What makes it so different from the old one, now termed as PS3 fat? First off is the new price point. Originally the Playstation 3 came out at a dual price point of $499 and $599 depending on what specs you wanted. Now the slim is at retail for $299. Various retailers are getting rid of their old stock at the same price.

It is in the hardware. The first thing you are going to notice is that its a hell of a lot smaller. The PS3 fat is an inch wider and the slim is about 1/3 shorter and almost 4 pounds lighter. From being one of the heaviest consoles ever and second only to the original X-box in size to a much more manageable size that takes up roughly the same space as a wide-screen laptop.

Much of the other specs stick to the line as the more recent iterations of the Playstation 3. It stick with the 2 USB ports, integrated Wi-Fi and an absence of a Flash card slot, that was removed after the original production models were pulled off the line.  The boxed console comes with the composite cable and a Dualshock 3 controller. All the same.

Here’s where it gets interesting. Sony decided to include a replaceable if wished 120 Gig hard drive. Plenty of space for whatever your need may be. The big disappointment is the lack of PS2 backwards compatibility. It can play Ps1 games fine, but your PS2 library is a no go. This is another feature removed from the original line of consoles.

Now to the title of this post. How exactly is it a Green console. The console is built now not to overheat. Shrinking processors and a bigger fan prevent this. The big upshot of it is that the console is said to use 34% power. That’s all well and good, but is direct from the Sony press release. C-net decided to try this and see if it’s on the up and up. What they found is the console uses up to 70% less power to run than it’s bigger brother when playing games and up to 50% when playing Blue-ray discs.

If you’ve been on the fence of whether or not to get a Playstation 3, the Slim is big new argument to go out and get one.

Somewhere between found art, Picasso, and industrial design is where Object Factory’s newest US based installation takes place.

Object Factory: The Art of Industrial Ceramics is the first major U.S. museum exhibition to survey contemporary innovation in industrial ceramic production and the renaissance of ceramics in art and design today. The exhibition explores how artists and designers are reviving interest in ceramics through collaborations with industry that enhance and sometimes subvert the industrial process. Object Factory presents works created for leading manufacturers as well as artworks by independent artists and designers. Both non-functional and functional works are highlighted, as are important technological advances in ceramic material that allow for its use in electronic appliances, cutting implements, and other surprising products.

Object Factory has more than some 200 works by over fifty artists, designers, and industry manufacturers. This large collection features work by some of the greatest American, European, and Russian designers. The exhibit runs from May 6 to September 13th and it can be found at the Museum of Arts and Design

By train: A, B, C, D or No. 1 to Columbus Circle at 59th Street; N, R, Q or W to 57th Street and 7th Avenue F to 57th Street and 6th Avenue By bus: M5, M7, M10, M20, M30 and M104 to Columbus Circle at 59th Street or 57th Street and 8th Avenue

Museum Hours Tue. – Sun. 11:00 am to 6:00 pm Thurs. 11:00 am to 9:00 pm Closed Mon. and Major Holidays

SUMMER HOURS: Due to popular demand, the Museum will be open on Tuesdays from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm throughout the summer.

I was sitting at home one day, humbly minding my own business, and peacefully watching “Green Acre’s” when all of a sudden just as Arnold the pig informed Mr. Drucker that Mr. Douglas had parked in the spot where he (Arnold of course) usually parks his bicycle MegaLongCat comes storming into my house, yelling and shouting in some far off language, (I think it was some weird cross between Manhattanese and the lower half district of Jersey city with a bit of Creole and Jamaican tossed in just to confuse me).

“Christoph hajuba relief check Wall-street discount seafood ‘mon!’” he exclaimed.

Which translated of course means “Hey whats up man? Let’s go party it up!”

Of course I told him I was much too busy to “party it up” as he called it, for I was trying to solve this conundrum of how a Arnold, being a pig and all, was able to ride a bicycle.

To make a long story short, Megalongcat handed me this package and said you should really check this out. The package read “swerve.” Apparently it was the worlds best neck hair remover. I wondered if he was trying to give me a hint, and then I wondered why he cared so much about my neck hair.

The answer of course was sewn into the fact that I probably the hairiest back and neck region (next to our barbarian friend Mageta the Bunny Pillager also known as Mageta Terrorizer of Kittens and Other Tiny Beings,  as well as the Dreadful Swain Train of Pain)

So I said ok, why not i will try it out. Megalongcat said “No, no, no, I want you to review it, take a look at it, tell me what you think, and then post it up.”

