Umbrellasaber

Umbrella’s tend to be boring accessories. Sure, some people have tried to add a “cute” factor by making the handle look like a duck’s head. Some have tried to put interesting designs on the fabric of the umbrella itself.

But, never, until now, have I actually seen an umbrella which made me go “whoa.” (HT: my friend JZG)

Its so simple (LEDs + umbrella), yet so delightfully awesome – and only $25 on ThinkGeek.

And for those of you who worship the Dark Side, there is of course the Darth Vader version:

Port

Does your computer have a USB port like this one?

I didn’t think so. Amusingly, this was designed in part as a way around the restriction that all “Ports” must have come from Portugal – so the designers wondered how they could make something be “port” without actually using that word.

Clever design – I wonder if it tastes good…

Eraser Drive

Good design means many things. One particular motif I’m fond of is hiding in plain sight. 

I love the aesthetic here. It looks like just a commonplace eraser, but it packs a heckuva lot more functionality underneath, not to mention that it:

• is a simple do-it-yourself project 
• protects the USB drive
• is swappable (because, seriously, the capacity on these things increases so quickly!)
• helps protect your drive from theft by hiding in plain sight

(Hat tip: Apartment Therapy Unplggd)

Tastes like Chicken

Banksy is a prominent “international prank artist”. I’m not really sure what that means, but if this little spectacle above is any indication, then I think I’m a fan.

It’s hard to describe the appeal, but it’s jarring in how it takes two entirely “normal” things — “little chicks eating stuff” and “chicken nuggets and dip” –-  and combines them in a way which is disturbing and interesting all at once. What’s even more crazy: a video of said “chick-gets”.

Same deal with this spray-paint art, which was actually done on the barrier dividing Israeli territory from the Palestinian controlled West Bank. A wall and a picture of a tropical paradise are both normal artistic elements, but combined (and given the context) and it becomes something somewhere between funny and disturbing.

Yo-Yo Power

Imagine – charging your iPod/Phone with nothing but a spinning Yo-yo…

It’s not real (yet), and currently lives only in the brilliant mind of Swedish designer Peter Thuvander. But, I love the design: elegant simplicity (like most of Apple’s products) which belies some very cool technology inside. Reality (i.e. the fact that the Yo-Yo would probably have to spin ridiculously quickly for a very long time to generate enough power to noticeably affect an iPhone/iPod’s battery level) can’t stop me from dreaming…

(Hat tip: Engadget)

A Storm’s Coming

The hotly anticipated iPhone-killer from our friends at RIM, the Blackberry Storm (aka the Blackberry Thunder that we’ve all heard) is on its way. It’s rumored to be available in the US (if you’re a Verizon customer, or if in Europe, a Vodafone customer) in November.

What can we expect? The hardware and software necessary to connect to 3G networks from all over the world, a 480×360 “VGA+” display, a touchscreen with tactile feedback (meaning the screen kicks back), 3.2MP camera, voice dialing, new noise cancellation technology for clearer calls, new Blackberry software which actually lets you edit Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files, Visual Voicemail, and new browser technology.

What, didn’t believe me on that editing Microsoft Office thing?

Green light

It’s rare in life to be able to have your cake and eat it too. But, sometimes it is possible. Imagine. An innovation which can:

1. Save energy
2. Help better light cities and parks at nighttime
3. Not disturb the natural beauty with any intrusive solar panels or enormous windmills or bizarrely shaped industrial monstrosities

Behold, the International Design Excellence Award 2008 receipient – Jong Oh Lee’s Invisible Streetlight:

It’s a beautiful form with a great function.

Slide and Tilt

One thing which caught my eye at this year’s Intel Developer Forum was Intel’s new prototype ultramobile PC (UMPC) form-factor: UrbanMax (from JKKMobile)

It’s an interesting new design which solves the fundamental problem for the UMPC: how do I create something that’s smaller than a traditional laptop but is still usable?

Intel’s solution?

1. Use a high-res touch-screen for all the functions that don’t require a keyboard (e.g. casual internet browsing, watching a movie, etc.).
2. Have a slide-out keyboard for those functions that do require typing (e.g. writing an email, using Excel).
3. And, a tilt mode if you want to use the machine in its “laptop” mode (with built-in optical mouse!).

It’s sleek. It’s high-tech. And, knowing Intel, it’ll be a powerful little device with real teeth.

And I want one.

Be Bold

The guys at RIM weren’t kidding when they used the word “bold” to describe this new beast of their’s.

On top of packing all of the Blackberry’s standard productivity tools and features (Microsoft Exchange server synching, enterprise features, Push email, etc.), it packs GPS (with new software to enhance its usability), Wifi, built-in support for high-end video formats (DivX, H.263 and H.264), a new browser with support for video streaming, a screen supporting over 65,000 colors to watch said video, and the ability to synch up with 3G networks to stream it with!

And, did I mention that it’s a good looking device? Oh, you already knew…?

Now, I just need to find a way to convince my work to pay for it…

Bold and geeky

What do you get when you combine the Comic-con, the world’s largest pop culture and geek-fest (aka why you should commence feeling jealous that I’m going) and a very bold move by Marvel?

From Io9:

This year, the sidewalk won’t be the hottest place in San Diego— it will be in the Marvel Booth! On Friday, July 25, at 2:00, Marvel Entertainment and Disguise are proud to present their first ever fashion show. This is no cosplay; these are seriously fierce costumes worn by incredible models, strutting their stuff down the catwalk, for the debut of the sexiest line of costumes ever created and inspired by Marvel super heroes. Dressing up as a super heroine in the past would have meant spandex and tights. No more! Disguise has tossed this old and unflattering cartoonish concept and instead made fashionable, wearable and fun costumes that not only fit great but look fabulous. These costumes are inspired by some of the hottest and most iconic heroes to grace the pages of Marvel, and this will be your first chance to see them live as they make their Comic-Con debut!

Yummy.