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Hang on. I’d better just check my toaster again… Phew. Seems okay. For now…
I’m imagining tiny electronic devices which consist of little more than a small glass window with a moveable needle inside, a la the ubiquitous UV meter. Some unspecific scale is marked on the meter, and of course, there’s
a generous portion of red to the right hand side of the display. They have a strip on the back which covers a small section of double-sided sticky stuff: remove the tape and you can stick the needle-meter onto anything you choose.
Now, here you’ve got a couple of choices. You can either go for the hi-tech version, in which silly imaginary Bluetooth technology connects all these autonomous devices to a central computer in your home and dictates, from what you tell it your mood is today, whether the dials say that everything is running smoothly; or just have the dials be self-enclosed and work on a random basis. Gimme a second while I just go check on my bookcase – it was edging dangerously close to meltdown last time I saw it.
False alarm. Anyway, the more I think about it the more stupid this idea actually is. Although sticking a dial on your forehead and using it to indicate how close to mental meltdown you are does have a certain charm.
“NO! You can’t put your mug down there!”
“Why not?”
“The coffee table cannae take it, Captain! The readings are aff the scale already!”
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to replace the Dilithium Crystals in my cat. His flashing lights and sirens have just gone off. Again.
Ambient Dashboard
http://www.thinkgee...ts/electronic/732d/
The "silly imaginary Bluetooth technology" version has actually been baked, you can buy it here. [krelnik, Mar 17 2005]
" She canna take much more, Captain ! "
http://www.hotcars....os/skodacockpit.jpg
[normzone, Mar 17 2005]
[link]
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Sign me up for a 12-pack. (WTAGIPBAN) |
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I like it, "But, I just don't know Jim" |
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Utterly pointless. Croissant factor nine. + |
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How about some that actually work? 26% of my book is read, the milk's 79% full... |
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Gotta go with [oatcake] on this one. I want to know what percentage of my toilet-cleaning tablet is still in the tank, how much sleep I need to meet my quota, and at what decibels my neighbor is playing "Hey, Jude" for the 28th time. |
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[k_sra]: Sorry, I'll turn that down. |
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Seriously... some battery company makes those built in to the package the batteries come in... or on the battery itself. I peel them off and save them for weird stuff like that. Also, they have something similar for fish tank temperature and compressed gas tank level. They are a variety of LCD I think, with
either thermometer-like or number display instead of a needle. |
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I recently re-wired my entire vehicle and just for the hell of it, I decided to put in some colored diodes that do nothing but light up. Along with a few digital gauges, my car now looks like it could go "back to the future" or something. |
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This is great! I would use these at home AND in the office - what fun!! |
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At work we have a problem with operators that "need" to adjust the machines. These, along with a few well positioned inactive dials and switches would do wonders to stabilize production. |
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Can you make one that says 'Muffler Bearing Pressure?' |
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I thought it said stink-on readout dials-- for when you
really get your stink on. |
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ok, I want a few of yours for the minivan-- it's got a real
lack of indicators.+ |
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//sticking a dial on your forehead and using it to indicate how close to mental meltdown you are does have a certain charm.// |
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Baked. 2000AD Mean Machine. |
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//His flashing lights and sirens have just gone off. Again.// |
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Reminds me of a gag we played on an engineer in the server room. There was a big sign that said "Halon extinguisher system. When siren sounds, evacuate room." Guess what, I bought a cheap burgular alarm siren... |
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That's spectacular. Dials that _did_ work would be excellent, but random dials are certainly cool enough for my needs. A lot easier to produce, too, I suspect. |
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Doesn't Homer Simpson have a load of them? I love em' |
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This idea reminds me of the stickers I printed to stick on
door knobs that say "twist". Points out the obvious. |
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I used to have labels on my doors reading "DOOR". There were also "WINDOW" and "WALL" labels. |
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There was a parafoil-n-fan based
ultralight (sorry, don't remember the
maker) with an "instrument panel" that
was only a mirror (to keep an eye on the
wing) and a decal of an airspeed gauge
with the needle at 8 knots. That's the
only speed it flies. If you add power it
climbs; throttle back to descend. Off
subject, but I thought it was funny. On
subject, I like this. Audiophiles will buy
'em by the boatload. |
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This is the best idea ever. |
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Are UV meters ubiquitous? Not sure that I have ever seen one. |
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