Skullcandy Crusher over-ear headphones review

The Skullcandy Crusher over-ear headphones are among the least subtle offerings in their segment. Whereas, most manufacturers push their products with claims about true-to-life audio quality, Skullcandy promises you “bass you can feel” with its sub-$100 creation.

Based in Park City, Utah, Skullcandy designs and manufactures headphones which combine eye-grabbing looks and forward thinking tech in one package. At a quick glance, the Crusher headphones seem to fit the bill, as they feature a dedicated audio driver which powers the unique bass delivery system.

Retail package

True to the Skullcandy brand identity, the retail package of the Crusher headphones is designed to stand out like the content it carries. Inside the blinged-out box, you will find the headset and its cable, a soft carrying pouch, an AA battery for the proprietary bass amplifier, as well as a couple of booklets.

The headset’s retail package

Seeing a carrying pouch in the box of the headset surely is a welcome sight. Plenty of sub-$100 headphones don’t include one in their package.

Design and build quality

The Skullcandy Crusher headphones handsome if a bit imposing in the flesh. Due to its sheer size, the headset is simply impossible to be left unnoticed, while a multitude of tastefully-placed Skullcandy logos throughout leave little doubt about its brand affiliation.

Skullcandy Crusher headphones in the flesh

The Crusher headphones are available in a variety of colors. They range from black, through red like the unit I tested, all the way to more blinged out options such as white or snake skin pattern.

Build quality of the headset is solid. The Skullcandy Crusher headphones are finished in high-quality plastic with glossy finish. In several weeks of daily use, I found the handset to be sturdy and not prone to scratches and dings. The ear pads didn’t show any sign of wear either, despite seeing plenty of action.

The headphones’ detachable 3.5mm audio cable is thick and comes with well-made connectors. To top things off, the headset comes with a one-year warranty.

Ergonomics

Despite their imposing appearance, the Skullcandy Crusher headphones are light and therefore quite comfortable. The synthetic leather ear cups are soft and cover the ears without applying any pressure on them, thus making the headset great for long stretches of use.

Replacing the AA battery of the headset is easy. Its slot is located underneath the removable right ear cup. The battery life of the headset is quoted at 40 hours.

A look at the battery slot

The headset does not necessarily need a battery to work. Without one however, users will not be able to enjoy its unique bass delivery.

The cable is tangle-free and easy to store. The single-button remote control is easy to access. It must be noted however that the button requires a more pressure than usual in order to follow commands. The quirk is hardly a dealbreaker, though it does require some getting used to.

Despite its large size, the Skullcandy Crusher headset is easy to carry. When folded, it breaks down to 40% of its size.

The headphones are easy to fold

Sound

The Skullcandy Crusher headphones are equipped by custom-made 40mm Mylar drivers whose frequency response ranges between 20 Hz and 20 kHz. Impedance is rated at 32 Ohms.

The enhanced bass experience on the other hand is handled by a proprietary patent-pending driver, dubbed Sensation55. It is powered by the built-in amplifier and can be adjusted via a sliding button.

The real-life sonic experience delivered by the Crusher headphones is truly head-shattering. At full volume and bass set at its highest, the headset literally bounces off your head and makes you feel as if you are at a live concert or dance club. Quite frankly, I haven’t experienced such sensation before.

Of course, the above experience comes at a price. At full bass setting, the lows eat heavily into the rest of the dynamic range, thus significantly compromising the sonic experience.

However, tweaking the bass setting a bit delivered impressive results. I found the ideal setting for music to be about 50% of its capacity. The latter blends the deep bass smoothly into the rest of the sound signature. It allows the well-sorted highs and mids to also showcase themselves. Don’t expect any acoustic miracles though – these headphones are not studio monitors.

With the bass feature switched off, the lows are all but completely gone. The setup makes the headset feel somewhat anemic. I doubt users will opt for it as the Crusher headphones are clearly not intended for such use.

Because of their built-in bass trickery, the Skullcandy Crusher headphones are also highly enjoyable for watching movies, as well as video gaming. With the bass fully on, shooting zombies on Dead Trigger 2 for example, offered an entirely new dimension to the gameplay.

Sound quality of phone call was good both ways. There’s nothing to complain about on this instance.

Final word

The Skullcandy Crusher headphones could well be the most entertaining sub-100 offering out there. There are some worthy competitors out there, but none will deliver the same bass experience as the Crusher.

