By David Ponce

There’s something about turning a traditional game of chess on its side and hanging it on a wall that invites a passive gameplay. This particular set looks like an ornate picture frame and one can imagine it hanging on a wall in a mansion much too large for its inhabitants. Each player could walk by it on any given day and play their turn, only to come back the following week and pick the game up where it was left off. A “last move” marker indicates to the opponent what just happened, making it even easier to let time pass between plays. At $300, the pricetag matches the scenario:

The board is made from cherry veneer, alternately stained and left in its natural color to produce the 3 1/4″ H x 2″ W black and white spaces. Eight transparent acrylic shelves support its set of classic Staunton chess pieces. The black pieces are made from rosewood, known for its darkly veined grain and stout heft; the white pieces are made from boxwood, selected for its fine grain and high density–all are turned by hand and finished with a durable, high-gloss cover coat.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ The Awesomer ]

By David Ponce

There are many approaches to blissful alcoholic intoxication, and while one of the more popular relies on cold carbonated cereal, many people prefer the more complex cocktails and shots. There are many ways to mix your poisons and with this shot glass, there’s one more. Just look at the picture, we think you’ll see what’s going on. It’s pretty cool, at least on a presentation standpoint, if not on a doing-anything-to-the-way-it-tastes aspect. Each plastic glass holds an ounce (30ml), half of which in each compartment. It’s 3£ or about $5 for a set of 6.

[ Product Page VIA [ 7Gadgets ]

By David Ponce

We remember being pretty impressed a while back over some conceptual chopsticks that made themselves easy to use and doubled as a spoon. But they were only a concept and they’ve just been one-upped.

Practice dining kung fu with these nimble, transforming utensils. This knife and fork set made from reusable, dishwasher-safe plastic comes with a handy rubberized grip and interlocks to become a pair of easy-to-use, spring-loaded chopsticks! Sold individually as a single pair.

At $10 it’s not a bad deal, though we’re not exactly sure at which social event these would be appropriate. A sushi/steak dinner at home?

Well… we want to like them, just like we’re fans of sporks… Something tells us they might not catch on.

[ Product Page ]

By David Ponce

Radiators are pretty inefficient heating machines. They don’t, for instance, radiate so much as make the wall they’re leaning up against really hot. That’s lost efficiency right there since the heat that went into the wall or even the ceiling right above the radiator is heat that didn’t go into preventing you from freezing. With winter pretty much here, something like this Radiator Booster could prove to be useful. It sits right atop your current heater and hooks up into a wall socket for power. With an internal thermostat, all it has to do it detect when your radiator is sending out heat at 30C degrees or above, then it turn some fans on and shoots the hot air out into the room. It claims to be able to recirculate the air in an average room within 90 minutes. Since it’s not on unless you’re actively heating, the Radiator Booster doesn’t waste any energy idling. And since your room will be more evenly heated, you can turn down your thermostat by 1 to 3 degrees, saving you an average of $225 yearly in heating fees.

The best part is it’s not very expensive, at $40.

[ Product Page ] AND [ Retailer Selling It ] VIA [ Gizmag ]

By David Ponce

We’re pretty certain even GlaDOS would approve of these $25 Portal inspired bookends, available at ThinkGeek.

You still read books, right? You’re not like, spending all your time playing video games, are ya?

Good.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ Gadget Review ]

By David Ponce

Lighting a worn down candle in a deep candle holder: first world problem. You have to lift the thing, tilt it and insert a lit match while trying not to burn yourself. Easier said than done.

You can however simply upgrade your candle holders for these vented ones. A simple slit travels down the side, allowing you to… Well, you can look at the picture and figure things out, right?

They’re not cheap though: $75 for a set of 4.

[ Match Candleholders ] VIA [ Geeky Gadgets ]

By David Ponce

Getting that liquor cold has to be done right. Don’t be dilutin’ it with ice cubes. Use these solid metal cubes instead, which you’ve kept in the freezer like you’re supposed to. They look great, will chill your drink in seconds and can be used over and over again. $40 for a pair. It’s expensive, but just look at them.

[ Skybar Chill Cubes ] VIA [ 7Gadgets ]

By David Ponce

Made to create the illusion of being in a room with a window, the Bright Blind by Makoto Hirahara uses electroluminescent (EL) sheets on the underside of each slat. The intensity of the light is controlled by changing the angle of these, pretty much as you’d do if these were blinds on an actual window. While it’s not being sold as a treatment for seasonal affective disorder, this might not be such a bad angle for the product to take.

Bunker dwellers interested in the product should know that price information is not public: you have to request this information. Unless one of our readers has already purchased this and wants to enlighten us…

[ Product Page ] VIA [ BookOfJoe ]

By David Ponce

Looking a little Victorian in its execution, this great Imperial Forces wallpaper is sure to make any Star Wars fan seriously consider its purchase. Covered in repeating patterns of “Darth Vader, Boba Fett, and members of the Empire, this hand-screened, flocked, designer wallpaper is an artistic way to decorate your office, collectibles room, or space station.” Legitimately licensed from Lucasfilm, the wallpaper has the price to match its authenticity: starting at $75 for a 27″ x 90″ that is able to cover 17 sq ft, up to $350 for 27″ x 540″ able to cover 101 sq ft.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ Technabob ]