Gizmodo: Toilet

Question of the Day: Would You Prefer a Bidet Over a Regular Toilet Setup?

Sean Fallon — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:00:00 EDT

For some reason, bidets have yet to catch on in a big way here in the States. It can be expensive, it takes up space and it may have an effeminate vibe to it, but let me tell you—there ain't nothin' wrong with a good butt washing now and then. Besides, billions of foreigners love it—they can't all be wrong. But what about you? Would you / do you prefer a bidet over a regular toilet?

Seattle Flushes $5 Million Automated Public Restrooms for Major Loss

Jack Loftus — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:30:00 EDT

I thought automated public pay toilets were a sure thing. I mean, auto-cleaning, high-tech robo toilets that allow the occupant to remain inside for as long as they want, and then clean up all the evidence after the fact... what could go wrong?! Oh right, hookers and drugs, that's what. Which is exactly why the five automated toilets in Seattle were recently sold off for a multi-million dollar loss. How big a loss? Well, when they were installed four years ago the toilets cost $5 million. This week, after an online auction, they sold for just $12,549.

The lucky buyer who took a load off for Seattle was Butch Behn, owner of Racecar Supply in Rochester, Wash. He plans to use two of the units at the South Sound Speedway. The other three will be resold or reused later. "It'd probably be good to have a couple around for spares. We get pretty busy at the track sometimes," he said (double entendre, anyone?).

The article over at the USA Today mentions nothing about whether or not the fine city of Seattle refurbished these things before sending them along. From the sounds of things that might be OK, as they were used for anything but nature's call. [USA Today]

Question of the Day: Do You Use Your Cellphone on the Toilet?

Sean Fallon — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:00:00 EDT

The way I see it, the laptop bathroom question requires... nay, demands further investigation. You may have never thought about it before, but the relationship between the bathroom and gadgets brings up a whole mess of questions about habits and etiquette that simply must be explored. I mean, who needs magazines when you have a web capable device sitting in your pocket? That having been said, I have to ask: Do you use your cellphone on the toilet?

Pedal-Powered Toilet-Paper-Wiper Brings Both Laziness and Exercise to the Bathroom

Adam Frucci — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EDT

Well, here's something you don't expect to see in the listing for a house on a real estate website: a toilet equipped with a pedal-powered contraption that drags toilet paper across your filthy bits, allowing you to wipe hands free. And, one assumes, leaving a train of vile used TP behind your toilet.

I've got to assume that this thing was made for someone without use of their hands, such as a double amputee, as it certainly doesn't make the wiping process any more convenient. Furthermore, no germaphobe would accept the tradeoff of keeping clean hands for having a roll of feces-smattered toilet paper just sitting there behind their toilet. Why else would this thing exist? And really, the more I look at it the more I get confused about how exactly it functions. What about when you're actually going? Doesn't it get in the way?

Someone, please, step in and explain this to me. I'm having trouble here. [Make via Boing Boing Gadgets]

Sony Ericsson C702 Toilet Test Is Gross, Yet Intriguing

Jason Chen — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:00:00 EDT

Nowhere in the specs of the Sony Ericsson C720 does it say that it's completely waterproof—just dust and splash proof. And if there's one thing that a toilet does well (at least when we use it), it's splash. This could be one of the more disgusting tests imaginable for a phone. Seriously, are you going to use it now, because the CDC thinks otherwise. [bka]

BBG Perfect Gadget List Shows That Tech Can't Improve Everything

Benny Goldman — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EDT

BBG has done an impressive thing: It came up with a list of 10 perfect gadgets, unchanged by time or tech. No need to build the better mousetrap, because the tried and true mousetrap made the list. So did the wristwatch, the toilet and scissors. I don't agree with the inclusion of the toaster (I prefer a toaster oven), and I can't figure out how they left off the fork (unchanged since the Bible), but it's a good read. Hit the link and let us know of any gadgets that are MORE perfect. [BBG]

Secret Planet Killer: High-Tech Japanese Toilets

matt buchanan — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Japan's second most dubiously famous technological predilection (behind panty-vending machines) is its highfalutin' toilets, which warm, wash, blow dry and deodorize your bum, just to cover the basics. Japan is also well regarded for taking the lead on going green—average energy consumption per person is half ours. Tragically, the Japanese desire for a pampered and squeaky clean butthole is killing that ethos—and the planet.

