TOOLS
Everything to hand –plus the bottle opener
This isn’t just a box. This is a Coolbox.
Nothing to do with keeping your sarnies chilled, this bold container is
designed for the modern, tool-wielding type, with built-in Bluetooth
speakers, internal LED lights, a tablet rest and USB ports for charging
up all your kit. There’s even an integrated bottle opener for when you
need a break from all that thirsty work. With a handy set of wheels to
boot, it has become a runaway success on Indiegogo, where it is open for backing until Thursday (12 March). Supporters can bag a box for £110, with delivery expected in June.
PLAY
Move over Barney, the CogniToy has arrived
If you thought Barney was the smartest dino, think again. Created by Elemental Path, this internet-connected “Cognitoy”
can answer questions, tell jokes and spout stories all at the push of
its tummy button. What’s more, it’s creators claim its “conversation”
level becomes more sophisticated as the child grows up. And that could
be handy – with IBM’s supercomputer, Watson, behind its brain you might
well want this dino on your pub quiz team when you’re older. Having
passed its Kickstarter goal, the first Cognitoys could be delivered to
backers by November.
SCIENCE
Check out the radiation in the vegetable rack
The latest gadget to be notching up the clicks on Kickstarter is Radium,
a tiny Geiger counter that can measure the radiation levels of
everything from your home to your Brazil nuts. Hooking the instrument up
to your smartphone via a Bluetooth dongle, it apparently “registers
itself as a standard heartbeat device” while an accompanying app allows
you to record and tag the location of your counts. Open for funding for
another two weeks, backers will have to be quick to beat the crowd for
an early bird price of around £130.
TOYS
Build your life around Meccano for grown-ups
Do you love construction toys, but don’t want to build a Harry Potter
castle or pocket-sized tricycle? You are in luck. Recently shown at the
Maison&Objet show in Paris, Meccano Home
is the brainchild of a team of French designers who have created a
grown-up version of the ever-popular kits. Available in the UK from Holloways of Ludlow
you can bolt together a table or knock up some storage with colourful
components that can be interchanged to freshen up your decor. With an
RRP of about £290 for a coffee table, it won’t cost an arm and a leg.
SOCIAL MEDIA,
One in the eye for loved-up Facebookers
