thestar online: Ralph Anderl is the founding member and managing director of German company Ic! Berlin Brillen Gmbh, known for its patented, screwless-spring-hinge-insert system.
The company’s mainstay is sheetmetal glasses, priding itself in designing and producing them without screws, soldering or welding. The screwless system allows users to separate the temples from the front frame, and change the lenses by hand with a few twists and turns.
Sheetmetal glasses are also very flexible, said Anderl, as he firmly pulled the temples outwards to align with the main frame.
“You don’t have to worry if you accidentally sit on it or your child grabs it from your face. The structure will not be affected,” he assured. “Our problem is teaching people not to be afraid to experiment with the eyewear or use the (screwless) system.”
Doesn’t matter what your hot beverage of choice is, the everyday mug has now turned into a mode of communication. This ingenious mug is glazed with a chalk board surface allowing for easy-wipe messaging with a standard piece of chalk. So much better than post-its, it’s great for morning love notes to your sweetie, identifying whose mug is whose when you have a house full of guests, wishing birthday greetings….the list is endless. And could there be a more perfect gift for any teacher. Available at The Spoon Sisters.
Autoweek.com: Looking for a gift for Dad? How about a gift that’s cool, appeals to Dad’s “gotta build” instinct and is free!
Go take a look at www.papertoys.com, where you’ll find templates and instructions to print, cut out, fold and glue paper models of everything from the Eiffel Tower to a Tyrannosaurus rex.
But wait, since Dad’s a car guy, you and he can also enjoy some quality time together assembling a Chrysler PT Cruiser, a DeLorean, a Hummer, a Mercedes-Benz 320 SL, a Volkswagen Beetle (new or old) and more.
The Porsche 911 took us about an hour to produce. It has a 2.125-inch wheelbase and a pretty rigid chassis, considering that it’s made of, you know, paper.
Popgadget: Love chocolate but want to lose weight? Or just like the idea of inhalable food? Then the Le Whif (no, really) chocolate inhaler could be the answer to your prayers.
Described as "akin to sucking a tiny bit of cocoa powder through a straw" (and who doesn't want to do that?) the Le Whif gives flavor with next to no calories, and comes in four different chocolate flavors, including plain and chocolate-mint.
It's around $2 for three puffs from the Le Whif shop.
Inhabitat: Via Lattea is a striking change from traditional padded furniture and also a significant upgrade from your college room blow-up chair. Low wattage lights are placed inside the pieces to emit a glowing light. While they may look like they belong in a nightclub instead of a living room, these pieces of recycled furniture require considerably less materials and resources to produce than your typical chair or couch. One note of caution: Though the steel mesh helps the furniture retain its shape, you’ll still want to ban all sharp objects within close proximity to them.
Crave: We've covered silly-slash-interesting concepts before, but I'm not really clear on how I should feel about this handheld portable toaster by Korean designer Been Kim. You apparently run it over your bread like a fancy butter knife and it toasts that side in your hand. An LCD readout on the back gradually tells you just how toasty your toast is getting. The product, still a concept as far as we can tell, is apparently wireless and uses a cord-free charging system.
Babygadget: Vivesana is a new organic sun care company that is the first 70% organic baby sunscreen product on the market. They also use exclusively US-grown organic ingredients and domestic, sustainable, BPA-free packaging and the tube is convenient for toting around. The best part? It doesn't go on greasy or smell like pina coladas. With ingredients like Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Green Tea Leaf Extract and Raspberry Seed Oil, the formula is gentle and feels nice on the skin.
Shiny Shiny: OK, I know you don't tend to take a microwave with you wherever you go, but there's no denying an office that's lacking that mean machine is like an office with no computers- simply unworkable. Sure, you can work off laptops, or go to Pret for lunch, but those options aren't ever going to be your first choice.
The mo:ben lunchbox is designed to keep your leftovers warm, and contains both insulated walls AND an AC plug. Simply plug in the box and your leftovers will be gently warned up, ready to eat!
Crave: Those on a diet who can't resist the temptations lurking in the refrigerator will appreciate the Homer Simpson Talking Fridge Guard. Meant to sit on one of your fridge shelves, Homer will recite one of his six canned phrases ("Uh oh. Someone's gonna have a tummy ache!" "Mmmm...fattening") every time you open the door.
Aside from giving guests a good laugh, this battery-operated gadget will shame you when trying to reach for that soda or cheesecake while trying to lose weight. There's nothing quite like the world's most famous slob to remind you to stay disciplined.
The Cool Hunter: If you carry a Blackberry, iPod or iPhone, do you have to look like you have no style at all? Cute accessory bags are fine for weekend hiking trips, just like boring “business like” cases are fine for, well, boring people, but for the power lunch with the merger guys or cocktails in high places, you’ll want this bag made of gold python-print Italian leather.
Grab you platinum credit cards, a few large bills, your well-travelled passport, and your ever-present favourite device/s — there’s a slot for each in this baby — and you are set. The bags are hand-made in Spain, the internal lining is satin and the colour options are gold and black with new - Anthracite, Pearl and Cobalt Blue with a hot pink snake trim.
The Blitzgrill with its powerful 9.2 kw burner is ideal both for catering and private use. It is ready in just five minutes, is infinitely adjustable and, thanks to its gas firing, makes for hitch-free barbecue enjoyment. The removable cast-iron barbecue plate is simple and easy to clean.
Press Association: Dental scientists have claimed to have discovered a way to prevent bacteria that causes tooth decay from forming in the mouth.
BASF, the world's largest chemical maker, said its formula could be seen in toothpaste, mouthwash and even sweets as early as next year.
Using a micro-organism related to those used in yoghurt cultures, the German-based company said it has engineered a process that clusters harmful bacteria in the mouth before they can bind with sugar and form plaque.
The organism and plaque-causing bacteria are then swallowed as part of the mouth's natural cleaning process. It is safe to swallow the bacteria, known by the scientific name Streptococcus mutans, because it is regularly found in the mouth and humans already digest it constantly, the company said.
The active organism in pro-t-action is effectively dead, meaning it does not need to be kept cool -- like yoghurt -- and can be used in a wide array of products like sugar-free sweets, gum, toothpaste, and possibly drinks such as smoothies. To be effective, the product needs to be in the mouth for about 10 to 15 seconds.
"This is not a replacement" for brushing, said Markus Pompejus, a BASF scientist who helped develop the product. "But it clearly helps to improve your daily oral hygiene."
ProductDose: One thing I've been wanting to do this year is to make more food at home instead of eating junk out for most of my meals. Problem is I can't cook. At all. Then a friend suggested to me a crock pot. He said I can just dump random food items in the pot, turn it on, and leave for the day and when I return in the evening there will be delicious magic stew in the pot ready for me to eat. You can't get any easier than that.
In a few words, the story tales in StickieStory are unique; they are a perfect combination of entertainment and fun because they are like a game to put together and they are amazing story tales to read and tell as well. They are stories in which the names and pictures of the characters make the story tale special and unique. To create your story tale is easy and it is fun.
The stories may be customized with stickers that bear the story along with the names and stickers with the characters, including the faces of all the characters. You can include your friends and family as the story characters. You may incorporate one main character and three secondary characters per story, at the most. Though, if you wish, you may incorporate the main character only to make your story.
"There’s no such thing as a free lunch. If it sounds too good to be true, it is." At AnyLuckDay.com, your free lunch is not too good to be true. The prizes are absolutely free (shipping is covered).
AnyLuckDay.com has an unique business model. In this economy, companies are trying to save advertising dollars but still need to successfully promote their businesses. By donating their products to AnyLuckDay.com, companies get the exposure they need and readers have the chance to win great prizes, absolutely free. Contests will be posted daily or every two days. In order to qualify for a chance to win the contest of the day, readers simply post a comment on that particular blog post. At the end of the contest, a random winner is chosen from amongst the readers who left a comment.
Outblush: We know you're a fan of internet shopping (yay, sitting still!), but sometimes, a girl's gotta get groceries. And for those moments, we're glad we discovered The Baggler ($5). Constructed of environmentally friendly plastic polymers, The Baggler's ergonomic handle allows you to grab all your bags at once, no rolling groceries, no uneven distribution of weight. It's so cool, you just may convert to shopping in real time, all the time— well...after you finish that rerun.
Cool Hunting: One of the more practical items coming out of the Stockholm Furniture Fair is a new coat hanger and coat hook from Nicola From Bern. The powder-coated steel hanger works with any conventional towel rails and can be used as a hanger or flipped over and turned into a hook. This double function brings along a flexible use of the object—it can be used as a wardrobe even in narrow doorways.
Nicola From Bern: Coat Hanger [Cool Hunting]
Cool Tools: It's the quickest, handiest, most efficient hot water maker yet. It takes the piezo-ignited butane trail stove to maybe a 50% overall improvement---worth converting for many.
The main tricks are: fin-like heat exchanger ("FluxRing") where the flame meets the pot; pot attaches to stove (vastly less fiddly); pot has a cozy on it to hold heat and make gripping the pot easy; the plastic lid of the pot doubles as a cup lid for sipping direct from the pot; and the stove stows inside the pot. The weight is 12 ounces, the same or less than other light butane stove systems, but you save on weight of fuel, small pack volume, and overall convenience.
The heat exchanger means you can heat 2 cups of water in about 2 minutes, with significantly little fuel expended. So little heat escapes that you can hold the whole thing in your hand while it cooks, and the cozy never burns.
The Gadgets Weblog: A new line of LEGO branded gadgets will be hitting the streets this summer. The MP3 players and cameras will not actually be made of LEGO bricks, but they will look like it and include real LEGO pieces so that the devices can be customized.
It makes sense; if a kid dropped a digital camera and it busted into a million individual blocks, parents would loose it. As an aesthetic, I appreciate the LEGO look. To me, if these products are quality, they might be fun to have around just as conversation starters.
LEGO Decides Kids Should Have Coolest Camera Ever [The Gadgets Weblog]
While most companies are pushing the envelope with the development of OLED screens, Phillips has decided to take a run at a 56″ true cinema widescreen. That’s a ratio of 21:9.
Using their Ambient RGB back light technology, Phillips is hopefully that movie enthusiasts will be more receptive to dropping the $$ on one of these than on a smaller, albeit much sexier looking, OLED screen.
The screen hits retailers in February. No word yet on pricing. Hopefully, with the arrest of the big LCD makers executives the prices of LCDs will drop the way they should have before “fixed” pricing was decided behind our trusting backs.
I want one. Maybe two.
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Christopher Aceto currently heads Thottfield Inc., a small multimedia and communications consultancy based in Toronto, Canada. Always on the hunt for innovative and exciting ideas, his passion for the creation and production of ground-breaking technologies and services has granted him the opportunity to act as a creative consultant for various companies and industries throughout the world.
The Red Ferret: The FlightSuit Bird Diaper has us speechlessed. The idea, of course, is you strap it on and protect your home and loved ones from unsavoury droplets of bird goo, but we can’t get around the fact that someone sat down and seriously thought this one up – and then went out and persuaded some shmoe to manufacture it. Just when you think you’ve seen it all….wow!
FlightSuit Bird Diaper - protect your furnishings from flying party poopers [The Red Ferret]
Springwise: Zeroing in on paper napkins—USD 200 of which the average kid uses each year—North Carolina-based Happikins recently launched an eye-pleasing line of reusable lunch box napkins.
Available in packages of five, Happikins are 12-by-12-inch cotton or cotton-blend napkins featuring kid-friendly colours and designs. Each set comes with a durable pouch that fits neatly in a lunch box and can even be written on with a dry-erase marker to send little messages to the kids who use them. Both the napkins and the pouch are machine-washable, and Happikins can even be monogrammed. Sets include designs on the themes of "Critters and Creatures," "League of Sports" and "Sugar and Spice."
CNBC.com: Few things are worse than coming back to your car, dying of thirst, only to take a nice long sip of warm water or soda. Just the thought of it makes you go "blech!" to try to get the imaginary taste out of your mouth.
Behold, the Car Mini Fridge from ThinkGeek.com.
The car fridge, along with the car coffee maker and car wi-fi were cited as some of the hottest car gadgets in a men's poll by LeaseTrader.com.
You just plug it into the cigarette lighter, set the temperature and go. The temperature range is 44 to 140-degrees Fahrenheit, so you can use it to heat beverages, too. You could use it to keep your coffee warm on the way to work, or to chill your Dr. Pepper on a road trip.
SlipperyBrick: Everyone needs a lamp at one point or another. Whether it’s on your desk at the bedside, a lamp is something we all need, but is often one of those things we don’t buy. Lamps can make good Christmas gifts, especially geeky lamps.
ThinkGeek is offering new DIY Dinosaur Lamps that are made from laser cut sheets of flexible plastic. The lamps require assembly, which amounts to putting tab A into slot B and so on. The directions promise to be easy to follow and lots of pictures are included.
Three lamps are included in the kit and they look like a T-Rex, stegosaurus, and diplodocus. I have no idea what that last dinosaur is. Construction time is 30 to 40 minutes and a card and switch are included with the lamp kit. The only thing you have to add is elbow grease and light bulbs. The kit of three lamps is $19.99.
TrendCentral: For those of you who constantly feel the need to say what's on your mind no matter how inappropriate, whether it's when you are cut off by a jerk driver on the road or stuck on an excruciatingly long conference call in the office, Shticks may help you stay out of anger management class. Expressing sentiments ranging from "I'm So Sorry" and "Shame on You" to the more flirtatious "You're Cute," the double-sided signs come in packs of 10, allowing you to you save your breath and, instead, say it all with the flick of your wrist.
