Smart Stuff

RSS Feed Homepage

Articles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Teflon coated roller tray - just peel off dried paint.
2008-06-10 22:25:00
There are few things as boring as cleaning roller paint trays. Unless one use disposable liners, we suspect that many people discard the whole thing rather than cleaning them. That's not too smart environmentally or economically. This new roller tray might help solve this problem. It has a teflon coating that lets you peel off dried paint without much effort. The big question is why it took so long before someone came up with it. The paint tray is made of metal with a non-stick teflon surface. USD 8:99 on Amazon.
More About: Paint , Tray , Roller

Fake bus stop stops stray Alzheimer patients.
2008-06-09 18:05:00
The idea was first tried by the Benrath senior citizens home in Düsseldorf where the staff placed a fake bus stop sign at the sidewalk near the premises. The only difference between the Benrath sign and the real deal is that no buses stop at Benrath. The Benrath staff took to installing the fake sign as an attempt at solving the problem of old patients going astray trying to return to their previous homes or families, often to be collected by the police and brought back to the home at Bentrath. The patients are old, and their memories of recent events are often non-existant. Their long term memories, however, are often very clear to them. It seems they recognize the bus stop sign, remembering they used to take the bus to go home. Now, if they stray into the street, they wait patiently by the bus stop, soon forgetting why they went outside in the first place. Then they are collected by the staff, and brought inside again. The idea has apparently proved so successful it's tested in o...
More About: Alzheimer , Fake , Stop , Patients , Stops

The Weber grilling shirt.
2008-06-06 16:30:00
Today is reportedly the hottest June 6th for many years, and what would be more appropriate on our National Day than a grill gadget. But it's not just any grilling accessory. It's the official Weber grilling shirt. It's made of stain resistant cotton and it has lots and lots of pockets. Here's a pocket for lighter/matches, a specially coated pocket for spatula or basting brush and an extra deep pocket for tongs and the likes. Mesh under the arms for better ventilation. Available in charcoal grey (of course)and it is USD 30:-.
More About: Shirt , Grilling

Picnic box for dogs.
2008-06-06 16:28:00
Since June 6th is the Swedish National Day, and the weather is the best possible, a picnic in the park is a very tempting proposition. But. If you have a dog you should of course bring some picnic for Fido, too. The Charlybox consists of two separate parts, easily snapped together or taken apart. Just fill the water container with water and one of the bowls with dogfood. At the picnic site you just open it up and fill the water bowl and Fido is all set. USD 60:-.
More About: Dogs , Picnic

Mobile camera microscope add-on.
2008-06-06 16:27:00
A team of researchers at UC Berkeley are developing technology that will allow anyone anywhere in the world to diagnose malaria without any other equipment than a mobile phone with a camera and the microscope add-on. The idea behind the CellScope is to facilitate malaria detection and treatment without the need for a doctor on site to make the diagnosis. All you have to do is put a glass with a blood sample in front of the microscope, turn on the LED lights and look for the tell-tale blue dots that reveal wether the patient has contracted malaria. If need be, the mobile image can be sent to experts anywhere in the world for analysis.
More About: Mobile , Camera , Microscope

BMW working on exhaust generator, nixes ethanol.
2008-06-05 14:00:00
Cars are great wasters. Of all the energy stored in the fuel, only a third is used to propel the car and run its systems. The rest is lost in heat from the engine and the exhaust system. One way of getting more bang for the fuel buck could be the exhaust powered generator developed by British Foresight Motors that we posted on earlier. By using engine exhausts to power the car's generator the engine is relieved of this work and hopefully uses less fuel. Another idea, under development by BMW, is a thermo electric generator also placed in the exhaust system. Such a generator generates power by utilizing the dynamics of cold and warm air. Similar systems has been in use by NASA for years. BMW hopes to have a working system capable of generating 1,000 W within five years. This will be enough to run a car's AC and heat seats - and save up to five percent on fuel. BMW does not, however, have any plans to develop engines capable of running on the increasingly popular E85 methanol fuel.
More About: Ethanol , Generator , Working , Exhaust

