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October 30, 2005
NEtROBOt project
Yet another thing you can do with AIBO, Sony's artificially intelligent dog.
The NEtROBOt project aims to establish a new concept of communication over the internet, getting the feel of existence in the virtual world by interacting with an actual robot, "AIBO".
The goal is to create an un-simultaneous communication and 3D space sharing system using web3d techniques and AIBO as an interface. The project proposes new entertainment content by virtually interacting within this 3D world to trigger images, sound, music and AIBO dances. 3D models of AIBO are displayed on a web browser while the real AIBO is by your side. He bridges the communication between you and his avatar in the 3D world.
This is one of those times when seeing it in action is the only way to do it any justice.
Posted by tranism at 11:07 PM | Permalink
Fido Is Lost No More
Lost doggies fear not. The union of GPS and cellular technology will help you find your missing pooch all with a simple text message. The GPS PRO Dog collar tracking system consists of a GPS receiver and a GSM modem with specially created software. It allows you to easily track the location of your dog via your mobile phone anywhere in the world as long as there is GSM coverage.
All you have to do is call the telephone number assigned to your GPS PRO Dog collar with your mobile phone. The GPS receiver on the collar calculates the position of fido and sends those coordinates back to your phone via text message. The collar also has the ability to notify you when fido is moving too so you can keep a constant lock.
The rechargeable collar lasts for 5 days and the is no charge for the service. Anything to keep fido safe and sound.
Posted by tranism at 7:33 PM | Permalink
October 27, 2005
Tale Of Two Shoppers
So after work, Daniel and I wanted to get some shopping in. For some reason we felt it was just the right time to splurge . . . partly because pay day is tomorrow and no matter how much we spent tonight, the damage won't look as bad once that direct deposit kicks in from our paychecks.
Our trip took us to the famed 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica. We first hit up Urban Outfitters to see if there was anything good. Other than a pair of $170 jeans, there was nothing, NOTHING. Well, except for a green gnome that caught Daniel's attention. You see, Daniel is Swedish and his people are fond of gnomes. Not only that, the gnome bares an eery resemblance to Daniel.
Our trip continued to the Kid Robot store. You see, many moons ago as I was making a hard left turn in my car, my plush toy that sat on my dash slid across and out of the open passenger window. I've yet to replace him so I figured Kid Robot would have something I'd want. Alas, nothing but Daniel was oogling over the toys behind the glass case. He is in dire need of decorating his desk at work but again, we both walked out of the store empty handed.
Our final stop took us to a shop Daniel told me about called Zara. A small boutique on 3rd street with modern hip men's and women's clothing. The most amazing thing were the prices. Items usually ranged from $40-70. Not bad at all. We couldn't walk out empty handed and I was due for some new jeans so I picked up a pair (which by the way made my ass look so damn good). Daniel didn't need any new denim because he has about 50 pairs and you better believe his ass looks hot in every one of them. No. . . what he wanted was a camo-hoodie jacket and they actually had one. It took some convincing but he eventually gave in and bought it. In fact he loved it so much, he decided to wear it out of the store.
So there you have it. A successful relaxing evening of shopping after work. We both did pretty well. Some new jeans and a new jacket. Tomorrow might be the day when we show off our new threads but you know how it is. This ain't high school and people always point out the kid that wears all his new clothes at once only to relegate the rest of the year to his "been there, seen that" wardrobe. But I digress, we had dinner after and the evening air was crisp and cool so Daniel had to celebrate by spinning out in his new gear. Check out this video.
Posted by tranism at 12:59 AM | Permalink
October 26, 2005
Fish Pilots Vehicle!
Seith Weiner has created a vehicle piloted by a fish and propelled by 2 drive wheels. The fish steers its vessel by its movements. A camera above the cockpit tracks the movements of the Terranaut (the name of the fish). Its location is then wirelessly transmitted to a remote processing station where the data is converted into motion commands and transmitted back to the motion controller of the vehicle.
If you live in NYC, go check it out at the EXIT BIENNIAL 2: Traffic, Exit Art, thru Decemeber 23, 2005
Tre cool man, just f*cking cool!
via near near future via interactive USC
Posted by tranism at 1:53 AM | Permalink
Mac Mini Bot
Take a $500 computer, throw in a $149 camera, some servos, a couple of casters, a power source and some programming - viola! You've got yourself an autonomous robot.
Some people at the University of Osnabrueck (have no idea where that is) did just that. This robot has three modified servos glued to lots of plywood. A controller run by a series of 6 volt batteries, an Apple iSight camera with the body of a Apple Mac Mini provide the power and brains. The software that runs the "brain" is Java based. It processes images from the iSight camera and decides where to go to avoid obstacles.
The batteries last almost 2 hours! The group hopes after successful testing - to sell a home kit to people interested in building their very own Mac Mini Bot to do your bidding. I soooo want one.
picture of the finalized bot after the jump
Posted by tranism at 1:46 AM | Permalink
A Climbing Light
Too freakin cute. I soooo want one. A simple and striking lamp which will grab hold of anything with just a single screw. Somebody buy it for me! Under $50
Posted by tranism at 1:33 AM | Permalink
Yamaha MT-OS
The Tokyo Motor Show isn't just for cars. Anything carrying a motor qualifies and that includes bikes. Namely, Yamaha showed off a raft of new bike concepts that left the press a-buzz. My favorite concept is the MT-OS (pictured above). The radically styled bike pushes 1670 cc's which would probably leave you outrunning almost anything on four wheels. Yamaha, build it and they will come.
images via gizmag
more pictures after the jump
Posted by tranism at 1:28 AM | Permalink
Theory Of The Wobbly Table
How many times have you sat down at a table, plopped your arms up only to find the whole table shifting towards you? How many times has that happened to you + drinks spilling all over your lap? Me? at least one of each incident.
Some of us even try to find ways to "un-wobble" it. The folded up napkin technique is sometimes successful but then that leaves your napkinless. I've also seen the matchbook technique but what if you don't smoke? So what's a frustrated person to do? According to one scientist, all you need to do is turn the table top.
Yup, Andre Martin, a physicist at CERN found that by rotating the table (working under the assumption all the legs were even to begin with), the ground would eventually yield up four areas at the same level. He took it a step further to see if a mathematical formula could prove his technique.
Okay, I'm going to pause here for a moment and comment on ANY person that finds fun in postulating mathematical formulas in the freetime. YOU ARE SMART and that makes you SO HOT. Your brain must be "ginormous" and I have always wanted a walking human calculator as a friend. You would definitely complete my circle of power, which consists of a doctor, dentist, real estate agent, banker, police officer, scientist and a rich person.
