Just watch this, and use your imagination.
Category Archives: Video
The soda fountain of the future is here
Coca-Cola has unveiled its latest creation with the “Coca-Cola Freestyle” soda fountain. What’s so special about this soda dispenser is that it can provide over 100 different types of soda flavors in one machine (compared to today’s cap of around 6-8 flavor valves). The machine has a user-friendly touch screen interface. A customer simply selects a “parent brand” like Coke, Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Sprite, Diet Sprite, Fanta, or Powerade and chooses a specific flavor within the brand. For example, one can select Sprite and choose to drink peach-flavored Sprite. That’s right–this machine dispenses many unknown or rare flavors of your favorite soda drinks. There’s “strawberry, grape or peach Sprite (which is very tasty), seven kinds of Fanta, seven kinds of Powerade, six flavors of Vault energy drink, and just as many flavors of Dasani water, or its carbonated counterpart Dasani Sensations.” So how does it hold so many different kinds of drinks, you ask? Read on.
Shelley Kench, a Coca-Cola rep: “In traditional machines, the syrups have to be mixed with CO2 and water in a larger scale. The ingredients that are in the cartridges are no longer what we call ’syrups.’ Now the ingredients are based on individual recipe for each drink based on that user’s selection.” Coca-Cola is using its own proprietary technology called “Pure Pour.” SDDN: “[They] Coca-Cola developed the machine by using small, highly-concentrated containers of ingredients. Those ingredients are then mixed with water and sweetener to create each individual drink.”
The Coca-Cola Freestyle is currently in a testing stage. A fully operational unit can be used at a Jack-In-the-Box in Vista, San Diego. Oscar Hurtado, store district manager: “It’s much easier to maintain, and it’s a time saver and it saves storage. It would take about 14 of the old fountain machines to do what one new unit can do.” For now, the machine will be limited to restaurants and other eateries in Southern California. Coca-Cola aims for a nationwide release in 2010. Check out the videos above for (1) a quick preview of the device and (2) a bunch of kids stumbling upon it in a restaurant; and see below for a gallery of product images.
[Via SDNN]
Scratch input
Following the recent news of the upcoming pressure sensitive keyboard is this new way to input information on a computer screen or some other device. The video above shows off the implementation of creating sound by scratching a surface with your fingers that, in turn, generates sound waves which are picked up by a receiver. The receiver sends the signal to the device it is connected to and viola! For example, you can “write” a letter on a flat surface, and the sounds waves from your scratching will output the desired letter on screen. Or, you can create your own personal gestures to answer a phone call, enable speakerphone, and close out your email application all at the same time. Cool stuff. Keep it coming, innovators.
[Via Gizmodo]
Keyboard of the future?
The above video shows off a pressure sensitive computer keyboard from Microsoft. Basically, the harder you press a key or keys, the more varied the output on the computer screen. For example, say you are working on a paper in a Word document. If you hold a key down with more pressure than usual, you can output a capital letter without the need for a shift key. Microsoft demonstrated changing font size by the amount of force you exert on a key. Also shown was accelerated backspacing, which is where a user can delete words or sentences at a time rather than just letters depending on the amount of pressure applied to the key(s). There’s also a gaming demo; the harder you press down on the key, the faster your character runs in-game. It is exciting to know that this type of technology is being experimented with and that new methods of computer input are being tested.
According to CNET: “Microsoft is also holding a contest for student developers to coincide with the UIST conference. Contestants get a sample keyboard and a month to come up with an entry. $2,000 prizes go to programs deemed the most useful, the best implementation, and the most innovative.” Let the creativeness flow! (Check out a second video of this implementation after the break.)
[Via Gizmodo; CNET] Continue reading Keyboard of the future?
Zune HD user interface exposed
This video was taken by an attendee at the recent gdgt launch party in San Fransisco. The Zune HD UI is slick, sleek, and sexy. Yeah, it’s got the 3’s.
[Via Engadget]
“Touchable Holography;” the future is coming
Researchers from the Shinoda Lab at The University of Tokyo have transformed the way holograms will be defined for years to come. Gizmodo explains what’s going on here best in layman’s terms: researchers have essentially combined motion tracking, like you see in the Wii, with holograms, like you see on CNN, with ultrasonic waves.” Just watch the video above as it explains it all visually with the truly amazing technology itself. People, the holodeck concept is moving from fiction to reality, slowly but surely.
