Mike Newman
Managing Editor at Cool Material
We Ran Beer Through Our Keurig to See What Would Happen
Some ideas are really good—the wheel, the PC, the Cheesy Gordita Crunch. Others are really bad—that last drink, these cars, Saved By the Bell: The College Years. But the vast majority of ideas exist somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. Our latest idea, however, does not. Our latest idea is off-the-scale bad. But hear us…
‘True Detective’ Season 3 Teaser Trailer
We rank the first season of HBO's True Detective up there with the best in TV history. In fact, we'd go so far as to say that the Matthew McConaughey- and Woody Harrelson-led eight-parter might be the finest single season of a television show ever made. Then there's the second season.…
AutoAdvance Hammer
Here's how the scenario goes. You want to hang something. You grab your hammer and handful of nails and climb the ladder you have propped near the wall. You then place one or two of those nails between your teeth, not because you love the taste of metal, but because…
The Scratch + Sniff Bacon Cookbook
We vaguely remember the bacon craze from a few years ago, when bacon was added to any and every dish under the sun. We say "vaguely" because we were deep in a food coma the entire time. Bacon rules. If you're looking for new ways to incorporate some fatty, greasy…
The Only 8 Sneakers You Should Wear This Fall
We're quickly closing in on September, which ushers in back to work season and the end of the carefree summer. Hey, don't shoot the messenger. With the turning of the season comes a turning of your attire, at least a minor one. When it comes to footwear, that means you're…
In-Browser Winamp Emulator
Before Spotify gave you access to more songs than you could ever listen to in your lifetime and before Soundcloud gave hustling rappers a platform, there was Winamp. Ah, the good ole days. The now-defunct media player gave us one of the first inklings of the coming MP3 revolution. If…
Floyd Made a Sofa That Sets Up in Minutes
If you read Cool Material regularly, you're familiar with Floyd, the brand that makes building simple household items a breeze. Not content with bed frames and tables, the brand has now devised something for your living room. The Floyd Sofa ships free to your doorstep and, in traditional Floyd fashion, sets up…
These Prints Highlight the Soles of Iconic Shoes
From the tongue on some Reebok Pumps to the red and black uppers of the original Jordans, every iconic shoe has something about it that sticks in your mind. If you're a sneakerhead, you can name a legendary shoe with just a passing glance. There is one element, however, that…
50 Things Every Guy Should Know How to Cook
Man can’t live on Mickey D’s and Domino’s MeatZZas alone. Well, at least he shouldn’t. Cooking can save money and your health, and it’s far more rewarding than offering to pick up the take-out order. That said, with so many potential dishes and challenges, where should your culinary journey begin?…
‘Hold the Dark’ Official Trailer
Look, we love Netflix and all the entertainment it offers at the push of a button, but the streaming giant has had more than a few misses as of late when it comes to original content. After watching the trailer for Hold the Dark, we're pretty sure that cold streak will…
Atlas of Brutalist Architecture
There's something alluring about the coldness of Brutalism. Though it experienced a heyday in the '50s and '60s, the architectural style is currently experiencing a bit of renaissance. If you're down with concrete, check out Phaidon's latest book, Atlas of Brutalist Architecture. The stunning, 560-page coffee table tome shares more than…
LEGO Cloud City
You can keep your icy Hoth and swampy Dagobah, the coolest location in the Star Wars cannon is Cloud City on the gas planet Bespin. If you want to recreate Lando's backstabbing and Luke's losing of a hand, LEGO is going to let you do just that with the release…
A Real-Life Kwik-E-Mart Just Opened
If you've had a hankering for a Squishee since you were a kid because you saw Bart and Milhouse knocking a few back, you can now satisfy your thirst at a real-life Kwik-E-Mart. Located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, this Kwik-E-Mart is part of The Simpsons in 4D campaign and will…
‘Star Wars: Revenge of the Jedi’ Poster
If it wasn't for a last-minute decision by George Lucas, Episode VI of the Star Wars saga would have gone by the title Star Wars: Revenge of the Jedi. Fearing "revenge" wasn't an appropriate Jedi aspiration, Lucas scrapped the title in favor of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Since this decision…
‘Outlaw King’ Official Trailer
Hardcore Game of Thrones fans have twiddled their thumbs for too long. The wait for a new season of HBO's hit show is no-doubt taking its toll. Luckily, there's somewhat of a respite on the horizon in the form of a new Netflix Original. Outlaw King is a film about Robert The…