NanoBorg

Winter Woes

2010-03-10T07:02:00.000-08:00

So it has been a harsh winter. Whenever my sister sends me phones of her driveway or lawn, I see mostly a wall of snow 2 feet tall where once a driveway or lawn once was. Hopeful these pictures will serve as a reminder that it could be worse.

JELLO San Francisco City Here I Come

2010-03-10T06:29:00.000-08:00

Jell-O San Francisco done by Liz Hickok. What can I say other then...can I eat it?

Costa Rica Air

2010-03-10T06:27:00.000-08:00

At the Hotel Costa Verde in Costa Rica, you can stay in the 727 Fuselage Suite, a salvaged 1965 Boeing that comes equipped with two bedrooms, a dining area, and ridiculous views of the ocean and jungle. I have spent a good deal of time in Costa Rica and I have never seen this, but when I go back there is no doubt where I will be staying.

Book Art

2010-03-10T06:24:00.000-08:00

Artist Su Blackwell might be the one exception I have to ripping up books, these are amazing!

X-Ray Cast

2010-03-10T06:20:00.000-08:00

I have never broken a bone (well not one that I have gotten a cast for anyway). But if I did I might opt for this one.
http://www.theawesomer.com/c/click.php?id=9442

Save your keyboard

2010-02-25T11:53:00.000-08:00

Check out this DIY on how to save a keyboard with a stuck key.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Fix-a-keyboard-key/

Consumerism is so fun

2010-02-24T07:51:00.000-08:00

I have no idea why an old peanut butter jar can invoke so much nostalgia, but it does. So take a walk back to your childhood, or perhaps you great-grandmothers childhood. Either way it's a well spent stroll.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/roadsidepictures/sets/939353/?page=4

What time is it anyways?

2010-02-17T10:32:00.000-08:00

Cool Curtains, Wonder if my wife might consider these, so honey?
http://www.barbarabona.com/

All things I do not need, all things that I do want!

2010-02-17T10:22:00.000-08:00

You have got to take a glance at this site. It has fun takes on some everyday items. It's a nice way to add some art to the everyday.
http://www.peleg-design.com/products.php

MacCool

2010-02-17T07:35:00.000-08:00

French artist Baptiste Debombourg is a God among staples.

2010-02-17T06:43:00.000-08:00

Seriously Staples should commission this guy, think time-laps of work in progress as a commercial.
http://www.loudreams.com/2010/02/08/baptiste-debombourg-art/

AMAZING

2010-02-11T10:38:00.000-08:00

In autopsies of people who died in car accidents, doctors have found microscopic cancers in 40% of woman (breast) and 40% of men (prostate). Something like 70% of older people have microcancers in their thyroid. But the cancer is harmless -- "cancer without disease." If you block angiogenesis the cancer can't grow. "It's a tipping point between harmless cancer and deadly one."

Li showed a photo of a poor dog with gnarly tumor hanging off its side. The vet gave the dog three months to live. They started antiangiogenesis drugs. In a few weeks, the tumor shrank away completely. They also cured a dolphin of mouth cancer and saw a complete remission of a deadly lip cancer on a horse.

Today there 12 different antiangiogenesis drugs available for people and dogs. They are quite effective for many cancers, but not much for liver, lung, and breast cancers. The problem with these cancers is that by the time they are detected they have progressed too far for antiangiogenesis drugs to do their work.

The good news, Li says, is that "we eat to starve cancer." Lots of foods contain naturally occuring inhibitors of angiogenesis, and many are even better than drugs for blocking angiogenesis (see image above).

Angiogenesis also plays a huge role in obesity. "Adipose tissue is highly angiogenesis-dependent." You can cycle the weight of mice by inhibiting and promoting angiogenesis. "We can't create supermodel mice -- it takes them to normal weight."

