The Modern Materialist

February 2008 - Posts

• For The Seafood Lover in You

  Posted by Alex Zalben

  When we talk about hamsters—and believe me, we will talk about hamsters if we ever meet in person—I think we can all agree that the best part of the hamster is its Habitrail. And like my grandfather always said, “It’s not the size of the Habitrail, it’s how applicable it is to other animals that counts.” How right, Grandpa. How right. What any of this has to do with fish, after the jump... Read More... + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 28 2008, 11:00 AM with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Pets, Aquariums

• The Power of Art to Arouse

  Posted by Steph Auteri

  [$179.39, Supermarket]  Is it too early in the morning for dildos? Read More... + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 28 2008, 10:35 AM with no comments Filed under: art, sex

• Love it or Leave it? Beer Holster

  Posted by Wendy Atterberry

  [$120, Etsy]  + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 28 2008, 10:00 AM with 2 comment(s) Filed under: Love it or Leave it, Fun Stuff

• A Clean Workspace

  Posted by Steph Auteri

  Notice anything special about this workspace? Yes? No? Look closely.  It's the completely lack of loose cords. BlueLounge, creators of the incredibly handy dandy Cableyoyo, have come out with a new product — the SpaceStation.   Read More... + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 28 2008, 09:30 AM with no comments Filed under: gadgets, computers, tech, clutter

• Fingerprint Lock Brings The Future to Your Door

  Posted by Alex Zalben

  Okay, so it’s no flying car, but at least part of the future is here with the Biometric Fingerprint Door Lock. All you need is a door, one battery, and a finger*, and you’re set. Check it out after the jump... Read More... + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 28 2008, 09:00 AM with no comments Filed under: gadgets, tech, home

• Quick Tip of the Day: Page Holder

  Posted by Wendy Atterberry

  Hey, remember books? Those things we used to read before the Internet took over and life got so busy we had to ingest our 'literature" in little bite-sized blogs and blurbs? Well, surely you at least still pull out your cookbooks from the shelf and dust them off from time to time? And if you're like me, you need three hands to hold the book open, measure ingredients, and, well, fan the flames. And since you probably don't have three hands, this page holder will work just as well (and won't look as silly). [$30, MoMA Store]  + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 28 2008, 08:30 AM with no comments Filed under: Quick tip, kitchen

• Birdcage? Chandelier? Avian Cage of Fiery Death?

  Posted by Steph Auteri

  [$230, Velocity]  This is sort of like one of those Magic Eye posters, where you stare at an incomprehensible sheet of colorful blobs and dots and waves until your eyeballs feel about ready to pop out and then, suddenly, on the verge of dementia or catatonia or both, you see the picture of a sunflower against a field of waving, green grass and feel totally robbed of a good 15 minutes of your life (I love those things!). Read More... + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 27 2008, 06:00 PM with no comments Filed under: lighting, chandeliers

• Undying, 100% Polyester Love

  Posted by Steph Auteri

  [$24.95, The Spoon Sisters]  Sometimes, at night, even though I'm wearing my fuzzy Cookie Monster pajama pants and I have at least three four blankets on top of me, plus my old sleeping bag all unzipped and laid out, I ask Michael to cuddle me, because I am chilly, and I am a delicate, beautiful flower, and sometimes only the heat of undying love can lull me to sleep. Read More... + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 27 2008, 05:00 PM with no comments Filed under: bedroom, pillows

• Love It or Leave It? Bobble Bottle Opener

  Posted by Steph Auteri

  [$5.99, Pop Deluxe]  They're weeble wobblers! And bottle openers! And adorable! Awwww...  + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 27 2008, 04:00 PM with no comments Filed under: cocktails

• This Post is Toast

  Posted by Alex Zalben

  We all love toast, right? It’s the crispy hot bread that keeps on giving, as the saying I just made up goes. We’ve previously documented Tic Tac Toast, and now it’s time for two products that, dare I say it, are the best thing since sliced bread. I said it. I said it. What? Check out all the toast themed products after the jump...  Read More... + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 27 2008, 03:30 PM with no comments Filed under: gadgets, tech, Clocks, phones

• P.S. More Uses for Those Old Issues of Penthou...Um, I Mean, Plenty Magazine

  Posted by Steph Auteri

  [$34, Patina]  Last weekend, I posted on that mirror from Urban Outfitters that I still lust after.   Read More... + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 27 2008, 03:00 PM with no comments Filed under: recycling, green