The Ginsu Outdoors Electric Fillet Knife designed by Robert Radi is specifically geared towards the outdoor marketplace and designed with the avid fishermen in mind. Whether one fish is being filleted or a whole limit this electric fillet knife is designed to have the coolest running motor on the market. The unit also conveniently contains a standard 12Volt plug which includes battery clips along with a 110Volt converter. Both the freshwater and the Shark stainless steel blades feature double serration for faster filleting. All this along with the comfortable, lightweight contoured design for ease-of-handling make this one electric knife you won’t want to miss.
Etre Touchy gloves are a fun way to keep your hands warm and dry while using mobile phones, portable games systems, music players and other electronic devices. Their missing thumb and index fingertips allow you to touch, tap, stroke, slide and pinch these devices' displays in any way you desire - a facet of their design that is particularly important when interacting with touch-screen devices like the iPhone and iPod Touch, since their capacitive touch-screen technology means that they only respond to your bare naked fingertips.
Iconoculture: Forget the doors and windows; the easiest way into most homes is through the telephone. Now two U.K. inventors have created a device that automatically screens out telemarketers, prank callers and phone scammers. TrueCall blocks telemarketers' numbers while letting trusted peeps through.
If it doesn't recognize the dialer's number, TrueCall sends callers to a purgatory where they must identify themselves and wait for approval from the person they're trying to call.
TrueCall combines that solution with the ability to connect to a database of known telemarketers, scammers and other unwelcome commercial callers. That's ultimate customizable control over who gets through and who doesn't.
TrendCentral: This Swedish hosiery company, Happy Socks, makes us want to never wear plain black socks again. Offering a literal rainbow of color palettes and patterns, the socks seem like the kind of thing you may see an accidentally stylish 6-year-old wearing, but there's no reason we can't treat our feet too.
ProductDose.com: I have this weird affinity for doing the dishes. I find it oddly therapeutic. A professor of mine told me there's a primal satisfaction in the act of cleansing -- things, your body, your spirit. These utensils from Seongyong Lee have a ball designed into them to enable them to float so that you don't have to rummage around in dirty dishwater to find them.
TrendCentral: If you've ever walked down the street to stares thinking you must look pretty good that day only to discover blocks later it was your fallen fly and not your fly outfit, then this gadget is for you. Designed to keep your zipper up and your nether regions covered, the ZipHolder loops through your zipper and around the button on your waistband, ensuring that no one will ever say XYZPDQ to you again.
The Flipper toothbrush holder is a special kind of product. It takes brushing and shaving – normally mundane activities – and turns them into a daily delight, whether you are six years old or 60 years old. From function to form, the Flipper toothbrush holder is a simple addition that will change the way you go about your morning routine.
Using the Flipper toothbrush holder is a snap, even on your groggiest morning. All you need is one hand.
1. Patented snap-open mechanism makes retrieving your toothbrush or razor both easy and fun, whether you’re a kid…or an adult!
2. Patented snap-closed mechanism adds a little bit of magic to your day. Insert your toothbrush or razor, and watch the Flipper toothbrush holder automatically close on its own.
3. High-quality suction cups allow for reliable adhesion to a variety of smooth surfaces, including bathroom mirrors and tile surfaces.
ProductDose.com: To fill out your faux-woodsman motif, this fireplace from Michael Hilgers evokes the log fire you could never build because you dropped out of Boy Scouts when the woods got a little too dark for your frightened child's heart. Yah, I never made it past Cub Scout so I'm venting all my urban frustrations. It's not so much the critters and the lack of electricity that frightens me about going "wild." It's the lack of modern plumbing. The woods is no place to bare yourself. This wilderness free urBonfire uses odorless and smoke-free bioethanol.
TrendCentral: Umbrellas may come compact enough to throw in your purse or satchel, but unless you're hauling a duffle bag in lieu of a computer case, galoshes aren't exactly practical to lug with you. But for those cold, cloudy mornings when freezing rain seems imminent, you no longer have to forgo your favorite kicks for fear of plunging into a muddy puddle of slush. Available for men and women, these rubber overshoes protect your footwear from ruin. Hopefully the prototype designed for high heels, which was recently spotted at a Milan trade show, will hit the production lines in time for winter.
Spingwise: Hard on the heels—so to speak—of our story about sneaker customization at Keds Studio last week comes another spotting in the world of customized footwear: Sneakart, a site that lets users personalize sneakers from any brand via specially designed removable stickers.
Still in beta, UK-based Sneakart offers users the opportunity to customize their sneakers via Sneakskin, a super-thin, flexible, durable and waterproof graphic film that can be applied to white, light-coloured and metallic shoes. Printed with non-toxic ink in the UK, Sneakskin is 100 percent PVC-free and can be peeled off and replaced at will. It's available either in sheets of individual stickers or in 22-by-29-cm sheets of patterns that the user can cut to fit the areas to be covered; either way, one or two sheets is typically enough to customize one pair of shoes, Sneakart says.
Luxist: It may not be the most glamorous briefcase I've ever seen but the new Checkpoint Flyer Briefcase by Tom Bihn has one very important feature, it can slide through airport checkpoints with your Mac safely inside a sleeve, saving you the awkward fumble of taking out your computer, putting it into a bin and sending it through the chute unprotected along with umpteen other Apple computers.
The durable bag is made of ballistic nylon with YKK Uretek zippers, Duraflex Stealth buckles, and Poron foam-padded handles in Tom Bihn's Seattle factory. It's pretty travel friendly with 11 organizational pockets, a back pocket that zips open to accommodate the handle of a roll-aboard, a quick-access boarding pass/map pocket and a folded foam laptop compartment that completely encases the laptop in 8mm-thick closed cell foam, available in three sizes designed specifically to fit Apple laptops (yes, it fits PCs too). They say it requires less than 3 seconds to be prepared in order to send the briefcase through the x-ray machine.
Market Watch: Celebrity and non-celebrity parents of new babies have one less thing to worry about. No Slip Charlie(TM), a unique baby bath safety product offered by mompreneur-owned Mom Sense, gives parents the ability to maintain a firm but gentle grip on their wet, slippery baby during bath time.
Soft, durable and easy to maintain, No Slip Charlie(TM) is a pair of fingerless gloves that promote bath safety by providing a secure gripping surface while leaving parents' fingers free to wash hair and make skin contact with the baby. In addition to a pair of soft poly/lycra gloves, each No Slip Charlie(TM) package also contains two machine-washable terrycloth wash mitts that attach to the gloves during bath time. The product is available in pink and blue.
No Slip Charlie(TM) was created by mompreneur Kim Shulman, who realized the need for this type of baby bath safety product after the birth of her son, Charlie (for whom the product is named). Worried about the dangerous combination of her wet, slippery baby and the equally wet and slippery hard surfaces of a bathroom, Shulman developed the gloves to help alleviate unnecessary stress that can arise during an otherwise joyful time. With No Slip Charlie(TM) gloves, parents can relax and have fun with baby during bath time, knowing they are equipped to keep their child steady in the tub and while lifting their baby in and out of the bath.
A fitness trend that lets you get a work-out while you walk: The flip flop with a built in gym. In short: The Fit Flop. The micro-wobbleboard technology built into the shoe's midsole "places varying densities of EVA under your feet each time you step, to challenge the support and balance muscles of the foot and leg." EVA (Expanded Vinyl Acetate) is the closed-cell foam in the midsole of many shoes. It's used for its cushioning qualities since it is lighter and softer than the other major midsole ingredients. So while you can exercise hard to reach muscles, trim and tone your legs, work your bum and thigh muscles and essentially stay in shape, you also look fabulously stylish. In addition to all that, according to a study done at the University of Salford in Manchester, "Walking in FitFlops is like walking barefoot, but a little bit better." Anything else? Oh, yes. There are no animal products used in the UK Walkstar fitflop, which makes at least one of the fitflop models vegan-friendly as well.
Taking a walk has never posed as a more sensible and trendy workout. Stroll, skip, hop, jump or run-as long as you're in fitflops, you'll surely see results.
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TrendsSpotting.com is a trends agency focused on developing exciting tools for Trend Spotting. We follow current trends and are constantly looking for new ones. We specialize in trends research and the social media. Dr. Taly Weiss, TrendsSpotting CEO, is a Social Psychologist, with extensive experience in branding strategy and marketing research. Feel free to explore our trend spotting tools on www.trendoScope.com.
Latest Buy: Sleep is a very individual thing. Some like to sleep on their side or their back or their front. Some like a soft mattress whilst others prefer a bed of nails. And when it comes to waking up, some of us spring out of bed, whilst others need, well, how shall we put this, others need a rocket up them.
Problem solved. The Rocket Alarm Clock is here to ensure that if you have to take off in the morning, it will do just that.
Rocket Alarm ClockThe launch pad doubles as mission control, where you can set the time and the alarm from the LCD display. When it's time to get up, the red LED lights begin to flash and the countdown begins. 10 – 9 – if you wake up now you can abort the launch – 8 – 7 – 6 – you can still stop it – 5 – 4 – come on you space cadet get up – 3 – 2 – 1 – LIFT OFF! If you've failed to abort the mission by now, your soft-headed rocket has launched itself across the room – and the only way you're going to stop the alarm from sounding is by getting up and retrieving it!
TrendHunter: Attention male golfers! The game of golf is full of gadgets: gadgets that increase your distance; gadgets that straighten your drives; gadgets that hide your beer. The list goes on… Now, you can add a club that doubles as a toilet to the list. The Uroclub is a golf club with a hollow shaft that holds your pee.
Every aspect of this piece of equipment has been meticulously worked out to make it simple and trouble free to use. To start with, the UroClub is designed from a light weight resin with a molded grip. The cap opens and closes easily and is designed with a triple sealing system to ensure that it is leak proof.
The privacy shield hooks to the sides of the pants or belt and adds stability. This allows freedom of the hands to manipulate the club and zipper. The UroClub is intended to eliminate anxiety and any feeling of uneasiness on the course. It can be emptied at the nearest restroom or later on, when the golfer returns home.
TrendBlog: Nike has launched a large-scale pan-European mobile marketing campaign in which it unveils a customization service called Nike PhotoID, which invites Nike fans to submit their randomly cellphone-taken pictures with brilliant colors to the company. The service will then analyze and withdraw from the pictures two dominant colors, make customized sneaker designs and send pictures of the designs back to the photographers, who can choose either to keep them as wall paper or order the personalized shoes.
If you're stepping out to grab a coffee, decency requires you ask your co-workers if anyone else wants one. But on the way back to the office, you curse your own decency as you juggle multiple hot cups and the phone rings or you need to pull out your keys.
Here's a smart solution: A nifty solution is this carry-bag for coffees!
An elegant way to carry coffee and the carrier could be reused over and over again. Definitely a hit for coffee addicts and maybe our environmentalists as well!
TrendCentral: These simple canvas sneakers have been popular in China since the '20s and have recently gained a small, cultish following Stateside. The shoes' durability, comfort and flexible soles made them the choice footwear for Shaolin monks who wore them when practicing Kung Fu and Tai Chi. While they are still worn by martial artists, it's their simple, classic style - akin to American mainstays such as Converse All Stars and Keds - that resonates with fashionistas (both male and female) today.
BoomersWithAttitude.com is a new online tee-shirt store that’s devoted exclusively to the most exceptional generation in the USA today: the Baby Boomers. It features distinctive, unique Tee-Shirts and other quality apparel that further expands on what this already vocal group of over 70,000,000 people has been doing for 45 plus years, that is, Expressing Themselves … with Attitude.
Simple and straightforward in design, and sometimes a bit spicy to boot, each tee-Shirt includes a unique, clever, funny, insightful, nostalgic, possibly stinging or otherwise thought-provoking message on the back, in addition to the standout "BWA - Boomers with Attitude" markings on the front. Most designs are offered in multiple colors.
TrendHunter: Tons of lighter fluid is used to light BBQs in the US every year which contributes to toxic residue on the foods cooked. The Baja BBQ firepack is made of charcoal packaging (100% recycled biodegradable paper pulp) which quickly ignites by lighting from the bottom. The chimney holes provide the ventilation needed to produce hot coals. The contents are 2 lbs of natural lump charcoal, all of which burn easily, producing hot coals ready to cook your meal in 15- 20 minutes without any nasty “flavourings”.
The creators are Mike and Maaike, a collaborative team formed by American Mike Simonian and Dutch born Maaike Evers who are into useful experimental design. They designed the Baja BBQ firepack for Lazzari with a patent pending.
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.
ProductDose: Gauging your health or fitness by weight is inexact and can actually be unhealthy, which is why using a regular scale to track your health goals is foolish and best left to supermodels. This HoMedics scale measures your body fat, body water, muscle mass, and bone mass. It's also got a Daily Calorie Predictor that tells you how many calories you should be consuming each day. Features include:
- Built-in scale with KnowledgeBook technology accurately measures weight, body fat, body water, muscle mass and bone mass
- Durable stainless-steel design; 2" backlit blue LCD display for easy viewing
Babygadget: These Polar bear shelves have to be the ultimate in fun product design, though one has to ask if they'd look quite as good once stacked with random books and objects. Now, if you were enough of an obsessive to only store white-spined books on there, I could see the look really working. And having laid out over £2,000 (US$ 4,000), you'd really want it to work.
You just turned away for a moment. You look in every direction - scanning the area. Your heart starts to pound as you call out their name. You start to panic and think the worst when your cell phone rings. A welcome voice tells you that they found your wandering child and all is well.
Has this happened to you? If you're a parent, chances are it's happened, maybe more than once. It's estimated in the US, that 2100 kids under the age of 18 go missing everyday. It's a terrifying situation, one that we all would like to avoid. Children wander, it's their nature. You have to do your best for them and hope for the best outcome.
