alcohol
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Tiny device aims to tell you if your drink has been spiked
The creators of a device designed to identify if your drink has been spiked have launched on Indiegogo with the aim of raising $100,000. Similar in size to a pack of gum, the pd.id can be dunked into a drink, blinking red after a few seconds if a contaminant is found. According to founder J. David Wilson, the hardware uses the same technology that the US DEA has employed for years, just shrunk down to a smaller size. Once dunked into your drink, the pd.id collects a small sample, analyzing its density, resistance and temperature to determine if a foreign agent, like rohypnol, has been introduced.
You can now inhale shots like air for just $700
Drinking is great, but there are so many drawbacks -- the calories, the glass that's cramping your dancing style, the half-hour wait for the buzz. Fortunately, Vapshot can solve all those issues (apart from the alcoholism) with its Vapshot mini machine by letting you inhale your liquor at home instead of drinking it (see the video below). You can grab one in white for $700 or stainless steel for $899, and extra bottles are $9 each. As we saw last month at our Austin, Texas Engadget event, it's simple to operate: you just insert your booze of choice, vaporize it into a serving bottle and inhale with a straw. You can even combine the "air shots" with regular shots or mixed drinks. Though it may sound sketchy, Vapshot says their machine is the only model lab-tested for vaporizing alcohol, and is "well within" the acceptable levels for that purpose. We'll have to take its word for that, but if you're curious and living in Seattle, guess what? You can check it out for yourself at our Engadget Live Seattle event this Friday, July 18th. We'd recommend getting there early for, er, reasons.
Researchers teach a computer to predict teen binge drinkers
Intervention during someone's teenage years is frequently the key to preventing alcohol abuse in adult life. It's good to know, then, that a group of scientists has found a way to predict that abuse at an early age using computer modeling. The approach teaches the computer how to spot a likely teen binge drinker by weighing 40-plus biological and social factors that include brain structure, any enabling genes, past events and personality traits. If a 13-year-old is already smoking because of an addictive personality or family influences, for instance, it's more likely that this child will pick up a dangerous drinking habit a few years later.
Sorry, folks: powdered alcohol isn't legal in the US just yet
We hope you weren't planning on inhaling indulging in powdered alcohol this fall -- it looks like the US government was a little too hasty in giving the dry drink the A-OK. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau tells CNN that it approved Lipsmark's upcoming Palcohol "in error." As to why? Lipsmark says that there was a "discrepancy" as to the levels of powder in each bag, and that it had to resubmit the labels for approval. It doesn't have a new launch window, but it sees the feds' change of heart as just a temporary setback.
Forget shots, Palcohol turns vodka into a powdered condiment
Why sip on a nice glass of scotch when you can get tipsy on salad instead? A new product called Palcohol takes the pesky liquid out of your favorite drinks; turning them into a potent powder you can just sprinkle on your hamburger for an extra "kick." The company doesn't recommend snorting it (be honest, we know that's what you were thinking), but says it can be used most anywhere else. Powders are available in straight liquor form as well as premixes like Lemon Drop and Margarita, and if you'd rather drink your booze (as if!), Palcohol can be liquefied with water and consumed just like a bottle of Jack Daniels.
Livr is my most fav app 4va LOL im drunk (update: sober up, it's fake)
If you've heard one too many gripes about your boozy postings, don't fret -- there'll soon be a like-minded social app for you. It's called "Livr," and you won't even be able to log in without a smartphone breathalyzer confirming you've tippled enough. In fact, the higher your BAC, the more app features are unlocked. Those include a crowdsourced "truth or dare" game and hotspot map that shows the location and sobriety of other users. You'll even be able to drunk-dial random Livr folks, simulating the types of encounters you'd normally have at a bar (sans the possibility of getting punched). After a questionable evening, whatever happens on Livr can stay on Livr, thanks to the "Blackout" button that deletes all evidence of your misdeeds. We're not sure if this is one of the best or worst ideas in recent memory, but in any case, prepare your actual liver -- the app will arrive to Android and iOS sometime in the spring. Update: Gizmodo's knocked the beer goggles off our faces, revealing that Livr is almost certainly a hoax. We'd apologize for the misinformation, but we're going to blame this one on the alcohol -- we told you we were drunk.
