Owner: Smart Stuff URL:http://www.smartstuff.se Join Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2007 10:30:12 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: Ever growing archive of the world's smartest gadgets, inventions and ideas. Site statistics:Click here
If you want to have breakfast or work in bed. 2007-03-18 19:10:36 We must admit we are a bit partial to breakfast in bed. Particularly in hotels. But one problem with eating in bed is that most trays are very unstable. And the bread-crumbs, of course. But we digress. This tray, designed by Harald Hynell (who mailed us to tell about it) for Bosign, has a pillowy base which makes it adapt to whatever it is placed on (your legs, for instance). That makes it steadier than most. We are sure it is very good for using laptops on your lap top, too. It is available in black, white, willow- or wenge wood and it is SEK 494:- (approx. USD 70:-) on the PID web shop.
Transparent thermometer sticks to windows without glue. 2007-03-15 22:40:49 This tip comes from Bertil J. who imports these see-through thermometer
s. We have see the material before; its a kind of plastic that clings to glass through static electricity. This application, however, is new to us, and we think it is kinda neat. The KleerTemp sticks
to your window or glass door (no glue, nails or screws) and is easily readable from the inside. It is available in both Fahrenheit and Celsius versions and it is USD 8:- on ElectroOptix' own web shop. It is also on Amazon- for USD 6:-. Plus shipping, one might suppose. Read more:Transparent
Magnetic induction self powered bike lights. 2007-03-14 14:13:17 Today is a sunny day and the thermometer shows +6-7°C. Spring is here and so is the bike season. To mark the occasion we will feature another bike gadget. This tip comes from Paul L., who admits he has not tried them, but still thinks the idea is smart. We can't but agree. The lights are from Danish Reelight, and they are invented by Troels Pedersen. The light, or lights, are based on electromagnetic induction, which means they generate their own power. No resistance like you get from an ordinary dynamo, no battery changes as with ordinary bike lights. The light are attached to the front and back hubs, and the magnets to the spokes of the wheels. Every time a magnet passes a light electricity is generated. Simple. The lights are DKK 299:- (approx. USD 53:- or EUR 40:-) for a kit of front and rear lights, four magnets and mounting details.
Motorized front wheel for the lazy cyclist. 2007-03-13 13:21:45 There was a time when a Solex moped, or VelóSolex as its real name was, was a French style icon comparable to the Citroên 2CV and baguettes. Among all the Solex riders were Steve McQueen, who used the contraption during the shooting of Le Mans 1970-71. But this was of course ages ago. Even though the VelóSolex is rumored to be in production again, it has new competition from The Wheel by American RevoPower. Here the boffins have managed to squeeze a minimal 1,1 hp 25cc two stroke into a bicycle wheel
along with the drive train and a muffler. The little engine is said to be able to accelerate the vehicle to 20 mph over flat ground and deliver more than 100 miles to the gallon. It uses gas mixed with oil (two stroke juice) and the gas tank is in the water bottle holder. The wheel is estimated to cost about USD 400:- to 500:- when it's ready for launch in the spring of 2007. And yes, you can choose not to use the engine if you'd rather pedal, but the weight of the wheel (+12 lb. net)
Bra strap retainer stops dreaded VBS. 2007-03-11 14:57:41 This post is of course dedicated to our female readers in particular, and a bit of research among friends of the female persuasion suggests this gadget would be a welcome addition to the wardrobe. It is called Strap Trap and it is simply a small plastic loop you sew into the shoulders of sleeveless sweaters or blouses to stop bra straps from sliding into public view. Wether visible straps is seen as a problem or not may be an age or culture issue, but here is a ready solution. The tip is from Hilda V., inventor of the Strap Trap. The Strap Trap is available in black or white and a kit of 12 (enough for 6 garments) is GBP 5:- (about EUR 7:30) shipped within the EU or GBP 6:- (approx. USD 11:60) shipped to the US, AUS and NZ.
