365... Tech

Gajitz /////////////////////////////////////////// Earbuds Falling Out? Nip it in the Custom-Sized (Yur)bud Posted: 28 Jan 2010 01:00 PM PST http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Gajitz/~3/B0jhNNZvJz8/?utm_source=feed...      [ Filed under Gadgets or in the Audio & TV category ] Earbuds, were told, are wonderful things. Theyre much less clunky than   traditional headphones or earphones, making them easier all-around for   everyday use. But the problem is that weve never found a pair of earbuds   that dont fall out and/or cause major pain in the ears. And because they   dont fit the way theyre supposed to and theyre always falling out or   falling out of position, were forced to turn the volume way up. Those   problems may now be solved by these fascinating little earbud enhancers   called Yurbuds. Yurbuds are little silicon adapters that fit onto most types of earbuds and   Bluetooth headsets. Theyre designed to help the devices stay put in your   ears, even during vigorous physical activity. But they arent just   one-size-fits-all; after ordering a set of the enhancers, youre prompted to   take a picture of your ear with a reference item: either an Apple earbud or   a US quarter. _base_d on the relation of the reference item to your ear,   Yurbuds scanning software will determine what size your ear canal is. Then   you get a pair of the little gizmos that you just slip on over your   earbuds, and theyre just the right size for your particular ears. Not a bad   deal for $19.99.            Keep Going - Check out this Great Related Gajitz Article:              Pocket-Size Power: Potent Penny-Sized Nuclear Battery Always looking for better and more efficient ways to power our stuff,   researchers at the University of Missouri recently created the smallest,   most efficient nuclear battery ever. They chose to work with a radioisotope   battery rather than a chemical battery because the radioisotope battery   provides a drastically higher power density. Its secret lies in its liquid   semiconductor; solid semicondu...                                         Click Here to Read More      [ GoGoGajitz! - Filed under Gadgets or in the Audio & TV category ] /////////////////////////////////////////// There and Back Again: A Visual Guide to Every Mars Mission Posted: 28 Jan 2010 07:00 AM PST http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Gajitz/~3/bNPcvi0-RNQ/?utm_source=feed...      [ Filed under Space & Time or in the Science category ] Since the 1950s, humans have been sending spacecraft, animals and ourselves   into space in an effort to understand our universe. Not surprisingly, a lot   of our space exploration has involved checking out the other planets in our   solar system. Mars has been of particular interest, partially because its   so close, but lately because weve seen some evidence of life-supporting   potential there. Weve sent so many missions to Mars, in fact, that Bryan   Christie Design put together a beautiful infographic to help us keep track   of them all. (Click the picture below to see a full-size version.) Some of these missions have been successful, and some never reached their   destination. And although any space mission is still somewhat risky, weve   gotten considerably better at completing missions successfully. Just in the   last decade, the success rate has increased significantly. (It should be   noted that the Russian Phobos-Grunt expedition which was planned for 2009   has been delayed until 2011.) Future missions to the red planet will   continue to provide even more useful information about one of our closest   neighborsand maybe one day well get to see it for ourselves.            Keep Going - Check out this Great Related Gajitz Article:              High Times: The High-Res Camera Showing us Mars Face The landscapes of other planets have long been the source of fantasies and   speculation, but in the last few decades we've finally been able to get a   close-up view of the surfaces of alien worlds. NASA's Mars Reconnaissance   Orbiter (MRO) has been orbiting Mars since 2006, and on board is the High   Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera, or HiRISE. It takes   photographs of the fascinating la...                                         Click Here to Read More      [ GoGoGajitz! - Filed under Space & Time or in the Science category ]

