Misc. Ramblings & Findings

Poladroid project | the easiest and funniest Polaroid Image Maker

2009-05-18T20:28:00.000-07:00

If your photos have colour accuracy that is way too good, not enough vignetting and frankly just look too 2009, then head on over to Poladroid and sort them out. Just download the app (yes I know), drop in your photos and wait . . . wait . . shake and you’ll have your pics. Any swooning, overwhelming waves of nostalgia or dizziness is not the responsibility of management. You’ll just have to deal.

For Geeks By Geeks Danger Bomb Clock

2009-05-05T20:12:00.000-07:00

Geek Stuff 4 U

Quick Overview

Wake you up every morning with Explosion Sound! To stop the bomb, you have to pull out just one code from three. The safety code is set randomly every morning.

USB Retro Neon Atari Lights: Nerd Approved!

2009-05-05T20:09:00.000-07:00

USB Retro Neon Atari Lights: Alien And Joystick

What better way to light up your work area than a few neon lights. If they are USB powered and depict a joystick and a video game alien, then these are must-haves for the computer junkie. Particularly if that person happens to be old enough to have cut his teeth on gaming with the old Atari 2600 and Space Invaders.

Hamburger Bed

2009-05-05T20:07:00.000-07:00

Hamburger Bed

You know that ol' dinner party question:
If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
My answer is always—hamburgers.
mm mm mmm
I wouldn't say that I'm obsessed... though I did celebrate hamburger roadtrip '03 (I ate hamburgers in 8 central US states) and have a buffet club code name of Patty Melt...

Gecko Wall Lamp

2009-05-05T20:06:00.000-07:00

Gecko Wall Lamp by Bright and Bold

The stylish and ecofriendly Gecko Wall Lamp is a piece of stunningly modern funky lighting. The frame is constructed from strong and durable wrought iron, powder coated in order to ensure the longevity of its color, with the main gecko body wrapped in abaca twine providing a contrast of striking design. Abaca is a sustainable fiber and can be regrown in a short period of time without destroying its habitat, making it very ecofriendly.

Dead Mark Book Mark

2009-05-05T20:03:00.000-07:00

SUCK UK - Book Mark

Poor Mark! He has met a sticky end, a squishy end to be more precise, his floppy body trapped within the pages of your book, scrabbling to get out, all the while happily keeping your place. You know, keeping the page of that point in the story where the man gets crushed by a giant encyclopedia. Forget pressed flowers and old receipts, Mark is the future and what else will he do now he’s dead!

The UberReview

2009-05-05T20:01:00.000-07:00

Farmyard Waffler Shapes Your Waffles Like Your Favorite Eating Animals

If you like waffles and don’t like them in boring old squares (or if you have kids) then the Farmyard Waffler could be for you. It turns your waffles into familiar animal shapes.

Generate Design

2009-05-05T19:58:00.000-07:00

A Peaceful Bomb by Owen & Cloud

Taiwanese design duo Owen and Cloud designed this piece as a statement against war, and the result is a one of a kind, striking piece.

Part of the proceeds from sales of A Peaceful Bomb are donated to "Act Now to Stop War & End Racism" (A.N.S.W.E.R.).

Touchscreen Korean Calligraphy

2009-04-21T21:08:00.000-07:00

Touchscreen Korean Calligraphy Board

For those looking to brag about your children's calligraphy skills to your friends, this Touchscreen Calligraphy Tablet concept lets you force your children into practicing their handwriting without having to pay for ink and paper. Using a pseudo-calligraphy brush as a mouse, you can scribble all over the tablet all you want—but the teaching tools of the tablet won't recognize what you're writing unless it's in Korean.

US$70,000 pedal-powered submarine for two

2009-04-21T20:58:00.000-07:00

US$70,000 pedal-powered submarine for two

From Gizmag:

The Blue Space is a pedal-powered submarine created by the Saint-Petersburg State Marine Engineering University. The prototype has been around since 2003, but is still looking for investors to turn real. The submarine is meant for two and would require a propulsion capacity of 0.4–0.8 kW, to generate the required speed of 2-3 knots for between two and four hours as compared to the other human-powered submarines that require about 2.5–5 kW to maintain an underwater speed of 2-3 knots, considering it is difficult to generate a propulsion capacity underwater.
MIT is hopeful that this prototype will strike with the private buyers and resort owners alike owing to its affordable price tag that will range around $30K -$70K as compared to the million dollar price tag of the automatic submersibles.

Same principle as my "peddle boat" but oh that cool factor.

Apple netbooks manufactured by Foxconn rumored

2009-04-21T20:44:00.000-07:00

The Inquirer

Digitimes and a plethora of Russian hardware sites are quoting Chinese-language site Commercial Times, which in turn is quoting sources from the component supply chain. These are whispering that Cupertino has sealed the deal with contract electronics manufacturer Hon Hai Precision Industry - or Foxconn - to bang out Apple netbooks.

Commercial Times says Apple may also be contracting other manufacturers in Asia, but Foxconn seems to be the main firm in the running.

I spent about 4 hours converting a Lenovo S10e to a Hackintosh 10.5.6 and it is sweet. If Apple made a 'real' NetBook, I'd snap one up in an instant.

DANIEL LOVES OBJECTS!

2009-04-21T20:33:00.000-07:00

Daniel Loves Objects: At Your Command Lamps:

"Art imitates life and form meets function with these adjustable, human-sized lamps by Daniel Loves Objects. Though they're not available for purchase yet, the gold-plated cast metal mannequins-turned-lamps are a whimsical reminder that even the most everyday objects can break out of their mundane archetypes to take on new appearances."

