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The 11 best tech gifts for workaholics
We're not saying you want to enable them (OK, maybe we are), but you definitely know someone who works too much. They chip away at their to-do lists on weekends. They are probably even going to slip away at some point during the holidays to check work email. If that's the lifestyle they've chosen, embrace it by picking gifts that can either live at their desk, or come with them while they're trying to get work done on the road. Our list includes everything from a comfy desk chair to a wireless charging desk lamp to our favorite laptop and desktop keyboard. You might not be able to persuade them to change their rigid habits, but at least you can make them more comfortable while they toil away. For our full list of recommendations in all categories, don't forget to stop by our main Holiday Gift Guide hub.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: An impressive mobile home, and more!
Is the age of the flying car upon us? This week a new report revealed that Google co-founder Larry Page has secretly invested over $100 million in two aerial vehicle startups. Meanwhile, four major political parties in Norway have proposed a ban on all gas-powered cars by the year 2025. A team of Swedish students unveiled one of the world's most energy-efficient rail-bound vehicles. A young filmmaker transformed a boring Chevy van into an incredible solar-powered mobile home. And the Coboat is a sun and wind-powered catamaran for co-working freelance nomads.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: A VW bug made out of timber
Six years ago a Beijing company proposed an insane lane-straddling bus that could soar over congested freeways. The project just took a step closer to reality, as the Transit Explore Bus is set to begin testing this summer. In other transportation news, Airbus just unveiled the world's first 3D-printed motorcycle, which has a range of 37 miles and a top speed of 50 mph. Hyperloop Transportation Technologies announced plans to build transit pods from Vibranium, which takes its name from the fictional metal used to create Captain America's indestructible shield. A Bosnian retiree handcrafted a gorgeous VW bug exterior from over 50,000 pieces of oak. Vanmoof launched the SmartBike -- a next-gen cycle that is virtually impossible to steal -- and Google partnered with Levi's to create a smart jacket for urban cyclists.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: The Karma Revero, and more!
The Fisker Karma is one of the hottest plug-in hybrid cars ever built. However, production stopped in 2012 when the company went bankrupt. Now the car is set to be reborn as the Karma Revero this year. Meanwhile, Ford is planning to launch a 200-mile electric car to take on the Tesla Model 3 and the Chevy Bolt. In other news, SpaceX announced plans to send its Red Dragon spacecraft to mars in 2018, while NASA invested $67 million to develop super efficient solar-electric engines. The US Air Force smashed the world record for maglev speed by propelling a floating sled to 633 miles per hour. And the Twicycle is a crazy bike that's powered by your arms and legs.
Ikea is selling solar panels in the UK again
The UK government slashed solar subsidies earlier this year, however Ikea is still determined to sell the dream of a solar-powered home in Britain. Today, the company has launched three "Solar Shops" that sit inside its stores in Glasgow, Birmingham and Lakeside (Thurrock). These will be Ikea branded and manned by its own staff, who will be able to offer advice and give a provisional quote. Ikea will then hand over to UK solar specialist Solarcentury, which can take customers through the design and installation process. If the pilot is successful, Ikea says it plans to open Solar Shops in all of its UK stores "by the end of the summer."
Inhabitat's Week in Green: The Tesla Model S gets an upgrade
The Tesla Model S is one of the highest-rated electric cars ever, and it just got even better. This week the automaker rolled out an upgrade that gives the vehicle a bigger battery, a refreshed exterior and a "bioweapon defense mode." Meanwhile, the Solar Impulse sun-powered airplane is getting set to fly across the Pacific Ocean after a lengthy stop in Hawaii. Stephen Hawking teamed up with Russian billionaire Yuri Milner on a plan to send postage-stamp sized spaceships to Alpha Centauri in search of life. IKEA announced plans to launch a chainless bicycle later this year, and a popular new bike/stroller hybrid hit the market only to sell out in a matter of hours.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: Toyota's wooden roadster and more!
Auto tech is advancing by leaps and bounds, but Toyota's latest car is a blast from the past. Meet the Setsuna - a gorgeous roadster that's hand-carved from 86 wooden panels. In other transportation news, Dutch politicians are hatching plans to ban all polluting cars by the year 2025. If the thought of sharing the road with self-driving big rigs makes you uneasy, this may put your fears to rest: six trucks with driverless technology just completed a 1,300-mile journey across Europe. We also took a firsthand look at VanMoof's new Electrified S smart bike, and a startup launched the world's first cargo scooter, which can easily tote up to 50 pounds.
Ikea made a kitchen showroom in VR
Sometimes, a trip to Ikea can feel like an early glimpse at the apocalypse. The crowds, the screaming kids, it's all a bit much. But oftentimes a visit is inevitable in order to see what a particular sofa, bed or coffee table looks like in real life. Wouldn't it be great if you could get the same experience at home? Ikea has tried this before with augmented reality, and now it's going a step further with virtual reality. Through Steam, the company has made an app for the HTC Vive which puts you in a make-believe kitchen.
IKEA is my favorite live action game
Last Friday I took my parents to IKEA for the first time. I've been wanting to drag them to the Brooklyn location ever since it opened in 2008, but we never managed to work out a schedule between the three of us. And they never went on their own, despite all my poking and prodding. It always made me sad they'd never been there, because IKEA is probably one of my favorite places in the world.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: A solar-powered plane, and more!
Everyone's heard of hybrid cars, but what about hybrid airplanes? A solar and biofuel-powered plane is set to make history this June by completing the world's first zero-carbon trans-Atlantic flight. We also spotted an incredible underwater exosuit that allows you to fly through the ocean like Ironman. In other transportation news, Mexico City banned over one million cars as air pollution levels skyrocketed. And a Swedish company created an amazing bicycle cafe that actually purifies city smog.
