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A high-tech way to walk through rain and not get wet

The eternal debate about whether running or walking through rain gets you wetter has now become a moot point. An art and technology installation in London lets you make your way through rain without getting wet at all.

You don't need an umbrella or a Gore-Tex suit to achieve this feat. You just need to make sure you're visiting Random International's RainRoom.… Read more

The 404 1,089: Where we go the extra mile (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 show:

- Soccer to adapt goal line, ball-tracking technology.

- Friday's history lesson: AOL's longest running employee on the history of AOL chat rooms.

- British Airways will google passengers in preflight.

- Hillbilly Alabamians celebrate Fourth of July by shooting guns into air.

- Best Buy lays off 650 Geek Squad employees nationwide.

Bathroom break video: Super Moonwalking!… Read more

Forgo the hotel for something more unique

With Airbnb for Android, you can easily search for unique accommodations while on the go. If you have an account already set up, you can edit your profile, add favorite properties, and, of course, book a room. If you don't have an Airbnb account, you can still search through listings.

If you're not familiar with Airbnb, it's a marketplace where people can list and book unique accommodations around the world. Think vacant Manhattan apartment while its owner is away, or quirky London flat while it's not in use. In short, Airbnb is all about offering and … Read more

iPad software aims to make patient intake enjoyable (video)

Bye-bye boring clipboard. Silicon Valley-based Tonic Health has developed software for iPads that makes collecting medical data in the waiting room more patient-friendly and engaging through the use of compelling graphics and gamification.

SmartPlanet's Sumi Das sits down with Tonic Health CEO Sterling Lanier for a demo. Lanier explains that the software not only makes the data-collection process more fun, it improves patient participation and even relieves pre-appointment anxiety.

This video originally appeared on SmartPlanet with the headline "iPad software makes patient intake fun."

Related SmartPlanet links

Techie DIY projects creating a movement Skylight's adapter makes your smartphone a microscopeRead more

How do I get HD from one source to multiple TVs? (Morrison's Mailbag)

CNET reader Will asks:

When considering acquiring a second HDTV, I discovered that my satellite box cannot send such a signal over the house cable system. In fact, the box has only one HDMI port, so a new distribution system is required to get the HD signal throughout the house.

What are the best options for distributing HD signal from a provider's receiver? Should we just rent multiple boxes or buy a new system?

A complex question, but multiple easy answers.… Read more

So, what about Windows 8 on the next Xbox?

I'm about to discuss an idea currently couched in fantasy, but one that's probably occurred to more than one Windows, Xbox, or Windows Phone user already. The cards seem laid out. The coincidences and similarities seem too great to ignore. Also, there's this: we're talking about one company, Microsoft, and its products.

Here we go: could Windows 8 be on the next Xbox?

A new Xbox is likely to be on its way--maybe in just a couple of years--and rumors have flown regarding its capabilities, processing power, and even whether or not it will have physical discs. Of all of these Xbox rumors, one I don't hear discussed at all is the possibility of Windows 8 being the next Xbox's core operating system.

As weird as it sounds, it's a theoretically logical concept. Here's why. … Read more

Subwoofer setup dos & don'ts

Merely buying a great subwoofer is no guarantee you'll wind up with great bass. There are too many ways to squander its performance potential. That's why putting in the extra effort to achieve proper subwoofer setup is crucial.

The No. 1 setup myth is: You can place a sub "anywhere" in the room. Well, of course you can, but chances are it won't sound very good.

The "anywhere" strategy might be an even more tempting option with wireless subs, which sometimes come with claims that they can be placed 60 feet from the … Read more

Dark Room: A choose-your-own-adventure game for YouTube

When I was younger, I used to love the Choose Your Own Adventure book series. Deciding the fate of a story based on the decisions you made was quite thrilling, and now you can have that kind of fun again...on YouTube.

Australian comedian John Robertson created an interactive game called The Dark Room for the video-sharing site. The clip begins with Robertson exclaiming, "You awake to find yourself in a dark room!" You are then presented with four different options as seen in the photo above, and each one leads to another chapter of the story.

Though the game's initially creepy, I quickly got sucked into it and even had a laugh or two along the way. It's silly, for sure, but it makes for a nice afternoon break (warning: use headphones, as there is some NSFW language). Robertson notes on his YouTube page that there are even some Easter eggs thrown in there, so get in there and give it a whirl! … Read more

DEQX advances the art of speaker correction

I've listened to a lot of speakers over the past thirty-odd years, and I can tell you this, they're all imperfect.

No hi-fi or home theater sounds like live music, and not a single one of the most exalted high-end speakers has truly flat frequency response.

Of course, everyday speakers are less accurate, which is why just about every receiver sold today has a calibration system that corrects speaker anomalies and tames room acoustic problems.

That's all fine in theory, but most speaker calibration systems only change rather than improve the sound of a hi-fi or home theater. So I'm a bit of a skeptic about the benefits of this type of processing, but I finally heard a correction system that delivered the goods. It's the DEQX HDP-Express. I listened to it over a very high-end system (owned by DEQX's publicist).

The sonic transformation was at once subtle and dramatic. I first listened to the system without any correction, and the sound was excellent. The speakers were large floor-standing towers (Focal Utopias). I played a few recordings I know well, and the sound was beautifully balanced and natural.

Ah, but then my host switched on the DEQX speaker correction, and the sound of the "Wynton Marsalis & Eric Clapton Play the Blues" CD snapped into focus.… Read more

How much bass is too much bass?

A lot of folks crave room-shaking bass, but some prefer it more tightly controlled.

Little speakers or subwoofers may promise deep and powerful bass, but truly deep bass only comes from big woofers. Speaker cabinet size also plays a huge role in determining bass quality and quantity, so go for big speakers if bass is a major priority. To a lesser degree the same logic applies to headphones: full-size headphones generate more bass impact than tiny earbuds.

Speaker and headphone designers know most people prefer a little too much rather than too little bass, so they usually add a little … Read more