Spotted this week on an episode of DIY Network’s ”I Want That!” was this sleek hookless magnetic key rack from Umbra. It’s sold in multiple finishes and even doubles as a mail or note holder. Available right now from fine google-able retailers everywhere.

Some of the coolest papercraft you will ever see belongs to the fine folks at the Tuna Paper Design Studio. Seen above is their fun Page by Page Lamp, a “sensuous poster” with pages that can be flipped to change the feel of its soft glow. Pictured below is their cute 3D Pop-Up Card and Twinkling Pot, each eco-friendly and designed to show nothing less than the “infinite possibilities of papers to people.”

It’s probably not the most exciting gift to give, but trust me the recipient will thank you for it in due time. Violight‘s unique Toothbrush Sanitizers use a germicidal UV bulb to eliminate 99.9% of all germs, the same technology used in hospitals. The entire process takes minutes and the bulb shuts off automatically when done. Although brushing your teeth may never be fun, maybe now sanitizing it can be something you look forward to each night. (Ok probably not, but anything that encourages dental care I’m all for..)

Now that we’re in just about in the full swing of the holiday season, you can keep an eye right here for all kinds of great gift ideas for your friends and family (and yourself!) as we update through to New Years and beyond.

First up, for the wine enthusiast in your life, a couple of crazy contraptions for their next holiday party. The ”Corkcicle” Wine Chiller (pictured left) is a freezable cork/icicle that allows you to keep wine chilled without the need for a messy wine bucket… Hey, that’s not bad!

Also below is Decantus‘ Wine Aerator, an striking wine filter that is sold in a few, let’s say interesting forms. They’re each great conversation starters, so if dinner starts to go poorly, just keep asking ”Did you see the Corkcicle?”



While maybe not the most elegantly named products of all time, Vic Firth’s ”Pump and Grind” Salt and Pepper Shakers are actually amazing products in that they can provide fresh ground condiment with the simple press of a button.



And finally for the steely bartender in your life, a couple of hardened drink accessories that may or may not improve a beverage. Pictured below left are the Sea Stones Solid Granite Swizzle Sticks. Now while these don’t appear to replace ice, they are claimed to “extend the chill and minimize dilution.” Also, it’s like putting a rock in your drink.  Pictured to the right would be Franmara’s Steel-Ice Cubes: stainless steel cubes that contain a non-toxic gel that can be frozen and used in drinks. Suddenly, all of my beverages are looking quite pedestrian.

An Apple branded television set has been a long-standing tech rumor, but the NY Times today sheds light on what could be the new interface for a television that would already include - in theory - full App Store and iTunes integration. That is to say, no interface at all.

It seems so obvious now, but the brilliance of the iPhone 4S’ voice recognition software “Siri” would make for the ultimate in hands-off entertainment. The Times blog even pulls an ominous quote from the recent Steve Jobs biography where he stated that Apple’s eventual television will include “the simplest user interface you could imagine.” Now I’m eagerly awaiting the day I can sit back and tell my television to “Play Nyan Cat on a loop.”

via NYTimes blog.

Seen below is the amazing movement of Bobby Jones’ awesome “Dawn West Dusk East” watch. It’s not available anymore though, and I had to find it on their site under “Old Watches,” total bummer! Enjoy the video and sign up to be notified if it ever comes back right here.

dawn west dusk east (time lapse) from Mr Jones on Vimeo.

Great for kids and adults of any age are David Weeks’ newest posable animal figures. Made from sustainably harvested new growth beech or cherry wood, these toys are fitted with powerful elastic band muscles that allow them to endure for generations. Also new is this cute collection of pups seen below from Ross Menuez’s fauna collection of organic pillows. Made with water based inks on natural breadcloth fabric. See our full collection of unique pillows right here, as well as David Weeks range of toys over at Modern Gadget.

Commissioned in the 1960’s and 70s by Yugoslavia to commemorate WWII battle sites or concentration camp locations, these monuments attracted millions of visitors per year in the 1980’s but were completely abandoned in the early 1990’s after the Republic dissolved. Photographer Jan Kempenaers toured around the ex-Yugoslavian region - now Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina - from 2006 to 2009 using a 1975 map of memorials to bring these beautiful pieces to life for a new generation.

via CrackTwo

Headquartered in the state of Washington, startup company Innovega is set to offer their vision of our augmented reality future: the iOptik contact lenses (not pictured, obviously). A micro-display implanted into a set of contact lenses that gives you embedded optics directly into your eyeholes. Their similar technology also exists in glasses, and “is like being transported to a movie theater,” but there’s something exciting and completely terrifying to having this stuck on a contact lens and jammed into your eyeball. I say bring it on. How is our hover technology coming along by the way?



via Innovega.

I’ll start off by noting that a combination of both the touch interface and computing power of an iPhone can make a valuable learning tool for people of many ages. While parents may debate over the proper age to introduce advanced technology to their kids, toy company Fisher-Price is boldly forging ahead with their very own “slobber-proof” iPhone case made for babies. Forget anything you’ve ever heard about cell phone radiation, because your baby’s got a play date with the app store!



via Cnet.

Check the date, it is not April 1st. Nike has just announced they will auction through eBay 1,500 pairs of special edition “Nike MAG 2011,” better known as Marty McFly’s sneakers from Back to the Future Part 2. A long-saught-after fan favorite, they were actually given a mixed response today from sneakerheads - no “self-lacing,” possible sticker shock as well as a design that maybe should have stayed in the past (the future?) chief among the concerns. But either way, it’s great to see this piece of American movie history become a reality.



via Nice Kicks.

The perfect entry point for beginner fishmongering, this tiny aquarium from Fascinations is fully functioning with a USB-powered water filtration system and low voltage pump. The running faucet is a nice touch but the LED display and overhead light start to feel a bit like overkill. Speaking of which, your fish may not love you for the size of their aquatic home, but that’s the cost of doing business with a tiny, awesome desktop fish tank. 

The tablet masters over at Wacom are set to release their newest creation, the Inkling. It’s kind of like a Lightscribe Pen on steroids, a comparison I’m sure Wacom loves. But in addition to just saving your every doodle, the Inkling gives you true pressure sensitivity as well as the ability to add “layers” when drawing that are later accessible through Photoshop, Illustrator and the like. Set to launch mid-September at $199, it looks like a nice inexpensive entryway into higher level digital production.

via Wacom.

Attention superfans of both Star Wars and architecture blueprints, your holy grail has arrived. For mild fans of either, Star Wars: The Blueprints is an impossibly well crafted and probably overpriced look into a piece of film history. Even with a sticker price ranging from $500 to $1000, you can expect this limited run of 5,000 copies to be quickly snatched up.



via The Blueprints Book.

We’re back today with some of the most striking designs seen at the whole of the recent NYIGF - Mr Jones Watches. Many of their products are created in very limited quantities, so some of my favorite designs are still hot off the press and have not even been officially photographed yet! They’re all positioned at a decidedly affordable price point, and all designed with specifically commissioned artwork. Each timepiece tell its own story, and to make a long story short: I want one of these!



via Mr Jones Watches.