The Pilgrim's Progress — Kickstarter in 2014

Massoud Hassani’s wind-powered land mine sweeper, funded on Kickstarter, makes it to the Museum of Modern Art
Credit: Rene van der Hulst/Massoud Hassani/Museum of Modern Art, New York

22,252 projects were successfully funded by 3.3 million people with $529 million on Kickstarter last year. Backers were from almost every country on the planet, plus over $10,000 from 36 backers in Antarctica.

And it’s not just technology: other project areas include art, comics, dance, design, fashion, food, games, music, photography, publishing & theatre.

https://www.kickstarter.com/year/2014?ref=yir2014_email / project pledge reward design back backer successfully funded fund /

Smart band for your analogue watch

Montblanc e-Strap fitted to Timewalker Urban Speed analogue
Credit: Montblanc/Pocket-lint

Smartwatches have achieved a degree of popularity, but remain far from universal. There are a number of reasons for this, including:
• preference for the appearance of an analogue watch
• dislike of the high-tech appearance of many smartwatches
• sentimental attachment to an existing watch

A solution that has occurred to a few is a "smart band". I.e. a band for a conventional watch with “smarts” built into the band itself, or the clasp.

Mondillian smart-band failed to get funding on IndieGoGo:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/modillian-smart-strap-make-your-watch-smart

Kairos T-band Smartwatch achieved funding on IndieGoGo – with options of a band for an existing watch or a smart band complete with analogue watch. Only adjustment of the band is by once-only cutting, after which no further adjustment is possible. A deal breaker for some.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/kairos-t-band-smartwatch-best-of-analog-digital

Montblanc, well known watch manufacturer, is developing an e-Strap for its Timewalker Urban Speed range, or separately, although it will be towards the top of the smart watch price range at around €250.

http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/132167-montblanc-e-strap-lets-you-upgrade-your-current-watch-to-make-it-smart

http://www.geek.com/mobile/montblanc-e-strap-turns-any-watch-into-a-smartwatch-1612706/

http://www.cnet.com/news/e-strap-puts-a-smartwatch-strap-on-a-dumbwatch/ / Geneva watch trade show SIHH 2015 watch luxury goods maker smartwatch market smart wearables Montblanc Timewalker Urban Speed collection timepieces optional strap e-Strapproduct reference 113827 first smart connected wearable established luxury company high-end leather strap carbon fiber texture Extreme Montblanc Leather produced Florence Italy electronic module DLC diamond like carbon coated steel grey gray steel colour color size options technology consumers want mechanical watch choice dilemma. strap smart wearable device 2015 Montblanc Timewalker Urban Speed watches available for purchase separately crowd-funded project e-Strap option NATO-style designed connects 42mm 43mm wide lug space sizes 22mm wide iPhone iOS Android /

Want to live longer?

If you do, there are a lot of things you can do about it, or avoid, including:

Do these:
http://theweek.com/article/index/274020/7-things-that-will-make-you-healthier-and-help-you-live-longer-according-to-science

Avoid these:
http://theweek.com/article/index/274021/7-things-that-will-make-you-sicker-or-kill-you-sooner-according-to-science / exercise stave off depression Swedish researchers genetically engineered mice high levels protein builds up in muscles during exercise control group to sustained low level stress protein PGC-1[alpha]1 metabolite linked to depression acid passed more easily out of the body Jorge Ruas study proves exercise should be prescribed prevention treatment depression coffee improve memory researchers research identify old new similar caffeinated group recognize very slight changes pictures dosage was crucial 200 milligram tablets improve memory doses caused headaches jitteriness standing up Swedish researchers moderate exercise program sit less scientists measured volunteers' telomeres caps on the ends of genes generally shorten and fray with age active group had grown longer sedentary behavior Mai-Lis Hellénius new health hazard of our time eating vegetables reduces your risk of dying fresh fruits or vegetables reduced risk of death 42 percent fresh vegetables most beneficial portion reducing overall risk of death 16 percent canned fruits increased the statistical risk added sugar processing living in Utah fist bumping shaking hands prevent spread of bacteria wearing sterile gloves dunked their hands mild solution of E.coli bacteria shook hands high-fived fist bumped wearing uncontaminated gloves handshake transferred about twice as much bacteria high five 10 times more than a fist bump greater contact area duration pressure low expectations boost happiness researchers monitored brain activity volunteers played a game degree of happiness players experienced won depended expectations lower expectations happier winning real world people with low expectations derive more pleasure receiving gifts vacation things better or worse than expected sugar artificial sweeteners gut bacteria pot smoking damage developing brains more potent strains cause structural changes brains levels of THC marijuana psychoactive compound abnormalities shape density volume nucleus accumbens pleasure pain core of motivation pop stardom substance abuse die in accidents commit suicide murdered die young culture glorifies outrageous behavior emotionally immature artists pop scene is toxic playing football damage brains concussions cognitive disorder low vitamin D levels increase risk Alzheimer's disease dementia /

Brando Bluetooth Speaker Hat

Credit: Brando

Bluetooth connectivity, built in battery, charging via microUSB. And as you can see from the photograph, the hat holds the speakers over your ears.

