Switched http://www.switched.com Switched http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.switched.com/media/feedlogo.gif Switched http://www.switched.com prods@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Producers) support@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Web Support) en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. View our terms of service here: http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/ Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ <![CDATA[Twitter Now Asks, "What's Happening?"]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/20/twitter-now-asks-whats-happening/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/20/twitter-now-asks-whats-happening/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/20/twitter-now-asks-whats-happening/#comments
What's in a question? Twitter has long asked its users, "What are you doing?" This, of course, gave rise to the ubiquity of the status update, as people took Twitter's inquiry so literally that they would write about the most banal goings on -- from buying coffee to using the bathroom. But as Twitter's user base has grown exponentially, so have the style and content of tweets. Of late, substantive Twitter missives have become de rigeur, as tweets have chronicled the contested Iranian presidential election and disseminated other breaking news.

As such, Twitter decided yesterday to modify "What are you doing?" to the more appropriate "What's happening?" in order to reflect the open model of communication that tweeting now allows. Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter, wrote on the company's blog, "People, organizations, and businesses quickly began leveraging the open nature of the network to share anything they wanted, completely ignoring the original question, seemingly on a quest to both ask and answer a different, more immediate question."

Continue reading Twitter Now Asks, "What's Happening?"

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Twitter Now Asks, "What's Happening?" originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> linguisticssocialnetworkingtwitterwhats happeningWhatsHappening switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:10:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Best of the Rest: Paint With Kitties on iPhone App, Billy Mays Utility]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/19/best-of-the-rest-paint-with-kitties-on-iphone-app-billy-mays-u/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/19/best-of-the-rest-paint-with-kitties-on-iphone-app-billy-mays-u/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/19/best-of-the-rest-paint-with-kitties-on-iphone-app-billy-mays-u/#comments
There's a load of great tech news happening out there every day, and, unfortunately, we just can't cover it all. Here are a few of the other noteworthy things we saw today on our never-ending journey through the wild, wild Web.
  • Are your photos lacking that feline flare? Now, there's a cat for that. (We didn't want to pun, but we had to.) The CatPaint app adds furry feline friends to iPhone images for hours of fantastic, fur-filled LOLing. [From: Gizmodo]
  • You can now channel the late infomercial king Billy Mays WITH THE BILLY MAYS CAPS LOCK APP! ORDER NOW! [From: DownloadSquad]
  • Pulleys? Check. Scrap wood? Check. Design-oriented hipsters? Check. And now you have all the makings for an awesome Mobile Office. [From: Design Milk]
  • Aliens, dead people, and other phantasmagoria abound in The Art of Tim Burton, a companion book for the goth director's new retrospective at MoMA (we saw a preview of the show, and it is amazing). [From: Wired]
Got a tip? Want to talk to us? In need of more choice links like these? Drop us a line on Twitter and check out our new Tumblr blog.

Best of the Rest: Paint With Kitties on iPhone App, Billy Mays Utility originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> bestoftheresttop switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:10:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[App Could Aid Migrant (and Illegal) Workers Crossing the U.S. Border]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/19/new-app-could-aid-migrant-and-illegal-workers-crossing-the-u-s/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/19/new-app-could-aid-migrant-and-illegal-workers-crossing-the-u-s/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/19/new-app-could-aid-migrant-and-illegal-workers-crossing-the-u-s/#comments Cell phones -- and for that matter, app-enabled smartphones -- have typically been aimed at the middle class, containing software designed to help balance meeting agendas, check a flight's status, and the like. But what about the potential for cell phone apps to help a notoriously under-served section of the population?

Well, there's an app for that. The 'Transborder Immigrant Tool,' which is currently in development, aims to aid illegal immigrants crossing the border from Mexico into the U.S. This month, the app's creator Ricardo Dominguez, who works in the Visual Arts department at the University of California - San Diego, did a long interview with Vice Magazine, in which he spelled out the purpose of this potentially illegal software and the probable public anger it will cause:
"I would imagine [anti-immigration militias] won't be too happy with us, but again we're not trying to hide. It's a safety tool. It's not trying to resolve the political anxieties of these communities or resolve the inadequacies of a fictional border for a so-called free-trade community. Again, our position is that it's not a political resolution; it's a safety tool. That, at the core, is what we're attempting to do."
Using the cheapest cell phones possible (specifically the under-$30 Motorola i455, which comes with a GPS applet), Dominguez and his team were able to create a hack that added navigation functionality and the ability to locate water and highways. Although the app is still only in the alpha phase of development, Dominguez hopes to roll it out soon.

Read the whole interview for more information, and be sure to leave your thoughts on this in the comments section. [From: Vice Magazine, via: BoingBoing]

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App Could Aid Migrant (and Illegal) Workers Crossing the U.S. Border originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> appsborder crossingBorderCrossingillegal appsillegal immigrationIllegalAppsIllegalImmigrationmexicotop switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:25:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Robolamps Offer Creepy, Artsy Alternative to Nightlights]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/18/robolamps-offer-creepy-artsy-alternative-to-nightlights/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/18/robolamps-offer-creepy-artsy-alternative-to-nightlights/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/18/robolamps-offer-creepy-artsy-alternative-to-nightlights/#comments
Croatian artist Robert Matysiak loves robots and design. So much so, for the past two years, he has been working on a series he calls Robolamps, and he's now trying to bring his creations to a wider audience.

Made from plumbing parts, the lamps look both quirky and menacing, and -- to us, at least -- seem like a bit of a throwback to some of those broken droids hawked by the Jawas in 'A New Hope.' To add to that sense of individuality, Matysiak has given each of the designs names like "Augusta" and "Dunk." Check out pictures of all the little bots on Matysiak's Facebook page.

Continue reading Robolamps Offer Creepy, Artsy Alternative to Nightlights

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Robolamps Offer Creepy, Artsy Alternative to Nightlights originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> croatiadesigngeek chicGeekChichomelightingrobolampsrobot switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Mac-Like 'White' iBong Lets You Smoke Wiid, H00k4h]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/18/mac-like-white-ibong-lets-you-smoke-wiid-h00k4h/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/18/mac-like-white-ibong-lets-you-smoke-wiid-h00k4h/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/18/mac-like-white-ibong-lets-you-smoke-wiid-h00k4h/#comments If you're a fan of smoking (and hey, who isn't these days?), look no further than this beautiful pipe du jour. The slim and sleek water-based smoking device is known simply as White, and was created by Lebanese outfit Tribudesign. As in the Lebanese custom, the pipe is intended to be used with argilah, or tobacco meant for a hookah. But unlike the ornate, genie bottle-shaped water pipes seen in head shops and bars across the U.S., White is made from stainless steel, acrylic, and leather for a more streamlined and hygienic smoking experience. It will be distributed by the French haute smoking company Airdiem.