Nice 1930's Mod

2010-02-09T06:58:00.000-08:00

Foreword by Ricahrd Swinburne:This scratch build case is inspired by the Art Deco stylings of 1920s and 1930s Zenith radios, but despite looking back so far in time for inspiration, it still has modern features such as integrated watercooling. Gary has hand cut, sanded and altogether modded a complete build using inspiration of the classic design as ground work. Without a bit of clever handy work (and without looking around the back) you probably couldn't tell this was a post-Millennium product.

We asked Gary to put us together a project log and he provided us with over 8,600 words of detail to go with the several hundred build pictures: for those of you who have a desire for detail: you've got it here! We'll pass it over to Gary now, so he can lead you through this feast of a magnificent mod.

http://www.bit-tech.net/modding/case-mod/2010/02/08/art-deco-zenith-5-s-29-radio-case-mod/1

THUNDERCATS HOOOOOOO

2010-02-08T14:31:00.000-08:00

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=39509154

10 houses a little more upside then down

2010-02-08T14:25:00.000-08:00

http://weburbanist.com/2010/02/07/flip-this-home-10-unbelievable-upside-down-houses/

A Book in a Book?

2010-02-08T14:12:00.000-08:00

The TwelveSouth BookBook hides yours MacBook or MacBook Pro in the wonderfully scholarly disguise of an old fashioned book. Sitting on a coffee table, dorm room or desk, BookBook looks like a vintage piece of literature, not an expensive laptop.

Pong in Tron Land

2010-02-08T13:56:00.000-08:00

Sportpong is a Nintendo-like take on the classic game, requiring physical movement to block or hit a virtual ball. But instead of using their hands, players put on paddles in the form of reflectors on each feet and play on a projected field.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-rXMLL0BfM&feature=player_embedded#

Table-Top Bowling

2010-02-08T13:48:00.000-08:00

Reclaimed and recreated by William Stranger before they could hit the landfill, these wood furniture objects almost seem like custom-crafted works of art when placed in their new context – the functional arrows and wood arrangements made for bowling become more like abstract patterns in the second lives of these objects.

http://www.strangerfurniture.com/

Look mom no hands: Wearable mouse

2010-02-08T13:10:00.000-08:00

The AirMouse is set to be released within the next year for $129. And besides looking super futuristic, it might actually help you avoid repetitive stress injuries from constant mouse use. The wearable device only works as a mouse when your hand is in a flat, neutral position, so it encourages good hand posture and you can continue to wear the glove even when you’re typing. And because it’s wireless and can go up to a week between charges, you won’t be tethered to a cord.

http://www.theairmouse.com

Look Mom I'm 12 again!

2009-04-21T07:02:00.000-07:00

Remember Space Quest, Police Quest and Leisure Suit Larry from Sierra On-Line? Well they’re back and they’re in your browser. Over at sarien.net you can relive them in all their EGA, 16 colour, command line glory. Battle the evil Sariens, save Lytton from the Death Angel or go carousing in the back alleys with Larry (definitely not safe for kids).

The games run in most browsers; Firefox 2, Internet Explorer 6+, Chrome, Safari and Opera, but there are a few bugs, you can’t save your game for one, but you can jump to any point in the game via URLs so you probably won’t get stuck for long. And if you then find yourself getting a hankering for the good old days, you can still purchase most of the Sierra Online games from Amazon.

Without a leg to stand on

2009-04-21T06:54:00.000-07:00

Bound to bring an aura of sophistication and rebellion to any room is this “bad table”, which aside from the beautiful sloping woodwork, comes complete with it’s own super strong stream of piss. Now I’m sure many of you would be willing to fork over the $2,920 just to have a table answering nature’s call in your living room, but don’t be surprised when it sets the example for kids and pets. You may end up being accused of favoritism since the table is allowed to freely piss in the rug without retribution while Rover still can’t free a hostage on the linoleum.

http://www.coolkidsfurniture.com/index.php/main_page/product_listing/page//cPath/1/products_id/691/ProductName/Bad_Table

Take that Segway; Steampunk Segway

2009-04-17T13:05:00.000-07:00

It’s not actually powered by steam in any way, and according to the creator ‘bdring‘ it can’t really turn very well, but if you’ve been looking for an extremely cheap DIY alternative to the Segway, head on over to Instructables where you’ll find everything you need to build your very own Legway. It’s even eco-friendly since there’s no emissions (unless you count sweat) and the original model pictured above was constructed from mostly found materials.

