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Making Unique Observations in a Very Cluttered World

Monday 16 June 2014

Electronic smart cup counts calories and monitors hydration - in real time -

Electronic smart cup counts calories and monitors hydration - in real time - 

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The app market is congested with health trackers and calorie counters, but a new product claims to monitor exactly what you consume in real time.

The Vessyl smart cup system is trying to revolutionize the way we drink by identifying any liquid that is poured into it and reporting back nutritional content like calories, caffeine, even grams of protein.  The idea is to simply link Vessyl to your smartphone, and the device will track consumption levels as you sip.

“We wanted the feedback to be really, really quick because we want to make sure we empower consumers to make healthier choices in real time," Justin Lee, CEO of Mark One, the company behind Vessyl, told Fast Company Design.

Mark One claims the container recognizes thousands of beverages— and has the ability to distinguish between similar drinks like Gatorade Cool Blue and Glacier Freeze. Unlike many calorie counters, the device contains a processor and runs algorithms to match your drink with thousands that have been tested and quantified. Whether your drink is store bought like a bottled Frappuccino or a homemade juice, the system is able to measures a drink's content in real time. 

The sleek design features a screen for displaying nutritional data while the spill-proof lid, non-stick interior make it similar to other thermos products on the products. Customers can customize the color of their lid and cup base.  The current model is not dishwasher safe. 

On-the-go beverage tracking sounds like a good idea for dieters.  But are consumers prepared for all the information you'd get, say, on a night out after pouring your wine into the Vessyl?



Read more - 
http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2014/06/16/electronic-smart-cup-counts-calories-and-monitors-personal-hydration/?intcmp=features

Comcast is turning your home router into a public Wi-Fi hotspot -

Comcast is turning your home router into a public Wi-Fi hotspot - 

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If you're a Comcast cable customer, your home's private Wi-Fi router is being turned into a public hotspot.
It's potentially creepy and annoying. But the upside is Internet everywhere.

It's been one year since Comcast (CMCSA) started its monster project to blanket residential and commercial areas with continuous Wi-Fi coverage. Imagine waves of wireless Internet emitting from every home, business and public waiting area.
Comcast has been swapping out customers' old routers with new ones capable of doubling as public hotspots. So far, the company has turned 3 million home devices into public ones. By year's end it plans to activate that feature on the other 5 million already installed.
Anyone with an Xfinity account can register their devices (laptop, tablet, phone) and the public network will always keep them registered -- at a friend's home, coffee shop or bus stop. No more asking for your cousin's Wi-Fi network password.

Read more - 
http://money.cnn.com/2014/06/16/technology/security/comcast-wifi-hotspot/index.html?hpt=hp_t3