Author: Connor Livingston

For nearly a decade, the International Genetically Engineered Machine competition has put the sharpest minds in high school and undergraduate institutions around the world into competitive and creative mode to find the next great mad scientist genius inventor. Students work during the summer in their own schools or (gulp) labs using biological parts to build systems that can operate on living cells. Starting with 5 teams in 2004 and expanding to 160 team with over 2000 participants in 30 countries in 2011, the competition has yielded inventions that have included an arsenic biodetector,…

Over the years as Microsoft Windows has evolved since the late 80s, the logo associated with each major release has changed. Initially, it was a very clean, horizontal look. It became progressively more intricate through Windows 2000 before simplifying with XP, then Vista, and finally Windows 7. The Windows 8 logo is possibly the most simple of them all. In a blog post, they discussed the thinking behind the new logo and they recap each subsequent logo since the beginning. Here are the logos over the last 25 years: (Via: Insurance Websites)…

The online video world is dominated by YouTube with others such as Vimeo and Metacafe picking up the scraps. They are free, convenient, and practical for most website owners to use. Those who need more flexibility or something proprietary turn to self-hosted video players to fill their websites and we have an excellent graphic that breaks down the four majors. Major brands who want more control over their videos often turn to players rather than YouTube, giving them the ability to “own” their content more easily. GM, Disney, Dell, and AT & T are just some of the brands who look to YouTube second…

More US adults bank online than use social networks (for now, at least). It has become such a common activity that despite the risks of identity theft, hacking, and phishing, most of us are still convinced that the transactions are secure. For the most part, they are. For the most part. The banking community and security firms have the vast majority of people convinced that there is nothing to be concerned about with online banking. Only 14% are concerned about people hacking into their accounts. In the graphic below by ZoneAlarm, we take a look at some of the real and imagined concerns surrounding…

It’s one thing to take a handful of foam into one’s hand and apply a 7,000-degree torch to it for 20 seconds. It’s another thing to then take a large spoonful of the foam and eat it. The demonstration by the Aarmourtherm Foundation is both crazy and fantastic. The possibilities of having a bio-degradable insulated foam like this deploying during plane crashes, covering homes, or filling our lunch boxes are endless. …

The mobile-device explosion may be getting fueled in recent months by Kindle Fires and iPads, but smartphones continue to be the foundation of the incredible growth the mobile industry is experiencing. Apps and devices are fulfilling many aspects of our everyday lives in ways that weren’t even imaginable just a couple of years ago. It truly is a mobile world today. This infographic by our friends at MyLookout breaks down the soaring growth of both devices and apps within the segment. Of the plethora of stats included in the graphic, perhaps the most startling is that they are projecting 982 million…

To get an iPhone that works in China, one must subscribe to China Unicom, the 2nd-largest carrier in the largest country in the world. That may not be enough to quench their thirst if recent statements by investment bank Morgan Stanley is to be believed. Late Sunday, Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty informed investors that the untapped market in China for the iPhone may be a target the company will pursue “over the next year.” Their sites are set on the largest and 3rd-largest carriers, China Mobile and China Telecom. The move could mean as many as 40 million units sold in 2013. Read more about it…

The “Startup Sea” is broad and loaded with life. There are those who are considered predators, which means someone has to be the prey. It’s a self-sustaining culture as long as there’s enough people (and dollars) looking for “the next big thing” coming into our lives. That part, at least, seems to be consistent. Everyone from angel investors to tech bloggers play a role. It can be an ugly process to create something wonderful. This graphic by our friends at Udemy examines this ecosystem and makes the distinct roles come to life. Click to enlarge. …

The terrible summer and fall that Netflix had in 2011 seemed to have turned as poor decisions were reversed, new deals were made, and the fallout over price increases had passed. As 2012 begins, Netflix faces a new threat: its own investors. A lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Northern California, by the City of Royal Oak Retirement System, on behalf of “all plaintiffs similarly situated” claims that the online and mail-order movie delivery service failed to disclose crucial information to them before raising prices dramatically. They were also left unaware that some of the content…

“Quite frankly, I feel like I’m in Minority Report and that’s really awesome,” said Ashley Esqueda from Mobile Nations. If there was any doubt that technology was reaching a tipping point where things from our imaginations were becoming a reality, the Samsung “Transparent Smart Window” technology may be enough to squash it. The touchscreen aperture designed for use in the kitchen and other rooms where we spend time in front of a window gives you Twitter, virtual blinds, weather reports, and likely many other things that people will find useful (in a novelty sort of fashion, of course). Take a…