Around the corner...

Shooting around corners can be a bit tricky. Heavy handed techniques tend to have a lot of collateral damage. The US Army is dusting off the XM25 Individual Air Burst Weapon. This bit of SciFi weaponry includes a variety of exotic air burst projectiles that can effectively take out targets around corners or below horizons. Prototypes are to be delivered next month.



Read a bit more about it via DefenseTech:
www.defensetech.org

Saving time...

If you have a large collection of watches, you might like somewhere special to keep them. Piaget has an answer: The Piage Collector's Trunk. The Swiss Jeweler has teamed up with the French trunk makers Pinel and Pinel to make customizable storage with features like automatic winders, remote control lighting, and a small table with mirrors for admiring your collection.




Details and design from the Piaget Microsite:
www.piaget.com

That's impossible...

It would seem the Chinese government is working away on something that shouldn't work -- the 'EM Drive'. The 'EM Drive' is short for the 'Electro Magnetic Drive' - a space engine that uses microwaves as a propulsion method. Normally, one would dismiss that sort of thing as 'unlikely', but the gent helping them has some serious credentials. If this works, it's a very big deal.



Read a bit more via Wired's DangerRoom:
blog.wired.com

Two Wheeler...

What if Ferrari made a motorcycle? What would it be like? Industrial designer Amir Glinik has a few ideas about that. The 'V4' concept bike is a concept using a modified engine from an Enzo, hand controls from an F-16 fighter jet, and button controls adapted from a formula 1 racecar. It doesn't look half bad.





Pictures and links via Motorbiker.org:
news.motorbiker.org

Being there...

Before the end of the year, the Rovio telepresence device will be shipping. This new little three wheel toy will allow you to access your home or office via the web. Using it's 'NorthStar' technology, it will wander through a space to pinpointed locations. You can send it back to dock at it's recharge base when it needs to refuel. It uses standard wifi for communications. Cost: about 300 USD.
The dogs will really enjoy this.


Read a bit more from Robots Rule:
www.robotsrule.com



3 Minute video from the CES show:

On location...

Have you ever wondered about all those exotic locations from James Bond movies? Dutch author and 007 connoisseur Martjin Mulder has. He and his co-author (the late Dirk Kloosterboer) spent many years and holidays hunting down the locations of many of the locations. Their new book 'On The Tracks of 007' chronicles 30 stories of tracking these exotic locales.




Details and order via the Book's homepage:
www.onthetracksof007.com

Modern Manhattan...

Brunswick has been making billiard tables for a long time - since the 1800's. Here's a very modern table, 'The Manhattan'. Crafted of maple and stainless steel, it'll be around for a very long time. Cost: about 17,000 USD.




Press release from Trendir:
www.trendir.com

Diversify...

With all the financial mischief going on these days, it really pays to diversify. That might be what the folks at the 'Wall Street Journal' are thinking - they just started a service selling wine via the Web. Or it could be a strategy that works cooperatively with delivering bad financial news. Either way, it's a new service available. It's all rather strange.



Wine from the Wall Street Journal:
www.wsjwine.com

Well built panels...

There are a lot of solar panels making their way to the market, but the new 'Solar Stik' is a very sturdy option. Built on a heavy duty tripod, it can be used in remote areas to run your popcorn popper or iPod indefinitely. The Solar Stik ships in a marine variation, also a combination wind and solar generator.




Details and videos from Solar Stik:
www.solarstik.com

Now in digital...

Minox, maker of the old school favorite spy cam, is getting ready to launch an updated version. The Minox DSC makes it's debut at the Photokina show this month. The new digital Minox measures 86x29x20mm (3.5x1.25x0.75 inches) and has many features a private eye might be interested in.




Read all the specs and details via Photography Blog:
www.photographyblog.com

Stylish cat...

Once again, Porsche Design is teaming up with a marine construction company. Plans have been announced for a joint project with Royal Falcon to build the RFF135 - a high tech 135 foot motor catamaran. The top speed is expected to be about 35 knots.
Other collaborators include the Swedish engineering firm Kockums and Australian catamaran builder Incat Crowther. Cost: TBD



Model and links from Luxury Insider:
www.luxury-insider.com

That hard drive is toast...

There are many ways to remove data from a hard drive. There are plenty of 'industrial strength' data scrubbers that will use software to ripple ones and zeros across the hard drive platters. But where's the fun in that? One word: Thermite. Smelting the hard drive can happen very quickly and dramatically using a chemical compound that generates a lot of heat.


Videos and Read all about it via Hackaday:
hackaday.com

Lairs...

Considering an underground lair? You might want to take a look at this: 'The 50 Dollar and Up Underground House Book' by Mike Oehler. Lots of details, Illustrations, and thoughtful commentary on why it's not that kooky of an idea. Cost: About 20 USD.




Available from Amazon.com (US Site):
www.amazon.com

Under my skin...

Wealthy folks in Mexico have been a bit concerned about the local kidnap rates these days. The situation has spawned a new trend: embedded RFID tags underneath their skin capable of being tracked by a GPS satellite.





Read a bit more about it via Reuters:
www.reuters.com

Unsightly...

