GeekSugar

New App Lets You See the World in a Whole New Way

GeekSugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 07:33:23 PDT

Obviously, I'm all about apps. Apps that help me take better photos, look better, and even find a cab in New York (it's possible). So if I had an app that turned my phone into a virtual Looking Glass - that let me see anything from apartments for rent to how high a building is just by holding up my phone to the horizon - I'd be all over it. I'm sure you will share my enthusiasm when I tell you that this type of technology is totally within our reach with an app called Layar.

Layar allows you to see things like apartment rentals, ratings on restaurants, available jobs, and where you can go to get medical care within your preferred provider network, all just by holding up your phone in video mode. Points of interest pop up as you scroll from building to building. Really, it's kinda hard to explain this "augmented reality," so I will allow the video demo to take care of that.

To see more about how this groundbreaking new app works, just

I'd Take My "Looking Glass" With Me Everywhere

GeekSugar — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:00:29 PDT

I have come to realize how handy it is to have an iPhone attached to my hip at all times. Because of its fast Internet and cool apps, I can find almost anything, anytime, anywhere. But realistically, as awesome as it is, my iPhone can't tell me absolutely everything. It certainly can't show me how to get to my three o'clock meeting via a 3D-floor plan, scan objects for fingerprints, and wirelessly transfer photos from my computer.

But if this picture into the future above is any indication, we might be able to learn things we never have before with something called a "Looking Glass" – similar to the "Magical Windows" discussed months ago – which seems to be a mobile computer complete with a camera, scanner, touch screen, WiFi accessibility, and photo analysis - all in one sleek device in a form we all know and (most of us) love.

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To see why I would be the first on my block to pick up my own "Looking Glass",

Just imagine sitting down to lunch with the girls, and whipping out your "Looking Glass" to find out how many calories are in that basket of onion rings, or holding up the device to the stars, and having it tell you what constellations are in your sky. Amazing, right? I thought so, too. Here's to the future.

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Hysteria Director Tanya Wexler Talks Vibrators, Faking It, and Duck Sex

Tara Block — Fri, 25 May 2012 04:00:15 PDT

Don't be shy . . . It's time to talk sex toys! And Hysteria director Tanya Wexler is writing us a prescription for pleasure. Tanya's film - what she calls "the vibrator movie you can bring your mom to" - is in limited release and stars Hugh Dancy, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Rupert Everett. When working on a romantic comedy that centers around the invention of the vibrator, you end up with some entertaining and embarrassing situations along the way, and lucky for us, Tanya spilled all the hilariously dirty details. From teaming up with the film's partner Jimmyjane for a drive-by vibrator drop-off to a certain female Oscar-winner to trying unsuccessfully to get ducks to shag on command, Tanya was bursting with great stories from working on this very unconventional film. And while Tanya isn't ashamed to discuss the sexy subject matter of her latest film with us, the mother of four and her partner of 21 years did have a tricky challenge telling her preteen kids what her movie was about. (She eventually gave them the script and let them figure it out themselves!) Check out our interview with the fun-loving director now, and we dare you not to have a girl crush on her by the end!

TrèsSugar: What were some of the challenges to getting a movie made about vibrators?
Tanya Wexler: Getting the script right was tricky because if you just make a movie about the invention of the vibrator, it's actually a really short movie: you go "bzz" and it's done. And we had a kind of light romantic comedy. I say I made the vibrator movie you can bring your mom to. But some people wanted it to be raunchy or some people wanted it to be more serious and about feminism. People project a lot onto this movie of what they want, because there isn't a lot out there about vibrators and women's pleasure, and we still don't really deal with that topic very well, or we're overly antsy around it. And as a result, people have a lot of ideas of what the movie could and should be, and you can't please everyone. [laughs]

TS: Ha, good one.
TW: It's nonstop!

TS: Do you find sex toys inherently funny or something to be seriously celebrated?
TW: Yes!

TS: Both?
TW: Yes! Yes. I think they make me laugh, and I think that the inner kind of Beavis and Butt-head in all of us goes "[laugh]." You know, that inner 13-year-old, like, "Hahaha vibrator . . . " and yet they're awesome and fun.

