Had Frank Lloyd Wright designed buildings using AutoCAD, or even computers for that matter, I can easily see him sitting back in a comfortable chair with his laptop perched on the outstretched arm of this Lounge-wood stand that I’m sure he’d approve of. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if he’d designed it himself, complete with a small perch for his iPhone, and a surface for his mouse. (Though he’d surely be the Wacom type.) It’s of course fully adjustable so it can sidle up next to any chair or couch allowing you to work comfortably, and it’s available in various wood finishes and tints, including an all black version if you’re trying to match it an 80′s living room motif.
The RIAA might try and do everything in their power to stop you from sharing your music collection digitally, but their hands are tied when it comes to old-school analog methods. So if you happen to find yourself on the beach with some friends today, Kikkerland’s branching headphone splitter will let you share that 4th of July playlist you spent all weekend making with up to 2 other people. You read that right! While most splitters only let a couple of people use their headphones with a single device, this one pushes the limits to 3 listeners at the same time! And it’s available in 3 colors right now for just $10 from Kikkerland. You don’t have to wait almost an entire year for the designer to work out the kinks on the white version.
Pico projectors might not provide the same level of image quality and luminance as their larger counterparts, but in their current state they’re certainly good enough in the right conditions. Particularly given their size allows them to be crammed into other small electronics. Nikon led the charge with their projector-equipped Coolpix S1000pj a couple of years ago, and now Sony has decided they want to play too. But they’ve chosen to stick a pico projector inside their HDR-PJ50 camcorder instead.
They claim the projector is able to throw an image up to 60-inches in size on any flat surface, through from experience we know that’s highly dependent on where you’re actually using it. If you’re in a room that’s pitch black I’m sure a projection that size is definitely viewable. But if you’re using it somewhere with even a little bit of ambient light in the room, you’ll want to be a bit less ambitious with the projection size to improve the contrast and visibility. As for the HDR-PJ50′s other features? It captures full 1920×1080 HD video to a built-in 220GB hard drive, though capturing to Memory Sticks or SD cards for easy camera<->PC swapping is also supported. It also captures audio in Dolby Digital 5.1, though I don’t know how impressive the surround sound effect will be with just a stereo camera mounted microphone.
You also get 12X optical zoom which is always one of the advantages of using a larger format camcorder like this, instead of the pocket-friendly Flip variety. Stills are captured at 7.1MP, and to keep your videos as smooth as possible there’s built-in image stabilization as well. As for pricing and availability? While the camcorder was just released in India, B&H does appear to list it (with a basic accessory kit) for $1,201.95.
Looking for a romantic yet nerdy way to propose to that special someone? If they happen to have a fondness for industrial engineering you’ll be sure to get an emphatic “yes!” if you do it with this stark white robotic arm in a box, created by Atelier Ted Noten with Laikingland. The arm was made using the latest 3D printing technologies and sits in wait inside a transparent box until you press a single button. It then slowly and dramatically unfolds and extends until it presents the ring to your significant other. And in this case, though it’s hard to see in the photos, the ring is actually a miniature gold handgun with a diamond exploding from the barrel. But we’re pretty sure you can swap your own in. Available come October in a limited run of just 18 pieces, plus 2 artist proofs.
Some people throw steaks and burgers on the barbecue, others set off fireworks, but we here at OhGizmo! feel that the best way to celebrate the 4th of July is to promote rampant consumerism! And if there’s one thing we’ve found people love spending money on, it’s Star Wars merchandise. Technically, Adidas Originals’ new Fall & Winter 2011 Star Wars gear has only just started hitting their online store with a few pieces already available for sale this fine 4th, but the rest should be available soon.
Highlights, at least according to me, include a snazzy, puffy winter coat with a shiny black sheen and strategic stitching designed to look like the only outfit Vader wears, and a thick winter jacket with fur-lined hood that’s not unlike the ones worn by rebel troops on their Hoth base. So in case you haven’t caught on yet, this particular collection seems to draw its inspiration from The Empire Strikes Back.
Other highlights include this flight jacket inspired by “Corellian bad boy Han Solo” according to Adidas’ online store where you can grab it now for $130. And some much deserved love for one of the most overlooked and under-appreciated characters in the Star Wars universe, the Wampa, which gets its own pair of kicks with a fur-themed design.
When you’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars on a home stereo system, you’re probably willing to do anything it takes to make it sound as amazing as it can. Or at the least, do anything to convince yourself it sounds as amazing as it can. Like spend $650 on these wooden boards from Japanese home stereo component maker Kripton, which are designed to neutralize vibrations which could affect the performance of your equipment, while minimizing electromagnetic noise.
The Kripton AB-3200 (pictured above) weighs in at ~33 lbs, can support gear up to ~330 lbs, and is actually priced at ~$442. (¥35,700) While the more substantial AB-5200, which weighs in at ~52 lbs, will set you back ~$650. (¥52,500) Both are made from natural woods including teak and rosewood, with a dense MDF wood substrate providing the heft and stability.
Not only has Beijing-based artist Wang Yuyang created one of the more unique artistic representations of the Earth’s moon that I’ve ever seen, but it also happens to be the most eco-friendly. At least when it comes to power usage because the miniature moon, which measures 13 feet across, is self-illuminated by an outer wrapping of compact fluorescent bulbs that are strategically positioned and shaped to reflect the features of the real moon’s surface, including craters and other landmarks. There are unfortunately still plenty of reasons why CFL bulbs are just as un-ecofriendly as incandescent bulbs though (i.e. mercury vapor) so here’s to hoping that the crane keeping this piece aloft doesn’t decide to pull a Times Square new years’ countdown with it.
While they’re more commonly used as a way for prepubescent boys to leave an imprint of their middle finger behind in novelty stores, those pin art desk toys are occasionally an amusing way to kill a few minutes at work. And when blown up to full-scale, a clever way to advertise your fashion brand.
That’s what Lulu Guinness did with this giant pin art display which encouraged people to ‘Be a Pin Up!’ themselves. If you had a real-life wayback machine you could travel back to last month and experience it for yourself under the St. John’s Gate in Central London, where it was on display as part of Clerkenwell’s Design Week. But now we’re going to assume it’s sitting on top of Lulu Guinness’ equally gigantic desk, next to a monstrous version of Newton’s Cradle which could demolish a building.
You’re probably not going to be able to sneak them onto a Craps table at a casino, but you shouldn’t have any trouble using these Pencil Dice during a class if you think a bit of gambling will help pass the time during a particularly boring lecture. (From my experience university profs get unreasonably upset when you start rolling actual die in class.) They’re your basic six sided pencil except that on the end they’ve been printed with dots on each side numbering one to six. They’re probably not perfectly and equally weighted on each side to produce truly random results, but your classmates who you’re hustling don’t have to know that. Available from Buy Sebastian Bergne for ~$5 (£3).
Related Tags: Design, Furniture
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