Sending a different kind of Christmas card

Christmas isn’t Christmas without some sort of card. Doing the usual Post Office run, for many, marks the start of the festive season proper.

The conventional Christmas card can be a touch outdated, but with a bit of digging Pocket-lint has come up with some hi-tech alternatives to make your Christmas post that bit more exciting.

Apple Cards app

Crafting your own Christmas card is one way of doing things, but putting cards together for each family member could see you spending more time with scissors and glue than unwrapping your own cards.

A quick fix that can have some awesome results is Apple’s Cards app. Using your iPhone or iPad, you can design custom-made cards, add photos from your Apple device and then send them anywhere in the world for £3.99.

Touchnote is also doing customised Christmas cards. You can do this online simply by uploading a snap, adding a message and then sending it to the relevant address. Simple, quick and easy and with cards starting at 99p, a bit cheaper as well.

Build an LED edge-lit Christmas card

This one is right at the other end of the spectrum in terms of complexity, but do the build and it’s worth it. Credit has to be given to the Evilmadscientistblog for working this one out.

You will need plastic, LEDs, paper, electrical tape, batteries, scissors, a ruler and a pen. For the plastic, the blog suggests cutting out the side of a plastic container. You then need to cut a design into the plastic using a craft knife. This will be the final design of the card, so make it Christmassy.

The LED is very simple to make, simply buy an LED bulb, which you can pick up here and then attach it to the positive and negative of a lithium cell: the flat kind of battery you see in watches.

Then attach the bulb to the edge of the plastic and it will shine through, illuminating the design. Attach this to the card and you're away. More comprehensive instructions can be found on the Evilmadscientist blog.

Get a 3D printed card

With 3D printing all the rage at the moment, why not top off 2012 with a custom-printed Christmas card unlike any other? Naturally, they will turn out a touch thicker than normal Christmas cards, but the weight gain should be worth it.

First you will need to come up with a design for your card. Then, once you have it drawn in 2D, use this web app from Shapeways to convert it into 3D. Wait a while and your 3D model will be printed and sent out. Make sure you include the text in your design, otherwise it won’t be easy to print on later

Style, Performance and Bluetooth for a Limited Time

Many home improvement fans know The Novogratz – the husband and wife team, along with their seven children. These home improvement gurus have been featured on Bravo TV’s “9 by Design” and HGTV’s “Home by Novogratz.” Their funky-chiq approach to transforming spaces has given a whole new and hip meaning to family living.

Soundfreaq, makers of performance style Bluetooth music devices for iOS and Android, decided that The Novogratz touch would add a perfect complement to their lineup of products. Welcome toThe Novogratz collection, in limited availability this holiday season. Two units in three of their popular technologies are currently available on their website for the style mavens in your life that want audio streaming and device charging. The Sound Stack Chiq Freaq and Flower Freaq ($450) give you high quality sound, including 2.2 speaker configuration.  This statement piece will easily fill the room. The Freaq of Nature and Freaq’n Fabulous ($150) Sound Step compact speaker makes a great solution for a smaller space while still offering 2.1 audio. Awake to performance and panache with the Sound Rise alarm clock style Freaq in the Bed or Novo Freaq ($125). Why not stay in bed and enjoy streaming audio from tunes or movies. As you can see from the images, the Novogratz look makes these streaming players a unique addition to the room. And Soundfreaq technology means your ears enjoy sweet sounds.

Njoy announces Njoy Kings electronic cigarette

For those of you who have always wanted to kick the smoking habit but did not manage to find the willpower to do so, here is something which you might want to check out from Njoy with their latest electronic cigarette offering that is simply called the Njoy Kings. Touted to offer “a real alternative to cigarettes”, I do wonder just how accurate that particular claim is considering how there has been a slew of electronic cigarettes in the past. Njoy Kings is said to offer the committed adult smoker an authentic look, feel, flavor and packaging of a traditional tobacco cigarette, but it will not be accompanied by all the negatives such as smoke, ash and cigarette smell.

