If you’ve been thinking about picking up an Amazon tablet, the internet retailer could well force your hand with its latest deal. For today only, the company will sell you the 7-inch Kindle Fire HDX at an £80 discount, meaning you’ll be able to grab…
First steps, then sleep, and now Jawbone is taking on food tracking in the wearables’s company’s latest bid to quantify life. UP 3.2, the latest version of the Jawbone iOS companion app for the UP and UP24 bands, aims to do what no food logging platform has quite managed: make logging as close to automatic as possible, and then deliver … Continue reading
Growing up with Magic: The Gathering, the card game gathers many enthusiasts and collectors; myself included. Wizards of the Coast have made the Magic 2015 very enjoyable on the iPad and now it is also available today on XBOX 360, Android, and PC (Steam). Sadly for Playstation owners, no release is planned this year or on the roadmap. In the … Continue reading
There are normal video cameras that all-action folks wear in order to record their adventures for posterity so that they need not explain with words all over again to a new group of friends each time, but rather, let the video recording itself do the talking. Then again, there is another class of video cameras altogether that feature a rugged exterior that is capable of handling a fair amount of abuse without batting an eyelid. The VIEVU² is one particular wearable video camera that falls under the latter category, where it is touted to be the first ruggedized, body worn video (BWV) camera that will target the “prosumers”/professional workforce, using the very same military-grade technology that law enforcement/government agencies utilize.
The VIEVU² will target professionals including private security, contractors, insurance adjusters, facilities maintenance, fleet management, inspectors and technicians, among others, as it captures video that is ideal for protection against erroneous accountability/liability claims, property protection, as well as mitigating workplace theft; C-level, other executives including Human Resource reps are able to rely on the VIEVU² to document meetings and other important employee interactions.
Since the VIEVU² is milled from a solid block of aluminum, that kind of physical make up enables it to withstand the bumps/bruises of your daily grind, not to mention its ability to be worn on a belt, lapel, pocket, or other places that bulkier cameras will not fit in at all. Weekend warriors, too, will find the VIEVU² to be the ideal companion as it works great for hiking, biking, skiing and other kinds of fun physical activity.
When paired with an iPhone or Android mobile app, it will be able to perform view-finding, framing and editing, and is easy uploadable to YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Dropbox, email, or text accounts. The VIEVU² will do all of its recording in HD video (1080p) with 90 minutes of recording time, and will also connect to 802.11g/n Wi-Fi networks.
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[ VIEVU² body worn video camera can take quite a licking copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]
Is Flappy Bird the new Angry Birds? It could be, given the fact that this game shot to global stardom soon after it was released. Ever since the original version was taken down dozens of clones were made not only for conventional mobile devices but for wearable devices like smartwatches as well. If you’ve got a Apple II computer from 1977 lying somewhere then dust it off because there’s a Flappy BIrd clone available now for that machine too.
It is developer Dagen Brock’s doing who wasn’t pleased that one of the most iconic Apple computers wasn’t able to play Flappy Bird. It took him six weeks to develop and get this Flappy Bird clone up and running at full 60FPS with all sound effects on a computer that has a single megahertz processor.
Since 1977 wasn’t the time of USBs and internet-based app stores one must rely upon outdated technologies to get Flappy Bird running on it. Brock has created this port for use on 5.25″ and 3.25″ floppies which can be popped in the computer. An emulated web version is also available online for people who don’t have an Apple II lying around.
Just make sure you don’t end up smashing your Apple II once Flappy Bird agitates you enough, it has a tendency to make people smash things!
, original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
Electric car manufacturer Tesla today confirmed its future plans. We had heard chatter a couple of months before that the company would release a cheaper and smaller car which is exactly what it will do in a few years time. It confirmed today that Tesla’s Gen III car, due after the Model X, will be called the Model 3. According to a new report the Model 3 is going to be 20 percent smaller than the Model S and will have a 200 mile range on a single charge. Its primary competitor is said to be the BMW 3 series.
Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk told Auto Express in an interview that the company decided to go with the Model 3 moniker once Ford threatened to sue over the trademark for “Model E.”
The Model 3 won’t be formally unveiled until 2016 and it will hit the market sometime in 2017 provided that there are no delays in production. Tesla’s vice president of engineering Chris Porritt has already said that this new car won’t be based on the aluminum platform like the Model S and that the company would look towards more cost-effective battery technologies to keep the overall cost down.
Tesla is yet to show off the Model 3′s design or confirm for how much it will be sold. Previous reports have suggested that it may be in the $30,000-$35,000 range, and if that’s true, then Tesla is likely to attract a lot of customers at the new price point.
, original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.
“RICE IS an explanation for everything!”
That’s adventurer/chef Anthony Bourdain talking to Smithsonian magazine for July.
