The Way i Go

FaceCash: The New Credit Card

My Way — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:11:08 +0000

Greenspan demonstrated FaceCash today for VentureBeat, by using it to demonstrate how he could pay for a lunch he had at the Indochine Thai restaurant in Palo Alto, Calif. (See videos below for short demo).

Here’s how it works: You can download the FaceCash application on any leading smartphone — it will be available on iPhone, BlackBerry or Android phones beginning next week. Then you type in your bank account information, Social Security number, and driver’s licence number, and upload your picture. That’s it. You can now use your phone to make pretty much any in-person transaction, whether at a restaurant or at a grocery store — as long as the merchant has signed up for the service. To accept your payment, the merchant simply scans the FaceCash barcode on your phone with a scanner, and your picture will pop up on their computer screen — which helps them avoid fraud. They then approve your payment. Dead easy. And slick.

Winscape: Apple-Powered Fake Windows

My Way — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 17:57:36 +0000

Here’s a technology that’s arrived before its time, I think. Winscape is a set of two plasma televisions set up behind window panes, and hooked up to a Mac Pro. The Pro is running the custom Winscape software, which controls the “view” out of the windows according to a sensor (they show it in the video below attached to a baby, and it actually looks really large and pretty unwieldy). So as the sensor moves around the room, the view changes, as if you were moving angles while looking out of the windows to get a different view.

Oh, and the whole thing is controlled with an iPhone app — there are a few different views, as you can see in the video above. You can buy the Winscape software for $10 over on the website, and the remote app is $2 in the store, but of course you’ve got to buy the plasma televisions and Mac Pro yourself (and cut a window into your wall and/or install them all the way you want them). So no, it’s not a very practical solution — at least until houses come standard with video windows.

But it would be great to wake up every morning and be able to look out the window and see whatever you want to see. Maybe someday we’ll see a setup like this as a more accessible investment.

Apple’s 4th-Generation iPhone Revealed

My Way — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 17:29:28 +0000

Well, we told you so. The fourth-generation iPhone prototype that leaked its way out into the world over the weekend has found its way to Gizmodo, and they’ve examined it exhaustively enough to prove that it’s the real thing. Not only does it show up in iTunes, Xcode, and System Profiler, but it has different product identifiers than the 3G or 3GS, and it’s packed with Apple-labeled components inside. Unfortunately, they couldn’t get it to boot out of recovery mode, but a number of new features and changes are evident just by holding it. Obviously, it’s thinner than the 3GS, with smaller internal components and a larger battery inside the metal frame. There’s also a front-facing camera, a larger and better camera with a flash on the back, a higher-res display that’s slightly smaller than the current models, a second mic for noise cancellation, and that new back, which Gizseems a bit confused about but we’re fairly sure is glass or ceramic. It’s also three grams heavier than a 3GS, with a 16 percent larger battery and the same new MicroSIM slot used in the iPad.

EVOL Transforms Electric Boxes into Miniature Apartment Buildings

My Way — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 17:51:38 +0000

EVOL is a berlin based street artist that transforms banal urban surfaces, into miniature architectural
surfaces through pasting. using pasted paper, EVOL transforms electric boxes, small planters and other
geometric city forms, into miniature apartment buildings and other structures. each piece of paper is
printed with a repetitive pattern of flat gray walls dotted with plain window frames. once applied to
a surface, the paper transforms the form into small building that EVOL often adorns with small
characters. EVOL performs this process within different cities and has even been commissioned to
do installations in galleries, where he was created entire blocks of miniature buildings.

http://www.evoltaste.com

The Ultimate Hi-Tech and Interactive Mirrors

My Way — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 17:35:20 +0000

The Interactive Mirror at the DIESEL GINZA Store (Japan) is what every girl dreams off! It is able to take high-resolution shots of you and then you can decide whether your butt looks fat in a dress or not! Check out the super cool video below. Philips is all about designing for the future and that is why we simply love them. Check out their Interactive Mirror, which even makes chores like brushing fun. You can also check the weather and traffic updates.

Get use to the horror of aging! The Persuasive Mirror gives you a glimpse into the future ,so not exactly for the faint-hearted. The Persuasive Mirror aims at helping people by “using one’s reflection to improve lifestyle.”

