Ben Heck’s ‘The Number Games’

Ben and Felix mourn the loss of the logic gate board game, but they’ve decided that its demise won’t stop them from putting their own spin on electronic number games. Felix begins with digitizing an abacus — sure, there are calculators these days, but that doesn’t satisfy the primitive counting necessities. Here, Ben challenges your binary arithmetic with hex and decimal numbers. What games have you made from electronics or what would you have done differently here? Can you beat Ben’s high score? Let the team know over on the element14 Community.

Awesome tech you can’t buy yet: Eskates, snow bikes, a better measuring cup

At any given moment, there are approximately a zillion different crowdfunding campaigns happening on the Web. Take a stroll through Kickstarter or Indiegogo and you’ll find no shortage of weird, useless, and downright stupid projects out there – alongside some real gems. We’ve cut through the Pebble clones and janky iPhone cases to round up the most unusual, ambitious, and exciting new crowdfunding projects out there this week. That said, keep in mind that any crowdfunding project — even the best intentioned — can fail, so do your homework before cutting a check for the gadget of your dreams.

Embr Wave — Wearable heater/cooler

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

Developed by a team of MIT grads over the last four years, the Wave is essentially a wearable heater/cooler that leverages quirks in human physiology to “hack” the way your body perceives temperature.

“It’s a product for people that are too hot or too cold, that offers thermal relief,” Embr Labs co-founder Sam Shames explains. “What it does is it heats and cools one spot on your body and helps you improve your comfort, without changing your core temp.”

Note that last part. It’s important to know that Embr Wave doesn’t actually change how hot or cold your body is overall. Instead, it essentially convinces your body and brain into perceiving a slightly different temperature.

“It’s kind of similar to cupping your hands around a hot mug of coffee in the winter after you’ve come in from being outside in the cold, or dipping your toes in the ocean on a hot summer day,” says Shames. “So it doesn’t change your core temperature. It does change temperature of your wrist while you wear it, but it’s not so much ‘tricking your senses’ as it is your brain and body naturally responding to temperature change.”

Fluent Forever — Language learning app

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

Language learning apps are a dime a dozen these days, but if systems like Rosetta Stone, Duolingo, and Memrise aren’t doing the trick, then you might want to check out Fluent Forever — an innovative new platform that aims to improve the speed at which you learn languages by ensuring the things you learn stick in your head.

“Fluent Forever has always focused on memory as the primary barrier to language learning,” ceator Gabriel Wyner told Digital Trends in an interview. “Not grammar, not listening comprehension, but memory.

“When I say ‘camera,’ your brain lights up with thousands of associated images, sounds and words,” Wyner continues. “‘Camera’ connects with iPhone and DSLR and shutter and lens. It connects with photographs you’ve seen throughout your life and the ‘shutter’ sound on your cellphone. It has grammatical associations: You might use a camera to shoot a photograph. You might see a cameraman on the news. You are never going to forget the English word ‘camera,’ because you have so many associations with that word.”

According to Wyner, however, when we learn other languages, we don’t do this — which is why it’s easy to forget the words we pick up. It’s here that the new app aims to change things, with the assistance of some nifty flashcards and “ear-training” techniques. Through these, you’ll learn pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar, all in a way its creator says is far more effective than other apps.

Swaky — snowboard conversion kit

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

Can’t quite get the hang of skiing or snowboarding, but still want to hit the slopes and charge through waist-deep powder? Do you have an injury or a disability holding you back from standing upright? Then Swaky might be exactly what you’re looking for. It’s essentially a kit that transforms your existing snowboard into something of a snow bike. There’s a seat, a suspension system, handlebars, and even a leash to keep it from running away when you inevitably fall off.

The kit was designed by Japanese inventor and snow sport enthusiast Toshiyuki Sueki. Prior to designing and creating Swaky, Sueki was a professional snowboarder, until an injury in 2009 led to permanent immobilization of his ankle joints, thereby forcing him to retire from the traditional form of the sport. He invented Swaky as a way to return to shredding the slopes, working through a variety of bicycle seats, handlebars, and suspensions until he found the perfect ride. It’s also worth noting that Kickstarter just recently launched in Japan, and this project is one of the first from the country.