Most fascinating about this design-y water pipe is the striking resemblance it bears to the Apple product family. And while marijuana is illegal in Lebanon, which has a strong tobacco tradition, we can see some American and Dutch consumers turning their bleary eyes toward the White with other *cough* ideas.

Continue reading Mac-Like 'White' iBong Lets You Smoke Wiid, H00k4h

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Mac-Like 'White' iBong Lets You Smoke Wiid, H00k4h originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> bongdesignhookahlebanonmarijuanatobaccotop switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST Switched <![CDATA['Power Aware' Power Strip Glows With Your Energy Use]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/18/power-aware-power-strip-glows-with-your-energy-use/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/18/power-aware-power-strip-glows-with-your-energy-use/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/18/power-aware-power-strip-glows-with-your-energy-use/#comments The Power Aware Cord is a power strip in the nude. Rather than visually shielding the complex transfer of energy contained in the cord, the Power Aware Cord glows and pulses in varying rhythms, depending on your energy consumption. As a visual reminder of your electrical use, the Power Aware Cord reminds us to shut off or shut down those energy-sucking appliances that continue to siphon current from our sockets even while dormant.

We love this novelty's eco angle, and the ambient light the cord produces is so pretty. We have only two questions: Don't most people use power strips for devices (like Wi-Fi routers and DVRs) that aren't supposed to be unplugged every time you go to bed? And do the cord's lights actually require more energy than a standard cord? We wonder if that wouldn't defeat the purpose. [From: Static!, via: Unplgged]

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'Power Aware' Power Strip Glows With Your Energy Use originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> designenergyenergy conservationEnergyConservationgreenpower aware cordpower stripPowerAwareCordPowerStriptop switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:24:00 EST Switched <![CDATA['Print After Party' Celebrates Death of Print in Old Newspaper Boxes]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/17/print-after-party-celebrates-death-of-print-in-old-newspaper-b/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/17/print-after-party-celebrates-death-of-print-in-old-newspaper-b/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/17/print-after-party-celebrates-death-of-print-in-old-newspaper-b/#comments "The Death of Print." We remember a few years back when this phrase just signified some impending yet inconceivable nightmare, like Y2K or 2012. Now, of course, we live in a world where newspapers are shrinking from sight, and Roland Emmerich rakes in $65 million in one weekend by peddling more visions of the apocalypse. For those of us who have worked in print, or have colleagues who still do, these are sad, sad times.

With that in mind, artists Jason Eppink and Posterchild (known for his 'Mario' question mark blocks) have collaborated with 'Print After Party,' a series of pranksterish, unauthorized installations inside abandoned newspaper boxes. With the aid of mini disco balls, blaring radios, flashing LEDs, and cut-out silhouettes of post-print revelers, Eppink and Posterchild transformed these banal but comforting street totems into tiny raves, astonishing passersby. (Check out the video after the break.)

Continue reading 'Print After Party' Celebrates Death of Print in Old Newspaper Boxes

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'Print After Party' Celebrates Death of Print in Old Newspaper Boxes originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> artdeathofprintjournalismnewspapertop switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Video Game Papercraft: The New Nerdy Hobby]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/17/video-game-papercraft-the-new-nerdy-hobby/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/17/video-game-papercraft-the-new-nerdy-hobby/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/17/video-game-papercraft-the-new-nerdy-hobby/#comments A few weeks back, we were intrigued by The Toy Zone's roundup of 25 video games that had been recreated as paper dioramas. Needless to say, we wanted more. Using our rigorous investigative journalism techniques, we trudged through the Internet and soon stumbled upon Nintendo Papercrafts, a site devoted to DIY paper projects featuring classic NES characters.

This is a thing that people do? Amazing! It represents an entirely new shade of geekiness, combining the nerd-tastic hobbies of gaming, modeling, and handicrafting. And we can't wait to try it ourselves, since all of the models on Nintendo Papercrafts offer downloadable .zip files of the requisite patterns. All you have to do is print, cut, and glue your way to your own 'Duck Hunt' diorama. The Switched offices will soon be overrun with these things, much as they are already with Tribbles. [From: The Toy Zone and Nintendo Papercrafts]

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Video Game Papercraft: The New Nerdy Hobby originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> artcraftsDIYhandmadehggnintendopaper craftpapercrafttopvideogames switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:30:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Gift Guide: NoPoPo Eco Water-Powered Flashlight Set]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/14/gift-guide-nopopo-eco-water-powered-flashlight-set/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/14/gift-guide-nopopo-eco-water-powered-flashlight-set/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/14/gift-guide-nopopo-eco-water-powered-flashlight-set/#comments
NoPoPo Eco Water-Powered Flashlight Set (Gadget Head, Under $100)

Both eco-conscious and smartly-designed, the NoPoPo Eco Water-Powered Flashlight ($55) is a must-have for the gadget fiend. By sliding the cover, the unit works as both a regular flashlight and a unidirectional lantern. But what's most interesting about the flashlight are the NoPoPo batteries, which run on liquid (apparently they'll work with beer or urine when you're in a pinch, but we suggest sticking to water if you're flush) and a mixture of magnesium and carbon. Simply suck up the liquid in question with an included pipette and inject it into the batteries, which carry the same charge as regular AAs. Although the batteries can only be recharged an average of three times, the charge lasts for 10 years. Now, that's sustainable.

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Gift Guide: NoPoPo Eco Water-Powered Flashlight Set originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> hgghgg-100hgg-gadgethead switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:19:00 EST Switched <![CDATA['Temporary' Site Deletes Part of Itself Every Time Someone Visits]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/13/temporary-site-deletes-part-of-itself-every-time-someone-visit/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/13/temporary-site-deletes-part-of-itself-every-time-someone-visit/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/13/temporary-site-deletes-part-of-itself-every-time-someone-visit/#comments
Artist Zach Gage's newest project 'Temporary' questions the infinite life of data on the Internet. As sites are cached and stored and shared between servers, they leave an indelible trace -- revealing a fascinating moment in human history when we've created something that, to all appearances, will never deteriorate. Gage's site deletes part of its own code with each page view, eventually resulting in a completely blank piece of HTML. User interaction destroys the work.

While plenty of analog art is concerned with ephemerality, and most art necessarily deteriorates over time as a condition of its exhibition, 'Temporary' decomposes as a result of the user interaction that is inseparable from its exhibition. It's probably most similar to the work of Félix González Torres, who created huge piles of candies that visitors were supposed to take with them, symbolizing the decay wrought by AIDS.

