Fayandria Foley helped reel in big bucks in July with one of the year’s most curious fundraisers. She helped pull together an American Cancer Society Relay for Life, which is typically a walkathon locally. More than 2,000 showed up — or didn’t, actually. Everyone at Foley’s relay stayed home to participate. The relay took place in the Web universe of Second Life. Second Life is a three-dimensional video world where players can create an online personality.
They are living the dream — assuming turning video games into sustenance is your goal. In 1998, high-school best friends Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins were drawing superhero comics in their Spokane, Wash., apartment. Undeterred by their loss in a magazine’s comic-strip contest, they’d set up their Web site for their strip, which survived on PayPal donations from readers. Then they made a big jump to advertising on the site, but their paying clients barely covered food.
Truth or dare. We dare you — CMO, brand manager, PR-communications specialist, CRM manager, or whoever you are — to have your company authentically enter into the innovative realm of online social media, the world of Facebook and other networking sites — or as it is known in shorthand, “Web 2.0.” Not ready yet? Afraid you won’t have control of what happens? C’mon, we double dare you. Still, not that daring? OK. If you won’t take the dare, you have to tell the truth. Is your company customer-focused? “Yes, of course,” you answer without thinking. Seriously now, be honest.
Cell phones have long been anathema in the classroom, banned as a potential distraction, at best, and as a possible vehicle for cheating, at worst. But lately, educators have begun changing their tune on mobile phones. Abilene Christian University will hand out Apple’s iPhone 3G smartphone to two-thirds of this year’s entering class of 950 freshmen. Students will be expected to use the devices to brainstorm ideas and get virtual handouts and podcasts during class. Instructors will use them for such tasks as monitoring attendance.
Tom Albert drove his loaner Chevrolet Equinox like any other car. He took it to work during the week, picked up groceries, and loaded up the back with bags of soil at the garden store. When his infant son was fussy, Albert drove the newborn around the block to calm him down. The normal driving experience ended, however, when it came time to fuel the car. Aboard the silent vehicle, Albert had two filling stations to choose from in the Washington, D.C., area, and the fuel — hydrogen — was anything but typical.
Baseball fans can now navigate their computers using a USB mouse designed like a cap of their favorite team. There are 17 Major League Baseball logo designs to chose from.
Features:
- 800 cpi High resolution optical mouse
- Works with windows XP, ME, 2000 and 98
- Made of durable plastic
- Baseball helmet design
- Ergonomic shape
- Left and right buttons
- Button swap for left or right handed users
- Scroll wheel
- Clicking on the scroll wheel gives immediate access to a web site
- Three pads on bottom of mouse for smooth movement
- Measures approx 3½” L X 2” W X 2” H (overall)
The MLB Baseball Cap Mouse is yours for $24.95 from the Solutions website.
If you think an Illuminated LED Pyramid Fountain to increase the humidity in a room is a bit over the top, you could try this Japanese can-shaped USB humidifier instead.
The mini is a state of the art air anion humidifier that combines new technology, modern design, with major health enhancement benefits. Our mini air humidifier is small and portable, and it is convenient enough to be used at home, office.
The Soda Can USB Humidifier is available from sourcingmap.com for $24.99.
(Via Nerd Approved)
Do you sometimes feel the urge to just whip out a microphone from your briefcase and hold a speech? You’re not alone. Apparently, this desire is so common that someone decided to manufacture a briefcase PA system.
The built-in sound system has a 20-watt amplifier and dual, 4″ speakers that produce crisp sound from the briefcase’s front panel, ensuring crystal clear orations.
The 14″ by 15″ lectern props up the briefcase and easily accommodates legal pads and note cards. The unit provides two microphone options–a handheld condenser microphone with 9ft. of cable and a 3/4″ lavaliere model that clips to a tie or lapel.
The control panel on the side of the briefcase enables tone and volume adjustments and the 13″ gooseneck arm attaches to the briefcase and secures the handheld microphone at your preferred height.
All components store inside the briefcase with room to spare for documents, the attach combination lock provides optimal security, and line-out ports enable connection to external speakers and a tape recorder.
Can be powered for up to four hours by eight C batteries or plugs into AC.
The Orator Briefcase PA System measures 13(H) x 18(W) x 5(D) inches and weighs 15 lbs. The products is available from the Hammacher Schlemmer website or $349.95.
A marble version of last year’s Mysterious Wood Clock has now been released.
It looks like a regular marble block when power off but it will surely amaze you when it is on. Time illumintes through the clock as if it projects on a piece of marble block. Feel the mystery with a touch of this wood clock.
You can get the Marble Clock with red or blue LED digits. The product is available over at the Watch Brando website for $48 USD.
Here’s something you don’t see every day, a radio-controlled 9-inch “space surfer” that hovers in the air, spins 360 degrees, and moves left, right, backward and forward.
Capable of indoor or outdoor flights, the space surfer has dual propellers that generate enough thrust to send the device from a stationary position to 66-feet in the air without requiring a hand-launch.
The radio frequency remote control has proportional throttle and trim settings that allow it to be precisely controlled through climbs, descents, and turns.
The device is powered by a rechargeable battery that recharges via the included AC adapter. Remote has a 27 feet range and requires a 9-volt battery. Operates for 15 minutes after a 70-minute charge.
The R/C Hovering Space Surfer is available from Hammacher Schlemmer for $89.95.