Gajitz /////////////////////////////////////////// Caution, Exploding Machinery: 3 Artfully Exploded Cars Posted: 29 Jan 2010 01:00 PM PST http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Gajitz/~3/BT50ycKFT3Y/?utm_source=feed...      [ Filed under Transportation or in the Cars & Trucks category ] (image via: Avi Abrams) Whether youre a gearhead or a gadget junkie, theres something truly   appealing about seeing every last little piece of a car deconstructed and   laid out neatly. Automobiles are fascinating machines, with tons of tiny   pieces that do unexpected things, with each part serving a purpose. And   knowing that every functional part of a car is the result of a century of   hard work and refinement is kind of awe-inspiring. (image via: Prius Chat) These cars were carefully deconstructed and laid out for the sake of art.   Seeing every bit that makes a car tick is like taking a look inside a   secret world. Just like any other complex machine, cars are full of parts   both small and large that all work together to make the overall functions   go exactly the way they should  and its oddly poetic, in a mechanical sort   of way. (image via: Damian Ortega) These exploded views take an _object_ thats ever-present in our everyday   lives and give it an entirely new (to most of us) spin. This is truly art   for the geek heart. It kind of makes us wonder what everything else would   look like in detailed exploded view. Now where are our screwdrivers?            Keep Going - Check out this Great Related Gajitz Article:              Sing the Auto Electric: 4 Renault Zero Emission Cars by 2011 Car buyers in Europe will soon have four new swoon-worthy electric Renault   cars to green their driveways - and the rest of us are green with envy.   Renault announced their new fully electric line, called Renault ZE (zero   emission), at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show.The line consists of a tiny   two-person (one in front, one in back) urban car, a light commercial   vehicle designed for professional...                                         Click Here to Read More      [ GoGoGajitz! - Filed under Transportation or in the Cars & Trucks   category ] /////////////////////////////////////////// Curiously Simple: 4 Easy Hacks to Transform Old Altoids Tins Posted: 29 Jan 2010 07:00 AM PST http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Gajitz/~3/bhqOp5_HLhk/?utm_source=feed...      [ Filed under Technology or in the Do It Yourself category ] Ah, the ubiquitous Altoids tin. We love their curious mintiness, but we can   never figure out what to do with the empty tins when were done. They seem   far too cool to just toss into the recycling bin, but our stash is quickly   building up. Luckily, everyone else who loves Altoids has the same problem,   and many of them were smart enough to figure out what to do with those   tinsand kind enough to post instructions for the rest of us. This simple USB charger uses 4 AA batteries, an Altoids tin, and some   miscellaneous parts that will cost you about $30 altogether. And when youre   done, you can charge your USB device anywhere  just make sure you take some   spare, fully-charged AA batteries with you if youre going to be away from   outlets for a while. The instructions for making this Altoids tin bug robot are slightly more   complicated, but well worth the effort. Itll cost you around $10, and for   those experienced in putting electronics together it should take around 10   minutes. If youre tired of having to take your headphones off and stop your music to   answer phone calls, this hack is happy to hook you up with a solution. Its   a switcher box that lets you route your phones speaker to your headphones   when a call comes in, while a microphone lets you keep up your end of the   conversation. And the whole time, your music is still going in the other   ear. This one is probably best suited for the more advanced electronics   geeks out there. Finally, an Altoids tin project for beginners. Using a few simple parts   found in any friendly Radio Shack, you can turn that tin into a helpful   little flashlight.            Keep Going - Check out this Great Related Gajitz Article:              What Your Audio Can Do: Clever Super-Simple Speakers IPod speakers are generally very stylized and modern-looking, so it's   unusual to see one that goes for bare-bones, simplistic design. The Audio   Can speaker from designer Dean Brown is about as simple and non-stylized as   you can get: it uses a plain tin can to house a battery-powered speaker. Used individually or in a daisy-chained system, the can-clad speakers offer   a rather playful app...                                         Click Here to Read More      [ GoGoGajitz! - Filed under Technology or in the Do It Yourself   category ]

Gajitz /////////////////////////////////////////// On the Other Side of the Screen, It Looks Like a Light Cycle Posted: 30 Jan 2010 01:00 PM PST http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Gajitz/~3/gLBvON475EE/?utm_source=feed...      [ Filed under Transportation or in the Bikes & Cycles category ] The _title_, of course, refers to quote from the original Tron: On the other   side of the screen, it all looks so easy. For all of us who have been   drooling over the fantastic-looking trailer for the sequel, Tron Legacy,   heres something else to torture us for the remainder of the year until the   movie finally hits theaters. A life-size model of one of the light cycles   to be used in the movie was caught on camera recently, and it looks   absolutely wicked. It was made by toy manufacturer Spin Master, which has   the contract for the toys and action figures associated with the new Tron. We havent been this excited about a new movie vehicle since the Tumbler.   