Innovations: Neiman Marcus unveils its mirror for the 21st century

It's all about what's next  •  Sat., Jan. 10, 2015 View in your Web browser

The Weekly Itch, Vol. II The Itch is back! Welcome to my weekly roundup of innovation, tech, creativity and humor. Cool tech of the week Out: Selfie sticks. In: Nixie. There’s really no need for a drone that takes a photo of you, but this is still neat. Nixie is basically a drone you wear on your wrist that flies off … [continued]

Neiman Marcus unveils its mirror for the 21st century

Neiman Marcus is reinventing the mirror. The retailer announced Thursday that it has installed a MemoryMirror from MemoMi in its Walnut Creek, Calif. store. It plans to install two in its San Francisco store later this month and then two in Dallas. The mirror* allows for shoppers to compare in real time how different outfits … [continued]

If Mark Zuckerberg is the next Oprah, Facebook is in trouble

When Mark Zuckerberg makes a New Year’s resolution, people notice. This year, of course, the Facebook chief executive has segued from learning Mandarin to creating one of the Internet’s largest book clubs. His “A Year of Books” Facebook page, which encourages Facebook users to read one new book every two weeks and then discuss online, has … [continued]

Welcome to 2015, where snowplow drivers are trained on simulators

So you want to be a snowplow driver? Good luck learning how in July, or any month without snow. For many jurisdictions there’s often little chance for prospective drivers to get hands-on practice before an area’s first storm arrives. The same goes for keeping their skills fresh in the off season. Some state and municipal governments … [continued]

How one real estate agent plans to use his drone to help sell homes

Tuesday an Arizona man became the first realtor to receive an FAA exemption to operate a drone for commercial use. Douglas Trudeau of Tierra Antigua Realty plans to shoot aerial footage of his clients’ homes and then edit it with other videos and photos to better market the homes. “You only need a few seconds of … [continued]

Who needs movie theaters anyway?

If there’s one positive result from the decision by Sony Pictures to release “The Interview” straight to video instead of exclusively in movie cinemas first, it’s that it has people once more talking about the future of cinema. That’s because “The Interview” got more streams than anyone expected (two million in the first four days) and … [continued]

Why Americans should give drones a chance

Today drones are generally illegal to operate commercially, and Americans are skeptical of them. An Associated Press poll found that only 21 percent of Americans favor commercial use of drones. But amid that bad rap, drones are quietly proving ways they can save taxpayers money, and help businesses serve their customers better. While privacy and safety … [continued]

What you need to know about OLED lighting

Just as consumers are warming up to idea of LED bulbs usurping good old-fashioned Edisons, another challenger seems poised to join the mix.  In December leading lighting manufacturer Acuity Brands introduced a line of OLED lighting products intended for the broader public in the form of two flat panel fixtures: the petal-shaped Chalina and the Aeden, a rectangular minimalist … [continued]

The case for and against the Internet’s best IPO candidates in 2015

This year a number of high-profile Internet companies are vying to become “the next Facebook” or “the next Twitter” – the type of big-name technology IPO that everybody wants a piece of, from Wall Street bankers to Main Street investors. The biggest name among these is Uber, which now boasts a stunning $41 billion valuation after landing more … [continued]