Back to the topic at hand. Andre Martin's recent paper arguing that proof indeed exists. Rotate a table for long enough and you will inevitably produce stability. Mind you, Martin makes several assumptions. The table must be round, its legs are all even to begin with and the ground should never have an inclination between any two points of more than 15%.
Ummm, I really can't comment anymore. I have no idea why I found this interesting. If you've read to the end of this entry, please tell me what you will walk away with. Have you learned something new?
Posted by tranism at 1:18 AM | Permalink
Man They Just Get Smaller
And smaller and smaller and smaller. The Japanese seem intent on keeping the South Koreans and Americans on their toys by constantly releasing and re-releasing a barrage of new digital cameras every 4-6 months. A couple weeks ago it was Sony and this week it's Casio.
Casio presented the new EXILIM EX-S600. It's only 16.1mm thick! Despite it's diminutive size, this camera packs a lot of punch with a 6 megapixel sensor, optical zoom, large high resolution 16 million color screen and the ability to shoot video at 30 fps.
GO GO CASIO!
Posted by tranism at 1:02 AM | Permalink
October 23, 2005
Hairy Hat
Darain Housen has not taken off his hat for the last 20 years. He bathes, he sleeps and does everything possible in it. It's a perfect fit. But unlike other hats, his is not made of cloth but from the very hair on his head which is why it cannot be removed.
Housen has been sporting his 'natural hat' hairstyle for the last 20 years. The 40-year-old barber who lives in Somerset, St. Thomas (Jamaica) said he came up with the idea after some of his friends decided to wear hats to a party but he could not find one to wear.
"Mi an dem fi go a di party but di three of them had caps an' mi had none so mi get two mirror one behind mi and di other in front of mi an' mi trim mi hair like a cap an' go a di dance," said Housen.
Housen said his hairstyle created such a stir that he received a crate of beer to share between he and his friends.
"Dem did love it," he said smiling. "Mi friends an' some of the girls said I win di hairstyle contest and buy mi a box a Guinness," he said.
Housen said the morning after the dance he clipped the rough edges and then for six months he kept growing the 'peak' but since then he has not made major changes to his 'hat'.
This is awesome, imagine the endless possibilities of cool haircuts in all sort of shapes!
Posted by at 8:41 PM | Permalink
October 21, 2005
Final Fantasy III for Nintendo DS
If there is any doubt that the Nintendo DS can work with any genre with it's dual screens and touch pad, let that doubt clear out now. Screenshots of Final Fantasy III have surfaced in a magazine and the 3D graphics are rich, sharp and saturated. It reminds me of Crystal Chronicles which is fine by me since that game was beautiful in it's own right.
Let the RPG goodness come forth. I'm waiting. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Posted by tranism at 3:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
The Modern Obelisk
And it does something too. DEDON's Obelisk is a modular piece of furniture that also doubles as a display of art. Made up of smaller sections, the Obelisk explores how it's form can become chairs and coffee tables. It challenges you to find new ways of creating units while also challenging the idea that stacked furniture has to look ugly and stacked.
I'm not so much impressed with the idea. I'm more impressed with it's final shape when completely assembled. That thing looks phallic and I love all things phallic.
Posted by tranism at 2:51 PM | Permalink
Sharp Lays It Down, W-ZERO3 Man
I love all things mobile from Sharp. Although we don't hear much about the company here in the States (other than alarm clocks and microwaves), Sharp lays the smack down in Asia and Europe. I currently have a Sharp GX30 and despite it being nearly two years old, it's feature set still eclipses almost all phones available here in America. In fact, it's CG Silicon Screen is by far still the best I've seen, equaled only by some Sony Ericsson and Samsung phones.
In Asia, they just announced a sweet looking PDA Phone. LISTEN UP BLACKBERRY AND TREO, this is how a PDA phone is supposed to look and function. Dubbed the W-ZERO3, it's a slider with a huge 3.7 inch VGA touchscreen LCD. Behind the screen lives a QWERTY keyboard and behind the keyboard is a 1.3 megapixel camera. Equipped with 128 MB of memory, an Intel PXA270 416Mhz processor, WiFi, bluetooth, usb and a miniSD slot for additional memory. The whole thing runs off Windows Mobile 5.0 which is a plus and the included apps have full POP3 and SMTP email capability. It's sleek, a lot thinner and Sharp is known for very good battery life.
Although the phone operates only in Asia, it does possess the hardware necessary to work over here in America. I hope it shows up on our shores soon.
more pictures after the jump
Posted by tranism at 2:19 PM | Permalink
Nano Phone
How small can a phone get? Apparently very small. The nano phone (no relation to the iPod nano or it's daddy, Apple), is a concept phone designed by Roman Kriheli.
The entire surface of the phone is a TFT touch screen display 4.2 inches in size and is protected by a 2-mm plastic shield. The screen can mimic surface controls like buttons and display video allowing you to use the phone vertically and horizontally. A fuel cell battery powers the phone and charging takes place via an induction field, something like a SplashPad.
via yanko design
Posted by tranism at 1:58 PM | Permalink
This Foo Got P'wned!
Remember when Street Fighter was all the rage? I myself remember kicking major butt and taking names but alas, those years are gone and I'm afraid to play again. I've since moved on to fighting games like Soul Calibur and Super Smash Brothers.
Well check out this video. It's from the EVO 2004 Street Fighter 3 tournament and just watching it brings back memories of geeks and nerds coming together in the name of ass kicking.
Preface to the video - it's down to two players battling it out for glitz-glory, the money, but more importantly bragging rights. Daigo (playing as KEN) and his opponent (playing as Chung Li) got him down to literally zero health. Daigo's opponent then unleashes a Chung Li super combo that lands 15 blows on him. The amazing thing is Daigo is actually able to block every single move and then proceeds to kick his opponents ass into submission with one thundering combo.
The crowd goes bonkers as hundreds of video game fanatics roar into a frenzy having bare witness to the event. You won't see moments of game mastery like this very often.
I just have one comment tho. Ass wonderful as Google Video search is - I love the fact that this video was found using the word "ass" as a search string.
Posted by tranism at 1:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
October 19, 2005
Reader Corrects Bad Grammar
And I thank him for it. Brian sent us an email after noticing how we've improperly used "its" and "it's" in our writing. When to use one over the other? He sent over a handy-dandy rule and we love him for it.
"The best way to remember which one to use is to put 'his' instead of 'it's'. If you would use 'his' then you would use 'its' because there's no such word as 'hi's'."
See we always sort of knew something was wrong with it but figured some reader will catch it and tell us. In our minds, we use "it's" to show possession when really it's a contraction.
The results have been two-fold. One, all blog entries have been re-checked and corrected. Two, this makes us feel good because in order for someone to catch the numerous incorrect usage of the contraction, they would have had to actually read the blog.
