Ideeli's Big Deal

Finding a good sample sale is has to be like hunting prey in the wild. It's illusive, secretive, and gone in a flash. You have to keep your ear to the ground and be willing to hit the pavement at a moment's notice, but once you've found one and saved bundles on that designer purchase, you leave feeling like a mighty lioness ruler of all she surveys. Okay i might be taking it a little far, but there's something crazy thrilling about sample sales.

Online shopping community ideeli, packages that excite and sends it to your inbox daily. The online sample sale site has been up and running since 2007, hawking designer wares in limited-time sales to fiscally-minded fashionistas. A members-only site, you have to receive an invite to play in this arena of shopping champions. And while it may seem counterproductive to have a closed community of shoppers, it seems to be paying off. According to TechCrunch, ideeli has just raised 20 million in funding to keep their members decked out in the exclusive fashions we love so well.

In addition to the big payday, ideeli has also reached the million member mark. Kudos, to ideeli and sites like it that realize that just because we're living in a recession doesn't mean wie have to dress like it.Id

How to find a Christmas tree farm near you? Google Maps

Another innovative use for Google Maps: how to find a Christmas tree farm near you. Just plug "Christmas tree farms" plus your Zip code into the Google Maps search box, and there they are. Round up the kids, climb into the SUV or pickup, and get chopping.

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, how lovely are thy branches, but where art thou?

Now you know.

Thanks for the seasonal tip to Wendy Boswell, About.com's Queen of Search.

LED Kimono Takes the Stage

There's something about LEDs and clothing that really gets me, provided it's done well. You won't catch me within 100 feet of one of those cheesy light-up holiday sweaters, especially those garish Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer deals. This kimono however, has class and sophistication that negates the gimmicky feel of the LED lighting.

The kimono was created by performing artist/composer Miya Masaoka. The garment's sleeve has 444 LED that are individually controlled. The lights respond primarily to sound and the movement of the wearer. Future iterations of the kimono will allow it to function more as a smart garment with the ability to improvise, listen, and react to its environment.

It looks a little bulky with the lights on, but once the lights are dimmed, this piece of performance art becomes a fluid showcase of captivating light and movement.

Via FashioningTech

iPhone Wall Dock is minimalistc, fits right into power socket

Forget those complicated iPhone docks and marvel at this totally amazing invention - the iPhone Wall Dock, which is pretty simply, a dock that neatly plugs into your existing power socket on the wall, and charges your iPhone in the most unobtrusive manner ever. And that also means no cable clutter, and faster charging because of its higher power output compared to other charging units. The Wall Dock also rotates around a pivot to hide the connector when not in use and provides a cushioned top to secure your iPhone or iPod when charging. Totally worth the $24.99 that it quotes.

Via Gadget Lab.

Harman Kardon GLA-55 speakers will leave you cold and broke

Okay, now that the idea of putting up an iceberg on the mantle was your battle won, all you need is to win another one and convince your family to loan you one grand. After which, you can remain assured that the Harman Kardon GLA-55 speakers can grace that coveted spot you fought so hard for.

Though the only observable uniqueness of the GLA-55 seems to be the artistic cut-glass motif which gives the appearance of the speakers being embedded in ice sculpture, Harman Kardon claims that they deliver "stunning sound" as well. That too minus subwoofer, and "numerous proprietary technologies to provide the highest audio quality". Apparently, the Atlas AL woofers and CMMD tweeters that the speakers are built on, deliver a great bass response and accurate high frequencies. Add to that DSP processing and touch-sensitive volume controls, and you just heard of the most expensive speakers ever. Instinct must be given its due while it still struggles to get you away from this $999.99 eye candy.

Via Coolest Gadgets.

Black Hello Kitty PMP is Techie Catnip

I haven't had anything Hello Kitty since I was a little girl, but iriver is really making me backtrack on that decision. Their new black Hello Kitty PMP is sleek and stylish enough that I wouldn't feel silly using it public. From the gold-accented bow to the whiskers, I just can't stop looking at it.

Available in 2GB and 4GB versions, the player is still a Japanese exclusive. It come packaged with earbuds and a USB cable. Volume and playback controls are located on the back of Kitty's head. Weighing in at a mere 16g, you just want to take it everywhere. The silicon cases are a cute touch, not only can you dress your Hello Kitty up, it keeps it safe from scratches.

It's set to release in Japan in time for the holidays. No word on when or if its coming stateside, but if you're a Hello Kitty fanatic you might want to look into importing this pretty mama. It's retailing for about $90.

Via Engadget

The new PBS NewsHour: Pick and choose the news to use

The PBS NewsHour is undergoing major remodeling. That's good news for US newshounds who need more than a flood of celebrity gossip followed by 20-second snippets of real news but don't have time to watch an hour-long broadcast every evening.

