Do you ever think about what it might be like in the future? Do you picture a world where you can pay for anything with a swipe of your hand? Or perhaps you ask your bed to silence your snoring spouse? Maybe you command your dog with the touch of your phone? That future may have arrived sooner than you thought – the above and more can be a reality with gadgets released this year. With the Biyo Wallet, you can pay with just a wave of your hand (at any store with the Biyo terminal that is). The Biyo consists of censors that take a photo of the unique pattern of veins in your palm and automatically deducts payment from the credit card on file. Not only is it fast, but its also the most secure and convenient password you ever have to remember. Did you ever think a gadget could replace mom’s nagging? That day has arrived. The Sen.se “Mother” tracks user's eating, fitness and hygiene habits. Mother wirelessly receives data from “Motion Cookie” sensors placed around the house that allow the device to track your daily activities throughout your home and help you manage your everyday tasks. From making sure you drink enough water to keeping tabs on how well you brush your teeth, wherever you are, Mother is watching. The Sleep Number’s x12 is the bed of your dreams. In addition to the customized, inflatable cushions, the bed’s SleepIQ technology keeps taps on your slumber, allowing you to see how restful of a night you’ve had with the bed’s accompanying app. To top it all off, the Sleep Number x12’s remote recognizes speech commands, so users can simply tell it to silence their snoring spouse (by elevating their head) or even ask it for a massage. For just $8,000, this dream bed can be yours. With the Tractive “Pet-Remote”, you can train your dog to obey your commands from afar. A small device fits on your dog’s collar so that while you’re training your dog as you normally would, the Pet-Remote vibrates or makes a noise, teaching your pup to associate the feeling or noise with the command. With the accompanying app, once your dog is trained you can control him with the touch of your phone.
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The Water Cooler – a sacred space in the office for a needed break, idle chitchat and of course hydration. If you work in a large office setting, you might not be accustomed to the difficulties of replacing an empty water cooler container. Maybe a strapping intern takes care of it for you. Here at FortyThree we take turns fulfilling this necessary and trying task. Replacing the typical water cooler container is a true art and to do it gracefully is nearly impossible. The dance begins after taking out the empty jug and bending into a deep squat to hoist the new full jug so as not to injure your back. We all have different methods; there’s the flamingo – balancing the container on one leg, the bear hug- embracing the jug at just the right angle and the phone-a-friend – deciding at the last minute to call for a second pair of hands. Despite trying all of these out numerous times, it’s nearly inevitable that it goes poorly. Like an aquatic animal show, our wall behind the water cooler should probably be designated as a Splash Zone. The fact that the outlet in which the cooler is plugged into falls into the splash zone is also mildly alarming. With the considerable frequency of how often we find ourselves in this clumsy scenario, we often ponder – who invented this system? Why hasn’t anyone figured out a better way? With complicated innovations like Google Glass and 3D printing popping up all around us, we should have a fix to this very common dilemma. Well, you’re in luck. The solution might have arrived. The Greenway Water Dispenser Filtration could be the next office necessity. This water filter is nearly the same size as your typical water jug, sits upon your established dispenser and most importantly, it’s splash-free. Bottom loaded water dispensers are also an available option, although you would still need to purchase water from outside sources. The messy exchange of water cooler jugs could now be a thing of the past with this simple technology that allows thirsty workers to fill the empty tank from above once it’s already in position. This is great news for water drinkers, office walls and carpets everywhere! Many of us have been there, mourning the loss of the four-legged friend who over the years became more than just a dog or cat, but a member of the family. Although there will never be an exact replacement for your furry friend, a new app aims to help you find a lookalike for your departed pet. PetMatch uses photo-matching software to find the closest match to your former pet. The application allows you to upload a picture of a dog or cat or use one from its gallery. Then, it searches for a pet available for adoption in your area that is the closest possible match to your photo. PetMatch uses image-recognition technology by scanning the photo, registering details such as the shape of the animal’s mouth, the distance between its eyes, its coloring and its general size and