Here is where Kids Safety Bands come in. Custom made of durable silicone rubber, the bands are laser engraved with your child's initials and your cell phone number(s). If your child gets lost, anyone can locate the cell number on the branded orange band and call you. The custom bands are $4.00 plus shipping.
Popgadget: If you're taking part in an Indian celebration, have a kid who wants a tattoo but is waaaaaaay too young, or you're just a mad crazy fan of henna, then Henna Penna is for you. As the name strongly implies, this product is henna... in a pen. Which is a godsend, as anyone who's tried to do anything with henna (multiple hair dyes, here) knows how messy the darn thing can be.
Henna Penna pens are available in a range of colors including emerald and traditional brown and black, and can be used with stencils or freehand. At $25.75 per pen (from Nonstop Bazaar) they're not dirt cheap, but they are all-natural and not tested on animals, so you your kids can play without fear. (Although I must advise some caution: designs fade, but can't be erased, so not something to play with on the face, perhaps...)
Flip & Tumble is an unique and modern reusable bag created by Eva Bauer and friends right out of graduate school. While in graduate school at Stanford’s Product Design Program, they began researching how people use reusable bags because while almost everyone owned reusable bags, most didn’t remember them until they reached the checkout line. Flip & Tumble came out of an idea to design a bag that people wouldn’t forget. In their own words:
We felt that there had to be a good way to keep your bag with you all the time. For us, that meant two things. It had to compact easily so you could stash it in a messenger bag or purse, and it had to have a flexible “go anywhere” style.
We played with a variety of compacting systems, but ultimately took our cue from sockballs, those little balls formed from rolling your socks and stretching the end over. Our final design uses an elastic pouch system that works pretty much the same way.
Simply place your hand into the attached pouch, scrunch up the bag, stretch the pouch panels over the bag, and your bag is ready to tumble along.
The Coloradoan: The stigma of thrift, consignment and resale stores are a thing of the past, and vintage has given new meaning to thrift.
Saving some green, whether it's dollar bills or the environment, the second-hand industry is thriving, benefiting from people looking to make a few extra bucks by selling their used stuff or buying items at a reduced price.
For Paula Sacks, business at her resale store reflects the economy and right now, people are in need of extra cash to make ends meet. "I find more people looking for extra ways to earn money," said the owner of Harmony Kids, 925 E. Harmony Road, which resells children's clothes, books, toys and baby equipment.
Resale is one of the fastest growing retail segments, experiencing roughly 5 percent growth each year, according to the National Association of Resale and Thrift Shops.
Even big name stores are noticing the impact. Goodwill opened a new Fort Collins store in August, capitalizing on the growing retail market on the south end of town.
"Knowledge of thrift is getting out. It's OK to shop thrift," said Ric Berninzoni, vice president of retail operations for Goodwill. The company recently launched a new advertising campaign with the slogan "It's not your grandmother's thrift store."
"(Resale) is an excellent market considering it's so green," said Laura Green, owner of Repeat Boutique. After 21 years in the industry, she's surprised the second-hand market isn't larger. "It's a booming business that has been fairly unrecognized in the last five, six, seven, eight, years. I don't know why it wasn't enormously apparent before."
UV Scanner from Whatever works is a portable scanner which allows you to disinfect everything you might have to touch like door handles, telephones, computer keyboards, etc. Waving the UV light over an object will kill 99.9% of the germs you might come in contact with.
Newswire: Creative Stationery Industries, Inc. of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, reports that its new self binding sheets can bond sheets with just a pull, no staples, no three holes punch, and no tools at all (US Patent 7,037,564). A new self binding paper that makes business reports look like a booklet.
The custom A4 size sheets fits copiers, Fax machines, and Printers, It’s made for your special paper projects just print your documents on the self binding paper and align the sheets and pull the entire tabs, except for the last one and your sheets are all bonded together.
Now make a folder or cover for your documents use an 11x17 sheet, print your information on the front and fold it in half, pull the last pull tab and now insert your bonded documents. This new self binding sheets will be sold in stationery and office products stores.
In tests, inventor has bonded over 400 sheets with remarkable result. Other uses are scrapbooks, file folders, term papers, reports, calendars, resume, business forms, catalogs, flyers, signs, manuals, information from the internet, church programs, all important documents, music notebook, artist Sketch pad, agreements, wills, organizers, school newspaper, company policy, all important documents the list goes on and on.
The company plans to have different sizes and colors and paper weights, plus removable sheets. And also a new self mailer paper, print your documents, bond them fold and seal. Inventor indicates “Secretaries and other can use this self binging product without the hassle of binding equipment; Homemaker can use this paper with their personal computer printer.
Carry your tunes into the future with this ultra-modern Messenger Bag by Australian company Smart Fabrics. It combines the ElekTex Smart Fabric control panel to allow you to control your iPod tunes. The ultra thin NXT Speaker is incorporated into the bag, so you can share your music or add that powerful punch to a presentation.
The Messenger Bag isn't stingy on comfort and practicality. There are loads of additional pockets for business or personal accessories, a water bottle pocket and there's even an extra soft air-flow open pocket in the back.
I've tried a number of battery-operated nose hair trimmers hoping one of them would last, be easy to clean, and remain sharp. Every one of them failed. This stainless steel trimmer is simplicity itself! No whirring motors, wimpy foil blades, batteries or delicate electronics. It costs a little more than some electric models but works elegantly and reliably. I also like the fact it is so compact I can sanitize the entire unit in the occasional alcohol bath. I always thought trimmers had to work at high speed to deliver a comfortable and painless cut. With this device, you simply stick the unit an 1/8-inch up your nose and rotate the shaft back and forth.
Every morning, one out of every two Americans starts their day with a bowl of breakfast cereal. Baby boomers love it for nostalgic reasons, but also because it is often healthier than restaurant alternatives. They represent an entire generation raised on cereal, and still love it because it is quick and simple, requiring no cooking.
CerealThing, Inc hopes to tap on this consumer trend. Founder Dave Ascone has invented what is known today as the CerealThing™, a mug-shaped milk and cereal container comprised of individual milk and cereal compartments, separated by a patented valve. CerealThing’s built-in cold pack and insulated milk compartment keeps the milk cold.
There is also a detachable spoon that delivers a complete breakfast experience in a single, easy to carry container. With CerealThing, health (and cost) conscious consumers can enjoy breakfast away from home anywhere and anytime. Dave is planning to offer his idea for sale, licensing or joint-venture.
In south Asia, the majority of shampoos, laundry detergents and other HABA/home cleaning products are sold in single-use sachets for a simple reason - many Indian consumers are not yet able to afford the purchase of traditionally sized packages.
In North America, sachets of this type have usually only been used as a giveaway for promoting consumer trial, or sold for use while traveling. However, Shoppers Drug Mart, Canada's leading pharmacy chain, has taken single use sachets and developed an entirely new category of high margin HABA goods.
This "Anti-Aging Micro Dermabrasion Duo" sachet is one of approximately 20 new private label sachet products, and retails for CDN $2.49 (CDN $1 = USD $1). Usage directions on the reverse of the package recommend use '2 to 3 times per week for best results' - clearly a big potential revenue source for Shoppers.
What consumer products do you use every day that could be repackaged or reformatted to sell incremental volume?
Graeme 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. Graeme can be reached at graeme.spicer@gmail.com.
Gizmodiva: Hardcore Mario fans have another reason to rejoice, they can now get their hands on these awesome plush mats that can be laid down on their bedroom (or whichever room) floor. Featuring the icons from the Mario game, there are five options to play around with. If you have the space (and the money), then call for all five else opt for your fav icon. Each squishy floor tile measures 40cm x 40cm (15.74 x 15.74″), and come in Mario, Shroom, Goomba, Question Mark Block and Brick patterns. Apparently the Brick pattern is sold out nevertheless pick the up for $23 a piece.
Iconoculture: They come in pink, blue, silver and black, but we're not talking Tupperware. Taser C2s are in hot demand at home-shopping parties in Arizona, where instead of trading recipes, suburban housewives take aim at cardboard cutouts.
“We have Tupperware parties and candle parties to protect our food and house, so why not have a Taser party to learn how to protect our lives and bodies?” asks Dana Shafman, who founded Shieldher Inc. to franchise the concept.
The gals don't drink-and-Taser (no alcohol is permitted) and they don't practice on each other. But they do learn how to handle the devices, which can hit attackers up to 15 ft. away with electrical volts that incapacitate them.
Hosts of Shieldher Taser parties, rolling out nationwide in 2008, get a free Taser for every 10 they sell in their homes.
Consumers are more concerned than ever about personal safety. Tasers empower women to protect themselves and their families without bringing firearms into the home.
It has the power to paralyze Assassins Creed and bring Need for Speed to a screeching halt on PlayStation®, Nintendo & Xbox™ games. A gamers worst enemy isn’t a video game villain. It’s just one scratch or chip in a video or computer game disc that can suddenly cause a gamers virtual world to come crashing down. It's voted as the Coolest Time Magazine invention.
Now, scratch-free digital entertainment is possible with d_skin™ Protective Disc Skins™, a break-through product in disc protection that snaps on, plays on and always stays on. d_skin Protective Disc Skins contains a special patented optically clear protective covers that act as a Skin for discs, guarding against scratches. The unique patented Liplock Seal™ snaps onto the edge of any standard-size disc and holds the protective "Skin" tight. The Skins ability to eliminate scratches extends disc life, which helps reduce the high cost of replacing damaged computer and video games. Visit www.d-skin.com for more information today.
d_skin Protective Disc Skins offer music fans, movie buffs and game enthusiasts a safer, longer-lasting method for protecting their purchases. Once discs have been "skinned", there’s no need to store them in bulky jewel cases, CD holders and CD sleeves. If the d_skin disc protector gets scratched, simply toss it and snap on a fresh one. d_skin Protective Disc Skins are designed to protect, computer games, DVD, data discs and music discs. In fact if it is a disc then d-skin can protect it. Visit www.dskin.com.
d_skin, was formed to help bring a stop to the untimely disc death running rampant among CDs, DVDs and video games everywhere. While d_skin Protective Disc Skins can't stop the widespread brutal and careless treatment of discs, it can curb the tragic end result: scratches that cause skipping and ruin discs. So, whether it's teenagers carelessly "forgetting" to put the DVD back in its case, or that sloppy roommate or significant other that just can't seem to find the jewel case for anything, d_skin Protective Disc Skins are the solution to end early disc death.
So, before you scratch your next game, get one of these Protective Disc Skins from www.dskin.com.
DVD
Protect the movies you love and watch them again and again. And, don't worry, d_skin® doesn't alter the quality. Your movies remain perfect, just as they were recorded.
Data
Don't lose critical business files or those priceless family pictures. d_skin® acts as another layer of protection, giving you a first line of defense against scratches.
Video Games
Even when the d_skin® gets scratched by busy little hands, your disc is still protected. Just toss the scratched Skin and snap on a fresh one.
Music
The d_skin® protective layer protects your CDs while they're playing - and when you forget to put them back in their cases!
Cool Hunting: With a smell and taste just like the real Ben & Jerry's stuff, these new balms will bring you back to your Lip Smackers days—in a good way. The container looks like a mini ice cream pint and comes in three flavors: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Chocolate Fudge Brownie and Peanut Butter Cup. Unfortunately, it's currently only available in the U.K. for £4 from Ben & Jerry's.
The Cool Hunter: Energizer has developed a way to ensure our cell phones will never go flat again. The Energi To Go supplies immediate power anywhere at anytime. The device plugs into all major phone brands and runs on two long-lasting Energizer AA Lithium batteries. The Energi To Go ($20) provides up to nine additional hours of talk time once your own phone battery has lost power – so you’ll never feel anxious or stranded again.
Cool Tools: Whereas most glue sticks are designed to permanently stick paper to paper, this glue stick is designed to create instant, repositionable sticky notes out of just about anything (Scotch specifies fabric or paper). A swipe or two (they recommend at least two) with this stick, and your self-printed content/form/memo will stick temporarily to any flat dry surface without residue. I love this stuff and use it to make my various Getting Things Done/43 folders items and tasks stay put in my handheld binder. I jot my items and tasks down on variously colored pieces of paper of whatever size I need, rub the magic stickum on them, and they stay put in my binder until I decide to move them around. My inner child is happy because I get to play with stickers and glue; my inner adult is happy because I can continually and easily refine my GTD system until it is transparent to the tasks at hand; my inner artist is pleased by the happy riot of colors and shapes that my 'organization' system has become; and my inner accountant is happy that I'm not wasting so much money on little pads of sticky notes. And when it's time, it can all be peeled up and recycled. Although this stuff is more expensive than regular glue sticks, a little goes a long way. If any gets where it shouldn't, it washes off with water.
Paly Voice: Sushi rolls, strawberries, lemon chiffon cake, apples, Zodiac creatures, letters of the alphabet and Nintendo mushrooms. Junior Alyssa Burton is the creator of these miniature charms which she molds, hand paints and fastens to jewelry and cell phone key-chains.
What began as a cure for boredom has morphed into gifts for friends and a small business complete with a Facebook group and a Website of its own (www.freewebs.com/smileycharms).
"I was bored at home and I wanted something to do," Burton said. "I like to doodle, so I took my designs and turned them into tiny charms with clay that I found in the house."
Customizing charms is one of Burton's specialties. Lamb and Marks believe it is this quality that makes every charm unique and will lead to her success. Burton welcomes students to approach her with requests for custom orders or to look at her growing selection of charms on her Web site. Charms sell for $2 each and sometimes run a little higher depending on a specialized order.
