Online observatory Slooh has streamed live pictures of NASA’s Juno
space probe flyby. The feed from the robotic half-meter telescope in
the Canary islands gave visitors a ringside seat as the probe passed
within 347 mi (559 km) of Earth in a slingshot maneuver designed to take
it all the way to Jupiter. Read More
Scott Carpenter, one of the last
surviving Mercury 7 astronauts, has died at the age of 88. The second
American to go into orbit and the fourth Mercury astronaut to travel
into space, Carpenter is also remembered for his contributions to
oceanography. Read More 
Want to serve cocktails at your next party, but
don’t know beans about mixology? The Monsieur company of Atlanta,
Georgia thinks it has the answer with the home version of its Monsieur
machine. It’s a robotic bartender
tailored to your individual lifestyle that the company sees as a way of
enhancing social drinking without having to constantly refer to a book
or acting as bartender all night at a party. We caught up with
co-founder and CEO of Monsieur, Barry Givens, to discuss the
machine-made cocktail. Read More
Paper Generators bring a spark of new life to the printed page
By Ben Coxworth
October 10, 2013
Disney Research, Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University have released details of another one of their collaborative projects,
this one involving thin, flexible generators that can be built into
paper items such as the pages of a book. By simply rubbing or tapping
one of these pages, users can illuminate LEDs, prompt applications on
linked computers, or even activate e-ink displays – no batteries or
outlets required. Read More
It's a pretty common experience – you get back
from a trip to another country, and discover that you racked up huge
roaming fees while you were there. While one alternative is to just not
use your phone when abroad, Toronto start-up KnowRoaming is now offering
another: an electronic sticker that is said to reduce roaming fees by
up to 85 percent. Read More
Leveraging Google Street View
technology, Lamborghini has launched a 360-degree tour of its Museo
Lamborghini car museum. Computer and mobile device users can now
experience 50 years of Lamborghini from the comfort of home. Read More 
Determined to mimic the efficiency-boosting
approach of non-plug-in hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius, Italian
manufacturer ZeHus has developed a small, lightweight e-bike system that
optimizes cyclists' efficiency. The hub-based unit aims to add exactly
the right amount of electric propulsion to create flowing, seamless
rides without the huffing, puffing and walking. Read More
Does a more advanced smartwatch make for a better smartwatch? We considered the Samsung Galaxy Gear
to be a barrier-pushing watch, with features like a camera, voice
dictation, and phone calls. But then again, it's also only compatible
with one phone at launch. Sony's newest SmartWatch,
meanwhile, falls into the keep it simple, keep it compatible camp. Are
rock-solid notifications and Android-wide compatibility enough? Let
Gizmag try to help you answer that, as we review the Sony SmartWatch 2.
Read More
Moog Music has announced a new range of versatile
and expressive analog effects stomps for electric guitar and bass. Each
of the five affordable and compact Minifoogers features an expression
pedal input that can be CV-controlled (just like an old Moog synth), and
gives the player control of one predetermined parameter for the chosen
unit, expanding the stomp's sound beyond what's available via the knobs
up top. Read More
As big tech companies prepare to woo you with current and upcoming smartwatches, they'll be doing battle with fitness tracking devices that some customers already have on their wrists. Along with the Jawbone Up and Nike Fuelband, one of the most popular series of wrist trackers comes from Fitbit.
The San Francisco-based company just unveiled its latest tracker, and,
surprise surprise, it took some baby steps in the direction of the
smartwatch. Read More
Virgin has announced that work on
Richard Branson's private residence on Necker Island is complete, with
the house now ready to take its first bookings. So, if you fancied
whisking yourself and 29 friends (plus six children) off to a tropical
island in the North Atlantic (in the British Virgin Islands, obviously),
you're in luck … if you can stretch to the asking price of US$60,000 per night, that is. Read More
Are you gearing up to plunge into a
particularly challenging jigsaw puzzle, or maybe starting to read a very
large book? If so, you may want to check out the Tikker wristwatch,
which estimates how long you have to live and provides a running
countdown. Read More
Since the earliest days of brewing
beer and making wine, the search has been on for an easy, affordable
method of chilling drinks quickly without diluting them in the process.
