You might recal XO which was anything but a hit. However, this time around we have the XO-3, that might make a bigger impact. Now it comes in a tablet form with features like 800Mhz and 8.5-by-11-inch size. The rest is pretty basic. If you liked the green and white look, don't worry as that is still intact. It will be available in 2010 for $75. This makes entertainment a whole lot more feasible in developing countries. OLPC might take off again!

[Wired]

Ever since I can remember, I've been fascinated by the moon and I think I can safely say that I'm not the only one. But the main problem is the moon is so far away! It's possible now to have it right in your room though as a coffee table. La Lune is a beautiful table resembling the moon that has been designed by Liana Yaroslavsky. You don't have to look out of your window anymore and you don't have to go without the moon on cloudy night. All we need are some stars to truly turn our living rooms into a celestial experience.

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Now maybe I’m imagining, but here is some future planning I must say. It’s a car of the future, meant for the year 2038, called ‘Breath’ and it can transform its shape! Yes, pinch yourselves if you too think you’re imagining. But it is true- this will be GPS controlled for fast hauling for special delivery purposes, public as well as private transportation. The shell has been envisioned to me made of a gel filled elastic material that can transform the length and width depending on the situation. A concept, yes, too farfetched I think. [Tuvie]

I am all for giving artists full freedom with their creativity, but sometimes the creativity seems forced which wondering if you really like the output or not. This is my situation with this ‘Cornered’ Coffee table designed by Dylan Gold. He calls it ‘neat’ and ‘clean’ since the surface, like any other table has to be essentially clean. And so he provides a magazine, book stand by making a section for it in one of the legs. I don’t quite like the concept though, but any work of art is open to be interpreted in several ways, and this is just my personal opinion. [Furnishh]

The Renzo-Piano-designed California Academy of Sciences has a new structure designed by Maya Lin. The sculpture entitled "What is missing" is part of a multi-sited, "multimedia memorial" dedicated to species which have become extinct due to climate change and destruction of habitats. The bronze “Listening Cone” lined with reclaimed wood sculpture is located within the cone. The Listening Cone features more than 20 minutes of video footage that links extinct as well as threatened and endangered species to the habitats and ecosystems that are vital to their survival. The species to be featured in this unique sculpture include the tuna, dodo bird, monarch butterfly, golden toad, and others, which are already extinct or on the verge of extinction.

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How many times have we had sore backs due to sitting for long hours on hard chairs that have no cushions? Well, now you can avoid these situations by opting for the f.Cushion from Funaction. This unique cushion has been designed especially to reduce lower back pains. The cushion maintains your correct posture and inflates when you sit on it. The 3D mesh inside the airbag allows natural flow of air through the cushion and is responsible for maintaining the slim, uniform structure of this cushion. At first just fill this cushion by pumping around 20 times and adjust it according to your needs. A great design, it will surely help relieve and ease back pains of many.

[Funaction]

If you are a photography enthusiast, you will be aware of how difficult it is to shoot pictures from various angles. But thanks to Timur Burbayevand Alexei Sharshakov, you can now click pictures easily from never before imagined angles. The two industrial designers have designed the concept Fleximus camera which enables photographers to click pictures from various angles. A completely flexible photo and video camera, it comprises of a flexible tube with a lens. The user can opt for either a compact view finder or a three-inch display module. It is designed to have as few controllers as possible.

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Amid all the futuristic bikes, cars and SUV’s, the ‘Roadrunner’ trike concept is designed to run swiftly on the runway. This extremely light weighted three-wheeler resembles a bicycle and is perfect for anyone who can’t balance yet on a two-wheeler. The bike has a long and stylish wind guard and mud visor for better visibility during rains. Also there is a special electric motor rear wheel that gets power from the lithium-polymer battery pack (other types of batteries can also be used) placed in the forward basket. By using modern carbon-fiber, the trike weighs as low as 26 Kgs. This battery powered drive and uber look body makes the ‘Roadrunner’ a worthy catch.

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Different gadgets tend to imitate or draw inspiration from famous cars, planes or even videogames. This time we have a handset drawing inspiration from a famous car brand. Though not launched yet (as far as we know), but the Aston Martin phone very well reflects the design of the car. Designed by Abhilash Chandrasekharan, it attempts to bring the famous Aston-Martin look in the mobile phone. We have got to admire the implementation of the headlights and the front part of the car in the lower end of the phone. The only drawback visible is the width of the phone, but I guess the overall looks and the features will more than compensate for it.

[ConceptMobiles]

We tend to use flat panel LCD monitors with latest features but compromise when it comes to buying speakers, not any more. Apostol Tnokovski has designed these Apple iMac speakers. Being slender they occupy less space and their contemporary looks complement most PC monitors. They also blend easily with most of the office and home furniture. I just love the way they are elevated and tilted with stand and the best part is that this was just a student assignment project.

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Isn’t it so irritating when those huge trucks block your view from the road ahead? Especially during a traffic jam, it gets difficult to gage the time it’ll take for the jam to ease out. But there is a way out now. Thanks to the concept road view transmitting system called ‘Transparentius’, the road ahead is projected behind the truck (or any other vehicle) so you have no difficulty. This would allow you to see what’s in the blind zone before switching lanes. The video signal is delivered from the camera mounted in the head of the truck to the back door panels through a projector. This makes driving very safe in the day and even by night. I simply can’t wait for this concept to become an everyday reality.

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A picture speaks a thousand words. Yes, true, most of the times, but from this picture released by GM’s premium brand Cadillac has kept me speechless. But if looks could kill, this new version of the CTS-coupe that will feature in the Detroit Motor Show next month has already bedazzled me. There’s not much we can say looking at just the picture, but I guess it will either be the BMW 3-Series rival, the ATS sedan or a preview of the STS's successor. Given that the larger CTS starts from around $37,000 in the US, the new four-door sedan should have a base price closer to $30,000. Let’s just wait and watch now. [CarScoop]

If you are into photography, amateur or professional, there's no way you won't be intrigued by this Polaroid Camera and Charging/Printing Station. There isn't much information on the specifications. All we can talk about are the looks and they are hot. Everything looks sleek and ultra modern. So they score an A+ on that at least. The rest only time will tell.

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As a child dots always intrigued me and I loved making pictures by joining various dots. For folks who share my fascination for dots, here is a piece (pieces) of décor you simply must own. Designers Luis and Cecilia Goldfarb have designed a set of three beautiful porcelain vases, all of which have a unique design of dots. What is more, each vase has a precise number of dots i.e. 72, 300, 600. So if you are wondering how to keep your naughty child busy for awhile you ask him/her to count the dots on these vases.

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Aah! The joys of looking inside certain mechanisms are just too much fun. Helder Filipov’s ‘Sense Shower’ sprays the water like you’re under a waterfall. Not only does it feel good, you can also watch the water going up in the system. Now that’s what you call enjoying a perfect bathing experience.

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