Again, thank you Brian for the tip and for reading! You're rule makes a whole-lot more sense than that "i before e" crap. :)
Posted by tranism at 11:31 AM | Permalink
Birds Have Better Looking Homes
Modern Birdhouses sells three beautifully designed birdhouses. The project is based off a case study program established in 1945 by John Entenza, the progressive editor and publisher of Arts and Architecture Magazine. Entenza commissioned architects to design simple and innovative modern homes for a growing post-war housing market. The resulting homes took full advantage of industrialized building processes and continue to broadly influence modern architecture.
The birdhouses are designed and named after three of the participants in the 1945 case study. J.R. Davidson, Richard Neutra and Ralph Rapson (his birdhouse pictured above). All three feature simple lines, modern detailing and durable materials. They are hand made from sustainably harvested teak which are stained with a light color.
These are some of the most beautiful bird houses I have ever seen. It puts the crap stuff I see at home depot to shame.
more pictures after the jump
Posted by tranism at 2:59 AM | Permalink
Home Theater For Anyone
In my quest to find the perfect 5.1 channel surround sound, I could have settled for some crazy audio system that would have left my bank account or my credit card in detriment - or go for a more integrated solution for a first time home theater buyer. I'm on a budget and I don't have a lot of space to dedicate to a sound system. I have a 27" LCD television and make plenty use of it. I need a sound system that will easily tuck away in the little nooks and crannies I have without sacrificing sound quality. I'm no audiophile so my ears won't be able to tell the difference between a $500 system to a $2000 system.
After much research I decided on the NIRO Home Theater System. What makes NIRO unique is its integrated speaker solution which places the center, front left, front right, surround left and surround right drivers all in one box. The main sound uses the same principals of intensity and time differences as conventional multi-speaker 5.1 channel surround systems. The surround speakers created a virtual field of sound by using specially created software developed by NIRO.
Unlike traditional surround systems, NIRO doesn't now rely on the reflection from walls to create surround sound. Instead, it warps and wraps the sound around the person with it's drivers pointing in all different directions - able to fill a 380 sqft. space with rich sound.
I got a chance to test out a NIRO system and even though I couldn't keep it, I must say the sound was phenomenal. From watching movies to playing video games, I now know what people mean when they say true 5.1 surround sound makes a world of difference. Since it's in an enclosed space, I would even dare to venture and say it sounds better that a movie theater. Watching movies over again, I could hear things I never noticed before - much of it being ambient noise like birds chirping in the morning or the chatter of people as they walk by on the street.
The cost was a little steep, at almost $600 for the basic system, I thought it was beyond my budget. However, compared to other 5.1 surround systems, it was hundreds if not thousands less. Not to mention the entire system is only made up of three units; the driver speaker, subwoofer and the tiny receiver. The NIRO had no problems fitting into my home without taking up massive shelf space.
Much to my surprise NIRO is not some obscure company. The founder of NIRO also created Nakamichi; a brand known for some of the most rich and luxurious sound systems in the world. So now I'm saving my pennies to purchase a NIRO of my own, unless one of you out there wants to help me out. :) Check it out here.
Posted by tranism at 2:41 AM | Permalink
The Key Is Seaweed
A type of seaweed recently discovered in Fiji could someday be used to fight bacterial infections, cancer or even AIDS.
The red species (known for it's antibacterial and antivirual attributes) is found on shallow coral reefs along the South Pacific island's coastline. Researchers studying the plant identified ten new compounds that might be developed for pharmaceutical use. Some of the compounds show promise as antibacterial fighters - even mutated strains that are resistant to current antibiotics.
The more startling find is one of the compounds seems to trigger cell auto destruction in cancer cells. The compound was able to completely kill a tumor with massive doses. There in lies the problem. Massive does of the compound can harm organs in the human body.
"We can cure cancer with a shotgun, so curing cancer isn't the problem. Curing cancer without harming the patient is a whole different thing that's very very difficult to figure out."
The power of seaweed comes from it's abilities to create molecules and compounds for reproduction, defense and disease resistance. The compounds can deter predators by poisoning them, slowly their growth, sterilizing them or even killing them. If seaweed is so good for the body, ever wonder why more marine animals aren't eating them? Its precisely because the seaweed can quickly adapt and change the molecular content of it's fleshy leaves to poison those that try and eat it.
When I read stories like this, it fascinates me and reinforces the idea that nature has already created the solves to many of the diseases that challenge us; its just a matter of discovering them. Unfortunately, researchers believe it will be ten more years before any drug based off the red seaweed will make it to market - thats a lifetime for those who need it now.
Posted by tranism at 1:47 AM | Permalink
Cave Bookcase
A unique solution to those who wish to escape the everyday stresses of life to a private retreat where the mind exercises it's imagination. Cave Bookcase provides a private reading space within its form. The "cave" comes with an integrated reading light and the bookcase is functional from both sides adding a third use as a room partition.
I think Ikea needs to jump on this immediately. I wouldn't definitely buy one.
via yanko design
Posted by tranism at 1:32 AM | Permalink
October 17, 2005
Space Invaders, Where They're Really From
Even while I play Space Invaders on my Gameboy, it never occurred to me what the true origins of these invaders were. Apparently one day, they decided Earth was ripe for the taking and "invaded".
Aside from probably being the most famous aliens next to E.T., Space Invaders have been ported to all manner of art ranging from prints to clothing. It's an 80's phenomenon that has stretched across decades to still hold a special place in our hearts. Space Invaders were the creators and originators . . . or were they?
In a recent interview in Edge Magazine, Space Invaders creator Nishikado revealed his inspiration came from sea creatures like crabs, squids and octos, but the actual look and feel of the aliens came from reading H.G. Wells War of the Worlds. Originally the aliens were to look human but Naishikado was adverse to the idea of humans killing humans.
"In the story, the aliens looked like an octopus. I drew a bitmap image based on the idea. Then I created several other aliens that looked like sea creatures such as squids or crabs."
Who would have thunk it? Even from Nishikado's sketchbook pictures above, you can see the influences of H.G. Wells' aliens. Ya learn something new everyday.
Posted by tranism at 11:42 PM | Permalink
October 16, 2005
AMD Dresden, The New Chill Spot
I know making super complex micro-processors requires a very chill environment but damn, photos of the new AMD fabrication plant in Dresden Germany make me wonder . . .
These guys look like they are just kickin it - laid back while all the robots make the chips. Look how freakin sterile the environment is. I suspect not one of those "chip makers" has ever caught a cold from work. I want one of those outfits too.
more photos after the jump
Posted by tranism at 12:47 AM | Permalink
October 14, 2005
The Speed Of 45rpm
This is a secret . . . okay, not really a secret as I'm sure some of you may know of this brand and it's beautiful store. When I say secret, I mean its one of those things I keep guarded to myself for one reason or another - I don't know why. I'm sure you have something you love but don't share with everyone.
