Tech Pr0n Features
News: This Mini "Jesus Bug" Robot, Soon-to-Be Spy, Walks and Jumps on Water
Gerridae—you've probably seen these weird bugs gliding across the surface of the water when you're out swimming or fishing. These insects are commonly referred to as water striders, or more cleverly, Jesus bugs, for their ability to "walk on water". It's a pretty cool trick, but what could it do for science, right? Turns out, quite a bit. Photo by felixtsao
Watch Out iMovie: Avid Studio Is Now Available for iPad
Despite starting on Macintosh computers, Avid focused their non-linear video editing programs on Windows systems after stiff competition from Final Cut Pro. But now they're coming back around, with Avid introducing their first iPad version of the Avid Studio home editing software, a miniature version of their industry-geared Media Composer. It will be directly competing with Apple's own iMovie for iPad.
News: The World's First LED Buddha Board Delivers Evaporative 'Water Light Graffiti'
From dynamite to lasers to LEDs, you can make graffiti with a lot of different things. Parisian artist Antonin Fourneau has added water to that list. He created this incredible LED wall that lights up wherever it's touched by water to create what he's dubbed "Water Light Graffiti," which can be simply described as being an LED Buddha Board.
News: This Chinese "Noah's Ark" Can Survive Earthquakes, Fire, 350-Ton Impacts—Even the Zombie Apocalypse!
No one likes to think about the possibility of natural disasters, but we all know they could happen at any time. Some of us are a little more paranoid than others, but wouldn't it be nice to know that you'd be protected if anything really crazy ever happened? Like the zombie apocalypse?
News: The People at Boston Dynamics Are Going to Kill Us All
I'm starting to wonder if the people at Boston Dynamics have ever watched a Terminator movie. Not just because the robotics company with the oxymoronic name develops machines that are able to move around environments with animal- and human-like agility, but because the people testing them seem to take such joy in openly antagonizing their creations. It's one thing to tempt fate by creating superhuman robots that could potentially end mankind. You've reached a whole new level of hubris when yo...
News: These Tiny Wireless Earbuds Pack Some Serious Noise-Canceling Abilities
What's better than wireless in-ear headphones with noise-canceling technology? Giving them a microphone to hear you talk from inside your head. And that's exactly what you get with RippleBuds; its inside-facing mic helps keep your voice crystal clear over phone calls, and makes sure Siri, Cortana, and Google Now will always get the right command.
News: Little Boxes Turns Your iPad into an Old-Fashioned Music Box
Technology is awesome. You can use your iPad to record music or even turn your tunes into a solar system, but sometimes being plugged in all of the time can leave you nostalgic for simpler times. This new concept by Joelle Aeschlimann brings together the best of both worlds by turning your iPad into an old-fashioned, hand-cranked music box. The artist created three different music boxes, each one with its own unique song and visualization. The music boxes were made using wooden cylinders with...
News: Nike Finally Made the Self-Lacing Shoes We've Wanted Since Back to the Future
If we go by the timeline set forth in Back to the Future Part II, Nike's new HyperAdapt 1.0 with adaptable lacing is at least a year late. But HyperAdapt will do more than just automatically tighten your laces—sensors in the sole of the shoe will provide a "tailored-to-the-moment" custom fit to maximize comfort and function while you jog, play sports, or navigate through hordes of aloof morons clogging the lanes at your local Trader Joe's.
News: Adobe Makes First Physical Products: The Adobe Ink & Slide for iPad
If you thought the price of Photoshop was outrageous, you'll be thrilled to know that Adobe has found yet another way to grab your hard-earned dollars—but this time, it isn't software. Ready to take your drawings to the next level, the company has created the Adobe Ink and Slide. Together, these products will make drawing on an iPad a whole lot easier.
News: This High-Tech Pot Lets You Charge Your Phone Using a Houseplant
If you're a tech geek who cares about the environment, you probably concerned with your personal carbon footprint. You may feel like your love for gadgets is slowly contributing to the degradation of our planet, but tech is your life. And in this scenario, small changes matter.
The New Tattoo Trend: 3D-Printers Inking Skin
Automated tattoos are now a reality, with 3D printers being hacked into tattoo machines. Multiple people have posted videos of their 3D printer that can "print" tattoos, with one of the more impressive ones shown in the two videos below.
