It is always nice to see conceptual ideas being turned into reality as technology advances at lightning speed, and this Sony Soutina is definitely one of those that made the grade. Unveiled as a concept slightly over a year ago, it came in a truly stunning design, being tubular in nature and having no particular direction it was pointing to. June 20th will be the date where dreams become real in the form of the Sony Soutina (NSA-PF1), coming with a transparent organic glass tube which vibrates and expand sound to 360 degrees. Other specifications include a frequency response of 50Hz – 20,000Hz, an input line, coaxial & Optical connectivity, a 13cm subwoofer speaker, a 7cm medium speaker and a tweeter. It won’t be easy on your wallet though, retailing for a whopping €6,500.

Source: Akihabarabews

Popularity: 12% [?]

Tanita Japan has rolled out the first portable urine glucose monitor, dubbed the UG-201, in the world. This non-invasive device will be able to check the current blood glucose level indirectly simply by measuring the urine glucose level. All one needs to do is pee on the sensor and an accurate reading will turn up, making this the perfect device to tote around even when you’re out feasting with your family. Perfect for diabetics who are sick and tired of poking themselves with a needle every single day in order to check their blood sugar level. Powered by a single CR2032 lithium watch battery, the Tanita UG-201 will be able to last up to 6 months with three measurements taken daily. The unit itself will retail for approximately $153, with replacement sensors (once every two months) going for $57 a pop.

Source: Far East Gizmos

Popularity: 11% [?]

Throughout my interaction with the opposite sex, I’ve learned one thing - never to question them about the amount of handbags and shoes they purchase, or risk doing so at your own peril. Philips will certainly win over legions of technologically empowered women with their new Smart Handbag concept that features different compartments for various gadgets. What makes this special is the inclusion of individual electric conductive circuits which will top off the juice of the respective device as and when required. The bag can be charged by hooking up its strap into a nearby power outlet, and the other end of the strap can be fitted with a USB connector, allowing you to access all devices stored within via your computer when properly connected. No idea when this ultra delicious handbag will hit the streets commercially though.

Source: Gizmodiva

Popularity: 9% [?]

Going green seems to be all the rage these days, so who can fault Triumph International for coming up with this eco-friendly lingerie? The entire lingerie comes with solar panels that will be able to generate power from the sun (man, talk about getting a real tan if you want to juice up its internal battery) which will then be used to power the display located on the stomach area. This display will be able to show custom messages that are entered from a computer, making this one interesting advertising opportunity. The rest of the bra is made out of high quality organic cotton, so this is as green as it gets. Unfortunately, it won’t see the light of commercial retail shelves anytime soon.

Source: Akihabaranews

Popularity: 11% [?]

Design firm Provoke certainly lives up to its name with a new bunch of Nokia concepts known as Express, Feel and Share. These designs will be showcased at this year’s New York Design Week, so it would be great to make your way down there if you’re interested to see the real thing in the flesh. The Express enables you to customize the user interface - hmm, nothing new here, but apparently the form factor is definitely dazzling (good or bad, I leave that to you as fashion taste is always subjective). As for the Feel, users will be able to send tactile simulated touch messages literally - I wonder just how that will work when it comes to sexual harassment suits? Last but not least, we have the Share concept that brings together Twitter as well as Myspace for “like minded” individuals.

Source: Yanko Design

Popularity: 14% [?]

I know that taking care of plants well is often classified as something you either have, or don’t. After all, it seems as though some people are blessed with green thumbs naturally, although that trait does not seem to be hereditary and appears to be completely random when assigned by the greater power out there. For those who have developed a reputation to be a “plant killer”, there is hope for you yet. Perhaps you have not been paying attention to your plant when it was parched, but with the Flower Nurse, you actually get visual cues to perform certain duties through the use of color changes. Each flower comes with an individual barometric reading, and should its leaves droop, it is high time you drop whatever you’re doing at the moment and do something to remedy the situation. If only real flowers were, you know, more interactive like this.

Source: Yanko Design

Popularity: 10% [?]

Energy costs are slowly but surely rising, no thanks to demands from growing populations in India and China while the rest of the industrialized world continue to clamor for more. Alternative power is still far away from being mainstream, but it is heartening to see companies like Devotec come up with the Solar Charger kit that can store ample energy to juice up your cell phone twice over before a recharge is required. Tipping the scales at less than 80 grams, the Solar Charger’s solar panel will be able to charge its integrated 1800mAh battery whenever it has access to sunlight, or can draw power from a power outlet or USB connection during the night. Each £19.99 purchase comes with tips for older and current Nokia phones, Sony Ericsson, Motorola/Blackberry/mini USB and Samsung models in addition to a DC 5V tip for PSPs and a plethora of digital cameras. iPods are also not left out of the picture with the Solar Charger. Continue Reading

Popularity: 14% [?]

Christy tells us how she created the Mouse Mouse and the Duck Mouse.

Popularity: 12% [?]

For such a company as Apple, with a name that so many are familiar with, it’s still a great claim to be on top of the “brand” pile. You can be known as a brand for good or bad things, and overall, people are saying they put Apple in the number one spot even though they have had a few things try to slow them down.

Brandjunkie.com claims that with six out of ten questions, Apple stays on top of the rest as a name that people believe in when buying products.

They point out that innovation is of huge value to those surveyed, along with reliability and simplicity. Read up on the results over on the site and you’ll see other brands mentioned like Microsoft and Nike. I enjoyed reading this article and seeing how brand names impact our society so much.

Popularity: 26% [?]

Many years back, the only gadget you’d think was essential to everyday life was the humble cell phone. Fast forward a decade or so, and here we are folks who cannot leave their homes without the aforementioned cell phone (or smartphone), an iPod or portable media player of choice, a handheld console (DS Lite or PSP), and perhaps even a PDA. The issue of power then comes in, and it isn’t always the case where you will be able to be in the vicinity of a power outlet. Enter the PowerCube 600 that is capable of pumping out 600 watts of power, relying on the sun to provide you with electricity thanks to its internal batteries. Unfortunately, this isn’t exactly pocket-sized and is more suitable for homes who want to pay less for their monthly power bill, as it weighs a massive 2,000 pounds. Best to leave this sitting in your garden, I’d say.

 Source: Gadget Venue

Popularity: 26% [?]