designapalooza’s posterous

call me Asian (oh wait, I am Asian), but I cannot live without my rice cooker!

Reasons why I like my rice cooker:

1) it's dummy-proof!

1. add "x" cups of rice
2. fill water to "x" line
3. press the "cook" button down
4. button will pop up once the rice is done cooking!

2) it has a removable, non-stick inner pot for easy cleanup
3) Auto warm functions
4) besides rice, you can use it to make porridge, stew, soup
5) it's durable! my rice cooker has been used longer than my existence in America (11 years in case you're wondering), no joke!

-Yi

   

Click here to download:

rice_cooker.zip (55 KB)

A USB fingerprint scanner designed to be used as a password manager.
 
The device has a sturdy metal exterior, a nice change from the tradition plastic shell used for so many electronics protects. Likewise, the detector itself is a square as opposed to that bar found on most laptops, so you do not need to try to move your finger at a constant velocity.
 
The only thing I would change was make the device self-installing, so that you do not need to put in a CD and restart the computer to install the device.
 
David Anderson

The traditional, disposable plastic spoons
 
The primary problem I have with these spoons is that, while they work for any light substances, the handle is thin and made of a light, flexible plastic. Thus, if trying to use the spoon with anything harder (say, something frozen), the handle bends so much that it is nearly unusable.
 
I would make the handle with an 'x' cross section, to better prevent flexing.
 
David Anderson

CD keys: the long alphanumeric string that is entered during software install to discourage piracy: is usually physically separate from the CD.
 
This is a horribly designed system. For software pirates, it is easy to come by a crack eliminating the need for keys, at which point the game can be played over LAN or over the internet using LAN-emulating software. All a CD key does is slow down piracy for the first few hours/days following a release. After that point, it merely serves to inconvenience legitimate owners, who must now keep track of a CD key in addition to the disk itself, lest they ever want to reinstall the software.
 
David Anderson

The scissors allows me to quickly shred a small document or bill in a space
saving format. They are only a little deeper than regular scissors, so they
fit compactly into my desk drawer. They also are very quiet, which is one of
the things I hate most about regular shredders. I dislike the handle and
would change it because it is not big enough to fit my fingers. It's also
annoying that without opening the scissors to their full range they only cut
a 2 inch section at a time. I would lengthen the end of the scissors to make
the shredding process faster. I would also make the scissor in different
shredding widths because I have found them useful in cutting parallel strips
of paper. A wider version could be used for craft projects or thicker papers
or envelopes.
 
Sarah Southerland

   

Click here to download:

Shredding_Scissors.zip (6158 KB)

Laptop theft is a heartbreaking reality of modern life. Your thesis, your photos, your music, your perfectly customized folder system...all gone within an instant. And likely never returned.
 
My previous laptop - a Toshiba - was stolen from my house this past summer. But it was recovered within a couple of hours because I had tagged it with a STOP security tag.
 
What's a STOP tag? It's a special metal tag which attaches to your laptop with a special type of adhesive that requires 800 pounds of force to remove (and if removed, leaves a permanent tattoo saying "STOLEN PROPERTY"). Also, each tag comes with a special barcode that is linked in the official STOP database to your contact information, so that recovered laptops can be easily returned to the rightful owner. (See video and pictures below.)
 
The thieves tried prying it off, but ultimately must have decided that it wasn't worth the trouble of trying to illegally resell this specially-marked laptop, since they deposited it on the street. A good samaritan picked it up and called the STOP hotline which was noted on the tag.
 
[Of note - stolen on the same day was my little sister's year-old MacBook Pro (which wasn't tagged with a STOP tag), and we never got it back.]
 
It's easy to get the tag - the MIT Police provides taggings (for only $10) several times a year. Email Sergeant Cheryl Vossmer (crimbite@mit.edu) for more info.
 
The minus side is that at 2" by 2.5", the tag is rather obvious (by nature of its intended purpose!) and may offend the aesthetic tastes of some. But I think it's completely worth it.
 
Official Website:
http://stoptheft.com/site/index.php
(They claim that 80% of stolen laptops that have been STOP-tagged have been recovered.)
 
--Alice

Click here to download:

STOP_Plate_Video.wmv (6495 KB)

     

Click here to download:

STOP_Security_Tags_for_Laptops.zip (1532 KB)

Those who fly NWA (and possibly other airlines, I'm not sure) are well familiar with the SkyMall. In my long flights to China, I have thoroughly studied every single page of those catalogs. The products inside are all interestingly designed, ranging from useful to quirky.

Indeed, it seems the perfect place for many 2.97 projects.

I could easily see:

• the Kitty Pinata sold next to the Door Hung Cat Climber
  (http://www.skymall.com/shopping/detail.htm?pid=102828842&c=10721)
• the Med Links Utility Belt next to the Mini Tech Briefcase
  (http://www.skymall.com/shopping/detail.htm?pid=94669644&c=)
• the Wire+ next to the Cable Management Kit
  (http://www.skymall.com/shopping/detail.htm?pid=102125399&c=)
• the Porta-Desk next to the e-Pad
  (http://www.skymall.com/shopping/detail.htm?pid=102758220&c=)
• the Bike Barista next to the Cup Pilot
  (http://www.skymall.com/shopping/detail.htm?pid=102827461&c=)

In my action-packed lifestyle, one of my greatest worries is bruising (thus destroying) my favorite healthy snack.  I often find myself tackled by female admirers when I go outside--many times leading to banana impaction, and an inedible lunch.  This revolutionary product could usher in a new age of worry free banana consumption.

Banana enthusiasts rejoice!

Ben Peters

I love this idea!  I am so often walking around and drinking my favorite carbonated beverage and have to pick up other items, unlock doors or give double high-fives.  And there are so many other items I could put in the kangarooesque pouch, such as a graphing calculator, a bottle of maple syrup, a section of 2x4, several decks of cards or even a baby walrus.

The simple elegance and beauty of this design astounds me.  A true masterpiece of the fashion industry.

Ben Peters

'The "Universal World House" is a $5,000, 390-square-foot modular home, outfitted with plumbing and boarding facilities to support up to eight residents each. The secret of its construction is its "paper" shell; the resin-soaked cellulose, made from recycled paper, is shaped into honeycomb walls, which provide structural integrity and insulation to the houses.  Apparently a few countries have placed orders for the UWH, including Nigeria and Angola, but I could see how domestic aide organizations could benefit from something like this too.' (BBC)

This just goes to show how strong and useful cellulose based building materials can be.  Although this house isn't very big or complicated, it looks very useful for temporary housing because of its low cost and easy setup.  Truckloads of these houses could be sent to disaster relief efforts, or it could make a very nice vacation getaway.  :)

Ben Peters