I'm talking about 45rpm; a Japanese clothing brand that is slowly making in-roads with two stores in New York and one store in Paris. The clothing is beautiful, natural, scientific and most importantly so damn comfortable. For men, I challenge you to find anything Diesel, Seven, True Religion or any other clothing label with denim that is as comfortable. I kid you not, it is so incredibly soft, your nuts feel like they're laying on silk. YES I SAID NUTS.
One of my favorite items from their store is the basic black long sleeve shirt. Like all of their products, it just keeps looking better as it's washed and worn more often. It's not just the quality of the materials, but also the science behind it which they keep very guarded.
more pictures after the jump
Posted by tranism at 11:15 PM | Permalink
Tom Ford in W
A beautiful man in thought and design. Awesome photos. Kudo's to Steven Klein for the photography. Look out for this photo spread in W magazine.
more pictures after the jump
Posted by tranism at 10:51 PM | Permalink
The Power Of The Cell Processor
At the "CEATEC JAPAN 2005" event held from October 4, 2005, Toshiba Corp. demonstrated image recognition technology dubbed "Digital Kagami (mirror) F-type" using the "Cell" next-generation microprocessor. The technology recognizes a human face in real time, and imposes various virtual makeup styles and hairstyles over the image and then displays it on the screen. With real time motion tracking, it looked like a virtual mirror.
The demonstration consisted of two key applications. They were the "3D makeup simulation" technology that varies virtual makeup styles and the "3D hairstyle simulation" technology that changes virtual hairstyles. Both applications detect key features of a user's face and estimate a 3D map of the face using the same processing manner. First, the applications capture a user's face with a camera and detect the position of key features of the face, including the eyes, nose and mouth, using image recognition technology. By matching the 2D positions of these key features to a computer graphic image using a 3D face model, the applications estimate what direction the user is facing and the 3D positions of the face's 500 features. The camera at the front bottom of the display takes pictures of a face through a half mirror located in front of the display. This results displayed images looking more like they are reflected in a mirror, because the camera's viewpoint meets the user's visual line.
The simulations look so realistic, I could see interactivity taken to the next level, especially since the Sony Playstation 3 utilizes the Cell processor.
Make sure you check out this video to see it in action
via tech on
Posted by tranism at 10:40 PM | Permalink
I Got Wood
iWood that is. Yet another accessory to add to the massive chain of iPod peripherals. A company called Miniot is making a luxury-lined wooden case for your brand new shiny nano. The iWood is carefully carved out of a single piece of wood and you'll have the choice of choosing between maple, mahogany, pear, wenge and walnut.
The case somehow seals shut when closed and also has a hole carved out for the headphone jack. No word yet on pricing but the company says expect it sometime next month. I'll keep ya'll posted.
more pictures after the jump
Posted by tranism at 10:28 PM | Permalink
Geek Awesomeness Makes Dunt Hunt
Awesome! I want one. Some guy spent 30 - 45 hours creating a giant size model of those mallards from "Dunt Hunt", one of the original Nintendo NES games. Make sure you go check out his website. He poses with the mallard in ways that would make super models envious. Notice the Dance Dance Revolution gamepad in one of the pictures.
He deserves brownie points for this one.
Posted by tranism at 10:19 PM | Permalink
Paper LCDs
Color displays may one day be used practically everywhere. This would be possible even where it's unprofitable today for cost reasons, such as on food cartons, medicine packaging or even admission tickets.
Imagine food carton labels changing to reflect the expiration, or medicine labels that remind you if and when you've taken your medication and when you need refills, or how about having a concert cancel on you last minute? No need to throw the ticket away, it will automatically change to reflect the new show date.
Siemens developers have produced extremely thin, miniature color displays that can be printed onto paper or foil. The displays run on barely any power and are low cost to produced compared to LCD panels.
The first displays will become available in 2007.
Posted by tranism at 10:10 PM | Permalink
October 13, 2005
Japanese Supercars War
The announcements just keep rolling in from the Tokyo Motor show. Toyota was the first to show off it's Lexus LF-A supercar earlier this year, which was rumored to only have a V8. However recent announcements from Honda confirming its Acura NSX will be a super powered V10 and even Nissan getting back in the game with the rebirth of its GT-R; also a V10. So with its competitors already promising power that could eclipse the Lexus LF-A, Toyota just confirmed that it will go with a newly designed V10 - possibly a hyrbid V10!
Man, all this reminds me of the late 90's (or was it the late 80's?), the streets were lined with NSX's, Supra's, Mitsu 3000-GT's, RX-7s and Nissan GT's. I was just a wee-boy drooling over fast cars and the hot daddies that drove them.
All these cars are slated for a 2007 release. I say, LET THE JAPANESE SUPERCAR WARS BEGIN!
Lexus LF-A
Honda/Acura NSX
Nissan GT-R
Posted by tranism at 11:23 AM | Permalink
Tactic m2
The next generation video instrument; the Tactic m2 is the most comprehensive all-in-one solution for professional real time video performance and composition. This little keen device coupled with an Apple Powerbook laptop could be the solution for many visual performing artists who normally have to lug around a crap load of equipment. The Tactic m2 allows you to combine video, scratching, source mixing and live camera manipulation with hundreds of effects.
Posted by tranism at 11:06 AM | Permalink
A Philippe Starck Apprentice
Now that's the kind of reality show I would like to see, but I digress - Jerome Olivet is a Frenchman who worked with Philippe Starck for three years and is now going it alone with his own line of amazingly beautiful and functional products. His latest works involve the study of gesture and movement. The fruition is this stark (no pun intended) and beautiful backpack.
The backpack has a clever twist in the straps to rest your thumbs and hands in. Anyone who regularly wears a heavy ass backpack knows how we tend to hold on to the straps to relieve some of the weight, often leaving us with sore-clenched hands. This backpack eliminates that thru its innovative strap design.
Currently sold here for only $165 $220. Somebody buy me one please!
Posted by tranism at 10:57 AM | Permalink
October 12, 2005
Audi Shooting Brake
Out of all the concepts shown at the Tokyo Motor Show, the Audi Shooting Brake was the star. The concept is based on the current Audi TT and could possibly expand Audi's lineup to include a sexy compact 3-door hatch.
The Shooting Brake is an all wheel drive vehicle powered by a V6 3.2 liter engine producing 250 hp. Some of the highlights of the vehicle are Audi's magnetic ride which allows you to chose between a sporty or luxury ride, all ceramic disc brakes, 19" alloy wheels, integrated touchscreen for basic car settings and controls reducing clutter of buttons, and an all new navi system that actually tells you when to shift.
