Category: Technology

USB Carbonite Key

USB Han Solo

Perfect! Now this is worth getting, your very own Han Solo in Carbonite USB key. This is in addition to the C3PO, Darth Vader, and R2-D2 keys that IO Data came out with a few months ago. They also have a very attractive new Darth Vader inspired key that features the head of the Sith lord infront of some flames. I’d stick with the Han Solo key, it has a much higher geek factor to it.

I-O Data Device Ltd. adds “Darth Vader 2” of the new design and “Han Soroincarbonait” to USB flash memory “STAR WARS USB memory collection” that gives the design of science fiction film “STAR WARS”, and puts it on the market in the middle of August. The price is 5,355 yen. OS is Windows 2000/XP.

The second bounce of eye Or and “STAR WARS” USB memory
(Story in the raw Japanese)

storage, memory, Japan, USB, cool, Star Wars

Ben Franklin and the Bifocal

glasses

Good old Ben, without him we could never had had the wonderful invention of the bifocal when we did. I’m hoping to have my eyes zapped with that LASIK or photorefractive keratectomy thing that they do now days but I suspect that when I get older I’ll lose the ability to focus on close up objects. I’ve noticed it starting already, just means I’m getting old and that bites. Anyway, when I get my first pair of bifocals I’ll have Ben Franklin to thank for them. And my insurance company too, lets not forget them.

Bifocals, the combination of both concave and convex lenses for both types of vision correction, a top lens for distant viewing and a lower lens for reading, were developed around 1760 by the American statesman and inventor Benjamin Franklin.

Ben Franklin and the Bifocal

history, optics, Ben Franklin, glasses

She may not look like much, but she’s got it where it counts

Falcon Flight

Yep, the flying hamburger can actualy fly. Ok, to be honest it’s true that with enough thrust anything will fly – just look at a comercial airliner or the space shuttle.
It’s not just the Falcon that has been goven the gift of flight but X-Wings, TIE fighters, even the flying wing that Padme ran around in. The ships are constructed out of a material called ‘Bluecore’, it’s a 3/16 inch thick plastic foam that is supposed to be used as an exterior insulator on homes. It’s fantastic stuff, I have a few friends that build these cool looking R/C planes that weigh hardly anything and fly forever. You can read more about Bluecore here.
The power behind the Star Wars crafts are all these super high power brushless electric motors that have been a major advancement in the area of hobby flight.
When you go and read the article make sure you read part one first, you get some good construction images of the Falcon.

RC Groups Discussion – MILLENNIUM FALCON & other STARWARS Parkflyers part 2!!
plane, flight, Star Wars, R/C

Message Mug

Display mug
Oh man, if just figures that someone would figure out how to mass produce these. Here’s a little history. Years ago, back when I would frequent surplus yards in hope of finding cool crap to build things out of, I came across a small dewar flask. I figure it was once used to hold liquid nitrogen or something. It had a cool looking spun aluminum case and a wide mouth. I figured it would make an excellent glass for cold beverages. I was right, a little dry ice in there would keep something cold for hours. Anyway, I added a few doodads to the top and a few vents so the carbon dioxide vapor could escape in a dramatic way and for an added bit of flair I added a hook inside of it for a green glow stick. It went over quite well at the local science fiction conventions (yeah, I’m a nerd).
A friend of mine that was also a builder of odd things spotted it and decided to build one too. The light up mug race was on! This went on for a while, he made one with LEDs, I made one with an electroluminescent display… It ended with him trying to build one that would display messages. This was around 1990 so the electronics involved were pretty darn huge. No micro-controllers at all, nothing but logic chips. It never got off the drawing board even after getting my help with it. After than the great mug wars were officially called a draw and we got on to other projects.
Now I see that someone has done it, made a hug that will display messages. I can only hope that it is hackable and uses a real matrix display and not a shadow mask with a light behind it.
This is the sales blurb:

Light up your next conversation with the Message Mug. The Message Mug can be used with its special “pick-up ON / set-down OFF” power switch or use it with it’s “Continuous ON” setting. Complete with a frosted illuminated mug, the Message Mug is battery operated for complete portability.

Hold’s 16 oz of beverage. Requires 4 x AA Batteries (not included)

Featuring 8 interchangeable scrolling messages:

* Cheers Bottoms Up
* Happy Burp Day
* Single & Available
* I’ll Drink to That
* Happy New Year!!!
* Designated Drinker
* Got Beer? Got Beer?
* I’m a Party Animal

You know, because of the low price and the fact that it says “interchangeable” I doubt that this is the ‘holy grail’ of the old mug wars. Still, it might be fun to get and make a display mask thats says “I know I’m a dork”. 🙂

Message Mug

clever, hack, mug, cool

Flowers in a Can

Can Plants

I’d like a few of these to have around my apartment. I can’t seem to get anything to grow for long, the ivy I bought turned into a pot of dry twigs overnight. It’s as if my apartment if the plant equivalent of the Bermuda triangle. Perhaps these will last a bit longer.

Living in a closet has its drawbacks. Sometimes, there’s not enough room for greenables (aka plants). That’s why these Flowers in a Can are so great. They already come with everything you need (earth seeds), you just have to add water. A little while later, you’ll get fully functional Pansies, Dahlias, Geraniums or Impatienses.
On the side of the can come little pictorials: gardening tips on sunlight exposure, water volume, soil temperature, and germinating time. For $20, they make great gifts and you can get them here.

Flowers in a Can

flowers, plants, office, cool

I Want My Kei Car!

Japan-cars/dscn8131_tiny_car

Oh man! Why can’t we import these to the US???? (Ok, you can but the cars must be 25 years old or older. Right, I don’t think there are any cars that old anywhere in Japan!) I saw these cars in Japan and thought they would be the perfect solution to traffic congestion and lack of parking. You can see from the above phcture (that’s me by the way) that even a van has a tiny footprint.

These cars were never available new in the US or Canada, but Canadian law allows their importation if they are 15 years old and pass a safety inspection before leaving Japan and one when they get in Canada. US law also allows them to be imported, but only if they are 25 years old, so de facto they are banned.
Japanoid offers exactly that: 15 years old cars, usually with a low amount of kms (since the Japanese drive less than Canadians on average), many have souped-up motorcycle engines with sophisticated turbos, superchargers and dual overhead cams, and most get fuel economy in the 50 mpg range. Prices seem to hover between CAN$5000 and CAN$7000.

Importing K-Cars in Canada

micro, import, cars, Canada, Japan