shape. From the criteria, it then searches PetFinder, which is a database with hundreds of thousands of animals up for adoption across the United States. While in theory, the app offers a great way to find a perfect new furry friend, it may not take into account certain aspects such as the breed of the dog or cat, so this is something to keep in mind when searching. Although you may not find an exact match, pet adoption is an awesome way to help animals in need and this app helps pet searchers find their next new pet companion. Memorial Day for many marks the unofficial start of summer, which means your long-awaited days spent lounging at the beach or pool are around the corner. While the beach and pool may not seem like the best place for gadgets, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should unplug completely. There are plenty of gadgets that can make your relaxing summer days even better. When you’re lounging by the pool and realize your beer is empty, the last thing you want to do is disrupt your tranquil groove and find another one. The Electric Amphibious Vehicle solves the problem. The remote control device comes equipped with four convenient cup holders that will deliver beer or soda to your friends without making them lift a finger. In the pool? No problem – the gadget can also transform into a boat and even squirts water, should anyone try to steal one of your cold ones. Take the party with you with the Cooler Couch Pool Float. The inflatable couch comes with a cooler built-in for storing beverages and ice, so you can lounge for hours without worrying about running out of drinks. Finding motivation to fit in your gym sesh is difficult on hot summer days. With the Pool Treadmill, you can fit in your workout without leaving the pool. Simply roll the device to the edge of your pool, lower it into the water and get your exercise on. You can even select different speeds for your ideal workout. You will be the coolest person on the beach—literally—with the Solar-Powered Fan Hat. The baseball cap comes with solar panels which power a fan that blows in your face. The Beach Lounger Pack Chair has everything you need for a day at the beach in one. In 10 seconds the high-tech chair unfolds to reveal seven different functions including an SPF 35 umbrella, two attached thermal coolers with cup holders, a tote bag, storage compartments, removable leg support and two waterproof speakers that can connect to your smartphone or tablet. The chair even has six positions for personalized comfort and can be easily transported with wheels or like a backpack. Summer is on the way and chances are you are planning a vacation or two. That means lots of photos, but it’s time to take a break from your endless Instagram selfies. We get it, you’re really photogenic. Turn that camera around and snap a few shots of the world around you. Because let’s face it, in 50 years you’ll be much more interested in the adventures you had than you will be in each of the sassy faces you perfected while staring into the forward-facing lens of your iPhone. Alright, selfie bashing aside, you might want to branch out from Instagram and try some different apps with a variety of editing capabilities. Here’s a list of a couple we recommend.
We’ve all seen the news lately, the west Antarctic ice sheet is melting twice as fast and now there’s a hole in the sun. Using sustainable forms of energy and supporting environmentally responsible production methods aren’t just trendy anymore; it’s practical and perhaps necessary. Joseph Haggard, a University of California Santa Cruz student and instructor, sees the potential for alternative energy usage beyond solar, wind and water. Today, he will be breaking ground at UCSC’s farm (CASFS) in the construction of the UC’s first compost water heater. Haggard estimates that the compost heat recovery project will take 10-12 hours in building time over the next two weeks. How does it work? If you’ve ever worked with compost you know it get’s hot. How hot? For Haggard, his trial pile went up to 171 degrees, averaging around 120 degrees over a month-long experiment. With a large enough pile, the compost will keep generating that kind of heat for four to six months. This energy can easily be used to heat water or even houses through radiant flooring (Haggard’s next project). This technology, while helpful in the mild temperatures of California, will be even more valuable to those living in colder climates. For instance, the easily replicable technology could sustain compost heated green houses able to extend growing seasons in colder regions anywhere from Vermont to Siberia. The heat generated from the compost heat recovery project will be used to heat the showers of CASFS apprentices throughout the summer. In Haggard’s first experiment the water continued to run hot for thirty minutes. While this was on a 5 by 5 scale, we look forward to seeing the results of this large-scale project and hope to see more ecologically powerful innovations in our own backyard. Haggard’s devotion to creating realistic close-loop systems has garnered recognition from the University and the community. He has received grant funding from The Carbon Fund and will be accepting the Chancellor’s Sustainability Impact Award later this month. He welcomes curious visitors who are up for getting their hands dirty for the sake of clean energy. 