GM closes four SUV and truck plants. Hummer next?
2008-06-05 13:59:00
GMs massive Hummer SUV has drawn much of its popularity from its percieved relationship to the US Army's HMMWV (High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle), developed and manufactured by AM General. The Humvee is clearly a very competent off-road vehicle and weapons platform, but it's hardly suited for everyday civilian use. The same can be said of the Hummer, too, even though it hardly has a single bolt in common with the HMMWV. The Hummer is based on GMs large SUV and truck chassis who now may have passed their expiration date. In any case GM apparently has felt the icy winds when they make public that they are shutting down no less that four(!) SUV and truck factories. The rising price of gas seems to have caught up with them at long last. There's no word on the Hummer, though, but GM finally seems to have seen the writing on the wall.
More About: Plants , Truck

Frost sensitive road markings.
2008-06-05 13:58:00
French company Eurovia is reported to be developing a kind of thermo sensitive varnish that can change color as the temperature changes. The application Eurovia is looking for is road markings that can warn drivers when the surface temperature on the road comes close to freezing. When temperatures rise again, the varnish resumes its original color. If they can get this to work at a cost that allows it to be implemented on a wide scale, the safety implications are of course obvious. Every driver does not automatically consider bridges and low ground as potential ice patches.
More About: Road , Frost , Sensitive

Baby bottle with medicine dispenser.
2008-06-02 18:24:00
Administering medication to babies is no easy task. They spit, they refuse to swallow, they do anything not to ingest the often less-than-sweet tasting drug. This is of course instinctive, and really a good thing, since it's meant to protect babies from eating anything suspicious. But it does not make giving them meds any easier. This invention, however, may well do the trick. The Medibottle is a baby bottle with an inset syringe. The idea is to mix the medication, a little at a time, with milk or baby formula so baby will not notice. It just could work. The bottle is USD 13:- on Amazon.
More About: Baby , Medicine , Bottle

Coffee mug carrier.
2008-06-02 18:21:00
Of course there are the ever present cardboard trays. But this looks a lot smarter. However, there does not seem to exist much information as to who sells them or gives them away. The only thing we know is that they were apparently first(?) posted on a German blog or site, and that the pictures were picked up from there. Still, we like the idea, and if anyone out there knows more about this idea, we'll be happy to hear from you. Link to the German site's post after the jump.
More About: Coffee

Collapsible and portable laptop stand.
2008-06-02 18:19:00
We are naturally pretty fond of our own little laptop stand invention since it's cheap and doesn't take up much room, but the Cricket laptop stand (above) is pretty cool, too. And we have to admit that the Cricket elevates the laptop a lot more than our improvised idea does, it can be adjusted, and it's available in more colors than one. On the other hand it's more expensive than our idea. A lot, actually... The Cricket is USD 40:- on it's own site.
More About: Laptop , Portable , Stand

Salt cubes - because we use too much of it.
2008-05-29 12:38:00
Salt is one of the most useful spices for cooking. And for a long time essential for our ability to preserve foods for longer than a few days. Salted herring. Salted salmon. Salted meat. You name it. Without it long sea voyages would hardly have been possible, and the great discoveries possibly not discovered. Way back, salt nodes in rocks or mines were worth their weight in gold and an excellent trading commodity. Now, however, when salt is readily available, we tend to use too much. Hence this idea; the Kakujio. The Kakujio is a 2.5cc salt cube. Enough for cooking. Designed by the De Meyboom Lab in the Netherlands by Yasuhito Hirose and Ryohei Yoshiyuki it was featured in the Muji Awards 02. Also check out the Muji Awards 01, and the call for entries to Muji Awards 03.
More About: Salt

USB equipped desk grommet insert.
2008-05-29 12:36:00
Nearly all mobile gadgets plug in to the computer using USB. Many, if not all, modern desks have cable grommets to push cables and connectors through. Why not combine the two? Why not, indeed. We just wish we had thought of it first. With the In-Desk USB Hub you can connect a flash drive, a camera, etc and save space around your computer. The Hub is made to fit a 3 inch round grommet hole and connects directly to the computer with the included USB cable. It is USD 30:89 on Amazon.

