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Author Archives: David Ponce

Air Hockey Playing Robot Is Impossible To Beat

By David Ponce on 06/19/13 • Leave a comment!

air-hockey-robot

If you thought that all those hours spent at the arcade, perfecting your air hockey-playing skills were worth it because they’d made you unbeatable, know that it was all in vain. A soulless robot created by researchers at Chiba University’s Namiki Lab could prbably hand you your ass in a platter. The system captures your movements and that of the puck at 500fps, and anticipates your shots. This means that pretty much no matter what you do, the robot will have you beat. But this bot goes one level above simply having quicker reflexes than you. To keep you interested and playing (as opposed to giving up in frustration within a minute), it’ll make you believe you could have a chance, stringing you along for a while, learning your moves before mowing you down like last week’s lawn. This robot isn’t only fast, it’s a hustler.

[ Research Paper ] VIA [ DamnGeeky ]

Super Mario Bros. Cake Looks Too Good To Eat

By David Ponce on 06/19/13 • Leave a comment!

super_mario_bros__cake_by_cakecrumbs-d68m8pz

With modern cake-making methods, you can do pretty much anything. We’re rather fond of DeviantArt user Cakecrumb’s design, pictured above. It’s not a random assortment of images from the game, but rather an accurate depiction of some levels.

The cake aims to be a level-accurate depiction of levels 2.1 and 2.2. I chose those levels as it allowed me the variety to depict three different ‘places’ on tiers that could be joined relative to one another.

The cake took about 5 days to finish. There was a lot more detail than I expected. Everything from the stripes on the pipes to the embossing of the stones took a lot of time. Everything is hand cut, mostly with a craft knife, and either embossed or painted (with edible ink) to add the details. It’s all fondant or marzipan, save for the coral and the waves, which are piped from royal icing.

Of course, this was a one-off and it’s not being sold anywhere. Maybe you can contact Cakecrumb and inquire how much this would cost you, since the user does take on commissioned work.

Hit the link below for a ton more pictures.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ Technabob ]

Latest Food Oddity: Watermelon Oreos

By David Ponce on 06/19/13 • Leave a comment!

watermelonoreos1

Hot on the heels of other odd, limited edition Oreo flavors like Candy Corn, Gingerbread and Birthday Cake, Nabisco is releasing Watermelon Oreos this summer. And unlike some other similarly bizarre concoctions from the company, these cookies are described as not being overly sweet and sickly:

The problem with so many of these wild Oreo flavors is that they’re sickly sweet, to the point where the cream tastes like honey. Not regular honey, mind you. Not like, Stop & Shop honey hiding in a plastic bear. I’m talking about the honey you’d find at a maw-and-paw general store in the middle of nowhere. [...] Not these, though. These have a bite, but it’s much more subtle. If I can call 75 calories’ worth of pure fat “light,” each of these cookies is light.

The best part about this piece of news is that the product is already available on store shelves, such as Target where they’re reportedly available for $3 a pack.

watermelonoreos2

VIA [ FoodBeast ]

SolSource Reflector Can Cook Anything With The Power Of The Sun

By David Ponce on 06/19/13 • Leave a comment!

solsource-1

If it wasn’t for the sun, we would simply not be around. It’s responsible for giving energy to practically all living creatures on the planet, as well as helping pasty white boys look a little less sick. If harnessed properly, it can also cook. The SolSun reflector is shaped so that the sun’s rays focus on the cooking area, and can reportedly grill a hamburger in about 6 minutes, or about the same time as a regular BBQ. Except of course this cooker doesn’t require any fuel, and is up to cooking temperature much faster than coal or propane. The thing weighs 40lbs, is 4.3ft. across, is made of a black steel base and plastic reflective panels, and assembles in about 30 minutes with the included tools. It’s able to support up to a 20L stockpot, although the maximum temperatures it reaches will obviously depend on weather factors. Still, at that diameter on a sunny day, you should be good to cook just about anything.

The SolSun is currently on pre-order on Kickstarter for $250, with shipping in October of this year, which is unfortunately a little late for the summer in some parts.

