Around The Home
Where else but Dubai: the Pentominium to be world’s tallest residential tower
July 31, 2007 The enormous and still skyrocketing wealth centralized in Dubai has seen some absolutely outrageous construction projects taking off. From the world’s tallest building and a ski slope in the desert to custom-built islands and rotating skyscrapers, the international commerce hub seems to have ingenious developers fighting each other over who can make the biggest show of material excess. The latest jewel in Dubai’s extravagant crown will be a 516-metre tall apartment building, more than twice as high as the previous biggest residential building and with no expense spared on pure luxury. Even its name, the Pentominium, drips with treacle-thick exclusivity. Some floors will be uniquely suspended in mid-air, giving the impression that you’re living in a floating penthouse in the sky, with residents having access to a fleet of luxury automobiles and yachts for transport and entertainment. The ancient Egyptians defined their era with the impossible pyramids of Giza – could the fantastical architecture of Dubai be the defining monument of our era? Read More
New Singer prints embroidery patterns straight from PC to fabric
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July 26, 2007 The Singer company has a spectacular and storied history of firsts. Founded in 1851, the iconic company produced the world’s first portable sewing machine in 1921, and built and then demolished the world’s first and tallest skyscraper on the site of New York’s World Trade Center as its head office. Singer was one of America’s first truly globally marketed brands with an unprecedented advertising budget, and the company made the first computer-controlled sewing machine in 1978. Now, Singer has built on its impressive past by creating a sewing and embroidery machine that allows you to design a multi-coloured embroidery pattern on a PC, and “print” it directly to the fabric through a USB connection. The new Singer Futura machine is designed to make complex and beautiful embroidery a simple, quick and controllable task for any home craftsperson, and brings the old-world craft into a distinctly new-age technology. Read More
Gesture recognition yields the virtual remote control
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July 23, 2007 As we move towards the home entertainment systems of the future, we’ll no doubt be looking for more elaborate ways of interacting with these systems than the simple remote control. ‘Wave of the hand ‘ technology is a box that lets television viewers change channels, switch on the DVD player or simply switch off an irritating presenter or program with the wave of a hand. The controller’s built-in camera can recognise seven simple hand gestures and work with up to eight different gadgets around the home. The developers, Dr Premaratne and Quang Nguyen, believe the device could be on sale within three years. Read More
No-touch toilet tissue dispenser
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July 10, 2007 Public restrooms are not always the most alluring locations in which to deal with nature’s calling and in an effort to make them more hygienic we’ve seen the progressive introduction of touch-free hand-dryers, sinks and soap dispensers, but one key element has been overlooked – toilet tissue. Now Kimberly-Clark Professional has found a way complete the hygienic no-touch restroom with the release of the JRT Electronic Coreless bath tissue dispenser, a system that automatically dispenses a pre-defined amount of toilet paper when users place their hands under the unit. Read More
Presso mechanical espresso coffee machine
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July 4, 2007 Making a well-extracted espresso coffee should be a simple process and the Presso espresso machine is certainly elegant in its simplicity. Despite the many variables that go into a good brew such as water pressure, temperature and the grind of the beans, the ideal machine should be reliable and robust, with moving parts kept to a minimum. The Presso meets these criteria by using an entirely mechanical design based on leverage that by-passes the reliability problems often associated with the use of electric pumps in smaller consumer oriented espresso machines. Read More
Domestic rainwater tanks with style: LUMI, the functional water feature
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June 3, 2007 Long-term droughts in places like Australia have put water-saving solutions at the forefront of designers' minds - and while some manufacturers are keen to hide their domestic rainwater catchment tanks out of view, others are taking a very different approach. Melbourne's Full Tank has designed a household water tank that not only serves to cut domestic mains water usage by 20%, but also acts as an attractive and modern architectural design and lighting feature. The LUMI rainwater tank is a glowing sculpture in celebration of responsible water use. Read More
Mow-Aerator: simple solution enhances lawn-care
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June 28, 2007 There’s more to maintaining a healthy lawn than just jumping on the ride-on mower now and then, but time-consuming and labor intensive tasks like aeration of the soil are often left undone. The solution is one we always like – do two things at once. The Mow-Aerator is a simple collection of brackets and one-and-a-half-inch spikes that attaches to a mower's tires and allows you to mow and aerate at the same time. The weight of the mower – whether ride-on or push - forces the spikes into the root zone to aerate the soil without the clods of dirt left behind by conventional aerators. Read More