Florida-based start-up Spin Chill claims to have a solution to this
vexing problem with a portable device that (literally) turns beverages
ice cold in 60 seconds. Read More
Power napping is a bit of an art
form, requiring just the right ingredients to make it possible. The
Ostrich Pillow Light, the third product in the Ostrich Pillow line, is designed to simplify the process by helping sleepyheads grab 40 winks anytime that their eyelids begin to sag. Read More
A total of 20 well-known architects
and designers, including Zaha Hadid, Guy Holloway, and FAT Architecture,
were recently tasked with producing a unique dollhouse each for UK
charity KIDS. Each of the diminutive houses is set upon a plinth
measuring 75 x 75 cm (30 x 30 in), and is meant to sport a unique
feature to make life easier for children with disabilities. Read More
Ghost, a free blogging platform
billed as the first to put writers before developers, has been made
available to the public. The software was developed and is managed by
the non-profit Ghost Foundation, conceived to make the software
unobtainable for corporate takeover. Read More
Guardian device turns app-users into child-trackers
By Ben Coxworth
October 11, 2013
With the advent of GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
technology, child-tracking devices are now hitting the marketplace thick
and fast – consumers can already choose between the likes of Mommy I'm Here, Lok8U, and BiKN. Now Taipei-based startup BeLuvv is throwing its hat in the ring, with the Guardian system. Read More
Valeo recently introduced its Valet Park4U
system, becoming one of the latest manufacturers to reveal its vision
for self-parking cars. More of a self-contained vehicle technology than
other autonomous parking systems, the Valet Park4U system eliminates the
need for advanced car-to-lot communications, relying entirely on
onboard systems. Read More
Although not all of us may think of ATM use as
something that needs to be sped up, banking technology company FIS has
developed a system that is claimed to streamline the cash-getting
process. Known as Cardless Cash Access, it allows people to get money
from ATMs within seconds, using nothing but their smartphone. Read More
It's becoming more and more common for cyclists to find their way around using navigation apps on bike-mounted smartphones
... but it's not a perfect setup. For one thing, those phones get
shaken around a lot. Additionally, it's risky for cyclists to keep
glancing down at the screen, plus keeping that screen constantly awake
uses up a lot of battery life. The Hammerhead offers an alternative.
It's a water- and shock-proof bar-mounted device that relays simple
navigational cues via easy-to-see LEDs. Read More
Tree in the house shuns privacy in favor of a great view
October 11, 2013
When done right, there's something uniquely
appealing about a house in the woods, as evidenced by properties such as
the Black Magic House and Espinar House.
We can now add Kazakhstan-based Tree in the house, by local architect
and designer Masov Aibek, to our growing list of dream woodland getaways
– and perhaps it's the most unusual of the bunch. Read More
SOCOM Admiral pushes for Iron Man-style combat suit
By Brian Dodson
October 11, 2013
The US Navy's top SEAL, four-star Admiral William
McRaven, is pushing hard for a modern suit of armor called the Tactical
Assault Light Operator Suit (TALOS). Though not exactly an
Iron Man suit, it's that ballpark. As a result, a Broad Agency
Announcement has now been issued seeking proposals and research in
support of the design, construction, and testing of TALOS, with a basic
version hopefully seeing service within three years. Read More
Gerber's Impromptu Tactical Pen is designed for danger
By Dave Parrack
October 11, 2013
While the chances of being caught up in a
dangerous situation are thankfully low, having something about your
person for such an eventuality isn't a bad idea. The Impromptu Tactical
Pen from Gerber, with its glass-breaking steel tip, is one option for
those who want to keep themselves safe. It is, as its name suggests, a
simple writing implement with a hidden extra that could mean the
difference between life and death. Read More
Virgin has announced that work on
Richard Branson's private residence on Necker Island is complete, with
the house now ready to take its first bookings. So, if you fancied
whisking yourself and 29 friends (plus six children) off to a tropical
island in the North Atlantic (in the British Virgin Islands, obviously),
you're in luck … if you can stretch to the asking price of US$60,000 per night, that is. Read More Ultrasonic force field provides tactile sensations in midair
By Brian Dodson
October 11, 2013
Holodeck, anyone? Researchers at Bristol
University are developing a system known as UltraHaptics that uses
ultrasonic force fields to project the tactile sensations of objects in
midair. Currently used for a haptic computer interface, the system might
eventually enable touchable holograms. Read More
Innovation is all about putting on the proverbial
thinking cap. Now engineers are vying to produce an actual thinking cap
– at least one that can measure the most rudimentary signals of
thought. The US Department of Defense is pushing for the development of
cheap, wearable systems that can detect the brain waves of people and
display the data on smartphones or tablets. Read More
While the jury is still out on whether or not we are entering the era of the smartwatch,
scuba divers, yachtsmen and airplane pilots would agree that the
wristwatch hasn't been completely supplanted by the mobile phone.
