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With touchless fixtures in public restrooms all the rage these days, it was only a matter of time before the technology, uh, trickled down to the the average home. Sure, you can spend hundreds, or even thousands of dollars on high-end touchless faucets, but for a lot less you can get the iTouchless EZ Faucet.
While not as svelte as the expensive, integrated models, the EZ Faucet performs just as you would expect it to and attachs to almost any faucet in your home. Stick your hands under the faucet and the water comes on. Remove your hands, and, well, you get the idea. If you desire water without having to hold your hands beneath the sensor, then a simple push of the manual override button will accomodate your needs.
Features of the EZ Faucet include:
* Compact Design - 20% smaller size than the previous model.
* Side Mount Design - Increased more than 30% of the working space below the sink area.
* Improved Infrared Sensor - Detects faster and precisely with Point-N-Lock technology.
* Low Energy Consumption - Increased battery life up to 1 1/2 year (Powered by just 4 AAA batteries).
* New Battery Compartment Design - Easier to open and close the battery slipcover.
* Softer Touch Button - Better manual on/off control.
Available now for $59.99 USD.
Read More 
| iTouchless via Popgadget
Gallery: iTouchless EZ Faucet
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Faintly reminiscent of those Hypercolor t-shirts from the early 90’s are the Moving Color glass tiles that change color with exposure to heat. The tiles are available in eight base-coat colors, carry a one-year warranty, and are suitable for use in any kind of installation where they will come into contact with water. You can install the tile in a shower as shown in the picture above, or another application that depicted on their website is where a radiant heat source is installed behind the tile, causing it to change colors without any apparent external stimuli.
Pricing starts at $25 USD per 4-inch square tile, and the only downside we can see (besides the price) is the potential life-span, or lack thereof. The website is quoted as saying that the “Reaction life of moving color has been witnessed as exceeding 7 years.” Assuming you may only get 7-10 years worth of color-changing goodness from the tile, it seems a bit steep for the money. Then again, you may be tired of the look within just a few years so the life-span may be a moot issue.
Read More | Moving Color via Trendir
Gallery: Color Changing Glass Tile
If you really dig peel and eat shrimp, but despise the chore of deveining the little critters, the Shrimp Butler may be what you’re looking for. Simply insert your unsuspecting bottom dweller into the opening, turn the handle, and the shrimp torture device kicks into action by slicing, filleting, and deveining with almost effortless ease.
It seems a tad expensive at $44.95 USD for what looks like a handful of plastic, but if it works, the time saved could make it worth the cost.
Read More | The Home Marketplace via Kitchen Contraptions
Gallery: The Shrimp Butler
Loremo AG’s Solution to High Gas Prices
Posted by Jared Hislop Categories: Smart Home, Misc. Tech, Science, Transportation,
German company Loremo AG has introduced a new vehicle which they claim gets 157 miles per gallon. The new car uses state-of-the-art aerodynamics combined with a lightweight body to combat gas guzzling. While some of the fuel efficient cars use smaller engines that deliver less power, this car doesn’t play around in the power department. The base model uses a 2 cylinder 20 hp turbo diesel engine that reaches a top speed of 100 MPH with a 0 to 60 time of 9 seconds, and the GT model boasts a top speed of 135 MPH. Loremo has a new technology that they call “linear cell structure” that makes the car light without sacrificing strength. Both models meet static/dynamic requirements for crash safety. Standard features on both models include airbags, particle filter, dashboard computer, and air conditioning. Loremo AG plans to sell the Loremo LS for less than 11,000 euros and the GT for 15,000 euros. With the rising costs of gas in the US we would like to see a vehicle like this available. Unfortunately this car is still dependant on gas, and we doubt its strength in a crash, as tiny car + low weight = death.
Read More | If Energy
Gallery: Loremo AG’s Solution to High Gas Prices
I’ve always been rather fascinated with clocks. Fascinated by, but not terribly fond of, as they’re rather blatant in telling me how late I am for wherever I was going. Regardless, Lexon has put an interesting twist, or tilt as the case may be, on what would otherwise be a rather average alarm clock. With the LCD in the horizontal position the alarm is primed and ready for action, and when it starts wailing to wake you out of dreamful bliss, you simply tilt the clock onto its other side to silence it. Simple . . . yet maybe too simple, as the all important snooze feature seems to be a no-show.
