Not Super Mario tie in this time unfortunately, but we know you guys love these commercials (sorry, “branded entertainment”) anyway…
Braille Smartwatch Is Insanely Fast
Dot is a smartwatch with a “display” made up of 24 retractable dots, enough to carry messages in Braille. Unlike some “active Braille” devices, the speed can be adjusted to match the user’s reading pace. For those with an incredible Braille ability, the watch can deliver messages at 100 characters a second!
Swiss Army… Zip Pull?
Designed after a flash of inspiration when a zip pull broke, the Fly Pry is billed as the smallest titanium multi-tool. The $25 device, funded through a successful Kickstarter campaign, is a replacement zipper pull that can also:
- open bottles;
- lift pulltabs easily;
- open cans;
- remove staples and thumb tacks;
- act as a hex bit adapter;
- open boxes; and
- screw in hooks.
The makers say the cutting edge, hand ground to 45 degrees, is sharp enough to cut boxes or tin can lids, but not sharp enough to accidentally cut skin.
[Via: The Awesomer]
iPhones To Ditch Sucky Wi-Fi Signals
Apple has finally brought in the “obvious” solution to the problem of phones latching on to Wi-Fi even when the connection sucks.
The latest beta of iOS 9 includes a feature called Wi-Fi Assist. It’s designed to deal with the way iPhones currently default to connecting to a Wi-Fi network (and stick with that connection) no matter how weak the signal is. That can be particularly frustrating as the first you realise what’s up is when the signal is so weak that internet-dependent apps effectively become unworkable.
Wi-Fi Assist will automatically switch to a cellular data signal when the Wi-Fi signal is poor. It’s not yet known whether this will be triggered by a specific signal threshold, or if the phone will compare the Wi-Fi strength with the available 3G/4G signal. (The latter option might prove a bit of a battery drain however.) In the current implementation, there’s no option to set a minimum acceptable Wi-Fi strength.
Fortunately Apple has thought about people who don’t want to use cellular data unexpectedly. There’ll be a visual warning of the switch, with the Wi-Fi symbol greying out a little bit in advance. There’s also an option to turn the feature on or off completely.
[Via: 9to5Mac]
Tesla Uses ‘Snake’ As Charger [Video]
This prototype Tesla charger automatically locates and attaches to the charging point on the electric vehicle, allowing you to exchange a few wasted seconds for a lifetime of nightmares…
Man Enjoys 46 Hour Birthday
Sven Hagemeier of Germany marked his 26th birthday by setting a new world record — for the longest birthday.
As many readers will have no-doubt deduced, he took advantage of the International Date Line, taking flights carefully designed to maximize his stay in the appropriate timezones. The previous record involved a Karachi > Singapore > San Francisco trip in 1998 that extended a birthday to 35 hours. Hagemeier beat that with a trip from Auckland to Brisbane and then to Hawaii.
So readers, can you figure out a set of scheduled flights that would beat the new record?
[Via: Neatorama]
Deus Ex: Yes, I Will Join You In A Moment, But First, Box Fort?
If Adam Jensen from the most recent Deus Ex games had ONE character flaw, it seemed like the guy didn’t have the capacity to lighten up, ever. He just always seemed like the most intense dude. Like he would even eat his morning cereal with a scowl on his face.
But as this pic proves, if you get him at just the right time, you see a much lighter side of the gruff hero. And yes, box forts are cool as hell and only make me like him more.
(Via Imgur like most awesome things are)
Tags: box fort, deux ex human revolution, dues ex, funny, game, gamer, meme
Join In The Metroid Birthday Celebration
GaS reader Ryan Fitpatrick — who has previously created fantastic custom NES consoles celebrating Mega Man and TMNT (see below) — is organizing an online celebration of Samus from Metroid’s coming of age. Or, to be more specific, the 18th anniversary of the game’s release in North America.
It takes place on August 15 and Ryan is asking readers to post their memories, photos, cosplay, artwork and more on social media with the hashtag #metroidcelebration. Ryan will also be giving away one-of-a-kind Metroid-related prizes and unveiling a Metroid-themed custom NES.
Read more about the celebration and keep up with the updates at the Platinum Fungi site or Ryan’s Facebook page.
Nuke This: 10 Fallout Facts You Probably Didn’t Know
[Via Gameranx]
Mission: Impossible Parody – Mission: Implausible [Video]
The Ethan Hunt character’s acting is a bit wooden, but that may be part of the parody…