Journalism

High school students put an end to watery ketchup with a 3D-printed cap

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

Two teenagers solve an old problem with a new ketchup cap

As you stand above your burger with that squeezable ketchup bottle, you quickly become disappointed with the unpleasant watery liquid that shoots out before the actual condiment itself. Luckily, two high school students put their heads together to design the 3D-printed ketchup-dispensing invention we’ve all been waiting for.

3D_printed_ketchup_cap

Thompson and Richards’ 3D-printed ketchup bottle solution. Image via geek.com.

Teenagers Jonathan Thompson and Tyler Richards of Missouri created a bottle replacement cap that forces the ketchup away from the top and into a small tube at its center, which the ketchup then squeezes out of. Read More

Simplify star-gazing with a remote-controlled robotic Wi-Fi telescope

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

Telescope connects wirelessly to your mobile device to simplify space navigation

It can be pretty simple to pinpoint certain stars with a regular old telescope, but if you’re just gazing into the night sky, all those constellations and planets can be harder to identify. With Celestron’s NexStar Evolution Wi-Fi-enabled telescope, you can figure out exactly what you’re looking at overhead.

Because it shows up as an access point in a smartphone or tablet’s list of available networks, the Celestron NexStar telescope lets you control it by tapping areas on a star-map app once connected. Simply choose a celestial body and the telescope’s motorized mount and fork arm will automatically position the scope.

Celestron_NexStar_Telescope

The Celestron NexStar telescope wirelessly connects to your mobile device. Image via Wired.  Read More

5 different uses for your everyday electronics

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

Your ordinary electronics can be so much more than you think.

USB typewriter

USB_Typewriter

Transform your dusty old manual typewriter into a modern computer keyboard by connecting it to your Mac, PC, or iPad. Depending on your skill level with a soldering iron, this can be a fun project, and with the “Solder-It-Yourself” conversion kit from instructables.com, it should take between four and five hours to complete. You’ll need a soldering iron and solder, a Dremel rotary tool for sanding, tweezers and pliers, a hot glue gun, wire and some tape. Though the kit works with the majority of manual typewriters, there are some exceptions. Read More

Replace credit cards with an electronic wallet

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

The next generation of payment works anywhere your cards are accepted

Most of us carry around wallets stuffed with multiple credit cards and IDs, making them hard to find and easy to lose. With the high-tech smart wallet called the Wocket from NXT-ID, you can securely store electronic versions of your various plastic cards so you don’t risk misplacing them or having them stolen.

Wocket_Swipe

Swipe your cards into the Wocket to store your data.

To begin, new users swipe all of their magnetic-striped cards into the Wocket, which records their data and stores it in its onboard memory. Read More

Six green gadgets in honor of Earth Day

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

The 44th annual celebration of Earth Day on April 22nd will be buzzing with talk of our impact on the environment and what we can do to better live in harmony with it. If you want to show some support for Mother Earth, don’t think you have to abandon your electronics, because there’s certainly no shortage of eco-friendly technologies available. Below are six useful green gadgets that are beneficial to both you and our planet.

Water-powered alarm clock

Bedol_Clocks

Bedol’s colorful water-drop-shaped clocks run on tap water and nothing else. Wondering how that’s possible? The energy comes from a natural reaction between the water and two metal plates inside. Impressively, the smallest clocks run for six to 12 weeks before the display begins to fade, indicating the water needs to be changed. Occasionally, the metal plates need to be cleaned with vinegar. Prices start at $19. Read More

Hear your unborn baby’s heartbeat with your smartphone

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

Yes, there is now an app for that

Listening to the sweet thumping of your unborn baby’s heart is a magical moment for any parent. With the latest version of Bellabeat, the company behind the iPhone-enabled fetal heart-rate monitor, you can listen to your little one’s heartbeat whenever you’d like.

Bellabeat_Device

Listening to your unborn baby’s heartbat is easy with Bellabeat. Image via Mashable.

The new handheld device is a baby heart rate monitor that easily attaches to your smartphone via cord. You simply plug it in and place it on your belly and information from your womb is sent to the corresponding Bellabeat app. Read More

RFID-equipped go-karts bring Mario Kart to life at SXSW

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for Electronic Products.

One of Nintendo’s classic video games was turned into a reality

If you grew up playing Nintendo and were a fan of Mario Kart, you’ll be excited (and probably a bit jealous) to know that at South By Southwest (SXSW), a few drivers were lucky enough to strap into go-karts and tear down the track like Mario and Luigi.

Mario_Kart_Reimagined

Mario Kart Reimagined was a Nintendo lover’s dream come true. Image via trendhunter.com.

Pennzoil teamed up with Nintendo, who is about to release Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U, to sponsor Mario Kart Reimagined, where drivers raced karts equipped with radio frequency identification (RFID) sensors. Just like in the video game, racers had to either drive over or avoid icons, which were actually decals embedded with RFID tags. Depending on the item the driver received from the icon, kart performance improved with a boost of voltage to the motor or the kart slowed down to a putter for a few seconds. Read More

13 must-see photos from past technologies

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for Electronic Products.

A glimpse back at wacky technologies from way back when

Radio Hat

Radio_Hat

Created by an American inventor in the 1940s, the radio hat was a portable radio built into a pith helmet that could bring in stations within a 20-mile radius.

One wheel motorcycle

 One_wheel_motorcycle

The one wheel motorcycle was invented by M. Goventosa de Udine. It had an impressive maximum speed of 93 mph. Read More

Hack your car to post on social sites and send texts

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for Electronic Products.

With one tiny gadget, almost any car in America can connect to social network data

Automatic, a service that aims to help drivers save time and thousands of dollars in wasted gas by teaching better driving habits in real time linked up with IFTTT, a service that lets you create powerful connections with one simple statement. Together the team created a gadget called the Automatic Link, which allows almost any car manufactured since 1996 to connect to one of 82 social services including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, SMS, and even your email account. The connection could be triggered when the ignition is started, a destination is reached, or when the check engine light comes on.

Automatic_IFTTT_Car

“Your car is the most expensive computer you’re ever going to buy, and it’s not even connected to the Internet,” Automatic Chief Product Officer Ljuba Miljkovic told Wired. “It could be so much more useful to you if it was connected.” Read More

Millennials want self-driving car features

Posted on by Nicole DiGiose

An article I wrote for Electronic Products.

Study shows that Generation Y is pushing for driverless cars

A survey conducted by Accenture found that Millennials, also known as Gen Yers, are pushing for driverless car development. The survey covered 14,000 drivers in 12 countries, including the United States.

Google Self Driving Car

Google’s self-driving car, pictured above, has driven 300,000 miles.

While there is an ongoing debate about the safety of driverless cars, 90% of the survey respondents expressed interest in some autonomous driving options, which were primarily safety-related.

Since Millennials make up about a third of all U.S. drivers and are the rising generation of car buyers, they’re currently the top target for automakers looking for new customers. Read More