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SOBRO: The smart coffee table for cold beers and chill tunes
Coffee tables aren't the most glamorous piece of furniture. If you're anything like me, they inevitably become a repository for loose stuff like keys and remotes. StoreBound's SOBRO smart table aims to be a lot more useful. It's not just nice to look at; it's also well-equipped with a built-in fridge, speakers and even mood lighting, all of which can be controlled from your phone.
The Human Face of Big Data: an unlikely subject for a great book
Big data is, like many trendy IT buzzwords, an increasingly nebulous term. The Wikipedia definition, for example, is rather jargonistic and impenetrable. If you read big data conference information you'll typically see a lot of naked commercial stuff that might be terribly important to bigwigs but perhaps looks a little... dry... for the layman. Indeed, an awful lot of the hype around big data is very commercial in focus. At its heart, big data is concerned with how modern technology allows us to generate, store and process information on a massive scale. For example, Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google, said in 2010 "there were five exabytes of information created between the dawn of civilization through 2003, but that much information is now created every two days, and the pace is increasing." (one exabyte is a staggering 1,073,741,824 gigabytes.) As is so often the case in human endeavour, a lot of this ends up being about selling people things: think of Google's ad sensing network or Amazon's "people who bought this also liked..." engine, for example. You might be forgiven for thinking that's not the most logical subject for a high-production-value coffee table book, but that's exactly what creators Rick Smolan and Jennifer Erwitt have produced in The Human Face of Big Data; the book is also available as a US$2.99 iPad app, and all the profits from the tablet edition will be donated to charity. Through their crowd-sourcing firm Against All Odds and a team of more than 200 researchers, photographers, writers and illustrators, this is a project that aims to illuminate and explain the parts of big data that matter to people who aren't the CTO of a Fortune 500 company. So we get writeups of earthquake detection systems in Japan; of Shwetak Patel's sensor devices that can accurately calculate how much power each individual device in your house costs (and help inform you about which devices to replace with energy efficient ones); and of Nick Felton's obsessive gathering of personal data from how many miles he walks to how many hours he sleeps each year. We learn about Intel-GE Care Innovation's "Magic Carpet" prototype, which is a passive sensor net woven into the flooring of an elderly person's home that can learn the person's habits and routine and alert a relative or caregiver if it suddenly changes -- say, the person can no longer walk as fast, or starts spending long periods in bed. We hear from researchers John Guttag and Collin Stultz, who processed discarded EKG data of heart attack patients and identified subtle new early warning patterns to improve doctor's risk screening. It's full of interesting things, then, and it makes a good case that big data could be the first step towards the Internet developing a "nervous system" of sorts; a detailed sensor network generating reams of data, plus the ability to meaningfully process and act on that data in real time. You may now jump to the comment box and make a Skynet joke. It's worth pointing out that this is a most certainly a coffee table book, rather than an in-depth treatise, and as such it's more about the imagery than it is about the text. Most subjects get only a brief overview of a few hundred words, punctuated by some short essays of 1,500 words or so. This isn't the place to go for a lot of detail on each individual project, although of course most of them are covered in detail elsewhere on the web. The book is going to be delivered free to 10,000 "key influencers" around the globe, as part of Smolan and Erwitt's mission to "start a global conversation about Big Data, and who owns the data all of us generate it." Indeed, one of their concerns is that most of the conversation around big data is being driven by commercial interests, but it inherently affects all of us -- it is, in a very real way, made of us -- and this book attempts to redress that. It's a noble goal, for sure. The Human Face of Big Data is available in book form from Barnes & Noble internationally and from Amazon and IndieBound in the US. It costs around $35 and (in my opinion) would make a nifty gift for any CTOs you just happen to have in your social circle. The photography is attractive and enticing, the infographics are informative and in general it's the sort of book you flick through then end up reading half of as one thing after another catches your eye. The iPad app should be available now for $2.99, with all profits going to charity: water. It has content rather like most iPad magazine apps -- swipe to page through the book, scroll up and down to read each article, tap on various zones in some pictures to drill down into the detail -- that sort of thing. It's a nice app that uses the iPad Retina display to show off the great imagery from the print book, although inevitably some of the impact is lost in the transition to a much smaller canvas (the book measures 14 x 11 inches). Notably, the book also seems to have quite a bit more content -- partly, I think, because some of the more detailed illustrations like the stunning BibleViz (my personal favorite) won't scale down to the iPad's relatively small screen.
