It's no secret I'm a big fan of the Cosmos TV series (both the original and current versions). I also happen to like graphic tees. So, when my buddy Nate Boateng let me know about this sweet Threadless t-shirt with pixelated versions of Carl Sagan and Neil DeGrasse Tyson fist-bumping to science, I knew instantly it was getting added to my collection…
Mark Frauenfelder—editor-in-chief of MAKE and Cool Tools—recently published an awesome book for geeky dads called Maker Dad: Lunch Box Guitars, Antigravity Jars, and 22 Other Incredibly Cool Father-Daughter DIY Projects. As the name suggests, the book contains a bunch of projects intended for fathers and their daughters to have fun building together. These projects teach your kid some important skills (like programming…
You never hear of die-hard fans of typical store-bought brands of toothpaste. Check the reviews for Marvis cinnamon mint toothpaste though, and you'll see almost nothing but glowing praises for its lasting—and delicious—flavor and freshness. It's a bit on the expensive side ($12 per 3.8oz tube) but your mouth will thank you for it.
If your main method of making coffee is with a pour-over brewer like the Hario V60, it should have a special home of its own on your countertop. The Pour-Over Stand by JM&Sons fits the bill. It's a simple-but-stylish metal stand with a base made from salvaged barn wood, and fits any pour-over dripper up to 2.5" in diameter. The stand by…
Cleaning a grill grate after cooking some meat is probably the least fun part of backyard cooking. Thankfully there are tools like the Grill Daddy Pro Grill Brush to make our lives easier. The brush's handle holds two cups of water, which is released through the stainless steel bristles onto your preheated grill and instantly turned to steam. This loosens up all…
When it comes to having two displays on your desk, using the static stands that come in their boxes may not be the best choice; they take up a bunch of room and can't be repositioned very easily. A better bet would be using something like the Ergotron LX Dual Side-by-Side Arm. Designed to hold dual monitors that are each 24" or…
Available for full-sized iPads and the iPad mini, the Cargito charging iPad case is an all-leather case that includes a 7,000 mAh battery pack and Lightning cable to give your iPad a power boost when you need it most. Its exterior compartments can house a stylus and other small items—cards, cash, etc. It even fits iPads with slim cases like the Apple…
The KamPro Handle Kit is a handheld mount for GoPro HERO cameras that gives you tons of video-shooting flexibility. Here's what you get in the box: 1 Handle 3 thumb screws 2 threaded pivot arms 1 pivot arm 1 phone mount 1 threaded mount 1 cold shoe mount You can mix-and-match these pieces to create entirely different rigs. For example, the phone…
If you love your iMac but hate having to reach around the back to use its USB ports, the Bluelounge Jimi is for you. The idea is simple: the Jimi plugs into the back of the iMac and curves underneath to give you an easily accessible, front-facing USB slot. It ain't the prettiest solution in the world, but it works. $15 at…
Man, time really flies. It's already been a year since Commander Chris Hadfield took the world by storm and did that awesome cover of "Space Oddity" while aboard the ISS. Not content to reinvigorate the world's sense of wonder about space and science, the man has also written a top-selling book. An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth is sort of a…
In the gaming world, the classic action-RPG Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic hardly needs an introduction, even a decade after its original release on the first Xbox. If you somehow haven't played KotOR before, or if you've already played it but feel nostalgic enough to do it again, then you're in luck. To celebrate May 4th, the game has gone…
Hard Graft, makers of fine bags and other accessories, today unveiled their "Ocean" collection. Like their other products, these items are crafted from vegetable-tanned, hand-stained Italian leather and heavy-duty wool felt, but what sets the Ocean collection apart is that each piece is shaded a deep, gorgeous blue. They're really quite striking, but the wool felt's muted gray tones keep everything nicely…
Electronic music duo George & Jonathan recently released their fourth album, simply titled III. I would describe their style as infectious, funky-yet-mellow, and just plain fun. Their melodies are simple and catchy on the surface, but they layer instrument samples so densely (and yet never overpoweringly) that every song is a lush soundscape. I have a feeling I'm going to have this…
Ugmonk, the makers of awesome attire and other neat stuff, today unveiled their beautiful new messenger bags. Each one is made from 14oz. waxed canvas, lined with 500 denier Cordura nylon, and sports premium, full-grain leather straps. The shoulder strap is removable, so you have the option of wearing the bag over your shoulder or carrying it by the top handle. There…
I've had The Golem and the Jinni on my Amazon wish list for a while. Despite all the acclaim for the book I've heard and read, it took a potentially* spoiler-ish episode of the Technical Difficulties podcast—wherein they interview the book's author, Helene Wecker—for me to finally pick up a copy. I'm only about a third of the way in as of…
After yesterday's post about the All-Clad 12" stainless steel fry pan, reader Jake Spurlock wrote in to let us know about a potentially better deal: the Tramontina stainless steel fry pan. The All-Clad is nice, but this $50 Tramontina is just as good at a third of the price: http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/08/equipment-the-all-clad-vs-tramontina-skillet.html I don't have any first-hand experience with the Tramontina but I was…
This one is for those of us with little kids running around the house. Watching them learn how to wash their own hands is fun in a way, but cleaning up the mess sure isn't. They have a hard time reaching anything, they're putting their hands all over faucet handles and knocking over soap dispensers and getting water everywhere, and you're standing…
A common mistake I see people make is overloading their kitchens with skillets of all shapes and sizes. You really only need two to cover your bases, though: a cast iron skillet and a good stainless steel pan. For the latter, the All-Clad 12" fry pan is my recommendation. You might think I'm crazy for suggesting a $150 pan, but believe me,…
Maybe you like to wear your love of coffee on your sleeve, but have you ever thought about wearing it on your feet? These espresso socks—which the company Espresso Parts is trying to have crowdfunded, Kickstarter-style—will let you do just that. If the campaign is funded by mid-May 2014, these socks will be made available in 3-packs at Betabrand's online store. They…
Written and illustrated by Nathan W. Pyle, NYC Basic Tips and Etiquette is all about the unwritten rules of society that people in the Big Apple (and cities everywhere, really) often get wrong. The book offers friendly tips and advice to visitors and New Yorkers alike, answering important questions such as: What is a bodega? How do I walk on an escalator?…