It seems like everything under the sun is getting the Swarovski crystal treatment. Back in February, we introduced you to the top five Swarovski disasters, which included phones, radios, and even a whole piano covered in the stuff. Now you can add light switches to the list of useless abominations sprinkled with Swarovskis.
This time around, Berker Switches and Systems has teamed with Swarovski to present the "Crystal Collection." Why would you settle for a boring old plastic switch when you can get a large, multi-faceted Swarovski-cut crystal instead?
OK, the technology behind the light switch is actually kind of cool. There's a sensor behind each crystal that senses infrared light disruption (i.e. from a hand), similar to rain sensors in automobiles. They call this type of optical recognition "HALIOS," or High Ambient Light Independent Optical System.
The crystals themselves are embedded in matte-finished stainless steel, shining chrome, or gold, and are available in four colors: crystal, black diamond, topaz, and siam. No word on the Berker site about price; I assume that depends on the crystal combination you choose for your switch. What ever happened to just being born with a silver spoon in your mouth?
Check out the slideshow below for more images.
Jeff Bakalar makes his return on Fat Tuesday--how appropriate. Justin reveals to the world that he loves Alvin & the Chipmunks, on top of his fascination with Disney music. Disney we can forgive, but really? An Alvin & the Chipmunks cover of "Uptown Girl?" And we figure out that Alvin wears a giant "A" because he's committed adultery.
On today's show, Justin learns some new racial slurs from Clint Eastwood's "Gran Torino." Jeff tells us to check out Mickey Rourke in "The Wrestler"and reveals to us that he once was a professional wrestler known as "The Flying Daisy." In actual news, newspapers are asking the federal government for a bailout. Get with it! Newspapers are going the way of the dodo. On top of that, it's National Pancake Day, so head on over to your local IHOP! Let Fat Tuesday's debauchery begin in earnest.
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The Android Market now offers the $200 'I Am Richer' application.
(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET Networks)An application that did nothing beyond showing a person was willing to spend gobs of money for it didn't last long on Apple's App Store, but now we'll begin to see if Google lives up to its more laissez-faire approach to its rival Android Market.
Apple banned Armin Heinrich's "I Am Rich", which cost $1,000 and only showed a red ruby, from its App Store last August. Now the conceptually similar "I Am Richer" has arrived on the Android Market from Mike DG.
Perhaps owners of T-Mobile's G1 phone are more cost-conscious, or the recession has hurt the market for inane software, or Android programmers are willing to offer greater value, though, because the new application offers basically the same feature set for only $200, a fifth the price of the app Apple banned.
"Prove your wealth to others by running this app and showing them the mesmerizing glowing crystal," the software's description says.
Google has some rules for Android Market--no malware is allowed, for example--but generally has a much more liberal attitude than Apple. While each application on the App Store requires Apple's approval, Google plans to let the world at large sort out Android applications through the mechanisms such as the rating system. Good applications will eventually sift their way to the top of the heap the way good YouTube videos do, Google argues.
Update 7:06 p.m. PST: The $200 price is as much as Google permits organizations to charge, the company said. And yes, Google appears perfectly happy to let people buy the application:
"We check applications for compliance with the Market Content Policies and Terms of Service (in order to remove malware, porn, spam, or profanity)," the company said in a statement.
(Via IDG News)
Toys for the Filthy Rich?
(Credit: Sci Fi Tech blog)August is quiet all around...with nearly everyone on vacation, it's hard to get much work done these days.
Yet somehow, it also seems to be the season of great Top __ Lists. (Insert any number in that blank. I was going to go with 10, but they seem to vary a bit.). So this week I'll be featuring some of my favorite Top __ Lists from blogs that inspire me every day.
Let's start with the Sci Fi Tech blog and its "Top 10 Toys for the Filthy Rich." With a title like that, you already know you're dying to have them all. Here's a preview: $1,150 Ultimate Ear headphones that you can use with your $7,500 Vertu phone or $19,000 gold-plate iPod Shuffle.
What products would you put on your own "Top Tech Toys for the Filthy Rich" list? If you had all the money in the world? I think I'd definitely add the sold-out Porsche Design Series 1 Cayman S...and that incredible 007-esque case of designer goodies that comes with it.
(Credit:
Robot Watch)
It's good to see that the Japanese haven't forgotten about cultural entertainment in their apparent quest for a human-free society. At least their robots haven't, anyway.
The recently unveiled "Motoman" was initially assigned to such mundane tasks as sorting mail, for example, but it's already showing that it's got rhythm too. Four of them, to be exact--two twin-armed models and two welding versions.