Wake-up in your own time: aXbo sleep phase alarm clock
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June 28, 2007 Waking at just the right moment can have a drastic effect on how well-rested a person feels, the trick is knowing exactly when that is. This is the principle behind the aXbo ‘sleep phase alarm clock’- a device that monitors phases of sleep and wakes the user at the optimum moment to maximize their feelings of well-being and vitality. Read More
Rainwater storage solution stays out of sight
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June 27, 2007 In places like Australia where long-term drought has sparked a re-think of the way we use of our precious water resources, domestic rainwater tanks are undoubtedly of great benefit - but they’re also too large for many properties and, well… ugly. One solution is to disguise the tank, another is to keep it completely hidden from view as is the case with the Rain Reviva water storage system. Designed for easy installation underneath a house or decking, the bladder style tank incorporates a mains-pressure pump and pressure control unit to deliver water for household applications, plus a swing arm that allows automatic diversion into storm-water outflow points when the bladder becomes full. Read More
It's not much, but we call it home
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June 14, 2007 It's just so hard to find the right home for your family of 6, 168 cars and 600 full-time personal staff. India's second-richest man, Mukesh Ambani, decided the only way was up. His 60-storey high vertical palace in Mumbai, to be completed in 2008, tells an epic tale of excess - and the locals aren't happy about this ostentatious display, some calling it the "dawn of a new age of vulgarity". Read More
Your office has a disaster plan, what about your home?
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June 13, 2007 Not everybody's a first-aider or emergency specialist - and every time a natural disaster like Katrina or serious fires comes along, it becomes clear how poorly prepared the average household is to deal with these extraordinary situations. Informed's latest pocket emergency guide is a comprehensive and easy to use reference for families in the case of natural disaster, terrorist attack, chemical or biological contaminations. Read More
US $1000 12-Foot Inflatable Home Theater
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June 7, 2007 Getting a group of people together is about as much fun as you can have, and all too frequently, the excuse for such a get together is to watch an event on the big screen. Now there’s a way of ruggedising the big screen experience so you can take it outdoors In terms of bang-per-buck, the Sima 12-Foot Inflatable Home Theater is a ripper because for US$1000 you get to protect your monstrous pride-and-joy and make it much more versatile at the same time. For those among us who just have to spend a lot of money to get into the experience, there are lots of outdoor speakers designed to look like rocks, wireless, in-ground speakers and ... and we think it’s a great idea that might yet spawn an entire outdoor home entertainment industry. Read More
FlatWire Ready offers invisible power
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June 1, 2007 With wireless technologies being incorporated into many new products, the scope for interior designers to create a new and uncluttered look has never been greater – and we suspect it will be some time yet until we have commercially available wireless power. Which is why we’re so bullish on this product. Since its first patents were filed in 1995, FlatWire Ready technology has been winning awards and converts for its unique approach to electrical wiring. The technology is now available for low voltage lighting, audio, video, voice and data and considerable attention has been paid to the development of installation accessories that make it easy for even a novice DIYer to install in minutes in four easy steps - Map it, Stick It, Click It, and Make it Disappear. Read More
Nespresso Lattissima with one-touch milk frother
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May 22, 2007 Coffee is the world’s second most traded commodity, behind only oil. The short “blast” afforded by a concentrated caffeine hit has become part of the daily ritual of hundreds of millions of people, yet, as any coffee connoisseur will tell you, producing a good coffee is something that is beyond most commercial food establishments on the planet. In recent times, a range of companies have attempted to replicate the perfect coffee by producing machinery that uses standardised pods and sophisticated circuitry to get the temperaures just right every time. The leader in this single-serve coffee segment is Nestle’s Nespresso, with a range of machines we’ve written about many times (Miele's built-in Nespresso machine, Nespresso's InCar coffee machine, Nespresso's Romeo, the Nespresso Essenza, and our original assessment of the Nespresso system back in 2003) and the company’s latest innovation has been done in concert with De’Longhi, the Italian household appliance designers. The Nespresso Lattissima machine is the manifestation of the companies’ mutual vision to create a machine that would enable connoisseurs to easily prepare a latte or cappuccino of the highest quality with a one-touch milk froth function. Read More
