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Hot Posts: Top Ten Unplggd Posts 07.05.08

070508_sz_hotpostsroll.jpg Happy post 4th of July! Hopefully you pyros have all your digits today! We knew someone long ago who lost a few fingers playing with fireworks and became the subject of a Rescue 911 episode. Not something we recommend.

So this week some oldies but goodies kept your interest, such as streaming content to your PS3 and the Optima mini projector, but some newbies peaked your interest as well, like Walmart's Stockholm desk. Also, seems like flip clocks are in, as two posts on flip clock trends got you flipping on our site. Lets take a look at the weekly top ten...

Happy 4th of July

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Happy 4th of July weekend...we'll be back Monday.

Final Frame: Steelcase Coordinated Offices

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Steelcase Coordinated Offices

Tyrant Alarm Clock: Get Up or I'll Call Your Mom

2008_07_03 tyrant-alarm-clock.jpgWe have seen our share of cruel alarm clocks, but this one takes the cake. So much so that we would probably wake up before the alarm went off out of fear and the thought of humiliation.

Known as the Tyrant, definitely a fitting name, this alarm clock pairs with your cell phone...and your contact list. For every three minutes that the alarm clock remains ringing, your cell phone will dial a random number. If that doesn't get you out of bed, your ex calling back asking why you are ringing them at 6 AM certainly will.

023 Bureau Desk by Atlantico

023_bureau_desk.jpgThoughtfully designed, the Atlantico 023 Bureau desk includes a right surface that can fold up and hinge into a stand-like position allowing post-its, the ability to write with a dry erase marker, and quick access to anything hidden in the back of the cubby. Fold it down and you've got a perfect space to hide your laptop - we're just hoping this relatively pricey piece has a hole in the back for wire management!

Momofuku Ko: Table for 2? Get Online

2008_07_03 momofuku.jpgThat's right, get online not in line. While the restaurant in question, Momofuku in NYC, doesn't try to stand out as a high tech restaurant in the sense of being filled with touch screen tables or robot bar tenders, it differentiates itself in the way that reservations are made.

Photo: Noah Kalina for Wired

Fancy White Designer Phone for Landline Lovers

designer_contemporary_phone.jpgIt's hard to come up with a person who still relies on landlines to keep in touch with all the cell phones out there right now, but there's apparently still a market out there that General Electric had to cater to; hence the creation of their phone-clock combo ideally named, "Designer Series Contemporary Phone." It's so shiny, it even matches our Kitchenaid mixer...

Apartment Therapy Fave Upgrades his TV in Style

070308_sz_baroquetv.jpg Over at ATNY Jill points us to one of Apartment Therapy's most valuable players, Curtis. The man behind the house that's not only been featured in Apartment Therapy Presents: Real Homes, Real People, Hundreds of Design Solutions, but in a handful of posts, has recently upgraded his baroque-style TV cabinet...

Kage Roi: Hi Tech Table that Googles for You

2008_07_03 kage_roi.jpgWhen I have been involved in brainstorming sessions at the office....or a heated discussion anywhere near a computer for that matter, Googling something is inevitable. Whether is to prove someone wrong or to continue the conversation, additional info is always a welcome thing. Researchers from Keio University in Japan agree, and have taken this one step further.

By projecting Google results directly on the table. Through recognizing key words in the conversation, relevant search results and images are projected on the table for the brainstormers to use or ignore. Since it is projected rather than displayed on a built in screen you can tech up your fancy Tulip table than have to replace it.

-via Core77

Debunked Hype: Solid State Drives vs. The Usual Spinners

samsung_64gb_ssd.jpgAfter reading into Tom's Hardware's extensive tests looking into proposed power savings of these new flash-based drives of the future, they made a shocking discovery. Despite the overall performance gains (as expected from flash memory), they found SSD's actually used up significantly more power than normal hard drives found in most laptops. So, what does that mean for the portability market?

Philippe Starck's Designer Wind Turbine

070308_sz_StarckTurbine.jpgWe know what's really been holding you back from building a wind energy farm in your backyard is the fact that turbines clash with the rest of your décor. Well, Philippe Starck is here to rescue the renewable energy industry with his Democratic Ecology.

The transparent mini-turbine, which comes out in September, can generate 20-60 percent of the energy needed to power a home for $633. Pramac, a company better known for oil and diesel generators, helped out with the technical details.

Playstation 2.40 Firmware Ends Up Bricking PS3s

playstation3_240_firmware.jpgThough we were excited to hear the Playstation team was working on making our pricey PS3 investment worthwhile by adding a slew of new features requested by the community, it seems they've run into a few issues this time around.

