Snap Cuts: Changing the way we communicate

I usually don’t report on apps on this blog, but every once in a while, I find something that could change everything.

Snap Cuts is that thing. Snap Cuts is a way of sending a video via MMS text to show how you feel. They have thousands that you can choose from and an easy editor for putting on together.

For example, if you want to show everyone what a bad day you are having, you can show some beginning text that reads: “this is the type of day that I am having”. Then you can show someone being slapped in the face with a shovel.

I don’t know if they have a clip like someone being hit in the face with a shovel, but they have thousands of others. In case you are wondering how the company can make money, it is because they own the rights to their clips. You can even buy products off of them, if you chose.

Snap Cuts is clearly prepared for a future where we speak in images and video clips rather than words or phrases. I think they are right on track, honestly, but I’m not certain what this says about society as a whole.

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GHOST keeps our waterways secure like a boss

Stealth technology is always fascinating to read about, and to be attacked by an “invisible” enemy is one of the greatest fears of any military. After all, this is the modern day water ninja – the GHOST marine platform that hails from New Hampshire’s Juliet Marine Systems (JMS). It does not have any special cloaking ability up to the par of the X-Men’s heavily modified SR-71 Blackbird, but what this particular watercraft does, and does well is this – it is invisible to enemy ships’ radar, effectively allowing it to trawl the country’s waterways while keeping threats away at bay.

Resembling the love child of a stealth jet fighter and an attack helicopter, this one was specially developed for possible use by the U.S. Navy. It is touted to be faster and more economical compared to current military vessels, and according to JMS, GHOST is the world’s first super-cavitating watercraft.

Now, super-cavitating is a pretty bombastic word to begin with, but fret not – there is always an explanation over here at Coolest Gadgets. Supercavitation basically involves an object surrounding by a bubble of gas, enabling it to pass through bodies of water in a near friction-less environment. Where GHOST is concerned, a couple of submerged buoyant tubular foils will get the job done. No idea on how the process works in detail, but logic dictates that the foils were specially designed in a manner that when GHOST’s gas turbines thrust it forward, water will be deflected outward at the front of each foil, hence the “envelope” which closes right behind it.

JMS has high hopes for GHOST, stating that it “is a combination aircraft/boat that has been designed to fly through an artificial underwater gaseous environment that creates 900 times less hull friction than water.” No idea on whether that means 900 times less friction is created by GHOST, or is it a target that the company intends to achieve in the long run. A total of three crew can fit into the GHOST at once, and its main purpose is to patrol the perimeter of naval fleets. As for its weapons payload, it purportedly carries “thousands of pounds of weapons, including Mark 48 torpedoes” in an internal weapons bay.

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Thermaltake Level 10 M Mouse

Because a standard gaming mouse from Razer is just too mainstream in terms of looks, which is why Thermaltake has commissioned DesignworksUSA to come up with this particular conceptual design for an innovative gaming mouse that seems to hail from the distant future, despite being ever ready to be cradled by a curved palm, wreaking havoc on your opponents with razor sharp precision and smoothness you will not believe until you give it a go.

This partnership between BMW Group subsidiary DesignworksUSA and Thermaltake is certainly 10 levels up from the ordinary (which could be one of the reasons for its unique name), and we are pleased to hear that the Level 10 M Mouse will actually hit the gaming market sometime this spring – although pricing details have yet to be confirmed, I am quite sure it is not going to be cheap at all, considering the amount of investment poured in for such a future forward design. Definitely high end stuff that might break your monthly gaming budget.

The Level 10 M Mouse will sit down prettily beside the Level 10 GT computer case, as that is the main source of its design inspiration. Touted to be ergonomic, it is really a sight to behold, just make sure your gaming skills are up to par so that you will not end up as the equivalent of a snotty nosed kid who just got his driver’s license and is taking dad’s Ferrari out for a spin for the first time. Sporting a hollowed out body, the Level 10 M Mouse can have its height adjusted alongside its angles, where all you need to do is turn a screw on the top side of the mouse to kick start the adjustment process until your palm and fingers settle on a sweet spot. Not only that, the perforated palm surface ensures there is a passive airflow to help players born with naturally sweaty palms stay dry.

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Laugh & Learn Baby iPhone Case

Would you trust your spanking new iPhone with the most recent addition in your home that the stork brought in? Most people would most probably get a fake, child-safe toy phone, but if you are willing to take the risk, just get the $19.99 Laugh & Learn Baby iPhone Case. Not only does it protects your iPhone or iPod from disaster, it will also allow your little one to play learning games and develop their thinking skills in the process. Even better is the fact that the Home button remains blocked at all times, so that baby will be unable to make any accidental calls.

