If you can find one, the new STA333IS digital
audio chip and power amplifier from STMicroelectronics (STM) offers a
quick and easy solution for converting digital audio into a 10
watt/channel stereo for anything from a boom box to a backyard sound
system. Don't misunderstand, they currently are at distributors, selling
for about one US dollar apiece. The problem is literally finding the
chips. At about one-eighth the volume of a grain of rice and weighing
only a few milligrams, drop one on a carpet and its gone for good. Read More
In an effort to bring parents and children living
in poor communities closer together, Supaksirin Wongsilp has designed a
toy that promotes interaction at one of the times and places families
are sure to come together – bedtime inside the mosquito net. Her DIY
Storytelling Kit lets parents narrate a story as they assemble story
characters along with their children to hang inside the net. Instead of
passively waiting to fall asleep, parents and kids get a little play
time together that doesn't break up their routine. Read More
If asked what would be a great power source for
mobile phones, it’s a fair bet that most people wouldn't make urine
their first choice. But that's exactly what a group of scientists at
Bristol Robotics Laboratory in the UK have done. As part of a project to
find new ways to provide electricity for small devices in emergency
situations and developing countries they have created a new fuel cell
system powered by pee. Read More
Some of the simplest household tasks
are also the most annoying, and draining the juices from canned goods
is definitely on the list. You can either use the newly removed lid,
which risks you cutting your hand to pieces, your fingers, which leaves
you with sticky digits, or a full size colander, which just adds another
bulky item to the washing-up. The GoCan Drainer offers a neater
solution. Read More 
The potential for tablets as virtual musical creation devices has spawned a number of hardware add-ons
aimed at bringing a new level of physical interaction to the table.
Following this school of thought is the C.24 from Miselu: a
Bluetooth-enabled, two octave wireless music keyboard for iPad that
doubles as a cover. Read More
Inspired by Nike’s “Nature Amplified” design
ethos, the Free Hyperfeel shoes are the company’s latest sports footwear
designed to mimic the working of the human foot. By using
pressure-mapping technology and high-speed film to analyze the foot in
motion, the designers say they were able to provide padding and
protection only where it is needed. The result is a shoe made up of only
seven components, which contrasts with the 57 components that go into a
typical Air Pegasus running shoe. Read More
When a company announces the budget version of a
popular device, things often go in one of two directions. On one hand,
there are devices like the iPad mini and iPod nano, which strike a chord and become more popular than their pricier predecessors. But then you have phones like last year's Galaxy S3 Mini, which used a valuable brand to sell some pretty underwhelming hardware. Which side of that fence does the new HTC One mini fall onto? Let's put it up against the standard HTC One, and see how its specs (and other features) compare. Read More
Flax is undoubtedly one very useful plant. The
seeds are both tasty and nutritious, its fibers have been used to
protect our delicate skins for thousands of years, and it's helped us
express ourselves through art and music. Now it's about to play a
supporting role in quickly zipping us through busy city streets. The
Be.e electric scooter designed by Dutch firm Waarmakers has a monocoque
body made from NPSP's natural fiber-reinforced composites, a modern take
on glass-fiber composites where the glass has been replaced by Flax and
then mixed with bio-resin. Project partner Van.Eko launched the first
models on June 27, and is now readying the funky-looking two-wheeler for
full commercial production. Read More
"How am I going to prevent that battery from
dying on my trip?" It's a sentiment that's been echoed again and again,
even by the most ardent EV early adopters, and certainly by the auto
consuming public at large. With only 100 miles (161 km) of battery power
on a good day, and few charging stations along most routes, the fear of
sputtering out on the highway is real and pervasive. With help from a
collaborative of designers and architects, Volvo shows one possible
solution – a collapsible, carport-sized solar charging pavilion named
Pure Tension. Read More
There are a number of ways that new SD memory
cards can grab some attention. Some offer larger-than-usual storage
capacity, while others boast wireless connectivity.
Toshiba hopes its Exceria Pro series cards will stand out because of
their speed. With impressive data write speeds of up to 240 MB/s, the
company is claiming they're the world's fastest. Read More
The Lunatec Aquabot cap transforms a
regular water bottle into a pressurized spray bottle. Like a Geigerrig
in bottle form, the spraying action adds extra function and versatility
to the average bottle. Instead of just drinking out of it, you can
spray your hands clean, rinse dishes off and mist yourself in the face.
