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Pill bottle magnifier.
2008-04-25 15:49:00
What can we say? There's almost nothing as important as being able to read the text on a medicine bottle. This clip-on 2x magnifier fits most prescription bottles. Just clip magnifier to bottle & swing lens outward to magnify text. Folds inward for compact storage. USD 7:95.
More About: Bottle

Hanger for five pair of pants.
2008-04-25 15:48:00
We were actually looking for something entirely different, when we happened to stumble on this five pants hanger on Ikea. We've never seen it before. Now, someone might mail us and tell us it's been in the store for years, but it's the joy of discovery that counts. And that it looks very clever. USD 3:99 at Ikea.
More About: Pants , Pair

Stackable thermo glasses.
2008-04-24 23:27:00
We've covered thermo glasses and other thermo insulated kitchen stuff before, but this is as far as we know the first time someone has made the glasses stackable. They keep drinks hot or cold, and does not occupy the entire cupboard. Now, they're not as pretty as some of the other glasses we've shown you, and they don't have a cool brand name. But if you're only shopping for function, our guess is these glasses will do just fine at a fourth of the price (at least compared to the ones we found at MoMa recently). Glasses are dishwasher, freezer and microwave safe. Available in two sizes; 8 oz. and 11 oz. The small ones are USD 16:95 and the big ones are USD 21:95.

Israel to install AA missile defense on airliners.
2008-04-24 23:26:00
According to reports, Israel will be outfitting its airliners with defense systems designed to thwart missile attacks. The defense will probably be a system with flares, designed to distract an incoming missile's heat-seeking mechanism. It will be installed first on planes flying to destinations considered dangerous, i.e Africa and parts of Asia. The need for a missile defense system was recognized in 2002, when an Israeli passenger jet was targeted after takeoff by Islamic militants using shoulder-fired missiles outside Mombasa, Kenya. The rockets missed, but spurred Israel to find a way to protect its airliners with a defense similar to that already used by its air force. (The picture does not show an Israeli airliner, anyone reasonably familiar with aircraft can see that, we just wanted to show you what firing a massive bunch of protective flares looks like.) Then imagine this over airports all over the world...
More About: Missile Defense , Defense , Missile

The world's 50 best restaurants according to S.Pellegrino.
2008-04-24 23:24:00
Mineral water firm S.Pellegrino , together with a bunch of others, have come out with a list of the world's fifty best restaurants. The list is an orgy in food pr0n for the culinary crowd, us included. And, to our delight, we discover that there's a Swedish among the fifty; the Oaxen Skärgårdskrog, a really nice place indeed. What we don't understand, however, is why the two in our opinion best Swedish restaurants; Edsbacka Krog (two Michelin stars) and Mathias Dahlgren, are not on the list... Anyway, according to S.Pellegrino, the best restaurant in Europe (and the World) is Spanish El Bulli (chef-patron Ferran Adrià in the middle of the top row). The second and third best restaurants are British The Fat Duck and French Pierre Gagnaire respectively. Want to see more of the world's best eating places? See our list of the fifty complete with links after the jump.
More About: Restaurants

Walking-stick headlights.
2008-04-23 22:30:00
This is something we never thought we'd see. But. Here it is. A headlight for your walking-stick. Just switch on and head out into the night. The LED light can be rotated 360° and the clasp should fit most canes. The light can even be set to flash, which might be would be a good thing if grandpa should happen to stray into the street. The cane light is USD 12:95.
More About: Walking , Stick , Headlights

Pendulum serving tray.
2008-04-23 22:28:00
This is a bit hard to understand. And to explain. But we've seen that it works, since we've watched numerous waiters in different countries use trays like this one. Apparently it works like a gimbal, which balances out the swinging and prevents spills. We thought these trays were restaurant supplies, but we've found a place where anyone can buy one. They are GBP 27:50 (about USD 55:-).
More About: Tray