Drawing smileys is so passé when the bathroom mirror steams up! Check out Mirror Games, which lets you,play games like Noughts and Crosses, crossword, pipe etc on its surface.

The Earth Mirror aims at making you a better citizen of this Earth as it will be able to record your daily, monthly and annual usage of water.

The Most Important iPad Question Of The Day

My Way — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 08:07:15 +0000

Days after the launch of the much-lauded iPad, the various merits of its very existence are still being debated. Will it change the face of computing? Will it save the publishing industry? What does it mean for video games? What about comics? Should you even buy one, or is Cory Doctorow just being a killjoy?

Frankly, I could give two good shakes of an Etch-a-Sketch about all that. Everything I want to know about the thing can be summed up in one little video.

Good to know, Tom. Good to know.

This is Not a Spiral

My Way — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 08:03:00 +0000

The blue elements in the image above appear to be a arranged in a continuous spiral, but in fact they form a series of concentric circles. Your brain will argue so strongly for a spiral that you may need to run your mouse cursor around the circles a few times to convince yourself.

Wet And Wild: 10 Bizarre Public Water Fountains

My Way — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 11:48:30 +0000

Water fountains are a unique art form combining sculpture, engineering, and more than a little imagination. While the world’s most famous fountains are a delight to the senses, others range from weird to wild to downright bizarre… like the ten described here. Now, let us spray.

The Car Fountain, Italy

The Car Fountain – nothing fancy, just a Seat Ibiza hatchback (a Spanish car) looking like it ran over a fire hydrant. Installed in Rome where there are plenty of cars and fountains – just not in the same space – The Car Fountain was designed by Spanish artist Juan Galdeano and intended to raise awareness about global warming… by, er, raising a car.

Bodily Functions Fountain, London

Klaus Weber’s unusual (to say the least) fountain installation titled “The Big Giving” is at least eco-friendly: the water is continually recycled and the cocoon-like encrustations that envelope the statuesque sculptures are made from waste stone and industrial waste. This most unusual fountain was set up at the Southbank Centre in London, UK, and the images depicted here date from the autumn of 2007.

Though the vomiting individual is usually featured in reports on Weber’s creation, it actually includes a group of different figures displaying a variety of human bodily functions including sweating copiously from the armpits, urinating, and one poor fellow who suffers from the world’s worst post-nasal drip. The statues were modeled on Weber himself and a few selected friends.

Samson & The Lion, Prague

Rastrelli’s iconic scene of Samson wresting open the jaws of a lion has been a popular subject of both statuary and fountains for many centuries. One of most famous examples is in St. Petersburg, Russia, as part of The Great Cascade.

Another classic Samson & the Lion fountain can be found near Prague Castle in the Czech Republic’s capitol city, but something’s not quite right… could be the angle of the spray, might be a water pressure issue, or maybe it’s just me.

Jeanneke Pis, Brussels

One of the most famous “odd” fountains in the world is the Manneken Pis in Brussels, Belgium. Designed by Jerome Duquesnoy and erected (sorry) in approximately 1619, it replaced a similar peeing-boy fountain that dated back to 1388. You’d think the weight of over 600 years of history would be enough to discourage busybodies from messing with tradition but noooo… in 1987 and undoubtedly in the spirit of gender equality, Manneken was given a female counterpart: Jeanneke Pis.

The Milkmaid of Bologna, Italy

Staying in the classical vein a might longer, we have the milking mermaid of Bologna… that’s Bologna, Italy; the fountain’s not made of bologna though that would be only slightly more bizarre.

We’re not quite sure what the original artist had in mind here, but suffice to say that in those far-off days, long before Playboy or the Internet, gazing at fountains was pretty much the only game in town for young lads seeking to view erotic content.

Fontana Delle Tette, Italy

Lest you think Bologna’s boob fountain is a lone aberration, and also because where you find one breast you’re likely to find another, we present the Fontana delle Tette. Located in the old town center of the northeastern Italian city of Treviso, the Fontana delle Tette, or… hey, do we really need to translate?… dates from 1559AD – or by the looks of it, 36C.

