JC Swift, Your Style Cultivator

Image credit: pranavmistry.com

If you already feel like our lives are becoming more and more like a science fiction movie each day, this will really blow your mind:  MIT’s Media Lab has recently been working on an augmented reality device– a computer that allows people to interact in a digital manner with ordinary objects.

Image credit: pranavmistry.com

SixthSense is made up of a projector, a camera and a mirror which can be worn around the neck; colored caps which you wear on your fingers; and a phone carried in the user’s pocket. The entire device can currently be created for $350 and has heavy implications for the future of information technologies.

Using this device can turn literally any object into a digital interface that a person can interact with. It can be used to watch videos on newspapers bought at a news stand, dial a phone call on your palm, check a flight’s status on the printed ticket and even check the time on your wrist without a watch. A video demonstration can be watch on TED.com. Though the group does not currently have plans to make a commercial product or create a company, they say they are excited about the potential.

X JC Swift for SPROUTINGEDGE.COM

Image Credit: geeky-gadgets.com

Motorola busts back onto the scene with their newest phone, featuring noteworthy improvements and using an open source operating system called Android 2.0. But how does it fare in the era of the iPhone?

The phone itself has a 5 megapixel camera, versus iPhone’s 3 megapixels, and offers users a lot more control over camera settings like white balance and focal length. The video camera offers shake-free recordings and crystal clear audio.

Image Credit: droidforums.net

It’s alliance with Google allows for conveniences like the automatic import of your Facebook and free access to Google-powered Maps. Besides a physical keyboard, the device is, overall, similar to iPhone 3GS– but hot ticket is the potential of the new operating system.

The real buzz surrounding the DROID phone is that it should allow for more applications and creative functionality changes that just aren’t possible with the iPhone (Apple’s OS is completely locks out developers). Android 2.0 is part of a series that will allow for more possibilities in the future.

Engadget.com provides a glowing review that breaks down the new device to the nitty gritty.

X JC Swift for SPROUTINGEDGE.COM

Image Credit: barneys.com

Black Friday exists online, but it’s called Cyber Monday and starts the Monday after Thanksgiving instead of the day after Thanksgiving. While some retailers do run their online and in-store Black Friday deals simulatenously (ex. Saks), Cyber Monday isn’t as well advertised as traditional the Black Friday. There’s a sense of urgency and impulsiveness that comes with shopping in-person, which may be why retailers with brick-and-mortar stores bank on Friday in-store sales rather than Monday online sales. For more on cyber Monday, check out the-signal.com, and wikipedia. There’s a site dedicated to Cyber Monday as well: cbermonday.com.

In the mean time, The Budget Fashionista offers a roundup of online black Friday deals that excite the inner penny pincher. From Budget Fashionista’s list, I have my eye on target.com deals. Refinery29 offers some pre-Black Friday sales, with labels such as Alexander Wang, Rag & Bone, Elizabeth & James, Opening Ceremony, and more. Nexus404.com covers Apple’s Black Friday deals for those of us who can use a tech update. Deals will ensue for iMacs, MacBook Pros, iPods, Apple T.V., and more. Happy hunting!

Recessions are always important for the tech industry. Microsoft, Apple, Dell, and even Skype had their beginnings in economic downturns.

For a list of noteworthy new tech items, take a look at Wired’s list of gadget reviews. The pocket projector is a great way to show off images in a fun and impressive way. It’s still new and expensive, but worth keeping an eye on.

X JC Swift for SPROUTINGEDGE.COM

Image Credit: apple.com

If your email address was set up by your grand children, you might be better off than those who created their account back in 1996 and are stuck with a moniker like pinkkitty76849@hotmail.com. But you surely won’t appear as professional as those with their own domain. In any case, your email address says a lot about you to the important people in your address book. Accounts like AOL and Hotmail are indicative of someone who’s behind the times. Gmail accounts and .edu accounts from your alma mater are ok, but those with personal URLs look decidedly more professional. Take a look at this post for some email dos and don’ts when it comes to setting up your account.

No matter how honed your communication skills may be, there is much to be considered when speaking with others virtually. For example, it’s appropriate to type URGENT or IMPORTANT in the subject line, no matter how pressing a matter may be, and as always, it’s best to be concise and to the point. Take a look at a great list of email rules at this fantastic etiquette site emailreplies.com as well as this site from Purdue University’s writing website.

X JC Swift for SPROUTINGEDGE.COM

With winter rapidly approaching, it helps to have a few good books ready for fireside enjoyment. The website What Should I Read Next is an excellent resource for your next great book. You simply type in the title of the last book you enjoyed, and the site will provide a list of suggestions you can sink your teeth into… or bypass. From this list I found such gems as Armies of the Night by Norman Mailer and Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut. Its fun to compare search results with friends.

X JC Swift for SPROUTINGEDGE.COM

Image Credit: treehugger.com

When time is of the essence, a stylish watch is essential. Cell phones and PDAs may have replaced watches as the timepiece of choice, but they won’t complete an outfit like a classic watch can. Take a peek at Watchismo for a wide selection of both new and vintage time navigators. For a more refined selection, head over to Watchsonnet.com, featuring brands such as Tag Heuer and Luminox.

You might also catch a splash of color this fall on the wrists of those who are ahead of their time. Bright, oversized, and multifunctional are buzzwords when it comes to choosing a timepiece. Fossil and Spiegel both feature lightweight designs in bold primary colors. I love a look that breaks up fall’s earth-toned monotony without being seasonally irreverent.

X JC Swift for SPROUTINGEDGE.COM

Image credit: Ruelala.com

With a new season comes new style, and I have a feeling that the fashion bug may come a-biting this autumn. I don’t usually turn down a trip to my favorite stores, but its getting colder outside. Point your browser to Gilt Groupe’s website where you can find amazing brands nearly 70% off. Membership is by invitation only and you receive credit when your invitees place orders. Other sites to check out are One King’s Lane, ideeli and Rue La La.

X JC Swift for SPROUTINGEDGE.COM