The Modern Materialist : USB

I'm a [USB]Key

Shaun Seneviratne — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 13:30:00 GMT

There are a LOT of keys on that carabiner. These keys belong to Louis of the band Let Me Run, and when we were on tour last Winter I asked him what he could possibly need all those keys for and he actually gave me plausible answers. Personally, I only have three keys on mine (but it still sounds like a dog walking with a tambourine around his/her neck) and it's done me alright so far.

On a somewhat unrelated note, the other day I came to the realization that I'm probably the only mildly tech-savvy person (or person in general?) without a USB stick. But since I don't want to keep more things in my pocket and I don't always carry my messenger bag around, I'd want a USB stick that I can bring everywhere with me (never know when you'll need it) without having to wear some nerdy necklace.

Oh, I got it! Carabiner. . .keys. . . USB stick. . .

And LaCie's answer to it all! The LaCie iamaKey is a USB stick in the shape of a key. Since my keys are exposed, I'd be a little weary of this getting roughed up, but fear not--Lacie made this USB stick with water- and scratch-resistant material. Available in 4 or 8 gigs.

I'm getting this as soon as I get paid. Four keys, here I come!

[$18 - $28, LaCie]

[Via Holy Cool]

Related: Fun With It: USB Flash Drives

Design Concept: Mixtapes for the Mp3 Age

Shaun Seneviratne — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:36:00 GMT

[photo via]

Mixtapes are some of the best things in the world! Passively telling someone how you feel through songs, spending the time to make sure songs transition into one another well, diversifying the genres, etc. It's really the only reason I miss tapes (sadly I don't even have a tape player anymore). Mix CDs just don't carry the same weight as tapes (it's much easier to queue up a bunch of songs in iTunes and burn a CD than sit at a stereo and wait for a song to finish before adding the next one).

Though I miss the idea of tapes, I like the practicality of mp3s. What's a sappy kid to do?

The NVDRS Tape is an mp3 player that, quite obviously, resembles an audio cassette tape. Like a real tape, it comes in either 45, 60, or 90 minute options. To make this mp3 experience even more organic, the only way to fast forward and rewind is to stick your finger in the spools and turn it manually:

A digital reader in the middle even shows elapsed time on the tape:

Can this get any fucking cooler?!?! I really hope this concept becomes a reality.

One problematic thing: if I give a mixtape to someone and it doesn't work out with us, is it in poor taste to ask for this back?

Here are some mixtape faves of mine:

Jawbreaker - "Chesterfield King"
Promise Ring - "Make Me a Mixtape"
Yo La Tengo - "Sugarcube"
Braid - "Forever Got Shorter"
The City on Film - "Portland Maine and the Pouring Rain"
Alkaline Trio - "Clavicle"
Descendents - "Nothing With You"
The Ergs! - "Kind of Like Smitten"
Daft Punk - "Digital Love"
Rites of Spring - "For Want Of"
Hot Snakes - "Plenty For All"
Lemuria - "Length Away"
Lifetime - "I Like You, OK"
Saves The Day - "Sometimes, New Jersey"
My Bloody Valentine - "What You Want"
Nada Surf - "Inside of Love"
New Order - "Age of Consent"
The Ramones - "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend"
Red House Painters - "Have You Forgotten"
Kind of Like Spitting - "43c"
Big Star - "Thirteen"
Owen - "Good Deeds"
Smoking Popes - "Rubella"
Ryan Adams - "Two Hearts"
My Morning Jacket - "Lowdown"
Kath Bloom - "Come Here"
Ida - "599"

Sorry. . . got a little carried away! Kudos if you made it that far.

[Via Yanko Design]

Flash Your Significant Other

Diana Vilibert — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 21:02:00 GMT

Can a flash drive be a romantic gift? I think so, if it looks like this:

Load it up with a digital photo album of the two of you and it becomes a nerdy Valentine's Day gift. You're welcome.

