It was close to a year ago that I wrote about an amazing piece of software called Floorplanner, advertised as the easiest way to create and share interactive floor plans that could save me hours of back-breaking labor. As if it were possible, the product is now improved and looking for beta testers. The new version features 3D objects, easier surface drawing, faster speed and some interface refinements. The 3D objects addition is by far the greatest improvement on an already booming business: over 10,000 floor plans are saved on their site daily by their 500,000 registered users.
The New York Times hot topic story about the possibility of granite countertops containing radon and uranium sure made the industry jump. The official industry response to the story is here at the Marble Institute. Also, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) would like to remind everyone that they have "long recognized the carcinogenic effects of radon in the home" and recommend consumers planning to remodel a kitchen or bath consult with an NKBA-certified designer. NKBA-certified designers have been taught the proper methods for eliminating radon and other hazardous gases. We have a feeling there will be more back-and-forth over this story for some time. In the meantime, here are some other things you can do to protect yourself and your family.
Everywhere you look today people are talking about the high price of gas and how we can reduce our usage. Now Design Within Reach is offering the Neuton Battery-Powered Mower to help. The Neuton's 24-volt rechargeable battery gives it enough charge to mow for 45 to 60 minutes and produces no CO2 emissions. Given that about 800 million gallons of gas are burned annually mowing lawns, this is a chance to make a big change.
With high supermarket prices driving people to grow their own vegetable gardens, it was only a matter of time before people started looking into livestock. Enter the eglu, the surprisingly stylish chicken coop designed for rural, suburban, even urban living. The prospect of having fresh eggs every morning almost sounds worth the weekly chicken coop cleaning. The eglu is designed for ease of maintenance and the Omlet.us Web site has a handy FAQ page for those of us who don't know the first thing about keeping chickens.
Since machines have been produced, engineers and mechanics have been striving to make them faster and more powerful. And that applies to lawn mowers, too. In this video, Bobby Cleveland attempts to break the lawn mower land speed record in the Utah salt flats. He'd like to break 100 miles per hour. Does he make it? You'll have to watch the video to find out.
Wheelbarrows are immeasurably useful but big and bulky in storage. The new Fold-A-Cart promises to change all that. The cart folds to 20 percent its original size for easy storage and transport. It also performs as well, if not better, than a standard wheelbarrow and is capable of carrying up to 400 pounds. The wheelbarrow bed is completely puncture, tear and UV-resistant, and the product is backed by a full 10-year replacement warranty. Contractors may find the professional grade version useful for saving space in their work truck. It is available for purchase from the Fold-A-Cart web site and by phone at 1-866-977-3653.
As a writer here, I am continually amazed by the amount of resources devoted to toilet research. No less than three months since Ventex Systems announced the launch of what they called the first odorless toilet, they now have a competitor in Smith Innovations. Their VIP toilet system has a battery-powered fan that removes foul air from beneath the user and flushes it out into the sewer along with the accompanying waste. It is much the same as the Ventex System except it installs just like a regular toilet with no additional construction. It's only a matter of time before this technology becomes the new standard.