BACtrack iPhone breathalyzer could save your life this holiday season
According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, car crashes from impaired driving due to alcohol consumption spike over the holiday period. This shouldn't be much of a surprise, as it's the time of year that people generally go to more parties than normal and enjoy the company of friends and family with good food and drink. However, thanks to our iPhones and some innovative technology from a host of companies, we now have it in our power to know without a doubt if we've had too much to drink before we even get behind the wheel. The BACtrack Mobile Breathalyzer from BACtrack is the world's first Bluetooth mobile breathalyzer that allows anyone to check their own or a friend's blood alcohol content from an iPhone or Android device. The BACtrack Mobile Breathalyzer itself is no bigger than a pack a cigarettes. The user simply breathes into it and his or her blood alcohol level is calculated, with its results being sent to the companion BACtrack app. The iPhone app makes it easy to read your results in numerical format, but it also gives you a written warning, such as "You may be experiencing a loss of shyness and slight euphoria." However, instead of just telling you how inebriated you are, the app also allows you to track it over a period of time -- and, more importantly -- can tell you when your BAC will return to 0.00 percent so you can drive again. The app also allows you take photos of your drinks and log your drinking habits in a built-in journal. You can share your BAC results with a private list of people, anonymously on the web (contributing to real-time BAC results around the world, which you can view) or via your social networks on Twitter and Facebook. The social integration may seem odd, but it can help notify your friends that you need a ride home when you are too drunk to drive. BACtrack has been a global leader in breathalyzer technology for more than a decade and the engineering that went into its BACtrack Mobile Breathalyzer shows it. Its mobile breathalyzer uses an industry-leading Xtend ElectroChemical Fuel Cell Sensor, which is a police-grade cell. The company says it is not only appropriate for personal use, but professional use as well, including in military, hospital, clinical, business and school settings. The BACtrack Mobile Breathalyzer displays BAC results to a full three decimal places (0.000 percent). It measures 1.75 x 2.75 x 0.63 inches and weighs just 1.75 ounces (47 grams). It's rechargeable via the included micro-USB charger. The BACtrack Mobile Breathalyzer isn't a gift for everyone. Indeed, it may offend some people if they receive it. However, it'd be great to see bar and pub owners keeping one of these behind the bar. It also gives those responsible drinkers another option for keeping tabs on their fun and alerting them when it's time to let someone else get behind the wheel. The BACtrack Mobile Breathalyzer costs US$149.99. The BACtrack app is a free download. It's one of the few iPhone accessories that can actually save a life this holiday season.
Alcohoot smartphone breathalyzer shipping now for $119
It's no match for knocking back a few Diet Cokes in lieu of libations before getting behind the wheel, but if you can't avoid having a beer or two before driving home, getting a read on your blood alcohol content is an absolute must. Alcohoot, a smartphone-powered breathalyzer, will help you gauge your BAC and put a stop to further consumption before things get out of control. The $119 device, which boasts "police-grade accuracy" and plugs into your handset's headphone jack, is shipping now. Alcohoot is significantly pricier than competing products, such as the $49 Breathometer, but co-founder Ben Biron promises professional accuracy, assuming you keep up with the requisite annual calibration (to speed things up, you'll get a new device each year with a shipping label to return the old gear, for a $30 fee). The bundled Android and iOS apps will show you open restaurants within walking distance so you can soak up that booze with some greasy grub, a link to Uber and even a tool to track your consumption throughout the night -- though nothing quite spoils the mood like whipping out a breathalyzer after every drink.
Monsieur robotic bartender pours libations at home for $1,499 (hands-on)
A night out at the local watering hole can be a pain sometimes, having to elbow your way through crowds and struggle to catch the bartender's eye, all for a tasty beverage. If only we could leave all the hard work to a machine. Fortunately, Monsieur, the "robotic bartender" that we first met at TechCrunch Distrupt a few weeks ago, is back to deliver a Jetsonian experience to those who thirst for more than tech. It's certainly not the first of its kind, but the delivery method employed here is of a subtler sort, downplaying the anthropomorphic angle and hiding away the mechanism inside a streamlined casing. The home-bound version is significantly more compact (and less expensive) than the enterprise edition seen above, and it should be making its way to consumers soon. Grab a glass and join us after the break to see what's in store.