Apple Apps Reach 1 Billion!

2009-04-21T20:23:00.000-07:00

Apple

1 Billion Apps! Most are crap, Most get put in the closet after 3 days of use...

...but only, of course, if you set your computer's clock forward! (Click for the full-size graphic). Camillo Miller wrote:

Wanna see what Apple will do at the 1 Billionth download mark? Set your Mac's clock to Friday 24th and head to www.apple.com

Now here's a great piece of blogsanity: the source has watermarked its screenshots of this, as if it were some sort of exclusive not available to anyone with a web browser and a clock. Great find, though!

M!ханя - Нетрадиционная Кулинария

2009-04-21T20:14:00.000-07:00

M!ханя - Нетрадиционная Кулинария

DrO says: "I wanted to point out to you that some people on LiveJournal came up with an idea of inserting dry spaghetti into hot dogs, then boiling it, and coming out with amusing culinary constructs that kids seem to love."

Turn your photos into beautiful paintings, sketches or drawings in seconds

2009-04-21T10:04:00.000-07:00

FotoSketcher

"FotoSketcher is a 100% free program which can help you convert your digital photos into art, automatically. If you want to turn a portrait, the photograph of your house or a beautiful landscape into a painting, a sketch or a drawing then look no further, FotoSketcher will do the job in just a few seconds."

Transport Tycoon Deluxe

2009-04-21T09:56:00.000-07:00

OpenTTD

OpenTTD is an open source clone of the Microprose game "Transport Tycoon Deluxe", a popular game originally written by Chris Sawyer. It attempts to mimic the original game as closely as possible while extending it with new features.

BookletCreator

2009-04-21T09:53:00.000-07:00

Create a booklet from any PDF document:

"BookletCreator is a free online tool that allows you to create a booklet from a PDF document. It reorders pages so that after printing and folding the pages, a small book is created."

Donkey Kong Wall Graphics

2009-04-21T09:49:00.000-07:00

From Perpetual Kid:

"In 1981, Donkey Kong smashed into the arcade video gaming scene. It was the first to tell a complete narrative in gaming format and the first to use the damsel-in-distress paradigm, later mimicked by countless other video games. Mario became Nintendo's mascot and he and Kong went on to become two of Nintendo's most popular characters. The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) version of Donkey Kong (1986) brought Nintendo and these iconic characters into the homes of game lovers worldwided." Don't forget to check out the other 8bit fun.

Remember Leisure Suit Larry / Space Quest / Police Quest?

2009-04-21T09:46:00.000-07:00

Sarien.net - Instant adventure gaming

Remember Space Quest, Police Quest and Leisure Suit Larry from Sierra On-Line? Well they’re back and they’re in your browser. Over at sarien.net you can relive them in all their EGA, 16 color, command line glory. Battle the evil Sariens, save Lytton from the Death Angel or go carousing in the back alleys with Larry (definitely not safe for kids).

CRON-O-Meter

2009-04-21T09:43:00.000-07:00

CRON-O-Meter

CRON-O-Meter is free, open source, and cross-platform dieting software.

CR (Calorie Reduced) diets require a lot of information to perform optimally. In order to restrict caloric intake, but remain healthy, users of the diet must track their vitamin, mineral, and protein intakes with great care.

Businesscardland - Geo Corners - Full Bleed

2007-05-01T19:13:00.000-07:00

Businesscardland - Geo Corners - Full Bleed

Choose a business card design below to start making your free printable business cards. Once you've chosen your design, you will have the option to pick "full bleed" business cards, which will create business cards that print to the edge of the card and work with Avery and other brands of paper that have 8 cards per page. Or pick the "no bleed" option to create business cards that have 10 cards per page. See the FAQ for specific Avery numbers.

IceClean

2007-03-14T07:06:00.000-07:00

IceClean 2.0.3 The new Mac Built-in Unix Tasks System Recovery Pure Unix Power via Keyboard Shortcuts and MenuItems.

IceClean is a powerful Finder and System Maintenance and Optimization Tool using ONLY built-in System Tasks to help your Mac stay healthy and to keep it running smoothly.

IceClean is now completely renewed in Scriping and Cocoa Interface to help you in faster and useful Tasks Managing of All Unix Power.

Gore Design Co.

2007-01-23T08:46:00.000-08:00

Gore Design Co.

The Erosion Sink combines the latest in sink-related technology with the aesthetics of topographical maps to give you a unique and badass looking sink for your modern bathroom. Seriously, if I had one of these things I would spend a lot more time washing my hands.

Santa Software | North Pole

2006-10-27T10:26:00.000-07:00

Santa Software

MainMenu

Don't have time to run all the various tools and scripts to keep your Mac running smoothly? MainMenu makes these tasks quick and easy, right from your menu bar. Rebuilding your Spotlight library for faster searching, repairing permissions, cleaning caches to improve application performance, and even more advanced settings — such as enabling and disabling the Dashboard — are no more than two clicks away. MainMenu is full of powerful maintenance tools to keep your Mac running like new, within a slick, simplistic interface.

Pontiki

2006-08-31T16:34:00.000-07:00

'00s Mr. Potato Head!

Pontiki pods are colorful geometric shapes that connect to other shapes. Mini parts are stored inside and can be used as eyes, hands, feet, mouth, or whatever you decide. With unlimited possibilities the combinations are endless! (Basically that means you can distract yourself from what you’re supposed to be doing for quite a while.) Unlock the inner artist in you and create your own Pontiki style today.