Bourdain tells writer Ron Rosenbaum that “Any rice culture is beautiful. It’s super-intricate. Just the irrigation systems, the level of cooperation with your neighbors. Rice has something magical about it.”
I know. I certainly didn’t expect a paean to rice when I turned to this article. Anthony seems so much more… meaty. Not to mention drinky. But we get a few grisly tales of his far-flung travels. (The Congo was the most frightening, “gorgeous and heartbreaking.”) And Bourdain warns against parasites, such as Guinea worm, “a six-foot tall subcutaneous worm that travels right under the skin.” Yikes! Back to rice.
The chef also points out that The Food Network is no longer a place to watch people cook. “Now it’s doing stuff like having contests… even the ones where they’re cooking. It’s more about interpersonal drama, like a reality show.”
True, the Food Network has become a rather cruel place, actually — getting people to cry and otherwise embarrass themselves is far more important than making the sauce Béarnaise properly. If you want to see people cook, switch to the Cooking Channel or Create TV. Or PBS.
• THE OTHER — perhaps less entertaining but more provoking — article in Smithsonian is Paul Theroux’s un-romantic but heartfelt look at the “Soul of the South.”
Theroux’s extensive profile catalogues poverty, all but abandoned towns, businesses gone forever, despair, the unending racial divide and ultimately rehabilitation and hope, characterized by the many folks he spoke with.
This is America, too, this land that has never really recovered from the Civil War, and is ravaged again by economic downturn. But the author concludes: “It goes without saying that that the vitality of the South lies in the self-awareness of its deeply rooted people. What makes the
South a pleasure for a traveler like me, more interested in conversation than sightseeing, are the heart and soul of its family narratives — its human wealth.”
P.S. The Steve McCurry photos that illustrate this article, make an impact as important as the words.
• SPEAKING OF a disenfranchised America, Detroit continues its free-fall. But it has not been abandoned. Even Madonna, best known for her charity work for AIDS worldwide and overcoming poverty in Africa, is pitching in. The Michigan-born singer will provide funding for the Downtown Youth Boxing Gym, The Detroit Achievement Academy and The Empowerment Plan. She says: “A piece of my heart will always be in Detroit and I’m humbled to be able to give back to my community.” (Incidentally, Detroit boasts one of the world’s greatest collections of “real” art. Isn’t there some way to make these collections pay off for saving the city?)
In other Madonna news, die-hard fans were relieved when William Orbit, Madonna’s producer/collaborator from the good old days, listened to a few songs from M’s coming album and declared, “It sounds good.” Orbit is not a man of many flowery words, obviously, but “good” from him is equal to “fantastic” from most anybody else.
Several titles from the disc have escaped, one titled “Messiah” and the other “Bitch, I’m Madonna.” It’s up in the air at this point which ditty is more autobiographical.
• MUCH AS I admire Madonna, what I’m really waiting for this year is Peter Pan Live! This airs on NBC and co-stars Christopher Walken as an all-singing, all-dancing Captain Hook. (Peter Pan has yet to be cast.) We all know — at least we all should know — that Walken can sing and he can dance. It’s always been somewhat strange to see him doing it, because, well — he’s a strange, if brilliant actor. Anyway, perfect casting, in my opinion.
As for Peter Pan, I say, think Pink! She has an incredible voice and has done a lot of aerial/trapeze stuff in recent concerts (you try singing upside down — not so easy.) I know she’s not a boy or a kid, but, hell, neither was Mary Martin or Cathy Rigby. I’d like to say Pink was my idea — because I think it’s a great one. But I picked it up from the profane, take-no-prisoners gossip site, Dlisted.
• SHOUT-OUT to Cameron Diaz, who recently said she never had a desire to have children and doesn’t regret that choice. Her life is full enough. Honest, smart and compassionate. So many people (women and men) have children for every wrong reason. It’s the most important decision you can make — raising and caring for another human being. It’s okay to be “selfish,” which is what some people call it when you admit you don’t want children.
Better that than raising an unhappy child, abusing it, handing it off to nannies. I salute Oprah similarly.
Diaz is on the cover of Esquire this month. (“Nobody is Hotter Than Cameron Diaz. Nobody” declares the cover-line.) She is 41 and says, “It’s the best age. That’s when a woman knows how to work things, or she just doesn’t care about that anymore. You stop being afraid. You don’t worry about what men think.”
Oh, Cameron, you think you’re fearless at 41? Wait until you’re in your 50s, honey. That’s really the best time!
Being a true Harry Potter fan takes dedication — after seven books, eight movies and one theme park, we still haven’t had our fill. The entire franchise becomes an easy conversation topic, a way to escape real life and really, a badge of honor we wear around proudly. However there are a few of us that have found ourselves so entranced by J.K. Rowling’s work that the wizarding world becomes less of a hobby and more a way of life — we call them Muggles in denial.
