wood
Latest
Wooden DSLR shoulder rig does follow focus with a twist
We have to admit we have an affinity for finely hand-crafted gadget accessories -- be they iPad cases or PC chassis -- and we're especially impressed when they add some unique functionality to match their looks, like this wooden DSLR shoulder mount built by Jonathan Clifford Berqvist and his father Erik. In addition to being built from a single tree branch, the rig packs a nifty follow focus mechanism that lets you adjust the focus with just a twist of the handle. While there's unfortunately no step-by-step plans for building your own, it certainly seems to be straightforward enough for anyone with some basic woodworking skills, and you can get a glimpse of the build process in the video after the break.
Wooden Level Eleven PC gets inspiration from Thermaltake Level 10 chassis
Let's face it -- if you had a never-ending stack of cash and a computer room with no particular size constraints, you too would own a Thermaltake Level 10 enclosure. Regrettably, both financial and square footage constraints do indeed play major roles in most of our lives, including one Jeffrey Stephenson. This fine gentleman is quickly becoming the Ben Heck of wood-grained mods, this time cranking out a lovingly crafted iteration of the aforesaid chassis, but with that special wooden flair. The Level Eleven gets its inspiration from the gargantuan Level 10, but rather than taking things even bigger, Jeff decided to scale things down a notch; in fact, he constructed a fully functional PC within the handmade enclosure, all based around a VIA Pico-ITX mainboard and a 1.2GHz VIA Nano CPU. Thanks to the onboard VX855 media processor, this (comparatively) diminutive machine boasts an HDMI output and enough horsepower to pump out 1080p sans lag -- but it doesn't seem as if this bad boy is officially for sale. Not that he'd reject a five-figure offer or anything...
KARVT wooden MacBook skins -- because sometimes aluminum just isn't enough
Is the Apple logo on your MacBook not brash enough for everyone in the coffee shop to see? Is that streamlined aluminum appearance too Pro for you? Time to enter the newly opened KARVT online store, where unabashed Apple fans can finally add the sophistication of "100% real authentic wood" to their beloved machines. Most popular tastes can be accommodated, with different shades of cherry, bamboo, pine, and walnut on offer, and there's even an artists' section where some design flair is added to your timberrific purchase. The skins will fit on any recent Apple laptops, and prices are $35 for the wood grain or $50 for the artsy ones, with deliveries starting on May 1. Bargain or what? %Gallery-89975%
Conceptual 4010-Overdress router covers can't materialize soon enough
C'mon, let's be honest with ourselves here -- we all think our current router is unsightly. Like, truly hideous to look at. In fact, the bulk of us spend the first 20 minutes post-unboxing trying to figure out how to best hide it. Berlin-based designers Johannes Laue and Johannes Schroth have done what should've been done by multi-national corporations years ago, with the 4010-Overdress project delivering an array of delectable wood and metal enclosures that simultaneously make your router / set-top-box beautiful while maintaining all of the core functionality. There's no indication of when (or if) these beauts will ever be produced for public consumption, but seriously, someone at Netgear or D-Link should ping these fellows as soon as possible.
Conceptual Corky mouse gets charged through motion, doubles as a wine stopper
It's still in concept form at the moment, but America's own Adele Peters just might have a winner with Corky. This obviously cork-based mouse relies on "piezoelectric elements to generate energy every time you click or move it around on your desk," meaning that nary a battery would ever be used to power it. In case that's not sustainable enough for you, the whole thing is made from easily recyclable materials, so it shouldn't mar Ma Earth when it gets tossed at the end of its useful life. Too bad that design has been trumped forty times over by more ergonomic options, but hey, there's always v2.0.
Cygnus X1 PC casemod mixes otherworldly design, old world charm
We've seen plenty of PC casemods that look more like a traditional piece of furniture than a computer case, and plenty that take a decidedly more modern approach, but we haven't seen many that combine the two as effectively as this so-called Cygnus X1 built by Attila Lukacs. As you may notice, the top of the case bears a striking resemblance to some of Alienware's latest rigs, but it seems that might not be the source of Atilla's inspiration, as he actually started building the case way back in 2008. Of course, the real eye-catcher is that beautiful, hand carved wood casing (made West Australian Jarrah), which actually swings open on both sides -- no small feat when each panel weighs about ten pounds. Eager to see more? Then hit up the link below for a thorough account of the complete build process. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Powermat retrofitted into plank of wood, new world of opportunies discovered
The Powermat may have slung "inductive charging" into the mainstream (at least to some minor extent), but it's still far too niche to be taken seriously by any electronics aisle in Target. Take that same technology and shove it into wood, however, and you've got something that each and every table owner on the planet could appreciate. Jason V decided to retrofit a Powermat charging pad into a slab of wood, and while it wasn't the easiest of tasks, the fact that he managed to successfully integrate it opens up all sorts of possibilities for the woodworking crowd. If you're hungry for more details, hop on down to the how-to guide at Instructables; otherwise, the demonstration vid is just past the break.
