d actually wear them.