Super-deluxe-awesome-o toilets are always on, constantly sipping power—they now make up four percent of household energy consumption, more than dishwashers or clothes dryers. And they're in 68 percent of homes. One expert says it's the Japanese equivalent of the slightly suicidal American love of the Hummer, except that sales of quasi-mecha toilets aren't slowing down. (Probably because 23 to 30 percent of Japanese men apparently sit down to pee. So inefficient.) How serious is the problem? Tricked out commodes might knock Japan out of meeting its Kyoto Protocol goals, even as the government demands more efficiency out of manufacturers.

Toto, for its part—besides cutting energy usage of its toilets in half—has come up with a smart toilet that learns everybody's pooping schedules and warms up just prior to your usual pit stop, so it only powers on when it needs to, rather than staying armed and ready all the time. Technology really can solve all our problems, even the ones it creates. [Washington Post]

Pop A Squat Anywhere, Anytime With Environmentally-Friendly Shit Box

Jack Loftus — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:00:00 EDT

Next time you're camping, instead of digging a hole or using one of those suspect comfort castle port-a-johns to dispense with No. 2, why not infuse a little portability into nature's call with the Shit Box? It's completely cardboard, fully biodegradable, and utterly ridiculous. And yet, I'm drawn to it. I want to see if it can hold my weight (170 lbs., colon empty). I want to know why designer Richard Wharton named his talking poo mascot "Little Jack," and how the hell a company like this gets away with a returns policy page. But most of all, as a writer named Jack who also happens to go to the bathroom in the woods, I want to test one.

If you're at all confused about how this product works, The Shit Box has an instruction manual:
I hear these are big in Russia. [The Shit Box]

NASA Toilet Might Force Emergency Evacuation

Mark Wilson — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 16:40:00 EDT

The International Space Station's toilet is still broken, people. And all of our toilet humor isn't doing anything to fix what could be a potentially extremely hazardous situation. And as Russian ISS chief Vladimir Solovyov explained, it could lead to a complete evacuation.

It's true, we have a problem with the flushing system. This is a serious matter. In such circumstances there's even the possibility of an emergency departure from the station.

This Thursday and Friday, visiting NASA astronauts will try to fix the problem. If the space plungers don't work, the aliens are in for one nasty surprise welcoming when they make first contact. [breitbart]

Shuttle to Repair ISS Toilet, Save the Day

Kit Eaton — Fri, 30 May 2008 05:30:00 EDT

It must be a relief for the ISS crew to hear that their malfunctioning toilet will get some urgently-needed repairs next week, now that Discovery will be whizzing a new pump aloft. The dodgy loo has been unable to deal with liquid waste, and repair attempts failed. So NASA has cleared Discovery to fly on Saturday with a 13kg replacement pump, even though it means leaving other stuff behind. "Having a working toilet is a priority for us," said Scott Higginbotham~~Higginbottom~~, in charge of shuttle payloads. The Russian-made pump was even give special treatment: it was flown in a diplomatic pouch from Russia. Clearly when spacemen need to go, they need to go... [New Scientist]

Blooming Bidet, Because You Deserve a Remote-Control Toilet

Wilson Rothman — Wed, 14 May 2008 17:10:00 EDT

We know all the toilets in Japan that have built-in bidets, but how many come with remotes? With Blooming Bidet, you activate all the functions of the toilet, even adjust the intensity of water spray or hot air aimed at your posterior, from the handset. Note the big STOP button, in case things get out of hand. And it's no accident you don't see any FLUSH button—flushing happens automatically. (The downside there is that you'd have to trick it into a mercy flush.)

