The Sifteo Cubes have been eagerly anticipated for some time as the latest in table-top entertainment and are now being distributed across America and Canada. Sifteo Cubes are part video game, part board game and part lego, connecting wirelessly to a computer or laptop. They can be shaken, tilted or rotated to play a wide range of games including word games, number games and video games, acting as 3-D block builders and 2-D video games. They are entertainment for adults and kids alike offering intelligent play. The Sifteo Cubes cost $149 and the company hopes to start distributing outside North America in the near future.
Coffee Joulies brings a totally innovative concept, so much so that when this new start-up business launched it's fundraising campaign through Kickstarter for $9,500 it's target was totally surpassed with $235,560 raised to date. Basically Joulies are intelligent thermodynamic, non-toxic materials, shaped as coffee beans that serve two very useful purposes: firstly they cool your hot coffee down, up to 3 times faster than normal by absorbing the heat and secondly they help to keep your coffee warm by releasing this absorbed energy - all pretty clever stuff and they can be used in tea, hot chocolate or any other hot drink too.
Locating your luggage at a crowded airport is a concern for many and although various detection devices have been invented over the years the Easy2Pick Luggage Finder, from Naftali has received great reviews. Easy2Pick includes an individually coded luggage tag, with a built-in wireless transmitter, along with a wireless key chain recognition device. When travellers touchdown at the airport they simply turn on their keychain which will then sound, flash and vibrate with their luggage is within 60 feet.
The future of what will become standard inside a regular car is set to get a whole lot more interesting. A recent CNN money report right from the Detroit Auto Show gives an interesting insight. From foldaway seats and recliners, Apple like consoles, computerised speedometers and cool navigation systems it seems that car interiors are being modified and adapted to better suit everyday lives. Check out the video.
The Wind Explorer has recently achieved 3 World Records including the first wind-powered car to cross Australia. Designed by German inventors Dirk Gion and Stefan Simmerer the Wind Explorer is a wind/electric car which uses a 8kW Lithium-ion battery to store electricity, which is generated by a portable 20ft bamboo wind turbine that travels aboard. The body of the car is lightweight, made from carbon fibre on an aluminium frame. The wind turbine charges the car overnight, which can then travel 250-400 km/155-250 miles the next day. The trip was virtually emissions-free and only used $10 of electric during the duration of the adventure. The car can also be powered by a kite on windier days which makes for fun viewing.
