Daan air purifier kills the unbearable stench of rotting fish in style

Finally, purifying the air in your home doesn't have to make your pad look like it was ripped from the pages of the SkyMall catalog. If you put a value on looks (and you do, don't you?) you'll be pleased to know that a Korean designer has created the Daan -- a new purifier that gets the job done while actually looking somewhat stylish. The devices suck up dust and cat hair in a 161 sq. ft. space, but are modular in nature, allowing you to stack multiple units on a stand for cleaning larger spaces (they can also be separated and moved to smaller rooms). Home electronics-maker Coway will apparently manufacture the device, but we don't have a word on street date or price. Sure, they may still be killing you slowly, but at least they'll look good while doing it.

[Via: Engadget ]

Is this Philips' next-generation Senseo?

Going out for coffee is so pre-recession, right? Either way, what you see above is a purported rendering of Philips' next-generation Senseo coffee system, which actually looks to be taking a step backwards in the design department. Not that we have anything against non-futuristic styling -- just an observation, is all. We know, at least a handful of you are already champing at the bit to yell "FAKE1one!," but really, who spends time creating a mockup of a java machine? And besides, aren't all the good designers working up those derisory iPhone nano images?
[Thanks, GPFransen]

[Via: Engadget ]

Beer Belt: A Haiku [Wisdom]

Six beers on my belt.
I'm ready for my wedding!
I barfed on the priest.
[Product Page via Boing Boing Gadgets]

[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]

Luxury Leatherman Costs $40,000 (For When MacGyver Stays at the Ritz) [Gadget Bling]

Let's say MacGyver, or some other other gadget-loving, outdoorsy nut, finds themselves trapped in the deadly confines of a five-star luxury hotel like the Ritz-Carlton. Room service is unavailable; the concierge could only procure balcony seats for the opera; and the champagne is most definitely Korbel, not Cristal. Would they panic? Of course they wouldn't, because they're obviously armed with a $40,000 Leatherman.

Leatherman's 25th annivesary Argentum collection is more for show than cutting a dangerous bow line, but each of these extravagant "tools" is still fully functional. The collection ranges from the modest $12,000 Acanto to the $40,000 Dorado, and are the work of Argentinean artist Adrian Pollarols. You can see the opulence of the finished product taking shape in these early sketches:

Suddenly those perilous trips to the Ritz ice machine down the hall aren't looking so bad, after all. [Leatherman via Boing Boing]

[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]

Vortex Fountain Scares the Piss Out of Traditional Fountains [Water Fountain]

The Vortex Fountain eschews gentle, soothing streams for a powerful water funnel. The illusion of a standing block of water is created by an acrylic case hidden by transparency and water cascading down the sides, and the vortex itself is formed through the combination of strong, alternate currents of water that collide in the tank. Depending on the angle from which you view the fountain, it alternates between a majestic restraint of nature and an oversized science experiment involving expensive two-liters. Here's a clip of the Vortex Fountain in full vortexness:

[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]