Now this is what I call getting away for the weekend.

2009-04-17T12:33:00.000-07:00

The Blue Space is a pedal-powered submarine created by the Saint-Petersburg State Marine Engineering University. The prototype has been around since 2003, but is still looking for investors to turn real. The submarine is meant for two and would require a propulsion capacity of 0.4–0.8 kW, to generate the required speed of 2-3 knots for between two and four hours as compared to the other human-powered submarines that require about 2.5–5 kW to maintain an underwater speed of 2-3 knots, considering it is difficult to generate a propulsion capacity underwater. MIT has made this possible through both its innovative design as well as what they call the “Coanda effect,” which assumes that “if an air or water jet is blown out through a flat slot in tangential direction, this jet adheres to the surface on a comparatively large spacing from the slot. At the same time, rarefaction or thrust on the surface is generated.” Though the human powered submarines date back to history and has been popular with the Navy but, they have seen limited success with private buyers. MIT is hopeful that this prototype will strike with the private buyers and resort owners alike owing to its affordable price tag that will range around $30K -$70K as compared to the million dollar price tag of the automatic submersibles.

Say What&^#%$#?

2009-04-17T12:16:00.000-07:00

I have a dog that would make this toy look good.

Seriously this is one of those things I can see my wife and I on the floor cracking
up for hours. Like the first we realized he would chase a laser pointer like a kid trying to hide the evidence.

http://item.rakuten.co.jp/takuhai/4974926011418/

Finally my Hologram Room: yes I would pay a good deal of money to have this.

2009-04-17T10:51:00.000-07:00

EON Reality’s immersive 3D room.

The cave or iCube, is comprised of three white walls and a floor, all about 10′ x 10′ in size. Onto each surface is projected a high-resolution, stereoscopic image. A viewer stands in the room wearing polarized 3D glasses — like you might use in a 3D movie — with small markers that stick out a bit from the frames.

Stuck

2009-04-17T10:15:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's the inner 7 year old boy in me, but this makes me laugh...a lot.

http://www.giftlab.co.uk/product_details_94_3_stuck---novelty-goldfish-bath-plug.html

Oh if only it could be this easy

2009-04-17T09:42:00.000-07:00

This makes sense, this means we will never see it. See if we make it simple some get's cut out of the pie and everyone is fighting for there slice. So even if they tried it would wind up in litigation fighting the big boys and thus I cannot have one. Unless.....the big boys realize this is the direction to move in (and it is) and get behind it.

Official Write-up: Returning hero Andrew Seunghyun Kim - whose been getting designs published with Yanko since 2007, presents this all-in-one screen. It’s the “Espresso” and it’s got one cable. It’s your TV, your multimedia collection, and your home internet display. Built-in DVD player, speakers, and wi-fi. Slots along the right side for plug-n-play add-ons. Available in 2 colors: single-shot or double-shot - for those of you who need that extra jolt. Then- touch screen remote- coffee cup touch charger for the remote.

Touch everything. The remote is reel-similar to what the modern iPod screens look like, along with the fluid covers n’ stuff. The bottom or back-side of the remote has a ridge to resemble the bottom of a coffee cup, which, incidentally, makes it nice to handle. And the coffee cup you see below is the charger for the remote. Just place it on top! Induction!

I encourage all Yanko users to comment on this project here, of course, then explore the rest of Andrew Seunghyun Kim’s designs here on Yanko : Search “Andrew Seunghyun Kim”, then read Kim’s message board post over at Core77 - kindly submitted to us by 울트라 쫄핑크 TaoNova. Thanks for all tips!

Designer: Andrew Seunghyun Kim

Random Stuff I saw today

2009-04-15T11:57:00.000-07:00

The Don't Drop The Soap Game

Someone has finally caught on to the board game potential of prison with the “Don’t Drop the Soap” game. The objective, as stated on the product page, is to ”Fight your way through 6 different exciting locations in hopes of being granted parole. Escape prison riots in The Yard, slip glass into a mob boss’ lasagna in the Cafeteria, steal painkillers from the nurse’s desk in the Infirmary, avoid being cornered by the Aryans in the Shower Room, fight off Latin Kings in Gang War, and try not to smoke your entire stash in The Hole.” Did I mention that you also get 5 collectible criminal tokens including a Gat and a bag of coke? Now that is some wholesome family entertainment.

http://www.gilliusinc.com/dropsoap.html

When you want a rock star party with James Bond sophistication, look no further than these Sommelier Wine Glasses. Now your tuxedo clad guests can play drinking games and watch strippers while drinking beer out of stemware instead of paper, a tough transition when you’re used to the worst.

http://www.gnr8.biz/product_info.php?products_id=797

In a display of art that would have gotten you condemned as a witch 400 years ago, this “2D to 3D” coat tree allows you to hang your wearables on a wall graphic adorned with hidden hardware to create the magic. Perfect for a rat’s nest that can’t hold another piece of furniture, and those with a chronic fear of the third dimension. The only drawback: at $109 you’re probably better off whipping out a Sharpie and going to town on one of your walls.

http://www.gnr8.biz/product_info.php?products_id=963

$9,000 will buy you this 23″ x 33″ salmon colored epoxy resin and coated cast plaster octopus themed chandelier which although artistically captivating, will surely suck the beauty out of any room in your house.

http://www.jonathanlevinegallery.com/?method=Exhibit.ExhibitArt&ExhibitID=9F7950C8-115B-5562-AAFEFA6A32ACEFD7&ArtistID=EED2F4E9-115B-5562-AA8B85B721777481&artidx=18&artistidx=1

Nothing like a couple of your appendages to make a lamp that will light your hallway. The right hand holds the bulb and the left hand shades the glare of that naked bulb. Maybe they will come up with a fixture made of feet just to even things out.

http://www.theafternoon.com/130068.html

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For coffee shops and addicts who can’t start the day without a cup of joe in their system, we offer a little bit of Juan Valdez interior decorating via Deutschland with these inverted coffee cup lights. Since I know how to work an internet translator, I was able to determine that their dimensions are 150×65mm, and they are made of porcelain. Check out my use of an online currency converter below…

http://www.connox.de/kategorien/leuchten/deckenleuchten/coffee-light.html

Canned meat seems to be one of those things that you either love or totally despise. These Bubble Gum Cocktail Wienies make you look like you are eating canned meat while slyly chewing gum. I hope they have a little bit of a vinegar taste to truly give you the experience.

http://www.mcphee.com/items/11918.html

The Pee and Ski?

2009-04-13T07:23:00.001-07:00

Japanese coffee company Georgia painted public toilets at several ski resorts to mimic a ski jumper's perspective, wrapping the walls in illustrations of mountains and drawing skis where the feet go, and a giant slope on the front wall. Apparently, the toilet paper holder says:

“Seriously kick-ass intensely sweet for the real coffee super zinging unstoppable Max! Taste-explosion!”

Yep that's right the pee and ski. So if while skying you have ever had the urge to squat on your ski's, pull down you pants and ...um....relive yourself. Well now you can have the virtual experience of doing so without the public lewdness ticket.

The top 10 most useless gadgets, that I would love to use.

