Collapsible Bathroom

Well, the Australians have done it again! And by "it" I mean saving us precious bathroom space.

Not long after the Australian sanitary ware and plumbing firm Caroma brought us the sink/toilet, Australian designer Michael Trudgeon brings us the collapsible bathroom. Not only is it completely enclosed and portable, the Cirrus MVR has its own recycling system that keeps it running longer on less water.

A two-thirds-scale versions will be perfect for the future.


Via DVICE.

Pocket Projectors

The hottest new gadget this year seems to be the pocket projector. 3M, Optoma, and Toshiba have each released one, and engadget speculates that we'll be absolutely bombarded with them come CES 2009.

According to several reviewers (listed below), the miniature projectors shine--no pun intended--when connected to other miniature devices such as digital cameras, smart phones, and iPods. In other words, they will be perfect for anyone less than four feet tall. We might as well dub the pocket projector the home theater of the future.


3M MPro110 (pictured above; 7 lumens, $359; popsci review)

Optoma Pico Pocket Projector (9 lumens, $430; nytimes review)

Toshiba LED Pico Projector (10 lumens, price unknown; computerworld review)

iPhone Nano on the Horizon?

Apple Insider is reporting that two iPhone-case makers have mentioned an iPhone Nano on their websites.

We at Project Live Small are awaiting an official announcement with baited breath. If Apple is preparing to release a smaller iPhone at the upcoming Macworld Expo, Steve Jobs is even more forward-thinking than anyone suspected. A smaller iPhone will be perfectly suited to the smaller fingers of future humans, who will stand no taller than four feet.

America Finally Following in Japan's Footsteps

Project Live Small supporters will be surprised to learn what came in at number ten on Popular Mechanics' Top 10 Gadgets of 2008: a sink/toilet!

As one sharp reader commented on the Popular Mechanics website, "The Caroma [Profile Smart Dual Flush] toilet is not a new gadget. Similar designs have existed for years, just not in the US." 

Indeed. More than a month ago, we listed the sink/toilet as one of the ten ways the Japanese are already living small, and the sink/toilet existed in Japan long before 2008. It is, however, finally making its way to America thanks to Caroma, an Australian sanitary ware and plumbing firm. And for that we should all be grateful.

Rise of the Netbook

After struggling to move their product the past three years, laptop manufacturers must be thrilled about the holiday success of netbooks--smaller, lighter, and less expensive alternatives to full-sized notebooks.

CNET reports that "global notebook shipments exceeded desktops on a quarterly basis for the first time ever, with Netbooks playing a decisive role." In fact, 17 of the 25 top-selling notebooks on Amazon were netbooks.

Best of all, netbooks are ready for the future, when everyone will measure less than four tall.

 CrunchGear, via BuzzFeed. 

World's Smallest Clamshell Cellular Telephone

Living small means small gadgets, and the Pantech C300 is an excellent example:



The C300 has all the features you could ever need (instant messaging, MMS and text messaging, a camera with 4x digital zoom, etc.), and it costs well under $100. But the best part? It weighs in at just over 70 grams and measures only 3.4 x 1.7 x 0.8 inches!

Height Gene Identified

A British scientist has recently identified a gene that controls human height.

Timothy Frayling from the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry in Exeter, UK, has found a gene that causes 90% of height differences. The gene, called HMGA2, is found in greater quantities in taller people. In addition, Frayling says he "expects that between tens and hundreds of additional height genes with similar effects will be discovered within the next few years."

Genetic research is extremely important to CSL's cause. We would like to extend our sincerest thanks to Timothy Frayling and others in his field, for their exemplary work.

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