[$15, Sourcing Map]

Hot and Bothered

Laureen Mahler — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:08:00 GMT

It's funny how sometimes the universe conspires to produce the perfect product at the perfect moment. Like how earlier this week I posted about USB slippers that warm your feet, and a little before that about a bra that massages your breasts. So what happens when you put those two products together?

You get USB bra inserts that warm your breasts while you're on the computer:

Sure it's a lesser know affliction, but PC-induced boob freeze is a huge problem these days. Didn't you know?

[¥1980, Rare Mono]

[via Geekologie]

Slipper into Something More Comfortable

Laureen Mahler — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 18:19:00 GMT

Every once in a while, a product comes along that makes me never want to leave my apartment. These slippers currently rate #1 in that category. They might look like plain old fuzzy slippers, but see that little wire on the right? These are USB slippers...

Basically, you plug 'em into your USB port and they magically heat up, keeping your feet toasty warm while you type the hours away.

[$25, USB Geek]

Kiss of the Octopus

Alex Zalben — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:23:00 GMT

I'll be honest with you: I don't even remotely get this device, though it's very, very intriguing, for no reason I can pinpoint. It's very cute looking though, and here's what it does:

The Kissing Octopus is a small capacity USB Flash Drive, that also works as a magnet for notes, and if you have two, you can put them together so it looks like they're kissing. But, and here's the confusing part, if you do that, they're essentially unusable.

Form over function, anyone?

[Via Engadget]

This USB Device Has a Fingeriffic Secret

Alex Zalben — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:05:00 GMT

Sure this looks like a normal flash drive, but it actually has an awesome secret, and to unlock it, all you need is your fingers:

This is actually a fingerprint activated password protector, which stores your online info, and can only be activated with your finger. Now all I need to do is steal your fingers. I mean, all theives need to do. Cough.

[$50, Amazon]

[Via GeekSugar]

Because Cats Can't Type

Steph Auteri — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 22:36:00 GMT

Either their butts are in front of my monitor, or they're walking across my keyboard, causing me to accidentally inject typos into my Modern Materialist posts (srsly, that's the reason...).

So generally, the cats are NOT allowed up on my desk.

But this new one... how can I keep her away?

This little kitteh has four ports (three on her back, and one in her mouth). I am in lover with her, andcan only hope that a U.S. retailer starts carrying her because, at the moment, she is only available in lots of 100 from China.

This makes me sad.

Yet hopeful.

That is all.

[Via Oh Gizmo!]

It's Not a Fuel Tank, It's... No, Actually, It's a Fuel Tank

Alex Zalben — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 21:01:00 GMT

Two essential truths:

1) Wearing the above shirt doesn't erase the fact that you have a belly.

2) THIS is a fueltank:

More specifically, it's called Fueltank, and has more than seven times the charge of a mobile phone battery on its own rechargable lithium ion battery. And, it can charge two USB ready devices at the same time. You know, like your sex machines?

[$60, Callpod]

[Via Geek Alerts]

Gadget Makes You Feel Warm and Tingly

Steph Auteri — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:01:00 GMT

I know all you guys think I'm a giant perv by this point, but hear me out. This nifty little USB gadget will make you feel warm and tingly, and you can use it while you're working at your computer!

It's a hand warmer, people! Powered by your USB, it heats up tp about 50 degrees, and is a nice alternative to wearing your warmies in the office.

Then again, maybe manufacturers did have something else on their minds...

[$12, Gadget4all]

[Via GeekAlerts]

Equations: Vacuum Mouse

Alex Zalben — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:34:00 GMT

[Via Everything USB]

What Is She Hiding?

Alex Zalben — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:29:00 GMT

I think this lady is hiding something, I just can't tell what it is. Oh, here we go:

Turns out, that clothespin was a USB drive. Neat!

[Via Yanko Design]

These Are Not Chocolates

Alex Zalben — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:37:00 GMT

You probably have a pretty fair idea that these are not chocolates. They do look like chocolates, and they're the size of chocolates, but do you know what they actually are?

Four port USB hubs. That's a lot of power in a tiny little chocolate. I mean, gadget.

