He’s Back

Posted on June 10, 2014 by loiswhitmanhess

I want to be sure you are hip with the younger set. One way to make that happen is to tell your children and/or grandchild that the guy who brought us “Gangham Style“‘ is back with a new music video, They will be so impressed. “Gangham Style” generated over two billion views.

The Korean rapper named Psy, just released a music video for his new single “Hangover,” featuring American rapper Snoop Dogg. The video is already up to eight million hits.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you. If you are over 40, watching this five-minute video could make you disgusted with music forever.

A Shift In Search

Posted on June 9, 2014 by loiswhitmanhess

Photo by: Gethiredfast.com

I don’t remember trends changing so much, so fast, when I was young. Today, in the world of the Internet, you really can’t count on anything being dominant for too long. I was a little surprised to learn that Google, Yahoo, and Bing are getting some serious competition from smartphone apps. It is becoming increasingly popular to search for information on apps that focus on the specific interests you are investigating.. I am quickly learning that more and more of my friends are really becoming quite dependent on the apps they like. I guess it only makes sense that they would seek counsel from information sources they trust.

Tech Crunch, a tech site, recently noted that most of our research is being done on our smartphones as compared to desktops, To quote them “Google is all search for everything but can’t necessarily tell us in a click the best restaurant or what the price is on a coveted item. We use niche travel apps such as Kayak to look up travel info, Trulia to search for homes and local business search company Yelp to look up local businesses.”

Tech Crunch pointed out that a Nielsen consumer report says we’re “spending an average of 34 hours using the Internet on our mobile phones every month compared to 27 hours using the Internet on our desktop.”

There’s lots of interesting information on this. Click here to read more.

Binoculars Meet iPhone

Posted on June 8, 2014 by loiswhitmanhess

If you love sports, concerts, and bird watching, then you are going to love the field binoculars. When the binoculars attach to iPhone, it is perfect for either easy viewing and/or recording. The 36mm lenses on the binoculars deliver 8X magnification for a 465-foot field of view at 1,

The unit is being sold at Hammacher Schlemmer for $99. The description reads “When the phone is in camera mode, the screen displays all magnified images as if it were an external monitor. The included phone case seals snugly over one eyepiece, aligning the phone’s camera with the binocular lens. Included phone cases fit iPhone 5S/5 and 4S/4. The field glasses also function as standard binoculars when detached. Includes carrying case and cleaning cloth. 1 3/4″ H x 6″ W x 7” L. (2 lbs.).

My friend Steve just gifted the binoculars to me. I wanted to let you know about them immediately. After I use it a few times, i will give you a review.

Become Your Own Optician

Posted on June 7, 2014 by loiswhitmanhess

The wonders of technology. You can now have the ability to adjust your own prescription just by turning a dial on your regular or sunglasses. At first I just couldn’t believe it and then I heard of Adlens Adjustables.

For just $69.00, Adlens lets you pick near, intermediate, and distance corrections. Tiny dials on each side of the frames make the adjustments. Adlens claims, “This functionality allows the same pair of glasses to be used for close-up activities and seeing clearly in the distance.”

The unique Alvarez technology alters the power of each lens. “When the dials are turned, two overlapping wave-shaped plates glide across one another, creating the perfect amount of sight clarity for the user.”

I find this absolutely amazing. Click here to watch a YouTube explanation.,

In My Camera Roll

Posted on June 6, 2014 by loiswhitmanhess

Fredrik Eklund of Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing agreed to take this photo with us if we promised never to do business with Ryan and Luis.

Take a tip from DigiDame. I took six pictures of all of my jewelry. Filed it away. You never know.

You may think this is a pile of white mints. “It’s actually a memorial to my father,” says artist Felix Gonzalez-Torres. The installation can be seen at the DeLa Cruz private museum in Miami. The 175-pound pile of mints represents his late father’s weight. He wants everyone to take a mint. It is replenished every few days.

Old Jews Telling Jewish Food Stories

Posted on June 4, 2014 by loiswhitmanhess

Babka, Borscht, Chopped Liver, Knish, Farfel, Schmaltz,, Blintz, and Challah. There’s something about old-time Jewish food that makes everyone smile. You don’t have to be Jewish to appreciate the memories of sinking your teeth into one of these delectable, comfort treats.

That’s the premise of a new coffee table book, my friend Aaron Rezny, is putting together with Jordan Schaps. Both are well-known photographers. The book features artistic photos of your favorite Jewish foods plus anecdotes from notable personalities.

Not everyone writing essays is Jewish. You just have to love the food. The two Jewish contributors who you will know are Joan Rivers and me. Oy vey, enough said.

What does this have to do with technology? Most of the communications for this book took place via email and texting. All of the requests, interviews, research, editing, and design was done online. Everyone worked independently and then pooled their efforts to achieve what Rezny and Schaps hope will be a keepsake. I will let you know when it goes on sale.

My story features the Charlotte Russe. You remember that?

Pop-Up Tech Parties

Posted on June 4, 2014 by loiswhitmanhess

The tech industry may be full of nerds, but they sure know how to party. Eliot and I joined our good friend Robin Raskin and her friend Judy Tomlinson at a pop-up Tech Cocktail party in the Design District last night. This was the debut of the Miami’s showcase where 10 startups pitched their ideas to investors. Make sure you click on Robin’s link because she is one of the most remarkable women in tech. I’m going to do another blog post about her,

I’m also going to do another piece about Judy because she is an engineer who designs digital jewelry. As you know, there is a whole new industry called wearables. That means you wear technology in the form of a necklace, wristwatch, ring, pin, and other yet-to-be named accessories.

Robin and Judy

Both Robin and Judy were in Miami for a Boston Consulting gig and heard about the Tech Cocktail meetup in a local warehouse, so we went along with them. Tech Cocktail parties pop-up all over the country and their purpose is to promote local start-ups. We met some creative people at a few innovative companies that we will write about in the coming weeks.

Here are some photos from last night. It was pretty dark in there.

–

No Regrets

Posted on June 3, 2014 by loiswhitmanhess

Mindful.org/noregrets

Deathbed regrets. It was only a matter of time till I got to this topic. We are of the age when time matters. We only have a limited time to fulfill our dreams.

There is an article (now turned audio) that discusses the most common deathbed regrets people in their senior years do have.

This topic is being circulated around the Internet because the 20 and 30 year olds of today talk more about their bucket list more than we ever did. Good for them. I have some friends who only have one or two things completed. Thankfully, most have achieved more of their wish list than not.

I’m grateful to Umano, an audio app that reads articles from all over the world, that recently covered this topic. Click here to hear a critical care nurse talk about the regrets people have told her on their deathbeds. It’s any eye opener.

As long as we have our health, let’s work at having no regrets.

Starting Your Week With Two Amazing Videos

Posted on June 2, 2014 by loiswhitmanhess

I had to share these two videos with you because they are absolutely amazing. It’s also amazing that you can hear about two events during a conversation and then find them on YouTube by just using the proper keywords. We live in such a different world than our parents. I wonder if they would have liked the Internet?

The first is a motorcycle race with an unbelievable ending. Don’t miss it. I think everyone lived. The second is a segment from the Ellen Show that is going to blow your mind. Get ready, set, click.

I also want to take this opportunity to congratulate my friends Gail (Goldman) and Eric Schneider on their Torah dedication today at the Chabad House. It was a wonderful ceremony. Mazel Tov and thank you for inviting us.

Times have changed. I loved when the Rabbi announced that the ceremony was about to start and now was the time to shutdown Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. He wanted everyone focused on the signing of the Torah. I thought to myself, “That’s a pretty hip Rabbi.”