Around The Home
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
Ingenious appliance concepts among Electrolux Design Lab finalists
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January 2, 2006 Another design competition set to become a global fixture, a source of household appliance ideas and a massive generator of awareness for the brand is the Electrolux Design Lab. The theme for the fourth Electrolux Design Lab competition, for which the winners were announced last month, was “household appliance solutions for food preservation and storage that promote healthier eating habits for 2016.” The winning entry (adjudged by the jury as the most innovative product) was from Turkish student Metin Kaplan, was named Nevale and is a mobile food carrier, though there were some other stand-out ideas including Brian Law’s Organic Cook concept (that uses vacuum cooking in a new inventive way), Eduardo Altamirano’s Vessto portable cook-top which took second and third place. Two of the non-placed finalists that we think are really neat are Teeravit Hanharutaivan’s Vege (an appliance that allows consumers to grow vegetables in their kitchen) and Kleber Puchaski’s HydroSphere (a gorgeous transparent sphere for growing herbs, vegies and fruit indoors). Excellent image library.
Velcro-tipped FlexiSnake drain unclogger
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January 2, 2007 For all the high tech wonders in our life, there’s nothing quite as humbling as a simple blocked rain to remind us that we have yet to solve all the mysteries of the universe. A new product designed to open a slow-running drain caught our eye over the holiday period - a velcro-tipped, disposable drain snake called FlexiSnake. Read More
Dance your way to cleanliness – Electrolux Dustmate shoes
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December 18, 2006 They may only be a design exercise at this point, but the Electrolux Dustmate shoes strike a chord, if only in expectation of the Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers commercials which would surely result if the product ever came to market. The Dustmates are shoes with built-in vacuum cleaners. There’s also the slight problem of fitting an effective mechanism for vacuuming into the shoes, not to mention the repository for the dirt. Nice idea though! Read More
The expanding dining table
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December 12, 2006 It is not often that we see a product of exquisite beauty, ingenious design, and made from extraordinary materials that scores 10 from 10 on the usefulness scale. This is such a product. David Fletcher is a bespoke furniture manufacturer who has spent many years producing distinctive pieces of exceptional quality, each custom designed and built for each commission. Nothing is copied, nor are any two pieces ever created the same. The expanding table shown here is the result of many years of development, but follows a line of history of more than one and a half centuries. The Fletcher Capstan Table is the only table in the world with its unique properties. It is a circular table which, when rotated at its outer perimeter, doubles its seating capacity, yet astonishingly remains truly circular. The masterpiece is of course the operating mechanism which is beautifully engineered, yet simple and robust … and you can have one built to your exact requirements for a sum commensurate with this functional work of art. Gizmodo’s comments are worth reading and the videos are here, here and here. Just to show they know their way around functional design, the company also manufactures another expanding table done by entirely different means - the Fletcher Rising & Folding Table achieves many of the same functions, but also raises and lowers. And if you like this table, you'll also like this one. Read More
The Cyberlux EverOn LED Portable Light – a 'must-have' for the emergency kit
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December 8, 2006 We do get excited about useful things that become more useful in an emergency and the Cyberlux EverOn fits that bill perfectly – it is an easy-to-use, inexpensive emergency light that offers over 500 hours of nightlight level light, or 60 hours of a medium, room-filling light, or 30 hours of intensely bright white light – all from one set of 4 AA batteries. It can perform this seemingly magical feat because it is bulb free - it uses Cyberlux solid-state LED technology which is 90 percent more energy efficient than conventional incandescent lighting elements found in most lanterns and flashlights. And an ideal safety light for young children. Read More
The Chumby, the wifi internet-connected news-gathering squishy clock radio
