Stuff Office Cat’s Diary – 31/08/12

The plane that flies sideways

When airborne, Office Cat usually travels in first class – but he'd make an exception to take a ride in this concept aircraft, which has just received funding from NASA. It’s able to rotate its entire body 90 degrees in order to go supersonic, with only the engine pod staying pointing the same direction. It’ll be able to travel from New York to LA in two hours and seat 70 passengers. Hopefully it'll feature a menu that's up to the similarly supersonic Concorde's standards – Office Cat misses the crayfish tails poached in white wine.
Source: Dvice

Microsoft seeking Xbox 720 designer?

Want to work on the look of the next Xbox interface? Well, Microsoft is on the lookout for a Visual Designer for the Xbox team, someone who can “dream up future experiences” and all that stuff. The Xbox 720 isn’t mentioned specifically, of course, but it’s dollars to doughnuts that whoever gets the job will be working on the 360’s successor. Office Cat would apply, but he coughed up a serious hairball on his portfolio yesterday and it’s in no shape for viewing.
Source: Coroflot

Musical chairs

US design student Erica Sellers has translated a 2D visualisation of sound waves from music into 3D pieces of furniture: the wood is warped so that its surface represents the dips and rises in audio frequency. Office Cat wonders which type of tune would make the comfiest chair. Probably not progressive jazz.
Source: LSNGlobal

The real-life Dick Tracy watch

Talking into your wrist is often an indication of insanity, but the Martian Watch could change all that. It links up with your iOS or Android phone using Bluetooth, and you can read texts in a ticker and call contacts direct from the timepiece. There’s also a “leash” that alerts you if the watch and phone are too far apart – so you’ll never leave it in the back of a cab after a night on the tiles. Not that Office Cat has ever done anything so daft.
Source: Wired

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