Silicone squeegee replaces chamois.
2008-04-23 22:27:00
We bought a squeegee like this one for our latest car, and much to our surprise it worked like a dream. It was also a lot faster to work with than an ordinary shammy. The soft silicone blade adapts to the car's lines and curves and removes the water after a wash and rinse. (We always hand wash the cars.) The people that sell this thing also says it works equally well in the kitchen, bathroom, shower and to wash windows. We're sure that's true, but we haven't tried it. The silicone squeegee is GBP 18:95 (about USD 36:-), but we don't think we paid that much for the one we have...
More About: Silicone

Cargocycles promise greener deliveries.
2008-04-22 23:39:00
French La Petite Reine has come up with a greener alternative to business deliveries by using truck-sized cargo bikes. The firm has a fleet of about 60 Cargocycles for hire in Paris, Bordeaux, Rouen, and Dijon. Weighing 80 kg, each Cargocycle can transport about 180 kg of merchandise in its 1,400-liter cargo space. The Cargocycles can go most anywhere and they can park easily between two cars. Cargocycle deliveries are completely nonpolluting, in terms of both emissions and noise. Cargocycles are also available for lease or sale, should you be inclined to have your own.
More About: Promise

The push and hang picture hanger.
2008-04-22 23:38:00
The Push & Hang promises to let you hang a picture or mirror in just seconds. We suppose they do not count the time it takes to determine the exact spot to put the hanger. Anyway, you're supposed to be able to push it into drywall with no other tool than your own thumb. The Push & Hang hooks are also easily removable and reusable. You get 10 hangers that hold up to 60 lb. each and 20 hangers that hold up to 10 lb. each for USD 19:95.
More About: Picture

Measuring spoon with scale.
2008-04-22 23:37:00
It looks (almost) like an ordinary measuring spoon, but it has a feature that we've never seen in a measuring spoon before. Its built-in scale can be switched between ounces and grams, and it can measure from .0005 to 10.5 oz. It is available for GBP 18:50 (about USD 35:-).
More About: Spoon , Scale

Smart, simple water purifier.
2008-04-21 23:53:00
The thirst aid water purifier is one of the simplest to use that we have ever seen. You fill water from the bottom, shake the bag and let it sit for 15 minutes. After that you have drinkable water, even if you originally got it from a ditch or a standpipe. No price yet, though. From Thirst Aid.
More About: Smart , Water , Simple

Make your own fake headline t-shirt on CNN.
2008-04-21 23:52:00
CNN apparently has a function where you can choose a current headline and have it printed on a t-shirt for USD 15:- plus shipping. That's no big deal, but the fun part is that you can hack the URL to show the headline of your own choosing. Or write just about anything you like. Try it. Here's the link to the t-shirt we just made (a bit of wishful thinking perhaps, but why not?). Make your own before they close it down.
More About: Fake , Shirt , T-Shirt , Headline

Think the car has been re-painted? Check the paint thickness.
2008-04-21 23:51:00
Are you looking to buy a used car? Do you suspect your "new" used car has been in an accident? Has the body been filled? Well, with the Westfalia paint thickness tester you have a chance to find out. The measure tests paint on both steel and aluminum and the three LEDs show any irregularities in the paint thickness. Just take a measure from the middle of the roof, for instance, and the tester will store this paint thickness as a reference value. By placing the test probe on any part of the vehicle body, you can compare it with the first value and have a chance to determine whether parts of the body have been replaces or repainted. Comes with a key chain and battery. GBP 9:99 (about USD 20:-).
More About: Check , Paint

BBQ burger basket.
2008-04-17 22:48:00
There are similar baskets for grilling fish, and there are perforated skillets and woks for greens and shrimp and other small food, so why should there not be a burger basket. Our guess is that this contraption is brilliant since the friggin' burgers have a tendency to stick to the grid all the time and resist flipping. The burger basket should solve that problem. The only downside is that it requires hand wash... The burger basket is USD 19:95 at Sur la Table.
More About: Basket , Burger