By this point in our conversation, however, I finally determined that Arnold must have been using a tricycle as that would have been the only way his feet could reach the pedals. (But then I wondered why they would have called it a Bicycle in the show, which is now still causing me trouble to this very day).

[Images from http://www.theswerve.com/]

I took the Swerve out of it’s box and I gave it the once over trying to figure out how to use it.It was not until I pulled out and read the instructions that I fully understood.

I decided that in order to test it, I must compare it to other razors. I mean why buy something that you already have.

[Images from http://www.razorspares.com]

The first razor I tried out was a Mach 3 due to the fact that both had 3 blades and lubricant and what not. It was definitely troublesome trying to shave the neck area. I had to hold up another mirror to angle myself in the right position to see where and what I was shaving. After clumsily falling over myself and several minutes of frustration I got everything settled and started to shave.

Ow..Ow…Ow… you know how if you let your beard get somewhat long and then try to shave it with a razor how the hair kind of gets pulled out and your skin hates you for awhile. Yeah that’s what happened. It was difficult trying to shave normally which is from the top to bottom, so I had to shave against the grain, which on the chin is fine, but on the back of the neck it is a bit of a pain. Well, the shave went alright, and I hacked my back up fairly well. Now all I had to do was wait for the hair to grow back.

So several weeks and many episodes of Green Acre’s later it grew back to a point I deemed reasonable enough to attempt a shave. For the next test I used the same type of razor, however, I used the Fusion with 5 blades and vibration (I don’t know if that actually does anything but it makes you feel like it does). I had some of the same issues, such as the mirror, and the angling, but overall it was a much smoother and better shave than the 3 bladed. It was a lot less painful.

So now I thought to myself as I waited for the hair on my neck to grow back, how will the Swerve fair? It seems like it’s design may be more accommodating, but with only three blades will it hold up?

Well, the hair has grown back and I have just shaved with the Swerve. To my surprise it actually worked very well and I was able to get to more places then I thought…I mean…yeah holding the mirror was still tricky…but overall it was able to stand up to the 5 blade and out maneuver it. I think it works fairly well.

With all three of the razors  I used though, the clean up sucked. Neck hair and shaving cream all over the floor. I also felt kind of stupid. However, if you want to shave your neck this is the tool to do it with. I honestly do not know how it works on the back because shaving your back seems to be more trouble than it is worth (I would just Nair that if I had too). This on the other hand seems like a great way to trim down the neckline a bit when used in between haircuts. The design really makes it easy to use, much easier than I thought it would be.

The Prices Range from $4.99 for a single and $12.99 for a three-pack; both of which can be purchased from their website www.theswerve.com

~FlakHound

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[Image from http://web.mac.com/lovegallery/iWeb/Site/Home.html]

The notebooks were an incredible idea. And while the shoulder bags lend themselves to a particular taste in style (just like the paper envelope wallets), they certainly are unique, not to mention durable. While it is small, the hard shell cover does offer some flexibility for bulk with its hinges, not like a hard shell suitcase, and certainly more stylish than the average fanny-pack.

Should Sk8 Shoulder Bags not suit your fashion interests, Sk8 Notebooks and Sk8 Notebook Minis also incorporate the skateboard shells but are, as the name states, notebooks. More of a concealed weapon of sorts in comparison to the shoulder bag I suppose? Some especially beautiful designs on the notebooks, like these:

And at a smaller and slimmer scale, if you’re still feeling more of the newspaper wallet style, Anti System offers an international substitute to the New York Times, using pages of Japanese newspapers, laminated, with a strap. Even smaller? There are also card cases.

All of these products by Anti System are handmade, but they’re so loved they seem to all be sold out on Tokyocube! Unfortunately, most information on Anti System Products is in Japanese, their main website http://antisystem.jp/ redirects to here where more unique pieces can be found.

[All product images from Tokyocube]

A fun new exhibition at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, that opened last week, offers a look at the versatility and creative opportunities that come with working with felt. The exhibition, “Fashioning Felt”, includes the work of over 20 designers spanning products, furniture, fashion, and even architecture.

If you were wondering how to bring more felt into your life, this is without a doubt the exhibition for you!

