May 31, 2008

Photovoltaic Mac Laptop

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Inhabitat: Well, we just spotted some breaking greener gadget news that are sure to get Apple fans excited! Drumroll please..

Apple just filed a patent to infuse their hand-helds and computers with a thin film of solar cells, paving the way for a new generation of gadgets with battery life boosted by the sun. The patent approaches the prospect from every angle, with schematics to stack photovoltaic cells beneath the entire surface of their portables - including the screen!

The patent states a variety of possible applications: “Solar cells are typically stacked with other layers made of transparent or semi-transparent materials… Some of these layers may be used for display or input purposes, and some layers may be coated with various materials or they may be etched with product logos or other patterns.” It goes on to explain that devices could display the performance of the solar cells on their screens next to the battery bar, or even on top of the cells themselves.

It will be interesting to see if the use of photo-voltaic panels in portable electronics will contradict the current consumer trend towards smaller and smaller gadgets, since a large, flat surface is required for solar to have any degree of efficiency.

APPLE FILES SOLAR PATENT: MacBook going solar? [Inhabitat]

By Steven Teo @ 12:00 AM  |  EnvironmentalGadgets  |  Comments (0)  |  Article Link
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May 30, 2008

Twist and Activate Drinks

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TrendCentral: Putting a "twist" on the standard beverage bottle design, this new airtight cap also serves as a storage device, keeping active ingredients separate from the liquid. Once the cap is twisted, the ingredients are released, creating a fresh, instant, power-packed drink. Activate drinks feature these twist & release caps, which keep vitamins and herbs fresh. Because vitamins and other healthy ingredients can deteriorate in water, Activate promises a fresh, potent beverage, no matter how long it sits on the shelf.

SMART DRINKS: THE PROOF IS IN THE PACKAGE [TrendCentral]

By Marcel Sim @ 12:00 AM  |  Food & Beverages  |  Comments (0)  |  Article Link
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May 29, 2008

Mobile Coupons

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Reuters: Young, tech-savvy South Koreans are making coupon clipping a thing of the past and turning to their mobile phones instead.

Some of the fastest-growing mobile phone services in the country let retailers send discount coupons and users send gift certificates for anything from lattes to movie tickets through their handsets. The merchandise vouchers have a barcode embedded in the message. Users show the coupon on the screen and retailers scan the barcode to apply the discount.

Paper is passe for tech-savvy South Koreans [Reuters]

By Marcel Sim @ 12:00 AM  |  Mobile  |  Comments (1)  |  Article Link
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May 28, 2008

Facial Recognition Network

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TrendBlog: Tuyuan is a new, Beijing-based social networking site that employs facial recognition technology to let users get connected with friends. Free accounts come with 1GB of space. Once users upload a photo and tag a person, the service automatically suggests other pictures it thinks the same person is in. The site’s facial recognition technology is still being developed, and searches should become more sophisticated over time.

Facial Recognition & SNS [TrendBlog]

By Marcel Sim @ 12:00 AM  |  Online & Social Networks  |  Comments (0)  |  Article Link
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May 27, 2008

Shoe Drop Vacation

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TrendCentral: After popularizing the cause-driven, buy-one-give-one consumer product model, TOMS Shoes founder Blake Mycoskie's latest endeavor may just do the same for branded volunteer vacations. What started off as an outreach program to help educate and activate consumers (wherein volunteers were invited to help distribute free shoes to children living in some of the world's poorest neighborhoods) has evolved into a full-fledged travel company called TOMS Tours.

Due to instantaneous popularity of the "shoe drops", interested parties must fill out an online application to be considered for one of the 15 volunteer positions. Once selected, participants pay $1800 (plus international airfare) for an otherwise all-inclusive trip, to locations such as Argentina, that combines the village visits (where shoes are distributed) with regional group activities such as hiking, wine tasting, and sightseeing.

