Innovation : All Tech Considered An exploration of interesting ideas that solve problems, introduce new experiences or even change our world.

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Innovation

Friday November 29, 2013

Businesses Woo Customers With Free Phone-Charging Stations

Customers at Honeygrow in Philadelphia can charge their cellphones while they dine using one of Doug Baldasare's kiosks. Emma Lee/For NewsWorks hide caption

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Emma Lee/For NewsWorks

Businesses Woo Customers With Free Phone-Charging Stations

WHYY

November 29, 2013 • It's not an uncommon experience for smartphone owners: You're out for lunch or running errands, you suddenly realize your phone battery is low, and you panic. A Philadelphia entrepreneur thinks he's found the solution, and it's supposed to help phone owners and stores.

Businesses Woo Customers With Free Phone-Charging Stations

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Wednesday November 27, 2013

I Can Haz Spanish Lessons: Cat Pictures Now Have A Purpose

A screen shot from Cat Spanish, a new app by online learning company Memrise. Courtesy of Cat Academy hide caption

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Courtesy of Cat Academy

I Can Haz Spanish Lessons: Cat Pictures Now Have A Purpose

November 27, 2013 • It's no secret cats rule the Internet. Now, just flipping through cat pictures can be an educational experience. A new iOS app called Cat Spanish teaches 1,000 basic phrases by showing you flash cards of cute cats.

Wednesday November 20, 2013

Russian App Wants E-Book Piracy To End, Happily Ever After

Moscow-based app Bookmate has a subscription e-book service — similar to others on the U.S. market, but with more of a focus on targeting piracy in emerging literary markets. Courtesty of Bookmate hide caption

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Courtesty of Bookmate

Innovation

Russian App Wants E-Book Piracy To End, Happily Ever After

November 20, 2013 • In an attempt to turn a page on rampant literary piracy in Russia, one Moscow-based company created a subscription e-book service that it hopes will decrease the incentive for free, illegal downloads.

Friday November 15, 2013

Cellphones As Radios: Immigrants Dial In To Native Stations

Boubacar Sanogo from Mali drives a cab in New York City and listens to ZenoRadio on his smartphone — though it can also be accessed using a more basic model. Margot Adler/NPR hide caption

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Margot Adler/NPR

Innovation

Cellphones As Radios: Immigrants Dial In To Native Stations

November 15, 2013 • ZenoRadio hooks up more than 1 million listeners to radio stations around the world by making a call to a U.S. phone number. The company founder came up with the idea when he realized that most U.S. cellphone plans have unlimited calling, and many immigrants have cellphones but no on-the-job Internet connection.

Cellphones As Radios: Immigrants Dial In To Native Stations

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Thursday November 14, 2013

A prototype of a flexible battery from Imprint Energy, one of 40 companies working on battery technology in the San Francisco Bay Area. Imprint Energy hide caption

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Imprint Energy

All Tech Considered

Electric Cars Drive Demand For Cheaper, More Powerful Batteries

KQED

November 14, 2013 • Unlike the technologies in laptops, smartphones and electric cars, the batteries inside them have been slow to evolve. In Silicon Valley, more than 40 companies are working on finding a battery breakthrough. And they're facing international competition.

Electric Cars Drive Demand For Cheaper, More Powerful Batteries

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Wednesday November 13, 2013

This Device Lets You Order A Pizza With The Push Of A Button

Parts for the PiePal were 3-D printed. Courtesy of iStrategyLabs hide caption

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Courtesy of iStrategyLabs

Innovation

This Device Lets You Order A Pizza With The Push Of A Button

November 13, 2013 • It's midnight, and you're hungry. If picking up the phone or using an app is too much hassle, a new innovation has you covered. You could call it "the emergency pizza button."

Wednesday November 6, 2013

4-D Printing Means Building Things That Build Themselves

H. Jerry Qi, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Colorado University, holds simple models printed using polymers that have "shape memory." The flat piece on the left can reshape itself into a box with the application of heat. Glenn J. Asakawa/University of Colorado hide caption

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Glenn J. Asakawa/University of Colorado

Innovation

4-D Printing Means Building Things That Build Themselves

November 6, 2013 • You've heard of 3-D printing — now add one more dimension. Researchers are figuring out how to create structures that move and respond to their environment after they're printed.

Monday November 4, 2013

Sportvision Wants To Take You (Home) To The Ballgame

Sportvision uses helicopter and water-based platforms to superimpose the national flags of competing teams over broadcasts of the America's Cup sailing competitions. Courtesy of Sportvision hide caption

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Courtesy of Sportvision

Innovation

Sportvision Wants To Take You (Home) To The Ballgame

November 4, 2013 • You may know Sportvision as the creators of the yellow line you see on the field during football broadcasts. But the company makes graphical enhancements for all kinds of sports — and hopes its innovations will make watching games on TV even better than cheering from the sidelines.

Sportvision Wants To Take You (Home) To The Ballgame

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Wednesday October 30, 2013

Weekly Innovation: A Light Bulb That's Also A Flashlight

When charged, the Bulb Flashlight can stay on for three hours. Courtesy of the MoMA Store hide caption

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Courtesy of the MoMA Store

Innovation

Weekly Innovation: A Light Bulb That's Also A Flashlight

October 30, 2013 • With this dual-purpose device, you won't have to fumble around for a flashlight for trick-or-treating, or the next time the power goes out. The Bulb Flashlight is a low-heat, rechargeable LED bulb that doubles as a handheld flashlight.

Wednesday October 23, 2013

Weekly Innovation: Huggable Lamp Fits Into Dark Corners

The Soft Light is currently a prototype only. Simon-Frambach.com hide caption

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Simon-Frambach.com

Innovation

Weekly Innovation: Huggable Lamp Fits Into Dark Corners

October 23, 2013 • German design student Simon Frambach's prototype works like any other lamp except that its shade is made of soft, foamed polyurethane. You can use the Soft Light as a pillow or stuff it into dark corners.

Wednesday October 16, 2013

Innovation: A Portable Generator Charges Devices With Fire

The FlameStower can charge USB-powered devices with fire. Courtesy of FlameStower hide caption

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Courtesy of FlameStower

Innovation

Innovation: A Portable Generator Charges Devices With Fire

October 16, 2013 • The FlameStower can cook a pot of rice and charge a cellphone at the same time. This innovation has the potential to bring power to people in developing countries who have cellphones but not electricity.

Wednesday October 9, 2013

An Innovation For Pain Relief That's Worthy Of Some Buzz

Buzzy uses high-frequency vibration and a cold pack to make shots, well ... if not enjoyable, then at least bearable. MMJ Labs hide caption

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MMJ Labs

Innovation

An Innovation For Pain Relief That's Worthy Of Some Buzz

October 9, 2013 • With a son who had a phobia of needles, Dr. Amy Baxter stumbled upon a solution: a high-frequency vibrating ice pack that helps disrupt pain signals on their way to the brain. She stuck a cute bee on the front, won a $1 million federal health grant, and the product now known as Buzzy was born.

Wednesday October 2, 2013

Whoosh: Pneumatic Tubes Give The Tooth Fairy A Boost

The pneumatic transport system, which carries a capsule from one end to the other, is controlled by a valve and an iPhone app. The app also includes sending options for the Easter Bunny and Santa, although they haven't been developed yet. Jeff Highsmith hide caption

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Jeff Highsmith