TrendDown

This Why Microsoft Productivity campaign is a very direct attack...

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:34:16 -0700

This Why Microsoft Productivity campaign is a very direct attack on Google.

This makes me think that Microsoft is getting pretty scared of Google Apps.

Googlighting (via Ryan Gill by Microsoft)

These augmented reality interaction areas will be in all retail...

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:52:22 -0700

These augmented reality interaction areas will be in all retail stores in the not so distant future.

“On the right side is a 70-inch high resolution color LCD that plays animations and advertisements in a loop. On the left side is a translucent panel that store customers can walk up to and see the store shelves through it. As a customer approaches, a tiny camera embedded in the top recognizes the person’s height and gender and can overlay information on the screen that appears as though it is pointing to items of the shelves behind. This “augmented reality” display may highlight clothing in the person’s size, for example, or items that are on sale.”

(via Intel Digital Signage | frog)

Awesome. Shepard Fairey released a line of mobile accessories -...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:13:56 -0700

Awesome. Shepard Fairey released a line of mobile accessories - no Obama 2012 art yet though.

(via Lori Burwash via Shepard Fairey Releases iPhone, Laptop Case And Backpack Line - DesignTAXI.com)

It’s a close race right now. So far Microsoft has the best...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:22:54 -0700

It’s a close race right now. So far Microsoft has the best working interface with Kinect, but Apple’s iTV seems to be an almost certain launch this year (according to Bloomberg).

Microsoft

“The Microsoft Xbox Kinect, a motion-sensing camera for the popular Xbox 360 video game console, has a built-in microphone and software to understand voice commands to search the Web using Microsoft’s Bing search engine, or to navigate between different video games and apps for streaming video such as Netflix and Hulu.”

“For months, Microsoft has been rumored to be building its Kinect motion and voice technology into TVs, so that an Xbox 360 and external device aren’t needed. At the CES, Microsoft demoed interactive episodes of Sesame Street in which viewers spoke to characters and relied on gestures, such as throwing imaginary coconuts, to interact with the likes of Grover and Elmo.”

Google

“Google’s Google TV software, available on set-top boxes and TVs from the likes of Sony, Samsung, LG and Vizio, includes a feature to search the Web using voice commands spoken into a Google TV app found on handsets running Google’s Android operating system or Apple’s iPhone.”

“On Sep. 29, 2011 — six days before Apple introduced the iPhone 4S with Siri, the voice-commanded personal assistant app — Google turned in a supplement to a May 19, 2011, filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that described technology that uses remote controls or handheld computers (smartphones and tablets) as an intermediary to tell a TV, by voice, to change the channel or even seek out specific programs.”

Apple

“Apple has been long rumored to be working on what has been unofficially dubbed the “iTV,” a television set of its own that could use the iPhone’s Siri technology to find TV shows or channels on demand.”

“In a biography of Jobs written by Walter Issacson and published shortly after Jobs’ death in October, Jobs said that he had figured out an approach to TV that he thought could disrupt the $100-billion television industry.”

(via Google, Microsoft, Apple and the race to a talking TV - latimes.com)

These are some amazing looking augmented reality games for the...

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:03:00 -0700

These are some amazing looking augmented reality games for the PlayStation Vita (on sale tomorrow).

PlayStation Vita - Augmented Reality (by GamerSpawn)

iPhpone App: Clear [iTunes - $0.99] This is one of the most...

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 10:30:07 -0700

iPhpone App: Clear [iTunes - $0.99]

This is one of the most intuitive (and fun) user interfaces that I have ever used. Simply brilliant.

“Clear is designed to help you manage your life without adding clutter. It’s a beautifully-designed, gesturally-driven app that we’ve created to improve on a pencil and notepad for flexibly keeping quick, simple todo lists.”

Clear for iPhone - Available Now! (by Realmac Software)

This shirt that can monitor your workouts looks a lot like the...

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:30:05 -0700

This shirt that can monitor your workouts looks a lot like the Apple patent that was filed not long ago. Wonder if they’re related of if they’ll get bought out?

“The device, called SQUID, could be used by athletes for physical training or by amateurs looking to optimize their time at the gym. It is made up of a compression athletic shirt with a number of sensors attached to it. These capture and translate electronic signals created by moving muscles into data and feeds it into the accompanying app and website. This data can be used to measure workouts and track a person’s progress over time.”

(via Smart Shirt Monitors Workouts And Tracks Your Progress @PSFK)

Photo

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:15:05 -0700

This is an extremely cool iPhone accessory/gaming-peripheral...

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:48:05 -0700

This is an extremely cool iPhone accessory/gaming-peripheral called the XAPPR Gun. Pre-orders are about $30 and they’ll ship by June 2012.

With Ubisoft’s real-world Battle Tag game already on the market, we might see quite a few more of these types of spacial devices.

“The Xappr and Micro-Xappr guns are currently on preorder, but will be available in the EU, Isreal, U.S., and Canada this June. Apps will be required to support it and while there’s only a handful right now, more should be coming soon.”

(via Xappr Gun turns your iPhone into an FPS dream machine! | iMore)

I am usually against buying digital clothing/items for avatars,...

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:30:05 -0700

I am usually against buying digital clothing/items for avatars, but this is pretty awesome. You can now pick up a Threadless tee for about 80 and 160 microsoft points aka $1 to $2 in real money.

“You can see the whole set here as more than a dozen classic tops from the site’s rich t-shirt past are available for male and female Avatars. That includes our beloved Technicolor Rex (which we immediately bought), Mister Mittens’ Big Adventure, and the Pac-Man inspired apparel Madness of Mission 6. By buying that last one, you’re one step closer to creating the perfect 360 recreation of Abed from Community, thus making your life complete.”