The robots displayed their prowess on the taiko drums at the Kokura Gion Daiko Festival, an event that Pink Tentacle says is almost 400 years old and is known for its competition in the traditional percussion. After viewing the eerie performance on the video below, we're not sure whether to be impressed or scared for our lives.
(Credit:
Tokyomango)
Technology has allowed more amateur guitarists to take their instruments on the road, from guitars to keyboards. Yet the possibility of an easily mobile set of drums has been confined largely to the likes of the "Finger Drum Mousepad."
But percussion lovers can take heart now that the "Portable Electric Drum Set" is here. Similar to roll-up pianos that have been on the market for awhile, this virtual instrument is built into a 20-inch rubber mat that can be rolled away anytime, anywhere. Tokyomango says the eight-drum set even has "preset tunes and rhythms to jam to."
Granted, this rather nerdly alternative doesn't quite have the visual effect of a real-life drum solo. It would, however, be a nice complement to the Spotswood kick-drum PC.
(Credit:
Shiny Shiny)
This would be laughable if it weren't so sad, but apparently the "Plasma TV Fireplace" is here to stay. Picture House Cabinets has come up with a new version of its fully functional hearth that conceals a pop-up flat screen, according to Shiny Shiny, this one complete with marble finish (so classy).
We understand that furniture makers are struggling to adjust to the era of plasmas and LCDs, but this is nothing more than an exercise in poor taste. It's also an example of technological perversion at its worst, as described in the company's product literature: "Press the remote and the TV screen automatically lifts into view. Press it again and the screen magically disappears. You can use the remote to turn on the heat, adjust it and switch the fire on and off and even dim the brightness of the fire."
We've got a better idea. Why not just mount the TV on the wall and keep it tuned to a virtual fireplace?
(Credit:
Hammacher Schlemmer)
If you're going to start messing around with combo gadgetry, at least be creative. That's the lesson that should be learned from Hammacher Schlemmer's "Finger Drum Mousepad." Rather than some useless combination like a mouse pad with built-in speakers, this electronic drumming surface lets you strum your fingers to eight percussive sounds, "including bass, snare, two rack toms, a floor tom, hi-hat, crash and ride cymbals." You can even record up to 30 of your creations so you can play back the most annoying ones for all to hear, over and over.
Google Earth's Petronas Towers of Kuala Lumpur
(Credit: Google Earth)Google has released new rich 3D imagery for Google Earth 4, its interactive mapping application, which is officially out of beta.
In place of the usual map lines, satellite imagery and raised boxes, are rich textured 3D models of famous places.
Those that are complete are easy to spot, especially with Google Earth's new navigation compass that makes directional rotations and angle views easier to manipulate. Even a monolith such as the Met Life building in New York City has enough details to make it identifiable even without its famous label.
Facades of glass, bricks and stone abound, but not everywhere. (Click here for cities where Google is working on models.)
Given the scope of the project (the whole world), it seems reasonable that Google would not yet be done rendering every single item for Google Earth 4 maps as rich 3D content. Rome wasn't built in a day, so why should its virtual counterpart be?
That is where the volunteer builders (slave laborers) come in. Google seems to be taking a cue from its recent acquisition, YouTube, which has flourished from user contributions. With the latest version of Google SketchUp, anyone can build rich 3D models to contribute to Google Earth.
Builders can sketch "on-site" through polygon drawing tools offered by Google SketchUp 6 right on top of existing Google Earth footprints. The finished and work-in-progress models can then be shared and stored as KML (Keyhole Markup Language) or KMX (the compressed version of KML) files at the Google 3D Warehouse.
Many Eiffel Towers, Chryslers Buildings, and Giza Pyramids can be found at the virtual warehouse. But if you want something really challenging to do this winter, there are no models of Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia church, the Taj Mahal or Easter Island heads to be found.
This will keep Microsoft's Virtual Earth on its toes.
Not the United States (you knew it wouldn't be that easy), and not Rolls-Royce's native England. In fact, it's not a Western country at all. It's China.
(Credit:
Rolls-Royce)
An anonymous Beijing property developer has purchased a $2.2 million "super-limo" that includes an LCD media system and other state-of-the-art technologies, according to the BBC, as well as two rows of rear seats that face each other. (We're not sure why either, but that's what they said.)
The record was reported along with a contract to sell 14 Rolls-Royce Phantoms to Hong Kong's Peninsula Hotel. Those include "a cool box for chilled hand towels." Again, we don't know why. It must be a rich thing.
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