Hasta La Ideas

Tweezerman’s souped-up magnifying mirror sheds new light on grooming

For the obsessively vain, the original
Tweezermate magnified mirror reveals every pore, blemish and hair, coming in handy for putting in contact lenses and all sorts of other detail work. Now, the compact little wonder is even more useful for all your tweezing, make-up or other fussy grooming needs with the addition of a surprisingly powerful light. A built-in, battery-powered LED shines onto the face, guaranteeing better accuracy for a precise pluck or a quick touch-up.

While the black plastic housing might mean you want to hide the device away, suction cups make it easy to stick onto most smooth surfaces, like the inside of a bathroom cabinet (where I put mine). The design also makes it a boon for travel, as well as for tight spaces where there’s no room for a stand-alone mirror.

The mirror sells online from Tweezerman or Sephora for $15.

Nine products designed to look like other things

While the MoMA store’s product preview always has us excited for the shopping year ahead, a few designs stood out for their “faux” ingenuity. Below are nine objects cleverly designed to resemble other objects, making for a new way to enjoy an old favorite. Check the
MoMA store site this spring to buy them and peruse consumer expert Rob Walker’s blog Things That Look Like Other Things for more illusory inspiration.

Loose Leaf Door Stop

Thai designer Teerachai Suppameteekulwat’s green leaf-shaped doorstop ($14) adds a bit of brightness to the home while propping open a door to let in springtime air. Tapered to fit beneath most doors, it’s made of polypropylene.

Toast It Coaster

This set of six cork coasters ($10) might make you pine for butter and jam while enjoying your morning brew. The toast-shaped surface protectors, designed by Patricia Naves, even come packed like a loaf of bread.

Watermelon Knife

Forged from Japanese carbon steel, this serrated watermelon knife ($25) has a playfully eerie resemblance to the fruit it’s meant to slice. The knife features an ergonomic design to make cutting through the thick shell of Citrullus Lanatus (or any other melon) easier so that you can enjoy a juicy treat without too much effort.

Tea Bag Infuser

Drawing inspiration from traditional teabags, Claus Jensen and Henrick Holbaek‘s infuser ($30) updates paper versions for a more eco-friendly and (some would say) better-tasting version. The stainless steel and wire infuser can make pots or cups of tea and its rubber base helps it stay put.

Prato Umbrella Stand

Naoki Terada’s umbrella holder ($35), a MoMA exclusive, brings a mini lawn to even the most compact apartments. Cute and functional, the grass patch can hold up to twenty umbrellas and is made of steel and synthetic resin.

Couture Flower Vase

On first glance Sayaka Nishinami’s beautifully-crafted vase ($24) appears to have a delicate lace sleeve around the base. But it’s the effect of matte porcelain that creates the effect on what is actually a seamless design.

Leaf Tray

Argentine design collective VacaValiente ($18) is known for recycling leather into happiness. Their Leaf Tray, which functions as a catch-all for the house, embodies the firm’s optimistic approach.

Faux Bois Placemat

The digitally-printed vinyl placemats ($12) by NYC-based designer Sandy Chilewich bring the outdoors inside. The result is a little rustic harmony for the kitchen table with a woodgrain pattern that, unlike its real-life counterpart, wipes clean easily.

Small batch HDTVs from a company subverting the mass-production model

If there’s such a thing as an artisanal television brand, NuVision is it. The makers of high-caliber flatscreens steer clear of mass production, preferring instead to individually source their materials and limit their quantity in favor of maintaining the finest quality. I’ve been testing the Superslim55 for the last few months and have been really impressed with the contrast, color quality and overall visual performance.

Their manufacturing process is akin to that of assembling a hand-crafted watch. NuVision chooses software complementary to the hardware components carefully culled from a variety of high-end suppliers and painstakingly calibrates both grayscale and color using a Tristimulus Colorimeter. Proprietary “videophile” algorithms lead to seamless motion and natural general performance, and an automatically adjusted LCD backlight according to the onscreen imagery lends itself to an incredible sense of depth. Not only do slimmer-than-super-slim profiles allow NuVision televisions to blend neatly into their surroundings, but the recently introduced U Color Service provides users the option of selecting the TV’s bezel color, matchable to any paint, swatch, or shade in the Pantone scale.

NuVision televisions also represent the best in green technology. The use of LED means that their TVs require 40% less power than comparable CCFL models and are both mercury and lead-free, but NuVision takes eco-friendly a step further by using only recyclable materials in their products, removing and recycling the televisions at the end of their life-spans. A two-year in-home warranty guarantees unparalleled service with the purchase of any NuVision HDTV.

