Articles by Zek

The Bunny Rabbit of Your Nightmares

My coworker very excitedly called me to her desk today to show me pictures of a giant rabbit she saw in a pet store (and nearly purchased!) Apparently they are called “Flemish Giants” and can grow to be up to 50lbs! According to Wikipedia: Flemish Giants can be docile and tolerant of handling; frequent interaction with humans is a requirement for this to occur. Flemish Giants, like all rabbits, can become fearful, and sometimes violent, if handled incorrectly or irresponsibly. Their larger frame requires special attention paid to the spine alignment when handling a Flemish Giant, or any rabbit for…

News & Features

Your Ferret Doesn’t Want to Run!

Okay, maybe the headline is a bit misleading. You see, it is not that “your ferret doesn’t want to run!” as much as it is the fact that your ferret “won’t enjoy running”. Yes, researchers have determined that ferrets do not get the same “runners high” that humans and dogs get when they run. Now, this leads to a few questions: -Why did the researchers choose ferrets? Were ordinary house cats so disinterested in running that they didn’t even show up for the study? -How did researchers measure this? Did the ferrets run on little ferret-sized treadmills or normal human sized…

Gear Bits

Businessweek Looks at Absurd Slogan Trademarks

I love Bloomberg Businessweek because they have a sense of humor. They cover serious subjects, and then they run with the fun stuff but with a straight face. Hence their very amusing analysis of which catchphrases are trademarked and therefore off-limits (hint: apparently). Seriously. Check out their sample of what phrases have been legally protected: Barbarian Group: “It’s gonna be awesome” Great Clips: “It’s gonna be great” Amscan Holdings: “Who you gonna be?” Bank of New York Mellon: “We should talk” Physicians Mutual Insurance: “Maybe we should talk” STG Marketing: “Who’s got your stuff?” General Mills (GIS): “How do you…

Outdoors

GAIN Fitness for iOS Is Pocket-Sized Personal Training

Exercise. It’s something we all need to do, with the exception of those among us who are genetically gifted. But it is too easy to get caught in a rut, slogging through the same workouts each day. Or to avoid working out entirely because a meeting ran late, the car is in the shop, dinner needs to get made, or the moon isn’t full. There are a million ways to track the workout you didn’t do, but what about learning how to work out? That’s where GAIN Fitness comes in. It’s an app used in conjunction with a website that…

eBooks, News & Features

Einstein’s Life Goes Digital!

I was fascinated by Albert Einstein as a kid. I didn’t really grasp the details of his work, and to this day my grasp of physics is a bit shaky, but I still thought he was awesome. Call it nerd hero-worship. Learning more about what made him so awesome involves learning more about the man behind the math, and that’s why I am excited that the Hebrew University of Jerusalem is digitizing his correspondence and creating a portal where you can read and browse their archives. It’s certainly cheaper to read it online than hop a flight to Israel to…

Reviews

HopStop iOS App Review

This past weekend Sarah and I were in Washington, DC. Neither of us had been there in years, but we were able to navigate flawlessly all weekend. We traveled by foot, Metro, and cab, and never once had to ask for directions or look like lost tourists. How did we do it? HopStop’s amazing iPhone app!

eBooks, Gear Bits

Does B&N Have an International Strategy?

B&N confuses me greatly. There are moments when it appears they have a master plan, with a clear strategy and vision, such as the release of the NOOK Simple Touch. Then they completely ignore the international markets, only to hold a “Hey, we’re…here…but not” meeting like they did this week in London. Techcrunch had some insight into B&N’s bizarre non-event: In packed room of app makers, Barnes & Noble’s director of developer relations, Claudia Romanini, took the audience through some of the basics of developing apps for the Nook tablet. In attendance, a lot of Android developers. We caught up…

Gear Bits

The iPad Camera in Action (Literally)!

The new iPad has a fantastic camera, but it has led to the question “Why?” Why would anyone choose to hold up a 10″ tablet to snap a picture instead of the camera on their mobile phone or a regular point & shoot? It is a stumper, because unless you want a huge viewfinder, there are much more ergonomic and lighter choices in cameras. However, at least two or three people HAVE been snapping shots with their iPads. While running the ‘Rock N Roll DC’ half-marathon today, I passed a clump of spectators where everyone was holding up iPads to…

News & Features

Marvel Comics Bridges the Digital-Paper Divide

I admit I don’t follow comics terribly closely, but I do keep one eye on Marvel Comics. They have my favorite superheroes (Spiderman and the X-Men) and I’ve consistently enjoyed their comics when I’ve had the opportunity to read them. I’ve noticed they’ve tried to keep up with the changing eBook world, and they’ve offered e-Comics through apps and ebook programs for a while. But they’ve made a giant leap forward in their embracing of digital content this week, one that eBook fans have begged publishers to try forever! Yes, Marvel is trying to bridge the digital and paper gap…

eBooks

The Agency Model Is Under Fire, but the Author’s Guild Is Fiddling As It Burns

Last week, news broke that the Department of Justice is pursuing legal action against publishers and Apple for their “agency model” pricing structure. Under the Agency Model, books are not sold wholesale but at a fixed price with a set amount going to the retailer and the publisher. No retailer has pricing flexibility, and they are barred from offering coupons, discounts, and other ways to undercut the competition. This is, to put it bluntly, incredibly anti-consumer. Imagine shopping for eggs, and the grocery store has to offer eggs at the same price as Target, 7-11, and the gas station because…

Editorials

Running, Technology, and What Really Matters

(Me, 2 years ago) I fully intended this to be a post about over-reliance on technology. You see, in one week I am running my fourth half-marathon, and I really, really, really want to set a new personal record (PR). I have trained hard, and obsessed over every run, and my biggest dilemma is whether to use my Garmin Forerunner during the race, or whether it will psych me out too much to have all that data strapped to my wrist. For those who don’t live and breathe running, a Garmin Forerunner is a wristwatch with GPS that tracks your…

Gear Bits

Angry Birds in Space, As Explained by NASA!

