Techory.com - Regular Ramblings About Technology » Scott http://www.techory.com/blog Regular Rambling About Technology Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:06:42 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Homemade Snowmaker http://www.techory.com/blog/homemade-snowmaker/ http://www.techory.com/blog/homemade-snowmaker/#comments Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:06:42 +0000 Scott http://www.techory.com/blog/?p=1433 So as of right now, it doesn’t look like it’s going to be a white Christmas. If you really had your heart set on some snow, fear not. You can now make a run to the hardware store for some parts to build your very own snowmaker. Appropriately named Instructables member, MakeSnow has a very nice step-by-step on how to build it.

Snowmaker photo by MakeSnow

]]> http://www.techory.com/blog/homemade-snowmaker/feed/ 1 2011 Holiday Gift Guides http://www.techory.com/blog/2011-holiday-gift-guide/ http://www.techory.com/blog/2011-holiday-gift-guide/#comments Mon, 28 Nov 2011 17:27:36 +0000 Scott http://www.techory.com/blog/?p=1409 Well folks, it’s Cyber Monday again. You know what that means… it’s time for another iteration of my holiday geek gift guides. I started this quite a few years ago as a list of gift guides to help me find gifts for the people I shop for. Most of these are geared more towards geeks and gadgets, but there are several for more general gift giving. If I run across more, I’ll keep this post up to date. Or if you know any that I missed, leave me a comment, and I’ll add ‘em to the list.

(Guides from previous years: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004)

]]> http://www.techory.com/blog/2011-holiday-gift-guide/feed/ 0 Mentos Soda Geiser Car http://www.techory.com/blog/mentos-soda-geiser-car/ http://www.techory.com/blog/mentos-soda-geiser-car/#comments Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:01:55 +0000 Scott http://www.techory.com/blog/?p=1399 Want.

Mentos Soda Geiser Car

]]> http://www.techory.com/blog/mentos-soda-geiser-car/feed/ 0 Throwable Panoramic Ball Camera http://www.techory.com/blog/throwable-panoramic-ball-camera/ http://www.techory.com/blog/throwable-panoramic-ball-camera/#comments Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:19:26 +0000 Scott http://www.techory.com/blog/?p=1394 This is a slick little gadget. It’s a little green ball with cameras mounted all over it. You toss it into the air, and it created a spherical panorama at the apex of your toss.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I wonder how careful you have to be when throwing this. I bet a little bit of spin would mess up your panorama. Either way, it’s a pretty cool idea.

]]> http://www.techory.com/blog/throwable-panoramic-ball-camera/feed/ 0 Stateris http://www.techory.com/blog/stateris/ http://www.techory.com/blog/stateris/#comments Sun, 09 Oct 2011 03:40:55 +0000 Scott http://www.techory.com/blog/?p=1386 Are you tired of plain-old Tetris? Do simple square shapes bore you? Give Stateris a try.

 

]]> http://www.techory.com/blog/stateris/feed/ 1 Super Mario Brothers + Portal = Awesome http://www.techory.com/blog/super-mario-brothers-portal-awesome/ http://www.techory.com/blog/super-mario-brothers-portal-awesome/#comments Tue, 30 Aug 2011 02:43:45 +0000 Scott http://www.techory.com/blog/?p=1377 Take a the timeless classic video game of Mario Brothers, then add the innovative modern game Portal, and you get a great game that I’d love to play MariO.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I hope they follow through with this mashup!

 

]]> http://www.techory.com/blog/super-mario-brothers-portal-awesome/feed/ 1 What Are Your Favorite Podcasts? http://www.techory.com/blog/what-are-your-favorite-podcasts/ http://www.techory.com/blog/what-are-your-favorite-podcasts/#comments Sat, 18 Jun 2011 18:52:32 +0000 Scott http://www.techory.com/blog/?p=1342 I’ve always got a good collection of podcasts on my iPod. In fact, I probably listen to podcasts more than I listen to music. I usually download a new batch of podcasts every couple weeks. I’ll fill up my iPod and listen until I run out, and then pull down the newest batch. I have my list of favorites, but am always on the lookout for new content to put into my podcast rotation. Below is a list of my top podcasts. Let me know in the comments what you like to listen to.

