Gizmodo: magnetic

Convenient Illumination, Thy Name Is Magnetic LED Mine

Jason Chen — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 13:20:00 EST

As long as you live in a submarine, a refrigerator or a steel box, this Striker magnetic LED mine will be extremely useful for odd-angle illumination. If not, not as much. $9 dudes!

Then again, sink work and car work would probably benefit from a nicely-placed light. Assuming, of course, that it was brighter than you'd assume a lousy $9 mine light would be. [Striker Hand Tools via Lifehacker via DVICE]

Sixense Truemotion 3D Controller Makes Wiimote Look Like A Toy

Kit Eaton — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 09:30:00 EST

While the Wiimote control came as a fabulous gaming surprise, it has its sensitivity drawbacks, something that the Truemotion 3D system really overcomes. Check out the demo video—it's amazing. Sixense designed this thing to use magnetic field detection so it can track both your hands on the controller position in full 3D real-time, with an accurate 10 millisecond refresh rate. Since it gives a far more realistic input system for playing with stuff, it's basically the way future game controllers'll work. And since people like Activision and EA are interested it may actually make its way into a real product. [Sixense via Engadget]

Audio Engineer: Metallica's Latest Album Sounds Better on Vinyl

Sean Fallon — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 19:20:00 EDT

Ian Shepherd, the same Mastering Engineer that claimed Metallica's latest album sounds better on Guitar Hero III, has recently come out and said that even the vinyl version sounds better than the CD. Keep in mind that the heavily distorted tracks on the album are the result of an editing process that sacrifices dynamic range for an increase in volume. This philosophy on mastering CDs is based largely on a self-induced paranoia that sales will decline if the album isn't loud enough. Some have even blamed the popularity of the iPod and its lo-fi earbuds for contributing to this problem.

Unfortunately, the vinyl was made from the same mix as the CD, so the distortion is still there. However, it is fairly standard practice to make separate masters for separate formats, and Sheperd's analysis reveals that the analog distortion on the vinyl tracks have less clipping (although the difference is minimal) compared to the the CD version. In reality, this is probably a moot point given the fact that a hardcore Metallica fan is far more likely to to dig up GHIII tracks than buy a turntable. However, even the thought of turning to vinyl these days further illustrates the point that record labels need to re-focus their attention back on quality. [Mastering Media Thanks Michael!]

Thanko Magnetic Earring-Clip Earphones Can Make You Look like a Pirate

Kit Eaton — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 04:25:22 EDT

Thanko's Sounds Live magnetic earphones aren't quite in-the ear, and they don't have a head-strap: instead these odd gizmos clip onto your earlobe and have a speaker that points roughly into your ear canal. I guess it's kinda like the the bone-conducting type headphones in that you can hear your surroundings, and if you're listening to music while jogging then the magnets mean they probably won't fall off (though your lobes may take a pounding). Plus they're designed to be decorative, acting like "real" earrings...and there's a skull and crossbones version—perfect, me hearties, since it's international Talk Like a Pirate Day. Out in Japan for around $18. [Product via Akihabaranews]

Magnetic Table Eliminates Need for Kitchen Cupboards

Jesus Diaz — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 04:50:07 EDT

Straight out from Alice's Wonderland, this magnetic table and dinnerware are designed with four objectives: 1) store your plates, cups and cutlery, upside down, under the table, 2) arrange them neatly on top, 3) erase the data from any hard drive that comes near, and 4) cause head and eye injuries to kids and pets. Or drive them mad. And yet, we still want it. More pics after the jump.

[INV/ALT design via Apartment Therapy]

USB Hub With Magnetic Mount Sounds Like a Bad Idea

Kit Eaton — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 10:46:28 EDT

So at first glance what we have here looks like a well designed four-port USB hub, with a handy top-placed port for convenient thumb-drive plugging. It's not multicolored, it doesn't have a photo frame built in, it doesn't transform. Just a plain old hub. With magnetic mounting. Sorry, what? Magnetic mounting? So someone can stick it to their PC case? With magnets? Now, call me silly but that sounds a teeny bit daft. No? Someone might mess up their data with it. It costs $15 from gadget4all. Update: So, it's supposed to be quite hard to damage data on a hard drive like this. Doesn't mean I haven't done it though. [Gadget4all via Pocket Lint]

Your Fridge Gets the Forest Effect with Leaf Magnets

Kit Eaton — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:30:00 EDT

Forget fridge magnet poetry— you know you only used it to make up smutty phrases anyway—stick these fridge leaves on that boring metal door, and you'd have your own indoor forest. Granted it would be much more "lovely" if it was made of real leaves not plastic ones, but I reckon they've got a charm all of their own. Designer Richard Hutten created them for office ceilings in a Rotterdam museum, and now they're being commercialised. No word on pricing or availability yet. [Dezeen]

Nokia Magnetic Cellphone Port Concept Mimics Apple's MagSafe Ports

Charlie White — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:50:50 EST

Nokia is thinking about making its charging and headset ports magnetic, just like Apple's MagSafe ports on its laptops. Nokia users are well aware that the headset and charging ports on their phones are quite similar. The beauty of this idea is that there is a negative magnetic polarity on one of the ports and a positive polarity on the other, making it impossible to plug the wrong plug into the inappropriate jack. Great idea, and maybe a way to get to that "one plug fits all" idea I was ranting about yesterday. [Cellpassion, via MobileWhack]

Crealev Floating Lamp Leavens Any Room

Wilson Rothman — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 09:13:51 EDT

In the future, everything will levitate. Take for example Angela Jansen's floaty lamp, shown by the Netherlander firm Crealev at a show during Dutch Design Week. (Oh, you don't attend?) It's actually the shade that hovers using magnetic levitation over the light-up lamp base, but it's enough to make you truly believe in magic. Or at least in all those other maglev products on the market, like the photo frame, computer mouse and $90,000 limited-edition sculpture. (And let's not leave out the SkyMall star, the floating globe). After the jump, there's a short video clip of the spinning Crealev lamp—and its kid sister, the levitating candy dish—shot by Moco Loco.

