The hunt for cool.

My name is Annabella, pleased to meet you. I am a 21-year-old ILS student. Not born but raised in Eindhoven, and proud to be. I like to call myself a social loner. My aspiration in life is to travel and experience.

[thehuntforcool-blog]

Make tea, not war.

WHAT IS IT?

Twistea’s motto is: ‘Beleven. Ervaren. Proeven. Genieten’. I was about to translate it, until I found out that ‘beleven’ and ‘ervaren’ are the same words in English. Basically, it’s tea. But there’s just something about it than ordinary tea. When you order this at your local place (see website for where you can get it), you get this kind of wheel with various teas. The names are amusing, and there’s a little information about every tea on the package. So you spin the wheel, read some stuff, pick a tea (not in a bag, but actual leaves!) and soak it in your hot water. Next, you turn around the hourglass and wait ‘til you can drink it. Recently, Twistea got sponsored by ING and Dutch government to go on a trip to China, to get more delicious tea.

WHY IS IT COOL?

There are so many concepts and initiatives when it comes to beer and coffee. There are many coffee places with excellent baristas where they spell your name wrong or serve coffee from places you’ve never heard of with cute figures in foam. But tea? Sure, there’s organic tea and we see less tea bags. But how about the experience with tea? You pick one out in the menu and that’s it. Twistea is bringing a twist to that, it opens a conversation and curiosity. My girlfriend ordered tea the other day, and suddenly they served Twistea’s wheel of tea, it pretty much took the space of the whole table. It started something fun between us, and I was jealous I ordered a beer instead of tea! If you ever get the chance, I’d pick Sea of Blossoms or Caramel Superior!

http://www.twistea.nl/

https://www.facebook.com/LetsTwisTea/

[thehuntforcool-blog]

Napcabs.

WHAT IS IT?

Have an overlay of more than five hours? Tiring, isn’t it? I remember when I had to wait for 14 hours in Germany for my flight to Croatia. Luckily, I was a kid but I couldn’t imagine it now that I’m 21-years-old. A Napcab could be quite handy in those situations. The name kind of speaks for itself, cabs to nap in. Right now they’re only to be found in Munich Airport, at terminal 2 to be precise. You can book one up ‘til 12 hours, and it’s really comfy. It contains a bed, small workspace, a touchscreen with many options, charging stations, internet access, and more. In my opinion, there should be many more of these.

WHY IS IT COOL?

It’s cool because they’re nowhere to be found except on Munich, while I can imagine that there are many more airports where people experience a long layover on a daily basis. Sometimes there are options to visit the city you’re in, but sometimes not. To avoid feeling like Tom Hanks in the Terminal, a Napcab could come in quite handy so you can lay down for a bit or get some work done and have your own private space. The whole world is open for everyone, but it seems that it’s usually your own house where you can relax and feel totally comfortable. Places like these could temporarily have the same functions, in a productive way.

http://www.napcabs.com

[thehuntforcool-blog]

Street Food

WHAT IS IT?

In between the busy restaurants Happy Italy and Vapiano’s, there’s this small but beautiful restaurant named Street Food. They serve sandwiches, milkshakes, fish and chips (I personally recommend this) and great Gin-Tonic. I went there a few months ago when they just opened, the food was already sublime but there were minor issues that made me fear of their duration. Happy Italy just opened across of them, Vapiano’s was making its way to Eindhoven as well, and they didn’t have an alcohol permit yet. I sat there alone on their terrace, enjoyed some chips and crusty chicken, chatted with the staff and made my way. I fell in love with the place immediately, but I feared that they’d be gone soon.. Boy, I was so wrong. They got their alcohol permit, and despite the two enormous Italian food chain restaurants, they’re still going strong. You may pay a buck or more, but the quality of the food is just excellent. They care about the experience, and your meal is basically a multiple choice question. What fries would you like? Thick, thin, with or without peel? Do you want salt? Or not? Or would you like some salt with herbs? In Street Food, it’s about your experience and that you’re relaxed. The couple running the place are two driven people who want to make the best out of their beautiful restaurant.

WHY IS IT COOL?

