Flipboard rolling out six curated video channels to boost content

Flipboard is rolling out curated video channels for its popular news reader app, covering subjects such as news, science, music, fashion and cooking.

A day after announcing it now has 20 million users, Flipboard is introducing curated video channels to its news reader.

The hugely popular app, which presents news content in an attractive magazine-style format, is rolling out six new TV sections, powered by popular YouTube channels.

Topics include news, science, music, fashion and cooking, among others. The existing video sections, provided by an array of sources, will of course continue to be available to users.

“Whether you enjoy inspirational talks, science experiments or live music, these curated video sections are guaranteed to entertain and inform, wherever your interests lie,” Flipboard said in a post on its blog.

At the time of writing, the channels weren’t showing in its ‘contents’ section and could only be accessed via links on its blog post about the new feature (through ‘Inside Flipboard’). If the new section is being added via an app update, it hasn’t shown up for iOS users yet. Android users should be able to update already, according to the version showing in the Google Play store.

Stats revealed by Flipboard on Tuesday show that three billion pages have been flipped in the two years since the app became available, with users spending an average of 86 minutes a month perusing its content.

Channel info

Here’s a full list of Flipboard’s new curated channels:

Cooking TV: For foodies and aspiring home chefs, these how-to cooking videos can add skills to your culinary repertoire. Learn the basics like Chow.com’s “How to Make the Creamiest, Cheesiest Mac ‘n Cheese” or try quirky recipes like Food Network TV’s “Chicken and Waffles on a Stick.”

Influencer TV: Hear about big ideas from leading innovators and creative thinkers. Influencers TV includes a TED Talks lecture on creating awe by Rob Legato, the Visual Effects Supervisor for “Titanic” and “Hugo.” For shorter fare, check out Big Think videos on “The Search for Life on Mars” and “Seeing Sound, Tasting Color: Synasthesia.”

Music TV: Keep up with what the kids—and hip people of all ages—are listening to these days. Watch the latest indie music videos on Noisey and follow NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert series for intimate sessions with emerging artists. Pitchfork TV catches live show moments, including “Bjork Dedicates ‘Declare Independence’ to Pussy Riot.”

Science TV: Feed your curiosity with cool experiments and surprising scientific facts. VSauce will answer “What if the Earth were Hollow?” and “What If Everyone Jumped at Once?” On SciShow, find out “Why Our Brains Love Junk Food” or other scientific explanations for everyday dilemmas.

News TV: With News TV, stay updated on current events via leading news outlets. Get storm and earthquake alerts from Associated Press and ABC News. CBS News follows the 2012 presidential campaigns and Al Jazeera provides international news.

Catwalk TV: Get the latest fashion trends, fresh off the catwalks in Paris, Milan, Tokyo, New York City and more. YouTube channels like Fashion TV and Videofashion cover global runways and rising models. See new campaigns from individual designers, like Alexander McQueen’s “Menswear Autumn/Winter 2012.”

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com

Critter, the portable kitchen, is made for the nomadic top chefs

Who says cooking outdoor means working around strange elements? The Critter kitchen system brings indoor functionalities anywhere you go.

You know those cooking reality shows where contestants are often required to go outside their comfort zones and craft a masterful dish in an unconventional location? This has ranged anywhere from a sandy beach, a snowy mountain, a forest, even inside a gondola lift up a ski slope as seen on the recent Top Chef: Texas. If only these chefs could use Critter: a modular kitchen that’s designed to be movable, portable, and can provide full functionalities comparable to a full-sized facility.

Envisioned by Italian designer Elia Mangia, Critter is unlike most portable cooking systems that only feature electric stoves or one water heating pot. The kitchen can be fully assembled to provide a dual-burner gas stovetop, hot water faucet with a sink, elongated food preparation space, garbage disposal area, and hooks underneath to hold utensils, pots, and pans. The entire system is free standing and can be put together in just eight screws, allowing users to take it apart and piece it back together again in quick and easy steps. This means simple preparation for those who want to shift from cooking inside their tiny apartments to a patio or backyard, or even taking the Critter system along on a driving trip for roadside cookouts and camping overnights. It also helps that Critter looks like an actual kitchen, adding a sense of home to wherever it may be that requires a portable cooking system.

Of course, a slight downside to Critter is how many pieces the full kitchen actually has. Assuming you need both a sink, burner, and trays to keep all your separate ingredients apart, you’re looking at bringing at least 12 pieces of hardware to assemble once you’re onsite. Still, Critter looks good, is relatively space-efficient, and seems more practical than cooking over open fire. Who knows, maybe the juxtaposition of fancy modular kitchen and the rugged wilderness can actually make a trip more memorable, especially when you can whip up something a bit more complex than s’mores and ramen noodles.

Critter will be available on the Italian contemporary design shop Skitsch but no pricing information has been announced just yet.

Source : digitaltrends[dot]com