lights

The most exquisite lamps have surfaced on the MAKE magazine blog of all places.

I suppose these lamps technically qualify as homemade tech gadgetry because artist Frank Buchwald handcrafted them himself.

I think his artistic meld of the natural and tech elevate these usable art pieces to more than look-what-I-made-in-my-garage status.

They just seem way too nice to appear in the same blog that showcased the hand-sewn nerd pillows and homemade Hobbit house.

Here in Manhattan we have all these overpriced, semi-trashy, "see and be seen"-type nightclubs that routinely show up in the pages of Us Weekly. They all have one thing in common, aside from the price-gouging on bottle service: each one inevitably features some kind of luminescent gimmick inside, be it a giant tank of jellyfish or a light show on the ceiling. Well, if you can't get enough of that stuff, here's a set of speakers that will bring nightlife into your home--the I-Lit, which feature pulsing colored light to the beat of your music (… Read more

We're open to all lifestyles here at Crave, so far be it from us to pass any judgment on recreational activities involving laser shows that might be enhanced by specific equipment. (We never inhaled, for the record.)

But we have to ask: Is it really necessary to have a portable laser show? Apparently the makers of the "Might Mini Laser" see a market for one, described on Red Ferret as transforming "walls or ceilings into a magical light show experience" in a highly mobile form.

If you decide to try one of these, we suggest … Read more

We're saddened to say that there appears to be an infinite supply of date-repellant products on the market. As if we needed more proof, another example has surfaced in the form of a gadget that pays homage to--what a surprise--Star Trek.

VOS Systems has created a talking light dimmer that Chip Chick says features "the voice of Majel Roddenberry (AKA the computer)." The dimmer is equipped with voice-recognition software so you can do your best William Shatner impersonation on it too.

You'll have plenty of time to practice on Saturday nights. Come to think of it, … Read more

It's touted as a disco enhancement, but it looks a lot more like raver chic to us. Whatever it is, Hammacher Schlemmer's "Dancing Light MP3 Synchronizer" will funkify your party with 33 multicolored LEDs bouncing off a concave mirror to the beat of whatever tunes you choose. It can even be set to four programs, "Andante, Moderato, Allegro and Presto." But if we were going to take this route, we'd just as soon go for the full retro effect with a home laser show. And remember, don't bogart that Nano.

You know, I kind of like lava lamps. Unlike the whole ambient orb craze, lava lamps aren't just background decoration--they're fun to stare at. They also have legit retro appeal, which is pretty cool when it seems like just about every gadget is trying to look as futuristic as possible. Now, crazy-gadget hub ThinkGeek is selling a $10 lava lamp night light that Gizmodo alerted us to today. You can get 'em in red or yellow (though on the product page, the yellow looks more like neon green), and they plug right into any electric socket. Then it … Read more

There was a time when technological "convergence" in the home was defined by a combo device that merged television with computing. Now, it can be anything from a table-refrigerator to a smart coffee maker.

And the pace of innovation is furious. Just a few days after posting an item on a combo speaker lamp, we discovered that it's already been trumped by a combination lamp, speaker and air purifier, according to Chip Chick. The tower-shaped "Rigel," by Italy's Artemide, has a mirrored finish that gives way to colored lights when in use. But at … Read more

The "Havaleena" cordless LED lights from Tayo Design Studio are marketed as a kind of quirky-cool lighting for outdoor parties, but personally, I think they look like sleeker versions of the glow sticks that are frequently associated with the raver scene. They're not cheap--$59 bucks a pop, or $149 for a set of three that you can arrange into a "bouquet"--but they look pretty darn awesome, and you can customize the colors by switching around a variety of vellum filters. Additionally, the filters can have a short line of text printed on them. … Read more

You know, we track some wacky trends here on Crave. There are the Color-Changey Things, and the Stupid USB Devices, and of course Anthropomorphic Audio. And recently I've been spotting another one: things shaped like UFOs. There's that bug-killing gadget that flies, and a cute little saucer to manage hands-free electronic activity in cars. The latest in this emerging trend is the Neues Licht UFO Light, a German lighting concept that is shaped like something that might have appeared in an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000.

The Neues Licht UFO is made mostly out of glass fibers, … Read more