In a nutshell, Njoy intends to deliver smokers with more of what they want, and of course, for their health and the health of others’ sake, less of what they don’t. There has been some creative ads in the past to help prevent folks from picking up the habit of smoking, but you do not see the tobacco industry reeling from lower sales in the long run. Even the thought of literally burning money has yet to deter those hooked on cigarettes, but perhaps the Njoy Kings might be able to turn the tide. Retailing for just $7.99, the Njoy Kings can be found in more than 30,000 convenience stores as well as nearly every major convenience chain.

Sporting a couple of nicotine levels of 4.5% and 3.0% by volume, it will come in traditional and menthol flavors, courtesy of Njoy’s award-winning Master Flavorist. Sporting a soft paper feel, squeezable tip and flip case packaging, this is truly an innovative shift in the e-cigarette industry.

Craig Weiss, President and CEO of Njoy, said, “Today’s launch of the NJOY Kings marks a major milestone for NJOY in our commitment to set the gold standard for the e-cigarette industry. This product is unlike any other e-cigarette on the market today offering the very first truly satisfying alternative to the tobacco cigarette. Industry analysts agree, the NJOY Kings e-cigarette is a game-changer within the tobacco category.” Anyone given it a go, and how do you find it so far?

The Dark Knight Rises iPad companion app pictures and hands-on

The Dark Knight Rises should by now be happily spinning up in the Blu-ray players of Batman fans the world over. Fire up the disc and you might spot that there is a second screen option.

This isn't anything hugely new for the world of Blu-rays, as we discovered forSherlock Holmes. But when it comes to TDKR, things are just that little bit more awesome. 

You will need a Blu-ray player that can connect to the internet in order to get the most out of the disc. Connect both your player and your iPad to the same network and the two will then sync up. While the movie goes on, your iPad acts like a second screen, showing things like quotes, pictures and trivia. 

If you want to look at something on your iPad for longer, while the movie keeps playing, all you need do is just touch the screen. You are then given the option to either sync the tablet back up with the movie once you are done, or sync the movie back to the tablet.

Some of the quotes, like the one from Nolan right at the start, are interesting enough. What we like is the inclusion of Retina display resolutions pics from the movie. They look great and can make for a decent background if you screenshot them from the app.

On top of this you get some other clever camera orientated parts within the app. You can record video for example and have a 3D animation of the Tumbler drive straight through it. Alternatively you can snap a still and put yourself in the Tumbler, or in the movie's 'Rise' poster.

Part of the app goes for a bit of augmented reality, letting you place a 3D model of various bits from the movie onto your face. You can go for Bane's mask, Catwoman's ears or opt to look like Batman. It actually works really well and adds a bit of fun to the movie experience.

As free apps go, this is  polished. For those who want to know everything there is about the new Batman movie, it's all there to enjoy. Shame it can't make us look like Bane, might make for a good alternative to multiple gym trips.

Ultimate Retro Table

We laugh when we think about floppy disks now. Yet they were a lifesaver back in the day. And the 3.5” introduced that sweet plastic cover and metal slider thing which meant you could throw them in your backpack or wherever. Ahhh, the good ol’ days. But how will future generations ever know the technologies that preceded them? Guess we need to remind them.

Two Berlin-based artists want us to commemorate our computing roots. They sought inspiration for a table from our beloved 3.5″ floppy friends. Neulant van Exel design firm have launched their Floppy Table. Made from hot-rolled steel and stainless steel the unit provides a unique, sturdy and retro statement. The 28” x 18” x 26” (w d h) table contains detail we all remember like insertion arrows and a movable, metal shutter complete with a storage space inside. Each unit is laser marked with a serial number for authenticity too. This trip down memory lane will cost you $930 (before shipping). The product website gives few details but email them if interested or learn more on their Facebook page. For the right user – you know who you are – and the right home I am sure the memories will eclipse any cost. So if you miss the days of floppies there is only one coffee table for you!