Strange New Products: The Zilopop is marketed as a breath freshener, in the form of a stainless steel lollipop.
It's made in Germany and marketed in the USA by Charlotte, NC-based Frieling USA, where it's dubbed, "SmellKiller".
When your saliva touches Zilopop's stainles steel lolly, it activates its "weird science" to neutralize the foul-smelling molecules in your mouth.
After one to two minutes suck, all odors in the mouth removed. Zilopop consists of a very high-quality stainless steel, the property has, in conjunction with moisture to neutralize odors.
By suck at this stainless steel is the breath of food smells clean. The stainless steel zilopos is tested and safe.
Gearlog: In the past couple years, plenty of laptop-bag makers have ventured beyond the ubiquitous black-nylon clones; but I rarely see a bag I'd use even if I didn't have a laptop to put in it. But the Vintage Laptop Satchel, from Solo, has such great, simple styling and uses such beautiful materials--espresso-colored buttery leather on the outside, a gorgeous rich-blue lining--that I'd take it anywhere.
It's really good looking, but it also fulfills its function admirably. The Satchel can fit laptops up to 15.4 inches; the laptop section isn't thickly padded, but it's fine for small bumps. Just don't fling the bag around. There's another section inside large enough for papers and magazines, as well as three gadget slots and a smaller zippered compartment.
Protect your discs the easy way with Protective Disc Skins from d_skin. They protect your DVD, data, video game and music discs from scratches even while they play. Just snap a d_skin onto your favorite discs and consider them protected. The beauty is, d_skin stays on your discs even while they play. That's right - your discs are totally readable right through the skin. Once your discs are skinned, there's nothing to take off or put on when you're playing, storing or transporting. One d_skin does it all.
Babygadget: Forget the baby, can I have one of these? I'm falling asleep just looking at its coziness. Hushamok is an old concept (gently rocking baby to sleep in a snug hammock) in a sleek new form. The stylish, steel frame provides a sturdy base from which babe can swing, while the cotton hammock offers a secure environment. And it comes in a variety of hues from natural to orange (yeh!). The Hushamok claims to be lightweight (guess that steel frame is hollow) as well as portable. At over $400, it's a bit steep for only a few months use. But can you put a price on a good night sleep?
PR Web: Jokari® is adding to its product offering a new innovative product called Cool-UpsTM. Cool-Ups are re-usable ice cream serving cones with a built in push-up handle that do double duty as an ice cream scoop and a serving vessel. This handy little contraption is mess-free and provides welcome refreshment on any day. They are easy to use, easy to clean and come in four bright fun colors. Cool-Ups are also designed with a protective cap to store ice cream in the Cool-Up in the freezer to serve later. They are available in packs of 4 for $4.99.
The novel design of this product has been entered into the 2008 Housewares Annual Design Awards in the Kitchen Hand Tools category. Winners to be announced at the end of this year.
Babygadget: The creators over at Boon (you know, the Frog Pod) sure have been busy. They've rolled out quite a number of new products, most notably in utensils and tableware.
The Catch Bowl is definitely something I would use and wonder why nobody has done before. The flexible, soft extension catches food and funnels it back into the bowl - perfect, I think, for all the soups the kid loves to eat. A suction cup at the bottom of the bowl keeps it in place.
TrendCentral: From the brand best known for their hardcore rubber outsoles comes a strange yet incredibly cool looking shoe — the FiveFingers. Catering to those outdoor sports fans who'd rather go barefoot, these glove-like shoes allow everyone from runners and kayakers to surfers, climbers and yogis to safely enjoy their activities while at the same time, retaining the sensation of being barefoot with no footwear constraints. Claiming to increase balance, agility, and posture, the variety of styles cater to both sports enthusiasts and the casual hiker, and perhaps, the design-savvy shoe addict as well.
They are made of wood and look like a traditional No. 2, but these pencils work more like a pen. The tip is metal, not lead, and what comes out is liquid graphite. For kids who don’t like stubby pencils, here’s the best part: no more sharpening!
MapNrep.com is an online T-shirt store that provides people with a unique opportunity to represent their favorite country with style. Our t-shirts feature on the front a detailed map of a country, blended with the country's colors. On the back, is a stylish design of the country's Emblem (Coat Of Arms).
The idea of a detailed map allows people to not only represent their country, but also making it possible to represent their state, city or hometown by being able to identify the location on the map. In addition, these shirts could be used as an educational and fun tool to teach people about the country's geography, colors and Coat Of Arms. Unlike most other t-shirts in this market that features country's flags, mapNrep separates itself by this fresh concept.
mapNrep.com is dedicated to those that have love for where they come from or have spent time at and are proud to let the world know. Our product crosses all ages, sex, race and are also great gift ideas for anyone.
Fresh design and nationalistic appeal - this concept is just right for you! Just Map 'N Rep!
Ohio.com: In the summer, misters that spray fine droplets of water on tourists are a common sight at casino pools and restaurant patios. Now the cooling systems are becoming a hot trend in outdoor living at home.
''It's the next step after patio heaters,'' said Jerry Rike, owner of Rapid Cool Misting Systems, based in the Los Angeles area. His company has installed misters at the Bellagio, Mirage and Venetian casinos in Las Vegas. ''People want to extend the season when they can enjoy the outdoors in comfort. It's like having an air conditioner outdoors.''
On a dry day, misting systems can reduce the ambient temperatures by 28 degrees, Rike said. The thin spray ''flash evaporates'' and doesn't leave droplets on the skin.
Newer misters have high-pressure pumps and nozzles with microscopic spray holes, and they do a better job of dispensing moisture.
Rapid Cool sells stainless-steel pipe systems that can be concealed in soffits or behind fascia boards of covered patios and overhangs.
Homeowners can install the systems, which start at about $1,500, Rike said. The pump makes about as much noise as a room air-conditioning unit, so it should be placed away from the patio area.
Rapid Cool also sells poles resembling shepherd's hooks that can be installed along the railings of decks. Rapid Cool and other companies, including catalog retailer Frontgate, also sell misting fans, good for poolside patios.
''On very humid days, high-pressure systems make the air 15 or 16 degrees cooler,'' Rike said. ''You can wear your glasses and not get speckles of water on the lenses.''
Staten Island Advance: Shopping for school supplies has always been serious business, but the climate in our society means that the wrong choices could cost your son or daughter his or her life.
At least that's the belief of concerned Massachusetts dads Mike Pelonzi and Joe Curran, who have introduced a carry-all that comes with bulletproof lining.
"Affordable, lightweight defense for all ages..." is the slogan their company - MJ Safety Solutions - trumpets on its Web site, mychildspack.com.
"I'm a parent and so is Joe and we wanted a way of keeping kids safe at school and this is what we came up with," says Pelonzi.
The Ledger Online: You can turn a wall, a cupboard door or just about any other surface into a memo board with Rust-Oleum's new Dry Erase Paint.
The paint, a two-part product that you mix together, produces a white surface that can be written or drawn on with a dry-erase marker and then erased.
It can be applied to interior surfaces including drywall, Masonite, wood, concrete and metal.
The paint is available at Lowe's stores and is being rolled out to The Home Depot locations. A kit that makes enough paint to cover about 7 feet by 7 feet costs about $24.
TrendCentral: Designed by mother-daughter team Joan and Emily, Baggus are sleekly designed, easily portable, reusable bags that come in a number of funky colors. Meant to be used as an alternative to paper and plastic shopping bags, the company estimates that using one BAGGU for a year avoids the waste of 300 to 700 disposable bags. We think this will resonate with consumers who are looking to ‘do good’ in small and effortless ways.
TRENDWATCHING.COM:Barbara Kavovit (a.k.a. Barbara K) is a former head of a major New York City construction firm. Her business in her own words: "do-it-yourself home repair and home improvement tool kits take away the 'fear factor' and empower women with clear and simple day to day household solutions." Having made quite a splash over the last few years, Barbara is expanding: there's now a roadside safety kit for women, plus 24/7 road assistance.
Shinebox Print: Shinebox Print allows users to create customizable business card booklets so they can carry their cards with convenience and flair. The guiding principle behind Shinebox Print product is that business cards ought to be more than informational. They should be fun, eye-catching, even
entertaining.
Customers enjoy the convenience of carrying many cards at once in a compact, highly presentable manner. Cards are safely protected within the closable cover, so every card you hand out looks great. Many customers keep a booklet in their car, one in their office and another in their brief case or purse at the same time, so they always have their cards handy. Replacing an anonymous business card holder with something that is branded and personalized has also proved attractive to customers.
Because you can do so much with our booklets, our customers are routinely inspired to think beyond the average business card and tocreate something that speaks more compellingly about who they are, and what the nature of their organization is.
Shinebox Print booklets allow you to make every card in the booklet unique, which opens the door to other uses beyond business cards. For example, some of our customers use our booklets for mini brochures, portfolios and coupon books. One skincare company used our booklet idea as a mini catalog they could easily distribute to prospective customers.
Babygadget: Back in November, I wrote about the Kindervan. The Bye Bye Buggy is another similar product for anyone who finds themselves having to take groups of babies or toddlers out - which means kindergartens, nurseries, and extended families, I guess. This model comes with either four or six seats, but just as with the Kindervan, I wouldn't like to be the one pushing it - at least, not any further than the local park. I bet the kids love it, though, especially with its thoughtful touch of tiered seats, which mean that everyone gets a view.
CNBC: Anthony & James Tiscione are the father/son inventors behind the ACM Wallet - a specially designed wallet that allows you to protect & select up to 12 of your favorite credit, ID and membership cards at the push of a button.
The idea for the ACM Wallet came to James while he was returning home from the supermarket. Up until then, James carried his credit cards wrapped in cash and held together with a rubber band. This often resulted in demagnetized credit cards and torn cash. James felt there had to be a better way - and with the help of his father, he created a prototype of his idea.
Iconoculture: These pendants by Smart Mom Jewelry look good enough to eat, which is the whole idea. Colorful heart- or donut-shaped pendants of food-safe, phthalate-free, federally approved silicone adorn the mom and satisfy her teething baby at the same time.
The company also sells matching bangles and keychains in its Teething Bling line.
It's all about convenience for busy moms. If a product can solve a tricky problem like comforting cranky teethers in a fun and creative way, then everyone's happy.
A two-for-one product makes it easy for shower shoppers because there's no deciding whether to buy a gift for mom or baby. One gift does double duty and makes the giver look pretty smart into the bargain.
Bite this! Gnaw-some jewelry for moms [Iconoculture]
Larkmade.com: Lark was launched in the UK in 2005 by Allison Jones, and it quickly gained a reputation for its whimsical range of hand-made toys, accessories and childrenswear.
Today the Lark range includes gifts for grown-ups as well as children, and new designs are released throughout the year. Lark's products are hand-made, high quality, ethical, stylish and fun.
Allison also works closely with an overseas fair trade organisation bringing skills and fair conditions to economically disadvantaged women. They produce wonderful knitted toys and embroidery for Lark.
Springwise: Designed and manufactured in Britain, Greenbottle is a biodegradable milk bottle that uses a smart two-part system to aid recycling. The bottles are composed of a cardboard outer manufactured from pulped, recycled cardboard, which is lined with an inner sleeve of biodegradable plastic made from corn starch. The plastic keeps the cardboard from becoming soggy, and the cardboard makes for easy transport, storage and pouring. Once the bottle is empty, the inner sleeve can be pulled out and will decompose in a landfill within six weeks. The cardboard outer can be put out for recycling with other paper or thrown in with kitchen and garden waste for home composting.
Cool Tools: Most pesticides I've used are full of toxic chemicals, but this spray doesn't have anything like that. The active ingredient is natural mint extract, which is a neuro-toxin. It works just as well or better than any spray I've tried, and smells very minty. I've been fighting roaches this spring, mainly in the kitchen, and my dog has become pregnant. I have never been a fan of the toxic chemicals in most roach sprays, so when I found this at the hardware store I decided to give it a try (it was also less expensive than the more toxic stuff I'd been using). I sprayed the baseboards and everything in my kitchen, and I found that not only does it kill on contact, the roaches seem to avoid it like the plague for about a month. I have also used it to spray and kill spiders, and it was just as effective.
AMonline.com: Plastic coffee lids for take-out hot drinks, which turn bright red, are now available to all coffee lovers across America after Smart Lid Systems sign international license agreement, following global industry recognition.
The multi-award winning color changing coffee lid is set to become a worldwide hit after Australian inventors secured an international license agreement. Smart Lid Systems, the product development firm behind the lid, has appointed Thermo International as their key global manufacturer.
The innovative lid alerts consumers their coffee/tea may be too hot by changing from a dark coffee bean color to a bright red when the lid is applied. Secondly, the lid visually indicates whether or not it is securely attached to the takeaway cup, placing coffee house owners and consumers at ease regarding the safety concerns of hot coffee spillages.
Localized distribution rights are now being negotiated across USA and Europe with manufacturing underway.
White lids offer no visual aids where the ideal consumption temperature for coffee is 152 degrees F, while liquid burn hazards commence at 140 degrees F. The Aussie lid completes the color change at 115 degrees F, allowing a 'red glow' to warn drinkers of the hot contents.
Ms. Freya King, owner of Sydney based cafe 'The Bean Palace', stated "once the lid is on the cup all staff and customers can see its hot and that the lid is on tight, it should be an industry standard as the extra cost is worth it".
adagio teas: Looking to simplify preparation of loose tea? Our electric tea maker is the answer. Say goodbye to kettles, teapots and over-steeped cups. This wondrous appliance does it all - heats water, steeps leaves, and keeps tea warm so you may enjoy it all day long. Variable timer and temperature control lets you adjust the strength of an infusion, ensuring a perfect cup of tea each time. Works well with all tea varieties. Made in China. 32 oz (1L).
