Wednesday, March 09, 2005

More stuff for today, part 2

Let's get into ubiquitous computing, courtesy of Smart Mobs.

Business Week Online has an interesting article on the new generation of computer driven clothing and accessories, including a handbag that reminds you to grab your keys or wallet. By checking weather feeds it can alert you whether you need to grab an umbrella or sunglasses. It can even upload favourite songs into your scarf.


Death to the Anti-P2P advocates!

Every day their arguments that programs like Bittorrent are only designed for copyright infringement take a step backwards. It seems that NASA is employing the Peer to Peer software to help distribute its World Wind Project. When it was initially launched the public demand crashed the servers. Now it's back and easier to get than ever.


This next one has nothing to do with new media so much as new culture. In the U.S., an Illinois House committee approved legislation that would make it a criminal offense to perform eyeball piercing.

Yeah, that's right, sticking jewellery through the eyeball.

In the immortal words of Mr Glynn Nicholas, "And here's a Picture!"



I'd heard of eyeball piercing some time ago, and while I'm not exactly thrilled with the idea of someone sticking a small chunk of metal inside my eyeball, I don't see that this has anything to do with the State. Why should they care if I want to do something stupid like that, so long as I do look after it and don't wind up going blind from an infection and hence become a burden on society...

O.K., maybe I see their point, but still...

Speaking of ways to mess up your eyes... (via Gizmodo)

How to build your own Laser Tag game. (with real lasers!)



I'm not going to say any more. Go look for yourself.


And to finish off, something a little more aesthetically pleasing.

STATIC!, a group at the Interactive Institute in Stockholm devoted to designing energy-efficient products , have come up with this rather pleasing lamp that changes shape based on energy consumption. The idea is that the less electricity used, the more open and "flower-like" it looks.


The idea is that the items react based on energy usage, like the radio that loses signal if it registers too much electricity being used. Clever idea. It will never be produced commercially, but clever.


Phew! That's it for now. Time to go back to reality and deal with these syndication issues getting content to Sydney.

No comments: