Oh! Gizmo

By Andrew Liszewski

It’s still in the research/concept/prototype stage at this point, but I’m already a fan of this Sculpt-a-Light illuminated duct tape which should make pimping out your ride as easy as re-attaching a fender. There are still obvious issues with the overly large power source and ridiculous price tag if this were to hit the market right now, but I like the idea of being able to add a bit of illumination by simply tearing a strip of tape off a roll.

[ Sculpt-a-Light ] VIA [ Architectradure ]

By Andrew Liszewski

I thoroughly enjoy 3D films when it’s done properly, but for 3D to become something more than just a novelty, there has to be a way to get rid of those polarized glasses. And that’s where innovations like 3M’s new optical film comes into play. It features small, dome-shaped lenses on the surface of the film combined with prism-like structures on the underside to create a 3D effect that is visible with the naked eye.

Now unfortunately the film can’t just be applied to any LCD giving it instant 3D capabilities. The display has to have independently controlled LED edge lighting on the left and right side which is used to distinguish the different images meant for the left and right eye. However, the film allows the LCD to be easily switched between 2D and 3D modes, and has already gone into production for small and medium sized displays.

[ Tech-On! - 3M Film Realizes 3D Panel Viewable With Naked Eye ] VIA [ Ubergizmo ]

By Chris Scott Barr

October has come and gone, which means there is a little bit of business to take care of around these parts. Around the middle of the month we promised to give away a Vusix Eyewear AV310 to one random commenter. Well I have done just that.

Congratulations to commenter dubzilla! His comment was randomly selected from this article (which too was picked at random). Thanks to everyone else who has been commenting these last few weeks. The discussions have really livened things up. For those of you who might not feel like joining in on the conversations now that the contest has ended, there will me more of these in the future. I’m already cooking up something similar for November, which means that all comments left this month will eligible. Stay tuned for more details!

[ Vuzix ]

By Chris Scott Barr

How is it that whenever you open up your toolbox to get a screwdriver, the exact one you need is missing? It’s probably because someone’s been too lazy to put them back when they are done (that would be my issue). That’s why screwdrivers with interchangeable bits can be so handy. Of course even those little bits can get lost, which is why this Autoloader Screwdriver from KR Tools looks so enticing.

The Autoloader has  six different bits (three Phillips and three flathead) built right into the handle. When you want to change the one you’re using, you just pull the handle, twist it to select the right one, then push the handle back into place. You never actually have to touch the bits themselves, thus you’ll never lose them. Of course now you just have to remember where you set the screwdriver. You can pick up a 2-pack of these (one large, one small) for just $30.

[ Amazon ] VIA [ CoolestGadgets ]

By Evan Ackerman

We’ve been hearing for a long long long long loooooooong time now about how fuel cells are going to be the batteries of the future, since they’re instantly rechargeable with a shot of booze. But like so many promises (::cough:: ::cough::) they haven’t quite materialized yet. Toshiba, though, has just released an actual fuel cell charger in Japan. Unlike the Medis fuel cell charger that we reviewed back in February, Toshiba’s Dynario charger can be topped of with concentrated methanol, which is the whole point of fuel cells… You can just keep refilling them. In about 20 seconds, 50 mL of methanol reacts with oxygen in the air to charge a battery in the device with enough juice to recharge two mobile phones via USB.

As cool as the Dynario is, it’s still very much a first stab at commercializing this kind of technology, nowhere near Samsung’s fantastical 160 hour laptop fuel cell. Only 3000 Dynario units are for sale, and so far, they’re only available in Japan… Toshiba will see how well they work out before committing to further distribution. If you want one, you can find them online at Toshiba’s Shop1048 for $328, plus another $34 for 5 cartridges. Is the neatness worth the cost and inefficiency? No, but for the sake of the technology, I hope these sell like hotcakes. Hotcakes filled with concentrated alcohol. Mmmmmm…

[ Press Release ] VIA [ Engadget ]

By Evan Ackerman

No matter how many branches you pile on the floor of your living room, you’re not likely to make yourself a comfy chair. As it turns out, the reason for this is simply that you’re not using big enough branches… If you use a branch big enough that you can see its individual cells, and you carve it into a block, and then use magic to make it squishy, you end up with what looks to be a spectacularly comfortable chair.

Yu-Ying Wu’s “Breathing Chair” is, indeed, based on plant cells. The bigger cells are more flexible than the smaller cells, so when you sit in it, the carefully calculated network naturally forms an arm chair. It’s made out of a 100% environmentally friendly foam plastic that’s sproingy enough to give you a little boost as you stand up, too. The chair received a Red Dot Design Award earlier this year, which could mean that someone’s going to pick it up for production.

VIA [ Core77 ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Well it’s officially official. The whole Wii accessories fiasco can now be upgraded to an epidemic with the release of the special edition of Baby and Me which comes with an actual doll. With the Wiimote strapped to the little plastic bundle of joy gamers will be able to interact with the baby’s on-screen counterpart in a variety of different ways including:

Your baby reacts by giggling, gurgling or crying through the Wii remote
Ten Baby Mode games including feed baby & send baby to sleep
Eight Play Mode games including rattle, catch, clap & balloons
Balance Board support: rock baby to sleep, burp baby, teach baby to walk
Customise baby with new clothes, accessories and playrooms

And if you can’t find the special edition, since they’ll no doubt be flying off the shelves, the standard version of the game includes a holster so you can strap a Wiimote to an existing doll of your choice.

[ Aussie-Nintendo - Baby and Me special edition puts everything else to shame ] VIA [ GoNintendo ]

By Andrew Liszewski

If internet radio is your thing, and you often find yourself befuddled by buttons, dials and knobs, design and development firm Cambridge Consultants has just the thing for you! Their recently unveiled Q2 Cube Internet Radio features no visible controls, but instead relies on gravity to change its settings. To select from one of four preset stations, you just turn the cube onto one of its four sides, and to adjust the volume up or down, you just tilt it forwards or backwards. At the moment pricing info hasn’t been revealed, but the company expects to at least have the Cube Radio available in the U.K. in time for Christmas.

[ Wired Gadget Lab - Q2 Cube Internet Radio ] VIA [ Core77 ]

By Andrew Liszewski

I’m all for the pros when it comes to compact fluorescent lighting, but most people don’t realize just how dangerous mercury vapor can be when a bulb breaks. Not the people at ClearLite though. They’ve created a new CFL bulb called the ArmorLite (SRP $7.99) that features a silicone safety shell preventing broken glass and mercury from escaping if the bulb breaks. Unfortunately while it’s a clever solution to the problem, it’s not a perfect one. The silicone shell will require extra steps when it comes to disposal, and it will no doubt have an adverse affect on the lumen rating and color temperature of each bulb. But it’s a step in the right direction.

[ ClearLite ArmorLite CFL Bulbs ] VIA [ Crave ]