2009-04-10T08:55:00.000-07:00

1. Icecold

Why put ice in your drink when you can put drink in your ice? Just fill this nifty silicone mold with water, pop it in the freezer for a few hours, and hey presto! You've got a pair of the coolest glasses to be found in the known universe. There may be cooler ones in the unknown universe, but as it's unknown, we don't know, you'll just have to ask Stephen Hawking, though I imagine he has better things to do with his time. Of course you don't have to limit yourself to water, you can get creative will all sorts of liquids, or use food dyes to jazz 'em up and create your very own ice bar.

2. Bigger the better
My Take: ok bigger screen are better, dual screens rock but setting everything up can be a pain. But not if it is all one unit. So basically I'm waitting for this or there is also a curved screen that Alienwear is develping, to hit the market. Not so I can buy to but so that I can know that if I had this much money I COULD buy it.

Official Write-up:The all-new Athens Display Series features monster displays ranging in size from 110″ to 200″. The series feature monitors custom-built in an all-aluminum design with specs matching its mind-boggling looks. The UltraSpeed LCD multi displays feature resolutions of up to a mammoth 19200 x 2400 Pixels and super wide viewing angle. The fully upgradeable panels boasts of 16.7 million color palette and anti-glare finish that will put even hi-fi HDTV’s to spy! The stunning displays with its sleek design, under 2.5″ thin will absolutely take your breath-away!

3. Dude wheres my car?

Pop-up swimming pools are what we have told you about earlier. But, a pop-up garage is even better. So, stow-away your Aston Martin in Bond style in this futuristic pop-up Cardok garage. The garage uses a hydraulic platform which can be hidden under a water feature, flowerbed or even a second car. And, at the touch of an electronic key fob you are all set for a perfect garage escape. The pop-up garage has been a major hit in London, eight of them have already been built, four are in production and more than 10 are on order, with interest highest in Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, Ealing, Dulwich and Highbury. So, if you too want one then the waiting list is already four months long and growing. The lift takes 10 weeks to construct and will cost you upwards of $61,181 depending on how you want it. This price would get you one with a flowerbed or water feature on top. And, if you want a car to be parked on top than it will be close to $72,816, i.e. 50,000 pounds.

4. Look who's not all thumbs

This gadget is so simple but makes so much sense and it seems to solve an age old problem that everyone has just become accustomed to. The Thumb Saver is a great invention which through a magnet holds any type of nail in place so you can hammer it in without any bruised, bloodied or broken fingers.

The Thumb Saver makes a job which is normally quite dangerous into a task made simple. The best part this is that it’s the perfect safety tool for anyone regardless of your age. This makes it much safer especially for school children during woodwork lessons and would be well worth schools investing in this great gadget

5. For geeks who don't get mocked enough

Buzzing around the floor of the 2009 New York auto show, is the PUMA--the result of a collaboration between Segway and GM. We had a chance to ride in the vehicle, an electric-powered two seater. PUMA stands for Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility, and works on similar principles as the Segway Personal Transporter. Where on the Personal Transporter, you lean forward to make it go, the PUMA's steering column has to be pushed, which causes the entire cab to slide to the front and move weight forward, making the PUMA go.

Push the steering wheel forward, and the whole cabin shifts.

The driver of the PUMA cautioned us to keep our legs loose--as the cabin shifted--and then we were off. The vehicle picked up a good amount of speed until the driver pulled back on the wheel, shifting our weight again and slowing it down. It was hard to believe we were traveling on two wheels, as it felt very balanced. (There are auxiliary wheels, with two on the rear for safety and two in front to support the PUMA when it is stopped.)

Turning was very smooth: as the driver turned the little wheel, power diverted to the outside wheel, letting the PUMA turn almost on a dime. Coming to a stop felt like the end of a roller coaster ride, as the PUMA leaned forward sharply and the cabin shifted again. A Segway representative came over and lifted up a safety bar.

