Failing Economy? Schmailing shmeconoshmy! Buy Some Stuff!

ANTHEM magazine was supposed to be doing a "Cool Stuff In '09" article, which in a sad, sad 20 page cut, turned into an online project. I know some of the items were included in their Holiday Gift Guide, but the other 70 some odd items disappeared into dust. They may have appeared on Anthem's site, but I'm not sure.

Regardless, here are some of my blurbs:

PROJECT YOURSELF

The Optoma Pico Projector, an itty bitty video projector retailing at $430, hit shelves this December—it’s perfect for slideshows of holiday folly and impromptu, lo-fi movie dates. This little baby projects an image from most smart phones, iPods, and other handhelds for instant entertainment straight out of your pocket, with a maximum image size of 66 inches. One caveat: the amplified sound is as teeny as the 4.2-ounce device itself, so get an earphone jack splitter to watch with a buddy.

RETRO FLASH
Buying a digital camera can be tricky these days. On one hand you need something pro for those weather-beaten captures of your cross country trip next summer. On the other, you need something fast to bust out when you find your roommate locked out in nothing but his socks. Olympus understands. Not much bigger than a Twinkie, the compact, Olympus Micro Four Thirds Camera is smaller than its big bro the Four Thirds Camera, and comes fully equipped with auto-focus, interchangeable lenses. To top it all off, looks like a mini-version of your dad's leather bound job from the 70's.

THE DUTCH ODDITY

It's a motorcycle! It's a car! No-- It's a Carver One. This 3-wheeled Dutch hybrid vehicle steers like a car, but carves like a motorcycle for tight handling, earth-friendly fueling, and safety. And did we mention it’s fast as hell? The compact design allows tandem seating for a passenger, and easy parking in crowded, urban environments. While this should be available in the U.S. by late 2009, you might have to swim across the pond to try out this ride sooner; the release date in the U.S. for this fuel-efficient car-cycle keeps changing due to our heavy road rules and regs. (President Obama: Do something!) Check it out in Europe in 2009, and cross your fingers for a swift American release.

Object Oriented

Every morning, without thought, I take her in my hand, get her wet, and stick her in my mouth. She feels so under-appreciated-- So used! (I’m talking about my toothbrush, with its stoic curves, of course). Have you ever thought to examine and appreciate the mundane accessories that populate your life—the toasters, the forks, the pencils? If so, take note: filmmaker Gary Hustwit is a lover of objects, and in his upcoming film Objectified, he and his associates show us the beauty in those every day objects that we often forget to adore. "The term objectified has two meanings, " Says Hustwit, "One is 'to be treated with the status of a mere object.' But the other is 'something abstract expressed in a concrete form.' It's the act of transforming creative thought into a tangible object, which is what designers in this film do every day." Although Hustwit will be giving thought to those tangible things that many consider mundane, Objectified features some of the top chihuahuas in the design and art world—Paola Antonelli, Curator of Architecture and Design at NYC's MoMA, Jonathan Ive, Senior VP of Industrial Design at Apple—so expect bells and whistles on those forks and pencils.