technabob » word http://technabob.com/blog gadgets, gizmos, games, cool gadgets for geeks Sun, 21 Mar 2010 15:17:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 ribbon hero: holy crap! microsoft actually went through with it http://technabob.com/blog/2010/03/09/ribbon-hero-microsoft-office-game/ http://technabob.com/blog/2010/03/09/ribbon-hero-microsoft-office-game/#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:04:20 +0000 lambert v. http://technabob.com/blog/?p=29446 Remember the bit of news we shared a while back about Microsoft’s filing a trademark for “Ribbon Hero?” Well now the game/add-on/learning tool is available for download! It’s a manifestation of Mr. Schell’s vision of the future, but at least this time the game is for a product that a customer has a already bought and is primarily a learning tool, and an optional one at that, not a nagging advertisement.

ribbon hero word 1

The game is pretty much what you’d expect. It’s an optional download that works in Word, Excel and Powerpoint. Once it’s installed it sits on your ribbon – where else? – and, just like when you’re playing games on the Xbox 360 or PS3, certain actions you take while using any of the aforementioned programs will automatically earn you points. But you can also click the Ribbon Hero button to engage in challenges, i.e. learning activities, complete with hints. You can integrate the add-on with your Facebook account to compete or compare scores with your friends.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

You can download Ribbon Hero for free at the Microsoft Office Labs website. Currently, it’s only available for Windows users (XP and above) with Office 2007 and above. Microsoft should release a similar program to teach users about keeping their computers malware-free.

[via Wonderland]

]]> http://technabob.com/blog/2010/03/09/ribbon-hero-microsoft-office-game/feed/ 0 don’t tell time, read it with the word clock http://technabob.com/blog/2009/06/12/dont-tell-time-read-it-with-the-word-clock/ http://technabob.com/blog/2009/06/12/dont-tell-time-read-it-with-the-word-clock/#comments Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:35:55 +0000 alisha k. http://technabob.com/blog/?p=14810 math stuff. But when it comes to something like telling time, why should we be restricted to the same ol’ boring clockfaces?  With the Word Clock, you can leave all that behind. You know what else you don’t get with this word clock? Specificity. What time…]]> Numbers. Who need’s em? Well, except for all that math stuff. But when it comes to something like telling time, why should we be restricted to the same ol’ boring clockfaces?  With the Word Clock, you can leave all that behind.

word clock

You know what else you don’t get with this word clock? Specificity. What time is it? It’s about three. Does it matter if it’s 3:02? So what if you miss the trailers? Mellow out.

Ditching the numbers will cost you, though: this Word Clock runs about $230, give or take.

[Generate Design via CraziestGadgets]

]]> http://technabob.com/blog/2009/06/12/dont-tell-time-read-it-with-the-word-clock/feed/ 0 word clock is a little too verbose for me http://technabob.com/blog/2008/04/28/word-clock-is-a-little-too-verbose-for-me/ http://technabob.com/blog/2008/04/28/word-clock-is-a-little-too-verbose-for-me/#comments Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:30:01 +0000 technabob http://technabob.com/blog/?p=2130 Idea of a Clock II using a green LED bulletin board to display the current time using a lengthy textual description. For…]]> While this wouldn’t be the first time that I came across a clock that tells time with text, it’s certainly the most wordy version that I’ve seen.

hans tan idea of a clock II

Singapore designer Hans Tan created the Idea of a Clock II using a green LED bulletin board to display the current time using a lengthy textual description. For instance, at 12:29, the clock reads “This is the idea of a clock that tells you the time using words at exactly twenty-nine minutes past twelve”.

Now that’s just a bit too wordy to offer at-a-glance time checking, isn’t it? By the time you’re done reading the entire message, the time probably will have changed.

Idea of a Clock II is a limited edition timepiece, with pricing available upon request of the artist.

[via Dustbowl]

]]> http://technabob.com/blog/2008/04/28/word-clock-is-a-little-too-verbose-for-me/feed/ 2 word clock slowly reveals the time with text http://technabob.com/blog/2008/04/19/word-clock-slowly-reveals-the-time-with-text/ http://technabob.com/blog/2008/04/19/word-clock-slowly-reveals-the-time-with-text/#comments Sat, 19 Apr 2008 11:40:29 +0000 technabob http://technabob.com/blog/?p=2082 This has got to be one of the most amazing clock designs I’ve ever seen. At first glance, the display looks like a bunch of random matchsticks, but over time, they gradually transform into words that tell the time.

Animated Word Clock by Christiaan Postma

Conceived by Dutch industrial designer Christiaan Postma, the clock goes beyond the simple dial and number paradigms we’re all used to seeing, and really thinks outside of the box. Postma used over 150 individual clock mechanisms to power the 55-inch square timepiece.

For those of you with Flash installed (who doesn’t these days?), check out the animation below to see how it really works.

At this point, it’s not clear if Postma plans to produce the word clock, or if it’s simply a design prototype. Regardless, it’s a really unique idea, and I’d be thrilled to hang one on my wall if he ever does bring these to market.

[via Pan-Dan]

]]> http://technabob.com/blog/2008/04/19/word-clock-slowly-reveals-the-time-with-text/feed/ 56 tubular clock tells time with words http://technabob.com/blog/2007/05/02/tubular-clock-tells-time-with-words/ http://technabob.com/blog/2007/05/02/tubular-clock-tells-time-with-words/#comments Thu, 03 May 2007 03:28:07 +0000 technabob http://technabob.com/blog/2007/05/02/tubular-clock-tells-time-with-words/ Like Art Lebedev’s (vaporware) Verbarius clock, this unique timepiece uses words to describe the current time, rather than using numbers.

Tubular Time Clock

Time is displayed on the Tubular Time Clock in phrases such as “quarter past four” and “five minutes past six” instead of the pedestrian “4:15″ and “6:05.” The clock mounts to any wall, and runs on a single AA battery. It’s quite large, measuring in at 33″ wide and a 4.5″ diameter, so you’ll need some space to hang this sucker.

The Tubular Time Clock can be found at Uncommon Goods for $160.

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