zen bones...

OK, let’s Twitter your weight. Feel better? Some tech...

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:03:49 +0200

OK, let’s Twitter your weight. Feel better?

Some tech things I just don’t get. Like this very cool bathroom scale.

It’s beautifully designed, it’s digital, has built-in wi-fi so it can send your weight to your router and upload it to a secure online weight tracking service. That all sounds perfect for geeks like me who like to track things.

But their latest new feature just has me wondering: Tweet your weight. I mean, really, who would want this? Is this just tech for tech’s sake?

Picture the scene: Woman walks into bathroom, sees the scale and avoids stepping on it in case she’s picked up weight. Scale fail. Or she steps on it because she’s feeling confident that she’s lost some and waits for the reading… eeek… she’s 1kg up… quick take the batteries out of the scale… unplug the router… unplug the internet… switch off the power… a mad scramble as the faithful device delivers the message to the whole world via Twitter.

Here’s a sample Tweet: http://twitter.com/Withings/status/5563892617

Their website: Withings - Withings - The WiFi Scale

Also, a decent macro utility wouldn’t hurt

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 07:03:47 +0200

Also, a decent macro utility wouldn’t hurt

How Crocs Crashed The once iconic shoe is now ridiculed by many...

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:01:54 +0200

How Crocs Crashed

The once iconic shoe is now ridiculed by many of it’s former fans. With sales nearly hitting a billion dollars in 2007, Crocs failed to follow some basic business and branding priciples.

Read Laura Ries’ post here: Ries’ Pieces: How Crocs Crashed

I have read quite a few of her (and her father’s) books - see more here and would recommend them any time.

"Did you ever hear the story about the small hardware store that experienced the unfortunate..."

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:01:53 +0200

“Did you ever hear the story about the small hardware store that experienced the unfortunate development of a national-chain hardware store opening up next door to it? After a period of dismay, it changed its name to “Main Entrance” and lived happily ever after.”

- Guy Kawasaki

The realtime web is here, now.

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:59:00 +0200

At just after 5pm I tweeted this tweet:

Twitter / Steve Mathew: Google Chrome OS To Launch

At 5:19pm a Google Alert (http://www.google.com/alerts) pops up in my inbox alerting me to my tweet.

No big deal? OK, get this: This means that in the 18 minutes in between, Google indexed my Twitter account (and all 79 million other Twitter feeds) found something new; indexed it into their search DB (try searching for this - it’s there!); then their Google Alerts service picked up the new entry in the Google search DB; scanned the list of alerts I and others have; found a match on “steve mathew” and fired an email message to me!

All this in less time it could take you to make a good cappuccino and drink it. And while it was doing this for me, it was doing it for millions of other folks too.

Did I mention, none of that cost me a cent?

Trillions of Computers (Thanks @GarronStevenson)

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:40:47 +0200

Trillions of Computers

(Thanks @GarronStevenson)

Excellent source of moral fibre.

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:26:43 +0200

Excellent source of moral fibre.

Side Effects

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:01:51 +0200

Side Effects

Some days, I feel like I’m sitting in one of these...

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:01:49 +0200

Some days, I feel like I’m sitting in one of these classes.

Other days, I feel like I’m the guy up front.

I’m not sure which one feels better.

(Click through for the impact of the full picture)

Google Trike: Get your favourite South African locations on Street View in Google Maps

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:44:30 +0200

Google Trike: Get your favourite South African locations on Street View in Google Maps

"Apple is now visible in Microsoft’s rearview mirror…"

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:38:06 +0200

“Apple is now visible in Microsoft’s rearview mirror…”

- Can Apple Overtake Microsoft as the Most Valuable Tech Company? - CNBC.com

Photo

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 07:17:47 +0200

I think this is what’s called ‘black humour’

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:17:49 +0200

I think this is what’s called ‘black humour’

Facebook’s fancy new Headquarters Click through for the...

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:17:48 +0200

Facebook’s fancy new Headquarters

Click through for the full photo set.

“Hey Jude” flowchart, by loveallthis.

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:17:46 +0200

“Hey Jude” flowchart, by loveallthis.

Burgernomics I think positioned half way just better than Rome...

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:17:48 +0200

Burgernomics

I think positioned half way just better than Rome and worse than Paris sounds fine.

"The number of people banking from their cellphones has exceeded the number banking from their PCs in..."

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:17:25 +0200

“The number of people banking from their cellphones has exceeded the number banking from their PCs in South Africa.”

- World Wide Worx - via TechCentral

High Heels for Global Warming

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:05:48 +0200

High Heels for Global Warming

Venezuelan designer Enrique Luis Sardi has teamed up with...

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 07:03:47 +0200

Venezuelan designer Enrique Luis Sardi has teamed up with Italian coffee company Lavazza to create a master piece of green design: Cookie cup.

First you drink the coffee, then you eat the cup! Brilliant. And perhaps many of us have thought of something like this at some point, but they did it!

“The cup is made of pastry covered with a special icing sugar, which works as an insulator, and makes the cup waterproof hence allowing you to use the cup and then appreciate its taste.”

This goes back to 2003, but it is never late to celebrate such a great product.

Ever had a Bento Box? Me neither. But looking at these stunning...

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:01:57 +0200

Ever had a Bento Box?

Me neither. But looking at these stunning photographs makes me want one! (Click through for the whole gallery)

Is it food or art?

Bento Box | Luxirare