Category: Cool Stuff

Now this is a great solution! They definitely understand the KISS principle – Keep It Simple Stupid – forget Microsoft’s multi-touch table, Apple’s iPhone and other research projects (here) – these guys came up with a very clever way of doing a touch surface to control the mouse using your fingers, a plastic bag and some water with color! Check it out: dyeSight $2 Multi-Touch Pad

Very cool piece – http://www.ballofbeing.com/
Thanks Kim 🙂

Found this on MAKE magazine‘s site – found it brilliantly simple and practical – could even do it with a sweater or a fleece to add some padding and extra pockets!

It is called the Skulptur Projekte, held every 10 years in Münster, Germany taking place now.
This international exhibition invites artists from all over the world to create new work specific for the event. Some pictures here.
It is running parallel with the Documenta12 in Kassel, from June 17 to September 30, 2007.

Thanks to Forever Redeemed who pointed me to this video:
http://www.laudontech.com/Downloads/MainSt_LasVegas.mpg

Google wants to built an open wireless network that would accept any device, cell phone or service.
AT&T and Verizon try to protect their interests by lobbying against Google’s proposals.
But I think it is a logical step based on the internet model… they want customers to access all they have on the web, but on a wireless network.
Cell phones already have full web browsers and broadband speeds , just wireless…
Why shouldn’t that be “open source” as well?
Much cheaper than laying down fiber…

FCC to Rule on Wireless Auction – washingtonpost.com

So… I couldn’t resist and got an iPhone – well, got it for a friend of mine in Brazil but obviously I’m testing it already before I take it to him 🙂
The interface itself, as everyone knows, is just the slickest phone interface out there… and it is fast… no waiting to go from one application or menu to the other… sure, the EDGE/GSM network is a lot slower than EVDO/CDMA data network but really, it’s good enough.
The beauty of it I think is that the improvements that can (and will be done I am sure) are all software tweaks. These are my 2 cents:

• Copy/Paste functionality
• External iPod controls (ability to change songs without taking phone out of pocket)
• Be able to change the order of the main menu items
• Phone links on web pages and emails should ask to call or SMS – now only calls
• Mail – be able to create folders and rules
• Rotate screen on all apps – only iPod, Photo and Web have it – would be nice to have it on mail as well
• Week view on callendar
• Auto text completion/suggestion not only wrong keyboard input correction
• Scientific and unit conversion calculator
• Foreign language support – basic accents
• Select all, mark as read, and delete all in mail

Otherwise it is fantastic!!

Along with the MILK table, the SHEER spherical kitchen would be great!!

Worth watching this entire video…

Doing math with shapes, effortlessly – could this be the future of computing? What if computers could “number crunch” looking at shapes instead of actual numbers? Could be a very interesting way of looking at complex problems dealing with turbulence and multiple variable systems such as weather forecasting.

Also, at the very end it has an image of Calatrava’s Milwaukee Art Museum kinetic building actually moving!

Is this for real? Received this email saying this is an “ancient” way the Chinese did multiplication…