Now to address the car's name; I have no idea why it's called the Shooting Brake, perhaps something lost in translation?
Chris has explained the name. THANKS!
"A shooting brake was traditionally a two-door luxury coupé converted to have an estate-style back so that you could have space to put your shotguns/waterproofs/killed animals in the back. Unsurprisingly it was the English who invented it.
Apparently the word 'brake' in 'shooting brake' may come from the French term for station wagon, break."
more pictures after the jump
Posted by tranism at 1:28 AM | Permalink
Minority Report?
If you thought seeing Tom Cruise drag and scrub information across a glass screen in Minority Report was cool, then you'll love this. Yet again the Japanese surge ahead with technology we only dream about in movies. A 75" glass surface that projects images allowing you to manipulate them with your bare hands. Installations will soon show up in hospitals to quickly access patient information, city displays to allow people to track and plan their route, and shopping malls for advertising.
Posted by tranism at 1:12 AM | Permalink
Doreamon Watch
If you're a fan of Doreamon (like I am), then you'll love this. The popular robotic cat is now a timepiece tool that serves double duty as a storage device. With 64mb and 128mb capacities, you transfer files by way of a integrated usb cable. What makes this cool, other than the cat, is the small blue LED that indicates data transfer. I'm still trying to find a site that will import it, but when I do - I'll be sure to post it here.
Posted by tranism at 12:56 AM | Permalink
October 11, 2005
Backpack Power
To all perpetual students, that heavy ass backpack can now do more than haul around those $100 textbooks you never use - you can now generate your own electricity.
A backpack that generates electricity as its wearer strolls along has been developed by experts in human locomotion.
By harnessing the looping up and down motion of our hips as we walk, the backpacks' freely-moving load bounces up and down, generating up to 7 watts. That is more than enough to power cellphones, pda's, digital camera, Gameboys and PSPs.
There's also a social utilitarian function to these packs. Scientists hope they will be a standard among troops, field researchers, explorers and rescue workers who need to generate their own power.
All very cool but I say, this is just a hop-skip-and-jump away into a future where all humans generate their own power for our robot overloads.
via new scientist
Posted by tranism at 2:50 PM | Permalink
Gameboy Micro Pokemon Style
As hot as the new Nintendo Gameboy Micro is, I couldn't bring myself to buy one. I already have a Gameboy SP and a Nintendo DS. What the hell do I need with another Gameboy?
Well my questioned was just answered. Nintendo announced a new limited edition Pokemon Gameboy Micro. The new "Pokemon Micro" will be released in Japan on November 17th with U.S. release yet to be announced. Pre-ordering begins October 20th.
What makes this Pokemon Micro so hot? It's black and red with a cool metallic silhouette of Pikachu right above the A and B buttons. The whole thing is so tiny and sleek - I just might use it as my secondary MP3 player. (You know you're a gadget geek if you have to have a secondary MP3 player).
The great news is even though it's limited edition, it will sell for the same price as an ordinary Gameboy Micro.
Posted by tranism at 2:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
October 9, 2005
Massachusettes
Maybe its all those hot brainy M.I.T. guys skulking about the state but for some reason, the great state of Mass. is really ahead of the pack socially, technologically, ecologically and now possibly pro-consumer than pro-big corporations.
The state legislature is considering a law which limits wireless contracts to one year, require easier to understand billing statements and force carriers to fix those dreaded dead zones that we all blame on trees. OF COURSE the people against the bill are the those fucking greedy carriers. California recently had a similar bill but that was shot down so fast by commissioners friendly to the wireless carriers. I hope it passes in Mass.
via textually
Posted by tranism at 1:51 PM | Permalink
Unicef Bombs Smurf Village
It starts out with our beloved childhood cartoon heros dancing and singing, flower picking and chatting when suddenly huge bombs fall from the sky. Tiny Smurfs scatter and run in vain from the whistling bombs before being felled by blast after blast waves of fiery explosions. The final scene is the most gut-wrenching as a scorched and tattered baby Smurf sobs uncontrollably surrounded by dead Smurfs. I think I just shed a tear. The video ends with a simple message;
"Don't let war affect the lives of our children"
Of course all this wasn't aired in America; hell no that would never pass the sensors. However for our cousins in Europe, the 25 second short left people shocked, most in approval and some in disbelief. And before you call it sacrilege, the animation was approved by the family of the Smurfs late creator, Peyo.
The short was intended as the keystone of a fund raising drive by Unicef's Belgian arm to raise money for the rehabilitation of former child soldiers in Burundi.
Well I've learned two things today. First - sometimes you have to shock in order to bring reality back to people who are oblivious or jaded because a war is so far away. And Two - who woulda' thunk it . . . the Smurfs are Belgian? Man, that explains A LOT.
UPDATE: The video will go live on the internet soon. Patience kiddies, patience.
Posted by tranism at 1:28 PM | Permalink
October 8, 2005
Harry Potter's New Trailer
If you haven't seen the new international trailer for the upcoming Harry Potter And The Goblet of Fire, then watch it NOW. The kids are growing up. Their acting is better than ever. The story is both thrilling and telling. The special effects are superb, and finally FINALLY we meet the dark lord.
Man - Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia, Aeon Flux. This holiday season has more in store than I can remember of any previous. I am so anxious.
Posted by tranism at 11:11 PM | Permalink
Akino
Chrysler's latest concept, the Akino brings home-comfort into a compact vehicle. I think the car is very much production ready as there isn't anything that would make it so different from current cars. The interior however may take some getting use to as the rear seat looks like something you'd find in a lounge and the passenger seat can swivel 180 degrees to face them.
It's interesting to see what the future of automobiles will look like. As they become more autonomous, will we become more like passengers instead of drivers? The Akino concept certainly thinks so. Many find the design to be bland. I think it's pretty forward thinking for a company that use to make something called a Caravan.
more pictures after the jump
Posted by tranism at 5:02 PM | Permalink
There's A Project In Alabama
And it's called Project Alabama. Another true American success - this time in the world of fashion. Not all great fashion comes from one of the world fashion capitals and this proves it.
Project Alabama's story starts in 2000 with just $20,000. Heading to a party one night, Natalie Chanin (PA's designer) hand sewed a t-shirt and instantly fell in love with the process. With her background in costume design, she eventually joined forces with PA's other half, businessman Enrico Marone. As they made small strides in the New York fashion scene, they found it difficult to find a manufacturer that would do the handwork required because you see, Chanin makes everything by hand.
