coffee

Weekend Webware: Find Wi-fi hotspots with Hotspotr

I discovered Hotspotr at SF Beta this past week. It's a neat little service that mashes up Google maps with a local Wi-Fi hotspot finder. The real pull of the service is you can rate and comment on hotspots as you would with restaurant reviews on a review site like Yelp. It's the perfect service for the casual Wi-Fi traveler to benefit from road warriors who are willing to take the time to review a wireless access point.

The ratings aren't just things such as the overall quality of the wireless signal either; you also can rate … Read more

Command your cursor with a latte

Just after we were admiring the ergonomic friendliness of the "Vertical Mouse," another one comes along that beats it hands down (sorry). Not only is it totally ergonomic, but it also combines two of our obsessions: technology and coffee. The USB-connected "MugMouse" can actually control your cursor with its movements and clicks with a mouse button underneath, according to Newlaunches. But we don't recommend using it--especially with a full cup--unless you have a waterproof keyboard.

Not an ordinary thermos for you

"I'm picking out a thermos for you...Not an ordinary thermos for you..."

If a thermos really does mean true love, then get The Jerk in your life one to keep coffee hotter longer, but not actually scald.

According to Jolex, its Brugo thermos has a chamber that adjusts your coffee to an ideal sipping temp before it reaches your lips. Double-walled insulation keeps the rest of the coffee hot, until your next sip.

The $20 Brugo coffee thermos, which comes in an array of colors, is also spill proof.

Book of Joe pointed out this handy … Read more

PC roasts coffee beans (not by fire)

We never thought we'd see the day when two of our passions--technology and coffee--would be combined. But that day has arrived, thanks to the brilliance of one Matthew Williams.

This obviously homemade contraption uses a Fuji temperature controller hooked up to a laptop's USB port and a fan to control the roasting process, according to Gizmowatch and Hackedgadgets. At the bottom of the cylindrical chamber, which is made of bakelite and glass tubes, is a screen that catches the beans as soon as they're roasted to perfection--ensuring a tailor-made cup o' joe, inventor Williams says. We'll … Read more

Zoodango: all too literal social networking

Just what you were looking for: another social networking site! If you've tired of the purely social scene that is Facebook or MySpace, LinkedIn is just too buttoned down for you, and you want your social networking to happen in the real world, then welcome to Zoodango. (Ok, first things first: Zoodango?)

The deal with Zoodango is it will attempt to combine the over-sharing personal elements of MySpace or Facebook ("lifestyle information"), the impressive-credential listing and resume jargon ("professional information") of LinkedIn, and the time-honored coffee-shop get-together. Yes, Zoodango has a fairly novel approach to … Read more

Cream and sugar? Weather?

MSN Direct and Melitta released a whole-bean coffeemaker that displays the weather in real time Thursday. It is also an FM receiver that links to the MSN Direct data service.

The Melitta Smart Mill & Brew Coffee Maker with MSN Direct Region-Specific Weather displays the temperature, chance of rain, time of sunrise and sunset, and the daily forecast. Gadget freaks and caffeine addicts alike can buy the coffeemaker on Amazon.com and in Sharper Image stores for about $200.

The coffeemaker joins a series of smart objects on the market that act as widgets. MSN Direct also offers WeatherNow, a … Read more

Copier-DVD-latte combo needs a bong

It's not often that the sight of a product photo forces us to turn away. But it was necessary to avoid getting flashbacks to our "Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test" days.

The last thing you'd expect to trigger psychedelic memories would be a piece of office equipment, but this is no ordinary machine. And we're not just talking about the crazy magenta daisy motif, either. Konica Minolta is working on a prototype that combines the usual functions (copying, printing, scanning, faxing) with a slew of other features, including a DVD player, LCD screen, speakers and even … Read more

Porsche makes coffee too

Just to show how much we care, Crave does its level best to provide constant updates on superficial household appliances as the news breaks. Just yesterday, for example, we offered up the Porsche-design toaster. But in the last 24 hours, sources close to our sink have passed along word that said toaster is just one of a line of Porsche kitchen products, which include a kettle and coffee machine. We ask only that you remember where you heard it first.

(Photo: WhereDidYouBuyThat.com)