Posted in Russian that machine-translates to "My vacuum cleaner is afraid slots," Fluff Zabrat's video is a startling reminder of the terrifying chasms and voids we must all leap on our journey to immanence. Read the rest

This inexpensive remote control electrical outlet switch was just the thing we needed to completely turn off our electric garage door (we have reasons). It's pretty bulky, and gets in the way of the second socket on a standard wall outlet, but it gets the job done. It's RF not IR, so it doesn't need line-of-sight to work. It's $10 on Amazon. Read the rest

The Balmuda "transforms store-bought bread into something that smells, tastes and feels like it popped out of a baker's oven," says Reed Stevenson of Bloomberg. The company is making 10,000 units a month, and there's a 3 month waiting list. It's available in Japan only.

The idea of reinventing the toaster came from an equally unlikely source: Terao, a high-school dropout who spent his college funds (a life-insurance payout after his mother died) trekking across Spain, Morocco and the Mediterranean. He returned to front a rock band called the Beach Fighters, which broke up after nine years; they had a record contract, but never made it big. To make ends meet, Terao worked at a pachinko parlor (a pinball-style gambling hall) while figuring out his next move.

"I was reading Forbes when I was in the band," the 42 year-old said. "And like music, I wanted to create something that I liked, and find out if people liked that too."

All Hail Lumio!

If you want a stylish lamp that turns on in a cool way, that you can carry around in your backpack and disguises itself as a book when not in use, then look no further.

You’ll fall in love with Lumio at first sight and the fact that it shines for 8 hours a charge, is a dream come true for nighttime readers like me.

There are so many words to describe this masterpiece of invention –

What do you think of the word inspiring?

How about the word versatile?

Does the word surprising float your boat?

All those words and more are appropriate for this little beauty and here’s a special little trick I just discovered. There are powerful, hidden magnets in the Lumio that allow me to hang it on metal objects.

When not in use, it looks just like an every-day book that’s been super-glued to my desk - nothing strange at all right? What I’ve found is that when people come into my office, it’s inevitable that they’ll ask about it.

What I like to do is not say a thing.

Instead I slowly open the book, which turns on the light.

The backside of the book also has a magnet that holds it in place.   And by the time it’s open, my guests are asking where they can get one for themselves and I can’t say I blame them. It’s just awesome and the creator, Max Gunawan, deserves 2 corner offices because of it. Read the rest

Did you know that Albert Einstein and Leó Szilárd once invented a refrigerator? And a life-saving refrigerator, at that. Read the rest