Other features include a gentle LED underwater nightlight, a pressure sensor that keeps you from accidentally spraying your eye, built-in controls at your right thigh should your remote's battery die when you're in the moment, and analyzers in the bowl to check your bidness for signs of sickness. [NCM via Koreannovation]

Kohler Fountainhead Toilet Makes Crapping So Luxurious You Won't Even Want to Wipe

Jason Chen — Thu, 01 May 2008 16:30:00 EDT

This Kohler Fountainhead toilet looks so not like a conventional toilet that we'll probably have second thoughts about putting our asses on it and letting fly. Not only is there a glowing LED mechanism on the back to illuminate your business, but buttons on the lid allow it to automatically open up for #1 or #2. For the eco-maniacs, there's the 1.28 gallon per flush system, saving water and dehydrating sewer crocodiles at the same time. How much would you pay for this? $3,800? It's yours in June. It's the closest thing you'll get to taking a dump on Ayn Rand's work without resorting to defecating in the fiction aisle at Barnes and Noble. [Kohler via DVICE]

The Regio Toilet is So Awesome, It Has Its Own Soundtrack

Sean Fallon — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:00:00 EDT

Like most of the premium toilets made in Japan, the Regio has hidden cleaning sprays and a tankless design that utilizes a combination of water and air power for silent, earth-saving flushing. However, the aspects that make the Regio unique can be found in the luxurious extras. For example, it plays soft, relaxing jazz music when the lid is lifted. In fact, Jazz pianist Yoshiko Kishino contributed original pieces specifically for the Regio toilet soundtrack. Now that is a resume booster!

Other features on the Regio include a Sharp designed "mechanism that kills germ-emitting ions," an illuminated toilet bowl, and a seat that is extra wide for those with more ample buttocks. Naturally, all of this luxury will set you back a few—to the tune of 462,000 yen in white ($4500) or 556,500 yen in black ($5400) to be more specific. [Inax via Trends in Japan]

Urinals Coming to Airplanes, Beware the Golden Shower Turbulence

AddyDugdale — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 06:15:00 EDT

This is a pic of the urinals at Stockholm's Arlanda airport, courtesy of urinal.net, but if a German design company has its way, pissoirs will soon be a feature of passenger jets. Dassler Interiors has designed one-man urinals designed to stand alongside (sorry) the existing cubicle toilets on planes—let's just hope that they come with doors.

Although similar installations already exist on military aircraft, this will be the first time urinals will be available on commercial flights. As well as using less water than conventional sit-and-flush toilets, the urinals could lead to separate loos for men and women—which can only be a good thing, as my experience as a frequent flyer on the Madrid—London Gatwick route attests.

Norbert Runn, Dassler's head of Business Development, expects the urinals to go in economy class, where the majority of passengers are men. He declined to say which airlines were considering the move, but the urinals, which take up less space than the current cubicles, could well be fitted on Boeing 747s and the 380 Airbus. [Telegraph]

Toilet Vacuum Sucks Up All the Crap on Your Desk

matt buchanan — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 21:45:00 EDT

It's a mini tabletop vacuum that's shaped like a toilet. Yep, that's pretty much it. Except! There is a large piece of shit floating in it when you lift the lid. And that's what makes it worth posting, really. It's ~~$14~~ priceless for the next time your mom drops by your disgusting living space. [Smutty Gifts (Probably NSFW) via Nerd Approved]

Washup: Toilet and Washing Machine All-in-One (Oh Yes!)