But in all seriousness, the exhibition offers the opportunity to see how felt-making techniques are transformed into surprising results. Like the exquisite felt necklace with coral beads by Brigit Daamen, a necklace that shows both the durability and fragility of felt… or the very surprising Felt Rocks by Stephanie Forsythe and Todd MacAllen that will give your pet rock some competition.

The exhibition can be found at the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, in New York City:

2 East 91st Street
New York, NY 10128

More information is offered on the Cooper-Hewitt’s website for the exhibition: http://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/Fashioning-Felt/

[Images from http://exhibitions.cooperhewitt.org/Fashioning-Felt/]

Creative Fluff seems to have attracted an eclectic and innovative group of people lately. A few weeks ago we were contacted by a group named Shandle. At the time I was like “well, what the hell is a Shandle?” I quickly found out that a Shandle is single-handedly the greatest innovation for single men, frat boys, potty-training (for toddlers or frat boys…or single men for that matter), and girlfriends obsessed with clean bathrooms. The Shandle is a device for any toilet seat that serves as a handle for the lower toilet cover. You know the second seat that you never want to touch because its either grimy or you’re at your friends place and you’re not quite sure who else has touched it or what could possibly be under there? Shandle solves that problem.

We were lucky enough to be sent samples from one of the employees and we went ahead and took pictures of the unpacking process. As much as we would like to post pictures of the Shandles in use, we found that Katherine’s toilet seat was considerably too high-tech for it to be installed in, and mine was..well. There won’t be any pictures of my bathroom anytime soon. (Didn’t get a clean enough bathroom). You’ll have to take my word on it, but the Shandle works well on most standard toilets and they come in over 60 assorted designs. Some are silly while others have decent contemporary designs so there’s a Shandle for everyone. Below are pictures of one of our favorite Shandles. When the bathroom is in Fluff-tastic condition we’ll post pictures of it in action.

If you’re looking for something that would give your friends a laugh when they have to use your restroom, I highly suggest you head on over to Shandle and order yourself a couple.

Removing the ultra light box from its paper slip, the container is a simple molded carton stamped with the product name. Simple enough. No excess use of material, no fancy glossy paper, all recyclable material to be environmentally friendly.

The Kindle 2 has a nice and simple keyboard, with pleasing “round button” tactile quality that didn’t exist in on the first keyboard. It also comes without the awkward shape of the first Kindle, finished in back with a sleek brushed metal.

And finally after removing the Amazon Kindle, one would then begin to reap the benefits of the ebook reader with its beautiful free web access… an attractive quality for even those who don’t do the ebook thing.

[Image from http://xkcd.com/548/]

The Kindle 2 can be found at Amazon here.

Here’s what happened. I got this light little Amazon box, and when I opened up the cardboard box it was shipped in, I was greeted with a lively graphic of glossy black letters sprinkled across a matte black interior. Still can’t help but run my finger across the forms of the glossy alphabet.

Then removing the actual Kindle 2 packaging, I found more of the delightful letter splatter in the bottom of the box, encircling the recycle icon.

… And it becomes evident that the Kindle has gone green.

If you remember the first Kindle, you’ll remember a chunkier box that looked something like this:

[Image from http://www.thedieline.com/blog/2008/03/amazon-kindle.html]

Kindle 2’s packaging is greener. It’s obvious that the environment was taken into consideration. The thick, bulky box of the Kindle 1, is now replaced by a lightweight black material similar to that of an egg carton that houses the Kindle 2 in its belly (I’m guilty of trying to remove it without actually opening it, but to no avail).

The same glossy letter splatter is found on the smooth paper cover enveloping the rounded case, creating in the center a badge for the name “Amazon Kindle”. This paper wrap seems flimsy, but is actually acting as a kind of security system (at least for me in this case) as well the decorative element of the packaging.

And here is where it stops. I can go no further until this gift has been opened. AH! THE FRUSTRATION! This post is to be continued when the gift has been opened and held hostage momentarily by me and my camera. Stay tuned for the unveiling…(tomorrow?)

The Sega Genesis tote bag. Niche? Maybe, but still cool to look at. Comes in black only and made of nylon. $55 pricewise. Just thought I’d share it.

http://www.himeyashop.com/product_info.php/products_id/11854

More bullet buddies can be found on the artist’s own website at http://www.rachelpfeffer.com/bullets.html and on Etsy.

[ Images from http://www.rachelpfeffer.com/bullets.html ]