Tetris Bookcase

One of my favorite ways to relieve stress is playing Tetris on my Treo 650. But that doesn't mean I'm going to rush out and pay $6,800 for this cool, Tetris-inspired shelving unit -- even though I do think it's pretty cool. (If you ask me, though, it'd be even cooler if the different units were different colors. I mean, duh!)

Lighter Than Air Power

Sweet! Combining my love for LTA with my love for alternative energy, it's the Megenn Air Rotor System (or MARS -- cute). The 4kw version is supposed to be available by Summer 2006 for around $10,000, with a 1kw version in the works for 2007 and many other sizes to follow.

Floating Wind Generators
The Magenn Power Air Rotor System (MARS) is an innovative lighter-than-air tethered device that rotates about a horizontal axis in response to wind, efficiently generating clean renewable electrical energy at a lower cost than all competing systems.
Electrical power generated at the floating Air Rotor is transferred down the tether to ground level equipment. Depending on size of the Air Rotor, power is sent to users ranging from campers to large power grids. Helium (an inert non-flammable lighter-than-air gas) sustains the Air Rotor which ascends to an altitude for best winds. No towers or heavy foundations are necessary and sizes range from small "backpack" models to large megawatt generating devices.

[via Red Ferret]

Brilliant!

ProductDose has two must-see items today, and I'm running out of blogging time. So with little comment, here you go: The Sutro Tower Belt Buckle ($40), and...
The Manhole Cover Bathmat ($39).

Giraffes? GIRAFFES!

If you're like me, you're all, "Giraffes? WTF?" I mean, seriously -- those are some weird damn animals. What are they, from Uranus or something? Well, as it turns out... maybe they are. At least according to this great looking book -- GIRAFFES? GIRAFFES!, by Dr. and Mr. Haggis-on-Whey, authors of Your Disgusting Head : The Darkest, Most Offensive and Moist Secrets of Your Ears, Mouth and Nose.

And because I know many of you are too lazy to click through to see just how badly you need to school yourself about giraffes, I'm going to quote liberally from Amazon's Editorial Review here:

... You are hopelessly clueless on giraffe culture, their likes/dislikes and voting patterns -- most giraffes are probably libertarian. GIRAFFES? GIRAFFES! is the authoritative text on the biology, history and overall nature of giraffes.

You are so behind on giraffes that it's rather embarrassing and you obviously need this book more than health insurance. Things you probably don't know about giraffes -- and can only be found in this book -- include giraffes' preferred mode of transportation (conveyor belt), what their bodies are made of (paper mache, a clock, fruit juices and a super-strong lightweight titanium alloy), where most giraffes live (Terra Haute, Indiana -- known for many things, including buildings made of wood and ground made of dirt), and basic giraffe history (in 50,000 B.C giraffes began to hang out with primitive man, they found him to be likeable and helped him paint buffaloes in caves).

Cheat Sheet on Giraffes (good for slumber parties and barroom brawls):

• Giraffes invented plastic. "No, not plastic--latex. My bad. Still, though isn't that amazing?"

• Frequently Asked Question: Why do we call giraffes "giraffes?" Answer: Because when they came to Earth they asked us to.

• Rarely Asked Question: How fast can giraffes run? The giraffes have tried to phase out running from their lives but if they had to, they could still run much faster than you. Let's say, for the sake of argument, that they can run 780 mph.

It's only $11.53, so go get it. But hurry -- Amazon says there's only 1 left in stock (but more are on the way).

[Thanks to Jeph at Questionable Content for the tip!]

Clever!

Yes, they're real tickets sealed in polyurethane. Only about $60 each. The artist also makes similar bowls out of actual film, but they're more like $200 each. [Insert Popcorn-related witticism here]


[via Everythingandnothing]

I'm Dreaming of a Fire Extinguisher...

Hey, Dude... your Christmas tree is on fire. Um... Dude?

Brushed Metal = Has Been, Pt. II

He's back, and things aren't looking so good for our hero.

