Design

LAS VEGAS--We may never be able to replace the splendor of painting on a real canvas with store-bought pigments, but the supreme accuracy of a modern touch-screen computer can offer an artistic experience that would even make Dali's head spin.

Deep within the maze-like setup of Sony's booth at CES 2013, I sat down with artist April Wong as she painted a woman using the ArtRage drawing program on a Sony Vaio Duo 11 hybrid tablet. Stroke by stroke, a realistic image emerged from Wong's stylus, and I couldn't help but find myself surprised that the visage appearing on the tablet looked as good, if not better, than a real painting. No mess, either!… Read more

LAS VEGAS--The LCD touch screen has become commonplace in cars, but the technology suffers from limited shaping. Texas Instruments used its Digital Light Processor (DLP) technology to come up with a display that could take a wide variety of shapes in the car, and allow touch control for people wearing gloves.

In its exhibition area at CES 2013, Texas Instruments had a car dashboard mounted on a stand to show off the concept. A very large screen followed the curves of the dashboard down the center stack, capable of showing car functions such as navigation, phone, and audio. Just like … Read more

LAS VEGAS--When the Luminae glass keyboard project concluded its campaign on Kickstarter in early 2012, it was pretty much just a glimmer in its creator's eye, more an idea than a product. That didn't stop it from nearly tripling its funding goal. Move ahead to CES 2013 and the Luminae from TransluSense is very much a real thing, and it's a thing of beauty.

A light pipe, infrared LEDs, and visible LEDs feed signals into the artfully curved glass. Three cameras look upward from below and see when your fingers break the light pattern. That's how it recognizes what you're doing on the glass. A smaller trackpad version will also be available.

So what's the purpose of a glass keyboard, especially one that costs $500? For starters, you'll never have to shake, toothpick, or vacuum crumbs out from under your keys ever again. Ultimately, the real answer is that it just plain looks awesome.… Read more

LAS VEGAS--Wireless peripheral maker Parrot is showing off an update to its Philippe Starck-designed Zikmu Solo wireless speaker system. Due sometime this year, the system doesn't differ much aesthetically from the original model introduced back in 2009. The latest version, does, however, offer improved innards, powerful sound, and a lower price point.

The $999 Zikmu Solo has 2x100-watt output and a built-in 1GHz ARM A8 processor that the company says "controls the path of the coil of the bass loudspeaker in real time" to greatly reduce distortion during playback.

The 2.1 stereo audio speaker system features built-in Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC (for quick pairing). Aside from the array of connectivity features, the Zikmu also jives with DLNA for networked streaming and can even connect with another Zikmu (over Wi-Fi) for even more output. A built-in speaker dock at the top of the device works with older iPhones and iPods with a 30-pin power port.… Read more

If you're always losing your Bluetooth headphones or speakers, FeltAudio's products could be for you. The FeltAudio Pulse is a tiny Bluetooth speaker that can be clipped on to a shirt pocket or belt, while the Rewind is a pair of in-ear headphones with a retractable cable.

The Pulse speaker works quite simply. You pair it with your handset and clip it on to some part of your clothing. When you're not using the speaker (or if you want the speaker playing back audio while attached to your phone), you can clip it to special Felt cases -- these are lined on the insides with actual felt -- which will be available for the iPhone 5 as well as iPad. The company is working on versions for iPad Mini and new iPod Touch. … Read more

Congrats to Jeffrey W. of Urbana, Ill., for winning our last giveaway of 2012, an LG Optimus G smartphone from Sprint.

It's mid-winter, so you're likely to see a lot of scarfs out and about. Most of them, however, probably do not contain retroreflective lenses that alter the shade of the fabric depending on the light. If you win this week's giveaway, yours will.

For our first freebie of the new year, we're giving away a Retroreflective Scarf by geek designer, author, and former "Project Runway" contestant Diana Eng. Diana fashions all kinds of cool techno-wear, including a collection of "smart scarves" with designs inspired by science, math, and technology.

Her new Retroreflective Scarf sports subtle stripes that normally appear gray. But when exposed to a direct light source, the tiny lenses on the stripes illuminate with reflected light, creating different shades.… Read more

If you wanted to send a message in a bottle, what would you put in it? A letter? A map? How about sound itself?

It doesn't look like this sound generator from Japan would fare well if cast into the Pacific, but it's a neat way to create music from the sounds in your everyday environment.

Created by Jun Fujiwara of Tama Art University, the LED-lit Re: Sound Bottle mixes programmed beats with samples you record.

Simply uncork, capture sounds around you, and it will play them back with a rhythm track. Check it out in the video below. … Read more

The Moebius House doesn't look or sound real. It's designed to be built on a Korean island in a forest growing on volcanic rock. It's inspired by the unending brain teaser known as a Mobius strip.

Design firm Planning Korea has tackled some creative projects in the past, including designs for a mega-bridge over the Han River and a cocoon-shaped house that looks like it could hide a giant insect inside. It's no wonder those same architects saw a Mobius strip as a good basis for a house.… Read more

You don't have to be the Audiophiliac (CNET's resident hi-fi guru Steve Guttenberg) to know that vinyl is cool again, but one band has taken this idea to its extreme.

Swedish indie band Shout Out Louds has announced that the first 10 copies of its new single "Blue Ice" will be made out of, appropriately, ice.

The band, with the help of the TBWA ad agency, created a silicone mold from which the listener could freeze their own 7-inch single. Apparently normal tap water resulted in air bubbles and other contaminants that could make the needle skip out of the groove, so the band includes a bottle of distilled water in the package.… Read more