Flint's Best Mix » technology

Five Things Experts in 1988 Predicted We'd Have By Now and Three Predictions They Missed

Jeremy Fenech — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:35:01 +0000

If you haven’t heard about this yet, back on April 3rd 1988, the “Los Angeles Times Magazine” had a cover story predicting what life would be like in 2013. It’s now 25 years later, and a class at USC is looking back to see how accurate the predictions were. Here are five things the article [...]

3-D Drawings Arrive In Technology

J. Patrick — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:44:21 +0000

It looks like a real Rubik’s Cube, doesn’t it? The reality is that this cube in this amazing video is not real, neither is the roll of tape, or the tennis shoe. Technology is moving so fast and sometimes it is fun just to watch in amazement at what they can do. This video is [...]

Is Your Information Secure? Do You Use One Of The 'Worst' Passwords?

J. Patrick — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:51:12 +0000

There are so many things that we need passwords for in our life. To sign on the computer, to check out bank account,, to log in our work or vacation time on our jobs work-site. And with all these passwords, do you use ones that are really secure? Could someone guess your passwords and really disrupt your world? Are you vulnerable to a hacker figuring out your password?.

iPad Mini Is Latest from Apple

J. Patrick — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 13:41:25 +0000

Technology is racing ahead. It seems that everyday there is a new technical offering that supersedes anything we've seen before. Just weeks after Apple released the iPhone 5 comes a new offering the iPad Mini.

New Way to Learn: Michigan Classrooms Flipping Out [VIDEO]

George McIntyre — Wed, 02 May 2012 12:55:49 +0000

Technology has changed the way we work, the way we interact with friends, and now the way students learn.

The 'Flipped-Classroom' model turns traditional classroom methods upside down. Rather than receiving instruction in class through a lecture, students are getting video-based instruction, often at home. Class time is devoted to discussing and applying the material.

One Michigan school is reporting tremendous success.

Grocery Carts of the Future Will Stalk, Annoy, and Criticize You [VIDEO]

George McIntyre — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:00:32 +0000

One day in the near future, you'll be able to throw on your pajamas, head to Meijer or Walmart, and be nagged, nitpicked, and chastised by your talking grocery cart.

No pushing: New 'stalker' technology will enable the cart to follow you, freeing you to use both hands for texting. We can only hope it comes with a 'child emulation' setting, which will allow its sensors to work sporadically, in order to make it hit your ankles at least twice in each aisle.

Spoof Follow-Up to Dad that Shot Daughter's Laptop [NSFW VIDEO]

George McIntyre — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 01:11:40 +0000

Remember Tommy Jordan, the dad that shot his daughter’s laptop? Well, the guy in the video isn’t him. The girl isn’t his daughter Hannah. It’s a pretty funny follow-up, but it’s fakety-fakety-fake-fake-fake. It’s also not suitable for at-work viewing, well unless your workplace is like mine, where we make a game out of seeing who [...]

Science and Technology Jobs Available – Too Challenging?

J. Patrick — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:47:13 +0000

Millions of people are unemployed in America these days, but there ARE jobs out there. If you check the employment classified you just might find a number of jobs available in the fields of, science, technology, engineering, and math. Millions of Americans may be out of work, but numerous surveys have shown lots of job opportunities in these fields (dubbed STEM by the analysts) — so why aren’t more students considering them?

A new study indicates many kids feel getting into those professions would simply be “too challenging.”

Tech-Obsessed Family Poses for Awesome Christmas Card [PHOTO]

George McIntyre — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:38:35 +0000

Best. Christmas card. Ever. This techy bunch even signed their card using texting lingo.

I wish I would have thought of this. Wait, my wife would never go for it.

It's the thought that counts, right?

Make Technology Guidelines Part of your Back-to-School Planning [VIDEO]

George McIntyre — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:06:49 +0000

As many of us sent kids back to school today, we helped them gather notebooks, pencils and calculators for their backpacks, and helped them pick out the perfect outfit to make the right impression. But did we do enough?

Today, Facebook, text messaging, and various other means of electronic communication are part of our kids' everyday means of communication. Do they know the rules? Have they been reminded that once they hit "send," (or "post" or "upload" etc.) there's no going back? Take a moment to remind them.

