Innovation

Every once in awhile, I run into a three-dimensional, walking, talking and, most of all, hard-working soul, who embodies the qualities that make inventors successful. This time it's Robert ("Bobby") Amore who, with his "Toner Belt," made it to the round-of-twelve in season one of American Inventor (ABC, 2006). Bobby just happens to be one of the few contestants from season one and two who has reached the mass market with his product... now being sold as the "Walk n' Burn." read more »

Hip hats aren't just for those with fully developed motor skills, as has been proven on the heads of various happenin' infants all across the country. read more »

This new "sleep station" will give people no reason to get out of bed in the morning. The Starry Night bed, as it's called, contains enough features to allow you to stay in bed all day and surf the Web, watch movies, or listen to your digital music collection with its built-in surround sound system. You won't believe some of the features that this "super bed" sports, and it all comes with a hefty price tag. read more »

Last year in celebration of 15 years of business TAXI and its executive creative director Steve Mykolyn decided to give back to the community. Steve came up with the 15 Below project and recruited Lida Baday, Canadian designer, to design a coat for the homeless. She designed the 15 Below jacket. read more »

In many ways, Apple does a firm grip on the MP3 player and digital music market with its iPod and iTunes empire. Some people believe that Apple has been unfair in these respective markets from a consumer standpoint, saying that Apple overcharges for iPods and also for music at iTunes. read more »

The DYMO DiscPainter is a very cool device that will appeal to some people, while others will find the cost of operation to be unjustified. This little printer is a must-have for budding musicians, photographers, business professionals, and amateur cinematographers. read more »

Today's generation of tykes are all over the fashion scene, thanks to the wit of Generation X fashion designers wanting cute baby apparel choices for both their own kids and for a lucrative business opportunity. read more »

Greg Wolos, winner of the "Show Us Your Skills" contest held by retro clockmakers furni, has turned timekeeping on its head -- rather, its side -- with his funky, vertical-mounted wall clock titled, "Emily." read more »

We all know that in today's world you are either a fan of Apple products like the iPod Touch, iPod, or iPhone, and for those people who don't swing Apple's way, you go with Microsoft stuff- most recently the Microsoft Zune. The Zune 80GB is a very popular MP3 player, but it doesn't have near the functionality of the iPhone - so doesn't it make sense that the Zune 3 should be iPhone-like? read more »

A company in Canada by the name of RabbitHoles has created a new technique of turning regular 2-D images, such as a movie poster, into high quality, full-color 3-D images that can even have animation sequences implemented into the photo. Check out the video of this new technology in action... read more »

Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka blurs elemental lines with the Waterfall, bringing new meaning to the term "wet bar." read more »

Fouad al-Farhan (center)

On December tenth, Saudi blogger Fouad al-Farhan was detained for questioning by the Saudi Interior Ministry. In a case that has invoked international condemnation, possible charges against Farhan have not been elaborated on, except for a brief statement by a Ministry spokesman, stating that, Farhan was detained "for violating rules not related to state security." read more »

More and more people are choosing to "cut the cord" when it comes to their choice of computer mouse. Wireless mice are becoming increasingly standard in the computer world, and for good reason. They are typically easier to use, more convenient, and less of a hassle than the wired variety. They do have one drawback, though - they've always required batteries - until now... read more »

Turn on the faucet and let the light flow? Hmm... Seems a bit paradoxical, but the Light Drop by Brazilian designer Rafael Morgan does just that. read more »

There are plenty of mysteries out there for scientists to worry about. Finding the cure for cancer or discovering a way to reverse ozone damage would be a good start. However, over in Russia they are concerned about something else: Saying hello to an alien read more »

If you were lucky enough to get your hands on a Nintendo Wii this holiday season, you may have gotten more than just a gaming system. A recent press release has stated that certain gaming consoles, like the Nintendo Wii and the Playstation 3, are able to act as a stereo receiver to play your online music collection. Find out how... read more »

More than 250,000 people pass through the Stockholm Central Station every day. In the past, the body heat they release has posed problems, requiring open windows to air it out. But soon, the excess heat will be used to provide heating for a new office building nearby. read more »

Sleeping entwined with another is a novel concept, but there's always the problem of that extra arm. Where does one put it? Mehdi Mojtabvi's Love Mattress offers a simple solution for the chronic limp arm that often results from sleeping while wrapped in a prolonged embrace. read more »

The Unofficial Lego Mindstorms NXT Inventor's Guide (300 pages)
David J. Perdue
(No Starch Press)

Lego Mindstorms is one of the latest educational toys aimed at getting kids interested in high-tech subjects the fun way: by building robots. Aimed at kids 10 years old and up, the robotics kit teaches young students about building, programming, and electronics. read more »