Microsoft recently unveiled a prototype for their Adaptive Keyboard - one which incorporates a full LCD screen with touch capabilities - and rather than developing their own brand of broken tech for it, wisely held a contest in several categories to a collection of students at the User Interface Software and Technology symposium. The folks at Tested recently took a look at the winners and it sounds like an exciting future.

It feels odd crediting this idea to someone. After all, I’m pretty sure that I came up with the idea for a crumpled map along with anyone else on the world who’s ever tried to fold one. However, full credit is due to Emanuele Pizzolorusso for the (brilliant) idea of printing a map on the waterproof and virtually indestructible Tyvek material. via.

It’s no secret I love new power outlet tech - it’s fascinating to see the continual improvement of a product we use and interact with everyday. So flipping around on Quirky after yesterday’s post, I was delighted to find this excellent piece of malleable design, the “Power Pivot” Power Adaptor. Great for confined spaces and odd-shaped adaptors - see it here.

The perfect kitchen helper for the lazy multitasking chef, it’s the Boil Buoy now available for pre-sale over at Quirky. It’s a borderline ludicrous invention, but I can’t possibly be the only one out there to set a pan of water on the stove only to forget about it, come back later and find an empty dish. Now I just need to learn to cook…

It’s been a few weeks since our last bit of exciting power outlet news, but we’re back with a nifty design. Created with safety in mind, this concept from designer Luofang Jun is a simple modification but can go along way towards protecting you (or your little ones) from the dangers of shock. via.

If you’re looking for some delicious beats to tickle your ears (for iPod, iPhone, or iPad)…

Insanely addictive Electronic & Dance music radio nonstop 24/7 at Digitally Imported Radio - get it [here]

A curios announcement from Sharpie recently for people who still physically use pencils and pens, their new Liquid Pencil is set to hit stores next month with a “September 2010” release date. Now, before visions of the classic erasable pen spring to mind, this looks entirely different better. Not just because it eliminates broken lead and sharpeners, but the liquid graphite actually becomes permanent after three days, leaving you exactly 72 hours to fully measure the weight of your scrawlings.

I have to admit the Canon PowerShot D790 IS is a wonderful point and shoot camera for your buck.  It has given me MANY wonderful pictures over the years, both in and out of the water (pictures also seen on my previous post The Charming Sharm - Got Diving? with the optional Canon Waterproof Case WP-DC24) What a way to make one proud over the other DSLR cameras on the market; my picture made it on the Gizmodo Shooting Challenge: Fireworks!  See the other amazing contest pictures [here] and my picture on flickr [here] [via Gizmodo]

Click more to see some of my other fireworks photos

MORE...

These days the Jordan brand is known for a lot of things, but sophisticated chronograph watches has never really been one of them. Released to celebrate the Air Jordan “XX3” (don’t ask) these were briefly available in the Air Jordan Flight Club (still not positive what that means) and quickly became another rare, probably overpriced piece of MJ merch. Finally we get an answer to that age-old question posed by those classic Bulls teams right before every tipoff: “What time is it??” via Freshness.

Yes, you read that correctly - recently announced by Microsoft it’s called the Instaload™ technology and allows batteries to be inserted into a device facing either direction. It’s something that never really needed to be fixed, but at the same time you wonder “why has this never been fixed?” It’s great news for clumsy people and the farsighted, but my complaint is always with the spring in existing devices that’s frequently misaligned and of poor quality. via Kotaku.

Just a little gadget that proves nowadays there really is a device for any use you can think of.  Besides having one of the best names ever, the “Mouse Jiggler” by Wiebetech (from what I can tell NOT founded by Steve Wiebe) stealthily moves your cursor 1 pixel every second. Perfect for users unable to access their computer settings for whatever reason. via.

Get those kids away from the TV with some old-school fun: Here’s a few new pose-able animal replicas from designer David Weeks. Following the popular Hanno the Gorilla, we now offer a series of these fun diversions, each made from sustainable, new-growth natural Beech hardwood. Pictured below: Simus the Rhino, Hattie the Elephant and Hanno Jr.

Seen over at 1 Design a Day, the StairCASE features three moving boxes which can be pulled out and serve as a step ladder for reaching the top shelves. A small innovation to be sure, but you factor in the added storage space, minus any step stool that would otherwise be required and this design is priceless.

There’s really nothing as unsightly as the many “one-function” items we have around the house. Here’s a perfect example: the Madame Est Servie ironing board concept from Aïssa Logerot. While most ironing boards are relegated to some unseen part of the house - even this killer prototype I love would be tucked away for most of the day - this board flips over and serves a real purpose during all other times.

Sometimes the best inventions solve a problem you didn’t know you had. Case in point, the Glass Tank by Kouichi Okamoto of Kyouei Design - a self-filling wine glass that works with air and water pressure to always keep your snifter at an appropriate level. Because when you think about it, refilling your glass is probably the most tedious part of drinking wine. via.