TOMS TOURS' SHOE DROP VOLUNTEER VACATION [TrendCentral]

By Marcel Sim @ 12:00 AM  |  Non-Profit & Charity  |  Comments (1)  |  Article Link
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May 26, 2008

Bra Power

soloarbra.jpgAnanova: A Japanese lingerie firm has unveiled the perfect gadget for eco-friendly sun worshippers - the solar-powered bra.

It comes with a detachable solar panel which can produce enough energy to power an iPod or mobile phone, reports the Daily Telegraph. It is also equipped with plastic pouches that can be filled with water, allowing wearers to quench their thirst without having to buy and then throw away drinks bottles.

The bra is made of high quality organic cotton, to ensure its production has the smallest possible impact on the environment.

But the 'Photovoltaic-Powered Bra' won't be on shelves any time soon. It is still at the concept stage and has several problems that need to be ironed out. For one, it is damaged by rain.

Solar-Power Bra [Ananova]

By Marcel Sim @ 12:00 AM  |  Technology  |  Comments (1)  |  Article Link
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May 25, 2008

Mom's Time

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Iconoculture: English mums can experience me-time with a membership at two recently opened momsclusive clubs in London. Cupcake offers seminars, fitness training (with and without baby) and a café, as well as plenty of space to simply sit down and relax. A kids-free floor houses the spa where moms and moms-to-be enjoy specialized treatments catered to their pregnancy stage.

Moms need a third place too. Instead of holing up at home post-pregnancy, they know how much more sane they'll be if they get out, connect with other moms, and reconnect with their purely feminine side.

Card-carrying moms kick back at the club [Iconoculture]

By Marcel Sim @ 7:00 AM  |  Services  |  Comments (0)  |  Article Link
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2D Girlfriend By Your Side

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TrendOriginal: They may be less responsive, but virtual women can definitely enhance your sleeping experience. The “INBED”, created by Drew Burrows, is an infrared, light sensitive, virtual girlfriend. The 2D female is not as active as you might expect-try giving her a kiss on the cheek and she’ll shove her head into the pillow. Nevertheless, she will move into a spoon position when you lie down next to her and cuddle up with you when you lie on your back. Hello boys, say goodbye to lonely nights…

Lonely? Try the virtual girlfriend [TrendOriginal]

By Steven Teo @ 12:00 AM  |  Technology  |  Comments (2)  |  Article Link
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May 24, 2008

Sell Gold At a Party

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Springwise: As the weakening economy causes purse strings to tighten, consumers are increasingly looking for new ways to earn a little extra cash. Enter My Gold Party, which facilitates Tupperware-style parties focused on helping guests sell their unused gold.

Launched earlier this year, My Gold Party sells all the equipment minipreneurs need to host parties in which guests can sell their gold, including a scale, karat tester and book of instructions. Party hosts then invite guests to bring gold coins, watches and jewelry to their party, where they assay and weigh each item to determine its current market worth. The party host pays guests for the items with cash or a cheque, then ships the gold to a refinery, which in turn pays the host—at a rate the host hopes will be higher than paid to the party guests. The gold is then melted down and reused.

Consumers in hard times have always been able to sell their spare jewelry in pawn shops, but by bringing the process out of the back alley and into the living room, My Gold Party legitimises and updates it with a social and entrepreneurial twist.

Parties help guests sell their gold [Springwise]

By Steven Teo @ 12:00 AM  |  Retail  |  Comments (1)  |  Article Link
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May 23, 2008

Adrenaline Charity

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Iconoculture: Who needs a guide book to travel? The Adventurists, a U.K.-based company, challenges folks to live on the edge of adventure and humanitarianism.

First, Adventurists organizes a team, grabs a car or motorbike and hustles sponsorships of at least £1,000 ($1,973) per team. Once this is arranged, they take off on a rally-style tour (think Cannonball Run through some of the world's toughest terrain) to places like Africa, the Himalayas, South America and Mongolia. Most trips have no planned route. It’s all about spontaneity, international adventure and helping out.

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Each trip aims to raise money for charities such as Mercy Corps Mongolia. Initially the Adventurists are working toward £1 million ($1.9 million). Once they reach this goal, they’ll shoot for £1 million every year.

