Considerable power is wasted by battery chargers and wall warts, even when they're not recharging or powering a device. The "Green Plug" standard aims to remedy that problem by establishing a universal plug system with an intelligent charging base that will power down the charger when not needed. It will even work as a hub, powering multiple devices and turning off the power to each as necessary.

Great idea, but getting companies to settle on a universal power plug system—and then stop bundling superfluous chargers with their product—will be quite a hurdle for the company to clear. It took several years for phone companies to come to an agreement about mobile charging standards. If the Green Plug system could also work with other plug formats, especially USB and its variants, it would have a much greater chance of succeeding.

Company Page [GreenPlug.us via Gizmodo]

The "Famos" vegetable peeler is a simple steel kitchen tool, capable of shearing not only vegetables, but hard cheeses and chocolate. It's only $12 (plus shipping), although the vendor appears to be out of stock at the moment. The blade is attached by two screws and looks thick enough to withstand sharpening, so it should withstand many years of kitchen duty.

Catalog Page [KioskKiosk.com via NYTimes.com via Cool Hunting]

Design Sponge has collected a simple links-and-pictures gathering of a couple dozen kitchen timers. They left out my current favorite: the LEGO Egg Timer.

kitchen timer roundup [DesignSpongeOnline.com]

This shower head's embedded LEDs change color with the temperature of the water, going from white to blue to red as it heats up. Even niftier, though, is that it requires to external power source to work, instead powering itself from the pressure of the water itself, presumably with a small turbine.

Right now it's listed on Alibaba.com, which means it's not easily available in a store, but perhaps will be when someone contracts the Chinese manufacturer to produce a bulk order.

Product Page [Alibaba.com via Gadgets-News via Coolest-Gadgets]

The Army has set up a project office specifically for building and deploying training videogames:

No, the Army isn't about to start handing out copies of Halo 3 to troops, TSJOnline.com notes. “I haven’t seen a game built for the entertainment industry that fills a training gap,” said Col. Jack Millar, director of the service’s Training and Doctrine Command’s (TRADOC) Project Office for Gaming, or TPO Gaming.  Instead, the new office -- part of the Army's Kansas-based National Simulation Center -- will focus on using videogame graphics to make those dull military simulations more realistic, and better-looking. 

Army Sets Up New Office of Videogames [Danger Room]

Link: sevenload.com

Two real takeaways from this short, on-stage commentary by designer Philippe Starck: the placement of the Kindle's buttons on the side means that the first time you hand it to someone, they almost always turn a page accidentally; that the designer was unwilling to disappear from his design, determined to make his mark visible in the final product.

The former criticism is valid, I think, but only for that particular scenario. Unlike some, I've found the Kindle's large page turning buttons on the side to be very well placed and comfortable to use in a variety of positions. (I do question why there is a need for a "Back" button on the right hand side that performs a different function than the button on the left that flips back a page.)

The shape of the Kindle itself is actually growing on me a bit. It's clear they wanted to try to create a shape that was iconic, and the shorn corners do make it slightly more comfortable to hold, although I'll concede they are mostly gratuitous negative space. The main problem with the Kindle's design is still the keyboard, which while usable, is not needed at all while reading books. Future versions should stash it away or make it virtual.

To return to the former issue of accidental button pushing, I've found a very similar issue with the Rock Band controllers, even for seasoned players. Because the most natural place to grasp a guitar controller is on the neck right under the headstock, exactly where the buttons are, accidental button presses are common when handing off the controller. Worse, when trying to get four people synced up on the screen, where a single button press from any controller can take you back to the menu or hold up the menu selections, it's far too difficult to get everyone playing. (And besides accidental presses, the longer it takes to get into a song, the more likely it is that someone will absentmindedly hit a button while warming up.)

That's less a hardware design flaw in Rock Band, though, as it is evidence that there needs to be a "Band Leader" mode that either locks out the other players' input until a song is selected, or locks the fret inputs to force players to use only the directional pad on the guitars.

[via Core77]

While I think the overall design is embarrassingly goofy (no surprise, considering the manufacturer), the Oakley Minute Machine watch certainly has an interesting band, made from interlocking titanium segments with self-lubricating carbon rings. It's almost cool, but the watch face itself looks like a mindlessly designed enemy spaceship from a cut-rate sci-fi shooter.

Prices vary quite a bit online, but appears to be in the sub-$1,000 range.

