Author: Matt Byrd (Page 16 of 33)

If the Word Useless Were a Concept Vehicle…

Photo From Hyundai

It’s a known fact that the more rich you are, the more eccentric you are allowed to be in the eyes of society. As such, if you are a multi-billion dollar corporation, as a collective entity you’re allowed to be pretty damn unconventional from time to time, so long as that bottom line is in the black.

I mention this since the rationale “because we can” seems to be the only reason behind Hyundai’s recent one person transportation vehicle prototype.

They call it the E4U, and it’s designed for…you know I’m really not sure. I can tell you it can move in any direction, but only in an omni-directional manner, thanks to its kickstand style wheel substitutes. Also it’s apparently not much faster than the average pedestrian, which is really for the best considering the view of one of these rocketing towards you is probably a declaration of war somehow.

Unveiled at the Seoul  motorshow, details about this transport device are few, including if it will ever see release and what combination of hallucinogens and uppers were taken that allowed the E4U to be conceptualized and produced, without killing everyone involved.

Since we know so little about it, I have a few personal questions that need answering:

  • Why is its brow furrowed? Has it anticipated our mockery and is displeased?
  • Are there any features that prevent neighborhood kids from pushing it over, or turning it in the opposite direction, besides their inability to stop laughing?
  • Can Hyundai build the Death Star they got the rider’s helmets from instead?
  • Is its inability to be operated by the obese intentional, or just a gross marketing oversight?
  • Finally, in a pinch, can I duck into this thing to shield myself from Mega Man’s blasts?

Building the Ultimate Man’s Kitchen

One of my favorite of the ’90s prime time sitcoms will always be “Home Improvement.”

In retrospect, this is most likely because it introduced most of the world to Pamela Anderson and Debbie Dunning (more than you can say for even “The Wire”), but it also had some memorable gags, a host of hilarious characters, and some truly standout episodes, including the infamous introduction of the man’s kitchen.

The first in a string of episodes where a common room is redesigned and “man-ified,” the man’s kitchen took the misogynist idea that the kitchen is only for women and presented one that was instead an almost cartoonish playground for the average man.

While absurd, with the gadget explosion that has occurred since, there are now enough devices available to truly craft a man’s kitchen. Some of these accessories are absurd and lavish, while others are common and accessible. But when combined, they create the ultimate real life man’s kitchen.

Grand Palais 180 Stove

Let’s start with the impossible shall we?

Your oven/stovetop is going to be the most important part of any kitchen, and if you really want something that will show off that idea, you need the king of all home ovens. Resembling a train car more than a stove, the Grand Palais wouldn’t be out of place in the home of an old world ruler or even steampunk baron. With its built in gas and electric ovens, as well as a variety of different stovetop grill and burner options, it also happens to work perfectly as the centerpiece of the man’s kitchen.

Sure they run around the $46,000 range depending on enhancements , but dammit we can do this thing cheap, or we can do it right.

Hot Dog Toaster

Of course it’s not all ovens worthy of the 1%, as some parts of the man’s kitchen are just down to earth essentials.

Since nothing is more essential than the need for a hotdog, instead of wasting your time with the stovetop or microwave methods, why not make the perfectly cooked hot dog and bun, as easy as you make a piece of toast? It’s possible with the pop-up hot dog toaster, which cooks hot dogs of your chosen consistency in mere minutes with the ease of the average toaster. It’s even got compartments enough for two hot dogs and buns and the design goes well with that $46,000 oven.

A steal at $19.99, this one even got the Barney Stinson seal of approval.

Crème Brule Torch

It’s the eternal question man has asked since the dawn of the caveman.

How can I use more fire doing this?

In the kitchen, the answer is simple thanks to the standard crème brule torch. Ideally used to brown that famous tricky desert, considering it’s nothing more than a small scale blow torch, feel free to use it to make anything where direct heat is required (like melting cheese over nachos) twice as bad ass, and ten times as manly.

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A Device that Helps you Tackle Number Two, Like Number One

Brilliance comes in the oddest forms sometimes. While it’s immediately recognizable through acts like splitting the atom, inventions like the telephone, or literary works like “Infinite Jest,” it can also come in smaller, more practical, more modest forms.