Insert Coin: Playsurface open-source multitouch computing table
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. A Microsoft Surface in every office? Yeah, fat chance. At $8,000, you may never see Samsung's SUR40 glow in the wild, but budget versions of the backlit HD table have begun popping up, such as the Merel Mtouch, which retails for half the price. Still, four grand is a lot to ask from casual users -- we need a bargain-basement option to help catapult the concept to success. The Playsurface could be one solution, with an open-source design and a much more affordable price tag. The multitouch computing table is the product of Templeman Automation, and its creators have begun promoting their concept on Kickstarter. In its current iteration, the Playsurface will ship in two flavors -- short, to double as a coffee table, and tall for stand-up applications -- with a $1,750 pledge netting backers a complete kit. Setting out to fulfill the goal of widespread adaptation, the creator is promising one Playsurface kit with a $1,750 pledge, including a Windows computer, a short-throw 1280 x 800-pixel DLP projector and a transparent touch surface, all housed within a self-assembled wood enclosure. There's also an infrared LED strip to aid with input recognition and something called a "Blob Board," which serves as a dedicated hardware processor tasked with touch detection and connects to the computer via USB. A $350 pledge gets you a Blob Board alone, while $650 is matched with a table (sans computer and projector) and $1,250 will net you a full kit, less the computer. There's just shy of four weeks left to go to get your Playsurface pledge in -- hit up the source link to make it happen.
LED coffee table busts a multicolored move (video)
It might look like something out of MJ's Billie Jean, but this colorful LED array won't be under moonwalking foot -- that is, unless the party gets crunk. This colorful grid is actually a table top, brought to you by way of TI's MSP430 microcontroller, and it knows how to get down. The table is made up of 128 frosted glass cubes, each apparently capable of emitting 16 million colors. Its creators also produced a special beat-detection software, that could very easily have your furniture outshining the bumpers and grinders at your next party. If you're looking for a little extra something from your coffee table, you can find full build instructions at the source link below.
Super Pong Table serves up four-way retro play, whole lot of awesome (video)
Sure it's just sliding sticks and bouncing balls, but anyone who grew up playing Atari can tell you that Pong rules. Unfortunately, its earliest incarnation only supported enough 2D fun for two, which is why our eyes just about popped out of our heads when we saw this. The folks over at Instructables are showing off another awesome retro gaming project that makes everyone's favorite game a party pleaser -- it's also a pretty good fix for an old coffee table. The Super Pong Table allows for up to four players and fives balls per game, and enlists 900 LEDs and four Atari paddle controllers to make the thing work. Each player controls his or her own stick and gains or loses a point depending on whether they hit or miss a ball -- the first player to reach 20 points gets their very own "YOU WIN" light up display. Looks like we just found something to do with our weekend. You can check out a video of the table in action after the break or follow the source link for instructions on making your own.
Visualized: PlayStation controller table, or the things men do when in love
Continuing the fine tradition of combining console peripherals and lounge room aesthetics, this here mod was built by a young chap completing his Year 12 high school qualifications in Australia. Made out of humble MDF and plywood, the PlayStation controller coffee table took 20 weeks of on and off labor to finish and the result pretty much speaks for itself. You'll find a couple more pictures after the break and a fuller gallery at the source.
Pyramid-shaped table with iPod dock makes you look like a tool
Do you miss the 1980s? Want all your friends to assume you still think it's cool to shop at the Spencer's in your local mall? Then I highly suggest you buy this pyramid-shaped multi-media table with iPhone integration. The table combines two speakers and an iPhone dock into what looks like a rejected production model of the Death Star before the Empire realized that planets are round. The table is actually called "Horus" and you can buy it from designer Stephane Thivend. The base of Horus is made from colored concrete and the LED light is available in twenty-four different colors. Contact the designer for price info. Future Fashion Magazine thinks this table looks "very much like a typical coffee table" until "closer inspection" when you find that, hey yeah, above that glaring neon LED, I can plug my iPhone in! Sorry, but Horus only looks like a typical coffee table to a Borg. No one is going to confuse it with mom's. [via bornrich]
Horus coffee table/iPod dock will make friends question your sanity
Hey, you know that whole Silent Hill design theme you've been aiming for, with the faceless nurse mannequins scattered about and the constantly running fog machine? We think we've found a coffee table for you. It's (naturally) called the Horus and its made of "ultra-high performance concrete," offering a spot for you to dock your iPod or iPhone on top, a pair of speakers down below, and an illuminated glass plane bisecting the thing. It's the creation of designer Stephane Thivend and, while it doesn't appear to be available in red nor does it come with a giant sword, it would certainly serve as a visual symbol of your guilt over spending so much on high-concept furniture. %Gallery-91897%
DIY ShiftBrite coffeetable a beautiful, headache-inducing conversation piece
Searching for the perfect coffeetable is a struggle we know well. DIYer macetech has sidestepped the whole "boring" furniture problem by installing 81 ShiftBrite LED modules into a 2x2 foot IKEA table which run a sine plasma into HSV/RGB conversion by way of an Arduino. Sure, it's probably not something your grandmother would want in her living room -- but your friends would undoubtedly be pretty jealous to see this thing hanging out in your place. Watch out for seizures, though. Video of the table in action after the break.[Via Make]
Ikea'nt believe it: A fully functional giant NES controller/coffee table
First and foremost, apologies for the headline. If you can find it in your heart to forgive us, we're sure that the video above will tickle your fancy for gaming peripheral-themed furniture. We're not sure how much we'd pay for a custom-built, gigantic, functioning Nintendo Entertainment System controller (or a boxed copy of Super Mario Bros. 3, for that matter) that doubles for a coffee table with a removable glass overlay, but we could be convinced to skip a few months' rent should this epic furnitroller show up at our local Targét. Our landlord would certainly forgive us when we invite him over for an exhilarating round of comically oversized Bible Adventures.
