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Monthly Archives: April 2013

Kube 2 Player Released, Not An iPod

By David Ponce on 12/21/11 • 1 Comment

By David Ponce

All the cool kids are getting iPhones and iPods to play their music, and it turns out they’re all baristas too. Weird. But if you want none of this nonsense, there are other options. Lots, really. The Kube 2 is one of these. This little hexahedron stores its music in microSD cards, which go up to 32GB. It measures 1 inch on all sides and has a touch sensitive interface: “A quick swipe will allow the user to switch to the previous or next track. Placing a finger at the top or bottom of the Kube2 will raise or lower the volume, respectively.” The battery should be good for about 6 hours and if you get sick of the way it looks, you can purchase little stick-on skins for $4 a pop.

The best part is perhaps the price: $35.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ Technabob ]

These Directions You Best Take Seriously

By David Ponce on 12/21/11 • 1 Comment

By David Ponce

This is what happens when you ask Google maps for walking directions into Mordor…

VIA [ Geekologie ]

The Pudding Machine That Doesn’t Like Children

By David Ponce on 12/21/11 • 1 Comment

By David Ponce

Kraft has launched a new marketing initiative that has it distributing free samples of its mousse-like Temptations dessert by Jell-O through a special machine. See, this machine hates kids and yells at them. We, for one, are on its side: kids and pudding are never to be mixed. However it looks like Kraft’s intentions are more demographically based: they’re promoting the product to a specific age range, adults. So what happens is that if you walk up to this machine, a camera will analyze your face and determine your age. If you’re a kid, it tells you to step aside. Adult? Free food!

It presumably uses age-related factors such as the distance between facial features, proportions, or whatever other metric the algorithms deem relevant.

“It has a big gee-whiz factor,” says Ed Kaczmarek, Kraft’s director of innovation and consumer experiences. “This is intelligent marketing. We’re making certain we get the right sample to the right consumer.”

Aside from this, it’s also a big gimmick, but one we don’t mind so much, being tech geeks. If you’re in the Chicago area, look for the machine at your local supermarket.

VIA [ Gizmodo ]

VUDU Launches On Xbox 360

By David Ponce on 12/21/11 • Leave a comment!

By David Ponce

VUDU is a movie streaming service that was acquired by Walmart in 2010. It became relatively popular due in part to the fact that it starts streaming instantly, as opposed to other services which require some buffering time. And it’s been announced that VUDU is now available on the Xbox 360. This means you can purchase or rent movies directly from your console, and if you have Kinect, you can do this with hand gestures or voice control. As an incentive, Walmart is offering a $4.99 credit towards your first rental or purchase.

[ Press Release ] VIA [ Joystiq ]

Deal Of The Day: $35 Off On Panasonic Bluray Player And HDMI Cable

By David Ponce on 12/21/11 • Leave a comment!

By David Ponce

We still remember the early days of Bluray players and their $300+ price tags. Some of our friends purchased inferior PS3s in the hopes they’d be able to use the included players, only to find out that DRM crippled them. Well, they can rest easy knowing that Bluray playback is now really affordable, with this Panasonic DMP-BD755 Ultra-Fast Booting Blu-ray player and HDMI cable combo priced at $65 instead of $100.

[ $35 Off On Panasonic Bluray Player And HDMI Cable ] VIA [ LogicBuy ]

DenGyo Rectenna Harvests Lost Microwaves

By David Ponce on 12/20/11 • Leave a comment!

By David Ponce

Looks like people are still trying to harvest stray electromagnetic waves and convert these into usable energy. Some of you may remember the huge controversy we generated two years ago with news of RCA’s Airnergy, a device that claimed to make electricity from WiFi signals. Most of you agreed this was bunk as there was just not enough power in these signals. Ok. But what about microwaves? Japanese company DenGyo has announced the Microwave Regenerative Converter, which is what they call a “rectenna”. This stands for antenna and rectifier, smushed together, and not for anal antenna. The idea is that you’d place the device inside a microwave oven and any energy that doesn’t go directly towards heating up your food would be converted back into electricity through this device, up to 100W. Since the water content of your food determines the oven’s efficiency, the rectenna would be doing the most converting with old stale bread or some similar dry things.

If you follow the links, you’ll be treated to all manner of mathematical formulas. We can’t understand them, but we think this could work. Any engineers want to set us straight?

[ TechOn! ] VIA [ Reddit ]

Giant Playable Pinball Machine Projected Onto Building Facade

By David Ponce on 12/20/11 • Leave a comment!

By David Ponce

The people of Lyon, France, recently got to experience a high-tech treat. Carol Martin and Thibaut Berbezier from company CT Light Concept created an interactive installation that projects the image of a giant pinball machine onto the face of a theater, the Celestins. The setup uses 3D mapping tech and conforms to the contours and reliefs of the theater, turning these into various bumpers and ramps. What’s even better is that the whole display is playable, with the controls in the hands of people in the crowd. Yes, even sound effects are included.

Dubbed the “Urban Flipper”, the project was part of the city’s yearly lights festival.

Video after the break.

… Continue Reading

Pleather Alligator Skin iPad 2 Case For Those With Alternative Tastes

By David Ponce on 12/20/11 • 1 Comment

By David Ponce

So you like yourself a little gator, huh? That Smart Cover nonsense for the iPad 2 was just too corporate chic for you, so you need something that speaks to the Crocodile Dundee in ya. Yeah, we got you covered, hermano. This here fake alligator skin cover fastens with an elastic band. Doesn’t sound too fancy until you realize that it wakes the iPad 2 from sleep when opened and does the opposite when closed. There doesn’t seem to be no magnet magic like a Smart Cover, but there ain’t no need for that as you’ll be slipping the tablet inside of this thing, friend. There’s even a peephole for that Apple to shine through.

$27.

Keep readin’ for pics and links.

… Continue Reading

Find My Car Smart App For The Truly Forgetful

By David Ponce on 12/20/11 • 1 Comment

By David Ponce

There are a ton of apps that help you find your car once you’ve forgotten where you parked it. They all suffer from a fatal flaw: you have to tell them where you’ve parked as you leave your car. Let’s be honest here: after a while, you’ll also start forgetting to do this. So that’s why the Find My Car Smart app one-ups them all. Using Bluetooth 4.0, the application works with a paired-up USB adapter that shuts off as you turn your car’s ignition off. The program on your iPhone 4S notices this and makes a quick note of your GPS coordinates. If you later can’t recall your spot, launch the app and find out. Yes, you do need an iPhone 4S as that’s the only iDevice that uses Bluetooth 4.0, now known as Bluetooth Smart.

The app and related USB dongle and car charger are on the one place where people with good ideas can connect directly with the marketplace: Kickstarter. However, the funding goals have been more than reached and you can get yourself the entire kit for as little as $30. Shipping in January 2012.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ Engadget ]

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