A Speaker Bubble For Full Audio Immersion

Tech By on Feb 5, 2014

Noise-cancellation headphones. They don’t cancel noises that really disturb people, like the boss’ voice or the caterwauling of a wanna-be American Idol neighbor. That’s when something like the AudiOrb comes in handy. Studio Total (ST), a Scandinavian lab, has invented the first loudspeaker that listeners sit inside.

Eighteen mounted speakers blast whatever music the occupant desires. It’s like a spherical womb. Comfort is key also. Tempur pillows that conform to the body line the interior and heighten relaxation.

Only 5 will be created, so those needing a break from noise pollution need to act fast. Also, no word yet on how long someone can breathe inside the bubble, or how more oxygen gets inside. However, that’s just a minor fact.

MORE: Home Audio & Speakers, Tech

Now You Can Plant Flowers With A Shotgun

Gear By on Jan 2, 2014

Remember those cartoons where a gun was fired and a flower would come out instead? Now, it’s a reality with the Flower Shell. The shots in these shotgun shells have been replaced with meadow flower seeds. Select from Poppy, Columbine, Cornflower, Daisy, Sunflower, Clematis, Lavender, Sweet Pea, Carnation or Peony seeds. A bunch of blasts from this and one day, you’ll have a prairie to run around in. Now, they just need guns that actually shoot out hearts and rainbows.

MORE: Gear, Outdoors

This Headset Reads Your Dog’s Thoughts

Tech By on Dec 26, 2013

A group of Scandinavians currently have designs on creating the first device to translate animal thoughts into human language. The Nordic Society for Invention and Discovery call this “non-obtrusive device” No More Woof. Assuming this isn’t a joke, the unit works by taking EEG recorders in the headset and registering voltage fluctuations resulting from ionic current flow in the dog’s brain. A Rapsberry Pi computer then translates these currents into human words. Put this on your dog, take it to the dog park and Fluffy’s first words might be: “You’re not really gonna do this to me, are you?”

MORE: Accessories, Tech

Smarty Ring: One Finger To Rule Them All

Tech By on Dec 13, 2013

Before pretty much anyone could get too deep into this whole smartwatch thing, BAM!… the smart ring is now a thing. Smarty Ring ($275 when it goes on sale) features a built-in LED screen that connects to your phone and shows text messages, caller ID, social network updates, and more via Bluetooth 4.0. Designed for use with iOS and Android devices, Smarty Ring also promises to let you manage your phone’s apps, like its camera, and even set off an alert tone if you stray too far from your phone. If you like it, you know what to do.

MORE: Accessories, Tech

Ubuntu Edge: The Formula 1 Of Phones?

Tech By on Jul 24, 2013

What’s it take for a new phone company to crack through the fortified force field of competitors? How bout an $830 price tag. That’s what the makers of the Ubuntu Edge are looking for in exchange for one of their phones, and they’ll need every penny of it to reach their crowd funding target of $32 million. The goal: make the Ubuntu Edge the Formula 1 of smartphones. The 4.5-inch display with a 1280×720 screen resolution is wrapped in a pure sapphire crystal glass and aluminium body. Inside will be a to-be-named wicked fast processor, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. Vroom.

MORE: Phones, Tech

KREYOS Meteor: Smartwatch With Voice & Gesture Control

Style By on Jul 1, 2013

While talking on the phone seems to be trending down in recent years (I cited that trend when explaining to my mom why I haven’t called her since 2003), talking to your watch is on the rise. The KREYOS Meteor smartwatch gives you the ability to answer phone calls directly from your wrist without reaching for your phone in your pocket. This waterproof watch has both a mic and speaker built-in. Use a gesture or tap a button on the watch and you’re off and blabbing. Of course you’ll also be able to respond to emails and texts, check your social media accounts, adjust your music, and talk to SIRI through your wrist.

MORE: Style, Watches

Ube Wifi Controlled Light Dimmer: Dedicated To Donna Summer

Home By on Feb 11, 2013

When Donna Summer (RIP) sang “Dim All The Lights” in 1979, she had to make the song 4 minutes and 40 seconds long to give people enough time to go room to room to get all the switches. But now in 2013, the Ube Wifi Controlled Light Dimmer ($49-$69) makes the process easy. The smart dimmer connects easily to your home Wi-Fi router and lets you control your lights from your smartphone. Whether you’re in the bedroom or a seedy club on the wrong side of town, as long as you have a Wi-Fi connection, you have light controls.

MORE: Automation, Home