The PUMA is supposed to go up to 35 mph, with a range of 35 miles. A Segway representative told us that, after a full day of demonstration rides, the battery was only half-drained. The PUMA weighs 400 pounds, but is a very early model, with a second generation due to come out in the fall. GM initially approached Segway about the collaboration 18 months ago, but the PUMA on display was developed and built at the Segway plant in only 90 days.

6. High Tech Napkins

The Napkin PC is designed for group collaborations. Each pen transmits your doodles to the base station which is a PC in disguise. That information gets processed and displayed on the napkin like e-ink paper. Cool idea but someone better make sure nobody decides to wipe their dirty lunch stains with one.

This is one of those concepts that makes so much sense and is so useful that no one will back it. So I will never get to use this gadget, sadly, but I will always think fondly of it.

Designer: Avery Holleman

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7.Tap, Tap, Tappin’ on Heaven’s Door

Yep I'm the guy who drums anywhere there is music. Mostly this consists of on my steering wheel to and from work. The other night I was listing to some kickin piano jazz and had a steller wheel drumming session....but if I had this little gadget...yeah see where I'm going with this?

“Jam” hails from a team at the Domus Academy where the brief was to design for basic intuitive behavior in the context of a rapidly changing, unstable beta culture. The central hub records and wirelessly links Jam together, while the touch sensitive finger-taps store and play sound clips. It goes further by allowing changes in pitch by vertically dragging it on a surface and regulating the volume with the force applied to each tap.

Designers: Jozeph Forakis, Jihee Chun, Sung Hyun Kyung & Kerri Moskow

8.SteamPunk

This is really a general term to discribe the hacking of a specific style (more or less). But just about eveything the Datamancer puts out is amazing. Like a true mix of techno geek and art geek. If you can you should check out more of his work.

Pixello-Dynamotronic Computational Engine (Image courtesy of Datamancer)

According to the designer of this steampunk like custom-built PC, he would like to return a ‘novelty period’ for the PC like the television and radio that were “appropriately gifted with the most lavish of hand tooled, wooden scrolled cabinetry, and housings which borrowed architectural details from the grandest schools, churches and banks.”

9.Knife Block Shaped Like Human Head

I don't think I need to say much here. I just think it's kinda cheeky.

Put simply, this solid lime-wood knife block shaped like a human head would be a refreshing addition to any boring kitchen. This piece was hand carved by Irene van Gestel.

10. My soon to-be gaming keyboard. (I'm allowed to dream)

Flush with the success of its G13 gameboard, Logitech is now creating a whole series of peripherals that will all work together to celebrate the seventh letter of the alphabet. The G-series line includes a new $199 G19 keyboard, offering a 320 x 240 color LCD mounted on top and 12 "G-keys" that can have up to three macros assigned to each. Next up is the $129 G35, a 7.1 surround-sound headset with integrated "voice-morphing" options for those who'd rather sound like a space squirrel than domestic gamer. Finally, there's a new flavor of the G9 mouse, dubbed the G9x, which loses the photo-overlay in favor of a maximum DPI of 5000 -- that's a whole 1800 more than before! Those extra dots will set you back $99 when the G9x releases in April, while the keyboard and headset should come about a month earlier..

If you like bubble wrap......

2009-04-10T08:27:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, you just can’t resist popping all that bubble wrap that your latest gadget purchase came shipped in. Well now you can feed that compulsion any time, thanks to this new gizmo from Bandai.

This pocket-sized electronic device simulates the sound and feel of popping bubble wrap. Yep, you’ll never run out of those little pockets of joy with one of these.

As an added bonus, every so often, it’ll break up the monotony of the popping sound with one of a variety of other goofy sounds, including such classics as “door chime”, “barking dog”, “fart”, and “sexy voice.”

Yet again another gadget I would love to get my hands on....so if you ever see one for sale in the U.S. please let me know.

Did you hug your Treponema Pallidum today?