Thankfully, the sonic experience offered by the headset is not one-dimensional. Because of the sliding bass control switch, users can also opt for more balanced audio output.

All things considered, if you have $100 to spend for over-ear headphones and love bass, the Skullcandy Crusher should definitely be on your short list of alternatives. The headset is priced at $99.99 in themanufacturer’s online store.

Web Offset Printing, Heck Of a Printing Press

With Huge Printing Factories coming into the industry, it's hard to find reliable and genuine Printing Company which has many branchs all over the World. Well now,it ain't that hard with the Web Offset Printing. With printing facilities are located in Europe, Asia, and Southern California, they are the best printing company I know. Their paper and colour quality is one of a kind,unparalled amd unmatched.

Let's have a tour of The Factory:
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Official CyanogenMod 11 Nightlies Arrive on the HTC One M8 and Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 WiFi; Note 8.0 LTE and Sprint Galaxy S5 Coming Soon

Although there are dozens of great source-built, AOSP-derived custom ROMs available for the choosing, the most popular option is still undoubtedly the first large-scale project of its kind: CyanogenMod. Because of this, it’s always quite exciting when official CyanogenMod support is extended to any particular device. Now we’re happy to share that official support has been added for two new devices, with two more on the way.

First up, we have CyanogenMod nightlies for the HTC One M8 (2014). Official support for the M8 actually began two days ago, and the buildbot has been chugging away ever since, offering three publicly available nightly builds to date. As described on CyanogenMod’s Google+ announcement post, these “m8″ builds are compatible with the GSM, Sprint, and Verizon models. In other words, this is compatible with 0P6B10000 (International), 0P6B12000 (AT&T/Dev Edition), 0P6B13000 (T-Mobile), 0P6B16000 (Telus/Rogers Canada), 0P6B20000 (Verizon), and 0P6B20000 (Verizon) devices. These nightlies are brought to you courtesy of CM developers deck, invisiblek, h8rift, toastcfh, flinny and xInterlopeRx.

Next up, we have the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4. Official support for the ‘mondrianwifi’ began earlier today, with one nightly build available to date. The maintainer for this device is CM developer crpalmer.

Finally, we have the Sprint Galaxy S5 (kltespr) and the LTE version of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 (n5120). Development for these devices will come courtesy of CM developers Xda Garwynn, Esa Laukkanen, and Scott Brissenden. Unfortunately, there aren’t any nightlies available for either of these devices just yet, but be happy to know that they’re on the way.

Head over to the CyanogenMod Download page for your device to get started:

• CM11 for the HTC One M8 (2014)
• CM11 for the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 WiFi

And once you’ve gotten CM11 on your device (or to read up on guides to obtain root, flash a recovery, and flash a rom), head over to your device-specific forums for the HTC One M8 (2014), Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4, Sprint Galaxy S5, and Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0.

Oracle Wins Appeal Against Google, APIs CAN Be Copyrighted

You may recall that in the middle of 2010, Google and Oracle began a bitter and somewhat protracted battle in court to decide whether Google infringed on Oracle’s patents during the creation of Android. Essentially, this all boiled down to the question of whether APIs can be copyrighted. But in the middle of 2012, Judge William Alsup ruled that these APIs were not copyrightable. And by doing so, the first chapter or Oracle vs Google came to a close.

Of course back then, we all expected that Oracle would appeal this ruling—and so they did. Now, a three-judge panel in the US Court of Appeals ruled to reinstate a jury’s finding of infringement on 37 Java API packages. But now, one crucial detail remains to be determined: whether Google’s use of the 37 Java APIs falls under “fair use.” As such, the Federal Circuit panel has ordered further proceedings under the Judge Alsup to determine whether this is the case.

Until we find out whether Google’s actions were protected under fair use, it remains to be seen what (if any) impact this will have on Android itself in the near term. However, this certainly has deep implications for future cases involving APIs and software interoperability.

ZonG Wins 3G And 4G Licenses

 

In a bid to honor its subscribers, ZonG, Pakistan’s fastest growing telecom network has achieved another milestone. The company recently won the much anticipated Spectrum Auction for Next Generation Mobile Services to become the only 3G & 4G operator in Pakistan. Thriving on this success the company will soon offer a complete new array of first of its kind services to its customers.

ZonG’s parent company, China Mobile Communications Corporation (CMCC) officially launched its 4G services in December 2013. By March 31st 2014 the company had 781.08 million total customers making it the largest operator across the globe.