Simple, ingenious cable holder for any shirt button.
2008-05-29 12:34:00
We know next to nothing about this invention, except that it apparently is called "Wire Button ", and that it was designed to help keep headphone cables and the likes in order. No word on availability or cost, but it does not look like it is going to cost an arm and a leg when (and it must) goes into production.
More About: Shirt , Simple , Cable

Mini travel iron.
2008-05-27 16:46:00
This mini travel iron could mean the end of our crumpled travel life. It's so small it looks like it could be stuffed in a pocket. Providing it has had the time to cool off, of course. It looks like it would fit into most any suitcase or bag waiting quietly to un-crumple any garment and make us more respectable looking in a jiffy. Oh, belay that. The size of the ironing surface may actually make the process of ironing a shirt a rather lengthy one. Wonder if the actual design of a travel iron really has to resemble a conventional iron. Could there be a more efficient form? USD 14:98.
More About: Travel , Mini , Iron

Pet water bottle and watering bowl.
2008-05-27 16:44:00
We have previously covered a travel water bottle and bowl for dogs (and cats) on the site, so this one is to offer a competing design that may better suit your circumstances and preferences. Both ideas address the same problem in different ways, and this new addition has a few perks the older one did not have; like a belt clip and a carrying strap. USD 8:99.
More About: Water , Bottle , Bowl

Holy hot dog! A hot dog grill grid.
2008-05-27 16:42:00
There seems to be a never ending demand for grilling gadgets. Part of the cause for this is of course the fact that we keep buying the stuff, thus encouraging people to keep inventing and manufacturing such gadgets. Never mind. Here's an idea that we think could easily be adapted to a weekend project of our own. A piece of steel mesh and something rounded and smooth to make the wavy bending with, and we'd be home. The site that sells them says they are made from recyclable aluminum, and that's okay we suppose, but what's wrong with stainless steel? USD 2:99 for two.
More About: Grid , Holy , Grill

Wire skillet for grilling the small stuff.
2008-05-23 13:16:00
We have a perforated skillet that we use for grilling small stuff like vegetables, shrimps and so forth. It works just great and we have used it for years by now. However, the other day we stumbled upon this alternative take on perforated skillets that was new to us; the mesh skillet. The principle is the same, of course, but the mesh, providing more holes than our old skillet, may let more heat and aroma through. The site that sells them claims the idea comes from the Spanish Basque province. We would not know about that, but we would really like to try one of these mesh skillets. USD 29:95.
More About: Stuff , Small , Grilling , Wire

Pitcher with coldpack.
2008-05-23 13:14:00
Now that summer finally seems to be coming along, maybe it would be just about time to introduce this pitcher with its crushed ice cooling compartment. You will agree, we are sure, that keeping the ice in its own compartment is preferable to pouring it into the drink itself. There it would dilute your lemonade or your ice tea or your sangria or whatever you prefer to drink on the porch on a hot day. USD 45:-.
More About: Pitcher

Poached eggs, anyone?
2008-05-23 13:13:00
This little silicone cradle lets you poach perfectly smooth and round eggs. Just brush the inside with a little oil, pour in the egg, and let sit in boiling water until firm. When the egg is done, you just turn the pod inside-out and the egg plops onto your plate as a perfect little dome. GBP 4:99 (about USD 10:-).
More About: Eggs

A smarter skewer.
2008-05-21 15:18:00
We love grilling. Shish kebabs too. But there is always the problem with turning them over. The little pieces of meat or veggies or shrimps or whatever do tend to turn on the skewer as you turn the skewer over and thus ending up with the uncooked side on top as before. The answer to that was the double skewer with two prongs that stopped food from turning. But there still was the chore of turning all the skewers. Enter the eight-pronged grill fork. Or the quad double skewer. No food spin. And just one turn to turn all the skewers. Could skewers get any better? GBP 10:- (about USD 20:-).

Two ways to keep a tidy car tidy.
2008-05-21 15:17:00
We had an e-mail from Tony B. the other day. Tony is the inventor of EasyBin (left), and he wanted to let us know about his invention. Around the same time, we had found the Car Bin on the British Lakeland web-shop, but had not posted on it yet. So here's a double whammy directed at all the messy cars of the world. You know who you are. The Car Bin is waterproof and washable. The Easybin has individual plastic bags that you tear off and discard when they are filled with candy wrappers, banana skins and other trash. The Car Bin is to be hung from a hook or knob in the car. The Easybin has its own hanger. The Car Bin is GBP 4:- (about USD 8:-). The EasyBin is SEK 79:- (about USD 13:-) for a starter kit with holder and 15 bags. A refill kit with 15 new bags is SEK 39:- (about USD 6:50) Which is your favorite?