Eindhoven is growing, a fact that I love. More people come to visit, study and live in this city. The opportunities for its citizens and visitors are rising, but it also means that big chain stores and restaurants are coming this way. Zara is becoming bigger, restaurants like Happy Italy and Vapiano’s invade the city, many places are redecorating to keep up with the demands. It has to be cheaper, quick and good. But what about the quality? What about paying a bit more, in your own city? I think that Street Food fits perfectly. They make eating and sitting there interesting, you can pick every detail of your meal and you can customize your Gin-Tonic. Sounds perfect right? It definitely does to me.

http://www.streetfoodeindhoven.nl/

https://www.facebook.com/streetfoodeindhoven

[thehuntforcool-blog]

A space to call (temporarily) your own.

WHAT IS IT?

For workspaces, there are enough initiatives to sign up for so you can work there for a day. Hell, you even get free lunch with it, as long as you’re open for other people to meet and discuss work with. It’s a beautiful way to stay productive, and be social without it being distracting. But what about a workspace for your own, besides your own apartment? Sure, you can go sit in a random hipster coffee place with your laptop with your earphones in, or go to a place like Seats2Meet, but sometimes you simply need solidarity and a space to be in. You don’t even need to work in it, just kick back and relax after a long day of productivity and being social. For that, there is Breather. Beautiful, private spaces you can rent for how long you need it. With all the supplies you need, some even have yoga mats and showers! Whether it’s an hour to get some rest, or eight hours to work, it’s there for you.

WHY IS IT COOL?

We tend to yearn for experiences, everywhere. We need to be prickled constantly, whether it’s socially, by work or in your free time. People tend to move on and on and on like we’re a railway company, like there’s no time to stop. We invent places to be productive and social at the same time, because we lack either/or, due to the other. But how about silence? How about privacy and solidarity? In the urban jungles we live in, we sometimes can’t even find that in the parks or make the time to find it because it somehow feels like it should be far away. So a company like breather is a great initiative and pretty cool. Reserve some time for yourself to maintain a piece of privacy, pay some money for the beautiful spaces they’ve designed for your needs, whether it’s work or emotionally related. 

http://breather.com/

[thehuntforcool-blog]

Edible packaging

WHAT IS IT?

These cute little balls may seem like little bites from Japan, probably based on rice or something sweet. At least, that was what I thought at first. It’s something different thought with a cool skin. They’re called Wikipearls, founded by Wikifoods, INC. Wikifoods, INC got inspired by grapes and coconut, the way they preserve their fruit by a natural layer that is either edible or naturally produced and totally harmless for the environment. It’s a protective layer around the actual fruit and keeps it fresh for quite a while. Why not recreate that, in a different way than plastic, which is really harmful to mother nature? Wikifoods, INC says it’s not only good for the environment, but also good for you. It should benefit you with your health and convenience. Wikifoods, INC is working everyday on new products, right now they created ice cream, yoghurt, soups, cocktails, cheese, water and more.

WHY IS IT COOL?

Firstly why it’s cool, it’s because it looks pretty cool. Bite-sized snacks that look cute. I wouldn’t mind bringing that with me every day in my lunch box! The skin is really a technological progression, it’s not only edible but also biodegradable and healthy. It’s really reaching a high level of sustainability. It gives a sense of convenience, ‘cause they’re only bite-sized. It could even help with a diet, such as take only a maximum of four balls a meal. The world is moving faster these days, people don’t make the time to prepare their breakfasts and lunches, so a portion of Wikipearls would be easy to take with you and consume them. It could make us a bit lazy, but it’s perfect for the people who don’t see the need to make time for preparing and eating food. 

[thehuntforcool-blog]

As easy as a pregnancy test

WHAT IS IT?

"We're making molecular diagnostics as easy as a pregnancy test." says Ben Pascal, co-founder of Invisible Sentinel that makes a handheld DNA tester named Veriflow. It's literally just as easy. You put a sample of your food or drink on the tester: one line means it's safe, two lines means that it's not safe. It's very user-friendly, gives you a rapid diagnostic, and it's more reliable than lab testing. Right now, Veriflow has a tester for salmonella, listeria, E.coli and many more, it even hast testers for beer or wine quality! 

WHY IS IT COOL?

