TV Review: Continuum

By Craig Garcia - Sci-Fi lovers rejoice, a new television series has just launched and shows tremendous promise bringing action, drama, humor and of course the dazzle of science fiction. 

The series starts out in the year 2077, in a world no longer run by free people with an elected governing body. Instead major corporations now control the globe and dictate almost all portions of a persons life. In this dark vision of the future, free speaking and thinking people are considered 'terrorists' and are ruthlessly hunted by the CPS (corporate police service). Demanding freedom from the dictatorial oppression thrust upon them, these terrorists decide that they can no longer allow the corporate rule to continue and take drastic measures in their fight for freedom. 

Home Theaters Are Killers: Movie Theatres Going The Way Of The Drive In?

By Craig Garcia - I think movie theaters are dying, and in the near future will go the way of the drive in theater and completely disappear. I took my wife on a date this last weekend and we saw The Avengers. I was really excited to see this film but it wasn't the fast paced action that got my heart pumping ... it was having to drain my bank account to see a freaking movie! Okay so that is a little bit of an exaggeration.. I didn't drain my bank account but did end up shelling out a completely unreasonable fee to see a movie. 

I bought two (2) adult matinee movie tickets, one popcorn and two sodas.... this ended up costing $55 and change!! Is this reasonable to anyone else? These were not even prime time tickets, this was in the middle of the freaking afternoon. 

SpaceX's 2nd Try Lands Them In The Record Books

By Craig Garcia - After a disappointing first try over the weekend, SpaceX gave it another shot this morning and successfully launched a Falcon 9 Rocket and Dragon space capsule. 

The launch took place very early this morning, and at 3:44am EST Space X became the first commercial carrier able to launch into outer space. Currently the Dragon capsule is racing along towards the international space station, and will complete a bevy of tests en route to ensure that it can dock safely with the ISS. 

YouTube Pick Of The Day: Man Gets Pwn'd By Sheep

I came across this video yesterday and I found it pretty funny. Mainly because it's not often you see a sheep line someone up and then take them out, and then see a person running from said sheep. If you've already seen this then you know what I'm talking about, and if you haven't lean back, relax and enjoy my YouTube pick of the day.

App Review: RadiantWalls HD

I love the idea of live wallpapers, but really who doesn't? And while I have quite the collection thus far, I'm always on the lookout for new ones. While surfing the PlayStore I came across this beauty. It's called RadiantWalls HD, it costs $1.50 and features 3 fantasy live wallpapers.

The app size itself isn't overly large, and runs smoothly. The live wallpapers themselves are indeed radiant, and the developers report will work on most devices capable of using live wallpapers. It worked perfectly on both my Nexus S & Galaxy Tab 10.1

For the price of the app and what you get for your money I would definitely suggest this to others, there are many live wallpaper apps which are clearly money grabs, however this doesn't appear to be one of those. Check out the video below supplied by the developers on the PlayStore

All in all I would rate RadiantWalls HD a 4 out of 5

GeekSquad Got Caught Scamming - Always Get A Second Opinion

A friend pointed me towards this video, and I thought I would share it with everyone on here as well. While this particular incident seems to be contained to one location, however should be a lesson to the public not to just take one companies 'word for it' and to get a second opinion before shelling out big bucks.

Nintendo Lowers Prices For DS Mobile Gaming Platform

Nintendo must be feeling the heat lately, because the retail price for the DS line of mobile gaming platforms has dropped. With amazing new products such as the Playstation Vita recently introduced, Nintendo has lost its position of "Top Dog" within the mobile gaming market.

In an effort to reclaim the top spot and remain competitive, Nintendo has dropped the prices for the DS lite to $99, the DSi to $149 and $169 for the DSi XL. All in all I believe it is a good move by the company, lower rates will keep the fans loyal with Nintendo devices. For more information on product pricing, check out Nintendo's website here.

121 Megapixel Images Of Earth Are Out Of This World

While reading one of my favorite subscriptions I came across an article by Jon Fingas. In the article was the most breath taking view of our planet I have ever seen. It seems the Russian Federal Space Agency is way ahead of the curve with respect to high resolution photos from space.

YouTube Pick Of The Day: Drunk Girl Forgets About Physics

When drunk, people often forget about things... .where they are, where they left their keys.. but forgetting about gravity, that's a new one. If you've seen this video already then you know what I'm talking about, and if not check out the video below to see how this girl was reminded about it.

Blackberry 10 Keyboard Available For Iphones Before It Is For Blackberry?

Blackberry lovers are eagerly anticipating the release of the 10.0 OS,  and one of the new features for these brand spanking new devices is a completely revamped virtual keyboard. Something BB lovers will not enjoy, is that the new BB keyboard is featured on a YouTube video and is being run on a Iphone.... Apparently it has been codenamed 'Octopus Keyboard' , and will be available to jailbroken Iphones as early as next week.