That being said, don't expect the site to provide some interactive, Esquire-style augmented reality spectacle. 'Temporary' is about high concept, and visiting it only functions to participate in a quietly devolving work. Still, it's fascinating. We haven't seen much other digital evanescent art, but we hope to see more. Check it out before it's gone. [From Temporary.cc, via Urlesque]

Continue reading 'Temporary' Site Deletes Part of Itself Every Time Someone Visits

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'Temporary' Site Deletes Part of Itself Every Time Someone Visits originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> artephemeraltopweb artWebArt switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:22:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Google Now Offering Searchable World Bank Database]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/12/google-now-offering-searchable-world-bank-database/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/12/google-now-offering-searchable-world-bank-database/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/12/google-now-offering-searchable-world-bank-database/#comments
Statistics nerds, rejoice! The World Bank, the institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital projects, released an application programming interface (API) for its wealth of statistics shortly after Google introduced searchable public data back in April. Now, the two have married their strengths and brought searchable World Bank data to Google.

Google Search now has access to 17 world development indicators, including life expectancy, military spending as percentage of GDP, and energy use per capita. (Follow the source link to find the complete list of available indicators.) We've already had some fun by checking out who in the world has a higher percentage of Internet use than the U.S. The fact that the always progressive Denmark, Switzerland, and Netherlands bested the America's 72-percent doesn't come as much of a surprise -- but the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda's 76-percent rate of use did throw us for a loop. Scroll over the country names in the chart above to see their individual statistics.

Unfortunately, there's currently no way to overlay different indicators' data points on the same chart (if you want to see fertility rates compared to CO2 emissions per capita, for example), but that can't be too far out. The ease of accessing and displaying this information really ratchets up the case for the Internet as a place of learning rather than polemical disinformation. As Google's blog notes, the purpose of incorporating the World Banks' data into searches is "to encourage debate based on fact rather than intuition." We can get behind that. [From: The Official Google Blog]

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Google Now Offering Searchable World Bank Database originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> datagoogleinternet useInternetUsesearchstatisticstopworld bankWorldBank switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:25:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Spica Speakers Combine Water, Light, and Sound]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/12/spica-speakers-combine-water-light-and-sound/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/12/spica-speakers-combine-water-light-and-sound/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/12/spica-speakers-combine-water-light-and-sound/#comments
We've always been told that water and electricity don't play nice together, but designer Yuki Yamamoto has come up with a beautifully novel, and harmonious, collaboration between the two. Presented at this year's Design Tide Tokyo show, Spica is a relatively simple concept. From what we can tell, water and light are married within a tall glass container, with the speaker below. The reverberations from your music spur the back-lit water to pop and dance along.

Since our Japanese translator is off today, we sadly can't give you any tech specs. We can direct you to the video, which we're posting after the break, but it might only frustrate you, as we're guessing the Spica won't hit the market anytime soon. Still, we've already decided on the first (obvious) music selection we'll play through the device. [From: Designboom]

Continue reading Spica Speakers Combine Water, Light, and Sound

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Spica Speakers Combine Water, Light, and Sound originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> designdesign tide tokyoDesignTideTokyospeakersspicawater switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:10:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Lady Gaga Pimps Her Own Earbuds in New Music Video]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/11/lady-gaga-pimps-her-own-earbuds-in-new-music-video/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/11/lady-gaga-pimps-her-own-earbuds-in-new-music-video/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/11/lady-gaga-pimps-her-own-earbuds-in-new-music-video/#comments
We don't want to give Lady Gaga any more hype than what she already amasses on a daily basis, but her new commercial video for "Bad Romance" positively deserves comment. Besides googly anime eyes, white vinyl body suits, razor blade sunglasses, 'True Blood'-inspired travel coffins, and a whole lot of fire, "Bad Romance" features a staggering number of gadget product placements, including the Beats by Dre laptop, Parrot by Starck's iPod speakers, and -- of course -- Lady Gaga's own Heartbeats headphones.

While "Bad Romance" lacks the narrative and awesome wheelchair/pop-and-lock dance sequence of the fantastical, Jonas Akerlund-directed "Paparazzi," it's still a delicious piece of eye candy. What's more, Lady Gaga wears at least one of the outfits and three pairs of the crazy shoes presented in Alexander McQueen's alien-inspired Spring 2010 ready-to-wear show. The pièce de résistance, though, is the bear-skin dress with a bear-head train she dons toward the end. Please watch the video after the break and revel in this ridiculousness. [From: YouTube]

Continue reading Lady Gaga Pimps Her Own Earbuds in New Music Video

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Lady Gaga Pimps Her Own Earbuds in New Music Video originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> heartbeatsbyladygagalady gagaLadyGagamusic videoMusicVideoproduct placementProductPlacementtopweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:40:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[The Daily Engadget: Project Natal Rumors, Laser-Guided Robot Wheelchairs]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/11/the-daily-engadget-project-natal-rumors-laser-guided-wheelchai/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/11/the-daily-engadget-project-natal-rumors-laser-guided-wheelchai/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/11/the-daily-engadget-project-natal-rumors-laser-guided-wheelchai/#comments
Our friends over at Engadget obsessively cover everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics, which is why we compile this daily roundup of their top stuff (or, at least, what we think is tops). For more details on any of these stories, click on the Engadget links in each story below.

Project Natal Launching November 2010?
Microsoft's highly anticipated motion-capture accessory for the XBox 360 is rumored to have a launch date of November 2010, and 14 games are supposedly ready for the debut. Price points seem to vary, but word is that it'll run under $100.

Laser-Guided Wheelchair Being Developed
After last year's buzz over the laser-guided, self-docking wheelchair developed at Lehigh University, the National Science Foundation bestowed a CAREER award on associate professor John Spletzer. He and his team are now revising the wheelchair by implementing 3-D maps and camera sensors to better navigate dense urban environments.

Continue reading The Daily Engadget: Project Natal Rumors, Laser-Guided Robot Wheelchairs

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The Daily Engadget: Project Natal Rumors, Laser-Guided Robot Wheelchairs originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> thedailyengadgettop switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:15:00 EST Switched <![CDATA['Rent The Runway' Offers Couture on Loan and Online]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/10/rent-the-runway-offers-couture-on-loan-and-online/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/10/rent-the-runway-offers-couture-on-loan-and-online/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/10/rent-the-runway-offers-couture-on-loan-and-online/#comments So you randomly get an invite, let's say, to the annual Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. All of the taste-makers and most fashionable will be in attendance, including Queen Anna Wintour, herself. The problem: you make a mere $28K a year and your hottest ensemble comes straight from the clearance rack at Zara. What in the worst-dressed-list hell are you to do? (And, more importantly, how did you scam an invite?)

