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Taser-proof your clothes with carbon fiber
Posted by Ariel Levin-Waldman Categories: Wearables, Mods / Hacks, Science,
Remember the scene in Batman Begins where Christian Bale takes a taser directly to his bat armor and doesn't flinch? If you found that pretty cool then get excited, because this same borderline-superhuman ability can be yours. Hackaday user Shenzhen claims to have developed a way to make stun gun-proof clothing.
You won't look as intimidating as the Batman but you can get away with more style since just about any piece of clothing can be converted into high tech shock-armor. You just need a layer of carbon fiber, and that's widely available, given that it is commonly used in upholstery fabric at under $20 per yard.
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Microsoft files its own smart watch patent
Posted by Ariel Levin-Waldman Categories: Wearables, Corporate News, Microsoft,
With the smartphone being a huge success, companies like Samsung and Sony got the idea to make it smaller and wrist mounted, creating the Galaxy Gear and Sony Smartwatch lines respectively. Now Microsoft has decided to muscle into the game, registering its patents with the U.S. Government this week.
The application filed with the patent office describes the wearable as a music player, phone, message device, and fitness measuring device. The watchface would be detachable from the wristband so that it can be connected to a charging port.
The features described are still speculation, and no date has been stated for release. Microsoft is up against competition from Samsung, who released their product last year, Motorola, which plans to release the Moto 360 in July, and Pebble, which has already sold over 400,000 units.
Tzukuri Eyewear makes losing sunglasses a lot harder with iBeacons
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Apple, Wearables, Wireless / WiFi,
Sunglasses are one of the items that are easy to leave behind and lose, and Tzukuri Eyewear is looking to make that problem a thing of the past by using iBeacon technology. Imagine, if you will, a pair of shades with an iBeacon embedded into its frame that your iPhone connects to and is aware of. Since the iPhone can tell the distance of the beacon signal, you get a notification letting you know that you left your sunglasses behind. You can see just how far away from you they are as long as you are still in range of the iBeacon signal. Pretty cool, right?
The Tzukuri Eyewear models of sunglasses are made using 3D analysis so that they look good on more faces than the average pair. They have six designs in three sizes, each of which is handcrafted in Japan and incorporate high-quality anti-scratch, polarized lenses with 100% UV protection.
Latest Gear Live Videos
Bleeding Edge TV 508: LEGO Fairground Mixer 10244 first look
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Design, Features, Podcasts, Toys, Videocasts, Videos,
In this episode I bring you a first-look at the new LEGO Fairground Mixer set. Part of the LEGO Creator series, the Fairground Mixer 10244 includes the Mixer ride, ticket booth, working dunk tank, test of strength area, 12 minifigures (including new throwing up minifig!), and two trucks that carry everything around. A hand crank makes the Mixer turn, or you can attach an automatic motor. This set was revealed at the Sydney Brickshow, and includes 1,746 individual pieces, so it'll take you a little while to get it all put together (it's rated at expert level, after all!) When all is said and done, though, you'll be left with a great-looking, usable carnival scene with working attractions. We give you a look at how it all works in this episode.
Don't forget to subscribe to Gear Live's YouTube channel--also, we are giving away awesome perks for our Patreon backers - thanks for your support!
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Click to continue reading Bleeding Edge TV 508: LEGO Fairground Mixer 10244 first look
HTC One (M8) review: The best Android phone gets even better
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Features, Handhelds, Product Reviews,
Last year, HTC impressed us with the release of the original HTC One, a phone that featured what we believed to be the best build quality of any Android smartphone. This year, the HTC One (M8) takes its place as the flagship handset from HTC.
On the surface, the HTC One (M8) improves upon the original in a multitude of ways. Faster internals. Dual-lens UltraPixel camera. Larger display. Improved industrial design. The question is, though, does the final product add up to being another that can stand above the crowded Android line-up? We've put the device through its paces, and we are here to answer all of those questions here in our full HTC One (M8) review.