[MoCo Loco via Crave]

Magnetic Toaster Tongs Protect Fingers

Jason Chen — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 16:00:42 EDT

Getting toast out of your toaster without lighting your fingers (or eyes, if you turn it upside down and shake it like we do) on fire is difficult. With these magnetic toaster tongs, you can reach in and grab your toast, then stick the tongs back on the side of your toaster when you're done. Sure, wooden tongs means they may actually light on fire too, but...uh...whatever! [Shop Catching Fireflies via Damn I Like that via Uber Review]

Magnetic Pajama Buttons Get You From Clothed to Naked in 0.5 Seconds

Jason Chen — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 16:20:57 EDT

If you're anything like us, your major complaint about pajamas is that they're just too hard to take off. That, and how urine stains never seem to wash out completely. These magnetic pajama buttons don't do much about problem #2, but they totally take the clothing-removal equation to the next level.

Of course, these magnetic fasteners are designed for the elderly and disabled, but our question is this: Why isn't this on all articles of clothing? Think about it, you could remove clothing LIKE THAT. That means perverts could go around and rip off women's clothing with minimal effort, which just leaves us with the one question: Why isn't this on all articles of clothing?

Magnetic Pyjamas [Plastic Bamboo]

Magnetic Clothes Hangers Give Your Closet Freedom

Jason Chen — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 10:30:38 EDT

Instead of racks and standard hangers—which limit the amount of clothes you can hang even in walk-in closets—Daniel To's Magneto-esque hangers seem to be the next step in hanger evolution. The idea is simple. Put magnets on hangers and hang them from a magnet-friendly surface.

Provided the magnets are strong enough, we can see some pants, jeans, and maybe even coats hanging from these. Plus, what could be cooler than maximizing the entire space of your closet and wading through a sea of clothes like a young William Wallace through dead bodies in that barn. – Jason Chen

Designer Site [Daniel To via Freshome - Thanks Micle!]

DIY: Magnetic Power Adapter for Thinkpads

Travis Hudson — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 18:50:24 EDT

MagSafe, schmagsafe. You don't have to have a next-gen Apple laptop to have a magnetic power adapter, just do it yourself like the folks at Instructables. It may not look like the prettiest do-it-yourself job on the planet, but by golly it gets the job done. Good job putting Apple in their place, and making sure they know who is boss. – Travis Hudson

ThinkSafe: A Magnetic Power Connector for Thinkpads [Instructables via Lifehacker]

The Magnetic Fingertip Picks Up Nuts and Bolts

Jason Chen — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 11:40:18 EDT

For the times where a magnetic screwdriver won't do, there's the Magnetic Fingertip. Handy when you drop a screw in your PC case, or under the sink, or behind the fridge, or in your car, the fingertip only costs $11 and fits most sized fingers.

Just don't use this to pick your nose or you'll end up like Arnold in that movie with the lady who crosses her legs. – Jason Chen

Product Page [Sportys via Uber Review]

Magnetic USB 2.0 Hub Matches All Your Other Magnetic Stuff

Charlie White — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 09:17:05 EDT

Here's a magnetic USB hub to match that $1.53 million magnetic bed you sleep in along with your magnetic personality.

Sure, it's a rather prosaic item, this USB 2.0 hub with four ports, but if you have a metal desk and wire management issues, this $22 device might be able to solve a small problem or two. Just don't get that small built-in magnetic pad on the back too close to any magnetic media. – Charlie White

Product Page [Brando]

Magnetic Levitation Photo Frame

Jason Chen — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 19:30:10 EDT

Don't settle for just a plain old picture frame when you can have a picture frame suspended in mid-air. This magnetic levitation device uses a magnetic field to suspend pretty much any metallic object as long as it's not too heavy. While it's suspended, you can give it a little push to see it twist around—fun when you've got a globe instead a picture of your kids.

The IF 3000 Magnetic Levitation device is available for £70 ($127) and the photo frame for £14.99 ($25). – Jason Chen

Magnetic levitation ornament [Coolest Gadgets]

Magnetic USB Power Strip

Jason Chen — Thu, 25 May 2006 20:10:52 EDT

What's better to go with your magnetic USB hub than a magnetic power strip that can be controlled via PC? The power strip plugs into your PC using USB and has an extra USB connector so it doesn't eat up a port. Now, you can shut off lights, monitors, heaters and iPod speakers from your PC. No more reacharounds! – Jason Chen

USB Power Bar that Turns Peripherals On & Off [Everything USB]

Magnetic USB Hub

Jason Chen — Tue, 23 May 2006 18:25:43 EDT

Keeping your desk clean while still having access to all your gadgets is a tough job. This magnetic USB hub makes your life that much easier by hiding the unsightly cables to your mice, keyboards, fingerprint readers, webcams and iPods.

Stick this on the bottom of your metal desk and you'll never have to look at it again.

Elecom [via Akihabara News]