Euclid — volumetric measuring cup

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

Ever tried to accurately measure a small amount of liquid in a normal measuring cup? It’s damn near impossible to get it right. Why? Because due to the design of most traditional measuring cups, the smaller the amount, the harder it is to measure accurately. The main culprit is the shape — straight sides magnify errors when measuring lower down in the cup. But not to worry —  a nifty new kitchen tool called Euclid solves this problem with a mathematically optimal, tapered design that measures small and large amounts with equal accuracy.

“Euclid benefits all kinds of cooks,” creator and ex-Google employee Joshua Redstone says. “If you’re super careful about your measurements, your diligence is rewarded with even better results. If your style is more pour-and-go, your results will still be much better, and more consistent across different amounts, than with a traditional measuring cup. Since recipes are all about ratios, that consistency is essential. Consistency also improves repeatability – key to refining recipes over time.”

Blizwheel — electronic skates

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: humanity is living in the golden age of rideable technology right now. In the past few years, electric motors have become smaller and more powerful, and batteries have become considerably more power dense and affordable — two trends that have coalesced and kicked off a sort of renaissance in personal mobility devices. Nowadays, there are almost too many rideables to keep track of, and they seem to get crazier and more advanced with each passing month.

Case in point? These strange new electric skates called Blizwheels. Conceptually, they’re a lot like Acton’s popular Rocket Skates, but with a slightly different design. Instead of pushing you along with motorized wheels positioned on both sides of each individual foot, Blizwheel skates push you along with a single (and fairly large) powered wheel on each foot. These wheels are flanked by a series of smaller, unpowered wheels that sit under your foot, which makes it easier to balance and maintain stability. Acceleration is controlled with a unique actuator that increases power when you squeeze your index finger.

Awesome tech you can’t buy yet: Eskates, snow bikes, a better measuring cup

At any given moment, there are approximately a zillion different crowdfunding campaigns happening on the Web. Take a stroll through Kickstarter or Indiegogo and you’ll find no shortage of weird, useless, and downright stupid projects out there – alongside some real gems. We’ve cut through the Pebble clones and janky iPhone cases to round up the most unusual, ambitious, and exciting new crowdfunding projects out there this week. That said, keep in mind that any crowdfunding project — even the best intentioned — can fail, so do your homework before cutting a check for the gadget of your dreams.

Embr Wave — Wearable heater/cooler

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

Developed by a team of MIT grads over the last four years, the Wave is essentially a wearable heater/cooler that leverages quirks in human physiology to “hack” the way your body perceives temperature.

“It’s a product for people that are too hot or too cold, that offers thermal relief,” Embr Labs co-founder Sam Shames explains. “What it does is it heats and cools one spot on your body and helps you improve your comfort, without changing your core temp.”

Note that last part. It’s important to know that Embr Wave doesn’t actually change how hot or cold your body is overall. Instead, it essentially convinces your body and brain into perceiving a slightly different temperature.

“It’s kind of similar to cupping your hands around a hot mug of coffee in the winter after you’ve come in from being outside in the cold, or dipping your toes in the ocean on a hot summer day,” says Shames. “So it doesn’t change your core temperature. It does change temperature of your wrist while you wear it, but it’s not so much ‘tricking your senses’ as it is your brain and body naturally responding to temperature change.”

Fluent Forever — Language learning app

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

Language learning apps are a dime a dozen these days, but if systems like Rosetta Stone, Duolingo, and Memrise aren’t doing the trick, then you might want to check out Fluent Forever — an innovative new platform that aims to improve the speed at which you learn languages by ensuring the things you learn stick in your head.

“Fluent Forever has always focused on memory as the primary barrier to language learning,” ceator Gabriel Wyner told Digital Trends in an interview. “Not grammar, not listening comprehension, but memory.