When I was a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut in the worst way. I had astronaut ice cream, an astronaut Barbie, and to this day I still say Epcot is the coolest amusement park in the world because of “Spaceship Earth”. I eventually outgrew my desire to fly far away from this planet, but I still love all things space-y.

News & Features

Which Muppet Would Survive in the Arena?

It seems like everyone in my social circle, from Gear Diary to Facebook to coworkers, are anxiously awaiting The Hunger Games. Know who else is excited for them? Surprisingly, The Muppets!

eBooks

Staples Asks, ‘How Fast Can You Read?’

It’s no secret that I love to read. Even as a kid I was an avid reader, and my parents had trouble finding books to keep me occupied for long periods of time. When I was in 5th grade my mom gave me “Gone With the Wind”, and I finished it in three days. Basically, I read a lot, and very quickly. Still, when Staples sent their “Speed Reading” test, I was surprised to see my results:

Editorials

The iPhone as a Visual Assistant, One Woman’s Story

The iPhone is one of those devices that prompts its fans to declare “This phone changed my life!” Yes, the apps are great and add an immense amount of convenience to everyday life. And the ease of use means just about anyone can pick one up and grasp the basics within minutes. But then there are those individuals who can say “The iPhone changed my life” without hyperbole or out of tech geek exuberance. No, these people talk about how transformative the iPhone is thanks to the accessibility features built into it. Dan has written about how voice recognition, especially using…

Gear Bits

How Fast Do You Need to Run to Be a Secret Service Agent?

I was a teenager during the Clinton administration, so I didn’t pay a great deal of attention to the news, but I do remember hearing about the President’s habit of running a few times a week. From what I understood, it wasn’t uncommon for Presidents to run to stay in shape and deal with stress, but it never occurred to me what a Secret Service issue it was! According to former Agent Dan Emmett, they had a hard time finding agents who could protect the President while he was out running: Clinton jogged about three days a week, for no…

News & Features

Batman, the Joker, and Moral Philosophy: Perfect Together!

Much to my family’s chagrin, I majored in Philosophy in college. I chose philosophy because I loved everything about it, especially the thought experiments. Basically, we’d look at a situation or an example, and debate the underlying moral/metaphysical/ethical/political themes until we either came to a conclusion or talked ourselves in circles. Philosophy taught me the importance of standing behind my beliefs, of expressing myself in a clear fashion, and of making sure any argument I laid out could be defended (often in front of the rest of my class, and while my professor tore into me until I gave in or…

Editorials

Scott Jordan Appears on Shark Tank, but Who Was the Shark? And Who Was the Bait?

If the name Scott Jordan sounds familiar, it’s probably because you’ve seen it in the context of his clothing line, Scottevest. We’ve reviewed many of their products here, and I will say I personally use my SeV gear quite often. However, after seeing Scott on ABC’s “Shark Tank” and witnessing his attitude on the show, I can’t help but wonder how he runs his business! In case you missed it last night, here’s a shot from Scott’s segment. (The episode is available on Hulu+) To make a long story short, Scott doesn’t want to sell SEV; he just wants to…

News & Features

Stack the Odds in Your Favor with Hunger Games Skins!

I admit it-I devoured the “Hunger Games” trilogy in less than three days while on vacation! The story combined everything I love about a good series; there was political intrigue, a strong female heroine, and lots of action and gore! While I’m not rushing out and buying tickets for the midnight showing, I do stop and watch the trailer whenever I see it on TV. But if you really love The Hunger Games, there’s only one way to show it: with a device skin from SkinIt! This way when you whip out your iPhone, iPad or another device, you can…

eBooks

B&N Is Hungry for the Hunger Games

Looking to buy a NOOK this spring? The odds are suddenly in your favor that you’ll get a good deal! If you want to read The Hunger Games on your new NOOK device that is! Buy a NOOK between March 10th and 20th and receive a free copy of the first Hunger Games book! Moreover, if you live in New York, LA, or a few other cities (check out the specific ones here) you can also see the movie for free at your local B&N! And there’s more! B&N will be hosting cast appearances and other assorted goodies are planned…

News & Features

The AV Club Tackles TV, Digital Availability, and Piracy!

Earlier today I was driving home from work and chatting with a friend of mine about “The Vampire Diaries”. I convinced her to start watching the first season via Netflix, and now she’s blown through seasons one and two and is totally hooked. Unfortunately, she’s coming into season 3 partway, and so Hulu and CWTV aren’t offering the early episodes. She’ll have to wait until the DVDs are released, likely at the end of this summer. We commiserated about how annoying it is that she can’t track down season 3 yet, and moved on…but I’ve been on both sides of…

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