This bizzare video features Hometree, Wisconsin natives dressed up as the blue alien humanoids from Avatar. What started out as a viral video claiming to be the real deal has finally been labeled a parody by a majority of viewers. Fun to watch nonetheless. Fake or real, this “community of Avatars” totally reminds me of Augie’s medieval live action role playing game “LAIRE” from Role Models.
[Via The Huffington Post]
Apple fanboy Josh Li and fangirl Ting Li said their iDo’s last week at New York’s Fifth Avenue Apple Store. The couple first met at an Apple Store; Josh courted his fair lady like this: “We got to know each other because Ting was looking to buy an iPod…and I managed to strike up a conversation that way… I used to joke that the Apple Store is my church because I am not religious, and I loved everything Apple.” And the rest is history, encapsuled in the short but sweet video above. (Hope you picked up on this–the priest is dressed as Steve Jobs, black turtleneck and all!)
[Via Mashable]
Meet Kieran Mullen, a physics professor at the University of Oklahoma. He is not a fan of technology. A student captured on video (video? blasphemy!) what happens to your laptop (or any electronic device) if you bring it to class. These “distractions” are dealt with in a not so traditional manner. It involves liquid nitrogen. ‘Nuff said. Man would I like to see a showdown between Professor Mullen and this guy.
[Via Engadget]
Take a long gander at the Vitrahaus, a house-upon-a-house designed by architects Herzog and de Meuron. DesignBoom’s got the scoop:
The five-storey structure is comprised of 12 ‘houses’ – five houses are set at the base in which seven other houses are stacked upon one another. Each of the structural volumes appear as if they have been shaped by an extrusion press and are cantilevered up to 15 metres in some places. The floor slabs intersect the underlying gables, resulting in a three-dimensional assemblage or ‘pile of houses’.
Located between the border of Switzerland and Germany at Weil am Rhein, the Vitrahaus resides as a presentation space for Vitra, a Swiss furniture manufacturer. To no surprise, the interior of the home is just as flat-out spectacular as the exterior. It oozes modern and minimalistic curves and other unconventionalities. Definitely worth a look in the galleries below.
[Via DesignBoom, here & here; Gizmodo]
From the talented videographer who brought us to Skywalker Ranch and to a cold winter’s night in Prague comes his latest time-lapsing sensation. Using a Canon 7D, two Canon 5D MkIIs, and one Panasonic GF1, Philip Bloom captures Dubai like you’ve never seen it before.
“You Fade To Light,” designed by rAndom International, uses Lumiblade OLEDs and custom software to enable you to interact with a large panel of lights with physical motions such as hand gestures and full body movement. I can totally see something like this being used in a music video. Who’s going to make it happen first?
The FlexibleLove chair, designed by Chishen Chiu, combines an “accordion-like, honeycomb structure” and recycled paper and wood waste to form an expandable chair than can stretch and fold to make various seating arragements. The company calls it “ecological, adaptable, practical” and I couldn’t agree more. I want one! Look after the break for a video of it in action.
[Via Likecool; FlexibleLove]
Continue reading Expandable chair made entirely of recycled paper and wood
UK-based BeBionic has gone ahead and created “the next generation of fully articulated myo-electric hands.”
Bebionic hands feature naturally compliant grip patterns combining innovative technology with life-like appearance. Functions of the hand such as speed, grip force and grip patterns may be custom programmed to suit individual user requirements through smart software and wireless technology. Lighter than existing products it will be available to the market at an affordable price.
In other words, expect J-Day to come sooner than you think. Watch the grip patterns in the video above.
Take a peek into the reconstructed Halo Universe. Halo production leaders discuss how Halo: Reach ties back to our very first glipse of the vast world Bungie created in Halo: Combat Evolved (“that sense of wonder and exploration”) and why they decided to rebuild it all from the ground up. “This is the definitive Halo made by the people who created Halo.” Aaaand I’m pumped. Check out a handful of new screenshots and artwork below.
Konami has brought the Metal Gear experience to an arcade cabinent with Metal Gear Arcade. Arcade is based on Metal Gear Online and the gameplay features “Integral Vision.” The included headmount enables a 3D effect and supports head-tracking movement (where you look, the on-screen character looks). The arcade cabinent also includes 5.1 surround sound, a built-in mic for voice chat, and physical gun controllers to help immerse you even further into the game. Metal Gear Arcade debuted this week at the AUO Expo in Japan; there’s no word as to when it will hit the market. Check out the trailer here and screenshots in the gallery below.
When NBC kicked out Tonight Show host Conan O’Brien, they made sure his contract stipulated that he could not display his talents on television until September 2010. But that doesn’t stop him from performing on the road! According to TheWrap.com, Conan is planning a live comedy tour and he’s making dates for the initial run as we speak. Conan Live should keep our appetite whet until Fox picks him up in the fall. Everybody–CoCo, CoCo, CoCo!
[Via IGN]