The iPhone has become the ultimate (so far) handheld communications equipment. It seems the next step has been taken. You can now make coffee with the help of your smartphone/tablet computer and a coffee faucet made by Denmark’s Scanomat. Two grinders hidden from view lets you make coffee in 15 seconds, an espresso in 25 ticks. If coffee is not your cup of tea, you can instead make a mugful of hot cocoa or mix juice. Price details are not available yet.

Source: How Did You Miss This Crazy iPhone-Controlled Coffee Faucet?

Image: Fastcache.gawkerassets.com

Feeling lonely? Aldebaran Robotics is here to comfort you with the recently launched latest generation of programmable bots: the NAO Next Gen. The updated NAO model is powered by a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor and features two HD cameras. This humanoid robot can walk, play, and talk. Who needs an imaginary friend with the NAO Next Gen around?

Source: The Nao Next Gen Bot Will Be Your Friend When No One Else Will

The world’s obsession with social networking has caught up with the automotive industry. Over a week ago leading car manufacturer Toyota showed off it latest concept in forward thinking with the Toyota Fun-Vii, a 13-foot three-seater that is actually more a design brag than a practical way to drive around looking like a gigantic touchscreen cellphone.The Vii that follows the company name is short for “Vehicle interactive internet.” The interior of the car is interactive with the World Wide Web and controllable via smartphone. A good part of the vehicle consists of huge touchscreens that can adjust the car’s color and graphics display. It can also go on auto drive and take its passengers from a particular point to a certain destination as programmed. Toyota admitted that as of the time being it doesn’t plan to mass produce the Fun-Vii.

Source: Toyota Fun-Vii concept car is like a “smartphone on 4 wheels”

Images: buzzfeed.com

Seqinetic’s LED “sun” glasses, a Kickstarter project, is designed to help drive away winter depression.

“Even if undiagnosed as a serious case of Seasonal Affective Disorder, there’s something incredibly disappointing about a 4:30PM winter sundown. To help combat the problem, while introducing many more intangible problems into your social life and sense of self-worth, Seqinetic is Kickstarter-ing a pair of LED ‘sun’ glasses that shed diffused light all over your eyeball region.

“Seqinetic promises to have working prototypes in its labs, but needs the Kickstarter cash for some injection-molded parts and a printed circuit board. A promised January ship date might be a little far into winter to do much good this year, and of course there’s no scientific data to back up Seqinetic’s unorthodox approach to the ‘winter-blues’ problem, but we can say one thing for sure: We’ve officially found a Snuggie for your face.”

Source: Seqinetic ‘wearable light’ glasses meant to combat winter depression

Lotharios, start envisioning a future where you cannot offer to stop and help ladies stranded on the road with flat tires.

Even with self-inflating tires, motorists still haven’t found a way to solve the problem of flat tires. But thanks to Bridgestone, you may soon say goodbye to that particular motoring problem as the forward-looking company is working on an air-free concept tire that is both durable and works similar to a standard tire minus the horizontal force.

Made from flexible thermoplastic, not unlike Michelin’s tweels, this tire can take a load of 150 kilograms. Bridgestone is eager to introduce the product to the market but is still struggling with the problem of preventing objects from being lodged inside the hypnotically twirling spoke design.

Source: Bridgestone rolls with air-free tire concept

Japanese telecom company Willcom has released the Hanashicom pillow, a phone accessory that lets you do hands-free calls while lying in your bed. The pillow features a microphone and speakers for an effortless chit-chat. Willcom is giving it away for free to customers — a smart way to promote their flat-rate unlimited talk plan. The challenge now for its users: how not to fall asleep while someone is talking.

Source: Hanashicom speakerphone pillow lets you chat late into the night in comfort

The image above is an artist’s conception of the Dream Chaser, designed by Sierra Nevada Corp. for a space vehicle to transport NASA astronauts to the International Space Station and back. But Sierra will have to battle it out with other private companies eager to do the same. The space agency’s basic requirements for a space taxi include: 48-hour docking capability to the ISS after launch, a 210-day stay at the station, and ability to travel four to eight hours back to Earth.

Click on the source link below for the “other requirements” in Air & Space Magazine’s interview with Ed Mango, head of  NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

Source: Certified Safe

Going to the supermarket and the clinic may never be the same again as Japanese company Kowa Tmsuk unveiled the Kobot EV at the Tokyo Motor Show. The little electric “folding car” reduces in size with the tap of a button on a smartphone device. It is designed for short-distance travel of speeds of 30 kilometers per hour and eliminate parking-space problems. Release is set for the fall of next year.  There are presently three models: the sporty red Kobot ν (nyu), the green Kobot β (beta), and the two-seater Kobot π. These are definite head-turners, just make sure you don’t get run over by a SUV.

Source: Kobot personal EV concept collapses, lets Cat Woman park anywhere she wants

[Image: diginfo.tv]

Ever dream of owning a futuristic gun like the ones you see in sci-fi movies and video games? After last year’s successful auction of the “portal gun,” a replica of Valve’s Portal game, Harrison Krix is back with another replica for auction. This time, the 29-year-old replica artist put together the “gravity gun” from Valve’s Half-Life 2. The auction proceeds will go to Child’s Play, a charity that raises money for children’s hospitals around the world. To own this gravity-altering gun, be sure to attend Penny Arcade’s annual fundraising dinner in Bellevue, Washington on Dec. 8.

You can view more pictures of the gravity gun here.

See the video below on what this hardware can do, on the game that is:

Source: Astonishing Half-Life 2 gravity gun replica up for charity auction

[Image: Dan Almasy]

The Koreans are blowing minds with their new concept tablet. Samsung Mobile Display recently showed the world a glimpse  of the future with a short video of what a tablet should look like years from now. In a 31-seconds time-travel experience, a user holds a transparent and flexible OLED-based tablet complete with 3D features. The near invisible and bendable screen display unit is not yet available on the market, but once it is, you might have a problem when you forget where you left it.

SOURCE: Samsung shows us what’s possible with a transparent flexible AMOLED