“When I say ‘camera,’ your brain lights up with thousands of associated images, sounds and words,” Wyner continues. “‘Camera’ connects with iPhone and DSLR and shutter and lens. It connects with photographs you’ve seen throughout your life and the ‘shutter’ sound on your cellphone. It has grammatical associations: You might use a camera to shoot a photograph. You might see a cameraman on the news. You are never going to forget the English word ‘camera,’ because you have so many associations with that word.”

According to Wyner, however, when we learn other languages, we don’t do this — which is why it’s easy to forget the words we pick up. It’s here that the new app aims to change things, with the assistance of some nifty flashcards and “ear-training” techniques. Through these, you’ll learn pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar, all in a way its creator says is far more effective than other apps.

Swaky — snowboard conversion kit

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

Can’t quite get the hang of skiing or snowboarding, but still want to hit the slopes and charge through waist-deep powder? Do you have an injury or a disability holding you back from standing upright? Then Swaky might be exactly what you’re looking for. It’s essentially a kit that transforms your existing snowboard into something of a snow bike. There’s a seat, a suspension system, handlebars, and even a leash to keep it from running away when you inevitably fall off.

The kit was designed by Japanese inventor and snow sport enthusiast Toshiyuki Sueki. Prior to designing and creating Swaky, Sueki was a professional snowboarder, until an injury in 2009 led to permanent immobilization of his ankle joints, thereby forcing him to retire from the traditional form of the sport. He invented Swaky as a way to return to shredding the slopes, working through a variety of bicycle seats, handlebars, and suspensions until he found the perfect ride. It’s also worth noting that Kickstarter just recently launched in Japan, and this project is one of the first from the country.

Euclid — volumetric measuring cup

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

Ever tried to accurately measure a small amount of liquid in a normal measuring cup? It’s damn near impossible to get it right. Why? Because due to the design of most traditional measuring cups, the smaller the amount, the harder it is to measure accurately. The main culprit is the shape — straight sides magnify errors when measuring lower down in the cup. But not to worry —  a nifty new kitchen tool called Euclid solves this problem with a mathematically optimal, tapered design that measures small and large amounts with equal accuracy.

“Euclid benefits all kinds of cooks,” creator and ex-Google employee Joshua Redstone says. “If you’re super careful about your measurements, your diligence is rewarded with even better results. If your style is more pour-and-go, your results will still be much better, and more consistent across different amounts, than with a traditional measuring cup. Since recipes are all about ratios, that consistency is essential. Consistency also improves repeatability – key to refining recipes over time.”

Blizwheel — electronic skates

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: humanity is living in the golden age of rideable technology right now. In the past few years, electric motors have become smaller and more powerful, and batteries have become considerably more power dense and affordable — two trends that have coalesced and kicked off a sort of renaissance in personal mobility devices. Nowadays, there are almost too many rideables to keep track of, and they seem to get crazier and more advanced with each passing month.

Case in point? These strange new electric skates called Blizwheels. Conceptually, they’re a lot like Acton’s popular Rocket Skates, but with a slightly different design. Instead of pushing you along with motorized wheels positioned on both sides of each individual foot, Blizwheel skates push you along with a single (and fairly large) powered wheel on each foot. These wheels are flanked by a series of smaller, unpowered wheels that sit under your foot, which makes it easier to balance and maintain stability. Acceleration is controlled with a unique actuator that increases power when you squeeze your index finger.

Awesome tech you can’t buy yet: Eskates, snow bikes, a better measuring cup

At any given moment, there are approximately a zillion different crowdfunding campaigns happening on the Web. Take a stroll through Kickstarter or Indiegogo and you’ll find no shortage of weird, useless, and downright stupid projects out there – alongside some real gems. We’ve cut through the Pebble clones and janky iPhone cases to round up the most unusual, ambitious, and exciting new crowdfunding projects out there this week. That said, keep in mind that any crowdfunding project — even the best intentioned — can fail, so do your homework before cutting a check for the gadget of your dreams.

