maya

Now you don't need a pill to remember your pills

Somewhere between one-third and one-half of all Americans take their medication at the wrong time, or at the wrong dosage, or simply forget altogether, according to a New England Healthcare Institute study released earlier this month (PDF).

MedMinder Systems to the rescue. The wisely named Newton, Mass.-based start-up is one of several companies working to develop the ultimate smart pillbox. Approximately the size of a textbook, "Maya" (the wisdom behind the box's nickname remains elusive) holds 28 small plastic cups that can be designated separately for different pill types and detailed regimens.

When a pill is … Read more

Kitchen scale weighs in on multitasking

I used to have an old mechanical kitchen scale. Rickety and imprecise, it served more as decoration than as an actual scale. While it served no needed purpose in my kitchen, it sure looked cool. It had small images of meats and vegetables printed or painted on its surface. Though it didn't do much actual measuring, it did make for a nice cookbook stand. While this Maya Kitchen Scale may not have little pictures of common food items on it, it makes up for its lack of kitsch by being actually useful in the modern kitchen.

I tend to … Read more

Where you'll want to chase today's show with a dose of penicillin

EPISODE 50

We're giving away a copy of Super Smash Brothers Brawl, one of the most hotly anticipated titles for the Wii. Listen up so you can win! Click here for more pictures and instructions and how you can win an autographed copy of Super Smash Brothers Brawl!

In the meanwhile, the hosts of the 404 talk about: Tina Fey being cute, but not so funny; Sarah Silverman and Amy Winehouse looking exactly alike; Ben Stiller's new movie featuring Robert Downey Jr. in blackface (?Qu??); terrible airplane movies; and the return of 30 Rock with Will Arnett and … Read more

From 'Matrix' to the living room, sans head plugs

The last time we saw a set-up like this, we were trying to figure out how to spell Nebuchadnezzar without much luck. But this takes the concept behind the "G-Tech Neber" to an entirely new level, out of the clinical category and into the living room.

Despite its Pottery Barn-inspired name, the "Maya Single" media apparatus impressively features an architecturally designed chair with strategically positioned 60-watt speakers, subwoofer, and 32- or 26-inch screen perched precariously by a metal arm hanging overhead, all accented with natural wood trim, according to T3. The sound system definitely puts it … Read more

Sony adds artwork to laptops

Just in case the usual laptop custom design options--usually a bold primary color on the lid, or maybe a set of flaming skull stickers--aren't doing it for you anymore, the creative minds at Sony have a new way to support computer users' self-expression. The company has commissioned artist Maya Hayuk, a painter whose work has been seen on several album covers and an Absolut ad campaign, to create new designs for Vaio laptops.

The result was unveiled Tuesday night by Sony, in the form of two limited-edition 15.4-inch Sony Vaio FZ series laptops, with the new designs on … Read more

Climate change and the origins of farming in Mexico

We're not going to be the first generation of humans to cope with severe climate change. We may simply be the first to know just what's happening.

An international research team traced the growth of farming in Mexico's Iguala Valley. Their new report charts the rise of agriculture as the climate became warmer and wetter. Farming began after the last Ice Age. New lakes formed. Corn and squash were being regularly farmed 8,000 years ago. Then farming spread. Agricultural burning was used. Sixty-three hundred years ago domestic crops were plentiful. Forest clearing increased.

Then, around 1,… Read more