Garmin’s D2 pilot watch puts the emphasis on utility by providing pilots
with navigation and avionics readouts at the touch of a button. Read More
Fabien Cousteau, filmmaker, explorer, and
grandson of pioneering oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, is set to take a
page out of his grandfather’s book by conducting a month-long scientific
research mission in the world's only underwater habitat and laboratory.
Mission 31 beings on November 12 at the Aquarius Reef Base off the
coast of the Florida Keys, marking the 50th anniversary of his the elder
Cousteau's historic Conshelf II habitat experiment. Read More
First laser-driven electron accelerator demonstrated
By Brian Dodson
October 13, 2013
If Angus MacGyver was a particle physicist, he
might face a challenge like this: Take a femtosecond laser and a fused
quartz grating and make the world's most powerful particle accelerator.
Despite the apparent incongruity of the resources and the goal,
researchers at the US Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator
Laboratory and Stanford University have fabricated a proof-of-principle
electron accelerator using just such equipment. In the demonstration,
electrons from a 60 MeV beam saw a force of acceleration about ten times
greater than possible in a conventional accelerator. Read More
Are you gearing up to plunge into a
particularly challenging jigsaw puzzle, or maybe starting to read a very
large book? If so, you may want to check out the Tikker wristwatch,
which estimates how long you have to live and provides a running
countdown. Read More Jony Ive and Marc Newson design Leica M camera for (RED)
By Simon Crisp
October 13, 2013
This special edition Leica M digital camera has
been designed by Apple's design guru, Jony Ive, and industrial designer,
Marc Newson, for the (RED) charity. The one-of-a-kind camera features a
laser machined aluminum body, an anodized aluminum outer shell, and
looks like the love-child of a Lecia M, a MacBook and the Instagram
logo. It will be sold at auction to raise money for the charity. Read More
Since the earliest days of brewing
beer and making wine, the search has been on for an easy, affordable
method of chilling drinks quickly without diluting them in the process.
Florida-based start-up Spin Chill claims to have a solution to this
vexing problem with a portable device that (literally) turns beverages
ice cold in 60 seconds. Read More
Children have a remarkable ability to vanish the
second your back is turned, so a watch that not only tells your child
the time, but also acts as a locator
and heavily controlled cellphone has its attractions. With this in
mind, AT&T and Filip Technologies have entered in an agreement that
allows the telecommunications giant to bring the FilLIP child locator
smartwatch to the US market in the coming months. According to the deal,
AT&T will act as the exclusive network provider for the device as
well as controlling distribution and billing. Read More
Cyclists wanting to notify other road users of
stopping or turning intentions can use their arms, but it's not always
convenient or safe to do so. Bike-based blinking technology like the Spooklight system
is a good way to go, but having to detach and carry your lights between
rides to keep them out of the hands of opportunist thieves can be a bit
of a pain. A sleeker idea would be to integrate a wirelessly-controlled
lighting system into your backpack? That's precisely what SEIL from
Myung Su Lee does. Bright directional arrows, stopping signals or custom
animated text messages shine through the fabric at the back of the bag
at the press of a button on a bar-mounted wireless controller. Read More
UCSD students test fire 3D-printed metal rocket engine
By David Szondy
October 12, 2013
Like something out of a Robert Heinlein novel,
students at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) have built a
metal rocket engine using a technique previously confined to NASA.