Available in 6 different colors, the acrylic-housed clock was envisioned by Danish designer Nina Tolstrup and sells for $36.50 USD.
Read More | Unica via Product Dose
Gallery: Lexon On-Off Clock
Matterinc Solar-Powered LED Numbers For Your Crib
Posted by Jared Hislop Categories: Design, Smart Home, Misc. Tech,
We have all been there when driving to an unknown home late at night. Most house numbers are hard to see in the dark. Matterinc has set out to change that with new solar LED address numbers. Each number is laser cut out of anodized aluminum. The solar arrays on top of each number provide power to the included batteries, and two white LEDs shine in the darkess, lighting the number below. On a full solar charge, the LEDs provide eight to ten hours of light - enough to last a full night just about anywhere. Matterinc recommends placing the device in full sunlight for best results. The numbers are available in either black or silver, and are viewable up to 40 feet away. They retail for $17.99 USD and come with all of the necessary hardware for mounting.
Read More | Digital Toys Review
Read More | Product Page
Gallery: Matterinc Solar-Powered LED Numbers For Your Crib
Astone’s Ultra-Portable Washing Machine
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Design, Smart Home, Misc. Tech,
For anyone constantly on the go, we know that doing laundry can get in the way. Apparently, Astone knows that as well, as they are set to start selling this portable washing machine this June. Weighing in at about four-and-a-half pounds, this puppy can hold up to 1.7 gallons of water once it’s inflated. The word is that it will do everything a standard washing machine can do, just at a much smaller scale. At $70 USD, it doesn’t sound like too bad a deal.
Read More | NewLaunches
Gallery: Astone’s Ultra-Portable Washing Machine
What is it about Tetris that still fascinates so many people to this day? Brought to life in 1985 by a Russian programmer, the game has spawned innumerable clones, as well as offshoot products like the Tetris Kitchen Timer we’re looking at today. As with a traditional timer you can let it perform the countdown with a display of digital numbers, but that sucks all the fun out of things. No, the quirky nature of the timer comes into play when you can put it into Tetris mode. In this mode the familiar little shapes work their way down the screen, and when the screen is completely filled up, your time (and that of your food) is also up.
Provided you can read Japanese, the timer is available for approximately $42 USD.
Read More | Amandana via Gizmodo
Gallery: Cooking With Tetris
Curious as to how much power you use throughout your home? Do family members traipse through the house, flipping on light switches and leaving a blazing trail of wasted energy in their wake? If so, maybe the Wattson can help educate them as to the tangible change in power usage when electrical items are left on (or off as the case may be). Wattson delivers the information in numerical and non-verbal modes, and can also be connected to your computer for charting energy usage over time and sharing the data with a community of Wattson users.
The numerical display shows you exactly how much power your home is using at that very moment, and can display the result as an annual monetary cost, or in watts. This mode can help demonstrate what the real impact is of high-wattage bulbs instead of energy saving fluorescents, or how much power (and money) your SLI-equipped gaming rig really consumes. The non-verbal method uses colored lights and patterns to display the changing status of power consumption, and is useful for children and as a “quick glance” status indicator.
The Wattson device itself is wireless, and receives information from a sensor that is installed near the electrical panel in your home. The sensor is said to be easy to install, “with no need for any expert knowledge or assistance”, although the company does offer installation services.
Built to order, the £350 (~ $610 USD) device requires 8 weeks prior to shipping and is currently available only in the UK.
Read More | DIY Kyoto
Gallery: Wattson Power Monitoring Device
Maybe you consider yourself a word traveler, or possibly you’re into day trading, but whatever the need, a clock capable of keeping track of the time in major cities around the world can be quite useful. Simplicity has its place as well, and that brings us to the Charlotte van der Waals Stainless Steel World Time Clock. Okay, so simplicity isn’t in the name, but it is in the clock. In the shape of a dodecagon (er, 12 sides that is), the clock has two major cities on each side which covers the 24 global time zones. To check the time in any one of those cities, merely rotate the clock till that city is on top, and the correct local time will be shown. If stainless steel isn’t your thing, three other variations on the theme are offered with two made from plastic, and a disc-shaped travel version made from aluminum.
The stainless steel model is priced at $190 USD, and available here.
Read More | Ameico via Cool Tools
