Leisure
Star Wars Auction
To be auctioned Aug. 1 for a cool $170k, this is the TIE Fighter that bumped off Darth Vader in Star Wars IV: A New Hope. Cheaper: C3PO’s shoes, Cantina alien head and Imperial officer costume.
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Tech
Sony Ericsson T700
The slim T700 is the successor to the T610 and comes in classic two-tone black on metal. Other specs: 2″ TFT display, 3.2 MP camera, quad-band GSM, 2100 MHz UMTS 3G.
Living
Making a Table from Recycled 3D Printing Plastic
After messing up a 3D printed chair, maker Morley Kert decided to break up its plastic into tiny pieces and use them to create a new piece of furniture. After chopping up the chair, he ran the pieces through an industrial plastic crusher. It took a lot of experimentation to form the table’s curved wooden
Tech
Using DSLR Lenses on an iPhone
Apple constantly refines their iPhone cameras to produce higher quality images. But are traditional camera lenses always better at gathering light? Evan Monsma put that to the test by making a brass mount lens that lets him connect DSLR and other lenses directly to a sensor on his broken iPhone 13. That C-mount to EF-mount
Trailers
Ricky Gervais’ Alley Cats (Trailer)
(PG-13: Language) Ricky Gervais is basically Garfield with cursing as an amusingly smug (no newsflash there), foul-tempered cartoon pussy in Alley Cats. His animated 6-part Netflix series follows a gang of snarky, streetwise kitties who cause minor cat-astrophes while musing on the meaning of life and fighting for survival on England’s mean streets. Drops 8.7.26.
Funny Stuff
The Simpsons Theme on Weird Instruments
French musical group Les Fo’Plafonds performs songs on unusual musical instruments. In this session, they take on the title music from The Simpsons, performing Danny Elfman’s iconic cartoon theme song on bicycle air pumps, bells, pots, pans, plastic tubes, soup cans, wine bottles, a steam iron, and other unconventional noisemakers.
Living
Gerber Lockdown Multitool
This compact tool combines versatility with a pocket-friendly form factor. It comes in two versions, both with a 2.5″ liner lock knife, a #11 utility blade, and a file with a chisel edge. The Drive adds a 1/4″ driver with a double sided bit and an awl, and the Pry has a pry bar, nail
Etc
Why We Can’t Leave the Solar System
While space probes have traveled as far as Neptune, humans have only gone as far as the Moon. It’s incredibly hard to send people into space, and as Kurzgesagt explains, it may be impossible for us ever to visit other galaxies. If we don’t die during the years it takes to get there, collisions with
Tech
Sorda Stereo Karaoke Speaker
This retro-style Bluetooth speaker cranks out room-filling stereo sound from its dual 4″ drivers, backed by 100 watts of amplification. It has a built-in 6000 mAh battery that provides up to 12 hours of cordless play time, and a backlit analog VU meter. It also includes a pair of wireless microphones for Karaoke duets.
Etc
Death Cab for Cutie: Stone Over Water (Music Video)
Death Cab for Cutie’s track “Stone Over Water” paints a picture of aging, feeling stressed, and masking it all. Director Sean Solomon’s charming animated music video uses playful imagery to reflect that story with a heartwarming message about empathy and human connection in times of struggle. From the exceptional 2026 album I Built You a
Music
Bossa Nova Black Hole
UK singer and multi-instrumentalist Bella Band puts a completely unique spin on the Muse track “Supermassive Black Hole.” Using instruments like flute and clarinet, she gave her fellow Brits’ high-intensity rock song a smooth and ear-pleasing new sound with elements of bossa nova and jazz. The track is available on Spotify and Apple Music.
Art + Design
Making a Duck Sculpture from Rusty Junk
New Zealand artist Jamie Thomas has made some incredible animal sculptures from scrap metal. In this video, he walks through the process of bending, welding, and grinding a bunch of old horseshoes and metal files into a dynamic sculpture of a duck taking flight. Along the way, he talks about how he got his start