More IKEA homes for Gateshead, UK
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May 18, 2007 The popular BoKlok affordable housing project gained momentum in the UK on Wednesday with the announcement that Live Smart @ Home have applied to almost quadruple the number of properties the company is building. The stylish and efficient factory-fabricated family homes, which we previewed last month, are soon to go on sale, and likely to disappear fast. Read More
The Electrolux condenser tumble dryer uses steam to make ironing easier and saves on dry cleaning bills
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May 17, 2007 One of the most universally despised chores, ironing is a killer-app opportunity. With this in mind, household appliance innovator Electrolux has introduced a new type of condenser tumble dryer that cleverly uses steam to make the job of ironing easier. Iron Aid is a unique technological innovation, with special steam cycles that will reduce, or even eliminate, the need to iron, saving the hassle and time associated with this chore. The design uses steam to reduce and remove wrinkles and creases, to deliver ready-to-wear clothes. Up to five wrinkle free shirts can be produced in just 20 minutes and the Iron Aid can refresh and de-odorise even “dry clean only” garments and will refresh a silk or wool suit in 20 minutes. The product was released in Europe earlier this year, achieving its projected annual sales figures for 2007 by the end of March. Like we said, ironing is a killer-app opportunity, and this product appears to be a contender. Read More
Waterless urinal making a splash
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May 17, 2007 It's not our favourite subject, but it has the potential of saving the average office building around 2.3 million litres of water each year. Caroma's H2Zero Cube Urinal is completely waterless, featuring an air-tight seal and deodorising cartridge to keep bathrooms smelling fresh without squandering water. Read More
Smart tools smoothing out home handyman jobs
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May 18, 2007 Zircon have added a couple of clever new electronic tools to their range; a laser measuring device that can automatically calculate surface area or volume, and a very affordable metal detector/stud finder. These new products are the latest additions to a range of Zircon tools that use smart technology to make the handyman's life a lot easier. Read More
The Clarity wireless TV amplification device
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May 12, 2007 If you’ve spent a lot of time at rock concerts, or been part of the motor racing fraternity, or clocked up half a century of living, chances are you’re a bit hard of hearing. It’s a modern phenomena that the baby boomers know only too well now they’re heading into senior citizenship. It afflicts you in so many ways – in conversation when ambient noise is greater than usual, and most annoyingly, when watching television. Of course you could turn the volume up extremely high, but family and friends may find sharing an evening in front of the television with you to be unbearable. The Clarity wireless TV amplification device has been created to solve this problem. The US$190 Clarity Professional C120 uses infrared technology to wirelessly transmit sound from a television, stereo or MP3 player to a lightweight amplified headset, enabling users to hear clearly and comfortably without disturbing others in the room. Read More
Pimp my Grill - the BeefEater gold-plated barbeque
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May 11, 2007 We’re not quite sure what it is about barbeques, but we’ve seen our share of innovative outdoor cooking appliances in recent times. First there was the 345 horsepower, 5.7-liter HEMI V8 barbeque, then the Powerblock V8 BBQ that brands the food it cooks with the logo of your choice and then GarageWorks’ concept tailgating appliance that cooks, cools, warms and stores. Now we’ve seen it all – in a promotional initiative designed to draw attention to its range of barbeques, BBQ manufacturer BeefEater has created the ultimate in backyard bling – the world’s first fully operational gold-plated barbecue. All parts of the US$12,500 grill except for the cooking surfaces have been individually plated in 24 carat gold. BeefEater tricked out one of its range-topping Signature Series 6 Burner SL4000 to create a uniquely lavish gold plated barbecue, “for those who want to make a statement with their barbecue and have the money to burn.”
Samsung's Vibration Reduction Technology (VRT) washing machine
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May 9, 2007 If your washing machines often makes more noise than mating walruses, you’ll be pleased to hear that at long last there’s a solution for the vibration and noise caused by unbalanced loads during the spin cycle. Samsung’s new Vibration Reduction Technology (VRT) washing machine is claimed to be the quietest ever during the spin cycle. The new VRT Washing Machine can be seen for the first time at the 2007 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (K/BIS) this week in Las Vegas.
