Hasta La Ideas

We must admit we are a bit partial to breakfast in bed. Particularly in hotels. But one problem with eating in bed is that most trays are very unstable. And the bread-crumbs, of course. But we digress. This tray, designed by Harald Hynell (who mailed us to tell about it) for Bosign, has a pillowy base which makes it adapt to whatever it is placed on (your legs, for instance). That makes it steadier than most. We are sure it is very good for using laptops on your lap top, too. It is available in black, white, willow- or wenge wood and it is SEK 494:- (approx. USD 70:-) on the PID web shop.brbr

Today is a sunny day and the thermometer shows +6-7°C. Spring is here and so is the bike season. To mark the occasion we will feature another bike gadget. This tip comes from Paul L., who admits he has not tried them, but still thinks the idea is smart. We can’t but agree. The lights are from Danish Reelight, and they are invented by Troels Pedersen. The light, or lights, are based on electromagnetic induction, which means they generate their own power. No resistance like you get from an ordinary dynamo, no battery changes as with ordinary bike lights. The light are attached to the front and back hubs, and the magnets to the spokes of the wheels. Every time a magnet passes a light electricity is generated. Simple. The lights are DKK 299:- (approx. USD 53:- or EUR 40:-) for a kit of front and rear lights, four magnets and mounting details.brbr

This post is of course dedicated to our female readers in particular, and a bit of research among friends of the female persuasion suggests this gadget would be a welcome addition to the wardrobe. It is called Strap Trap and it is simply a small plastic loop you sew into the shoulders of sleeveless sweaters or blouses to stop bra straps from sliding into public view. Wether visible straps is seen as a problem or not may be an age or culture issue, but here is a ready solution. The tip is from Hilda V., inventor of the Strap Trap. The Strap Trap is available in black or white and a kit of 12 (enough for 6 garments) is GBP 5:- (about EUR 7:30) shipped within the EU or GBP 6:- (approx. USD 11:60) shipped to the US, AUS and NZ.brbr

We’ll break the series of reader contributed tips for this very interesting and clever item we just found on Core 77. According to Hân Pham – inventor of the Antivirus cap – unsafe handling of syringes, needles and other medical sharps cause more than 200,000 HIV infections each year, plus millions of Hepatitis cases and other injuries. The solution above, utilizing an item available in great numbers (the used soda can) adding a smart lid to make disposing of needles and other infected sharps easy and safe could save lives. If this invention, an Index:2007 Awards nominee, is not in production, it should be. Check out the Index:2007 list, among the nominees are several we’ve already mentioned on Smart Stuff during the past year! ;-)brbr

An increasing number of people are suspicious to the food they are offered in stores, and recurring stories of filth and re-stamping in the food industry does not improve the sentiment. Some merchants seem capable of gambling with their customers’ health and lives to make an extra buck. If that is your mind-set it will be pretty easy to put a fresh best-before date on a stale steak. However, there’s countermeasures. Smart Stuff reader Dag N. found this tool at Sharper Image, and Dag thinks every home should have one. Or at least every restaurant. The SensorfreshQ meat tester is an electronic nose that sniffs the air above the meat and analyzes the bacterial activity with four sensitive sensors. The machine is promise to work with both (uncooked) meat and poultry and it is USD 89:95 at The Sharper Image or on Amazon.brbr