Yes, now instead of a store in the mall to buy your stepdad a spatula mixed with a thermometer, The Sharper Image is going to be a line of iPod docks sold at places like department stores and Bed, Bath & Beyond.

What I saw were some decent-looking but uninspiring iPod docks. One model rotates your iPod touch automagically into landscape mode for watching movies. Another has a pair of detachable, wireless speakers.

The goal is to sell iPod docks that are cheaper than what”s out there, but with most of the prices hovering well over $100, they really only seem like they”ll be cheap when compared to something like Bose. In any case, these things won”t be hitting stores your mom shops at until November of this year, so we have a good long while to get excited about piano-black iPod docks again.

All-in-all, the conversion cost around $100, with most of the cost tied up in shipping. In the end, a little soldering, gluing and dremmeling resulted in some sweet looking speakers that would naturally go well with any Mac setup. Hit the link for complete instructions. [Voiding Warranties via Hacked Gadgets via CraziestGadgets]

Apple’s patent called for an outer layer that could be pulled back to allow the inner layer to touch the device. That inner layer would simulate the electrical charge of a finger when exposed, allowing for operation of the iPhone through fabric. The original patent was filed the day before the iPhone’s launch, but never saw the light of day. It’s a fine idea, compared to the other workarounds, but still silly enough to have been more embarrassing than useful if released. [AppleInsider]

Creator “Polymythic” used a Construx building set as his mechanical base and an ioBridge to control the system. It pours the beer a bit violently, just like this previous hack, but if you’re drunk enough to insist that tipping your iPhone should result in a real beer, it should do you just fine. [Instructables]

The app, surprisingly called “Will It Blend?”, contains 20 of the most popular blending videos, including the iPhone (so meta!), glowsticks, marbles, and Chuck Norris. But here”s the twist: the videos are in stellar quality, filmed with a RED camera, which should let you see the resulting dust more clearly than ever before. It”s available for only $0.99 until the end of the year, so, um, I guess I should tell you to jump on this quick before the price doubles. You can download it here (link opens iTunes). [TUAW]