Brushed Metal: So how about that fucking keynote? Fucking iLife, the whole goddamn suite, gone to that bastard theme from iTunes. You believe that shit?

Safari: Yeah, I saw that. That’s a tough break, man.

Brushed Metal: Whole goddamn suite.

Safari: Well, not GarageBand.

Brushed Metal: Yeah, that crazy fucker. You know that theme’s on meth, right?

Read the rest at Daring Fireball

...And Portable Power Corrupts Portably.

See, who says the mlitary is useless. They're the ones that field things like this here portable solar power thingamawhatsis. I'm still waiting for word from my good friend, oh, let's call him Alt.Energy.Guru, on what the real world effectiveness of an item like this might be. But let's just assume that it's at least good enough for charging your laptop, cellphone, FRS/GPS radio, etc. in the field. If you're a tax bracket or two above me, the $299 price tag might seem a bargain come hurricane/earthquake/apocolypsepalooza time. I'm just sayin'.

Specifications:
Rated Power: 10 Watts
Operating voltage: 15.4 V
Operating current: .6 amps (600mA)
Weight: .56 lbs (.25 kg) [that's about 9 oz. to you and me]
Dimensions folded length in.(mm): 10.3 (261)
Dimensions folded width in.(mm): 3.5 (89)
Dimensions folded thickness in.(mm): 1.4 (35)

Dimensions unfolded length in.(mm): 20.5 (521)
Dimensions unfolded width in.(mm): 23 (584)
Dimensions unfolded thickness in.(mm): .06 (1.5)

Features:
UV resistant, weatherproof.
Reverse blocking diode.
Rugged construction.
Comes with female lighter adapter.
Daisy chain multiple units together for additional power.
3 Year warranty.

[via CoolHunting]

GMC PAD

I don't really like posting about things that aren't actually available, but every great once in a while I'll make an exception. I've always had a bit of a motorhome fetish, though, and man, do I want one of these!

The GMC PAD features a Diesel-Electric hybrid system, which acts as a generator for the onboard power grid as well as propulsion for DriveMode. With the PAD’s resource management technology, onboard fuel & water supplies would last for weeks or even months on end. During daylight hours, the PAD’s SkyDeck features 6 M-Sq of photovoltaic cells that collect and store the sun’s natural energy. An electromagnetic suspension aids in leveling & stabilization when the PAD is being used in the LifeMode as well as remarkably easy handling while in DriveMode.

Direct TV, OnStar, XM Satellite Wi-Fi and are continually online to provide an endless variety of entertainment, information and security options and the PAD’s LCD interior architecture creates a media rich environment unlike any other. Electronically variable exterior glazing means privacy is always at your fingertips. The PAD’s rearmost area is devoted to a personal spa created in conjunction with Kohler. The food prep / kitchen area features a full suite of PAD-specific appliances developed by Thermador.

For outdoor living, the PAD features an integrated SkyDeck for enjoying the sights & sounds of LA culture.

[via Gizmag]

And, see, here's the thing -- GMC has an excellent track record when it comes to designing and then actually producing great motorhomes.

"After rumors circulated throughout the auto and recreational vehicle industries for nearly two years, the prototype was displayed in May, 1972 at the Transpro '72 trade show in Washington, D.C. Production vehicles debuted in the 1973 model year to general acclaim from the recreational vehicle community. Two models were offered, Model 230(23 feet) and Model 260(26 feet), in two variations Motorhome(provided with GM finished interior) and Transmode(bare coaches sold to RV manufacturers such as Avion and Coachman who provided their own interior).

