Archive for: tree
- February 17, 2010 2:49 pm
Unbeknownst to many, even if an electronic is fully charged, it will still draw power from the wall. Now it may not seem like much. And in reality, it isn’t — for a single gadget in a single day. But then take into account how many gadgets there are sitting fully charged in wall outlets across the world. It adds up. What if there were a “smart” plug that would detect a charged battery and released said battery accordingly?
Welcome to the Leech Plug. Designed by RSID student Conor Klein, the Leech Plug get’s it’s name after it’s real world ability to sense when it’s sucked all the power it can cram into the host battery and spit out the plug when the deed is said and done. There isn’t much to say other than sit back and watch the movie below. Prepare to be captivated. An automatically puking wall plug is quite the sight.
Video
http://www.vimeo.com/9392135
- February 15, 2010 7:52 am
Similar to the tweeting Christmas Tree, this next story involving also involves Twitter being implemented with a leafy subject. Though in this case, this tree is merely a “normal” tree, not a Christmas tree. Created by Ericsson and currently being shown off at MWC in hall 6, those at Mobile World Congress can take a few minutes to stop by the Twittering Tree for some light hearted enjoyment. For those of us who can’t see it in person however, let me indulge you.
The problem so far with most of the twitter implementation into mundane objects (and dogs), is that most of the uses seen so far aren’t “real”, instead featuring random tweets from a pre-defined list. Ericsson’s “Twittering Tree” is different.
Playing music, speaking, and manipulating lights are a few of the TT’s qualities that will get most people up front. The coolest part however is that some actual thought is being used by the tree. Based on various sensors, something as simple as a person moving away from the tree will cause it to tweet it’s loneliness. Similarly, when a group of people crowd the tree, it will tweet on how busy it is with all the visitors. Different still, touching the tree brings about a completely different tweet.
Like the rest of the twittering objects we’ve seen, anyone can get in on the fun whether you’re at MWC or not by following ConnectedTree on Twitter. If you’ve made it this far and haven’t clicked away, you’re probably wondering why bother setting up a tree with such intuitive social skills. A valid question for sure. For Ericsson’s little demo, the Twittering Tree is a proof of concept that “anything can benefit from having a broadband connection — even a tree”. Can’t say I disagree.
Up next…the Twittering Toilet…
Textually > Ericsson
- December 22, 2009 3:05 pm
While the tweeting Kegerator is a clever, geeky way to interact with a chilled brew, other even more interactive possibilities exist for Twitter. Moving away from actual consumption, how about controlling something via Twitter? I bring you the “Tweet Tree”.
This clever combination of old and new employs Twitter as the means to let ordinary citizens such as you and I to control a Christmas tree’s lights from anywhere in the world. Built upon a relatively cheap $35 web platform, making your own version of the Tweet Tree or any socially interactive object won’t bankrupt you. Interacting with the Tweet Tree goes as follows:
To choose the color of our tree, just send a color to @tweet_tree on Twitter.
@tweet_tree red, green, purple, green, p, g, r, b
@tweet_tree understands red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. Send one color, or combination of colors to morph through. Separate multiple colors with a comma. Only the first letter of the color matters, r,o,y,g,b, & p, are acceptable color commands.
@tweet_tree red, *ff0000, green, *00ff00, blue, *0000ff
It’s simple and again, pretty cool. For some actual *live* action, head on over to the official Tweet Tree uStream channel.
Zedomax > Instructables
‘Tis the season to go all out, make a spectacle of yourself, and just have a good time. With the dropping temperatures, falling snow, and coming Christmas season, it’s time to bust out the traditional Christmas epic: “Christmas Vacation”. In my mind, there’s simply nothing funnier. Hopefully most of you have seen Christmas Vacation and will instantly know what I’m talking about when I reference “the house”. More specifically, his — the one with 10 million christmas lights. The world today however is moving to increasingly greater levels of mobility. Between always on internet, mobile devices that allow us to connect to anything and everything, and just the overall sense of speed that life now requires, it isn’t too hard to believe that a more modern Christmas Vacation wouldn’t have a more mobile feel to it. In this particular case, “modern” means a 1994 (give or take) 2 door Chevy pickup.
You know, I’m pretty much positive that if Clark Griswold decorated his car, it would look exactly like the one seen above. Owned by Kris Marshall of Iowa, decorating the family truck with Christmas lights has been a family tradition going on 25 years now. What once started as a single strand loosely draped around his truck has since grown to covering nearly every square inch. According to Kris it’s all fairly simple fair being that his Christmas truck is nothing more than tape and lights — lights which are soon going to be going transformed LED strand by strand. With so much luminescent power to keep lit, the alternator in Kris’s truck is no doubt having a very, very bad Christmas.
In the spirit of geekery and Christmas cheer, I want to see you geeked out rides. Send in a picture of either your own ride or one that you’ve seen that you deem “cool”. Have at it!
Neatorama > Instapundit > Jalopnik
- December 6, 2009 12:10 pm
Think Christmas is immune from the idiosyncrasies of the geek following? Ha! When is there ever something we can’t mod, hack, or find some way to plaster our digital nature on to? That Christmas tree that you now decorate year after year, almost like a robot, can now be a shinning example of your geeky ways. Put away all of those “other” ornaments (ok, Grandmas special gifted one to you that she gave you on your 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on birthdays can stay — but everything else has to go) and instead make your tree into the ultimate geek tree with motherboard ornaments.
If any family member or significant other chastises your choice in non-traditional holiday decor, simply remind them that your motherboard ornaments are recycled meaning the harmful compounds that would leech into the earths fragile crust are instead leeching into your tree. See, saving the planet one ornament at time. How many people can say their ornaments do that? Merry Christmas you big pile of geeks…
**Bigger pictures resting right inside…
Fond memories of Grandma’s cookies, the sweet smell of gingerbread cookies, and the overall mood that falls over the Christmas season brings many adults back to a simpler, younger time in their lives. Some may want to keep the memories as they are, only reliving them with their new families as they grow older. Though some will be tired of the same and instead seek out change. Perhaps you’re the type that remembers all of the jollies of the cold winter months when a whiff of ever so sweet gun powder floats by a nostril. Perhaps not. Still, those seeking something new can now celebrate Christmas with a bang — figuratively…almost literally. The Hand Grenade Ornament looks shiny, sleek, and impressive hanging from your precious tree, real or fake. Of course, no actual boom boom is possible — something a weekend project could fix I’m sure. Old tails of crazy squirrels running rampant in your tree to mental family members creating havoc will be replaced with “How dad blew up the tree/house”. *reminiscing about fond Christmas memories of years past….*
So how about it? £20 ($32 USD) nets you a set of six. Go crazy.
**A portion of each sale will go to Ctrl.Alt.Shift’s fight against global injustice.
Technabob
