Concept Nokia cellphone runs on Coke
23-year old Chinese designer Daizi Zheng has come up with a rather intriguing idea. What she’s presenting is a cellphone powered by carbohydrates! Utilising enzymes as a catalyst, the “green Nokia” would draw energy from liquid form sugar, like Coca Cola (though any brand soda, even sugar water, would do the trick). The technology is already available: back in 2007, Sony presented their bio-battery which works the exact same way.
From Daizi Zheng’s website: This is a client project aimed at designing an eco-friendly phone for Nokia. As a result of my research, I discovered that conventional phone batteries are: expensive, harmful to the environment and difficult to dispose of. In addition, the conventional battery manufacturing process consumes many valuable resources. The concept is based on the idea to create a pollution free environment by using bio-batteries as an alternative to conventional batteries. A bio-battery is an ecologically friendly, energy supply system which uses enzymes as a catalyst to generate electricity from carbohydrates (currently sugar). In order to use the bio-battery as a power source for the phone all that is required is a small supply of a sugary drink. Once the battery dies only oxygen and water remains. Bio-batteries are fully biodegradable and have, on a single charge, a potential life-span three to four times longer than conventional lithium batteries. Meanwhile, bio-batteries are a whole new way of looking at batteries and afternoon tea.
via Dezeen
Dreaming of Miapolis
With the Burj Khalifa (previously known as the Burj Dubai) rising 828 meters in the air as the tallest building on Earth, it stands as a challenge to every new tower planned. I’ve seen a good few plans for taller towers, but the prospect of Miapolis is one of the more interesting. Sure, it looks monstrous, but it’s American after all. It would demand hovercars though.
Plans drawn by architectural design firm Kobi Karp, the Miapolis is to be a 975 meter high tower, built on Watson Island in the port of of Miami (hence the name). If realised, the giant set of tweezers will hold an amusement park, an observatory, a good few restaurants, shops, apartments, offices and a 792-room hotel. What, no spaceport? I blame the financial crisis.
via TheDesignBlog
Colour picker pen
This is kind of cool, although I’m not sure I see the use for it. Place the top side of the pen against any object, press the scan button, and the pen automatically mixes its three RGB colours to give you the colour you scanned. Or something close in range at least.
The colour given would depend a great deal on lighting, and although you’d get a blue colour pointing at something blue, I think it could be more useful if it came with a colour chart that the pen was calibrated to. Of course, now you could argue that it would be easier with a menu system inside the pen, saving you from carrying the chart around, but… Argh. It’s a nice idea. Clever and cool.
Even if it looks like a pregnancy test.
Designer: Jinsun Park
via BitsAndPieces
360° video view of Haiti
CNN made this fascinating video January 18th, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Hit the link and use your mouse to control the camera.
CNN via BoingBoing
Rodney Mullen, skateboard legend
I used to skate as a teenager. We didn’t know Tony Hawk, his name came up later on. Instead, we had idols like Natas, Gonzales and Mullen. But I can’t say I’ve seen any of them actually skate, and we probably picked up the names from magazine articles. Of course, if you had a Gonzales board, like I did, you automatically held him as the world’s best skater ever. Until the board broke or you bought a new one. I don’t think any of us owned anything with Mullen’s name on it, but everyone still knew the name. Rodney Mullen.
Here’s Rodney Mullen showing off in Japan in 1984. Enjoy.
via Woosk
The Yike Bike. Cool, but expensive.
The New Zealander invention YikeBike promises easy movement and freedom for a mere (?) €3500-3900. Sure, it looks cool, and if it’s half as comfortable as it looks, it could very well be a nice little something for the environmentally aware man or woman. It’s not meant for off-road driving, so it’s probably better suited for use in the busy city life.
via BitsAndPieces
How long could YOU survive?
Me, I would last 54 seconds, it seems. Now I wish I had learned martial arts.
How long would you last? http://theoatmeal.com/quiz/velociraptor_bed
via Geekologie
PWN’D support group
I can’t say I’ve ever felt the need for such a support group myself, not because I’ve never been pwned in a game, but because I never cared much about being … OK OK OK SO I DO CARE! Why can’t you just kill me and leave me be?! Would it take much effort not to wink at me, “yoo-hoo!” or flame me e-v-e-r-y time you manage a sniper coward’s headshot waaaaaay up from behind a tree? Come join me on WoW, I’ll ROLEPLAY you to tears, you… you…
Past 30, I no longer have the nimble agility needed for fast-paced games. I see that now. So getting hit every now and then shouldn’t come as a surprise. Considering 80% of the players I face are below 17, I really shouldn’t get upset by childish remarks either. Still…
via Geekologie
Rumsfeld animated gif that made me laugh
First animated gif ever to make me laugh (or smile widely and go “ah-huh!” at least). I especially like the pink swan.
Top 10 funniest animated gifs of all time
via 2leep.com
