measuring

Five killer iPhone apps for your tool belt

I'm not the handiest person in the world, which is why I tend to reach for the telephone more often than the toolbox. (The plumber's on speed-dial.)

It's not that I don't want to drill, cut, measure, and fix things myself--it's that I usually lack the tools and/or know-how.

All together, now: there are apps for that! Here's a roundup of five excellent iPhone apps that cater to handymen, home improvers, and other DIY fans.

Bolt & Nut Need to figure out the wrench size for a particular nut or bolt? Just lay … Read more

A nesting doll measuring cup

I have a couple sets of matryoshkas, as Russian nesting dolls are known. They look pretty but aren't exactly useful for anything else. That's not the case with the M-Cups Measuring Cups, though. At first glance, these cups are just a set of three nesting dolls that fit together. A closer examination shows that they're fully functional measuring cups. Meant for dry measurements, the matryoshka is made is up of six cups measuring 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, 2/3 cup, 3/4 cup, and 1 full cup. The top of the dolls … Read more

Cup measures weight, volume

Bakers tend to favor precision when they measure ingredients, citing that baking is simply chemistry in action. (Baking soda volcano, anyone?) As such, it is often recommended by the pros to weigh dry ingredients; when you consider the volume differences between packed flour versus sifted flour it is easy to see that having a scale is important to achieve consistent results.

The Taylor Digital Measuring Cup Scale is a convenient measuring cup that doubles as a scale. The measuring cup has a volumetric capacity of four cups and is able to weigh up to 6.6-pounds. The volume markings along … Read more

Small measurements made easy

Getting sticky ingredients like honey or peanut butter in and out of a measuring cup can be a hassle. When you're looking at particularly small amounts, like a tablespoon, it's tempting to just eyeball it and move on. The Mini Adjust-A-Cup makes it much easier to manage sticky measurements: it uses a plunger design to force all of your ingredient of choice out of the measuring cup and into a mixing bowl without a problem. The cup adjusts to measure different amounts ranging from 1 teaspoon to 2 tablespoons, noting measurements in teaspoons, tablespoons, milliliters, and ounces. It … Read more

Microsoft vomit ad more than half of campaign's views

Vomit throws up viral views.

At least that is the conclusion of the strangely anal examiners of viral video at Visible Measures.

Perhaps some of you may have avoided the splashback from the Internet Explorer 8 vomit ad, featuring a husband, a wife, and former Superman Dean Cain.

The ad was slipped online and was pulled shortly afterward, as some people thought watching a housewife throwing up in the kitchen after seeing something untoward on her husband's laptop was not entirely edifying.

However, the Visible Measurers have offered some pleasantly risible measurements.

Apparently, 57 percent of all the views … Read more

Where top chef meets trivia night

When I was a kid, I used to read volume after volume of the Guinness Book of World Records. In my later years, this quest for knowledge of the world and the people in it developed into a love of science and experimentation, Trivial Pursuit, and Ripley's Believe It or Not. If, like me, you grew up loving random bits of trivial knowledge, you'd be just the type who'd love this Equal Measure measuring cup.

Not only does the cup provide you with the measuring accuracy needed for premium baking and cooking, it teaches you a few … Read more

Put a lid on it

Measuring cups can wind up in the middle of plenty of messes. From dripping liquids while pouring to getting used as temporary storage containers, it's easy to see how a lid on a measuring cup could avoid a lot of clean up. The Pyrex 8-Cup Measuring Cup with Cover includes a lid that can be turned to either protect the contents of the cup, to pour off liquids while keeping solids in the cup, to sift, to sprinkle, or to simply pour. The measuring cup is a typical Pyrex measuring cup--safe for use in the oven, microwave, refrigerator, freezer, … Read more

Slice and scoop

Between chopping, measuring, and moving, preparing ingredients for dinner can be both time-consuming and messy. Getting a pile of grated cheese into a measuring cup can require a little extra care. With the PrepTaxi Measuring Scoops, the maneuver is easier. You can scoop up all sorts of ingredients easily: the sides of the scoop prevent spills and the measuring cups are clear and easy to read. The scoops hold up to two cups. It's ergonomically designed--something you can't say for most measuring cups--and doesn't require you to try to keep hold of a slippery handle while chopping … Read more

Easily measure bandwidth usage

BMExtreme is a great tool for computer users who enjoy hot-rodding their Internet connection. Much like a dashboard's gauges tell a driver everything they need to know, this program does the same for Internet-related system information.

This free unlimited trial downloads in the form of a medium-size box that allows a fully-customizable look at your system's bandwidth usage. The main screen measures the megabytes sent, received, and total for the session, day, and month. This is a great snapshot, but if you want something more particular, opening the configuration tab gives a world of variables. In addition, there … Read more