According to this Reuters article, Microsoft and dozens of other big-name technology companies, from France’s Alcatel to Japan’s Sony Corp to chipmakers like Intel Corp, are betting that big money can be made in the years ahead by changing forever the way that news, entertainment and information reach consumers: digitally, and over the Internet. “It’s all about giving consumers the […]
Digital Homes
Apple Mini Stores
Although the idea of opening retail stores where customers can walk through the various products on sale and try them out is not new, the news of Apple opening ‘mini-stores’, each of which is roughly half the size of Apple’s common retail outlets, is worth noting. Half the products available in these ‘mini-stores’ will be iPod-related, and the other half […]
Intelligent Clothing Adapts To Changing Temperatures
A new type of ‘smart’ clothing which adapts to changing temperatures to keep the wearer comfortable is being developed by two universities using nature as a guide. The clothing will use the latest in micro technology to produce material which will let in air to cool a wearer when it is hot and shut out air when it is cold. […]
Finding the Best Pub
This mobile service would undoubtedly be very useful and convenient to subscribers who want to find the best pub around: Finding the best pub using your mobile phone will become an easy operation with the launch of The Good Pub Mobile Guide. The service, recently presented in the UK, allows users to send the text code “goodpub” in order to […]
Take No Chances With Your Wine!
Lay aside any concerns of which wine to choose and purchase. With Tuscany Market & Vineyard’s automated wine dispensing system, you can now experience state-of-the-art wine tasting! This system is the first of its kind in the United States. You no longer have to take chances with your wine selection – now you can enjoy a taste before you buy […]
The Fabric Evolution
UK-based Eleksen has developed ElekTex fabric sensors that could lead to a whole class of new applications and may, mind you, herald a new age in industrial design! Elektex is exactly like traditional fabric – it can be easily washed and ironed, and is very durable and cheap to make. However, Elektex fabric can actually conduct electricity, hence its promising […]
Banking With Style
Deposit, withdraw, sip, relax, lounge, learn, shop … wait, is this a bank? Patrons at Umpqua’s Oregon flagship “bank store,” savor Umpqua’s own coffee blend, lounge in leather chairs, buy financial self-help books, and, yeah, open a savings account or two. Umpqua even throws in free Friday night movies, yoga classes, and home-improvement workshops! And don’t forget the customer service. […]
Changing Signs
Ran Poliakine, founder of promising start-up Magink, envisions a future in which his “digital ink” technology will be used in products all around us, forever changing everything from billboards to laptops. For example, you would be able to “cover your living room with digital wallpaper that will be able to change, even the color, according to the seasons around the […]
Your Very Own Ice Cream
In the past, you could only buy ice cream available on the market, never mind whether you think that the taste and flavor could be improved by adding a bit of mint or peanut. Now, thanks to Ecreamery.com, you can actually design ice cream your very own way! Realizing that each person is unique in tastes and dietary concerns, Ecreamery.com […]
E-Shopping, With a Personal Touch!
Target Corp. has launched a service called ‘Target To a T‘ (which will be available online through its Web site, Target.com) that uses computers to customize clothing for its customers. A request for shoppers’ measurements, shapes, size, preferred style and color can be easily made online. The information gathered will be then used to help customize selected Target brand clothes. […]