SquidSoap

2006-08-30T16:23:00.000-07:00

Training Tomorrow's Great Hand Washers

Wouldn't it be great if someone could invent a simple, fun way to teach our children to wash their hands? The wait is over with SquidSoap.

Tetrius magnet set

2006-08-23T17:17:00.000-07:00

Tetrius magnet set

The magnet set includes seven possible figures consisting of four elements.

In complex words of Greek origin τέτρα means “four”, which is essentially where the names of the Tetris game and our magnets come from.

Scallywag Sloop Pirate Themed Club House

2006-08-23T17:03:00.000-07:00

Costco ?

Arrrrr Matey…thar ba pirates a playin’ in yer yard!

After their pirate ship ran aground, the band of thrifty pirates salvaged what they could to build this secret pirate hideout. Watch out kids… the adults may pull off a mutiny and take over this tree house!

Why purchase ordinary swing sets and other playground equipment? Our tree houses are incredible play sets that double as a centerpiece in your landscape!

LiquidCD

2006-08-23T15:09:00.000-07:00

Maconnect

If you need a little more CD/DVD burning power than what comes built into Mac OS X, but you aren’t ready to drop the cash for a pro-level tool like Toast Titanium, then LiquidCD may be a good option.

LiquidCD combines the disc burning capabilities of the Finder, Disk Utility, iTunes, and iPhoto. Plus, it gives you additional tools like burning a DVD from a Video_TS folder, making a ‘picture CD’ from your photos, and burning PC-only discs (for that rare occasion you may need that). Best of all… it’s free (donations welcome)!

DupKiller

2006-08-23T12:11:00.000-07:00

Official Web-Site

Okay, I'll admit it - this is one of those utilities that scares me a little. While I find it amazing to note that I have over 300 Megs of duplicated files in my file system, I haven't got the nerve to start deleting the duplicates for fear that I might break something. However, that doesn't mean that DupKiller, a tool whose whole purpose revolves around removing duplicate files, isn't worth having on my system.
Even though I don't want to globally remove all duplicated files from my system, I do want to be able to go through specific folders (like my music file or picture folders) and remove duplicate files. For that type of task, DupKiller is exactly what the doctor ordered. Just don't get sucked in to removing all duplicated files from your system - it's just not worth it to see if it ends up breaking anything.

micro compact home

2006-08-17T14:22:00.000-07:00

welcome

Imagine calling a 266 x 266 x 266 centimeter cube 'Home.' Now imagine that your new 76 square foot abode offers two compact double beds, a shower and toilet cubicle, a well equipped kitchen area, dining space for up to five people and even some storage space. Done imagining? Good, because the Micro Compact Home is available immediately for about £50,000.

The micro compact home [m-ch] is a lightweight compact dwelling for one or two people. Its compact dimensions of 2.6m cube adapt it to a variety of sites and circumstances, and its functioning spaces of sleeping, working / dining, cooking and hygiene make it suitable for everyday use.

Shoe Lacing Methods

2006-08-14T15:03:00.000-07:00

Ian's Shoelace Site

Whilst mathematics tells us that there are more than 2 Trillion Methods of feeding a lace through the six pairs of eyelets on an average shoe, this section presents a (somewhat more realistic) typical cross-section of traditional and alternative lacing methods.

Las Vegas Pinball Hall of Fame Pinball Museum

2006-08-09T00:42:00.000-07:00

Las Vegas Pinball Hall of Fame Pinball Museum

Las Vegas is known for the unusual and offbeat. Places like the Liberace Museum, the Neon Museum, the Clown Factory, The Elvis Museum, the Barry Manilow Store, the Pinball Hall of Fame... Wait a second. The Pinball Hall of Fame? What exactly is that? Or more importantly, why is there a Pinball Hall of Fame?

Google FlightSim

2006-08-09T00:30:00.000-07:00

Using Google to Fly, Shoot and Buzz landmarks!

This flight sim uses images loaded in from Googles mapping service but is otherwise unaffiliated with them. Very interesting use of the Google Map service.

The Secret Screen Capture Shortcut

2006-08-08T18:22:00.000-07:00

Apple - Pro - Tips

Okay, you probably already know the ol’ Command-Shift-3 shortcut for taking a screen capture of your entire screen, and you may even know about Command-Shift-4, which gives you a crosshair cursor so you can choose which area of the screen you want to capture. But perhaps the coolest, most-secret hidden capture shortcut is Control-Command-Shift-3 (or 4), which, instead of creating a file on your desktop, copies the capture into your Clipboard memory, so you can paste it where you want. (I use this to paste screen captures right into Photoshop.)

Suzuki LC Concept

2006-08-08T17:41:00.000-07:00

Automobile Magazine

A charming re-creation of Suzuki's first car, the 1955 Suzulight, the LC microcar has space for only two people inside its two-door, 10.5-foot-long body. The split-level cabin with plaid seats is decidedly minimalist, but the detailing throughout the car is fantastic. Suzuki's three-cylinder, 660-cc minicar engine is under the hood. It's just the car for zipping through Tokyo's crowded streets. I want one.

DRINKWEAR FLIPPERS

2006-08-04T16:44:00.000-07:00

SWIM FIN COASTERS

Drinkwear Swin Fin coasters slip on the foot of your stemware. Slip Drinkware onto the "foot" of your glass, it will travel with you as you mingle, and identify your glass with beach style!

