The End is Coming!!!

Okay, so it’s not really the end of the world, but it is nearing the end of the school year. This week marks the last week of classes, so I’ll be busy for the next couple weeks finishing up projects, studying for finals and enjoying my last weeks here at Ithaca College. Take this as an advanced notice that there will be less posts in for these few weeks, but once school is over, I’ll jump back on the blogging bandwagon.

I want a WiiSpray!

[Vimeo http://vimeo.com/3941280 w=500]

Developed by Bauhaus University student Martin Lihs, the WiiSpray is a working concept of a Nintendo Wii-powered digital spray paint can. Paired with a large screen, the WiiSpray can provide for some awesome applications in terms of tagging and designing.

[Via Engadget]

iPhone Doubles as Ignition Key in Peapod EV

Chrysler’s soon-to-be-rolling-off-the-production-line Peapod EV, had a fun little feature. Owners can use their iPhone as an alternate, yet still secure, means to unlock the car’s ignition.

[Via Gizmodo]

[Image via Register Hardware]

Apple: Take Note of This RFID Application

On top of video chatting, and perhaps, motion compensation, I think Apple needs to incorporate this function into its next generation of the iPhone. Incorporating an RFID/NFC reader into the iPhone would make it possible to interact with a virtually infiinite amount of objects.

This video features a prototype that allows the iPhone to play various video clips depending on what toy object it comes close with.

Explore more at The Touch Project.

[Via TUAW via Gizmodo]

Weight Issues Among Tripods

A team of Japanese researchers have discovered that using a tripod under 3.3 pounds can actually make photographs blurrier than expected. The tripod has been one of photographers’ best friends for years in providing stablility for clear shots. Using a lightweight tripod can actually make a camera more susceptible to vibrations and shakiness that can cause an image to become more blurry.

[Tech On! via Crave via Gizmodo]

[Image via mikelietz]

Apple Patent Hints Towards iPhone Video Chatting

Ahh…the Apple rumormill continues to spin. A recent Apple patent filed for a possible next-generation iPhone not only shows off a neat motion-adjusting feature but also a front-facing camera.

The patent describes the iPhone as adjusting to environmental changes. For example, if a user is in a shaky car, text on the screen can become larger to make it easier for the user to read. A reader of The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) also pointed out that the patent included a front-facing camera. It looks like iChat on the iPhone is just on the horizon.

[TUAW via Gizmodo]

Staircase Slide for the Fun and Lazy

If you’re a young kid or a lazy adult, this is something you may want to beg for or tack onto your next renovation project: the staircase slide. It’s basically a slide that parallels a staircase, giving users the option to go old-fashioned and walk down the stairs….or SLIDE down! I think I’ll go for the latter, but it’s too bad you can’t slide up. Credit goes to London architect Alex Michaelis for this genious design.

[Cookie Mag via Neatorama via Bloesem Kids via Gizmodo]

Innovating…the coffee lid?

Who knew that something as simple as a coffee lid still had room for innovation? Well, a designer like Josh Harris has apparently accomplished this by adding “caddy” functionality to disposable coffee lids. These new lids allow sugar, milk and stirrers to be securely mounted on top removing the need to to fish around for these items in your brown paper bag.

Toxel [Via Gizmodo]

Unibody iPods Coming Soon?

I’m a bit of a huge Apple fan, so I love it when I hear rumors about upcoming Apple products. The latest rumor I’ve heard is the possibility of the Cupertino-based company to release unibody iPods. This rumor comes from a recent patent filing that hints towards this new update to the widely-popular music/media device. Apple’s first unibody device is the current MacBook Pro, but based on this patent, I think we’ll be seeing more unibodies all over Apple’s product lines.

More at Gizmodo.

Take a Minute for this Quick Survey

I’m working on a group project for my Web Sites that Work class where we have to redesign the website of a local business. This survey about restaurant web sites will really help my group out. Thanks in advance for taking it!

[Click Here for Survey]

Our Creepy AI Future

Happy Birthday, CB2! You’re pretty fascinating yet so creepy at the same time.

More at Gizmodo.

Case #4: Pricing Strategies

In a Web 2.0 world, many users especially those who are more tech saavy are likely aware of the many free services that can be found on the internet. From the most useful to some pretty niche web application, these services can range from video sharing (YouTube) to content management systems (WordPress) to productivity tools (Jott).

One of my recently new favorites is Mint. Found at www.mint.com, it is a free, web-based financial tracking tool. It allows users to link all of their online banking, credit card and investment accounts to a single site. The site helps users to track expenditures and income and has several features to make the entire experience extremely useful and intuitive. Some of the features include automated syncing with accounts that have been set up, track where money is spent, bank-level security, text and email updates, an iPhone application, and several more. According to the site, some good reasons to use it are: to “pay off credit debt, save for retirement, create a personal budget, and manage investments.”

The best part of Mint is that it’s FREE! Mint does not charge a single penny to its users, and even explicitly states their commitment to remaining free. The site generates revenue by offering and recommending services from other banks and investment institutions that can help save users money. The creators believe that they “only make money when you do.” Looking at the various free pricing strategies discussed in class, this is basically an advertising model, but rather than slapping banners all over the each page, ads are specifically offered to users based on several factors including types of accounts open, expenditure habits, and a user’s credit score.

I’ve read about Mint on several occassions since it has come out, and it appears that it has been doing very well. The site’s commitment to remaing free seems to be serving well and has gained it lots of praise. A quote from the site by user Michael Glass states, “I love your site. I haven’t taken advantage of any of the savings offers yet, but plan on it. Most importantly, it was super-easy to add my accounts … which is what makes me want to use this over any other online banking system.”

Learn more about, and perhaps try out, Mint today!

Reduce Debt with the Snowflake Method

Today I learned about a new method to reducing one’s debt: the Snowflake Method. Many people who are aware of financial tools and methodologies to cut down on debt most likely know about the Snowball method. As each debt is paid off, the amount that would have gone towards paying off that debt would go onto the next one that needs to be paid off. As more debts are paid off, the remaining ones will be paid off faster.

The snowflake method can be used in conjunction with the snowball one. As you receive random amounts of income either from selling old goods on eBay or receiving a tax return, some or all of this income can go towards paying the debt with the highest priority.

I think this is a helpful method to a) obviously reduce your debt faster and b) potentially cut out any impulsive expenditures that would have been made with this money.

Snowflaking – A Primer [Via Lifehacker]

Image via Quinn Dombrowski (quinn.anya)

4,797,756

In case you were wondering, I’m ranked at 4,797,756 according to Technorati. Woohoo! Let’s see if I can move up within the next month.

Deconstructing Microsoft’s Latest Campaign

The blogosphere has been abuzz with some criticism of Microsoft’s latest advertising campaign, “Laptop Hunters.” The idea behind the campaign is that Microsoft filmed individuals who thought they were participating in market research and offered them a free, brand new laptop  as long as it was under the given $1,000 or $1,500 budget.

It turns out, some fanboys analyzed each frame of the the spot dubbed, “Lauren.” The so-called Lauren featured in the commercial is actually a Screen Actors Guild actress, and not some random consumer. They also picked out certain details including a person who conveniently walks in and out of an Apple store near the same position.

There a few other things that the author, Freddie Laker, writes about, but the moral of the story is that social media is an extremely powerful tool. While marketers continue to capitalize on its power to leverage their brands, they must remember that the power can go both ways.

Read more at Advertising Age