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blinkm: arduino programmable leds let you control the pretty colors

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Want to do something creative with color-changing LEDs? This new programmable LED module might be just what the doctor ordered.

The BlinkM from ThingM (I just love saying that) is a compact module that contains an ultra-bright RGB LED and a microcontroller that you can program from your computer.

You’ll need an Arduino I/O board to program your BlinkM, plus…

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June 30th, 2009 comments stumble it! digg it! author: technabob

filed under: hacks + mods interactive technology

led color-changing flat panels perfect for home discos

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Looking for a dramatic, colorful addition to your room? If your taste skews towards Saturday Night Fever, have I got a thing for you.

These flat LED panels can be mounted on your wall or ceiling (although dancing on these isn’t recommended) and can change colors with the push of a button. Using the panels, you can set the color…

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June 24th, 2009 comments stumble it! digg it! author: technabob

filed under: design interactive technology

benq joybee gp1 mini projector hands-on review

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I recently had the opportunity to get my hands on the brand new BENQ Joybee GP1 mini projector and put it through its paces.

The Joybee GP1 may have a silly name, but under the covers this tiny little projector means business. The compact projector measures in at just 5.35″ (w) x 2.24″ (H) x 4.72″ (D) and weighs only…

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June 5th, 2009 comments (1) stumble it! digg it! author: technabob

filed under: gadgets home entertainment mobile tech technology video

rio led shower head lights up your bath like a disco

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Looking to make a real impression the next time you have guests over? This over-the-top LED shower head will definitely get their attention when they go to hop in the shower.

Crosswater’s RIO shower head is loaded with 96 computer-controlled LEDs in red, green and blue clusters so they can be mixed to create just about any color in the…

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May 24th, 2009 comments stumble it! digg it! author: technabob

filed under: design strange + wonderful technology

monkeylectric monkey lights make bike wheels fly through the night in a splash of color

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Here’s a great way to pimp out your bicycle without having to give it a metallic banana seat or stuffing those sparkly pom-pom things into your handlebars.

MonkeyLectric’s Monkey Lights snap onto the spokes of your bicycle and provide an amazing, colorful light show as you pedal through the streets at night.

You’ll have no problem being seen in the…

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February 17th, 2009 comments (4) stumble it! digg it! author: technabob

filed under: gadgets just plain fun timepieces

technabob quickpix: when a picture is worth 1000 words

led chairs light up your backside with color

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Perfect for lighting up your drab living space, these Léon and Max chairs from French designer Philippe Boulet light up using color-changing RGB LEDs inside the seats, backs, and armrests. And best of all, they’re not tacky in the least.

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February 9th, 2009 comments (2) stumble it! digg it! author: technabob

filed under: design quickpix strange + wonderful

persistence of vision led clock gets a major upgrade

This amazing wall clock can display intricate animations thanks to the optical phenomenon known as persistence of vision (POV). Using a small spinning “blade” covered in red, green and blue LEDs, along with sophisticated microcontroller circuit, this clock can dynamically change its look with just the push of a button.

The clock comes with a wireless remote that lets you…

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November 16th, 2008 comments (1) stumble it! digg it! author: technabob

filed under: just plain fun timepieces

meggy jr rgb handheld: build your own pixel games

Meggy Jr. RGB LED Game Platform

Want to build your own games, but don’t have the artistic talent to build complex game graphics? This new kit lets you create games using a simple LED dot-matrix display.

With a colorful 8×8 RGB LED display, the Meggy Jr RGB handheld platform gives you everything you need to create your own mini-games or pixel art displays.

Each colored dot…

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November 14th, 2008 comments stumble it! digg it! author: technabob

filed under: hacks + mods video games

scope 2 rgb led watch reminds me of vector video games

I don’t know what it is about these retro-futuristic watches from Japan, but for me they conjure up images of 1980s color vector video games like Tempest or Quantum.

The limited-edition Scope 2 watch uses a special multi-color (RGB) LED display to tell the time. Depending on the model you choose, either a red or green horizontal hairline signifies an hour,…

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October 17th, 2008 comments (6) stumble it! digg it! author: technabob

filed under: retro timepieces video games

rgb + xyz = fun

Interactive Color Cube LED by Steve Gilbertson

I came across this nifty concept for an electronic plaything earlier this week and thought I’d share it with you guys.

Steve Gilbertson’s interactive color cube uses a 3-axis accelerometer to detect movements and relays that information to a grid of brightly colored LEDs to create a portable light show in a box.

Each axis of the accelerometer (X, Y,…

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May 14th, 2008 comments (2) stumble it! digg it! author: technabob

filed under: hacks + mods interactive

greenpix: massive led wall powered by the sun

GreenPix LED Solar Wall

This huge LED screen displays mesmerizing patterns of light and video to passersby. But the really amazing thing about the enormous wall of light is that it’s completely self-sustaining. That is, the light panels themselves harness the energy of the sun during the day to power a colorful light show at night.

GreenPix – Zero Energy Media Wall uses thousands…

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May 4th, 2008 comments (8) stumble it! digg it! author: technabob

filed under: design interactive strange + wonderful

led cube displays 3d images in color

3D LED Cube LED Display by Seekway

A while back, I reported on James Clar’s cool 3D cubes which could display images using a grid of about 1000 LEDs connected to a computerized controller. While Clar’s cubes are simply amazing, they can only display monochrome images. Now, a company in China has taken the same concept and created a multi-color version.

Created by Chinese display manufacturer Seekway,…

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April 6th, 2008 comments (11) stumble it! digg it! author: technabob

filed under: design

rgby color-sensing tech goes portable

RGBy3.0 Mini Color Changing LED Device

Remember the oh-so-cool RGBy Desk I showed you a few weeks back? The desk uses color sensors and tons of RGB LEDs to change colors to match items placed on top of it. But it was a one-of-a-kind piece that would probably cost thousands of dollars even if you could buy one. So I was excited when I came across…

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December 29th, 2007 comments (1) stumble it! digg it! author: technabob

filed under: design interactive

rgby led desktop offers chameleon-like surface

RGBy Desk by Studio Mongoose

This amazing LED tabletop surface can sense the color of objects placed on top of it, then automatically change its own colors to match.

The RGBy desk uses small clusters of photo sensors and multicolored LEDs to work its color-changing magic.

The RGBy desk was created as a collaboration between computer scientist Ichi Kanaya and designers Makoto Hirahara and Shinya…

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December 5th, 2007 comments (1) stumble it! digg it! author: technabob

filed under: design interactive