Internet entrepreneurship to the rescue. The week-old, members-only site Rent The Runway (RTR) offers a Netflix-style model of dress rental. (Devoted Switched readers will remember last month's post on the similar service ThredUp, also based on the Netflix model.) Designs by Diane von Furstenberg, Proenza Schouler, and even Project Runway's Christian Siriano are available on RTR, with price tags between $50 to $200 for four days. After choosing your frock, and reserving a rental date, you'll receive the dress in two different sizes ("just to be safe," according to the site).

Continue reading 'Rent The Runway' Offers Couture on Loan and Online

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'Rent The Runway' Offers Couture on Loan and Online originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> clothingdressfashiongeekchicrent the runwayrentalsRentTheRunwaytop switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:48:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Gift Guide: G-Robots G-Dog]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/10/gift-guide-g-robots-g-dog/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/10/gift-guide-g-robots-g-dog/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/10/gift-guide-g-robots-g-dog/#comments
G-Robots G-Dog (Gadget Head, Under $1,000)

For the robot enthusiast, the nonpareil G-Dog by G-Robots ($949.99) satisfies both the creative brain (you have to build it from the included parts) and gadget obsession. The fully-functional robot comes programmed with 17 actions -- like walk, kick, hand stand, and even "go potty" -- but the user can play with the G-Dog motion editor software to fine-tune those movements. A wireless remote controller, looking much like a PlayStation 3 controller, tops off the hardware. All in all, with an average two-hour build time, the G-Dog is easy to assemble and endless fun to use. And since G-Dog lacks the creepy verisimilitude of Ropid and other recent humanoid droids, it doesn't cause us any concern that it'll kill your loved ones in their sleep.

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Gift Guide: G-Robots G-Dog originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> g-dogg-robotshgghgg-1000hgg-gadgetheadrobots switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:25:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[French Prez Sarkozy Revises History With Berlin Wall Facebook Pic]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/09/french-prez-sarkozy-revises-history-with-berlin-wall-facebook-pi/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/09/french-prez-sarkozy-revises-history-with-berlin-wall-facebook-pi/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/09/french-prez-sarkozy-revises-history-with-berlin-wall-facebook-pi/#comments French President Nicolas Sarkozy, known for his fastidious management of his own public image, may have posted a bit of historical fib on his Facebook profile. Earlier today, Sarkozy uploaded a photo of himself with Alain Juppé, former Prime Minister under Jacques Chirac, chipping away at the Berlin Wall with a pickax, exactly 20 years ago. He claims that (excuse our poor translation from the French) he left Paris for Berlin on the morning of November 9th, 1989, hearing reports that something was afoot in the blocs.

But at that time, Sarkozy was mayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine and the assistant general secretary for the right-wing political party RPR. Thus, his whereabouts are well-documented. According to council reports, Sarkozy was in Paris at a celebration marking the 19th anniversary of Charles de Gaulle's passing. Alain Juppé, himself, remarked today that he did not even arrive in Berlin until November 11th.

Continue reading French Prez Sarkozy Revises History With Berlin Wall Facebook Pic

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French Prez Sarkozy Revises History With Berlin Wall Facebook Pic originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> berlin wallberlin wall anniversaryBerlinWallBerlinWallAnniversaryfacebookfrancehistoryhoaxNicolas SarkozyNicolasSarkozypoliticssarkozytop switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:01:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[The Geekiest, Most (Adorable) Retro Wedding Invitation Ever]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/09/the-geekiest-most-adorable-retro-wedding-invitation-ever/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/09/the-geekiest-most-adorable-retro-wedding-invitation-ever/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/09/the-geekiest-most-adorable-retro-wedding-invitation-ever/#comments As soon as we saw this 8-bit piece of love, we had to pause our regular reportage of laser-etched fruit and robot fish to simply stop and gush like the Cute-Overload-reading, pre-teen, Japanese girls that we all carry inside of us. Really, how freakin' adorable is this?

Illustrator Carla Berrocal designed the wedding invitation for the Chilean computer scientist couple of Luis Diaz Santis and Magaly Guerrero Ramirez. Berrocal mixed freehand drawing and Photoshop to create a cute throwback to the glorious Atari-fueled '80s. We're especially in love with the little design quirks: "Insert Coin?" Check out the inside of the card after the break.

¡Felicidades, Luis y Magaly! [From: Carla Berrocal, via BuzzFeed]

Continue reading The Geekiest, Most (Adorable) Retro Wedding Invitation Ever

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The Geekiest, Most (Adorable) Retro Wedding Invitation Ever originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> 8bitatarigeek chicGeekChicphotoshoptopvideogamesweddingwedding invitationWeddingInvitation switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:41:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Quietube Provides a Portal for Censored Vids in the Middle East]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/08/quietube-provides-a-portal-for-censored-vids-in-the-middle-east/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/08/quietube-provides-a-portal-for-censored-vids-in-the-middle-east/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/08/quietube-provides-a-portal-for-censored-vids-in-the-middle-east/#comments
Back in March, James Bridle designed a bookmarklet called Quietube, a script that allows users to "watch web videos without the comments and crap." As a minimalist reversal of the hyper-glut that is YouTube, Quietube is a welcome departure from all the typical sidebar claptrap that we've grown to accept.

But Bridle has recently observed that Quietube, as an external proxy for viewing video, has an unexpected function: the ability to play material that may be otherwise censored on the host site by restrictive governments. Bridle wrote on his blog, "So it turns out, I think I accidentally created a YouTube proxy being used by tens of thousands of people in the Middle East." He noted that nearly 65-percent of his traffic in one week originated from Saudi Arabia, with Kuwait, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Egypt following in the top 10. The top videos were both religious and secular in nature, but the inbound links originated from private emails, suggesting that the videos were being shared by individuals.

After this summer's tumultuous Iranian presidential election, we saw the necessity of spreading information online, as images and accounts of the bloody protests in Tehran were transmitted via Twitter -- one of the few sites not blocked by the incumbent regime. We're not suggesting that Quietube will necessarily be the epicenter of the next Middle Eastern (attempted) revolution, but the point is that such a basic script allows thousands, if not millions, of people to join in information sharing. Bridle, who says that his script is easy enough for others to reproduce, remarks on his blog, "Information does indeed want to be free." [From: Book Two, via Clusterflock]

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Quietube Provides a Portal for Censored Vids in the Middle East originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> bookmarkletcensorshipmiddle eastMiddleEastquietubetopyoutube switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Analog and Digital Worlds Mingle at Bits 'n Pieces Exhibition]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/05/analog-and-digital-worlds-mingle-at-bits-n-pieces-exhibition/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/05/analog-and-digital-worlds-mingle-at-bits-n-pieces-exhibition/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/05/analog-and-digital-worlds-mingle-at-bits-n-pieces-exhibition/#comments
Material ConneXion, an innovative consultancy group that focuses on new materials for product, interior, and industrial applications, opened the Bits 'n Pieces show at its New York showroom last night. The exhibition features the work of a variety of designers, architects, computer scientists, and materials researchers, curated to highlight the interaction between analog designs and the latest digital technologies.