[Via Akihabara News]

These Skulls Have a Secret

Alex Zalben — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:32:00 GMT

Pretty rad skull rings, right? I mean, you'll be a total bad-ass with them on. Except, they have one terrifying secret:

They're actually a 2GB USB flash drive... You nerd.

[$146, Geek Stuff 4 U]

[Via Gizmodo]

Related: Trend Watch - Your Thick Skull

Bunnies Be Doin' It To Each Other

Alex Zalben — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 16:08:00 GMT

I've owned two bunnies in my life, so I think I can fairly say that what they like to do is:

- Eat.

- Hump.

...And that's pretty much it. Which is why this is so appropriate (and, surprisingly cute):

[$15, Urban Outfitters]

[Via GeekSugar]

Related: Fun With It - USB Drives

Oh, Say Can You C?

Alex Zalben — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 21:33:00 GMT

Can you "c" what this really is? It's a...

...USB desk lamp! Not sure about pricing, as the site is Japanese, but perhaps one of our international readers can translate?

[Conof]

[Via GeekSugar]

Related: Sexiest. Lamp. Ever.

Whack It At Your Computer

Alex Zalben — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:57:00 GMT

Normally, I like to whack it at a place where there's a lot of children around. But there's something to be said for whacking it at home, in front of your computer:

[£12, Gizoo]

[Via Coolest Gadgets]

The Cure For Bored Fingers

Alex Zalben — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 19:29:00 GMT

Are your finger's bored? Need a little something to play with? Then why not try out this:

Get it? Finger's bored? Finger board? It's a joystick, anyway.

[$20, Everything USB]

[Via Ubergizmo]

You've Got Webmail

Steph Auteri — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:04:00 GMT

As if my e-mail-checking wasn't OCD enough (I have my gmail perpetually open, and gmail notification active in the lower right-hand corner of my screen)...

...this USB-powered Webmail Notifier connects to your private e-mail account and glows when you have a new e-mail!

Oh gawd, I propose we all quit the Internet for at least a week or something. Except for Modern Materialist. You can still read that. Because how else would you know where to buy porn for new moms and stuff.

[Via Geek Alerts]

Evolution: The Snap Bracelet

Alex Zalben — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:19:00 GMT

In the beginning, there was this:

And for a time, it was good. But the tech gods smiled upon us, and gave us this:

It's a snap bracelet, but it's also a USB connector. Praise the Tech Gods!

[Via Yanko Design]

Related: Coffee Cup Fashion, Cuff Me

Do Not Eat This Fruit

Diana Vilibert — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:54:00 GMT

Things to do with this plate of strawberries and watermelon slices:

...well if your plate of juicy fruit is really a plate of USB sticks, you can:

1. Smuggle them into your local supermarket and plant them in the produce section.
2. Send to a fellow gadget geek in lieu of a fruit basket.
3. Upload an invitation for a summer BBQ onto them--they double as party favors!

[$28, Brando]

[Via TechFresh]

This Necklace Has a Secret

Alex Zalben — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:00:00 GMT

This is a fine looking heart shaped necklace, right? Wrong!

Unlock the heart, and it turns into a 2GB USB flash drive. Now, that's the key to my heart.

[Via Akihabara News]

Your USB Device is On Crank

Alex Zalben — Tue, 06 May 2008 19:30:00 GMT

Before there were cordless power devices, before there was even electricity coursing through every building, man had to crank his own electricity. Actually, I have no idea if this is true. Sorry, I slept through both history and science.

Anyway, I’m sure at some point, someone had to crank something, because the Hand Crank USB Power Charger exists, and it’s a pretty cool solution for anyone who’s on the road, or camps, or, you know, doesn’t live in a house.

The Hand Crank actually works two ways: you can crank it to create power when away from a power source; or, it plugs into any AC power source to store up a charge. Either way, any USB device can be plugged into the Hand Crank, and charged up in a snap.

Exercise and gadgets? Who would have ever thought they would go together?

