But Does It Float is one of my favorite sites to visit when I am in need of some visual zen. The BDITF stream is a delight for the visually inclined.
The Sparrow Problem
“The entire software industry is changing. Computer users used to spend hundreds of dollars for great software and pay again every couple years for upgrades. But over the past couple decades people have grown accustomed to getting more and more value from software while paying less and less for it. The web has played a huge part in that, but the trend was accelerated by the App Store and Apple’s management of it.”
The Sparrow Problem, by David Barnard
Last Friday’s news about Google having acquired Sparrow still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Especially as the Sparrow team right after the announcement made it clear that there will be no more updates to the app. Bummer.
(via @cindygallop)
The Swivl
The Swivl is kinda like having your own camera crew! Just stick your iPhone or Android (under 11mm thick) in the stand, and it’ll follow your every move via a small sensor that you wear. Now, you can shoot video of yourself or your friends without worrying about who’s going to hold the camera.
YES!
Year of the Robot
Year of the Robot is a daily transmission of interesting robots found on the internet. Posts include sci-fi robots, toy robots, anime robots, and even lego robots.
(thank you Nate)
Friday Link Pack
– The best public pools and swimming holes in the world
– Rich Kids of Instagram. They have more money than you and this is what they do.
– I admit, I am impressed by Urban Outfitter’s Home Catalog, photographed by The Selby
– An old-school dustpan after my own heart.
– Cool: Vimeo is hiring a Web Designer.
– I think I’ll adopt this little guy for our studio couch.
– A nice looking Teak desk for kids.
– I am sure you always wanted to decorate your Converse sneakers with lettuce. Right? (Really? Who buys this stuff?)
– A dining table that fits into a mailable envelope.
– Transferware – a product of mid 18th century England
– How to get employees thinking like entrepreneurs
– Remember this: It’s easier to love a brand when the brand loves you back
– Turn your iPhone into a Holga with this.
Romotive
Please meet Romo, a charming smartphone robot by Romotive.
If you’re into robots, and always dreamed of having one, Romo is for you. Romo uses your smartphone for his brain, is affordable, extensible, and a super fast learner.
You can let Romo wander about your home and dance to music or you can stream Romo’s video to a controller and control him across Wifi.
Romo communicates with your phone via the universal audio jack, allowing Romo to be compatible with any smartphone.
I can not wait to introduce one of these little fellows to my kids. Totally wishlisted!
(Thank you Steve)
Claude Planters
Minimal beauty of a Planter.
We Love Typography
Are you into Typography? Then you will love this site. (Type in a keyword and be amazed!) ‘We Love Typography’ is a collaboration between John Boardley and Kari Pätilä. It’s like an FFFFound for type-related content, a type-themed delicious for the eyes. It’s Type Heaven.
Inflatable Bedrail
Tilo, our two year old, suddenly decided to refuse sleeping in his crib. We just put a mattress on the floor and called it the ‘big boy bed’. He is in heaven. Only problem, he’s been rolling off it at night. But no longer, because I got one of these inflatable bed rails and it works! It ships with a small pump, inflates in 30 seconds. Simply put it underneath the fitted sheet and boom you’re done. Child secured.
The best part about it, it folds down to nothing so you can take it with you when you’re on the road. (The packaging is a bit misleading, there’s only one rail in the box, not two.)
TED Books
TED just launched TED Books, short original electronic books produced every two weeks by TED Conferences.
Like the best TEDTalks, they’re personal and provocative, and designed to spread great ideas. TED Books are typically under 20,000 words — long enough to unleash a powerful narrative, but short enough to be read in a single sitting.
This is exciting! Download the free iOS app from the App Store here.
We can do better than this.
This Paid Annual Leave and Paid Holidays Chart is quite heartbreaking. Come on America, we can do better than this!
(via everlane)
Baby Mermaid Tale
This handmade mermaid baby sleeping bag by the Miniature Knit Shop made me laugh.
Blurring Lines
“Traditional ideas about what is opinion and what is news, what is advertising and what is editorial, and the separation between content makers and consumers, are evaporating each day.”
Digital’s Ever-Swifter Incursion – NYTimes.com
(via Amrit)
Wooden Salad Bowls
I love this fresh, modern take on wooden salad bowls.
Findings
Oh my goodness, how did I not know about Findings? (she says, jumping up and down of excitement over this discovery!)
Findings let’s you collect, share and discuss your Kindle Highlights and snippets from any website on the internet.
I just imported some of my Kindle Highlights and am giddy over the fact that I can now easily access and share them, in a beautiful interface. Major hat tip to Betaworks who’s behind Findings. This has made my week!
UPDATE: Findings launched a new design about a week ago and I am heartbroken about it. In fact, I am so incredibly frustrated about the direction they are going I find it no longer useful. I have deleted my account and hope that someone else will build something similar to the old Findings again. (le sigh)
Tarpaulin Rolling Luggage
I own this little Tarpaulin Rolling Luggage and absolutely love it. It’s the perfect size for a 2-3 day trip, and small enough to fit in the overhead bin in the airplane. I am all for not checking bags. Get it on sale at The Container Store.
Ahye
This is by far the most stunning children’s bed I have ever seen. It is designed after curves of unhye and danghye, traditional Korean shoes, allowing children to sleep alone feeling as if they are in the warm protection and tender love of their mothers. Hat tip to the designers Hyunjin Seo and Jaekyoung Kim.
(via ideas to steal)
Competition
“Competing with yourself is more difficult, requires more bravery and leads to more insight.”
– Seth Godin
Competition as a Crutch, by Seth Godin
Musical Glasses
These crystal glasses by Luna & Curious look like normal wine glasses, but they are not. Fill the glass to the line marked D, and the glass will play a D. Drink a bit, and it’ll play an E. They can be played by running a finger around the rim, or by tapping the side. Oh the fun that could be had with these. And I most certainly would break one every single time I play one. Yup.
(via apartment therapy)
Plaid Crib Sheet?
This Plaid Crib Sheet made me chuckle. And they even make a cover for the changing pad. Hilarious!
Plaid is rad, right?
DoSomething
Teens are creative, active, wired… and frustrated that our world is so messed up. DoSomething.org harnesses that awesome energy and unleashes it on causes teens care about. Almost every week, they launch a new national campaign. Their call to action is always something that has a real impact and doesn’t require money, an adult, or a car. With a goal of 5 million active members by 2015, DoSomething.org is one of the largest organizations in the US for teens and social change.
I *love* this idea! Know some teens? Tell them about this!
Meet Jack Andraka
Jack Andraka is a 15-year-old student who developed a test for pancreatic cancer that is worlds better than what’s currently available.
Watch the video above, and read the article over on FastCo. What an impressive young man.
(love his reaction when he was announced as the award winner)