Technabob » gauge

Mintpass Cube Music Player for Meter Readers

Technabob — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 04:14:49 +0000

The design minds over at mintpass are at it again. One of their latest conceptual gadget creations is the Mint Cube, an unusual retro take on the modern MP3 player.

The 2-inch Mint Cube features a striking cubic design that’s punctuated by large analog meters on three sides of the cube. One gauge is a traditional VU meter, another tells you how much battery life remains, and the last one tells you what station the built-in FM tuner is dialed to. The gauges each have a bright backlight, which makes them easy to read in the dark.

On the top of the player are ten deep-set analog buttons, like the ones you might find on an old Sony Walkman. Press in the MP3 button and it stays in place until you press FM button, which pops the MP3 button back out. Very retro indeed!

Now mintpass says they designed the Mint Cube with men in mind, but I don’t see any reason why they can’t be for cool girls too. Geeks don’t discriminate! If only these things actually existed, then guys and girls could both buy them. For now, enjoy the virtual gadgetry.

[via Unplggd]

Leiji Matsumoto’S Manga Meter Watch is Big, Bad and Awesome

Technabob — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:01:52 +0000

Leiji Matsumoto is known in many circles as one of the founding fathers of anime and manga, creating science fiction classics like Space Battleship Yamoto and Galaxy Express 999. Now his unique futuristic style has found a home in an unlikely host – this dramatic watch.

The bold and badass Leiji Meter watch from Japan’s Seahope and ZERO Goods Universe will definitely draw stares when you wear it to your next business meeting. The body of the watch is constructed from a beefy metal superalloy that’s used in the manufacture of aircraft and rockets, and designed to resist oxidation.

Now I have no idea how to tell time on this thing, but I’m guessing it has something to do with those gauges, LED bars, and electroluminescent panels. Or maybe it doesn’t tell time at all. Who knows? Who cares? It just looks cool on your wrist.

You can get your hands on the Leiji Meter watch over at Seahope for ¥39,900 (appx. $462 USD).

Nixon R1g1 Watches Prove Analog is Still in Style

Technabob — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 11:45:29 +0000

Maybe I’m just too geeky, but I have a tendency to be drawn to ultra-modern digital watches. But sometimes there’s nothing like a good, old-fashioned analog dial. At least the guys over at Nixon are thinking a little outside the box with their latest analog watch design, the fashionably geeky R1G1.

The R1G1 ($150 to $200 USD) features a set of four mechanical hands to keep track of time and date. Two hands rotate around the middle of the dial, one displaying seconds and the other showing minutes. A pair of speedometer-like gauges display the current hour and the day of the month.

Each watch is powered by a quartz movement housed in a sleek brushed stainless steel case. All four hands live beneath a sturdy hardened mineral glass crystal to keep them safe and sound. They’re available in several different color ways, all with stylish leather bands.

You can find all four R1G1 designs over at NixonNow.

USB Speedometer Gauges Wpm, Not Mph

Technabob — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:40:15 +0000

Think you’re a speed demon on your keyboard? This goofy gadget lets you figure out how fast you can type and displays it on a speedometer-like gauge as you click away feverishly on your computer.

In addition to tracking your typing speed (in words-per-minute) the gauge also keeps a running total of how many words you’ve typed so far today. Just plug the speedometer into your USB port, install the included software, and you’re off to the races. The gauge tops out at a whopping 260 WPM, which is speedier than the even world’s fastest typist’s record 212 WPM (and that was on a Dvorak keyboard!)

The USB WPM Speedometer arrives this March at DrinkStuff for £19.99 (appx. $39 USD).

[via TFTS]

Analog Gauge Reveals Power Supply Vital Signs

Technabob — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 04:02:32 +0000

This gauge connects to your computer to reveal critical information about your PC’s current operating conditions. Rather than modern digital readouts, the Gigabyte Visual USB Gauge uses a good, old fashioned analog gauge to relay the current state of your computer’s power supply.

Designed specifically for use with Gigabyte’s Odin GT power supplies, the gauge plugs into your computer’s USB port and can tell you about the power supply’s current operating temperature, wattage consumption and fan speed. Just press one of the three LED illuminated buttons on the face of the device to quickly switch between the three measurement types.

If you’re into overclocking your PC for maximum performance, and you happen to be using the right power supply, this looks like a pretty cool add-on.

[via EverythingUSB]