Weekly Recap: Surviving C64, Colonizing Mars, Mavic Pro, Collar for Fido and Snapchat Glasses

Exemplary Stamina

In a mechanic’s shop in Gdansk, Poland, a Commodore 64 has been working non-stop for 25 years. Surviving a flood, bird droppings and general neglect, it is still chugging away on a driveshaft balancing machine.

⇨ Cnet, “This Commodore 64 bad boy helps drive an auto shop in 2016.”

Colonizing Mars

From the stage at the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico, Elon Musk presented his plan to send humans to Mars with SpaceX, the interplanetary transportation company he founded in 2002. The spaceship he envisions to transport humans to the red planet is enormous: 12 metres across and 122 metres high, it will carry at least 100 people and have a restaurant and even a movie theatre. The first trip is scheduled for 2023.

⇨ Ars Technica, “Musk’s Mars moment: Audacity, madness, brilliance—or maybe all three.”

DJI’s Mavic Pro

One week after GoPro’s launch of its first drone, the GoPro Karma, DJI unveiled its own foldable drone, the lighter Mavic Pro. The Mavic Pro offers a number of interesting features including the ability to track and follow its user and avoid obstacles. The Mavic can fly at speeds up to 65 km/h, range up to 7 km away from its operator and stay aloft for 27 minutes. The video stream from the 4K/30p camera can be viewed on a cellphone. The Mavic Pro will be available as of October 15 for US$999 (US$749 without the controller).

⇨ Digital Photography Review, “DJI goes portable with the Mavic Pro.”

Connected Collar for Fido

Fido can now have his own fitness tracker. The new leather Link AKC collar allows you to monitor Fido’s activity levels so you’ll know he’s getting enough exercise. The Link AKC also allows you to track Fido through GPS and alerts you when he goes too far. Finally, it lights up so you’ll see Fido in the dark. All this for just US$199, plus $6.95 per month for the mobile network connection. Available at the end of the year. No kitty version has been announced.

⇨ Circuit Breaker, “This connected dog collar is a GPS and a fitness tracker.”

Snapchat Glasses

Snapchat unveiled “Spectacles”, sunglasses with a built-in camera allowing wearers to record 10 seconds’ worth of footage with 180-degree vision. Videos snapped with the specs can then be shared on Snapchat. Available this fall for US$130.

⇨ Circuit Breaker, “Snapchat unveils $130 connected sunglasses and rebrands as Snap, Inc..”