The full line of NuVision electronics sell on their site. They are meant to be procured through high-end audio-visual specialists and as such, the set-up can be a little complicated for the sub-technophile, but the picture quality is well worth the effort.

Known for their smartly-designed home furnishings, Umbra‘s tasking their customers with getting creative with their products for their new contest You Design. Created in celebration of their 30th anniversary, You Design invites Umbra fans to upload a photo showing an innovative way to use one of their products.

The photos are online for open voting, with the top ten ultimately voted on by a panelist of interior design pundits (including our own CH editor Ami Kealoha). First prize takes home $5,000 in Umbra goods, as well as a trip to NYC for Umbra’s anniversary celebration in August.

For contest details, voting and submitting your photo, check out the You Design website.

While the vibrator was invented just shortly after Edison created the electric light, it’s only recently that adult toys have begun to fully tap the power of technology. From vibrators that sync with iPods to toys purposefully designed for using in water, the industry is challenging both the way sex toys are designed and the way we think about them. Highlighted below, check out some of the latest “sexcessories” that apply a modern approach to stimulation.

Ola Memorable Vibrator

Created by newcomer Minna, the Ola vibrator (pictured at right) reacts to how it’s squeezed, remembering the rhythm pattern for the ultimate in personal satisfaction. Officially launching later this year, the Ola will sell online along with a collection of smartly designed products for intimate activity.

We Vibe Couples Vibrator

The unique We Vibe vibrator is designed to maximize both internal and external stimulation. Made of medical-grade silicone, the flexible “zero maintenance” vibrator features a powerful motor on each end and a slim profile that doesn’t interfere. It sells online or at Babeland stores in NYC for around $100.

Tenga Flip Hole

Newly introduced to the U.S. market, the Flip Hole (pictured at left) demonstrates Tenga‘s remarkable capability to remain a front-runner in adult toys for men.

The reusable hole takes male masturbation to the next level, adding a complex interior shape with each centimeter lending a different sensation—check out the video for a detailed description.

Opening up for easy cleaning and a complete air dry, it also improves upon the hard-to-wash sleeve design of the popular Fleshlight. The Flip Hole sells for $110 from Tenga.

Tenga Egg

Tenga also offers the Egg, a smaller, simpler version of the Flip Hole (pictured above). A silicone oval with three different patterns within the soft silicone interior, the Egg stretches and flips inside out for ease of use and cleanliness. It runs $35 for a set of three, sold from Tenga, where you can also check out their new accessories and creams for further control over masturbatory experiences.

Ohmibod Freestyle Wireless Vibrator

Ohmibod‘s musically-inspired vibes already have quite the following, but 2010 sees the pleasure toy go wireless with their updated version called the Freestyle. Simply connect the wireless transmitter to an iPod or other mp3 player using the mini jack and the Freestyle’s high-powered motor vibrates to the rhythm of the music. The vibe retails online for $130.

Sex in the Shower

Designed specifically for use in water, Sex in the Shower offers suction cup hand holds and foots stands, as well as a variety of products like vibrating loofahs and a waterproof strap-on that make bath time more fun. The line sells from Amazon.

Je Joue

Je Joue offers two varieties of vibrators in four colorways, each with specific purpose. The G-Ki’s space-age look matches its adjustable design, which is light years ahead of the average vibrator. With two heads—one long and slender the other wide and curved—the G-Ki changes shape from a hook to a subtle half-moon. Its ergonomic design maximizes all areas of a female’s anatomy and is perfect for couples’ use. Pre-order it from Je Joue.

“The closest thing to the tip of the tongue,” the SaSi ($150) is a hand-held vibrator that memorizes which of its five patterns move you the most. Learn more about the G-Ki and SaSi from the Je Joue website, where you can watch directional videos and find a local retailer.

Lelo

An original juggernaut of the modern sex toy industry, Swedish label Lelo offers a line of toys boasting clean, minimalist shapes and materials. The Tor ($109), an elegant take on the classic gentleman’s ring (above left), features six stimulation modes that adapt to the user’s desires. The Mia ($64), a discreet, lipstick-size travel vibrator, doesn’t sacrifice quality with size and conveniently recharges through a USB port. Lelo also offers a “Luxe” version, which casts their favored toys in steel or gold.

Zini Duex

This two-part toy, designed for use by couples and inspired by yin and yang, vibrates in tandem for a whole new foreplay experience. Both pieces feature 10 modes and five speeds and sells from Liberator for $175.