Expressing his delight on this occasion, Dr. Fan Yunjun, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, ZonG said, “I would like to congratulate the Government of Pakistan & PTA for making the bidding process extremely transparent and fair, and also acknowledge the entire ZonG team who is now a part of history, as their hard work and determination has finally paid off. China has a long term commitment to people of Pakistan and Zong is committed to service excellence and believes in bringing the best technology with the virtue of the world’s largest 3G and 4G operator.”

VIDEO INNOVATIONS IN THE YEAR 2020

What will video production look like in the year 2020? Seeing what’s to come tomorrow requires nothing more than watching today’s movies. Featured technology presents instant streaming video information at the wave of a hand and touch of a finger. It’s a future where our eyes will control camera focus and video uploads will be so 2013. We no longer have to look decades ahead to see what’s coming in video technology. The future is now.

Much of what will be is also seen on today’s trade show floors as innovative companies from the most popular brand manufacturers to new companies you’ve never heard of, show tomorrow’s video technology.

Things to Watch for in the Year 2020

There’ll be no mouse in your future, no keyboard either. You won’t need them because your touch device does it all — camera included. You’ll stream and share home video, storing it in the cloud for instant access and distribution. You’ll have to fight to create shaky camera movement, technology won’t let you do that. And, no more consumer camcorder market. Except for durable action sports units like GoPro’s HERO cameras, and those who need them.

In case you’ve not attended a trade show before, here’s a few things to watch for in 2020, and what to save up for, if some of them aren’t already on your birthday wish list — no crystal ball necessary.

Consumer Camcorders in 2020

Remember the dance company you once produced video for? See that mom sitting next to you at a dance recital for that same company today? Yeah, the one recording video with that nice touch device and the big, bright screen. There’ll be even more of them next year and every parent will be using one in 2020. Yes, they were told the event is being professionally recorded and edited; no cameras needed. But there are no dedicated cameras, everyone now uses a touch device or super smartphone, editing and instantly posting their child’s performance to YouTube before leaving their seats for the drive home. There will be no more uploading.

Consumer and hobbyist video production is all touch-oriented now and streaming video as a method of sharing and communication is an everyday thing. Even grandma is doing it or viewing it. The new home video features instant touch screen editing and Internet sharing. The DVD and their players are mostly stacked next to vinyl records, cassette tapes and CDs in the storage unit. Video production will get easier, creating quality content might still be a challenge.

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Professional Camcorders in 2020

You forgot to bring extra cards and the wedding went way longer than anticipated. Not a problem. Professional camcorders take a chapter from the consumer arena, providing seamless connection to editing computers, tablet devices, even other camcorders for instant backup. You’ve also expanded your business model to include streaming since this seamless connection allows you to set up in minutes now, so running wire and making hard connections isn’t an issue.

That new super lens makes getting a variety of shots and performing depth of field tricks a piece of cake, shifting at a touch of the camera’s screen to instantly change aperture or zoom setting without twisting a ring or searching for that tiny button you forgot to preset.

Top-of-the-line but within budget, professional camcorders have sensors that are four times the size of today’s full-frame sensors yielding megapixel counts in the 100s. In-camera stabilization in the professional units also will make it next to impossible to intentionally introduce shaky cam footage into your productions.

And while consumer cameras are no longer available or necessary, the advent of quality performance for mobile phones and tablets, along with incredibly affordable pricing, make having a few on hand for those extra POV shots a no-brainer, notwithstanding audio quality issues.

Recording Audio in 2020

High quality audio recording devices from the microphone to stand-alone digital recording devices remains at the front of quality professional work standards, at prices unheard of today, but most consumers still won’t bother with it. The future for smartphone and portable pad audio might be the only ongoing issue in 2020.

For professionals, and through more affordable technology, you get stick-on mic placement virtually anywhere you want, at any venue. The auto-sensing devices lock onto your system settings, sending clear, crisp audio to not only the camera but a cloud editing base as well. The various channels of audio automatically adjust for surround sound, adding additional speaker sources as well for beyond-surround sound. This will all be automatic, with level controls that no longer build the gain to a point of overwhelming noise levels. Quiet spots are smooth and clean, while there’s virtually no delay in the limiter or boost for unexpected low/high levels.

