Leslie Horn

Photolettering, Facetune, and More

Lose five pounds, edit your photos, catch up on TV shows, and breathe at some point. Sound like an unattainable amount of multitasking? Not really, if you have this round of the best iPhone apps of the week to assist you. Reebok Fitness: Getting fit is easier when you have a routine, and Reebok’s new…

Measuring Beakers Make Your Kitchen Into the Lab You Always Wanted

You’re no mad scientist, but you make a mean apple pie. Baking is pretty much basic science, so you might as well use some measuring beakers in the process. And they’re a lot more exciting than your run of the mill measuring spoons and cups. The awesome, colorful set comes in 1-ounce, 2-ounce, tablespoon, and…

Timbuk2 Power Commute: Keep Your Gadgets Juiced on the Go

Your gadgets just beast through their battery life. That can be a real pain if you’re on a flight or just generally out and about. But at least in the span of about a day, you don’t have to worry about it thanks to Timbuk2’s Power Commute messenger bag. What Is It? A $200 TSA-compliant…

9 Incredible Uses for Graphene

Graphene is amazing. Or at least, it could be. Made from a layer of carbon one-atom thick, it’s the strongest material in the world, it’s completely flexible, and it’s more conductive than copper. Discovered just under a decade ago, the supermaterial potentially has some unbelievable applications for us in the not so distant future. https://gizmodo.com/graphene-confirmed-as-the-worlds-strongest-known-materi-5026404…

Digg says it’s going to rebuild Google Reader and its API for launch later this year.

Photolettering Adds Beautifully Designed Text To Your iPhone Pics

Dollars to donuts, you’re going to love Photolettering, a new app that lets you overlay your photos with beautiful typeface. What makes it so good? Photolettering doesn’t come from just some developer who thought people might want to pop words on their pictures. It was thoughtfully made by House Industries, a company that’s been creating…

Geometric Coat Racks Play Tricks on Your Eyes

These coat racks are deceiving. On first glance, you can’t quite tell if they’re 2D or 3D, as if you’d lost all depth of field. The collection—designed by John Tony from +tongtong—is called Les Ailes Noires. It includes 11 different geometric-shaped racks that are supposed to stand alone and lean against the wall or lie…

CBS: Because You Want to Watch CSI Everywhere

At long last, CBS has released an iOS app, so you can get your fill of How I Met Your Mother any and everywhere. What does it do? Lets you stream CBS shows in HD to your iPhone and iPad. Why do we like it? Sure, it’s what you’ve come to expect from a streaming…

This Pool Hidden Among Plants Is Not a Mirage

Wouldn’t you rather be in this pool, right now, until your whole body transforms into a shriveled raisin? It’s not your winter-weary eyes playing tricks on you, it’s a succulent plant-covered leisure center in Amsterdam. The center is located in the middle of a park, so the architects—VenhoevenCS—built it to blend right in with its…

Reebok Fitness: Get Rid of Your Excuses to Get Fit

Getting in shape can be difficult, but it’s a little bit easier if you have a routine. Reebok’s new fitness app should help you out in that department. What does it do? Lets you set up a 6-12 week long fitness program that includes running, walking, yoga, and dance. It then generates a schedule for…

The Papasan Chair Didn’t Look This Good at Grandma’s House

Back when your grandparents weren’t your grandparents and they were smoking when smoking was still a cool thing and they were traveling to Palm Springs on vacation, they had a chair like the Acapulco Chair. Made by CB2, it’s an update to the old papasan seat, but it ditches the tired old cushion and bamboo…

You Might Not Need Time Travel To See a Real Wooden Skyscraper

While a skyscraper made of wood might sound like a piece of architectural history, it also makes for an interesting idea for a sustainable, modern building. Big Wood is a striking prototype for one that shows it might not be outside of the realm of possibility. The sophomorically named Big Wood would be a large,…

Report: Twitter Is Working on Its Own Music App

Acquisitions usually aren’t for nothing, and CNET is reporting that Twitter’s purchase of music discovery app We Are Hunted last year means its own standalone music app is allegedly on the way very soon. Called Twitter Music, the app would debut on iOS, supposedly as early as the end of the month. Apparently it will…

The Moving Pilu Lamp Will Lean In on You

Leoni Werle designed the Pilu Lamp with a v-shaped angled base they can rotate back and forth from upright to inclined, as if they’re spying on you. The bell-shaped pieces are sized for the floor or the desk. Their aluminum shades and bars are grey and yellow, and they have bases made of solid oak…

An Abandoned London Power Station Could Find New Life As a Stunning Roller Coaster

The Battersea Power Station is an iconic London building, but it’s been tragically unused since it was decommissioned in 1983. Now architectural firm Atelier Zündel Cristea wants to turn that around with a proposal to make the abandoned spot a roller coaster. Where do we sign? The station would be the center of a rollicking…

Breathometer: A Tiny Breathalyzer That Plugs Into Your iPhone

It’s always better to be safe than sorry if you’ve had too many drinks to get behind the wheel. Breathometer is a new breathalyzer that works with your smartphone to make absolutely sure you’re clear. And it’s a whole lot cheaper than a DUI. The pocket-sized piece of hardware plugs into your headphone jack. You…

Aeropress Timer: Control Your Coffee Brewing From Your iPhone

If you make your coffee using an AeroPress, you probably are a little more particular about what you’re drinking. And now there’s an iPhone app to help you out with the brewing process. What does it do? Gives you prompts and timers for when to stir, pour, steep, and press your Aeropress. Also includes various…

A Train Set Placemat Is the Best Kind of Placemat

Doesn’t this placemat make you want to be five-years old again? It’s a real Brio-style train set that you eat off of. You’d be able to convince even the pickiest little guy to eat any leafy green veggie if he was distracted by this awesome breakfast board. Or just channel your own inner child. The…

Oddball 80s Chairs That’ll Make You Say Beetlejuice Three Times

Howard Meister is a fifth-generation furniture designer. His pieces have places in galleries all over the world. And in the 1980s, he was making some crazy chairs that looked like they belonged on the set of Beetlejuice. The one on the right, for example, is called Nothing Continues to Happen, and it resembles a half-smiling…

11 Kickass Ways Normal People Will Use Google Glass

Much of the hype around Google Glass to date has focused on skydiving, BMX biking, and being a totally effective stalker. Those far-flung, limited-use applications don’t seem worth the hefty $1500 on. But what about the totally practical ways that us normal people could actually use them? Turns out—especially after Google’s quick Glass demo last…