The NewsHour has beefed up its online presence in a major way and also embraced podcasts, RSS feeds, Facebook, and Twitter. Even if you don't own a TV, you can keep up with the NewsHour's in-depth treatment of the day's news automagically.

Listen to interviews with movers and shakers and the smart folks who analyze their moves and shakes, Paul Solman's lucid explanations of what's up (and down!) in the financial world, international news from all over, plus thoughtful looks at current issues like health care reform, the environment, the arts....life, the universe, and everything.

There's way more here than the NewsHour folks are able to cram into their daily hour on TV, but it's served cafeteria-style, so you can pick and choose just what news you can use. And there are extras like special material for teachers to bring to their classrooms.

Are you--or someone you care about--addicted to the Internet?

Rehab is now available for addiction to social networking and online gaming. For only $14,500, Internet addicts can spend 45 days kicking the habit at the first US Internet addiction rehab center.

If you don't happen to have $14,500 handy to help you swear off Facebook and/or World of Warcraft permanently, maybe you could just move to an obscure corner of the US where wi-fi has not yet arrived.

The new Internet addiction rehab center is located in aptly named Fall City, Washington, oddly close to headquarters for one of the Internet's chief pushers, Microsoft. Still, the rehab center is a start at closing the yawning Internet addiction rehab gap with China, which is said to have declared Internet addiction its number one health problem and opened 400 Internet addiction rehab centers to combat it.

The sole US rehab center's founders claim that as many as one in 10 of us is an Internet addict. I'm wondering if that isn't an underestimate. If you consult a list of Signs and Symptoms of Internet/Gaming Addiction, you'll see that "Being dishonest with others" is one of them. Since nearly everybody lies to somebody sometime about something, does that mean nearly everybody is an Internet addict?

Smart Baby Case Diasterproof and Travel-ready

Traveling with a baby can be challenging. You need to make sure there's a solid supply of diapers and food as well as lug around that bulky stroller. Sure it comes in handy when you're transporting your little one, but it becomes the instrument of the devil when it encounters some stairs. It's even worse with the initial setup. I've seen too many parents struggle with getting the blasted thing set up while trying to comfort a crying infant. Whew!

Luggage company Samsonite, held a competition a few months back looking for designers that could design a better way for parents to transport their children. One such concept came from Iranian designer Pouyan Mokhtarani. Called the Smart Baby Case, the design is a hard case pod that borrows design cues from the humble egg, a shape already familiar to a child. The case would keep baby safe and comfortable while the parents navigate the hustle and bustle of pedestrian traffic or get to safety in the case of an emergency.

Gifts for the geek home, under $50

More gifts under $50, this time geek gifts rounded up by Unplggd. And therefore more home decor than tech toys.

Yes, a plethora of coasters, posters, and pillows, to say nothing of laptop decals. But a selection of more intriguing stuff too, including a shower radio designed to look like shampoo bottles, sure to puzzle houseguests who only want to wash their hair.

My favorite is the emoticon shower curtain from Bed Bath and Beyond for a fairly reasonable $14.99. Brush up while you bathe.

All about diets, weight control, and the glycemic index

A lot of what you need to know about the glycemic index is here. Like what IS the glycemic index, anyway? (Short answer: a system of ranking foods according to how much they raise blood sugar.) Why is the glycemic index controversial? Can eating low glycemic-index foods really help prevent diabetes and colon cancer and heart disease? And control my weight?

But not quite everything you need to know about the glycemic index is in that one blog post. Among other things, you need an actual glycemic index that lists foods according to how much they raise your blood sugar. I couldn't find a really complete glycemic index, and maybe there is no such thing. But Diabetes.net has a good one here. (Scroll down past the book-selling stuff.)

And Wikipedia has a brief table summarizing categories of high. medium. and low glycemic-index foods. Keep in mind, though, that you can't always easily estimate the glycemic index of a food. Those bagels up there are actually high glycemic-index items.

As with any topic related to diets, almost any search engine will garner you a ton of stuff. There's an enormous amount of detail about the glycemic index out there, much of it useful. But there is also an enormous amount of salesmanship, so beware.

Zlico's System Might Spell the End for Pap Smears

We have witnessed steady strides in the fight against cervical cancer. Vaccines Gardasil and Cervarix are now available for girls to protect them from the human papilloma virus (HPV), the main cause of cervical cancer. Unfortunately the vaccines are only given to young girls. They also don't protect women from every form of HPV which means there's still a need for Pap Smear testing to attempt to catch the disease early.