It wasn't until Chanin returned to her roots in Alabama and began to find "quilting circles" that could lend her a hand. Together she and her team make some of the most beautiful clothes. That's what makes Project Alabama stand out. The designs looked like they were quilted together. Not only do they experiment with new materials but also recycle old ones. Remember, this all started with a recycled hand sewn t-shirt. Each season, the collection exudes an air of elegance while staying incredibly comfortable to wear and in ways, avant garde.
The duo are now married and their latest collection is ever more beautiful. I have a few pieces I'm going to buy. My favorite is the hand quilted duffle bag.
more pictures after the jump
Posted by tranism at 4:48 PM | Permalink
Sony Cybershot DSC-N1 Gets Sexier
First it was the T1 (which is the one I have) and now Sony's next generation slim digicam is called the N1 and this one's a doozy.
The N1 features 8.1 megapixels, 3x ZEISS optical zoom with a 15x digital zoom packed all in a slim 22.7mm aluminum body. But the real knockout feature here is the giant size 3" touchscreen. Yup, you read right - TOUCHSCREEN. The screen functions like a menu allowing for playback, forward, reverse and general picture control all by tracing your finger across the screen.
The other big news is the new 16:9 aspect shooting mode allowing you to take true wide-screen images. This was a feature I loved from the Panasonic Lumix I reviewed awhile back and I'm glad to finally see this feature in a Sony product.
Amazon is currently taking pre-orders and it's $499.99. Somebody buy me one. :)
more pictures after the jump
Posted by tranism at 4:19 PM | Permalink
PSP GPS
I have a propensity for getting lost (sometimes) and its not because I have no sense of direction. It's because I am one who relies on technology and looking up something on mapquest before every new trip is just plain burdensome. So my master plan is to research and look into which navigation system I want.
When I purchased my Prius, I opted out of the navigation system because I wanted something I could take out with me. What if one day I wanted to go hiking (yeah right), it would be helpful to be able carry my GPS navi around.
So after much research, I ALMOST settled on the Palm LifeDrive with TomTom's Navigator 5 software. The combination of 4 gigs storage and downloaded maps thru LifeDrive's wifi seem to make it an easy choice. Problem is I wanted a solution that would extend the functionality of something I already had, and then it hit me.
Sony's PSP - the portable game machine trying not to be just a game machine but more to compete. I remember when the PSP first made it's debut, Sony said they were interested in expanding it's capability to turn the device into a piece of convergence technology. One of those announcements was an add on GPS module. With PSP's recent entry into the web by including a web browser, it will be a matter of time before the GPS module becomes available.
So I'm going to wait it out and see what Sony has in store for me. Right now, my PSP is collecting dust and I can tell it is eager to start talkin to some satellites. How about yours?
Posted by tranism at 3:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
m-ch
It stands for micro compact home and they ain't lying. The micro compact home is a lightweight, modular and mobile dwelling designed for one or two people. It's super compact with it's 77 sqft. cube adaptable to a variety of sites and circumstances. Functionally it has sleeping, working, dining, cooking and hygiene spaces. There's no need for furniture or lighting because it's all built in.
Now what would really make it amazing is if the m-ch could generate its own energy (fuel/solar cells?) and waste recycling. That way all you have to do is choose where to plop your m-ch down and spend more time enjoying life instead of cleaning house.
more pictures after the jump
Posted by tranism at 1:52 PM | Permalink
Bitches Bitchin' About Hybrids
All these anaylists and journalists bitchin' about whether or not hybrids really do save you a trip or two to the gas pump, or whether or not you actually recoup the savings during the lifetime of the vehicle and some even bitch about how diesels could get you the same MPG.
All fail to mention, perhaps because it's indisputable - hybrids put out 80 to 90 percent less emissions into our air. Doesn't that mean anything at all? Sure if the whole world drove hybrids, they would still continue to bitch about how it has little effect on gas efficiency meanwhile breathing cleaner air.
Hybrid = Fuel Economy
Hybrid = Cleaner Air
Diesels = Fuel Economy
Diesels = Noisy, Fucked Up Air
Petrol = Fucked Up Fuel Economy
Petrol = Fucked Up Air
Posted by tranism at 1:20 PM | Permalink
October 7, 2005
Plants Smoke Too
Problem: We all know, (even the smokers do) that smoke stinks. It travels far (which is why non-smoking sections don't work) and when it has no where else to go, it seeps deep into your clothing until you start to smell like the back of a closet.
Solution: Make an ash tray with a very hardy indoor plant that will filter out the smoke and expel out clean breathable oxygen.
The tobacco industry has got it all wrong. If I were them, I'd market to the plants. Plants would smoke that shit up in a heart beat.
via yankodesign
Posted by tranism at 5:01 PM | Permalink
October 5, 2005
My House Can Be Amphibious
Maybe this is something for the Katrina ravaged cities and towns; when the water rises and there's no boat, never fear because your house can float - amphibious style that is.
The Dutch know all too well what happens when the water rises and their dykes can't hold up. Thirty seven of these amphibious houses are already strung along Maas. They look just like any ole' regular house except their foundation is a hollow platform with chambers, sort of like a big ship. The foundation is then anchored into the floor with large columns. The homes then float up and down on the columns when the water level rises.
The Dutch are also planning office buildings and public spaces based on the same technology. Eventually there may be 12,000 houses built close to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, right on the waters.
Who would of thunk it . . . I guess you gotta be "high" to come up with something like this. Wait, Dutch and high? hummm
Posted by tranism at 10:29 PM | Permalink
Hinokio
Hinokio, very very losely based on Pinocchio, is about a boy whom in order to avoid going to school - sends a robot he remotely controls from home in his place. The real story is about how the robot tries to communicate with the people around him and "grows" as he progresses.
check out the trailer
Posted by tranism at 10:15 PM | Permalink
Utopia a.k.a Songdo City
This is why this century belongs to Asia (GO ASIANS!). South Korea is building a new city, from the ground up called New Songdo City. It will be a living experiment where all major information systems (residential, medical, business and government) share data and computers are to be built into homes, buildings and streets everywhere.
This ubiquitous city will be completed in 2014. The city's infrastructure will be a test bed for new technologies and the city itself will exemplify a digital way of life. It will be the future right here in the present. It all starts with a resident's "smart-card house key". The same key can be used to get on mass transit, park, see a movie, borrow a free public bicycle and so on. It's all anonymous and autonomous. City and urban planning also applies the latest theories in urban development. This is an opportunity to finally test which theories work and which don't; with the hopes that what does work can be applied to metropolises around the world. The city will be "green", clean air, clean transportation and will be equipped with the latest wireless and communications technologies.
Ironically, much of the technology going into New Songdo City was developed right here in the U.S. but the cost and regulatory obstacles prevent such a city from ever being built here.