OAKLEY MINUTE MACHINE REVIEW- 12.13.07 [Notcot.com]

• Some Call It "Rental" – A company wants to try a cell phone-style subscription plans for cars. Free car, but you pay them for fuel. [Jalopnik]

• Stunning – Hands-down the coolest photo project of the year: Jonathan Harris' "Whale Hunt" project, with pictures of an Inuit whale hunt timed to his heartbeat in a lovely Flash interface. [TheWhaleHunt.org]

• Doubtful – A "jetpack & beverage company" claims they intend to sell a commercial jetpack in 2008. [Money.CNN.com]

• Best Worst – PopMech's top 10 worst gadgets of 2007. Nice to see someone else wonder what the deal is with the Pleo. [PopularMechanics.com]

Jeff Veit writes:

You said you started counting your pennies when you saw the Earthroamer, but those are uncomfortably small and not that good for extended trips. What you need is Madiba - a fully kitted out, custom-built, expedition truck. Most of the details are on OverlandTruckForSale.com which is a site I built to sell it for my pre-net parent. He's its current owner.

What I like best about Madiba is more mundane: there's a proper spares inventory and the tools to do most jobs in remote spots. Survival-critical things have backups. You'd probably have a problem if you seized the engine or broke an axle, but short of truly major mechanical problems you are able to repair most ailments. Might even be able to repair an axle. It's got a cocktail cabinet: not something you get in an Earthroamer. You don't sit on the toilet with your feet in the shower like you do with the Earthroamer and Sportsmobile. So no wet tracks through your living space afterwards.

Other equipment includes an ATV and an inflatable boat. Only $105k! I think you guys should chip in and get me this for Christmas.

For Sale Page [OverlandTruckForSale.com]

When NOTCOT got both a simple plug-in amplifier and a vibrator that is controlled by an audio input delivered on the same day, naturally they had to rig them all together, creating a double set of sex toys that vibrate when the guitar is strummed.

(The video just shows it in action outside a body, so is safe for work.)

GUITAR + VOX + OHMIBOD- 12.14.07 [Notcot.com]

• The complete Arrested Development on DVD for $30. Come on! [Slickdeals]

• Lots of coupon codes for R/C planes and helicopters at Hobbytron. [Dealhack]

• Asus Eee in black for $350 (but not shipped until after Xmas); $360 for white, shipping now. It's the "Surf" Edition, though, which has a couple of limitations, like slower, soldered-in RAM and no webcam. [Dealnews]

• Call of Duty 4 for Xbox 360 for $40, shipped. If you like cinematic shooters, it's one of the best. [Dealnews]

• Today's Woot! is a remanufactured Dyson DC14 Full Kit Upright Vacuum for $255, shipped.

This attractive Sterling silver ring has as built-in microphone that can be used with a standard 3.5mm minijack plug. It gives new meaning to talk to the hand, right? Am I right here? What with the popular expression?

Hello?

Is this thing on?

It's a custom jobber from Analogue Aesthetics and is available for sale on Etsy for $105. It's probably too bulky for some folk, but it's got a clean look that I like quite a bit.

analogue ring [Etsy.com] (Thanks, Jemma!)

A new billboard on Prince Street in Soho—that's in Manhattan—uses a directional sound system from Holosonic to broadcast a message directly into your head for only you to hear. It's being used, of course, for advertising.

It's an ad for "Paranormal State," a ghost-themed series premiering on A&E this week. The billboard uses technology manufactured by Holosonic that transmits an "audio spotlight" from a rooftop speaker so that the sound is contained within your cranium. The technology, ideal for museums and libraries or environments that require a quiet atmosphere for isolated audio slideshows, has rarely been used on such a scale before. For random passersby and residents who have to walk unwittingly through the area where the voice will penetrate their inner peace, it's another story.

The speaker isn't in the billboard itself but on a nearby roof. This is a horrible idea in general, of course—the last thing I need is more voices in my head, especially ones telling me to shop—but I have to admit I kind of want to try it once to see how well it works.

Hear Voices? It May Be an Ad [Adage.com via Listening Post]

A Brazilian ice-cream company is hiding 10,000 "propsicles," fake frozen treats that have an iPod Shuffle secreted inside, in packages with their normal popsicles. Crunch!

However, since people would be able to tell that an iPod is inside by looking at the package itself, they had to find an alternative. The popsicles with prize inside had to be exactly the same as the regular popsicles. The obvious solution was putting the shuffles inside a real popsicle, but this was ruled out as the humidity would have destroyed the shuffle in no time, even with plastic around it. The other idea: a fake ice cream that looked exactly like the real thing. "We developed a special prototype that emulates the real ice cream;" Neto says, "it protects the iPod from humidity, and it feels like the real ice cream. It is virtually impossible to fell the difference without opening the package." Their testing proved successful.

