I think this is a bizarre but fantastic design! The seating is based on the popular board game Scrabble and is actually installed in the London Offices of Bloomsberg Financial Services.

Those waiting in the seating area can make words and leave messages with the printed letter cushions … I wonder if they actually use these cushions and if they only ever make polite words?! Check out the designer’s other ideas …

For me The OC is an escape from the normality of life and a chance to look at some hot Cali guys with sun-kissed tans. The script is far from the world I live in here in secluded Farnborough, I love the dramatic storyline and feel I have become friends with the cast they have built up.

As a huge fan of the program, I am extremely excited that the third series is finally out on DVD. What’s more it is now available at Amazon for only £39.99 - reduced from £61.99. If you held off buying the set when it first came out you made the right decision.

Also available at Amazon is The OC board game – the game will test your knowledge on the program and characters and will also be a great source of entertainment for you and your friends. This is currently selling brand new for £24.95 or used for £19.98.

My boyfriend bought this game a few weeks ago and I mocked him, oh how wrong I was. After watching him play and listening to the sounds he was creating Electroplankton now officially lives at my house. I can’t put the game down its so addictive yet so simple to play. It is definitely now one of my favourite Nintendo games.

There are 10 species of electroplankton to play with and each species responds to touch or sound (such as clapping). The game is extremely interactive and allows you to create music through movement and commands. All you need to do is use the stylus on your DS and move it across the screen. My favourite plankton are Tracy who respond by following lines you have drawn with the stylus. The speed and direction at which you draw the lines has a great effect on the sound they make. Anyway definitely a great gift for someone’s birthday, available at Amazon for £24.99.

When I was at Uni, shots were a popular choice at the bar – they don’t taste as bad as cheap wine and they have an almost instantaneous effect – which is what every student wants! Now I’ve come across these new Jello Shots called Suck and Blow, where two people are required, one to suck and the other to blow! These are going to be a big hit with students – imagine what an ice breaker they’ll be during Freshers week! What a great opportunity to share a drink with that person you fancy, OK so it’s not very classy but I don’t think that’s something students seem to worry about!

I’m a little confused by who sucks and who blows (maybe I’m being naïve) but it seems to me that one person enjoys the shot while the other spends their time blowing it into their partner’s mouth! When I was at Uni I know I wouldn’t waste my precious few pounds on blowing a shot into someone else’s mouth – I’d want it myself to get me through the night! I guess it’s not just students who will love these new jello shots though; bars and clubs everywhere will no doubt be stocking these up.

Many of the shots are available in original flavours, such as the Spice Spice Baby - black cherry gelatin, flat cola, spiced rum, and grenadine, the ISO Happy Endings - wild strawberry gelatin, water, champagne, crème de strawberry, fresh strawberries, and whipped cream, and the not-quite-gelatin shot Brulette Milk - unflavored gelatin, vanilla schnapps, vanilla vodka, frangelico, instant vanilla pudding, and brown sugar. They’d be great at any kind of social gathering and provide hours of fun, especially if you managed to persuade the unlikely couple to participate (say your shy friend and the bloke you know she fancies). Mean but definitely worth watching!

So I know things have moved on a bit from playing cards (most people spend more time watching TV, listening to music, playing on the computer etc) but who can deny they buy a pack each year to take away on holiday? I admit I love a game of cards - if I’m burnt, if the weather’s not great or if I’m in need of a drinking game in the evening! I also bet every year you come home and find soggy cards stuck to the inside of your bag that have got wet in the rain, or had drinks spilt on them. Well here’s the solution - waterproof playing cards!

It’s not the money you’ll save from having to buy them each year that’s great (playing cards are peanuts) but the convenience of always having a pack there when you need them. Simply wipe away the spillages and store them in a cupboard for next time … I think these are great!

Rumour has it that the much awaited PlayStation 3 consoles will not be available in the UK before Christmas – Uh Oh! Santa will not be popular this year when children find out that the toy top of their list wont be under the tree. According to an article I read today in the Daily Mail Sony has been forced to delay the launch due to such a high demand for the product across the world. The consoles are now set to be launched in the UK and the rest of Europe in March 2007, a year later than originally predicted. Japan and the US will still be able to purchase the PS3 in time for Christmas however not as many will be available as Sony had hoped.

The PS3 is not just a games console, it is an advanced piece of technology that allows owners to connect to the Internet for downloading purposes and watch high-def movies as well as play the endless number of games available. At around £425 per console you would expect it to have all these features. So sorry kids no PS3 this year.

The DeFIBulator is the first hand-held voice tension detector – oh I can’t wait to test this one out! Apparently the DeFIBulator uses voice tension technology to measure the varying degrees of vibrations when someone speaks and has a very high accuracy rate detecting lies – although I personally wouldn’t base life changing decisions on this little gadget myself!

It can be connected to your mobile, which is where I can see it becoming a popular accessory – and you simply have to train the DeFIBulator to the human voice by asking 3 yes/no questions.

Then ask the real yes/no questions and watch the figure on the screen! According to Spy Emporium, the figure’s nose and horns will grow longer when there is more tension in the voice. Whether you want to use this on your boyfriend or as a party trick for your friends, the DeFIBulator sounds like a great gadget to me! Available from Spy Emporium for $89.99.

Via Coolest Gadgets

Last weekend my boyfriend popped to town to get some lunch and came back with Guitar Hero. Girls - if you need a bit of time to yourself this is the perfect gift for your partner, it will keep them entertained for hours if not days. Guitar hero is an interactive computer game that comes with a plastic guitar (almost full size) and a DVD for your PS2. The guitar has five different colour buttons on the left that play different sounds and a strumming button on the body of the guitar.

