Archive for October, 2008
October 31, 2008 at 6:10 pm · Filed under Artwork & Design, Misc & Random
Cool can run an entire range of polarity from understated elegance to utterly disgusting. If you don’t want to take my word for it, take a look at these two items and bask in their equally fascinating yet markedly contrasting characteristics.
#1 The Grandfather Clock
Rob Price’s Grandfather Clock took the classic time furniture and updated it to suit modern tastes, resulting in an elegant creation that retains much of its iconic energy. It debuted for sale last year and continues to be one of the few functional clocks that successfully evoke classic images while looking perfectly comfortable in a modern art gallery.
When Rob first unveiled his creation, he built each one by hand, carving and assembling them inside his home studio. With the design’s surge in popularity and the high amount of orders, he now works with a woodworker artisan to crank out the amazingly striking creations. The exquisite clocks can be purchased from >Spring Gallery for $120.
#2 The Pen Holder
Many office cubicles are notorious for featuring the most retarded little contraptions, from cute stuffed animals to quirky Japanese stationeries. Nothing prepared me for this pen-holder, though.
Billed as the Mr. Old Butt Moaning Man Pen Stand Holder, it showcases an older gentleman lying on his stomach with his bottom sticking out. The pimple-laden backside features a gaping hole in the middle that would, effectively, be the man’s rear portal. Sized large enough to fit a pen, the hole performs the pen holding function.
The battery-operated desk product ekes out an electronic scream every time the pen is pushed into the slot. Cool? I think so. Will I put it on my desk? No.
October 30, 2008 at 6:08 pm · Filed under Gadgets
Flashcards have always been a great way for kids to learn subjects taught in school. With the digital age securely upon us, it’s probably the right time to bring those flashcards into a portable gadget you can carry in your pocket.
The Crammer, billed a “pocket-sized study system”, allows kids to carry an innumerable number of test preparation, review flash cards and practice test questions in an attractive and easy to use gadget. Equipped with a headphone jack, it can play music and ships with 8 GB of memory onboard.
How It Works
The unit is intended for use by children in the third to eighth grades. Children and parents can go online to create flash cards and later download them into the Crammer. With the study prep in the gadget, children can review it anytime they want to, wherever they may be. With over 8 GB of available storage, flash cards for all subjects for an entire school year can easily be kept.
Crammer also provides owners of its units access to over 1000 different quizzes in social science, math, science and language arts so they can practice taking tests and gauge their proficiency in the subject. A built-in Spanish translator can also help students trying to practice new words with proper pronunciation. Parents can check in on their child’s progress by connecting the Crammer to a PC and viewing how much time they spent reviewing the flash cards and how well they did on the practice tests.
It Plays Music
As an additional feature, the Crammer plays music files and has two on-board games. It ships with ear buds, USB cable and a user’s guide. It is available from LeapFrog Learning Path for $59.99.
October 29, 2008 at 6:06 pm · Filed under Artwork & Design
Watches are one of the few fashion accessories I get. Done well, they can look really amazing.
These are some strangely confusing but fascinating concept timepieces from Denis Guidone. They will take a bit of getting used to but look really elegant and dynamic. Plus, they’re a definite conversation piece. I’ll probably buy one of these if it ever makes it out of concept limbo and into retail shelves.
This first watch features a circular doodle design with each end of the ends indicating the hour and minute respectively. In truth, this consists of two circular faces. The inner one indicates the hour and the outer one points to the minute. The changing of time allows the appearance of the drawing to change along with it. Creative idea and intoxicating implementation.
This next one should prove a little simpler with three white dots seeming to float in a stark black space. The biggest dot should be the hour, the second-largest the minute and the small one on the outer orbit being the second. Very understated and sexy, this watch should be in stores and not languishing in some blog’s wish list.
This last one is even simpler to understand but is no less striking. With just two lines on the outer edges of the watch and a pervasive darkness everywhere else, this is one of those accessories that can truly tickle the imagination. The thick line should point to the hour with the thinner one telling the minutes.
October 28, 2008 at 6:04 pm · Filed under Fashion
Fashion accessories come and go. The scarf, however, is one of those items functional enough to warrant continuous use over many years, past even many trends’ official lifetimes. This one never made it into the fashion hit list but is certainly cool enough to deserve five seconds of attention.
Called “The Crime Scene Scarf”, it’s a cozy knit scarf emblazoned with the popular police signage frequently found in delicate crime scenes. Donned in the same shade of yellow as the standard police tape used to cordon off sensitive locations to keep ordinary citizens like you away, it’s a veritable attention-stealer anywhere you go!
It’s extra long too so you can use it for a variety of functions. Watch those CSI geeks drool in envy when you walk in with this snug yet extremely cutting-edge thread in tow. Cordon off your parents’ home with a couple of these 5-foot long knits and watch your mom’s reaction from afar. Why, you can even let it keep you warm on cold, winter nights like scarves are supposed to do!
The criminally cool Crime Scene Scarf is manufactured by Fuzz and is available from Perpetual Kid for $14.99. Don’t wear this while packing any illicit materials though. Cops may not take too kindly to fashion-forwardness and question you a little bit. A good way out is to act gay and repeatedly say, “I’m a fashion princess and the world is my runway!” Effectiveness of that technique, however, is not covered by any warranty from CoolCrowd.net.
October 27, 2008 at 6:03 pm · Filed under Music
Some people are proclaiming the return of the keytar. A few, on the other hand, dismiss the fad as just another momentary fascination with an odd instrument thanks to YouTube and the few geeks who like to write blog posts about it.
It’s hard to tell at this point, really. On the one hand, there is a resurgence of young, fresh bands who regularly feature a keytarist on their roster. On the other, there are absolutely no new keytars being produced with Roland deciding to shut down the AX-7 model in 2007.
These bands think the keytar is here to stay and have carved out an odd niche because it.
Cobra Starship
One of the fastest-rising of the new breed of keytar-infused musical acts, Cobra Starship features keytarist Victoria Asher. Their most notable single is the US-Modern Rock charting song, “Bring It (Snakes On A Plane)”. They’ve released two studio albums and were included in three compilation albums, to date.
Family Force 5
FF5 is a Christian band that plays part electronica, part nu metal and part new punk, calling their style “crossover crunk rock”. Much of their music is lighthearted and catchy, making ample use of synthesizers and power chords. Nathan Currin dons the keytar for the band, along with a helping of other audio instruments, from turntables to percussions.
Mute Math
Playing an eclectic range of genres, from standard rock pieces to noisy electronic numbers, Mute Math became notable for showcasing the keytar via the energetic stage posturing of frontman and keytarist Paul Meany.
Other Notable Acts
A few other noteworthy bands that take to stage with a keytar in tow include Hello Operator, Shychild, Imogen Heap, So So Modern and Love You Long Time. Even Justin Timberlake occasionally played a keytar during his concerts. Additionally, who can forget Borat’s 2007 music video duet with Croatian keytarist Belinda Bedekovic?
While the list of keytar acts isn’t changing the musical landscape anytime soon, they’re steadily growing. Who knows, instrument-makers might even begin cranking out updated versions soon if the demands continues to hold.
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