Set of 4 bright and stylish assorted Drinkwear Swim Fins includes a gift bag for hanging on the next of a wine bottle.

Each coaster is approximately 4 1/2" long x 3 1/2" wide and are made of foam rubber.

Ultimate List of Free Windows Software from Microsoft

2006-08-01T18:37:00.000-07:00

The Road to Know Where:

Ultimate List of Free Windows Software from Microsoft
Microsoft has over 150 FREE Windows Programs available for download -- but finding them all is extremely difficult. Until now, thanks to the Road to Know Where!

Making a really big photo!

2006-08-01T17:51:00.000-07:00

Making a home-brew wall-sized photo

Or, how do you turn the photo below into something more wall-sized, like the display window shown on the right? And do it entirely on your own, using software & printing that many people already own?

Essential OSX Hacks n Apps

2006-08-01T14:30:00.000-07:00

Essential OSX Hacks n Apps

Just what it says, lots and lots of add-on programs to help make your OS X experience richer.

Pimp My Safari

2006-07-27T19:22:00.000-07:00

Pimp My Safari

There are a lot of excellent plugins and apps to enhance Safari, but equally there are some awful ones too. There are also many apps that do single tasks (such as enable the debug menu) that I haven’t considered worthwhile. The emphasis is on plugins that work within Safari, but occasionally I have included apps that I feel are essential. I don’t have a rating system here, as I only include those that are decent enough to start with.

I filter out a lot of the junk out there. If I think its not worth the cost, too limited in its functionality, no longer being developed or just plain useless, I don’t include it.

I consider the 3 essential extensions are Saft, PithHelmet and Stand.

Zoho

2006-07-27T18:45:00.000-07:00

Zoho - Affordable software for individuals, small & medium business

Online applications that run in the browser is part of this whole Web 2.0 social software era, and it looks like Zoho is in the forefront with a great complete application list. They have almost any application you would require to run your business directly from your browser. And Free! Zoho produces pretty much all of their applications with a $0 price tag.

They do give access to demo versions before you decide to signup and try their browser based tools. So check them out, they look really good!

Todos

2006-07-25T19:52:00.000-07:00

OpenSoft Development: Todos

Sometimes you just don't want to take time going to your Applications folder or searching around your hard drive. Just click a quick hotkey (Command-Option-Control-T) and Todos will simply appear. Todos' job is simple. Todos doesn't do more than it says. Like its definition in Spanish, Todos will show you everything. Todos shows you all your applications in a complete dock. All of us have a plethora of programs and the Apple dock just can't fit them all. Don't worry. Bring Todos up when you need to get to any of your apps. Click any application in Todos and it will instantly launch. When you are done, just click the hotkey again and Todos is gone. Don't forget to stand back and wow at all those cool icons for all of your applications. OS X has beautiful icons, why not see them more?

Custom Wallpaper

2006-07-25T19:47:00.000-07:00

London South East England

The Cityscape Wallpaper collection turns an ordinary room into a show worthy one, creating a uniquely contemporary wall design without the repetitious patterns that wallpapers typically feature. Printed on high-quality paper, the print is made from a custom drawing. The skyline would make a sunning accent wall, and using the paper all-over would definitely create a metropolitan atmosphere in a large, open loft. There are six different colors available in the collection, with the "City Mirage" pictured here.

Shiira Project

2006-07-24T20:40:00.000-07:00

Browser for Mac OS X

Shiira is a web browser based on Web Kit and written in Cocoa. The goal of the Shiira Project is to create a browser that is better and more useful than Safari. All source code used in this software is publicly available. I've been using Camino since I cobbled together my Hackintosh and it's been great. I'll be trying this Universal Binary Intel product on both my Hackintosh and my new MacBook when it arrives.

Tourist Remover

2006-07-24T20:30:00.000-07:00

Tourist Remover

You're on vacation, you snap some pics of a nice monument and building, and some snaps of your family in front of the monument and building. When you arrive home to download the pics, you notice to your dismay that there are a bunch of people in your picture. Just standing beside your family. What do you do?

Candy Bar Wrappers

2006-07-22T14:10:00.000-07:00

a sampler of things

A collection of over 100 candy bar wrappers. It was all stuff from the late 40's and early 50's but some of them are pretty wild. Enjoy a Big Chief Brittle Bar or a Zion Fig Pie. It is amazing how many candy bars have come and gone through the years.

iPod Hi-Fi mini

2006-07-14T18:27:00.000-07:00

iPod Hi-Fi mini

Just as the Mac mini has redefined people's expectations on what a computer should be the iPod Hi-Fi mini brings all that is great in the iPod Hi-Fi down to a size that redefines what you should expect from your home stereo. Using the classic form of the original Macintosh, and state of the art audio components, the iPod Hi-Fi mini is all you every wanted in a hi-fi, and less.

Aloha Style SurfDrive

2006-07-05T20:17:00.000-07:00

Wal-Mart?

Lets go surfing! Oh, stuck at the office? I always thought that the USB plug was a bit of a dodgy interface. I mean, it's fatter than it needs to be, it's often unclear which way round it goes (especially when trying to push it in blind because your hand's under a desk and round the back of a PC), and it's too easy to push it into a LAN socket and think you've hit home.