Serving meals at the local soup kitchen is great, but where’s the adventure? This group of adventure-seeking Millennials and Gen Xers is about getting their hands dirty … and, at times, broken.

These extreme trips are springing up as a way to live life in the fast lane — conscientiously. Don’t expect Adventurists to buy a $100 ticket to a Heart Awareness gala; they don’t do formal. But they do mean business.

For the Adventurists, “Traveling is for wimps,” volunteering is for sissies! [Iconoculture]

By Steven Teo @ 12:00 AM  |  Non-Profit & Charity  |  Comments (1)  |  Article Link
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May 22, 2008

Death Note? No, Its Death Watch

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Have you heard to the one of the most popular Japanese comic Death Note? A powerful Notebook with the ability to cause the death of a person in an accurate timing written beforehand. Now, we have a Life Index Watch, a concept developed for a Timex competition that keeps track of your remaining days based on personal biometrics. Sounds cool is'nt it!

Productdose: Would knowing how much time you have left make you live life to the fullest or would it paralyze you with anxiety? The technology is coming when your biometrics can give you an approximation of your remaining days. Worn like a patch on the skin, the Timex 2154 watch won't tell you if a truck is going to hit you but based on your fitness, stress, nutrition, sleep, and environment it will let you know when your most important date of all is set to arrive.

Life Index Watch [Productdose]

By Steven Teo @ 12:00 AM  |  Gadgets  |  Comments (0)  |  Article Link
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May 21, 2008

Data Locker

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DVICE: Maybe you're a spy or you've got schematics for the next hot gadget locked away on your hard drive, but either way you're going to want to lock your files down. That's where the DataLocker Drive Enclosure comes in.

The DataLocker is an enclosure so you'll have to supply your own 2.5" SATA hard drive, which is the standard size drive for laptops. After that, you create a 6-digit passcode that you punch in on the unit's backlit touchscreen. Tap it again to lock that sensitive info down. It's powered and enabled by your USB port. Plug it in, put in your code and access your data.

Security doesn't come cheap, though. Get ready to drop $100 — you can find your average 2.5" enclosure for $10.

Protect any hard drive with the DataLocker Drive Enclosure [DVICE]

By Steven Teo @ 12:00 AM  |  Gadgets  |  Comments (0)  |  Article Link
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May 20, 2008

Flying Wind-Turbine

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Inhabitat: The higher up in the air you go, the faster wind travels - so naturally the further from the ground a wind-turbines gets, the more efficient it can be. Thats why the idea of a flying wind-turbine is a such a win-win (or win-wind) proposition. Combining wind power with floating blimps, Selsam has been hard at work expanding the horizons of alternative energy with a revolutionary new breed of SuperTurbines that promise to take wind power to new heights.

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Resembling a field of wind-swept reeds swaying on the horizon, these floating wind spires boast an ultra-efficient design that flexes with the wind, taking advantage of air currents along the length of their shaft to generate electricity. Selsam’s prototypes produce 6000 watts in 32.5 mph winds - six times more power than a similarly sized seven foot single-rotor turbine can produce. The turbines can be easily deployed by land and by sea, and their effectiveness can be amplified even further via an air-born blimp.

Selsam’s SuperTurbines offer an innovative approach to the problem with a scaled-down system of multi-rotor stalks that are extremely versatile, more efficient, and cheaper and easier to produce than than large lumbering windmills.

SELSAM SUPERTURBINES: Flying wind-turbines for max power [Inhabitat]

By Steven Teo @ 12:00 AM  |  Technology  |  Comments (1)  |  Article Link
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May 19, 2008

Work and Child's Play

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Springwise: Menlo Park, Calif.-based Cubes&Crayons offers flexible office space, community and child care for self-employed or freelance workers with young children between 3 months and 5 years old. A variety of work spaces are available at the site, including conference rooms and overstuffed chairs, and extra services such as printing, faxing and filing space are also available. The facility is open weekdays from 8 to 5, and parents can take advantage of its wireless-enabled office space and child care on a full-time, part-time or drop-in basis. Those who become members can make advance reservations by phone or online, as well as having priority for drop-in hours. Membership is USD 149 annually, with combined office and child-care rates starting at USD 13 per hour.