2009-04-10T08:22:00.001-07:00

Ever wanted to hug an accurate representation of the Black Death bacterium? Or punt an Athlete’s Foot fungus for all those embarrassing years in high school? Or play house with a sperm cell and an egg cell? Or stage a play featuring a cast of microbes? Rejoice, you nerd: the Giant Plush Microbes are here to fulfill your wildest dreams.

The toys above are just four of the 65 available microbe models that Giantmicrobes are selling. Nerds, all together now! From left to right, we have Syphilis (Treponema pallidum), Stomachache (shigella), E.coli (Escherichia coli) and Athlete’s Foot (Trichophyton mentagrophytes)! Yaaaay! Did everyone get it right? Good job! Now go away.

Lifewall; Sounds cool 'cuz it is cool.

2009-04-10T07:16:00.001-07:00

The first time I saw this was at this years CES (consumer electronics show). Though the technology still has some kinks to work out, for example the delayed response, it's applications are revolutionary (in my option). Think about never having to wire and rewire your house, think about having an interactive remote control, think about a room that changes because you walk into it. Ok do you remember the scene in Total Recall where Wade wakes up on earth goes to his kitchen where he gets his morning coffee in the backdrop of a wall-to-wall window looking over a meadow with a babbling brook? Then he sits at the table and changes it to the news? Yep this is better. There he picked up a remote control, here you raise your hand. His was simply a big TV, this is a TV, a computer, music station and this list goes on. Above the fireplace, the windows, the wallpaper are all digital and interchangable. You can life your hand grab the object and drag it somewhere elese. Mind you that this is only one wall can you imagine an entire room an entire house? So granted it's not a hologram room, but boy it's close.

Here is the official write up: While most of the hype surround CES 2008 revolved around big plasma TVs, and the effect Warner Home Video may have on the long term survival of HD-DVD, I found one the most important product demonstrations that may end up have far-reaching effects on how entertainment can be integrated into our lives, was the Panasonic Life Wall.

Keeping in mind that the prototype demonstrated is still in very primitive form, I was still blown away by the possibilities presented.

To summarize, imagine that the walls in your home are actually imbedded with an interface that allows every member of the family to access entertainment and productivity hardware and software independently. Featuring facial recognition software, the wall can recognize the family member and display that family member's personal GUI (graphical user interface). By way of this interface, the family member can access both video and audio entertainment, the internet, and more.

In addition, if the user materializes a TV screen, they can make the screen as small or as large as they like, including taking up the entire wall space on one side of the room. As another bonus, the TV screen will actually follow the user as they walk around the room.

This is definitely a technology to keep watch on, as it may have far reaching effects in the future, in essence, eliminating all external audio and video components as they are already imbedded in the wall itself.

Are You Schizo, find out!!!!

2009-04-07T13:25:00.000-07:00

http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/04/schizoillusion.html

Dima and Jonathan Roiser of University College London wanted to understand why people with schizophrenia aren't fooled. They put 13 schizophrenia patients and 16 healthy control subjects in an fMRI scanner that measures brain activity, and showed them 3D images of concave or convex faces. As expected, all of the schizophrenic patients reported seeing the concave faces, while none of the control subjects did.

Ear Wax Camera/Cleaner

2009-04-07T07:44:00.000-07:00

My wife swears I'm Japanese due to my insentient love of all things Japanese. But seriously they come up with the coolist must ridiculously useful stuff. I give you exhibit A :

This device sports a camera/light at one end and a viewer at the other end -- allowing users to see built-up ear wax. It's powered by a single 9V battery and is made from anti-bacterial ASB resin/glass/stainless steel.

Ok now I realize you have to do the whole "eeew" thing, but if you where home alone and this was in your bathroom, tell me you wouldn't use it!!
(it's ok I would too)

The coolist business cards ever! or geekist.

