Sep 6, 2012
Dedicated Pepper Prep Tool Rescues Utterly Incompetent Chefs
Sony’s Monster 4k TV Costs More than a Car
Sony's mega-high-res beast will set you back a whopping-but-sadly-expected $25,000 when it hits stores in November—and you can pre-order starting tomorrow. Or you can pay your rent for a few years, or take a trip around the world. Or do all of the above.
So, yes, it'll take several years before this beautiful tech is something you can afford to actually put in your home.
Sep 5, 2012
Stunning Aquarium Bed Redefines Sleeping With the Fishes
The 650-gallon tank spans the top of the bed, and rests on a pair of matching tables on either side. The folks at Acrylic Tank Manufacturers, who created this masterpiece, have cleverly integrated a set of bedside lamps into the tank itself. But for $11,500, let's hope there's some way to completely darken the tank. Otherwise you could be wide awake all night finding Nemo right in your face. More here.
Sep 4, 2012
This Giant Sharpener Could Be the Safest Way To Peel Your Vegetables
School supplies like scissors, compasses, even binders, all have the potential for injury. But have you ever heard of someone hurting themselves with a pencil sharpener? Probably not, which is why this Karoto carrot/cucumber/other elongated vegetable peeler is a stroke of genius.
It's essentially nothing more than the sharpener you used to hone your colored pencils back in grade school, but scaled up considerably so it can handle foods. All it takes is a few twists to produce a lovely garnish for a salad or other dishes. And since your hands and fingers are kept well clear of the blade while using it, you'd have to be really trying hard to injure yourself with this thing. So for $15, you'll be saving yourself a small fortune in bandaids. More here.
It's essentially nothing more than the sharpener you used to hone your colored pencils back in grade school, but scaled up considerably so it can handle foods. All it takes is a few twists to produce a lovely garnish for a salad or other dishes. And since your hands and fingers are kept well clear of the blade while using it, you'd have to be really trying hard to injure yourself with this thing. So for $15, you'll be saving yourself a small fortune in bandaids. More here.
Harman Kardon’s Iconic Soundsticks Go Wireless
For the most part, the speakers are the same: 10 watts in each satellite and 20 watts going into the subwoofer. But now it has Bluetooth baked in, and though that may not offer quite the same audio fidelity as a wired connection, it does mean a cleaner appearance for those more concerned with aesthetics. But that convenience comes at an added cost. Instead of the $200 pricetag of the Soundsticks III (which can be had even cheaper on the street), expect to pay $230. More here.
The iPhone 5 Is Coming on September 12
If you wanna read into the teaser image Apple sent out, the shadow of the 12 is a 5, implying that they just might actually call the next iPhone the iPhone 5. If you haven't been keeping up,rumors have suggested the iPhone 5 will have a new two-tone unibody design, a smaller, redesigned dock connector, 4G LTE and a larger 4-inch display using Sharp's IGZO technology. There's also a possibility the phone could have NFC technology baked in, along with redesigned earbuds.
iPods are typically a hallmark of the September Apple event, and though they're not the relevant, must-have gadgets they used to be, it's always worth keeping an eye open for those. There are also rumors that Apple could trot out a smaller, 7.85-inch iPad mini as well, but there have been a wave of rumors suggesting that may not happen until October. And of course, there's the ever-mythical iTV that could magically appear anytime between now and never. More here.
BlackBerry 10 L-Series All-Touchscreen Phone Caught on Camera
Sep 3, 2012
Bottle Blender Mixes Fresh Fruit and Water To Flavor Your Boring H2O
What's particularly neat is that you don't need to plug the $26 Aqua Zinger in or ever charge a battery. The blending mechanism is completely manual. You just fill the bottom capsule with whatever you'd like your water to taste like, and attach it to the bottle. The act of screwing it onto the Zinger's base pulverizes and blends what's inside, while a fine mesh screen ensures that only your water can flow between the chambers and absorb the flavors. The website suggests such ingredients as cucumber, mint, or lemon and lime. But deep down you know you've always wanted Evian to introduce a Skittles or Starburst option. More here.
Sep 2, 2012
Next Apple Earbuds Potentially Sighted in Vietnam, My fix an Iconic Design
Sep 1, 2012
Insanely Designed Level 10 M Mouse Finally Comes to Market
The Level 10 M's empty space-loving design isn't just a visual thing. You can actually adjust the way many of the different pieces sit, tension levels, etc., something invaluable to precision-minded gamers and tinkerers everywhere. Whether you really dig its unconventional style is a personal thing, but you can't say it's boring.
According to a BMW Group press release it started rolling out to online sites and brick and mortar stores alike on August 27th, with a suggested price point of $99. It hasn't shown up on Amazon or at Best Buy just yet, but hopefully that's just a little Labor Day lag. More here.
