TREND REPORTS
(PDF) Mckinsey - Shifting Gears : Insurers Adjust for Connected-Car Ecosystems
[Business]
2016/05/23 12:05
Insurance companies seek to deliver enhanced products and services by investing in new technologies and partnering with others in the smart-car environment.When it comes to connected cars, what was once considered to be the stuff of science fiction is now reality. Many cars are equipped with sophisticated sensors that can monitor not only miles driven, location, and routes used but also a perso...
(Video) 2breathe Breathing Pacer to Help Fall Asleep
[Product]
2016/05/23 12:05
2breathe, an Israeli company, is unveiling its new smartphone-powered system that will supposedly help you fall asleep by monitoring and pacing your breathing. The idea for the technology derives from a product called RESPeRATE, an FDA-cleared device that helps to lower blood pressure by guiding pepole’s inhales and exhales. A good number of people that have used RESPeRATE have reported fallin...
Mouse/Keyboard Hybrid Provides Fast Single-Finger Typing - Nydeum Sense
[Product]
2016/05/23 12:04
One side of the small peripheral is dedicated to typing, with segmented touch section that users trace different shapes over to produce letters. A new crowdfunding campaign is looking to change how we interact with our PCs and other smart devices, providing users with an all-in-one solution that combines keyboard and mouse. The peripheral, known as the Nydeum Sense, lets users trace out letters...
America’s Luxury Apartment Boom is Gentrification on Steroids
[Investing]
2016/05/23 12:04
Across the country a wave of dual-income couples and down-sizing baby-boomers are skipping home ownership and choosing apartment living instead. These elective nomads are pushing rents in American cities through the roof. Meanwhile, other renters—who have a median household income less than half that of homeowners—are finding that fewer and fewer homes fit their budget.Developers have respond...
Elevator Music for the Latte Generation - Soundtrack Your Brand
[Business]
2016/05/23 12:04
A Swedish startup is selling background music from the cloud.Not long ago, when Mathias Forslund wanted to rock out while pulling espresso shots at the three Stockholm cafes he owns, he’d burn mixes to CDs. Once he discovered the ease of streaming music at home, he wanted the same convenience at work. But after scrutinizing the fine print on his subscription service, he realized he was breakin...
Sport-Brella Umbrella - Portable Sun and Weather Shelter
[Product]
2016/05/23 12:04
Unlike a regular umbrella, Sport-Brella leans backwards and attaches to the sand with stakes, creating a kind of semi-private cocoon with enough space for a couple of chairs and a cooler. Best of all, it sets up in about five minutes (once you know what you’re doing), and can provide a full day’s worth of privacy and sun protection.Sport-Brella is a kind of hybrid between a tent and a beach u...
(Video) 'Hyper-Reality' : A Provocative Glimpse Into an Augmented Reality Future
[Tech]
2016/05/22 11:10
Years in the making, designer and filmmaker Keiichi Matsuda unveils a kaleidoscopic new concept film, speculating on the implications augmented reality.We've been following the work of critical designer and filmmaker Keiichi Matsuda since we first caught a glimpse of a both entrancing and disturbing film he produced for his Master of Architecture in 2010. The short POV clip (which went on to ra...
(PDF) Mckinsey - Grow Fast or Die Slow : Why Unicorns are Staying Private
[Investing]
2016/05/22 11:09
Technology companies worth more than $1 billion—and many worth $10 billion—have fewer reasons to go public than they did in the past. Here’s what that means for them and their investors.Since 2013, an increasing number of technology companies have achieved “unicorn” status: valuations upward of $1 billion in private markets. As of the end of last year, 146 private tech companies were value...
MIT Researchers Create 3D-Printed Fur, Opening Up "A New Design Space"
[Tech]
2016/05/22 11:08
Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a method for 3D printing artificial hair, allowing them to print everything from paintbrushes to fake fur (+ movie).The team, who are from the institute's Tangible Media Group, are able to print hairs as thin as 50 microns in diameter, making possible new types of tactile surfaces.Researchers from the Massachusetts Instit...
(Video) The World's First Virtual Reality Department Store - Brought to You by eBay
[Tech]
2016/05/22 11:07
eBay has teamed up with Australian retailer Myer to let customers shop via a virtual reality store. With delivery drones and instant order buttons, it's getting easier and easier to shop without ever leaving the house, but there's still something nice about actually going to a physical store. Virtual reality might soon become a good middle ground, as online shopping giant eBay teams up with Aus...
Asian-Americans Are Expanding Their Footprint in the U.S. and Making an Impact
[Consumer]
2016/05/22 11:06
From food to technology to entertainment, Asian-American influence continues to rise in the U.S. and is spanning across the country.Still the nation’s fastest-growing population segment, Asian-Americans are about 20.5 million strong and represent 6% of the U.S. population. From 2009-2014, the Asian-American population grew 25%. With immigration from Asian countries continuing to boost the Amer...
Self-Charging Battery Stretches Over Skin to Power Wearables
[Tech]
2016/05/22 11:05
Because the wires connecting the tiles are actually longer than the space between them, the device can be stretched out of shape. While we've seen promising prototypes of computers that conform to the contours of human wrists and forearms, the technology isn't quite ready for mainstream adoption yet. But this hasn't stopped one forward-thinking team of researchers from coming up with a new way...
