Iron Man’s Holographic Computer Is One Step Closer With Leap

Remember the scenes in Iron Man and Iron Man 2 where Tony Stark is able to project computerized images and data in mid-air – and then manipulate them with his hands?

That technology is now a hell of a lot closer to reality.

No, we don’t yet have a perfect way to project 3D images in mid-air without a screen, but what we do have is a new way to control computers – with our hands.

The technology that enables this is called the Leap, and it’s going to change the way we interact with computers. Mice and keyboards have been around for dozens of years, and they’re woefully obsolete. Even touch technology looks old-school compared to Leap. Just take a look… Read More →

How To Make Your Travels More Worthwhile

Lauren Gabel Guest Post, Travel

This is a guest post from Lauren Gabel, one of my really good friends at Iowa State. We used to be RA’s together, and now we’ve both decided that travelling and not dealing with people who lock themselves out of their rooms is more fun. Here are some tips she learned on her own study abroad trip.

So hopefully if you’re reading this, you have already been inspired by Maria’s Top 10 Reasons to Study Abroad or even Thomas’s post about unicycling from the east coast to the west coast blindfolded with a video camera. (I could have the exact details wrong).

Either way, I hope you have been inspired to go on a radical adventure that has few guarantees other than the promise of taking you out of your comfort zone!

Personally, I did the study abroad adventure, and based off of my experiences I assembled a short list of tips for anyone looking outside of their own back yard.

There are a few basic supplies that I’ve found helpful. Read More →

College Info Geek Is Two Years Old!

Thomas Frank Announcements

I almost can’t believe it, but College Info Geek has been around for two whole years. That’s pretty crazy to say, given that there are over 100 million blogs on the internet and most don’t last more than a few months.

However, this blog has seemed to stand the test of time. The weird part is – I never meant to start my own website in the first place!

I initially wanted to become a writer for another site, and I applied for a position during the summer after my freshman year. Evidently there were some other, more qualified candidates, because they ended up rejecting me. And you know what? I’m glad they did.

That rejection was what motivated me to build my own blog. For the first few months running it, I was still a little disappointed – I thought my opportunities would have been much greater as a staff member for a large blog than as an independent writer.

Two years later, however, I know for a fact that starting my own blog was the right decision. I’ve been afforded far more opportunities by building my own brand than I ever would have gotten writing for someone else. I’m also free to make my own decisions – I don’t have to censor myself, I can change the look and feel of the site to my heart’s content, and I can manage all aspects of the brand. It’s amazing to have that control.

Speaking of opportunities… Read More →

Contest: Win A Pair Of VEKTR Headphones And Look Like You’re Straight Outta Jet Grind Radio

Thomas Frank Announcements

Well now. Something interesting fell into my lap the other day… and I’ve decided to give it away!

That something is a pair of the just-released Diesel VEKTR headphones. I haven’t had the time to test them out for very long, but I can say they definitely look badass – I was instantly reminded of Jet Grind Radio, or maybe Porygon.

These headphones have some features that I really like, including:

a detachable headphone cable
an attachment on the cord with a ControlTalk button for picking up calls and playing/pausing music
a folding design that makes them easy to store

Did I mention they look badass? They really do. I absolutely love my current headphones, but these make them look like pillows for my head. You can check out all the spec’s n’ shit at the official website.

Anyway, as I said I’m giving these suckers away. Read More →

Everyone In Japan Is Thin And Beautiful (And So Can You!)

Thomas Frank Health

Raise your hand if you think it’s ridiculous that we even have the concept of “The Freshman Fifteen“. Ok, now if you’re raising your hand, you should probably put it down because there’s no reason to sit at your computer and raise your hand.

Plus, I found it difficult to keep typing with one hand in the air.

It is ridiculous, though. The fact that so many of us go to college and end up gaining a bunch of unnecessary weight is just sad. However, it happens to way too many people. Our society is so based around a sugar-heavy, carb-heavy diet and a sedentary lifestyle that it’s become commonplace to get fat after high school.

But what if we could fix this problem? What if there was a way to fix it that didn’t involve going on some rigid, radical diet or a overly complicated exercise program?

Well, that fix exists, and I only had to travel 8,000 miles to find out what it is. Read More →

Lessons At The Midpoint

Hema Karunakaram Experiences, Tips

I can’t believe the first half of the “best four years of my life” are already over.

College goes by so quickly, and we often get so caught up in everything that we’re doing that we don’t even realize it. If you’re like me, and are just now having this crazy revelation that life is really short, I think it’s a great time to reflect on what you’ve learned so far.

The past two years haven’t been perfect, but I’ve certainly learned a lot that can be applied to the next two years (and beyond). so, to complement Thomas’ lessons he learned from turning 21, here are a few of the things I’ve been reflecting on lately–some are about school, some are about life at large, and some are just random yet powerful lessons. Read More →

21 Mega-Important Lessons I Learned In 21 Years Of Living

Thomas Frank Living

Huh. Weird. I’m 21 – or at least I will be by the time this blog post goes live.

As I sit here in the San Francisco airport waiting for my flight to JFK, it’s dawned on me that this age is really only special because of the country I live in.

Having just returned from Japan, where being 20 was A-OK for ordering a vodka cola in a classy Shibuya bar, I realize that turning 21 isn’t all that big of a deal. Were I anywhere else in the world (other than Fiji, Pakistan, Palau, or Sri Lanka), it would be just another birthday. Nothing special.

And yet it is.

Turning 21 marks the true transition into my 20′s. No longer can I sit around and say, “Oh, I was still a teenager a year ago.” Nope. Now is the time when I truly have to accept adulthood; when I must take up the mantle of maturity and leave my childish past behind.

Mmmm… Read More →

Epic Adventure Level 1 Review – Adobe Days In San Francisco

Thomas Frank Experiences

Wow! So, I think this is the longest I’ve gone without posting for over a year. Let me assure you that it certainly isn’t out of sheer laziness – no no no no no.

Laziness is only half of it.

Seriously, the past 11 days have been some of the best days of my life. The amount that I’ve discovered and experienced in this period of time is unrivaled. It’s simply amazing, and if you (for whatever reason) decide to click away from this post after reading this paragraph, let me offer you one piece of invaluable advice: travel. Don’t consider it – do it.

Unfocused raving aside, let’s get to the business at hand. I’ve been very busy in Japan for the last week, and I can’t wait to show you all that I’ve been doing. However, first I want to give you a peak at the first part of my epic journey – the Adobe Days event in San Francisco. The first thing I have to say about this trip is… Read More →