NTT DOCOMO's Touch Wood mockups make naughty puns easy
We're still not entirely sold on the intersection of gadgets and wood. Nevertheless, companies keep pumping out the concepts in response to our greener times. Here's NTT DOCOMO's effort using surplus wood leftover from Pacific culling operations. The Touch Wood prototype was developed in tandem with Sharp and Olympus and is based on the SH-04A slider. A Touch Wood mockup (pictured above) resembling a more feminine bean was also announced. In either case, the Touch Wood body is made of cypress without adding any artificial coloring or paint. And by using Olympus' 3D compression molding technique, they've manage to maintain the kind of durability, and resistance to water, insects, and mildew that you'd expect from, well, a tree. With any luck, these handsets will be on exhibit in October at the ITU Telecom World and CEATEC Japan shows... touch wood. SH-04A prototype pictured after the break.[Thanks, Stop Spamming]
Yoshihiko Satoh's Wooden iPod speaker bags are definitely re-usable, possibly biodegradeable, totally chic
You can spend a lot of money on a handbag, so why not get one that's functional? These co-Mobile Speakers designed by Japanese artist Yoshihiko Satoh are not just styled to look like a bag, they are a bag, sporting room for your iPod to serve tunes and maybe a bento box to serve lunch -- but admittedly not much else. They're available in dark wood or maple and will set you back ¥31,500; about $335. Sure, that's not cheap for a 30 watt speaker dock, but we've seen far more expensive purses that are far less tastefully designed. [Via Engadget Germany]
Handcrafted Ceramic Speakers are almost too pretty to blast
Joey Roth blew our collective minds way back in 2007 with his conceptual Felt Mouse, but now the designer is taking his creations to the next level by actually shipping a few. The simply named Ceramic Speakers boast only 10 watts of output per channel, though each 4-inch full-range driver is housed in an acoustically dead porcelain and cork chamber that should do quite a lot with quite a little. We can't say we're totally fond of the expected $400 to $500 price tag when these go on sale in October, but toss in a similarly designed subwoofer and we just might bite.[Via Cool Hunting]
USB retro wooden speaker escapes the crap pile by the slimmest margin
Try if you wish, but you'll never convince us that the masterpiece you're peering at above should be lumped in with every other crapgadget out there. Sorry, it just ain't happening. The wondrous USB Retro Wooden Speaker / MP3 Player Cube does mostly what it says: you insert a flash card or USB drive, and it plays back MP3 files through the pair of 3-watt stereo speakers. Those vintage buttons can skip tracks and pause things for a brief moment of silence, while the bundled remote keeps your nates planted after a hard day's night. There's even a 3.5 millimeter auxiliary input in case you're short on flash, and the built-in rechargeable battery ensures that this bad boy will be showcased at your forthcoming tailgate parties. There's a whole lot of awesome here for $29, wouldn't you concur?
Nissan's Forest AC blows wild scents through your ride, keeps you alert
And here you were thinking Mercedes-Benz's Attention Assist system was the thing in driver alertness aides. In a rather odd, nearly jocose press release, Nissan has revived our faith in corporate R&D with the glorious introduction of the Forest AC. In short, this new air conditioning system "systematically controls cabin temperature, ventilation, aroma and humidity to create an optimal interior environment." Still bewildered? It means that the system can tap into an array of sensors in order to find out exactly what environment is best for your current state of mind, and if it needs to, it'll blast your nostrils with gusts of fresh forest in order to increase alertness while keeping stress levels down. The zaniest part of all, however, isn't the idea of using various aromas to keep one's attention; it's the fact that this system is actually scheduled for installation on a vehicle (the Fuga) that'll ship this fiscal year in Japan.