"It simplifies the tea making process tremendously as no other device will make tea properly like this one does." - Reviewer, Greg A.
Cherryflava: Soon to be released in August 2007, the Picard Solar Bag picks up where Eskom left off by charging your gadget essentials like laptops and iPods. The solar panels on the flap are set to give you enough juice to make it through the day. We say it's a damn fine idea considering the lack of plug points in most SA coffee spots. You might need to throw in a couple of frosties, just in case you get thirsty while standing in the hot African sun waiting for your stuff to charge.
CoolBuzz: Talking about scissors is general but talking about it with laser is something good and new. Every time you cannot mark the area that you have to cut, with a marker. And, without marking it is very difficult to achieve sheer cutting. Laser Scissors is designed with an in-built laser light on the handle. According to the website, “The scissor blades are stainless steel and cut very clean with a micro serrated edge”.
Gadgetnutz: The new trend in SmartPhones (Windows Mobile ones, anyway) is to encase the brains of the phone in a nice, smooth and rubbery outer skin. The Blackjack, the Dash and the Black Motorola Q all have this nice feel to the outside. While it does seem to be more resistant to scratches to have this kind of outer case, your valuable investment is still prone to scratches, smudges and to breaking if dropped. With new cell phone deductibles on your "insurance" policies, it makes sense to protect both the case and the screen.
Vaja has long been regarded as the "Premier" leather case for everything from iPods to PDA's (remember them) to Phones. It is not surprising then that Vaja has released new cases for the very sexy Motorola Q. These cases are for all versions of the Q with the standard battery. If you own a Q and care about preserving its "Sexiness" you owe it to yourself to read on for the review.
Vaja has long been known as one of the “Premier” leather case manufacturers in the world. Their cases are custom ordered – the user picks out the type of leather and the color combination and can even get it engraved. They are known for using premium full grained Argentinean Cowhide which is both beautiful to look at and smell and very durable.
DailyCandy: If it were up to you, you’d wrap yourself in pizza and eat your way out.
But since there’s a little thing called manners, settle for a Knork instead.
Inventor Mike Miller thought of the idea while eating pizza with his buddies. It dawned on him how to solve the problem of eating a pepperoni pie politely: Integrate a fork with the functionality of a knife. The result looks like a traditional fork but has beveled, rounded edges that work as a knife when using a rocking motion over grub.
Isportsmarketing: SeatSign is an inflatable beer tray that flips over as a cushion. It is the ultimate companion for any outdoor event. It holds 4 standard drinks and can with stand 150kgs. It can be branded in any colour and is perfect for beverage sponsors or as a team merchandise item. Isports marketing works directly with organisations, sponsors and advertising on developing strategic orders for these many other exclusive products like SunSign, TanSign, SqueezeSign and many more.
fibre2fashion.com: Vaughn Outdoor (VO), makers of the CZiP design that frees winter athletes from the inconvenience of taking gloves off at inopportune times, announces the launch of 15 new VO glove and mitten designs with the hands-free access.
To advance the line for the ’07 season, VO teamed up with Wendall Tremblay of WTC Consultants for sales, marketing and counsel on VO glove research and development.
The product designs were tested by the U.S. Military in Alaska and Afghanistan under extreme weather conditions.
VO gloves also received the Riri Sportswear Accessories Award of the 2006 ISPO BrandNew competition, the world’s largest young entrepreneur contest in the sports equipment industry.
The Daily Collegian Online: Hang a shining star upon the lowest bough -- the world of Christmas trees is being flipped upside-down.
The latest trend in artificial Christmas trees seems to be the "inverted" style, in which the tree is either hung from the ceiling or supported by a weighted base on the floor.
Local Christmas vendors are clamoring for the inverted evergreens. College Gardens Christmas Shoppe, 2481 Commercial Blvd., began carrying the "umbrella" and "mushroom" trees this year due to their bizarre appearance and ability to intrigue customers.
"They're very unusual and most people have never seen anything like them," owner Steve DuBois said. "People like the way the ornaments hang and the fact that more presents can be fit under the tree."
Although the shock factor of the holiday trend is attractive, DuBois said, upside-down trees are a hard sale.
"Everybody loves them and are curious about them," he said, "but you don't sell a lot."
Iconoculture: Adjustable-waist pants solve fit issues width-wise, but Mom's only recourse against growth upspurts and dryer-induced shrinkage used to be cuffs or cut-offs. Ziprips represent yet another practical solution from mompreneurs.
Ziprips are a line of stylish adjustable separates that grow up (down, actually) with kids 1 to 6. Pants, skirts, dresses and overalls are designed with inserts that quickly add or remove extra length from hip to hem. Each article comes with a larger insert that keeps Ziprips a perfect fit for up to three sizes.
The adjust-for-growth concept has proven popular with toys and furniture . But like most products, convenience and customization come with a price.
Mix and matchable, Ziprips are anything but basic. Fashion-forward Eurasian designs appeal to hip mamas who already buy unique boutique brands. To strictly price-driven parents, the cost may offset any inherent practicality.
Cool Hunting: Though not quite in production yet, Si Hill Design has been getting a lot of praise for his clever (w)rapping paper that features the instantly recognizable lyrics to popular rap songs. The pun of the gift wrap itself is as funny as it is to read the familiar words in print. The UK-based designer's prototypes include the old school, Sugar Hill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" (pictured left, click for detail), NWA's classic "Straight Outta Compton," the embarrassment of Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby" and House of Pain's "Jump Around," all in different two-hue colorways.
Springwise: EcoForm pots are made from by-products of renewable and sustainable crops, namely grain husks and natural binding agents. Under average use and conditions, they'll last five years and are freeze and thaw resistant. Once discarded into a landfill, decomposition will take place.
Combining sustainability with eco-chic, the pots have a smooth finish and come in a variety of shapes and natural colours, in both decorative and grower lines. The products were developed by Sweetwater Nurseries in cooperation with an Asian manufacturing partner. EcoForm is currently only available on the West Coast of the United States, sold at nurseries and green-minded retailers such as Whole Foods.
Strange New Product: The STA-ON diaper harness is used to keep diapers on dogs, whether young puppies, untrained adult dogs, or elderly incontinent dogs.
The idea is the invention of Dorrie Krenkel, who grew tired of diapers that kept falling off of her dachshund, Bucky.
The harness is intended to work with babies' diapers (you just poke a hole to pull the tail through), and you can get the harness in a variety of colors. They sell for $12.95 for the smallest size to $16.95 for the largest.
I suppose you might also need to get some "puppy powder" to prevent against diaper rash.
Iconoculture: Forget pushy sales clerks or waiting for online orders. Instead, opt for robotic arms. Motorola is rolling out Instantmoto vending machines that will sell cellphones and other celly stuff at malls and airports across the country.
Like Staples' vending machine effort, Motorola's robot retail stores are to be placed in high-traffic areas. Motorola's hoping their anytime convenience will draw travelers and other off-hours shoppers.
Finding cellphone chargers and replacing must-have celly accessories on the road? Brutal. When it comes to telecom needs, travelers crave access and convenience – not mad scrambles to closed electronics stores.
Brand Noise: Cotton Buds Inc. has been granted an exclusive license from P&G to produce, market and distribute Tide Liquid Detergent Travel Sink Packets. The new product offers consumers their favorite laundry detergent in single-use "sink" packets, making laundering a few items by hand simple and convenient when traveling.
This is the latest in a growing number of external business agreements struck by Cincinnati-based P&G. The deals are designed to combine P&G's trademarks, technology and/or know-how with strong outside companies to drive innovation and deliver mutually positive business results.
Gizmodo: Japanese collectible toys are generally cool to the Nth degree, especially when based on either whippy turds or video games. In the latter category comes a brand new range of build-it-yourself mosaics from TomyTec, all of which depict classic Nintendo characters.
The ¥483 (US$4) dot-s packages consist of 250 colored pegs, a perforated board to plug them into and a plastic base to make it all stand up. Each box is unmarked, so fevered collectors have no way of knowing which Mario, Zelda or Donkey Kong character they're going to spend the next three minutes slapping together.
Build Your Own Mario Shrine [Gizmodo]
DailyCandy: Greeting cards are so passé. E-cards? Totally tacky. Singing telegrams work only in the movies, and skywriting is bad for the environment. How in the world are you supposed to get your message across?
Well, we’re spilling the beans. The style-setting Japanese have done it again, creating the perfect vehicle for all your well wishes: the message bean.
Housed in an adorable aluminum can, each already planted bean is laser-printed with a message (Thank You, Love, Good Luck, or Happy Birthday) and a complementary image (the Japanese character for thanks, a heart, four-leaf clover, or music note). The recipient simply peels off the foil top, adds water to the soil, and voilà! A week later the bean sprouts and the message is revealed.
dottocomu: TakaraTomy have come up with another great, wacky product in the Life Bank (Jinsei Ginkou), the riff on the coin bank that the 21st century has been waiting for. The Bank's screen shows you the life of a stick man who starts out as a poor pleb in a cupboard-sized apartment and develops into a rich bastard lounging under a chandelier on the 500 yen coins you feed him, all the while counting you down to your up-to-Y100,000 savings target. Then you open up the box and find he actually has spent all your money on 8-bit hos and lo-rez champagne.
DailyCandy: Going for office sophisticate? Look the part in a sensible pantsuit and pumps.
But lose the fake glasses and bun. (That’s more porn librarian.)
If you really want to work it like Career Woman Barbie, you’ll need plastic accessories.
Like Plastic People’s laptop cases. Custom made of vinyl, they look plastic (hence the name). They’re functional, with a half-inch of safety padding, two external pockets, and an interior sleeve. But they’re so bright, cheery, and whimsical that you’ll feel like you’re carrying Sweet Valley High and magic markers instead of the McClarin file and your overdue bills.
The cases have small hearts on the front and come in a mishmash of pick-it-yourself colors. You can stick with the conservative black-on-beige (investment banker) or the splashier red-on-yellow combo (freelancer/unemployed).
BornRich: Keep your beer cool in this Weber Chill Refrigerator that can be rolled indoors or outdoors according to your needs. The ultimate big-party cooler features a huge 1.6 cubic feet capacity, and can store 72 ice-cold cans of your drink or 48 beer bottles or 36 wine bottles as cold as you want. The roll-bar party-refrigerator is constructed of rugged, powder-coated steel and it features an aluminum grip rail that can hold two beer-bottles and two mahogany side tables for holding your drink glasses.
Strange New Product: A new product called, "SquidSoap" is designed to teach kids good habits in washing their hands thoroughly.
When you push down on SquidSoap's dispenser, it shoots a small amount of black ink with the soap. You're supposed to keep washing your hands until you remove all the black ink. It takes about 15 to 20 seconds to get everything off.
The company that makes this, Squidsoap, LP, out of Wichita Falls, TX, claims it's also a toy, because the orange-colored squid tentacles that adorn the bottle is stretchable, providing kids with hours of fun.
Entrepreneur.com: Terry Feinberg was seeing red. "I can't [count] how many times I went outside and found my garbage ripped apart in the street," Feinberg says. He was tired of having pests and animals snooping around his garbage bags, so he decided to come up with a new type of bag that would discour-age them by both scent and color.
Feinberg, the owner of a health-care and beauty product distribution company, began researching his product three years ago. He asked a chemist friend to help him create a scent offensive to animals and insects but pleasant to humans.
Feinberg is currently testing his Repellem Garbage Bags, which sell for about $13 to $15 per box, in more than 100 Petco stores and is negotiating to have his product appear on QVC. He predicts 2006 sales will be between $1 million and $2 million.
DailyCandy: You don’t smoke. You avoid the sun. Your bathroom cabinet is heaving with all sorts of antiaging creams. You’re waging a war against time. And it shows.
But when it comes to the contents of your fridge, you’ve given up on the battle of the dates. It’s a time warp inside there — 2-month-old eggs alongside 2-year-old blueberry jam. Next time you open a jar, bottle, or package, stick a Timestrip on it. Once it’s activated, the genius product counts down to expiration. So not only will you avoid finding a thick layer of furry mold inside the mayo jar, but you’ll be able to spot the stinky culprit without using your nose. The Timestrip also works on bottles of medicine, cleaning products, and vitamins, quietly keeping track of the ticking on your behalf.
Strange New Products: A company called HydroSport is marketing a new water bottle that fits on your wrist.
Described as a "Wrist Water Bottle", each unit holds 5.5oz of water or sports drink, for a total of 11oz when you have one on each wrist. When fully loaded, the unique bottle weighs one-half pound, providing you with some additional exercise.
The company claims its also helps keep your body temperature cool.
At $9.99 each, they're available in a variety of colors, and even come in kids sizes. The company will even offer to put your logo on them.
PRWEB: Cerealtop™ is a box lid made up of two parts and sealed with a handy dispenser flap. Made from food-safe plastic, Cerealtop™ has a clever slider system that means it can be adjusted to suit just about any box.
These days, breakfast muesli and cereals come in every conceivable flavour and pack. Atmospheric advertising campaigns are created to promote them, talking about energy, balance and even Zen.
But just how user-friendly are these creators of health? 750 g Maxi Packs filled to the brim and a plastic inner pack with a cardboard box round it. Not exactly what you’d call convenient.
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 can always find what you're looking for. There are three different colors in each package. Cost is $9.99.
Iconoculture: Walkers are standing up and taking note of Masai Barefoot Technology (MBT) trainers. Based on the erect barefoot stride of Africa’s Masai tribe, the chunky-soled shoes create a rocking motion that improves posture and balance.