TS: What shocked you the most when researching the movie?
TW: That ducks are the rapists of the bird world, and you'll see when you see the movie, because there's a little bit of questionable duck behavior - or awesome duck behavior - in the movie. It's totally a sidebar, but you cannot make ducks shag on command. I'm just saying.

TS: What about the whole history of hysteria being a medical condition?
TW: When I first heard the idea, I was like, "What do you mean it was invented in Victorian times?" I knew about hysteria, but the idea that the treatment was manual [British accent] massage deparaxism - which is what they called it - and, of course, the denial. The most shocking thing is the denial, that they didn't think it was sexual.

TS: Do you think they were really in denial?
TW: No, I don't think that some people were. My college roommate was with her high school boyfriend for two years and she had never had an orgasm. I think there's all kinds of denial, especially with women's sexuality. So the fact that there are young women today who haven't had an orgasm, whether self-induced - which is insane - or with a partner, then why wouldn't we think back then that women wouldn't know what orgasms were?

They would get a massage, and the doctor's saying, "Without a penis, this isn't sex, because sex is about procreation," so what is this? The best physical therapy you've ever had. So once you don't think of it as something other than what the doctor's supposed to do to cure your uncontrollable crying or uncontrollable laughter or whatever, then it's just an awesome muscle spasm. If you don't think women have their own inherent sexuality, then you're not thinking about it like that.

Keep reading for Tanya's thoughts on Fifty Shades and more!

Brad Pitt Lets Loose in Cannes With a Drink in Hand

Lauren Turner — Tue, 22 May 2012 18:48:11 PDT

Brad Pitt was still decked out in his tuxedo when he was spotted at the Eden Roc Hotel in France today. He held onto a glass as he left the building in his black-tie look. Earlier today Brad promoted Killing Them Softly with a photocall, press conference, and a red-carpet premiere. He was without his real-life leading lady Angelina Jolie for the glamorous events, as she's busy getting ready to start filming her next project. She was the topic of conversation, though, when Brad revealed that they have yet to set a wedding date despite becoming engaged last month.

See How We Gave This Ikea Lampshade a Nautical Twist!

Angela Swinderman Elias — Tue, 22 May 2012 10:49:44 PDT

As part of our Styled by You $500 Giveaway with IKEA, Elka Karl and I have been thinking of ways to punch up basic Ikea products. You may have seen how I added block-printed ikat polka dots to this Asele lampshade ($15). Well, now I'm revisiting the same shade with an entirely different approach. Armed with some thin manila rope, a glue gun, and a Bran table lamp base ($20), I set out to create a nautical-inspired lamp with a modern twist.

Keep reading to discover how easy it was to create my rope lampshade!

Tips For Pulling Off an Elegant Spring Picnic Indoors

Angela Swinderman Elias — Wed, 16 May 2012 05:00:07 PDT

Uncooperative Spring weather can be the perfect excuse to experiment with alternatives to outdoor entertaining, like an elegant indoor picnic. Matthew David Hopkins, Creative Director of 360 Design Events, insists it's the best way to meld the laid-back feel of outdoor entertaining with the glamour of indoor dining. Impressed by his stunning Indian-inspired picnic spread, we grilled him on the details for getting the look.

CS: Is it possible for most home entertainers to pull together an indoor picnic from their own closets and cabinets?

MH: Start with the place settings. Likely, you can find most of the elements in your own kitchen cabinets. Wine glasses, silverware, napkins, trays, and votive candles (for romance) all add to the look. Choose a mix of special and everyday items.

Add metallic flair with these Antiqued Tapered Votive Holders ($18 for a set of 6).

CS: What's one unexpected item someone should use for an indoor picnic?

MH: In picking out the blanket, you might think - it's going on the floor (or ground) so it shouldn't be too nice. Switch up that thinking and go for the opposite. I have this great tapestry I found in India years ago. My Mom always said, "Why have things if you don't use them?" And that stuck with me. The blanket is the biggest opportunity to make an impression here - so go for it!

Keep reading for more of Matthew's tips on pulling off the perfect indoor picnic!

