Idea International

Trade in your ringtones for an analog alarm clock that operates on one simple setting: loud. The single bell in back can be shushed with a tap on the snooze button, which also activates the LED-illuminated display.

We're savoring the last days of our traditionally late-to-the-party summer in San Francisco, but there's a chance we'll still see one more weekend of warm enough weather to loll in the park. The first thing we thought of when we saw this ultra-small speaker was slipping it into our back pocket and heading out to lay in the grass, putting away the earbuds and enjoying our tunes. IDEA International's compact accessory will work with most mp3 players and lasts for up to five hours on a single charge, and comes in black or silver with a cool carrying case.

Plastic bottles are overtaking America's landfills but in In Japan, disposable chopsticks are being tossed at the rate of 250 billion sets per year. Wherever you reside, it's a great idea to get a reusable version. These colorful bamboo pairs from Yuen'to are easily tossed into your purse or bag when you're bringing your lunch to work, and the case doubles as a holder while you're eating. Pick yours up at LA's A+R Store.

If you live in San Francisco and feel like browsing a wonderland of Japanese design gifties, a trip to New People—a three-story shop, gallery, and underground movie theaters—is in order (we stopped by this weekend and were pretty taken with pretty much everything in the store). If you're not in SF, they've got an extensive online shop, with paper goods, books, toys, and loads more, like these glass Ripple Sand Clocks by IDEA International. We like 'em a lot.