I bought a yoga ball the other day, to replace my chair with. I had heard they are good for posture, core strength, and kind of fun. So I got it, and I noticed on the box it was labeled “Burst Resistant” and I simultaneously thought “Awesome” and “Fooey”. Because I have the ability to think many things at the same time, which does get a little confusing.???
So when I got home and inflated it with the handy dandy little air pump that came in the box, I was overcome with the smell of the thing. I mean, it didn’t smell bad or anything, but just weird mix of rubber, mothballs, and something else. I suspect the makers package it with the gym smell pre-imbedded, so people who buy them for installation in a workout area aren’t wierded out by something that doesn’t smell terrible. In short, it’s a blast to sit on when doing anything, and I recommend it to anyone who sits at a desk for an extended period of time. I never knew that sitting down could be so exhausting. You can bounce on it, roll around, topple off it hilariously and giggle in a heap afterward. I’m not saying I did that, but I can vouch that it’s possible.
Then, while rummaging around my closet the other day, I spied the box the ball came in. The “Burst Resistant” labeling stood out at me again, and as I stared at the box, for about 10 minutes (I can neither confirm nor deny mind altering substances were in use) I took it as a challenge. “Alright, Bally Total Fitness 75 centimeter exercise ball,” I muttered, “we’ll see about this.” I threw a book at it, which bounced back onto my foot, which hurt. It was a big book.
One of my tools to destroy the ball
And from there I began to whale on the damn thing. When before I would absently bounce up and down when watching TV or writing or surfing the Internets, now I began to bounce as high as I could. I began to use it as a large soccer ball. Incidentally, it’s amazing how far the ball bounces, and how much destruction it can cause. In a short time I had broken a light, a small terra cotta warrior, three glasses, and nearly knocked my TV off the box it sits on like eight times. I’ve thrown it out the window a couple times, but all that happened there was I hit a bird on the bounce, which was kind of impressive. I’ve contemplated poking it with stuff, but that feels like cheating, right? I feel like only concussive force can be used in this “science” quest. But the damn thing continues to not break. I am impressed with these Bally’s people. I must call their scientists, because this strangely scented polymer they’ve made the ball out of is seemingly invincible. Maybe a fat guy could help me.
I’ve tried rolling over sharp stuff, because that’s just incidental action when it comes to rolling around, but the thing is amazing in its resiliency. I even used it as a weapon against my little brother, but again its bounciness struck back at me, hitting me in the belly. Perhaps if I knew karate, I could chop it in half. But alas, I don’t have the time to spend years in the Orient learning from the Shaolin masters. I have a yoga ball to pop. I hit it with a hammer a couple times, but nothing. Really, I am at the end of my rope. I’ve been throwing playing cards at it the last couple hours in hopes paper cuts will wear away at it, but so far nothing. Maybe if we lived somewhere near trains, I could put it on a train track. But I have a sneaking suspicion it would just make the train derail, and I’d be back to square one. Maybe even square zero, because I’d have to deal with a derailed train.
If you have suggestions for me, email them to merritt@letspopthisfuckingyogaball.com. Together we can find success, and kick this stupid, core solidifying, good time creating, son of a bitch back to where it came from, or at least assert our dominance as human beings over it. I’ll not be stopped by this inanimate object. I’m better than that. Maybe I’ll try running it over with my car.
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The group Mr. Negroponte heads, One Laptop Per Child, has developed a slate computer set to be released in 2012 that will cost less than $100. Plastic and, he said, unbreakable, the computer will resemble the iPad and will “use so little power you should be able to shake it or wind it up to give it power.”
Some computer developers envision tablet computers so flexible that you will literally be able to roll them up and slip them in your bag or pocket — just as you would do with a newspaper or magazine today — and then unfurl them on the train.
The military is helping lead the way to that future. Arizona State University’s Flexible Display Center is working with the United States Army to build flexible, nonbreakable screens and devices for use on the battlefield.
“Truly bendable displays have other engineering challenges to solve just beyond making the screens bend,” said Nick Colaneri, director of the flexible display center. “Still, it wouldn’t surprise me to see some start to make it to market in innovative designs in the next three to five years.”
“You’ll be able to cut, paste and exchange your favorite passages, using them in the same promiscuous way we now use online text and video to argue, think, or express how we’re feeling,” Mr. Thompson said.
“Nature shows us the way. Maximum performance with minimum energy consumption for tomorrow’s production. Bionic solutions for efficient automation.” – Festo
Festo is a leading world-wide supplier of automation technology and the performance leader in industrial training and education programs. Our aim: maximized productivity and competitiveness for our customers.
Source: http://www.festo.com
The future is now, this video will undoubtedly blow your mind. This is a video of a point and touch computer interface that allows multiple users, no mouse, collaborative work and human-computer interaction with a three-dimensional computer workspace over a variety of platforms. The technology from the movie “Minority Report” could be in your home office in 5 years or less.
“We can’t have advances in technology any longer unless design is integrated from the very start.” – John Underkoffler
TED Talks: John Underkoffler points to the future of UI
Remember the data interface from Minority Report? Well, it’s real, John Underkoffler invented it — as a point-and-touch interface called g-speak — and it’s about to change the way we interact with data.
Source: http://www.ted.com/speakers/john_underkoffler.html
When the Apple iPad was released it seemed everyone had something to say about it. People were quick to criticize this new technology, calling it a “big iPhone/iPod that doesn’t make calls” and variety of other things. Personally, I was enthralled by the magic this piece of machinery has to offer. The concept of holding a computer in your hands and efficiently using it at the same time is a technology we as a society are yet to master, for now. Cell phones are a great tool, but the screen is simply too small to be completely productive. Laptops and netbooks are too bulky despite how small they’re made these days, they still have two main parts and need to fold open. The idea of having a flat, almost paper-thin computer screen will undoubtedly change the way we interact with digital media forever. The internet and a computer screen change from “tools we go use” to “tools we carry around with us.” Instead of bringing you to my office to show you my website, I can hand it you in the park.
In my experiences selling a product or business the old fashioned way, face-to-face, I realized that simply handing your product to a potential consumer is the most powerful selling tool one can have at their advantage. When it comes to selling things, “show me what you’ve got” is how the operation begins. Consider this: as a web designer, the greatest disadvantage of my selling my services is that I can’t walk up to you and hand you a website I’ve designed; until now.
In summation; I’m not endorsing the iPad specifically but instead the technology and functionality it provides people. I urge you to watch as this technology changes how we look and interact with internet and ultimately the world, one step at a time.
To support my claim, here is one of seemingly infinite applications of this technology. Ever brought a laptop on a plane and not been able to open it all the way? Not anymore. Pay attention people!
At its core, Apple’s iPad is an entertainment device — one that certainly has the power to make air travel much more enjoyable. Enter Bluebox Avionics, which is introducing a customized iPad for airlines dubbed bluebox Ai, “the world’s first iPad inflight entertainment system.”
Bluebox Ai units have reportedly already been approved to offer inflight entertainment content and will give passengers the full iPad experience including access to iPad games and apps, iBooks, consumer magazines offered through Zinio and airline-specific custom applications.