Crescent shaped shower curtain rod. 2007-03-09 11:28:21 This tip comes from Jon B. at Humans.ca in Canada. (Yes, he works for the company that sells these shower curtain rods, but that's okay as long as the thing is smart.) The curtain rod itself is pretty self explanatory, so we'll just add that it is available in white, chrome and gold-ish and it is USD 40:- at Bed, Bath & Beyond or USD 37:- on Amazon-. Read more:Crescent
Smart cap turns old soda cans into safe sharps disposal. 2007-03-07 13:47:11 We'll break the series of reader contributed tips for this very interesting and clever item we just found on Core 77. According to Hân Pham - inventor of the Antivirus cap - unsafe handling of syringes, needles and other medical sharps cause more than 200,000 HIV infections each year, plus millions of Hepatitis cases and other injuries. The solution above, utilizing an item available in great numbers (the used soda can) adding a smart lid to make disposing of needles and other infected sharps easy and safe could save lives. If this invention, an Index:2007 Awards nominee, is not in production, it should be. Check out the Index:2007 list, among the nominees are several we've already mentioned on Smart
Stuff during the past year! ;-) Read more:turns
Fridge bin liner and vegetable saver. 2007-03-06 19:04:34 Frequent tipster Magnus I.B. is back with a guest review. This time he shares his experience with the fridge vegetable bin liner. He writes (our translation and slightly edited):"It's a perforated and slightly spongy mat mad of a "non-slip" material. You cut it to size and put it on the bottom of the vegetable bin in your refrigerator. With the mat in place you can take the vegetables out of their plastic wrappers and bags (not cucumber or salad; they need the wrappers to keep their moisture), which keeps them from collecting the moisture that makes vegetables spoil faster. Besides, it looks a lot nicer with the vegetables out of the wrappers. And if something would spoil anyway (like a piece of forgotten cucumber turing into a messy mush) you're still good, since the mat keeps the fresh vegetables away from the goo. I have had mine for close to two years and I would not want to have to do without it."
Thanks, Magnus, for the tip and the review! Now, if you want one of these mats, to Read more:Fridge
Make real pression coffee in the wild. 2007-03-02 11:46:43 This tip comes from Helen M. who, we suppose, like to have coffee al fresco. And in that case we can not but agree, because there is hardly anything that can top the smell and taste of freshly made coffee in the wild. If anything, it might be freshly fried chanterelles on a clear autumn day right at the best chanterelle patch.... But to the issue at hand. Helen thinks this coffee maker is worth a mention, and we agree. The kit contains a cooker with a one liter vessel and a burner, a coffee press, a container of propane and a bag of coffee to make four cups. Right now it is SEK 999:- (approx. USD 142:-) on sale at Naturkompaniet. Expensive? Er, yes, but...
How to make really cool drinks. 2007-03-01 20:27:26 This is from Jonas S. of Creative Design, and we know he is just looking to peddle his own goods here, since his company is the one selling these things. But, since we know about it, we can take it into consideration. And now we have told you, so you know, too. After all, that we must say that this thing looks pretty cool. We have been experimenting with freezing vodka bottles ourselves, but it has always been a bit of a hassle. You can hardly ever find just the right size for the water vessel; it is always way too big and thus it always takes forever for the thing to freeze. Now the IceJacket promises to make all that a bit easier. Just put the bottle in, lock the container, fill up with water and put it in the freezer. It is USD 35:95 plus shipping.
It's contribution day! 2007-03-01 20:25:09 We must first sincerely apologize to all the good people out there who's been sending us tips and during the past couple of months. We have been pretty busy and has not really had the time to get into the mailbag and go through all your kind contributions, and post the best ones. But now we will. We have quite a lot of reader contributions stacked up for your enjoyment, and today is just the first! Keep'em coming, we love you!
The best of February on Smart stuff. 2007-03-01 00:04:26 It seems a lot of blogs are fond of making monthly roundups. Maybe it is a good idea. Maybe a lot of smart stuff
gets forgotten about when it could be appreciated by more people if we were to make such a monthly roundup, too. Let's try it. Here's our five favorite posts from the past month (it's kind of hard to pick five but here goes):
• Extra long finger plasters
• The inkless pen
• The California car duster
• The Multimirror
• Electric power shifter for bicycles
If you have missed any of these, we suggest you click and have a look. We do not think you will be disappointed. /Ed. Read more:February
, Smart
Push and pull oven hook. 2007-03-01 00:03:36 Now, as all our regular readers surely know, we prefer a good Nomex oven mitt anytime for handling hot pots and pans. But at the same time we understand that everybody else does not. So for all those out there who prefer a more mechanical way of handling hot pans and such things, here is the push/pull oven hook. We do think it is pretty clever. And it is not very expensive, either; just USD 5.99 (about SEK 42:-) on Walter Drake.
