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Smart London buses get real-time map and empty seat displays
Struggling to the top deck of a moving bus only to find it full can be a bit embarrassing, but Transport for London is considering new technology to help spare your blushes. As seen by London blogger Ian Mansfield, TfL are trialling screens that display seat availability on the upper deck, as well as ones that show the current position of the bus while displaying the names, locations and expected arrival times of future stops on a real-time map. The seat map apparently doesn't use sensors installed in the chairs, but the existing CCTV cameras to work out capacity. Such features will obviously favour tourists trying to make their way around London, but also those who don't want to be glued to their phone for travel updates. To assist commuters, TfL also ties in travel alerts into its map guide, letting you know if a nearby Tube stop has any issues before you jump off the bus.
Steelcase Gesture chair adjusts to support our smartphone slump (video)
As advanced as office chairs can be, they're still based on one increasingly bad assumption: that we're sitting upright in front of a traditional computer. Steelcase's upcoming Gesture chair at last acknowledges that we're living in a world of smartphones and tablets. Its back and seat shift in tandem to maintain support in any number of real-world postures, whether it's leaning back to check text messages or curling up for an e-book. The armrests are equally flexible to save us from the added strain that comes from holding a gadget in-hand. As long as habitual mobile device users can wait until the fall release, and aren't worried about the eventual price, the Gesture might literally have their backs.
Philips' new ErgoSensor desktop display demands that you sit up straight
Remember those halcyon days when your mother would chide you to sit up straight should you ever start to slouch? Good news, desk jockeys, because Philips' ErgoSensor desktop monitor is here to stop your stooping now that mom's no longer around -- and it doesn't require you to wear some silly plastic pendant or occupy any of your USB real estate. The 24-inch, 250-nit, 1920 x 1080 display has a sensor in its bezel that watches you while you work, and warns you when your posture becomes poor or if you've been staring at the screen too long. It also informs users how to set up the monitor for optimal viewing distance and ergonomic position. Plus, it can tell when you're not around and shut the screen off to conserve power. We don't know how much money the monitor will cost or even when it'll be available to fix your poor sitting form, but we do know you can learn everything else about it at the source below.
Visualized: Tron Armchair redefines furniture art
If you haven't noticed already, Disney (and the rest of the world, seemingly) is going all-out for this year's rendition of Tron. What's potentially better than a cinematical remake? You're looking at it. The Tron Armchair was dreamed up and designed by New York's own Dror Benshetrit, with the seating apparatus officially debuting this week at Design Miami / Art Basel. There's a whole slew of motifs to peek down there in the source link, all of which make "impregnated fiberglass and polyester resin" look about as good as they can. It's a crying shame that no price tag accompanies them, but hopefully that'll change soon. Really soon.
Designer sofa encourages you to lose the remote control
If you've ever lost an important gadget to that black hole colloquially referred to as a "couch," you know what this is for -- it's a seat designed to hold your possessions without swallowing them whole. Designed by Daisuke Motogi Architecture of Tokyo, Japan, "Lost in Sofa" is made of upholstered cubes that naturally form slots. Sadly, the armchair's not for sale as far as we can tell, but rather one of a kind, and resided at DesignTide Tokyo 2010 until a few days ago. Ah well. Perhaps if we can find a vendor of plushy cubes, we'll just build one ourselves.
Air New Zealand 'revolutionizes' coach cabins: power, USB, iPod support and Skycouches
When the so-called "friendly skies" are mentioned, a few airlines in particular come to mind: Virgin America, Singapore Airlines and Qantas, for starters. Starting today, you can safely include Air New Zealand in that discussion. In a bid to turn long-haul international travel on its head, the outfit has today revealed a freshly outfitted Boeing 777 with a coach cabin that easily puts every coach cabin found in the US to shame. Designed by Recaro, the world-class coach area includes 11 rows of Skycouches that can actually fold flat in order to create (admittedly short) beds for two. The best part? The "third seat" in the row will only cost a couple 50 percent of what it normally would, making it somewhat more affordable to buy a bed without springing for first class. You'll also find power sockets, USB ports and iPod connectors in every single coach seat, leaving the plane a Gogo-module away from being absolutely perfect. Pop those source links below for a hands-on at the Auckland unveiling by our good pals at Gadling.