No, being a Harry Potter fan doesn’t make you a Muggle in denial. A Harry Potter fan can rattle off trivia and knows how to properly swish and flick a wand. But there are those of us whose passion for all things magical runs deeper than the surface — and it infiltrates our everyday lives.
Here are the definitive signs that you’re a Muggle in denial:
1. You’ve played with the idea of getting an owl as a pet.
2. When your letter from Hogwarts didn’t come on your 11th birthday, you were fairly certain Dumbledore simply misplaced it.
3. Visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is on the top of your bucket list. And by that, I mean visiting a fourth time.
4. You can’t count the number of wand-shaped items you’ve pretended were given to you by Ollivander.
5. Should a Dementor ever attack, you’d know exactly what your Patronus would look like.
6. When someone recommends a new book to read, you nod out of respect but know you’ll be diving back into The Deathly Hallows instead.
7. You’ve tasted the earwax, dirt and vomit flavors of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans.
8. You’re fairly certain you could convince anyone that Snape is the greatest literary character written of all time.
9. You’re extremely loyal to your house you’ve been sorted into on Pottermore.
10. You genuinely care more the Quidditch World Cup than the actual World Cup.
11. You were at Every. Single. Midnight. Premiere.
12. Your drink of choice is Butterbeer.
13. The most influential professor you had growing up was Professor McGonagall.
14. You refer to your bedroom as the Chamber of Secrets.
15. The only tattoos you’ve considered have been a lightning bolt or the Deathly Hallows sign.
16. You’ve attempted to speak Parseltongue more times than you’re willing to admit.
17. Dueling with Voldemort is frequently the subject of your nightmares.
18. Your preferred methods of traveling are Floo Powder, a hippogriff, apparating or a broom. But you’ll settle for a car.
19. You believe every weekend should be Harry Potter Weekend on ABC Family.
20. You have, on more than one occasion, attempted to summon objects using the Accio charm.
21. You’ve never mustered up the courage to actually speak the words “Avada Kedavra” out loud.
22. During tough times, you’ve found comfort in your three wizard friends and the never-ending joy that comes with J.K. Rowling’s elaborate magical world.
All week long on Food52, our very own Jennifer Steinhauer from Weeknights with Jenny will be sharing recipes from her new book Treat Yourself: 70 Classic Snacks You Loved as a Kid (and Still Love Today). Follow along to take a trip down memory lane.
Today: Jenny brings back the crisp, chewy candy bars of Halloweens past with a how-to for homemade Twix.
The Twix was my go-to candy bar, my movie companion, my lunchtime fascination, my trade-anything-for-it Halloween treat. When the mini-Twix came out, long after I became an adult who no longer had the metabolism to eat them daily, I thought them heaven-sent, even though their arrival meant I would simply hide in my laundry room and mow down my kids’ trick-or-treat bag’s entire supply.
In the annals of classic junk food overreach, there was, for a short time in the late ’80s or early ’90s, a moment of Cookies-n-Creme Twix bars, with a chocolate cookie base and an Oreo-like filling in place of the caramel, a devastating development. Thank goodness, the classic seems to have reigned.
This version is time-consuming, but worth it. Just make sure your pan is very well greased when you make your shortbread, or it will be hard to slip it out. Here’s the good news: If the shortbread breaks, you can still set it easily into the caramel. But do NOT stack these once cooled, and especially don’t stack them on top of your Goo Goo clusters, or you will wake up in the morning with a glob of chocolate that you have to pull apart, perhaps in a dark room alone, where no one can see you eating approximately half a pound of chocolate for lunch.
Makes 12 candy bars
Unsalted butter, softened, for the pan
1/2 stick salted butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups (10 1/2 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels
One 14-ounce bag caramels (about 2 cups, or 50 caramels)
2 tablespoons half-and-half
See the full recipe (and save it and print it) here.
Photo by James Ransom. Excerpted from the book Treat Yourself: 70 Classic Snacks You Loved as a Kid (and Still Love Today) by Jennifer Steinhauer. Reprinted by permission of Clarkson Potter Publishers. All rights reserved.
This article originally appeared on Food52.com: How to Make Twix Bars at Home
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Hipsters get a lot of flak, mostly for what they wear. And we get it — sometimes seeing a teenager riding a bike in a band T-shirt from two decades before being born makes you LOL.
But we want to take a moment to celebrate hipster fashion, because we’re willing to bet that you own at least one, if not multiple items, from the list below and for good reason. Some of these pieces are just as comfortable as they are stylish. Behold, the 13 most hipster items of clothing.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