More work spaces for parents [Springwise]

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May 18, 2008

BIZNESS! Newsletter Issue 68

BIZNESS! Newsletter

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Cover Story

Seven Sure Steps To Choosing A Franchise

Franchising is a wonderful way to go into business for yourself. So many things have already been established for your benefit: branding, marketing, processes, products, systems, etc. Building a business through franchising has been so successful.....

Continued in BIZNESS! Newsletter Issue 68 >>>


Top Stories From CoolBusinessIdeas.com

- Speaking Roses
- Soda Can Advertising
- Cheap Solar
- 5-star Hospital
- Shirt History
- Urban Mining
- Personalized Texting With TextHub

Continue reading these top stories in the BIZNESS! Newsletter >>>


Top Stories From GetEntrepreneurial.com

- 10 Things To Take The Nervousness Out Of You
- Franchisees- How To Develop An Effective Sales Plan
- Does Size Truly Matter
- How To Fix Low Ezine Newsletter Deliverability
- How To Bounce Back When Your Mood Plummets
- Top Ten Principles of Success
- How To Grow Your Business During Tough Economic Times

Continue reading these top stories in the BIZNESS! Newsletter >>>

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Can't stand your demanding boss anymore? Start your own business! Before that, be sure to subscribe to our free informative newsletter. BIZNESS! is jointly published by CoolBusinessIdeas.com and GetEntrepreneurial.com What you get in BIZNESS! - the latest new business ideas, small business advice, business tips and info and entrepreneur resources. Everything you need for your brand new business!

Free 20-pages PDF report (worth $38) - "New Business Ideas Report 2007" - included with your subscription. Learn more here.

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By Marcel Sim @ 9:22 AM  |  Newsletter  |  Comments (0)  |  Article Link
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Earth Machine Music

Guardian.co.uk: In a barn on Oxfordshire Park Farm, Finnish musician Kimmo Pohjonen is holding up a microphone to a six-tonne tractor. "Turn the engine over again, please," he asks the farmer. The barn fills with sound. "Beautiful," he says. "Fabulous."

Pohjonen is Finland's most internationally celebrated contemporary musician and, arguably, the world's only avant-garde accordionist.

Pohjonen's current project, Earth Machine Music, involves him sampling sounds from four English farms, before returning to Finland where he will compose music from these samples. He is returning to perform at these same farms later this month and, at each concert, will blast the samples of that specific farm from his accordion while the farmers pitch in with occasional live tractor accompaniment.

"An environmental art piece" is how he describes it. "I grew up in a small village in northern Finland, so I'm used to being on farms, familiar with their sounds. I like the idea of making music with everyday farm machinery."

Farming today [Guardian.co.uk]

By Yuelin Toh @ 12:00 AM  |  Music  |  Comments (0)  |  Article Link
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May 17, 2008

Eco Sneakers

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TrendWatching.com: Adidas Originals’ eco collection—the Grün Collection—offers a range of products, including classic silhouettes like the Forum basketball sneaker and the ZX 500 runner, all made from recycled and natural materials. More importantly, the earth tones and fabrics get the message across to other eco-conscious sneaker freaks.

Eco-Iconic [TrendWatching.com]

By Marcel Sim @ 12:00 AM  |  Environmental  |  Comments (0)  |  Article Link
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May 16, 2008

Custom Yogurt

yogurtlnad.jpgTrendCentral: There may not be lines at Pinkberry anymore now that we know it's not quite as "natural" as they claimed, but the ever resilient frogurt trend shows no signs of defeat, with the number of frogurt stores starting to rival that of Starbucks. While we've yet to reach a consensus as to which is our favorite, we must say we're pretty stoked on the Yogurtland business model. Not only do they have 16 flavors and 33 toppings, but customers pay by the ounce.

