GeekSugar

Would You Adopt an In-Car Robot?

GeekSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:50:32 -0800

If you're like me and fall in love with hot and geeky cars that are beyond your budget, this little robotic passenger may be just what you need. Called AIDA, this in-car robot is like your constant co-pilot, telling you real-time weather and driving conditions, suggesting alternatives from your well-driven routes if there's a problem, alerts you to tourist attractions, and helps you conserve gas by notifying you when you're cruising at optimal fuel efficiency.

All of these features are possible because AIDA analyzes and then recognizes your driving behavior, routes, and habits, then uses them to your advantage. There's no price or release date for when (or if) the AIDA will hit the market, but if you could pick one up now, would you adopt this helpful little robot? I kinda like his cute face, but maybe that's just me.

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Plug Into This Cute Robot Power Strip

GeekSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:44:50 -0800

I love it when someone takes a boring household item that we all need - like a power strip - and turns it into something fun. Case in point: the Electric Man power strip from Urban Outfitters. This cute robot-shaped power strip has four grounded outlets - one on each of the little guy's appendages. The main power switch is on his side, and you can see whether or not he's powered up by checking the red light above his heart. Add it to the list of cute robot goodies on my wish list!

Would you use this power strip? And in case you missed it, check out the equally cute car power station I found the other day.

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Splitterbot Headphone Sharing Robot

GeekSugar — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 10:05:59 -0700

You already know I'm a sucker for robot gear, and this useful little guy is no exception.

The Splitterbot Headphone Sharing Robot ($8) doubles as a keychain, so I can carry it with me all the time. Just pop his head off (!) and plug the splitter into any headphone jack. The robot's eyes double as dual headphone jacks. What do you think? Creepy? Cool? I think it's cute!

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Robot Mouse Pads: Love or Leave?

GeekSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:40:23 -0700

A little bit of robot love sure goes a long way. If I can't seem to wait until I get home to get my robot fix I can just get one of these robot mouse pads for my desk at work. Available in four cool colors for only $6 each, I can spruce up my desk with robot cuteness. Do you love them or are they not your style?

Polaris Personal Assistant: Totally Geeky or Geek Chic?

GeekSugar — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:44:10 -0700

If I could afford one, I'd probably jump at the chance to have a personal assistant to keep me on track. As much as I love organization, I sometimes don't have time to follow my own advice. Go figure. So when I saw this totally futuristic robot personal assistant on Tokyo Mango, I couldn't help but share with all the other unorganized geeks out there.

Called Polaris, this robot monitors your behavior, calendar, and contacts by syncing up with your cell phone, then gives you reminders and recommendations based on your call list and appointments. Hot. Plus, this thing can navigate flat surfaces. Does that mean it will follow me around and take my coffee order too? If so, I'm all in.

Find a Face Area Rug: Totally Geeky or Geek Chic?

GeekSugar — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:25:37 -0700

Why do I like this Find a Face ($180) rug? Cause it reminds me of those fancy found object robots from Gordon Bennett I showed you last year. Yes, I'm still thinking about them. But there's just something overwhelmingly "kid-ish" about this rug that my little cousins (and my inner child) would totally dig.

It could be the blocks of red and yellow primary colors, or perhaps the fact that the rug itself is one big puzzle where you can find faces in everyday objects, which makes me feel young again. Who knows, all I know is it looks pretty dope sitting in front of that retro music player! What do you think?

Robot Pillow Wants to Be Taken to Your Design Leader

GeekSugar — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 01:44:06 -0700

Triumph! My Robot Home is almost complete. It seems I just need this Robot Pillow ($42) from Boodalee for my abode.

The space-inspired throw pillow is made from an eco-friendly material and has two different prints, so you can just flip it over if you get tired of the robot.

But who would get tired of the robot? Not me. Sacrilege.

Move Over Roomba: Here Comes a New Robotic Vacuum

GeekSugar — Tue, 12 May 2009 07:33:01 -0700

I can't think of much not to love about the Roomba, but there's always room for competition in a market with one really great product.

So, welcome the Panasonic Fukitorimushi (Japanese for "wipe-up bug"), introduced recently at the Tokyo Fiber Senseware exhibition in Milan.

The Fukitorimushi (um, can we please just abbreviate it to "Fuki"? OK then) has a nanocloth underbelly, rather than a traditional sucking mechanism like a Roomba.

Its cloth-covered body kind of looks like you dropped a towel on the floor and forgot to pick it up, but I could learn to live with anything that cleans my apartment for me.

Picture Perfect Tech Trivia: Short Circuit

GeekSugar — Mon, 11 May 2009 13:25:57 -0700

In the 1986 movie Short Circuit, what is the name of the main robot (i.e., what he calls himself)?

Crobots: I'm Gathering My Crocheting Tools Now

GeekSugar — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:25:17 -0700

You're a crafty bunch, so I know you're going to love this. On a recent trip to SF's Japantown, I stopped in to one of the many bookstores and found this awesome amigurumi craft book that includes two of my favorite things: robots and DIY. Called Crobots, this gem contains 20 patterns to make your own crocheted robots to post on your desk, and show off at work. Although I'm not much of a knitter, the sight of these little robots makes me want to test my skills.

Just released this month, Crobots ($10) is geared toward the novice crocheter, but is fun enough for pros to pick up. And if it doesn't work out in the crafting department, you can always just cut out the pictures and post them in your office as some geeky wall art. Yup, they're that cute.