Not so obvious from the photograph: a microphone is included, so you can use it for phone calls as well.

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2014/12/26/bluetooth-speaker-hat-keeps-your-head-warm-and-your-ears-filled-with-music/

http://shop.brando.com/Bluetooth-Speaker-Hat_p12451c0201d033.html

Good for cold weather, but you’ll want a different headset arrangement come summer. / 100% Acrylic Hat access phone function making a call noise reduction system high quality speaker microphone keep head warm colors black Bluetooth V3.0+EDR frequency 2.402 GHz transmission Distance: 10M battery 120mA LiIon lithium ion battery bluetooth speaker hat microUSB charging cable Bluetooth speaker hat Brando tech clothing item acrylic hat keep your head warm cold outside Bluetooth speaker phone capability charges via micro USB microphone three button touch interface control controls volume music playback /

A very unusual shark

Credit: My Blue World

• at 7.3 metres (24 feet) the second biggest carnivorous shark after the great white
• almost no dorsal fin
• prefers cold water, usually at great depth
• has been suggested as a candidate for the Lock Ness monster
• slow swimming – average 1 kph (0.76 mph) – 2.7 kph (1.7 mph) in a sprint
• flesh is poisonous, due to high levels of a chemical which appears to act as an anti-freeze
• estimates based on rates-of growth suggest they may live for 200 to 400 years, which make them among the longest-lived vertebrates
• there is some debate as to whether the Pacific sleeper shark & southern sleeper shark are the same, or closely related species



http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20141028-the-mystery-shark-of-the-arctic

https://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/GreenlandShark/GreenlandShark.html

http://www.wired.com/2014/02/creature-feature-10-fun-facts-greenland-shark/ / Greenland shark Somniosus microcephalus gurry shark grey shark sleeper shark Inuit name Eqalussuaq second largest carnivorous shark deep Arctic waters thickset cylindrical body small head short snout tiny eyes slow moving giant water is frigid Greenland Iceland polar closely related coast Canada Portugal France Scotland Scandinavia widespead wide spread cold deep Aaron MacNeil Australian Institute of Marine Science Townsville Queensland Gulf of Mexico 2,600 metres 8,530 feet Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution Fort Pierce Florida deep sea 1,000 metres 3,280ft Gulf of Maine common liver oil lamp fuel industrial lubricant lubricatioin healthy population 120 hooks longline fairly common Aaron Fisk University of Windsor Ontario eat eating scientists stomach contents meals fish carrion small crustaceans amphipods dead bodies deep waters eat carrion almost blind Ommatokoita elongata crustacean sharks’ eyes damage damaging corneas parasites parasitic crustacean bioluminescent George Benz Middle Tennessee State University scientific literature contaminated unsubstantiated claims ambush predator Arctic seals polar bears ice holes breathe breathing circumstantial evidence stomach analyses discarded leftovers beluga whales shifting ice Baffin Island northern Canada Arctic food web Hákarl flesh meat is toxic fermented shark detoxified /

Laptop won’t boot? Maybe you should try drilling some holes & cook it in the oven

hhg2Tech Workspace


Credit: Stirling Hirsh/iFixit

Worked for Stirling Hirsh (kinda).

Be sure to check out the comments :)

http://ifixit.org/blog/6882/why-i-drilled-holes-in-my-macbook-pro-and-put-it-in-the-oven/ / Apple iMac computer laptop MacBook Pro reflowed solder logic board drilled 60 holes bottom case heat issues my model of MacBook Pro run runs running too hot programmer tech iFixit game gamer electronic music laptop hovered between 80ºC 90º C simple fixes blow blew out inside of my laptop compressed air laptop stand lap top lap enabled smcFanControl program run fans max speed 6200 rpm still ran hot died screen suddenly went black powered it off and on again power light lit boot chime glitchy logic board temperatures board flex knocking solder loose ball grid arrays reflow reflowed professional reflow outfit reapplied re-applied thermal paste boot booted reboot died again disassembled scrape thermal pads Thunderbolt controller system hub heat spreader chip oven treatment heat gun infrared thermometer aluminum foil drill 1/16” bit drilled holes under fans blades dust pattern increased airflow /

Macro photos of snowflakes show impossibly perfect designs

Credit: Alexey Kljatov/TreeHugger/Flickr

“No two snowflakes are identical." – not among these:

http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/macro-photos-snowflakes-show-impossibly-perfect-designs.html

https://www.flickr.com/photos/chaoticmind75/with/10823897423/ / true wonders of the world snow flake snowflakes tiny designs ice unique detailed spectacular Alexey Kljatov photographer photograph photography special talent capture capturing beautiful ice creations snowflake photos photographs Flickr capture snowflakes open balcony glass surface lit lighting lighted LED flashlight opposite side of glass sometimes natural light dark woolen fabrics background impressive work crystal growth freeze freezing frozen temperature melt cold freezing /