Read More
These fantastically delicate
sculptures, designed by Liz and Kyle von Hasseln, bring a whole new
meaning to the notion of sugar work. Read More
The recently-completed Locomotive
Ranch Trailer Home uses a vintage aluminum house trailer offers a
blueprint for making an out of the ordinary trailer-based home. Read More
Spanish designers Alessandra Samson
and Paco Serinelli from Anatomica Design have come up with a novel way
to transform old wooden pallets into a rustic eco-kitchen. Read More
Norwegian company Unikia is looking
to update the plain old lunch bag with its Compleat FoodBag, a reusable
lunch box that keeps food fresh and protected in transit and rolls up
compactly when the meal is over. Read More
The iPad mini may indeed be small
and portable, but after spending over $300 on one, you probably don’t
want to send it out into the world unprotected. While there are already
various aftermarket cases available to do the job, New Trent’s just-released Airbender Mini offers a couple of particularly interesting features. Read More
Norwegian company Unikia is looking
to update the plain old lunch bag with its Compleat FoodBag, a reusable
lunch box that keeps food fresh and protected in transit and rolls up
compactly when the meal is over. Read More
The iPad mini may indeed be small
and portable, but after spending over $300 on one, you probably don’t
want to send it out into the world unprotected. While there are already
various aftermarket cases available to do the job, New Trent’s just-released Airbender Mini offers a couple of particularly interesting features. Read More
Is pitch a liquid or a solid? It turns out that
while it appears to be a solid at room temperature, it actually flows
like a liquid ... a very, very viscous liquid. Why is this interesting?
One of the world's longest running experiments, which began nearly 70
years ago at Trinity College Dublin, has now recorded the fall of a drop
of pitch on video for the first time. Read More
The Lunatec Aquabot cap transforms a
regular water bottle into a pressurized spray bottle. Like a Geigerrig
in bottle form, the spraying action adds extra function and versatility
to the average bottle. Instead of just drinking out of it, you can
spray your hands clean, rinse dishes off and mist yourself in the face.
Read More
Worldwide, around 100 people are attacked by
sharks each year. The anxiety this produces isn't helped by the fact
that traditional black wetsuits make divers and surfers look like seals,
and it’s not a good idea to dress up as a shark’s favorite snack before
going into the water. Australian company Shark Attack Mitigation
Systems (SAMS) is developing wetsuits designed to deter shark attacks
rather than ring the dinner gong by using disruptive patterns that
sharks have trouble seeing, or that make them think twice about
attacking. Read More
Sometimes innovation pops up in the most
unexpected places. Take snail mail, for example. Postal services around
the world may have taken hit after hit from the digital age, but maybe
reports of its death have been greatly exaggerated. After all, how many
people do you know who don't still use snail mail? Now one entrepeneur
has a clever new gizmo that brings some – gasp – innovation to the world of snail mail. Read More
Dr. Zoltan Takats of the Imperial College London
has developed one very sharp knife – and we're not referring to its keen
edge. The Intelligent Knife (iKnife) is equipped with a nose and a
brain that can sniff out cancer as it cuts. Using a mass spectrometer to
detect chemical profiles associated with tumors, it enables instant
identification of cancerous tissue and helps surgeons to make sure that
all of a tumor has been removed. Read More
Paddling a kayak is tough work. If you're
wondering just how tough, a new paddle from New Zealand-based One Giant
Leap can tell you. Its integrated power meter monitors how much power is
going into each stroke. Read More
These fantastically delicate
sculptures, designed by Liz and Kyle von Hasseln, bring a whole new
meaning to the notion of sugar work. Read More
MINI has chosen the height of the British summer
to unveil its new motoring-cum-camping concepts aimed at music festival
goers and outdoor types in need of what the company euphemistically
describes as "overnight solutions." The three products are the Clubvan
Camper, the Cowley and the Countryman ALL4 Camp; a tiny camper van, a
compact caravan and a rooftop tent respectively. Let's have a look,
then. Read More
Robots are already starting to make a mark on the adult art world with automated machines like the eDavid,
which creates stunning painting in a variety of styles. But what about
works at the other end of the artistic spectrum, like children's
watercolors? Thanks to an invention from a 12 year-old, even young
children can soon use robotics to make their own artwork. The
WaterColorBot paints colorful pictures on paper based on existing
graphics or follows along with users as they draw on a computer. Read More
With the exception of magic, the process of
levitating objects generally relies on magnetism or electric fields.