Custom-Sized Frogurt [TrendCentral]

By Marcel Sim @ 12:00 AM  |  Food & Beverages  |  Comments (1)  |  Article Link
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May 15, 2008

Speaking Roses

Speaking Roses invented a process that has revolutionized the floral and greeting card industries forever. They have created a method of transferring images and messages onto fresh-cut flowers without harming or shortening the life of the flowers. This refreshing twist on both flowers and greeting cards enhances the emotional response in both the giver and the receiver, and has garnished international attention and phenomenal success.

With two patents in the United States and many others, pending or already received, in countries all over the world, Speaking Roses from Salt Lake City, Utah, is the first and the only business legally allowed to produce and sell personalized, fresh-cut flowers with images or messages right on the petals.

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Now they have decided to start offering this opportunity for others to be part of this revolutionary product. For this reason, they have created a new concept that is call the 'Business in a Box' program, where you can now be a Speaking Roses licensed business owner in your own market. They will provide you with not only the equipment and supplies necessary to start running your business, but you also get years of experience in business development, marketing strategies and public relations, which makes opening your own Speaking Roses business a great experience. They offer proven technology and equipment for both high and low volume production, as well as marketing materials, great methods and techniques, and personalized training. All this allows you have what truly is a 'business in a box.'

With the option of starting your Speaking Roses business on a part-time or full-time basis, you can begin working from home or in your own retail Speaking Roses store. With the floral, gifts, advertisement, corporate, and greeting card markets making up a $80 billion dollar industry, they provide you with all of the tools to help you tap into that potential market. Speaking Roses offers you the ability to place anything from a corporate logo to a marriage proposal on fresh-cut flowers, which has opened the door to an advertising world that is only just beginning to tap into its real potential.

The chance to get in on the ground floor of this amazing opportunity is now being offered to regular people that are looking to be the first in this new market to capture the hearts of consumers in a way that has already caught the attention of everyone from Hollywood to the guests that have experienced the product at a wedding reception.

[Speaking Roses]

By Steven Teo @ 12:00 AM  |  Design  |  Comments (0)  |  Article Link
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May 14, 2008

Soda Can Advertising

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Snellville (Atlanta), GA USA. A Ukrainian inventor, Johan De Broyer has conceived the idea for a re-sealable aluminum soda can featuring hidden advertising messaging. The idea was developed/designed by Robert Davis, Davis Advertising Inc. of Snellville (Atlanta), GA USA. K Mac McClintock, Advercan (Dallas, TX USA) is handling messaging technologies and representation.

The ingenious new “Soda Seal®” can appears like a standard soda can -- until it is popped open. When the tab is turned the can becomes re-sealed with a water-tight and gas-tight seal,* revealing full-color, high-resolution advertising messaging. The potential for the new soda can is proportionate to the 250 billion soda cans consumed annually.

There are numerous benefits including:

-Net-zero production cost. The “mini-billboard” advertising message is sold to co-promoters. Advertising revenues will offset the cost of production.

-Advertising messaging can include hidden codes, prizes, logos, branding, websites, scent, flavor and other messaging technologies.

-The “novelty aspect” of the new can, in addition to the hidden promotional messaging, may result in added beverage sales, especially when used in conjunction with sweepstakes, contests, giveaways, etc.

-Advertising messaging can be customized for local, regional, national or worldwide (with language translation) implementation. The closing disks can be printed and distributed to various packaging facilities for specific advertising/
promotional targeting.

-The can’s all aluminum construction requires no deviation from current recycling programs. There are no plastics or other materials used.

-The Soda-Seal top assembly is fitted to a standard aluminum can. There is no redesign, retooling or machining required for the standard can which resides beneath the Soda-Seal can top assembly.