6 high-tech refugee shelters that can be deployed in an instant
By Cat DiStasio Each year, tens of thousands of people around the world are displaced from their homes by natural disasters, war and, increasingly, the effects of climate change. When this happens, emergency-response teams are tasked with the challenge of housing these refugees in a short period of time. Designers and architects are responding to this need with shelters that are quick to ship, easily assembled by a small number of people without specialized tools and durable enough to last several years. Some of them even float, make clean drinking water and harness the power of the sun.
ICYMI: Take-home laser razor, IKEA-building bot and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-563237{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-563237, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-563237{width:570px;display:block;} Today on In Case You Missed It: A Kickstarter campaign for a razor has us all riveted. Rather than the cold, hard metal we're all used to, it uses a laser-beam to cut hair. Meanwhile roboticists at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore are working on the next frontier of using robots-- how to get one to build a complicated piece of IKEA furniture. No, we are not joking. Use it for fodder for every argument you've ever had upon stepping into that hell-hole. If the robots can't do it, we can always look to the future with this kids game that uses slot cars to also teach them how to code.
Engadget UK giveaway: win wireless charging furniture courtesy of IKEA
Wireless charging has become an increasingly popular feature among high-end smartphones, but it's not particularly useful when you leave your lone charging plate at the office. IKEA recognises that for wireless charging to be truly convenient, it needs to be widely accessible, which is why the company's created a range of homeware with Qi-compatible wireless charging plates subtly integrated into their design. And thanks to our friends at IKEA, we've got a collection of these high-tech furnishings to give away to readers this week, so they might make their homes a little more wireless charging friendly. We've got no less than four SELJE bedside tables and four RIGGAD desk lamps to be won, so whether you prefer working or sleeping, there's something for everyone. As always, you can submit your entries via the Rafflecopter widget below, but give the rules a quick scan beforehand, if you wouldn't mind.
Ikea to trial smaller UK stores for picking up online orders
Most Ikea stores are massive, bustling places located far from the high street and built-up urban areas. Visiting one isn't a problem if you have a large car and a few hours to spare -- but for many people, at least one of those can be difficult to come by. To help out, the king of flat pack furniture is opening a new, smaller store in Norwich. Here customers will be able to speak with home furnishing experts, see a selection of furniture and, most importantly, pick up orders they've made online or in-store. The new "Order and Collection Point" concept is similar to Amazon's pickup lockers and Argos' click-and-collect stores. The hope is that these smaller, local establishments will be more convenient than trekking to an out-of-town warehouse or waiting for home delivery. Of course, if you're buying a bed or anything else that's a substantial size, you'll still need to find a way to take it home...
Inhabitat's Week in Green: Concept kitchens and Google's crabots
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. Hardly a week passes when Tesla doesn't make the news, and this past week the company had two big announcements that are getting people all riled up. First, Tesla is planning to debut a $35,000 electric car in March 2016 that will begin production in 2017. CEO Elon Musk also just announced that barely a week after the Powerwall home battery was unveiled, they're already sold out through 2016, and the company will have to expand its factory capabilities to meet the insane demand for batteries.
IKEA's future kitchen tells you how to cook
For IKEA, your future kitchen shouldn't just have the occasional smart appliance -- it should be a technology hub. The furniture store's Concept Kitchen 2025 includes tech and other helpful additions meant to save both time and resources, such as a pantry with induction cooling (to preserve food longer) and a disposal system that automatically packs your recyclables. The highlight, however, is the Table For Living. It packs a camera-equipped projector that both shows recipes on its surface and recognizes ingredients, giving you an idea of what to make with what you have on hand. There's an induction cooktop hidden in the table, too, so you wouldn't have to run between counters to get that hot stew ready. This is just a vision rather than something you can actually buy, but all of IKEA's technology is realistic enough that you could find some of it in your home within the next decade.
IKEA's wireless charging collection heads to the US this spring
If you're looking to install some wireless charging tech at home, and you fancy IKEA's home furnishing aesthetics, you'll soon be in luck. The Scandinavian company will begin selling its wireless charging collection that's already on shelves in Europe here in the US by "late spring." This means you'll soon be able to purchase nightstands, lamps and standalone pads that can juice up your device just by laying it down -- if it's compatible with the Qi wireless charging standard, of course. If not, IKEA has compatible cases for iPhone (4, 5, 5s, and 6) and Samsung Galaxy (S3, S4 and S5) phones, too. When you stop in to purchase that new lamp, table or pad, be sure to nab the accessory for an additional $15-$25, depending on the model of your phone.
Daily Roundup: MWC 2015 so far, Google+ splits up and more!
Mobile World Congress kicks off in Barcelona today and there's already been a number of big announcements. Get the latest details about the new phones from Samsung, HTC and Lenovo. In other news, Google+ is splitting up and IKEA will sell wireless charging furniture. Head past the break to find out the top stories from MWC and more.
IKEA will start selling wireless charging lamps and tables
After lots of perseverance from smartphone makers, wireless charging is finally starting to make an impact. Many big name phones now support the technology and companies like Starbucks are helping to bring it a wider audience. Now, it's set to receive another big boost, after IKEA, the world's largest furniture retailer, announced the introduction of a new range of furniture that features integrated charging.
Yes, IKEA made a keyboard with emoticons for your phone
We're pretty sure that if you were looking for emojis to use on your phone, you wouldn't think "Hmmm, wonder if IKEA has some?" Regardless, IKEA went and released a smartphone keyboard for iOS and Android that comes with a bunch of custom emoticons anyway. And yes, we're talking about that IKEA, which sells fiddly flat-pack furniture. As you'd expect, most icons are related to the home, meaning there are pets, food and, of course, drawers, couches, beds and other furniture to choose from.
