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| Eat Better and Drink Better Review for Doggies Posted: 12 Sep 2008 06:14 AM CDT My Beagle’s eating habits have changed. He shovels down food and water faster than ever. Glutton or not, I don’t appreciate the wet and sloppy aftermath from eating too fast. That’s right, he vomits. Thus my search for a solve. That’s how I came across the Contech Eat and Drink Better dog bowls designed by Victor Lee. The premise is simple. Design a bowl with peaks and valleys to force poochie to eat slowly. The DrinkBetter bowl works differently in that a concave floating disk serves up only enough water to lap slowly. I’ve seen similar products but Contech has by far designed the best looking ones. Function is important but that doesn’t mean you should negate form. Both bowls are made from very high grade plastic, seemingly scratch proof even from a brillo pad. There’s a notch at the bottom on the side of the bowls making them easy to pick up. There are also 3 rubber pads to keep them from slipping. They come in 3 translucent colors lending an air of modernity. Contech definitely has their branding down. The packaging and bowls have beautiful iconography, simple and refined. But how well do they work? Back to my Beagle, Miko. He was a bit hesitant at first, spending almost 15 minutes sniffing every nook and cranny before diving in. It’s quite amusing to see a dog want to eat but the sight and smell of something unfamiliar instantly triggers cautious instincts - overpowering the drive of hunger. Once he determined all systems were go, he went to work and I noticed a huge difference. The EatBetter bowl separates the food into 3 areas where he systematically attacks one by one. He normally finishes his food in under 3 minutes. The EatBetter bowl forced him to a crawl - almost 10 minutes. A hardy meal deserves a drink to wash it down. Watching him use the DrinkBetter bowl wasn’t easy. I mentioned earlier there’s a floating disc that reduces the drinking surface area to directly center. My dog knew there was an obstacle in his water and determined the disc shape was too reminiscent of his favorite frisbee. Hilarity ensued as he ran off with the disc. By the time I retrieved it - teeth marks and damage. After a few more tries, and the call of thirst, Miko decided the disc was only a minor annoyance and as long as he could get to the water, it’s best to ignore it. I personally think the EatBetter bowl is perfect. My only issue is with the DrinkBetter bowl. The floating hollow disc is far too buoyant so you have to fill it with water to sink it deep enough for a small pool of water to form. I understand the need to adjust buoyancy but they could have built a weight inside and achieved the same results. At $25 a piece, it slots right in between steel bowls on the low end and ceramic bowls on the high end, but with thoughtful functionality, I think it’s a great deal. If your dog needs to be taught healthier eating habits, pick these bowls up. There are lots of other comparable products but as a designer I really think the Contech Eat and Drink Better bowls are superior. I’m not the only one who thinks so. The DrinkBetter bowl was one of the 8 finalists in the Pet Fashion Week NY Lifestyle Innovation Awards, up against heavy weights like Alessi and Hugx. However the true test was to wait and see Miko would upchuck. Thankfully he didn’t. Kuods Contech! [ Buy It Here ]        |
| Posted: 12 Sep 2008 04:40 AM CDT Inspired by the mathematical harmony set out in Palladio’s own rules of architecture published in Quattro Libri Dell’Architecttura, La Rotonda is a table and chair set designed to recreate the perfect meeting place - a spot to exchange ideas, just like the famous monument it’s named after. The central hall, accessible through the 4 loggias, was an ideal point to observe and contemplate the landscape working in perfect harmony with the building. In that same way the table is imagined as a point of view on the world, and the people who have access to it through the 4 “loggias” chairs, will be able to compare themselves and discuss the worldly ideas surrounding them. Designer: Andrea Di Filippo & Enrico Zanolla        |
| Real Sharpness Comes Without Effort Posted: 11 Sep 2008 02:43 PM CDT Knives scare the hell out of me. Sharpening knives is pretty much out of the question. I’m no Chao San Poi. But this fully-enclosed knife sharpener seems to be the key to precise cuts for those who only like to be near the blunt side of the blade. Some words from the designer, Adam Clark: “Eliminates the skill and safety concerns surrounding traditional knife sharpening equipment. The Sliding sharpening mechanism broadens the products capacity to function with particularly dull knives. The mechanism is enclosed within the case and automatically adjusts to match the curvature of various blades.” Take the sharpener, place the blade inside, click shut, sharpen, click open, done! The sharpener clicks apart for easy cleaning. It fits most knives. I can slice my enemy* in half with ease! *My enemy is Peanut Butter + Jelly Sandwich, whom I then consume! According to Adam Clark, this sharpener will be available for purchase early 2009 through the design’s sponsor, Salter Housewares. Designer: Adam Clark        |
| Posted: 11 Sep 2008 02:13 PM CDT You’ve been down too long in the lost-bits sea! Tom Murray’s Ring Driver’s got all the bits you need attached. See what I mean? Superb simplicity for college students or people on the move; people who only need the bits necessary for those easy-to-contstruct furniture pieces who’d love to have it all in one solid hand-held tool. With a simple “innovation of the screwdriver” goal in mind, Tom Murray took time to explore many different drafts of new and “memorable” screwdriver models. What he came up with was what it often turns out to be in these situations; that is, the most simple-seeming concept. While the long-skinny aspect of a normal screwdriver is gone, this Ring Driver has no more blunt a nose than a power-screwdriver has. Some of the drafts show the handle being detachable, allowing for more bits to be added or subtracted from the ring, allowing for different sets for different jobs. Barring the inability to choose which color I can get: on my belt it would go. Designer: Tom Murray        |
| Posted: 11 Sep 2008 01:17 PM CDT The OHM is a hand-held sized energy device for cyclists. As it’s explained below, this device uses magnets and a dynamo to collect energy which can in turn be used to power up your phone or other chargeable device. Now you too can declare yourself independent of power plugs and cigarette lighters forever! The designer, Xaview Unwin, explains the OHM as such: 1. The user attaches ohm magnets to bicycle wheel spokes. The N42 neodymium magnets provide the optimal balance of durability and magnet strength (current output). 2. The user fixes ohm holder to bicycle seat stays, ensuring the holder is in line with the ohm magnets. The ohm energy device is then placed inside the holder to provide protection from dirt and moisture. 3. The user begins to cycle. As the wheel spokes turn, the magnets pass the ohm internal coil of wire (dynamo) inducing a current. The current is stored in the internal 1200 mAh lithium ion battery. 4. Once the user finishes cycling, the ohm energy device can be removed and used to recharge, with suitable adapters, any portable electronic device under 5 volts. Approximately 45 minutes to an hour of cycling produces enough energy to fully recharge a mobile phone.” As with all bicycle devices, the OHM is subject of the scrutiny of the riders who have been victim of bike theft; bikes sit out in the open quite often, how realistic is it to attach any device to a bike without fear of it being thieved? Perhaps making the magnets look like baseball cards or the like: things that don’t look shiny and black-market-worthy. On the other hand, charging up your electronic stuff with your own blood sweat and tears is totally steampunk. Also, how awesome is the dynamo? Power up your mouse-sized Iron Man suit much? Designer: Xavier Unwin        |
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