It probably won’t help you if you leave your oven on, but if you let lights linger after leaving home, Ubiquitous’ iRemotTap may help you save a few Kilowatts. This seemingly vanilla powerstip is anything but, boasting the odd addition of a tiny OS embedded in a wireless LAN chip — all the better to turn your lights off. Users can control the internet-enabled socket stick remotely via a mobile or desktop web browser, allowing them to switch off gadgets and lights after leaving the house. Can’t be bothered to log in to switch off? No worries, this plug powers devices down automatically after they reach a pre-defined power consumption limit. If you’re forgetful enough to need a light switch in the cloud, Ubiquitous is hoping to sell you peace of mind for less than ¥10,000 (2) — whenever these taps get out of R&D, that is. Vid’s after the break, if you need convincing.

Continue reading Ubiquitous iRemoTap puts your powerstrip in the cloud, turns lights off remotely (video)

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The HomeFinder screw-in light controller from Westek might seem like a simple idea, but if you live with family members who may one day need the assitance of paramedics, it might end up being an invaluable tool.

It screws into a light socket and accepts a standard bulb, and when the light switch is flipped twice the unit will flash for 20 minutes making it easier for emergency assistance to find your home, or even someone less vital like the pizza delivery guy. The flashing can be cancelled at any time by simply turning the switch off, and there’s a sensor to ensure it only turns on after dusk. $10.91 from Amazon.

And here’s a little known fact, I actually spent three weeks as the prime suspect in a ‘porchlight flasher’ case, but I was eventually exonerated when the police realized I never actually leave this computer. So not only does blogging pay the bills, but it also turns out to be a pretty solid alibi!

*True story!

*Note: Story may not be true.

[ Westek HomeFinder Screw-In Light Control ] VIA [ GadgetGrid ]

Designed by Jun Yasumoto, Alban Le Henry, Olivier Pigasse, and Vincent Vandenbrouck, this reading lamp is a bedside light and a bookmark rolled into one. Inside the polycarbonate body is a fluorescent light and a switch that kills the power when you place the book over the …

The little light-switch enclosure contains a camera flash battery, some circuit hackery, and the few parts necessary to accelerate a BB to paper-penetrating speed. Want to make your own? Assuming you know how to make a basic coil gun, here are parts used. Go forth and coil.

[via Make]

Can I interest anyone in a fake light switch that only shows the time via a small red LED display? And while I say ‘fake’ because it can’t be used to control any lights, the on/off switch does actually work, but only to turn the time display on and off. But why would anyone want to do that? Well to stop time of course!

Whenever I screw up and the deadline ties me up, I always think. “I wanna stop the time.” Of course I know nobody can do that. But instead of stopping the time, at least I might forget about it. That’s the starting of the idea. This clock is for people who want to turn the time off for a while. It doesn’t show you the time if you turn the switch off. As soon as you turn it on, the projection starts to light up from the back and show the time.

[ Time Switch ] VIA [ wrooney ]