Design

Dutch designer Scott van Haastrecht has come up with an innovative way to spice up his mornings. His invention, the Image Toaster, searches Google Images and proceeds to toast the day's latest images on bread at at 6x6 pixels.

Meant as a school project for a Creative Technology course, the Image Toaster is currently still a prototype and needs to be tethered to a computer to work. The creator explains that his final product will work on Wi-Fi and only needs a power cord to function. … Read more

TP Vision (a joint venture between Philips and TP Technology) has just announced its latest DesignLine TVs. In terms of aesthetics, the Philips PDL8908 is truly in a class of its own with a unibody glass chassis that stretches all the way to the floor.

This design eliminates the need for a separate stand, while the progressively translucent glass surface is another special touch. Adding to the series' overall good looks is an alluring halo that mirrors the onscreen colors and is created by the onboard Ambilight function. … Read more

There are two meanings for illumination: light and knowledge. As such, a lamp that looks like a book seems apropos -- and Lumio by San Francisco architect and industrial designer Max Gunawan immediately appeals.

When you open its cover, a concertina crafted to resemble the pages acts as a filter for the bright LEDs inside.

It's not just a pretty face, though. Like a book, it's portable, its lithium ion rechargeable with a discreet charging port hidden in the spine. Because it's lit with LEDs, its power consumption is low, lasting up to 8 hours. Neodymium magnets in the cover mean you can stick it to metal surfaces, and the wooden cover is flexible for a variety of configurations. … Read more

Over the past few years, Kickstarter has become a force to be reckoned with. Some of the coolest and weirdest gadgets I saw at this year's CES didn't come from big corporations or even small ones -- they came from independent inventors who found funding and encouragement through Kickstarter.

Which isn't to say that every Kickstarter project is a hit. The site is also a graveyard of hackneyed ideas, indie records, and films that no one wants to see. But when a Kickstarter campaign hits the right nerve, it's an exhilarating flip of the supply-and-demand model … Read more

Back in 1989, "The Simpsons" had yet to appear on our screens, and 35-year-old Matt Groening -- who had been working as a professional cartoonist on his original strip "Life in Hell" -- picked up some work from a declining computer company by the name of Apple.

The job? Making computers appear "hip" in a brochure called "Who Needs a Computer Anyway?" starring his characters from "Life in Hell." The images featured an appropriately wide-eyed Bongo -- the main character's son -- who was overburdened with work.

This isn't exactly news; scans of the brochure have been floating around the Web for a couple of years now, thanks to The Comics Alliance via Reddit.

Web site VintageZen, however, has uncovered a pair of posters we hadn't seen before. See them at CNET Australia.… Read more

A watched pot never boils, but some pots can stir themselves.

Kurukuru Nabe, a pot developed in Japan, stirs its own contents, freeing you up to do better things with your time.

You'd think this is high-tech stuff, but no. It's a conventional saucepan with a grooved insert that produces a circular motion resembling a whirlpool in the water.

The design is fairly simple, as seen in this video of an aluminum pot with grooves that induce a spin. … Read more

Coffee in the morning is no small matter. Decisions get made while sipping the caffeinated brew, decisions that shape the day. Like an architect, we construct plans, piece by piece, layer by layer, until a form emerges. Of course, that usually doesn't involve the actual coffee cup. But then again, who is to say it cannot?

The ThinkGeek Build-On Brick Mug ($19.99) is a coffee mug designed to appeal to designers of all ages. The interactive mug invites users to fiddle with it, stacking popular parts onto their own creations. Exactly what those popular parts might be is, of course, of utmost importance; the last thing anybody wants to do is wrestle with their morning beverage.

Rest assured, the mug is compatible with Lego, PixelBlocks, Mega Bloks, Kre-O, or K'Nex Bricks. The mug itself doesn't come with any bricks; it's strictly BYOB.… Read more

It wasn't long ago when 3D printing was a really cool concept we liked to daydream about. Now, it's gearing up to change our lives. We've seen 3D-printed buildings, portraits, organs, prosthetics, food, couture, a moon base, and even a pen for all your creative and repair needs. What's missing?

3D-printed transport, of course.

That, however, could change if engineer Jim Kor has his way. Heading up the team behind 3D-printed electric car Urbee, Kor has more than 35 years of experience in designing automotive, bus, rail, agricultural and heavy mobile equipment, as well as civil … Read more

Tempting fate is a very human pastime. We know it will all end badly sooner or later, so why not see whether we can skirt the edge of disaster and experience how it feels?

Such an impulse will surely drive many to book an early ticket on Titanic II.

No, this is not another Donald Trump project. It is, instead, the idea of Clive Palmer, an Australian mining tycoon known for his dreamy qualities.… Read more