Audio from cameras and TVs will be focused to a single user, no wires, like an invisible phone booth. The reception, clarity and signal quality will move beyond hardwired to a pristine level. No more riding the sliders for accurate level control.

Consumer and hobbyist video production is all touch-oriented now and streaming video as a method of sharing and communication is an everyday thing. Even grandma is doing it or viewing it.

Internet Video in 2020

YouTube and its rivals totally overtake traditional TV as the world’s preferred source for consuming, using, and sharing video content. The increased quality of production, range of special interest programming and overall entertainment value will move conventional production and programming to a list of things of the past. With, that is, the possible exception of some traditional broadcasting affiliates successfully making the transition to Internet programming.

You see it happening now, video at consumer hotspots among the fresh produce aisles, at the checkouts. There’s video at the gas pumps and your favorite bank’s ATM units. Excuse me, officer, but is that a camera you’re wearing on your chest? Ubiquitous, right? As common as it has become, everything will have a camera in 2020. You’ll be watching from one or looking into one wherever you go, whatever you do. How about those new vehicles with the backup safety units, look for them to be everywhere else on the 2021 vehicle you buy in 2020.

Novelties today, by 2020, cameras on wrist watches, glasses, the top button on your shirt, blouse or coat will be commonplace. Excuse me, citizen, is that a camera you’re wearing on your chest? The patrol officer who pulled you over may ask you to turn it off while making out your ticket — conflicting with the signal on his chestcam.

Camera-equipped drones will become as prevalent as bicycles. Everybody into any facet of video production, or surveillance, will have one. Bicycles will universally feature built-in camera units, as will skateboards, snowboards and vehicle dashboards. If it’s a device that moves, even a conveyor belt, it will have a camera.

Editing in 2020

All your digital devices will work together on a single task. You think that smartphone or tablet gives you control choices now, in 2020 you’ll use them to control the camera and your lights, wirelessly connect to your audio sources, adjust for tilt, pan or zoom while monitoring your shot, framing and quality, multi-multitasking. You’ll be able to use several affordable tablets to edit video on a giant screen.

The genius of Adobe will manifest as all professional level editing software manufacturers will move to the subscription model. This will become the norm for videographers seeking affordable professional programs that also feature Internet-based collaboration in an instant, and also a renewable revenue stream for the manufacturers. This consistent, predictable level of monthly cash flow from the consumer means even more frequent updates to their software.

HD in 2020

Another one of those “that’s so 2013,” with resolution now in the 4k and 8k range. All prosumer DSLRs and camcorders will shoot at minimum, RAW 4k. Your smartphone will feature 4k video, and that level will become the common workflow resolution in 2020. It will be easily edited within Final Cut, Premiere Pro and Vegas, as well as a host of others. The frustration and clamor of dealing with such levels of resolution will quieten to nothing even as the noise and complaints regarding 8k production issues begins to rise.

Like its predecessors, 8k will earn the love and ire of professional producers. The upgrade path for many will be daunting at first. Discussion groups will wonder if the level of resolution even matters, something the human eye cannot hope to discern. Butwhat about those video devices that are now replacing missing eyes or bringing vision to the blind? Will the 2020’s bionic viewing devices see what 8k has to offer?

Independent Video Production in 2020

Due to the technological advantages and affordability of production equipment, and the ubiquitous role online video entertainment plays in 2020, the most successful emerging video producers and filmmakers will gain their fame without the help of big studios. The last of the major studios have merged by now, creating a colossal production operation that has lost all control over the effect independent production has had on its bottom line.

Top content producers achieve success by starting their own projects and posting them online. Hollywood will return to valuing good writers above all, maybe even more than the A-list stars who haven’t been replaced by computer generated characters. Because the technology is so advanced and so affordable, more creative individuals will be able to shoot and edit, distribute and share quality video. Truly great ideas, powerful storylines, however, will be as rare as ever.

Video in 2020

It’s not too hard to see what a few more years will bring us in video technology. From where video is now to where the above begins, is a tiny step into the future. What other options will be envisioned, invented and implemented by 2020? Or are they already here? We could be speaking of DVDs, hard-wired equipment, uploading video in 2015, “That is so yesterday.”

 

SIDEBAR

Sports, Surveillance, Law Enforcement and the Military

Innovations in video technology often get their start in military applications, but professional sports, surveillance and law enforcement applications are never very far behind. Google Glass has a potential game changer in play that could pull the Year 2020 video innovations and throw them into next season.

