Tuesday, April 30, 2013

A is for Alpha...

'Man 2.0 Engineering the Alpha' is a no holds barred book for those that are seriously looking to redesign themselves. Not for the feint of heart or easily offended. Cost: 20 USD
Read more, including a sample chapter - via the HomeSite:

www.engineeringthealpha.com

Monday, April 29, 2013

A little to the left...

Scientists working at Vanderbilt University have built a simple application to locate the direction a gunshot came from. Without special equipment - multiple smartphones can pool their information and point to where the noise came from.
Read more about it via Vanderbilt:

news.vanderbilt.edu

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Stick it...

Hours of fun with 'The Furies' throwing knives - ruggedly handsome, the set of three are packaged in a leather roll. Cost: 415 CDN
Available from BaseCampX:

www.basecampx.com/edge/the-furies

Saturday, April 27, 2013

View finder...

Sony is releasing a new generation of electronic binoculars - the 'Dev 50V'. The digital binoculars are smaller, lighter, and more powerful than previous versions - and record in low light with high optical zoom capabilities. Cost: 2000 USD Available in the US next week, Europe in June.
Read more and watch a video demo via Decrypted Tech:

www.decryptedtech.com

Friday, April 26, 2013

It's an uphill climb...

Students in Switzerland are working on a snowboard that can climb back up the hill using a pair of Archimedes' screws.
Watch the experiments via YouTube:

youtu.be/wl7_CerNYuo

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Pumping station...

The 'WineStation' from Dacor lets you pick the perfect glass for the occasion. Replacing the air in open bottles with an argon mixture, open bottles can last up to 60 days without oxidizing. Digital controls allow for pouring options. Cost: 5,300 USD
Info via Dacor:

www.dacor.com

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

It's that simple...

Minimalist travelers will enjoy the 'Passport Sleeve Wallet' from Bellroy. Exactly what you'll need for the plane, right at your fingertips - passport, boarding pass, a couple of credit cards, and a micro pen for filling out forms. Cost: 100 USD available in black or tan.
More info, video and order via BellRoy:

bellroy.com/wallets/passport-sleeve-wallet

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Bright lights...

The 'NiteCore TM26' flashlight packs a crazy 3500 lumens into a quad LED body that's small enough to fit in your hand. Cost: 389 USD
Details and order via ThinkGeek:

www.thinkgeek.com

Monday, April 22, 2013

Heal thyself...

The US Airforce is just getting going with it's fifth generation jet fighters, but they're already making plans for the next. As the sixth generation specifics are going out to bid, one attribute raises an eyebrow: 'self healing'.
Read more about it via Airforce Technology:

www.airforce-technology.com

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Gun metal...

Fonderie 47 is on a mission - they're converting old AK47 rifles into stylish watches. For every 1,000 rifles melted down, they're producing an inversion principle tourbillion watch. Cost: TBD
More info via Fonderie 47:

fonderie47.com

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Gumshoe...

Cameras have gotten so inexpensive, they're virtually disposable. Case in point: 'The S9Q HD Gum Mini-Camera', a motion sensing USB attachable camera. Cost: 18 USD.
Available from Amazon:

www.amazon.com

Friday, April 19, 2013

Subtle cues...

With a simple hack, web cams can detect your heart-rate. Zeroing in on parts of the forehead, subtle changes in coloration due to blood flow can be measured.
Read more about it via BoingBoing:

boingboing.net/2013/04/16/detect-your-pulse-with-your-we.html
Actual code for download via GitHub:

github.com/thearn/webcam-pulse-detector

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Boxing, technically...

Enjoy the health benefits of boxing without the messy human interaction by using the 'Nexersys Boxing System'. The built in monitor, strike pads and built in accelerometer will keep pace of your progress. Cost: 3000 - 7000 USD, depending on model and features.
Read more about it via Nexersys:

nexersys.com http://nexersys.com/home-fitness-3/

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

The thrust of it...

Future spy planes may use a phenomena known as 'ionic wind' to push themselves along silently. A thruster using this tech could potentially yield a very high amount of energy, while remaining stealthy.
Read more about it via MIT:

web.mit.edu

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Slim jimmys...

Stat Key is now making a set of ultra thin 'Every Day Carry Multitools. The tools are made of military grade anticorrosive ceramics - so they'll last a lifetime. Cost: 70 - 110 USD.


www.statkey.com

Monday, April 15, 2013

Split the difference...