This reminds me of the futuristic city of Brasilia that ultimately failed although much of the fantastic architecture still stands. If anything, the Koreans will know before anyone else what flies. I applaud the Koreans and 2014 just seems so damn far away now.
more pictures after the jump
Posted by tranism at 10:04 PM | Permalink
HandySinger
The HandySinger system is a tool that naturally expresses a singing voice controlled by the gestures of a cute cute hand puppet. Developed at ART Intelligent Robotics and Communication, the singing voice morphing algorithm smoothes out the strength of expressions delivered with a singing voice.
Make sure you watch the video to fully understand what this is about. Once you watch it, then it'll hit you how damn cool this is. The researchers recorded a young woman singing a nursery rhyme in four types of expressions; normal, dark, whisper and wet. Normal is normal, dark emphasizes expressiveness like that produced by an opera singer, whisper is a hoarse voice like a lullaby and wet is a type of expression often heard in pop music.
The hand puppet consists of a cute cute stuffed penguin and a sensor covered glove that acts as a capturing device for movement. The sensor's signals are then processed to output MIDI signals while a sound controlling program produces a singing voice.
Interaction design really is a new frontier with the availability of all these new technologies, enabling experiments like this. I can't wait to see more!
via near near future
Posted by tranism at 9:41 PM | Permalink
TROPOLISM
Architecture meets the eye. I've been obsessed with a new blog called TROPOLISM (because metropolism was already taken). All about architecture and the funny emotions they evoke in us. CHECK IT OUT!
Posted by tranism at 12:00 AM | Permalink
October 3, 2005
Tom Ford Keeps It Real
The man responsible for the revival of the ailing italian fashion house of Gucci recently came out of the shadows and spoke about how the fashion industry is wrong. He believes the constant demand for change is leaving customers bewildered and many have simply given up on trying to wear the latest and greatest and instead have retreated to a world of casual clothing.
"Fashion would be more appealing to consumers if it didn't change too quickly. The demand for change has put an enormous strain on the business and caused artificial changes in styles and that is why so many people have rejected fashion and walk around in t-shirts and comfortable pants."
His comments have amazed and shocked the fashion world, many of whom believe the pace of fashion is precisely what drives the industry.
For the uninitiated, Tom Ford ruled Gucci for 10 years until one day he abruptly announced he was leaving. He reinvigorated the profits of the Gucci Group so many were left wondering why he would leave during the height of his rein. He later explains that during the last few years, board members had become concerned over the pull and influence he had within the company and attempted to usurp his power. Ford announced he was leaving because of "contractual disagreements."
Ironically Gucci hasn't had a run-a-way "hit" since. Although the group isn't floundering, it is fast becoming just another luxury label in a sea infested with competitors.
Regarding Tom's comments, I agree with him to a certain extent. Fashion does move too fast. Although the pace of "change" is what excites me about it, perhaps that speed is just "too fast" for the modern man and woman. Our daily lives demand that we dress and live comfortably. However if fashion were more accessible then it wouldn't really be "fashion". Part of fashion's lure is it's inaccessibility to the masses and the adoption by trendsetters before it reaches others. There is a cycle in the fashion industry of how trends birth and penetrate the markets. I think Tom was speaking more on how in fashion's efforts to stay ahead, it sometimes comes up with gimmicks as trends. If this were to continue, we'll never have another fashion revolution such as the woman wearing pants, or Dior's new look. It's been awhile and long over due. Besides, any man that can pose like that with two naked male models has got to be right.
Posted by tranism at 2:36 PM | Permalink
Just Add Water
There's no doubt that plastics have revolutionized the way we live. From medicine to storage to being easy and cheap to produce, plastics helped usher in a new era of human ingenuity. It has become our civilization's "artificial skin". Durable, long lasting and easily replaced. Unfortunately plastics are also toxic and release tons of carcinogenic particles into our air when burnt and because of it's resilient nature, burning it is the only way to get rid of it. We've succeeded in initiating recycling programs but we're missing one major part of the formula. In nature, materials are not only recycled, but they have to break down fast and refuel the whole process again. In our haste for the mother of all artificial materials, we forgot to make our plastics biodegradable.
An Australian company called Plantic says you only have to add water to its plastic and it will disappear right in front of your eyes. Its plastic is made out of 90% organic materials and left in a compost heap, the material will disappear in less than 3 months.
The "green" technology behind this plastic is amazing. By using water as a catalyst, potentially the plastic could break down releasing water into the soil and carbon dioxide into the air. Low laying plants surrounding the plastic could convert that carbon dioxide and release clean oxygen into our air.
As we tread closer to the realization that our current methodologies are wasteful and unbalanced with the rest of nature, technologies like these will help evolve our current materials into products not just for us, but for our source; the earth as well.
Posted by tranism at 1:54 PM | Permalink
Apple Expanding
With the popularity of its iPod players and small incremental increase in computing hardware sales, Apple is once again in a position to expand and grow. The company has been quietly leasing tens of thousands of square footage in and around it's hometown of Cupertino, California. In 2002, Apple only occupied 850,000 square feet at it's headquarters located at 1 Infinite Loop (it really is an infinite loop!) but since 2004, the company has increased that number to over 2 million square feet.
Ironically the buildings in question happen to be buildings it once occupied during its rise in the 80's. During the early 90's, the company retreated it's territory back to 1 Infinite Loop and has quietly been plotting to slowly overtake all off it's former occupations. (Why am I making this sound like a WW2 documentary?).
I used to work at Apple headquarters and the space is BEAUTIFUL. Talk about clean wide open spaces. Is this a sign that Apple is once again strong, perhaps stronger than it has ever been? Is the Phoenix finally rising again? If it is, I can't wait for it to spread its bright firery feathers all over because I gots tons of hum drum and drab things that need the Apple midas touch.
Posted by tranism at 12:08 PM | Permalink
October 2, 2005
Yaniblog
Awesome guy from down under. Yaniblog gets two brownie points and love from both electro and plankton. HOLLA!
Posted by tranism at 8:24 PM | Permalink
Magic Exists Near The North Pole
And our friend at freshlikethat proves it. To him, just another place buried somewhere deep in Sweden but to me and I'm sure many of you, a site to sit and stare at in awe. If nature did sky scrapers, this would probably be how they would look like. Speaking of magic, go see MirrorMask. Think Fantasia on crack.
click on the pictures for a larger view
Posted by tranism at 7:04 PM | Permalink
Ultimate Bag For The Creative Professional
Adobe in collaboration with the Medium Design Group created a multipurpose messenger bag that can transform into a soft briefcase for the creative professional on the go.