Every year, millions of women visit their gynecologists and endure the discomfort of the Pap Smear. After the test is complete, there's often weeks of waiting for the results, leaving women to wonder if they'll become part of the frightening statistics on cervical cancer. British medical diagnostic, Zilco is working to alleviate some of the stress with its new device that can conduct a relatively quick and painless pap.

Holiday card snailmailed for free from Google

A free holiday postcard, and snailmailed free too! We keep reading that Google has more money than it knows what to do with, and here's further evidence. Not that I'm complaining.

So, go here, write your 255-character message, add the recipient's address, pick out your card from a selection of six, and Google says it will do the rest: stamp it, snailmail it, the whole deal. Thanks, Google.

Limit 1, US only, no naughty content. Google says the supply is not endless despite its riches, so better not tarry. If you want to send more than one--a couple of the designs are particularly nice--you can download and print Google holiday cards and mail them yourself.

Samsung Presents the "Diva Collection"

2010 marks the year of the Diva...phone that is. Samsung has announced that two new phones will be hitting the market and they "will satisfy every woman’s fascination and desire for mobile phones." Named the Diva and the Diva Folder now called the Samsung Olivia, both phones are decked out with quilted back covers, because nothing says haute couture like quilts.

The dynamic duo also come with some unique features including a "Beauty Effect", a retouching function that makes photos "flawlessly beautiful. There's also the "Lomo Effect" that makes makes plain pics look like works of art (umm, okay). The phones also have a wish list, etiquette mode, and security features like "SOS Message" and "Fake Call" to save ladies for those uncomfortable bad date situations.

Wear Your Favorite Celebrity's DNA

Some people pine to look like their favorite celebrities while others just want to dress like them. Now, you can actually smell like your favorite celebrity. Perfume company My DNA Fragrance is taking scents to decidedly creepy level. Using DNA from your favorite celebrities, they are creating custom fragrances using your favorite celebrity's hair samples.

Selling under the "Antiquity" line, the list of famous hair donors include Marilyn Munroe, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Kathrine Hepburn, Joan Crawford, and Albert Einstein. Thanks to a promotional sale. each cologne or perfume costs $59.99 with a percentage of the proceeds going to the celebrity's estate as well as the charities they supported. If the celebrity did not have a charity, My DNA Fragrance will donate to one on their behalf.

If smelling like someone else just isn't your thing, you can send in your own genetic code via a cotton swab and have your own scent made into a perfume or cologne. Or you can gift a bottle of
"Eau de You" to someone special in your life. It's a 50/50 shot of generating an "awww" or and "ewwww" repsonse.

Via Born Rich

Aimat gun camera makes point-and-shoot serious fun

Franziska Dierschke was definitely having "fun" while creating the Aimat digital camera. Taking no assumptions of structure from the concept of a traditional digital camera, the Aimat carries forward its point-and-shoot functionality by creating the ability to take small, pinhole-shaped images without the aid of a viewfinder. And by being shaped like a gun.

Oops. Did I say "gun"? And that's supposed to be "fun"? Okay, I am going to shake off the skepticism and allow the playfulness that the designer had in mind while creating this concept camera. The intent behind which was to "put less emphasis on picture quality, and more on the playful act of taking the picture" itself. Cool. No word on when this one is going to find its way into production.

Via Toxel.

Mood Chair determines your emotional state from your hind quarters

Ladies and gentlemen, this is "interactive" furniture of the most useless kind - a concept called the Mood Chair by UK based designers Aether & Hemera. And after some more wasted minutes spent in trying to understand its utility, I fail to find one.

The Mood Chair apparently has sensors that take cue from the user and the environment to determine his/her emotional disposition. That's not all. After the internal circuitry - consisting of "LEDs, embedded micro-chips, appropriate sensors and custom software" - can take stock of your mood while you are on it, the chair changes color to broadcast it to anybody who's around, and interested. Guess how infallible that can be.

For the others who jumped up in anticipation, we have no clue when this thing might get into the stores. If ever.

Catch a video after the break.

Via technabob.

Water-powered Can Clock tells time using juice from water

Sound pretty complicated? But not the principle behind this one-of-a-kind eco-friendly Water Powered Clock from Green Stamp. The idea is, simply, to use energy from water to keep the clock alive and ticking.

Judge it not yet. Because the Water Powered Clock is a small, albeit hugely significant, indicator of how modern electrochemical technology can be used to create electronics without emission or additional burden on existing "non-green" energy sources. And the clock is very conveniently designed for that very same purpose - a can into which you have to pour water once every 6 months to keep it running. A great product to introduce kids to green tech.