Really easy point-and-show for globetrotters.
2008-04-17 22:47:00
When in Thailand you probably order your moo yang with naam saparot or a bia sing lek or maybe some extra nam prik pla with your shrimps without trouble, but how do you do in Cambodia or Japan or Russia or Pakistan? Somewhere in the world you'll be a newbie like the rest of us, and then you'll need this book. "Point It" is a point and show book with 1,200 pictures of most anything you'd need to communicate and all you have to do to be understood is to point. Even in Ulan Bator. Apparently UN personnel on assignment in the bush uses it. Available on Amazon- from USD 4:62.
More About: Show , Easy

How to freeze food in just the right size.
2008-04-17 22:46:00
We freeze a lot of food. It's always nice to have some lunch just a nuke away in case we're not in the mood for cooking. But if you freeze for instance ground meat in pound batches it's not easy to get just the amount you need. On the Slashfood blog we find this tip (and they have found it on Lunch in a Box). It appears to be a Japanese idea (the Japanese seem to be very clever, indeed) and it's very simple. Just fill a plastic bag with ground beef (also works with thick sauce) flatten it to get the air out and pre-shape breaking lines before freezing. A lot like chocolate bars. We like.
More About: Food , Freeze , Size

New thermo effect glasses.
2008-04-15 22:47:00
We've covered this ground before, with glasses that keeps your drink cold or warm depending on your preference. But these glasses have a new and cool design by Alissia Melka Teichroew. They are called inside-out glasses and they are, from the left, cocktail glass, liquor glass and champagne glass. All are mouth blown with double walls using borosilicate glass. They are USD 65:-, 55:- and 65:- respectively for a two-pack at the MoMa store.
More About: Effect , Glasses

New lancing device promises to reduce pain.
2008-04-15 22:46:00
Most, if not all, lancers or auto injectors works by jamming a spring loaded needle into your skin to draw blood or inject drugs. This creates several problems, one of them is that the cutting depth cannot be adjusted and that the wound tract is quickly contracted often causing a bleeding under the skin. (fig b). Many, particularly children, also think the pinprick is uncomfortable and downright painful. A new device, the Pelikan Sun lancing device, promises to remedy this. By pushing the lancet into the skin, stopping it, and pulling it out in a controlled motion over about one second, no sudden trauma that causes pain should occur. Also the wound canal does not close immediately, making the blood sample easier to collect without squeezing (fig a). A microprocessor controls the entire operation and determines how deep the cut should be. The device is available in the US, Germany, Spain, Australia, and New Zealand. If your insurance does not cover the expense it is about ca USD 200:...
More About: Pain , Promises , Reduce , Device

Watch out for these baddies if you go to Australia.
2008-04-15 22:45:00
Australia probably has more dangerous and/or poisonous animals, insects, reptiles and fish than the rest of the world combined. Maybe the continent's isolation and harsh living conditions has benefited a natural selection of the most dangerous. Anyway. Many young Swedes goes to Australia to work and to experience the world, and that's cool. We'd like to go, too. But before you go you might want to check out some of the animals you'd better stay away from. Here's a web resource where they have collected some of the most dangerous fish (are jellyfish really fish?) that you'd be wise to recognize before you encounter them. From the left, the Blue Ringed Octopus, the Stonefish and the Box Jellyfish.
More About: Watch , Australia

Plastic wool shears to cut lettuce.
2008-04-14 23:33:00
Maybe it's better and easier than cutting with a knife. We're going to have to try it. At least you can use it with just one hand, and the plastic won't oxidize the lettuce the way ordinary knives do. It's our old favorites at Chef'n who has come up with it, and it's USD 4:95 at Sur La Table.
More About: Plastic

Pack a six month maybe-box to unclutter your home.
2008-04-14 23:32:00
We all have stuff we rarely use and probably wouldn't miss if it was to disappear. Here's a cool idea from the ZenHabits blog. They suggest packing a "maybe-box" with stuff you haven't used for a long time. Then store the box somewhere out of the way and make a note in your calendar to look in the box in six months time. When you get the box out, chances are you did not miss anything in it and can dump the whole thing or put it up for your next garage sale.
More About: Home , Pack , Month

