bars

The thought of an animal bar code scanner generates some primal worries.

Do lions, tigers, and bears need bar code scanners? What would they be trying to price--antelope shanks? Are pet shop clerks skimming hamsters across laser scanners like so many cans of discount tuna?

Relax. No one is scribbling black lines onto goldfish with Sharpies. The bar code scanner in question is StripeSpotter--a serious tool in the tracking and cataloging of animals in the wild.

Just as no two human fingerprints are alike, the markings on zebra, giraffes, tigers, and other be-striped creatures are unique. StripeSpotter can identify such animals by scanning their markings off photographs. Once an animal is captured in an image, the software can identify the animal from any photograph by reading its markings. The system can even pick individual beasts out of a crowd. … Read more

In this week's episode of Crave, Eric and Donald break out of the podcast studio and follow the trail of vodka and servos to BarBot 2011, an expo of cocktail robotics. Based on Vienna's annual Roboexotica festival (a government-funded exercise in motor-controlled hedonism that runs four days), San Francisco's BarBot is equal parts science fair and nerd cocktail party. Highlights included the White Russian Hippie Maker, the Drink Making Unit 2.0, iLush 2, and the gravity-defying Cosmobot 2.0.

Subscribe in iTunes SD Video | Subscribe in RSS SD Video… Read more

The market for affordable sound bars has exploded over the last two years, but Zvox has been in the game since 2004. The Zvox 430 HSD is one of the more conventional-looking sound bars in the company's line, although it's bigger and boxier than what you'll find made by mainstream competitors. The upside of this bulk is that it allows the 430 HSD to deliver big sound for movies, which is what you're paying for with its relatively high $450 price tag.

In all, we think Zvox's uniquely designed Z-Base units are a better choice … Read more

That secret meeting for Apple retail employees we've been hearing about? The agenda might not be nearly as exciting as some would hope.

Apple store employees have reportedly been asked to sign non-disclosure agreements in advance of a meeting this Sunday night. Boy Genius Report says it's heard that the big secret employees will learn at that meeting is a new small-business-oriented IT support service called Joint Venture.

BGR says it's "an extension of Apple's current Genius Bar services" but that's aimed at small-business owners and "prosumers." The service will cost … Read more

Microsoft has cooked up a new version of its Bing software toolbar that the company thinks can change the minds of toolbar haters.

"I know what you're saying to yourself--'really, a tool bar?'" Bing Director Stefan Weitz joked to me in an interview last week. Weitz mused that when he had first heard the pitch about it, his first response had been "are we doing dial-up too?"

But Weitz was pleasantly surprised with the results of the new version of the software, and so were the testers who tried it during the new version'… Read more

Lying Liar's Dice is a simple but addictive game that lets you play the old barroom standby, Liar's Dice, on your iPhone. The interface is sparse, but it offers all the information you need to play Liar's Dice with your friends on one phone, or against a surprisingly savvy AI. Along with the classic version of the game, you also get a number of features in Lying Liar's Dice you can tweak to make the game more interesting such as wild dice, and single-die showdowns, among many variations.

For those who have never played, Liar's … Read more

Pubs and clubs in Australia are signing up in droves to national and state biometrics databases that capture patron fingerprints, photos, and scanned driver licenses in efforts to curb violence.

The databases of captured patron information mean that individuals banned at one location could be refused entry across a string of venues. Particularly violent individuals could be banned for years.

The databases are virtually free from government regulation as biometrics are not covered by privacy laws, meaning that the handling of details are left to the discretion of technology vendors.

"You don't get on the [ban] list because … Read more

The departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services yesterday announced new dietary guidelines for Americans that include eating less sugar, fat, and salt--no surprises there. But following such recommendations can be hard; many products labeled low in fat or high in fiber may also be brimming with sodium or additives. Nutritional labels don't always tell people what they need to know.

That's where Fooducate, a new iPhone app (Android version is "in the oven," the makers say) comes in. It uses the iPhone's camera to scan the bar codes on 200,000 food products in supermarkets and convenience stores.

It then brings up nutritional info--and not just the stuff required on the label. It also displays information about high-fructose corn syrup, food coloring, controversial additives like butylated hydroxytoluene, and healthier alternatives (instead of Super Sugar Choco Nugs, perhaps Grape Nuts?). The app's Web site uses as an example Apple Jacks cereal. It gets a D+ rating, which surprised me (something with fruit in the title must be good for you, right?!).

I wanted to try the app out, so I went to the kitchen of The Unicorn, a restaurant and bar in Seattle that yesterday served as my office. The first thing I spotted was a box of Twinkies, a favorite food from childhood that I sadly haven't had in years. I try to stay away from junk food and Twinkies are junk food, right? … Read more

Harman Kardon is best known for its stylish, component-style AV receivers, but the company is expanding its lineup to include a sound bar. The newly announced SB 16 is available now, and will join the crowded market of sound-bar home theater systems, with its $600 price pushing past the standard price of a system like this.

From Harman Kardon's product page, we're not seeing anything that would distinguish the SB 16 from its many competitors. It's a 2.1 channel system with a wireless subwoofer and it includes "3D" virtual surround processing, which is included … Read more