On the hazards of drinking and driving the Oculus Rift
"You know, it's funny. People, when they are intoxicated, don't enjoy the Rift nearly as much."Oculus Rift inventor and co-founder Palmer Luckey shared a cautionary tale of sorts when we asked for anecdotes on the VR rig's testing procedures. After a short pause, Luckey dropped some sage advice for future Rift owners and developers alike.The Rift, which has been known to cause motion sickness in some users (Joystiq staff included) due to the disarming intensity of the experience, apparently has the ability to exacerbate one's inclination toward intense nausea after a night of partying."What happens is, when you get severely intoxicated, you end up throwing up," Luckey said. "One of the reasons for that is that your body knows something is wrong; your reaction time is slow, things seem to blur. And if it gets bad enough, it says 'Wow, I'm screwed up, I need to get whatever it is out of my stomach that's causing this.' The Rift doesn't do that much, but when you stack it on top of someone already being intoxicated, they tend to not enjoy it nearly as much."Under normal, non-intoxicated testing conditions, the disconnection between what a Rift user sees and what their body experiences – the cerebral disparity that can cause nausea - wasn't much of an issue."So, use the Rift sober."
Breathometer lets phone users keep alcohol in check from a keychain (video)
Who knew that smartphone owners were suddenly such temperate drinkers? Just days after Alcohoot unveiled its take on a phone-friendly breathalyzer, Breathometer is here with its own way to watch our tipsiness. The namesake, FDA-approved gadget will plug into the headphone jack of an Android or iOS device and warn if our blood is too alcohol-rich, all while staying small enough to fit on a keychain. Plans are underway to eventually let soused users hail a taxi from the native app. The Breathometer won't be available until we're at the height of summer party season, but it should be cheap enough to eliminate any excuses: its Indiegogo campaign is asking for just $20 to secure a Breathometer alongside a pledge, or less than a good night out.
The Daily Grind: Do narcotics belong in MMOs?
Be it a sci-fi cantina or a fantasy tavern, your MMO's local watering hole no doubt offers a very specific sort of drug: alcohol. But you might have noticed that non-alcoholic drugs aren't usually given the same chance to virtually corrupt you as do more comfortable vices like extreme violence, gore, thievery, and physics-defying cleavage. Immersion-centric players might argue that narcotics add to the gritty realism of many game worlds and aren't really different from other mind-and-body-altering substances like booze, but developers seem wary of wading into that territory. Star Wars Galaxies, for example, launched with canon-correct spice (complete with "downer" effects) but ended spice production with the NGE. And Lord of the Rings Online implemented Tolkien's famous pipeweed but has resisted bestowing beneficial effects on those who smoke it, probably for fear of encouraging "bad" behavior, triggering political drama, or jeopardizing its age rating. What do you think -- do narcotics belong in MMOs? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
CCP investigates player panel amidst controversy [Updated]
EVE Online's annual Fanfest is an opportunity for players from across the world to share stories of the year's big events, political actions, and epic battles won and lost. Each year, player speakers from the game's biggest and most influential alliances are invited to take part in the Alliance Panel at Fanfest, where they can talk about their organisation and what it's done over the preceding year. GoonSwarm alliance speaker The Mittani gave a talk on some of the year's most memorable alliance activities, from shutting down Ice Mining operations across several regions to scamming people with fake supercapital ship trades. During a Q&A session after the presentation, he said something that has become the focus of a great deal of controversy. Massively got a hold of a copy of this year's Alliance Panel to find out what all the controversy is about. [UPDATE: The Mittani has issued a public apology for his behaviour during the Alliance Panel and has vowed to make all restitution necessary.] [UPDATE: This post has been updated as part of an apology for covering this in a sensationalist manner]
Some video game cocktails to ring in the new year
Christmas has come and gone (did you get that Radio Flyer you asked for?), but that only means that the march to New Year's Eve has begun. And that, of course, means festive libations. The Guardian has your party planning covered with six delightful video game-themed cocktails, from Portal 2 shooters to the flaming Uncharted 3 spectacle seen above. Just remember, the only achievement you'll unlock for "beating" all of these games is alcohol poisoning. [Image: The Guardian]
New producer's letter for Ultima Online hints at future updates and an end to sobriety
For all that Ultima Online allows player freedoms, it's always had certain lacking features. As far back as the game's launch, you could run up and rob someone blind, but you've always been unable to do so while inebriated. But fear not -- as part of the project to revitalize Magincia, the distillery is being introduced, allowing players the freedom to brew and distribute all the joys that liquor can bring. It's only a small note as part of the overall producer's letter for the game, but it's still noteworthy. There's a lot else in the letter, however, including planned upgrades to the Enhanced Client and a number of story arcs set to begin in June. The restoration of Magincia is also ongoing, and while the distillery is one of the new additions, there are also new gardening additions and enhancements set to make unused land more vibrant. Ultima Online players can check out the full letter for a rundown of features in the pipe and on the horizon.