Sadly, Spin Master doesnt plan to sell this model. And unfortunately, we   probably wont see any real-world counterparts anytime soon. You will,   however, be able to buy toy versions of it closer to the movies release.We   know what we want for Christmas already.            Keep Going - Check out this Great Related Gajitz Article:              Yes, It Does Come in Black: Rad DIY Batmobile Tumbler When the average person sees a sweet fantasy car in a movie, we admire it,   maybe think about what it would feel like to drive it, but ultimately   realize it's just a movie. Not Bob Dullam, though - he went out and built   his dream car. That car just happened to be the Tumbler from Batman Begins. Dullam is a sculptor, and he knew that other people had built sports cars,   so he figured that ...                                         Click Here to Read More      [ GoGoGajitz! - Filed under Transportation or in the Bikes & Cycles   category ] /////////////////////////////////////////// Cut the Cord: Wireless, Wearable Mouse Prevents RSI Posted: 30 Jan 2010 07:00 AM PST http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Gajitz/~3/ba-teMPp-vY/?utm_source=feed...      [ Filed under Various Gizmos or in the Gadgets category ] The humble computer mouse is something that most of us use every day, but   few of us think about. Those of us who dont use the traditional mouse   usually use either a trackball or trackpad, both of which hold the hand in   an unnatural position, similar to how it would be held if you were using a   mouse. And its been this way since the mouse was introduced in the 80s, so   not many of us think about it. But the way we do computer mice might be set   to change for the better, and very soon. The AirMouse is set to be released within the next year for $129. And   besides looking super futuristic, it might actually help you avoid   repetitive stress injuries from constant mouse use. The wearable device   only works as a mouse when your hand is in a flat, neutral position, so it   encourages good hand posture and you can continue to wear the glove even   when youre typing. And because its wireless and can go up to a week between   charges, you wont be tethered to a cord. ...      [ GoGoGajitz! - Filed under Various Gizmos or in the Gadgets category ]

Gajitz /////////////////////////////////////////// Its About Time: Multifunctional Antique Pocket Sundials Posted: 31 Jan 2010 05:00 PM PST http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Gajitz/~3/qSk1kFQ6k90/?utm_source=feed...      [ Filed under Vintage & Retro or in the Antique Gadgets category ] Most of us tell time these days by looking at a watch strapped to a wrist   or by pulling a cell phone out of a pocket. But the timepieces from   centuries ago were much more interesting. The one above is from 16th   century Germany and now resides in the Beyer Watch and Clock Museum in   Zurich. Its a multifunctional piece that included a gunpowder flask,   compass and sundial. The rosewood flask is decorated with ornaments of   brass and bone, and at the top is the bone funnel used to insert the   gunpowder. Beneath the small lid in the center of the piece is a sundial; a   string gnomon is exposed by opening the lid and can tell the hours from 6   am to 6 pm. This gold-plated brass sundial was made in the same time period as the   above multifunctional pocket sundial, but its missing the compass that used   to be part of its design. It was excavated in 1997 at the former site of   the Mission de Santa Cruz San Saba in Texas. The mission was destroyed by   attacking Native Americans in 1758, but the sundial was made 177 years   prior, making it a valuable heirloom even then. Why it was left behind and   not taken as a prize is a mystery, but its lucky for us that the   fascinating gadget was left behind for future generations to admire and   study.            Keep Going - Check out this Great Related Gajitz Article:              Antique Watch + LEDs = Stunning Steampunk Pocket Watch We've seen plenty of new gadgets masquerading as old ones, but none of them   have achieved the feat quite as gracefully as this one. Paul Pounds took a   broken antique pocket watch, gutted it, and replaced the display with a   custom face and LEDs in place of the second, minute and hour hands. The result is a gorgeous timepiece that is functional and delightfully   retrofuturistic. A cell pho...                                         Click Here to Read More      [ GoGoGajitz! - Filed under Vintage & Retro or in the Antique Gadgets   category ] /////////////////////////////////////////// Strike of Genius: New Type of Lightning in Volcano Eruptions Posted: 31 Jan 2010 01:00 PM PST http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Gajitz/~3/jPYGGsz0z48/?utm_source=feed...      [ Filed under Science or in the Earth & Nature category ] Lighting is a fascinating natural force thats captivated our attention for   millennia. We thought scientists had a handle on how it all worked, but   nature still has a few surprises for us. Like when volcano seismologist   Steven McNutt and a team of colleagues recently discovered an entirely new   type of lightning. Intrigued by lightning that accompanied the 1992 Mt.   Spurr eruption, McNutt decided to study volcano-related lightning. He got   his chance in March of 2009 when Alaskas Mt. Redoubt erupted. The research team had to set up their Lightning Mapping Arrays some 50   miles from the volcano in order to have access to electricity and internet.   But their equipment  essentially old TV antennae tuned to pick up the   frequency lightning radiates from (channel 3, if youre wondering)  was   still able to detect the lightning occurring inside the volcanic ash plume   during the volcanos eruptions. What the team discovered was basically a new type of dry lightning. Dry   lightning forms from the same types of polarizing particles as thunderstorm   lightning, but requires no precipitation. What scientists dont quite   understand yet is how the ash plume of an erupting volcano becomes   electrified. Thats something that Steven McNutt and his colleagues  as well   as many other interested teams  hope to discover soon. In the meantime,   they say its clear that the lightning that accompanies a volcanic eruption   is a distinctive, previously-unnamed type that deserves much future   research.            Keep Going - Check out this Great Related Gajitz Article:              Massive Volcanic Eruption Seen From Space Station Volcanoes are a devastating force that can rip apart the land around them,   cover the surrounding area in ash, even temporarily block out the sun's   light. We've all probably seen pictures and videos of volcano eruptions,   but this image of Sarychev Peak on Matua Island erupting is even more   special. It was captured on June 12, 2009 by the International Space   Station, which just happened to be in...                                         Click Here to Read More      [ GoGoGajitz! - Filed under Science or in the Earth & Nature category ] /////////////////////////////////////////// More Than a Car: Driving, Lifting, Room-Extending Vehicle Posted: 31 Jan 2010 07:00 AM PST http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Gajitz/~3/Ev23qcX-IVw/?utm_source=feed...      [ Filed under Technology or in the Industrial Design category ] Automotive industrial designers have been getting quite creative with their   ideas in the last decade or so; many of them are tending toward alternative   energy vehicles, alternative propulsion systems, and even entirely alien   configurations for the interiors of the vehicles. But this futuristic   Peugeot concept from Roman Mistiuk combines all of those changes into one   radically different concept. Its a car, but its also an extension of an   urban apartment home. The Metromorph design aims to combat the lack of parking space in   densely-populated metropolitan areas. It functions just like a normal car   when on the streets, with motors in two of the body-concealed wheels. But   when the driver arrives at his apartment building, the car uses a track   system to transform into a vertical elevator that takes the driver to the   appropriate level of the building. The interior seats move and rotate as   the cars orientation changes from horizontal to vertical. The car then takes the driver and passenger directly to the dock on the   outside of the appropriate apartment, and then remains there as a sort of   balcony. If the driver needs to park in a traditional parking lot, the   scissor doors open in a sort of bug-wing pattern, above the cars body,   allowing the driver to park in very small spaces. While its a gorgeous and very forward-thinking design, we cant help but   wonder what would happen to all of the Red Bull cans and random trash we   have on the floor of our cars now when the car hits vertical mode. The   people of the future will have to be much tidier than todays drivers. If   the Metromorph design seems familiar, its very similar to the   horizontal/vertical MAG-LEV transportation system in the movie Minority   Report. The movies car, however, was a Lexus  clearly different than the   Peugeot Metromorph.            Keep Going - Check out this Great Related Gajitz Article:              Driving Design: Safe, Eco-Friendly, Soft-Body Urban Cars Cars are seen by many as a mounting problem: they create congestion in the   streets, danger for pedestrians and other drivers, and a growing   environmental impact. One of the holy grails of industrial design is coming   up with a car that will solve all of these problems while still letting us   get around with ease. Terreform's answer is to approach the car problem not   from an angle of urban design...                                         Click Here to Read More      [ GoGoGajitz! - Filed under Technology or in the Industrial Design   category ]