Ice Cream Company Gives Away 10,000 Frozen iPods Inside Popsicles [Gizmodo]

What a great night we had in Brooklyn, raising money for the Child's Play Charity. I want to thank all these companies that donated items to be given away, including Lego, Net Devil, the Bond Street Group, Dawdle, and Steel Series, as well as donations from EA/MTV/Harmonix and Scott Alexander of Playboy. And of course thanks to Barcade, who for the third year in a row have donated the use of their space for free.

I want to especially thank Brian and Izzy, two troupers who showed up and basically ran the Rock Band tournament and freeplay time, respectively, while I puttered around. (Especially Izzy, who I accidentally roped into the role by wandering away for a cigarette, then neglecting to return. I'm a jerk! But she is not.)

We raised just shy of $4,000 from donations and the raffle, and there are still a couple of lingering donations that may still roll in. The Denver event raised over $1,000, which is a fantastic first showing. I can't wait to see what they do next year.

Congratulations to all the winners. Thanks to everyone who came out. I was in a foul mood right before the event started, a real stinker, and my spirits were forcibly raised by the good will and camaraderie that was on display. You guys are champs.

One more thing.

There is a third companion cube. It will be up for auction...soon. Perhaps even today, if I recover! Stay tuned. Update: The auction has begun!

• Logitech Harmony 550 Remote Control $70 at Tiger Direct [Dealhack]

• Refurb Roomba Scheduler for $130, shipped. [Dealhack]

• Hammacher Schlemmer Online (not so) Private Sale, up to 70% off. [Dealnews]

• Behringer iAXE393 USB Electric Guitar for $91, shipped. [Dealnews]

• Today's Woot! is a Nikko 1:10 Scale Fast and Furious R/C Car for $30, shipped.

New Yorkers and Denver...ites? Denivens? Denversions? People who live in Denver!

Tonight is Fünde Razor, a now-annual event in which people get together to drink beer, win prizes, and play videogames (including Rock Band)—all to raise money for Penny Arcade's Child's Play Charity.

It's a blast.

If you aren't able to make it to Brooklyn or Denver, please don't hesitate to donate directly to Child's Play, which raises money to purchase games and toys to liven the stay of kids who are in children's hospitals. (And even if you come out to Fünde Razor, it's nice to pick out a few games to send directly to the kids.)

On a related note, if you are coming to the Brooklyn event at Barcade and have either a 1) microphone stand, or 2) a drum throne that you would be willing to lend me for the evening, that would certainly up the rock experience quotient. Give me ring if you can: 347 495 0610.

Event Details [FundeRazor.com]

Modern Mechanix has a doozy of a scan today: a five-page spread from the May, 1947 issue of Mechanix Illustrated about George Harold Messmore, an engineer who built mechanical dinosaurs for display in expositions and the like.

Man of the Monsters (May, 1947) [Modern Mechanix]

Previously: Video: The Inassailable Awesomeness of Overdrift [BBG]

While still reticent to discuss hammers after the last time I made fun of one for being expensive, I am compelled to pass on these attractive models from Douglas Hammers, which feature a "Head-Handle Interface Technology," a fancy way to say that the head is attached to the hilt with pins instead of being jammer through the top of the head and held in place with a spreader. I make no claims to their efficiency; they just look neat.

Many weights are available, starting at $60 and going up to $70. Replacement handles are around $20.

Product PageUncrate]

While I think anybody who rides a motorcycle without a full-faced helmet has a wish to have their jaw sheared off and wrapped around their trachea like a bone choker, I have a feeling the chopper-and-hog set have few such concerns. And as such, this Skull Helmet from Santiago Chopper meets their primary criterion: open-throttle badassery.

It's $150. Update: Kurt L. adds: "The skull helmet is out of stock and not DOT or Snell approved." Who cares? I'll see you in Snell!

Product Page [SantiagoChopper.com via Oh Gizmo via NotCot]

Legendary gadgets proto-blogger Dan Rutter has reviewed the "eTime-home-endoscope," a AU$100 web cam with a bevy of attachments that be used to stuff it into your local Katie Couric. To whit: the picture on the right, which shows all the stray hairs that reside inside Dan's keyboard. I'm hungry already!

If you want to take still pictures of some nook or cranny without the vignetting of the attachments, it's easy enough to use the camera with nothing on the end of it at all. You lose the ability to adjust focus on the fly, and any gunk in the object you're photographing will of course be able to get on the camera (you could avoid this by putting a layer of plastic wrap over the lens, at the cost of making focus adjustment even more annoying). But the results may well be worth it.