The show is open until December 4, so if you're in New York, be sure to stop by and check out the stunning works on display. Besides Bits 'n Pieces, Material ConneXion boasts an impressive physical library of truly innovative materials -- like light-diffusing concrete, for example.

Check out our favorite highlights of the show after the break.

Continue reading Analog and Digital Worlds Mingle at Bits 'n Pieces Exhibition

Analog and Digital Worlds Mingle at Bits 'n Pieces Exhibition originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> 3-Dprinting3Dprinteranalogartbitsnpieceseventsfeaturestop switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:37:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Gift Guide: Shift and Ctrl Key Lights]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/04/gift-guide-shift-and-ctrl-key-lights/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/04/gift-guide-shift-and-ctrl-key-lights/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/04/gift-guide-shift-and-ctrl-key-lights/#comments
Shift and Ctrl Key Lights (Style-o-Phile, Under $50)

An interesting piece of lighting has the ability to totally transform the ambience of a space, as well as bring other design elements into frame. The Shift and Ctrl Key Lights ($19.90 each) are an inexpensive, novel, and still touchingly geeky solution. The oversize keys come in both yellow and white (we like the cool minimalist look of the white) and are lit with energy-saving LEDs. Perfect for students, or even livening up an office or home workspace, these lights have just the right amount of whimsy without being overly gimmicky. The only downside is that Alt and Delete lights are not yet available to compliment Ctrl for the ultimate (end) task lamp.

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Gift Guide: Shift and Ctrl Key Lights originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> hgghgg-50hgg-style-o-philehouseholdledlights switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:22:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Gift Guide: Fitbit]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/04/gift-guide-fitbit/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/04/gift-guide-fitbit/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/04/gift-guide-fitbit/#comments
Fitbit (Sports Fan, Under $100)

For the more reluctant Sports Fan just getting into fitness, or even for the calorie-counting obsessive, look no further than this unobtrusive little gadget. The Fitbit ($99) is a small clip-shaped device outfitted with a three-dimensional motion-sensor that functions as a personal wellness indicator. With the device's ability to track calories burned, steps taken, and distance traveled, a Fitbit owner can take a graphical look at how long they spend moving versus being sedentary, and how their energy intake relates to their energy expenditure. Fitbit also attaches to the owner's wrist at night, and tracks restlessness and general sleep quality. (It also boasts a long battery life, and an elegant, minimal design.) All of this information is then uploaded with the Fitbit software, so the user has instant an overall picture of their daily health. While it's not designed to track calories burned while biking, the Fitbit is perfect for motivating and reinforcing healthy, active behaviors.

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Gift Guide: Fitbit originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> fitnesshealthhgghgg-100hgg-sportsfansports switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:14:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Will Apple Replace Your Cable Service?]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/02/rumor-mill-will-apple-replace-your-cable-service/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/02/rumor-mill-will-apple-replace-your-cable-service/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/02/rumor-mill-will-apple-replace-your-cable-service/#comments Rumor has it that, in a possible bid to continue its complete takeover of our lives, Apple might soon replace your digital cable box.
Apparently, Apple has been quietly shopping a pitch to TV networks, in which it will provide networks' content (in lieu of a cable provider like Comcast) for $30 per month.

According to these same rumors, the streaming subscription service wouldn't be grounded in specific hardware necessarily. In place of the one-note, unimpressive Apple TV (which, mind-bogglingly, is still Apple's only HDMI-connected device), shows would be bought and viewed through iTunes and its ever-popular iTunes Store.

Continue reading Will Apple Replace Your Cable Service?

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Will Apple Replace Your Cable Service? originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> applecablerumorsubscriptiontop switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:40:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Monstrous, Futuristic 'Creatures' by German Artist Matthias Männer]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/01/matthias-manners-monstrous-futuristic-art-creatures/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/01/matthias-manners-monstrous-futuristic-art-creatures/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/01/matthias-manners-monstrous-futuristic-art-creatures/#comments German artist Matthias Männer's angular, geometric installations are born of the refuse of the technological landscape. Using both hard lines and sinewy bundles of cables, Männer's sculptures evoke strange deep sea creatures from a dystopian future. His works embody the tension between both our organic and manufactured worlds -- at once malevolent in their scale and graceful in their form, his sculpture imagines a world in which the natural and cyborg battle, ultimately to become fused as one.

But, beyond that analysis, we also think these pieces are plain wicked cool. Who wouldn't want a design-y, massive tech-monster for their art collection? We'll see if we can get one for the Switched offices.

If you're in Munich next week, be sure to check out Männer's exhibition "ME.MACHINE," opening on November 5th at Dina 4 Projekte. [From: Yatzer, via FastCompany]

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Monstrous, Futuristic 'Creatures' by German Artist Matthias Männer originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> artcyborgmatthias mannerMatthiasMannermunichtop switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:04:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Guide Gift: Airboard Personal Hovercraft]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/01/guide-gift-airboard-personal-hovercraft/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/01/guide-gift-airboard-personal-hovercraft/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/01/guide-gift-airboard-personal-hovercraft/#comments
Airboard Personal Hovercraft (Sports Fan, Cost No Object)

Is someone you know the type of person who wants to geek-out and shame all the kids at the skate park at the same time? Enter the Airboard personal hovercraft by Arbortech, a gas-powered transport that floats nearly 8 inches over a hard surface at speeds of up to 15 miles-per-hour. By shifting their weight, 'drivers' can steer the Airboard into sliding turns and even make full 360-degree rotations. The Airboard can tackle concrete, ice, and mown grass. Unfortunately, this hovercraft isn't yet cleared for use over water, but who cares when it can literally glide through the air? At $14,000, the one-of-a-kind Airboard is guaranteed to satisfy any thrillseeker who is lucky enough to have you as their rich friend (or relative).