DIYer builds fully-functional NES controller coffee table, earns mad respect
Nah, the idea of using a freshly-mushroomed NES controller as your coffee table isn't new, but we've got to give props where props are due on this one. Kyle Downes has just completed a painstaking project that resulted in his very own NES controller table, complete with a removable glass top to protect the unit itself. Best of all, it's way more than just a living room centerpiece. Open it up and you'll find loads of storage room for items any Big N fanboy shouldn't be without. Remove the glass covering and you'll realize that it's a fully-functional Nintendo Entertainment System control pad. Don't believe us? Check out the video after the break.[Via GeekLifeBlog]
Modder builds his own coffee table PC, your coffee table still sucks
While we wait for those Microsoftees to pull it together and get real with a shippable version of Surface, we can enjoy the valiant efforts of modders like Xylomn. This guy built his very own touchable coffee table PC with a 24-inch display and a ceiling-mounted camera for tracking hand motions. Since it's part of his dissertation for his software engineering degree, Xylomn also worked up some custom software which allows users to beam media to the PC via Bluetooth, and then geotag it on a touchable map. The table allows for multiple users at once, and the interface part of the software rotates automatically towards whoever is grubbing up the display at that point.[Via Geeky Gadgets]
Hands-on with Savant's $35000 ROSIE Coffee Table
Savant's ROSIE Coffee Table seemed like it would be a mighty fine addition to any geek's den, and after seeing one in person, our hunch has been substantiated. The table was on display and constantly surrounded by onlookers today at CEDIA, but we managed to squeeze through the crowd and snag a few pics of the device in action. We'll be the first to say that the resolution on the screen could certainly be improved, and the touch response seemed quirky as well, but the table in Denver will reportedly be tweaked a bit more before being loosed on the public. Speaking of which, we were able to step aside with a Savant employee in order to learn a bit more about this forthcoming unit, so here's the skinny...Apparently, nailing down a spill-proof top is the final (major) hurdle standing in the way of a release, and the company hopes to have this bad boy ready for shipment by October / November. Moreover, the system within will indeed be based around OS X, play nice with other ROSIE equipment, and will purportedly tout an Intel processor, 500GB of internal storage, 2GB - 4GB of RAM, and no user-accessible optical drive. Lastly, we were informed that the ROSIE Coffee Table will ring up at a staggering $35,000 MSRP, so it's fairly safe to say that only the affluent will be seriously considering this one for their own domicile.%Gallery-7136%
Joystiq impressions: HP's Misto
HP showed off another research and development project, Misto, at its recent game media event. Misto is basically a coffee table with a touch-sensitive display rigged underneath its glass. That's not to say it's not impressive for a coffee table or a display; we've just seen similar projects, and other creative, homebrew game tables.Misto's demos relied on a few simple applications to prove its touch sensitivity. I moved puzzle pieces around the screen. I browsed through photos. I looked at houses I couldn't afford; Misto is currently in-use with at least one realtor although not available for general consumers.While a coffee table interface would be fun for certain games, Misto's current version misses big by only recognizing one touch at a time. Sure, there are technical reasons why it and many other devices can't juggle multiple users. But for the table to have the social gaming applications HP mentioned, that untouchability is a major oversight. If Misto ever makes it to market -- perhaps for virtual/actual Settlers of Catan or other social board games -- it needs to accept two or more touches at a time before we want one.
Taking Red Steel for a MULTIPLAYER spin [update 1]
[Update: we've added the trailer, YouTube style, after the break. Enjoy!]We've heard about this mysterious "multiplayer" mode in Red Steel, but it was fraught with mystery and shroud ... till now. IGN has posted the official multiplayer trailer for the game, which you should probably go watch if for nothing else than the entertainment value of the trailer itself. When we play, we're totally ducking behind coffee tables for cover, and then climbing onto the ceiling only to drop down uselessly onto the couch we just left.In any case, the split-screen looks serviceable enough, though very little swordplay was shown (we assume there will be a swords-only option in the final build). Why couldn't it have been online? Bah. Red Steel 2, we're talking to you.
