Mirroring

Magic mirror: Show me the meds

We've written about mirrors that tell us more than whether we have a piece of spinach stuck between our teeth. A year ago, a Harvard-MIT student showed off a mirror that's able to read certain vital signs.

Now The New York Times Research & Development Lab is taking things a step further--bringing body tracking, shopping, news, and of course advertising to one's most intimate of places: the bathroom.

The group's "magic mirror" uses LCD and Kinect technology (it's really more of a computer with a reflective surface) that lets users browse the Web while brushing their teeth.

How is this better than using a smartphone in the bathroom? For one, it's hands-free. In fact, in the group's demo, one of the designers simply places a box of meds on the mirror's small ledge; it uses RFID tagging to recognize the type of meds and pull up information about dosages and where to buy more.… Read more

Woman attempts to avoid her image for a year

After spending a relatively stressful weekend in St. Louis trying to find the perfect wedding dress, UCLA sociology Ph.D. candidate Kjerstin Gruys decided on the flight back to L.A.--which could arguably be dubbed the city of mirrors--that it was time for something drastic: a year without them.

This was back in March, and her "mirror, mirror...OFF the wall" project would include the six months leading up to (and the six months following) her October wedding.

So far so good, according to Gruys' near-daily blog posts. But as someone with only a tiny bathroom mirror … Read more

Mirror iPad 2 on your TV with iOS 5, AirPlay

In our never-ending quest to prep our faithful readers for iOS 5 we cover an amazing new iPad 2-specific feature in iOS 5: mirroring. Mirroring via AirPlay and an Apple TV (which will also have to be running iOS 5) will allow you to display your iPad 2 screen on any TV with an HDMI port.

Sending your iPad 2's screen to your TV is as easy as:

Entering the fast app switcher dockSwiping left-to-rightPressing the AirPlay iconSelect AppleTV and toggle the Mirror switch

What do you think? Is this something you will use on a regular basis? Or, … Read more

Vanity Mirror Watch: A timepiece for narcissists

You know you look good, but sometimes you just want to double-check. You could excuse yourself and go to the bathroom. You could find a reflective window and stare intently. Or you could subtly gaze at your watch.

The Vanity Mirror Watch is a chunky, shiny accessory that looks like it has been designed for a substantial man-size wrist. The marketing photos of a hairy arm sporting the watch are another tip-off that the target customer is a vain male. That probably won't dissuade a fashion-forward woman from picking one up.

It's hard to tell what the $69.… Read more

Cool Leaf's shiny keyboard mimics a mirror

When turned on, the Cool Leaf touch-panel keyboard from Japan-based Minebe displays a backlit keyboard interface. When switched off, the keyboard looks like a common household mirror.

Designed by Dr. Kazuo Kawasaki, the mirror-like touch-panel surface of the keyboard doesn't contain any holes for dirt to fall in. Hence, it can be easily cleaned with a damp cloth. As such, the keyboard is expected to be used in areas that place a priority on cleanliness such as medical treatment sites and food plants.

For the time being, the keyboard is only compatible with Windows. Apple users won't have to miss out on this product, though, as a Mac version has also been announced.

The Cool Leaf will be available in Japan on May 13 for 26,000 yen ($316). The English, German, French, and Italian versions are scheduled to be released in July.

(Source: Crave Asia) … Read more

Apple wins reversal in Cover Flow patent case

Apple has come out the victor in a three-year-old patent infringement suit that would have cost the company more than $625 million for infringing on patents held by Mirror Worlds.

The case, in which a jury had found Apple liable last October, targeted the Cover Flow, Spotlight search, and Time Machine features found in Apple's Mac OS. The October jury ruling was fought by the Cupertino, Calif.-based technology company with an emergency motion to stay. In that motion, Apple said the damages were too high and urged the court to re-evaluate the evidence.

In the court's ruling … Read more

Feds block workers from WikiLeaks, mirror sites

U.S. government scientists are being blocked from accessing WikiLeaks' Web sites for fear it will "contaminate" their computers, CNET has learned.

Starting last week, Department of Energy installations began barring access to WikiLeaks and its myriad of mirror sites, which have been disclosing confidential State Department documents on a daily basis.

"Sandia has blocked the site and its mirrors," said Stephanie Holinka, a spokeswoman at Sandia National Laboratories' Albuquerque headquarters. A spokesman for Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, Va., confirmed it's also "blocking access to WikiLeaks and its mirror sites.&… Read more

Apple found liable in Cover Flow patent case

A jury last week found Apple guilty of infringing on three patents held by a small Texas company and ordered the company to pay as much as $600 million in damages, according to Bloomberg news service.

Bloomberg reported that Apple was ordered to pay Mirror Worlds $208 million in damages for infringing on each of the three patents. The patents relate to how documents are displayed on a computer screen and are related to Apple's Cover Flow technology, which it uses in the Mac OS, on iPods, and in the iOS operating system used on the iPhone and iPad. … Read more

Dangerous deliveries

Mirror's Edge was already available for iPad, but it now makes its debut on the iPhone as probably the best of the running/escaping genre on iOS devices. Based on the popular 3D first-person running game for consoles and desktop computers, Mirror's Edge for iPhone manages to keep the overall aesthetic of the 3D versions, but with a side-scrolling 2D (2.5D?) variation. Even with the lack of first-person views, Mirror's Edge for iPhone manages to be very fun and visually intense (especially on the iPhone 4's Retina Display) as you run through increasingly challenging levels … Read more

Sling webs and run for your life: iPhone apps of the week

As we close out a week that brought us a new line of iPods, an upgrade to the Apple TV, and news of several new features via iOS upgrades, we're pretty happy here at CNET to be on the eve of a three-day weekend. With the extra day of leisure in mind, I've decided to promote a couple of new (or new to iPhone) games that should give you plenty to do during downtime over the long weekend.

If your planned activities and this iPhone gaming duo don't fill up your long weekend, ponder this: as the reviews start to roll in about the latest devices from Apple next week, which will be the biggest hits (and misses)? Even with the low price point, can the Apple TV replace your cable connection? Is the new iPod Nano a welcome fashion accessory or a waste of a touch screen? Will your new smaller shuffle just end up in the wash? What do you think of adding video and FaceTime to the iPod Touch? Let me know what you think in the comments.

This week's apps include an action game with our favorite web slinger and a beautiful side-scrolling running game where your goal is to escape.… Read more