The Copper Alembic Perfume Distiller
January 8, 2008
Handcrafted in the Iberian Peninsula by Al-Ambik, makers of fine distilling instruments since 1853, this Copper Alembic Perfume Distiller ($350) is reminiscent of those used for over 1,200 years to extract essential oils from plants for use in perfumes. It was invented around 775 A.D. by Jabir Ibn Haiyan (Geber), renowned as the Father of Chemistry. Simply place water and fragrant plant leaves (such as lavender, peppermint, or thyme) into the 2 2/3-quart cucurbit, light the oil lamp and place it under the cucurbit. As the water boils, steam extracts essential oils from the plant and fills the vessel with oil vapor. The oil vapor passes from the cucurbit through the swan-neck tube and, once it reaches the water-filled condensing pot, it is cooled and converted into a concentrated liquid. The aromatic oil is deposited into a copper cooling cup for use in perfumes.
Logitech DiNovo Mini Wireless Keyboard
January 7, 2008
CES is just starting to heat up as Logitech just introduced a new product, the DiNovo Mini Wireless Keyboard. The Keyboard is designed for media center applications as it uses Bluetooth 2.0 for a stable, long range use compared to RF as well as incorporating a long lasting lithium-ion rechargeable battery. The new keyboard also uses a innovative touchpad that doubles as a a normal mousepad but also doubles as a controller for Windows Media Center. Its small form factor allows for it to be placed in a living room in conjunction with a media center pc or even a PS3 and will retail for $149.99
LG 42-inch LGX Super Slim 1.7-inch LCD
January 7, 2008
Well its that time of year and CES is finally here! At CES LG announced their 2008 lineup, including the incredible 42-inch LGX Super Slim 1.7-inch LCD. The new LCD sports and ultra-thin 1.7-inch form factor as well the LED backlighting, 15,00:1 contrast ration, 120Hz, four HDMI 1.3 ports, a USB port, and LG’s SimpLink control protocol that enables compatible equipment to work together. Unfortunately pricing and availability are currently unknown
Windows Mobile 7??
January 7, 2008
Thanks to Nathan Weinberg’s InsideMicrosoft blog we have been given possible screenshots of the upcoming Microsoft Windows Mobile 7. Not too much information about the actual OS is known but from the screen shots it seems that there will be several new ways of communicating with mobile devices such as Multi-touch (think iphone), options for shaking and rotating the device and even camera-based gesture based recognition. Since this is not a official Microsoft press release everything is speculation but looking at the screeshots provided they look pretty legit
Napkin PC Concept
January 6, 2008
Sometimes a concept comes along and its such a fantastic idea you wonder “why the hell didn’t I think of this??” Introducing the Napkin PC Concept by designer Avery Holleman. The Napkin PC is designed to be used in a business environment to help groups collaborate on various designs or documents simultaneously. Data is sent to the multi-touch e-paper via the pen by RF and has the ability to communicate to all the various tablets. Unfortunately this is only a concept so we probably will never see an actual production unit, but it is nice to see that designers are finally starting to think outside the box for PC designs.
16GB Memory Stick Duo
January 6, 2008
Sony’s Memory Stick format has never really been taken too seriously but the new 16GB Memory Stick Duo ($299) has changed all that. The new size will allow for incredible capacity for digital SLR’s and various other Sony products.
Nvidia Geforce 9800 GX2
January 6, 2008
We all knew Nvidia was cooking up something special to replace the aging 8800 Ultra, and here it is the Nvidia Geforce 9800 GX2. The 9800 GX2 will contain two printed circuit boards (PCB’s) similar to the old Geforce 7950 GX2., giving the card a all-in-one SLi solution. We know for sure the new processors will be based on 65nm GPU tech (possibly with G92 cores) The 9800 GX2 will also feature 1 GB or memory, 512mb for each card. The 9800 GX2 has not been officially released by Nvidia but it has been reported to be up to 30% faster than a 8800 Ultra and is currently expected to be released in early February 2008.
HydroPak Water Powered Portable Generator
January 4, 2008
You know you have thought about it… powering you things from water or hydrogen. Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies has made that into a reality. The HydroPak ($400) is powered by disposable cartages ($20) which are activated by water. It features a common AC outlet and two USB connectors to charge or operate low power devices. All providing infinite shelf life and enough energy to recharge an average notebook computer 8 to 10 times. My favorite part about this is that it can run indoors with quiet operation and zero harmful emissions. The HydroPak will be available the second half of 2008. [via]
BiTMICRO 832GB SSD E-Disk Altima
January 4, 2008
BiTMICRO is officially going to sell 2.5inch SSD drives ranging from 32GB – 832GB. They use Multi-Level Cell memory doubling the number of bits stored per memory cell. The drives are expected to ship Q3 2008 in capacities ranging from 32GB to 832GB. There is no word on a price yet, but we want one so we will publish the price as soon as we find out.
Diesel Reptile Belt
January 2, 2008
This leather belt is studded with worn out looking squares of steel. The price of this stylish belt is $395 so if you want it, you better start saving.
