A Florida Woman Was Shot by an Oven

Among items on the short list of “things that shouldn’t be stored in an oven,” live ammunition ranks near the top—just below live babies and gasoline. That’s because, as Myth Busters has taught us and one Florida woman learned this week, live ammo and high temperatures make for an explosive combination. More »

Blind Maps: Braille Navigation System Concept

A couple of years ago we learned about Plan.B, a concept for a map for blind people. The idea behind that system was sound, but I thought the execution left much to be desired. I like this other concept called Blind Maps much more. It’s supposed to be a Bluetooth add-on for the iPhone that provides Braille-like turn-by-turn navigation.

blind maps braille navigation system concept

Blind Maps was conceptualized by Andrew Spitz, Ruben van der Vleuten and Markus Schmeiduch last year to fulfill a 36-hour project for a course that they took at the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design. Whereas Plan.B displays a mini-map of the user’s immediate surroundings, Blind Maps keeps things simple. To start off, the user speaks into his iPhone and asks for directions to a destination. Blind Maps would then tap into the data from a navigation app on the iPhone – e.g. Google Maps – to provide turn-by-turn navigation using dots that protrude from the device itself.

It looks a bit like the Snake game from the old Nokia phones, except this one controls you. I also like its crowdsourced aspect. It would not just help blind people be more independent but also enable blind people to help others with the same disability to be independent.

[via Industrial Design Served via Fast Co. Design]

The After Math: A PlayStation 4 special

The After Math A PlayStation 4 special

The big story of the week, no, month, is Sony’s next-generation console, the PlayStation 4. Well, the company didn’t show us the physical box itself and instead chose to detail a new DualShock controller, some not-hugely-specific hardware outlines and titles we can expect to see (in some form) on the fourth generation PlayStation. As Pythagoras said: “Number rules the universe,” and the After Math prefers it that way. Find some of those numbers after the break.

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Apple, NYPD Team Up To Retrieve Stolen iOS Devices

Apple, NYPD Team Up To Retrieve Stolen iOS DevicesWe hear stories of Apple products like the iPhone and iPad being stolen on a somewhat regular basis, and we’re never happy to hear criminals are continually targeting these products, although we could understand why they would want to. If you took the necessary precautions and installed apps like Find My iPhone, then retrieving your stolen goods might be easier than than it used to be a few years ago.

A story published by the New York Post goes into detail how Apple and the NYPD have been working together in order to have stolen Apple products retrieved, even if the goods are no longer in New York City. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Analyst Says Cheap iPhone Makes Sense After Meeting With Apple, Google Supplies iOS Developers With Updated Maps SDK,

NYPD And Apple Team Up To Stop iThing Theft In NYC

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The number of gadget-related thefts in major metropolitan areas has only continued to rise, and the number of resolved cases simply can’t keep up. However, it would appear that Apple is now working directly with the NYPD to help return iThings into the hands of their rightful owners.

The NYPD has formed an official team which will work directly with Apple to track down stolen iThings, mostly iPhones and iPads.

Devices are tracked in the same way they always have been: with the help of tracking number (International Mobile Station Equipment Identity). Once the tracking number has been relayed to Apple, Cupertino can locate the device and send police to retrieve it.

According to NYPD spokesman Paul Browne, the team hopes to uncover a pattern that will lead police closer to the more organized side of the thefts, involving resale on the black market to unsuspecting buyers.

In New York, 74 percent of all stolen Apple products remain within the five boroughs. But some venture quite a ways away — the NY Post reports that Apple helped police track down an iPad that had ended up in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

According to the Huffington Post, the NYPD reported that over 40 percent of all robberies in the city now involve cell phones.

The wireless industry has been working hard to integrate with law enforcement on a number of levels. Along with Apple’s direct work with the NYPD, the wireless industry as a whole has been working to form a database of tracking numbers to help keep theft down, or at the very least, return as many stolen devices as possible. However, that won’t launch until November of 2013.

Additionally, carriers are working with officials to developer a next-generation 911 system that includes texting, MMS, as well as calls.

Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest User Email Addresses Stolen Due To Zendesk Hack

Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest User Email Addresses Stolen Due To Zendesk Hack

It seems no Twitter account has been safe these days as Burger King, Jeep and even Anonymous have had their accounts hacked. Things are going to get way worse as it looks as though Zendesk suffered from a security vulnerability earlier today.

Most people may not have ever heard of Zendesk, but you should know a number of their clients they provide customer support services for, such as Tumblr, Pinterest and Twitter. The security vulnerability has been patched, according to a Zendesk blog post, but unfortunately, your email address is probably in the hands of these hackers if you’ve ever sent an email to Tumblr, Pinterest and Twitter’s customer support.

