future

Peer 150 years into the future of tech and science

No matter how much you keep up with technology, it's challenging to predict its impact past a few years down the road. There are so many possibilities on the horizon -- especially considering the non-stop advancements in connectivity, nanotechnology, and other expanding fields of next-gen science -- that future generations may think of the early 2000s in the same way we think of the early 1900s: as a time when society stood on the cusp of incredible change.

A new BBC Future infographic takes a shot at what could happen in the realm of science, technology, and society as a whole from now to 2150. The predictions, which come from a cavalcade of sources (IBM, MIT, NASA, news outlets, and many others), indicate that the world we know today could be largely different in just a decade. … Read more

Lego 'Back to the Future' DeLorean official, out in 2013

This is heavy: plastic-brick magnate Lego has given the official nod to a fan-built "Back to the Future" DeLorean set, confirming that the nerd-pleasing time machine set will go on sale next year.

The small but perfectly formed toy was chosen to enter the official Lego pantheon after it received more than 10,000 votes on Lego Cuusoo, a Kickstarter-style site where brick-assembling enthusiasts can submit their dream kits to the bigwigs in Denmark.

The final design of the set isn't confirmed yet, as Lego says it's still in talks with Universal over the upcoming product. … Read more

This DeLorean taxi concept will likely never hit 88 mph

To generate interest around the New York-based fashion brand Nooka, best known for its unconventionally designed wristwatches, designer Mike Lubrano wants to make NYC taxi cabs out of DeLorean DMC-12s, specifically the DeLorean time machine made famous by the "Back to the Future" films.

The normally bare stainless-steel finish of the DeLorean gets a coat of taxi-yellow paint and the concept, which only exists as a digital photo manipulation, receives NYC taxi livery and rooftop signage. The gull-winged DeLorean certainly looks cool, but with seating for only two passengers including the driver, the DMC-12 is definitely a less-than-ideal … Read more

Apple should double down on Jony Ive, analyst suggests

NEW YORK -- "Apple should double-down on Jony Ive." That's what Gene Munster, managing director and senior research analyst at Piper Jaffray, counseled during a state of Apple presentation at the Business Insider Ignition conference.

"The concept of the Apple's operating system has basically been copied by competitors... The real substance is the hardware side, where Jony Ive plays into it," Munster said. "The difference is in the hardware, and isn't fully appreciated."

In October, Ive was given the leadership role in developing the user interface for … Read more

The 404 1,169: Where we're back in the saddle again (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Did RIM just stage this BlackBerry 10 "leak"?

- Do we need this? Kohler shower head doubles as a wireless speaker.

- Dude builds OSX into old Macintosh Portable, let's talk about RETRO OBSESSION.

- Bionic mannequins spy on shoppers to boost sales.

Bathroom break video: One of the best couples Halloween costumes ever recorded.

Episode 1,169

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DeLorean push car costume for the littlest Marty McFly

Instructables user cory4281 scores a major win for geek moms everywhere with an impressive DeLorean push car and Marty McFly costume for her son on Halloween.

The "Back to the Future"-inspired costume began with a red puffy vest her son already had and an innocent aside about Marty McFly. It ended with the transformation of a push car into a little souped-up DeLorean with wheels rotated down, ready to fly through time.… Read more

Muse brainwave-reading headband: Mind control for all

As a child, I used to concentrate really hard on things like pencils and pebbles, trying to get them to budge with the sheer power of my mind. It never worked, but technology is getting us a little closer to the mind control dream. The Muse brainwave-sensing headband from Interaxon is a step in the right direction.

The Muse uses two sensors on the forehead and two behind the ears. You wear it positioned kind of like a pair of glasses. It measures your brainwaves and sends the information to a smartphone or tablet. Viewing that data in real time can show you if your mind is wandering, if you're relaxed, or if you're in a state of intense concentration.… Read more

$15,900 DeLorean watch won't go back in time

With $16,000 in 1983, you could buy yourself a post-bankruptcy DeLorean and cruise around with Irene Cara on the radio. Today, you can blow the same sum on this chunky wristwatch manufactured from real DeLorean parts.

The automaker went under in 1982, but its DMC-12 sportscar was immortalized as the time machine in the "Back to the Future" films. Swiss watchmaker RJ-Romain Jerome recently announced its $15,900 DeLorean-DNA, which shares the look and some parts of its namesake.

"Entirely made of brushed stainless steel, this chronograph uses the same materials as the original bodywork of … Read more

Help wanted: $183K plus. Tool gives lowdown on tech salaries

Anyone who works in tech is going to like this. Wealthfront, an online financial adviser based in Palo Alto, Calif., today rolled out an interactive tool (see below) that let's you see what tech jobs pay among private firms across the country.

You'll learn, for instance, that software architects make more than managers -- a mean of $183,000 a year plus equity compared with $163,000 plus stock -- and that cash compensation across all tech companies is $112,000. Another curious finding: Despite the huge demand for engineers in Silicon Valley, jobs in the northeast pay … Read more

What a smartphone will look like in 5 years

Remember that wild and woolly time before iPhones? I do. In early 2007, I used to keep a Thomas Guide in my car. I think it was also the last time I played Scrabble by picking actual tiles from a bag. As the Apple faithful contemplate the better life that awaits with a 4-inch screen and 4G LTE, it got us thinking -- not about the changes in the past 5 years but about how we'll use smartphones in another 5.

We enlisted the help of Mike Liebhold, senior researcher at the Institute for the Future, to help paint … Read more