We're not qualified
(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks)It's a pity that the Olympics agenda is already set, because this would be a perfect event to include this summer. After all, if curling can qualify, this certainly can.
As all Cravers know, a high level of dexterity is required in the sport of "speedcabling," whereby contestants compete to see who can untangle a seemingly hopeless knot of cords the fastest. (For the uninitated, here's a definition on Wikipedia.) And even though it won't be included in the Beijing games, that didn't stop the first "official" competition from taking place at a Los Angeles art gallery last week.
The contest was the brainchild of one Steven Schkolne, who, as an IT professional, obviously has some real-world experience with the subject matter as well as perhaps an unhealthy interest in it as a hobby. "I did a bunch of experiments and found that putting them in a dryer for three minutes works pretty well, it allows them to tangle naturally," he said in an interview with the BBC. Not only that, but they also have to actually work after being untangled to qualify.
The grueling event was won by Matthew Howell, a Web developer who told the BBC that "the finals were brutal--12 ethernet cords, some as long as 25 feet, all knotted into a nasty bundle." Howell, who calls his technique "Fierce Data Cloud," said he honed his skills while kneading dough as a pizza maker. That's particularly fitting, as his prize is a $50 gift certificate for a neighborhood Italian restaurant.
(Crave is still trying to hunt down a video of the competition, but in the meantime here are a few photos on Flickr.)
(Credit:
Bandai)
This almost falls into the chindogu, or un-useless inventions category, though not quite. The Japanese have once again come up with a weird gimmick that might actually find a sizable market in people who feel compelled to pop Bubble Wrap. You know who you are.
Toymaker Bandai's cute-sounding "Puti Puti" even simulates the sound of the bubbles bursting. It's particularly useful for those with OCD.
Via Japan Today.
(Source: Crave Asia)
(Credit:
Tersano)
It's already shaping up to be a banner day for the germaphobes here at Crave. Just after posting an item about the latest OCD vacuum cleaner, we came across another gadget to sanitize our food as well.
The "Lotus Sanitizing System" uses "super-oxygen" infused water to pulverize bacteria and other unsavory elements from pretty much whatever will fit in its "multi-purpose sanitizing bowl," according to Shiny Shiny. (You can watch a video of it in action here.)
Granted, it's not the first food sanitizer on the market--there are even gadgets out there designed to make meat squeaky clean. But at $170, it's far cheaper than other models we've seen. Besides, when it comes to ingestion (and digestion), the true germaphobe never skimps.
Yeah, we know--we're sick of USB drives too. But just when we were about to impose a moratorium on them, along comes Art Lebedev Studio with one that we can't resist.
(Credit:
Art Lebedev)
It figures that the exception would come from the celebrated Russian design house, whose avant-garde Optimus keyboards--the "Maximus" and the still-unpronounceable "Upravlator"--have been among the most lusted-after products in the gadget world for some time. Unlike those groundbreaking products, however, Engadget notes that the "Finger Folder" flash drive is notable for its whimsical simplicity.
It also solves a personal problem that we've often carped about. Because of our digital pack-rat tendencies, we often don't empty our portable drives as often as we should (say, maybe once a year). Now we can label this folder just like the manila ones overflowing from the boxes in all our closets. On second thought, maybe this isn't such a good idea after all.
It's been noted more than a few times that some of us at Crave have issues where cables are concerned. (We try not to talk about it, for Erica's sake.)
(Credit:
Apacer)
So we're always pleased to see a product that helps manage the inevitable tangle of unsightly wires we so dread, such as these revolving USB ports we happened to see on Gizmowatch. The proliferation of USB devices--and lack of ports in our older computers--has led to some unruly and possibly hazardous combinations in our immediate areas, and we fear that the fire marshal may be onto us. A big part of the problem is USB plugs we've unwisely forced into their slots.
Apacer has addressed this challenge with a simple solution (always the best kind), which keeps those fat plugs from getting into a shoving match at the expense of your personal safety. The colors make us happy too.
(Credit:
Dyson)
(Credit:
ThinkGeek)
It's taken years of therapy to admit it, but we're unabashed fans of high-tech cleaning gadgets. So we were naturally drawn to this new handheld model from the vacuum maker that has achieved an almost cult-like status, Dyson.
The "Root 6" model is a dust-busting juggernaut that promises to be twice as powerful as its nearest competitors while recharging up to three times faster--two claims that are music to our obsessive-compulsive ears. Appropriate to its mission, it looks like a futuristic assault weapon: Gadget Candy says it resembles a Dr. Who prop circa 1982, but we think it's much closer to the Imperial Walkers in the Empire Strikes Back two years earlier.
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