Sean Fallon — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 21:15:54 EDT

Alright, I get it. Eco-friendly types and people who have small apartments might appreciate a washing machine / toilet hybrid that recycles wasted wash water in the flush tank. It is a good idea, but there is something that is just plain wrong about having your clean clothes so close to the place where you poop—you know what I'm saying? Still, if you are a dude you could entertain yourself by watching the cycle spin while urinating.Nice. It may only be a concept, but I wouldn't be surprised to see this thing popping up in tiny apartments sometime in the near future. [Core77 via Apartment Therapy]

Printed Toilet Paper Flushes Humanity Down the Tubes, Again

Jesus Diaz — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 08:00:59 EST

This toilet paper printed with manga, trivia and astronomy facts has the potential to change civilization as we know it, affecting generations to come and catapulting Humanity to the Stars. Or maybe destroy the planet. It can go either way, really. It's Japan-only for now, but we demand this ingenious way to educate millions of people while disposing of their metabolism byproducts gets marketed worldwide at once. And yes, the porn version is probably coming sooner than later. [Anime Center via Gizmodo Japan]

iTouchless Auto-Flusher Gives You the Posh Toilet You Always Wanted

Kit Eaton — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 07:00:46 EST

Somehow slipping under our toilet-obsessed butts at CES, the iTouchless Auto-Flusher saves you the effort of pressing down on that flush handle once you've gone. Using IR to sense you, it does make using the toilet a little more hygienic and its 4 "C" batteries will last for 23,000 flushes, which seems incredibly reasonable (3 years of use, apparently). Buy it for $199.95, install it in your toilet cistern and you could impress your visitors with that "Oooh... it's just like a 5-star hotel!" feeling. Thankfully a manual override is available. [iTouchless via ChipChick]

Hypercolor Heat-Changing Toilet Shows Who's Been Assing it Up

Jason Chen — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 19:10:45 EST

Even though we're comfortable with sitting on a toilet seat that someone just vacated (and vacated their bowels on), it still comes as a surprise just how warm that seat is—the ass must be a bit higher than 98 degrees. This thermochromic toilet seat, however, lets you know exactly how warm the seat is, with a bonus effect of showing you exactly which part of the seat was in contact with the previous occupant. As you can see from the picture, the man before was a widey. Almost as good as the hypercolor shirts of yore, which let us know of Kelly's extracurricular activities in a visual manner. [Canadian Design Resource via Boing Boing]

Hello Kitty Toilet Paper Dispenser Advances Buttocks Tech

Jason Chen — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 12:29:58 EST

Other than the iPod dock toilet paper speaker we thoroughly tested, there hasn't been any real advancement in the area of ass wiping technology in the past few years. This Hello Kitty dispenser changes everything with its automated dispensing unit that lets you program exactly how many sheets you want for your next wipe—which may sound useful, but doesn't quite account for when you've got hard, rocky poops followed by soft, liquidy ones. But when you slap a Hello Kitty logo and an automated turning mechanism onto something, you're pretty much pounding on the Nobel Prize committee's collective door and asking for the cash. [Kitty Hell]

Toshiba Makes Freudian Slip, Markets Crap

Mark Wilson — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 16:52:32 EST

Tired of hearing about Toshiba HD DVD players and displays? Well, you can sit on it. Rather, sit on this: Toshiba's set to release a new energy-efficient bidet-style heated toilet in Japan. That's right, a toilet.

It's energy-efficient (read: environmentally friendly) because it heats water each time it's used as opposed to keeping a heater on 24/7 in order to store warm water. The water flows through tubes in the seat (which has been reshaped to minimize heat loss) and up your bum when you're finished, cleaning itself off with antibacterial ionized water after it's cleaned you.

It even has a deodorizing fan built in, but I still think the best part about the whole thing is that it has a remote control to lift the seat. All I need is one more remote - added to the remotes for my iPod, my ceiling fan, and the 17 items in my entertainment center, it'll make for one stylish proposal some day.

The toilet's 2 models, the SCS-S500 and the SCS-S510 (the remote and deodorizer are only in the S510) go on sale in Japan on November 23. [Tech On via Trendhunter]

- Josh Ziegler

Inax Bidet Toilet Seats Spray Your Butt in Living Color

Charlie White — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 09:15:00 EDT

If you want to look into the future, go to Japan, where it's impossible to market a new toilet seat without a bidet attachment inside (otherwise known as a washlet) that squirts water all over your delicate nether regions. Now you can do away with toilet paper in colorful style with these limited-edition toilet seats by interior design company Inax, the company that figured out how to add an SD card reader to a toilet.

