I’m not entirely sure why phone books are still in existence, with the dominance of this small thing called the internet taking over the planet.  However, without them, Alex Queral wouldn’t have been able to create these amazing three-dimensional portraits.  Using a small, sharp knife, Queral peels away the pages like the skin of an onion to reveal the resulting portraits shown here.  via Design Fetish Continue Reading

Cool Material just posted this bad ass combination of beer and music, known as Tuned Pale Ale.  A project crafted by Matt Braun, each beer bottle is shaped a tad bit different, allowing for each one to produce a  specific music note.  Not only are the bottles amazing, but the casing is as well. When turned upside down the limited edition holder doubles as a tongue drum. Continue Reading

I know what you’re thinking. Who in their right mind would walk around with Terminator aka Star Trek glasses glued to their face…all in the name of technology? I have to admit, I used to be one of you.  But after trying out the Vuzix 310XL…my mind has been changed forever.  Call me a nerd if you want, but while you are squinting on that time little iPhone/iPod screen, I am watching the same film on the big screen.

Styling, performance and versatility all in a 16:9 widescreen format. The Vuzix Wrap 310XL video eyewear is a new class of video eyewear offering designer styling with unmatched features and performance.

Styling Like Never Before

Stylish eyewear, at home beside the pool or at 35,000 feet, the Wrap 310XL sunglass-style widescreen eyewear allows you to watch your favorite movies and videos without attracting stares. And, if you are looking to be even more stylish the Wrap lens can be replaced with alternate colors to suit your mood of style.

Unmatched Performance

The virtual 55 inch* Wrap 310XL screen offers unmatched performance. It displays both standard 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios and plays standard 2D and side-by-side format 3D movies. A Vuzix Auto 3D feature automatically enables the 3D viewing configuration when supporting media is played.

* Equivalent screen size as seen from 10 feet (approximately 3m).

Includes Apple iPod/iPhone/iPad compatible cable.*

Review

Fresh out of the box, these glasses are a bit overwhelming.  With multiple wires and connectors, it takes a minute to get the right ones hooked up to the right things.  But, just like any brand new toy, the Vuzix 310XL were worth the wait.  After the earphones were hooked up and the nose bridge configured, the glasses were on my face and I was watching a few episodes of Lost in no time.  The viewing experience was more like a big screen t.v. than a movie screen, but that’s really tit for tat.  Bottom line – it wasn’t nearly as difficult as watching it on a 4 inch screen – something that will come in handy while traveling or relaxing in bed.  I will say that the glasses are a tad bit heavy for viewing sitting up, so I recommend laying down or at least leaning back while viewing; very similar to what is shown on the website.

The only downside to the Vuzix 310XL is that while using it with the iPhone/iPod/iPad, the only supported videos are from YouTube or videos purchased from the Apple store.  I would love to see an integration with the newest feature; live streaming of your NetFlix queue.

Features

* Supports 4:3 and 16:9 display formats
* Adjustable brightness, contrast and color saturation
* Works with 2D and common 3D video formats including side-by-side and anaglyph
* Supports “Vuzix Auto-3D”, automatic 3D detection technology[1]
* NTSC and PAL compatible
* Connects to all video devices with composite video
* Six hours use with 2 AA alkaline batteries
* Video zoom mode
* Onscreen display for video display adjustment
* Includes Wrap mini-port connector for optional expansion accessories
* Ultra-thin cabling
* Detachable premium quality noise-isolating earphones
* Includes 3 sizes of noise isolation inserts
* Wearable over most prescription eyeglasses
* Independent left and right eye focal adjustment
* Nine foot visual focus – reading glasses not required
* Adjustable, hypoallergenic nosepiece
* Changeable lens

Do you want to win a pair of Vuzix 310XL for yourself [a $250 value!]?

Here’s How to Enter: (this entry is mandatory)

• Leave a comment below letting us know what device you will be using the Vuzix 310XL with!
  

Additional Entries [leave a separate comment for each one]

• Comment on another non-giveaway post [comment below w/post name]
• Subscribe to this site via RSS.
• Friend us on Google Connect [see sidebar]
• Follow us on Twitter!  @nerdlikes!
  
• Tweet about this giveaway (daily entry, can use the following [ Win a pair of Vuzix from NerdLike! http://nerdlike.com/ooxam ]
• Digg or Stumble this giveaway [leave your username in the comment]
• Like us on Facebook [see the sidebar]

The  giveaway runs until September 10, 2010. Good Luck!

After months of going back and forth and tons of speculation, Lauryn Hill took the stage at Rock the Bells 2010 with confidence and poise. More grown than we have ever seen her in the past, L-Boogie came out rockin’ with a 10 minute rendition of her instantaneous classic, Lost Ones, eventually leading into a few other songs from the album that moved her from ‘female emcee’ to ‘hip hop icon,’ The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.

While I would love to say that her performance blew me away, I just can’t bring myself to do it. Hill went hoarse after the second song, consistently taking breaks and reverted to singing the low parts to all of her songs. Half way through her set, she deviated from the originally scheduled program [classic acts doing their classic albums in their entirety] but no one seemed to mind. This was after all, the infamous, Lauryn Hill.