The can-shaped clocks are available in 4 colors at £9.99 (around US $17). And yes, the results maybe unexpected in case you decide to get creative with the choice of liquid. We guess.

Via Shiny Shiny.

Flare Dress Has Techie Flair

After the gorgeous Galaxy Dress, I've been keeping my eyes open for more awesomely fabulous fashionable tech. Lo and behold, there's the Flare Dress from Dutch designer Stijn Ossevoort. The dress in itself is lovely, a light and breezy number perfect for a spring day. What makes this frock a talking point is the dandelion detailing.

When a breeze hits the dress, the dandelions come to life, glowing in all their gentle LED glory. That's right the Flair dress is a wind-activated number that lights up in a pattern of lights when the wind or a human blows on it. A whimsical affair, I can't wait to see what other innovative designs will come from this talented designer.

Via Born Rich

Video game controller ornaments make for a true geek's Christmas

How to veer Santa away from giving you those girly gifts (like hair curlers, eek!) and bring on the really useful ones (like gadgets, yum!) instead? Well, let why not let the tree scream for your cause this Christmas? So, get plentiful of these acrylic gaming ornaments designed by Dave Rollins, and we bet your decoration will be the talk of the geek town. They are sold together as a set of seven and contain laser cut-out versions of Wii, N64, Xbox 360, Dreamcast, NES, PS2 and Sega Genesis controllers. That said, calling this "geek-chic" would only be an understatement.

The ornaments are available in six different colors and are currently selling on Etsy and Digits’ Ponoko for $25.

Via Slippery Brick.

Speakal iPom Givea Floral and Aural Delight

Sometimes gadgets and their designers can take themselves a little too seriously. In the need to show that their new product is worthy of geek worship, tech gets painted in the utilitarian colors of black, white and silver. I'm not a huge fan of tech painted pink and marketed towards women either, but a little color wouldn't hurt some of these devices.

IPod speaker manufacturer Speakal has always been one to buck the trend, giving us speakers in the shape of cute little piggies, loveable ghosts, and playful pandas. Their latest speaker follows the same irreverent design cues and puts the "aw" in awesome.

The Speakal iPom is an shaped like an apple and has two flowers perched on top acting as speakers with the third hiding out in the apple-shaped base. This pom has a little punch with its 2.1 stereo speaker system, adjustable bass, and 12W subwoofer. In addition to being iPod compatible, the iPom can also play music from USB memory sticks and SD card. It also works with any mp3 player that has a 3.5mm output.

The flower speakers are removable so they can be placed around the room. Retailing for $99, the iPom is a cute change in pace from the black and silver, slick design gadgets have become.

Via SlashGear

A great free source for H1N1 (Swine flu) updates in your choice of languages

H1N1 (swine) flu activity has gone down a bit in the US, which is good news for Thanksgiving travelers this week. Some are even predicting that the disease may have peaked in the US. But even if that's true (which nobody knows), a great many people still are going to get sick. Meantime, there's lots of flu sufferers, and some deaths, everywhere else.

Here's a terrific free site for keeping up with the flu everywhere: HealthMap, the global disease alert map. This is the link to the English version. But from this link you can also get the flu map in Portuguese, Spanish, French, Chinese, Russian, and Arabic.

You can also download HealthMap's iPhone app that will bring your mobile a map and news of disease outbreaks near you, including swine flu. The app is interactive, so you can also report local outbreaks that are not yet in the HealthMap database.

10,000 gifts under $50

OK, I exaggerate. It's actually only 9,195 gifts under $50.

But still.

That's the number I got when I plugged HolidayUnder50 into the Search box at Etsy.com. Don't know Etsy? Etsy's tag line is "Your place to buy and sell all things handmade," and that says it all.

What can you get at Etsy? What can't you get there? Yes, there's hand-thrown pottery and handknits and handmade jewelry in unique designs. But there are also slightly naughty panties and monogrammed dish towels and Hello Kitty custom soap. And I haven't even mentioned Vintage items like the Polaroid Land camera (I remember those magical photos!) and the Lenox china Christmas angel brooch, and the wooden desktop paper sorter.

And several thousand more. And there's also a page of gift guides organized by price and category--stocking stuffers, food gifts, personalized items, and more.

Pictured above, a handmade iPhone/iPod case recalling the old Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) control pad. If you plug iPhone into the Etsy Search box, the number of items you get is, wait for it, 3,820.

How to be a planetary scientist--and a Martian too. For free.

Want to live on Mars and even study it as a scientist? Then move to this amazing new Web site

Drawing on observations from the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Mars missions, the "Be a Martian" Web site is designed to help the public to participate as citizen scientists to improve Martian maps, take part in research tasks, and assist Mars science teams studying data about the Red Planet, according to NASA. The site was put together by NASA and Microsoft and is just opened.