[$40, National Geographic Store]

[Via Dvice]

The MM Interview: Brian Heater and the Tiniest Camcorder

Alex Zalben — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:30:00 GMT

The MM Interview is a feature where I talk to people I like about stuff they love. Today I’m chatting with Brian Heater a writer for PC Magazine by day, and a comic book authority at night (almost literally… He works for PC Mag during the day, and blogs about comic books at night). As a man about town in two different worlds, Brian needed a handy video camera to document all his outings and aboutings, which how he came across the Flip.

MM: Okay Brian, tell me a little about yourself.

BH: Hi, I’m Brian. I live in New York. Between the hours of 9 AM and 6 PM, I help run the blogs over at PC Magazine, including Gearlog.com [gadgets], Appscout.com [software], GoodCleanTech.com [green technology], and Technoride.com [car tech]. It’s a pretty great gig—one day it’s big breaking a big eBay scandal, and the next it’s hitting a keyboard with a baseball bat. At night I do music writings for publications like The New York Press, Spin, and The Onion. I also run a comic book site called The Daily Cross Hatch and weep softly to myself. Not over anything in particular, really, I just think it’s healthy to have a good cry from time to time, just so long as you don’t wake the neighbors.

MM: I said a LITTLE about yourself, Brian… ANYway, why did you end up looking for a video camera? Or were you not looking for one, and just stumbled across the Flip?

BH: The Flip found me, really. It showed up in the mail, hoping to find purchase in the pages of PC Magazine. The thing has rarely left my side since. In fact, it’s thanks almost entirely to the little camera that we began shooting videos for Gearlog. We have a video team here at PC Mag, but with the filming, editing, and various other post-production chores, things can be a bit sluggish, especially given the fact that the majority of that team is based out of San Francisco. With the Flip, production times are limited to the 3-5 minutes of shooting and the amount of time it takes to upload to YouTube (which, admittedly sometimes takes a bit longer than I’d care to mention). The Flip has a USB arm that flips out (hence the clever name), connecting directly to your PC. All files are saved in .AIV, so there’s no conversion needed before uploading. It’s all just drag-and-drop. [Check out a few sample videos, here.]

As you know, I was struggling a bit to come up with a good product to choose for this story. I wanted something bank-breakingly sexy. I mean, I’ve got an Apple notebook and an iPod, like everyone else in this city, but sometimes good things come in affordable packages. This sub $200 camcorder is firmly targeted at those us who couldn’t rush out and stand in line for the first iPhone iteration. It’s cheap, handy, and, according to David Pogue, has managed to snap up an astonishing 13-perecent camcorder market share in the US.

MM: Spoken like a true gadget writer. So, you like to break stuff, right? How sturdy is the Flip?

BH: I haven’t done any torture testing, per se (I’d be too sad to see my friend cut down in its prime), but The Flip lives in my messenger bag, most days, which is something that I would never consider doing to a more expensive camcorder. All said, it’s handled the daily dings fairly admirably.

MM: Any interesting or funny stories that have happened while using the Flip?

BH: Ha, a few, actually, most of which can be found on the above YouTube profile. The first video on the page was taken at this year’s CES. Someone in a fake “metal” wig was showing off a Guitar Hero-branded device involving a mini amp for playing “air guitar”—firmly targeted as people who can’t play real guitars, game guitars, or real air guitars all that well. We posted the video on YouTube, and in racked up somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 k hits fairly quickly. Naturally, it seemed like a good idea to maintain the page. On that same trip, we shot a video which will never see the light of YouTube, involving a colleague demonstrating a piece of urinal technology called the “Splash Guardian.” No actual urinating occurred, mind you—the segment involved fermented hops. In the end, however, probably best for all involved that the footage stayed buried. Other highlights from the YouTube page include a coworker hula-hooping to Wii Fit (he received some letters from admiring fans), dancing Japanese robots, and USB humping dog dongles.

