USAToday.com: Ever wonder if that spouse, friend or co-worker on the other end of the phone is really paying attention? The “Jerk-O-Meter” may hold the answer. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are developing software for cell phones that would analyze speech patterns and voice tones to rate people — on a scale of 0 to 100% — on […]
Jerk-O-Meter
Treadmill Therapy
TrendCentral: An LA psychiatrist and a DC therapist are trying to ease the formal doctor-patient relationship with… treadmills? With the knowledge that people are often uninhibited about their personal lives and thus very close with their personal trainers, Wayne Sandler (LA) and Jane Cibel (DC) are incorporating exercise into their sessions. Sandler has two treadmills in his office where he […]
Wireless Poker
BizReport.com: It won’t be long before gamblers are shooting dice while queued up waiting to see their favorite comedian. Or playing poker and roulette under a poolside umbrella. Even a trip to the buffet will no longer keep casino patrons from playing slots. A law signed last month by Gov. Kenny Guinn made Nevada the first U.S. state to approve […]
SMS A Texxi
NetImperative: Technology firm Crane Dragon has begun testing a new taxi service in Liverpool that encourages travellers to text a taxi request via their mobiles, and then share the journey with other passengers going to the same area. The ‘Texxi’ service allows users to text their house address and postcode to the Texxi SMS number. The system will then aggregate […]
Jelly Belly Wine Bar
DailyCandy: When it comes to describing your ideal mate, you’re never at a loss for words. Finding a lifelong companion? That’s another story. Which is the exact opposite of your relationship with wine. Finding a bottle you like? No prob. Describing it? Hmm, that’s what we thought. Wine X magazine understands your dilemma — at least the liquid part. In […]
Laundry Rug for Lazy Bums
Iconoculture: If you can’t fight the sloth, embrace it. Making up for – not necessarily fixing – our bad habits gives lazy homeowners a fun Ready, Set, Go! kick. Wahoo! There’s an easy cleanup cure for dirty undies and socks littering the floor. Laundry Rug turns a lazy schlub’s messy habit into a carefree lifestyle choice. And unlike the Undy […]
Two Minutes Mobile TV
InternetNews.com: It’s the end of attention. The few crumbs of spare attention anyone has left over from the barrage of daily media will soon be eaten up by “video snacks,” little chunks of content delivered to cell phones to fill those awkward moments when no one is calling, texting or e-mailing us. On Thursday, SmartVideo Technologies announced a content deal […]
Personalized Postage Stamps
SignOnSanDiego.com: Have a great photograph of yourself you’d like the world to see? Maybe a picture that proves you really did reach the top of Mount Whitney, or catch a 50-pound King salmon in Alaska, or hang glide over a beach in Rio. Wouldn’t that photo make a perfect postage stamp? Make it happen. Now anyone can join the ranks […]
Scrolling Belt Buckles
Independentcollegian.com: A new accessory has wrapped its way around the waists of New York City’s trendsetters. Scrolling LED belt buckles in vibrant colors allow hipsters to display personalized messages in rhinestone-studded frames. The battery-powered buckles hold six programmable messages of up to 512 characters, according to Alex Ressi, an online scrolling buckle distributor in Manhattan. Some distributors sell entire packages, […]
More Than Just A Pear
The New York Times: A pear is just a pear, except when it is also a laser-coded information delivery system with advanced security clearance. And that is what pears–not to mention organic apples, waxy cucumbers and delicate peaches–are becoming in some supermarkets around the country. A new technology being used by produce distributors employs lasers to tattoo fruits and vegetables […]