There is some good news in all this as Zendesk is reporting only email addresses have been stolen, so your passwords are safe and sound for the time being. Unfortunately, having your email address stolen can still pose a number of risks for phishing scams to make their way into your inbox. If you’re not one to fall for these kinds of emails, then you shouldn’t have much to worry about. But if you have relatives who tend to believe a Nigerian prince wants to give them money, you may want to send them a quick text giving them a heads up on this security breach.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Pope Benedict XVI Stepping Down From Twitter On Feb. 28, Facebook Reportedly Launching Cold Storage Servers For Your Old Photos,

A Bottle Cap Pencil Sharpener Is Pure Genius

If you prefer the feel of writing or sketching with a freshly sharpened pencil and are fastidious about keeping hydrated, this clever piece of synergy is going to blow your mind. Designed for use on standard plastic water bottles, this pencil sharpening bottle cap is a brilliantly obvious way to deal with pencil shavings. More »

Keyport Slide 2.0 hits Kickstarter, still has a drinking problem

Keyport Slide 20 hits Kickstarter, still has a drinking problem

We were sold on the Keyport Slide when it promised not only to banish key-based clutter, but also incorporated two of our favorite things: flash storage and a beer access device. Now, the team behind it has launched a Kickstarter campaign for the Keyport Slide 2.0, which is faithful to the original design but adds more scope for customization. Six slots play host to keys (obviously) and a mixture of inserts, such as the familiar USB drive (up to 32GB) and bottle opener, as well as the new mini-torch and barcode holder. The inserts can be switched out easily, and several others are in the pipeline, including a Bluetooth locator, “aftermarket auto remote,” pen, stylus, and the pièce de résistance, a letter opener.

An important question remains: how do you stuff keys inside it? If you reside in the US, you’ll need to fill out a form, send off pictures of your keys, and you’ll be provided with blank “Blade” inserts for making compatible copies. It’s a little more complicated for international folks, as they’ll need to ship out the actual keys for conversion. This all depends on whether you decide to back the Keyport Slide 2.0, of course, and at the time of writing, over a third of its $75,000 goal has been met, just one day in. Head to the Kickstarter page if you’re already interested, or check out the video below for the full pitch.

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Source: Kickstarter

NYPD has team dedicated to recovering stolen Apple devices

It is no secret that lots of iPhones and iPads are being stolen in New York City. Back in September we learned that NYC had a total of 11,447 Apple related thefts since January 1. This was then followed up in December with a report that due to Apple related thefts — crime in the city was up for the first time in 20 years. The interesting part here, it seems that the NYPD now has a team dedicated to recovering these stolen Apple devices.

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Details are coming by way of the New York Post who are reporting that when an Apple device is stolen, the detectives attempt to get the IMEI number so they can begin the tracking. The number is said to be passed from the NYPD to Apple who in turn provide a current location. The NYPD also receives information as to when (or if) the stolen device has been reregistered with another wireless provider or under another account holder.

According to a statement from NYPD spokesman Paul Browne, they are not only “looking for ways to find individuals who have stolen Apple products and return the products to their original owners” but also trying to learn the patterns as to who is doing the stealing. Browne has said that “74 percent of all stolen Apple devices resurface within the five boroughs.”

They also apparently try to recover the device regardless of where it ends up. Some of the example cases included catching a thief trying to sell a stolen iPad as he exited a bus and also the recovery an iPad that turned up in the Dominican Republic. As for those who unknowingly buy a stolen Apple device, they are often left with nothing as the NYPD will confiscate the device and return it to the original owner.

[via New York Post]


NYPD has team dedicated to recovering stolen Apple devices is written by Robert Nelson & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

MLB At Bat updates for the 2013 season

The MLB season is under way, with spring training beginning for all the teams, and to celebrate the start of the 2013 season, Major League Baseball has updated its At Bat app for the new season with cross-platform subscription support, sortable statistics, footage from classic games, and a lot more in this year’s version.

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The app is available on both Android and iOS devices, and it comes with new navigation features that makes it much easier to find your way around the app. iPhone users, however, will have a couple of exclusive features, including an improved video library that’s also searchable, and some customization features to the home screen.

As promised, though, MLB plans to bring the At Bat app to BlackBerry 10 devices soon — at least before the regular season officially starts which will be at the beginning of April. Plus, they plan to bring some more features to the app as the season gets under way. Users will also have access to a whole bunch of player and teams statistics to freshen up a bit before that heated debate with your group of friends.

The app is a free download, and it’ll give you access to all of these features mentioned above. However, if you want the full experience, including live game streams and radio, you’ll have to either pay $20 for the entire season, or pay $3 per month if you don’t want to get in for the entire year.


MLB At Bat updates for the 2013 season is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.