Among the possibilities, NASA says, participants will be able to explore details of the solar system's grandest canyon, which resides on Mars. Users can call up images in the Valles Marineris canyon before moving on to chart the entire Red Planet. The collaboration of thousands of participants could assist scientists in producing far better maps, smoother zoom-in views, and make for easier interpretation of Martian surface changes, the agency says.

By counting craters, the public also may help scientists determine the relative ages of small regions on Mars. In the past, counting Martian craters has posed a challenge because of the vast numbers involved. By contributing, Web site users will win game points assigned to a robotic animal avatar they select.

And if you're a software developer, you can win prizes for creating tools that provide access to and analysis of hundreds of thousands of Mars images for online, classroom and Mars mission team use.

It's not clear to me whether doing this stuff will actually help NASA out--although in these parsimonious days, who knows, maybe your contributions will actually count. And even if they don't count, this site is just incredibly cool.

Beaba BabyCook: Easy on Baby's Stomach and Parent's Wallets

I don't have to tell you that having a baby can be expensive. The food, the clothes, the toy, not to mention the seemingly unending need for diapers can drain even the most solid of finances. This new gadget from Beaba might be the must have gift this holiday for parents with toddler-aged children.

Leave it to the French to make an awesome food-based gizmo. The Beaba Babycook is a handy device that makes baby food right before your eyes. The Babycook is a food-processor, stove, steamer, and defroster all in one. The device is simple enough to use. Take those peas, peaches, or beets into the cooking basket. The process starts by steaming your raw materials for 15 minutes, sealing all the nutrients and flavors in place. After the freshly steamed food is blended and pureed into yummy and healthy food ready for baby's sensitive stomach.

The Babycook makes up to two and a half cups of food per use. It also comes with a spatula, bowl, and containers for freezing servings so food can be prepared in advance. Thanks to the gadget's defrost function, there will never be a long wait to defrost precooked food and there's no worry of over-nulking it in the microwave. There's also a recipe booklet just to give parents some inspiration when preparing their baby's meal.

BPA-tested, Parents with kids from six months to two years will be using this thing constantly.Luckily, the : 11 x 5½ x 8-inch device doesn't take up too much counter space. And to make things even more convenient, everything included with the Babycook is dishwasher-friendly.

Video of the Beaba Babycook in action

Via Coolest Gadgets

Green tech: How to find the best green products

Save $1500 on your energy bill this year. The latest on plastics and canned foods that contain Bisphenol A. Green ratings of electronics, cars, and other products. What green consumer goods should you buy, and how can you find them?

It's one-stop shopping for that information, plus green news too, at the Greener Choices web site, free from the respected publication Consumer Reports. You can sign up for free newsletters, too.

Green tech: At the beauty salon, be the girl with green hair

You can be the eco-conscious girl with green hair if you patronize beauty salons that use green hair-care products.

Hair dyes, shampoos, and other such products have traditionally contained synthetic chemicals that can harm the user and the environment. But an increasing number of hair care salons are saying "no" to that tradition. They're stocking environment-friendly products and using them on their customers.

It's a trend that first took hold--of course--in California. But the trend is spreading to other parts of the US. An article in Scientific American advises you to just Google "green hair salons" plus your state abbreviation and you may be surprised to find one--or more--near you.

And if you can't find a local green hair salon, you can nag your favorite salon into turning green. Urge your hairdressers to use the increasing number of hair-care options that are safer for their clients and the world. Some brand names to look for: EcoColors, Aveda, Modern Organic Products or Innersense

Green tech: How to cut the cost of solar equipment

Solar power. Solar heating. Solar lighting. Sure, you'd like to fuel your life for free with help from the everlasting sun. Trouble is, it's not really free.

The equipment that can turn sunshine into a warm, well-lit life costs the earth. You can easily spend $20,000 or more for rooftop solar panels, for example.

But there's hope. Alternative financing of solar has begun in the US, in a small way. For example, a few thousand homeowners is California, Arizona, and Oregon are reducing their upfront costs by leasing solar equipment--and paying an estimated 15% less for electricity, equipment included. And the federal government has an assortment of programs that underwrite homeowners' solar projects.

Read all about these and other possibilities for reducing the cost of solar equipment at E, the environmental magazine.

Go Gaga for Karaoke on Your iPhone

Fans of Lady Gaga and karaoke can rejoice. There's now an iPhone/iPod Touch app that satisfies both of those cravings. The Lady Gaga iOKi features four songs from the oddly compelling pop star including new single "Bad Romance" from her upcoming album "Fame Monster". The app turns yours your Apple device into a mini-karaoke machine complete with themes, images, and video of Lady Gaga.