These colorful seats are available in Japan for around $1400, but if you wanted one badly enough, you could probably import one of these thrones, install an electric outlet near your toilet, hook the water pipes up to the seat, and you're good to go. So to speak. While the whole idea of a telescoping, self-cleaning magic wand spraying your ass clean seems gross, it sure beats the equivalent of a spreading peanut butter around on a shag carpet with a piece of toilet tissue. [Tokyo Mango]

Toilet-Shaped House...Now That's Classy

Sean Fallon — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 18:40:06 EDT

Just because you have the resources to build the world's first toilet-shaped house doesn't mean that you should. Then again, if you happen to be Sim Jae-duck, the chairman of the organizing committee of the Inaugural General Assembly of the World Toilet Association, you may have an interest in such a thing. And a guy with a title that long deserves to get his way.

The 4,508-sq-foot structure features four deluxe toilets—one of which includes a misting device that helps users "feel more secure" and electronic motion sensors that lift and lower the lid when needed. And if that wasn't hilarious enough, Sim Jae-duck is letting patrons rent the house for an absurd $50,000 a day. I would take him up on it, but there's no pool. Where am I going to drop the kids off? [AFP via Spluch via Freshome]

Glass Toilets Make Your Art Your Masterpiece

Mark Wilson — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 09:08:42 EDT

Glass Toilets are the ~~remix~~ natural evolution of your run of the mill porcelain tank. Ironically constructed from acrylic, the transparent nature of the tank allows you to add theme to your throne in just minutes. Maybe the dolphin has always been your favorite animal, or maybe you just crave a few moments of meditation with Buddha (seriously, it's an option). So, have you ever seen what 2,660 vertical pixels of glass toilet looks like? Hit the jump for the entire mega collection in one big-ass jpeg.

The important thing to remember is that Glass Toilets were someone's Dream. Day in and day out, they encountered their white, artless, fully opaque toilet tank and saw a missed Opportunity. After several years of honing their pitch at cocktail parties followed by drunken tears and reassessment of their life later in the evening, the creator of the Glass Toilets was ready to Take The Plunge*. [product via redferret]

*'Take The Plunge' is our entirely imagined slogan for the product and in no way represents the trademarks or intention of parent company and full Glass Toilets rights holder Glass Toilets.

Toilet Tunes Adds Soundtrack To Your Bathroom Activities

ybaranovsky — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 20:20:00 EDT

If your own, strange bathroom sounds startle and horrify you, Toilet Tunes is like a urine-drenched super-hero, ready to please. The gadget uses a sensor installed in the toilet lid that will play six musical choices when the lid is raised and that will make your trip to the bathroom that much more like a scene from Dirty Dancing.

The musical choices include rain, waves, jazz, latin, modern, and appropriately, stream. The sensor uses 3 AAA batteries and is easy to install (just stick it on the lid using the adjesive backing). The gadget itself will set you back $29.98, which is a small price to pay to avoid your own bodily functions. [FindGift via NerdApproved]

Piss-Screen Urinal Game Discourages Drunk Driving

kthompson — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 20:20:54 EDT

Forget the Wiimote, this humble German-engineered device houses a racing game controlled by your powerful stream of urine. Designed to promote taxis as an alternative to drunk driving, the Piss-Screen shocks drunkards with a brutal car crash when they inevitably ram their virtual roadster into oncoming traffic. Apparently if you're too drunk to play a video game with your junk, you're too drunk to drive home. Don't have to pee? Try the web-based game, which isn't limited by your bladder volume. [The Piss-Screen via Geekologie]

