Keeping an eye on stylish
gear and technology.

Leopard is a highly advanced office chair straight from Japan now actually available for real (the concept has been around for a while). Basically it uses unpowered robot technology inspired by the basic principles of human anatomy to sink by 25° when you sit down in it, and rise up as you lean forward. Besides promising awesome comfyness this means that it’ll adjust itself behind your back and wrap around your bum when you lean back (imagine being held in someone’s arms) and then even give you a little push when you want to get up.

Oki and Okamura will sell this chair, meaning it’ll probably show up for us Westerners as well soon, and it’ll be available with both black and white frames. Leather will set you back about $2,500, fabric about $2,100.

(via crunchgear)

Being a fan of simple yet unorthodox clocks I just had to mention Lexon’s Around Clock, designed by Anthony Dickens. The Around Clock is 2.25" tall and 4.5" in diameter and is available in black, white and aluminum.

Amazon.com; Lexon Around Clock
MoMA: Lexon Around Clock

Okay, it’s friday so let’s bring forth stuff you didn’t know you’d ever need, like the Canon LS-100TKM, a 1000dpi optical USB mouse with built-in calculator (with 10-digit LCD screen) as well as a numeric keypad. Flipping that lid open might seem more of a hassle than just hitting win-r and typing “calc”, but that’s just me…

Available in Japan by June 12th for about $32 in black and white models.

Canon Japan: Canon LS-100TKM (Google Translate)

(Via Gizmodo)

The Cablebox has a simple yet very important task; to hide as much cables, surge protectors and power strips as possible while keeping your floor nice and tidy. Cables, as we all know, is the root of all evil currently known to man.

The boxes are available in both white and black, sport rubber feet and measure 40 x 15 cm (about 15 x 6"). Just shove your excess cable in there and forget about them.

Charles & Marie: Cablebox (€22.00, about US$34.00)

Here’s Globus Plantarium Single Vial Garden Lab - an easy way to add an organic touch to your cubicle. Stylish glass test tubes containing a non-toxic, transparent gel created in collaboration with NASA scientists. This nutritive, magic, space-age gel allows you to plant seeds and watch the plant grow both above and below the surface.

The glass tubes are 7 inches tall and as for seeds you get to pick between basil, melon, marigold, pepper, sunflower and tomato.

Brooklyn5and10: Plantarium Single Vial Garden Lab ($10.00)

Another stylish wall clock; the Oblong Gear Clock. A column of exposed, rotating gears with an hour-marked strip of glass which also protects curious little fingers. Nice!

Dimensions: 21.5" x 8"

Z Gallerie: Oblong Gear Clock ($125.00)

This is the Timesphere Clock by Gideon Dagan and its main feature is of course the tiny red ball marking the seconds. Simple and minimalistic but with a twist.

MoMA Store: Timesphere Clock ($50.00, $10 off for members)

You haven’t forgotten to get a calendar for 2008 yet, have you? Here’s Masami Takahashi’s excellent Calendar Cube to help you keep track of the upcoming 365 days.

The first six months are printed on the white side and when July 1st comes up you unfold the cube, turn it inside out and fold it again to have July to December shown in reversed colors. Magic, I tell you.

It’s made in clear plastic (paper probably wouldn’t endure the full year) and besides the regular print there’s transparent Braille writing on it too.

The Calendar Cube’s costs 2,940 Yen, that’s about $26.00

MasamiDesign.co.jp: Calendar Cube (Japanese, here’s the Google translation)

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Cellphones (and PDA:s for that matter) work hard these days. Why not take this opportunity to show your little device that you do care. A 5,5" nylon shell beanbag chair with styrofoam beads ought to do it.

“Scientifically proven to be the most comfortable cellphone chair on the market. Ergonomically designed to eliminate pressure points that can bruise or cause extremities to go numb, this beanbag chair rests your cellphone in the most neutral position possible.”

ThinkGeek: Beanbag Cellphone Chair ($9.99)

Here’s the Retro Flip Down Clock. An internal gear-operated 12-hour AM/PM shiny metal desk clock that’ll make sure you get that retro, airport feeling every time it switches minutes or hours.

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