It's all about wearable tech in 2013 ... and we could see Apple releasing a "slap bracelet" featuring a flexible display. Who knows, there might be an annoucement of actual product at their WDC later this year.
"The patent application is for a "Bi-stable spring with flexible display". A patent application filed by Apple indicates that it certainly is working on a wearable device, but it will work much like a "slap bracelet." The patent application, discovered Thursday, was for a "Bi-stable spring with flexible display." It was filed in August 2011.
According to the application, the bi-stable spring would be made out of thin steel and wrapped in fabric covering, then heat-sealed. The display would be located on one side of the bracelet (overlaid with an adhesive) and the logic board and battery would be placed on the other side. Another idea shows that display mounted right to the bracelet and framed by a thicker fabric."
Startup company Wobbleworks want Kickstarter money to create their latest invention ... a $75 3Doodler 3D-printing pen. Sounds very intriguing ... I wonder what it can do for me ;)
"We're hoping you've got both hands firmly clutching your hat when we tell you that the 3Doodler, a 3D-printing pen from the crew over at Wobbleworks, is going to run a whopping $75 at launch -- and heck, if you get in early on the company's recently launched Kickstarter, you'll be able to snag one for $50.
Before we go any further, however, let's get some things out of the way. For starters, it's best to take the 3D printer thing with a grain or two of salt. Calling the 3Doodler a 3D pen is a bit like calling a high-end ink pen a 2D printer. The device is actually quite simple, but pretty brilliant. It essentially takes the heated extrusion head off a 3D printer and incorporates it into a standalone device."
"It exploded around 9:20 a.m. local Moscow time. A meteor exploded in the sky above Russia early Friday morning, shattering the glass of thousands of windows and leaving many citizens injured.
The meteor, estimated to be about 10 tons, entered the Earth's atmosphere traveling at 33,000 MPH and exploded around 9:20 a.m. local Moscow time. The explosion occurred over Russia's Urals region about 18-32 miles above the ground.
According to Chelyabinsk health chief Marina Moskvicheva, about 985 people in the city of Chelyabinsk alone required medical assistance. Approximately 110 of them have been hospitalized, and about 159 of the injured were children. This doesn't include other possibly injuries in other cities. The Emergency Ministry said 20,000 rescue workers have been mobilized."
After this near-miss incident ... there have been reports that local residents are searching the grounds near the explosion site for loose meteor rocks. According to a source, these little rocks could fetch upto $500 per kilo!
Press Release: McKinney introduces the world's first beer-dispensing arcade game
Durham, NC (February 12, 2013) - The McKinney Ten Percent, the ad agency's incubator that encourages all employees to devote 10% of their time to focus on new applications of creativity and technology unrelated to current client business, has found a way to breathe new life into both beer tasting and arcade gaming.
Created for Big Boss Brewing Company, Beercade is the first-ever beer-dispensing arcade game that takes the snore factor out of beer sampling. Instead of being served by a distracted bartender, wired beer rep or harried festival worker, beer lovers get to fight until the end for a sample of Big Boss' most popular beers.
Why pay in cash ... just use virtual money. People can now use Bitcoins to pay for pizza. Interestingly, one Bitcoin is worth about $26-30 USD.
"Pizza can now be bought using the bitcoin virtual currency. The Pizza for Coins service has been set up by two programmers as a way to boost use of the digital cash. The service acts as a middleman and converts bitcoins into US dollars that are used to pay for food. It charges a small fee to do the currency exchange.
Paying via bitcoins can also delay an order, warn the site owners, saying the conversion can mean pizza takes up to 80 minutes to be delivered.
While orders for pizza are placed on the Pizza for Coins site, once payment is made they are funnelled to the website of Domino's pizza to be made and delivered. Links to other pizza companies, such as Pizza Hut and Papa John, would be added soon, said programmers Matt Burkinshaw and Riley Alexander in an explanatory note on the site.
The site, which only works with US addresses, currently offers a limited range of pizzas and toppings. A medium pizza with two toppings costs about 0.71 bitcoins (£12)."
A great starter kit for young budding engineers ... learn, assemble and build your creations using littleBits and LEGO.
"The latest version of the platform, v0.3, debuted just a couple of months ago and not only brings new pieces to the littleBits universe, but also adds legs to the blocks for improved stability when piecing together your projects. Currently there are four kits available: the three piece Teaser kit for $29, the seven piece Holiday kit for $49, the 10 piece Starter kit for $89 and the 14 piece Extended kit for $149. (You can also buy individual Bits for between $10 and $35.)"
It's amazing what kids can get up to these days ... imagine if theycan put those skills into something more constructive.
"Children as young as 11 years old are writing malicious computer code to hack accounts on gaming sites and social networks, experts have said. A report from antivirus company AVG detailed evidence of programs written to "steal" virtual currency. In one case, researchers were able to reverse-engineer "amateur" code to reveal data about the identity of one child in Canada. The company said children must be educated on coding "rights and wrongs".
"As more schools are educating people for programming in this early stage, before they are adults and understand the impact of what they're doing, this will continue to grow." said Yuval Ben-Itzhak, chief technology officer at AVG.
... Most were written using basic coding languages such as Visual Basic and C#, and were written in a way that contain quite literal schoolboy errors that professional hackers were unlikely to make - many exposing the original source of the code.“
According to Vodafone, most people wouldn't really notice a difference between 3G and 4G. The CEO even referred that only "technofreaks" will be take advantage of 4G.
"He said normal, everyday people wouldn't notice a difference between 3G and 4G. Vodafone's CEO referred to 4G connectivity as a feature that only "technofreaks" are worried about. Vodafone CEO Vittorio Colao discussed how UK digital communications company EE's 4G network has impacted Vodafone's business in the UK during a media conference call earlier this week.
... According to Colao, customers wouldn't notice a difference between 3G data speeds using HSPA+ and 4G network speeds -- hence, 4G isn't a necessary network feature."
Now you can stop "BIG" brother and private investigators from identifying you, while you're on the street. Not very attractive to wear, but I'm sure they'll come up with with a LV or a Prada version soon!
"A pair of glasses dubbed a "privacy visor" has been developed to thwart hidden cameras using facial-recognition software. The prototype spectacles have been designed by scientists at Tokyo's National Institute of Informatics.
The glasses are equipped with a near-infrared light source, which confuses the software without affecting vision. Law enforcers, shops and social networks are increasingly using facial-recognition software.
Prof Isao Echizen said: "As a result of developments in facial recognition technology in Google images, Facebook et cetera and the popularisation of portable terminals that append photos with photographic information [geotags]... essential measures for preventing the invasion of privacy caused by photographs taken in secret and unintentional capture in camera images is now required."