Tivoli iYiYi

2006-06-29T23:15:00.000-07:00

Tivoli Audio -- Home of the Henry Kloss Model One Radio

Available in white or black with rubberized knobs, the iYiYi system with its universal docking station and seven dock adapters is a perfect match for any iPod model. It also features an auto-brightness blue backlit LCD display with Radio Data System (RDS) information where available. The LCD shows the station tuning as well as the digital clock, whose functions include alarm and 20-minute sleep timer that can be set to wake to an iPod or AM/FM radio. There is an auxiliary input and stereo headphone output as well as a mixing input to permit audio from a computer to be mixed in with another source. The internal transformer eliminates the clumsy “wall wart” power supply. The credit card-sized remote controls the iPod when docked with access to the iPod menu, as well as the iYiYi. "This" I'd buy.

Change Parallels Desktop 1.0's caching strategy

2006-06-27T00:20:00.000-07:00

macosxhints.com

there is a problem with Parallels Desktop 1.0. It uses Mac OS X's default caching strategies for huge files such as the operating system images (hard disk files) and SAV files (session saves). Over time, almost all of your RAM will fill up with data from these files, leaving little room for your other applications.

Boot Camp or Parallels

2006-06-23T20:13:00.000-07:00

Guide for Choosing Boot Camp or Parallels to Run Windows on an Apple MacBook

Turn the clock back to January 22nd 2006 and to a competition started by enthusiasts to have Windows XP and OS X coexisting on a Mac. Donations were taken and steadily the prize fund grew to a whopping $13,854. 2 months went by with no success then in March 2006 it was announced the competition was over. No sooner had the prize money been handed over had Apple announced their own solution to XP on a Mac, a far more elegant solution and one that consumers could feel a lot more comfortable with.

Open Source Mac Application Alternatives

2006-06-20T23:40:00.000-07:00

Free Programs for your Mac

Do you want programs like Dreamweaver, Illustrator, Photoshop, or Office, but their prices don’t fit into your budget? If so, the programs listed below are all FREE open source alternatives to these programs (and others).

Running WindowsXP, MAC OS X & Linux Ubuntu on a PowerBookPro

2006-06-20T00:18:00.000-07:00

Technoslice

This is an early review of the Parallels Desktop for Mac, a virtual machine package (similar to Xen or VMware) that lets you run "guest" operating systems such as Microsoft Windows or Linux on your Intel-based Mac. Unlike older Windows-on-Mac emulation software, such as VirtualPC, the Parallels package runs at nearly full speed. Unlike Apple's own Bootcamp software, Parallels lets you start a guest operating system without rebooting. You can even have more than one virtual machine running at the same time, if you have lots of RAM.

UnknownReference

2006-06-20T00:09:00.000-07:00

The PC Boot Process - Windows XP.

Just what it says folks, step by step boot process, to keep fair with Apple's OS X Boot Process.

Roadside America

2006-06-19T19:56:00.000-07:00

Guide to Uniquely Odd Tourist Attractions

Everyone has heard of the World's Largest Ball of Twine and the odd assortment of Americana that dots much of the American Highway System. But what about the Coral Castle in Homestead, Florida? Or, say, the Stevedore Man in Everett, Washington. These and many more quirky, but fun sights can be found and mapped over at Roadside America, a site dedicated to American arcana.

Glass Art

2006-06-18T21:31:00.000-07:00

Summer means INSECTS!!!

My work is inspired by themes from nature and the collective unconscious. Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, I spent my time exploring the space beneath logs and rocks or reading science fiction and comic books. Between these pastimes, I developed quite an active imagination.

Mac OS X System Startup

2006-06-18T17:05:00.000-07:00

What happens when you switch on that Mac

This page briefly describes the sequence of events that happen when Mac OS X boots.

How To Create Your Own Planet

2006-06-18T16:35:00.000-07:00

Planet Tutorial

Using just one texture in Photoshop, I'm going to teach you how to make a planet that looks somewhat realistic although, in the end, whether it looks realistic or not is entirely up to you and the way you play with settings.

Image Panels Floating Over a Ghosted Image

2006-06-17T19:26:00.000-07:00

Layers Magazine

“Is there a way to create a transparent look within InDesign using an image in the background with panels floating above it which contain the same image perfectly lined up with the original image beneath?” I always say that I learn as much about various applications from other users questions as I do from actually using the programs myself on a daily basis. This question not only made me think, the answer lead to the following tutorial.

Not Your Father's VW

2006-06-17T18:36:00.000-07:00

But it could be.

Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought it'd come to this. What a great way to travel! Wigwam here we come.

31 Ports!

2006-06-13T22:51:00.000-07:00

31 Port USB Hub!

This unique mod combines nine USB hubs for an ultra, uber USB hub ready for global domination. Unfortunately, there aren't specific instructions about how to do the technical wiring, but I'm sure the smarties that read this would be able to figure out how to pull this 31 port USB hub off.

LUCKY TIKI BANDAGES

2006-06-13T22:12:00.000-07:00

If only Greg Brady had one of these...!

Treat your minor cuts, scrapes and scratches with the incredible healing power of a Lucky Tiki designer bandage.

And if a cool bandage isn't enough to dry up your tears, how about a FREE TOY!

Includes a small toy to help make even the ouchiest owies feel all better in no time

HANDY BANDS

2006-06-13T22:03:00.000-07:00

Rubber Undies

Stretch the limits of your imagination...rubber bands don't have to be boring! Use Handy Bands just like ordinary elastics - on bundles, in your hair, to organize your life. They'll always return to their original cool contours.

iPod Docking station

2006-06-12T23:48:00.000-07:00

Marantz Europe

The iPod has become an integral part of people’s lives, gaining iconic status along the way. With its latest product, leading consumer electronics marque Marantz, hopes to integrate this incredible design even further.