RoboFlusher Holds Toilet Flusher Down For 10 Seconds

Jason Chen — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 15:00:09 EDT

If you've got one of those lousy toilets that require you to actually hold down the flusher the entire time you have to flush, you have two options. One, get a new flushing mechanism from Ace Hardware that's not a piece of crap. Two, build your own RoboFlusher that holds down the flusher for you, ensuring that you can get in and out with just one press of the button. We'd choose option one ourselves. [Grandideastudio via MAKE]

Kimberly-Clark First to Elusive Hands-Free Toilet Paper Dispenser Market

Wilson Rothman — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 19:45:00 EDT

Who but the greatest public-restroom aficionados knew that the "final touchless restroom frontier" was the electronic toilet-paper dispenser? I for one am surprised that no one has tried to market this already. But sure enough, I just heard from public-restroom mainstay Kimberly-Clark, who announced the JRT* Electronic Coreless, the world's first touchless electronic bath-tissue dispenser. As Richard Thorne, director of Kimberly-Clark's North American washroom business put it: "The electronic revolution has entered the bathroom stall." The following is all true.

When you wave your hand under a sensor on the machine, a given amount of toilet paper is rolled out through what Kimberly-Clark is calling "controlled dispensing". Although K-C promise a 20% reduction in the amount of TP actually used, I'm going to go on a limb and say that there will be some for whom a second wave of the hand will be required. Sheet length is programmable— 16" (Short), 20" (Medium) and 24" (Good lord what hath ye wrought?)—but alas, it will not be up to the user to do the programming.

Who knew one of the benefits of a "properly installed" dispenser was "one-handed dispensing"? And I don't think they are talking about masturbation here, believe it or not. Turns out, one-handed dispensing is totally important for compliance with the Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) too.

The good news is that, in the event that the batteries on the JRT* Electronic Coreless (yes, "coreless") run down, there's a manual override. "Users can also obtain bath tissue manually, by pushing and turning a knob on the front of the dispenser."

There's no mention of steel reinforcement or any other anti-vandalism measures, but the brushed-steel look is promising. If you happen to see one out in the wild, perform a quick durability test and get back to us, will you? In the meantime, happy dispensing!

One of the most amusing press releases I've read in a while:

Kimberly-Clark Professional Crosses Final Touchless Frontier With Introduction of First Electronic Bath Tissue Dispenser
Advanced Electronics Bring Hygienic, No-Touch Dispensing To Restroom Stall

ROSWELL, Ga. (July 9, 2007) - Kimberly-Clark Professional is about to go where no health and hygiene company has gone before - crossing the final touchless restroom frontier - with the introduction of the first electronic bath tissue dispenser.

While many public restrooms offer hygienic no-touch dispensing for sinks, hand towels and soap, bath tissue has not been included in this trend. Until now — with today's launch of the Kimberly-Clark Professional* JRT* Electronic Coreless bath tissue dispenser.

"The electronic revolution has entered the bathroom stall," said Richard Thorne, director of the washroom business, North America, for Kimberly-Clark Professional. "It's a major leap forward in restroom hygiene because it eliminates the need to touch the dispenser during use."

The new system automatically dispenses a pre-measured amount of toilet paper when users place their hands under the dispenser. The ground-breaking dispenser combines the unique benefits of advanced touchless electronics with high-capacity SCOTT® coreless bathroom tissue (which eliminates the hole and cardboard core in the center of the roll). The result: enhanced restroom hygiene, reduced consumption and hassle-free performance. Another plus is compliance with the Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), when properly installed, because of the system's easy one-handed dispensing.

The JRT* Electronic Coreless bath tissue dispenser offers a variety of other benefits, including:

• A 20 percent reduction in the amount of bath tissue used, through controlled dispensing.

• 45 percent less packaging waste than standard cored Jumbo Roll Bath Tissue.

• A battery life of more than one year.

• Programmable sheet lengths to provide users with more options. These include short (16"), medium (20") and long (24") settings.

• Sensor placements that enable the dispenser to be installed on either side of the stall.

Users can also obtain bath tissue manually, by pushing and turning a knob on the front of the dispenser. In addition, the unit offers a stub roll feature that allows for manual feeding of the tissue. LED lights let maintenance workers know when paper and battery levels are low to reduce the risk of battery or product run out.