It's cool due to many reasons, in my opinion. First of all, it's much faster than regular lab testing, because you can simply put a sample of your food on the tester, and it seems to be even more reliable as well. I wish I could explain you why, but it has to do with DNA and such. Sadly, I'm not a scientist but I'll provide you with some sources down below so you can read it for yourself. Second reason is that it could reduce the world's food waste. It has happened a few times already that a certain type of food was claimed to be dangerous, but in the end didn't turn out to be so dangerous. In 2008 it happened to tomatoes, it was claimed they had salmonella in them. A lot of people stopped buying tomatoes, so much that 32% of the total crop in the US went unharvested. This could, no, this should be a huge thing and applied in big companies!

Click here for the website

[thehuntforcool-blog]

Hybrid potatoes?!

WHAT IS IT?

Yeah, at first the sound of hybrid potatoes sounded more futuristic than it is. In my mind, I saw talking potatoes or equipped with smart functions. Perhaps I’m not known with the term “hybrid”. Anyway, back to the coolant. Hybrid potatoes are declared the National Icon of 2014 by the Dutch government. Solynta has brought new distribution technology of potato seed, instead of bedding plants. This means that the genetics of the potato not only can be improved, but also variated. In other words, this means that the nutrition of the potato could be raised! 

WHY IS IT COOL?

To start of personally, I love potatoes. Mashed, cooked, baked, steamed, fried, whatever. I love them, but it sucks that I can’t eat too many of them otherwise I’ll be eating way too many carbs. With this new technology, it’ll be possible to make potatoes “healthier” for the ones on a diet or whatever. Secondly, this also means that storing and transport will be improved significantly. But third, this could mean that potatoes could help with the hunger problems all over the world. Genetically manipulate the potato so it could grow anywhere, plus there would be no need for pesticides. This is a beautiful way for the Netherlands to participate hugely in the world’s food supply.

Read about it on RVO. Watch the video here.

[thehuntforcool-blog]

Spangas

WHAT IS IT?

NCRV teenshow 'SpangaS' recently broadcasted an episode about Leah, a girl suffering from cancer, who decided to end her treatment and commit euthanasia. She suffers a lot of pain, and just wants it to be over. Despite the many critical acclaims of many, the show did get a lot of positive reactions of their watchers. But the big question that ruled was whether it was necessary to display such a heavy subject, while it rarely happens that a child decides to commit euthanasia. In the past 12 years, there were only five cases of euthanasia among minors, the last one was in 2008. Metro asked about it, and they simply answered that despite it never happens, kids can still experience such a situation. After the episode, SpangaS opens a live chat with many experts who can advice and answer your questions about euthanasia and death. On the website there is even a special page about the theme 'death'. 

WHY IS IT COOL?

I thought it was cool because it's honestly quite a controversial subject. Not only is it a huge subject for adults, whether it should be legal or not, whether it's humane or not, it happens in the lives of children as well. Despite the fact that it rarely happens among sick children, it does go through the heads of many sick adults. Kids also have to deal with that. In my honest opinion, it's a great thing to educate children about such heavy subjects, but most of all how to deal with it. Plus, I hope it takes a bias off subjects like suicide. It should be a discussion, a subject that can be talked about, not something to be hidden in a corner and frightening.

Link to Metro article about the episode

Page about dealing with death + livechat

[thehuntforcool-blog]

Snowdicks.

WHAT IS IT? The baggage crew of Ryanair in Dublin were, I'd guess, bored and decided to draw a big penis in the fresh snow. Not many passengers were amused by this and some even sent complaints to the company, it even went quite viral on social media. Surprisingly, the spokesman of Ryanair took it as a joke and replied in such fashion. 

'While our ground crew excel at industry leading 25 minute turnarounds, art isn’t their forte, as they’ve clearly forgotten to draw wings on their snow airplane’.

WHY IS IT COOL? Instead of treating it as a scandal, Ryanair decided to stay edgy and confirm jokingly that it simply happened. Usually there'd be an attempt at keeping such a thing a secret, but with the quick social media of these days, it could go viral with only a tap of your thumb. Sharing, liking, retweeting, regram, vine it, you name it and the whole world could see it in a split second. The responsiveness of Ryanair is funny, it brings a smirk on your face. Not only has the picture of the unfinished snow airplane gone viral, but the spokesman's response is nearly always to be found below the picture. Keep the prices low, Ryanair, and stay edgy!