Embr Wave — Wearable heater/cooler

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

Developed by a team of MIT grads over the last four years, the Wave is essentially a wearable heater/cooler that leverages quirks in human physiology to “hack” the way your body perceives temperature.

“It’s a product for people that are too hot or too cold, that offers thermal relief,” Embr Labs co-founder Sam Shames explains. “What it does is it heats and cools one spot on your body and helps you improve your comfort, without changing your core temp.”

Note that last part. It’s important to know that Embr Wave doesn’t actually change how hot or cold your body is overall. Instead, it essentially convinces your body and brain into perceiving a slightly different temperature.

“It’s kind of similar to cupping your hands around a hot mug of coffee in the winter after you’ve come in from being outside in the cold, or dipping your toes in the ocean on a hot summer day,” says Shames. “So it doesn’t change your core temperature. It does change temperature of your wrist while you wear it, but it’s not so much ‘tricking your senses’ as it is your brain and body naturally responding to temperature change.”

Fluent Forever — Language learning app

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

Language learning apps are a dime a dozen these days, but if systems like Rosetta Stone, Duolingo, and Memrise aren’t doing the trick, then you might want to check out Fluent Forever — an innovative new platform that aims to improve the speed at which you learn languages by ensuring the things you learn stick in your head.

“Fluent Forever has always focused on memory as the primary barrier to language learning,” ceator Gabriel Wyner told Digital Trends in an interview. “Not grammar, not listening comprehension, but memory.

“When I say ‘camera,’ your brain lights up with thousands of associated images, sounds and words,” Wyner continues. “‘Camera’ connects with iPhone and DSLR and shutter and lens. It connects with photographs you’ve seen throughout your life and the ‘shutter’ sound on your cellphone. It has grammatical associations: You might use a camera to shoot a photograph. You might see a cameraman on the news. You are never going to forget the English word ‘camera,’ because you have so many associations with that word.”

According to Wyner, however, when we learn other languages, we don’t do this — which is why it’s easy to forget the words we pick up. It’s here that the new app aims to change things, with the assistance of some nifty flashcards and “ear-training” techniques. Through these, you’ll learn pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar, all in a way its creator says is far more effective than other apps.

Swaky — snowboard conversion kit

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

Can’t quite get the hang of skiing or snowboarding, but still want to hit the slopes and charge through waist-deep powder? Do you have an injury or a disability holding you back from standing upright? Then Swaky might be exactly what you’re looking for. It’s essentially a kit that transforms your existing snowboard into something of a snow bike. There’s a seat, a suspension system, handlebars, and even a leash to keep it from running away when you inevitably fall off.

The kit was designed by Japanese inventor and snow sport enthusiast Toshiyuki Sueki. Prior to designing and creating Swaky, Sueki was a professional snowboarder, until an injury in 2009 led to permanent immobilization of his ankle joints, thereby forcing him to retire from the traditional form of the sport. He invented Swaky as a way to return to shredding the slopes, working through a variety of bicycle seats, handlebars, and suspensions until he found the perfect ride. It’s also worth noting that Kickstarter just recently launched in Japan, and this project is one of the first from the country.

Euclid — volumetric measuring cup

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

Ever tried to accurately measure a small amount of liquid in a normal measuring cup? It’s damn near impossible to get it right. Why? Because due to the design of most traditional measuring cups, the smaller the amount, the harder it is to measure accurately. The main culprit is the shape — straight sides magnify errors when measuring lower down in the cup. But not to worry —  a nifty new kitchen tool called Euclid solves this problem with a mathematically optimal, tapered design that measures small and large amounts with equal accuracy.

“Euclid benefits all kinds of cooks,” creator and ex-Google employee Joshua Redstone says. “If you’re super careful about your measurements, your diligence is rewarded with even better results. If your style is more pour-and-go, your results will still be much better, and more consistent across different amounts, than with a traditional measuring cup. Since recipes are all about ratios, that consistency is essential. Consistency also improves repeatability – key to refining recipes over time.”

