This picture of an hazardous materials data sheet on the element known as “Woman” will surely make quite a few of you guys chuckle, while some of our female readers will probably roll their eyes in exasperation at the sight of it. It might be interesting to see something like this made from the other side of the fence. Any female engineer here interested in doing something similar for men?
[Via Picchore]
[Via]
As a writer, I’m aware that just one or two words really can transform a sentence. Take this proposition:
The Freeman’s Auction House in Philadelphia is auctioning off 100 helmets this Saturday with an average starting price of $1,500.
Pretty bland, huh? Now let’s try it again with two extra words:
The Freeman’s Auction House in Philadelphia is auctioning off 100 Darth Vader helmets this Saturday with an average starting price of $1,500.
Yeah, now we’re talking. And unlike Ford’s model-T, your choice of color is not restricted to black. Instead, every helmet has been customized by an underground artist who started with a full-size prop replica. The collection was completed in 2007 and has been on touring exhibition including appearances in Europe and Japan.
So how different can one Vader helmet be? Well, a simple change of color and logo can truly transform the impression you get. Witness how artist Axis brings some disturbing overtones:
Anyone here need a powerstrip that works while being submerged under water? No? Well in case you ever do, which might not be the most brilliant of ideas, Wet Circuits now sells a waterproof power strip. Behold:
[Available for $35 on webcircuits.com]
Last week I wrote a short post about e-readers and their decided limitations during the summer months. A few of our readers suggested, in lieu of purchasing an e-reader, to go with something simpler. Like an iPod, cell phone, or other small device. Admittedly, that’s just what I’ve been doing. I have an iPod Touch I have been very happy with the story quality, be it PDFs, or more traditional formats like Kindle. Hopefully in the next week, I’ll also be finally joining the ranks of smartphone users, going with T-Mobile’s MyTouch Slide phone (yay!). That means I’ll want to test out a variety of reading possibilities.
But come to find out, Amazon is far from the only company trying to make a dime off of reading on a cell phone screen. Cruising through CNN last night, I came across the interesting article that highlighted three different companies who specialize in cell phone publishing.
This is an intriguing concept. One of my short stories was published last year in Steampunk Tales, a mobile only publication, so I have a little familiarity with the subject (that’s Steampunk Tales #4 for those of you who are curious and might enjoy some weird west steampunk–yes, yes, shameless plug). What I particularly like about this format is its absolute portability. It also means less to carry around in terms of devices. Even more so, I truly like the fact that it does not require additional equipment purchase. Sure, there are those of us who can run out and purchase new gadgets without concern for their budget. But hey, I’m a freelance writer. I’ve got to learn to use what I can.
The three companies profiled by CNN are CellStories, TextNovel, and Figment. I visited each site, respectively, and have a few additional thoughts on each one.
The idea of getting fiction into the hands of people, every single day, is behind the creation of CellStories. In spite of the unfortunate typo on their main page (“we strives to bring you”… someone might accidentally lapsed into LOLspeak there) I like their approach. Their stories are off beat, appear every day, and are totally free. Personally, I think the more people read the better, and I really like that these aren’t run-of-the-mill stories. Particular plus? There’s a QR code on the opening page, which is pretty geektastic. Makes you kind of feel like you’re living in the future.
The other publications CNN covered include TextNovel and Figment. TextNovel is a little more comprehensive than CellStories in that its scope includes novels (bet you figured that out from their name). I don’t have time to read every novel up there, but judging from the covers… well, it’s an intriguing approach, let’s just say. It looks like part self-publishing scheme, part Digg. Who knows? The next great American novel could be up there right now…
Figment is geared toward teenagers, however. I love the name, but I think they are a little over-enthusiastic about their potential. According to CNN, Figment co-founder Jacob Lewis had this to say of teen writers in their community: “They can write a haiku or a 90,000 word novel while riding the bus to school. They can pick and chose, share and exclaim, write and review.” Now, I don’t doubt that a teenager is capable of writing a 90,000 word novel. It’s happened. But on a cell phone? On the bus? Have you ever been on a high school bus? Actually, have you ever met the writer kids in high school? We’re the wallflowers, and sharing is… complicated. I hope that Figment does work out, of course. I think it’s got a lot of possibility. It’s still in beta, so there’s plenty of time.
At any rate, it’s interesting to see how many different approaches there are in publishing. We hear a great deal about new gadgets with new formats—but maybe the most overlooked and most populated segment of the market is the one poised to really make an impact.
Have any of you had experience with any of these sites? Now that you’ve read this, are you planning on giving novel reading/writing on your cell phone a try? What do you think of the editorial implications of such a thing? Would you ever consider trying to publish in one of these venues?
Tags: Amazon, CellStories, epub, epublishing, ereader, Figment, kindle, TextNovel
Developed and designed by Peter Treadway, the Treadway motorized shoes allow you to travel around at up to 10mph, and when you’re not using them, you can still do pretty much anything you like, such as walking or riding a bike.
[Via James Dyson Award]
You guys have to check this awesome interactive LED puzzle made by 4 French students as part of their embedded systems architecture course at Télécom ParisTech.
[Via [H]]
Unless you’ve prevented their updates from appearing on your facebook home page, you probably get spammed by Zynga and their stupid games almost every day. And now even those who were bright enough to stop Zynga from spamming them online will have to endure seeing the company’s marketing material at their local 7-Eleven convenience stores. Thank god there’s none of these up here in Quebec.
[Via Gizmodo]
It’s hardly a shock to discover that people are able to read a printed book quicker than on a reading device. But surprisingly one study suggests the difference isn’t that large, and there may be little difference in enjoyment either.
The Nielsen Norman Group, headed by usability expert Jakob Nielsen, carried out a test where participants read short stories on an iPad, a Kindle 2, a PC monitor, and a traditional book. They were told they would have a comprehension test afterwards, a tactic designed to make sure they read the stories in their entirety and paid attention.
It’s worth noting there were only 24 participants, which leaves room for statistical error, particularly if (as might be assumed) there is any significant difference in the way people of different ages approach electronic text displays. The testing panel consisted of people with at least high school literacy and a keen interest in reading.
The testing found that reading on the iPad was 6.2% slower than from the book, while reading on the Kindle was 10.7% slower. The NNG report says that puts the two devices close enough to one another that there’s no real reason to choose one over the other for reading speed. The group didn’t release speed results for the PC monitor.
The participants also gave a rating from 1 to 7 for how satisfied they were with each reading format. Surprisingly, the iPad (5.8) and Kindle (5.7) just squeaked by the book (5.6). That said, it’s certainly possible people were unconsciously judging each method in relation to their preconceptions, giving higher scores to the e-readers because they performed better than expected, whereas there was no surprise about how it felt to read a book. Participants did say they felt more relaxed with the printed book.
Reading on a PC screen only scored 3.6. The report says participants noted this was because it reminded them of being at work, though it may also be that sitting at a computer desk with a fixed-position monitor is less comfortable than reading a handheld text (whether printed or electronic).
