Technology
- GE recently announced the development of a new holographic storage material that may one day render vast DVD collections obsolete. The material, which differs from classic optical storage such as DVD and Blu-ray, stores information in multiple layers (thus the holographic element) throughout the entire disk. This increases the density of storage, meaning that a single disk could store up to 500 GB of data, the equivalent of 100 DVDs or 20 Blu-ray discs.
- A new wave of technology for tots is hitting the market in the form of PDAs for kids. While toy gadgets are certainly not new, they are becoming more sophisticated. Edutainment trendsetter LeapFrog recently introduced the Text & Learn, a jumbo-sized, kid-colored PDA retailing for $25. Kids ages three and up can text back and forth on the full QWERTY keyboard with virtual guide "Scout," who helps them navigate through a pretend browser. Games are included to help children learn the alphabet, spelling and basic computer skills.
- Twitter isn't only useful for sharing links and news - with TwitDoc users can now share documents (PDFs, Microsoft Word documents, Excel files, etc.). Users simply enter their Twitter account information, choose the document or photo they want to send, attach text and blast the document into the Twitterverse.
Food & Beverage
- Wine Wipes are a new innovation designed to quickly and discreetly wipe away the unsightly dark film red wine can leave behind. Each compact-sized container of Wine Wipes includes 20 orange blossom-flavored wipes and a mirror to assist in using them. Developed with the help of a sommelier, the small towelettes use salt and a proprietary mix of other ingredients that remove stains but leave no aftertaste. The wipes can also be used to clean the palate of the user, making them particularly suitable for use during wine tastings. Wine Wipes are sold online and in retail shops, tasting rooms and boutique stores across the U.S. for $18/3-pack.
- If you want a tasty, juicy burger in the Toronto area, don't bother with Charlie's Burgers. This underground "anti-restaurant," which doesn't actually serve burgers, hand-picks guests after they answer an online survey about their interest in food. The chosen few will then receive an e-vite directing them to a public spot (e.g. a newspaper box) to pick up directions, on the evening of the secretive dinner. Approximately 30 guests are selected, out of an average of 250 applications, for each four-hour event.
Fashion & Retail
- Teen superstar Miley Cyrus is joining forces with fashion great Max Azria, the mastermind behind BCBG and Herve Leger, to design an affordable clothing line for Wal-Mart. The line of rock-and-roll inspired tops, pants, graphic tees, shoes and accessories for girls, hitting stores in early August, will be priced under $20.
- Two new companies in England are selling something unique in vending machines at nightclubs: "emergency" flats that roll up and fit inside a purse in order to be slipped onto tired feet at the end of a long night of dancing. Rollasoles sell for GBP $5 and come in four colors - silver, gold, black & pink. Afterheels also sell for GBP $5 and are sustainable. The bodies of the shoes are made from natural materials and the insoles are fully recyclable. Both Rollasoles and Afterheels are sold with a matching bag to carry their wearer's stilettos home.
- Gap recently announced plans to roll out a line of children's clothing later this year, in collaboration with celebrity designer Stella McCartney. The collection will be carried by select GapKids and babyGap stores in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Ireland and Japan, as well as online.
Beauty
- Procter & Gamble Co. is discontinuing the 100-year-old Max Factor brand in the U.S., but it will continue selling the makeup in 70 other countries. While the cutoff won't be effective until the first quarter of 2010, the brand may still be available on closeout for months afterwards at retailers' discretion.
Marketing & Advertising
- Agency Nil offers a variety of freelance branding, media and advertising services without any set price, leaving it instead up to clients to decide how much they want to pay. Clients begin by submitting a work request form with Agency Nil, who then draws from its pool of recent grads and between-jobs business and advertising professionals to get the job done. It's then up to the client to decide how much the work is worth - the only charges required to be paid are those agreed upon ahead of time for travel, proprietary research and production. Revisions and further work are arranged once a client has valued and agreed to pay for the first assignment.
Media
- Amazon.com has created a self-service method for bloggers to add their content to the Amazon Kindle - offering writers a 30% cut (per subscriber) of a yet-to-be-determined subscription price. Bloggers with an RSS feed can participate after filling out an online form. After that, the blog should be available to Kindle users within 12 to 48 hours. Kindle users can then choose to subscribe to the blog, and content will be automatically updated via Amazon's wireless system.
- E! is planning to run Twitter updates from a number of celebrities - "Celebri-Tweets" - in the news crawl at the bottom of the screen during its programming.
- Nickelodeon Magazine and its sibling publication, Nick, will both fold by the end of 2009. No exact date has been set yet.
- Having made a name for itself on the national level The Huffington Post recently announced that it will launch a localized New York edition, in which the content will be a mix of national coverage and articles specifically tailored to New York. Much like the site's Chicago edition, the New York edition is looking to lure readers interested in more local news.
- Teaming up with AOL, Sears recently created an all-things-positive news website called Good News Now. The site is basically a blog of happy events, organized under sub-categories such as Heroes, Winners, Health, Green and More Good News. The site even has a Countdown to the Weekend clock on its homepage.