We were fortunate enough not to update ours right away, but it seems those who were at the edge of their seats waiting for the update to roll-out may have caused more harm than good as reports worldwide of consoles becoming lemons began coming in. Luckily, there is a workaround, but c'mon Sony - we expected better from you!

Final Frame: Limes Not Lemons Macbook Air Wallpapers

lnl_wallpaper1.jpgWhile Flickr browsing, we happened to stumble upon a number of Craig's wonderful Macbook Air wallpapers (all of the wallpaper resolutions are 1280 x 800). Through sheer diversity, bright colors, and simple patterns, there's a style for any mood that you're in - I'm in a pinky mode, so I chose this one as the main picture. There's tons more though, all equally cool, so check it out!

Toto EcoPower Sensor Faucet Recharges While You Wash

ecopowerfaucet.jpgIn terms of hygiene, we'd say the the auto-sensing bathroom faucet is right up there with the auto flushing toilet/urinal. And despite thoughts otherwise, it's really the faucet that's got more cooties awaiting to hitch a ride, not the toilet handle or seat. But those automatic devices require additional power to operate their infrared sensor...until now.

Look! Custom Roll Down Down Doors for Ikea Media Unit

2008_07_02 ikea tambour 2.jpgThe Ikea Lack shelf seems to be a popular choice for adding custom doors. I even did it for my own fan cooled media unit. If you want a different look from sliding doors though, tambour doors are another option.

July Scavenger: Top Ten Etsy Finds

070208_sz_etsy.jpg In keeping with this month's green theme, we found ten amazing items on Etsy, some of which are made from recycled or repurposed items. There are CD holders made from old calendars, USB drives made from vintage model cars, and a camera bag built with a trashed cassette tape. Enjoy...

LED Task Lamp

2008_07_02 led task lamp.jpg While this appears to be a concept or one off at the moment, we are always interested in more options for LED powered desk lamps.

Walmart: Stockholm Desk and Cabinet

stockholm_desk.jpgAt first glance, it looks like any other relatively-upscale design that may or may not break the bank. That's what we initially thought, too, until we found out it was from a Walmart series called "Stockholm" and it breaks no more than a few piggy-banks at most. The metal feet give it an airy feel and complements that mid-century modern that we all so love...

Mokkatanten Porcelain USB Garden Memory Key

070208mokkatanten.jpgWe've seen quite a few different type of USB memory designs, but never in porcelain before. These beautiful (and perhaps a bit delicate) porcelain 1 GB memory sticks are handmade in Germany and currently only available via email according to Bloesem where we found these unique memory keepsakes.

GreenHouse: Nothing To Do With Green Tech, Only Pigs

greenhouse_ghercpig.jpgBranching from the standard earphone designs, GreenHouse has created a very unique design for their newest line of earbuds with a body of a pig that seems to go from the right ear into and out the left. They're noise isolating buds as well, so if you want to listen to Old McDonald Had a Farm without any distractions, you now can.

Sound Chaser: Turn Your Old Records into a Racetrack

2008_07_02 soundchaser.jpgAn on switch and a small speaker housed in a small yellow box. By taking broken bits of records and connecting them together, this little box not only follows the track, it plays back the music through the speaker. We found a different flavor of this mini record player a while back, but while that one was Nascar, this one is Formula 1...and we much prefer Formula 1.

PC Mod Sees Spots

070208_sz_leopardPC.jpg Modding PCs and customizing peripherals is a thing we love here at Unplggd, but when we saw this leopard PC mod, we thought, when have you gone too far?

While absolutely impressive in its craftsmanship and creativity, that's a whole lot of leopard. Maybe parring down to just one of two modded components would make this DIY project a little less glaring. That said, the leopard lover who modded their PC has some great tips on how to upholster your PC. Find the right fabric and this could look super posh.

More photos after the jump...

Moso: Sliding Bamboo Closet Doors Hide Your Tech

moso_bamboo_panda.jpgLiving in tight quarters does not mean you must have televisions and computers laying all around (though that kind of sums up my apartment in a nutshell). Why not hide all those bright screens with an a sleek sliding bamboo closet door from Moso Bamboo? It looks better than a plain wall, and could finally turn that entertainment room back into a casual area for talk once again.

Final Frame: Typewriters of Decades Past

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Eames and a Smith-Corona Marchant

Close-Up: Jan Garcia's Photography Work Lounge

jangarcia_01.jpgSummer's a great time for one's biggest steps in life; the big "M." Yes, it's funny that we should mention marriage on a tech blog, but there are tons of photographs taken on that special day, which is why we're more than happy to showcase photographer Jan Garcia's immaculate work-live space.

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