[View with PicLens]

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This past weekend Heineken hosted a FREE event in Culver City, as part of their four city tour around the county.  Kicking off in Miami, we were very happy to have the Inspire Tour stop in the City of Angels, with performances by Fabolous, Ryan Leslie and the legendary DJ Jazzy Jeff.

With two jam packed days of events, Saturday seemed to be the day to see or be seen.  Heineken pulled out all the stops with the beer flowing all night, fresh pannini’s, sliders and tacos and the interesting addition of a live silk screen opportunity, turning the fans into fashion designers on the spot.

[View with PicLens]

Check out this excerpt from a recent blog post over at 4 Cryin Out Loud:

In the 2000 school of media– I know that visibility is everything. Writers want to be more popular than the artists/celebs they cover. We create websites using only our names. We make videos where we essentially interview ourselves. We bustle around town with equipment we don’t know how to use to be seen and “on the scene.” We participate in meaningless roundtable discussions that never lead anywhere, and serve no purpose–other than of course, to show that we were invited to the meaningless roundtable discussion.

Twitter has become the perfect medium for us media “tastemakers.”

We can participate in silly music related debates (debates that in no way have any bearing on the actual state of the industry, but serve only to illustrate that we can write 140 characters about whoever the rapper up for discussion is). We can articulate just how much we know, and how quickly we can discreetly google what we don’t know during an especially heated discussion. We can illustrate how smart we are. We can offer brazenly sarcastic commentary on every song that leaks or every ill-advised email blast we receive. After all, how else will people know how many unwanted emails we get per day, or how many people want us to listen to their music?  We can brag about where we are, and where you aren’t. We can tell you where we just landed.

It hit me. Without Twitter, how will other “tastemakers” know that I am still “tastemaking?” How will they know I am witty and sarcastic? How will they know that I’m alive?! I mean, sure they can read my bylines or blogs, but…how will they really know if they are unable to read what I’m #nowplaying every hour on the hour– and that my musical taste (and therefore personality) is eclectic, yet grounded, well-informed but approachable? They won’t. That’s how.

My worth, I’ve found–both personally and professionally is synonymous with my Twitter Page.

And my Twitter Page no longer exists.

Therefore, I am… not.

—————————————————————————————————————————

Thought provoking, at the very least.  Drop a comment below and let us know if you agree, you don’t, or if you even care.

A few weeks back we were sent a sample of these Wicked Little Buds, the newest version of the Wicked Ear Buds done by Empire.   Done in all black ery’thang, the Buds were unlike any I have seen before; with  extra small buds [for those of us with tiny ears] as well as a cloth cord.   Check out the spec below:

Driver – 5.8 mm
Impedance – 16 ohm
Frequency – 20-20,000 Hz
Cord Length – 1.2 Meters
Plug Material – Gold Plated

Coming in four different colorways, each one features a polished finish.  But, that’s enough about the aesthetics, lets talk about the hardware and sound associated with the tiny, little Buds.

Review

The sound with these things is impeccable.  While they are inner ear buds, they actually cancel out a lot of the noise, even in a semi-active room.  With the cord being covered in fabric, it adds to the overall comfort of the Buds.  The best part of all?  The Wicked Little Buds fit snugly inside of my smaller than average ears, and I can barely even tell they are there.

Do you want to win a pair of Wicked Little Buds for yourself [a $30 value!]?

Here’s How to Enter: (this entry is mandatory)

• Leave a comment below letting us know what the last song you heard was!
  

Additional Entries [leave a separate comment for each one]

• Comment on another non-giveaway post [comment below w/post name]
• Subscribe to this site via RSS.
• Friend us on Google Connect [see sidebar]
• Follow us on Twitter!  @nerdlikes!
  
• Tweet about this giveaway (daily entry, can use the following [ Win a pair of Wicked Little Buds from NerdLike! http://nerdlike.com/xwitq ]
• Digg or Stumble this giveaway [leave your username in the comment]
• Like us on Facebook [see the sidebar]

The  giveaway runs until August 28, 2010. Good Luck!

It’s August and that means that it is Madden season. This is the time of the year that girlfriends and wives make travel plans with their lady friends because their men become mutes as they indulge in their favorite pastime.  But this year, Madden finds itself getting sacked behind the line of scrimmage when it comes to advancements.

Graphically speaking, the game looks remarkable. The animations are crisp and really give the game a television feel. The new animations for wide receivers are much more than a visual enhancement as well. Wideouts will drag their feet when catching a ball by the sidelines and will reach and bend in ways that are very much like their NFL counterparts. It’s a very pretty game to say the least.

The commentary has also received a boost thanks to vibrant Gus Johnson coming in to relieve the snore inducing Tom Hammond. Johnson’s first year giving play-by-play is solid and adds a bit of excitement to the game. However, you can tell it is his first time as some of the audio sounds very choppy. I anticipate that to be improved upon by next year.

