New Device Allows You to Hear Dogs Talk; No Disney Movie Required

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I have a question. Can you understand what dogs are saying?

You can’t huh? That’s absolutely crazy you say? I see, I see.

Well until very recently I would have agreed entirely. However, that was until a project called “No More Woof” exceeded its funding goal on indiegogo and got me thinking that perhaps we have all been too quick to jump to such a seemingly obvious conclusion.

“No More Woof” is an EEG reader and speaker system that your dog wears around their neck and on their head. From there it is able to read their neuro signals and brain waves in order to form and relay a basic idea of just what is going through their mind. Now while that does mean you won’t be having a conversation with your dog regarding the modern societal relevance of “Catcher in the Rye,” the device will be able to tell you if your pooch is tired, hungry, curious, and some other basic thoughts.

Believe it or not the technology fueling this idea is actually very much legitimate. However it has never been put together in such a fashion, for such a purpose, and on the consumer level. You’re perfectly justified then for maintaining a skeptical outlook regarding the prospects of this device’s functionality. However, there is enough in place to hint that this device may just be feasible, though on an admittedly simple level.

With 48 days left during its funding period, “No More Woof” is already $5,000 over its asking goal. If you want to get in on it early, the basic model is still available for an $85 contribution.

  

This New BMW Concept Key is Nearly as Impressive as the BMW it Starts

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Way back when during a less hi-tech time of car ownership, if you wanted to impress someone with your car keys alone they either had to have a Ferrari logo on them, or had to be accompanied by a particularly humorous key chain attachment. Otherwise, they weren’t likely to generate much of a reaction on their own.

The new BMW i8 key, though, is more than capable of doing just that.

Resembling your basic smartphone design, the i8 key features a built in LCD screen which relays some vital information about your car when in use. As the i8 is a hybrid, its main purpose is to relay how much charge and fuel is left in your car, which is a handy little trick that isn’t hard to imagine becoming standard in the near future.

Function aside, though, the real selling point of this key is honestly its uber sleek looks. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the car its attached to looks to be one of 2014’s best and among the more exciting hybrids released to date.

Now, its very much worth noting that this doesn’t appear to be an official design at this time, and more of a highly circulated rumor of what the official model will look like. In any case, even if this is just an enthusiastic fan design, its not hard to imagine this being a good representation of the future of this technology and a very exciting one at that.

  

Get The Full Use out of Your Garage With the myLIFTER

If you own a garage then the one thing you can probably attest to is that for all the space in it, the moment you start using it for storage of any additional items is just the first step towards the day that you look a the clutter where your car used to be and think “Where did it all go wrong?”

Even if you’re an expert at keeping your garage from looking like a cut episode of “Hoarders,” you will probably agree that there is too much wasted space in your garage that is just out of range from being useful.

There’s a project on Kickstarter now, though, that aims to improve the storage effectiveness of any garage owner whether they be the meticulous planner, or the stuff it to stow it type.

It’s called the myLIFTER and it’s essentially an easy to assemble and use electric winch and pulley. Controlled by an iPhone app (or optional remote) and designed to take advantage of the higher, traditionally empty, space in your garage, each myLIFTER can support up to 50 pounds and can be combined for larger items. That means that a single unit may be good for holding some extra bags like this:

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Wheras multiple units can easily hold any number of unbelievable things such as this:

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Besides durability, ease of installation and use seem to be the biggest objectives of the myLIFTER designers. From everything shown, they seem to have accomplished that as this looks to be the simplest design of this type on the market that is still completely capable.

While that will obviously be easier to determine once the myLIFTER actually hits the market, considering that it has already passed its Kickstarter goal with some time to go, at least we know that a release date will come.

Of course if you’ve been looking at the pictures of this device in action and already formulating uses for it in your own garage, then be sure not to hesitate and pre-order one now while the funding is still going on.

  

LG Reveals an Attractive All-In-One Chromebook

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I personally never got into all-in-one computers. As someone who primarily games on their PC I usually require a computer that can make virtual worlds tremble, and all-in-ones typically aren’t built with those kind of high specs in mind.

That being said, I do love the minimalistic style of their design and also very much understand their usefulness for certain demographics and needs. You’ve also got to appreciate the variety of all-in-one options on the market today, ensuring that there is usually the perfect option available for anyone in the market.

If that is you, be prepared to consider a new contender as LG has now unveiled the first all-in-one Chromebook called the Chromebase.

Besides being a real looker (the Mac influences in the design are immediately apparent), the Chromebase runs off of Chrome OS which means you should expect the reliable performance and smoother navigation that comes with the well designed platform. As usual, it’s power is pretty middle of the road (its 2GB RAM and the Intel Celeron CPU are the real buzzkills), but it should be able to handle average programs with relative ease.

Of course, while the price isn’t available yet, you should expect to see that as another selling point considering the low cost philosophy of the Chromebook line.

Otherwise, this is one sleek machine that should definitely be on the radar of all-in-one shoppers everywhere.

  

The Next Wave of Ugly Christmas Sweaters Are Going Digital

While I’m not sure when exactly ugly Christmas sweater went from genuinely dreaded gift from a well meaning grandmother, or perhaps maniacal aunt, to a hipster fashion trend that is now a highly coveted holiday accessory so popular that entire parties are themed around them, there’s no denying the shift did happen.

Should you find yourself falling victim to this trend this holiday season or perhaps even invited to one of those said parties, you’re going to naturally want to find yourself an ugly sweater of your own. While all of your favorite online outlets and shady thrift stores most likely offer some, there’s only one site that is offering an ugly Christmas sweater worthy of the modern age.

Designed by Digital Dudz and available through morphsuits.com, these sweaters each feature a velcro pocket that stores your Apple or Android phone and, in conjunction with an app, allows you to display a variety of animated Christmas themed images. The final effect gives off the, very convincing, illusion that your sweater image is animated on its own accord. In the case of the fireplace sweater, you can even interact with the animation by double tapping your phone to extinguish and ignite the fire at your will.

Going for around $55 a piece, this will likely become the most expensive sweater you’ll ever own and only wear maybe once a year for a laugh. However, in that pursuit,  they are incredible successes that are sure to draw a significant amount of passerby attention, or make you the unofficial “winner” of any ugly sweater party should that be your thing.