Second Generation Razer Blade Laptop Sharpens its Edge with GTX 660M, Unannounced Core i7 CPU
Razer's first laptop hit shelves earlier this year, packing a Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M graphics, 8GB of 1600MHz DDR3 RAM, a 500GB 7200RPM hard drive and 64GB of fast-booting solid state storage. All this comes in the same aluminum shell as the first Blade, of course, sporting a 17.3-inch high definition display and the firm's exclusive multitouch LCD Switchblade interface. The machine's internal speakers have been upgraded as well, and are said to be 250% louder with no distortion.
The new Blade's sharpened specs will come with a price cut, ringing in at a penny under $2,500 -- and gamers who picked up its predecessor (which will be getting its own price cut, to $2,299), can snag one for $500 less. Pre-orders are slated to start on September 2nd, and should ship within 30 days. More here.
Aug 31, 2012
TDK Introduces new Wireless Boombox and two new Weatherproof Speakers
If these two were all looking a little bit oblong, then the curious Wireless Charging Cube might be for you. Yep, it's Bluetooth streaming again, but also plonk your Qi induction compatible device on top, and it'll juice that while you jam (there's a non wireless charging / charger version also.) How much do these slabs of sound cost? The Boombox is $399, the Wireless Weatherproof is $250 while the Wireless Charging Cube is $399. More here.
Aug 30, 2012
Apple Will Buy Your Old iPhone for Good Money So You Can Buy a New iPhone 5
Apple is accepting old iPhones as part of its Reuse and Recycle Program and the value you get from Cupertino actually isn't too terrible: an excellent condition iPhone 4S 64GB can fetch $345 while a used and slightly scuffed iPhone 4 16GB will still score you $160. All you have to do is send the iPhone with the power cable and Apple will give you a gift certificate which you can promptly use to buy your next iPhone. It's like swapping car leases but for phones. More here.
Did Scientists Just Find a Cure for Malaria?
Researchers at the University of Cape Town in South Africa have developed a pill that can wipe out malaria with a single dose. It's a development that could save millions of lives in Africa alone, not to mention the rest of the world. But there's a teensy weensy little hurdle that must first be overcome: human testing.
Yes, that it hasn't been tested on humans leaves a big question mark, but according to National Geographic, early tests have proven extremely effective.
Most medical testing begins with animals, so it's not like there isn't a reason to be optimistic about this pill's effectiveness. And solving the malaria issue in Africa would allow doctors and health care providers to focus on bigger issues facing the continent, such as HIV. More here.Unlike conventional multidrug malaria treatments that the malaria parasite has become resistant to, Professor Kelly Chibale and his colleagues now believe that they have discovered a drug that over 18 months of trials "killed these resistant parasites instantly". Animal tests also showed that it was not only safe and effective, but there were no adverse reported side effects. Clinical tests are scheduled for the end of 2013. If this tablet is approved in coming years, this achievement will surely usher in a new age for science in Africa. It will save millions upon millions of lives on the continent, helping avoid at least 24 percent of child deaths in sub-Saharan Africa.
I Want This Gorgeous Mega-Widescreen Monitor Right Now
The Verge reports the 2560 x 1080 29-inch EA93 monitor boasts a highly unconventional 21:9 aspect ratio—most wide screens are 16:9. This means more screen real estate for windows aplenty—possibly sparing your desk from an additional monitor. It'd also make for a pretty fantastic Windows 8 display, giving the horizontal-heavy Metro Start Menu plenty of room to luxuriate. A little extra resolution would be nice, though—but maybe we're just spoiled by the Retina MacBook Pro. No word on pricing or availability, but expect it to be a lot of money. More here.
Aug 29, 2012
This Keyboard’s Thin Display Keeps Your Eyes Focused on Typing For Better Concentration
The Smartype display's primary raison is to mirror your computer's screen, but only what you're typing so you don't have to keep looking up while you pound away at the keys. It seems a bit redundant for touch typists who rarely needs to glance at their keys, but if you haven't the mastered the QWERTY keyboard it could theoretically improve your typing speed. More here.
Thermometer Spatula Monitors Food Temps While You Stir
Not surprisingly the Thermospatula is heat-resistant up to 428 degrees fahrenheit and is capable of displaying temperatures in celsius or fahrenheit from -4 to 464 degrees. And so you're not dropping $24 on a one-trick pony, the spatula's temperature probe is removable and can be used by itself as a meat thermometer ensuring your entire meal turns out perfect-not just dessert. More here.
Aug 28, 2012
This Kettle Heats Water to the Exact Temperature You Want
Six preset settings should suffice for most users needing hot water for instant coffee or a recipe. But if you're precisely brewing coffee or steeping tea and require the water temperature to be exact, above 140 degrees fahrenheit you can program a specific temperature that the kettle will target with two degrees of accuracy. And it will automatically hold that exact temperature—which is constantly displayed on an LED screen—for up to an hour. In September the kettles will be available in two flavors: a one liter gooseneck model perfect for fancy tea parties (or preparing pourover coffee), and a more traditional 1.7 liter design which wil both sell for $100, much to the delight of budget-conscious coffee connoisseurs. More here.
