There are other 3D mouse/trackball solutions on the market already, like 3Dconnexion’s SpacePilot Pro, but I like what axsotic has done with their 3D-Spheric-Mouse. At first glance it doesn’t appear to do anything different than your standard trackball, which would also let you rotate a 3D model in any direction, but if you check out the video I’ve included below you’ll see that the sphere can also be pushed, pulled and even lifted to re-position a model in 3D space.
I also like that it allows a 3D artist to use both hands when texturing or modeling, though being ambidextrous would probably help a lot with such a setup. The mechanics of the 3D-Spheric-Mouse, which includes both springs and magnets, allows for 1,000 dpi optical precision when rotating an object, and 2,170 dpi when panning or zooming. It appears to work with the hundreds of 3D packages currently owned by Autodesk (and presumably 15-20 more since this article was written) plus others that haven’t been bought up yet. Pricing and availability haven’t been announced though, but you can register on their site to be one of the first to buy one if you’re already sold on the product.
I’m sure these days there must be thousands of different kinds of LEGO pieces, and while it might not be used that often in the themed sets you can find at stores today, the 2×4 brick is still considered to be the iconic representative of the LEGO kingdom. And now you can keep one on your person at all times with this LED light keychain.
I know at one point or another we’ve all accidentally stepped on one of these sharp cornered pieces, so I can say from experience that carrying one around in your pocket probably isn’t super comfortable. But do it for nostalgia’s sake! And with a flashlight always close at hand there’s a chance you may never accidentally step on a LEGO brick again! So it’s got that going for it too. From the looks of it one of the studs on top doubles as the power button, and like the real thing you can even stack multiple lights/bricks together. $9.99 from Perpetual Kid.
Sometimes it’s frustrating just how much cool crap is only available in Japan, but on the flip side, this is the kind of annoyingly catchy commercials they have to deal with on a daily basis! Adding to both lists are these Mii ink stamps that can be ordered through Nintendo’s new Wii No Ma Shopping Channel which was introduced in Japan yesterday. The stamps cost ~$19.59 (¥1,575) and appear to produce an image of your Mii’s face about the size of a dime, and as the commercial illustrates, it’s a ‘cute’ way to mark your territory and/or your property if you don’t live alone.
Emblazoned with only a minuscule Harry Potter logo, I have to say these external hard drives from Buffalo are rather uninspired given the subject material they had to work with. But, I guess what’s more important in this case is that the drives come pre-loaded with the last 6 Harry Potter films in the Divx format, complete with DRM which means the videos won’t play without a net connection. The drives themselves are rather ho-hum too, with the larger one coming in at 1TB and the portable one at 500GB, and both are expected to be available sometime in November for an undisclosed price. Yawn!
What’s this? A brilliantly clever eco-friendly packaging design that’s not just a concept, but is actually available for sale? Crazy! Anyways, according to the Replenish website, your typical spray bottle of household cleaner is about 95% water, and 5% cleaner. And it turns out you’re not only paying for something that already flows from the faucets in your home, but the extra plastic needed to transport it in the bottle.
So taking a cue from the big boxes of concentrated syrup that Coca-Cola sends to restaurants, where water and carbonation is added after the product’s been shipped, Replenish sells concentrated refills of their cleaning product in small containers that snap into the bottom of their reusable bottle. To mix up a new batch you simply flip the bottle upside down until a small built-in measuring cup is filled with the concentrated solution, then add water and shake. The bottle itself, which includes a concentrated container of cleaning solution, is $7.99, but keep in mind that each refill actually makes 4 entire bottles of cleaner. And the refills are just $3.99 each, essentially making the product about $1/bottle after the initial investment.
ThinkGeek’s a little vague when it comes to the tech specs on this SpyNet Mission Video Watch, but since it’s able to capture upwards of 20 minutes of video I’m going to assume it’s not quite HD-capable. But what keeps it from being yet another piece of craptastic spygear is the optional Snake Cam accessory which plugs directly into the watch and lets you capture video from around corners, or even when covertly hidden somewhere on your person.
The watch also has its own built-in camera which can be monitored via its 1.4-inch TFT LCD display, and can be used to capture stills and audio in addition to video. And since it’s technically designed for kids there are even downloadable games in the form of spy missions making it extra… um… fun! The watch itself sells for a reasonable $59.99, so don’t expect too much from it, while the Snake Cam accessory, which I do not consider optional, is an extra $29.99.
The humble necktie once again claims the title of ‘perfect Father’s Day gift’ since it now even appeals to eco-friendly dads who commute to work on their bicycle. Designed by Jasna Sokolovic and Noel O’Connell, the Retroreflector Tie is the perfect mashup of fashion and safety. It’s your standard necktie that’s been made with reflective fabrics so in the daytime it’s all business, but at night it’s all safety, reflecting the headlights of oncoming cars making you highly visible. Of course there’s the small catch that it requires you to ride against traffic which is always a no-no, so hopefully the designers have got a reflective sports coat on the drawing table which should resolve that issue.
HP’s line of ENVY laptops, as many of you know, is very nice indeed. And apparently for today only, you can get your hands on one at $400 less. For the less expensive of the lot, this means you can walk away with an ENVY laptop starting at $849. This applies to the ENVY 14, the ENVY 14 Beats Edition, the ENVY 17 and the ENVY 17 3D. These are all very powerful computers and are of course configurable in a number of ways. You must however meet a minimum configuration cost of $1,249 to be eligible for today’s rebate.
Well this is kind of sad, but not completely surprising either. At one point the Philips Pronto line was the king of the heap when it came to universal remotes, even going as far as to allow users to create their own custom buttons on some of the higher-end models. But ‘higher-end’ I think was the biggest issue since some of those models had price tags of over $1,000. For home theater enthusiasts it might have been worth it, but that’s a small, niche market. And while there were cheaper models in the Pronto line, there’s been some tough competition recently from both Logitech and even add-ons that turn the iPhone into a robust universal remote.
Apparently back in December of 2009 Philips relocated some of its remote control operations from Belgium to Asia, and at the same time had started to “investigate alternative strategic options for the Pronto business” since they felt the line no longer fit the company’s strategy. And after not being able to find a buyer for the line, Philips has finally confirmed that it will be unfortunately discontinued. I guess Christmas has come early this year for Logitech.
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