[thehuntforcool-blog]

Where noise meets silence

In my younger years, I dare to say that I used to live as a recluse. But despite that, I was a little social bee on the internet. I'd stamp myself in that time as a social loner. Back then, I had connections throughout the whole world but mostly around the United States and Canada. I could stay up for hours, just chatting away on Skype and I learned so much about their cultures. But all that faded away when I discovered the nightlife in Eindhoven, I went out with my friends and the internet friends got traded for tangible contact, and beer. Lots of beer. Anyway, I digress. 

A week ago, I decided to dust off my old Skype-account and log in to see who might be online. I was hoping for a warm welcome back, but after two years of abandoning my internet friends, nobody was even online! I left Skype on and minded my own business on Facebook and whatnot, until I saw a notification of Skype appearing in the corner of my screen! There was my Canadian friend Tyler, a guy I met years ago and had fun Skype conversations with. After the many 'how do you do's and catching up, I asked him about interesting concepts going on in his city, Toronto, and he told me about a new restaurant called 'Signs' he visited.

So what is it?  Signs is a restaurant where only deaf people work. It's a beautiful opportunity for people with a handicap but who aren't immobile or helpless. Despite the fact that it's commonly known that some deaf people can lipread, you're expected to order with sign language. For people like me, who don't know how to speak sign language, it's all pictured in the menu so you can order what you like. Not only is it an absolute interesting experience, the Facebook page of the restaurant has a 4.7-star rating, and many reviews of people telling how delicious the food is as well. 

Why is it cool?

When you take away the deaf workers, all that remains is a nice-looking restaurant with assuming good food. It's really the workers that make it so special and cool. For me, the cool part is that those people are given a chance. Honestly, I've never met a deaf worker in any shop or restaurant I've been to, and I've wondered many times what kind of jobs they have. And also I wonder how many times they've been turned down due their handicap. While, as a matter of fact, the rest of the body functions just perfect. Why not give them a chance anyway? The second thing I find cool is that it's a new experience for the people who eat there. Not only will you be eating a nice meal, but you'll also learn sign language just for a day. It creates conversation and probably some laughter as well.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/SignsRestaurant

Toronto too far away for you? There's a restaurant like this in the Netherlands as well. It's called Eetlokaal LT (https://www.facebook.com/eetlokaalLT) and it's located in Amsterdam!

[thehuntforcool-blog]

where light ends

Last Friday, November 7th, I went to one of the most interesting and experimental concerts I've seen yet so far in my life. I came for Jeff Mills, internationally praised and one of the best techno DJ's of the world, but got astonished by percussion performances and the Residentie Orkest. The amount of techno was kept to a minimal and the orchestra took the lead. Muziekgebouw Eindhoven isn't a new concept on its own, but from the outside you wouldn't expect it would be so grand and beautiful from the inside. 

EXPERIENCE

Like I said above, it was a very experimental concert. It started off with two percussion performances performed by the New York's Sõ Percussion, no sight of Jeff Mills yet. The concert was the kick-off of TROMP percussion, a percussion based festival in Eindhoven Muziekgebouw. A whole week filled with percussion concerts. So why Jeff Mills, you wonder? Why invite a techno DJ to start off a percussion festival? Well, what most people didn't know is that Jeff Mills used to be a drummer for many jazz bands and a brilliant percussionist. He maintained his position behind the turntables, the master himself. 

And finally, Jeff Mills' part. His part was inspired by the first trip to space of Japanese astronaut Dr. Mamoru Mohri in 1992. Jeff Mills worked together with French componist Sylvain Griotto to tell the story of Dr. Mohri with music, a beautiful combination of techno with symphonic music. The story was beautifully told by the harmony played by Jeff Mills and the orchestra (Het Residentie Orkest). 

PSYCHOSOCIAL CONTEXT

Honestly, I had no clue what to expect of this concert. The only thing that I knew was the minimal information Muziekgebouw provided and that Jeff Mills a genius is when it comes to techno. I decided not to look up any videos of the unknown (to me) names and be surprised by whatever would come on stage. And I was pleasantly surprised! I did expect that there would be an orchestra, and to dress more formally than I usually do. Not that it was necessary, but it gave myself more of a feeling to experience it better. 

