Lifestyle

VoicePix: Decorate with art made from your voice

In a world where you can walk into a store and buy the same piece of wall art as 1 million other people, it's nice to have options that are more unique than that. VoicePix is betting people will want to talk, laugh, and sing their way to a piece of art that no one else can replicate. The company takes an audio recording, generates a visual wave file, and prints it out in your choice of colors.

Though VoicePix officially launches March 26, you can get in early to play around with the product. Record into your computer microphone directly on the site or upload a file. It can take up to 48 hours for VoicePix to process your recording. After that, you can view it and choose whether to order it as a physical piece of art.… Read more

Epson Moverio BT-100 head-mounted display: In-depth hands-on

The Epson Moverios are heavier than my regular glasses. I'm not sure I mind. Since I first got glasses in the fourth grade, I dreamed about them having some sort of built-in head-up display, feeding me real-time data about the world around me. Two seconds into the Google Glass launch video, and I said, out loud, "SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY."

Turns out, Epson has been working on similar "iGlasses." Like Google Glass, these are an early entry into the technology. So if you're hoping for a snarky review about early tech, you'll be disappointed.

If you want to know what it's like having something like this, what it can and will be, and a shocking lack of jokes about me wanting Geordi La Forge's barrette thing, read on.… Read more

The 404 1,231: Where time is brain (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Check out our interview with B.O.B. and Big Boi for their new game, "Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel."

- Mico headphones let your brainwaves choose the music.

- Google Images adds filters for animated GIFs.

- Detroit doctors link garbled texting as first sign of a stroke.… Read more

The 404 1,230: Where there's nothing in the safe (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- 60,000 Redditors want to know what's in this safe.

- NYC looks to Facebook for the future of payphones.

- UD Replicas makes a replica of the most underrated accessory from "The Dark Knight."

- Samsung Galaxy Watch "definitely" coming, Samsung confirms.

- The Pebble smartwatch finally arrives on doorsteps to a chorus of approval.

- Pebble breakdown shows waterproofing makes repairs impossible.… Read more

The 404 1,229: Where we stop and smell the ads (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Ad creep creeps are getting creepier -- a couple of the strangest ad-placements ever.

- You know Best Buy is doing poorly when a positive customer review is news.

- How manufactured smells are making people shop longer and kill better.

- Jack from our 404 Subreddit created an RSS feed of every 404 episode. Thanks dude!… Read more

The 404 1,228: Where we make eyes with the Samsung Galaxy S4 (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Samsung Galaxy S4 keeps calm, carries on with big screen, 8-core chip and, yes, eye tracking.

- The Galaxy S4's software up close.

- Samsung Galaxy S4 display looking good, expert says.

- Samsung Galaxy S4 landing on six U.S. carriers.

- Does Samsung's Galaxy S4 make the iPhone 5 look lame?

- Samsung Galaxy S4 offers optional wireless charging.… Read more

Men think phones say more about them than cars, poll says

Gentlemen, what's the first thing people notice about you? Your bulging biceps? Your self-assured swagger? Your Nokia Lumia 920?

If you chose option No. 3, you fall in line with the results of a new global survey from mobile video startup Vuclip. Sixty-one percent of men, it indicates, say the first thing people notice about them is the type of phone they have. That's compared with 38 percent of women who think people's eyes go straight to their Droid Razr Maxx HD above all else. … Read more

The 404 1,227: Where we RSS in peace (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Google closes the book on Reader, announces July 1 sunset.

- Petitions beg Google to reconsider closure of Reader.

- Google Reader alternatives including Flipboard, Feedly, and more.

- Google to retire more services in new round of spring cleaning.

- Google yanks ad-blocker apps from Google Play.

- Samsung Galaxy S4 event: Join us at 3p.m. PT today (live blog).

- Berkeley creates the first graphene earphones, and (unsurprisingly) they're awesome.

Episode 1,227

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On Pi Day, Japanese propose with 0.314-carat diamonds

If you're a Japanese math geek with romantic inclinations, March 14 is a big day.

Not only is it Pi Day, the international day to celebrate the mathematical constant, it's also White Day, a sort of second Valentine's Day when men reciprocate gifts received on February 14.

Japanese jewelry retailer Brilliance + is cashing in on this coincidence by mixing a love of math with love itself in its "Propose With Pi" campaign.

The idea is that men can compare their undying, eternal love for their ladies to the never-ending digits of pi -- and, of course, express that love with a 0.314-carat diamond ring. … Read more

DoorJamz replaces doorbell with custom tunes

If you've ever been rudely interrupted by a doorbell because someone was dropping by your house at an inconvenient time, this prototype doorbell will make a lot of sense.

DoorJamz from KMN Home is a touchless, customizable doorbell that lets you adjust the ring volume, as well as set the ring to a favorite tune, just like the Swann MP3 DJ Doorbell.

As suggested in the promo video below (warning: it features a half-naked guy dancing in white socks, a la "Risky Business"), you can choose MP3s for different days of the week or for any occasion, such as "Thriller" on Halloween.

I'd definitely choose "Harlem Shake." … Read more