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Gear

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Padfoot for iPad

There are have been a slew of iPad stands of all shapes and sizes hitting the market since Apple launched the iPad, but few have the minimalist footprint of the Padfoot by Dutch designer Michiel Cornelissen. It works well and looks great.

The PadFoot is manufactured in tough but lightweight, 3d printed polyamide with a fine surface texture.

Padfoot for iPad

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Leather Mousepad

I think you would have a hard time finding a nicer mousepad at this price. These mouse pads are made of vegetable-tanned leather that is cut, stamped and finished by hand. Beautiful. Though I haven't used a mousepad in years I'm temped to order it simply on looks alone.

doneLeather Leather Mousepad

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Great Balls of Wire

Designed by Søren Refsgaard for Danish company Bald & Bang, winner of the Red Dot Design Award in 2009, Great Balls of Wire is a tennis ball sized device which can swallow up to 5 feet of cable and gives a simple and attractive solution to the usual mess of cables associated with modern life. Available in red, orange, pink, grey, blue, black, yellow, green, and white.

I hate cables.

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duaLink Sync Splitter Cable

The duaLink Sync Splitter Cable allows you to sync and charge your iPhone and iPod simultaneously using just a single USB port. Very useful.

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Airbag helmet for bicyclists

'Hövding', produced by swedish design company hövding sverige ab, is an airbag system for bicyclists, designed as a fashionable but practical alternative to helmets. A hood-shaped, nylon airbag is encased within a neck collar and is automatically inflated in the event of a crash by a sensor system. Washable fabric shells that fit over the collar create a range of looks for the device, designed to seamlessly incorporate into one's daily outfits. [designboom]

These could be marketed as an essential fashion accessory for pedestrians in Taiwan. Replete with accident data, and a means to connect the sensor to an iPhone, this might give an edge to pedestrians or bicyclists when the inevitable out of court negotiations arise (Taiwan though a wonderful place to live is an absolute nightmare for the pedestrian and cyclist - which is a shame since it is a dream to walk and cycle here).

Hövding airbag helmet for bicyclists. Via designboom.

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The FIDA Mat - a compact outdoor lounge seat

Designed by Hannover based designer Patrick Fey, the FIDA Mat is a compact outdoor lounge seat that can be folded and carried anywhere. The FIDA weighs just under 6 pounds and is made of durable, water-repellent Cordura making this ideal for all kinds of outdoor adventures. I tend to prefer sitting a bit higher off the ground but the FIDA Mat is so compact it puts those gangly chairs we tout around to shame. It doesn't hurt that it looks great too.

More at Fastco design.

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A mobile stand for the iPad

This is the stand I wish we could have bought when we purchased an iPad a few weeks ago. Made from steel the "Compass is a stylish, compact folding stand that works as an easel and a typing stand. As an easel, Compass beautifully displays iPad in both portrait and landscape modes. To transform Compass into a typing stand, simply flip down the secondary leg and this super portable stand sits at a perfect angle for comfortable typing on iPad's cool onscreen keyboard".

This certainly beats Apples case or propping the iPad against a stack of books. It also seems more versatile than other purpose built stands I have seen. With metal to metal contact scratches can occur, so while using the Compass it might be best to leave your iPad in some kind of case.

Compass Mobile Stand. Via Swissmiss.

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Charge your phone with your feet

Thermoelectric wellies that charge your mobile phone using heat from your feet.

Telecom firm Orange, a sponsor of June's Glastonbury Festival, is promoting its new "Power Wellies"s as a means for festivalgoers to keep their cellphones charged. Created in collaboration with renewable energy experts GotWind, use a unique 'power generating sole' that converts heat from your feet into an electrical current. From Popsci:

Users will have to stomp in the Pilton mud for about 12 hours to generate enough electricity to charge a cellphone for one hour, however -- so the wellies are more notable for novelty than practicality.

The concept is interesting, however. The boots work by capturing the heat of the wearer's feet -- not kinetic energy, like other walking-power concepts we've seen.

Continue reading >>

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Normann Copenhagen Town Bike

Designed by Anne Lehmann, the stylish Normann Copenhagen town bike is a limited edition hand built classic ride featuring an anthracite grey steel with contrasting green saddle, handlebars and chain. Anne Lehmann says:

Normann Copenhagen is all about lifestyle, and cycling is a natural part of the Danish lifestyle, especially in Copenhagen, where it is easy to get around on bike. At first glance, the Normann Copenhagen Bike, with its simple frame and understated appearance, does not attract attention in use, but the green details in the saddle, handlebars and chain provide a surprising element, that make it stand out in a crowd.

Continue reading >>

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Burley Travoy Bike Trailer

With the convenience of being able to use it as a shopping cart when you reach your destination, the Burley Travoy is for the urban cyclist a useful alternative to the conventional axel hitch trailer. Fully collapsable and made of a lightweight aluminum frame the Travoy hitches to the seat post of any bike, and carries up to 60 pounds on it's two large wheels. Great idea.

Burley Travoy Bike Trailer. Via Uncrate.

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