Technology usually thought of as powering slow, bland commuter cars is getting revamped in the form of hybrid driven race cars, which will be the stars of a new, cleaner Formula racing series. Racecar design firms N. Technology S.p.a. and Tatuus s.r.l. have teamed up to build a hybrid single seat Formula car. Tatuus, builder of Formula Renault cars, will build the concept designed by N. Technology, and will also provide technical assistance and spare parts to teams involved in the new series beginning in 2007. The cars will have a 2-liter, 4-cylinder, 250-bhp engine, along with a hybrid engine system. Awsome.
If you’re like me and you roll your iPod earphones around themselves a couple of times and then shove the whole mess in your pocket, you’ve probably spent a fair amount of time later unraveling the mess you created. I never could figure out a better way of storing those things. Now, SendStation has solved the iPod cord calamity with their earBuddy. Designed to be “the ultimate carrying case and the only safe place to store your iPod earbuds”; the outside is coated in ballistic nylon and the inside features an ABS reel to wind up the buds on, and the whole thing can withstand up to 200 lbs. of force, protecting your earbuds at all costs. Weighting in at only an ounce, there is also a detachable keyring to attach this to everything imaginable (or anything you can imagine attaching a keyring to). At only $14.95, it seems like a good deal for a well-designed product that meets your needs (if you need to protect your iPod earbuds), and they even sweeten the purchase with a free iTunes song (or 10 free songs for every 20th buyer).
With the introduction of shaving razors featuring four and five blades that vibrate in an effort to get your face impossibly smooth, shaving technique has come to the forefront of modern man’s hygienic routine. Wetshaving, or the art of shaving with lots and lots of water, is becoming more popular lately. Though shaving companies want you to believe that the more blades the better, and that their razor will give your face that ice rink feel you are looking for, the truth is that the razor your grandpa probably used can be what finally gives you that elusively smooth skin. The key to a good wetshave is a good razor, a good brush, and a good shaving cream (though I guess that seems somewhat obvious, it’s what constitutes a good version of each category that makes this interesting. A good razor doesn’t have to be the newest model from Gillette or whatever has the most blades at the supermarket; the tried and true classic double-edge safety razor is the tool serious wetshavers choose most. A good brush is one made of badger hair. Though expensive, this is the one tool that can make or break a good shave. You don’t need to spend $100s, but be prepared to spend at least $50 to get a good quality badger hair brush. Lastly, a good shaving cream can turn that daily routine into a spa quality pampering. These creams can smell of lavender or citrus, instead of the deodorant smell your current supermarket special has, and will soon spoil you with the best skin protection and the finest shaves you never though possible. Recently, a user of YouTube published a three part series about the art of wetshaving, called “Introduction to Traditional Wetshaving”. If you’re a visual learner, or just want some good advice and a visual reference, these videos are definitely worth checking out. Soon, you’ll be on your way to a whole new level of close shaving.
This may be one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. Aaron Fotheringham lives his life in a wheelchair, but doesn’t let that stop him from being one of the most hardcore skatepark riders in the world. He’s not content with just riding around in the skatepark either. He’s inventing tricks and pulling some very dangerous moves that most riders (including those not in a wheelchair) would be afraid to try. He’s taken his fair share of spills and crashes too, but he doesn’t let that stop him from pursuing his passion. A truly inspiring story that just might make you reconsider what you see as a hardship in your own life.
The iGallop is coming to America (finally!). Designed as a work out device that simulates riding on a horse, the iGallop will help you loose weight, gain muscle, and look ridiculous while doing so. From the website:
The unique Tri-Axial Horse Riding Action of the iGallop mimics the distinct trot of a horse in its front, back and lateral movements.
Without any conscious exertion on your part, your abdominal muscles, hip muscles and abductor muscles at your thighs are being firmed and toned up.
They claim it will give you a better posture, a better sense of balance, improved blood circulation, and improved stamina (the last one I can agree with). It works by rocking you back and forth, while you use your muscles to counter the movement and stay seated on top of the device. No word yet on why, like every other company, they felt the need for a lowercase i in their name, or if anyone is actually willing to use this ridiculous looking machine.
Ever wanted to watch a movie, work on a spreadsheet and browse MySpace all at the same time, and not be bothered by the break between your multitude of screens? Me either, but if I did, this would be the monitor to do it on. From the website:
The Radius 320 incorporates three 20.1″ LCD panels into a continuous display system with a total resolution of 5.76 million pixels. With the individual panels wrapping around the user, the Radius 320 provides an ergonomically friendly viewing experience across a 50-inch diagonal.
This behemoth is compatible with any operating system, and the only requirement is a computer with enough video cards to support three DVI outputs at 1600 by 1200 resolution. Now if they would just give World of Warcraft support for multiple screens, these things would fly off the shelves.
In a definitively different way of looking at common objects, Nariaki Satoh has created a saltshaker that looks and functions like an hourglass. Though it can’t be used to tell actual time (since you do plan on actually using the salt, and thus, changing the amount of time inside of the shaker, right?), it can be used to pass time quite effectively while waiting for dinner to be ready.
Griffin has released the FireWave, an external 5.1 surround sound processing system just for Mac computers. Using a FireWire cable to both connect to your computer and draw power from your computer, the FireWave doesn’t clutter your desk with extra cables or require you to carry around an extra power supply. There is even an extra FireWire port in the back so you can daisy chain another FireWire device to it and not loose your port. The built in Dolby Digital processor brings true surround sound to your gaming, iTunes, and DVD player. Technical specifications are as follows:
In another example of mixing pornography (though this time soft-core) with advertising, American Apparel features a gallery page where you can get to know more about their models (including what they look like in their underwear and after a shower in a white t-shirt). In their own words: “American Apparel values a natural aesthetic when it comes to our clothes as well as our models”. Check out the site to see some very Fiona Apple-esque photo slide shows of their retail employees and their models (Probably not safe for work, though there isn’t any full nudity).