• Cheap Trick: Bangles

  Posted by Wendy Atterberry

  The description of this bangle bracelet says it has a "touch of gold for a look that whispers high-class." I'm not sure I buy the high-class line, but for only $6.65, I'm totally willing to buy the bracelet. If I pair it with the other sale bracelets, do you think the whisper will suddenly be a shout? [$6.65, Old Navy]  + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 27 2008, 02:30 PM with no comments Filed under: Accessories, Cheap Trick

• No More Leaky Wine Buckets

  Posted by Alex Zalben

  Quick personal story for you: The way I proposed to my then girlfriend was, I snuck into her hotel room while she was out of town for a conference, and set up an array of flowers, champagne, chocolate strawberries, etc. (and a ring). And then I sat there in her hotel room for five hours, because I didn’t know when she was coming back, and I certainly didn’t want to leave a very weird display of totally gross love out on her dresser with absolutely no context. The exciting conclusion after the jump... Read More... + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 27 2008, 02:00 PM with 3 comment(s) Filed under: Booze

• Useless Yet Necessary: The Koi Toy

  Posted by Steph Auteri

  [$14.99, WowZzers]  This baby lights up as soon as it hits the water — and changes color no less! Your 6-year-old can play with it in the tub! Or your 27-year-old can play with it when she's setting up for an intimate gathering and decides it would be fun to throw it into her giant punch bowl of sangria! I mean really. Just because I'm 27 doesn't mean I'm dead.  + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 27 2008, 01:00 PM with no comments Filed under: toys

• Refurnishings: Occasional Table

  Posted by Wendy Atterberry

  This is called an "occasional" table, which makes me wonder: what the hell is "occasional" about it? Is it a table that is normally kept in the bedroom, but occasionally moved to the livingroom? Or maybe it is usually used to hold a lamp, but occasionally used to hold a plant? Or maybe you really like it and on occasion, you even love it? Regardless of its actual intention, it's up for grabs on eBay. [starting bid $79, eBay]  + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 27 2008, 12:30 PM with no comments Filed under: Refurnishings, eBay

• Product Porn: Robotic Breast Massager

  Posted by Alex Zalben

  I don't know what's creepier, the fact that this exists, or that the video has no sound, so you can't hear the silent screams of its victim: [Via Geekologie]  + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 27 2008, 12:00 PM with no comments Filed under: gadgets, concepts, tech, Product Porn, sexy

• Love it or Leave it? Nose Cup

  Posted by Wendy Atterberry

  You can pick your friends, you can pick you nose, and now you can even pick your friends' noses. Nose cups, anyway. [$7.49, Perpetual Kid]  + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 27 2008, 11:00 AM with no comments Filed under: Quick tip, Fun Stuff

• Piggy Bank 2.0

  Posted by Alex Zalben

  My first, and largest problem with this Bluetooth credit card reader concept is that it is not pink. HOW DO YOU HAVE A PIG, AND NOT MAKE IT PINK??? Okay, rant over. Submitted as part of the 2007 Henkel Design Award, this little piggy will work at the market, or at home, or if you want roast, or even if you want none. Official Description after the jump...   Read More... + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 27 2008, 10:30 AM with no comments Filed under: gadgets, concepts, tech, money

• Don't Tell the Cops, But...

  Posted by Steph Auteri

  [$149, Plantronics]  ...I still illegally answer my cell phone in the car, because I never got around to hooking up my Bluetooth earpiece. And sometimes I even send text messages. While driving. Not just at red lights. I'm amazing! (And perhaps dangerous!) Read More... + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 27 2008, 10:00 AM with 2 comment(s) Filed under: gadgets, tech

• Retro Arcade: Pac-Man CD/DVD Case

  Posted by Alex Zalben

  [$12, 80s Tees] 80s Tees has the finest grunge wear and Monica Lewinsky joke products around. I kid, of course… They do have some of the best retro goods around, but, non-shockingly, from the 1980s. That includes this Pac-Man CD/DVD case. Or, given that the format war was just won, let’s say it’s a Blu-Ray case. My favorite part of this is metal Blinky hanging off of it. God I love Blinky. [Via Geeky Gadgets] + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 27 2008, 09:00 AM with no comments Filed under: video games, Retro Arcade, DVDs, CDs

• Quick Tip of the Day: Lazy Spoon

  Posted by Wendy Atterberry

  Oh, life is hard for a spoon. First, there's all that sitting in a drawer. Then there's all that stirring of stuff.  And sometimes there's the sitting in hot soup while the cook forgets all about you. Even a spoon rest isn't terribly comfortable. But this, this is the way to go. Between stirs and sitting in drawers, the Lazy Spoon can just hang out for awhile, and the bonus is there's no mess anywhere for you to clean up. Because let's face it, life is hard for you too! [$27, Lazy Spoon]  + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 27 2008, 08:30 AM with no comments Filed under: Quick tip, home goods, kitchen