Every day is special in Treviso, or so the citizens of centuries past must have wished. The story goes that on designated holidays, victory celebrations, the election of a new mayor, or just for the heck of it, the water which usually spurted out from the statue’s breasts would be replaced by wine: red on the left, white on the right (or vice versa, it didn’t matter much). The fountain would dispense wine for 3 consecutive days and the citizens lapped it up… until boring old Napoleon turned off the taps when he invaded Treviso in 1797.

The Fountain Head(quarters), Austria

Looking like either a set from the 1960 film The Time Machine or Dr. Evil’s new lair from the upcoming Austin Powers flick, this huge, troll-like fountain is actually the entrance of the Swarovski headquarters in Wattens, Austria.

The Swarovski Kristallwelten, or Swarovski Crystal World, sits in the Austrian Tyrol like a jewel in a ring. If it looks like a fortress, that’s no accident: In 1892, firm owner Daniel Swarovski shifted the entire company out of Bohemia (today’s Czech Republic) to the wild & woolly Tyrol so that the tools and methods of the secretive company would remain firmly under wraps.

Child Eater Fountain, Switzerland

The Kindlifresserbrunnen (Child Eater Fountain, in German) or Ogre Fountain dates from 1544 and is one of many Gothic fountains dating from Bern’s golden age. The ogre that sits atop a tall tower is depicted biting hungrily into the head of a squirming baby while other fearful infants peek out from the bag slung over his shoulder. If anyone wonders why the Swiss are generally quiet, respectful, serious folks, it may be because their parents took them to see (and be traumatized by) the Ogre Fountain when they were young.

Some say the Ogre Fountain has a somewhat shady origin, referring to its pointed hat – a device sometimes used to portray Jews in the Middle Ages. In any case, today’s tourists and residents of Bern don’t delve into the dark side of the fountain’s history… what they can see is dark and disturbing enough as it is.

Nightmare Fountain, Germany

We’re calling this the Nightmare Fountain because, well, it fits. Located in Nurnberg, Germany, this surrealistic scene isn’t something most people would associate with serene, relaxing, cooling fountains. Instead we have what appears to be a murder scene frozen in burnished bronze while a giant iguana looks on. If you’re ever in Nurnberg and come across this fountain, throw a coin in… and wish it would go away.

Crown Fountain, USA

Fountains have historically combined the bizarre and the beautiful, though not always in equal measure. This post has focused on the bizarre but in closing we present the Crown Fountain in Chicago’s Millennium Park, a larger than life interactive public art exhibition that provides heaping helpings of strange and wonderful. Big it is – the pair of glass block faced, LCD screen backed towers anchor opposing ends of a shallow reflecting/wading pool.

14 Most Beautiful Fountains and Water Sculptures

My Way — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 11:12:57 +0000

The grace and beauty of flowing water, along with its ability to induce calm, are the biggest reasons we’re drawn to artful displays of H2O. From simple gravity-driven fountains to elaborate displays of dancing water and lights, these fountains, waterfalls and water sculptures are among the most celebrated, the most beautiful and the most interesting in the world.

Dubai Fountain – Burj Dubai, UAE

The Dubai Fountain in Burj Dubai, UAE is among the largest and most technologically advanced fountains in the world. The $218 million fountain was unveiled in May of 2009. While it’s similar to the famed Bellagio Fountain in Las Vegas, it’s 25% bigger and boasts water sprays as high as a 50-story building. But even more impressive than the facts and figures is the sheer beauty of the lighted water show. It’s nothing short of breathtaking.

Public Art Waterfalls – New York City

In the summer of 2008, New Yorkers were treated to a large-scale public art project from Danish Artist Olafur Eliasson. Four towering waterfalls were placed at different locations in New York Harbor. They were carefully designed to avoid damage to the environment and wildlife, and no public funds were used in the project. For a few months, these waterfalls provided passers-by with a stunning view of water toppling back to its home from 90 to 120 feet up. Hailed as the most ambitious public art project in New York in several years, the waterfalls were meant to be a celebration of the revitalization of the waterfront.

Water Forest – Tacoma, Washington

Just outside of the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington, you’ll find a beautiful but beleaguered water sculpture project. The publicly-owned Water Forest was first erected in 2002, but was taken down soon after when one of the tubes was pushed over by a child. The city took the next seven years (and $174,000) to repair and improve the sculpture. The clear parts of the tubes, once made of glass, are now acrylic and much harder to damage. The 20 tubes have been made stronger to avoid any accidental injuries. The water flowing down the outside of each tube has been specially treated to avoid harming those who, for whatever reason, find it necessary to taste it. Overall, the display is breathtaking – especially at night, when green fiber-optic lights illuminate the structures.