SeaChange unveils new Video-On-Demand solutions
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May 8, 2007 Turning the television model on its head, Video On Demand (VOD) is developing into a serious competitor for broadcast and cable TV programming. Leaving aside the vast television content piracy "industry," established TV companies are looking at how to capitalise on developing technology that allows users to pick and choose what they watch and exactly when. As storage and streaming solutions improve, the ability to get home and turn on the 6 o'clock news at 6:45 gets closer to a reality. As a major player in pushing technology forward in the VOD industry, SeaChange is unveiling two new products at The Cable Show over the next couple of days. Axiom Core 4.0 is the latest version of the company's proven VOD network, content and subscriber management software. MediaServer Flash Streamer is the first VOD content serving medium to eliminate volatile media such as spinning discs. Read More
IKEA's ingenious affordable housing system
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April 16, 2007 Built in a quality-controlled factory, delivered and assembled in a day. The BoKlok (pronounced Boo Clook) housing concept, a partnership between property company Live Smart @ Home and Swedish furniture giant IKEA is only months away from bringing the average UK family a stylish, efficient and affordable housing option. Read More
Miniskaff - an affordable, safe home scaffolding system
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April 5, 2007 Australian company AdForm is to unveil an interesting portable scaffolding for domestic usage this weekend at Sydney’s Royal Easter Show. The key feature of the standard 1.8 metre AUD$595 (US$485) Miniskaff is that it can be assembled inside eight minutes, deconstructed to fit into a standard car luggage space and offers a safe, stable elevated platform capable of carrying a workload of 225 kilograms. So that could be two people making themselves a comfy platform at an outdoor spectator event, a safe place from where one can safely trim the hedge, or paint the house or … lotzastuff. The modular 1.6 gauge Galvabond steel frame components are interchangeable and extra parts are available to extend the height. The platforms are Grip Mesh galvanized steel and if correctly cared for, should last for generations. Miniskaff is seeking international licensors for the system. Read More
NuVo OLED Audio Controller
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April 4, 2007 NuVo, best known for whole-house audio systems, has released details of its new in-wall, multi-room home audio controller. The Control Pad uses OSRAM Opto Semiconductors' 2.7-inch Pictiva OLED display for durability, high-contrast and readability from any angle and in bright daylight conditions. Read More
The frightfully proper alarm clock
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April 4, 2007 For those who resent being awoken by the shrill ring of an alarm or the inane chatter of breakfast radio jocks, there is now a classier option. Voco has developed an alarm clock that sounds off with the dulcet tone of English comedian Stephen Fry, known for his work in TV shows Blackadder and the Young Ones. Fry, who once made the claim that his “vocal cords are made of tweed,” recorded 50 tender, deferential, deeply respectful wake-up messages to coax "sir" from his depths and into the world. The clock, which stands at 110mm, is available to purchase on the Voco website. The popularity of the UKP26 (US$51) product has ensured that an equivalent version will soon be created – "for madam". You can hear MP3 samples of Fry’s wake-up messages here. Read More
Every home should have one – new connected building solution reduces Capital and Operating Expenses
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March 28, 2007 Extraordinarily exciting news from the International Security Conference (ISC) being held in Las Vegas starting tomorrow is a connected building solution that paints a promising picture of the rate at which home automation technologies are maturing. The interactive Connected Building display at ISC Booth 3109 will demonstrate the deployment and convergence of a building automation system within the IT infrastructure. Utilizing a PANDUIT end-to-end system, including Power over Ethernet, zone cabling, and copper/fiber cabling, to monitor and control all building functions (e.g. security and communications) should result in significant operational efficiencies for the intelligent home of the future. Read More
Bretford’s multipurpose Plus Tablet Arm Chair with laptop surface
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March 23, 2007 The new Bretford Plus Tablet Arm Chair has a laptop surface, coffee cup holder and a supportive seat design, offering a combination of productivity and comfort for higher education and office environments. The chair will be available exclusively through the North American dealerships of Herman Miller, and will be shown for the first time at the National Association of Educational Procurement (NAEP) show (March 25-28) in San Jose, California.