According to the CNET article, Oakland Raiders punter Chris Kluwe is a Google Glass Explorer, wearing the device during practice sessions. Could games be next? Writer Chris Matyszczyk thinks even linebackers will be giving armchair players a front-end view of all the intense action. It’s not award-winning video production yet. But soon?

In law enforcement, NBC News Technology’s Devin Coldewey, reports on police officers around the country who wear video cameras along with their badges and guns like having “digital eyes” to shield them from citizen complaints.

“Cop watch: Who benefits when law enforcement gets body cams?” is an interesting read on yet another video innovation. The popular technology news channel also features an article by Bill Briggs, who notes that summer blockbuster movies are featuring “gadget-draped” future fighters and so is the military. Matt Damon in Elysium is the featured flicker of the future, according to Briggs, but a military technology developer in Florida is working on a “... gizmo-rich, body-shielding uniform.” Is video going to come with that? Of course.

And somewhere in all this is an ultra-expensive curved screen television that is going to be the viewing implement of the future, according to CBS News in an interview with CNET editor-at-large Brian Cooley. It’s $9,000 right now, but prices are sure to drop, someday.
 

Sealegs begins licensing its amphibious drive system to boat builders worldwide

NZ-based Sealegs has begun licensing its patented amphibious boat technology. Already the world's largest amphibian manufacturer, Sealegs' first licensee under the "Powered by Sealegs" scheme is Dubai-based ASIS Boats, one of the world's top three manufacturers of Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs). Sealegs current technology is suitable for boats up to 2.5 tonnes (2500 kg), but the company will launch a system suitable for boats up to 6.5 tonnes (6500kg) in June.

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Sealegs boats have until now been based around high performance RHIBs that can be landed anywhere and driven at speeds up to 8 km/h (5 mph) on land. Now that capability will be extended to much larger boats, significantly reducing the hassle of launching and retrieving boats up to 12 meters (36 ft).

ASIS Boats has a dominant market share in Middle Eastern markets and will offer Sealegs motorized, retractable and steerable wheeled system as an upgrade option for its entire range of boats from 5.1 meters up to 12 meters and across all sectors, including the recreational marketplace and fast growing commercial and military sectors. ASIS supplies many of the world's military forces with specialized solutions, and the Sealegs technology can be expected to become far more widely available through ASIS.

The entry of ASIS into the amphibious market will also greatly increase the global supply of amphibious boats, as it will offer the Powered by Sealegs system on all its models including cargo, towing, firefighting, transporter, diving, recreational, rescue, anti-piracy, military, special forces and customized boats (you can even order bulletproof cabins), and with its massive production capability, ordering an amphibious solution will no longer involve a prolonged wait.

New Zealand's Smuggler Marine has also licensed the Powered by Sealegs system, having married its Strata 750 centre-console RIB with the Sealegs system to create a high-performance composite amphibious vessel.

ASIS Boats' first amphibious craft to be powered by Sealegs is a 6.5 meter boat powered by a Volvo V6 225HP engine and driven by a Hamilton Jet.

Following the launch, Gizmag spoke to Sealegs Chief Executive Officer David Glen about the new licensing scheme and the roll-out of this new phase in the development of the company, ten years after its initial launch and with over 850 boats in the water.

Tech o Blog: What drove the change in strategy for Sealegs from manufacturer to licensor?

"Our technology has been well proven in the broader recreational space and it's now operational in forty countries around the world. It's robust and reliable and now we're getting ready to leap to the next level in the size of the boats that we can put Sealegs technology on, it was implicit in going up the scale that we were going to need to collaborate with boats builders around the world to propagate the technology.

"Our experience in the New Zealand marketplace as a boat builder has taught us a lot. The vast majority of issues we deal with in New Zealand are with owners ringing up about service issues and not technology issues. They relate to bilge pumps and outboard engines and electronics and that sort of thing. The hydraulic system looks after itself so long as its not abused and its maintained properly, so it makes sense to hand off the local manufacturing in different markets to companies that are already servicing those markets.

There are several factors that underpinned our decision to begin licensing. The first is that it's no longer viable to build boats in New Zealand for a global market because, coming from far-off New Zealand, if they don't fit in a box, it's simply uneconomic to do so. The marine industry in New Zealand is just one industry compromised by the strength of the New Zealand dollar. There are quite a few other industries suffering too.