The hovercrafts designed by Air Rider have a bit of an advantage - the air cushion design. Rather than a solid, or loop bumper design - they use both, which gives the hovercraft a smoother ride.
Read more about it via Air Rider:

www.airriderhovercraft.com

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Conversation starter...

The gents at Top Gear have just published 'The Cool 500: The Coolest Cars Ever Made'. It's exactly what you think it is. Perfect for a coffee table book. Cost: 16 GBP
Available from Amazon:

www.amazon.co.uk/Top-Gear-Cool-coolest-cars/dp/1849901392

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Laser beats drone...

The US Navy is committed to having solid state lasers deployed on ships by next year. The 'LaWS' (Laser Weapons System) can destroy incoming missiles by super heating them. Follow the link below to watch an operational test - destroying a drone.
The LaWS operational test via YouTube:

youtu.be/OmoldX1wKYQ

Friday, April 12, 2013

Movin' on up...

The 'Tour Odeon' project is proceeding in Monaco - the luxury skyscraper will have many beautiful apartments, however the penthouse promises to be a jaw dropper. The multi-story Sky Penthouse will be 3,300 sq meters, with commanding views of the harbor, and lux amenities. It will also be a record 387 Million USD.
Details via the Tour Odeon site:

www.odeon.mc/#/home

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Fun-pak...

The 'T.A.S.K. Apocalypse Survival Kit' has all the basic you'd need in time of trouble. A battle axe, flashlight, water purifier, compass and much more - all contained in one handy pack. Cost: 199 USD
Read more about it via Lansky:

lansky.com/index.php/products/task-survival-kit/#1

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Perspective...

Perhaps one of the most interesting locations used in the 'Skyfall' movie was 'Battleship Island'. The island was a mining colony abandoned in 1974. Today, it sits empty as part of Japan. Sony used it recently to demonstrate it's RC filming technology.
Battleship Island presented by Sony, via YouTube:

youtu.be/73B5Dv0aNJM

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Someone could get hurt...

Urban wingsuit flying is dangerous - but Ludovic Woerth and Jokke Sommer have taken that to a whole new level. Follow the link and watch a rather risky 3 minutes in Rio.
Urban Wingsuit in Rio de Janeiro via YouTube:

youtu.be/GFmvMHPQ1k8

Monday, April 8, 2013

De-tangler...

Here's a simple and stylish way to get rid of some travel clutter - the 'Roll Up Travel Charger' is a leather wrap that contains 4 plugs for your various handheld devices. Cost: 49 USD
Available from Restoration Hardware:

www.restorationhardware.com

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Fire...

Seems there's a new flame thrower tank in the Russian arsenal. During recent attack simulations, an upgraded thermobaric rocket launcher was observed. The rocket release flammable gas when close to their target, then ignite the area. Nasty.
See the video and read more about it via the DangerRoom at Wired

www.wired.com

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Lyonheart'ed...

UPDATE: Fans of the classic Jaguar E type might be interested in the new Lyonheart K series. After early announcements - things had gone quiet for a while. Finally, delivery and pricing information is available. Production begins late 2013. Cost: 481,000 to 501,000 USD depending on model and options.
Read more about it via the Lyonheart site:

www.lyonheart.com

Friday, April 5, 2013

Ask the pro...

Whisky expert Dominic Roskrow has written the definitive 'The World's Best Whiskies - 750 Unmissable Drams from Tain to Tokyo'. A must for serious drinkers. Cost: 40 USD
Read a review via Whisky Intelligence:

www.whiskyintelligence.com

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Jet set...

Famed watchmakers Bell & Ross have announced three new watches in their 'Aviation Collection'. The limited edition watches are inspired by heading, airspeed, and climb indicators. Cost: TBA
Read more about them via WatchPro:

www.watchpro.com

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

A little night vision...

The tiny 'Cam CHOBi Pro3' is a toy-like camera that can take pictures and video in total darkness. Cost: 53 USD
Read more about it via Damn Geeky:

www.damngeeky.com

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Intruder alert...

A new system in development at Saarland University will detect intrusion via disturbances in the Earth's magnetic field. This is exactly the sort of thing that makes sneaking around very difficult.
Read more about it via a PDF download via Saarland:

www.uni-saarland.de

Monday, April 1, 2013

Going for a walk...

Inventor Matt Denton means something a little different than most when he talks about going for a walk. His two ton 'Mantis Hexapod' is controlled via a jet fighter styled pod.
Read more about it via the Mantis Robot site:

www.mantisrobot.com