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Guide Gift: Airboard Personal Hovercraft originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> hgghgg-cnohgg-sportsfanoverthetopsportsweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:56:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Gift Guide: Ripple LED Coffee Table]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/11/01/gift-guide-ripple-led-coffee-table/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/01/gift-guide-ripple-led-coffee-table/ http://www.switched.com/2009/11/01/gift-guide-ripple-led-coffee-table/#comments
Ripple LED Coffee Table (Homebody, Under $2,500)

When you want to add both dynamic design and interactive gadgetry to a living space, look no further than this piece of futuristic furniture from sustainable-wares front Because We Can. The Ripple LED coffee table ($2,100), made from eco-friendly maple, alights based on motion sensors embedded in the table's surface. As folks move their hand or place a cocktail on the glass, a pattern of twinkling lights sweeps around and surrounds the object of motion. This Star Trek-meets-Conrans console comes in three sizes, but we say go for epic with the biggest. It's sure to be a hit at your homebody's next Windows 7 launch party.

Gift Guide: Ripple LED Coffee Table originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> coffeetablesdesignhgghgg-2500hgg-homebodyhouseholdledweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:37:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Designer Makes a Font Out of Bacteria]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/30/designer-makes-type-out-of-bacteria/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/30/designer-makes-type-out-of-bacteria/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/30/designer-makes-type-out-of-bacteria/#comments
Dutch designer Jelte van Abbema recently won the €10,000 (about $14,000) Rado Prize at the Dutch Design Awards for, among other work, his typography project Symbiosis. Van Abbema used living bacteria to form lettering by stamping the critters onto paper with letterpress type, and then set them in a home-made incubator. Their metastasis and ultimate demise created typographic forms that changed shape and color over time -- making posters, or letters, or what have you, that are in a constant state of flux.

Early 20th-century Surrealists like Joan Miró and more recent artists like Louise Bourgeois have used biomorphism -- the use of organic, biological shapes -- in their work. And while bio-art has shown an increasing presence in museum and gallery shows, we think this may be the first example of living typography.

Continue reading Designer Makes a Font Out of Bacteria

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Designer Makes a Font Out of Bacteria originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> bacteriabioartstoptypographyweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:23:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Walmart Begins Selling Caskets and Urns Online]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/29/walmart-begins-selling-caskets-and-urns-online/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/29/walmart-begins-selling-caskets-and-urns-online/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/29/walmart-begins-selling-caskets-and-urns-online/#comments Walmart, America's most sprawling and infamous retailer, is now attempting to corner the death market. The discount warehouse has recently launched a line of caskets and urns on its online store, Walmart.com. The caskets run anywhere from $895 to $3,199, but for the moderate price of $1,699, for instance, you can get the Executive Privilege casket for your business-class loved one. Although difficult to find via the menu navigation, the caskets are curiously listed under the 'For the Home' category. We'd hope that's not where they're going to stay.

Of course, planning your interment online is nothing new. Costco has long sold burial boxes, urns, pet urns, and funeral flower arrangements on its site. What's more, Costco even offers next-day delivery when you're really in a pinch. That said, can we compare the two retailers' funerary wares? Walmart allows you to pay for your casket over twelve months with no interest, while Costco's with-interest plan could, in this economy, put you in a financial hole along with an earthly one. Costco's price floor is a bit higher than Walmart's, but then again who couldn't justify paying a little extra for the blushing Kentucky Rose casket?

Continue reading Walmart Begins Selling Caskets and Urns Online

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Walmart Begins Selling Caskets and Urns Online originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> deathfuneralfunnyonline shoppingOnlineShoppingwalmartwalmart.comweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:25:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Winning Digital Designs Took Only 15 Minutes to Create]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/26/winning-digital-designs-took-only-15-minutes-to-create/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/26/winning-digital-designs-took-only-15-minutes-to-create/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/26/winning-digital-designs-took-only-15-minutes-to-create/#comments
Earlier this month, New York City hosted the Cut & Paste Global Championship, the culmination of a series of digital design competitions held around the world. Designers from 16 cities contended for the grand prizes in 2-D, 3-D, and motion design, in 15-minute battles pitting their creativity and skill against the clock. Switched photographer Matthew McMullen Smith was there, and managed to capture the frenzy of the event with his lens.

Los Angeles-based illustrator Janee Meadows took home the gold in 2-D design, as well as the opportunity to create a t-shirt exclusively for the 55DSL clothing line. Gabriel Smetzer, a motion designer from San Francisco, finished first in the 3-D competition. Though it didn't win, Jake Guttormsson's winning whimsical robot animation is a must-see, in the motion design category. They're all available for you to see in the slideshow below.

Gallery: Cut & Paste 2009

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Winning Digital Designs Took Only 15 Minutes to Create originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> 3dartcreativecut and paste 2009CutAndPaste2009eventsfeaturesgraphic designGraphicDesignmotion designMotionDesigntop switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:12:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Details and GQ Get Digital Makeovers as Print Ad Sales Shrink]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/21/details-and-gq-get-digital-makeovers-as-print-ad-sales-shrink/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/21/details-and-gq-get-digital-makeovers-as-print-ad-sales-shrink/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/21/details-and-gq-get-digital-makeovers-as-print-ad-sales-shrink/#comments As Barnes & Noble launches its Nook e-reader today, we are reminded of how the popular aversion to paper and, of course, the recession have taken a tighter and tighter death-grip on the print industry. After the closure of Condé Nast Portfolio and more recently, Gourmet, the Condé Nast magazine empire seems to be making a bigger leap into the digital arena in an effort to stay competitive. With dwindling print ad sales and plummeting subscriptions, nearly every Condé Nast publication has taken a hit. Since last year, men's fashion glossy 'Details' is down $14.4 million in ad sales, a 28.2-percent decrease, while 'GQ' is down $37.6 million, or 27-percent.

But now, both GQ and Details have dedicated sites away from the Men.Style.com umbrella (which now just redirects to GQ's homepage). And instead of just plugging subscriptions for the print versions (although there's still plenty of that), those sites feature daily content, taking a cue from print-meets-digital publications like New York Magazine.

Continue reading Details and GQ Get Digital Makeovers as Print Ad Sales Shrink

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Details and GQ Get Digital Makeovers as Print Ad Sales Shrink originally appeared on Switched on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> conde nastCondeNastdeath of printDeathOfPrintdetailsgqmagazinetop switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:35:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Artist Proposes Edible Cell Phones to Feed the World]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/17/artist-proposes-edible-cell-phones-to-feed-the-world/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/17/artist-proposes-edible-cell-phones-to-feed-the-world/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/17/artist-proposes-edible-cell-phones-to-feed-the-world/#comments In our contemporary 'Inconvenient Truth' culture, much of the industrialized world has become nearly obsessed with finding alternative solutions to the massive problems of fuel shortages, waste, and environmental pollution. Newer and wackier varieties of these alternatives spring up daily, like those biofuels made from e. coli bacteria and, gulp, bunnies.

