Solar Vertical Lamp: one more reason to close the blinds

by Darren Murph,

Could everyone just dole out a round of golf claps for Yoon-Hui Kim and Eun-Kyung Kim? Swell, thanks. These two designers have conjured up something that any second-rate hotelier (we kid… kind of) would love, as the Solar Vertical Lamp provides an eco-friendly (and eye-catching) alternative to those drab lamps from the 1980s. With the blinds open, you’ll hardly notice anything unusual, but all the while tiny solar pads are being charged up; when time comes to shut these very blinds, a lighting instrument appears to brighten the otherwise darkened room. Brilliant, right?

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Dell’s Inspiron Mini 9 and 12 get artist makeovers

by Laura June,

In recent months we’ve seen Dell’s design department running wild with new colors and art for a lot of their models, such as the Studio 15 and 17 laptops, and the announcement that customizable jobs were on the table for 2009. It probably should come as no surprise, then, to see the Inspiron Mini 9 and 12 get some love, too — this time in five patterns by artist Tristan Eaton. Otherwise the same under the hood, the paint-jobbed Minis will run you an extra $50 over the base price of each respective model — $349 for the Mini 9 and $549 for the Mini 12. Check out two more shots of the upgrades after the break.

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