Tag Archives: videos

Events

Want to see Ligia and I on TV?

A few months ago, both Ligia and I got taped for a new show on HGTV called “I Want That! Tech Toys“, the kid brother, so to speak, of “I Want That!”, which is a wildly popular show. By the look of it, this new show is going to make it big as well.

At any rate, Ligia got invited to demo a portable keyboard called the Yamano Hand-Roll Piano (a bit of a misnomer, since it’s not a piano, it’s a keyboard). At any rate, what makes it an interesting product is that it’s truly portable: it rolls up into a tight little package, which you can carry virtually anywhere. It’s also powered by batteries. The keys are made of rubber with touch sensors underneath, so if you spill something on it, you don’t have to worry. It’s even got a MIDI-out port, in case you’re interested in that sort of a thing. The only thing that’s missing is the tactile feel of a real keyboard, which, I have to say, is a fairly important thing for the more serious piano or keyboard players. But this keyboard is great for beginners. So… to make a long story short, Ligia and one of her students, Peter, got taped for the show, and the episode just aired on HGTV. I uploaded the particular segment of the show where Ligia is featured to YouTube, and you can view it below.

What about me? Well, I got invited to demo a cool product called the Nabaztag Smart Bunny for the show a month after Ligia got taped. I demoed it, and also wrote a nice lengthy review here at ComeAcross for your enjoyment. The show in which I appeared aired after Ligia, and it’s still on the air, as a matter of fact. The segment where I talk about the bunny is also uploaded to YouTube, and you can view it below.

Hope you enjoy them! I know we enjoyed getting taped, it was a fun little experience, and we are grateful for the opportunity! You wouldn’t believe it, but just to get that 1:25 minutes of live TV, it took over three hours for each of us. It’s the setups for the different shots and the re-takes that take so long. You’ve got to make sure the lighting’s just right, that the angles are correct, that stray objects aren’t in the shot, so on and so forth. Hey, and did you know that one of those Beta video cameras they use to film you for TV costs over $60,000? Better not drop them!

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How To

Mechanical locks on the way out?

At least their current iterations, anyway. Turns out a $1 bumpkey – a key whose every notch was cut to its lowest setting can easily open any lock of a given brand. (You need a bumpkey for each brand/kind of lock). Basically, this bumpkey then becomes the master key for all of the locks that use a particular kind of key. Since there are about a dozen kinds of locks on the market, all a thief needs to carry around is a dozen or so bumpkeys, and he can get into your home in less than a minute.

It gets worse: insurance companies don’t reimburse for theft due to bumpkeys, because no damage is done to the door. They can’t determine that someone forced their way into your home, and they’ll simply assume that you left your door open, or are trying to scam them.

Both Make and Engadget are talking about this, and there’s a video as well. You won’t believe your eyes!

Lest you forget, you can open “tough” bicycle U-locks with a BIC pen.

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Reviews

The new Tesla electric is a screamer

You may or may not have heard about Tesla Motors – if you haven’t, you’ll soon get an earful, and not just from me. There are plenty of other people (Wired News, Wired’s Autopia, Jalopnik, LA Weekly, New York Times, USA Today, LA Times, SF Gate, Washington Post, CBS Evening News, American Public Media’s Marketplace, CNET News, Newsweek) singing the praises of this amazing electric sports car. Here are just a few highlights:

  • 100% electric
  • 0 to 60 mph in about 4 seconds
  • 250 miles per charge
  • Equivalent consumption: 135 mpg
  • Gorgeous styling, amazing responsiveness
  • Truly innovative
  • Rule-breaker
  • Have a look at the tech specs for the other details

Tesla Motors just held a launch party for this amazing car – in CA, where it is based and funded by Silicon Valley millionaires. The event was invitation-only: selected potential buyers and journalists got the special invites, and each of them got chauffered around in the hot little roadster.

With all the excitement surrounding it, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that it’s amazingly energy efficient given its capabilities. Yes, you read correctly above: its equivalent consumption (in miles per gallon) at the current cost of electricity is 135 mpg. It costs about a cent per mile to drive!

If you want to see it in action, CBS News has a video posted alongside the article right here. It also features the Governator – Arnold himself – in the passenger seat, getting a really fast test drive around the hangar where the launch party took place.

Of course, there are also tons of photos available. I posted a few below, and there are a ton more on the Tesla site.

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Thoughts

Evolution, Creation and Logic

If you’re looking for a cogent comparison of evolution and creation, then watch this video. Dr. Doug Batchelor does a great job of presenting both topics in as fair a light as each deserves.

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Lists

Amazing sand art videos

An artist by the name of Ilana Yahav draws with sand on a glass table. Her art is memerizing, and the results are amazing. This page on her site has sample videos of her work. Highly recommended!

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