Blizwheel — electronic skates

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: humanity is living in the golden age of rideable technology right now. In the past few years, electric motors have become smaller and more powerful, and batteries have become considerably more power dense and affordable — two trends that have coalesced and kicked off a sort of renaissance in personal mobility devices. Nowadays, there are almost too many rideables to keep track of, and they seem to get crazier and more advanced with each passing month.

Case in point? These strange new electric skates called Blizwheels. Conceptually, they’re a lot like Acton’s popular Rocket Skates, but with a slightly different design. Instead of pushing you along with motorized wheels positioned on both sides of each individual foot, Blizwheel skates push you along with a single (and fairly large) powered wheel on each foot. These wheels are flanked by a series of smaller, unpowered wheels that sit under your foot, which makes it easier to balance and maintain stability. Acceleration is controlled with a unique actuator that increases power when you squeeze your index finger.

Google hints Assistant is nearly ready for Chromebooks

Google’s October 4th event might include more for Chrome OS fans than the rumored Pixelbook. David Cannon and 9to5Google have spotted multiple app references to Google Assistant coming to Chromebooks. Google’s Home app notes that some Assistant apps will work with Chromebooks, for instance, while the Chat with your Assistant app recently started listing compatibility with the Chrome machines alongside the usual gaggle of Android releases. There was code hinting at Assistant support in the past, but these public nods suggest that support is imminent.

There’s no guarantee you’ll see Google talking about Assistant on the 4th, but it wouldn’t be at all shocking. If the Pixelbook shows up at the event, Chrome OS is going to get some time in the spotlight — it’d be a prime opportunity to introduce a major feature. The big question is whether or not the feature will be widely available from the start, provided it launches at the media gathering. Google no doubt wants to put Assistant in as many places as possible, but it might use early access on the Pixelbook as a selling point.

Via: 9to5Google

Source: David Cannon (YouTube)

Pocket Mortys to donate all proceeds earned on Sunday to help hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico

This Sunday would be a good time to spend that Google Play credit!

Now there’s another reason to play Pocket Mortys. Besides being incredibly fun, Adult Swim Games has pledged to donate any cash it makes via the game on Sunday, October 1 to help Hurricane Maria relief in Puerto Rico.

The game itself is free to play, but ads and in-app purchases can make for a sizable amount of money, especially now that we have an extra incentive to hand it over to the company. It’s fun to play and chances are you would probably spend a little coin because of it, but this news removes any excuse to not part with a buck or two.

If you’re wondering how to be good humans, play Pocket Mortys on Sunday when all proceeds benefit hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico.

— Pocket Mortys (@PocketMortys) October 1, 2017

Remember, Google Play credit can be used to buy in-app purchases, and plenty of us have upwards of $100 or more by using the Opinion Rewards app. There’s no better time to spend it!

Samsung is the latest tech titan to open an AI lab in Canada

If it wasn’t already clear that Canada is becoming a hotbed for AI research, it is now: Samsung has opened an AI lab (shown below) at the Université de Montréal. The school’s faculty and students (including long-time Samsung partner Prof. Yoshua Bengio) will collaborate with South Korean researchers on a slew of AI-related projects, including self-driving car technology, image recognition, translation and robots. While you may not see the first fruits of this lab for years, it underscores both Samsung’s increasing dependence on AI and the tech industry’s rapid shift to the north.

It’s no secret that Samsung wants (and arguably, needs) to bolster its AI work. The Bixby assistant is already a tentpole feature for Samsung’s smartphones, and it’s spreading to devices like smart speakers or even appliances. If it’s going to be a success, it needs to rapidly evolve past its current rough state and become something you’d actually prefer — especially since it does have relatively unique features like object identification. Combine this with Samsung’s early autonomous driving and robotics work and it’s possible that the fate of the company could hinge on the strength of its AI labs.