However, sound waves can also be used to cancel out the effects of
gravity to suspend objects and droplets of liquid in mid air. For the
first time, researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
Zurich (ETH) have been able to control the movement of such levitating
objects. Besides looking cool, the technology has implications for the
study of various chemical reactions and biological processes and the
development and production of pharmaceuticals and electronics. Read More
Researchers at ETH Zurich have demonstrated an
amazing capability for small robots to self-assemble and take to the air
as a multi-rotor helicopter. Maximilian Kriegleder and Raymond Oung
worked with Professor Raffaello D’Andrea at his research lab to develop
the small hexagonal pods that assemble into flying rafts. The true
accomplishment of this research is that there is not one robot in
control – each unit in itself decides what actions to take to keep the
group in the air in what's known as Distributed Flight Array. Read More
The recently-completed Locomotive
Ranch Trailer Home uses a vintage aluminum house trailer offers a
blueprint for making an out of the ordinary trailer-based home. Read More
The iconic Goodyear blimps are a common sight in
the skies over stadiums at sporting events in the US, serving as an
aerial billboard and television camera platform to provide aerial views.
In 2011, Goodyear announced plans to replace the current fleet of GZ-20
class blimps first introduced in 1969 with three new Zeppelin NT
airships. Goodyear says this new design will be longer, faster, and more
maneuverable than the current fleet, while also being less expensive to
operate. Read More
The DSLR remains the camera of choice for people
who are serious about photography, but lugging one about can still pose a
challenge. Belt clip-on accessories like Peter Dering's Capture Camera Clip
offer an ergonomic, ready-access alternative to the standard strap or
bag. Looking to improve on the original, Dering is now launching a
slimmed-down redesign that adds a GoPro mount to the equation. Read More
Alcohol and driving definitely don’t mix, but
those most in need of having their keys taken away are the worst judges
of how much they've had to drink. As part of an anti-drink/drive
campaign by Singapore’s Zouk nightclub, DDB Group Singapore developed
the Pee Analyzer: a system fitted to urinals that tests patrons’ alcohol
levels every time they take a trip to the bathroom. Read More
If you get a new Windows 8 computer, you might be surprised to find out that it won't play your DVDs
as Microsoft, in its infinite wisdom, omitted this feature in the new
version of the OS. Although optical media is going the way of the VHS
tape, there's a lot of content out there that's not available for
streaming or in compatible video formats. Hare are five free apps to get
around the lack of native Windows DVD playback and let you enjoy your
DVD collection. Read More
A lost bit of the Moon landing era isn't lost
anymore. Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos announced on Friday that one of
the F-1 rocket engines
found by his deep-sea expedition was indeed part of the Apollo 11
Saturn V rocket that sent the first astronauts to land on the Moon in
1969. A conservator at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in
Hutchinson, Kansas, where the engine was being restored, was removing
corrosion from the engine when he discovered evidence confirming the
significant find. Read More
The latest mini tripod from Manfrotto is designed
not only to keep your camera steady when taking photos, but also while
shooting video. The Pixi, which is designed to be used with anything
from a smartphone to an entry-level DSLR, can be deployed as a table-top
tripod when its legs are splayed, or a video grip when they're
collapsed. Read More
The HTC One
is one of the most Apple-like Android phones ever made. Its unified
design, high-quality build materials, and attention to detail harken
back to some of Apple's finest products. So when HTC released a variant of the One
that's closer in size to the iPhone 5, we wondered how the two would
stack up. Read on, as we compare the specs (and other features) of the
HTC One mini and iPhone 5. Read More
The recently-completed Locomotive
Ranch Trailer Home uses a vintage aluminum house trailer offers a
blueprint for making an out of the ordinary trailer-based home. Read More
Researchers at ETH Zurich have demonstrated an
amazing capability for small robots to self-assemble and take to the air
as a multi-rotor helicopter. Maximilian Kriegleder and Raymond Oung
worked with Professor Raffaello D’Andrea at his research lab to develop
the small hexagonal pods that assemble into flying rafts. The true
accomplishment of this research is that there is not one robot in
control – each unit in itself decides what actions to take to keep the
group in the air in what's known as Distributed Flight Array. Read More
The recently-completed Locomotive
Ranch Trailer Home uses a vintage aluminum house trailer offers a
blueprint for making an out of the ordinary trailer-based home. Read More
The iconic Goodyear blimps are a common sight in
the skies over stadiums at sporting events in the US, serving as an
aerial billboard and television camera platform to provide aerial views.