If you’re looking for a nice universal iPod dock you might be interested in the new Marantz IS201. The cool thing with this dock is due to the fact that it’s universal which means that you can plug in your iPod to any equipment you might have (well, not literally). It will be available in the end of June.

Along with the dock you get a nice remote, S-Video output, audio output, RS-232c output - and if you plug it into a TV or any other display you can view photos you might have on your iPod.

Elvis Camera

2006-06-12T23:22:00.000-07:00

Perfect for that trip to Graceland!

Take pictures that look as though Elvis is right next to you with the Elvis Camera! Picture the King as a surfer serenading you by tropical moonlight— as a handsome G.I. taking you for a stroll in the park. Follow the simple instructions, making certain to center your subject in the frame, then develop as you would any other disposable camera. Your 4" x 6" photos will magically feature 4 each of 6 different Elvis scenes--starring you! 24 exposures; built-in flash.

Google Earth

2006-06-12T21:54:00.000-07:00

Now for Mac & Linux!

Despite being mostly a Windows boy myself, I'm really glad to see Google moving some of its apps to other platforms. Today Google announced the availability of Google Earth 4 Beta, which is a free download not just for Windows, but also for Mac OS X (yes, it's a universal binary) and Linux. Aside from going multi-platform, Google Earth 4 sports a new, sleeker interface, support for textured building models with SketchUp integration, and some KML improvements. Head over to the beta site to grab the new release.

Minty Boost!

2006-06-12T21:19:00.000-07:00

USB charger for your gadgets

This project details a small & simple, but very powerful USB charger for your mp3 player, camera, cell phone, and just about any other gadget you can plug into a USB port to charge!

Rock Album Cover Tote Bag

2006-06-12T21:13:00.000-07:00

with interchangeable panel

Here's a groovin', versatile tote with both style and room to spare. Its velcro-enclosed clear vinyl sides hold two different authentic record jackets. Ours have Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Springsteen, Aerosmith, Joplin, Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd or Kiss on one side and a random rock favorite on the second side. When you want a new look, exchange them for covers in your collection. Two amplifier knobs (that still turn) decorate the sides and the two-inch wide shoulder strap is adjustable. Because the album covers are drawn from many sources, we cannot fill specific requests for rock artists.

Nintendo Monopoly

2006-06-12T21:04:00.000-07:00

Now you're playing with power!

The most recognizable and unforgettable characters in the video game industry have teamed up to bring you the Nintendo Collector’s Edition of the world’s most popular board game, MONOPOLY. No controllers are necessary this time as you join forces with Mario, Luigi, Link, Zelda, Kirby and others on a quest to defeat your opponents and own it all.

Modern Cabana

2006-06-12T20:42:00.000-07:00

Not a shed; a living space.

Everyone needs their space: Space to think, to read, to play, to entertain, to rest, to work, to sleep, to lounge and to live; each space being as unique as its occupant. Before Modern Cabana, options for increasing living space were limited. Adding a room or building a separate unit required permits and costly work with a contractor.

Salad Sunrise

2006-06-12T20:28:00.000-07:00

Oil & Vinegar

Bringing oil and vinegar into a single container is an often-attempted tableware design that rarely works smoothly, which makes this clever design pictured above all the more uniquely functional and great to look at. The piece allows for users to measure out exactly how much of each they want while separating the oil from the vinegar without the use of two compartments. The Salad Sunrise oil and vinegar bottle, designed by Arnout Visser, allows the vinegar to sit on top of the oil because of the different molecular structures of each substance. One nozzle is attached to the bottom of the pyrex glass container, and another to the top, each allowing for separate pouring of oil or vinegar.

Dont Bother Me

2006-06-12T19:13:00.000-07:00

YouTube - Dont Bother Me

"Smidget" puts on an awesome freestyle DDR Pump It Up routine good enough to impress all the girls at the mall. Way cool!

Pulp Covers

2006-06-12T19:05:00.000-07:00

for Classic Books

Slate commissioned designers to produce six vintage pulp-fiction covers for classic novels like Moby Dick ("Primitive Pirate Passions Were a Prelude to Death!"), The Iliad ("Gore! Greeks! Glory!") and Alice in Wonderland ("One girl's drug-induced descent into dreamland debauchery"). The results are lovely.

VisualHub

2006-06-08T15:52:00.000-07:00

The Universal Video Converter for Mac.

Converting a bunch of AVI files to a DVD shouldn't require a Computer Science degree.Getting movies from your digital camera to your iPod shouldn't take hours.Wading through a sea of video formats shouldn't pull you under.VisualHub bridges the gap between numerous complicated video formatting standards, and people that just want to get the job done - just what you would expect from the Mac.

Tau Bed

2006-06-06T22:01:00.000-07:00

John Kelly Furniture

Simple, sleek and elegant - the Tau Bed from John Kelly. The whole Tau series is Made from bamboo veneer available in natural or ebony finish.

Firefox 1.5.0.4 for Mac

2006-06-06T20:38:00.000-07:00

Download Now

Firefox for the Mac, Intel Mac, PPC Mac. Universal versions of Firefox that work on both Intel-based and PowerPC-based Macintosh computers

Firefox 1.5 has an intuitive interface and blocks viruses, spyware, and popup ads. It delivers Web pages faster than ever. And it’s easy to install and import your favorites. Packed with useful features like tabbed browsing, Live Bookmarks, and an integrated Search bar, Firefox will change the way you experience the Web, for the better.