D-BOX scores deal to bring rumbling chairs to Mann Theatres
Ah, ha! So the rumors were true, after all. Just over three months after we heard that D-BOX was trying desperately to get its Motion Code technology into cinemas, we're finally seeing the first deal with a commercial theater chain. Mann Theatres, the operators of the famous Mann Chinese 6 Theatre in Hollywood, has become the first to first to allow D-BOX seating to be installed, with the initial installation taking place in theatre six of the aforementioned multiplex. There will also be a demo station setup in the lobby for moviegoers to "test drive" the rumbling, bumbling system, though there's no word on whether watching a flick in the D-BOX cinema will cost extra. In all seriousness, this deal is gigantic for D-BOX, and if a few more chains latch on, it won't be long before you see the technology's creator(s) sailing 'round the world and basking in their own glory.[Image courtesy of About]
Gamerox gamer chair keeps you on your toes, so to speak
We've been acquainted with all sorts of strange exercise / gaming apparatuses, and while the Gamerox is far from being the strangest, it's pretty high up there. Rather than just letting your kid grab any nearby stool and have a seat while melting their brain on games for hours on end, why not force their nates into this contraption? Put simply, it forces kids to continually balance and adjust in order to stay seated. Will it really tone muscles and improve posture? Doubtful, but it's practically guaranteed to frustrate and / or enrage your offspring.[Via Slashgear]
Salamander's Jump Seat Ottoman now available for your rumpus (room)
Salamander Designs has been showing off its Jump Seat Ottoman since late last year, and now it's finally shipping. The more-than-meets-the-eye ottoman fills in for those awkward moments when you run out of seating at show- or game-time. We all know the situation -- the couch is comfortably full, the loveseat is occupied and someone's out cold in the recliner. And then someone else shows up. Those dining room chairs aren't comfy and a task chair from the office just looks ghetto. But if your space is equipped with one of these $1,000 pieces, all you have to do is flip up the top of the ottoman and a la peanut butter sandwiches, that last man scores a seat with integrated cup holder and storage. Crisis averted -- you get credit for the save and the party keeps rolling.
Suzukaze air conditioned seat cushion keeps the hindquarters cool
Kuchofuku is on the loose again, this time creating an air conditioned seat cushion to keep your fundament breezy. Reportedly, the unit can be powered via an AC adapter, car adapter or rechargeable batteries, and the built-in fan can move over 170 liters of air per minute in order to "dissipate heat and moisture around the buttocks that causes discomfort and sweating." Well, when you put it like that, $89 seems like a real bargain.[Via Gearlog]
Continental Seating injects Proscenium into Bravo! / Grand Tier collections
There's nothing quite like sitting on a small mountain of cash, but we've heard from fortunate friends that doing so for two solid hours can be really back for your back. Thankfully, Continental Seating has devised a way of converting packs of Benjamins into amazingly fine seating instruments, the latest of which is the Proscenium. Said model has just been inserted into the Bravo! and Grand Tier collections where it's available in 21- / 24-inch flavors with your choice of Faux Leather, Ritz Suede, and Brazilian Leather coverings from the Bravo! collection and the choice of six grades of leather from the Grand Tier family. Only problem(s)? The four to six week lead time and the $1,420 to $2,840 price tag.
Ovei home theater pod: not for claustrophobic, poor people
As with quite a few things unveiled at CEDIA Expos, the Ovei is also aimed squarely at folks with wallets so fat they can hardly contain themselves. This home cinema pod made its most recent debut at the CEDIA UK show, where the creators explained that users could slip into the air-conditioned capsule and control their home theater and / or gaming experience via the built-in touchscreen. We are told that it was designed by Lee McCormack and engineered by McLaren Applied Technologies, but aside from that, pretty much everything else remains a mystery. The Ovei can be ordered up now for around £50,000 (that's 100,000 of those depreciating greenbacks), but if you get 'em to toss in some foot pedals and a steering wheel (or whatever else you dream up), count on that figure heading north in a hurry.[Via KanYeWest Blog]Read - Ovei pod detailsRead - Ovei pod live shots, video
Brunswick Billiards gets its own Berkline home theater chairs
Nothing chases a good flick like a few games of pool, and that's exactly why Brunswick Billiards has teamed up with Berkline to introduce a few new offerings. The famed home theater seating company has agreed to create a fresh line of Brunswick-exclusive home theater chairs which will include two contemporary models and a single traditional model. Eight different types of leather will be available, and a few subtleties include a taller back, cup holders, lighted bases and power recline options. The luxurious seats will start at $1,249 apiece and should be ready to hit game rooms / HTs in "early summer."
Home theater installation includes rotating seats
Granted, the $6 million Kipnis Studio Standard is still apt to blow minds (and fuses) more quickly than Donny Hackett's "ultimate multipurpose room," but for folks looking for a way to squeeze a bona fide home theater into their existing den / living area / etc., this one provides some excellent food for thought. Aside from the 12-foot-wide custom-built screen, 7.1-channel audio system and InFocus SP777 three-chip DLP projector, this room also boasts a unique seating arrangement -- one that rotates 180-degrees at the touch of a button. The installation enables the front row to swirl around and face the second row, essentially creating a conversation pit for times when board games are preferred over catching a BD flick (and that's when, exactly?). There's no mention of how much dough was coughed up in order to make this happen, but we're confidently guessing it wasn't even close to cheap. Hit up the read link for a slideshow of pictures and a construction video to boot.
