Running to the AC or fireplace every time you get warm or cold is so 20th century. What, are you gonna use your Rubik’s Cube to move the little lever too? This thermostat from French designer Philippe Starck handles your climate control by learning your routine; it knows when you like it chilly in bed and when you need it toasty for that morning shower. Handle all the details with your smartphone or tablet and plant your feet firmly in the modern age.
Ever since that Radiohead/Meatloaf/Eric B. & Rakim mix tape won me the love of Lucy Fillmore in the 10th grade, I’ve had a soft spot for the art form. But try to hand your crush an actual cassette these days and you’ll be dumped faster than Adele hits the 99-cent buffet. Sharetapes represent the 21st century version of mix tapes, as they use physical cards that contain NFC (Near Field Communication) chips and QR codes to let you play back the hand-selected gems on smartphones and tablets. Just bump phones with your girl she’ll get the coolest (in your eyes) and cheapest (in hers) gift a guy can give to his lady.
The apes from the Planet of the Apes knew how to tear down the ::spoiler alert:: Statue of Liberty, but did they take any video of it? No. They didn’t because editing and uploading video can be cumbersome and confusing. But Capture, YouTube’s new app for iOS, makes the whole process chimp-friendly. Fire it up and take some quick footage, make your adjustments, and then upload it to YouTube, Google+, Facebook, or Twitter. It’s kinda like Instagram for video. Ah, Instagram–another invention those damn dirty apes never could master.
If shouting “HEY YOU! COMERE REAL QUICK!” out of the driver’s side window of your Ford Fusion isn’t working too well with the ladies, it may be time for a new approach. TheDatable app lets you register through Facebook and quickly tag whatever friends you have that are single. As soon as those friends tag their single friends, well, the number of fish in the sea will quickly add up. All of the FB notifications are private–unlike screaming “YO! GIRL ON THE 10-SPEED! WHERE YO MOMMY AT?”
Long ago it became cool for men to worship bacon–that’s nothing new. These days, however, if you wanna impress the hairy heteros at your local hangout, you can’t just polish off a pack of pork a week and expect a hero’s welcome. Win the superficial support of your friends by making your own with “The Better Bacon Book” ($5), the iPad-exclusive how-to guide to preparing, curing, slicing and frying your favorite meat. We’re gonna assume you can handle the eating part on your own. Tom Mylan, executive butcher at The Meat Hook in Brooklyn, takes you through 20 instructional videos, which is 19 more than we ever thought we’d see in our lifetime but 20 more than Tom probably thought he was getting paid for. You’ll also get bacon-loaded recipes from top restaurants and bars, like bacon jam and rye whiskey and bacon. Hey, what do guys think about this one: A bacon cheeseburger?! Take a few minutes to wrap your head around that concept.
This one makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The 1965 holiday classic (and one of my personal favs), Charlie Brown Christmas is now a tablet and smartphone app. From finger painting to Christmas caroling, this digital pop-up book, designed by developer Loud Crow, lets wide-eyed users experience all the traditional Peanuts adventures up close and personal. Available at Apple’s App Store, the Android Market, and Amazon’s Appstore, the $6.99 app lets you channel your inner Guaraldi as you play the famous Peanuts theme music at Schroeder’s piano. So if the kid in you has gotten lost along the way, grab your dirty blue woobie blankey, and get your Charlie Brown Christmas app before the Christmas bell rings for you no more.
So your addiction to karaoke finally spiraled out of control, and you’ve been banned from your favorite bar for butchering “Piano Man” one too many times. Cheer up! The new Red Karaoke application is here for iPhone users. Now you can stream music with lyrics anywhere in the world. Wanna sing “Bohemian Rhapsody” at the zoo? The bonobos will thank you for it. Red Karaoke also lets you record your underrated versions of the classics and share them with grateful friends, or let the Red Karaoke community vote on it. 45,000 songs are available, so that’s good. The app and a bunch of songs are free, while access to VIP content is $8.99/monthly.
iPhone users now have another weapon at their disposal when shopping. No, not that blood-stained crowbar–save that for Black Friday. This one is called Flow, and its the newest application from Amazon subsidiary A9. Flow uses both barcode and image recognition to continuously recognize millions of products in a live camera view; something even your grandma can’t do, despite her meticulous scanning of the Sunday newspaper coupons and The Price Is Right watching. Just point your iPhone at the package and instantly you get info on pricing, availability, reviews, and more. You’ll be able to decide on the spot, “Hmm. Do I by this combination toaster/bath gel dispenser now, or snag it online?” These, my friend, these are the questions you will now be able to answer. Oh, and its free.