David Eggers can now add time travel entrepreneur to his long list of literary and social accomplishments thanks to the Eco Park Time Travel Mart he recently opened in LA. Some of the humorous products available for purchase include: mammoth chunks, barbarian repellent, packets of shade and anti-robot fluid. More info after the break.

As with the other novelty stores in Eggers stable, the time travel mart will be used to support his non-profit 826 chain of tutoring and writing centers. If I lived in LA, I know that I would be a generous supporter. After all, how many places can you state “I want that yesterday” and get your wish? [Product Catalog and 826LA via io9 via Boing Boing Gadgets]

Via [Gizmodo]

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An iPhone/iPod Touch-based drum machine makes some sense thanks to the whole multi-touch thing. The iPhone drum pad (called “Drummer”) currently in development over at Moo Cow Music leverages multi-touch technology to allow you to hit up to five drum pads at once. You can play along with your own music or just have a […]

An iPhone/iPod Touch-based drum machine makes some sense thanks to the whole multi-touch thing. The iPhone drum pad (called “Drummer”) currently in development over at Moo Cow Music leverages multi-touch technology to allow you to hit up to five drum pads at once. You can play along with your own music or just have a sweet solo like the one Garth had in Wayne’s World while Wayne was busy buying his new guitar.

There are five pre-installed drum kits (Rock, Dance, Jazz 1, Jazz 2, and Electro) or you can make your own kits by using sampled WAV files. “Drummer” is currently in closed beta but will be free when it’s released into the wild.

Drummer - The iPhone Drum Pad [moocowmusic.com] via technabob

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Via [crunchgear]

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I nearly labeled this four-port USB hub with digital alarm and seven-colour moodlight “just another boring Brando USB gadget.” But on second thought, I decided I actually like it: if you’re going to have a USB hub on your desk, why not combine it with some multicolored LED goodness? Brighten up your dreary cubicle with some rainbow ambience, that’s what I say! Okay, the clock part is dumb, since who has a PC that doesn’t already display the time? But we can overlook that design error, can’t we Brando-fans? This 3 x 3 x 1 inch wonder is available for $16. [Geekalerts]

Via [Gizmodo]

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In a clear effort to electrocute himself with powerlines or just cut his head with a traffic light, someone has created a 12-foot-tall bicycle from scratch. Called the SkyWalker TallBike, these bikes are not for the faint of heart. In fact, they are built for absolute lunatics. In other words, I want to ride one. Update: We talked with Brad Graham, the inventor, about how it was made and how it really works. Details and more picts after the jump.

According to Brad, the 12-foot SkyWalker is so strong that it can easily take a 500-pound pilot, a tiny trivia fact that makes me envision a Fantasia hippo driving one. The bike has a built-in ladder that stops just bellow the seat, obviously to get you to the top while giving you enough space to pedal comfortably. The distance between the seat and the pedals makes it suitable for most people between 5′-8″ and 6′-4.

Jesús Díaz: How much time did it take you to build this bike?
Brad Graham: SkyWalker was made in a single weekend. All welding was done outdoors in -10 degree weather using a basic AC welder.

JD: You built it with spare parts, right?
BG: Yes. All parts were scavanged from the local dump with the exception of a few lengths of hardware store electrical conduit for the frame.

JD: OK, and now the really OMFG part: how the heck do you ride this thing?
BG: The bike is very easy to ride if you trust it. Climbing the ladder while it is in motion takes some time to get used to, but after a few tries, I was able to get to the top with a coffee in one hand. Many people tried SkyWalker, and had no problem at all riding it.

I trust Brad. Or maybe not, but I want one. And then I will divorce, marry the bearded woman and buy a monkey. [Atomic Zombie and Instructables]

Via [Gizmodo]

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The solar power plant Abengoa Solar will build in Gila Bend, Arizona, won’t rely on fancy photovoltaic panels. No, it uses pretty much the same trick your evil ass used on bugs and leaves way back when: focusing sunlight to create high heat. In this case, mirrors focus the sun’s rays into tanks of heat-transfer oil, heating it to about 400°C, boiling water for a steam turbine.

The appeal of the system is its low cost and high scalability. MIT’s Technology Review says that, according to one expert, “solar thermal power will become cost competitive with other forms of power generation decades before photovoltaics will.” And even though solar thermal costs more than wind power (around 15 cents per kilowatt versus wind’s 8 cents per kilowatt), solar thermal energy, trapped in the form of heat, is much more simple to save up. Energy can be generated even when the sun isn’t shining—in the case of Abengoa’s Arizona plant, part of the heat doesn’t directly boil water but is transferred to molten salt tanks, where it can be stored to power the turbine for up to six sunless hours.

The plant goes operational in 2011, and will generate 280 megawatts, enough to provide energy for 70,000 homes, customers of the Arizona Public Service in Phoenix. [Technology Review; Abengoa]

Via [Gizmodo]

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