Tech

In the age of Snapchat and selfies, nothing conveys an appropriate reaction like one's own face. That's the premise behind group messaging app Gather, launched today for iOS. Gather lets users send what they'd normally send to friends or family—screenshots, GIFs, YouTube videos—and receive a brief circular, live-action video reaction right back. The video is tiny enough (about the size of your thumb print) that there's no need to overthink angles, yet it still captures emotion, humor and personality—and delivers it with ease to one individual, many individuals or all of your Gather contacts. And, of course, there are filters....

An automated solution for growing greens and herbs all year along. While in Vancouver for TED last month, we stumbled upon the just-opened "Living Produce Aisle," a space that makes salads and smoothies from microgreens, vegetables and herbs grown right inside the space. The immersive storefront was created by Surrey, BC-based Urban Cultivator to put their enclosed hydroponic systems in action. A home appliance (there are much larger commercial units available for chefs and restaurants too) roughly the size of a wine fridge, Urban Cultivator is a high-tech indoor garden for growing a wide range of greens—from basil and wheatgrass...

A space-saving countertop oven with a built-in camera for quicker, stress free dinners Ovens can be scary. Fire hazards aside, their large size, time investment and oftentimes unreliable results can be intimidating to amateur cooks, which is why many seek escape in the form of take-out. Tackling the inefficiency of a kitchen appliance that hasn't seen much innovation in decades is June: a new intelligent countertop oven about the size of a microwave that promises to be the beginning of a much-needed kitchen revolution. The collective CVs from the June team are impressive: CEO Matt Van Horn was the co-founder...

The Spinetics-made devide converts bicycle wheel rotations into power by Emily Bihl With the season of summer Fridays already underway in the northern hemisphere, commuters and hobbyists alike are moving their bikes out of storage and into heavy rotation. While cycling provides a pleasant respite from sitting at a desk, sometimes the desire to recharge our minds directly conflicts with the ability to recharge our devices—until now. Miami-based start-up Spinetics has engineered an elegant solution with their soon-to-be-launched CydeKick Pro, a device that converts wheel rotations into power that can then be used to charge any USB-compatible device—without creating any...

It's easy to understand why photographers turn to Leica. Simply put, they're beautifully designed, highly durable and capture superb images. The new Leica Q—a powerful, compact digital camera with a 24MP full frame sensor—lives up to the promise. The Q is set apart from other cameras in its class by the pairing of a prime f/1.7 28mm Summilux lens and a uniquely tailored CMOS sensor. With a sleek design, and true made-in-Germany production (only the top-end Leicas are actually built in Wetzler), it's a worthy device for professionals and hobbyists alike. People don't often think of compact cameras in the...