The Future Is Near: Flying 45 MPH Hover Bikes Just a Few Years Away
Throughout history, the idea of the future has always promised better days, advanced technology, and of course—hover cars. Although we were correct about the better days (depending on who you ask) and advanced technology, we are still without hover cars, or pretty much any hovercraft vehicles—The Jetsons and Back to the Future were a lie!
News: Volkswagen's Underwater 'Car' Cage Lets Divers Get Up Close and Personal During Shark Week
As if the world needed one more reason to be obsessed with Shark Week, Volkswagen has teamed up with Discovery Channel to create this awesome "underwater car" that's actually a mobile shark cage.
News: MIT Tech Protects Your WiFi Without Passwords
Researchers at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory have created Wi-Fi technology that identifies where you are, which may eliminate the need for passwords.
Great Deal: RIM Slashes Prices on BlackBerry PlayBook Tablets to $299
Missed the holiday tablet sales? If you were hoping to grab a cheap BlackBerry PlayBook, you're in luck. All of the PlayBook models have been reduced to $299 in a limited-time sale by Research in Motion. But you better hurry, because the sale only lasts until tomorrow (February 4th).
News: This Smart Turntable Is Perfect for 360-Degree Photos
When it comes to photographing products, models, and other small objects, a good light box makes the process super easy, no matter what your skill level is. However, if you want to create decent 360-degree images, things get tricky really fast. A new product, the Foldio360, may provide some much needed relief though.
Razer Nabu: The Pager of Smartbands (And That's a Good Thing)
The Razer Nabu is a smartband that alerts you when you've received a notification on your Android or iOS device. This fitness smartband not only notifies you, but keeps track of your steps, sleep time, messages, calories lost, and of course, the time. The screen is very simplified and resembles that of a pager.
News: The Coolest Tech to Come Out of CES 2016
There's been a whole lot going on at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, from the latest in virtual reality gear to televisions that continue to slim down while producing higher quality images.
CES 2016: LG Shows Off Its Newspaper-Like Flexible Screen
LG literally rolled out a prototype of its cutting-edge flexible display at CES 2016 in Las Vegas. The company showed off an 18-inch screen with 1,200 x 800 pixel resolution that you can roll up like a magazine or newspaper and take with you. And while an 18-inch HD screen that rolls up is already pretty impressive, LG plans to build them up to 55 inches and beyond, with 4K resolution.
CES 2016: New Gadgets from Samsung's Creative Lab
The Creative Lab at Samsung, also known as their C Lab, is trying to make wearable fitness devices more inconspicuous with its wearable smart belt, the WELT, but that might not be all.
News: Attack of the iPhone 6 Clones, Xbox One Gets More Social, & More Tech News You Need to Know
Better sleep, smartphone news, and changes to your favorite forms of entertainment. There's been a lot going on over the last couple of weeks in the world of tech, and we thought we'd show you all of the need-to-know products, updates, and ideas that we think are most important.
News: This Man Made a Playable Tetris Shirt for the Game's 30th Anniversary
A man by the name of Marc Kerger is out to prove that he's the number one fan of the game TETRIS by building a playable TETRIS shirt for the game's 30th anniversary.
News: Myo Lets You Control All Your Gadgets Like a Jedi
Well folks, the dream is coming to life. While we still may be a ways away from mind control, the team over at Thalmic Labs has created the Myo, and with it, the power of the Force comes to motion control, so long as you use it wisely.
News: Domino's Creates a Robot to Completely Derail Your Diet
There may be worse feelings than sitting around waiting for food delivery, but I don't want to know what those are. Especially when your local delivery guy misses your address for the eighth time. But soon, Domino's Pizza will take that stupid human error right out of the equation in the form of a robot that's only 3 feet high.
CES 2016: How You'll Get Drunk at Home in the Future
Three smart devices shown at CES 2016 are making it easier for you to make stupid decisions. PicoBrew, Somabar, and 10-Vins demonstrated their systems for beer, mixed cocktails, and wine, respectively, and each one is attempting to change the way we enjoy our favorite potent potables at home.
News: Amazon Will Let You Return That Hoverboard Deathtrap, No Questions Asked
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that Amazon will be offering full refunds for any hoverboard purchased through its site in the United States or Canada, no matter when you bought it. Just visit amazon.com/returns or amazon.com/contact-us to start the process. While they will not stop selling hoverboards anytime soon, they obviously want you to feel safe about your purchase.