In 2011, Goodyear announced plans to replace the current fleet of GZ-20
class blimps first introduced in 1969 with three new Zeppelin NT
airships. Goodyear says this new design will be longer, faster, and more
maneuverable than the current fleet, while also being less expensive to
operate. Read More
The DSLR remains the camera of choice for people
who are serious about photography, but lugging one about can still pose a
challenge. Belt clip-on accessories like Peter Dering's Capture Camera Clip
offer an ergonomic, ready-access alternative to the standard strap or
bag. Looking to improve on the original, Dering is now launching a
slimmed-down redesign that adds a GoPro mount to the equation. Read More
Alcohol and driving definitely don’t mix, but
those most in need of having their keys taken away are the worst judges
of how much they've had to drink. As part of an anti-drink/drive
campaign by Singapore’s Zouk nightclub, DDB Group Singapore developed
the Pee Analyzer: a system fitted to urinals that tests patrons’ alcohol
levels every time they take a trip to the bathroom. Read More
If you get a new Windows 8 computer, you might be surprised to find out that it won't play your DVDs
as Microsoft, in its infinite wisdom, omitted this feature in the new
version of the OS. Although optical media is going the way of the VHS
tape, there's a lot of content out there that's not available for
streaming or in compatible video formats. Hare are five free apps to get
around the lack of native Windows DVD playback and let you enjoy your
DVD collection. Read More
A lost bit of the Moon landing era isn't lost
anymore. Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos announced on Friday that one of
the F-1 rocket engines
found by his deep-sea expedition was indeed part of the Apollo 11
Saturn V rocket that sent the first astronauts to land on the Moon in
1969. A conservator at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in
Hutchinson, Kansas, where the engine was being restored, was removing
corrosion from the engine when he discovered evidence confirming the
significant find. Read More
The latest mini tripod from Manfrotto is designed
not only to keep your camera steady when taking photos, but also while
shooting video. The Pixi, which is designed to be used with anything
from a smartphone to an entry-level DSLR, can be deployed as a table-top
tripod when its legs are splayed, or a video grip when they're
collapsed. Read More
The HTC One
is one of the most Apple-like Android phones ever made. Its unified
design, high-quality build materials, and attention to detail harken
back to some of Apple's finest products. So when HTC released a variant of the One
that's closer in size to the iPhone 5, we wondered how the two would
stack up. Read on, as we compare the specs (and other features) of the
HTC One mini and iPhone 5. Read More
The recently-completed Locomotive
Ranch Trailer Home uses a vintage aluminum house trailer offers a
blueprint for making an out of the ordinary trailer-based home. Read More
Researchers at ETH Zurich have demonstrated an
amazing capability for small robots to self-assemble and take to the air
as a multi-rotor helicopter. Maximilian Kriegleder and Raymond Oung
worked with Professor Raffaello D’Andrea at his research lab to develop
the small hexagonal pods that assemble into flying rafts. The true
accomplishment of this research is that there is not one robot in
control – each unit in itself decides what actions to take to keep the
group in the air in what's known as Distributed Flight Array. Read More
The recently-completed Locomotive
Ranch Trailer Home uses a vintage aluminum house trailer offers a
blueprint for making an out of the ordinary trailer-based home. Read More
The iconic Goodyear blimps are a common sight in
the skies over stadiums at sporting events in the US, serving as an
aerial billboard and television camera platform to provide aerial views.
