Bamboo Electronics +Rant

DBL Distributing has partnered with Micro Innovations to distribute eco-friendly computer accessories.

The good: As readers of this blog know, I'm a big fan of bamboo in many applications. It's a strong, beautiful wood that grows very fast. That's the eco-friendly part. I can't tell from this photo just how attractive the the computer accessories are. Looks like they put a really glossy finish on them--not my first choice in finishes for anything except the brightwork on wooden boats.

The bad: So why don't I just click on the link and go to the website for a closer look? Because they don't let you past the first page unless you first sign in. That's crap. I don't know whether I want to join your store, give you my email address, etc., BEFORE I've seen what you've got to sell. I suggest Micro Innovations get themselves another distributer. They'd have a much better chance of actually selling something.

[Thanks, I think, BoingBoingGadgets]

Bamboo Everywhere

I really like the look of bamboo, and it's a good thing because it's turning up everywhere. It's been around forever it seems as furniture. Perhaps the difference now is that it's being cut into strips, laminated, and sold as flooring and just about anything that requires a flat panel. Here are a couple of examples.

Dell's brand new Studio Hybrid mini computer is available in many colorful "sleeves." The exception is the sleeve made of bamboo. It's getting the featured center spot in the group photos. It sort of makes me want one, even though I just got a new laptop.

Apparently the Hybrid is very nice inside too. Review at the Cult of Mac blog.

Or, how about a bamboo sink. Yup, a sink made of laminated bamboo. Read more about the Stone Forest Moso Vessel here on ThisNext's blog. Do a search for bamboo at ThisNext, and you'll get a sense of the range of bamboo products available.

I've never used bamboo in the shop. I'm going to have to give it a try. Besides its great looks, bamboo is very hard, and it grows VERY fast. A wood for the future.

Laptop Platform

Thanks to wireless internet in my house, I can now sit in my comfy chair in the living room and read my email and check my favorite websites. The only problem is my laptop gets hot, too hot to sit on my lap for long. I recently bought a lap desk sort of thing made of I don't know what. It works and it cost $20.

But if I were made of money, I would have bought one of these, a Laptop Platform from Bedworks. It's made of bamboo. More details here.

If you can figure out how to make one, leave a message in the comments.