3D-Printed Table Lamps Bloom Like Flowers Filled with Light
The award-winning lamp design transforms from initial bud-like position—its petal/shade drawn in—into a full bloom that releases maximum light. The single-piece print can be expanded or contracted by hand, depending on the amount of light desired. More here.
Aug 27, 2012
Paper-Thin, Distortion-Free Lenses Could Make Pint-Sized Pro Cameras Possible
The lens measures in at a mere 60 nanometers thick, so for all intents and purposes it's almost just a 2D object. (But not quite.) It's made by plating a thin wafer of silicon with a layer of gold that's then etched away to create a series of V-shaped structures across its surface. When light hits these structures it's slowed ever so slightly which changes its direction—like the glass in a traditional lens does. And by carefully tuning the angle, size, and spacing of these V-shaped structures across the surface of the lens, it can capture wide-angle or telephoto images without the distortion that's seen from something like a traditional fish-eye lens.
Mirrorless swappable lens cameras have already taken a bite out of the DSLR's market share, but if and when this technology hits the market it could serve as a death blow to the heavy bulky cameras preferred by professional photographers. More here.
LG Announces 27-inch Personal Smart TV
No room in your apartment for LG's upcoming 84-inch monster? Don't worry, the Korean outfit has something in your size, as well. The company's TM2792 promises the same Cinema 3D passive glasses technology as its big brother in a more compact 27-inch frame.
The tube also promises to play nice with your other devices, featuring a MHL and WiDi for screen and content sharing. No word on pricing yet, but LG says the Personal Smart TV should land in European markets this September. More here.
Aug 26, 2012
NASA to Launch Mini lab, Test for Disease in Space
It's hard to find a good specialist on earth, let alone when you're floating 240 miles above it. That's whyNASA will test the Microflow, a breadbox-sized device that instantly detects cancer and infectious diseases, and can even sense the presence of rotten food. The Canadian-made device is a "flow cytometer," which works by analyzing microparticles in blood or other fluids and replaces hospital versions weighing hundreds of pounds.
Here on Earth, the device could let people in remote communities be tested more quickly for disease, or permit on-site testing of food quality, for instance. It will be particularly advantageous in space, however, where Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield will test it during his six-month ISS mission, allowing crew to monitor, diagnose and treat themselves without outside help. More here.
iPad Mini to get its own Event in October After new iPhone Reveal
After refreshing its computer range, Apple's gearing up for two events for its new phone and tablet hardware, according to sources at AllThingsD. Given the excitement welling up behind its next iPhone, many have noted (including Daring Fireball's John Gruber) that it would make a whole lot of sense to furnish both the phone and the heavily rumored smaller tablet with individual events -- and that is, apparently, what's going to happen.
Unfortunately, the anonymous sources weren't revealing anything further -- Apple's yet to confirm that posited September 12th event date, let alone any secondary event. More here.
Aug 25, 2012
RIP Neil Armstrong, First Man on the Moon
Neil Armstrong, commander of Apollo 11 and the first man to ever set foot on the moon, died to today at age 82 due to complications from his heart surgery three weeks prior.
From NASA:
As always, it is a terrible tragedy to lose a national hero, especially one whose accomplishments were as legendary and far-reaching as those of Neil Armstrong. With but a one historic step, he showed the world what kind of feats humanity is capable of achieving.Neil A. Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio, on August 5, 1930. He began his NASA career in Ohio.After serving as a naval aviator from 1949 to 1952, Armstrong joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in 1955. His first assignment was with the NACA Lewis Research Center (now NASA Glenn) in Cleveland. Over the next 17 years, he was an engineer, test pilot, astronaut and administrator for NACA and its successor agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).As a research pilot at NASA's Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif., he was a project pilot on many pioneering high speed aircraft, including the well known, 4000-mph X-15. He has flown over 200 different models of aircraft, including jets, rockets, helicopters and gliders.Armstrong transferred to astronaut status in 1962. He was assigned as command pilot for the Gemini 8 mission. Gemini 8 was launched on March 16, 1966, and Armstrong performed the first successful docking of two vehicles in space.As spacecraft commander for Apollo 11, the first manned lunar landing mission, Armstrong gained the distinction of being the first man to land a craft on the moon and first to step on its surface.
Evernote Introduces Evernote Business, Updates iOS Application to Version 4.4
That's not all the news, however, since Evernote'salso updated its iOS application for the second time during August; bringing page and multi-shot camera features to the mix, while faster download times and improved PDF support on iPads can also be found inside the fresh 4.4 version. More here.
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