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Nora’s Twitter- nora3000: @jennifersalahub Only if I can get an 8 pack ;)
- nora3000: @schinker Ha! My unclear tweet. AIH just had a guest on who used that phrase!
- nora3000: I think 'I'm trending IN THE WORLD' is going to be my new mantra #AsItHappens #radiogold
- nora3000: @Gustavius Oh, thanks for the reminder. I forgot that this was going on #MUTEK.
- nora3000: @scilib I agree, and yet, it seems to be spreading like wildfire #datasexual #buzzwords.
- Podcast Feed
- The Sniffer, May 15th, 2012: Trends in DIY Hardware
- The Sniffer, April 23rd, 2012: Trends in Maglev and Powering Electronics
- The Sniffer, April 1st, 2012: Trends in Solar and Just-in-Time Service
- The Sniffer, March 18th, 2012: Trends in Retail and Books
- The Sniffer, March 2nd 2012: Trends in Video – and Socks!
The Sniffer, May 15th, 2012: Trends in DIY Hardware
In today's trendwatching podcast, we look at a couple of intriguing developments in tech hardware: more DIY, and tools built on top of other tools. Nora Young talks about Styku, a virtual fitting room (via Fast Company). Interesting enough as a potential solution to online clothes shopping and customization, it interests Nora because it's yet another example of tech built on top of the Kinect. Could designing tools that include the power to have other tools built on top of them be as powerful in the hardware world as it is in the online platform world?
Meanwhile, Cathi Bond talks about MIT student David Mellis, who built his own fully functional, D-I-Y cell phone out of about $150 in parts. Is this kind of stuff purely for the lab, or are we about to see D-I-Y electronics really take off beyond the hobbyist fringe? Check out the cool phone at the MIT Media Lab.
Posted in Electronics
Tagged Adafruit, cell phones, D-I-Y, e-retailing, Kinect, MIT Media Lab, Styku
The Sniffer, April 23rd, 2012: Trends in Maglev and Powering Electronics
Greetings, Trendwatchers! In this podcast, Nora Young talks about a design for powering portable electronics such as your iPhone - with your breath! The Aire is a concept design (the technology doesn't yet exist) by João Lammoglia, which features a mask that you wear, designed to harness the wind power of your breath. It's kind of goofy, we admit, but beneath it lies a serious point: how are we going to power all these gadgets and devices we have? See images and more over at Fast Company.
Cathi Bond, on the other hand, continues to explore her love of Maglev technology with the Evacuated Tube Transport system (via Gizmag). Would you propel yourself through a tube halfway across the world?
Posted in Personal Devices, Vehicles
Tagged aire, Evacuated Tube Transport, green power, green transportation, maglev
The Sniffer, April 1st, 2012: Trends in Solar and Just-in-Time Service
On The Sniffer this time, Cathi Bond looks at trends in solar power, in particular carbon nanotubes as a way to add solar generation capabilities to windows. (Read more at Flinders). Nora Young points to Lisa Rochon's article on the energy loss problems of today's glass tower condos. Could this be a solution?
Meanwhile, Nora talks about a pilot project in Japan to allow motorists to pre-order their drive-through meals via two-way navigation systems. Convenient, sure, but what about distractible driving? (Via Trends in Japan).
Posted in Architecture, Vehicles
Tagged carbon nanotubes, drive through, fast food, internet of things, Japan, solar power, solar windows
The Sniffer, March 18th, 2012: Trends in Retail and Books
This time, trendwatching pals, everything old is new again, at least in retail. Cathi Bond hearkens back to the tinkerer and the bookmobile with Styleliner, a mobile boutique fashioned out of an old chip truck (via PSFK). How important is in-person shopping to you? Is online OK for some things but not others?
Nora Young looks at a new experiment in the growing attempt to marry the digital and the paper book in creative ways. Between Page and Screen uses augmented reality to create a 3D experience with books (via Springwise). Is this the beginning of a more sculptural approach to text? A cool niche a la Griffin and Sabine or The Raw Shark Texts? More importantly, would you read like this, or do you prefer good ol' linear text?
The Sniffer, March 2nd 2012: Trends in Video – and Socks!
Hey trendwatchers! Today, Nora talks about the news that the guy behind BitTorrent is developing a way to use the peer-to-peer protocol to distribute live content (via Technology Review). The idea has many appealing features, such as lowering distribution costs, but with live video becoming the bread and butter of TV networks (sports, live reality show contests), will broadcasters balk, or take the bait?
In other video news, Cathi Bond brings you very cool PivotHead sunglasses. Basically, there's a little easy-to-operate video camera embedded in the arm of the glasses. You can see Engadget's video review here. As Cathi points out, this could be a great tool for journalists and armchair documentary makers. Does this mean everyone will turn into a video lifecaster?
