Designers Hwang Jungjoon and Lee Jaeryong created the Proinjector, a combination microwave oven/projector which lets you see what’s going on inside your microwave from across the room.

They claim the design is specifically to reduce the exposure risks to microwave radiation for the elderly, pregnant women and young children, but I could see it being handy if you’re just too lazy to get up from the couch and check that your baked potato hasn’t exploded yet. That said, I think I’d rather just have a tiny wireless camera inside the microwave (or my regular oven for that matter), which just lets me check on things from my smartphone. I’m sure somebody out there is already working on that. If not, I claim that patent in the name of Technabob!

If nothing else, I like the cylindrical design of the Proinjector, which is definitely unique amongst microwave ovens, if not the most practical in terms of conserving counter space.

The Quick Chef Music has a USB port so users can easily swap the music. I don’t have the exact details about this function though, such as the length of the playback or volume control. Below is a commercial for the BGH Quick Chef Music:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

If you found that last bit funny, there are a couple more here. I think BGH should add an alarm clock feature to the microwave oven as well, so you can wake up to both good music and good food. While they’re at it, adding a coffee pot and a mini-fridge would be a good idea. And a toaster. And the kitchen sink. Innovation is easy.

[via Breno Costa's Vimeo channel via Notcot]

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The uWave was created by a team of University of Pennsylvania students who were competing in the PennApps hackathon. The team used a tablet computer and some clever coding in order to get it to match the cooking time with YouTube videos. If that’s not enough, the uWave also sends you a text message when your food is done, and Tweets that you’ve used it too.

So, now humans will never be without a cat video or a text message, even when nuking a bag of popcorn. Humanity marches on… Then walks straight into a pole because they were too busy entertaining themselves.

[via Hack A Day via Thatsnerdalicious]

However, given my lazy disposition, I sometimes forego using an oven mitt while fishing my hot bowl or plate out of the oven because first, the mitts weren’t hanging by their hook on the cupboard, and second, I’m just too lazy to go looking for them. This careless behavior has resulted in the occasional burnt finger (but fortunately, no uncontrolled releases of the plate or bowl as of yet!)

However, with Cool Fingers, I won’t have to worry or ever have to go through either again. It gives you exactly what its name says: cool fingers. Just slip your thumb in one of the little sleeves and another finger in the other and take your hot plates out of the microwave.

These Smurf-colored microwave grips are made of silicone and, as the retailer’s site says, it can stand the heat when you can’t. I’m certainly going to get some to hang near my microwave oven. They’re available from Perpetual Kid for $9.99 (USD) each.

The WaveBox weighs 14lbs, and its cooking cavity measures 10″ (w) x 7″ (d) x 6″ (h), so it should handle most pre-packaged meals without a problem. It has a luggage handle, ABS casing, and rubberized legs. But its most important feature is that the WaveBox can be powered in three ways.

The WaveBox has a detachable AC cord, so you can use it at home just like any other microwave. If you’re outdoors, you have two options – it comes with a 9ft. DC cable that you can clamp directly on to a 12v car or boat battery, and it also has a DC 12v cigarette lighter adapter. The third option though seems to have caused trouble for other users. The WaveBox needs a power outlet with a current of at least 20amps for it to work, and even then it’ll only be good for heating food, and not for cooking. Several people have complained that the outlets in most vehicles only have 15amps. You still have the option of plugging it directly into a 12v battery, but if you’re planning on using your vehicle’s lighter outlet, you should check if its outlet/s are rated at least 20amps.

If you just live without TV dinner and microwave pizza, then get a WaveBox. You can get one at Amazon for $203 (USD). Check out its official website for more info.

[via InventorSpot]

As a joke, probably. But, with all due respect to the designers, as a real product this could use a lot of refining. First of all, if you have no control over which YouTube video is going to be played then half the time you’ll be watching something that you won’t find entertaining. Worse, it may end up displaying naughty or nasty clips. You may consider it a pleasant surprise to when you find yourself confronted by a healthy serving of boobies while waiting for your Pop Tarts, but would you want your kids to see that? Would you want your kids to see you enjoying that?

But most of all, I just don’t want appliances to become needlessly expensive because of unnecessary add-ons like this. We might as well integrate a microwave oven into HDTVs. Hell, that would be a better gadget.

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Check out Watanabe and Matsuda’s website for more details on the Castoven. Would you buy one?

[via CrunchGear]

Heinz, maker of Snap Pots, commissioned Andrews and Frazer to come up with a microwave that would complement their popular pork & beans snack. According to the company 69% of office workers are too busy/busy pretending to be busy that they don’t have time for lunch. So if Heinz can’t make customers come to them, they’ll just find a way to bring their product to the customers. Good ol’ business sense.

See what I mean? That guy isn’t an office worker, he’s a commercial model! Excel my ass. Anyway the Beanzawave remains a concept product, because Heinz wants to gauge the public’s interest before going ahead with production. Why, you may ask, does Brando not do this “wait and see” thing? Because they’re crazy that’s why. Also because Brando’s products are dead cheap, whereas the Beanzawave’s estimated price is about £100 ($165 USD). Ouch. But technology will most likely be on Heinz’ side, because the parts needed to build Beanzawavez will only become cheaper as time passes by.

[via Mail Online via Smidigt]

Creative marketing company AKQA set up 49 microwaves to play Jingle Bells, one note per microwave. They sound a bit silly at the start, but… just watch it. Then hug your microwave.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

For some reason the video reminded me of The Brave Little Toaster. It’s like being next to a new loaf of bread.

[via Mark's Technology News]

It’s more of fauxbot (faux robot.) That is to say, it sort of appears to be robotic but in fact it just has bendy arms that a human has to manipulate, which is a huge letdown for those of us who dream of robots performing simple everyday tasks like making our daily s’mores.

To be honest, I don’t even like s’mores that much when camping (I know, sacrilege) but microwaving crackers and marshmallows is just nasty. I suggest you try it sans weird anthropomorphic bendy arms guy before blowing your dough on this. However, it’s only $6.95, which is only about $6.85 more than what it’s probably worth. But if your wanton s’more-lust simply can’t be tamed, you can buy one from Amazon.

[via Unclutterer]

Pasadena’s Eureka Aerospace has developed high-power microwave-based system that can be fired at a specific car and kill its electrical system in an instant. The prototype system can fire a targeted 50 nanosecond burst from as much as 50 feet away, completely frying the target car’s electrical systems. If the company can raise the funding to optimize the technology, they think they improve the firing distance up to as much as 600 feet away.

Imagine the fun you could have with one of these. Why not shut down that a-hole who’s been tailgating you for the last 5 miles? Or better yet, take out that annoying guy on the train who’s been yammering to his buddies on his cell phone.

[via Discovery via SlashGear]