Faux Skylights and Windows For Rooms Without a View [Virtual Happiness]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/286491667/faux-skylights-and-windows-for-rooms-without-a-view

Have an office without a window? Put down the sledgehammer and try one of these faux skylights or windows from The Sky Factory. Simply put, their SkyCeilings and Luminous Virtual Windows are photographic illusions that give users the impression that they have a beautiful outdoor view when, in reality, they are stuck in a gloomy, windowless prison.

Each of the units fit into standard ceiling or window grid systems and features fluorescent or LED daylight-balanced backlighting to both enhance the look and promote a sense of well-being. In fact, daylight balanced light is the same light that is used to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder. I'll bet that if every boss in the US installed these in the offices of their employees, productivity and moral would skyrocket. [Sky Factory via Boing Boing Gadgets]

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Verizon launches the Samsung Glyde

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/285844657/

Filed under: Cellphones

One of the worst-kept secrets in Verizon's stable is finally getting official today; that's right, ladies and gentlemen, meet the Glyde from Samsung. Wearing CDMA guts underneath its F700 clothing, the fashion-friendly QWERTY slider offers a 2 megapixel cam with flash and autofocus, GPS, the full range of Bluetooth profiles, microSD slot, and a true HTML browser. Unlike its crosstown competition -- the LG Voyager -- the Glyde doesn't offer support for Verizon's VCAST TV service, but we imagine most folks will consider that a minor (read: nonexistent) inconvenience. Look for the phone to start circulating into retail channels this week for a princely $249.99 on contract after $50 rebate. Have a quick gander over on Engadget Mobile for a few shots of the Glyde doing what the Glyde does best -- posing for press photography, that is.

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More details about the Triac highway-capable three-wheel electric car emerge

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/286029176/

Filed under: Transportation

We can't help but find Green Vehicles' Triac three-wheeled highway-capable electric car anything but stupidly adorable, and it looks like it's even better than we hoped. Our friends over at Autoblog Green scored some more info on the buggy, and found that the top speed it actually 80mph, and that range is just about 100 miles on a full charge, down from 120 miles as originally estimated. The Triac will also roll with a five-speed transmission, and charge from either a 120V or 240V power source. On top of all that, Green Vehicles is apparently working on a truck called the Buckshot based on the same motor, but with a three-speed transmission that will enable it to be a "true work truck." Sure, sure -- but when can we have a Triac? Seriously, we want to hug it.

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Dell Inspiron 1435, 1535 and 1735 leaked

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/286065608/

Filed under: Laptops

While not quite as exciting as March's week of Latitude scoops, we've got ourselves some infos on what look to be Dell's upcoming Inspiron 1435, 1535 and 1735 consumer laptops. Seems they'll all be sharing the same basic design language, pictured above, and will be privy to some rather expansive aesthetic customization options if you're into that type of thing. Specs are the typical Dell smorgasbord of options, but all three laptops start at around 1-inch thick and taper up to 1.5 inches thick. All three also sport slot-loading drives, with a Blu-ray option, and processors ramp up to Core 2 Duo T5850 2.16GHz chips. 3G options are also available across the lineup, and just about anything else you might find useful in a mid-range laptop. Apparently the 1435 isn't due until October, but the 1735 is coming on June 9 and the 1535 on the 26th of this month.

Gallery: Dell Inspiron 1435, 1535 and 1735 leaked

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Seamless ice-spheres for superior whiskey-rocks

Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/boingboing/iBag/~3/285973436/seamless-icespheres.html

Using a sphere of ice (as opposed to a cube) in your whiskey-rocks is nice because the round ice melts more slowly than the square stuff (better surface-area/volume ratio). Now a Japanese company has introduced a mold for making a perfect, seamless ice-sphere:

Taisin has introduced a mold that seamlessly creates a perfect sphere, no chipping and shaving required. Simple place a chunk of ice into the metal press and, as it melts, the device will close around the ice forming a ball, which is then released by the flick of a switch.

The Ice Mold, available in 55, 65, 70, and 80mm mold sizes, can make 30-40 ice balls an hour.

Spheres of ice are preferred by serious on the rocks drinkers because the reduced surface size means that the ice melts at a slower pace, keeping your drink

Link (via Make)

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