| |||||
Set to be the tallest building in the United Kingdom,The Shard is going to be the new structure dominating the London skyline in 2012. Estimated at 1,017 feet tall,this gorgeous twisting glass-and-metal structure will house apartments,offices,restaurants,and a 15-story observation deck,sure to provide a full unimpeded view of the city for years to come. Personally,I love the look,but can’t help think it looks a bit too much like a tower Sauron would live in. (Found on Gizmodo) Using technology,if you can call it that even,from Zip-Loc bags,Lee Washington has created a brilliantly simple solution to the tangled earphone problem. I have a case for my earphones,but when I am walking around the city,I can’t be bothered to put my earphones back in their case. I just stuff it in my pocket,and deal with the tangled mess later. Sure,I’ve tried wrapping it or folding it in special ways to hopefully stop it from getting into a mess,but that doesn’t really help either. What Lee has done,is taken the tech used in zip-loc bags to seal them and applied it to the earphones. You just peel them apart to use,and squeeze them shut once you’re done. Simple and fast,and I can still stuff it into my pocket once they are sealed,it’s a great solution. (Found on Gizmodo) The new Swiss Air First Class is totally rocking the aircraft world right now,what with their solid looking tables,the large Panasonic entertainment systems,but for the most part,the touchscreen interface that controls your seat. I only wish that it was wireless and not wired to the seats. The business class seats look very roomy and comfy,although I must admit the back of the seats remind me of chairs from a old Star Trek set for some reason…but maybe that’s just me? (Found on Gizmodo)
There are plenty of interesting clock designs out there. You can have funky designs,and even interesting ways to tell the time. Qlocktwo is definitely one of the more interesting ones. Using a list of letters that are arranged and backlit,the clock cleverly is able to tell you in plain English exactly what time it is. This is really cool. Furthermore,it’s available in a bunch of different languages (French,Italian,Dutch,Spanish,German and English) a bunch of colors (my favorite is the black,but their picture of it made it hard to see the unlit characters so I am showcasing the blue one). The only downside,and it’s a big one,is that the clock costs about $1500! (Found on Gizmodo)
You know exactly what I am talking about. There you are. Trying to build that bookshelf from IKEA or put up that nail for the picture you just got,and you’re holding the nail with one hand,and the hammer with the other,practicing a hit,praying you don’t smash your finger or thumb in the process. This is where the Unihammer Concept comes in. The hammer essentially has an attachment that you put over the nail,which it will hold in place straight,and then u smash the much easier to hit top of the attachment,which transfers the energy from the hammer to the nail. Perfect. The only improvement I can think of,would be some way to set how deep you want the nail to go (i.e. flat or sticking out a bit). The design as it is right now makes it hard to know how far the nail is still sticking out. (Found on Yanko Design)
Flightcaster is a newly launched Y-Combinator company that is going to help you while you travel. It is going to predicate how likely it is your flight is going to be delayed,and by how much. But airlines already tell you if a flight is going to be delayed? Really? Clearly you don’t travel enough. I can’t even keep track of the number of times flights have report to be on time,right up to the expected time of departure before being delayed,and delayed again,and then sometimes canceled. This is where Flightcaster comes into play. It looks at a lot of different data sources,incoming flight status,weather at the arrival and departure airports,and even general FAA airport delays,and then calculates a percentage of how likely your flight’s going to be delayed and by how much. They have an application up for the iPhone and Blackberry retailing temporarily at a 50% discount at just $5. (Found on TechCrunch) Facebook is lauching version 3.0 of their iPhone application very soon,and there are some high bars being set by the media. TechCrunch is already calling it one of,if not the,most useful iPhone app yet. With a heavily revised interface and large update to functionality,the new application supports the ability to view people’s news feeds,do ‘likes’and comment,and the very awesome ability to call or text people right from inside the app using the phone number listed in your friend’s profile. The application has already been submitted to Apple and is in the approval process,so look out for your App Store icon reporting available updates soon.
Center’d,a Yelp competitor,has released a free iPhone app,that makes it easier for people to decide what they want to do. They categorize data into two parts;first they break down things into attractions,events,restaurants,and shopping,and then they categorize them as Kid Friendly,Romantic,Groups,Recession Buster,Outdoors and Popular. An intersting concept further expanded by city guides for a lot of the major cities. (Found on TechCrunch)
I am really liking the Cypress wallet from Braithwaite. Never heard of the company? Braithwaite makes limited quantity,high-quality wallets for men only. They take the traditional concepts of what a wallet needs to hold,and then re-design them from scratch. With unique designs,high build quality,these leather wallets are lined with silk,use Kevlar thread which should last much longer than your current wallet,promising to make sure you love yours when you get it. But even better,what they are truly promising is even cooler. With the Lost Wallet Promise,if you lose or have your wallet stolen,just email them,and they will replace it. I love this sort of customer service/satisfaction. The Cypress is nearly sold out,and is currently available for $97 with it’s wood-grain leather look. It holds three cards (1 ID and 2 credit cards would be my distribution),and various types of currency. The flap is then magnetically held close,making for a super-slim front pocket wallet. (Found on Uncrate)
The Pop Quiz Math Clock (US$32) is a cool,albeit nerdy,way to tell time around your home. Keep your math skills in check,but more likely than not,most people will just know what number each position is. Still,I like the chalkboard look to the clock…reminds me of being back in school. (Found on Outblush) | |||||
| Copyright ©2012 UpGRD me - All Rights Reserved ® | |||||
