🖥 Computers in your Contacts, Undisclosed deaths in your home, and 2 new social media platforms!

You want to start a NEW social media account, right?

Hey! Great to see you today.

Hope you’re doing well this lovely Monday (the last one of January. Yikes).

How are your “New Year’s resolutions” going?

Remember - you still have 11 months to accomplish them!

Or 3 days, honestly - because that’s how fast this year is going to speed by…

I’ve got an exciting announcement.

The Land of Random now has 50 subscribers! Woohoo!

That was my first goal. What shall we aim for next? 100? 1000? 10,000?

Woah! One step at a time. Let’s try for 100.

Can we do it? I know we can. 😊

Give me a hand, won’t you?

Anyway, let’s get to the meat and potatoes this morning. Grab that triple espresso, because we have a lot to cover!

👁 Contact Lenses with AR

When I was little, I read an article in Popular Mechanics about the future possibility of contact lenses with Augmented Reality in them. Well, it looks like that day is drawing very near.

Mojo Vision is building Augmented Reality contact lenses. Honestly, it kind of reminds me of the Google Glasses (Remember those?) but directly on your eyeball. You’ll be able to see things like directions, weather, and more.

This display is the centerpiece of the Mojo lens. It’s positioned directly in front of the pupil, so that it projects and focuses light toward a specific area of the retina at the back of the eye. The display is so small and so close that the eye can scarcely see it. At least in the beginning, its quality will be more utilitarian than aesthetically pleasing—you don’t need stunning quality to perform tasks such as display weather information . . . Along with the display, the Mojo lens will contain a supporting cast of microcomponents. The first versions will include a tiny single-core ARM-based processor and an image sensor. Later versions will add an eye-tracking sensor and a communications chip. Source

It’s simply amazing to me that they are able to fit these components in something thin and transparent like a Contact Lens. I’m sure it will take quite a few years before these are commercially available - but they will be a game changer if/when they hit the market.

As we begin to wear more and more smart devices, I think it’s totally possible we could be monitoring our breathing/heart rate during a workout with a little display in front of our eyeballs.

Alas, I don’t have any examples to show you - but I can point you towards their official website. They have some examples of what Mojo might look like. Also, here’s a link to the FastCompany article I also read. It has some pretty neat details about the founders and the Ocular science of the technology.

💀 Do you know who’s died in your house?

Yeah, it’s a slightly unsettling question - maybe one you have never thought about. Do you know the history of your house? Has anything . . . weird or disturbing happened in it? Well, that’s the question that “DiedinHouse.com” seeks to answer for you. Here’s their provided reason.

In Most states, a death in a home, no matter how it occurred, is not considered a "Material Fact" and it's not required to be disclosed. A murder could have occurred days ago and the seller does not have to let you know. A death in a home, especially a violent death, can decrease the home's value by 25% and increase its time to sell by up to 50% longer than comparable homes. Would you want to know that a murder, suicide or even a bizarre death occurred at the property before you sign the contract?

Think about the copywriting power of this little paragraph. Oof! This literally sold me hook, line, and sinker on using this service when I have to buy a house someday. It takes me from a little curiosity to downright paranoia in just 4 sentences. Just think about the sales power of that last sentence! I’d want to know if something weird happened in my home - wouldn’t you? It’s worth every penny I pay! Where’s my wallet?? That’s what goes through my mind, at least.

That’s the premise this site hinges on, and they sell access to their system’s research about any address you put in. It costs $11.99 per search, and there are discounts depending on how many you want to do.

Heck - you could probably even use this information (if it turned out realllll bad) to haggle about the price of the house for some substantial savings.

Or - if you’re a real estate agent, you could offer to research the house’s history for an upcharge fee, use this site, and make a nice little profit.

Even better - You create a little side hustle company that hinges on using this service (and other publicly available data like obituaries) and sell pretty Google Slide presentations of “home histories.”

Check out their site and read all about it!

📱 New Social Media Platforms! Yay!

I know, I know. You’re tired of downloading new apps. You don’t even use half of the social media platforms available, and you cry just a little bit when you hear there’s a new one.

Well, here’s a few new ones that I think might be worth checking out - at least for the ideas behind them.

TTYL

This new social media platform is completely focused on Audio conversations, and honestly makes a lot of sense in the light of the “AirPod” revolution. Wireless earbuds have been around for awhile, but Apple really drove that concept to the next level. On TTYL, you go “online” with your headphones and talk to your friends. You can chat with up to 8 friends at a time. Yeah - it’s that simple. It’s Apple Store exclusive at the moment, but who knows? Here’s the download link if you have an iPhone or iPad.

byte

Vine has returned from the grave! Seriously, this app is Vine all over again. 6 second limit. You have to look for people to follow. And even better? Don Hofmann (creator of Vine) is behind it. I’m really excited about it, and hope it takes off! Byte’s motto is “Creativity First” - a definite dig at TikTok. There’s a lot of creativity on TikTok, but there’s even more “Clout Chasers.” What will happen? Will byte arise from the ashes of Vine to challenge TikTok’s dominance? Stay tuned! Here’s a link to their site.

The Land of Random

Hmmm. What crazy links do I have for you today? Let me take a look . . .

🗺 Generate a cool street map of any city

This neat little website allows you to generate really cool “hand drawn” style maps of cities. Honestly, this is totally the kind of thing that you could use as a wallpaper, make a canvas, tshirt, or something like that. (I sense an opportunity for a neat little side hustle here. 🤔) It’s really neat! Check it out at the link, and the source code is available too!

💻 The “Nuclear Football” Laptop

Ever wished you could take your pimped out gaming desktop on the road? Well, this is a really neat portable solution for all you DIYers. Basically, this guy fit a gaming monitor and water cooled hardware inside a suitcase (reminiscent of the “Nuclear Football” laptop that’s carried around with the president). Just plug it in on a desk and you’re good to game. Honestly, you have to see this one to truly appreciate it. Click on the link to check it out!

🍎 Tuba vs. Apple Tree

I honestly don’t know how to describe this one. Man makes it rain apples with his tuba?

🏀 Basketball Pizza Box

I just gotta say - I love this pizza box. This is the kind of thing that’s a little more expensive for a company to make, but it certainly gets you a lot of awareness! There’s so much you can do with a simple cardboard box - but hardly anyone takes advantage of the possibilities. Imagine - you could do something similar for football, hockey, and more!

pizzapizzaltd

ATTN @raptors fans! Introducing the Raptors GameBox. For a limited time, get one with any large pizza order. Challenge a friend to a game, tag them below 👇 🍕🏀
.
*Valid in Ontario only.

December 11, 2019