I was involved in the concert, and involved my girlfriend to be as enthusiastic as I am. Weeks before we'd go to the concert, I'd be jumping around an exclaiming excitedly that Jeff Mills would be coming to Eindhoven. WITH AN ORCHESTRA! It's hard to describe my excitement, but I do hope you got a feeling. 

PERCEPTION

It was a memorable experience. Definitely not basal or 'life changing', but it was by far the most experimental and surprising concert I've ever been to.

[thehuntforcool-blog]

Exploration #35

"Using you imagination, create a portrait of your city or town in which everything that you encounter is magical, exaggerated, or slightly altered from reality. Use whatever documentation method you prefer."

Desondanks dat ik graag alle opdrachten in het Engels doe, heb ik besloten om deze in het Nederlands te doen. Ik heb door het boek How To Be An Explorer Of The World gebladerd en opdrachten doorgelezen totdat ik bij deze kwam. Mijn herinneringen werden geprikkeld en even stond ik stil bij een stuk tekst die ik heb geschreven toen ik 18 jaar oud was. In die tijden schreef ik nog vaak. Stukken teksten kwamen uit mijn pen, allemaal over mijn leven. Het was een manier om met demonen in mijn hoofd en spoken die me achtervolgden mee om te gaan. In mijn hoofd had ik een map gecreëerd, zonder legenda en misschien wel een gevaar om in rond te wanen, maar het was mijn map. En eigenlijk ook mijn leven.

Omdat ik nog steeds trots ben op het stukje tekst dat ik heb geschreven, wil ik het graag met jullie delen. Wellicht verruimt het je blik en leer je me beter kennen, en wellicht ook niet. In het boek stond dat ik alle opdrachten kon interpreteren zoals ik zelf wilde en dat regels gebroken en gemaakt mochten worden, dus bij deze deel ik mijn tekst en zal ik het proberen om het aan te vullen met een nieuwe update. Het is immers als drie jaar geleden sinds ik dat stukje tekst heb geschreven, en in die drie jaar is er meer dan genoeg gebeurd in de map van mijn leven.

De map van mijn leven. Het voelt net aan alsof alles dat ik aanraak in goud begint te veranderen terwijl ik eerst altijd bezig was met het opbouwen van een troon, gemaakt van niks meer dan modder en vergif. Er zijn bijna achttien jaren verstreken en tegenslag is een van mijn dierbaarste vrienden geweest, de enige vriend waarop ik heb kunnen bouwen en waarbij mijn verwachtingen allemaal waar zijn gekomen. Ik omhels de tijden van wanhoop en verdriet, en ik kus de herinneringen van pijn en eenzaamheid. Op de map van mijn leven staan onafgemaakte steden en verbroken wegen. Platgebrande dorpjes en talloze omwegen. Geen wonder dat ik me soms zo verdwaald voel in mijn eigen structuur. Mijn gevoelens zijn opgeborgen in een kluis dat zich bevindt in een fort, omsingeld door dikke muren. Ik heb mijn hart maar geblinddoekt totdat ik mijn zelfgebouwde muren heb gebroken. Zo nu en dan bezoek ik het dorpje vernoemd naar liefde en ik hoef alleen maar een bruggetje te bewandelen om het dorp 'Haat' te bezoeken. Maar waar ik ook kom, het heeft allemaal dezelfde sfeer. De vertrouwde geur van sigaretten hangt om me heen en zo nu en dan stap je in een plasje van witte wijn. Treurwilgen groeien op de plekken waar verloren liefde heeft gestaan, ter nagedachtenis. Het zijn de fijnste plekken om even stil bij te staan en waar ik de mooie tijden voor de zoveelste keer herbeleef. Voor de mooiste tijden maar ook de lugubere tijden van mijn leven zijn hele steden gebouwd. De ene van perfect marmer en de ander is gelijkgemaakt met de grond waar het op gebouwd is. 

