Nov 29
Microphones. They come in all shapes and sizes and are used in a wide variety of applications. Most gadgets you own nowadays probably have a microphone embedded in it somewhere–from your laptop to your phone and maybe even your alarm clock.
Nov 29
Ready for Takeoff? These Aviation Christmas Ornaments Will Make Your Tree Look Fly
Posted in: Today's ChiliI’ve seen my fair share of geeky Christmas ornaments in recent years, from Star Wars Boba Flakes to Mars Attacks! Christmas ornaments. It’s fun because you get to dress up your tree in ornaments that show off your true, geeky nature. For example, if you’re into sci-fi, then the aformentioned ornaments will obviously tickle your fancy.
If you’re a huge airplane buff, then you’ll probably find these aviation Christmas ornaments off the wall.
They don’t look like airplanes though, instead, they look like traditional tree ornaments. Upon closer inspection, you’ll see that each ornament features a specific event or special celebration in aviation history, like the 25th Anniversary in Space and the Berlin Airlift. One even shows off the history of the Boeing Flight Test.
When I was a kid, I remember wanting to be a pilot back then. That was the time when I first heard of Amelia Earhart’s story, and her passion for flying just really got to me. I ended up being an engineer instead, but if opportunity presents itself in the future, I’d definitely jump at the chance to earn my wings. Here’s to hoping.
Each of these Christmas ornaments are available online for $4.71(USD). If ornaments aren’t your thing but airplanes are, then you can find a whole bunch of other aviation-themed stuff on Skygeek.
Nov 29
Last night was the premiere of Season 2 of The History Channel’s inventor show, Invention USA.
No sooner did the season begin, that casting calls for Season 3 of the
hit series get on the road too. So now inventors have another chance to
strut their stuff before the casting directors and the show’s hosts, Reichart Von Wolfsheild and Scotty Ziegler.
Nov 29
Apparently, the hottest way to travel these days is via trampoline. Remember the trampoline bridge concept that made crossing the river fun again? Well, now you’re about to see a 170-foot-long trampoline pathway that makes commuting fun again.
It’s called Fast Track, and while it looks pretty exciting, the whole concept seems a bit outrageous. For one, I don’t know anyone who can manage to jump all the way across 170 feet of trampoline without falling off (or heaving) at least once or twice. Second, it’s going to multiply travel time by a couple of factors because it’ll obviously take longer to bounce erratically to your destination instead of just walking towards it.
Somehow, I get the feeling that getting people to where they want to go isn’t really the point of this trampoline anyhow, as you can see from this video clip:
According to design firm Salto who are behind the concept:
“Fast Track” is an attempt to create intelligent infrastructure that is emotional and corresponds to the local context. It gives the user a different experience of moving and percieving the environment.
The Fast Track trampoline was on exhibit at the recent Archstoyanie festival in the forest of Nikola-Lenivets, Russia.
[via NOTCOT and KNSTRCT via Colossal Art+Design]
Nov 28
Getting enough hydration while you’re in the middle of some strenuous workout or physical activity is important. However, a lot of people I know find having to carry a water bottle a hassle, since they also have to bring their keys, cash, cards, and other essentials with them.
A neat solution? The Kangaroo water bottle.
It looks like a regular old water bottle, but it’s actually got this handy plastic ‘pouch’ that pops open to reveal a secret compartment where you can store all your other essentials. There isn’t that much space, but it’s big enough to store the stuff that you absolutely have to take with you if your bottle is all you’re going to carry – like when you go running or something. There’s definitely enough room for a key some cash and a credit card or ID, plus 24 ounces or H2O, of course.
Kangaroo bottles are available online from Contigo for $12.99 each.
[via Gizmag]
Nov 28
V for Vendetta. Watchmen. Back to the Future and Star Wars. Personally, these are four of my top picks in the sci-fi genre. Did these movies make it to your all-time favorite sci-fi movies list? No? Well, maybe Avatar, E.T. or Independence Day are more your type.
Either way, if you love sci-fi or movies in general, then you’ll enjoy this super-cool sci-fi supercut that puts together a six-minute montage of over a hundred sci-fi movies.
Oh, and did I forget to mention TRON?
The video was put together by Cosmo Scharf and Austin Kilgore, who probably have a whole lot of love for sci-fi. Check out the video below and let the movie-spotting games begin!
[via Buzz Patrol]
Nov 27
Minecraft Reality for iOS Takes In-Game Creations to the Real World, No 3D Printing Needed
Posted in: Today's ChiliThere are already a handful of ways to bring – or at least replicate – your Minecraft masterpieces to the real world. But if you’re looking for a cheap route, check out this Mojang-approved iOS app made by 13th lab. It’s called Minecraft Reality and it uses augmented reality to make the two worlds meet.
I have not tried the app yet, but apparently it can even scale the objects you upload relative to the real world scenery. You can also save the location of the object(s) you place so that other users of the app can see your work and vice versa.
Minecraft Reality is already on the App Store and sells for $1.99 (USD). Sadly, it’s for newer iOS devices only. It’s not compatible with the 4th gen iPod Touch and any devices that came before it, and the developer also mentioned that “most functionality is not available on iPhone 4.” Fortunately our imagination has no such system requirements. I just placed a Weeping Angel behind you.
[via The Verge via Joystiq & Minecraft Reality]
Nov 26
Babies. What’s not to love? They coo, they cry, and while they might throw the occasional tantrum or pee all over you without warning, the smile that they’ll give you at the end of the day makes everything worth it.
Babies are a lot of work, and I’m not talking about the part where you make them. So when they’re resting, it’s understandable that this is when the parents come out to play – only not in the way you’d think they would.
You might have different ideas when I say play, but when it comes to photographer and artist Adele Enersen, ‘play’ means having fun with her kid Vincent by doodling all over his photos. Now it’s time for mom to have some fun at her son’s expense, and the results couldn’t be cuter.
Isn’t this one of the best parent projects you’ve seen or what?
[via Incredible Things]
Nov 26
Love books? Love surprises? Then you’ll love the Biblio-Mat. It’s a one-of-a-kind vending machine that dispenses random books so you can say goodbye to boring afternoons and evenings.
The good news? It only costs two bucks a pop. The bad news? The Biblio-Mat is only for bookworms who live in Toronto. So if you happen to live close to the Monkey’s Paw, then it’s good news for you all the way.
The Biblio-Mat was built by Craig Small for the antiquarian Monkey’s Paw bookstore and it’s seriously one of the most ingenious things that I have ever seen.
Biblio-Mat books, which vary widely in size and subject matter, cost two dollars. The machine was conceived as an artful alternative to the ubiquitous and often ignored discount sidewalk bin. When a customer puts coins into it, the Biblio-Mat dramatically whirrs and vibrates as the machine is set in motion. The ring of an old telephone bell enhances the thrill when the customer’s mystery book is delivered with a satisfying clunk into the receptacle below.
[via Boing Boing]
Nov 25
It’s amazing what you can do with cardboard and a whole lot of imagination. Of course, you’d also need to have some skills and prior knowledge in animation in order to pull this of… but still, the whole thing is pretty impressive.
Guys and gals, check out one of Rogier Wieland’s awesomest animations where he transferred video stills onto cardboard cutouts and used his camera (and the cutouts!) to work his magic.
They’ve been around for quite a while, so if you’ve seen them already, I invite you to take a second (or third or fourth) look. Because they’re really that nifty.
And here’s another one:
Weren’t those cool? I wonder how many cutouts it took to make each of those.
[via Colossal Art+Design]
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