2009-04-06T11:30:00.000-07:00

Apparently LEGO employees get LEGO-ized versions of themselves wearing shirts with their name, phone number, and corporate e-mail address emblazoned upon the tiny people. If only more companies would embrace such whimsical approaches. Not only does it give a sense of pride and individuality, it's freakin' fun!!!

What is 3G?

2009-04-06T06:52:00.000-07:00

This is one of those terms that has been thrown around but is never really explained. My take on this is that they don't want you to understand it. If you understood it most of you would have no need for it. I think they, correctly, bet on the average consumer thinking "Oh it's new, it must be better", and in a way yes it is better. The gist of it is that if you do things like watch TV, download stuff or listen to the radio on your phone, it is better. IF you are not in this category then it really doesn't effect you all that much. The other thing to note is that this is still a developing technology, so read into this that it still has some snafus, such as you may have bought a 3G phone but don't live in a place where you have access to a 3G network. So just because you see words like "hot" "new" "fast", don't go spending a ton of money on it, because chances are your just paying for a phrase.

Advanced SystemCare Free v3; Another great way to clean up your PC and of course it's FREE

2009-04-03T14:49:00.000-07:00

Advanced SystemCare Free v3
A Click A Day For PC Clean, Repair, Protection & Optimization

Advanced SystemCare Free (formerly Advanced WindowsCare Personal) has a one-click approach to helping protect, repair, clean, and optimize your PC. With over 20,000,000 downloads since 2006, this fantastic, award-winning, free program is a "must-have" tool for your computer, 100% safe and clean with no adware, spyware, or viruses.

Don't waste money on expensive "registry cleaners" to fix your PC when Advanced SystemCare Free will repair, tune, and maintain it for you!

Best Tech News; Thats not a bunch of annoying jargon and insider crap

2009-04-03T13:03:00.000-07:00

Molly Wood, executive editor

Molly uses her expertise and passion for the world of technology for ruthless analysis in column, blog, podcast, and video form. As host of the Buzz Report Molly provides a fresh and funny perspective on the latest consumer electronic products to hit the market, as well as commentary on the stories and development that she thinks are truly buzz worthy. geeks, too.

Ok that is Molly Woods official thing. Here's the scoop, if you prefer to learn about whats going on in the world of technology in more of a Mad Money approch as opposed to a Jim Mcneil News Hour, she's your girl. Not only does she keep things kickin' for the geeks she also keeps it accessible for everone else in the world. You can watch her shows right on the Cnet website or download them.
And on a side note as someone who has been paying attition to Molly Woods for years now......your right he is taking over the world (you know who I mean) and YOU ROCK!

CCleaner; Cleanup & speedup your PC for FREE

2009-04-03T12:55:00.000-07:00

I have been using CCleaner for years. It is one of the best free ways to speedup your PC. It is one of those tricks that your "friend who makes your computer better" uses. It has a simple interface and is easy to use, don't even need to understand annoying computer jargon.

CCleaner is a freeware system optimization, privacy and cleaning tool. It removes unused files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. Additionally it contains a fully featured registry cleaner. But the best part is that it's fast (normally taking less than a second to run) and contains NO Spyware or Adware! :)

Minority Report Reality; Microsoft Surface

2009-04-03T12:34:00.000-07:00

The Microsoft Surface is another similar technology that I have been watching for years. Though it does not have the flexibility of the iTable, the application of the technology is years ahead.
http://www.microsoft.com/SURFACE/Default.aspx

Minority Report Reality; iTable

2009-04-03T10:35:00.000-07:00

The iTable by Catchyoo is inspired to ‘catch you’ with its Minority Report style interactive surface. It is truly the perfect model for interactive table, because -get this- you don’t even have to buy a table from the company because the interactive system uses a more adaptable kind of technology. Just like the keyless keyboards, the Catchyoo iTable uses optical sensing technology to track hand movements and translate them to computer input. The iTable takes it up a notch by projecting a display onto the surface, essentially creating a ’screenless touch-screen system’ no screen.
http://multi-touch-screen.net/