Having your TV screen disappear when not in use is always fun.. but, it's a little more difficult when it's a big screen. A really big screen. The guys at FlatLift and Corbel (Moscow) teamed up on a project to make a 103 inch Panasonic plasma screen retract into a cabinet using 24v servos. That's about 460 lbs. of TV screen. Very dramatic.




Details and contact info via FlatLift:
www.flatlift.net

Skills...

There are two skills that everyone is assumed to have: a) knowing how to 'hot wire' a car and b) knowing how to properly tap a telephone. Should your upbringing have missed those two, the folks at wired have them listed in their 'How To' section. You just never know.


How to hot wire a car:
howto.wired.com


How to tap a phone:
howto.wired.com

Clean fun...

Does your shower have enough psychedelic ambient light? If not, you might be interested in this - 'The Shower Lamp' by Christina Rubinetterie Containing 72 LED lamps, it can change colors to suit your mood.



Release info via Trendir:
www.trendir.com



Details (in English and Italian only):
www.cristinarubinetterie.com

Underground football...

Plans are on the drawing board for the world's first underground football stadium in Doha, Qatar. Called 'The Wall' -- or the more informal nickname 'the laptop' ... The plan is to be illuminated via lights embedded into architectural features. If all goes well, it could be open as early as 2010.




Drawings and details via the timesonline:
fantasyfootball.timesonline.co.uk

Carting around...

Austrian motorcycle maker KTM is making their first 'car' -- 'the KTM X Bow'. Not exactly street legal everywhere, it's a cross between a really big go-cart and a racing car. Made from a supercharged Audi TFSI engine - it will generate about 240 HP. With it's carbon fiber body, that will give it a 0-100 KPH in 3.9 seconds. Not bad for a go-cart. Cost: about 66,000 USD.


Info and specs via KTM:

www.ktm-x-bow.com

Racing lighters...

If your a big fan of both cigars and Italian sports cars, you might find these interesting: Tonino Lamborghini cigar lighters and cutters. Taking style cues from the car, these eye catching accessories are colorful and precision engineered. Cost: between 80 and 180 USD.



Info and order from LightersDirect:
www.lightersdirect.com

Very social...

Social networking sites are very popular, now the CIA, FBI and NSA have their own online virtual hangout. 'A-Space' is the YouTube / Facebook / MySpace of the spy guys. Hopefully with really good graphics.




Read a bit more from CNN (of all places):
www.cnn.com

Back to school...

College. James Bond College.

This site has hours of fun browsing on a wide variety of topics.
Movie triva, lifestyle tips, how to's, and an online store.




The online 'James Bond College':
www.jamesbondcollege.com

Quick drink...

The Veuve Clicquot folks have paired up again with Porsche Design. This time, to make a champagne bucket - but not an ordinary one... this has an 'emergency' button that will quickly chill a bottle for near immediate use. Still in prototype, the 'Icecube' - is expected to ship in 2009. Keep up the good work gentlemen.


Description and pictures via NOTCOT:
www.notcot.com

Dressed for mischief...

Here's a great multipurpose jacket: the 'Kitanica Mark IV'. Rugged construction includes a lot of pockets, a rifle pad for shooting, inserts for extra rib protection, and spine pads to help cushion falls. Comes in fashion colors: black, foliage, green, and digi-cammo. Cost: about 600 USD. Not dryer safe... because it might wreck the dryer.



Info and Order via Kitanica:
kitanica.com

Stick it...

Looking for a heavy duty OTF (out the front) knife? Check out the 'Benchmade Infidel OTF'. Dual internal springs make it extremely durable along with four heat treated locks to keep the blade in place when extended. The anodized handle has over sized controls making it easier to use while wearing gloves. Cost: about 380 USD.



The Infidel 3300 from Benchmade:
www.benchmade.com

Bubbles...

The Triton 1000 from US Submarines has quite a view. Since this two person sub's central feature is a large bowl, you get the full view of what's going on around you. The lightweight crafts aren't the most cost effective - they weigh in at about 1.6 million USD.




Technical specifications from US Submarines:
www.ussubs.com

Breathing faster...

You know how for some wines, it's important to let them breath? Well, you're a busy person - and you don't really have time for that. So, they've invented the 'Vinturi'. A wine Aerator that works using gravity and a 'pour through' spout. Problem solved. Cost: about 40 USD.




Read the physics behind it, and order via the Vinturi site:
www.vinturi.com

Fisticuffs...

Here's a cool option for workout gear - retro leather punching bag and old school boxing gloves from Seletti. They're good looking enough to leave laying around. Bag: about 350 USD - available from the stylish Conran Store.



The Conran Store online (USA site):

Punching Bag:
www.conranusa.com



Gloves:
www.conranusa.com

Taking a long shot...

Taking those tricky aerial videos has gotten a lot easier with the new Draganflyer X6. A carbon bodied platform with six rotors on three arms, it can be loaded with a variety of HD, low light, thermal, or night vision cameras. The whole thing tucks into military grade carrying case. Great for surveying, building fly thru videos, or just annoying the neighbor's cat.



Details and video from Draganfly:
www.draganfly.com