David Lidsky's Blog, page 3261
May 15, 2014
Create Your Own "Bike Airbnb" With This New Networked Lock
With the Skylock, you could share your bike with a friend or even a stranger by granting them access through an app.
Over the last few years, American cities have started to take cyclist infrastructure seriously. New ridership has bloomed in some unlikely places. That's also coincided with the exponential growth of self-tracking wearables, like the Fitbit. Velo Labs, a startup founded by two former aerospace engineers, proposes adding some of those features to a stainless steel lock--one that can alert the owner to attempted theft, identify itself by GPS on a map, notify friends in the event of a crash, and unlock itself based on the proximity of the owner.
Internal Report Reveals New York Times' Digital Failings
According to a document obtained by BuzzFeed, the Grey Lady "has watched readership fall significantly" over the last year. And that may not be the worst part.
An internal report obtained by BuzzFeed reveals that the New York Times is, by admission of its own employees, struggling to adapt to a digital publishing landscape. The Times's "Innovation Report," commissioned by chairman Arthur Sulzberger Jr., and conducted by his son, Arthur Gregg Sulzberger (a journalist at the paper), reveals a newsroom "falling behind" in the "art and science of getting our journalism to readers." Over the last year, the Times "has watched readership fall significantly."
Give Your Green Thumb A Bosst With This Countertop, Smartphone-Controlled Greenhouse
No need for a degree in horticulture to grow plants right in your kitchen, with the Niwa, a hydroponic system that tells you what it needs.
In the future, we may really grow vegetables using our own equipment at home, especially salads, herbs, and tomatoes.
In Leaked Documents, The NSA's Love Affair With Clipart Revealed
As part of the release of his new book, Glenn Greenwald has published almost 200 slides of leaked documents. Some of which scream "Windows 98" more than "sophisticated global espionage."
We tend to think of the National Security Agency as an omniscient entity lurking silently in the shadows. And it is. But, in conjunction with the release of his new book, No Place to Hide, Glenn Greenwald has published 194 pages of top-secret NSA documents obtained by former U.S. cyberspy Edward Snowden. And--apropos of what we've gleaned so far--the images inside scream "Windows 98" more than "sophisticated global espionage."
How Mobile Apps For Farmers Could Help Fight Rising Coffee Prices
Developers are helping rural coffee growers get more connected with weather patterns, which in turn means cheaper, tastier coffee for you.
This story contains interviews with Kira Angulo, National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia account lead at SAP and Diana Osorio, lead for Latin America CSR at SAP.
Chipotle's New Packaging Might Be The Most Interesting Thing You Read Today
A new project from the burrito chain and author Jonathan Safran Foer puts some intelligent musings in front of you as you stuff your face.
The next time you eat a burrito, it might come wrapped up in a poem or a little philosophy from a Harvard professor. Starting today, Chipotle will be rolling out a new line of oddly literary packaging--bags and cups printed with new writing both from authors you might find in the New Yorker as well as comedians like Sarah Silverman.
May 14, 2014
Will Facebook's New Card Tricks Magically Keep Users Entertained?
Borrowing from Google Now, Facebook tweaks its app.
Facebook is aping one of Google Now's more useful features in an attempt to keep users engaged. According to a new report from TechCrunch, Facebook is testing new contextual pop-up cards in its iOS app, which are designed to keep users wandering in the Facebook universe for longer periods. 
Image via TechCrunch
Why Do Big Companies Do Hackathons?
It's not about getting to market faster--it's about steering the whole company around obstacles that might otherwise be unavoidable.
This story includes interviews with Mashery's Delyn Simmons, Angelhack founder Sabeen Ali, and Capital One's Skip Potter and Joshua Greenough.
The Oatmeal's $8 Million Moonshot: Ask Elon Musk, Via Cartoon, To Fund A Nikola Tesla Museum
And Musk says he's in.
Elon Musk has pledged to help--presumably in the form of a fat donation--to create a Nikola Tesla museum after Oatmeal creator Matthew Inman penned a love letter in the form of a comic for Musk's Tesla Model S.
The Haunting Artifacts Inside The National September 11 Memorial Museum
The 9/11 Museum and Pavilion are opening to the public May 21. Here, we see the first images of the architecture and its artifacts.
Following a decade of development, The National September 11 Memorial Museum will open to the public on May 21. On top, it's an inviting, transparent pavilion. Below, it's a dark time capsule full of haunting artifacts.
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