[ Project Page ] VIA [ Gizmag ]

Deal Of The Day: $189 Off On Dell Inspiron 14z

By David Ponce on 06/18/13 • Leave a comment!

dell-inspiron-14z

The Dell Inspiron 14z is a 0.8in. thick Ultrabook that still manages to squeeze in a DVD burner optical drive. Along with that, the machine is equipped with a Core i3-3217U 1.9GHz Dual-core CPU, 6GB RAM, 500GB Hard Drive and 32GB mSATA SSD for faster bootups. It’s a good machine and normally already comes at a pretty decent price of $739, but after today’s $189 rebate, you’re looking at a $549 price tag. As always with Dell products, shipping is free.

[ $189 Off On Dell Inspiron 14z ] VIA [ LogicBuy ]

What Happens If Superman Punches You In Real Life? (Spoiler: You Can’t Just Shake It Off)

By David Ponce on 06/18/13 • Leave a comment!

Comic book nerd? Physics nerd? Both? Awesome! The video above is going to make you grin ear to ear for five minutes. It’s an engaging breakdown of what would happen if the Man of Steel were to apply his fist to your face, in reality.

VIA [ GeeksAreSexy ]

No More Excuses: How To Fold A Shirt In Under 2 Seconds

By David Ponce on 06/18/13 • Leave a comment!

Guys, look around you. Shirts lying around in piles? Yeah… shame on you. You’re grown men, for crying out loud! Also, apparently, folding a shirt doesn’t require a Masters’ in origami. Watch the video above and learn how to do it in 2 seconds. It’s super easy. And to be honest, it’s pretty mesmerizing to watch. Aside from helping you be more tidy, this technique could win you some money in bar bets.

VIA [ LikeCool ]

Onion Pi Could Help You Remain Anonymous On The Internet

By David Ponce on 06/18/13 • Leave a comment!

onionpi

Worried about all the NSA spying? You’re a law abiding citizen but are incensed that your browsing habits are being recorded and analyzed, in possible violation of your constitutional rights? There are ways to make that tracking more difficult (though, fair warning, possibly not impossible) with the DIY project pictured above. It’s called the Onion Pi, uses a Raspberry Pi, a USB WiFi adapter and access to TOR to give you access to potentially anonymous surfing.

Browse anonymously anywhere you go with the Onion Pi Tor proxy. This is fun weekend project that uses a Raspberry Pi, a USB WiFi adapter and Ethernet cable to create a small, low-power and portable privacy Pi. Using it is easy-as-pie. First, plug the Ethernet cable into any Internet provider in your home, work, hotel or conference/event. Next, power up the Pi with the micro USB cable to your laptop or to the wall adapter. The Pi will boot up and create a new secure wireless access point called Onion Pi. Connecting to that access point will automatically route any web browsing from your computer through the anonymizing Tor network.

The link below brings you to a page that sells a pack with all the parts you need for the project. It’s $95, and a portion of the proceeds go to the Tor foundation. But yeah, you still have to put it together yourself.

[ Product Page ] VIA [ Boingboing ]

Twist-Off Wine Cork Invented; Mankind Can Finally Rest

By David Ponce on 06/18/13 • Leave a comment!

helix-twist-off-cork

Buying a regular screw-top wine bottle can mean a number of things in some circles: 1) you have no appreciation of good wine; 2) you are cheap; 3) you are an efficient drinker (read: alcoholic). Overplayed (and possibly inaccurate) stereotypes aside, there’s a stigma to metal screw-tops that’s only redeemed by the typically lower cost of the wine they contain. It’s an often difficult choice at the liquor store, a tradeoff between class and pice. But the Helix cork pictured above could bridge that gap. In testing for about four years, the product is a result of a collaboration between “cork manufacturer Amorim and those at bottle-making company O-I. The new threaded, resealable design (and matching threaded bottle neck) is aimed at the “popular premium” wine market, which includes bottles that retail for between $8-$15, roughly.” Yes, this does mean these types of new corks will only work with matching bottles, since the grooves must fit in the treads to create a tight seal. You do, however, end up with an easily resealable bottle of wine, sold at a reasonable price, that doesn’t come with the common stigma of metal screw-tops.

And why spend 4 years testing a cork? Well, the companies were making sure the “agglomerated cork” material used didn’t end up affecting the taste, colour or aroma of the wine. It doesn’t. And even though the product was unveiled yesterday at the Vinexpo in Bordeaux, it’s going to be a couple of years before you see it in shelves.

VIA [ Gizmodo ]

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