It's unclear how the IR heating works. Does it heat everything around the unit? Just bodies? Just water-filled bodies? How about a glass of water? Can you keep a drink warm by placing it on top? How about newspapers? T-Shirts? Underwear? At the very least, you'll always have a speaker handy when it becomes available in January 2010. [Iradium via Trendir via Unpluggd]

The product page doesn't mention the actual size of the screen, but you would surely burn to death trying to watch anything on this. Outside of that bizarre addition, the Poseidon from Chillchaser has a lot going for it. Features include: carbon fiber heating tubes that reduce power consumption and cut emissions by up to 50%, it uses a standard 220 - 240V electric supply instead of gas, 13-foot heating area at 110 degree angle, replaceable elements will last up to 8000 hours, safety auto-shut off, and durable all-weather construction.

Poseidon will set you back around $1419, but you could always forgo the useless media player and spend half that or less on Chillchasers other models. [Chillchaser via Appliancist]

Why rabbits? The fuzzy critters have actually become a bit of a pest in Sweden; wild and stray pet rabbits alike have ravaged city parks in Stockholm, forcing hunters to think out the population. With all those bunny bodies piling up, it makes sense to put them to good use. So the bodies are shipped to Konvex, a company that turns animal and vegetable oils into automotive and heating oils. But even the reproductively prolific rabbits don't provide sufficient power, so Stockholm supplements their bunny-based power with other animal corpses, including cats and horses.

Holy shit. Macabre? Yes. But also strangely sensible? Yes. I don't know what to think anymore. [Scientific American via io9]

Obviously, it's just a fan—but the fact that it can be installed in the corner of a doorframe means that it will be out of the way—unless you are tall with poor eyesight and mistake it for a really thick cobweb. [Improvements Catalog via Red Ferret]

The battery-powered Vent-Miser features a clock that opens and closes the vents at programmable intervals, completely independent of your thermostat's settings. So if your A/C doesn't need to keep your guest room cool on weekdays or if you only need to heat your bedroom at night, the Vent-Miser can automate this process for you, possibly saving you a few bucks in the process.

At about $25 a pop, the vents definitely lean towards investment rather than instant payoff, but they're a neat idea if you live in a house with crummy HVAC. [Amazon via OhGizmo!]

[Ad Hoc via Trendir]

Each rechargeable Ardica battery weighs roughly half a pound and takes three hours to fully juice up, or 1.5 hours to get to 80 percent capacity. With 10 watts of power output, you'll be able to energize most of your smaller consumer products—cellphones, GPS systems and mp3 players—on the go. Price is about $35 to $50 added to the cost of the outerwear.

What
Ardica has developed the world’s first fully functional, lightweight, portable personal power and heating system that can be easily integrated into apparel and other consumer products. Using lithium-ion technologies, Ardica’s patented system can provide up to 25 watts of power and 100 degrees of heat in a compact, body hugging and flexible design that weighs less than 1 pound. Ardica’s interchangeable, advanced technology also provides a pack with extraordinary energy density to accommodate the most demanding existing and emerging consumer power needs.

Lithium-Ion Pack
Ardica’s proprietary flat, flexible and comfortable battery system is in a planar array, which features long-lasting rechargeable cells that have an imbedded controlling microprocessor to monitor and control the power and heat source.
*Photo – individual battery system cell

Moshi Power System
Ardica’s proprietary power system, incorporating the above lithium-ion pack, is designed to be easily integrated into outerwear, backpacks or briefcases. Each system includes the rechargeable lithium-ion battery power system, micro-controller and wall cube charger. A technology connector kit is also available which comes with a backpack cable and a three-in-one connector for both running and charging various consumer electronics.

Weight: 295 grams
Stored energy: 39-watt hours
Charge time:
Full charge- 3.0 hours
Quick charge (80 percent capacity) - 1.5 hours

HEAT OUTPUT:
High setting run time: 3.0 hours
Low setting run time: 8.6 hours
*Provides heat up to 100 degrees

Power output 10 watts (sufficient to run cell phones, iPods, GPS, lights and other consumer products for approximately one half their usual run time.)

Charging Capabilities:
Cell phone: 11 charges
IPod, GPS, mp3 players: 20 charges

Why
In response to a new era marked by extraordinary technological advances, improved cell phone and internet connectivity and increased travel to the world’s ski resorts and sporting events, Ardica has answered the call for portable, personal power and heating systems that are lightweight, interchangeable, versatile and ultimately efficient. With over 60 percent of US and European citizens using personal electronics and cell phones each day and an increasing number of people (sportsmen, adventurers, workers) wanting to take their electronic gadgets with them while simultaneously having personal heating on demand, Ardica has delivered the holy grail of outdoor and mobility gear. Consumers can now remain warm and electronically empowered wherever they are and no longer have to rely on electrical outlets in coffee shops, airports or offices in order to operate their electronic devices. Workers making a living in some of the most extreme environments on earth can now rest assured that they have the tools they need to maximize their enjoyment and efficiency.

Cost
Ardica Enabled outerwear, featuring heat and power systems, will add $35-$50 onto the retail price of the garment. The personal power components, which will be purchased separately through Ardica’s website will retail for $145. The Technology Connector, which includes charger tips for various types of cell phones and other electronic devices and a backpack cable, will also be available.

The smart thermostat lets you change your home heating and cooling preferences either through the panel or online. The online part is especially interesting—if you've run out the door and suddenly realize you've forgotten to turn the heat off, just log onto their website and change your settings there. Ecobee is available for pre-order, with a delivery ETA of early 2009. Oof, hope we actually get this thing before the winter engulfs us! [Ecobee via Josh Spear]

At second glance you might wonder about those pipes. And then you might realize it's actually a radiator, built entirely from 90-degree pipe pieces. It's designed to be a sculptural heater that fits in with any interior, according to designer Vivien Muller. At least there's some physics in there, though: a large surface area heater like this would be a good compromise between heating efficiency and compact size.

One thing, though: Vivien can't do much of the cleaning at home... can you imagine the dust this thing would collect? Just a concept. [Vivien Muller via Yanko designs]

Concrete Bench Heated by Warm Sewage [Treehugger]

Product Page [Via Red Ferret]

Product Page [Via Akihabara]

These space age Japanese proprietors even wrap your box in one of 3 fancy "packing paper" colors. Google translate calls it "Lapping for present", but we all know how old that joke is.

Hot or Cool [via digg]

Cool or Heat [Cool or Heat, via digg]