Boo Chapple, an Australian artist concerned with environmentalism, has recently put forward a tongue-in-cheek response to the energy crisis: edible cell phones. Chapple writes in her new pamphlet 'Consumables' that by feeding impoverished nations with "cast-off" phones, we could render starvation an unpleasantness of the past:
In place of e-waste, there would now be e-food. There would be no more photo essay exposés of towns in China piled with PCB's, dusted in plastic and beset with birth defects.
Chapple isn't seriously suggesting that we'll be seeing edible phones in the near future, or even that we should. Instead, her absurdist idea points a mocking finger at frequently ridiculous solutions that cannot possibly take a bite out of the world's current level of consumption and waste. "Instead of upgrading your phone once a year," she writes on her site, "you could buy a new one once a week and know that you were contributing something to the world simply by wasting more." In the style of 'A Modest Proposal,' Chapple satirizes the situation; if consumer society refuses to consume less, then why not gorge ourselves even more? To drive the point home ever further, those phones look more like something out of 'Videodrome' (more dystopian visions of a cyborg future) than they do something you'd actually want to swallow. [From: Boo Chapple, via Fast Company]

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Artist Proposes Edible Cell Phones to Feed the World originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> artcell phoneCellPhoneedibleenergyfunnygreensatiretopweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Sat, 17 Oct 2009 17:01:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Company Makes iPhone Wallpaper From Your DNA]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/13/company-makes-iphone-wallpaper-from-your-dna/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/13/company-makes-iphone-wallpaper-from-your-dna/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/13/company-makes-iphone-wallpaper-from-your-dna/#comments Chromosomal artwork has steadily become more common over the past few years, and French company Helys is now offering customized DNA wallpaper for the iPhone. For a whopping $147, you'll receive a DNA sample kit in the mail, take a swab to your gums, and send the specimens back to the lab. Within three to five weeks, an email will arrive containing your 320-by-480-pixel DNA portrait at the low-res of 160 dpi, much to the jealous cooing of your fellow nerds.

As the geekiest of vanity items, will DNA portraits soon supplant the shopping mall glamor shot? There's something peculiar and slightly egocentric about wanting to display your genetic material for all to see. But then again, most DNA pretty much looks the same to those of us who are not biologists, and some glamor shots are more open to ridicule than others.

Continue reading Company Makes iPhone Wallpaper From Your DNA

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Company Makes iPhone Wallpaper From Your DNA originally appeared on Switched on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> dnageek chicGeekChichelysiphonetopwallpaperweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:19:00 EST Switched <![CDATA['Python' Amphibious Car Defines Decadence]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/12/python-amphibious-car-defines-decadence/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/12/python-amphibious-car-defines-decadence/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/12/python-amphibious-car-defines-decadence/#comments Recession? What recession? California-based company WaterCar has recently launched the Python, a sybaritic combination of hot rod and speed boat that costs upwards of $200,000. And for all those clams you won't be disappointed; as the fastest amphibious car on the market, the Python reaches speeds of up to 60 mph in the water (or 52 knots, for those of us more nautically inclined) and can top that speed on land in 4.5 seconds. That makes sense, considering that your Python's luxury innards are composed of a "state-of-the-art Dominator Jet, and the customer's choice of Corvette engine." Check out the video below to see the Python in action.

Richard Branson, eat your heart out. In 2004, the Virgin gazillionaire set the record for crossing the English Channel with an amphibious vehicle in his Gibbs Aquada, which only goes half as fast (but also costs about half as much) as the breakneck Python. But, seriously, we're definitely not thumbing our noses at any company that makes a 007-style car/boat -- we would love to do a test drive with either. Hint, hint. [From: Wired]

Continue reading 'Python' Amphibious Car Defines Decadence

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'Python' Amphibious Car Defines Decadence originally appeared on Switched on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> amphibious carAmphibiousCarboatrichard bransonRichardBransontop switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:28:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Sony Turns Icelandic Village Into Giant Speaker System]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/11/sony-turns-icelandic-village-into-giant-speaker-system/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/11/sony-turns-icelandic-village-into-giant-speaker-system/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/11/sony-turns-icelandic-village-into-giant-speaker-system/#comments
Soundville, the latest ad campaign from Sony, is less of a traditional commercial and more of an acoustic art experiment. Juan Cabral of London-based ad firm Fallon transformed the sleepy Icelandic village of Seydisfjordur into quite possibly the world's largest sound system, including, amidst what appear to be hundreds of tweeters (the speaker kind) and woofers, a 20-foot tower of speakers. For three days, nonstop music -- from dance to folk to ambient -- pulsated through the town as Cabral's film crew recorded the residents' reactions. Since the town has a population of only 400 in winter and almost no traffic, Cabral (who also helmed a beautiful Bravia bouncing ball spot) was able "to create a pure sound experience" that powerfully reverberates off the mountains and fjords.

The land of Björk and Sigur Rós (whose concert production company helped with the installation) continues to amaze us with its quirky sound experiments. Be sure to check out the Soundville video after the break, and take special notice of the sheep's expressions as they listen to music composed specifically for them by Cabral's brother Fede. [From: Creativity Online, via PSFK]

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Sony Turns Icelandic Village Into Giant Speaker System originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> audioicelandsonysoundvillespeakerstop switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:23:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[ThredUp: Netflix for Clothes-Swapping]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/09/thredup-brings-the-netflix-model-to-clothes-swapping/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/09/thredup-brings-the-netflix-model-to-clothes-swapping/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/09/thredup-brings-the-netflix-model-to-clothes-swapping/#comments
ThredUp, a new "peer-to-peer" clothing exchange site started by two Harvard Business School grads and another friend, adopts a model that's a little closer to Netflix than it is eBay. The idea is to take your unwanted threads, ship them off to the ThredUp warehouses, and then get something really awesome in return. Make a list of brands you like and the good folks at ThredUp will try to match you with other people's undesirable rags via your virtual closet. The only catch is that you must use prepaid ThredUp envelopes ($25 for three) to send in your old clothes.

The site doesn't use pictures and you don't know exactly what you'll be getting; it's more like a clothing lottery, which does sound like a whole lot of fun. But ThredUp also raises some questions. It asks for clothing in "like-new" condition, but also says that if you send in vintage items, you'll receive vintage items. Still, in the ThredUp FAQ, the company answers the completely reasonable question "Wait, I don't get to choose my exact item?" with the following examples: "When you go to a comedy at the movies - you hope it will be funny, but you can't be sure. When you order a steak - you hope it will be good, but you can't be sure."

