Tag: HOME

iRobot just unveiled an updated model of its autonomous, floor-washing robot, Scooba, which, at just 6.5-inches across, is half the width of its predecessor. The 3.5-inch-tall Scooba 230 will launch this spring and cost $299. The pint-sized bot comes with all the bells and whistles of most other smart mops -- sensors that make sure it doesn't roll down stairs and bumpers that protect your walls. ...

Without the power strip, where would we be? We'd be too busy rewiring our houses to run this blog, that's for sure. Despite our indebtedness to this marvel of modern convenience, though, we still find plenty of fault with the power-consolidation gizmos. For one, there's the problem posed by that oddly shaped charger that takes up the space of two outlets, though it needs only one. Fortunately, ...

Share Winged nuisances, particularly those with stingers, serve as one of the few detriments to the lazy, sweltering days of summer. Apparently drawing inspiration from David Spade and 'Tommy Boy,' a resourceful insect adversary named Matthias has created an effective and inexpensive method of thwarting those painful and itchy assailants. Faced with an almost inaccessible wasp nest, Matthias ...

If there's one thing that should've been created a long, long time ago, it's Quirky's new Pivot Power power-strip. One power-strip probably won't drastically change your existence, but this might at least eradicate one of life's great annoyances. Sure, your power-strip might claim to support six devices at once, but when was the last time you actually succeeded in filling out the entire thing? ...

A new line of 'green' windows could change the way architects design buildings and houses. According to Engadget, Hua Qin recently unveiled its Chin Hua solar glass window at Taipei's International Optoelectronics Week. The slightly opaque window shown in the picture above can generate about 2 watts of clean energy, which is apparently enough to power a mini-fan. But depending on how opaque you ...

We're sure that one of you out there owns a Blu-ray fireplace or tunes in to the yule log on Christmas morning. Those might be fine for passively creating a certain atmosphere (whether or not that atmosphere is actually desirable is something completely different). But what really hooks people these days is interactivity, and a loop of burning logs on network TV is about as far from interactive ...

Creative geek couples frequently celebrate their nerd-love through incredibly dorky methods. From 8-bit wedding invitations to 'Super Mario' proposals, video game aficionados love to honor their unions of nerdity through festive and colorful tributes. Although we Switched folk are still partial to this incredible and intensive labor of love (which was bestowed upon one of our own), a couple in ...

When we think about a country retreat in England, we picture a small cottage surrounded by beautiful gardens and a moss-covered stone wall. But apparently, that's too idealistic and the real housing market is much more underground -- literally. According to an Associated Press report posted on CBS News, an unnamed person bought a rural nuclear bunker Monday that was built during the Cold War. ...

If you've ever stared deeply into your iPod touch's eyes, noticed how the moonlight dances across its touchscreen, and considered taking your relationship to that vaunted "next level," a new bedtime product could help you do just that (not what you're thinking). Ellos, a Swedish retailer, is now selling a set of bed sheets designed like a giant iPod touch, replete with a touchscreen duvet ...

We'll never figure out why thieves think eBay is a good place to sell stolen goods. On the online auction site, these dumb criminals not only have to watch out for the cops, but also for the angry victims trolling the Web for their stuff. According to the Telegraph, a British man whose house was ransacked and relieved of goods valued at $13,000, tracked down the perpetrator when he noticed ...

Searching for the perfect present for that home design nut on your Christmas list? Well, avoid the jammed aisles of Ikea, and check out this collapsible lamp shade from ultra-hip design studio Dror, which designed a line of home accessories for Target. According to Fast Company, this latticework cube was cut with lasers and uses the same design concept as those Hoberman spheres we used to play ...

Want greener energy without having to install large, gaudy solar panels on your house? Join the club. But what was once wishful thinking might soon be reality. According to ABC Science, scientists have created a way to harness sunlight and convert it into electricity by connecting a photovoltaic cell to fiber-optic wiring that's barely wider than a human hair. (Note that it doesn't actually use ...

digg_url ='http://www.switched.com/2009/11/23/cable-drawings-take-cords-center-stage/'; While most of us organize excess lengths of cable by hiding them from view, an artist named Maisie Maud Broadhead has decided to expose the detritus of modern technological life and put it to decorative use. Her 'Cable Drawings' are wonderfully simple in both concept and material, but it's really that ...

With winter in full swing, most people have moved their parties indoors. But if you're like us, nothing beats kicking back a few drinks on an outdoor patio with some close friends. Before you give in to Mother Nature and her cooler temperatures, consider investing in the Cal Flame G5000 fire pit and cocktail table. According to Born Rich, this heavenly creation features a round, glass tabletop ...

Croatian artist Robert Matysiak loves robots and design. So much so, for the past two years, he has been working on a series he calls Robolamps, and he's now trying to bring his creations to a wider audience. Made from plumbing parts, the lamps look both quirky and menacing, and -- to us, at least -- seem like a bit of a throwback to some of those broken droids hawked by the Jawas in 'A New ...