The DVD is a compilation of kick ass rock songs from 1980’s hits to recent popular anthems; you will probably know many of them so you can sing along. The scene on the TV is set in a bar with a stage for the band and a lively audience. If you are good they will cheer and if you are bad they will boo and if you are really bad you will lose the game. There are ability levels so you can start off in easy mode and progress to difficult.

The idea of the game is to play along with the band, the TV will tell you what colour button/buttons to press at what time and when you must strum. Although easy rules to follow it does get confusing when you have seven different colour combinations thrown at you in the space of 2 seconds! This game is fun for most people to play and at one point me, my boyfriend and his little sister were all fighting over whose go it was next.

You can currently purchase Guitar Hero at Amazon.co.uk for £39.99.

Check out the illusions on this website they will baffle you. Prior to writing this article I spent the good part of 40 minutes fascinated with the page so if you’re at work – keep an eye on the boss! I have seen some of these puzzles in e-mails but never this many on one page. For me, the most astonishing one was illusion 13 (find the faces); on first glace I saw the pretty picture but I then began to see the creepy faces appearing (all 11 – yes I am extremely observant). See how you get on with this one, I’d like to hear your results in the comment section.

The success of Over the Hedge created by DreamWorks Animation has led to the release of the computer game based on the characters and storyline. The game is now available on PS2 and can be purchased from Amazon at a reasonable price of £17.99 in their sale. Players take the roles of leading characters – RJ the raccoon, Hammy the squirrel, Verne the turtle and Stella the skunk and cause mayhem in the neighbourhood, trying to survive amongst the humans. The variety of puzzles and games will keep you addicted and you can play against your friends reliving extracts from the film.

Each character has a unique power move to fend off the enemy and you will laugh at the amusing situations as you play. This is a great game for the family to take part in and will take your experience of Over the Hedge that little bit further. I bought this game for my boyfriend last week and we haven’t put it down since.

I know at my age this sort of stuff really shouldn’t interest me but the new “Posh Life” Barbies make me wish I was 9 again. These dolls are fabulous collectors items (Great – an excuse for owning a couple now) and have been designed by a team of top American fashion designers. Each doll is supposed to represent the traditional british upper class woman.

The collection includes, High Tea and Savouries™Barbie®, who is dressed to the nines in a beautiful fifties style cocktail dress and Day at the Races™ Barbie® – ready for ascot in a wide brimmed hat and floral dress. Most dolls in the collection are available now but you’ll have to wait until October 2006 for the beautiful Lady of the Manor™doll. If you want to find out more about the collection there is a cute short trailer, see it at the Barbie® Collector website. Spiffing™!

I am now in my early 20’s but according to Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training game I have the brain age of a 75 year old! However, with daily training of quick solving maths, sudoku and memory exercises I am well on my way to bringing this number down. You can keep the various areas of your brain active by undertaking regular mental exercise with this game. Dr Kawashima insists the game is a great brain trainer and will keep your mind younger and more active for longer.

Thanks to the advanced technology of the Nintendo DS and DS lite, you are able to interact with the game using both written and verbal answers. You are also able to play against others by connecting to your friend’s DS using the wireless function.

This unique interactive world is full of fun and strange characters who will keep you entertained for hours. When you play for the first time you are taken to your town via taxi and introduced to your new home and the other animals in the neighbourhood. Each character will talk and interact with you in their own little manner; some are very polite and chatty and some are a bit weird but there are loads of animals for you to talk to.

There are many places to visit such as Tom Nook’s store where you can purchase all your necessities, hair salon, town hall, museum, café etc. Earn a living by helping people in the village, such as working in the shop. You still need to pay your bills and buy your own household goods in this game!

With the integrated Nintendo Wi-Fi connection you can visit your real friends within the virtual world of animal crossing. Travel to other towns and meet loads of new characters, throw parties and join in competitions. There are endless activities for you to take part in without having to leave the comfort of your bedroom! Animal Crossing is designed for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo DS Lite.

How many of you would love to own a cute little puppy without having to clean up real mess and walk around a field in the pouring rain? Well I certainly would which is why I think Nintendogs is genius.

The realistic game allows you to interact with the puppy using the touch screen and stick provided; you can stroke her, wash and groom her, walk her and even enter her into contests. If your puppy is good or learns her new commands you should stroke her to let her know you are pleased with her, like a real puppy she will know the difference between love and neglect. Unlike real puppies, they do not grow up.

The first time you play you can visit the kennel and chose your puppy; you can then take her home and look after her as though she were real. One of the first things you must do is name her and teach her to come to you when you call her. This is relatively easy as long as you follow the instructions.

You can check your puppy’s status to see if she is hungry, thirsty or dirty. If she is you will need to go to the shop and purchase some pet supplies. Giving the puppy a shower and grooming her fur is great fun and required frequently, especially if your puppy is a longhaired breed. The puppy loves to have your attention and misses you when you are away; if you forget to check her status and she feels neglected, it’s likely she’ll run away for a while.

Teaching the puppy to listen to your orders is all part of the game, they can learn to sit down, give you their paw, lie down, roll over and all the other tricks you expect real puppies to learn. The puppy learns the tricks by your voice commands – very clever. Teaching your puppy new tricks is just part of the game, the best thing about Nintendogs is it’s built in wireless technology that allows you to connect to other Nintendog users from all over the world. Your puppy can meet and play with new friends all the time and you can access the other available breeds.

There are four different Nintendog games to choose from: Chihuahua & friends, Labrador & friends, Dachshund & friends and Dalmatian & friends. Each pack has a choice of six different breeds so you’re sure to find a puppy you like! I have the Dalmatian & friends pack and chose the female Golden Retriever. Other breeds in this pack include Boxer, Beagle, Dalmatian, Yorkshire Terrier and German Shepherd Dog.