Lady Gaga’s manager Troy Carter said, "The Lady Gaga Karaoke app is a great way for her fans to experience the music in a non-traditional way. We constantly look for new ways that allow her community of fans to interact with each other with the music as the centerpiece, and gridMob nailed it."

Cool and Unique watch by phosphorwatches

So your looking for a new cool LED watch, one that is both unique but subtle. Well take a look this way at a new watch by phosphorwatches.com. This unique and styleish time piece sports technology that is rare in watches and is sure to turn heads with its sleek look. Based on “E-Ink” the same type of technology used in Amazon Kindle and Sony ereader the display has a very book like font to it, unlike regular LCD watches that have an absolute streight edges.

An elegant curved watch case houses a distinctive digital display that fits comfortably on your wrist. The bright, high contrast E Ink electronic paper display insures readability day or night and allows you to select between differing watch dial modes to match whatever style fits your mood.

The Phosphor watch also has a contured case that wraps around your wrist to give a great fit and feel. If you are looking for a great Christmas gift this year thetechnologyblog.net highly recommends the Phosphor E Ink Digital Hour Clock Watch Stainless Steel

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Cool and Unique watch by phosphorwatches

LoJack for Your Lingerie

"Find Me If You Can" is the name of the latest line of lingerie at lingerie.com. The name, meant to be cute, kind of loses its meaning once you discover the skimpy bits of cloth meant to get pulses racing has a GPS tracker sewn-in to the ensemble.

Designed by Lucia Lorio, the sexy outfit is comprised of a lace bodice, bikini-cut panties, and a huge pacemaker-like contraption included on the bodice. The purpose of the lingerie is to make the wearer feel safe. (Um, huh?) The GPS has a login and password for the wearer's partner so they can track the object of their desires every move on the internet.

I guess I get it. It can be sexy to have that always being watched feeling...not! Personally this is a little too close to cyberstalking for my taste. Even though the woman has the choice to turn the GPS on and off as she please, I still can hear the delighted sighs of jealous partners everywhere.

Amazingly the sexy tracking device has been selling in Sao Paulo, Brazil for $1200. The more advanced GPS model costs $1650. No word if this little get-up will make it to the states, but I hope not.

Via Gizmodo, GizmoWatch

Philips Introduces Crystalize Your Skin's New Best Friend

Skin care is a billion dollar industry worldwide. Obsessed with keeping our skin as young and healthy as possible we spend an inordinate amount of money on the latest cream that promises to stop the aging process, help our combination skin, or simply fend off adult cases of acne. But with all the different skin types out there, how do you know if you're purchasing the product that is the best fit for your unique skin type?

Electronics maker Philips may have the answer to the billion dollar question. According to the New York Times, has a new way of analyzing skin. The Crystalize system uses a special video camera to take an extreme close up of clients skin. The camera is set up to scan certain parts of the face to compile an accurate assessment of the viewer's skin. Once that happens, a list of products that would best suit your skin is displayed starting with the cheapest product going to the most pricey purchase.

When the system displays your ideal products, you shouldn't have to worry about Philips trying to pawn off strategically placed products. Philips does create products in the health care industry, but does not make any skin care products. They also aren't receiving any incentive to recommend one company's product over another's, so the system should be corruption free for now. Let's hope it stays that way. It's far too easy to go down that slippery slope with an ad or a featured product.

Thanks to Thanko: USB-Powered Eyelash Curler

Because you absolutely, positively have to do your makeup at your desk, Thanko, creators of such "gems" as the USB-powered dinosaur slipper foot warmer and the USB Soldering Iron has just announced the USB-powered Eyelash Curler. Yep, there is now a USB-powered eyelash curler on the market.

The Touch Beauty Eyelash Curler is pretty simple to use. You just plug it into an available USB port and use like you would a regular curler. I'm hoping that there's more to it, maybe it has a little heating action to help get the curling action going. If not, I really don't see the point of it being USB-powered.

Via Akihabara News

LED Dress Lights Up Your Wardrobe and the Night

One look at this dress and I was blown away by its beauty and innovation. The Galaxy Dress is a one of a kind of creation put together by two designers. Comprised of 24,000 LED lights, 4,000 Swarovski crystals and quite a lot of iPod batteries, this dress is being called "the largest wearable display in the world." While it's a breathtaking creation in still images, video is the only medium that really does this light-up gown any justice.

Designers Francesca Rosella and Ryan Genz, creators of a "fashionable technology company" called CuteCircuit, reached out to Wired.com to give some background story to the dress.

