New Scientist: Imagine being able to record a smell and play it back later, just as you can with sounds or images. Engineers at the Tokyo Institute of Technology in Japan are building an odour recorder capable of doing just that. Simply point the gadget at a freshly baked cookie, for example, and it will analyse its odour and reproduce […]
Replay That Smell
Headband + Headphones + Headset
Popgadget: For most of us who use headphones while commuting, jogging or otherwise, it generally seems like a hard task to look stylish and wear headphones at the same time. But what if you could do both? Take a look at Swapsets, an interesting new line of headbands for women by designer Steffi Thomas. Featured on the ZDNet review “Wild […]
Intelligent Fitting Room
SFLORG.com: Researchers from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)’s Institute of Textiles and Clothing have recently developed “An intelligent Simulator for Cross-selling & Up-selling using Smart Fitting Room & Smart Dressing Mirror”. It is envisaged to help fashion retailers boost business volume by improving sales and customer services. This system uses the technology of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to detect […]
Canine Cafe
Iconoculture: If the Chicago City Council passes an ordinance letting dogs dine alongside their owners at outdoor cafés, chef Didier Durand of Cyrano’s Bistrot will serve a $5 prix fixe canine menu to his patrons’ pets. Chef Durand has spent months testing the canine menu on his poodle, Princess. Possible dishes include ostrich pâté and bone marrow gateau – and […]
Yearbook Dot Com
Wired: John Shin refuses to buy a copy of his high school yearbook. Instead, he’s turning to the internet to preserve and share memories of his sophomore year. The 15-year-old has posted a collection of school-related photos and videos, as do many of his classmates. They’re able to exchange virtual notes, vote for the most likely to succeed and take […]
Power On The Go
Iconoculture: Fun in the sun gets a jolt of power with Solio, a solar-powered battery charger for iPods, GPS, cellphones and even digital cameras, that folds up into a 4-in.-by-2-in. teardrop. Road warriors running low on juice can open up Solio’s three solar panels, which fan out like a clover, and charge up their electronic gadgets with a small connector […]
No Noise Headphones
Yenra: The Quiet Comfort 3 Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones from Bose offer the audio performance, noise reduction, and comfortable fit of the second model in an on-ear design. To reduce size without compromising performance, Bose engineers relied on research in on-head audio and noise reduction. The result is an acoustic design to provide audio quality across a full range of […]
Hose Nose
Strange New Products: Why couldn’t they’ve had stuff like this when I was a kid? “Hose Nose” is a new offering from San Diego, CA-based Kandy Kastle. The nose is filled with “Candy Slime”. It appears to have elastic straps on the back, as if you’re supposed to wear it over your real nose. The package is marked, “Catch It […]
Neat Nets
Orlando Sentinel: Forget those plain-Jane plastic bags for storing your child’s toys. Now, there’s an easy and practical way to store everything from building blocks to action figures. Neat Nets by Parents of Invention are colorful, mesh bags for keeping toys — or most anything else — orderly and visible. They are easy to stack and see through, so you […]
Ice Rocks
Cool Hunting: Ice Rocks are prepackaged, ready-to-freeze individual ice cubes made from French spring water. Geared primarily toward the (upscale) tourism market, they assure worried travelers that the ice is safe to use. Scotch Rocks, a version marketed to bars and whisky drinkers, and Kid Rocks, cubes made from fruit juice, are also in the works. Visit the Ice Rocks […]