Aesthetically, these shoes look more orthopedic than Orvis (although with the popularity of things like CROCS, who are we to judge?), but they promise to turn shuffling along into a core workout. The MBT style range includes nursing clogs, sandals, hiking boots and running shoes. But rocking out doesn’t come cheap: They cost $245 to $265 a pair.
PRWeb: The hot summer months are fast approaching, and Body Cooler® has a way to keep people cool and healthy in the heat. The subsidiary of Akemi Inc. has recently completed a complete overhaul of their website and re-launched www.bodycooler.com under the umbrella of Yahoo Small Business. Now, through the safety and security of Yahoo, online customers can purchase the specially designed polymer-based cooling product that rests on your neck, head, or shoulders to protect you from the dangers of heat exhaustion.
Each Body Cooler® is designed to be worn on a specific part of the body and is made in sections so the polymer will stay in place. Each piece is activated by soaking it in cool water. The special cooling polymers will soak up the cool water and expand to about 1” in thickness. You may then place the creatively designed Body Cooler® securely around your neck, cooling your neck and spinal area, on your head, or even over your entire torso, thanks to the wide variety of Body Cooler® style and sizes available. The popular vest that cools the entire upper body is only 2-3 pounds in weight and can comfortably keep the body cool for hours.
BabyGadget: Sure, you can just use plastic ziplock bags to organize your stuff, but I'm a sucker for nice packaging and feel a bit guilty every time I throw a ziplock away, no matter how often I try and reuse them. These attractive ziplock pouches are made from 100% cotton with mesh backing so you can see the contents at a glance. Yeah, I realize that dirty, spoiled baby clothes and messy foods are better off in a plastic ziplock, but these ARE machine washable...like I said, I'm a sucker for packaging.
The GadgetStore: Can’t tear your eyes away from the match to pass your mates another beer? Simply slide the Beer Butler along the table and you can keep your attention on the game, because it will ingeniously stop when it reaches the edge without spilling a drop! Yes, this football shaped Beer Buddy is battery operated and smart enough to carry your beer back and forth across the table. So, you see, all you need to do is make sure all the drinks are in the room at the beginning of the game and let the Butler distribute them amongst your guests.
sacbee.com: How many water bottles do you own?
Probably more than you need, but the new 25-ounce CamelBak bottle comes with such a nifty cap design that you might consider owning one more. Actually, the bite-and-drink valve cover alone is almost worth the price.
The rubber cover that slips over the hinged valve has a slit, so when you flip up the valve and bite down on the soft cover, it opens and you can drink your fill. Perfect. Plus, if you knock it over, there's no spill. Drivers will find the bottle fits into most cup holders.
Otherwise, this CamelBak model is similar to other water bottles: solid polycarbonate construction and a wide opening for easy filling. The bottle has a large, sturdy loop, making it easy to hook to a day pack with a carabiner.
Gizmodo: Save electricity by shredding your unwanted bank card applications manually with these Shredding Scissors. Combining the power of five scissors with one blue handle, these make short work of old credit cards and Christmas cards. You could even cut your kid’s hair 5 times as fast. It is available from Japan for 2,010 Yen ($17).
Chip Chick: The Burton Solar Amp Pack is designed to compliment your iPod. It has an integrated Apple iPod control system with a SOFTswitch control pad on the shoulder strap. It also has a molded iPod storage pocket, a shoulder strap headphone port, padded and ergonomic shoulder straps, and it even has a side-entry compartment to store your laptop. The Burton Solar Amp pack retails for $299.95. We would almost consider getting this if it was available in other colors besides "natural hemp," which looks like it will pick up plenty of natural dirt.
UrbanBaby Daily: Boon, makers of the fun and practical Frog Pod, have just come out with their latest invention, the Potty Bench. And like their first release, this unique training potty manages to combine modern style and ergonomic features at an affordable price.
The bright green Potty Bench has two enclosed side storage spaces for organizing training supplies, and a pullout drawer for easy, sanitary cleanup. Just close the lid and presto – you've got a sturdy sink stool or mini-seat to sit on while the kids are in the bath. The sleek design includes a built-in toilet paper holder and a removable soft deflector shield for training boys.
Bornrich: Wooden bathtubs, glass bathtubs, hi-tech bathtubswe have seen it all! But, mobile bathtub designed by the designer Marie Louise is something really new! The bathtub is made of fiberglass for good heat retention and its front wheel swivels so a friend can easily push you to your favorite bathing spot. The Artwork in the tub is done by Norwegian artist Elin Melberg. So, if you dont mind taking a bath outdoors then start thinking whether you want to have a dip out on the patio or in the moonlight. No word on the price is available from the site.
Gizmodo: Step away from the limousine, or I’ll shoot you with this … teddy bear? The Teddy Bear Gun capitalizes on a cutesy trend in Japan where wedding guests throw teddy bears at wedding receptions instead of rice or bouquets.
If teddy bear throwing sounds like a lot of work to you, here it’s made easy with a simple touch of a button. Pull the trigger and the tiny plush bear is catapulted into the air, and once airborne, it’ll float safely back to earth thanks to its tiny parachute. Made by paintball gun manufacturer Sunamiya, the party crackers will go on sale this month.
Teddy Bear Cracker [Gizmodo]
Entrepreneur: In recent years, research shows consumers are looking for gifts that are unique--not your run-of-the-mill department-store gift cards. As one of the first companies to catch on to this trend, Xperience Days lets customers give an opportunity of a lifetime as a gift.The average cost of the gift certificates is $275 to $300--prices range from $65 for a trapeze lesson to $110,000 for a private zero-gravity flight.
The concept of giving experiences, which is common in the United Kingdom, was an idea that UK native Bishop, 37, and his co-founders, Michelle Geib, 29, and Robb Young, 34, knew would be a hit in the States. They were right-since the company's launch, at least three competitors have entered the market. "People in the U.S. generally have an adventurous streak and are willing to try things," says Bishop, who met his co-founders while attending business school in South Africa. "Plus, they're very good gift-givers."
Entrepreneur.com: A stapler that staples up to 60 pages with even the lightest touch of a pinkie finger, a transparent tea tin lid that keeps out damaging UV light, a diaper bag that's runway-ready--they all point to one trend: In even the most seemingly ordinary product categories, there's room for extraordinary design innovation.
"I looked at the stapler market and [saw that] there hadn't been any functional changes in over 100 years," says Todd Moses, founder of Newtown, Pennsylvania, office products company Accentra Inc. Moses' core product, the PaperPro, packs the power of a staple gun into an otherwise traditional, nonelectric, sleek-looking line of staplers.
"When my wife and I became parents, we entered a parallel universe of really bad brands," says Steve, co-founder of Fleurville, a maker of high-end diaper totes. "People having babies now are very different from what [new parents] used to be. But typically, there's an assumption that the kid is buying the products." In other words, cartoon characters and fuzzy bunnies might ap-peal to youngsters, but it's adults who have to carry the diaper bags--and the Granvilles had a hunch that something fashionable would be a hit. They were right.
For Michael Cramer, founder of Adagio Teas, making his gourmet tea products stand out comes down to design details such as a bottom-dispensing teapot that simplifies preparation of loose teas; transparent, UV-blocking lids on tea tins to give customers a glimpse of the product prior to purchasing it; and pyramid-shaped tea bags that combine the taste of loose tea with the convenience of a disposable bag. The company--which sells primarily through its website (www.adagio.com)--relies heavily on product design to attract and reel in customers.
UpTownBella: It’s a common problem for stylish women on the go—they have the cute outfit, the cute luggage…and the not-so-cute laptop bag. UpTown Bella ends this dilemma with a collection of laptop bags that combine fashion and functionality. Now savvy career women can tote their laptop, cell phones, gadgets, iPod, ID, and boarding pass with ease and style. Every UpTown Bella bag is well-thought out, with functional pockets and compartments to hold everything imaginable—from a BlackBerry to cosmetics.
UpTown Bella solves the travel problem of juggling your laptop, boarding pass, cell phone, and ID when going through airport check-in. While most laptop bags sacrifice either style or functionality, UpTown Bella is a collection of stylish, luxurious and multifunctional laptop bags for female executives who want it all. The creator, Gabby Chan, is a business woman who saw the need when her and her style-conscious friends couldn’t find laptop bags that were practical for business yet agreed with their fashion sense. Every UpTown Bella bag must meet their strict criteria: it needs to look good; it needs to be multifunctional and designed for everyday use; it needs to make airport security a breeze; and it needs to have practical features.
Iconoculture: A front pack for a furry baby? The PetPocket straps to a pet owner's shoulders just like a baby pack, to tote Mr. or Ms. Fluffball wherever their adventures take them. For owners who can't get enough face time with their furkids, it brings critters a lot closer to their heart than a carrier or a handbag.
On-the-go pet owners who want to keep their furkids close and comforted like carry-along help, especially in a stylish leopard print. In the ever-expanding pets-as-people realm, there's no shame in overpampering or anthropomorphizing.
Born Rich: Dutch cigar producer, Royal Agio Cigars is adding two of their new products, Panter Coffee and Panter Coffee Wooden Tip to their royal range of cigars. The new products will be launched at the TFWA Asia Pacific show in Singapore in May this year. According to the company, both products combine the pleasant flavour of cigars with the full taste of coffee. The cigars are made with a selected blend of quality tobaccos and are said to have a mild taste. The cigars are available worldwide in a pack of five cigars.
Shiny Shiny: Huzzah!, another household appliance that stops people from having to bend over (why yes, I am the laziest housekeeper in the world, thanks for noticing). The SweepEZE Vacuuming Dust Pan replaces the standard dust pan by lying in wait to "sense" dirt rather than lying in your broom closet waiting not to be found when you need it.
When dust and other bits interrupt the SweepEZE's sensor beam, it activates and automatically vacuums the mess away, allegedly freeing us all of the dreaded "dust pan line." I daresay if it had to face my floors in their current state, it's sensor beam would short out, and it would, perhaps, weep.
Iconoculture: Hands-free bottle feeding on the go? Ah, the odd joys of the Pacifeeder. One blogger described the no-hands bottle that attaches to tots via a pacifier-like feeding tube as a beer hat for the diaper set. Sure, the oddball gadget has a Simpsons-like quality about it. But seriously, the Pacifeeder has its place: Think multiple baby mouths to feed and only two arms. Or strolling with a feeding tot without having to continually stop to pick up a dropped bottle.
Construction & Maintenance: One of life's constant struggles - keeping carpets, rugs and floors clean - may now be a thing of the past thanks to an innovative new floor mat system that keeps the dirt outside. Contractor Thomas Foote has invented a flush mounted grate, one that allowed dirt and mud to drop through the industrial strength grid, and onto the ground below. The new device is designed to fit between standard joists of 12", 16" and 24". Homebuilders are seizing on the opportunity to spec the Dirt Drain as a new 'smart home' feature. For those with existing homes, the Dirt Drain comes with instructions for cutting into the wood decking or concrete flooring.
The cutout opening also provides side benefits such as additional air circulation under the decking and added lighting through basement windows. If customers don't need an even flush mounting, the Dirt Drain can also be framed with standard lumber in a matter of minutes.
DailyCandy: The New York Times Sunday crossword? Sudoku? Rubik’s cube? Pfft. You can solve those suckers in your sleep.
Which may explain why you always need just five (okay, twenty) more minutes in bed.
If your propensity to hit the snooze button is the only thing keeping you down, check out the Puzzle Alarm Clock. When it’s time to get up, this good-morning messenger not only starts the requisite racket, but it also shoots off four colorful puzzle pieces from its top. The only way to bring back silence is to put everything back where it belongs.
All Headline News: The days of baiting hooks with squirmy worms to catch fish may be over. A new product called Fool-a-Fish may make catching fish easier.
Fool-a-Fish works like this: spray the product (which contains titanium dioxide) on the lure and when it's cast into the water, it lights up like a disco ball luring fish from over a half a mile away.
The product was invented by Milan Jeckle, a physician in Spokane, who combined his love of fishing with his love of chemistry to make the product. "You catch three or four times more fish, and the biggest fish," Jeckle contended.
As researchers have discovered, fish see a fourth color in the ultraviolent range, which shows up as a white glow and is invisible to the human eye. The Fool-A-Fish liquid will stay on the lure for two hours, is nontoxic and odorless.
PittsburghLIVE.com: It is now possible for luxury-loving, label-conscious consumers to eat their meals from dinnerware created by their favorite fashion designers.
In a time when when singers, actors, and media personalities ranging from Sean Combs and Gwen Stefani to Mandy Moore and Nicky Hilton have added the title fashion designer to their resume, it only seems natural that fashion designers would cross over into the field of home design.
Rosenthal, a German dinnerware manufacturer and subsidiary of Waterford Wedgwood, partnered with the late Italian designer Gianni Versace in 1993 to create the Rosenthal Versace collection that includes dinnerware, stem glass, cutlery, silverware and giftware that is sold locally at Glassworks in Shadyside, Louis Anthony Jewelers in Bethel Park and Contemporary Concepts in Turtle Creek and McCandless.
The Cincinnati Post: What will the fashionable bathroom be wearing this year? Egyptian-cotton towels? Spa lotions and potions? Sure, but if you really want to impress your guests, consider a roll of trophy toilet paper. Why settle for utilitarian white when you can flaunt sophisticated black, from Europe, no less.
The ebony tissue, trumpeted by its maker, Renova, as "the first chic toilet paper ever," was introduced last year in boutique hotels in Madrid, then found its way to French retail customers via Monoprix, the Super Target of France.