Alarm padlock.
2008-04-14 23:31:00
This padlock will protect your bike, garage door, garden shed, side gate, tool box or locker not only with the strength of the actual lock. To make things even sweeter, it also sports a 96 - 98 db alarm that is triggered when someone tries to tamper with your stuff. You can choose between siren and no siren, so you can use it as an ordinary lock if you prefer. But why should you? We'd like to use this at the gym... USD 20:-.
More About: Alarm , Padlock

Lawn aerating sandals.
2008-04-09 22:09:00
We use lawns for lounging and playing and we also mow the grass more or less regularly. With all this use and weight, the soil under our lawns gets compacted and less healthy over time. These lawn aerating sandals provide an easy way to revitalize hard compacted soils. Aerating your soil creates passages that allow air, water and nutrients to reach the root system. Wear them while mowing. Your lawn will thank you. USD 17:-.
More About: Sandals

New take on the old snow shovel.
2008-04-09 22:08:00
The Snow scoop has a wheel on the back that allows it to roll over any surface, carrying large amounts of snow to the side. The patented design is promised to make clearing the driveway or back yard easier than with an ordinary shovel, the weight of the snow being supported by the wheel and not by one's back. A steel edge on the front lip will completely clean a smooth surface. And the best of all; it uses no gasoline. USD 100:-.

Ladybugs as garden pest terminators.
2008-04-09 22:07:00
Ladybugs are, in effect, a garden killing machine. They have become a symbol of biocontrol and Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Although they tend to be flighty even if released properly, the Ladybugs that stick around will be diligent to chow down on their favorites: aphids, mites, insect eggs, etc. Ladybugs can be very cost-effective and are a natural way to rid your lawn and garden of unwanted pests. Each order will contain approx. 4500 (adults) USD 70:-.
More About: Garden , Terminators

Life hammer for your car.
2008-04-08 23:18:00
Today's cars envelope you in a cocoon of safety. But what happens if your seat belts won't release, or the door locks jam? You could be imprisoned in a flaming wreck. The Life Hammer comes with two heavy, conical steel points that will quickly shatter a side window and a recessed razor-sharp blade also cuts through your seat belt in one quick motion. Awarded Silver Medal by German Traffic Safety Council. USD 23:-

WTF? A golf tee with a brush?
2008-04-08 23:17:00
Finally someone has attempted to improve the ancient wooden golf tee. At the critical intersection where club meets ball, you want maximum transfer of energy and nothing to deflect your ball off line. Brush -T supports the ball on the tips of flexible bristles that bend on impact. So instead of a stiff wooden or plastic cup cradling your ball, Brush-T suspends your ball on a cushion of air and supposedly offers a gain of up to 7 yards. Promised to conform to all R&A and PGA regulations. Set includes three 2" Brush-T's (for 3-woods); three 2.2" Driver-T's; three 2.4 Oversized-T's (for higher launch angle with larger drivers); and two 3.125" XL-T's (for maximum carry with 360-480cc oversized drivers). USD 20:-.
More About: Golf

Gardner's goggles.
2008-04-08 23:16:00
These plant examining glasses brings technology developed by NASA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to your own backyard. With these purple lenses you'll be able to see areas of your lawn that may need a little help long before you'd observe the problems with your naked eye. The lenses block out the green reflected by chlorophyll in the healthy areas of your lawn and garden, causing those areas to show as black or gray. Unhealthy spots, deficient in chlorophyll, will show up as pink, red or coral. USD 50:-.
More About: Goggles

Extra long toe-nail clippers.
2008-04-07 20:46:00
Don't know about you, but we have had the feeling that our toes have moved further from our hands lately. It sounds crazy, since our legs have not grown longer. It must be that our arms have somehow become shorter. Anyway. The Easy-grip scissors sport an extra-long handle and angled blades for faster and neater clipping of toenails. Just USD 55:- .
More About: Long , Extra , Nail