I don't actually see an American vendor for the device after a quick Googlin', but like many Chinese gadgets, it'll probably find its way into a local online crap vendor under some brand or another.

ETime Home Endoscope ("Digital Pen Camera") [Dan's Data]

Cereplast, a manufacturer of bioplastics, is expanding into a new production facility, capable of producing half a billion pounds of biodegradable plastic by 2010. That's good news for Cereplast and good news for the bioplastics industry in general, but for some reason beyond my ken the company hasn't been doing so well, according to Earth2Tech:

The company, which trades on the bulletin board under CERP, needed to issue some good news. In November the company reported some not-so-stellar third-quarter financials. According to their release, the company reported a net loss of $1.6 million, or a penny a per share, for the latest three-month period, compared with a net loss of $1.1 million, or a penny a share, for the third quarter 2006.

I know. Boring business stuff. And really, the things that Cereplast make right now are sort of boring, too, mostly the biodegradable cutlery that you see above.

But I've got a spoon made of bioplastics on my desk which I pick up and bend every once in a while, waiting to see how long it will take before it feels like the slightly soft plastic will start to lose strength. It's just been a couple of months so far, but it is hands down the most interesting disposable spoon I've ever treasured. I keep talking about trying to do a piece about why this stuff couldn't be used in consumer electronics. Maybe next year!

Cereplast to Build Big Ol’ Bioplastics Plant [Earth2Tech]

Millepede Cable Ties are at first glance just regular zip ties—until you discover they can be unlocked and reused. And because the fastener works through any of the holes in the tie, you can cut off any excess after tightening it down and reuse it.

I can't believe I've never heard of these. Even if they don't hold as securely as zip ties, they'd still work for 90% of the things I do.

Millepede Cable Ties [Cool Tools]

• Sanyo Xacti E1 Waterproof Camcorder for $350 at B&H. [Dealhack]

• HD DVD and Blu-ray players for under $300 at Amazon. [Dealhack]

• Dymamic Mini Microphone for $4.50, shipped. [Dealnews]

• Tiny Hydrogen Fuel Cell Car for $72, shipped. [Dealnews]

• Several Victorinox Swiss Army Knives are available for under $10 at Amazon. [Dealnews]

• Today's Woot! is a NavMan N40i NavPix 3.5" Touchscreen GPS for $165, shipped.

From the cover story of the 1949 issue of Radio-Electronics (formerly Radio-Craft) about the latest in portable audio technology, the Radio Hat.

Power is supplied by a tiny 8-ounce battery pack that fits into a pocket and connects to the set through a 36-inch length of thin 3-conductor wire. The appearance of the set is bizarre but strangely impressive, as seen in the photographs.

At a glance, this "man-from-Mars" personal radio would appear to be a child's toy but after using it for a few hours, we began to see its possibilities.

For example, it is just the thing for baseball fans who want to keep up with the doings of the out-of-town teams while rooting for the home-town favorites in the local ball park. Followers of the sport of Izaak Walton will be wearing their radios as they head-rod and reel in hand-for a spot on the banks of the old mill stream. For beaches, hiking, bicycling, picnics, or strolling in the park, the Radio Hat will prove its worth to all who wear it.

Many more pictures, including the fetching lass from the cover, are available in the complete reproduction of the article. Your iPod may have a million songs on it, but has it ever stopped the rain? Sir it has not.

The Radio Hat [SWTPC.com] (Thanks, BrianK!)

There are no electronics in this "Pirate Scope." No clever new approach to an old design. No rare materials used. No sustainable method of production.

It's just a beautiful spyglass made of plated brass with a simple mahogany chest. It's $70.

Catalog Page [RestorationHardware.com via Uncrate]

Sure, Mister Rogers keeps calling Mario a "carpenter," but let that slide. It's just nice to know that perhaps the nicest man to ever grace our televisions didn't treat videogames like some sort of befouling devil media, but just another neat thing in our lives.

Don't miss special guest appearance from actor Keith David, known among other roles as the voice of the Arbiter in Halo, as a friendly quarter collector.

I've spent about a month with the V-Moda Vibe Duo Nero headphones. I am not displeased.

Designed specifically to work with the iPhone, the Vibe Duo Nero are different from the Vibe Duo only by the addition of a control button on the microphone like the one on the stock iPhone earbuds. And while it works, it can be a little bit finicky to use, as the metal button is only slightly raised on the round metal microphone housing, making it occasionally difficult to locate without looking, especially with gloves on. That sounds worse in writing than it is in practice. Certainly don't let that dissuade you from purchasing them.