Large interior pockets store sketchbooks and cables, while object specific thermoformed pockets organize a laptop computer, MP3 player and cell phone. An oversized strap dissipates pressure from a heavy load while the unique roll-top closure system ensures that precious expensive cargo remains inside. Crafted from high-denier nylon for strength and supple full grain leather for sleekness, there's even a deployment hood to protect the bag and everything inside from the elements.
Only $250 people, when you buy one for yourself please be kind and buy one for me too. :)
Posted by tranism at 5:15 PM | Permalink
Valerio Bottin Bubble Lamp
Every man needs this in his flat (I've been trying to be more European lately). Its scale and shape are perfect. If you're going to splurge on one item in your ikea ladened home, then splurge it on something luminescent. A great lamp instantly makes your home feel more upscale and inviting.
Velerio Bottin's bubble table lamp is that perfect lamp that'll have your guests ooo'ing and ahh'ing. On top of looking good, it actually functions wonderfully casting a huge amount of ambient light into the surround area. Damn near 1k but if you got cash to burn, burn it here.
more pictures after the jump
Posted by tranism at 5:06 PM | Permalink
SplashPad
Splashpower is a wireless power solution to power up your mobile phone and other portable devices like iPods and PSP's simply by placing them on a mouse-mat-sized pad called the SplashPad. No physical connection is required between the pad and the devices.
It's an awesome idea that's currently still in concept phase but the company has financial backing and assures that SplashPad will make it to market. I can definitely see this making a huge impact on how we recharge our devices. I can see them in our offices, bedrooms and cars. No need to plug anything in.
The SplashPad works by generating an inductive field. That field doesn't interfere with other wireless signals like cordless phones or wifi connections nor is it harmful to people, plants or animals.
I'm excited to see more. Coming soon to a store near you.
Posted by tranism at 4:41 PM | Permalink
New Suzuki Concepts
Suzuki has been on a roll lately. In its efforts to increase market share outside of Japan (where it continues to be one of the largest auto makers behind Toyota and Honda), Suzuki has stepped up it's efforts in research and design in hopes of building up its brand name in North America. Its latest offering is the new 2006 Grand Vitara which blows away most of the current mini-SUV competitors in terms of quality, standard equipment, warranty and cost. To further expand it's reach, Suzuki just unveiled two crazy high-tech retro concepts at the Tokyo Motor Show.
The first called LC short for what I think is Little Car - a definite throw back to the 60's and 70's. The second concept called MRwagaon which is supposed to be short for Mom's Personal Wagon although I don't know how they arrived at that acronym. The MRwagon looks a bit more contemporary than the LC but still has it's retro flare with it's big round headlights.
I may use the word retro here to describe the design, but the technology underneath both vehicles are far from retro. From what I could surmise, they are equipped with the latest safety, communications, electric and driver assist technologies.
I can't really see myself having one as my only car but it would be a great conversation starter, especially the LC. Hell, I just changed my mind. In fact if they built it then I'd probably buy it. Just make it safe, nimble, sturdy on freeways, powerful enough for good passing speeds and bluetooth and iPod enabled; I'll be more than happy to purchase one.
Posted by tranism at 4:26 PM | Permalink
October 1, 2005
A Mid-Air Snatching . . . Macro Style
Nature is frighteningly beautiful. What do you suppose happened when a spider snatches a bee twice it's size out of mid-air flight?
pictures after the jump
DAYUM, just damn . . .
Posted by tranism at 11:07 AM | Permalink
Prefab Homes That Float
I've looked at property in and around Los Angeles and to be a home owner now-a-days, you have to either be God or have LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of money. Even with the rise of affordable prefab homes that offer amazing contemporary design and higher build quality, you still have to buy land. A prefab home may only be under 100k but the land sure isn't. So what to do then? If you're single, don't mind a little eccentricity, why not try a prefab home on water? Water is free . . . almost, but still a lot cheaper.
I've always detested boat homes but these aren't exactly boats since they merely float, no engines or anything to allow you to move around. They also have build in dampeners and stabilizers so you won't feel any of the rocking, unless you're rockin the boat yourself! HA! ZINGGGG!
These three designs from a German company are beautiful, minimal and come with all the amenities any home owner would want, minus the parking garage unless your have a car that traverses land and water. COOLNESS I say!
Posted by tranism at 10:53 AM | Permalink
Wireless Phones Go Touchy
As with most things in Japan that are at the fore front of technology (especially when the subject is related to mobile technology) this one also has NTT DoCoMo as a partner. The other one is Mitsubishi, together they are trying out a new type of cell phone. While so far we have been accustomed to using the touchscreen for input, the keypad has changed little over the years. Of course different form factors have managed to hide it (slider) or use some new wacky designs to increase the appeal - the basic theme has remained the same. Some have managed to work around by not having any keypad at all (O2 XDA) but this approach that has been displayed at CEATEC exhibition is indeed unique.
In this case the display is standard, whereas the keypad is a touchscreen. The main objective of this exercise is that modern cell phones with their multiple features have become too complicated. There are a lot of people out there who would love to have these functions and dont mind paying for them but the user interface is getting too complicated for them to adjust. This technology simplifies things a lot. Depending on the main menu, the keypad shows only the associated keys. The phone would thus have literally two displays, one which acts as only the output while the other one (the keypad) can take the input and display keys depending upon the requirement. There are 3 fixed buttons though, these are shortcuts for immediately accessing the keypad (the numeric keys get displayed on the input screen), for going back and forward.
more after the jump
Another change over the traditional touch pad screens is that these input screens have the possibility of feedback. On pressing the buttons on the screen, one can feel that they have been depressed like in a normal keypad. Also beautiful is the way that LEDs have been used under the material of the cell phone to indicate the time as well as missed calls. Since the phone already has two "internal" displays, putting in a third on the outer side would have been too much of a drain on the battery; this is a unique and smart solution.
The Japanese translation is extremely rudimentary so we are unable to provide more details. NTT DoCoMo and Mitsubishi have just built some prototypes and are still experimenting around in different manners so that this technology may be used in the best manner possible. An official press release at a later date when the technology has been advanced should provide much more material. However till then the pictures of this device are worth a look.
Posted by tranism at 10:43 AM | Permalink
Pioneer's Pioneering 3D Interface
Pioneer has developed a floating interface which allows users to manipulate 3D graphics. Using a 3D lens, the system creates a 3D image that's displayed on a 15" LCD. Spatial sensors are installed around the projected image. Users can see the 3D image with their naked eyes, no need of any special glasses. Sensors detect position of fingers and software computes and renders images in real time, thus allowing users to draw in the air to manipulate windows.
Are we finally getting closer to accessing and manipulating data with our hands? It sounds like it. This may sound boring to most of you but I find it so damn cool. Bring it on Pioneer!
via near near future
Posted by tranism at 10:21 AM | Permalink