Electrical bicycle auto shifter. 2007-02-26 20:37:47 We suppose Shimano has done pretty much everything in bicycle
gears except an automatic, so it was probably due. The new (?) technology is launched under the Coasting brand (almost unreadable site), and as far as we can gather it may be available in four bikes from three manufacturers; Trek, Giant and Raleigh. If any of them will hit Europe and Sweden is shrouded in uncertainty, by we think at least Trek has an importer, so maybe... The bikes shown are no sports rigs, they are more like something you'd pedal to the store with. The power shifter is located inside the oversized chain cover, and, if we are not mistaken, it's powered by a dynamo in the front wheel. The actual gears are located in the rear hub. You'll find a longer text on the Bike Gallery web site.
Chair with coat hanger - stolen idea? 2007-02-25 14:59:02 This chair from Pottinger & Cole (right) has been doing the rounds lately. And why not, since it's both smart and fun. It would be perfect by the bed, since it provides both coat hanger and beside table all in one. But even though it is smart, the idea is not exactly new. We already have a similar chair (left) in our archives, that one designed by Jörg Gätjens. Considering the fact that we found Jörg Gätjens' chair already in December 2005, one might suspect that P&C liked the idea and simply ripped it off to make their own interpretation. Read more:Chair
, stolen
Charging box with integrated speakers. 2007-02-21 13:16:32 Previously we have mentioned the Swedish Contactboxen, the Multipot and the charging box that is meant to be placed under a cabinet. Now we have another installment in the charging box series. Student industrial designer Alexander Lundqvist Cruz has created the Speakerbox and introduced it at the Stockholm Furniture Fair recently. The Cruz box is different from the others since it has integrated speakers
allowing you to listen to your tunes while the phone or iPod is charging. So far the Cruz box is a concept, but with the proper interest, it may be produced. Read more:Charging
California car duster. 2007-02-20 16:44:43 This dusting brush post is the result of a tip from good friends Klas and Tracy B. The brush has cotton strands treated with a special paraffin wax that collects and lifts off dust from the surface. The brush does not need cleaning, and it is supposedly very popular among the people on the custom car show circuit. We have actually never seen one in this country, but we have found it for sale on a couple of Swedish sites. In the US you can get wooden handled version from California
Car Duster themselves for USD 19:99, or from Amazon- where it is USD 15:75.
The Latvian water carrier and folding seat. 2007-02-16 15:16:42 During the Stockholm Furniture Fair there was a special section with works by students at different art- craft- and design schools and colleges. Among them we found the Art Academy of Latvia in Riga. And among the works displayed these two struck us a both clever and good looking. The first (above) is the Yoke water
carrying strap by Janis Valdmanis. The simplicity is compelling. A piece of rubber with room for one, two or three bottles, and an ordinary nylon strap.
The other (below) was the Chiks folding seat by Kaspars Jursons, made from a metal tube with a fabric seat. The seat is small, but OK, and the whole thing small and light enough to bring along to the kids football or little league game, we suppose. Read more:carrier
Clever mirror saves space and hides clutter. 2007-02-13 00:59:05 Anybody who has been reading our site for some time knows we like inventions that lets us use hitherto unused space. Anything that lets us hide away the stuff that clutter
s any home, makes even a studio apartment feel more spacious. Architect and designer Charlotte Elsner has created this smart mirror/gadget hider she calls Multimirror. The Multimirror is so far just a concept, but if the final product even comes close to the examples she showed at the Stockholm Furniture Fair we think it has every chance of success. The Multimirror is a sliding mirror mounted on a shallow cabinet allowing space for most anything. As a hall mirror (left) it lets you keep shoe brushes, cellphone, ipod, keys, wallet, notes, etc, within easy reach but still hidden away. As a bedroom or dressing room mirror (right) it can be fitted with an integrated ironing board and space for clothes brushes, sewing kit, etc. Brilliant! Read more:Clever
, hides
Door stop with a hole for hanging on the doorknob. 2007-02-03 15:50:52 Don't know about you, but we have lots of doorstops. There was a time when we collected doorstops; ever searching for The Perfect Door Stop. We actually went as far as drawing sketches for our own door stop design. Well, we're a lot better now, except for the occasional relapse. Like today, when we found this doorstop designed by Italian design firm Modoloco in Milan and manufactured by Japanese R.F. Yamakawa. We like the fact that you can hang it on the door knob when it's not in use, and also that they have been able to save so much material without compromising on function (we suppose without having tested it). As far as we can tell it's available in four different colors, but we have not been able to find a price.