Check out the video below to see this rip off in action. 

Quantum Object Teleported 100 Kilometers

If you though teleportation was something reserved for Star Trek, or science fiction, you're right..... at least you used to be. While quantum teleportation has been around since 1997 it has never been achieved at a great distance... most teleporatations were of a distance of meters... not miles. 

Space X Set To Blast Off May 19Th!

Space X has a launch date.... and a back up too. Currently the independent company Space X, has a launch date set for May 19 and a back up date of the 22nd just in case the first launch gets scrubbed. Should the launch go ahead as planned a Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon space capsule will race skyward to the International Space Station. 

The Dragon capsule will contain a bevy of cargo and experiments for the astronauts and will remain docked to the space station for about a week and a half, where it will then un-dock and return to Earth with cargo from the station.

This will be the second demonstration flight for Space X, the first was a successful launch on Friday April 20. Should the launch in May also be a success, it will bring the up and coming company that much closer to landing a boat load of money from NASA, who is currently looking for companies to help launch astronauts and cargo into space since the decommissioning of the space shuttle fleet.

So if your excited to see the SpaceX launch, and no where near Florida on the 19th, you can head over to NASA TV and catch the launch live.

A Rooftop Aquaponics Dome For Everyone??

I came across a very interesting article the other day. In it was the conceptual design for a rooftop aquaponics dome. As I am currently investigating which greenhouse to purchase/build, this immediately caught my attention. The "Globe (Hedron)" is a joint effort from urban farmers AG and designer Antonio Scarponi from Conceptual Devices, and is an idea which will hopefully address a growing food shortage problem around the world.

Vader's Hair Dryer - Perfect For Mother's Day

Ladies love Star Wars.... They do, even if they won't admit it. And what better way to say "I love you mom" than pretending she is... letting her pretend she is the  the master of malevolence. With the Darth Vader hair dryer she can do just that!

Last I heard this was still a proto-type and awaiting the chance to hit the market, once it does you can bet I'll be ready to snatch one up for my mom. I'm just hoping it doesn't sound like Vader breathing when it's turned on

Follow Up To The Air Powered Car

Awhile back I posted an article which discussed Tata Motors, and their amazing air powered vehicles. Since that posting the company has made some progress getting these out on the market, albeit it has been a difficult road for the auto giant. Tata Motors has announced it has completed the proof of technical concept and demonstration phase, of the air powered car program and is currently moving to a market ready product.

Phase two is now begins and involves "completing detailed development of the compressed air engine into specific vehicle and stationary applications,"  and, "the two companies are working together to complete detailed development of the technology and required technical processes to industrialize a market ready product application over the coming years."

So while this may not be the update we were all hoping for, it does indicate that hopefully in the near future we can say goodbye to gasoline as well as the high prices for it and the  pollution that is part of petroleum run vehicles. 

The Floating Bed

What comes to mind when you think about the design of a bed? Usually they are either small and skimpy or large and gaudy, and either way you think of them... it's usually a cookie cutter design and not something unique. Well while reading the other day I came across this gem. This is the Floating Bed, and product of Dutch architect / founder of Universe Architecture Janjaap Ruijssenaars. 

World Record - 1,626 Miles On 1 Tank Of Gas.

The "worlds most fuel efficient couple" have done it again. Smashing their previous record of 1,526.6 miles on a single tank of gas, John and Helen Taylor have again shown their fuel efficiency by reaching 1626 miles on a single tank of gas. 

Traveling in their stock 2012 Volkswagen Passat powered by a 2.0-liter TDI Clean Diesel engine, the Taylor's set out on a three day ride departing from Houston Texas, traveling through 9 states before running dry in Sterling Virgina.  In order to verify the authenticity of this achievement the Taylors had the car's odometer and speedometer checked out  & calibrated by a certified testing station in Houston, and Police were also on hand to verify the mileage and were on site to verify the gas tank was sealed after filling up and confirmed the seal was in place when it ran dry. 

All in all a very impressive feat and for those looking to get the most out of a tank of gas maybe it's time to consider a Volkswagen.

TED Video: Brian Green - Is Our Universe The Only Universe?

 I love physics, which is an odd statement for me because I would despise mathematics in school. But I do, and I believe it's because I have learned the little I know, through my own means. Being partially self taught, and also seeking alternative means to learn about physics, brought me a new understanding of the world which surrounds me. I also love TED, the talks continually amaze and intrigue me ... I only wish there were more talks like this one when I was in school... Math may have been a lot more interesting if talks like this were around back then. 