Earlier this month, the students conducted a hot fire test for a
3D-printed metal rocket engine at a launch site in California’s Mojave
Desert. This is the first such test of a printed liquid-fueled, metal
rocket engine by any university in the world and the first designed and
printed outside of NASA. Read More
Alpina calls its BMW D3 Bi-Turbo the world's fastest diesel
By C.C. Weiss
October 11, 2013
German BMW performance manufacturer Alpina has
released the new D3 Bi-Turbo, a more potent spin on the BMW 3 Series
Sedan. The car hits 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.6 seconds on its way to a 173
mph (278 km/h) top speed. Alpina reckons that's enough to make it the
fastest diesel production car on the big blue ball we call home. Read More
On October 8, three teams in various parts of the
world participated in an unprecedented simultaneous test of three
experimental spacesuits. Coordinated from a mission control center in
Innsbruck, Austria run by the Austrian Space Forum (OeWF), World Space
Walk 2013 aims at setting standards for developing suits for the future
exploration of the planet Mars. Read More
Carbyne: The new world's strongest material?
October 14, 2013
Researchers at Rice University have used a
computer simulation to calculate that carbyne, a monodimensional chain
of carbon atoms, is twice as strong as carbon nanotubes and three times
stiffer than diamond. If their findings are correct and the challenges
posed by manufacturing it can be overcome, then carbyne could prove an
incredibly useful material for a wide range of applications. Read More
Set to hit US showrooms at the end of the month,
Honda's new Accord Hybrid milks enough fuel efficiency from its hybrid
powertrain and tiny 1.3 kWh lithium-ion battery pack to achieve 50 mpg
(4.5 l/100km). Read More
Last year, Pelican launched a line
of backpacks, rolling its hard-case protection into comfortable,
shoulder-harness form. On paper they look like a great way to protect
laptops and tablets, but how do they hold up in the real world? We took
one of the packs around the globe, from the 2013 New York Auto Show, to the Dusseldorf Caravan Salon, and finally to the IAA show in Frankfurt. Here's what we learned. Read More
Power napping is a bit of an art
form, requiring just the right ingredients to make it possible. The
Ostrich Pillow Light, the third product in the Ostrich Pillow line, is designed to simplify the process by helping sleepyheads grab 40 winks anytime that their eyelids begin to sag. Read More
Street lights are one of things people in heavily
populated areas tend to take for granted. They make walking and driving
a safer, more pleasant experience, but they also account for a
significant chunk of a city's energy usage. Solar powered street lights
offer a solution for places where electricity is at a premium, or
locations that are off the grid completely and the Spirit Solar Powered
Lighting Column is the first example we've seen which rolls the post and
the panels together in a standalone design. Read More
Lockheed Martin moves 3D printing to the production line
By David Szondy
October 14, 2013
3D printing
is fast moving into the big leagues as it becomes less of a way to
print plastic key fobs and more of a tool for the likes of aerospace
giants. Earlier this month the Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company
showcased it next-generation, digitally integrated design and
manufacturing process with a tour of its Denver, Colorado facility for
community leaders from Jefferson County. Read More
The 7 Chrome extensions of moderately effective people
October 14, 2013
It's the world's most used web browser, but how
many users are using extensions to get the most out of Google Chrome?