By that rationale, the pedestal stand by CTA Digital is brilliant in an as seen on TV way. It’s a modern day take on the toilet paper holder, as it holds not just a roll of toilet paper, but your iPad 2,3, or 4 as well through an adjustable neck. Not only does it offer a space saving alternative to your magazine rack and other bathroom installments (I’ve heard an idea of downloading a mirror app, for double duty touch-ups), but it allows you the freedom to use your favorite tech device while…on the job without any of that unfortunate hand fumbling, or cumbersome need to set it down.

The asking price of $42.50 may be kind of steep for a device that probably has a number of homemade alternatives available, but if you’ve ever experienced the burden, and occasional horror, of trying to use your iPad on the toilet in a manner befitting a supposedly intelligent human being, you’ll immediately recognize the value of a professionally crafted aide.

Just be warned that this will make you appear to be a pretty serious pooper to visitors.

Start Turning Your Home into a James Bond Villian’s Lair with the Burglar Blaster

Anyone who has seen “Home Alone” (which is hopefully everyone) knows that when it comes to home security, the one undisputed assurance for safety is a series of well implemented traps leading to hilarious punishments for the armed thugs now in your life.

To begin constructing your own dominion of doom then, consider purchasing the Burglar Blaster.

Working off of an infrared sensor, when the Burglar Blaster is set, it detects movement and fires off four ounces of pepper spray guaranteed to cause some serious second thoughts to anyone in the remote vicinity(coverage is up to 2000 square feet). It also comes equipped with a timer that can be set up to 40 seconds, presumably so you can allow the burglar to momentarily relish in the acquisition of some perfect loot, before they’re met with a spray of burning aerosol to the face.

Reloadable, easy to install, and battery operated, the only alarm systems more ballsy would have to be some sort of elaborate swinging ax contraption, a trap door to a Rancor pit, your own bare fists, or perhaps the upgrade to the Blaster’s regular model (the Decintegrator) which holds up to 4 pepper spray cans and covers twice the space.

Sure it’s dangerous and impractical, but can you really put a price on your family’s (potentially humorous) safety?

Yes actually. The standard model runs $595.00, while the less discreet Decintegrator retails for $495.00.

Well worth it for your home to be affectionately known in the criminal underworld as the house of pain.

Some Kids Were Just Better With Legos Than Others

Let it be known that when the technological hall of fame is built (no doubt by our future robotic overlords), I’d like to nominate Legos as a first ballet entrant.

Sure they aren’t as flashy or “capable” as say your iPhone, but ever since 1949, they’ve been a tool for innovative minds to hone, and show off, their skills through, as well as a consistent source of amusement that has managed to evolve and adapt with the changing world.

While new and exciting Lego creations routinely make the internet rounds, there are a couple fresh ones I had to share today.

First is this amazing “Fallout 3” Pipboy 3000 recreation from Lego aficionado Simon Liu.

Equipped with built in status screen, and functioning knobs and lights, the Lego Pipboy’s design is impressive, and immediately recognizable, but the ace in the hole is the built in FM radio, tuned to the Wasteland’s favorite DJ Three Dog in the demonstration, that takes this invention from “oh cool” to “holy crap” on the Lego creation scale. Further bonus style points are awarded for the “retro meets future” design the device has, which sums up the entire “Fallout” style nicely.

No details on how to make one are currently available, but considering I used to have trouble make even a paltry Lego house, that may be moot.

Of course, in terms of items from the “never be able to build it in a million years” school of Legos, the next design is even greater.

That machine takes the previously simple task of creating and launching a paper plane, and turns it into an automated mass production device that is the envy of any second grader. Constructed by Lego Mindstorms user hknssn13 with almost 7000 Lego bricks, and a few NXT model “smart” Legos for the automated parts, the almost 5 foot long creation builds and launches the perfect paper airplane every time.

No word yet on whether a rubber band launcher of the same design is in the works but, considering the offensive potential of that device, that information may be classified.

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