How To: Cancel Your FileSonic Paid Membership with PayPal
Thanks to the shutdown of Megaupload's website, the popular sharing site FileSonic has now removed all file sharing capabilities. Their website currently has the following warning:
How To: Kill Twitter's New "Weekly Digest" Email
You may have noticed an unusual email from Twitter over the last couple of days that showed recent stories and tweets from those you follow. This is a new initiative from Twitter that gives you "the best of Twitter in your inbox". It's basically just a weekly summary of the most recent and relevant stories and tweets from your connections.
News: Jibo Is the Cutest (Or Possibly Creepiest) Personal Assistant
In 1999, Robin Williams starred in Bicentennial Man, a movie in which Williams played a robot named Andrew Martin, taking care of a family as a their nanny and personal assistant. For almost 15 years, I have waited for my Andrew Martin, but until now, I have been disappointed. Luckily, Jibo is on the job!
News: Hitchhiking Robot to Travel Through Canada This Summer
Imagine this: You're driving on the freeway in Canada, enjoying the view and sipping Tim Horton's, when all of the sudden you see something out of the corner of your eye. You expect it to be a moose, obviously, but instead you see a robot with his thumb hitched up. So, after insuring that you didn't accidentally take some hallucinogens a few miles back, do you pick it up?
Misfit Shine: The Quarter-Sized Fitness Tracker That Doesn't Need to Be Charged
If you're like me, you are a non-stop, sweating, never-give-up workout fiend. Okay, not really, but like a significant amount of people, I would love to live a healthier lifestyle. The Misfit Shine makes fitness a lot easier.
News: This Really Is the Coolest Cooler Ever
I honestly believe that everyone on earth owns the same blue cooler—you know the one. Cooler technology hasn't changed since the '50s, and frankly, it's time to mix things up, with a built-in blender perhaps? With the Coolest Cooler, it's actually possible!
How To: Facebook Pulls Switcheroo on Your Email Address to @Facebook.com—Here's How to Fix It
First off, Facebook rolled out @facebook.com email addresses for everyone nearly two years ago, so that's nothing new. But what is new is that they've recently defaulted everybody's visible email address that's seen on their Facebook Timelines. So, if you had your Gmail address listed for all to see on your profile's "About" section, it's now been replaced to the default @facebook.com email address.
News: Sensibo Is the Super Smart, Super Green Automatic A/C Controller
Personally, I know life would be a lot easier if the people in it could just read my mind. Since that technology is currently unavailable, it's comforting to know that your air conditioner can be your personal telepathist with Sensibo.
News: Steve Jobs Has Passed Away
Apple announced earlier today that Steve Jobs has passed away. The world has lost an amazing innovator and an incredible man. Your brilliance will be missed, Steve.
Google's Next Smart Device: Contact Lenses That Monitor Glucose, Detects Cancer, & More
Warning: Google wants to take control of your sight. While this statement isn't (or is) true, it doesn't change the fact that Google is partnering up with Novartis to create contact lenses.
New Tech We Like: Hotel Robots, Texter-Shaming Theaters, "Smart" Stickers, & More
Last week's tech roundup featured iPhone 6 clones, an all-in-one sleep tracker, Xbox One updates, and other cool gadgets. This week, there's a lot more to show off, and a bunch of stuff that I need to get my hands on! Everything from app updates to putting stickers on your favorite items, I can't help but squeal at how much the "future" is right now.
EzeeCube: The Small & Stackable Media Box
Finally! A media box that gives you everything you want, in one tiny package. The EzeeCube will allow you to view your pictures and videos while staying organized at the same time.
News: Squishy Skin-Like Material Created for Transforming Robots
Say goodbye to the age of metal robots—C-3PO and K9 are a thing of the (future) past! Anette Hosoi, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mathematics at MIT, and her former graduate student Nadia Cheng, have created a robotic material closely resembling human skin.
News: BloomSky Is Your Personal Backyard Weather Reporter
If you live in a small town, weather apps can be unreliable. Before moving to Los Angeles, I always had to add or subtract five degrees or so from what my weather app said because I couldn't trust it. With the help of BloomSky, you will be able to get an accurate weather reading directly from your backyard.