The best whisk ever.
2008-05-21 15:16:00
Grandmother had one. Auntie had one. Mum had one. Wouldn't be surprised if every Swedish kitchen had a whisk like this during the fifties and sixties. The there was the electric whisk, but we still think this old invention is the better of the two. It's cheaper, there are less parts that can break, and it does not use any power. On the contrary, it helps you improve muscle strength while you get the whipped cream ready. The whisk in the picture is from the British Lakeland web-shop where it is GBP 9:- (around USD 18:-). We could not find a Swedish web shop that sells them, alas.

New take on power splitters.
2008-05-19 23:17:00
With this Plug Multiplier you can easily convert one wall socket into four without getting tangled in the long power cord that accompanies ordinary power splitters. It also sports color coded on/off switches and a built in power surge protector. All for GBP 20:- (about USD 39:-).
More About: Power

Knife holder that goes under the cabinet.
2008-05-19 23:15:00
Ordinary knife stands, knife blocks or knife holders have one problem in common. They take up space on the kitchen counter. This knife holder from Wusthof, though, offers an alternative. Mounted under a kitchen cabinet, it swings out to present the knives and back again to keep them out of sight. Clever. And the best part is it has a magnet inside to prevent the knives from flying all over the kitchen in case you get too enthusiastic. Room for 8 knives no longer that 10 in. USD 40:-.
More About: Knife , Cabinet

Portable picnic grill.
2008-05-19 23:14:00
Folded it's no thicker than an inch. Fold it out and pour in the coals and you have a pretty competent looking picnic grill. So far so good. The problems comes later; when you want to go home again. Better grill early and give it lots of cooling time... Yours for GBP 20:- (about USD 39:-)
More About: Portable , Picnic , Grill

Magnetic swiveling mini LED light for grill, etc.
2008-05-16 17:02:00
It has three LED lights, a magnetic mount and it can be turned in any direction. To boot, it is heat resistant up to 176°F. Its magnet foot will attach to any ferrous surface, like a grill or a spatula. This is very well, but we think we could find lots of other uses for it. The limits of our, and your, imagination is all that's stopping us. And the prize tag, of course... USD 15:-.
More About: Mini , Light , Magnetic , Grill

Crank powered shaver.
2008-05-16 17:01:00
It is supposed to work just like any other electric shaver. Minus the batteries or the power cord. Just turn the crank to shave anywhere you feel the stubble. One minute of turning gives two minutes of shaving. Seems to be the perfect gift for the frequent traveller or camping enthusiast. Or the guy that has a five o'clock shadow already before lunch. Sold with travel pouch with a mirror, cleaning brush and a power adapter just in case you couldn't be bothered with the cranking. Yours for USD 46:- at the manufacturer's own website.
More About: Crank

Adjustable mandolin with a ceramic blade.
2008-05-16 17:00:00
We bought one of these Kyocera ceramic mandolins recently, because we were curious to see how a ceramic blade would compare to a steel one. And it has not disappointed. The blade is almost too sharp, so the handle for whatever you're slicing is not to be ignored. Any macho chef stuff is hereby strongly discouraged. We've cut most anything on it. from cheese via ham carrots without any sign of the blade getting duller. It is promised to stay sharp ten times longer than a steel blade, so we'll see. Another feature is the easy adjustment of the cutting thickness. All you do is turn a square rod on the back of the mandolin. There are four different thicknesses available - 0.5 mm, 1.3 mm, 2 mm and 3 mm. Machine washable. It's available for instance on Amazon- for USD 24:95.
More About: Blade

Table leg cable organizer.
2008-05-14 22:40:00
We bought this cable organizer in Bangkok in February. A store called Playground had a clearance sale (it looked as though they were moving or going out of business). The store is (was) located at 818 Soi Sukhumvit 55. The idea is you put the plastic ring around one of the legs of your desk, and push the cables into the different slots in the ring. Works very well, as long as the table leg has a big enough diameter. The slots have different sizes to accommodate different size cables. We bought the cable ring for THB 65:- (about USD 2:-) on sale, and it was the very last one they had. It had been THB 215:- (about USD 3:85) so it was quite a bargain. Too bad they didn't have any more.
More About: Organizer , Table , Cable