In 2011, Goodyear announced plans to replace the current fleet of GZ-20
class blimps first introduced in 1969 with three new Zeppelin NT
airships. Goodyear says this new design will be longer, faster, and more
maneuverable than the current fleet, while also being less expensive to
operate. Read More
The DSLR remains the camera of choice for people
who are serious about photography, but lugging one about can still pose a
challenge. Belt clip-on accessories like Peter Dering's Capture Camera Clip
offer an ergonomic, ready-access alternative to the standard strap or
bag. Looking to improve on the original, Dering is now launching a
slimmed-down redesign that adds a GoPro mount to the equation. Read More
Alcohol and driving definitely don’t mix, but
those most in need of having their keys taken away are the worst judges
of how much they've had to drink. As part of an anti-drink/drive
campaign by Singapore’s Zouk nightclub, DDB Group Singapore developed
the Pee Analyzer: a system fitted to urinals that tests patrons’ alcohol
levels every time they take a trip to the bathroom. Read More
If you get a new Windows 8 computer, you might be surprised to find out that it won't play your DVDs
as Microsoft, in its infinite wisdom, omitted this feature in the new
version of the OS. Although optical media is going the way of the VHS
tape, there's a lot of content out there that's not available for
streaming or in compatible video formats. Hare are five free apps to get
around the lack of native Windows DVD playback and let you enjoy your
DVD collection. Read More
A lost bit of the Moon landing era isn't lost
anymore. Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos announced on Friday that one of
the F-1 rocket engines
found by his deep-sea expedition was indeed part of the Apollo 11
Saturn V rocket that sent the first astronauts to land on the Moon in
1969. A conservator at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in
Hutchinson, Kansas, where the engine was being restored, was removing
corrosion from the engine when he discovered evidence confirming the
significant find. Read More
The latest mini tripod from Manfrotto is designed
not only to keep your camera steady when taking photos, but also while
shooting video. The Pixi, which is designed to be used with anything
from a smartphone to an entry-level DSLR, can be deployed as a table-top
tripod when its legs are splayed, or a video grip when they're
collapsed. Read More
The HTC One
is one of the most Apple-like Android phones ever made. Its unified
design, high-quality build materials, and attention to detail harken
back to some of Apple's finest products. So when HTC released a variant of the One
that's closer in size to the iPhone 5, we wondered how the two would
stack up. Read on, as we compare the specs (and other features) of the
HTC One mini and iPhone 5. Read More
Ford has found a new use for some of the vehicle
sensor systems that help drivers monitor traffic. A new surveillance
mode developed in collaboration with California-based Intermotive Inc.
uses these sensor systems to give police officers "eyes on the back of
their heads," making them aware of any potential dangers behind their
vehicles. Read More
There are likely quite a few people who think that an electric bicycle might come in handy sometimes,
but who aren’t willing to buy a whole other bike or permanently convert
their existing non-electric model. Well, that’s why the Rubbee was
created. It’s an electric drive unit that attaches to a regular bicycle
in only a few seconds, and that comes off just as quickly. Read More
Chinese auto maker BYD has managed to fight off
stiff competition from four other manufacturers to supply 35 of its
electric buses to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, one of Europe's busiest
airports. Under the SUBSS Project (Sustainable Bus System of Schiphol),
the single-deck e-buses will replace the airport's aging fleet of
specialized gas-powered vehicles, and be used to quietly transfer
passengers between terminals and aircraft. The new e-fleet is due to
enter service this time next year. Read More
Unicef called upon the services of engineer
Andreas Hammar to build the provocatively-named Sweat Machine which
purifies sweat into drinking water. Though not intended as a serious
measure to tackle shortages in drinking water, Unicef does hope to raise
awareness of the issue, and invited visitors and footballers at last
week's Gothia Cup soccer tournament to partake of a glass. Read More
In the Japanese animated film, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind,
the protagonist explores a post-apocalyptic world riding on a
jet-powered glider called a Möwe. When the movie was first released in
1984, a vehicle like that seemed like it could only exist in science
fiction, but today one artist is determined to make it a reality.
Kazuhiko Hachiya has spent the past decade designing and testing his own
single-person glider and recently unveiled a full-sized model with a
working jet engine. Read More
Disney Research has developed an algorithm which
can generate 3D computer models from 2D images in great detail,
sufficient, it says, to meet the needs of video game and film makers.