OSU foresters swap tree fibers for rubber in fuel efficient tires
Leave it to a gaggle of brilliant wood science researchers at Oregon State University to figure out that we've been doing this whole "tire" thing wrong for generations now. While studying some uses of microcrystalline cellulose, which can be made easily from practically any type of plant fiber, these Earth-loving gurus discovered that said material could actually improve the efficiency of vehicle tires when used in place of silica. Granted, only about 12 percent of the silica -- which is used as a reinforcing filler in the manufacture of rubber tires -- was swapped out, but the resulting tires gripped just as well in wet weather while decreasing the rolling resistance during those dry summer months. Furthermore, tires constructed with these fibers could be made with less energy, though long-term durability studies are still needed to prove that this whole plan is viable for more than a few thousand miles. [Via Gizmag]
Woodstation acts like a weather station, looks like a dead tree
Usually the intersection of woodcraft and gadgetry consists of little more than taking a piece of gear and putting it in a box. Woodstation may be no different, but at least it does its thing with some style, placing its LED display beneath the surface, allowing it to seemingly display weather data on the wood itself. And if that weren't enough, the device contains a motion sensor (it turns itself on when you enter the room) as well as date, time, and alarm functions. Available in a maple or walnut finish, this bad boy is currently available in the UK for £89.95 (about $147). And unlike the Amazon Kindling, this thing actually works.[Via Pocket-lint]
Wood computer workstation takes up space, looks great, does little else
Dear Diary 1.0 is a computer workstation / desk made entirely of wood. Designed by Marlies Romberg, a recent grad of the Utrecht School of Arts, this bad boy features a laser-cut keyboard, a display, mouse, and a porcelain and silicone USB thumb drive with a signet (one of those wax seals they always put on letters in old-timey movies). We're guessing that none of this stuff is functional (save maybe the thumb drive), but if you're in the mood for a good artist's statement, try this one on for size: "Dear Diary 1.0 is ... both the literal and the figurative manifestation of the worlds colliding. A physical reminder that increasingly, the real and the digital are becoming indistinguishable." Not bad, eh? Just slap your Amazon Kindling on the thing and your anachronistic office will be just about complete. More pics after the break.[Via Unplggd]
The greenest iPod yet: made of real wood
Well, mostly. It's an iPod mini dressed up in wood, and the clickwheel happens to be wood as well -- check out this gallery at the Sydney Morning Herald. Australian modder Josh Darrah whipped up this crazy wooden skin for his mini, and a wood dock to boot after calling the metal and plastic case materials normally coating iPods "crass." The flannel carrying case he made is a nice touch, too.Good news if you'd like one of these for yourself: Josh is considering a DIY kit to mod your own iPod.Thanks to Leighton Johannesen for the tip!
Amazon Kindling wooden e-book is a luddite's dream of the future
E-readers aren't for everyone, apparently. Clever hands fashioned this Kindle out of wood -- cutely called the Amazon Kindling -- using a laser cutter. You might only be able to read the same page of The Count of Monte Cristo so many times, but at least the battery will never punk out on you! One more shot of this wooden beauty after the break. Hit the read link for the whole set. [Via Boing Boing]
Video: Musiblocks rock the house
Here's something that managed to slip beneath our radar but is definitely worth the double-back: Musiblocks. The design project consists of a central control block at the base of the tower with an embedded force sensor and 6 circular connectors. Add more (or heavier) blocks to increase the volume or twist the block atop the base to switch tracks. The only block with any electronics is the core, control block at the base -- the other blocks are just hardwood slabs with tin conductors. Remember, if Sony can mass produce the Rolly, don't be surprised to see Musicblocks go retail sometime soon. Video after the break. [Via Yanko Design]
Tree Camera doubles as really cute MP3 player, doesn't take stills
We've always heard that judging a book by its cover is a bad, bad idea, and if you're assuming this wooden camera takes snaps first and plays tunes second, you'd be terribly mistaken. In fact, The Tree Camera is actually a DAP alone (sorry for crushing your dreams), and aside from boasting a standard headphone jack, it includes 256MB of storage and plays nice with OGG, WMA and MP3 file formats. We'd say it's totally cute enough to justify the $43 price tag, and even more so if the wood used to make is, you know, real wood.[Via PMPToday]
Wooden 2GB thumb drive doubles as Post-It Notes dispenser
What can we say? This is a 2GB thumb drive elegantly ensconced in White Oak. If that weren't enough, this convenient and portable package not only allows you to listen to some of your favorite Grateful Dead bootleg MP3s on your laptop at work, but also ensures that you always have a supply of tiny little Post-It Notes on hand. What better way to begin your workday in the soul-shattering plastic corporate world than popping in a somewhat eco-friendly wooden peripheral and rocking out to Picasso Moon? You should really check out the version from their October 25, 1989 show in Miami. This guy goes for ¥2,680 (about $30).[Via Akihabara News]