Advercan is now seeking partnerships with MCC Rexam, Ball, Crown Holdings, Etc. More info is available at: http://www.davisadvertisinginc.com/sodaseal/

By Steven Teo @ 12:00 AM  |  Advertising  |  Comments (2)  |  Article Link
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May 13, 2008

Cheap Solar

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Inhabitat: Energy company Sunrgi recently announced an astounding new solar system that will break our grids free from the fossil fuel lockdown. Their Xtreme Concentrated Photovoltaics promise a low-cost, high-efficiency system with an incredible projected energy pricing of 5 cents per kilowatt. This breakthrough puts solar on par with the cost of coal, natural gas, and other non-renewable energy sources.

If solar energy is ever going to live up to it’s world-changing potential, it’s going to have to mesh with our existing energy infrastructure, competing with coal and natural gas on price point. While traditional photovoltaic arrays span great expanses and struggle to keep costs down, Sunrgi’s system proposes a novel idea, making better use of fewer expensive materials.

The XCPV system is based on a principle blinding in its simplicity: use a magnifying glass to concentrate the sun’s energy into a single high efficiency solar cell. Each unit features a lens that magnifies the sun’s rays 2,000 times, focusing it onto a solar cell that converts more than 37% sunlight to energy. The result is a system that maximizes the potential output of each solar cell while minimizing cost and space required.

The units are modular and thus easily deployable on or off-grid, and they can be easily upgraded to accommodate future advancements in solar cell technology.

SOLAR ENERGY AS CHEAP AS COAL! [Inhabitat]

By Steven Teo @ 12:00 AM  |  Technology  |  Comments (4)  |  Article Link
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May 12, 2008

5-star Hospital

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Freep.com: Hospital food has always gotten a bad rap, much of it richly deserved.

But the Henry Ford Health System is taking unprecedented steps to change that, along with many other traditional hospital practices, in a $350-million community hospital and wellness complex opening in February on 160 scenic acres in West Bloomfield.

Its multifaceted approach is so different that it has attracted the attention of health care experts around the country.

In addition to national-class clinical services, the 300-bed hospital is to offer amenities ranging from homelike private rooms with couches where relatives can sleep comfortably overnight to relaxing in-room whirlpool tubs for mothers in labor.

Wellness services include health coaches, holistic therapies and personal trainers -- part of an emerging national trend to help people control or prevent chronic conditions that lead to expensive hospital stays.

But one of the hospital's most innovative elements is its culinary program, which involves a trio of partners: prominent metro Detroit restaurateur Matt Prentice, the nationally known culinary department at Schoolcraft College in Livonia and Chef's Garden, an elite organic farm in Ohio that sells exclusively to America's most famous restaurants.

New Ford hospital strives for 5-star treatment [Freep.com]

By Yuelin Toh @ 12:10 AM  |  Luxury  |  Comments (2)  |  Article Link
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May 11, 2008

Green Liquids to Make Your House Clean

Trendwatching: In an ECO-ICONIC world, visibility counts, for big and small products alike. Which, in the case of cleaning products, means exposure will start the moment others check out your shopping basket or cart. Will that bottle of washing-up liquid scream 'green!'? Some examples:

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New-Zealand-based Beauty Engineered Forever produces a range of environmentally-friendly household cleaning products from natural ingredients and essential oils that are not harmful to the environment and safe for consumers. The packaging has been designed to connect with the customer on a personal level with playful and cheeky pick-up lines, such as “I’ll do your dirty work” and “I’ll make it all white.” And yes, it’s different enough to be easily recognizable to visitors of one’s kitchen.

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Belgium-based Ecover makes a range of domestic and professional cleaning products like washing-up liquid, laundry detergents and bleach. As a matter of policy, all ingredients are from renewable sources and of the "highest possible biodegradability."

Eco-Iconic [Trendwatching]

By Steven Teo @ 12:00 AM  |  Environmental  |  Comments (1)  |  Article Link
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May 10, 2008

Lava Lamp Shot Glasses

lighterside.jpgCoolBuzz: They say after you have had your fill of booze, you might just end up seeing stars. But here's an innovative idea that lets you see stars before the liquor has even touched you tongue. These Lava Lamp Shot Glasses come mounted atop a funky lamp with flashing LEDs that add sparkle to any drink. Just add you choice of beverage and watch your drink brimming with a whole lot of glittering little stars without you having to consume LSD or any other banned substance for the heavenly experience. The lights stop blinking once the glass is empty so you know when its time to fill the thing up again. Available in a range of assorted colors, we highly recommend the $8.98-a piece Lava Lamp Shot Glasses to college sophomores out to live la vida loca.