Water Whirler – Wellington, New Zealand

New Zealand sculptor Len Lye dreamed big – so big, in fact, that his sculpture concepts were mostly unrealized at the time of his death. He considered himself well before his time, as the structures he wanted to build were beyond the scope of technology in his lifetime. Following his death in 1980, two of his concepts have been made into reality. Water Whirler is one of these. The strong but flexible rod that makes up the central part of the sculpture features thin jets of water that spray out horizontally. As the rod whirls around and around on its base, the water jets form lovely and surprising patterns in the air. Water Whirler was unveiled in 2006 near Frank Kitts Park in Wellington.

Charybdis – Sunderland, England

This mesmerizing water sculpture was designed by British sculptor William Pye and sits in front of Seaham Hall in Sunderland. The clear cylinder holds filtered water that rushes around to create a beautiful air-core vortex. Thanks to the stairs on either side of the cylinder, viewers are able to climb up and look down into the eye of the vortex.

Water Writing Fountain and Dancing Water Fountain – Canal City, Japan

In the first video, this innovative fountain in the Canal City Mall uses falling droplets of water to shape words and pictures. The amazing display seems almost like magic, but it’s really just the perfectly-timed release of water from individual streams. The second video features just one of many such dancing water fountains in Japan, complete with soundtrack. The regular shows never fail to attract a crowd as the water seems to dance gracefully to the music.

Fountain of Wealth – Singapore

This gigantic fountain is the central feature of Suntec City mall in Singapore. The fountain stands at over 45 feet (13.8 meters) and is said to bring good fortune and wealth to those who walk around it three times while constantly touching the water. It was recorded in the 1998 Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest fountain.

Banpo Bridge – Seoul, Korea

While it used to be a boring bridge over the Han River, the Banpo Bridge was transformed in 2008 into a gigantic, artful water display. The water is supplied by the river directly below and pumps through 9,380 nozzles to create this unique and memorable fountain. The bridge/fountain was intended to drive more tourism traffic to the city.

La Joute Fountain – Montreal, Quebec

There are few water displays as dramatic as La Joute (“the joust”) Fountain in Montreal. The fountain runs on a 32-minute kinetic sequence that culminates on the hour with a stunning ring of fire encircling the central island. Created by Jean-Paul Riopelle in 1969, this unusual fountain currently sits in Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle in the Quartier International de Montreal.

King Fahd’s Fountain – Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

On the coast of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, this impressive fountain dominates the horizon. King Fahd’s Fountain, which has been in operation since 1985, is the tallest water jet in the world. Its spray reaches over 850 feet above the Red Sea from which it draws water. A beautiful sight at any time of the day, it is especially so at night when more than 500 spotlights illuminate the massive water jet.

Kanazawa Station Fountain Clock – Kanazawa, Japan

If you walked past this outdoor clock quickly, you may not notice anything unusual about it. But this is no ordinary digital clock – it’s actually a fountain using small jets of water to tell the time. The water can even spell out messages in English and Japanese. The jets are controlled by a computer system that tells them when to open, when to close, and how high to spray the water. The Kanazawa Station Fountain Clock is an amazingly unique and beautiful water

Buckingham Fountain – Chicago, Illinois

Fontana del Pantheon and Fontana di Trevi – Rome, Italy

Of course, no article about beautiful fountains would be complete without a mention of the amazing fountains in Rome. The Italian city is famed for its many stunning fountains, and two of the most celebrated are the Fountain of the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain. The Fountain of the Pantheon was designed and sculpted in the 16th century and sits in the Piazza del Rotundo just in front of the Pantheon. The fountain itself and the marble figures there today are not the originals, but the fountain is still a magical part of Rome.

iPhone Desk Phone

My Way — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 07:29:07 +0000

The Desk Phone Dock is set to first appear at the China Sourcing Fair taking place next month. With a nod to retrospective design, the dock allows users to sync and charge their iPhones while being enclosed in a polished housing complete with traditional desk phone handset.