The game modes are your standard fare for the long running franchise. Franchise is still the same, online play is similar to last year and the Superstar mode has seen zero enhancements. That’s not a major issue given that the game has been around for as long as it has. The play calling system has now been tempered to the casual gamer who could care less about the X’s and O’s of football and just wants to pick up and play. Gameflow is where the AI will select a play for you with one button press and the gamer can focus on the action on the field. If you are a die hard Madden player, this addition doesn’t mean much. But as Madden looks to appeal to a broader audience, it is a solid addition.

But what the game does well is immediately shot down when it comes to game play. Madden is simply maddening. For Madden experts, you’ll find that the difficulty is either too difficult or too easy. Although there are sliders put in place to assist fine tuning, there is far too much trial and error to find the perfect setting. Playing a few games on All-Pro, I easily managed to rack up over 200 yards rushing with 5 minute quarters and deliver 20+ point thrashings to the CPU. But the All-Madden setting is like allowing the Saints to play against Division II college. Simply put, it’s cheap. On offense, the CPU is able to shed multiple tackles with ease, complete 3rd and longs at any time as your defense is rendered useless and the only way to keep up is by scoring at a pace that is ridiculously frantic. When the CPU wants to win, it will. There’s really nothing you can do to stop it.

Even though the game is still enjoyable when played with friends or online, Madden 11 is a step backwards for the long running franchise and perhaps the game is in need of some competition in order to right the wrongs done to the series.

Pros

- It’s Madden!

- The game looks gorgeous.

- Gus Johnson is awesome.

Cons

- Not many enhancements to the gameplay from last year

- The AI is cheap

- Gameflow is useless

Rating: 3 out of 5

If you are like the rest of the world, you are either drooling over the iPad or using one right now to read this.

Check out the latest accessories to hit the market for the trendy device, with everything from neoprene sleeves to desktop chargers.

XtremeMac: Neoprene Sleeve
Ideal lightweight iPad sleeve for traveling

* Form-fitting sleeve integrated with pockets for such items as cables and earphones
* Velcro seal ensures iPad and other accessories are safely secured at all times
* Hex design gives it a sleek and modern aesthetic

Available at: XtremeMac.com
Price: $39.99
Website: www.XtremeMac.com

XtremeMac: Nylon Sleeve
Durable sleeve provides maximum protection for iPad

* Form-fitting exterior protects and secures iPad
* Soft plush lining cushions iPad and protects from scratches
* Clean design and zipper at the top of the sleeve provides easy insertion and removal of iPad
* Hex design gives it a sleek and modern aesthetic

Available at: XtremeMac.com
Price: $49.99
Website: www.XtremeMac.com

IDAPT i4 Universal Desktop Charger
Simultaneously charge four different devices and clear cord clutter with one system

* Features 3 tip ports and one USB port and LED light indicating charge status
* Interchangeable “quick release” tip system allows for easy, customizable charging system
* Compatible with over 3,500 brands of mobile devices, including Apple, Nintendo, PSP, Blackberry, Garmin, and more
* Package includes six of the most popularly used interchangeable tips
* Available in black and white

Available at: IDAPTweb.com
Price: $59.99 MSRP
Website: www.idaptweb.com

Most bike helmets are plain, some of covered in stickers, and some are even bold enough to glue a green mohawk on their melon protectors. These helmets by the Russian ad company good, will certainly require a double take on the road, because you truly have never seen helmets like these. Continue Reading

A few weeks ago we received this little gem on our doorstep; the Photojojo Tokyo Dreamer Strap. While my assumption is that it’s  meant to be used for a bulky DSLR, I hooked it up to my Nikon P90 [bulky point & shoot] and went to work.  Coming in three different colorways [Berry Red, Butter Bronze & Sky Blue], the strap is not only durable, but fashionable….a attribute that is absolutely necessary when you are literally WEARING a camera.

Tokyo Dreamer Strap

• Durable vegan leather (no animal parts!)
• Removable pocket for film/memory card
• Adjusts to total length of 4.5 feet
• Soft velvet-y lining cushioned for neck comfort
• Name tag for finding forgotten cameras
• Strong enough to hold SLRs, DSLR’s and their big ‘ol lenses
• Strap is 1.25″ wide

Not only is the strap adorable,but it’s animal friendly for all of you veggies and animal lovers.  While it may be synthetic, it sure doesn’t feel like it, giving you that buttery soft ’suede-like’ feeling that everyone desires.  Personally, one of the biggest lures of the Dreamer Strap is how far it extends.  You can adjust the strap up to 4.5 ft, which is more than enough room.

The inscription is a popular Japanese mantra, giving this strap a nice touch.  Below that is an embossed camera, on the tan portion of the strap.  The strap also comes with a small pouch, just the right size for your extra battery, film or memory card.  Easy to strap on and off, you can slide it on the strap to your desired location.

Review

It’s been two weeks full of photographing my kids’ sports events, event coverage and Comic-Con…and I can honestly say that I have not taken the strap off once.  I will admit that after the initial ‘installation’, the strap did loosen one time.  However, after checking it and tightening it up, it hasn’t happened again.  I am actually chalking it up as a user error, unless 10 other people comment saying it happened to them also LOL.

Pick one up here for$24 today!  Remember, Photojojo’s shipping rates start at $2.50!