Lava Lamp Shot Glass let you add a celestial spark to your drink [CoolBuzz]

By Marcel Sim @ 12:00 AM  |  Design  |  Comments (0)  |  Article Link
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May 9, 2008

Shirt History

re-shirt.jpgCoolHunting: Re-Shirt is an Austrian-based company that resells second-hand t-shirts. What sets them apart from other online boutiques is that every shirt comes with a personal story. Owners submit the unique history pertinent to the garment they donate—often the circumstances behind buying it, or a memorable event while wearing it. The Re-Shirt philosophy is rooted in the question, "Do products last longer if you know their history?" The idea seems promising. Like a table made with reclaimed wood from some distant castle, a story can equate to desirability.

Once a shirt goes through the system, it's marked with a Re-Shirt code. Stories can be added onto the shirt's history, perhaps increasing its value.

Re-Shirt [CoolHunting]

By Marcel Sim @ 12:00 AM  |  Retail  |  Comments (0)  |  Article Link
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May 8, 2008

Urban Mining

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A recent Reuters wire story (picked up here in the International Herald Tribune) describes the new trend of "urban mining" - of recovering gold, silver, copper, iridium and other precious metals from discarded cell phones and other consumer electronics.

According to the article, a ton of used cellular phones contains far more gold than an equal amount of ore from a gold mine. Ditto for silver and copper. Estimates vary, but there are tens (or possibly even hundreds) of millions of cell phones taken out of service every year as users upgrade to newer models. These end up in landfill, or at the bottom of the sock drawer.

And another use for used phones - Zurado Systems, from California, also wants your used cell phones. They want to reprogram them for use as portable kiosks.

There is clearly a real business opportunity in the recovery of used mobile phones and computers for smart entrepreneurs able to devise an efficient collection system. What are your ideas?


GraemeSpicerPhoto2.jpgGraeme Spicer is a Canadian trendspotter, ethnographer and observer of all things retail. As Director of Retail Strategy at DW+Partners he spends his time consulting with leading retailers; presenting at conferences across North America; lecturing at OCAD, Canada's leading design school; and reading too many blogs.

By Graeme Spicer @ 6:56 PM  |  Services  |  Comments (4)  |  Article Link
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Yeti Cooling Power

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Luxist: The ice chest isn't generally considered a luxury object but the Yeti coolers are designed to keep things cooler than many cheaper versions. The coolers have a a full two inches of polyurethane foam in the sides, bottom and lid to keep items cold all day which makes them great for use on boats when people stay out on the water for long excursions. It has a home freezer-style lid gasket that creates an airtight seal. Heavy-duty rubber T-latches and a self stopping, full length integrated hinge keep it secure in the roughest conditions. A leak-proof drain plug offers easy draining without leaks. It can be used to store food and drinks or bait and fish.

Yeti Coolers [Luxist]

By Marcel Sim @ 12:00 AM  |  Luxury  |  Comments (0)  |  Article Link
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May 7, 2008

Wireless Makeover

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TrendHunter: The famous blue Linksys machines are now synonymous with wireless routers. Like the rest of electronics, the blue boxes have upgraded their look. Linksys has redesigned their routers - making them black and sleek.

Making Wireless Stylish - Linksys Makeover [TrendHunter]

By Marcel Sim @ 12:00 AM  |  Design  |  Comments (0)  |  Article Link
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May 6, 2008

Personalized Texting with TextHub

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TextHub is a text messaging service that allows you to send personalized text messages to a group of people online or via mobile phones. TextHub offers an all-in-one suite of tools in one easy to use account manager and makes it easy for any non-technical user to administer mass text messaging campaigns and scheduled alerts.