Although the design was refined along the way, the basic vehicle was never altered. Body panels from a 1973 will fit a 1978. The most notable change came in 1977, when Oldsmobile dropped the 455 cubic inch engine for the 403. By then, the oil embargoes and energy crises of the 70's had taken their toll. "Gas guzzler" vehicles like motorhomes fell out of favor and the entire RV industry fell on hard times. The motorhome was never a high volume vehicle and was rumored never to have been profitable for the automotive giant. General Motors decided that the production facilities would be better utilized in the production of light trucks - estimating they could produce 100 light trucks for every motorhome manufactured. The formal announcement came in November of 1977 and production was discontinued in the 1978 model year after manufacturing around 13,000 total units." [GMC Motorhome FAQ]



A friend had one of these, and others I've talked to have said that they were so well-designed, well-built and versatile that few other motorhomes before or since can even compare. Unfortunately, the rumor mentioned above is probably true -- I doubt GMC ever made a profit with those motorhomes.

Personal Annual Reports

Here's a cool idea that I'd borrow if my graphic design "skills" weren't so "utterly pathetic." Still, as Kottke points out, it could become a fun trend.

[via Kottke.org]

W, as the kids say, TF?

I've wasted my life. No, no -- it's true. All those hours just uselessly wasted in front of the TV, when I could have been making a knitting robot out of Legos. [Quicktime movie]

As a side note, I'm fairly certain this is the first time I've ever watched something where the Philip Glass soundtrack didn't completely ruin it for me. Probably 'cause it's short.

Cleanliness is Next to Gothy-ness

Note for future gift-giving occasions: I don't really want one of these. Don't get me wrong -- I think it's cool and all, and I'd love to come across this in one of my friends' bathrooms. But I've already got a toilet brush, thank you very much, and a real human skull on my bookcase, so, you know, I'm covered.

You can get this one here, though, for about $19 + S&H.

[via Strange New Products]

Now thith ith really Thumbthing...

The Thumbthing. Noted without comment, 'cause it's all just so obvious.

[via OhGizmo!]

[BTW, if you don't already know about all the new Apple goodies, you're not reading enough blogs. Go check 'em out at Apple.]

Hang 'em ... Low?

As I mentioned, one of the reasons I've not posted more is I was trying not to repeat what was being shown on other high-traffic blogs like Engadget and ProductDose. But sometimes they just have the scoops on the cool stuff. Like this: Hangups are an ingenious and stunningly simple (yet elegant, unlike those crappy plastic things that do basically the same thing) solution to your lack of closet space.

[via, who else?, ProductDose]

Clockr

Flickr + flash + the inexorable march of Time = Clockr. Screencap from 11:10:20 a.m.

Cool Table, Icky Colors

Cool table. Designed by Karim Rashid. More info. Seats six when "expanded." No price yet.

[via Mocoloco]

Motherf*cker!

That MillionDollarHomepage guy will have made more than his $1,000,000 in less than 5 months, thanks to this eBay auction. I'm now going to go punch myself in the face for giving this guy even more exposure.

[via YesButNoButYes]

You're so cute, Chief.

BTW, more Popgadget goodness. Alas, no one's actually making this T-shirt -- yet.

Knitta, please!

As part of a "post more, worry less about how 'original' it is" policy here at Doublejack, I'm not even going to try to write anything original for this post (aside from this disclaimer...and the disclaimer's disclaimer...and...this stopped being funny even before I started, didn't it? O.k., nevermind...). I merely direct you to the always delightful (and original... s i g h...) Popgadget; she's already got all the good deets lined up all nice and pretty-like.

Google

Neat.

New Year, New-ish Doublejack

A few folks have voiced their frustration that Doublejack hasn't been updating, um, at all -- including yours truly. The reasons, I assure you, are all of the very best sort. But now it's time to begin digging up and dishing out the Cool Things you've all been craving. (I am doublejack, hear me roar!)

First up, these monogrammed bath towels, hand towels, and washcloths from West Elm. Running from $6-$19 apiece, they're so affordable, why would you want to limit yourself to your actual initials?

Here's a tip: Give them as gifts to the host when you attend a party. (It seems like whenever I go to wash my hands at a party, I find myself presented with the option of drying them on my pants or on a hopefully clean bath towel. Um, thanks.)