(via Threadless shirts bring hipster appeal to | GamesRadar)

This is a really interesting design to harness tidal power at a...

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:15:05 -0700

This is a really interesting design to harness tidal power at a very low cost.

“Over the years, scientists have come up with numerous ways to produce renewable energy, however cost has always been a huge barrier to the widespread adoption of clean tech – the economics are still in favor of fossil fuels. However UK-based alternative energy company Ecotricity believe all that is about to change – their new project, the SeaRaser, could solve two of the biggest challenges facing renewable energy by providing a steady source of energy at low-cost. Invented by Devon Energy engineer Alvin Smith, the SeaRaser harnesses the constant power of ocean swells to create electricity on demand.”

(via Ecotricity’s SeaRaser Tidal Power Generator Could be the World’s Cheapest Method Of Producing Electricity | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World)

It looks like Facebook has already removed this campaign, but...

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 14:47:06 -0700

It looks like Facebook has already removed this campaign, but this is an amazing use of the new timeline layout.

On the left of the timeline you see one year of “Adam Barak’s” life with drugs and on the right you see it without. Simply brilliant.

“In a creative social media campaign, media agency McCann Digital Israel has used the new Facebook Timeline design to advertise for the Israel Anti-Drug Authority. Utilizing the split-screen layout, they created a profile for a fictional man called Adam Barak and compared pictures of him side-by-side over the course of a year.”

(via Facebook Timeline Ads Show Your Clean Vs. Drug-Addicted Life @PSFK)

Pretty creative use of Instagram for Levi’s newest social...

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 13:31:05 -0700

Pretty creative use of Instagram for Levi’s newest social media campaign.

“Fashion brand Levi Strauss has launched a global casting effort for their upcoming print and broadcast production for the 2012 Brand Campaign and they are opening up the casting to everyone around the world via Instagram. They are asking people to upload their images on the photo sharing service with a special tag #iamlevis with the hope that they’ll be able to crowdsource the next talent to appear in their advertising.”

(via Levi’s Uses Instagram To Find Their Next Star @PSFK)

Full of awesome. “redditor SirCreate is making me hungry...

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:15:06 -0700

Full of awesome.

“redditor SirCreate is making me hungry with this excellent model of Stay Puft from The Ghostbusters out of modeling clay. The missing bite is a nice touch.”

(via Stay Puft S’More)

The final installment of the Mass Effect trilogy will be...

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 17:24:00 -0700

The final installment of the Mass Effect trilogy will be released on March 6th with a female heroine on the limited edition box. This is the first ever trailer to feature “FemShep,” the female version of the game’s hero, Commander Shepard.

This is a pretty big deal, because up until now only the male version of Commander Shepard had ever be portayed on the Mass Effect marketing materials.

To be honest, I don’t care who’s on the box. I’m just insanely excited for this game.

“BioWare and EA released the first-ever trailer featuring the “official” female version of Commander Shepard, chosen by fans in a kinda sorta controversial Facebook poll last fall.”

(via Why We Love Our Commander Shepard)

Neurologists have taught a computer how to read your mind and...

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:30:32 -0700

Neurologists have taught a computer how to read your mind and translate your thoughts into spoken word.

This is slightly more advanced than the EPOC neuroheadset or even the cat ears that react to your emotions.

“The brain activity of volunteers was recorded as they listened to words. These signals were then used to create computer algorithms that could translate brain activity back into audio. Next, the patients were played a collection of new words to see if the algorithms could pick out and repeat recognisable words. Among them were words such as “Waldo”, “structure”, “doubt” and “property”. The study is reported in PLoS Biology”

(via Thoughts translated into spoken words – video | Science | guardian.co.uk)

London’s new bomb proof WiFi enabled recycling bin with...

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:11:49 -0700

London’s new bomb proof WiFi enabled recycling bin with LCD display. Completely practical, and exceptionally awesome.

“In preparation for the 2012 Olympics, London will introduce 25 high-tech ‘smart bins’ placed around the city. These recycling bins will be embedded with an LCD display on each side and come integrated with Wi-Fi connectivity. The screens will constantly change to display different information, ranging from weather forecasts to stock prices.

In addition, these high-tech bins are also bomb-proof. At $1,880 each, they aren’t cheap compared to traditional outdoor recycling bins that are usually between $200-500. The smart bins won’t only be seen in London, but are also expected to be implemented in other metropolitan cities including New York, Singapore and Tokyo.”

(via London’s New Smart Recycling Bins Come With LCD Displays & Wi-Fi @PSFK)

There is some amazing recycled art in this roundup. (via...

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:03:24 -0700

There is some amazing recycled art in this roundup.

(via Recycled Art: 66 Masterpieces Made From Junks)

kateoplis: In 2005, Norway initiated a massive 15-year project...

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:52:30 -0700

kateoplis:

In 2005, Norway initiated a massive 15-year project to generate more tourism by hiring architects & designers to build routes and rest stops for the stunning Norwegian landscape. This is what the National Tourist Routes In Norway have achieved so far.

I’m really looking forward to the Hobbit movie this year....

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 14:45:05 -0700

I’m really looking forward to the Hobbit movie this year. (and I will be visiting this place - one day)

“The set for Hobbiton was constructed in 1998 after director Peter Jackson found the Alexander Family farm in an aerial search of the North Island of New Zealand looking for the ideal charming little village. The rolling countryside and the vegetation closely resembled that of J.R.R Tolkein’s description of Middle Earth and so the site was adapted to become Hobbiton, including the creation of 37 little hobbit houses tucked into the hillside.”

(via Lord of the Rings Hobbiton Transformed Into Town for Sheep | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World)