By David Ponce

The “I’m” folks are at it again. “I’m” as in that’s the name of their products. First it was the I’m Watch. Now it’s an entire line of related products called I’m Circle. And what they’re proposing is quite revolutionary, if only too good to be possible. The idea is to eliminate overlapping technology in various devices by simply removing that particular tech from them and putting it in one central hub that would then act as a processing server. For example, there’s a microprocessor in your phone. There’s also one in your tablet. Why do you need two, when you could just share one?

The center of this new proposed ecosystem of tethered devices would be the I’m Core, the keychain-sized hub that would contain a quad-core processor, a GPS chip, a WiFi chip and a SIM card. Then, there are plans for a smartphone, a tablet, a flatscreen TV and what looks like a media server, all of which would connect to the I’m Core. They’d all be named something starting with “I’m”, with a stated time to market of late 2012. And I’m ready to bet good money this will never happen. Here’s why.

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By David Ponce

You can’t buy these anymore, it looks like. And even if you could, you probably wouldn’t want to spend the $317 they used to cost. But these cereal bowls that show the silhouette of an animal only when filled with mils (or any opaque liquid) sure are pretty. They were made by one Geraldine De Beco, but there seems to be no way to purchase anything on her website. Or at least, not these.

Hit the jump for a few more pictures.

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By David Ponce

Getting up in the morning is all fine and dandy, but not when it also involves waking up the entire house with you. With the Chirp alarm clock currently in pre-production at Quirky, you simply attach the vibrating click onto your pillowcase and hope that the little rattling is enough to wake you, and only you, on time. From my understanding, the clip stops vibrating when you insert it back in its base but the nice thing about the setup is that if you fail to do so within a certain time, an actual audible alarm will sound as backup.

This product has been upcoming at Quirky apparently since September and we still don’t know when it’ll be available. But its projected price when it is will be around $18.

[ Product Page ]

By David Ponce

Sometimes it’s products that solve the smallest of annoyances that we find the most appealing. Like that flustercuck of cables under your desk. Look at it right now. You find that pretty? Admittedly this is not a huge problem, although for the tidier amongst us it can be quite the nightmare. That’s why we like the Plug Hub. It’s a plastic case that features three winding posts to wrap excess cable around, a base to accommodate a power strip and a door to hide all that business from sight. You can leave it right on the ground or even screw it to a wall. It’s an elegant solution fully deserving the $29 price, at Quirky.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ Wired's Gadget Lab ]

By David Ponce

Working on stuff without sticking your fingers on a live wire or cutting them with something sharp is easier to do when you can see what’s going on. Worklights come all manner of shapes and styles but we really like the FLEXiT light. It’s basically a flexible silicone mat with 16 Lumen Tech™ LEDs embedded. The mat contains a frame (which the company calls Shape-Loc™) that holds whichever shape you give the mat in place, letting you create either a broad or focused beam with ease. There are three intensity settings and the base contains neodymium magnets to make it even easier to find the perfect spot for it.

Best part is the price: $30.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ Gizmag ]

By David Ponce

Putting delicate wine glasses in the washing machine can be a risky proposition. Secure them with these cheap and elegant flexible plastic tethers that tie to the stem on the one end and attach to the washing machine on the other.

They’re $15 for a pack of 4, from Quirky.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ CoolHunting ]

By David Ponce

This is not a new product, but it’s one we think our readers ought to know about. See, zip ties are great for bundling cables and tidying the inside of a PC case for example. Or arresting people. But while you won’t be arresting anyone with the Q-Knot rubber ties, you will be able to re-use them, unlike traditional plastic zip ties. Their rubber construction means that if you pull hard enough, the teeth will go through in the opposite direction, releasing the band. This could be handy if you forgot to bundle a particular cable and don’t want to have to cut the zip tie. Yeah, you could argue that the regular plastic ties are cheap, so what’s the issue? And that’s true but hey… the environment and all that stuff? Not to mention that $10 for a pack of 25 isn’t all that expensive either.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ Wired Gadget Lab ]

By David Ponce

Back in 1966, Peugeot (the European car maker) commissioned a particular looking desk from an artist named Ben Swildens. This was a time where a design trend called Bolidism was popular. “The Bolidism movement sprung from the Italian futurism, which enhanced speed and a boldness of design, with a belief in technique and an enthusiasm for whatever could be assaulted and grasped.” Swilden had been impressed by another designer’s creation of a one-footed chair, so his inspiration was to create a desk with no feet at all. Three of these desks were made and put to use in Peugeot’s headquarters in France. And now, some 45 years later, 8 more will be manufactured and made available for purchase.

Weighing 110 kgs (242lbs), the desk is carefully hand made from steel, aluminum and stainless steel. It must be affixed to a large metal plate to assure its stability with a special fastening system. “A lot of 3 units of this desk will be on sale from next year, with a price tag of $87,000 each, and the rest to be sold individually, later. If one manages to visit Brussels Antiques and Fine Arts Fair around January 19, 2012, then one can get a chance to see it in person, and perhaps even take a shot at buying it. ”

[ Ben Swildens Desk ] VIA [ Born Rich ]

By David Ponce

Looking like a construction crane, the CSYS LED Task Light from designer Jake Dyson is an object of desire. At least as much as one can desire such an industrial looking object… which is a lot. Made from aluminum, copper and plastic…

[the] CSYS LED task light can be adjusted effortlessly in three axes to allow exact, stable positioning. Setting the LED head close to the working area allows focussed illumination, whilst raising it creates a wide, even pool of light. The mechanics are designed with precision to ensure a smooth accurate movement and positioning.

The heat pipe within the CSYS LED task light conducts heat away from the LEDs and distributes it evenly over the length of the heat sink. It uses no external pumps or extra energy to cool the LEDs and is instrumental in keeping the CSYS task light running brightly and efficiently for 37+ years.

As usual with objects that look decent, you can expect to pay a price premium. The CSYS Task Light is £550.00 (around $858 USD).

[ Product Page ] VIA [ Chip Chick ]