This Fisher Price iPhone case will ensure your iPhone remains securely locked within, ensuring it is safe from dribbles, drips, drools, and teething. With just two ways to dock your device, it will remain safely encased within. Fisher Price also ensures you have something to start off with by offering free learning apps in the App Store. Heck, if you want to take the risk of running these apps without protecting your iPhone in the Laugh & Learn Baby iPhone Case, then you can still go ahead.

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Stationary Epicycle

 

 

Shed those pounds that have strangely made an appearance around your waist after the recent festive season of feasting without having to leave the comfort of your home – and this also means rain or shine, you can still get your daily dose of exercise in, not to mention doing so while you watch your favorite sitcom on TV at the same time. The Stationary Epicycle will not come cheap though at $12,000 a pop, and it might actually be more worth your while trading that amount for say, 10 years of membership at a reputable gym? For those who have the cash to spare, the Stationary Epicycle is self-describing – it will not go anywhere when you hop on it and start working those muscles, but rather relies on an epicyclic transmission and magnetic resistance to provide intensive spinning workouts.

Inspired by 19th-century monowheels, the Stationary Epicycle boasts dual-satellite transmission that can turn a single pedal revolution into four flywheel rotations, which means someone spinning at 100 rpms causes the flywheel to spin at 400 rpms. As the flywheel engages the cycle’s 36″ diameter copper ring, half a dozen magnets which are installed around the ring’s enclosure will work in tandem to generate a magnetic field in order to deliver up to 12 levels of resistance that are controlled by a touchscreen display. Definitely a calorie burner, this – and also a wallet bustin’ purchase for most.

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iCufflinks show off your geek cred

Want the world to know how much of a geek you are? Well, you can always wear the Wi-Fi cufflinks on Monday, and since it is now Wednesday, try letting those who were not that observant a couple of days ago know that you are a true blue geek at heart, with the £139.99 iCufflinks holding the cuffs of your bespoked work shirt together. Made from the finest aluminum, each iCufflink will come with a LED power icon that is not static – no sir, it would be travesty for that to happen. Instead, these LED power icons would gently pulsate wherever you go, and needless to say, wearing this in the evening and at night would be the best times to make your statement of intent.

The iCufflinks also hold the distinction of being the world’s first open source cufflinks, simply because there are no others like it in the known market, and you can also download the schematics and CAD files, customizing the light patterns to pulsate according to your whims and fancy. They are powered by a couple of CR122 batteries, so having a spare pair is always a good idea.

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Cadence 4-bit Binary Ecomatic watch review

You know the theme these days – everyone wants to go green. I reviewed the organic Sprout watch in the past, where the only gripe was not having a built-in rechargeable battery, and with the Cadence 4-bit Binary Ecomatic watch, the tables are turned – the watch itself is not organic (although the built quality is far superior), but you virtually do not need to replace the battery as long as the watch works. This is due to the Ecomatic movement that can store enough energy for up to 36 hours without any movement, keeping time as it is. Of course, if you happen to wear the watch for a few hours each day, I am quite sure the amount of kinetic energy generated by your movement would be more than enough to keep the Cadence 4-bit Binary Ecomatic watch moving indefinitely.

As mentioned earlier, the build quality is definitely something to take note – then again, if you are paying somewhere in the region of $215, then do expect it to be able to withstand a fair number of knocks and drops. So far, I have worn the watch for a month and despite normal wear and tear (including playing tug with my two dogs, knocking it against the wall by accident, the usual scratch situations), I must say that the face of this timepiece remained scratch free, which is impressive considering how my other watches (cheaper ones, of course) have come off for the worse within a similar time frame.

Relying on Miyota quartz movement (Miyota being part of Citizen Holdings, a company that has a rich history that dates back to the previous century), the Cadence 4-bit Binary Ecomatic watch will tell the time in – what else, but 4-bit binary markings. Of course, you need not be a mathematical whiz to be able to figure it out since it comes in an analog face, making it easy enough to tell the time at a glance.

As for its two part cotton strap which comes with a stainless steel buckle, you can be sure that this is sturdy enough to last you for several years – so far I have yet to see any fraying on its part, and with the timepiece being water resistant to 5ATM (50 meters), going swimming or on a whitewater rafting adventure with this is definitely not going to be an issue at all. Cadence has offered a two year limited warranty on movement and hands, so you have more or less all your bases covered right from the get go.

I like the minimal packaging that the Cadence 4-bit Binary Ecomatic watch comes in to keep up with the overall green theme, and being a unisex timepiece, you can be sure it looks stylish on anyone’s wrist. Just make sure you take note of the date at the turn of each month, as there is no perpetual date adjusting mechanism here unlike a far more obscenely priced Rolex, so taking just a few seconds each month to make sure your watch’s date is on the right page with the calendar is not too much of a hassle.

Definitely a watch that is worth wearing for everyday use – trust me, this is an investment that you will not regret.

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