It’s been a busy few weeks on my side… apologizes for the lack in postings, but keep sending me goodies. Besides my trips to NC, NYC, MI, RI, and ME this week, it should be back to normal by months end. Enjoy these links.

- Insane Base Jumping video: Jumping closer is better.
- Are you Left or Right Brained: A quick visual test. I saw both.
- Cool convertible jacket to bag: seems ninja like. I want!
- Aptera Hybrid Car on pre-order: Jetsons like Hybrid car.
- Table Frisbee: The new underground home sport.
- A Giant Pink Bunny Doll
- iPod Cassette Tape hack: Making your ipod retro cool!
- Blobbing: catapult your friends off a blob of air.
- USB 3, finally!
- A “Simpson’s” Scene to Reference guide.

A few weeks back I was invited by GM to fly out to their Proving Grounds in (Milford) Detroit to test drive their new 2008 cars, take a “Drivers Skill Enhancement Course” (stunt school), interview some VP’s in Design and Energy, and have some fun. I’ve grown up driving Japanese cars but took this opportunity to dive into GM’s world with an open designers mind and to scope out all of their brands; Pontiac, Hummer, Saab, Cadillac, Saturn, Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC.

I’d like to thank GM for funding this gathering and would welcome this adventure again though I’d suggest a few changes which I’ll address throughout.

If ya don’t like to read, check out the video I composed from hundreds of pictures taken during the journey above.The entire journey and story after the jump.

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Art Lebedev Studio brings to us the Pultius Remote Control, an ingenious simple remote control with over 100 buttons allowing users to have 1 touch access to the first 100 channels and easy access to all 300. Some might find this design bizarre and odd, but I love it even though you can probably use it to press the buttons on the actually TV from your couch.

Sometimes it takes complexity to make things simple and the color gradient I find delightful and reminds me of candied dots. Access any channel instantly… no more channel surfing or button pressing guessing.

I think this Pultius Remote is just a concept, but put me first in line when it’s available… or go buy their overpriced but uber cool Optimus OLED keyboard that took too long to come out. Also, the whimsical “folderix” folder icon usb stick.
More images after the jump.

via gizmodo

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It’s that sweet time of year again when RISD takes over Providence with their 3 day RISD by Design Weekend festival hosting a variety of events including the very popular Alumni Sale with Live Music, good food, good times, arts&crafts, the Waterfire, and frantic dizzy freshmen RISD students wondering “What did I get myself into” while rubbing their dusty rusty charcoal mustaches off and stressing over their chess set projects, 200 self-portraits, gouche projects, Chuck Close paintings, and more while prancing through the alumni sale after an all nighter or three seeking the Balls(Basketball), Nads(hockey), or Sacs(Soccer) games!(RISD sports) RISD Rocks!

I’ll be there, rock’n out the sale, digging the fire, partying in the museum, and meeting a ton of friends for our 2002 five year reunion!!! If you’ve been planning to visit RISD, this is the weekend to do so!

RISD by Design 2007 Webpage and PDF Brochure!

Hmmm… “Listography.com: Your Life in Lists!” In a book format as well!

I few months back I wrote down a list of all the web services that I’ve signed up for…this includes emails, Amazon, ebay, IM’s, Joost, Pownce, WordPress, etc… Dang, the list got long, but I guess it says a great deal about me… I’m a net nerd!  Start yourself a Listography list and let your friends know more than ever about yourself!

I’ve seen my share of products and services that go out of their way to make an experience more memorable than the products themselves (Dinner in the Sky, Total Darkness Restaurant, Fish Pedicure, Catch Your Own Sushi Restaurant, Unusual hotels), but when I was sent photos of this restaurant (perhaps just a temple) on the peak of a mountain side I freaked!!! I would have never guessed the pathway to get food food to be terrifying. Personally, I’m scared of heights, though I love pushing myself to fight it, but after seeing these pictures, I’d wonder how safe (crazy) this experience would be just for some food up high. I don’t see any safety nets or belts… doesn’t wood rot?

A bunch of crazy pictures documenting the pathway to this crazy restaurant up high.(thanks yoyo)
Update: a video.(also after jump)

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“What happens when you bring four submarines, a helicopter, a hot air balloon, more than 200 of the nation’s top inventors, autonomous vehicles, robots, ferry boats, fire boats, police boats, ultra-high-bandwidth snail chariots, rocket cars, rocket racers, hackers and lock picks to an off-limits island?”

You get GadgetOff, bringing the smart and useless together! I’ve been invited to this years event, Sept 28th, which kicks off in the sweet IAC building, by architect Frank Gehry, then cruises over to the Liberty State Park for the rest of the events chaos. I’m not sure what to expect, but from what I’ve heard, it’ll be a ball busting fun gathering of the bizarre, intellectual, and trouble making individuals. I’ll post about my experience at the event, so watch out for some cool updates in the next week or so after my GM ninja driving trip.

update: the Gadgetoff 2007 Recap here.

If ya love Helvetica and Coffee, I think you’ll like this Helvetica mug. I wonder if your font type relates to how you like your coffee. Personally, I’ve cut down on my coffee addiction and prefer Helvetica Standard Light Neue. This mug was made in part to the fabulous documentary “Helvetica” which I briefly mentioned earlier. Enjoy!

Buy here via Veer
Helvetica the Film

(I’m in in Detroit now Test Driving GM cars and finding out more about GM’s future perspective in sustainability, branding, and a new group dedicated to Social Media Communications. Also go-karting in an empty golf course. Will have a report later this week)

Designers Claus Jensen and Henrik Holbaek bring us these very delightful smiling double bowls for Eva Solo. Stash your nuts or candied goodies up top, and leave the bottom for the shells, wrappers, or perhaps olive pits. Even if you don’t use them that often, these colorful glass bowls smile at you. This is just a reminder when you put a bit of personality into a product, it’s more liked. Two more close up pics after the jump.

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Woa weird, the new US $5 bills fade into purple with a big phat purple 5 on the back side.

via Neatorama
Source ColourLovers
More details via MoneyFactory.gov

The Space Explorer (by Logitech) gives users a 3 dimensional navigational experience allowing simultaneous inputs for a more fluid and realistic environment. Mouses allow you to pan, twist, spin, or zoom in, but you can’t do all of them in one simple twist.

I’ve played around with the Space Explore and it takes a few hours to get use to. Once your hooked it’s as intuitive as most mice are in any 3D CAD package(I favor Solidworks). I’ve yet to completely convert over to this mouse, but it saves a ton of clicks and twist while making you look cool with blue LEDS hovering under the main knob. I’m not sure if I’m ready to fork over $299 for this, but once the price drops some, I’ll be hooked and sneezing the products amazement around to all my friends.

Check out their other products here, or videos here.

Above: picture of sumo wrestlers stretching.
- Close chip bags without clips and just folds.
- 10 signals for fresh fish at the market.
- Universal phone chargers: Finally they agree on a standard!
- MEIKO music, webpage or myspace.
- Amazing absorbing material with egg drop test. From the same makers of the Soft Magnets.
- A marriage prank video you should never do!