Now Renova, based in Portugal, plans to have the product on U.S. store shelves early this year, said Jose Pinheiro, international brand manager. In the meantime, style-conscious consumers can buy it online at www.wellbeingworld.com.
Think Geek: Tired of waking up and having to wait for your morning java to brew? Are you one of those groggy early morning types that just needs that extra kick? Know any programmers who dont regularly bathe and need some special motivation? Introducing Shower Shock, the original and world's first caffeinated soap from ThinkGeek. When you think about it, ShowerShock is the ultimate clean buzz.
Scented with peppermint oil and infused with caffeine anhydrous, each bar of Shower shock contains approximately 12 servings/showers per 4 ounce bar with 200 milligrams of caffeine per serving. No, we're not kidding and no you don't eat it. The caffeine is absorbed through the skin...
Have smelly co-workers that sleep in too much? Give them the gift of Shower Shock...
Eurocosm.com: Relax Arachnophobes! Help is close at hand, or better still, arms length! The Spider Catcher is an innovative new product which uses two sets of bristles to gently catch the spider or bug, carefully trapping it until you decide when and where to let it go. Because of it's flexible bristles and long reach, it can get into high corners and awkward spots to capture those pesky little beasts without you having to go near them. No potentially harmful chemicals, no thong hurling, no "splats" on the wall - No Worries ! If you don't like spiders in your house but you don't want to kill them either, then the Spider Catcher is just the right gadget for you. The Spider Catcher allows you to pick up spiders and other bugs while keeping a safe distance. The spider is not harmed and can be released into the garden where it will continue to be a beneficial member of your local ecosystem.
we make money not art: The Polite Umbrella, by Joo Paek, respects people’s personal space in a public area. This shrinkable umbrella enables users to morph its shape like a jellyfish in order to reduce occupied space and to increase user maneuverability.
The user can adjust their umbrella by pulling a handle so that one can protect themselves from harsh winds or bumping into others. Additionally, graphic images printed on the umbrella have animated effects which create gestures of politeness such as bowing or hand gestures. Furthermore the umbrella has readable quotes related to good manners in order to initiate communications.
Global Sources: King Tai Holdings Ltd has released novelty FM radios in soft plush toy designs. The products are made of colorful cotton velour and stuffed with polyester filling. They have buttons for controlling the volume, scanning and resetting.
Heart-shaped model FM-9301 measures 29x20.5x10cm. Models FM-9304 and FM-9303 resemble a basketball and a soccer ball, and both measure 18cm in diameter. Model FM-9302 is designed like a two-speaker radio and measures 34x22x12cm.
Vertech Industries: Snowboarding is easier to learn than skateboarding. On average a skateboarder will need at least six years of practice before attempting to ride a VertRamp with any degree of skill. A snowboarder is able ride a HalfPipe and launch into the air in as little as two.
What's more, skateboarding is not a suitable summer alternative to snowboarding. High flying snowboarding and kick-flipping skateboarding are two completely different disciplines. After two years of snowboarding a rider will be able to perform a 360 grab with five or more feet of air. Whereas after two years of skateboarding a rider will be able to perform an Ollie off a 6 inch curb. The essence of the two sports is entirely different.
As a result, there is a growing population of snowboarders who want to be able to hop on a board and launch 5 or 6 feet into the air as they did all winter, with absolutely no experience on a skateboard.
That product is the Rampboard. The Rampboard is a technological reconstruction of the skateboard that introduces bindings, a suspension, a space-age frame, bi-directional capabilities, and a longer wheelbase. Its environment is a mass-market version of Danny Way’s MegaRamp as well as a variety of other unthinkable wooden launches that exist only in the pages of this manual.
American Chronicle: Personalized cookies are the hottest new product in the highly competitive wedding, party favor, and personalized gift market – now available to dealers.
Dealers and specialty Internet marketers looking for a unique new gift idea to add to their wedding and party favor line are excited about this new product. UBU Personalized Products has utilized a process that makes it possible to print a message, image, picture, logo or other graphic on cookies. The personalized cookies provide a memorable, new, unique, and distinctive food gift.
UBU does not sell directly to the public, but provides information as to where the products can be purchased and welcomes dealer inquiries at www.UBUProducts.com.
DailyCandy: You were first on the block with a new PowerBook. Envied at work, admired in Internet cafes, and feted around town.
But now that Macs are a dime (or a few) a dozen, your prized machine seems a bit average.
No problem. ColorWare can make it stand out in the crowd once more. Just go online and pick your model (they make versions for almost all Apple products — iPods, iBooks, Powerbooks, and desktops). Then pick a color from options like dragon, cotton candy, or mystique and send your machine in. About three weeks later you’ll get your computer back with a fresh new hue everyone is sure to notice. Which is exactly the way it should be.
Springwise: TRENDWATCHING.COM's GRAVANITY trend is not exactly fading yet: every month, we receive spottings of new goods, services and experiences designed to make consumers feel like VIPs, if not guaranteeing them immortality. From MyTwinn dolls to the Reality Village (see this edition).
The most personal service spotted so far? CATGee, part of DNA Products, which lets ordinary folks capture and store their own DNA, for self discovery or for future generations. At a cost of GBP 19.95 (USD 36.80/EUR 30), customers preserve can their DNA on a CATGee storage card.
Each DNA snapshot consists of a unique series of numbers (a DNA code) drawn from analysis of certain key locations on personal strands of DNA. From this code, the company will also generate a unique DNA image. It comes embedded in a plastic ID card, as well as in full digital format so it can be used to personalize clothing, possessions, email messages and so on. Needless to say, CATGee is more than willing to do the customizing for you: on the website, t-shirts and mugs now await GRAVANITY stricken individuals. (Spotted by Aud Willcocks, Springspotter Network.)
TheGreenHead: Looking for an alternative to traditional and clichéd Japanese paper lanterns? Check out these new Balloon Lamps from designer/musician Kouichi Okamoto. Best of all, they have no wires to mess with and they come with a built-in hook for hanging! Margarita Nights at Green Head HQ are about to become much more festive! Very Cool.
"The BalloonLamp is based on the Japanese Chochin; a portable lamp which was illuminated by candlelight, from the EDO period. Designer/musician Kouichi Okamoto has updated this lamp by replacing the candle with a LED and the paper lantern with a standard rubber balloon. Since the LED light source does not generate any heat the balloon is safe from being damaged or melted. The balloon also makes a great diffuser for the bright LED."
"The BalloonLamp is very portable and can be used indoors or outdoors for decorating, camping or backyard parties. It can be deflated after use and easily stored."
Iconoculture: Minty fresh gone stale? Tired taste buds get a breath of fresh air with Breath Palette toothpastes. The polishes for pearly whites come in 32 unexpected flavors like Bitter Chocolate, Indian Curry, Sweet Salt, and Pumpkin Pudding.
The cavity fighters, invented in Japan, scrub tooth surfaces with super-fine microbeads and break down plaque with Xylitol. All 32 flavors have a menthol finish, and their fruity or exotic flavors come from infusions of natural fragrances. Despite the sweet selections, they’re free of sugar as well as synthetic surfactants and alcohol.
Many consumers are hungry for ways to spice up the medicine cabinet and their personal hygiene routine. Even mainstream brands like Crest are heeding the call with unconventional flavors. Give brushers a way to tease their tongues while they clean their teeth, and they’ll be sure to brush three times a day – maybe more.
Iconoculture: Minty fresh gone stale? Tired taste buds get a breath of fresh air with Breath Palette toothpastes. The polishes for pearly whites come in 32 unexpected flavors like Bitter Chocolate, Indian Curry, Sweet Salt, and Pumpkin Pudding.
The cavity fighters, invented in Japan, scrub tooth surfaces with super-fine microbeads and break down plaque with Xylitol. All 32 flavors have a menthol finish, and their fruity or exotic flavors come from infusions of natural fragrances. Despite the sweet selections, they’re free of sugar as well as synthetic surfactants and alcohol.
Many consumers are hungry for ways to spice up the medicine cabinet and their personal hygiene routine. Even mainstream brands like Crest are heeding the call with unconventional flavors. Give brushers a way to tease their tongues while they clean their teeth, and they’ll be sure to brush three times a day – maybe more.
Entrepreneur: Betty Hung and Teresa Williams want their customers to throw their product away. To be more specific, the minds behind OneDerWear disposable underwear would just like customers to wear it and toss it.
The two friends came up with the idea while working in Comcast's marketing department. Hung, 33, and Williams, 35, frequently traded stories in the break room, and Hung managed to raise eyebrows when she mentioned she had to pick up some disposable underwear for her upcoming vacation abroad. "She said it was this product she used in Asia, and whenever [they] go on a trip, they take the product with them and just wear [their] underwear and throw it away. You don't have to re-pack it and bring it back," Williams says. "All of us were like, 'That is so weird.'"
But Williams became convinced of the product's convenience after she tried them out on a trip. The two began to talk about the potential of disposable, biodegradable cotton underwear and formed Break Room Concepts to bring the product to the U.S., using their marketing backgrounds and $20,000 from their parents for startup. After a trip to Taiwan to scout out a manufacturer, Hung and Williams came up with a few designs that would suit American tastes.
DailyCandy.com: Men love to think women are jealous of them.
Particularly when it comes to a certain appendage.
Yeah. Uh, huh. Whatever you say, boys.
In fact, the only occasion on which we experience such envy is when confronted with a nasty public restroom. And My SweetPee, a gizmo that allows you to “go” standing up, eliminates such unsanitary situations. Designed to avoid bum-to-seat contact, the flexible plastic doohickey is slightly cupped to create a bridge between you and whatever shameless excuse for a bathroom you encounter.
Facing toward or away from the toilet, simply point the wider end of the funnel to the bowl for a sit-free pee. There are both disposable and reusable varieties. Perfect for travel, they roll up so you can put them in your purse. The time’s not far off when women everywhere will have them.
Sonomanews.com: Sonoma's new Scandinavian Trends offers a bright assortment of gifts and collectibles as sweet as a Christmas kringle.
Launched earlier this month by Danish natives Chris and Merete Bendtsen, the shop brims with Norwegian trolls, Swedish linens, bright Danish paper mobiles, Finnish glass, Skagen watches and hand-knit Norwegian cardigans to warm up the coldest Greenland elf. The store also carries Royal Copenhagen china and its line of retired Christmas plates, Georg Jensen silver and plenty of other visual confections - from children's books to candles to greeting cards.
"No store has anything like we have here," said owner Chris Bendtsen.
"Sonoma is peaceful - it's a (little slice) of paradise," said Chris, who runs a wholesale business for Scandinavian wares and travels to his native stomping grounds frequently.
Iconoculture: If you can’t fight the sloth, embrace it. Making up for – not necessarily fixing – our bad habits gives lazy homeowners a fun Ready, Set, Go! kick.
Wahoo! There’s an easy cleanup cure for dirty undies and socks littering the floor. Laundry Rug turns a lazy schlub’s messy habit into a carefree lifestyle choice. And unlike the Undy Rug, this form also has a function. Pile the clothes on the rug and – bingo – the rug transforms into a shoulder-carry laundry bag. Wrap 'em, bag 'em, and haul 'em to the laundromat. No more feeling hampered by a hamper.
The rug’s U.K. distributor embraces the art of sloth. "After wearing, clothes are chucked on the stylish Laundry Rug, where they will stay until wash-day comes around ... It's a bedroom must-have for lazy people everywhere!" (Addject.com 7.05). Proper Brits, indeed!
Making up for – not necessarily fixing – bad habits puts a positive spin on mortal shortcomings. Laundry Rug is a slob’s stinky dream come true. No one’s perfect. But that’s OK. Just be sure to run the extra rinse cycle.
BizReport: Nike.com sells nearly 200 styles of sneakers for men and women -- which, for some footwear fiends, apparently isn't choice enough. In fact, the convenience of being able to shop online isn't enough.
Enter NikeID.com, the Web site where you can design a one-of-a-kind shoe using dozens of colors and fabrics. Candy-apple low-tops with a lime-green swoosh? Caramel trainers with your initials embroidered on the back? Dream up combinations from the colors offered, click until you've got it right, and custom-made shoes can be delivered to your doorstep in about three weeks -- for only $10 or so more than their non-customized counterparts.
While NikeID's shoes have become must-haves among those with a sneaker fetish, they also herald a larger trend: the "just-have." As in, just you have it.
NewsReleaseWire.com: TJ Walker, a professional speaker and media trainer, has developed a new throat spray, TJ’s VoiceSave, for executives, sales people, political leaders and talk show hosts. The spray simulates natural lubricants in the vocal apparatus in order to prevent dry throat, hoarseness and the loss of voice.
Walker noted, “For CEOs, Salespersons, politicians or talk show hosts to lose their voice means they are out of business that day. I couldn’t afford to lose my voice ever again. That’s why I developed TJ’s VoiceSave. Just as your hands need lotion in the winter time to keep from getting dry and cracked, your voice needs a lotion to keep it from becoming dry and cracked. That’s how TJ’s VoiceSave protects your voice.”
TJ’s VoiceSave was developed with pharmacist Gordon Schmitz and is available for sale at www.tjsvoicesave.com
It was there when you got up this morning. There was still a hint of it on your route to work. And even now it lingers. But you can't quite put your finger on it.
Well, actually, it is your finger. All of them.
Last night's dinner coup — your famous homemade garlic bread — is absolutely to blame. Even though you rinsed your hands with lemon juice, it didn't exactly do the trick.
Homegrown remedies are all well and good, but for something that really works, turn to Chef Yossi's gel soap. Not only does it eliminate odors and kill germs, it has ingredients to help heal nicks and burns. There's also an oil-free shea butter lotion to moisturize over-cleansed skin, a tea tree oil/aloe vera burn cream that medicates and numbs on contact, and wet-nappish wipes for those shellfish feasts that leave you with that not-so-fresh feeling.