• Cheap Trick: Safari Frame

  Posted by Wendy Atterberry

  I know stranger things have happened besides Anthropologie selling something for less than 5 bucks, but it still seems like perhaps temps may have dipped a bit you know where. [$3.95, Anthropologie]  + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 26 2008, 05:00 PM with no comments Filed under: home decor, Cheap Trick

• The Watch List

  Posted by Alex Zalben

  I stopped wearing a wrist watch back in college. There was a certain point when all I would do all day would be check my watch for the time, even in the middle of classes*. I would even do the thing where I would check the time, put my arm down, then forget what time I just saw it was, and have to check again. So I stopped wearing a watch, reduced my time stress level, and got a cell phone. Now I check my cell phone for the time, in the same exact way I used to check my watch. Oh well. Anyway, who wants to look at some ridiculous watches? Check 'em all out, after the jump... Read More... + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 26 2008, 03:00 PM with no comments Filed under: gadgets, tech, Clocks, watches

• Love It or Leave It? Clumsy Coasters

  Posted by Steph Auteri

  [$9.99, Perpetual Kid]  Just in case your coffee table didn't already look messy enough.  + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 26 2008, 02:00 PM with no comments

• Art Exhibition in Your Living Room

  Posted by Steph Auteri

  [$36.95, The Spoon Sisters]  I fancy myself an artiste, a careful sculptor or words and phrases and radiant strings of pure, written language (never mind all of my past typos). But my drawing abilities hover somewhere in the realm of nursery school flunkie. Seriously. As far as I'm concerned, the creator of the drawings above is Picasso. Read More... + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 26 2008, 01:00 PM with no comments Filed under: Lamps, lighting, DIY

• Product Porn: Hi Can, The Ferrari of Beds

  Posted by Alex Zalben

  Man, I'd like to sleep all over that. [Via Gizmodo]  + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 26 2008, 12:30 PM with no comments Filed under: Videos, Product Porn, Google, Gmail

• Retro Arcade: Punch-Out Scarf

  Posted by Alex Zalben

  [$175, $75, Etsy] How better to stay warm than with Little Mac and the original ear biter himself? Etsy user Beatboxtaun has created a one of kind Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out scarf for the Nintendo lover in all of us. And if I had almost $200 to spend on a scarf, I would grab this in an instant. Luckily, I'm a magnanimous sort, and will leave it for you, the Materialista, to purchase. Not a Punch-Out Fan? There's a scarf for you, too, after the jump...  Read More... + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 26 2008, 12:00 PM with no comments Filed under: video games, Best of Etsy, Retro Arcade, scarves

• Lego Mp3 Players

  Posted by Alex Zalben

  Yes, I like brightly colored blocks? What of it? If they made Lincoln Log Mp3 players, I'd be all over that, too. Here's the deets: This lego MP3 player support max 2GB microSD card. The built-in brechargable Li-ion battery can be fully charged in 6 hours. Connect this iPlayer to your computer's USB port using the provided cable, you can manage files and charge the iPlayer's battery. Convenience raised round buttons on the lego. This item comes with a headphone, USB cable, Strap, and User Manual. Very unique.   I agree, very unique. Also, this is only part of a whole line of Lego inspired music players, including a boom box for your iPod, and speakers, so head over and check 'em out. [$46, Homeloo] [Via Technabob]  + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 26 2008, 11:30 AM with 1 comment(s) Filed under: gadgets, Love it or Leave it, tech, Music, mp3 Players

• Love it or Leave it? Camera Necklace

  Posted by Wendy Atterberry

  [$30, Supermarket]  + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 26 2008, 11:00 AM with no comments Filed under: Love it or Leave it, Jewelry

• Tuesday Apple Store Update: New Shuffles and Laptops

  Posted by Alex Zalben

  [Apple Store, Prices Below] If it’s Tuesday, it must be time for an Apple Store update. Since the beginning of the year, every week we’ve been getting trickles of new products with little or no fanfare*. This Tuesday is no different, with at least three new-ish products gracing the virtual shelves. Check out all the new hotness after the jump...  Read More... + DIGG + DEL.ICIO.US + REDDIT Posted Feb 26 2008, 10:30 AM with no comments Filed under: gadgets, Apple, tech