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ThredUp: Netflix for Clothes-Swapping originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> clothingfashionp2pthreduptop switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:10:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[BMW Revives C1 Scooter in Electric Form]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/09/bmw-revives-c1-scooter-in-electric-form/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/09/bmw-revives-c1-scooter-in-electric-form/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/09/bmw-revives-c1-scooter-in-electric-form/#comments BMW has resurrected the epically failed C1 scooter as a one-off concept vehicle, equipping it with one substantial modification. It's electric. The original C1 never quite caught on, due in part to some confusing helmet and bike laws in both Sweden and the U.K., and perhaps also due to its motorcyle-meets-golf-cart aesthetic. Its new electric replacement, the C1E, is almost identical in design, with the same roll cage, windscreen, and seatbelt. The lithium ion-powered electric engine tops out at 62 mph, but can reach nearly 50 mph in seven seconds.

The purpose of the old C1 was to provide a safe alternative to cars in traffic-clogged cities. This time around, BMW has added environmental friendliness to the mix. Although the company claims this model will probably never see the market, it likely wouldn't sell much in the U.S. even if it were released to the masses. In its current design, it's looking a little more Segway than Vespa. [From: Wired]

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BMW Revives C1 Scooter in Electric Form originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> bmwelectric carElectricCargreenscootertop switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:18:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Bra Gas Mask Wins Ig Nobel Prize]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/03/bra-gas-mask-wins-ig-nobel-prize/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/03/bra-gas-mask-wins-ig-nobel-prize/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/03/bra-gas-mask-wins-ig-nobel-prize/#comments
The Nobel Prizes are always preceded by the Ig Nobel Prizes, which honor research that "makes people laugh and think." This year's Ig Nobel winners have turned tequila into diamonds, studied full versus empty beer-bottle-to-head injuries (turns out they both hurt), and even designed a bra that, during your average chemical warfare blitz, doubles as a pair of gas masks for you and a friend. Dr. Elena Bodnar, winner of the Public Health prize for her bustier-cum-breathing apparatus, demonstrated the effectiveness of her invention on two real Nobel laureates, who presented her award.

Nobel laureates wearing bras on their faces? Why didn't we get invited to this frat party? Bodnar shares her new (ig-)nobility with such dignified past winners as Kees Moeliker, who discovered the propensity for gay necrophilia in ducks, and Dr. Francis Fesmire, whose cure for hiccups involves the manipulation of your interior posterior.

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Bra Gas Mask Wins Ig Nobel Prize originally appeared on Switched on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 14:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> funnyhumorig nobel awardsIgNobelAwardsresearchtopweird switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Sat, 03 Oct 2009 14:13:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Fish-bots Could Lead to Safer Cars]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/02/fish-bots-experiment-for-safer-cars/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/02/fish-bots-experiment-for-safer-cars/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/02/fish-bots-experiment-for-safer-cars/#comments Engineers at Nissan Motor in Tokyo have developed robots that mimic the collision-avoiding behaviors of schools of fish, with the hope of one day incorporating the technology to make cars safer. The fat, adorable, quizzically Japanese-looking creatures roam in groups of seven and escape crashes by sharing information from laser range finders with one another via radio, allowing the group formation to change safely as they ride. Nissan will demo the fishbots at CEATEC next week.

We're not credentialed ichthyologists here at Switched, but those 'bots look and act like no fish we've ever seen. Apparently some fish do actually make sounds and have the ability to hear, but not by radio waves. And seriously: these robot fish have frickin' lasers!

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Fish-bots Could Lead to Safer Cars originally appeared on Switched on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 07:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> ceatec 2009Ceatec2009fishnissanrobotstokyotop switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Fri, 02 Oct 2009 07:34:00 EST Switched <![CDATA[Gift Guide: Intelligent Design Titanium Mouse]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/10/01/gift-guide-intelligent-design-titanium-mouse/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/01/gift-guide-intelligent-design-titanium-mouse/ http://www.switched.com/2009/10/01/gift-guide-intelligent-design-titanium-mouse/#comments
Intelligent Design Titanium Mouse (Style-o-Phile, under $2,500)

What do you get for the computer fiend who has everything? A diamond-encrusted motherboard, or a gilded monitor bezel? There's no need to be so flashy, but that doesn't mean you have to settle for generic crap, either. The Titanium Mouse by Intelligent Design (€800, or about $1,200) positively oozes class and minimalist cool. The body is made from high grade titanium and plastic resin, with a scroll wheel of neodymium. It'll run you quite a bit more than your standard pointing device -- about a thousand dollars more! -- but sometimes a plastic track ball just won't cut it. Unless you live in Holland, where the ID mouse was designed, you'll have to place your order directly through the Intelligent Design Web site.

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Gift Guide: Intelligent Design Titanium Mouse originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> blingdesigndutchdesignhgghgg-2500hgg-style-o-phileidmouseintelligentdesignluxurymicemousetitanium switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:19:00 EST Switched <![CDATA['Glowing' Stickers Illuminate Your Keyboard For Cheap]]> http://www.switched.com/2009/09/27/glowing-stickers-illuminate-your-keyboard-for-cheap/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/27/glowing-stickers-illuminate-your-keyboard-for-cheap/ http://www.switched.com/2009/09/27/glowing-stickers-illuminate-your-keyboard-for-cheap/#comments

According to legend, John Milton lost his sight while struggling to write the epic 'Paradise Lost' under incredibly dim candlelight. While it's more likely that he went totally blind nearly four years before he even put quill to parchment, nighttime typists take heed! Wacky gift-purveyor Baron Bob has a $10 solution in the form of glow-in-the-dark keyboard stickers, for those of us who couldn't afford to hop on the MacBook Pro bandwagon with its snazzy keyboard backlights.

While the ad copy says the stickers are reflective, it also claims that your keyboard "literally glows in the dark." We're not totally sure whether the stickers actually contain light-gulping phosphors like bona fide glow-in-the-dark items -- but for $10, does it really matter? As long as they prevent your midnight chat room rendezvous from being completely typo-ridden and blindness-inducing (well, there is that other urban legend to deal with...ahem), they sound like a win. As for poor Milton, were he still alive he might better benefit from Braille on his iPhone. Paradise Regained! [From Baron Bob, via Wired]

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'Glowing' Stickers Illuminate Your Keyboard For Cheap originally appeared on Switched on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 13:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> blindnesscheapglow in the darkGlowInTheDarkkeyboardstop switchedtips@gmail.com (Matthew Zuras) Sun, 27 Sep 2009 13:12:00 EST Switched