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December 6, 2006 The chumby is a modern day equivalent of the clock radio, but it’s very different in what it will enable you to do, and enables you to appropriately introduce or conduct your day just as you would wish. It’s a really low-cost, WiFi, Internet-connected information device that will accompany you in the bedroom (or any other room) and wake you up. The starting point was the humble clock radio concept of audio information presentation, but it was extended into multimedia and is designed to connect up to the information resources you require, such as pictures that your friends send you from their cellphones, messages from your IM buddies, your blogs and social network sites. In fact, you can set up your chumby to show you almost any information you want, and anything your friends want to send you. It will wake you up with anything you wish - AM or FM radio, MP3 files or podcasts from the Internet, from your computer, or even from your iPod. It can display your daily horoscope and the weather, and a whole community of artists and animators can send their creations around the chumby network to entertain you. Chumby is the product of a group of hackers who wanted to create something interesting, useful and different. It doesn’t look like a clock radio - it’s soft, and squishy and you communicate with it by tapping or squeezing it and in the true spirit of open collaboration, its open and hackable and they encourage everyone to “pull out its electronic guts and reprogram it.” There are alternative skins for your chumby so you can do whatever you want to personalize it. Several hundred chumbys are currently being beta tested with a view to a commercial product some time in in the 2007-2008 time frame with a target retail price of US$150. If you are a serious alpha-geek hacker, they can be convinced to give you a prototype. Read More
Melitta Smart Mill & Brew – the Intelligent Coffee Pot
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November 17, 2006 Now here’s a must have for any self-respecting, caffeine-powered technophile – a coffee maker with real-time weather forecast information and the ability to brew a cup of coffee from either whole beans or ground coffee. The US$200 Melitta Smart Mill & Brew with MSN Direct incorporates Microsoft's Smart Personal Objects Technology (SPOT) and automatically detects current weather conditions, the day's forecast, probability for precipitation, and sunrise and sunset times, without the need for outdoor sensors, through MSN Direct. Read More
The Rotating Home – high efficiency, high tech and dial-a-view
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October 24, 2006 Which way do you orient your home when you have spectacular views on all sides? Luke Everingham had that problem but having worked as a high-end audio/video engineer and construction contractor, he looked for and found the solution to the problem in a different way. Taking an idea from a throwaway comment from his wife, he conceived, designed and built a rotating house that offers not only dial-a-view, but can take full advantage of its rotational powers to optimise the use of sunlight to create better thermal efficiency. The Everingham Rotating House is situated four hours north of Sydney, NSW, and any room in the house can choose its view from pristine rapids and deep water river views on one side to soaring mountains on the other. The rotating home is one of the most remarkable and unique homes in the world but it wasn’t always that way. Luke and wife Debbie lived initially just a few metres away in a 90-year-old farmhouse and had theorised for some time on how to take most advantage of the landscape when they built their dream home. One night at a dinner party Debbie made a comment about how it would be nice to be able to turn an existing design by 15 degrees and Luke came up with the idea of a rotating home. Ingeniously solving engineering problems for a living in the construction industry had prepped him well. The drawings took six months and were the start of thousands of hours of research over six years to the completion of the house. “There’s a fair bit (of work) in it to make it work,” says Luke. Everingham is now seeking to commercialise the expertise he gained in constructing ERH Mk I and living in it for several years, and looks forward to creating new and innovative solutions for using natural light and the environment to assist the house… and check out this stunning pictorial. Read More
The combination wine cabinet and refrigerator
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October 20, 2006 Liebherr is well known for its high quality wine cabinets and also makes a range of superb refrigerators so it was only a matter of time before someone got the bright idea for combining them. If you’re a regular wine drinker, it’s heaven sent as the wine cabinet holds 32 bottles and has two zones for storing and/or serving wine at the exact temperature desired, ranging from +41°F (+5°C) to +64°F (+18°C). In all, the SBS 24I5 unit has five different climate zones and ensures everything is kept as it should be. As such, we figure it qualifies as a new and innovative appliance that allows you to store all food and drink under perfect conditions. Read More
The handheld vacuum cleaner that never clogs and never loses suction
