drinks

Fund this: Breathometer turns your smartphone into a breathalyzer

Everyone knows the dangers of drinking and driving. An unfortunate few choose to ignore them, often with tragic results. A good friend recently lost his nephew to a drunk driver. A member of my temple congregation lost his wife and children to a drunk driver. That same temple later lost its rabbi to a drunk driver. Shall I go on?

Obviously I'd rather not, which is why I fully support any technology that can help prevent such tragedies. Here's a gizmo that might: Indiegogo project Breathometer adds a breathalyzer to your smartphone.

Reminiscent of the Square credit-card reader, … Read more

The 404 1,222: Where we bust myths and eardrums (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Makerbong? 3D printing is getting stoned.

- Bloomberg's next ban may be loud headphones.

- A petition to change the national anthem to R. Kelly's 2003 hit "Ignition (Remix)."

- 404 Archive News: 404 Redditor fanbanlo posted a link to download 1,217 archived episodes of the show. Canoy took care of a search for all 404 episodes on CNET.… Read more

Microsoft pushes Office subscriptions

Tuesday's CNET Update doesn't need another yearly fee:

Microsoft Office 2013 comes in several flavors, so today's show breaks down what you need to know about upgrading. A single copy of Office 2013 with the basic programs costs $140. But Microsoft is pushing a new yearly subscription version called Office 365. The $100 yearly fee brings regular updates, as well as bonus cloud storage space and free calling time on Skype. The fee also gives customers the option to download Office on five computers.

Also in the news:

- Apple announced it will offer a 128GB iPad on February 5, … Read more

App shows what 10 years of drinking could do to your looks

Mirror, mirror on the wall, will drinking affect my looks at all?

The very week that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the results of a survey on drinking patterns among U.S. females (notably that 1 in 5 high school girls and 1 in 8 women report binge drinking), the Scottish government launched its Drop a Glass Size campaign, complete with app, in an attempt to get people to drink a little less every day.

The free Drinking Mirror app, for iPhone and Android devices, has users take or upload existing photos of themselves and watch their faces age over the course of 10 years based on their current rates of alcohol consumption.

The developers fully admit that they are playing the vanity card -- and targeting women in particular.… Read more

The 404 1,113: Where there's a ghost in the wires (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Restaurant offers a 5 percent discount to eat without your phone.

- China is building an army of noodle-making robots.

- Melky Cabrera (SF Giants) created a fake Web site to explain failing drug tests.

- Infrared palm scanners at elementary school are the Mark of the Beast.

- Teenager uses fake ID with picture of Bobby Hill to buy alcohol at six different shops.… Read more

Apple adds Food and Drink section to App Store

Apple's App Store has added a new listing for Food and Drink.

When users tap over to the section, they'll find a host of applications offering everything from recipes and restaurant locators to programs from prominent companies, like Starbucks and Pizza Hut. As of this writing, Food Network in the Kitchen app is tops in the paid section, while the Starbucks app has taken top billing in the free area.

Apple has added new sections to the App Store from time to time. Back in March, for example, the company added a Catalogs section.

(Via 9to5 Mac)

Kids' latest trend: The 'Drunk Phone'

Perhaps this all started with an iPhone prototype left in a bar by a sozzled Apple employee.

Perhaps it merely started when Jemima Puddleduck spilled her shot of tequila over her precious, shiny HTC and had to tell her Facebook friends about it.

It seems, though, that the young and restless have found a new solution to the problem of spilling alcoholic solution on their precious, expensive smartphones -- or even worse, losing the gadgets altogether.

It's called the "Drunk Phone."

I cannot say I have seen too many brightly dressed, dull young things brandishing prehistoric cell … Read more

The 404 1,070: Where we fatten them up and move them out (podcast)

We've arrived at the last episode of The 404 Minority Report, so we have an extra long show for you today starting with a long overdue discussion about Mayor Bloomberg's proposed ban of 16 ounce sugary drinks in New York. He started with banning smoking in beaches and parks, then moved onto limiting trans fat in restaurant, and now he hopes to enact large-scale portion control of any sweet drinks more than16 ounces in bodegas and street carts.

No word yet on how this will affect Big Gulps at the 100 7-11 stores opening up in the city this year, but we have questions about who will enforce the laws, how it will (or won't) change dietary habits, and whether or not Joseph will still have access to his 25.4 ounce Gatorade.… Read more

Spray gets you drunk instantly... but not for long

If you're in the United States and under 21 years of age, you really need to stop reading right now. In fact, I'm not sure I want anyone under 25 to know about this thing. Seriously, go look at some phone or video game reviews for a few minutes instead.

You're all still here aren't you?

Fine, then -- I tried. No, the headline doesn't lie. A French-American scientist named David Edwards has teamed up with French designer Philippe Starck -- who may or may not be behind some epic Apple product -- to create an aerosol spray that purports to make you "feel drunk" for a few seconds. … Read more

Electronic beer fridge only opens when all work's in

If you're anything like me, when Friday rolls around you've probably got one eye on the clock and one eye looking forward to a refreshing post-work beverage. Spare a thought then for these office-dwellers toiling hard to finish -- their beer fridge only unlocks when the last bit of work is handed in.

The Drink Time Sheet is a fully stocked fridge of brewskis that's electronically locked to the time sheet system at Brazilian marketing agency Casa. It only unlocks when all of the week's time sheets are turned in, which seems like a heck of an incentive not to put anything off until next week.

Read more of "Cheers! Electronic beer fridge only opens when all work's in" at Crave UK.… Read more