ikea

April Fools' gadgets: You'll wish some of these were real

April Fools' is a big day for conceptual technology products. Big tech companies get to let their hair down and come up with gadgets that would earn them ridicule and criticism if they were introduced on any day other than April 1.

We have some real doozies for 2013 when it comes to prank tech gear. ThinkGeek, as usual, has an entire lineup of weird and wonderful items. There's a Play-Doh 3D printer that forms figures out of the famous squishy clay-like material. If you enjoyed listening to Bane's garbled and growly speech during "The Dark Knight Rises," you'll want your very own pair of Bane Mask Walkie Talkies. Other fictional products from the geek retailer include an "Aliens" Chestburster-in-a-Can, a Creeper Body Pillow, and an Eye of Sauron desk lamp.… Read more

The 404 1,218: Where we order off the secret menu (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- The mystery behind Chipotle's secret 1,500-calorie monstrosity.

- The ultimate In-N-Out secret menu survival guide.

- I used to smoke pot every time I played a video game. Here's why I stopped..

- SUNY adds a hip-hop anthem to its marketing set list.

- 404 listener Kulastar made this infographic comparing Bill Murray to Jim Carrey.… Read more

Ikea AR catalog gets under furniture's skin

Ikea has already introduced its catalog for mobile devices, but now the Swedish furniture giant is going a little more in-depth with the 2013 edition. There are more than 40 bits of extended content sprinkled throughout the catalog.

The 2013 physical catalog pairs with a special Ikea catalog app to unlock more than meets the eye on the printed page. Unlike the Moosejaw X-ray catalog peep show, expect to see furniture rather than statuesque Scandinavian models.… Read more

IKEA wants to sell you a TV that's part of the furniture

It's a problem that has plagued the monied for decades.

How do you ensure that your TV goes well with your furniture? How do you find a cabinet upon which your TV might perch with regal grace? And how do you deal with all those cables?

This problem has been affecting me this week, as my TV -- as well as the surround sound, speakers, woofers, and everything else -- was fitted by three hairy men who sniffed a lot, and I have no idea how to take it apart in order to change the furniture around it.

Galloping to my aid is IKEA. … Read more

The 404 1,043: Where we advocate hacking (podcast)

Our old friend Andrew Mager joins us in the studio this morning to tell us what it takes to earn the role of Hacker Advocate over at Spotify.

He'll also give us a live demo of some of the popular apps you can download for Spotify that help you discover new music, browse music lyrics, read more about your favorite artists, scan your albums using a Web cam, and more. Somewhere during this episode, we also decide to start a four-man band, so let us know what you think our name should be.… Read more

Ikea teases cardboard digital camera

Forget smartphones, tablets, and digital cameras. What about capturing that special moment with a cardboard cam from Ikea? Bonus: Looks like there's no assembly required.

Last week, Ikea included a cardboard camera in press kits for those attending the Fuorisalone design expo in Milan. The "disposable" device shoots 40 pictures, uses two AA batteries, and features a thin built-in USB port. … Read more

The 404 1,035: Where this episode is spoiler-free (podcast)

"Does anyone else want to tackle the "adorkable" Zooey Deschanel after watching those Siri commercials?" You may not be as annoyed with Apple as Jeff, but we can all agree that the latest batch of iPhone 4S commercials have lowered the bar.… Read more

The 404 1,034: Where Jeff takes an ice nap (podcast)

Jeff took a spill on the ice during a hockey game yesterday, but he manages to limp his way into the studio to help us out with today's rundown. We wouldn't be The 404 if we didn't cover the 2Pac holographic concert at Coachella last weekend, and even though it's technically just a clever optical illusion, we're excited about the upcoming 2.0Pac tour and the potential of resurrecting our own favorite performers from history.

Meanwhile, Ikea furniture designers in Sweden have come up with a new way to vertically integrate their furniture with another … Read more

Is Ikea's Uppleva all-in-one HDTV entertainment system a game changer?

Ikea has long sold affordable and attractively styled stands for TVs and home-theater components, but now it's taking things up a notch, integrating both furniture and electronics in an all-in-one system under its Uppleva brand.

The base unit comes with a "smart" 1080p LED TV, Blu-ray player, and 2.1 virtual surround system that includes a wireless subwoofer that can be positioned anywhere in the room. You'll then be able to customize the TV size and cabinetry and even change the color of the frame for the TV. Prices are expected to start at about $950 for an entry-level unit and TVs will range in size from 26 to 46 inches, which may not be quite big enough for some folks -- in the U.S anyway. The displays are reportedly being supplied by Chinese manufacturer TCL.

No word on exactly when Uppleva entertainment systems will hit U.S. stores, but they're set to roll out this June in in select stores in Stockholm, Milan, Paris, Gdansk, and Berlin, with more stores in Sweden, Italy, France, Poland, Denmark, Spain, Norway, and Portugal added in the fall. A broader release is expected for 2013. … Read more

Ikea building an entire London neighborhood

Ikea wants to build you a house. Not a pine bookcase, not a nice little side table, not a quirkily colorful kitchen implement -- an entire house. LandProp, the property development arm of the Swedish furniture company, is building and renting out an entire neighborhood of homes in London, according to The Globe and Mail.

No, really. The Ikea neighborhood -- Ikeahood? Ikeatown? -- is to be located in east London, near the Olympic site. It will be named Strand East and filled with families and leafy pedestrian boulevards.

Read more of "Ikea building and renting an entire neighbourhood in London" at Crave UK. … Read more