Er heersen koninkrijken die sterk aanwezig zijn maar alsnog nederig overkomen, met een bescheiden lijst erom heen. Maar het grootste element dat heerst is verandering, constante verandering. Steden worden herbouwd en een tel daarna afgebroken. Bossen worden afgebrand en het laatste smeulend stukje struik wordt geblust door de regen. De grootste veranderingen zijn het meest zichtbaar maar de kleinste aanpassingen gaan niet onopgemerkt voorbij. Nieuwe gordijnen worden opgehangen en glazen worden omgestoten. Al is dit de map van mijn leven, ik heb het niet altijd voor het zeggen. Sommige zaken zijn onomkeerbaar en niet ieder glas dat valt kan ik opvangen. Des te meer mijn map uitbreidt, des te meer er kans is op pijn en leed. Maar er is ook een keerzijde.. Geluk en vreugde zal vaker verschijnen wanneer het verdiend is. Al worden mijn wetten gehandhaafd in deze map, regels zijn er om gebroken te worden. En de ongeschreven regels moeten niet vergeten worden. Het staat nergens maar toch wordt er naar gehandeld, het hoort vrijblijvend te blijven. 

Door een ander perspectief dan de mijne, zal dit map chaotisch ogen. Wegen kruisen elkaar talloze keren en de onafgemaakte steden bewijzen dat er ongedane zaken zijn. De ene stad is nog in renovatie, als gevolg van een conflict. En de andere stad staat op wankelende poten, heen en weer schuddend door de wind. Een vreemdeling zou me voor gek verklaren, door de chaos die in mijn leven speelt. Maar alleen ikzelf kan begrijpen waarom ik nog sta, waarom ik nog orde kan zien in mijn eigen chaos. 

- - -

Drie jaar later, mijn map is gegroeid. Mijn map is uitgebreid en de horizon reikt ver. De stad die nooit sliep is omgebouwd tot een arbeidersdorp. Er wordt hard gewerkt voor het brood dat op tafel wordt gezet. Er is beweging in de map, ramen zijn opengeslagen en de gordijnen wapperen vrolijk in de wind. Kersenbloesem danst mee met de wind en appetijtelijke geuren lokken je mee. Zelfs de treurwilgen dansen. 

De chaos is er nog steeds. Een paar omgevallen glazen van toen zijn nog steeds niet opgeruimd, er smeult nog ergens vuur in het ondergrondse. Ergens in verloren huizen druppelen nog kranen als tranen, en niemand merkt het op om het dicht te draaien. Maar zelfs in de verlaten huizen schijnt er zonlicht door de ruiten. De seizoenen zijn veranderd, het is hier warmer en je hoort gelach in de verte. Ze zeggen dat er vloeibaar geluk wordt geschonken in de stad 'Liefde', dat je hart er sneller gaat kloppen, dat je voor heel even geen leegte voelt. Desondanks dat de stad niet erg groot is, je voelt je alsof je er voor eeuwig kan wanen. De stad die ooit onbewoonbaar is verklaard, sprankelt van het leven. 

- - -

Bedankt voor het lezen.

[thehuntforcool-blog]

”If Apple were to build a desk, it would look like this.“

According to a Harvard study, "sitting is the smoking of our generation -- both involves butts and are bad for your health.". This new product of iPod creator JP Labrosse can bring more movement in your everyday life. 

Meet the Stir Kinetic Desk, a smart desk that could make a difference in your life. At first sight, it looks like a regular, modern-looking desk but quickly you will notice the screen built in the desk. The screen has a multi-purpose software that learns from your behavior. You see, in our everyday life in this generation, most people work behind a desk, which results in sitting for at least five hours a day. According to studies, sitting too much on a daily base could shorten your lifespan. The software built in the desk can adjust the desk from sitting to standing position, this happens if you double tap on the screen. Slowly and gently the desk rises and you move along with it. To sit back, you simply double tap the screen again and it will descend back into sitting position. The Stir Kinetic Desk senses your presence and remembers your patterns and preferences. It tracks your standing time and the calories you burn throughout the day, you can also see your statistics of the past month and even year. The desk has Bluetooth and WiFi so it can sync with many health applications. Plus it has a dock with built-in ports for AC and USB connection so you are always charged. These are the basic options of the desk, but it is actually far more advanced than that!

On the left side of the desk, there is a button. When you press this button, the desk will go in Active Mode. Which is a feature that reminds you periodically to stand up by a 'whisper breath'. Yes, it actually is as gentle as the sound of it. What whisper breath does is move the desk up and down an inch, to remind you to stand up. The creators made the movement just like a human breathe. It literally invites you to move. It is a gentle reminder, and better than a sudden sound or vibration. If you would like to stand up, you can double tap the screen. If not, you can just ignore it. With the Stir Kinetic Desk you are always in control. 

