Compact Folding Table Hides Behind a Picture

When you’re tight on space, but you don’t want to take it as far as the ultra-compact Matroshka furniture set, other great solutions can be found. This folding picture table from Ivydesign is very elegant and original, yet remains a real-life solution to your space problems. When you need it, it’s a table; when you don’t, it’s a picture – with no trace left of the table it used to be.

USB Charger Integrated in Outlet – TruePower

We’ve been writing a lot about the ideal multi-charger solution to get rid of cable clutter. But most of those devices don’t come cheap, and they still need to be stored somewhere when not in use. The TruePower outlet, however, has integrated USB ports. Just plug in your portable device, and it charges directly from the outlet – no separate USB charger required.

Extra Trunk Space or Bike Carrier – Westfalia Portilo

A bike carrier is commonplace nowadays, and so is the car rooftop box. But what if your needs vary and you don’t have a station wagon that can easily accommodate your rooftop box? The Portilo from Westfalia is an original new approach that can be either bike carrier or extra trunk space, depending on the needs of the moment.

Thermapak Cooling Pad Keeps Your Legs Cool Without Draining Your Laptop’s Battery

Everyone who owns a laptop knows the unpleasant sensation of having your legs fried when working with the computer on your lap for an extended period. I’ve been considering several cooling devices to place between my lap and the laptop, but I’ve always considered it to be a disadvantage that they need batteries or the use of a USB port to power their fans, thereby seriously reducing your working time. They’re also not very portable – you’d dread taking them with you on a flight. The ThermaPAK HeatShift Laptop Cooling Pad deals with these issues, using physics instead of electricity to keep your lap cool.

Care Plus Click-Away – Stop Mosquito Bites From Itching

Everyone has his or her own – usually ineffective – household remedy to ease the itching from mosquito bites. Among the things that do work are cortisone-based creams. They’re very effective, though they can be greasy and stain your clothes. But the Click-Away from Care Plus is incredibly compact and light, doesn’t need batteries and does what it’s supposed to do: stop the itching.

Fish Training Kit – Train your goldfish with the R2 Fish School

Ahum … didn’t this blog promise to bring you useful products, not gadgets? Indeed, I meant to remember something like that. But in my defense, I want to say that this product is both completely silly and brilliant at the same time, so I couldn’t resist having a closer look. Then I noticed that it’s getting rave reviews by people who’ve bought it, and it’s absolutely great for the kids, so here we go: This kit brings you over 20 training accessories and tools for your … fish.

Sports Ball Storage – Ball Claw Holds Them For You

Balls are fun for playing, a pain for storing. They’re one of those objects that never stay on the shelf where you’ve put them, because … well, because they’re round. Ball Claw is a simple yet original solution to this problem.

Solar-Powered Bluetooth Headset – Infinite Standby Time

What’s the advantage of Bluetooth headsets anyway? Admittedly, you don’t have a wire dangling around, but on the downside it’s yet another device that you need to charge. And now you have two batteries that can run out in the middle of a phone call and two chargers to plug in. Here's an excellent solution to that problem.

Doc XL Convertible Sofa from Bonbon Converts into Bunk Bed

Convertible sofas are typically used, for instance, in rental holiday homes where space is limited and the number of sleepers can vary. Another useful application is for people who invite friends over regularly but who don’t have the space for one or more guestrooms. So far so good – but what if your guests aren’t a couple and don’t fancy sleeping in the same bed? This Doc XL bunk bed solution from Bonbon is very original and, as far as I know, unique.

Livescribe Pulse Smartpen Review – Link Your Notes With Your Audio Recording

- A six month test.

The Livescribe Pulse smartpen is one of the most innovative products I’ve seen in years. The pen allows you to write on paper, but when you dock it into its USB charger, your notes are automatically transferred to your PC/Mac. But the best part is that it also records the audio during your meetings or classes. You would imagine that you could then also play back the audio on your PC – and indeed you can. But even better, when you tap your handwritten notes with the smartpen itself, it even plays back exactly that part of the meeting through the built-in speaker! It’s a great invention for college students and professionals alike for note taking and to record meetings, classes and courses.