The iPhone has become my primary music device, which means I no longer have to question whether or not I am going to carry my iPod with me or not. Unfortunately, that meant I had to carry my headphones with me everywhere. My previous on-the-go headphones were the Sennheiser PX100, and while I have nothing but good things to say about their audio quality, they aren't exactly pocketable, especially when you're only wearing jeans.

The Vibe Duo Nero on the other hand slip easily into a pocket. When using the included spring-close leather case, they even remain generally free of tangles.

Sound quality is very good, although few "low-end" in-ear models are going to be able to reproduce sound as well as full-sized headphones. For public transit riders like myself, though, the sound from the Vibe Duo Nero is actually a little bit better than most, simply because the earphones act as earplugs, blocking out outside noise. That's especially good since turning up the volume on my Sennheisers to drown out the subway noise was certainly bad for my ears.

The mid-range tones seem to be the weakest, actually, while bass is fairly round. That's pretty much in line with every other in-ear headphone I've used, so that's not a ding against the Vibe Duo Nero specifically.

If you don't use an iPhone, I'm not sure the price premium ($100ish instead of $50 or so for similar headphones from other brands) is worth the solid metal construction and attractive design. (The burled metal ring around the outside is really nice looking.) Headphones, after all, are easily lost. But for iPhone users who want the whole experience that the stock earbuds offer—taking calls, skipping tracks, pausing music—without the crappy sound and barely-functional design from Apple, the Vibe Duo Nero seem like an obvious choice. Just be sure you get the "Nero" model, not the regular Vibe Duo, which doesn't have the button. (But does have the microphone.)

Product Page (with stupid Flash soundtrack) [V-Moda] Amazon]

Update: After two or three months of happy use, my Vibe Duo stopped working. Many others have reported the same issues. Considering this, I have to advise skipping the Vibe Duo Nero earbuds unless you're prepared to ship them back to V-Moda every few months for repair.

[via Core77 via Wooster Collective]

Red from the Red Ferret Journal reviews the Nextlink Invisio G5 "world's smallest" Bluetooth headset, giving it generally high marks all around, noting the small size does make it a bit fiddly when in use. What I hadn't realized is that the mobile charging station [on the right, not to scale] actually has a battery of its own, capable of topping off the G5's somewhat miniscule battery even when you're away from the mains:

The real innovation of the product is the clever little cigarette box sized charging station which contains a battery to keep your headset charged while on the road without needing the power cable. It’s a great feature as it protects the device as well as improving the talk and standby time by a significant amount. The specs say that the standby time extends to 30 days (with 20 hours talk) with this box, so it’s a real winner. Again the whole thing is easy to use, just slot the headset into the case and snap the lid shut. The case will then start charging the headset automatically with a quick 10 second show of the LED lights to prove that it’s all working as it should. Nice.

Hands on with the Invisio G5 - trying not to lose the smallest Bluetooth headset in the world [RedFerret.net]

This sandwich press is powered by the standard 12-volt plug most commonly found in automobiles. It may be dangerous, but who can resist a roadkill sandwich? A croaked monsieur if you will.*

It's $20 at the S King company and includes a five-foot power cord for back seat short orders.

Product Page [SKingCompany.com via Jalopnik]

* Oof.

Psychologist Barry Schwartz's talk at TED 2005 about why greater freedom of choice may lead to misery, not happiness. Some sort little notes/quotes:

• 6.5 million stereo combinations could be created from the components available in a typical retail store.

• Phones are confusing because they offer too many features.

• All the choice makes it possible to get a product better suited to our specific needs, but the process of selecting may make us feel worse. Adding options increases expectations in light of lack of perfection.

• The secret to happiness is low expectations.

• Material affluence enables choice, which leads to peculiar depression.

From personal experience, I can't help but think he's on to something. The less I focus on getting everything just so in my material life, instead focussing on the problem at hand, the more content I seem to become with what I have. For example, I wanted to be able to stream MP3s into my living room from a network drive. I bought a SqueezeBox. It works, mostly, and gives me free reign over my entire MP3 collection.

But it adds something else that can (and does) break in my network, another interface to learn and master, and doesn't ultimately do more than simply bringing my iPod into the other room and plugging it directly in could do considering how infrequently I actually listen to music. And it adds to the glut, another object in my life for which I have only mild affection, instead of one that I feel betters my life in ways proportionate to the amount of attention I give it.

(That's nothing against the Squeezebox specifically; it could be anything that does its intended job. The failing is in my expectations, not its attempt to meet them.)

[via Daring Fireball]