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Bleeding Edge TV 507: HTC One (M8) vs. HTC One (M7)
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Cell Phones, Features, Handhelds, Podcasts, Product Reviews, Videocasts, Videos,
In this episode I give you a comparison review of the HTC One (M8) vs. the original HTC One. Last year, I named the HTC One as my favorite Android smartphone, and this year the HTC One M8 has a great chance at claiming the title again. We've received a bunch of questions from readers asking about the differences between the two devices, and if it is worth upgrading from the 2013 model to the new HTC One M8.
I go through each major change and upgrade (and, in one case, a downgrade) to give you a thorough look at what's new and what's changed!
Pick up your own HTC One M8:
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Click to continue reading Bleeding Edge TV 507: HTC One (M8) vs. HTC One (M7)
Unboxing Live 141: Nest Protect
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features, Household, Videocasts,
In this episode we open up the Nest Protect. Nest Protect is a smoke & carbon monoxide detector from the makers of the Nest Smart Thermostat. It will let you know in plain English that there is a problem in the home, and will also tell you which room it's in. False alarms are easily silenced with a wave. If you have multiple Protect units in your home, they will talk to each other, and they'll even use motion sensor data to alert the Nest Thermostat that there is someone home, so that it knows to keep the temperature to where you like it to be.
We will follow-up with a setup video, and an installation video of the Nest Protect as well, following this unboxing!
Don't forget to subscribe to Gear Live's YouTube channel, and don't forget--we are giving away awesome perks for our Patreon backers - thanks for your support!
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Click to continue reading Unboxing Live 141: Nest Protect
LEGO Fairground Mixer 10244 brings the magic of the carnival home
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Design, Toys,
LEGO has announced one of its most impressive Creator sets yet in the Fairground Mixer 10244. Focused on recapturing the magic of the traveling carnival, where kids would ride on rickety, precarious contraptions while other would walk around carrying stuffed prized, popcorn, and cotton candy, the set succeeds in its goal.
LEGO unveiled the set this past weekend at the Sydney Brickshow in Sydney, Australia, bringing with it the nostalgia of days gone past. If you were around during the traveling carnival heyday, you know that it all begins with the trucks. That's how all those rides get moved from town to town, and that's how the LEGO Fairground Mixer 10244 operates as well. The entire set of attractions (and characters!) neatly tucks away into the LEGO trucks. Here's a look at what's in the set:
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WWE Network now available on Xbox One
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Home Entertainment, Microsoft, Video Games,
The WWE Network app is now available for download on the Xbox One console, completing its availability on all announced video game platforms. Prior to today, the WWE Network was available on the Playstation 3, Playstation 4, and Xbox 360, with the Xbox One launch scheduled to come later "this summer." Obviously, the app was completed here in early spring, and made its way to the Xbox Live Marketplace without so much as an announcement from WWE or Microsoft.
We played with the app for a few minutes, and found it to be much easier to navigate than the other game console offerings. In fact, we'd place the Xbox One version just behind that of the Apple TV when it comes to connected devices. Having already used the WWE Network on the Xbox 360, after downloading it to the Xbox One, I was able to navigate around and watch content without having to log in again, thanks to my credentials syncing over Microsoft's cloud.
Streaming quality looks great, with no initial lag or stutter. You can download the WWE Network app now.
Apple updates MacBook Air with faster processor, cheaper price
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, PC / Laptop,
As we reported yesterday, Apple has released an updated MacBook Air lineup today. While we expected the slightly faster processors to be included, we were pleasantly surprised to see that Apple cut the price of all MacBook Air models by $100 as well. That means that the starting price of the MacBook Air is now $899.
"With MacBook Air starting at $899, there’s no reason to settle for anything less than a Mac," said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "Macs have never been more popular, and today we've boosted the performance and lowered the price of MacBook Air so even more people can experience the perfect everyday notebook."
So, what's changed? Both the 11- and 13-inch models now sport a 1.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 Haswell processor and 4GB RAM. The base model configurations of each size include 128GB PCIe-based flash storage, which can be doubled to 256GB for $200. Build-to-order options allow you to add things like a 1.7GHz processor, 8GB RAM, and 512GB PCIe storage.
Additionally, the new models get better battery life for iTunes movie playback, with the 11-inch model going from 8 hours to 9 hours, and the 13-incher going from 10 hours to 12 hours.
You can pick up the new MacBook Air now.