The technology requires multiple images to capture the scene from a
variety of vantage points. Read More
The Exodus recumbent motorcycle, by US company
Suprine, is a 130-horsepower lay-back motorbike with a roll cage and a
perspex windscreen. It's a radical design with a street-legal prototype
already in action, and its remarkable form factor allows it to make a
fantastic 80-plus miles per gallon on the highway, while looking like
something out of a Japanese anime movie. Read More
We’ve recently looked at ocean-based energy storage system concepts from MIT and Subhydro AS
that are designed to overcome the intermittency problems of renewable
energy sources like wind and solar by pumping water out of large tanks
and using gravity to let it back in and generate electricity when
needed. Santa Barbara, California-based company Advanced Rail Energy
Storage (ARES) has come up with a land-based alternative that would
provide grid scale energy storage using electric locomotives. Read More
If you compare the iPhone
to any of the most popular Android phones, there's one big thing you'll
notice. The iPhone's screen looks positively puny next to phones like
the Galaxy Note, Galaxy S4, and HTC One. According to a new report, though, Apple might be cooking up something that will even that playing field. Read More
Spanish designers Alessandra Samson
and Paco Serinelli from Anatomica Design have come up with a novel way
to transform old wooden pallets into a rustic eco-kitchen. Read More
On Monday, British Prime Minister David Cameron
announced a sweeping censorship plan that would block internet users in
the United Kingdom from accessing online pornography unless they
specifically request otherwise. British ISPs will be obliged to contact
each of their customers to ask whether they want their content filtered,
and if no answer is forthcoming, the filter will be applied by default.
Speaking of how "online pornography is corroding childhood," Cameron
also proposed that search engines stop showing returns for child
pornography – and in doing so demonstrated a lack of understanding of
the medium. Read More
If you aren't happy with Windows 8, and are
curious to find out what's new in Windows 8.1, rather than just read
about it, why not try it for yourself and install it in a Virtual
Machine? It's easy to do, and will give you some hands on time to really
see what you can expect. Here I'll show you the quickest and easiest
way to get it installed and working. Read More
Last year, researchers at Rice University revealed a new way to convert solar energy directly into steam
using light-absorbing nanoparticles. At that time, the technology had
already been used to create a solar steam-powered autoclave for
sterilizing medical and dental equipment and the project had been
awarded a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to turn the
technology to the task of sanitizing human waste. The researchers have
now put both applications to the test. Read More
Mercedes has been looking into the future lately,
sharing its "crystal ball" visions with the world. In addition to
forward thinking production vehicles like the SLS AMG E-Drive, it has gone even deeper into the future, providing a look at what off-road utility vehicles
might look like in a decade, for instance. Now, it's gone a little
smaller, giving its vision of the golf cart that might be buzzing around
local country clubs in a generation or two. Read More
Norwegian company Unikia is looking
to update the plain old lunch bag with its Compleat FoodBag, a reusable
lunch box that keeps food fresh and protected in transit and rolls up
compactly when the meal is over. Read More
On Saturday, a tunnel boring machine (TBM) so large that it looks like something out of Thunderbirds
was dedicated in the city of Seattle. “Bertha,” as it’s known, is the
world’s largest TBM and will spend the next 14 months boring a 1.7 mile
(2.7 km) tunnel under the city as part of a US$3.1 billion project to
replace a viaduct damaged in a 2001 earthquake. As part of a press tour,
the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) allowed
Gizmag inside the giant machine. Read More
Near Field Communication (NFC)
is a technology that's just oozing with potential. Though the
mainstream adoption of near-field communication hasn't exactly gone as
planned, that doesn't mean that NFC isn't still a fertile ground for
great products. One upcoming product, the NFC Ring, is an example of the
kinds of imaginative projects that could become more widespread a few
years down the road. Read More
Last year, we heard about an industrial robot that was able to create pencil sketches of human subjects.
In that case, it utilized algorithms that identified the boundaries
between areas of high and low contrast on each subject’s face. Now,
however, scientists at Disney Research, Pittsburgh, have taken things a
bit further. They’ve created a computer tool that not only produces
digital sketches, but it also copies the style of specific human artists
as it does so. Read More
Ask a tone-head what makes his Fender Strat or
Gibson Les Paul Goldtop sound so good, and there's a good chance the top
answer will be "the wood." The acoustic benefits of wood are well
known, yet many audiophiles enjoy their music through headphone drivers
encased in plastic and metal. Californians Joe Huff and Bridget Hilton
believe that this simply won't do, and have created a line of
wood-flavored audio products to add that certain something to our
personal music enjoyment. The lstn Bowerys are in-ear earphones, the
Fillmores are on-ear headphones and the Troubadours are over-ear
headphones, and all of the models are offered in beech, cherry or ebony.
Gizmag was sent a pair of beech Troubadours for review, so let's find
out how they performed. Read More
The iPad mini may indeed be small
and portable, but after spending over $300 on one, you probably don’t
want to send it out into the world unprotected. While there are already
various aftermarket cases available to do the job, New Trent’s just-released Airbender Mini offers a couple of particularly interesting features. Read More
On Monday, British Prime Minister David Cameron
announced a sweeping censorship plan that would block internet users in
the United Kingdom from accessing online pornography unless they
specifically request otherwise. British ISPs will be obliged to contact
each of their customers to ask whether they want their content filtered,
and if no answer is forthcoming, the filter will be applied by default.
Speaking of how "online pornography is corroding childhood," Cameron
also proposed that search engines stop showing returns for child
pornography – and in doing so demonstrated a lack of understanding of
the medium. Read More
If you aren't happy with Windows 8, and are
curious to find out what's new in Windows 8.1, rather than just read
about it, why not try it for yourself and install it in a Virtual
Machine? It's easy to do, and will give you some hands on time to really
see what you can expect. Here I'll show you the quickest and easiest
way to get it installed and working. Read More
Last year, researchers at Rice University revealed a new way to convert solar energy directly into steam
using light-absorbing nanoparticles. At that time, the technology had
already been used to create a solar steam-powered autoclave for
sterilizing medical and dental equipment and the project had been
awarded a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to turn the
technology to the task of sanitizing human waste. The researchers have
now put both applications to the test. Read More
Mercedes has been looking into the future lately,
sharing its "crystal ball" visions with the world. In addition to
forward thinking production vehicles like the SLS AMG E-Drive, it has gone even deeper into the future, providing a look at what off-road utility vehicles
might look like in a decade, for instance. Now, it's gone a little
smaller, giving its vision of the golf cart that might be buzzing around
local country clubs in a generation or two. Read More
Norwegian company Unikia is looking
to update the plain old lunch bag with its Compleat FoodBag, a reusable
lunch box that keeps food fresh and protected in transit and rolls up
compactly when the meal is over. Read More
On Saturday, a tunnel boring machine (TBM) so large that it looks like something out of Thunderbirds
was dedicated in the city of Seattle. “Bertha,” as it’s known, is the
world’s largest TBM and will spend the next 14 months boring a 1.7 mile
(2.7 km) tunnel under the city as part of a US$3.1 billion project to
replace a viaduct damaged in a 2001 earthquake. As part of a press tour,
the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) allowed
Gizmag inside the giant machine. Read More
Near Field Communication (NFC)
is a technology that's just oozing with potential. Though the
mainstream adoption of near-field communication hasn't exactly gone as
planned, that doesn't mean that NFC isn't still a fertile ground for
great products. One upcoming product, the NFC Ring, is an example of the
kinds of imaginative projects that could become more widespread a few
years down the road. Read More
Last year, we heard about an industrial robot that was able to create pencil sketches of human subjects.
In that case, it utilized algorithms that identified the boundaries
between areas of high and low contrast on each subject’s face. Now,
however, scientists at Disney Research, Pittsburgh, have taken things a
bit further. They’ve created a computer tool that not only produces
digital sketches, but it also copies the style of specific human artists
as it does so. Read More
Ask a tone-head what makes his Fender Strat or
Gibson Les Paul Goldtop sound so good, and there's a good chance the top
answer will be "the wood." The acoustic benefits of wood are well
known, yet many audiophiles enjoy their music through headphone drivers
encased in plastic and metal. Californians Joe Huff and Bridget Hilton
believe that this simply won't do, and have created a line of
wood-flavored audio products to add that certain something to our
personal music enjoyment. The lstn Bowerys are in-ear earphones, the
Fillmores are on-ear headphones and the Troubadours are over-ear
headphones, and all of the models are offered in beech, cherry or ebony.
Gizmag was sent a pair of beech Troubadours for review, so let's find
out how they performed. Read More
The iPad mini may indeed be small
and portable, but after spending over $300 on one, you probably don’t
want to send it out into the world unprotected. While there are already
various aftermarket cases available to do the job, New Trent’s just-released Airbender Mini offers a couple of particularly interesting features. Read More 
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