Armchair Paradise pod puts you in an embryonic state... almost
With each passing moment we grow ever closer to reaching the year 2193, thus, having some sort of futuristic pod / chair hybrid in your home is likely more acceptable today than yesterday. Nevertheless, we can't recommend the Armchair Paradise to anyone with any level of self-respect with a straight face, though the amenities do seem quite nice. Besides a totally comfortable place to put your tush after a hard day's night, you'll also find a built-in sound system that quite literally envelops you in sound. Unfortunately, pricing information doesn't seem to be readily available, but fast-forward a few decades and you might find out.[Via CNET]
Walking Chair tests your dedication to laziness, extravagance
Anyone can go into Office Depot and pick up a rolling desk seat for fifty bucks, but it takes a truly lazy individual to shell out almost $22,000 for a chair that very slowly "walks" you into proper working position. Actually, we doubt that the commercially-available Walking Chair from Vienna-based design studio Walking Things is really built for sitting; it's more likely meant as a showpiece for the ridiculous amount of disposable income you're pulling in. Each minimalist eight-legged unit is hand-assembled upon order, meaning that you'll need to wait at least six weeks to show your friends how very little €15,000 ($21,906) mean to you.[Via Slashgear]
Neck-worn posture reminder keeps your back in check
No, we don't honestly expect any of you to actually lower your pride enough to replace those Mr. T-styled chains with a posture reminding bird, but at least you've got the option, right? The admittedly zany Sitting Pose Corrector and Reminder Alarm is apparently designed to hang 'round your neck and use internal sensors to determine just how far you're slouched over, and if that spine gets a bit too crooked, we assume it emits an embarrassing array of noises to straighten you back out. Again, we've no idea who'd submit themselves to this type of inhumane torture, but for just $8.43, it'd make for a swell gag gift.[Via CNET]
USB-powered Posture Reminder keeps slouching in check
Those kind, considerate folks over at Brando are continuing to look out for the chair-sitter's well-being, as the USB Posture Reminder ranks right up there with the USB drink chiller and USB hair trimmer as goods that any desk-strapped individual should keep nearby. This USB-powered device clips onto the top of your monitor's frame, but instead of enabling video chats, it keeps a constant eye on the distance of your forehead in relation to the screen. The VISOMATE uses an ultrasonic sensor to determine whether your eyes are too close (or not close enough) to your screen; if you see a blue light being emitted, you're doing just fine staying in the 35- to 60-centimeter range, but if you manage to slouch too close and break the 35-centimeter barrier, a flashing red light will alert you to your mistake. If blinking lights aren't enough to cause epileptic fits straighten you out, you can even turn a "Chime" function on to reinforce the severity of bad posture, and you can take the first step in correcting your atrocious leaning habit by plopping down $26 and vowing to actually install it when it arrives.[Via Uber-Review]
Danielle Sobik's electroluminescent couch encourages nearness
Although today's not exactly a good day for some furniture manufacturers, Danielle Sobik's electroluminescent couch is looking to cure the boring couch blues by offering touch / location-sensitive lighting in an ultra-mod sofa. Clearly designed with the female in mind, the couch emits blue flower patterns when a couple is sitting apart from one another, and as the two move nearer, the patterns change in relation to their proximity. Once the two are close enough to finally get over that gripe they had earlier, the deep blue colors begin to turn to a light pink, presumably aiding everyone in just getting along. Nah, it doesn't look like Danielle has landed a deal with Berkline just yet, but this would definitely be the perfect seating location when typing away on your Luxeed keyboard. Psychedelic, man.[Via ShinyShiny]
Possible fix for the iPod 'click of death'
JC at Mac Geekery has come across a potential solution to the iPod hard drive's 'click of death' that many owners will likely experience at some point or another (After all it's a hard drive and you walk/run/snowboard around with it all day. It has to throw in the towel some day).After hurling a dead 4G iPod off a 3rd story balcony to test an iPod case, JC discovered that his iPod was suddenly working again - but only for an hour at a time or so. This odd turn of events prompted him to investigate by opening up his iPod, in which case he discovered that his click of death (not necessarily everyone's) was a result of nothing more than an unseated hard drive cable. After putting everything back in its place, JC's 4G iPod is back on top and jamming again.Check out JC's post for more details, but just in case you're in a similar boat, remember: I'm pretty sure opening your iPod is like tossing your warranty out the window and then running it over repeatedly with an SUV, so attempt this stuff at your own risk. If your warranty has already r-u-n-n-o-f-t, however, then you don't have much to lose.[thanks William!]