“We used the smallest full-color LEDs, flat like paper, and measuring only 2 by 2 mm,” say designers Francesca Rosella and Ryan Genz in an e-mail. “The circuits are extra-thin, flexible and hand-embroidered on a layer of silk in a way that gives it stretch so the LED fabric can move like normal fabric with lightness and fluidity.”

Renault Concept Spa and Car in One

Ah the spa, where all troubles, worries, stressors are meticulously pampered away with facials, scrubs, and messages. Usually a trip to the spa costs a pretty penny, but if French automaker Renault has its way, soon you won't have to go farther than your car to get that spoiled rotten feeling.

Renault has joined forces with cosmetics maker Biotherm to create the Zoe Z.E. electric car concept. The car is sporting a climate control system that is similar to a spa. In lieu of using air conditioning which can be hard on the skin, the Zoe keeps the air inside the car cool and hydrated, preventing the skin from drying out.

The car also deals with outside toxicity levels by shutting the car's air vents when the built-in toxicity sensor detects one too many free radicals. But it just wouldn't be a spa without soothing scents, so the car has been set up to diffuse essential oils created by Biotherm to keep the driver calm no matter what time of the day, using three different scents to take care of morning, noon, and night.

Greenhouse's New Camera Puts Ladies First

Japanese electronics company Greenhouse recently unveiled a camcorder designed with the ladies in mind. The GHV-DV30HDLXW/P comes with 128MB of internal memory that can be expanded to 32GB with a SD/SDHC memory card. It also features ports for miniHDMI and USB. The camera also has a 3-inch TFT LCD screen and can record video at 30fps in 1,280×720 resolution.

The device is currently a Japan only product, but if you're interested in importing one, it's selling for $190. As a result of the collaboration between Greenhouse and fashion brand GAUDI (ah, so many jokes, so little time) the camera is available in pink and white. A matching bag comes with the camera to complete the ensemble.

I'm personally not a fan of pink tech on principle, but I wouldn't mind owning the white version. What are your thoughts on these cameras and pink tech?

Via CrunchGear

Jenny McCarthy and Ubisoft Team Up For New Fitness Game

First Jillian Michaels, now Jenny McCarthy, it seems like everyone is trying to get in on the fitness gaming craze. Started by the highly successful Wii Fit, fitness games appeal to people that may not have the time to get to the gym or don't want to spend their hard-earned dollars on a gym membership.

Your Shape
, Ubisoft's addition to the fitness genre hopes to surpass Wii Fit's impressive sales numbers with more precise exercise movements, a little innovation, and a little help from funny woman Jenny McCarthy filling the spot of your in-game workout buddy. The Nintendo exclusive game features over 400 exercises including strength training, toning, and cardio. Unlike other fitness games, Your Shape is totally Wiimote free. So how does the game make sure your doing the exercise? Simple. Your Shape will be debuting the first ever camera for the Nintendo Wii.

The included camera will scans your body and detects your movements. After the initial scan, it projects your image onto the TV screen so you can watch your movements. As you exercise, the camera will be monitoring your motion to ensure you're not phoning it in and have the correct form. If you're slacking, or just not getting the movement down, Jenny will help you correct your form in real time.

Serio glass loudspeakers from Waterfall Audio can blend into a bookshelf or a wall

Good-looking, minimalist speakers made exclusively from glass and aluminium, and carrying versatile placement options - summarizes the latest Serio speakers released by Waterfall Audio.

Waterfall quotes a 150Watt peak power, with 30-80Watts recommended amplifier for the 2.25 Lbs (each) Serio speakers which can apparently deliver exceptional sound quality thanks to their patented "Acoustic Damping Tube" system.The speakers are compatible with both Hi-Fi and AV applications and use a patented heat dissipation technique which can effectively withstand and handle high power levels - thereby giving the option to place the speakers even within the frugal space granted on your bookshelf. But ofcourse, other placement options are available too - hang them on a wall, or just place them on a convenient stand and they are good to go.

All said, figure if you can really afford the £179 (around $300) price tag that each unit carries. Then, take your pick from plain black, white and silver or the fashionistas in orange and green (all with matching grills).

Via Shiny Shiny.

T-Mobile introduces Nokia 3711 clamshell phone for the budget conscious

So who isn't budget conscious in these times? Well, excluding those lucky-buckies who raised their hands, the Nokia 3711 from T-Mobile suits the more uneasy wallets to the T. By just retaining the basic functionalities - QVGA screen, 2-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, FM radio and microSD memory slot in a neat clamshell. Though T-Mobile’s AWS 3G comes included, features such as GPS, picture-messaging and email may cost you more than what's on the deal offered. Which happens to be a really affordable $69.99 on a basic Even More plan. Or for the more optimistic is the alternative Even More Plus plan at $159.99.