Finally, love the feeling of being barefoot, but worried about hurting your feet? How about Kevlar socks! (Via Core77)
Posted in Media, Personal Devices
Tagged bittorrent, kevlar socks, lifecaching, peer-to-peer, PivotHead, portable video, Swiss protection socks
The Sniffer, Feb 17th, 2012: Trends in Crowdsourced Funding and Cool Info Management
For this trendwatching podcast, Cathi Bond has been keeping an eye on who's raising funds on Kickstarter. She found this family farm hoping to raise pigs and take production all the way to cured pork products. People seem to have an increasing appetite for putting their money into specific projects that they can have some sense of agency over; witness the success of projects like Kiva.
Meanwhile, Nora Young recalls the cute wi-fi rabbit, Nabaztag. Perhaps it was just a little ahead of its time, since we're seeing all sorts of charming display tools aimed at helping us get a grip on all the information that's coming at us. Nora points to two good examples: Feedair (via Gizmag) and Little Printer, by the folks at BERG. Little Printer is particularly distinct because it, well, prints things out on paper. Amidst all our electronic means for keeping tabs, is there still a role for paper lists in your life? Let us know!
Posted in Electronics, Marketing
Tagged agriculture, alternative funding, ambient display, farming, Feedair, information overload, Kickstarter, Little Printer, Nabaztag
The Sniffer, Feb 5th, 2012: Trends in Advertising and Eco-Housing
In this podcast episode, Nora Young gets her rant on about new trends in tech-flavoured advertising. Sure things like QR Codes are cool and all, but are you really interested in using your phone with them to get yet more ads? Tell us, would you interact with Coca Cola's polar bears online? Read more at CNET
Meanwhile, Cathi Bond talks about the CHIP house, an experimental prototype in building a net zero energy house that competed in the Solar Decathlon in the US. Interesting design - could it be the house of the future? As an aside, Nora mentions all the cool things people are using Microsoft's Kinect for, from research projects to art installations. (Interaccess featured a piece by David Rokeby that used the Kinect to allow visitors to interact virtually with gallery goers in Europe. I wish I could find video documentation).
And, just for fun, via Swiss Miss, this wonderful look at British coffee culture. Check it!
Posted in Architecture, Fun Stuff, Marketing
Tagged advertising, CHIP home, eco home, QR Codes, vintage video
The Sniffer, Jan 23, 2012: Trends in Social Media and Employment
On this week's podcast, Cathi Bond is feeling inspired by her participation in 1,000 Songs, a Facebook group about music, coordinated by arts guy about town, Jim Shedden. She's discovered great tunes by The Cowsills and more. If you can't get depth from long form journalism, maybe social media is the answer after all.
Meanwhile, Nora Young talks about this article in Technology Review, about the impending job loss as a result of the rate of change in computer technology. It reminded Nora of this article by Farhad Manjoo. Oh, and watch out for flying robots.
After we recorded this podcast, Nora thought it might make for an interesting topic for Spark. If you'd like to hear more, here's the full interview with Andrew McAfee, co-author (with Eryk Brynjolfsson) of Race Against the Machine.
Cathi continues her search for novelty personal transport with the Seabird personal submarine. Check it out here!
Posted in Arts and Culture, Personal Devices, Social Change
Tagged 1000 Songs, computers, personal submarines, social media, unemployment
The Sniffer, Jan 6, 2012: Trends in New York and IKEA’s Urban Planning
In today's trendwatching podcast, Cathi Bond looks at the news that IKEA is creating a development in east London. The neighbourhood will have about 1,200 homes, and will be mostly car-free. What do you think? Would you live in a development like this? Is this the ultimate in 'extending the brand'? You can read more about it here.
Meanwhile, Nora Young is back from New York, and finds the city still in retro mode, at least as far as cool bars and eateries goes, from the 70s vibe of Marshall Stack, to older aesthetic throwbacks. Still, nothing felt as fresh as the steampunk vibe of a few years back. Cathi points out that the retro feel is found far and wide these days, from the return of vinyl to Toronto spots like The Communist's Daughter and Commute Home, to the 'rumpus room' aesthetic you find in videos like this one, from Real Estate:
Posted in Architecture, Arts and Culture
Tagged development, housing, IKEA, new york tourism, retro
The Sniffer, Dec 20th, 2011: Trends in Robotics and Niche Marketing
In today's podcast for trendwatchers, Cathi Bond has more examples of the niche subscription trend we've been talking about. This time, it's niche Brazilian bread (via PSFK). For more on niche subscriptions, check out Cathi's story on Spark here.
Just in time for New Year's resolutions, Nora Young points out Rajesh Shetty's Metrics that Matter. For inspiration, or a long dark night of the soul, check it out here and see how you're doing going into a new year.
Meanwhile, Nora Young points to Gizmag's piece on tiny robots called Kilobots that Harvard is making available for sale. Gizmag wondered whether it might be feasible for regular folks to get them. Nora thinks they might make a lovely Christmas present (hint, hint). Note: after we recorded this episode of The Sniffer, Gizmag updated their story, saying that they would sell for about $2,000 for 10 'bots. Pricey, but cool. On a more serious note, Nora points to the more general trend in robotics research away from modeling humans or mammals and towards swarming of flocking behaviour. They reminded Cathi of the robots in Minority Report:
Posted in Electronics, Marketing
Tagged bread marketing, kilobot, New Years Resolutions, niche subscriptions, robotics, swarming robots