This New BMW Concept Key is Nearly as Impressive as the BMW it Starts

BMW

Way back when during a less hi-tech time of car ownership, if you wanted to impress someone with your car keys alone they either had to have a Ferrari logo on them, or had to be accompanied by a particularly humorous key chain attachment. Otherwise, they weren’t likely to generate much of a reaction on their own.

The new BMW i8 key, though, is more than capable of doing just that.

Resembling your basic smartphone design, the i8 key features a built in LCD screen which relays some vital information about your car when in use. As the i8 is a hybrid, its main purpose is to relay how much charge and fuel is left in your car, which is a handy little trick that isn’t hard to imagine becoming standard in the near future.

Function aside, though, the real selling point of this key is honestly its uber sleek looks. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the car its attached to looks to be one of 2014’s best and among the more exciting hybrids released to date.

Now, its very much worth noting that this doesn’t appear to be an official design at this time, and more of a highly circulated rumor of what the official model will look like. In any case, even if this is just an enthusiastic fan design, its not hard to imagine this being a good representation of the future of this technology and a very exciting one at that.

  

On the Eve of PC Gaming’s March to the Living Room, An Interesting New Gaming PC Emerges

Jetpack

When famed game company Valve announced the introduction of the open source linux based “Steam OS” earlier this year to compliment their new line of Steam Machines, they made it clear that they have every intention of bringing PC gaming to the living room in a way never thought possible.

While nobody who’s ever glanced at their success record would ever doubt Valve’s ability to accomplish this goal, the lack of specifics on the subject at the time of announcement left some questioning just how they’d accomplish such a herculean effort within the industry.

Since then, however, the unveiling of a few Steam Machine prototypes to go along with some additional details regarding the OS, have cleared up the picture somewhat and rightfully raised expectations.

However no prototype has personally intrigued me more than the recently announced Jetpack PC from PiixL.

Described as a slimline PC, the Jetpack is capable of sliding into your TV frame whether it is mounted or propped up on a stand. Once installed it allows you to instantly start using your TV as a PC that can support either Windows or Steam OS. While the specs are not currently available, PiixL has said the Jetpack has universal GPU compatibility and looks to be more or less as customizable as a standard desktop (though some parts like power supplies are likely not interchangeable).

Starting at a $1,000, the practicality of the Jetpack as a gaming PC solution is going to depend largely on whether or not on the built in specs and exactly how customizable and accessible it is.

Regardless of the specifics though, the Jetpack is an amazing example of the creativity inspired by Valve’s big move into the living room. If this is only an early example of the technology that will be fueling that move, then the coming years should be very interesting for the PC gaming revolution.

  

Convert Your Loose Items Into Video Game Treasure With This 8-Bit Chest

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Whether you find them behind suspiciously hollow walls, buried in suspiciously placed staircases, or at the end of a suspiciously long corridor filled with more enemies from hell with the capability to rip your throat out through your feet than you knew could ever exist, it has always been a constant joy to discover video game treasure chests.

Unfortunately treasure chests in the real world tend to be far more rare, meaning the joy of discovering one doesn’t really enter your day to day life. You can let this fact bum you out, or you can do something about it by picking up one of the 8-bit treasure chests available from Think Geek.

This 4” wide box painted in a pixelated art style runs off of two AA batteries, and stores the various items you can fit into it. Adding to the video game motif is a “Pulp Fiction” style glow that emits when you open it, along with an 8-Bit style tune that plays when you do the same (though it sadly isn’t the “Legend of Zelda” secret discovery tune).

Sure it’s not exactly discreet, but many things that are bad ass rarely are. At $29.99 this is the perfect gift for the gamer in your life, even if it does just serve as a desk decoration.

  

A Belt That Shows We’re Getting Closer to Manufacturing Batman’s Utility Belt

I’ve always had a terrible sense of direction. While its an issue I’ve steadily improved thanks to some long driving adventures and later having to navigate my way through the streets of New York, I can’t say I’m ever fully comfortable going to a new area and truly finding my way around.

Sure, there are a plethora of devices and apps to help people like me find there way around with minimal effort, but there is nothing like being able to comfortably get around any neighborhood like you’ve been there a thousand times before, without any outside assistance required.

The Triposo Travel Belt offers a potential compromise between technological aides and natural navigation. That’s because after you put it on, and set your destination in the included app, the belt will vibrate in one of four directions to let you know where you should be heading to get to your destination. This affords you the benefits of app fueled directions, without making you go through the awkward motion of constantly referencing your device to make use of them.

Sure the nature of its functionality is certainly leaning towards the novelty side, and the device if most likely useless for driving, but its hard to ignore the creativity of this invention, or that it just may be the most clever solution to finding your way around when walking that’s been presented yet. It’s creators are looking for $10,000 on indiegogo to make it a reality, which may be just the right asking point to get the contributions of all those tourists in the world tired of looking like one when they travel.

  

Dual Beer Glass Allows for an Easy Perfect Pour Every Time

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It wasn’t until working at a bar a few years ago, did I really discover the joys of mixed beer drinks.

Usually overlooked by just about every type of drinker for one reason or another, you probably haven’t ordered one of these concoctions, and if that is the case you are truly missing out, as they usually combine the enhanced flavor of a traditional mixed drink, with the relaxing simplicity of a beer to create what just might be the perfect afternoon drink.

That being said though, they can be more difficult to get right than you might anticipate, not only because they require the proper proportions, but also due to the fact they like to settle into one another, ruining the flavor.

This glass, made by the appropriately named Pretentious Beer Glass Company, features a brilliant two chamber design that allows for you to pour two different beers in the proper proportion in the separate sections, and allow the mixture to occur right before the drink hits your lips, which is where of course it matters most. It certainly doesn’t hurt that the original design of the glass’s interior makes this a pretty appealing looking way to get a nice afternoon drunk going.

Retailing for $35 off of the company’s Etsy page, this is an essential piece for any home bar.