Cars 108′s Weekly Roundup – What You May Have Missed

George McIntyre — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 17:08:01 +0000

We covered it, but you didn’t read it? Well, we’ll give you one more chance! Move past the jump for a recap of things to do, entertaining videos, a little bit of this, and even a little bit of that. Flint-Area News: Mayor Walling chats with Cars 108′s Rod & Erin about Flint’s crime initiative [...]

Cars 108′s Week in Review – What You May Have Missed

George McIntyre — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 14:44:16 +0000

From Flint news and area festivals, to sports, charitable events and some pretty doggone entertaining videos, we’ve covered a lot this week at WCRZ.com. Some of the things you may have missed this week are conveniently bundled into one easy-to-carry package, right after the jump! In Flint News: How is Genesee County using its $1 [...]

The 3D Printer Of The Future Is Here [VIDEO]

Jeremy Fenech — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 13:01:18 +0000

Replicators have been a part of science-fiction shows like "Star Trek: The Next Generation" for years. That kind of technology seems like decades or even centuries away, but the future is here!

This new printer can copy and recreate virtually anything, complete with moving parts. After the jump, watch as a wrench is copied. Its duplicate is strong enough to tighten bolts just like the original.

New Web Service Wants to Give You a Pretend Facebook Girlfriend

J. Patrick — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:07:56 +0000

A start-up company called Cloud Girlfriend claims it will create the virtual, social network-friendly girlfriend you don't have in real life.

According to Cloud Girlfriend's Web site, this is how the process works:

Step 1: Define your perfect girlfriend. Step 2: We bring her into existence. Step 3: Connect and interact with her publicly on your favorite social network. Step 4: Enjoy a public long distance relationship with your perfect girl.

There are, however, questions about whether this service will be allowed on social networking sites such as Facebook, which have rules prohibiting computer controlled accounts.

Two Dogs 'Talk' Via Video Conference [VIDEO]

Rod Prahin — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 16:12:04 +0000

We have finally come to this, two dogs catching up via video conference. I don't know why I find that so unusual, my dog Claire will actually sit and watch other dogs on television for extended periods of time, and bark back.
Check out Buckley and Mr. Marbles after the jump.

High-School Student Attends School as a Robot [VIDEO]

J. Patrick — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:41:11 +0000

Lydon Batty suffers from polycystic kidney disease, which weakens his immune system to the extent that he can’t attend school with the other children.

But now a four-foot-tall mobile telepresence system allows the high-school freshman from Knox City, TX., to be right in the classroom with his peers.

New iPhone APP Called "My Virtual Girlfriend" Part Game, Part Entertainment And Pretty Creepy [VIDEO]

Rod Prahin — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 15:29:50 +0000

The 99 cent app lets players select a virtual girlfriend based on things like naughtiness, sense of humor, intelligence and even responsibility. You tell the app what characteristics you like, then choose the physical attributes that you had in mind. Once you choose your new totally-fake girlfriend, you’ll have things to do with her: you [...]

(It's Happening)…Verizon Finally Lands The iPhone

Rod Prahin — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 14:58:13 +0000

I know, we have been hearing the rumors on and off for the last year or so, this time it’s for real. Sources say the largest U.S. wireless carrier will make the announcement tomorrow, at an event in New York. And the iPhone will soon be available to Verizon users. The phone is expected to [...]

A Refrigerator That Will Generate A Shopping List

Erin Bishop — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 15:09:08 +0000

Rod mentioned earlier that a new refrigerator will be coming out that will generate a shopping list for you. I’m not a fan of the grocery store so this will definitely help me out. The list would be based on the inventory inside the fridge. How it works, is the fridge will use the bar [...]

Multitasking Slows Kids' Brain Activity

George McIntyre — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:32:32 +0000

We multitask. Our kids multitask. In fact, many kids today have grown up in an era where multitasking is simply a way of life. Researchers are now worrying that too much technology and multitasking can cause kids’ developing brains to get so used to switching from task to task, that they’ll never be able to [...]