"Then there's the fact that we've developed an even bigger technology for much larger boats and with the impending launch, it has become even more imperative to work with other boat builders in their local markets.

"Having launched the amphibious concept a decade ago, it has taken a long time to build some awareness around the world as to the real value that amphibious technology adds.

"If we attempt to launch the bigger technology ourselves and go into international markets ourselves from New Zealand, it would be a long and expensive row to hoe, and the chances are we'd wither on that journey.

"We have decided that the best option is for us to identify and partner with strong, well-proven boat builders with scale, like ASIS. You can imagine there are a lot of large boat builders around the world, particularly in the United States and Europe, so we set out to identify those builders and collaborate with them to put out technology on their craft.

"That's not to say we aspire to put our technology on all of their boats, but we think there's a big market out there for amphibious technology. There are a lot of people who still aren't aware of the benefits available from an amphibious boat.

"The fundamental decision was that if we are going to grow into a large global business, we need to collaborate with other boat building companies."

Tech o Blog: How has the response been so far?

"We're very confident. We've had a couple of boat builders using our technology on their craft in New Zealand successfully and that has given us confidence that it's not difficult to work with good boat builders.

"We've also had a poor experience with an overseas boat builder who made all manner of representations about what their capabilities were, and they came up short of expectations, so we learned a valuable lesson and we've become very selective about who we will work with in future. We will only work with quality boat builders, people who have good skills, good existing boats, and a very strong position in their respective marketplaces.

"It's more expensive than a regular boat but all of our owners use their boats far more than they were able to before they got a Sealegs boat. If you're thinking about buying an amphibious boat, talk to an existing Sealegs owner. They are our greatest advocates."

"The Smuggler experience was good in two ways because all of our Sealegs boats had been aluminum construction, and the Smuggler boat is composite construction. The initial development experience turned out to be relatively straightforward because Smuggler was able to replicate all of the things we do on our aluminum boats in their composite boats ... things such as the layout and configuration of the system, and we were able to use that as a reference for a composite boat. Hence, there's no need for companies overseas to think that only aluminum boats can be fitted with Sealegs technology.

"Now we're working with ASIS, they've got the opportunity to develop boats in both aluminum and composite and they took heart from the fact we'd done the preliminary licensing arrangement with Smuggler on a composite boat.

"The Smuggler boats and our cabin boats currently max out at a fully laden weight, fully-fueled and with four or five people on board, at about 2500 kg and that's really about the limit of our existing technology.

"We're now about to launch a new technology which will enable us to have amphibious boats up to 6500 kg so it's a quantum leap from where we're at right now, to where we'll be in a few months' time.

Tech o Blog: What can you tell us about the new technology?

"We went back to ground zero to begin development of the new technology. It's not just a linear extension of what we've done previously. We started all over again with a clean sheet and used our decade of experience with the existing system to come up with what we consider to be some pretty clever new technology.

"Maurice Bryham, who founded Sealegs and is our chief technical officer, is driving this new project and we're very excited. We think that people will be very impressed with what he's come up with.

"The first boat is under construction in New Zealand at the moment and it will be a 34 footer with twin diesel and twin jet drives, with our new amphibious technology on it. The boat is an alloy boat and we'll be showing it for the first time in June (2014).

"The biggest single benefit is the convenience factor, the ease with which a boat can be launched and retrieved."

Tech o Blog: What do you think are the major benefits of Sealegs technology?

"Sealegs was born from the opportunity of using your boat any time of the day, irrespective of tide, and not having the hassle of launching and retrieving from a trailer. Sealegs users can park their boat on the beach and use it immediately whenever they want. They can be in the water inside a minute or two with no effort.

"It's more expensive than a regular boat but all of our owners use their boats far more than they were able to before they got a Sealegs boat. If you're thinking about buying an amphibious boat, talk to an existing Sealegs owner. They are our greatest advocates.

"We've got any number of Sealegs owners who go boating on their own, because they now can. We've got quite a few people who are in wheelchairs and they go boating because they now can. The biggest single benefit is the convenience factor, the ease with which a boat can be launched and retrieved.

Tech o Blog:  Are you actively seeking licensees now?

"Yes, but we're the ones who are being proactive. We've been doing our due diligence on markets and identifying the key players and then approaching the best ones directly. If we haven't knocked on their door already and they think they are a key player with high quality boats and a network in place, then they are very welcome to contact me and we can pick it up from there. We've been in the market for a decade now and we know many of the top boat builders around the world and we're talking to most of them already."

