Record Calls And In-Person Conversations With JIC

There is new technology out on the market that will greatly aid journalists, secret agents and office workers who want to bust  the bullies. Called JIC (Just In Case), this is the world’s first iPhone case that will let you record calls and conversations. While JIC is now on the market, the big question is this: how will certain US states deal with its citizens using this new technology?

VR video brings you closer to presidential candidates

Sure, you can watch political debates and rally replays to get a feel for a presidential campaign, but what's it really like to be swept up in the fervor of a meet-and-greet or stump speech? The New York Times might help you find out. It just release...

DIY Color-sensing Nerf Turret Sees Red, Green, Blue…

A couple of years ago, we featured the Pixy, a compact image sensor that can tag hundreds of objects based on their color. Electronics company RobotGeek combined Pixy with a couple of its robot kits to create a small turret that automatically follows and shoots at its targets.

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The turret is a combination of the Pixy and the RobotGeek Desktop Robo Turret with the Foam Dart Gun (i.e. Nerf pistol) attachment. You’ll need to connect the Pixy to the turret’s Geekduino microcontroller via RobotGeek’s Sensor Shield. You can teach it to track certain colors using RobotGeek’s Arduino sketch. It will automatically follow objects that bear the target colors and shoot them if they stay still for a few seconds.

Head to RobotGeek’s Instructables page for the full guide. It’s an expensive toy, but at least you can expand its capabilities and use its parts for other projects.

[via Gadgetify]

Codespace Wants Everyone to Learn to Code

As I’ve pretty much made my entire career in fields where computers are a key element, I know a thing or two about the value an early exposure to coding and tinkering with computers. I first learned the basics of programming back in the 1980s, using languages like Pilot, LOGO and Basic on my old Atari 800. I was fortunate enough to have the resources to own my own personal computer.

Sadly, not all kids get access to such things, and that’s a shame – especially in a world where computers are such an essential part of our lives and livelihoods. In fact, only about 1/4 of pre-college schools teach computer programming to students as part of their curriculum, and even if they do, many states don’t let the courses count towards graduation requirements.

One company that wants to make a difference is Codespace. Just recently launched, the Northville, Michigan company aims to teach the fundamentals of coding to as many people as possible.

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Codespace plans on offering classes with a low student/teacher ratio, with professional developers leading the sessions, and a fun and friendly environment for students of all ages. They’re starting off with a series focused on the basics of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, the core technologies used on every web page on the internet.

Codespace plans on opening its first location this spring in their home town of Northville. Their plan is to spread their curriculum to school systems as well, offering a broader opportunity for students to learn how to code. If you’re interested in learning more about Codespace, you can contact them on their website.