43PR is excited to announce that our client Credit Sesame is a recipient of the 2014 Red Herring Top 100 award for North America. Since 1996, the award highlights the most exciting startups from Asia, Europe and the Americas with hundreds of candidates from each continent competing for a spot in the Top 100. Red Herring 100 lists serve as valuable instruments helping technology industry executives, investors and strategists discover the most prominent private ventures from around the world. Credit Sesame is the only provider that gives consumers the tools they need to access, monitor and analyze their credit, improve their financial standing and protect their identity — all in one place. Recently, they have just launched the industry’s first no cost credit and identity theft protection service. Click here for additional details on the Red Herring Top 100 award. Learn more about Credit Sesame here. Alexandra O’LearyAlexandra (Ali) is one of our talented Account Mangers who is coming up on her one-year anniversary with 43PR. Currently, she oversees and contributes to client accounts including RockMyRun, Savor, Stern Pinball and TheFind. In this interview, she shares what she enjoys most about working in PR and reveals her favorite tool to find live music. What do you like most about working at 43? The people. I really enjoy everyone I work with and consider them to be good friends. Everyone is so different and unique, which is great for a working environment because I feel like we’re always learning from each other. What was your most rewarding moment at 43? Probably being able to manage my own accounts. It’s nice to do things your own way and let your work speak for itself. What do you enjoy most about working in PR? Staying on top of what’s going on and not just in the tech industry. It’s important to stay on top of everything going on in the news for this job, especially when you work on multiple accounts. You never know what will be of interest to your client so it’s good to do lots of research. What advice would you give to someone who is interested in PR? Be yourself and don’t be afraid to think outside of the box. It's always nice to see someone doing something a little different and being creative. May is Bike Month, Bike Week is the 3rd week in May and tomorrow is Bike to Work Day, which means its time to start pumping those pedals. In the technology-age we live in, there are plenty gadgets to pump up your ride. With the MapMyRide app, mapping out your route is easy. The bike route app has every feature you could possibly need when planning your course, with over 120 million bike routes around the world or the option to create a route of your own. MapMyRide comes with mapping tools, online training tools, nutrition tracking calculators and lets you share your routes with friends. If you’re directionally-challenged, the Hammerhead is the gadget for you. The GPS device attaches to your bikes bars and provides turn-by-turn navigation guided by a GPS app installed on your smartphone. The gadget even integrates with cycling apps such as MapMyRide. With this handy device, getting lost will be a thing of the past. Now that you know where you’re going it’s time to enjoy the ride – and what better way to do so than listening to your favorite tunes? The iHome Bike to Beach Bicycle Speaker lets you do just that. The speaker has a water and impact resistant case that attaches to your bikes frame, while the RF remote control mounts to your handlebar. The speaker comes with high-fidelity Reson8 technology that creates a rich sound to rock your ride. Happy cycling! This app is still in its early stages, but the concept behind StressManger is still noteworthy. Whenever you're feeling overwhelmed or stressed, it important to figure out why it's happening, and better yet, how it can be alleviated. Once downloaded, StressManager will help identify the severity of your stress and aid you in relieving it. How does it work? First, you speak into your phone while the app analyzes your voice frequency patterns compared to a large database of voice recordings. Once the vocal test has finished, it reports which type of stress you are currently undergoing based on a list of eight. There is a short blurb about that specific kind of stress, which explains how you may be coming across to other people due to the emotional strain. Lastly, there are videos demonstrating stress relieving techniques that are quick and easy to try anywhere. As for its layout and interface, StressManager is very visually appealing, with a clean, white design. It's available to download for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. Give it a try to start on your path towards a more stress-free. |
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