Around The Home

22:26 February 11, 2009 PST

Butane gas is most commonly known as the fuel that comes in home-use canisters that power camping and caravan stoves but that could be about to change. Honda begins sales in Japan next month of the Pianta (that's Italian for 'plant') FV200, a mini-tiller that runs on butane gas canisters. Read More

Germ-killing vacuum uses UV light

21:18 February 5, 2009 PST

Ultra violet light sterilization is a proven technology that has been with us for some time. Back in 1903 Niels Finsen was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine for his work in using UV to fight tuberculosis and these days it's a common sight in hospitals, food production facilities and science labs, as well as being used for water purification and disinfecting swimming pools. The technology is also increasingly making its way into domestic households with examples like ENPUTECH's UV sterilization wand and this innovation from Oreck - the world’s only UV equipped upright vacuum cleaner. Read More

Panasonic’s Urban Collection massage chairs

By Jude Garvey

16:57 February 1, 2009 PST

Panasonic’s Urban Collection massage chairs

Panasonic have released their new Urban Collection massage chairs with the promise of the ultimate massage in a package that still blends in with your existing décor. Each chair has four pre-set programs and eight manual modes which gives the user a possible 44 different massage combinations. If you are pressed for time you might choose the five-minute program which incorporates all eight manual modes or you can sit back and relax with a Swedish or Shiatsu massage. Read More

Fold-Up Trailer saves valuable space

21:15 January 29, 2009 PST

Trailers are extremely useful items when you need them. When you don't, which for most of us 99% of the time, they can be a storage nightmare... after all, how many urban dwellers have a spare 5 x 8 foot patch in their backyard or garage that couldn't be used for a better purpose. Lifetime's folding trailer design solves this issue by significantly reducing the storage space needed. When you're done carting loads for the weekend, the trailer folds to just 29 inches wide in a process that takes only 90 seconds. Read More

New Crestron Green Light occupancy sensors optimize energy usage

18:24 January 27, 2009 PST

New Crestron Green Light occupancy sensors optimize energy usage

January 28, 2009 Crestron has released a new range of occupancy sensors to enhance the functionality of its Green Light™ environmental controls, further reducing energy usage. The sensors have built-in microprocessors and photocells which continually analyze and adjust to changing conditions to significantly reduce on-time for lights. Climate and device control can also be integrated. A combination of both ultrasonic and passive infrared sensing is used to detect motion while minimizing false triggers, such as electrical noise, air currents, and temperature changes. A built-in photocell can override the occupancy sensor if ambient light levels are above a set threshold, preventing lights from turning on when there is sufficient daylight in the room. Read More

The inflatable window - 50% insulation improvement

00:40 January 23, 2009 PST

The inflatable window - 50% insulation improvement

January 23, 2009 The inflatable window is a secondary glazing system that uses an inflatable rubber tube to seal into the window reveal to provide better insulation for the windows. The Australian Building Codes Board has published data showing that 87% of heat loss and 48% of heat gain is through the 8% of windows in the average building . The inflatable system is proven to offer up to 50% improvement on insulation resulting in a 68% improvement on the energy use for heating and cooling. Read More

Quicksnap - a better ice block tray

02:43 January 22, 2009 PST

January 22, 2009 One of the finalists in the recent Toyota IQ-sponsored Royal College of the Arts design contest was this simple but effective ice cube tray. Graeme Davies invented Quicksnap so that single ice cubes can be popped out without the normal problems associated with twisting an ice tray. With those who know their way around the kitchen increasingly freezing fruit pulps, curry paste and other sauces that take a lot of time to make, Davies’ invention will be welcomed when it hits the market later this year. Read More

Garage|Shadow turns any Bluetooth cellphone into a garage door remote

23:43 January 12, 2009 PST

Garage|Shadow turns any Bluetooth cellphone into a garage door remote

January 13, 2009 As the smartphone captures and ever greater share of the mobile phone market, it’s clear that people want their phone to become ever more multifunctional. Unify4Life envisages a day when their products will enable a BlackBerry to interact with and control any home or office product a customer desires. The company announced US$40 Garage|Shadow at CES, which allows you to open and close your garage door from your Blackberry or any Bluetooth enabled cell phone. The previously announced US$100 AV|Shadow does the same thing for controlling a set top box, DVD, VCR, TiVo, PVR or home theater. Read More

POLLI-Brick: turning plastic bottles into green architecture

03:01 January 12, 2009 PST

From the maker of the HYmini wind and solar portable charger comes a polymer architecture brick combining post-consumer materials with environmentally friendly function. The POLLI-Brick is made entirely of recycled materials and offers passive cooling, natural ventilation and even integrated solar/wind powered LED lighting. Read More

EasyBloom helps gardeners make the right choices

22:33 January 8, 2009 PST

Incorporating the same sensor technology used in the NASA Mars Mission, the EasyBloom Plant Sensor from PlantSense helps even the most novice gardener select the right plants for their garden and rescue unhealthy plants from an untimely death. Read More

Flexing your cords to eliminate cable tangles

By Loz Blain

06:19 January 7, 2009 PST

January 7, 2009 A simple invention here, but one with some merit - Flexicord cables can be gently bent into shape, and they'll stay the way you set them, the idea being that you can coil them up so they're always the perfect length, and never in the way of anything else. They're available in HDMI, Cat5e, RCA phono jack, S-Video and USB varieties in lengths up to 10 feet. Read More