MM: Okay, here’s my perennial last question: let's imagine a horrible day when the Flip breaks, permanently... Do you think you'll buy another one, or is there something else you have your eyes on?

BH: On my salary? Think I’m sticking with the Flip.

[$110, Amazon]

Hubba Hubba

Alex Zalben — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 20:30:00 GMT

At some point, someone with way more scientific knowledge than I have will explain to me why we can suddenly stick magnets on our computers. I first noticed this when Apple released it’s Front Row remote, which magnetically stuck to your ’puter. I guess this magnetic USB hub is only the second occurrence, but still… Isn’t that supposed to erase it, or something?

This particular USB hub sports four ports, and, as mentioned, magnetically sticks to the side of your desktop, to save space on your desk. It works with pretty much any operating system, and comes in black and white. And, for a limited time, it’ll automatically erase your disk drive.

Just kidding, but I don’t know why or how I’m kidding.

[$12, Brando]

HP’s New, 3 Megapixel Webcam

Alex Zalben — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 15:30:00 GMT

I don’t own a webcam. I don’t own a computer equipped with one. I’m not interested in video chatting with people on the internet. This is mainly because, for the most part, the quality is pretty poor. Even Apple’s included webcam isn’t that great, and I LOVE Apple stuff, so clearly I’m on the up and up here.

I don’t know how much the HP Elite Auto Focus is yet, as it was just announced, but this may just change things a bit. The Elite is a 3 Megapixel video, 12 megapixel still webcam with a sleek black and glowing blue design. It claims to have HD quality which may be a little bit of a stretch, given that it’s only 3 megapixels, and works off USB, but I won’t knock it until I try it.

It also has an instant chat button, for connecting to your web service of choice (AIM, Skype, Windows Live Messenger, and Yahoo Messenger), and special effects, which really should be a feature on no cameras, ever. Hey, check it out, I’m sepia toned! I’m talking to you from the Old West! Hiyo!

Anyway, it may seem like I’m soured on my own thesis over the course of this post, which is somewhat true. However, I would like to see a good webcam, and 3 Megapixels is a great step forward. Also? This looks really cool.

You can check out more info here, and I’ll let you all know once the price is announced.

Copy Up To 21 USB Drives In a Snap

Alex Zalben — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 17:30:00 GMT

The Aleratec 1:21 USB Flash Drive Copy Cruiser copies up to 21 USB flash drives for you, simultaneously, in record time. Reasons you might need to copy 21 flash drives simultaneously:

- You totally get off on backing up small amounts of information.

That’s pretty much the only one I can think of.

Seriously, though, folks… This sort of thing can be very good for promotion purposes; I once got handed a flash key at a party that had a few movie trailers on it, and I watched all of them, because hey, free flash key.

It can also be worthwhile for teachers… Granted, you’ll have to buy a ton of flash keys on a teacher’s salary, but you can copy important lessons and supplementary material for your entire class at once.

One of the great things about this unit, in particular, is that it also verifies your copies are readable before you eject ‘em, so you won’t be giving out bunk drives.

Sadly, it only works for the PC, so Mac users, you’ll just have to continue copying USB drives the old fashioned way: by being awesome at everything.

Yeah, I said it.

[$1049, Aleratec]

USB Cup Warmer, Clock, and Hub Takes Care of Three Basic Human Needs

Alex Zalben — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:00:00 GMT

I drink a lot of coffee. Like, way, way, way too much coffee. Maybe not 30 cups a day, or having my coffee on a constant IV drip or anything, but I definitely need a little fuel to keep my day going. It's nice to have a little something to sip while I scour the web, looking for the latest and hottest products to hit the market. However, the sad reality is that I’m often sipping one cup for longer than the coffee can stay hot.

That’s why I kind of love this USB Cup Warmer. Not only does it keep my coffee hot, but it also has a clock (my constant need to know the time has been well documented on this blog before), and it’s a 4-port USB hub. So it hits the nerd buttons, too. It’s also USB powered, natch, so all you need is a computer, a cup of joe, and you’re good to go.

[$24, Brando]