[Via Gizmodo]
Tachyon XC brings 3D recording to the masses
The 2010 Tachyon XC camera system by Tachyon packs a ton of tech. It is a shock/waterproof system; it records onto SDHC cards (ranges 4GB-32GB of storage); it has a 90mm lens; and the battery lasts up to 12 hours. The Tachyon camera is meant to be placed on your head (via a bulky mount) and record your surroundings. Here’s the cool part: the user has the option of combining the power of two cameras and the head mount to record 3D video! The entire package (including the two Tachyon cameras, a head mount, 3D glasses, and editing software will cost you $379.99. The single camera package costs 179.99. Not too shabby for an innovative camera package that enables creatives to shoot and edit 3D video, right? Tachyon plans on shipping out the camera system no later than September 16. With YouTube now experimenting with user-created 3D video and film-makers like James Camerson utilizing 3D effects in their movies, this 3D-recording technology might just catch on in the near future.
Check out the video above titled “New York in 3D.” 3D glasses are required for the intended effect, though a trippy, psychadelic adventure can be had as well without the glasses. The creator: Here is a video I did in NY with the new 2010 Tachyon XC cam and its amazing 3D technology. I put it together with Final Cut, and had a blast with all the 3D footage. The camera is actually 2 2010 XC’s out together with the Tachyon XC 3D mounting system. Tachyon has also produced its own 3D editing software to align the files as well as its own 3D glasses. I was amazed with the footage from the Times Square night scenes, the clarity and color was amazing. The 2D footage as well is fantastic, thanks to the new light sensor in the cam. Also, check after the break for a second video captured in 3D by the camera.
[Via Gizmodo, here & here; Businesswire] Continue reading Tachyon XC brings 3D recording to the masses
Joss Whedon on Dr. Horrible sequel: “We have a story…”
This is great news, everyone!! Creator, mastermind, and genius Joss Whedon has officially come out and stated that a Dr. Horrible Sing-Along Blog sequel is in the works and a story is bring penned right now!
Whedon: “We’re in there plugging. The writers are trying to put something together. We haven’t even decided on a venue. We have a story and we’re working that. We’re just starting with that. Doesn’t matter if it’s big or small, [we’re just] just figuring out the story. We’re really excited about what it is. More, I cannot say.”
Yes, he is tight-lipped on the details. Still, the very fact that the Whedon family (papa Joss and sons Zack and Jed) are hard at work on the story is very exciting. The revolutionary (and Emmy-nominated!) web series made a splash on the Internets with its low budget musical back in 2008. A sequel is highly anticipated by all Dr. Horrible fans. Cross your fingers for reprising roles from the extremely talented Neil Patrick Harris, Nathon Fillion, and Felicia Day. Peace out, but not literally.
*In celebration of this good news, take a time out and watch all three acts of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog above. You know you want to.
[Via MTV]
Incredible water slide jump [Updated]
This is insane! But is it real? Express your opinion in the poll below.
[polldaddy poll=1846960]
Updated: Turns out it IS fake. This fake viral video was created to promote Microsoft Office. Lame! [Via Gizmodo]
[Via Today’s Big Thing]
Seth Rogen + Megan Fox = major embarrassment
Watch this clip from Jimmy Kimmel Live. Seth Rogen reminisces about that last time he stopped by the show. Old footage is shown revealing a major embarrassment for Rogen ignited by the one and only Megan Fox. To speed up the process, start watching at the 2:43 timestamp. Hilariously humiliating!
Xbox Dashboard update–new details
A bundle of details have emerged concerning the new Xbox Dashboard update.
(1) The first ‘Games on Demand’ game titles have been revealed
The initial 24 games to be made available for download over the Internet via Xbox Live have been announced today. Some include: Assasin’s Creed, Bioshock, Mass Effect, Call of Duty 2, Fight Night Round 3, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Look after the break for the entire list of games and a quick video glipse of the ‘Games on Demand’ dashboard in action.
(2) The Netflix update is…disappointing
It was previously announced that the Netflix update will allow Xbox Live Gold members and Netflix subscribers to edit their personal Netflix queues right on the Xbox, without the need for a PC. While that is nice and dandy, Microsoft has lowered the notch of functionality. Users are restricted to browsing only the Top 50 videos for each video category, so there is no searching by title and no browsing alphabetically. Microsoft’s Ben Smith, Director of Program Management for Xbox Live, on the matter: “I think when people come to Xbox they’re not really looking so much for functional, they really want to have fun, they want to be wowed.” Uhh..I don’t think so. People want to be able to browse the ENTIRE Netflix database, with capable search features built-in. It is worthy to mention that Microsoft says it will listen to their user-base, and if the people call for a true Netflix experience on their Xbox, they will provide it in a future update. *Cue a sigh of relief.
Look out for the new Xbox Dashboard update coming next Tuesday, August 11th.
Title: “Laser Pointer/Dog Ownage”
Amount of stupidity & pain: Massive.