How to avoid taking out the garbage quite as frequently

22:43 January 1, 2009 PST

How to avoid taking out the garbage quite as frequently

January 2, 2008 Taking out the garbage (who and/or when and/or how frequently) is undoubtedly the greatest threat to household harmony of any domestic chore. The Broan Elite XE Trash Compactor won’t exactly remove the chore, but with a compaction ratio of 6-to-1, it’ll reduce the number of times you need to argue about it and/or do it. With a three-quarter horsepower motor offering 3000 pounds of compacting force, each 1.5 cubic foot compacted bag holds the equivalent of six 13 gallon bags of ordinary trash, so it’ll lighten the volume for local landfills and reduce the volume for garbage pick-up, providing a cost saving for consumers who pay by the load. The unit also has antimicrobial protection to fight odor-causing bacteria and a replaceable odor control disc that is rotated automatically and hence lasts six months. Read More

Black & Decker to offer remotely lockable deadlocks

20:30 January 1, 2009 PST

Black & Decker to offer remotely lockable deadlocks

January 2, 2009 The advent of the automated or smart home is gathering momentum and acceptance in the community, and Pocket-Lint is reporting that Black & Decker is about to enter the smart deadlock marketplace. Black & Decker owns Quickset which recently released a range of keyless entry deadbolts as the SmartCode Signature Series (pictured) but the description offered by Pocket-Lint goes well beyond the capabilities of the current Quicket offerings. Apparently the new B&D motorised electronic deadbolts can be locked and unlocked remotely, mimicking the functionality of the recently acquired Z-Wave product which enables such remarkable initiatives as the Nokia Home Control Center. The product is due to launch this month so stay tuned. Read More

Knife Block eliminates germs

23:55 December 30, 2008 PST

Knives are an essential part of any kitchen - germs aren't. This sanitary knife block promises a high level of protection against cross-contamination by using UV-C light technology to sterilize your blades, getting rid of 99.99% of food bacteria and viruses in a process that takes just 20 seconds. Read More

Serious celebration: the Waring Professional Cordless Wine Opener

21:54 December 21, 2008 PST

Serious celebration: the Waring Professional Cordless Wine Opener

Here's a last minute gift idea for the hard working waiter or the wine-lover who does a great deal of entertaining. Featuring one touch operation and a soft rubber handle, the new Waring Professional Cordless Wine Opener can remove up to 80 corks on one charge. Read More

Parrot announces sleek Philippe Starck designed wireless speaker system

21:25 December 21, 2008 PST

Renowned and prolific French Designer Philippe Starck has added to his diverse portfolio in a collaboration with wireless specialist Parrot. The result is the 'Zikmu', an iPod ready wireless speaker system that combines Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capability with 360° NXT surround sound in a design that's a fusion of modern minimalist lines and 70's bell-bottom fashion - it certainly works for us. Read More

Old shape, new technology: GE energy saving light globe

20:56 December 11, 2008 PST

GE Energy’s new Smart compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb combines miniaturized electronics with GE’s Spiral CFL inside the glass bulb to achieve a conventional-sized bulb with added energy saving capabilities. The profile of the CFL bulb is virtually identical to a standard incandescent light bulb but offers the equivalent power of a 60W bulb with just 15W. Read More

Road test: Sumo Omni Chair rocks our 'tocks

By Loz Blain

23:11 December 9, 2008 PST

Rob Salvatore models the Sumo Omni Chair

The march of technology and design has elevated the humble bean bag into a surprisingly versatile bit of furniture. Sumo's range of "urban lounge gear" now includes a stiff-walled, tiny-beaned maxi-pillow that can be moulded into several super-comfy positions from crashmat to loveseat to recliner couch. Sure, there's a learning curve - try to "ride the pony" without the proper preparation and you'll end up on the floor - but once mastered, this is one of the most outrageously awesome, buttock-coddling sitting experiences we've ever tried. Loz Blain is barely able to report on his road test of the Sumo Omni Chair due to extreme relaxation. Read More

Roberts digital kitchen radio

03:27 December 8, 2008 PST

This digital Kitchen Radio from ROBERTS fits neatly under the kitchen cupboards and offers a range of features, including - yes - an egg-timer, making it a nifty cooking companion. The space-saving design means the radio won’t encroach on your much needed counter space when cooking up a storm. Read More

The iPhone Refrigerator

19:43 November 25, 2008 PST

November 26, 2008 An emerging prestige manufacturer and designer of quality and innovative household goods, Slovenia’s Gorenje graced our pages earlier this year with its wow-factor SmarTable, and has backed up with two prototypes (modern and retro) of a very clever iPod refrigerator and the news that the soon-to-be-available production versions will be followed by an iPhone refrigerator in 2009. Slip your iPod into the dock on the front and it’ll charge, play music and video through the refrigerator’s two built-in 7 watt speakers, and connect to the internet if you have wifi. Gorenje’s plans are ambitious, and include using the touch screen on the iPod to control other Gorenje appliances and there’s an internet portal under development which will enable the remote control of its wifi-enabled oven and dishwasher and plans to add wifi to other Gorenje appliances in the near future. The iPod fridge will cost around EUR1200 and comes with an iPod Touch. Read More

Two-in-one-furniture: the table-chair

00:07 November 21, 2008 PST

We've seen some interesting dual-purpose furniture design concepts of late and the SwiTCh from Ellesco International in Belgium is another bright example. Put the two pieces together and it's a comfortable armchair, separate them and flip the back section upright and it becomes a small table with a seat. Read More

Treehouse escapes: re-live your childhood in style

19:38 November 20, 2008 PST

Treehouses have the ability to fire the imagination and transport you back to the long care-free afternoons of your childhood like almost nothing else. These days, the professionally crafted designs available far outstrip the rudimentary structures we would slap together during summer holidays and they are being used not just as magical playrooms for the kids but as spare guest bedrooms, entertainment areas, hotel escapes and even conference suites. The latest examples to cross our desk are these striking arboreal dwellings from Andreas Wenning of German architecture firm baumraum. Read More

Warming to your Plasma TV