Pen that needs neither ink, nor lead. 2007-02-01 12:00:04 A pen that writes without ink? Sure... at first we thought this was a leg-puller and that they simply meant an ordinary pencil. You know, no ink? But after a bit closer scrutiny, it appears they are serious. The pen itself is ordinary steel, but the actual business end; the nib or point, is some alloy that actually leaves metal residue on the paper. It looks a bit like pencil writing, but it cannot be erased. The big thing, besides the obvious "wow" factor would be that it will not run out of ink or dry up on you. And that it is likely to last pretty much forever. Available from Grand Illusions where it is GBP 15:- (approx. USD 30:-).
Office stapler with staple-gun tech. 2007-01-30 23:44:32 We had never heard of this staple
r before we looked in on the JND web page, where Don Norman writes on good design and related topics. The stapler is called PaperPro and it uses a new (at least for staplers) approach inspired by - staple-guns. The staples uses an arrangement of levers and springs to load and enhance the power that is applied to the handle in order to release that power accurately and powerfully at the right moment. The model above is promised to staple up to 20 pages of paper, but there are other models available, too, both one smaller and one more powerful. Available from, among other places, Amazon- at about USD 19:-.
Electric 12V jack for your car. 2007-01-28 23:01:55 After the electric air pump, it was probably only a matter of time before someone came up with the electric jack. May it even came first. We do not know; today is actually the first time we have seen one. But of course this must be smart, since the ever popular SUV's are getting bigger and heavier all the time. Changing wheels or fixing a flat on an Escalade or Suburban must be hell. It is probably no picnic on a KingCab either. Now that the power jack is only a credit card swipe away, we are waiting for the next big thing, some sort of small power crane to get those big and heavy wheels in place. The power jack is available (among other places) on Amazon, is promised to lift 4.000 lb. and will set you back USD 76:- which sounds reasonable enough, but shipping is of course extra. Read more:Electric
Splash proof recipe holder. 2007-01-28 13:44:27 The makers of Clipline sent us a sample some time back, but we have frankly had a hard time figuring out what we would want to do with it. The Clipline consists of a sheet of plexiglas a wooden holder (available in lots of sizes and colors) and screws to put it up. You screw the holder and the sheet of plexi to the wall and - presto! - you have a picture holder that allows easy exchange of pictures. We do not feel any urgent need to put photos on our walls, but if we had had a brick-and-mortar store, we would have used it for display purposes. After some thinking, however, we have figured out what we would want to use it for - as a recipe holder on the back-splash. This version takes A4-paper (the size we use to print recipes from the 'net) and it is SEK 250:- (approx. USD 35:50) on Clipline's website. Read more:Splash
Kid's backpack with integrated car seat. 2007-01-24 18:47:37 This invention by Maria Munther at Minno is a clever combination of school backpack and car seat for kids up to 10 - 12 years old. If one parent takes their child to school, and the other parent (or grandpa) is to pick up after school, you really should need two or more of the kid's car seats to make sure they ride safe in the car. Even though our young no longer need car seats, we can still remember the hassle of moving the seats around between cars. With Maria Munther's SitSac that is no longer necessary. With the SitSac every child has their own personal car seat and school backpack in one tidy combination. The carrying straps of the backpack is fastened to the car seat and the backpack is in turn fastened to the car seat. The backpack has lots of pockets and compartments and the car seat part even has a hard compartment for fragile stuff, like a small laptop (like a Sony Vaio) perhaps. If everything goes according to plan, SitSac will be available in shops during the spring (2007
Photo quiz solution. Congratulations to Anders F.! 2007-01-24 18:41:20 Yesterday's picture quiz seems to have been harder than we thought, and we have e-mails with everything from frost to micro fibers close up. Of all the contestants, however, Anders
F. got in the right answer first but we must give an honorable mention to frequent suggestions contributor Austin L. who was runner-up with in effect the same solution. So what was that in the picture? Well, it was a classic ostrich feather duster close-up. See the thing in it's entirety above. If you want a closer look at yesterday's picture you'll find a larger version here.
The duster comes from Sahlins Struts in Borlänge (struts = ostrich) and we found it at Formex last Sunday. What struck us when we looked closely at the ostrich feathers was how they resembled fractals or the micro fibers in synthetic products like cloths or brushes. Could it be that ostrich feathers are nature's own "micro fibers"? And could it be that the ostrich feather's tendency to take a static electrical charge made them s Read more:Congratulations
, Photo
Recommend Site To A Friend
