Get Cozy with the Plumen 002, the Second Sculptural CFL from the Lighting Innovators

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We were there for the launch of the instantly iconic torqued helix of the Plumen 001, the radical compact fluorescent lamp that elevated the lowly light bulb to eco-conscious design object status. Since its debut in 2010, the helical CFL has become an award-winning, museum-worthy icon, even as the Edison bulb has asserted itself into nouveau-rustic interiors over the past few years. I personally find the bright 2700K luminaire to be well-suited to most settings, but, as they note on their Kickstarter page, “it works for areas that need to be bright, but isn’t always perfect for dimly lit ambient spaces, like bars, coffee shops or your living room. Places where warmer tones define a texture and softness in the atmosphere—that’s where the 002 comes in.”

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As Roope noted regarding Plumen’s recent collaboration with Middlesex University, they’ve been working with the 001 for some four years now, and the second product offers a noticeably different aesthetic, both in form factor and usage: If the Edison bulb is shorthand for steampunk-y vintage, the Plumen 002 vaguely evokes Art Deco, offering the brightness equivalence of a 30W incandescent “for the coziest of contexts.” Viewed on-end, the hemispherical shape suggests a filament bulb, which belies both the axe-like profile and slim, bisected teardrop shape of the frontal view. It’s both more and less like a traditional light bulb than the coils of the Plumen 001, referencing its silhouette but literally paring it down to a more modern form.

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Gramovox

Gramovox è il primo grammofono bluetooth ispirato al Magnavox R3 degli anni ’20. Pubblicato su kickstarter, il progetto ha raggiunto la quota necessaria per la sua produzione. Lo troverete in pre-ordine qui.

Gramovox

Gramovox

Gramovox

Best of CH 2013: Crowdfunded Projects: From photography to tech and travel, Kickstarter and the ilk had a big year in helping set ideas in motion

Best of CH 2013: Crowdfunded Projects


Once again, crowdfunding showed no sign of slowing in 2013. While Kickstarter is still top dog in terms of introducing new ideas, traffic to similar sites like Indiegogo and Rally continues to pick up—meaning we may just still be seeing the tip of the iceberg that is the popularity of…

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Gigs 2 Go Tear & Share Recycled Paper Flash Drives, Yea or Nay?

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When USB flash drives first came out, they were useful, expensive and valued things. Nowadays they’re still useful, but I’ve got a drawer full of them, as every press conference I attend passes them out like candy. Most are made of plastic, some of metal. As they continue to proliferate, oughtn’t we make them out of recycled/recycleable materials?

BOLTgroup thinks so. The North-Carolina-based design firm is trying to Kickstart Gigs 2 Go, their project to release flash drives with bodies made from recycled paper pulp. The idea is that users buy them in credit-card-sized four-packs, and tear them off as needed for file sharing. Have a look:

The reason why I’ve got this in the “Yea or Nay” section is, do you think these will see uptake, given their cost? When it comes to bang for buck, careful shoppers can scoop up flash drives for roughly 50-cents-to-a-dollar per gigabyte; The Gigs 2 Go drives still available ring in at roughly two bucks per gig, with an early batch of $1/gig long gone. Do you think their uptake will be dependent on cost, or would you be willing to pay slightly more for a thumb drive you could recycle?

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Mitragliatore di elastici

L’ukraino Alexander Shpetniy ha appena lanciato su Kikstarter la raccolta fondi per questo mitragliatore di elastici da 672 colpi. Gli servono 5k dollari per iniziare la produzione, sono sicuro che ce la farà a mani basse, poi sarà guerra.

Mitragliatore di elastici

Mitragliatore di elastici

Mitragliatore di elastici

Mitragliatore di elastici

Morgaw Shock Absorbing Bicycle Saddle: An innovative design increases flex and rider stability while cutting tension both on and off road

Morgaw Shock Absorbing Bicycle Saddle


As an answer to the cyclist’s favorite component to complain about, Slovakian designers have developed a new type of bicycle saddle called the Morgaw. The lightweight, carbon-based saddle combines a modular rail system with two small…

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Packaging for the Win: Dartstrip Lets You Display Your Wall Art and Look Good Doing It

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You never realize how hard it is to hang something until you actually have to do it. Getting your photo/art/mirror/whatever straight is tough enough, but finding a hanging system that doesn’t take away from what you’re trying to display is often a challenge in itself. Enter Dartstrip, a new product that epitomizes how the best design should be invisible.

And like most unseen designs, the system is deceptively simple: Dartstrip is nothing more than an eight-foot strip of steel with a restickable adhesive backing. The product is laser-scored with snap points at one-inch increments for easy customization depending on how large or wide your display space is. The strips are a clean white and can be painted over to match walls and other surfaces; magnetic ‘pins’ hold posters or photos in place. Check out the video below to see what Dartstrip is all about before we go into the details with co-founder Kermit Westergaard:

But the major innovation of Dartstrip comes in the form of none other than the packaging.

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Where Portland Stereotypes and Legends Meet: Know Your City Graduates from Pickles to Education on Wheels

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Strong relationships are based on multiple areas of shared interest, broadening the platform for connection and common understanding. Some interests pair naturally: humor and creativity, travel and gourmet cooking, knowledge of 18th century French naval battles and a love of cheap American lager. In that vein, Know Your City (previously the “Dill Pickle Club”) has brought Portland history, policy and brined comestibles to an amateur audience for over four years, and they’re ready to take this relationship to the next level.

The non-profit group helps people creatively engage with the city’s spaces and changing social landscape through history tours, public speakings and policy information. They highlight often-unheard stories and issues, and make dry info exciting and accessible. They also know a lot about pickling. Still office-less, their current Kickstarter campaign will fund the building of a kiosk to function as the on-the-ground hub for information and tour guiding. As required by common law in Portland, the kiosk will be bike-powered and locally made.

know-your-city-app.gifA look at the new Know Your City app

Recent Know Your City successes include the launch of a sweet social history app, and getting a double thumbs-up from the mayor—who you can win a chance to go sailing with if you contribute to the kiosk project. Big ups to folks making the past relevant and the future understandable.

Check out and contribute to Know Your City’s Kickstarter campaign here.

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FlyKly Electric Bike

FlyKly est une roue de 4 kg qui permet de pédaler avec une assistance électrique à n’importe quel moment. Pensée avec une application mobile, ce projet Kickstarter pensée par l’entreprise new-yorkaise permet de choisir la vitesse, mais aussi de suivre son parcours par GPS. A découvrir dans la suite en vidéo.

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Moss Robot Construction Kit: Design, build and control robots at home

Moss Robot Construction Kit


A far cry from Stretch Armstrong, Moss is a new dynamic robot construction kit that allows kids to build their own controllable toys. After over two years of prototyping, Colorado’s…

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