Go Behind the Doors of Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux's New Beverly Hills Rental

Angela Swinderman Elias — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:57:14 PDT

Known for having a serious house-hopping habit, Jennifer Aniston reportedly has a new piece of real estate to call home. While she's still planning to move into the $21 million Bel Air estate she purchased in January, she's set her sights on a swanky Beverly Hills pad to rent while renovations on her Bel Air home are being completed.

While the selling price for the exquisitely designed, Asian-inspired rental is a whopping $11.5 million, Jennifer Aniston and beau Justin Theroux can shack up temporarily for a mere $40,000 per month. The 6,500-square-foot, five-bedroom, and six-and-a -half-bathroom rental, with exteriors designed by Hal Levitt, is perfectly suited for a modern-architecture enthusiast like Jennifer. The home is equipped with perks like the latest RTI Smart Home technology, a state-of-the-art home theater/entertainment system, a stone-lined temperature-controlled wine room, and LED glass lighting installations that fuse brilliantly with the home's sleek and modern aesthetic. Take a look at the new zen-like pad and cast your predictions for whether or not Jennifer and Justin will want to move once their Bel Air renovations are complete!

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See How We Transformed an Ikea Lampshade With a Potato

Angela Swinderman Elias — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:30:36 PDT

As part of our Styled by You $500 Giveaway with Ikea, Elka and I have been re-envisioning some Ikea products, thinking beyond the flatpack. Today, I'm sharing my first project, which was made with an ÅSELE lamp shade ($15) and a BRÅN Clear Glass Table Lamp Base ($20).

I was inspired by an Uzbeki ikat polka-dot fabric and was determined to re-create the look on my own. I decided to take a block-printing approach to replicate the pattern but needed some inspiration for an easy way to create a stamp. Enter the potato. Keep reading to see how this common household vegetable became the key to unlocking my coveted Uzbeki pattern!

Boulder, CO: A Food Mecca in the Rockies

Susannah Chen — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:12:12 PDT

Recently, I found myself with the prospect of being in Boulder, CO, for a long weekend. It was an opportunity that I seized faster than a dog would take leftovers. Aside from being home to the University of Colorado's flagship college campus, Boulder's also known for its food-centric, health-focused, and highly educated population - last year, it was even named America's Foodiest Town by Bon Appétit. I traveled with a mixture of anticipation and uncertainty, curious to find out if this town at the foot of the mountains lived up to all its hype. Read on to see where my stomach led me in Boulder.

Top 10 Thrilling 3D Moments in The Avengers

Anna Monette Roberts — Fri, 04 May 2012 07:00:46 PDT

Avengers fans, rest assured, you have every reason to be excited for the film's release on Friday. The visual effects in The Avengers are absolutely stunning, and the 3D rendering draws you straight into the action.

With six superheroes to follow, the action scenes are diverse and gripping, with just the right amount of near-death drama to keep you on the edge of your seat. Explosions galore, flying contraptions, rad weaponry, and battles by air and by sea, there are plenty of jaw-dropping moments thanks to the mastery of Industrial Light & Magic's visual effects. Without giving away any pertinent plot details, here are 10 scenes that 3D and effects fans can look forward to.

The massive security center that secures the tesseract cube implodes during a car chase. As tons of concrete rubble is sucked into the earth, its force nearly drags the cars down too.
The whopping 1,500-foot fleet carrier S.H.I.E.L.D. base transforms into a flying space ship. Just when you think it can't get any cooler, its reflective panels engage, making it disappear.
Thor and Iron Man (arguably the best-looking men on the team) duke it out in the woods, destroying a lot of trees in the meantime. I don't know what's more awesome: seeing Thor's thunderous strength match up against Iron Man's tech-savvy smarts, or the hilarious banter between the two.
It's the moment everyone is anticipating: when will Hulk emerge from Dr. Banner? When Dr. Banner's anger hits a climax, it only takes a few heavy, unnerving breaths before the Hulk roars his way into his monstrous size.
Trapped in a glass capsule, Thor clatters around violently as he plunges 30,000 feet into the Earth. The impact decimates the wilderness around him, yet Thor's quick recovery is glorious.

Click here to read about five more awesome scenes.