Permanent anti-fog coating could mean end to steamy specs
Unless you're blind, or just plain out of the loop, you've probably noticed a proliferation of folks rocking spectacles as accessories of late, but for those of us who wear the things out of necessity, there's no taking 'em off when our lenses fog up. Lucky for us, a team of Canadian researchers have patented a new permanent anti-fog coating that they claim is the first of its kind. To make sure the stuff wouldn't wash away, the crew applied four successive layers of molecules to a transparent material (either glass or plastic) before overlaying it with polyvinyl alcohol, allowing water to spread uniformly and avoiding the steamy-windows effect. The result? A super durable, multilayer coating that won't rub off, regardless of the freakish conditions you and your face encounter. Its creators see endless applications for their invention, including windshields, visors, camera lenses, and, of course, eyewear. Now that that's out of the way, we suggest they concentrate their efforts on sweat-less nose pads.
TUAW's Daily App: What Cocktail
What Cocktail is a stylish app with a simple concept: what kind of cocktail do you want to drink, right now? By inputting your mood and location, then shaking (not stirring, of course) the app, you get a drink suggestion with a well designed logo and the recipe to go with it in case you're making your own. Sure, there's not a lot to it, but the design of the app is a great example of form meeting function. If you're at a bar and in a state where you can't choose your own drink, What Cocktail seems like a perfect solution. As of this writing, the app is on sale for US$0.99, so you can go grab it for just a buck. If there's a downside, it's that the drink choices are somewhat limited. Not only will you probably know the drink that comes up, but it might not quite fit the mood you're in. That's to be expected, though; you definitely want something simple to make and order, and if you're ordering drinks selected by an app, you have to know that they won't always be the right thing no matter what. I have one thing to say to that: Cheers! Drink up anyway.* *Of course, always drink responsibly and safely. And stay away from tequila -- that stuff is trouble.
Japanese doctor turns hot toddy into superconductor catalyst
It's rare that hot booze does anything more than get you drunk, and possibly make you sick, but according to Dr. Yoshihiko Takano, the drink you're sucking on could facilitate the levitation of a train. After a party for a colleague, the Japanese scientist found that FeTe0.8S0.2 (composed of iron, tellurium, and tellurium sulfide), when soaked in warm booze overnight, shows signs of increased superconductivity -- another in a long line of liquor-enhanced discoveries that could have far reaching effects on everything from consumer electronics to public transportation. Dr. Takano decided to test the material (known to become a superconductor after soaking in water) in the leftover alcohol from the party: beer, red wine, white wine, sake, shochu, and whiskey. As it turns out, red wine has the highest superconducting volume fraction at 62.4 percent -- nearly four times higher than the ethanol-water control samples. Dr. Takano and his colleagues speculate that the ease with which wine and beer oxidize could be play a key role in the increase in superconductivity. We speculate that even a superconductor gets a little hopped up after soaking in a bottle of wine.
Medea Vodka (and its radical programmable LED bottle) now ready to party
It may not be your birthday, but it's most definitely the weekend. And if you're looking to have a "good time," there's hardly a better place to look than your local ABC store. We mean... whatever place you can find that sells Medea. Put simply, this vodka maker has decided to wrap its spirits inside of bottles that boast programmable LED displays, and while the company has been kicking the tires for a small while now, we'll have you know that these things are now available for purchase ($39.99 a pop) over the world wide web. Programming information is down there at the source link, and if you've been searching for the perfect complement to your LED rims, look no further. Man, if only Brennan Huff and Dale Doback would've had access to this while shooting their first and only music video...
Whiskey byproducts turned into biofuel, scientists prove they have a sense of humor
Did you know that gasoline was originally considered a waste byproduct of kerosene production? Seriously, people would take crude oil, refine the kerosene out of it, and dump the rest. Working along similar lines of harnessing what had heretofore been considered useless, researchers at Edinburgh Napier University have come up with a way to turn leftovers from whiskey distillation into a biofuel. Using the spent grains (or "graff") and liquid from the copper stills (called "pot ale"), they've been able to produce biobutanol -- a fuel that's 30 percent more efficient than ethanol and, importantly, compatible with gasoline-fired vehicles without the need for engine mods. We honestly had to check the calendar to make sure it wasn't the beginning of April, but the university says its next stop is taking this thing to market. More power to them.