Meteorite Collision

2006-06-06T19:43:00.000-07:00

Simulation

Meteorite collision simulation. When the meteorite collides with the earth......

"Explanation"

What happens when meteorite collide with each other? We tried to find the answers: Simulation Experiment. we presumed that the collision happened with the earth in order for lucid distance and location. The diameter of the meteorite is slightly bigger than the breadth of Honshu Japan. The collision point is located at the 3,000km south from Japan in the ocean.

Watch it shred

2006-06-06T19:37:00.000-07:00

PRI-MAX vs. BMW

Watch a shredder shred a BMW to pieces!

Welcome to the Santa Monica Pier

2006-06-05T21:05:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Santa Monica Pier

Having spent a few years of my days living the good life in California, I couldn't help but call out this nice little ditty on the Santa Monica Pier. The pier, lets face it, is a cheesy, cheesy place. A tourist destination that has gone to seed, but it's still got some appeal. It's as fine a place as any to take a sunset stroll and check out the surfers and the various goofy folk who come over from Venice Beach.

The pier was built in 1912, and is pretty much the last of the many amusement parks that once lined this waterfront. There's skeeball and arcade games and also an historic carousel that is nice if you've just made a purchase up in Humboldt County (you know who you are). There's also a "kid-friendly" roller coaster, and a couple of nice little restaurants still around. I'm not saying to spend all your time here, but it's a good place to check out if you're making a trip to la-la land.

Mini Micro Rice Bowl

2006-06-05T20:47:00.000-07:00

COMPACT IMPACT

The ceramic bowl has 2 indicator lines on the inside to let you kow how much rice and how much water you need to cook the perfect serving of rice. Let it stand for 15 minutes (did you know that rice tastes best if it's soaked in water for awhile?) and cook it in the microwave on a low setting for another 15 minutes. Take it out and eat. Of course you can just buy one of those ready-to-eat microwaveable rice bowls that you can get at your Asian grocery store, but that gets pricey and I'd like to think that I'm not THAT lazy.

Welcome to Pando

2006-06-02T21:35:00.000-07:00

Thanks for Sharing

Pando lets you send your home videos, giant presentations and entire folders of original quality photos to anyone with an email address.

Inside the Ferrari Factory

2006-06-02T18:18:00.000-07:00

CanadianDriver

Ferrari’s production process is, indeed, a curious combination of old-world craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology. Come up on the front entrance, and it looks like nothing much has changed since the factory was built after the Second World War: many of the original offices are still being used and the color scheme is the same as it once was.

Atomic Brand Names

2006-06-02T18:14:00.000-07:00

Atomic Brand Names

A Visa Platinum credit card doesn't contain platinum and Jose Cuervo Gold Tequila doesn't contain gold. The use of the word "platinum" or "gold" is meant to indicate that the product represents something of value, something of high quality. In the early 1900s, radium was more valuable than gold and platinum. As such, the term "Radium" was incorporated into the brand names of any number of products even when these products didn't actually contain radium. The same was true for the term "X-Ray." The products shown here, unlike those in the Quack Cure section of the collection, made no claim that they incorporated radioactive material.

Virtual PC

2006-06-02T17:39:00.000-07:00

Parallels.

Parallels has offered up the final test version of Parallels Desktop for Mac, their virtualization software that allows you to run almost any OS right within Mac OS X. With this version, however, Parallels has increased the app's final price to $79.99, as they have incorporated their Compressor Server tool (due to user feedback) into the software package for streamlining and optimizing your virtual machines and the amount of disk space they occupy. The beta testing pre-order price of $39.99 is still in place, and probably more appetizing than ever.

WhatSize

2006-06-02T17:28:00.000-07:00

id-design

And in keeping with finding MAC Bloat;

WhatSize is a simple tool that allows the user to quickly measure the size in bytes of a given folder and all subfolders and files within it. You would be surprised at how many useless files might be laying around on your hard disks. The files and folders are automatically sorted by size, with the biggest sizes first.

While the app is measuring a folder the user can browse the files within that folder and immediately see the size in bytes. Hidden files, cache files, directories will all show up with their corresponding size. This application is similar to NeXTSTEP, DarkForest.

Once the measuring of a folder has ended the user can also view the information by filtering for particular file sizes or types. The user can also move unwanted files and folder in the corresponding Trash bin similar to the Finder’s Delete button.

Monolingual

2006-06-02T17:19:00.000-07:00

Monolingual

Recently my second laptop died. I replaced the drive from 15gig to 30gig and I thought I'd like to try one of the new OS X intel based OS'. I learned that there is a program out there that will slim down the install of OS X. One simple way is to get rid of all those languages that you don't use which are installed by default with OS X (if you hit 'Customize' while installing OS X you can really cut down on the bloat by only installing the languages and print drivers that you will use).

Monolingual is a freeware app that deletes all those other pesky languages from your Mac (just be careful not to delete the language you use because the only way to get them back is to reinstall OS X).I just ran it on my Macbook and it freed up 2.4 gigs of space, though it did take about 30 minutes to run.Update: Be careful to only remove the extraneous languages from your Mac using this program. Uncheck all the 'Architecture' options, otherwise you'll break Rosetta and blame me (and no one wants that).