Businesses are always seeking innovative ways to communicate efficiently and effectively with customers in order to maintain good customer service and to increase sales. While postal mailing, phoning, and most recently emailing have been utilized as methods of communication from businesses to its customers, a new communication star is emerging, known commonly as “text messaging” and also known as short message system (“SMS”). TextHub seeks to tap on this new trend for companies to reach their customers.

Some interesting ways to use TextHub:

Schools use TextHub to send alerts to parents about important reminders, truancy, or emergencies.

Banks and financial institutions use TextHub to notify account holders of their balance, transactions, overdraft items, and other account activity.

Online portals and content providers use TextHub to broadcast regularly scheduled content to opt-in subscribers such as news headlines, daily astrology, stock alerts, and more.

http://www.texthub.com

Co-Founder Mark Michuda is offering TextHub for free to non-profits. Organizations can attain the free account by writing to info(AT)TextHub.com.

Update: Mark has an exclusive offer for CoolBusinessIdeas.com readers only. Mention the code word CBI and you can enjoy a free 40 days use of an TextHub pro account.

By Marcel Sim @ 5:06 PM  |  Mobile  |  Comments (0)  |  Article Link
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Unusual Scented Candles

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TrendOriginal: Unusual smells aren’t generally the inspiration for scented candles, but Hotwicks doesn’t really seem to care. Among its unique collection of scented candles is the “Campfire Candle” which emits vapors reminiscent of a campfire-makes you feel like you’re camping and toasting marshmallows.

Hotwicks also have other unusual scents such as grass, popcorn and even urinal smells.

Campfire Scented Candle [TrendOriginal]

By Marcel Sim @ 9:11 AM  |  Consumer Goods  |  Comments (0)  |  Article Link
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May 5, 2008

Dog Poop Cleanup Aid

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ProductDose: I love dogs. I hate picking up dog poop. This Poop Freeze product doesn't make the poop go away but at least it removes that steaming, mushy texture that still makes you feel gross even through the plastic bag. It freezes the droppings so you can just pluck it up without having to deal with scraping it from the ground. The spray is grass and environmentally safe.

Poop Freeze [ProductDose.com]

By Marcel Sim @ 8:57 AM  |  Pets  |  Comments (1)  |  Article Link
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May 4, 2008

Greenshoot Soups

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jobwerx: New Greenshoot fresh soup range selects the innovative packaging format for ambient soups launched by RPC Bebo Nederland and RPC Containers Halstead.

According to Urban Foods, Greenshoot Soups is the first really convenient individual fresh soup range to be launched for the French market, and the company wanted the packaging to combine practicality and ease of use for consumers with a stylish new look to create maximum shelf impact.

Designed to meet the demands of busy lifestyles, the new pack from RPC offers optimum consumer convenience, being lightweight, easy to open and microwaveable.

The container is co-extruded and thermoformed in PP/EVOH/PP by RPC Bebo Nederland. The multi-layer construction offers significant barrier protection to ensure, in combination with processing, that the soup has a shelf life comparable to traditional packaging.

The cup’s rounded design delivers sufficient durability to withstand high filling temperatures and is compatible with standard in-car cup holders so that soups can be enjoyed safely and conveniently on the move.

The cups are sleeved before being hot filled. The new packaging features a bold design with a black cup and lid and striking graphics in bright colors illustrating each product’s ingredients.

Julien Ponceblanc of Urban Foods says, “Fresh takeaway soups are a relatively new concept in France so we wanted this new product launch to reflect this innovation with stylish, convenient and high quality packaging which attracted attention."

Style and Convenience Packaging on the Move [jobwerx]

By Yuelin Toh @ 12:00 AM  |  Food & Beverages  |  Comments (0)  |  Article Link
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May 3, 2008

Share Music with miShare

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The Cool Hunter: One of the biggest problems that people have with iPods is that unless you have a diploma in hacking, it is extremely difficult to share your tunes, especially without getting a computer involved. That is of course until now. Want the latest album from your friends' iPod? Simply connect both iPods to the miShare unit