Tag: HOUSEHOLD

The LunchCommunicator, developed by Japanese researchers, packs a camera and touchscreen PC that automatically records the person making lunch and plays it back while the other party is eating it, and vice-versa. Maybe it'll make school kids more appreciative of their mothers' efforts, but it just kind of makes us uncomfortable. We figured the one place we didn't have to check for a spycam ...

In anticipation of a new law that will phase out incandescent light bulbs beginning next year, some shoppers are stockpiling large quantities of the bulbs for future use. According to USA Today, people aren't happy using the more energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs), which are cheaper than LEDs and use 75-percent less energy than incandescents. Some complain that CFLs aren't quite as ...

Mad scientist/artist/all-around genius Dave Arnold (yes, the guy who uses a laboratory centrifuge to prepare fig juice) has been working with Cornell University's Fab@Home program to explore the possible uses of 3-D printers in the kitchen. In a recent segment for CNN Money, Arnold and the Cornell crew got to show off the frontiers of computer-controlled food extrusion. Yummo! Wait, wait. We ...

Every year at CES, there are tons of companies pushing home automation and smart appliances, and, every year, these products fail to storm the marketplace. LG is hoping that 2011 will be different, and that the key to success will be the sudden proliferation of tablets and smartphones. LG's new Thinq technology will let handheld devices "talk" to the company's appliances, such as ovens, ...

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. ...

For neat freaks and office hurricanes alike, there are few things more annoying than cable clutter. That's where Bluelounge's CableBox Mini excels. Plug your devices into the internal four-socket surge protector, stuff the excess cables into the box, and cover it. Boom! Minimalism achieved. The box is available in a variety of colors, is made of fire-retardant plastic (for when you are just on ...

Technology and art have shared an intertwining and established relationship for over a century. Occasionally, uniquely intriguing pieces stand out from the monotonous crowd, and two German artists recently produced a particularly wondrous monument to technology. Well, perhaps it's more like an effigy or a funeral pyre -- without the blazing inferno. Created by Ralf Schmerberg and Esa Ott, the ...

What it is: The robot cleaning revolution apparently has arrived. Years after the first Roombas were introduced into homes around the world, Neato stepped up to the plate with its impressive XV-11. Now, just a few months later, Evolution Robotics has launched its own proprietary floor-cleaning robot, the Mint, and it has some solid sweeping skills of its own. Why it's different: In some ways, ...

Roundtable Concepts definitely targets niche audiences with its electronic gear. The company emblazons its products with various logos and designs, and has previously released the Marvel-approved 'Ultimate Comic's Fan Television.' Tapping into another specific demographic, the company has now devoted a line of limited edition LED HDTVs to the band KISS. The models apparently display an ...

In the market for a new blender? The nerds at 'America's Test Kitchen' have rated some wacky models with reversible action and double blades. (See the video after the break.) Their consensus: polycarbonate plastic containers and powerful motors make for the best blenders (duh). But, while ATK recoils at the prospect of spending more than $100, we still have our eyes set on a gorgeous, ...

While some would probably prefer to bring the very wrath of God down upon unsuspecting rodents (see Victor's Multi-Kill Electronic Mouse Trap), others might prefer a more purist method to offing them -- with a high-powered twist. Jack Easton, managing editor of Telovation.com, tinkered with the concept of the classic mousetrap, which is how his pneumatic version came to be. "Many people have been ...

The Vision One Computer Workstation (Gamer, Under $2,500) There are desks, and then there's the V1 ($1,700 starting price), an uncompromising workstation aimed squarely at appeasing the ergonomic needs of the seasoned PC gamer. The standard and corner-room configurations come in 35 colors like solid blue, metallic silver, and "rainbo" -- yep, you read right -- with finishes that include racing ...

Shift and Ctrl Key Lights (Style-o-Phile, Under $50) An interesting piece of lighting has the ability to totally transform the ambience of a space, as well as bring other design elements into frame. The Shift and Ctrl Key Lights ($19.90 each) are an inexpensive, novel, and still touchingly geeky solution. The oversize keys come in both yellow and white (we like the cool minimalist look of ...

Glide TV (Homebody, Under $250) More and more of us are watching video content from a notebook computer connected to our television sets, but efficiently interfacing with this content has proven to be something of a challenge. Keyboards and mice can be cumbersome and unwieldy (not to mention completely unusable when there's no flat surface to place them on). So what's an off-the-grid, ...

Withings Wi-Fi Body Scale (Sports Fan, Under $250) Self-improvement, body-opmtimization technology is coming at us fast and furious, and the Withings Wi-Fi Body Scale is one of the best implementations yet. It's a simple concept: Set up your online profile, and every time you weigh yourself on the scale, your weight and body mass is sent via your Wi-Fi connection to your online account. This ...