  • Buzz Out Loud (website – iTunes)
    This is a daily podcast from CNET where they talk about the tech happenings of the day. I usually download about 6 of the newest episodes of Buzz Out Loud.
  • A Life Well Wasted (website – iTunes)
    This podcast is a recent addition to my list. Their tagline is “An Internet Radio Program about Video Games and the People who Love them.” This isn’t your typical video game review show. It’s actual stories about people and video games. It includes stories about collectors, or interesting video game history, and is usually very intriguing.
  • Macbreak Weekly (website – iTunes)
    This is a Twit podcast from Leo Laporte (of which I subscribe to a number). This one is kind of hit or miss with me. Sometimes I’ll listen, and sometimes I’ll just skip it until my next iPod refresh. It’s about all things Apple, and the quality of the show really depends on the guests of the episode. I find myself fast-forwarding through long Andy Ihnatko rants a lot of times.
  • Security Now (website – iTunes)
    Another Twit podcast, this one deals with computer and internet security. I kind of pick and choose these episodes based on the topic discussed. There are also regular question and answer episodes that I’ll grab from time to time.
  • Tech News Today (website – iTunes)
    Again, a twit podcast. I only download this one every now and then, and I usually don’t pull down many episodes. This podcast comes out every weekday and is similar to the Buzz Out Loud podcast listed above. In fact, the host (Tom Merritt) of TNT was a host of Buzz Out Loud up until a year ago, when he moved to Twit. Anyway, it’s a good podcast, the host does a nice job, but it’s not at the top of my rotation. I’ll pull an episode or two every time I refresh the iPod.
  • This American Life (website – iTunes)
    This is a podcast of the NPR radio program “This American Life.” These are usually pretty good, and provide a view into a certain theme every week. Every now and then I’ll find myself fast-forwarding through a radio essay, or an author reading one of their short stories, but generally the topics are insightful and interesting.
  • This Week in Google (website – iTunes)
    Yep, another Twit podcast. This one is actually about general cloud computing as well as Google. The hosts (Jeff Jarvis, and Gina Trapani) are very likable, and they usually talk about interesting things that have happened with Google (including Android), and the cloud in general.
  • This Week in Tech (website – iTunes)
    This is the last Twit podcast I subscribe to, as well as the flagship program for the network. The premise for this podcast is a panel of tech-folk come together to discuss the prior week’s tech news. It’s pretty good 95% of the time, but also very much depends on the panel that gets brought together for a particular episode (sorry, can’t stand Jerry Pournelle).
  • WNYC’s Radiolab (website – iTunes)
    This is probably one of my favorite podcasts. It is also an actual radio program from WNYC released in podcast format. The premise for the show is usually investigating some big science or technology question through experiments or interviews with experts. Just about every single episode is genuinely interesting, and I end up learning something. Some of my favorite episodes include investigations in to sleep, or if and how animals think, morality, or what makes pop music popular. I highly recommend this program.
  • You Look Nice Today (website – iTunes)
    YLNT has not been released in quite a while, and may very well be dead, but it’s still one of my favorites, so I decided to list it. This is a comedy podcast, and is mainly made up of three guys sitting around BS’ing. That’s it… doesn’t sound like much… but it’s FUNNY. If you’re looking for a good episode, check out the one where Jonathan Hodgeman and Jonathan Coulton are guest hosts.
  • 99% Invisible (website – iTunes)
    This podcast is a recent addition to my lineup. It’s a quickie podcast (most episodes are only a few minutes in length). The show is about design and architecture in everyday things. These things are usually overlooked because they’re done so well, hence the 99% invisible.
  • Diggnation (website – iTunes)
    I used to listen to this podcast more than I do now. I don’t find myself downloading this one very often any more. It’s based on the Digg.com website, and involves the two hosts going over some of the top stories from the site. They usually only get through a few stories though, as their banter (which is why you listen to the podcast) normally takes up most of the time.

That’s my list. I’m always looking for new podcasts to download. What’s on your list?

]]> http://www.techory.com/blog/what-are-your-favorite-podcasts/feed/ 4 iCufflinks http://www.techory.com/blog/icufflinks/ http://www.techory.com/blog/icufflinks/#comments Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:40:53 +0000 Scott http://www.techory.com/blog/?p=1357 Want!

(I just need some more french cuffed shirts)

]]> http://www.techory.com/blog/icufflinks/feed/ 0 Neurowear, Ears Controlled by your Brain http://www.techory.com/blog/neurowear-ears-controlled-by-your-brain/ http://www.techory.com/blog/neurowear-ears-controlled-by-your-brain/#comments Mon, 09 May 2011 13:36:31 +0000 Scott http://www.techory.com/blog/?p=1350 Have you ever wanted to display your mood with a pair of giant cat ears? Well, the wait is now over. A Japanese project called Neurowear has created a set of robotic ears that react to your brain waves. The concept is a little odd, and I’m not sure if this is something I’d wear in public, but it’s a very interesting idea to communicate what you’re thinking using a peripheral that you wear on your body.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

They need to create a dog tail to communicate happiness when it wags.

]]> http://www.techory.com/blog/neurowear-ears-controlled-by-your-brain/feed/ 1 New Mentos “Kiss Me” Wrappers http://www.techory.com/blog/new-mentos-kiss-me-wrappers/ http://www.techory.com/blog/new-mentos-kiss-me-wrappers/#comments Fri, 15 Apr 2011 18:33:31 +0000 Scott http://www.techory.com/blog/?p=1334 It’s been a good week for new Mentos sightings. I found another new roll (or new packaging at least) in CVS today. The candy is the regular Mentos mint flavor, but the roll has a heart in place of the “O” in “Mentos,” and instead of the normal “Mint” text, it says, “Kiss Me.” I assume these are tied to the Mentos Kiss Fight campaign, or are special wrappers for Valentines Day.

Update: After eating the entire roll (because that’s how I roll… Ha!), I noticed that there were two pink Mentos mixed in with the white mint ones. The pink Mentos taste like mint, but are pink in color, just like the strawberry you find in the mixed fruit rolls. After noticing that, I think this roll is a game you play with someone you like. You pass the roll back and fourth, and whoever gets the pink Mentos has to kiss the other person, or get kissed by the other person. It’s kind of the Mentos equivalent to spin the bottle, or mistletoe.

Mentos Kiss Me Wrapper Mentos Kiss Me Candies ]]> http://www.techory.com/blog/new-mentos-kiss-me-wrappers/feed/ 0