And one thing’s for sure: Canada’s investment in AI (it earmarked $125 million in federal funding, among other initiatives) is leading to a fierce battle for talent, particularly in Montreal. While major brands are researching AI across the country, such as Google’s DeepMind office in Edmonton and Apple’s self-driving unit in Ottawa, Montreal was already home to teams from Facebook, Google and Microsoft. If Samsung didn’t open an AI lab in the city, it risked losing talent. It’s hard to say how much longer this trend will continue, but it’s easy to see other big names following suit out of fears they’ll miss a big AI breakthrough.

Source: Samsung Newsroom, Universite de Montreal

SEC accuses two digital coin creators of ripping off investors

While initial coin offerings aren’t prohibited in the US like they are in China and South Korea, authorities are still keeping a close eye on them. Case in point: the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s first ICO-related charges brought against a businessman and his two companies. SEC has accused Maksim Zaslavskiy of defrauding investors by selling virtual currencies backed by assets that don’t exist.

Zaslavskiy advertised his first company called REcoin Group Foundation as “The First Ever Cryptocurrency Backed by Real Estate.” According to the agency, he told investors that REcoin has a “team of lawyers, professionals, brokers and accountants” snapping up real estate properties, but truth is that he had never hired anyone to work for the company. Zaslavskiy also reportedly told potential investors that REcoin had already raised between $2 million and $4 million, but the actual amount he had raised was closer to $300,000.

After the government started interfering in REcoin’s activities, he founded the Diamond Reserve Club, which promised to use people’s money to invest in diamonds. SEC said DRC never invested in diamonds and never even started its business operations, but it acted as if it had done both while soliciting investors. The agency has obtained a court order to freeze Zaslavskiy’s assets, as well as his companies’. However, SEC New York director Andrew M. Calamari still wants to warn people about the dangers of putting money into ICOs, which could easily be used as a tool for scamming:

“Investors should be wary of companies touting ICOs as a way to generate outsized returns. As alleged in our complaint, Zaslavskiy lured investors with false promises of sizeable returns from novel technology.”

Via: Coindesk, TechCrunch

Source: US Securities and Exchange Commission

Amazon’s new Fire TV supports picture-in-picture and recording

Amazon is mainly selling the new Fire TV’s hardware-dependent features, such as 4K HDR video and Dolby Atmos sound, but there are some key software improvements, too. The online shopping giant has revealed that the device’s Fire OS 6 underpinnings run on Android Nougat, enabling app features specific to Google’s not-quite-latest platform. You can play picture-in-picture video within apps, so you don’t have to disrupt your show while you check settings. There’s a framework for time-shifting to pause and rewind live video. And apps can record content, including scheduling that can grab content automatically. This doesn’t mean that you’ll be ripping video from your favorite streaming service, but it does make it relatively easy for Fire TV apps to include DVR-like functions or capture epic game sessions. Just don’t expect these features to reach your older hardware.

As Amazon notes, there are no plans “at this time” to upgrade earlier Fire TV devices to OS 6. In other words, you’ll need this latest Fire TV if you want to run apps that use Android’s built-in support for PIP, time-shifting and recording. This doesn’t preclude developers from writing their own solutions for previous-generation gear, but you’re that less likely to get app features that you might see on Android TV or mobile Android devices.

Via: AFTVnews, 9to5Google

Source: Amazon

South Korea cracks down on use of digital cash for crowdfunding

South Koreans who were planning to raise funds using cryptocurrency will have to find an alternative method. The country has decided to follow in China’s footsteps and has banned raising money through all forms of virtual currency, according to Reuters. As TechCrunch noted, businesses around the globe have raised over $1.8 billion this year using the method known as initial coin offering or ICO. It’s a convenient way to gather funding for various products, but it’s not regulated and could easily be used to scam millions out of investors.

People could take advantage of the tool to sell products that don’t exist or gather support for projects that will never materialize. That’s why the South Korean government was alarmed by the increasing number of ICOs in the country. It said anyone involved in ICOs will be hit by “stern penalties,” though Reuters said South Korea’s financial regulator didn’t elaborate on what kind of penalties are waiting for people who break the new rule.

Via: TechCrunch

Source: Reuters