Electrolux releases Intuitive Oven Interface (IOI) for microwave ovens
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March 23, 2007 As Apple has so convincingly demonstrated, a simple generic device can be transformed into a killer product with a ripper interface. We’re all aware of the limitations of traditionally appalling video recorder and microwave oven interfaces so we’re very pleased to report that Electrolux is releasing a new range of microwave ovens with a new and vastly improved (at least that’s the claim) interface. Called the Intuitive Oven Interface (IOI), Electrolux claims it’s so simple, you won’t ever need to read the manual. The new ovens are part of Electrolux’s E:Line collection of kitchen appliances. Read More
Two-in-one Window Frame and expandable balcony
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March 19, 2007 Making the most of the space we have available is becoming an increasingly important factor in apartment living and though this solution might not suit those who suffer from vertigo, it’s a cost-efficient way of adding sunlight and a balcony and opening up a compact apartment just a tad more. Bloomframe is an innovative window frame which can be transformed into a balcony. With one push on a button the balcony opens smoothly within 15 seconds and on the few square meters which are generated two persons can enjoy breakfast in the open air. Although the construction is extremely solid, the balcony looks elegant and transparent. Designers Hofman Dujardin Architects forsee a building where the changing of the weather in spring would see the balcony’s open up like a flower. Read More
Clocky – the alarm clock that runs away
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March 9, 2007 For people who have trouble dealing with an alarm clock telling them it’s time to get up, here’s one potential solution – it’s an alarm clock that runs away and torments you until you get up. When Clocky was just a design concept it received a lot of attention, but now it’s a real product. When the alarm sounds, Clocky will start beeping. You can set him to run away immediately the alarm sounds, or you can set it to snooze once for your chosen number of snooze minutes and if you don't get up, Clocky will start beeping again and run away. His aim is to jump off your bedside table first, so he won’t be easy to catch once, he’s hit the floor. He then scurries away and beeps at you until you get up and catch the little critter. Read More
Plug-n-play fibre optic home networks
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February 22, 2007 As demand continues to increase exponentially for brighter, faster and more user-friendly consumer electronics, Tenvera has introduced a Plug-n-play fibre optic home network that should ensure that the home network won’t run out of bandwidth any time soon. Tenvera’s new IP Solution allows the home consumer to plug up to eight Tenvera pre-terminated fiber reels into a Stand Alone Switch (SAS) which delivers blazing data speeds to every IP-based piece of consumer electronics in the home through optical fibre. With the likelihood that Voice, Video and Data will all be delivered together and communications channels will all run down the same wires, this is a compelling product as it future-proofs a home network as much as it’s possible right now. The IP Solution complements the Fiber Optic backbone that AT&T, Verizon and others are investing in right now. Read More
Biometric Home Security - entry via fingerprint scan
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February 9, 2007 America’s top-selling lock-set manufacturer Kwikset, has unveiled a stylish biometric keyless entry system for the home. SmartScan eliminates the need for a key or key code, with the deadbolt activated simply by swiping a valid fingerprint across its sensor. Programmable with up to 50+ user fingerprints, SmartScan also has a special timed "lock out feature" that allows homeowners three levels of access options. This feature allows continual access (24/7) for family members, temporary access for house sitters or contractors, and time restricted access for babysitters or housekeepers. Read More
IntelliScanner Mini Home Organization Scanner
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January 11, 2007 There is no doubt that organizing things is much easier once they are digital. For those of us who work in the digital world, there’s a vast chasm between the databased, orderly digital work environment and the disorderly analog or real world environment. If you’re looking to get some organisation into the home, IntelliScanner has rolled out IntelliScanner mini, an ultra-portable personal barcode scanner and software package for organizing collections and home assets with barcode technology plus an AutoFill item identification. IntelliScanner mini is about the size of a car keyfob, organizing personal assets automatically by simply scanning the retail barcode or printed tag. Read More
Apple TV connects the digital world to your television
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January 9, 2007 Apple premiered Apple TV today, creating another easy-to-use and elegant product which delivers an incredibly useful way to wirelessly play all your favorite iTunes content from your Mac or PC on your widescreen TV, including movies, TV shows, music, photos and podcasts. Using Apple TV’s new interface, anyone can quickly browse and view their entire collection of digital media from across the room using the simple and intuitive Apple Remote. Apple TV easily connects to almost all modern widescreen televisions, and will be shipping in February for just US$300. Read More