Just because something was finger-licking good doesn't mean it should stick around.
ProductDose.com: I have this weird affinity for doing the dishes. I find it oddly therapeutic. A professor of mine told me there's a primal satisfaction in the act of cleansing -- things, your body, your spirit. These utensils from Seongyong Lee have a ball designed into them to enable them to float so that you don't have to rummage around in dirty dishwater to find them.
ProductDose.com: To fill out your faux-woodsman motif, this fireplace from Michael Hilgers evokes the log fire you could never build because you dropped out of Boy Scouts when the woods got a little too dark for your frightened child's heart. Yah, I never made it past Cub Scout so I'm venting all my urban frustrations. It's not so much the critters and the lack of electricity that frightens me about going "wild." It's the lack of modern plumbing. The woods is no place to bare yourself. This wilderness free urBonfire uses odorless and smoke-free bioethanol.
TrendCentral: These simple 
TrendHunter: Tons of lighter fluid is used to light BBQs in the US every year which contributes to toxic residue on the foods cooked. The Baja BBQ firepack is made of charcoal packaging (100% recycled biodegradable paper pulp) which quickly ignites by lighting from the bottom. The chimney holes provide the ventilation needed to produce hot coals. The contents are 2 lbs of natural lump charcoal, all of which burn easily, producing hot coals ready to cook your meal in 15- 20 minutes without any nasty “flavourings”.
ProductDose: Gauging your health or fitness by weight is inexact and can actually be unhealthy, which is why using a regular scale to track your health goals is foolish and best left to supermodels. This 
I've tried a number of battery-operated nose hair trimmers hoping one of them would last, be easy to clean, and remain sharp. Every one of them failed. This stainless steel trimmer is simplicity itself! No whirring motors, wimpy foil blades, batteries or delicate electronics. It costs a little more than some electric models but works elegantly and reliably. I also like the fact it is so compact I can sanitize the entire unit in the occasional alcohol bath. I always thought trimmers had to work at high speed to deliver a comfortable and painless cut. With this device, you simply stick the unit an 1/8-inch up your nose and rotate the shaft back and forth.
DVD
Data
Video Games
Music
Cool Tools: Whereas most glue sticks are designed to permanently stick paper to paper, this glue stick is designed to create instant, repositionable sticky notes out of just about anything (Scotch specifies fabric or paper). A swipe or two (they recommend at least two) with this stick, and your self-printed content/form/memo will stick temporarily to any flat dry surface without residue. I love this stuff and use it to make my various Getting Things Done/43 folders items and tasks stay put in my handheld binder. I jot my items and tasks down on variously colored pieces of paper of whatever size I need, rub the magic stickum on them, and they stay put in my binder until I decide to move them around. My inner child is happy because I get to play with stickers and glue; my inner adult is happy because I can continually and easily refine my GTD system until it is transparent to the tasks at hand; my inner artist is pleased by the happy riot of colors and shapes that my 'organization' system has become; and my inner accountant is happy that I'm not wasting so much money on little pads of sticky notes. And when it's time, it can all be peeled up and recycled. Although this stuff is more expensive than regular glue sticks, a little goes a long way. If any gets where it shouldn't, it washes off with water.
Paly Voice: Sushi rolls, strawberries, lemon chiffon cake, apples, Zodiac creatures, letters of the alphabet and Nintendo mushrooms. Junior Alyssa Burton is the creator of these miniature charms which she molds, hand paints and fastens to jewelry and cell phone key-chains. 
Strange New Products: The 
TrendCentral: From the brand best known for their hardcore rubber outsoles comes a strange yet incredibly cool looking shoe — 
CNBC: Anthony & James Tiscione are the father/son inventors behind the ACM Wallet - a specially designed wallet that allows you to protect & select up to 12 of your favorite credit, ID and membership cards at the push of a button. 
Springwise: Designed and manufactured in Britain, Greenbottle is a biodegradable milk bottle that uses a smart two-part system to aid recycling. The bottles are composed of a cardboard outer manufactured from pulped, recycled cardboard, which is lined with an inner sleeve of biodegradable plastic made from corn starch. The plastic keeps the cardboard from becoming soggy, and the cardboard makes for easy transport, storage and pouring. Once the bottle is empty, the inner sleeve can be pulled out and will decompose in a landfill within six weeks. The cardboard outer can be put out for recycling with other paper or thrown in with kitchen and garden waste for home composting.
Cool Tools: Most pesticides I've used are full of toxic chemicals, but this spray doesn't have anything like that. The active ingredient is natural mint extract, which is a neuro-toxin. It works just as well or better than any spray I've tried, and smells very minty. I've been fighting roaches this spring, mainly in the kitchen, and my dog has become pregnant. I have never been a fan of the toxic chemicals in most roach sprays, so when I found this at the hardware store I decided to give it a try (it was also less expensive than the more toxic stuff I'd been using). I sprayed the baseboards and everything in my kitchen, and I found that not only does it kill on contact, the roaches seem to avoid it like the plague for about a month. I have also used it to spray and kill spiders, and it was just as effective.
CoolBuzz: Talking about scissors is general but talking about it with laser is something good and new. Every time you cannot mark the area that you have to cut, with a marker. And, without marking it is very difficult to achieve sheer cutting. Laser Scissors is designed with an in-built laser light on the handle. According to the website, “The scissor blades are stainless steel and cut very clean with a micro serrated edge”.
DailyCandy: If it were up to you, you’d wrap yourself in pizza and eat your way out.
The Daily Collegian Online: Hang a shining star upon the lowest bough -- the world of Christmas trees is being flipped upside-down.
Cool Hunting: Though not quite in production yet, Si Hill Design has been getting a lot of praise for his clever (w)rapping paper that features the instantly recognizable lyrics to popular rap songs. The pun of the gift wrap itself is as funny as it is to read the familiar words in print. The UK-based designer's prototypes include the old school, Sugar Hill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" (pictured left, click for detail), NWA's classic "Straight Outta Compton," the embarrassment of Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby" and House of Pain's "Jump Around," all in different two-hue colorways.
Brand Noise: Cotton Buds Inc. has been granted an exclusive license from P&G to produce, market and distribute Tide Liquid Detergent Travel Sink Packets. The new product offers consumers their favorite laundry detergent in single-use "sink" packets, making laundering a few items by hand simple and convenient when traveling.
dottocomu: TakaraTomy have come up with another great, wacky product in the Life Bank (Jinsei Ginkou), the riff on the coin bank that the 21st century has been waiting for. The Bank's screen shows you the life of a stick man who starts out as a poor pleb in a cupboard-sized apartment and develops into a rich bastard lounging under a chandelier on the 500 yen coins you feed him, all the while counting you down to your up-to-Y100,000 savings target. Then you open up the box and find he actually has spent all your money on 8-bit hos and lo-rez champagne.
BornRich: Keep your beer cool in this Weber Chill Refrigerator that can be rolled indoors or outdoors according to your needs. The ultimate big-party cooler features a huge 1.6 cubic feet capacity, and can store 72 ice-cold cans of your drink or 48 beer bottles or 36 wine bottles as cold as you want. The roll-bar party-refrigerator is constructed of rugged, powder-coated steel and it features an aluminum grip rail that can hold two beer-bottles and two mahogany side tables for holding your drink glasses.
Strange New Product: A new product called, "SquidSoap" is designed to teach kids good habits in washing their hands thoroughly.
DailyCandy: You don’t smoke. You avoid the sun. Your bathroom cabinet is heaving with all sorts of antiaging creams. You’re waging a war against time. And it shows.
PRWEB: Cerealtop™ is a box lid made up of two parts and sealed with a handy dispenser flap. Made from food-safe plastic, Cerealtop™ has a clever slider system that means it can be adjusted to suit just about any box.
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.
Gizmodo: Save electricity by shredding your unwanted bank card applications manually with these Shredding Scissors. Combining the power of five scissors with one blue handle, these make short work of old credit cards and Christmas cards. You could even cut your kid’s hair 5 times as fast. It is available from Japan for 2,010 Yen ($17).
UrbanBaby Daily: Boon, makers of the fun and practical Frog Pod, have just come out with their latest invention, the Potty Bench. And like their first release, this unique training potty manages to combine modern style and ergonomic features at an affordable price.
Bornrich: Wooden bathtubs, glass bathtubs, hi-tech bathtubswe have seen it all! But, mobile bathtub designed by the designer Marie Louise is something really new! The bathtub is made of fiberglass for good heat retention and its front wheel swivels so a friend can easily push you to your favorite bathing spot. The Artwork in the tub is done by Norwegian artist Elin Melberg. So, if you dont mind taking a bath outdoors then start thinking whether you want to have a dip out on the patio or in the moonlight. No word on the price is available from the site.
Gizmodo: Step away from the limousine, or I’ll shoot you with this … teddy bear? The Teddy Bear Gun capitalizes on a cutesy trend in Japan where wedding guests throw teddy bears at wedding receptions instead of rice or bouquets.
Iconoculture: A front pack for a furry baby? The PetPocket straps to a pet owner's shoulders just like a baby pack, to tote Mr. or Ms. Fluffball wherever their adventures take them. For owners who can't get enough face time with their furkids, it brings critters a lot closer to their heart than a carrier or a handbag. 
Born Rich: Dutch cigar producer, Royal Agio Cigars is adding two of their new products, Panter Coffee and Panter Coffee Wooden Tip to their royal range of cigars. The new products will be launched at the TFWA Asia Pacific show in Singapore in May this year. According to the company, both products combine the pleasant flavour of cigars with the full taste of coffee. The cigars are made with a selected blend of quality tobaccos and are said to have a mild taste. The cigars are available worldwide in a pack of five cigars.
Shiny Shiny: Huzzah!, another household appliance that stops people from having to bend over (why yes, I am the laziest housekeeper in the world, thanks for noticing). The SweepEZE Vacuuming Dust Pan replaces the standard dust pan by lying in wait to "sense" dirt rather than lying in your broom closet waiting not to be found when you need it. 
Iconoculture: Hands-free bottle feeding on the go? Ah, the odd joys of the Pacifeeder. One blogger described the no-hands bottle that attaches to tots via a pacifier-like feeding tube as a beer hat for the diaper set. Sure, the oddball gadget has a Simpsons-like quality about it. But seriously, the Pacifeeder has its place: Think multiple baby mouths to feed and only two arms. Or strolling with a feeding tot without having to continually stop to pick up a dropped bottle. 
Construction & Maintenance: One of life's constant struggles - keeping carpets, rugs and floors clean - may now be a thing of the past thanks to an innovative new floor mat system that keeps the dirt outside. Contractor Thomas Foote has invented a flush mounted grate, one that allowed dirt and mud to drop through the industrial strength grid, and onto the ground below. The new device is designed to fit between standard joists of 12", 16" and 24". Homebuilders are seizing on the opportunity to spec the Dirt Drain as a new 'smart home' feature. For those with existing homes, the Dirt Drain comes with instructions for cutting into the wood decking or concrete flooring.
DailyCandy: The New York Times Sunday crossword? Sudoku? Rubik’s cube? Pfft. You can solve those suckers in your sleep.
Think Geek: Tired of waking up and having to wait for your morning java to brew? Are you one of those groggy early morning types that just needs that extra kick? Know any programmers who dont regularly bathe and need some special motivation? Introducing Shower Shock, the original and world's first caffeinated soap from ThinkGeek. When you think about it, ShowerShock is the ultimate clean buzz.
Eurocosm.com: Relax Arachnophobes! Help is close at hand, or better still, arms length! The Spider Catcher is an innovative new product which uses two sets of bristles to gently catch the spider or bug, carefully trapping it until you decide when and where to let it go. Because of it's flexible bristles and long reach, it can get into high corners and awkward spots to capture those pesky little beasts without you having to go near them. No potentially harmful chemicals, no thong hurling, no "splats" on the wall - No Worries ! If you don't like spiders in your house but you don't want to kill them either, then the Spider Catcher is just the right gadget for you. The Spider Catcher allows you to pick up spiders and other bugs while keeping a safe distance. The spider is not harmed and can be released into the garden where it will continue to be a beneficial member of your local ecosystem.
we make money not art: The Polite Umbrella, by Joo Paek, respects people’s personal space in a public area. This shrinkable umbrella enables users to morph its shape like a jellyfish in order to reduce occupied space and to increase user maneuverability.
Global Sources: King Tai Holdings Ltd has released novelty FM radios in soft plush toy designs. The products are made of colorful cotton velour and stuffed with polyester filling. They have buttons for controlling the volume, scanning and resetting. 
Springwise: TRENDWATCHING.COM's GRAVANITY trend is not exactly fading yet: every month, we receive spottings of new goods, services and experiences designed to make consumers feel like VIPs, if not guaranteeing them immortality. From MyTwinn dolls to the Reality Village (see this edition).
TheGreenHead: Looking for an alternative to traditional and clichéd Japanese paper lanterns? Check out these new Balloon Lamps from designer/musician Kouichi Okamoto. Best of all, they have no wires to mess with and they come with a built-in hook for hanging! Margarita Nights at Green Head HQ are about to become much more festive! Very Cool. 
NewsReleaseWire.com: TJ Walker, a professional speaker and media trainer, has developed a new throat spray, TJ’s VoiceSave, for executives, sales people, political leaders and talk show hosts. The spray simulates natural lubricants in the vocal apparatus in order to prevent dry throat, hoarseness and the loss of voice.
DailyCandy: Do you smell something?