The JRT* Electronic Coreless bath tissue dispenser is the latest addition to the Kimberly-Clark Professional family of hygienic product solutions for the washroom. For more information on the JRT* Electronic Coreless bath tissue dispenser, visit http://www.kcprofessional.com.

Great News Poopers!

Jason Chen — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 14:00:22 EDT

The iCarta Toilet Paper iPod dock works with the iPhone. The world can relax.

What else the iPhone works with [Gizmodo]

855,000 Phones Dropped in UK Toilets Yearly

Jason Chen — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 18:00:45 EDT

Did you know 855,000 phones are flushed down the toilet every year in the UK?

That's both true and ridiculous. SimplySwitch, a price comparison site that apparently services the UK, came up with this number. How many people are in the UK? 60.7 million? That's about 1.5% of the population that actually flushed their phones down the toilet. Somewhere, the sexy plumber babe is laughing.

Other interesting stats: 315,000 are lost in a taxi, 225,000 in a bus, 58,500 to dogs, and 116,000 in the laundry.

All this phone loss is probably why the cellphone industry is doing so well. It can't be because of their fantastic UI improvements year over year. – Jason Chen

Brits Drop 850,000 Phones Down the Toilet - Each Year [Cellular News via Wireless Info]

Photo Credit via Valleywag

The Loo Read Helps You Concentrate on the Task at Hand

Jason Chen — Fri, 25 May 2007 12:19:51 EDT

Although we don't usually read the newspaper on the crapper, this Loo Read is a fantastic idea for people who do. It's an extendible shelf that gives you a sturdy platform for reading papers or books, and can even sustain your arm for writing if you don't push down too hard.

Hopefully these things are strong enough to support lightweight laptops—though it doesn't seem like they are—so we may have to stick to playing with our Pokeballs while we're on the toilet. What? We're talking about the new DS game. – Jason Chen

Product page [LazyBoneUK via Nerd Approved]

Completely Waterproof MP3 Player

Jason Chen — Wed, 23 May 2007 19:38:18 EDT

No more putting our iPods in sandwich bags for us! This completely waterproof TwinBird MP3 player withstands shower water, sink water, bath water, and even pool water in order to bring you your 128MB of music wherever you go. Wait, 128MB? That waterproofing must have taken up just about the entirety of the player for it to only have a 1998-level of storage. – Jason Chen

Throw your DAP in the water ! [Akihabara News via Uber Gizmo]

Renova Black Toilet Paper Now Comes in Green, Orange and Red

Jason Chen — Fri, 11 May 2007 19:30:50 EDT

Black toilet paper was weird enough, but wiping your ass with green, orange, or red gets even weirder. Although you can now see whether you're "clean" with the new colors, it just feels mentally odd to us to see our poo smeared across anything but clean white sheets. Call us old-fashioned. – Jason Chen

Product Page [Giftmonger]

Toilet Paper Machine Does the Folding for You

Louis Ramirez — Tue, 08 May 2007 16:40:00 EDT

Can't afford one of those fancy butt-spraying toilets? This toilet paper machine might be your only hope. It neatly folds and cuts your Charmin so you don't have to. And unlike the Lego machine, this one doesn't waste as much paper. Though naturally we hope the final version comes with an iPod dock. – Louis Ramirez

Toilet Paper Folding Prototype [Core 77]

World's Fastest Toilet is Jet-Propelled, not Powered by Farts

Addy Dugdale — Fri, 04 May 2007 09:35:08 EDT

Well, Flame Grill my Whopper and call it Professor Caractacus Potts! Is there nothing sacred any more? Not even those precious moments when a man wants a little peace in the world so that he can go about his daily business without being disturbed? It seems not, but then the British always were a little strange. This is, apparently, the world's fastest toilet. Powered by a Boeing Jet engine, the $10,000 vehicle's top speed is in excess of 70mph, and it farts flames from its tailpipe - rather like, I would imagine, a man forced to eat ten vindaloos one after another.

