Gearfuse

Alexandros Stasinopoulos’s Ora Watch concept is interesting for a few reasons. I don’t typically wear clothing or accessories that would help people draw the conclusion that I look like a school bus (just like your momma). I’m not fat, I’m big wheeled. The numbers are read via measuring tape which revolves to tell the time.

Thankfully there are a few color options, including blue and my personal favorite, good ole black. I’d rock it like a KISS concert.

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We thought everything was bigger in Dubai.

Santa Monica building designer Tommy Landau created a model for a 224-story supertower which could one day stand in Abu Dhabi. Hell, the model itself is almost as tall as a man. The structure, aside from far eclipsing the 2,600 ft. Burj Dubai, would be coated in solar cells which would allow the building to power itself. The building will house over 11 million square feet for offices, shops, hotels and condominiums (but no farms that we know of). An early concept of the building includes a large clock at the same height as the Empire State Building would reach on the building.

The project is still under consideration by the Abu Dhabi powers that be, though if approved the $3.5 billion project would likely not be underway for several years to come. I imagine it takes a massive amount of planning and bureaucratic cajoling for a project like this to even break ground

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Designer Vadim Kibardin’s Black & White Clock concept is a series of four OLED numerals, each with independent sources of power. The really neat part about this concept, other than looking really cool, is that the clock will automatically sense the lighting in the room, switching to white digits in dark conditions and black digits when it’s bright.

Not only will this reduce eye strain, but it looks sorta three dimensional. Each piece being independent is nice because it adds a bit of personalization. You can arrange the numerals how you want without the limitations of one large power board.

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While I applaud the concept of mashing together the classic design of Rubik’s Cube and the iconic gadgetry of alarm clocks, I’ve got to admit a slight disappointment that turning off the alarm doesn’t entail actually solving the puzzle. Would the complete and utter frustration be worth the ultimate geek cred you’d obtain with one of these things at your bedside?

Despite the lacking of actual Rubik’s-like movement, the alarm clock brings the thunder with the added functionality of temperature, letting you know whether it’s chilly enough out to wear your Mega Man knit cap. To slide between settings, just turn the top layer of the cube. Available for $24 from Chocosho.

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Several weeks ago, I received a JBL On Time 400 iHD iPod Dock (whew!) to review. In the past, I’ve really enjoyed JBL’s products. They make fair-priced, great-sounding iPod docks with rich bass and decent treble and mids. I unpacked the On Time, plugged it in and shoved my iPod Touch on top to start streaming music to the speakers. Unfortunately, the iPhone 3G doesn’t work with the On Time. This is a huge issue considering that a lot of iPod users have migrated to an iPhone, myself included since losing my iPod Touch in a drunken stupor.

But enough about drunken stupors. How easy is the On Time 400 iHD to use? It’s decent, but JBL hasn’t really upgraded its docking menu for years now. It’s still a two-color display reminiscent of an Apple II from the 1980s. It doesn’t give off a feeling of prestige and is really an eyesore to behold. Luckily, a remote is included with basic functionality, allowing you to avoid using the menu. Setting the clock and alarm is a breeze, ensuring you can replace your shitty alarm clock with the On Time.

Unfortunately, the sound on the On Time is less than desirable. I spent two hours playing various rock songs and dance music. Specifically, I threw on Metro Area’s Fabric 43 mix CD for an hour to get an overall feel for the system. Bass is muddy and distorted at high volumes. There is no “oomph” so to speak but instead a flat, dull pop from the kick drums. Highs were OK while mids seemed washed out. Listening to FM radio is easier on the ears considering how low-quality the audio is. But as I said, this is not a serious dock for listening to music. While it can do HD radio, the speakers the On Time is equipped with are merely lackluster at best.

The JBL On Time 400 iHD dock retails between $190 and $250. At that price, you are better off checking out some of JBL’s other products that have gotten better reviews or a Bose SoundDock. Better yet, pick up a small stereo system from Best Buy with iPod connectivity and you’re set. While the On Time is a great idea in concept, the product execution leaves much to be desired.

Product Page

Actually, Simon isn’t saying shit because his name is trademarked by some gaming company. This is officially known as the memory game alarm clock. It’s the same concept. You’re sound asleep. You here that stupid “boop” noise and open your eyes to see the red button going insane. You smack it a shot and turn back on your side, slowly brushing your dong against your wife’s back. “Boop!! Boop!” Here we ago again. You’ll need to get up and finish the game if you ever want some peace of mind. It is, without a doubt, one of the greatest ways to ensure you wake up each morning.

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ARE YOU ANGRY? PISSED OFF? TIRED? WANT TO GO BACK TO SLEEP?

Well fuck work. This is the Smash Clock. Hit this fucking thing until it shuts up so you can go back to sleep. You’re probably hungover from Thursday night and don’t feel like doing any work, so this clock is perfect for releasing that pent up rage on.

Too bad it’s a concept. That makes me want to smash it even more.

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You’re in London and Mom wants a birthday present. As a gardener, she’s bound to love butterflies. And she cooks a lot too! So I can bet she’s always checking the clock to make sure her famous mocha-chip cookies aren’t burnt. Why not order this lovely butterfly clock from the Design Shop? It’s a bit expensive at $211, but would you put a price tag on your own mother? Didn’t think so. Are you paying cash or credit?

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If you haven’t seen Pineapple Express yet, this weekend is a great time to do so. Ryan and I will be working on some new Arduino projects this weekend and we hope you’ll be reading our links while throwing back a cold one. Oh, and it’s 08/08/08. Creepy!

If you thought that the nail biting clock and calendar was weird, check out this different take on the calendar altogether. Oscar Diaz came up with this self-printing concept when he discovered he could control ink bleeding onto paper. You could have a wallpaper calendar to write on, schedule appointments and what not, but where is the fun in writing up your own “To do” list? Rather than that, try having the ink leak all over the paper, telling you what to do that day.

This self-printing technique is unfortunately merely a prototype, so no amount of ink in the world is going to plan your weekend for you. Wouldn’t that be convenient to have your whole week scheduled my a pre-embossed page with ink leaking over it? Mine is telling me to never leave the house, ever, so I won’t.

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