Originally shown off at this year’s E3 convention, the Razer Switchblade laptop prototype (pictured above) quickly wowed the public while raising a bit of skepticism from the press. Will they be able to push this expensive and potentially confusing technology fully into the mainstream? Would a completely dynamic keyboard be too much for traditionalists to handle - or maybe even too complicated for early adopters?

Now with the debut of their Razer Blade Laptop (pictured below) this cutting edge interface is now soon to be a (pricey) reality. In practice however, their final design turned out much less radical than the original prototype. With only 10 “dynamic adaptive” keys quarantined off where the number pad usually appears, the rest of the keyboard is still your standard offering. A little disappointing for those waiting on the next big leap in user interfaces, but it’s a fun start.



via Razer Blade.

The “hottest” booth at this year’s show had to belong to ponton, who was showing off this fun tabletop grill, the Vesta bbq:



But their line doesn’t stop there, they’ve actually got a very cool range of ventless fireplaces for the floor or tabletop as well. Designed and produced in Germany, ponton products come from designer Wolf Udo Wagner and serve as functional conversation pieces in any season.



via ponton.

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.

One of the most exciting announcements of the year was unknown startup Lytro’s bold entry in the highly competitive world of photography with a radical new technology that allows you to refocus your pictures after you take them. It sounds like a crazy person invented it, but click around on the picture to see for yourself:



And now courtesy of the Hello Tomorrow exhibition at La Cité des Sciences in Paris, we have our first images of Nikon’s newest camera iterations. Chief among them is their attempt to duplicate Lytro’s unique breakthrough by photographing multiple viewpoints “to capture the atmosphere of a scene.” Does this offer a glimpse of what Lytro’s final product will look like? Will this concept design ever see the light of day or produce any results? Stay tuned!



via wired. nikon. lytro.

A very strange sighting over at ReNest and fully explained by NPR, it’s what they’re dubbing Meat Eating Furniture. And yes, it’s every bit as creepy as it sounds. Seen above, the Fly Paper Clock converts trapped flies into an LCD time display. This sounds ideal for your average feed store or jerky outpost (??).

Seen below, the terrifying Mousetrap Coffee Table absorbs trapped mice into a microbial fuel cell, and I didn’t get this far, but you then presumably charge your cell phone or something pointless. As strange as these are, I might be more concerned living somewhere that could actually utilize either of these functions.

Despite all the doubtful commenters pointing out design flaws, you really have to love the idea of this minimalist record player. It has everything you need including volume controls, motor and speaker (an audio-out might be helpful) with the wiring held elegantly inside the copper piping housing. View the designer’s original concept drawings (along with spiteful comments, over at Yanko) if you are feeling creative, otherwise this is likely as close as anyone’s getting to this.

The NoteSlate is a new low cost tablet that doesn’t offer web browsing or e-reading, but gives you the the look of real paper and the option to save your work, or share it via Wi-Fi or USB or SD Card. It’s a “back to basics” product that is more about simplicity than processor speed and glossy screens (their words). A ridiculous 180 hours of battery life and affordable $99 price tag makes it much easier to take the plunge on something unknown.

Great as a gift for yourself or a friend, we’ve got a range of new toys and accessories great for any occasion. First up is Francois Dallegret’s amazing fractal pattern generator, the Atomix (pictured above, left) followed by the newest creation from David Weeks, the Cubebot - made from sustainably-grown hardwood with elastic band muscles that will withstand generations of play. Another fun collection of wooden sculptures/ totems/ hiding spots are Karl Zahn’s Animal Boxes, available in 6 different shapes and seen below in Llama, Walrus and Rhino.

Back from a productive break and we have a whole slew of great new products from a range of established designers ready for you in the new year. We’ll be showcasing them all in the following days so stay tuned! But in the meantime, our first two items are both incredible re-designs that are sure to alter your perception of time.

First up, the Off-Axis Watch by Eric Janssen (pictured above) sits at a 30 degree angle, making it much easier to read at a glance. For your walls, the Bias Clock from Rich, Brilliant, Willing (seen below) serves as a fun conversation starter. It features a minimalist, numberless design plus a tilted and raised construction that can be placed in any direction, allowing you to “choose its bias.”

If you aren’t into the whole burial thing consider sitting on your loved ones mantle in this stylish Ghost Urn… who says death needs to be boring! Here’s to hoping I last long enough for this to go into production!

Just another amazing watch concept seen over at gadgetking and designed by Yiran Qian, the “Eye of the Storm” wristwatch is faceless and completely black until you push the side button, illuminating two colored lights which indicate the time. Love it!

You might recognize one of our most recent additions, the “Tie Tea” Teacup from le mouton noir & co is the charming solution that allows you to tie off your tea string like a cleat on a boat dock. And it’s available here!



Also new is their clever wine stopper, the “Date with Wine.” It lets you record the date you last opened a bottle of wine to best decide whether that wine is still drinkable. See it here!

Here’s a cool new idea from Suck UK, the customizable ”Paper Watch”. They’ve skipped the hard work of creating new watch designs and given you a blank slate that can be decorated using anything - stickers, crayons, paint, stencils, you name it. Personalize it for a friend as a gift or as a truly unique modern party invite. It’s not for everybody though, in fact I prefer the examples they provide much more than anything I could create..

Just because you’re obligated to buy a gift for someone, doesn’t mean you have to get them something boring. We’ve got cool, stylish gift ideas for everyone on your list that won’t break the bank. Here’s a few selections from our Under $50 category of gifts over at Modern Gift Store.



First up, for the young entrepreneur or business professional, how else to put your their best foot forward than a super-sleek business card case designed by a legend like Frank Lloyd Wright or Harry Allen. Pictured above is Wright’s Robie House Card Case alongside the Blueprint Business Card Case by Acme Studios. We even offer the matching keychains as well!



The best gifts are oftentimes something that is both fun and functional. We feature something unique for every room of the house, and that’s no better evidenced than with our modern line of kitchen accessories, such as the Salad Servers (pictured above) from Black+Blum or Ferm Living’s charming set of Thermo Mugs.

For a casual contemporary accessory, we offer an elegant line of homewares that are sure to blend into any modern setting. Seen below, the Lightstone Candle Holder and Curve Candle Holder Set from Nuance, and the Floral Bird Cutout Bowl by Torre and Tagus.

The Microsoft Surface is nifty but I would happily take one of these as well. via.