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Pay with crypto at Whole Foods, Gamestop and other retailers
It's been difficult to spend cryptocurrencies at retail due to the technical and regulatory headaches associated with it, but that might not be an issue at some stores in the near future. Flexa has launched a payment network and a companion iOS app, Spedn, that should let you spend digital currency at major retailers like Baskin Robbins, Gamestop and Whole Foods. You just bring up a barcode at the register and the merchant scans it in -- if they don't directly accept crypto, the payment network converts your funds into conventional money in real time.
Glittery iPhone cases recalled after reports of chemical burns
Smartphone cases are normally as harmless as can be, but that sadly isn't always true. MixBin has recalled 263,000 iPhone cases after 24 reports of skin irritation and chemical burns when the cases broke, leaking glitter and liquid everywhere. And these aren't obscure cases, either. They've been sold at retailers like Amazon, Nordstrom Rack, Tory Burch and Victoria's Secret as recently as June, so there's a real chance you picked one up.
Trump's Nordstrom tweet isn't illegal, but it's still a problem
When Donald Trump became president of the United States, many thought his off-the-cuff tweeting days were over. Surely he would adopt the seriousness of his new role as leader of the free world and apply more discretion over what he says on social media. It seems, however, that he hasn't. In the past month, he has used Twitter as a platform to shout down federal judges, complain about Saturday Night Live and launch endless attacks on the media. On Wednesday morning, the president once again went on Twitter to air his grievances, but this time, he took aim at Nordstrom. He said:
Inhabitat's Week in Green: The world's skinniest tower, and more!
Local Motors just unveiled the bus of the future, and it's fully autonomous, made by a 3D printer and controlled by IBM's flagship artificial intelligence system. In other transportation news, a German official declared that all new cars registered in the nation will need to be zero-emission by the year 2030. Tesla announced plans to sell its electric vehicles in a Nordstrom store in Los Angeles. And a solar-powered boat embarked on a historic journey across the Atlantic Ocean.
Tesla will soon sell EVs at a Nordstrom store in LA
Tesla is about to start selling cars at a Los Angeles outlet of the upscale fashion retailer Nordstrom, according to Fast Company. It will display its Model X SUV inside the tiny, 400 square foot store at The Grove mall starting June 18th, and allow prospects to take test drives with on-site Tesla employees. The company doesn't yet have a sale license for the location, so if a prospect wants to buy on the spot, they'll have call a salesperson at a Tesla dealership or place the order online.
Fitbit's low-profile Alta tracker is up for preorders
FitBit announced on Wednesday that its newest fitness tracker, the Alta, is now available for preorder. Unlike the recently announced mid-level Blaze (which we weren't too impressed with) or top-end Surge -- both of which feature large displays -- the Alta is designed to discreetly track your activity.
Nordstrom tests curbside pickups for online orders
Store pickups give you the luxury of shopping online without waiting days for deliveries, but there's still one big hassle involved: you have to, y'know, enter the store. That won't be a problem if Nordstrom's latest experiment pans out. Several of the retail chain's locations (including its Seattle flagship) are testing an option that lets you pick up an internet order while staying in your car. All you do is call or text when you're near the shop, and a staffer will wait for you outside. There's no word on whether or not Nordstrom will expand the streetside option, but here's hoping that it does. This would not only save you time picking up a new wardrobe when you're in a rush, but spare you from hunting for that elusive downtown parking spot. [Image credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images]
Nordstrom's smart fitting room helps you find fresh outfits
You've probably had that moment in a store fitting room where you realize you're trying the wrong clothes, but would rather not get dressed again just to check out those pants in a different color. If Nordstrom succeeds with its new eBay-designed fitting room, you won't have to. The experimental technology turns mirrors into interactive displays that give you many of the shopping options you'd have if you were browsing the web. You can not only see if the store has clothing in a different size or style, but have staff bring it to you -- handy if you're still half-naked.
Google Catalogs iPad app digitizes catalogs, no more coasters
We all know what catalogs are good for: starting fires in the fireplace, light reading in waiting rooms and makeshift placemats. Oddly, Google has decided to take these perfectly useful glossy dead trees away from us with the introduction of Google Catalogs, a free iPad app. Like most shopping apps, users can zoom in, learn more and purchase products through a company's website, but this one adds a slick little twist: collages. Put together a particularly sweet L.L. Bean ensemble and want to share it with Mom? No glue stick or scissors required. Check out the video after the break.