So why is this exactly 'cool', you might wonder.. This desk might be quite an innovation in people's everyday life. Instead of sitting behind your desk a few hours a day, you can workout while you work! Everything about the desk is digitalized, it keeps track of your behavior and patterns with intelligent software and it moves by its own. Before you start using the desk, you can set your height presets in sitting and standing positions, and your goals like how many minutes would you like to be standing in the period of one day. This desk could become a trend for the hardworking professionals who spend hours on their computer day by day. Also, it is an innovation in the health sector, because it will keep you fit and energized. According to a blog post of The New York Times, "Each 8-hour day sitting can cut 2.5 hours off of life expectancy."! The desk is beautiful to look at, it comes in various colors with a matching power cord. 

Would you like to read and know more about the Kinetic Stir Desk? Click here for more information!

[thehuntforcool-blog]

stay fit, healthy and hapi!

"Eat slowly, lose weight, feel great", that's the slogan of HAPIfork, created by HAPIlabs. Nowadays we have smartphones, smart TV's and even smart refrigerators. But have you ever heard of a smartfork? 

According to many studies, the overweight and digestive problems aren't only due to what we eat, but also to how we eat. In these times, people have busy and fast lives. No time for cooking and taking your time to eat all the delicious food, but instead of that we get takeouts and fast food. Not only is the time of making the food reduced, the eating time has reduced as well. People eat too fast and don't even seem to notice it. I'm sure you have had that realization of eating way too fast. Your stomach protests or you need to take a nap because of the after dinner-dip. 

But because of your busy life and having your mind on work, friends, family and whatnot all the time, you probably don't think about keeping track of how fast you eat. HAPIfork could help you out with that. It's a smartfork! It keeps track of not only how fast you eat, but also the amount of servings per minute and intervals. With the lights of a led indicator and gentle vibrations it'll alert you when you're eating too fast! To see your progress and results, you can link your HAPIfork to your computer and view everything with a dashboard you can install. Also, it comes with a mobile application where you can keep track of your eating habits as well. 

HAPIfork could mean a lot for the busy people, but actually also for everyone. I've noticed that a lot of people around me eat too fast, even i do! A smartfork would come in really handy to become more aware of your eating habits. Not only that, it could also reduce weight gain, digestive problems and even more. All in all, it can make you healthier in a different way than diets and other tricks that are time consuming! You can pick your favorite color and it comes with a handy travel case so you can always take it with you. The online app also has a social purpose, you can match your results with your friends and family, and it has a leaderboard to compare. Despite the technology inside the fork, you can put it in your dishwasher without a worry.  

For more information, check there website by clicking here! It's worth the read.

[thehuntforcool-blog]

Stay connected to the kids you love

Say hello to Snort, Milksop, Fairfax, Rochester, Buck and Bushwick! Who are they, you might wonder. They're your little mailmen to help you stay connected with your favorite little person in the world: your kids. 

So let me start with answering your first question: what is it? Toymail is a device, well more of a toy, for your child. It's a cute looking device with some great features! The toymail is connected to an application on your phone, which you can speak a message into and the device will play your recording. Not only can it play the recording with your voice, it can also deform your voice into a funny tone. This makes it all fun and cheerful for your child. Are you out grocery shopping? You can ask your child if they'd like an apple, and they can reply immediately through the toymail. What's even cooler, is that more people can connect to the device. Wanna let grandma read a bedtime story, but she's miles away? Use Toymail! The toymail will snort, wheeze, or whinny to let your child know that they have a message.

Aren't they just adorable? I definitely do think they are! But let's not dwell on their cuteness and let me tell you why these little mailmen are ideal and the new trend. This generation of parents are planners with busy agendas, always on the go Forty years ago, people would just get babies at a young age and the mothers would stay at home, but the modern future parents plan their kids and moms these days are hardworking women with a career! Is it responsible with the salary they're earning, the house and city they live in, and who will be the stay at home parent? For young professional couples with a child wish, these are the questions that keep them up at night.

