Available for purchase at Etsy.
[Via Gizmodo]
Category Archives: Technology
PS3 Slim dipped in 24K gold (you know you want one)
The customization pros at Computer Choppers have completed their latest creation with the 24-karat gold Playstation 3 Slim. Only 5 models have been made. Though pricing details have not been shared yet, expect this baby to be a fortune; 24-karat gold iPhones start at $1,399!
[Via Gizmodo; HotBloodedGaming]
Concept: Microwave with built-in YouTube player
The Castoven is designed by researchers at Japan’s Keio University. Besides being a conventional microwave, the Castoven sports a 10.4 inch LCD screen on the door and internal speakers. Crunchgear breaks it down for us:
The main idea is to display a YouTube video whose length depends on the time you need to heat up what’s inside the Castoven. Say, you want to prepare a lunch box that takes 3.30 minutes to be ready. The Castoven would then automatically pull a video from YouTube with that length and display it on the screen until the meal is finished.
So the future of microwaving a Poptart is watching YouTube videos, huh? I’ll take it. Additional images below and a video of this in action after the break.
[Via Gizmodo; Crunchgear]
Continue reading Concept: Microwave with built-in YouTube player
World’s largest LED project (yup, it’s a phallus)
Designed by Asymptote Architecture with lighting by Arup. Located in Abu Dhabi.
The Yas Hotel has been wrapped in a sheeth “of more than 5,300 diamond-shaped panels bristling with over 5,000 LED fixtures.” The LEDs can support color change and even display low resolution 3D video. Underneath the penis-shaped LED coating is the Yas Hotel that includes two 12-story buildings and a Formula-1 racetrack.
Groom updates his relationship status at the alter
Groom Dana Hanna (aka TheSoftwareJedi) surprised his wife-to-be (and guests) when he abruptly managed to whip out his cell phone and update his Facebook and Twitter statuses right before the minister pronounced, “You may now kiss the bride.”
Wonder how long this marriage will last.
[Via Gizmodo; TechCrunch]
Japanese video installation is..breathtaking
Concept: DJ on the go with this turntable PMP
Touchtable, designed by Thomas Mascall.
This concept portable media player prominently features a controller wheel that works just like a turnable. “It’s even sensitive to touch and pressure and when you use it in combo with the surrounding function buttons, it facilitates absolute user control over a track, through precise position, timing and pitch manipulation.” Not only can you manipulate your favorite songs on the go but you can also attach it to your computer as a MIDI device and create tracks of your own. Oh, to live in a “concept” world.
[Via Engadget; Yanko Design]
“Virtual Magician” augments reality with magic
The Tempest “Magic Projection” uses a laptop, a projector, a PS3 Eye Toy, LED tracking markers, and propriety software to create magic and illusions like you’ve never seen before.
Like what you see? Head over to the magician’s website to see what else he has up his digital sleeve.
[Via Gizmodo]
The future of magazines and newspapers?
Publisher Time Inc. thinks it sees the future of print media. In essence, publishers will have the option to create digital versions of their magazines and newspapers and offer this format to various device manufacturers. For example, in the demo above Time Inc. has teamed up with the designers at The Wonder Factory to display a digital version of Sports Illustrated. And when Apple releases its purported tablet device Time Inc. and other publishers will have the option to flock to that device to share its content. This is the F-U-T-U-R-E. Or so they think.
Some features in the demo include multitouch to flick through pages and pinch to zoom, live sports scores, sharing abilities with Facebook and Twitter, and cover pages that really come to life.
[Via Engadget; AllThingsD]
Nokia unveils a revamped Symbian user interface
Nokia, Nokia, Nokia. My first phone was a Nokia. Granted, it was what they now call a “dumbphone.” It made calls and sent texts on a colorless screen. Ever since then I haven’t been a big supporter of the cell phone manufacturer. Though their modern devices are very sleek and quite beautiful, their user interface is very clunky and not very intuitive. Think of it as anti-iPhone OS, if you will. It takes many clicks to get to a simple destination, etc.
This past week Nokia surprised us with a peek into their future user interface that promises to be three times faster than current Nokia Symbian OS devices and much more user friendly. In fact, Nokia CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo calls the new experience “magical.” Nokia just might be able to pull this off because they finally understand that their problem lies in the user interface, not the Symbian OS. Skeptics might advise Nokia to start from scratch but this would be wasteful; the Symbian OS structure has good intentions, it’s just been the way it relays information via the complicated no good user interface that has had users frustrated.
In addition to this major software upgrade coming sometime next year, Nokia also promises new devices with multitouch support on “large capacitive displays.”
Check out the gallery below for some screenshots of the new UI and be sure to look after the break for a video of the announcement and a simulated guided tour.
[Via Engadget]
Continue reading Nokia unveils a revamped Symbian user interface
FIFA World Cup matches to be broadcast in 3D (read: not in America)
FIFA has teamed up with Sony to broadcast 25 matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa in high-definition in-your-face 3D.
FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke: “This propels the football fan into a whole new viewing dimension and marks the dawning of a new era in the broadcasting of sport. We are proud that the FIFA World Cup can serve as a platform for advancing technology and the viewing experience, and are truly fortunate to have Sony as a partner in this endeavour.”
The 25 games will be broadcast live in the following cities around the world: London, Berlin, Mexico City, Paris, Rio De Janeiro, Rome, and Sydney. I mean, who watches soccer in the US anyways, am I right?
Apple buys streaming music service LaLa
According to the New York Times, Apple has purchased LaLa, a four-year-old streaming music service. LaLa allows its users to stream their music from the “cloud” rather than download copies as is iTunes’ current method.
The question remains, why has Apple purchased LaLa? An Apple spokesman said the company “buys smaller technology companies all the time, and we generally do not comment on our purpose or plans.” Interesting…
The NYT also says that LaLa went to Apple to be acquired and Apple has their sights set on the company’s engineers who are quite adept at the whole streaming-music-in-the-cloud processes. My guess? Apple is planning on entering the music streaming business; it’s simply another revenue stream iTunes can quickly dominate. In the future…iTunes users will have the option to download physical music files to their computer or stream their music a la Pandora and the like. We shall wait and see.