Anyway, I digress... I want to share this TED talk because ... well because it's awesome. As a physics lover I have often had a hard time explaining not only to others, but also to myself, the concepts I've learned or am trying to learn. And Brian Green is one of a few physicists that are truly able to break down some complex concepts in layman's terms.

Self Propelled Nano Submarine Cleans Up Motor Oil

Oil spills are a very serious problem, and currently the methods used to 'clean up' the mess are really not at all quick and their effectiveness is still quite limited. While reading on New Scientist, I came across an article which shows some serious promise with respect to cleaning up oil spills.

Joseph Wang from the University of California showed how nanomachines could soon be a major player in an oil spill clean up. In the video, a micro submarine using chemical propulsion is covered in a layer of Thiol molecules which attracts oil. The sub then sails through a liquid  and carriers the oil droplets with it.. demonstrating how this micro sub can move oil slicks in a controlled manner.

It's reported that the strength of the nano-sub's attraction to the oil molecules can be adjusted by changing the volume & composition of the coating used to attract the oil. The propulsion method will require some refining in order for this to be a practical solution for oil spill clean up however this does show great promise. Check out the link here for more information.

Volkswagen Hover Car - A Concept Vehicle For The Future

By Craig Garcia - I've seen a lot of interesting and intriguing concept cars on the internet, most of them are 'drool-worthy' and leave me wishing for boat loads of money to purchase one for myself. But of all the concept cars I've seen this has to be the best of the best.

This is Hover Car, it is a concept vehicle that came to light during a competition hosted by Volkswagen, the "People's Car Project" (PCP). The company wanted to get input from the public regarding what the current consumer not only needs, but what they are wanting to see in upcoming vehicles. In just over 1 year the Volkswagen website saw more than 33 million visitors and more than 119'000 unique design submissions and technological ideas.

Floating Wind Turbine In Action

By Craig Garcia - Back in March I was reading one of my favorite subscriptions and came across an article featuring floating wind turbines designed to produce more electricity than conventional turbines, mainly because this one floats way up in the sky where winds are much stronger than they are closer to the ground.

Ferry Recycled Into Movable Floating Swimming Pool

By Craig Garcia - Recycling is cool, it's also great for the environment. What I'm referring to right now is not recycling pop cans or plastics (although that's good too)... I'm talking about turning a old ferry from the 1960's into a movable floating swimming pool! 

WIFI For Poo

Yes you read that right, WIFI access for poo.... more specifically dog poo. Apparently getting dog owners to clean up after their pets has become such a large problem, that parks around Mexico City are now seeing pet waste disposal bins popping up all over. Except these are not your typical dump-sters.

Jetman Soars Over Rio (Video)

By Craig Garcia - I'm sure you've heard of Jetman Yves Rossy, most people have at one point or another. And while this former fighter pilot turned thrill seeker has impressed us with his jet pack designs, we really haven't had a lot of opportunities to tag along during his flights. Well in early May he took a flight around Rio de Janerio in Brazil and this time on board cameras and a nearby helicopter also filming him, brought us a bird's eye view of this amazing spectacle. Check out the video below to see Jetman in action.

Galaxy Tab 2 Source Code Officially Released

I love my Tab, it's a great tablet. What I love even more about it is that it is rooted, and how I have so many more customization options than my friends do with their stock versions of the same unit. Well very shortly this pimped out Tab may be considered 'old news' because Samsung has released the source codes for both the 7 and 10.1 inch tablets. This means that those custom ROMS with amazing features, will soon be even more exciting and feature rich. Click here for the link to Samsung page to download the source codes.

YouTube Pick Of The Day: Crazy Lady Spitting On Live TV

Today's pick is new to me, and clearly showcases the class of some people in this world. If you've seen this already then you know what I'm talking about, and if you haven't... Lean back, relax and enjoy my YouTube pick of the day.

Holly $h!t That's A Fast Robot!

By Craig Garcia - I love robots, who doesn't? And during my lifetime thus far, I have watched them grow from sluggish and limited robots which barley deserve the name into the marvel they have become now. The video I'm going to show you today, isn't a recent video. This is actually from 2009 and although it is almost 3 years old this is extremely impressive! In the video below we see this robotic hand completing feats of amazing manual dexterity, from dribbling ping pong balls, to tying knots, and then picking up individual grains of rice... all done with amazing speed and accuracy.  If this was the state of robotics 3 years ago, I can only imagine where they will be 3 years from now.

YouTube Pick Of The Day: Kid Smashes Face Trying To Break TV

By Craig Garcia - Okay now I've seen a lot of dumb people doing dumb things.... I've occasionally been one of them, but this one takes the cake. If you've seen this before, then you know what I'm talking about. And if this is new to you, then lean back, relax and enjoy my YouTube pick of the day.