Via Newlaunches.

LED flashing umbrella

I am really not a big fan of umbrellas, they always seem to be in the way, keep one hand constantly occupied and if they are not small and vulnerable to the weakest of winds, I forget them everywhere. For me to use an umbrella it really has to rain pretty hard, the kind of heavy rain you can’t fence off with good waterproof outwear clothing.
This LED flashing umbrella on the other hand, would almost make me wish for a rainy day, because it would make me look like Luke Skywalker and for me that would be a cool thing.

This “Lightsaber-umbrella is available at gadget.brando for $44,- in five different colors. The LEDs are placed inside the umbrella tube and have four different light modes: dim light, light, flashing light and dim flashing light.

Manhole information-point

I have always had a fascination with urban furniture projects, especially as today’s fast and ever evolving technology allows for endless creativity. I am loving this manhole-redesign environmentally friendly manhole-redesign, that is powered by rainwater. Step on it and it will display information about the nearest subway station or bus stop.

Via Yanko Design

Rabbit Ear Chairs

I am not sure whether I am being influenced by my daughter’s obsession with bunnies here, but I really like the Rabbit Ear chair designed by the Sanaa Architects group and I sure wish they would make them kid-sized as well.

The Rabbit Ear Chair comes in six different colors and can be purchased from this site. The price varies from 30,000 yen (roughly $335,-) to 33,000 yen depending on the color.

This year the chairs were also displayed at the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion in London.

Via Hypebeast

Period Relief is a Pill Away

One day soon, period pain might be a thing of the past thanks to a new drug currently being tested. This possible boon to womankind is being tested and developed by Vantia Therapeutics. Designated VA111913, the pill, taken orally, could potentially take the place of current methods of alleviating menstrual cramps including aspirin.

According to recent trials, the pill levels out the muscle contractions that are the main cause of painful cramps. With Phase I testing deemed a success, Phase II of the testing will include "128 women aged between 18 and 25 in the UK and the US." The results of the testing should be ready for review sometime in 2010.

If testing is successful, the drug could be available in as little as four years. Until then, women the world over will have to grin and bear it and keep their fingers crossed.

Via Gizmag

Kyle Bean shows the evolution of mobile phones in Russian Doll style

If you agree with the line of thinking that a picture can replace a thousand words, you would surely agree with the extension - that a model can replace a zillion pictures. So assuming that it would be boring to look at a chart, however well-done, to visualize the evolution of a device, give your eyes a treat by looking at this creation by UK-based designer Kyle Bean to demonstrate the evolution of the mobile phone.

The design captures the evolution of the mobile phone in Russian Babushka doll style - starting from the earliest Motorola DynaTAC 8000X to the current Apple iPhone. A lesson or two for schools to make history more interesting.

Via Design Milk.

Touch Stick can help hygiene freaks step an inch away from germ threats

You've been giving that nasty little germ buggers a miss quite often, but always have the nagging feeling that they are all ready to creep over you each time you use the keypad at the ATM, or the elevator buttons. Well one thing's for sure - you are a certified hygiene paranoid. And there are companies that live by people like you - for sure the one that makes these little plastic keys called the Touch Sticks.

These keys have a special design - wide, flat round ends for pushing mechanical buttons such as those on ATM terminals, or gas stations. So that you can stay a safe distance from the little microbes. Just add a couple of them on your key chain before you leave home and the halo of protection walks out with you. But then again, what about the germs that get on to the Touch Stick itself while you are using it? Hah, never mind. Gotta be insane to spend $2.99 on this one.

Via The Red Ferret.

Get Couture on the Cheap

If you're a lover of haute couture but don't have the finances for that killer Dior gown, you're in luck. According to NYTimes.com, your fantasy frock is tantalizingly within your grasp. Thanks to the enterprising smarts of two women named Jennifer you can rent the your favorite designer's clothing for pennies of the cost of purchasing it outright.

Using a system similar to Gamefly or Netflix, Harvard Business School graduates, Jennifer Hyman and Jennifer Carter Fleiss have created Rent the Runway. The site allows users to rent that showstopping outfit for four days. The dress is delivered directly to your doorstep, just like a Netflix movie. And just like the movie site, when the four day rental period is over, simply place the dress in the included prepaid envelope and send it back. No muss or fuss.

Featuring a tagline of "love. wear. return.", rentals run from $50-200, which includes dry cleaning fees. There's an additional $5 for outfit insurance -- just in case there's staining or structural damage to the clothing. If you totally wreck the dress, however, you will be charged the full retail cost so you'll have to be sure to handle the piece with serious kid gloves.