There's a video, as well another pic of the flaming khazi in action and its inventor, Paul Stender, all after the jump.

On the day when we remember Walter Schirra, let us also salute mechanic Paul Stender, without whom we would not be able to use clichés such as "To Boldly Go" and have them mean something completely different. – Ad Dugdale

Hold onto your Trousers... It's the world's fastest Loo

Jonny Glow Shows Where the Pee Goes, Mo Fo

Charlie White — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 11:20:00 EDT

We've shown you quite a few lighting solutions to that problem of peeing in the dark before, but never have we seen one so simple that solves the problem so handily. Jonny Glow is a set of unpowered glow-in-the-dark strips that make it plain as day where your target lies, guys.

It's a landing strip for your stream, and will cost you a mere $5.99. No more bright bathroom light waking you all the way up at night; these glowing strips let you get blessed relief while you stay half-asleep. Short of installing yourself a urinal for closed-eye nocturnal urination, this is the best idea yet. – Charlie White

Product Page [Vacation Gadgets, via The Uber Review]

Japanese Wooden Automatic Butt-Spraying Toilet

LISA KATAYAMA — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 04:40:32 EDT

Check out this new portable, auto-butt-cleaning toilet bowl from Toto. It has a folding top for comfortable sitting and controls on the side for a bidet, butt spray (strong), butt spray (soft), and most importantly, the OFF button. It's made of wood (I have no idea why) and all the waste falls neatly into the tray below, so that you can pull it out, throw shit out, and then take the 44-lb potty to the next bedridden user. –Lisa Katayama

Portable Heated/Water Spraying Toilet [TokyoMango]

Sega's Horror Summer Toilet Roll

Brian Lam — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 08:31:49 EDT

I love Sega. But we all know that most Sega hardware will eventually be shit canned. Sorry, Dreamcast.
Brilliant, than that Sega Japan is launching the prank toilet paper holder market with this electronic TP-core.
Horror Summer Toilet Roll spins as you make a grab for the three ply quilted, triggering loud shouts and explosions. I presume in Japanese. Which makes it about 10x as funny. But only the first time around.–Brian Lam

Horror Summer Toilet Roll [Kotaku]

Brondell Breeza Anti-Stench Toilet Seat Wafts Those Stinky Sins Away

Charlie White — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 13:30:00 EDT

It's toilet gadget time again, and here's the Brondell Breeza, a deodorizing toilet seat that's available in two different models. The Basic Breeza is battery operated and just keeps that stench down to a manageable level, while the Breeza Warm (pictured above) plugs into the wall and actually has a heated seat (which I can tell you from personal experience is well worth the trouble and expense). Both have that delightful gentle closing seat and lid that can help you at least keep some of those obnoxious bathroom noises to a minimum.

Both models have an automatic quiet fan that draws odors into a replaceable activated carbon filter, and then there's some sort of fragrance that you can place into the works as well. The Breeza battery operated seat can be installed in just 15 minutes according to the company; of course the heated seat's installation might be more complicated if you don't have an outlet nearby. – Charlie White

Product Pages: Breeza Warm and Breeza [Brodell, Inc.]

Sink + Toilet Makes Dirty Hippies Happy

Jason Chen — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 19:30:54 EDT

If you care at all for the environment, you're probably taking 2 minute showers, using recycled paper, and drive a hybrid car, which leaves plenty of water, paper, and fuel for those of us who are too lazy to care. But for you, the environmentally conscious bunch, we present the Sinkpositive. It's a sink on top of a toilet, which uses the tank (is that what it's called?) water for hand washing before using it again for poop flushing.

Of course, we only recommend this for married people, since most non-hippy women would probably bolt when seeing this mounted on your toilet. On the other hand, imagine how much fun it would be to pee into the top and bottom and see urine be used to flush urine. – Jason Chen

Product Page [Sinkpositive via Core77]