Disk Order

2006-06-02T17:12:00.000-07:00

Mac Software for perfect file management

Disk Order is an advanced Finder replacement with built-in FTP client and ability to handle archives like plain folders. This makes file management much easier and faster then it has been before, because now you won't have to launch separate application to connect to FTP server or extract some files out of .zip, .gz, .tgz or other type of archives. All these tasks may be performed withing Disk Order with just few mouse clicks. Also, Disk Order offer all usual features, such as Get Info, Copy/Move/Delete, View, Edit and so on. Disk Order is fast and stable, works great on both Intel-based and PowerPC macs.

The Free iPod Book 2.0

2006-06-02T17:08:00.000-07:00

Download Now!

Our iPod lovin' friends at iLounge have toiled for many long, sleepless nights to birth the Free iPod Book 2.0. How much does it cost? It is free (crazy, huh?) and available in PDF format (which is my favorite portable document format). This 194 page monster of a free download covers all things iPod and iTunes, including reviews, tips, tricks, and much more.What are you waiting for? Download it now!

MyTunesRSS

2006-06-02T16:09:00.000-07:00

Codewave Software

MyTunesRSS is a free app for iTunes and Windows (or OSX) users that allows you to access your iTunes music collection from any browser. Spotted by TUAW a couple weeks ago, MyTunesRSS supports MP3 and unprotected AAC files and creates RSS feeds from existing iTunes playlists that you can listen to via any device with a web browser (even one without iTunes). If you’re looking for a little more control over the music, you may want to check out PlayerPal [Windows users only; free trial/$20 registered version], which allows you to manipulate iTunes from your handheld

Vietnamese spiders

2006-06-02T15:41:00.000-07:00

Spiders of Vietnam.

Photographer Richard Seaman shows us some of the spiders he came across during a recent trip to Vietnam. Be sure to check out some of his other pics.

Willard Wigan

2006-06-02T15:38:00.000-07:00

Micro Sculptor

Willard Wigan was born in Birmingham, England in 1957 and is the creator of the smallest works of art on earth. From being a traumatised and unrecognised dyslexic child, he is now emerging as the most globally celebrated micro-miniaturist of all time and is literally capable of turning a spec of dust into a vision of true beauty. Here is Elvis on the head of a pin!

Windows uses 20% of your bandwidth

2006-06-02T15:14:00.000-07:00

get it back

Microsoft reserves 20% of your available bandwidth for its own purposes (suspect for updates and interrogating your machine etc..) Here’s how to get it back.

Spider TIP

2006-05-29T22:55:00.000-07:00

The Spider

As with all these designs, try to start with relatively clean, crisp bills. It will go much easier. All folds should be sharply creased. It helps to go over the fold with a fingernail on a flat, hard surface.
The spider requires five bills: four for the legs, and one to wrap the body.

Hello Kitty iPod Speakers

2006-05-26T21:58:00.000-07:00

Hello Kitty KT4555 iPod Speakers

Want your Hello Kitty fix on something beside an ear cleaner? How about this Hello Kitty iPod Dock. An otherwise plain dock, save for the Hello Kitty-ness, this supports any iPod that fits the standard dock in 3-5G iPods. There's even a line out jack for plugging into another stereo system or headphones

Hello Kitty Credit Cards

2006-05-25T20:24:00.000-07:00

Dah Sing Bank

The brand new “70s’ vintage” thermo chromic Hello Kitty VISA Card, let you experience the unprecedented Cool & Fun!
Just spend with your Hello Kitty VISA Card, you’ll have a splendid life every day no matter if you use it for shopping, keep fit, beauty, leisure or entertainment.

Pricing a Project

2006-05-25T19:29:00.000-07:00

Blue Flavor

Today we are going to break an unwritten rule for agencies, we are going to reveal an important page from our playbook on how we price a project. What is somewhat ironic is that we think it's a pretty bad rule, that one of the last things we think anyone should hide from a potential client is how your pricing works.

InDesign Move Tip

2006-05-25T18:57:00.000-07:00

When working in Adobe InDesign and you want to move an object a precise amount, you can easily do it by selecting the object and double-clicking on the Selection tool (the solid black arrow tool) which opens the Move dialog box. From there you can enter in both a horizontal and vertical amount that you want to move the object. Entering negative numbers will move the object either to the left or down.

Also in the Move dialog box is another nifty feature that allows you to duplicated that object by clicking the Copy button, rather than hitting OK. This will allow you duplicated the object and move it at the same time. And finally, you can add a rotation to the object as well. That’s three tasks in one dialog box. Pretty handy!

iPod Remote

2006-05-25T18:46:00.000-07:00

with Display at Hammacher Schlemmer

How did we get from the mobility that the iPod promised to a place where we’re seeing remote controls for managing the music the player contains? Designed for those who listen to music via an iPod docked at a stereo or speaker system at home, this iPod Remote Control with Display allows for mobile music management. The device controls an docking iPod from up to 150 feet away, allowing for song, playlist, and artist viewing, via a built in LCD screen, as well as pause/play and track forward/backward control, and volume control. Attach a transmitter to the docking port, equip the device with one AAA battery, and you’re ready to go.

easy storage

2006-05-25T18:42:00.000-07:00

hivemodern.com

A useful idea for the workplace, this Easy Storage unit, designed by Matthias Demancker, is both an inbox storage space and a mobile tray system for outgoing documents. The piece consists of a varnished steel back panel, with three removable frosted Plexiglas trays that easily attached to it. The unit measures 43.4”(h) x 20.1”(w) x 13.4”(d) and can be mounted on any flat wall that will hold it. Different colors after the jump.