For the happy couples that do have a kid, happily planned but still working, mailmen could help them out. Some days, you won't see your child except for half an hour when you just got home. Some days, you're having a bad day at work and the only thing that could cheer you up is the voice of the little miracle that you're working for and earning money for. With toymail, you just open the application on your phone and speak a message for your child to respond to. It's not as great as being with your kid, but it's an ideal way to keep you connected with them! 

Want to find out more? Click here to learn more about Toymail.

[thehuntforcool-blog]

Wouldn’t you like to share everything with your significant other? Let me introduce you to the mobile application ‘Couple’, an application just for you and your most favorite person in the whole world. You can send instant messages, videos, photos, voice messages, sketches, stickers, to do-lists and even frisky pictures that disappear after a fixed time. This application may seem a little too much for the couples that already live together, but it’s perfect for the lovebirds that live in different cities and even countries. 

Imagine a day without your honey, Couple makes you feel a little bit less alone. The first thing you do when you wake up in the morning is grab your phone and send a cute message to your love, with a picture attached of you still lying in bed. Then you brush your teeth while videochatting, so it feels like you’re together. Once you’re doing your daily routine, you can keep in touch while texting and sending photos of the random things you encounter. 

Got plans to cook together tonight and you have to do the grocery shopping without knowing the recipe? No problem! Your dearest can make a list and send it to you with the application. Don’t feel like making a mess in your kitchen? Couple knows all the restaurants and nice venues in your neighborhood.

When you feel a little bit lonely and your huggiebear isn’t there to hold you tight, you can ThumbKiss! You only have to touch the same spot on your screen and your phone will vibrate when your fingers meet. Although it isn’t quite the same as a real life kiss, it’ll make you sleep better at night.

This application brings you and your significant other closer, whether you live next door to each other or in different continents. You can find the application here!

[thehuntforcool-blog]

'Tinderella': First Date Photography

In the 21st century, nearly everything is digitalized. But one of the still growing business is the dating business. There are umteen dating websites, but let's not forget one of the biggest dating applications right now: Tinder. Pretty much everyone between the ages of 16 and 40 has heard of the application, and I'm sure at least half of the people had it on their phone. Even I did. Better yet, I found my girlfriend on Tinder! It's fast, easy and a big guilty pleasure. 

Name: Alex Age: 25 Occupation: Finance Date: Drinks at The Wayland, Alphabet City

Now I'm sure you're guessing, 'Who is Tinderella?' 'Who is that disgusting guy Alexandre?' 'But Tinder isn't cool anymore!', let me tell you about the project of photographer Kirra Cheers. Kirra decided to brave the  awkwardness of the feared first dates. 

Name: Freddie Age: 27 Occupation: Finance Date: Drinks at Flute bar (midtown)

In theory, online dating should be easier. You can swipe the uglies away and it's supposedly easier to find someone you have something in common with. In reality, it brings the arrogance and superficiality out the most of us. There is no face-to-face connection, and the hunting and seducing has gone to minimum. Kirra Cheers, however, decided to capture the awkwardness of the first date. Of the 17 dates she had in a two-month period, 11 of them allowed her to make a picture of them. Her project even includes the vulgar texts she received on Tinder (see example above). The project is intended to be an honest documentation of her experience. 

Name: Sophie Age: 22 Occupation: Translator Date: People watching at Tompkins Park, Alphabet City

“I made the decision to include audio of an entire date as supporting material. I didn’t want to inform the date I was recording them, believing it would ruin the authenticity. It was a decision I struggled with ethically but felt that as a result of my fondness to talk about myself it would be more revealing of me than the other person. I decided to use my iPhone but needed to test its capabilities in a noisy bar room situation. It was the first time I’d attempted to record audio and I was on a date with a finance guy who was recalling his glory days as a mathlete. Forty-five minutes into his rant about his math adventures I got bored of feigning flattery and decided to check my phone to see if it was still recording. He caught sight of my screen and asked if I had a moving wallpaper. I panicked – said yes and awkwardly changed the topic. Still reeling from the fact my cover had been blown – I over compensated with kindness for the duration of the date. He let it go but messaged me later in the night – enquiring as to why I recorded our date. I explained it was a test. Apparently satisfied with my explanation, he asked me out on a second date. I suggested that perhaps my behavior on our first didn’t warrant a second. I believe we parted on less than satisfactory terms and he declined to come to the exhibition.”

To read more about the project, click here!