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October 19, 2006 Gone forever are the days of frustrating, ineffective handheld cleaners. Loss of suction, poor pick-up and useless clogged filters may have once been standard fare, but will no longer interfere with your cleaning if you buy a Dyson Root 6 Cyclone, or at least that’s what Dyson is claiming. The Root 6 uses a lithium ion battery and comes with a specially designed combination brush/stair tool for versatile cleaning. Given that the company’s other products always do the business as claimed, we figure that makes the Root Cyclone a likely winner when it goes on sale next week at US$150. Read More
Bespoke apartments created in 24 hours
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October 16, 2006 From any tall building in almost any major city, dozens, possibly hundreds of roofs can be seen which carry free space which is not being employed the owner’s benefit. The free space on top of buildings has never been ascribed much value, and rarely gets any consideration on a balance sheet, but offers a major opportunity because in some locations, it represents very valuable virgin real estate indeed. Last week we wrote about the pre-fabricated Loftcube which can be made-to-order and helicoptered into position, commisiioned and fully functional in 24 hours, with prices starting at US$138,000. The Loftcube is a modern construction and doesn’t suite everybody, as in most such instances, additional construction must be in sympathy with existing, important buildings. St. John's Wood Court is a century-old double winged mansion block directly opposite the W. C. Grace Gates, the main entrance to Lords Cricket Ground, the home of the sport of cricket. One of several major Central London apartment projects by specialist rooftop developer First Penthouse, the project added seven ultra-exclusive apartments to the building. First Penthouse uses a modular construction system not dissimilar to that used in custom automobile construction – all components are handcrafted, assembled and tested in a controlled factory environment. By finishing the apartments off-site, then loading them into position with cranes, one-day installation is also possible. Instant-use residential and commercial property is hence viable, without noise, dust and disruption and with the units constructed in the style and values of the original, traditionally-constructed buildings. First Penthouse is actively seeking new developments and can prepare portfolio surveys for property owners which will identify short, medium and long term opportunities. Read More
The kitchen timer/clock for serious multi-taskers
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October 12, 2006 Like it or not, no matter how much you try to avoid it, there are some things that run to a very strict schedule. It might be the personal trainer every Tuesday morning at 6am when on all other days you can sleep to 7.30am, or it might be that the exquisite meal you wish to prepare needs military precision in coinciding the readiness of the hollandaise sauce with the Chateaubriand. American Innovative is a company which specialises in creating “products that make sense” – interestingly it’s key successes so far have been related to solving timing issues. The company's first offering, the Neverlate 7-day Alarm Clock is a bedside clock radio designed with a variable schedule in mind and the company’s latest product is a kitchen timer for the serious home chef, the avid entertainer and the modern multi-tasker. The Chef's Quad-Timer provides four countdown timers with indicators arranged to look like a 4-burner cooktop -- what's on the stove and what's being timed are intuitively linked - green lamps indicate which burners are still cooking, red lamps are done. Though both products are available in some countries other than the U.S., the company is seeking international distributors. Read More
The relocatable KITAHAUS Pod
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October 10, 2006 As technology evolves, our ability to create remarkable temporary living and working environments has grown considerably, as can be evidenced by our recent stories on relocatable structures such as the off-the-grid home, the Sphere House, the Nackros Villa, the Free Spirit Sphere, the LoftCube and the first mobile hotel room. Now we can add to that the KitaHaus Pod which is designed as a stand-alone accommodation or temporary office and can also be interlink to create unique temporary or permanent living and working environments. The KitaHaus legs are adjustable so it can be situated in almost any site including normally unusable sloped and wooded areas. The construction is of sustainable materials using glulam frame, over boarded in 12mm ply and insulated using Actis super 9 fabric. The entire surface is then tiled using larch timber shingles which will eventually turn a silver grey colour. The pod’s main usage is envisaged as a holiday retreat but clearly it has many possibilities with an anticipated cost of GBP 50,000 to GBP 75,000 depending on volumes.