On the 25th anniversary of the web, let’s keep it free and open

On the 25th anniversary of the World Wide Web, we’re pleased to share this guest post from Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the web. In this post he reflects on the past, present and future of the web—and encourages the rest of us to fight to keep it free and open. -Ed.

Today is the web’s 25th birthday. On March 12, 1989, I distributed a proposal to improve information flows: “a ‘web’ of notes with links between them.”

Though CERN, as a physics lab, couldn’t justify such a general software project, my boss Mike Sendall allowed me to work on it on the side. In 1990, I wrote the first browser and editor. In 1993, after much urging, CERN declared that WWW technology would be available to all, without paying royalties, forever.

The first web server, used by Tim Berners-Lee. Photo via Wikipedia

This decision enabled tens of thousands to start working together to build the web. Now, about 40 percent of usare connected and creating online. The web has generated trillions of dollars of economic value, transformededucation and healthcare and activated many new movements for democracy around the world. And we’re just getting started.

How has this happened? By design, the underlying Internet and the WWW are non-hierarchical, decentralized and radically open. The web can be made to work with any type of information, on any device, with any software, in any language. You can link to any piece of information. You don’t need to ask for permission. What you create is limited only by your imagination.

So today is a day to celebrate. But it’s also an occasion to think, discuss—and do. Key decisions on the governance and future of the Internet are looming, and it’s vital for all of us to speak up for the web’s future. How can we ensure that the other 60 percent around the world who are not connected get online fast? How can we make sure that the web supports all languages and cultures, not just the dominant ones? How do we build consensus around open standards to link the coming Internet of Things? Will we allow others to package and restrict our online experience, or will we protect the magic of the open web and the power it gives us to say, discover, and create anything? How can we build systems of checks and balances to hold the groups that can spy on the net accountable to the public? These are some of my questions—what are yours?

On the 25th birthday of the web, I ask you to join in—to help us imagine and build the future standards for the web, and to press for every country to develop a digital bill of rights to advance a free and open web for everyone. Learn more at webat25.org and speak up for the sort of web we really want with #web25. 

Solve for X 2014: Celebrating and accelerating moonshot pioneers

Last week, Solve for X gathered 60 entrepreneurs and scientists from around the world to discuss 18 moonshotproposals—world-changing projects that work to address a huge problem, suggest a radical solution and use some form of breakthrough technology to make it work. 

Solve for X attendee Sara Menker shares ideas and critique from her group’s brainstorming session.

Ira Glass opened the summit with a talk on climate change entitled “Ira Glass tries to boss you into a moonshot.” Ira mixed data, devastating personal experiences, potential technical solutions and insightful ways to think about the issue and made an excellent case that generalists should consider shifting focus to climate change.

Following Ira’s talk, we heard proposals on a wide variety of topics, including: Leslie Dewan’s proposal forgenerating power from nuclear waste building on technology ideas abandoned in the 1950s; Lonnie Johnson’s JTEC invention, which would allow us to convert heat directly into electricity; Howard Shapiro’s global collaboration that uses some of the newest and oldest technologies in agriculture to end stunting for rural poor; Julia Greer’s exploration of the relationship between a material's strength and its weight through 3D architected nanomaterials; Yael Hanein’s artificial solar retina, which has the potential to cure blindness; Erez Livneh’s virus decoys, which could slow and eliminate disease; and Asel Sartbeava’s proposal for thermally stable vaccines that remove the need for refrigeration cold chain during transport.

Ido Bachelet explains how certain surgical interventions could be accomplished through nanorobots.

During a “show and tell” session, participants from previous Solve for X events shared updates on their moonshots.Omri Amirav-Drory showed us plants that glow when activated; Dr. Keith Black brought delicious Dr. Black’s Brain Bars; Karen Gleason brought solar cells printed on paper; Andras Forgacs brought the first “steak chips” thatModern Meadow is beta-“tasting.”

Suchitra Sebastian’s demonstration during her proposal on a new generation of superconductors.

In an effort to include more people in the Solve for X experience, this year we ran 10 experiments to bring ourexploration session format into other organizations’ events, including TEDx Beacon Street, SXSW and Tribeca Film Festival; we even held an event on Capitol Hill. FabLab, ReWork and AAAS recently became collaborators, joining Singularity University, XPrize, TED and others. We hope we’ll run into you at an event in your area