(Probably very many. That's just the sort of annoying question
journalists like to ask by way of an introduction.) Here are some of my
favorites, not geared towards any particular profession, which I think
could prove useful to my fellow generalist web users out there in the
world. There are no gimmicks; no bossy extensions telling you what or
what not to do; merely usefulness, hopefully. Read More
HTC's One max: Supersized, with a fingerprint sensor
October 14, 2013
This year, HTC released what we considered to be one of the best smartphones ever made, in the HTC One. Then, a few months later, the Taiwanese company tried to appease lovers of smaller phones, with the One mini. Today HTC completed its One trifecta, as it pulled back the curtain on its first phablet, the HTC One max. Read More
Final flight of Grasshopper v1.0 sets new record
By Brian Dodson
October 14, 2013
SpaceX made another successful Grasshopper flight
last week, which was also the last flight for Grasshopper v1.0. Its
swan song lasted some 80 seconds, during which time Grasshopper reached
an altitude of 744 meters (nearly half a mile), more than twice the
previous record. Grasshopper v1.1 is well along the road to flight
tests. Read More
When I reviewed the OPC Musician's Computer
in March 2012, I also got the opportunity to sample a full-featured
version of IK Multimedia's equally impressive AmpliTube 3 guitar effects
and amp simulation suite. I did note, however, that one downside was
having to activate virtual pedals and tweak settings via the mouse (or
in the case of iOS versions, by touching the virtual controls on the
screen). The latest addition to the company's iRig family puts parameter
control at your feet, in a wireless pedalboard called the BlueBoard.
Read More
Explorers have mapped the surface of the iconic
Matterhorn painstakingly by foot, by satellite, and now by drone, thanks
to a partnership between drone maker senseFly and nonprofit Drone
Adventures. Launching a small squadron of eBee minidrones off the summit
and sides of the famous Alps mountaintop, the mission tested the
navigational abilities of the system and created a staggering data-rich
3D model. Read More
Although they may not be in common use just yet, there are already bike lights that automatically turn themselves on or off depending on ambient light levels.
The SeeSense light, however, takes things a bit further. Not only does
it respond to changes in lighting, but its makers claim that it can also
determine the traffic situation in which the cyclist is riding, and
adjust its output accordingly. Read More
Guitars like Gibson's iconic Flying V, just about any BC Rich model, or Bob Wiley's Ministar
travel guitars may well stand out in any crowd, but they're not exactly
built for comfort. Guitar maker Shawn Steen has spent the last two
years tweaking and testing an instrument designed to comfortably fit the
shape of a player's body, while looking good and sounding great. The
final adjustments have been made, all the choice components selected,
and the first show models created. Now it's launch time for the new line
of hand-made ergonomic guitars. Read More
A total of 20 well-known architects
and designers, including Zaha Hadid, Guy Holloway, and FAT Architecture,
were recently tasked with producing a unique dollhouse each for UK
charity KIDS. Each of the diminutive houses is set upon a plinth
measuring 75 x 75 cm (30 x 30 in), and is meant to sport a unique
feature to make life easier for children with disabilities. Read More
Gary Fong has revealed its latest flash lighting
modifier, the Lightsphere Collapsible Speed Mount. Now in its fifth
generation, the divisive, but much-emulated, photography accessory has
gained a new mounting system which not only fits bulkier flashes, but
also allows it to be attached and removed easier and faster. Read More
Jessi Combs breaks 48-year old land speed record
October 15, 2013
Back in 1965, Lee Breedlove set the women's land
speed record on Utah’s Salt Lake Flats with an average speed of 308.51
mph (496.49 km/h) over four runs. That record stood for 48 years until
this month, when Jessi Combs smashed it in her 52,000 hp North American
Eagle Supersonic Speed Challenger with a speed of 392.954 mph (632.39
km/h). Read More
Team Austria (Vienna University of Technology)
has been announced the overall winner of Solar Decathlon 2013 after the
closest competition in the history of the event. Second place went to
University of Nevada Las Vegas, with the Czech Technical University
achieving third place overall. Read More
Ghost, a free blogging platform
billed as the first to put writers before developers, has been made
available to the public. The software was developed and is managed by
the non-profit Ghost Foundation, conceived to make the software
unobtainable for corporate takeover. Read More 
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