2013 L’Eroica Vintage Bike Race

Drones dropping books, interactive TV, Banksy's $60 art and more in our weekly look at the web

Each year vintage cycling enthusiasts gather in Tuscany for a celebration of the region’s white gravel roads and Italy’s historic relationship with the sport. The festivities culminate in L’Eroica, a 38 km race with a specific set of rules: Only “heroic bikes” (those built before 1987) are permitted, and gear shift levers must be on the down tube of the steel frame-only bikes. This year …

Music and Success

Drones dropping books, interactive TV, Banksy's $60 art and more in our weekly look at the web

Could playing music be the key to success in any field? This recent New York Times article addresses the link in light of the overwhelming amount of successful people who are also (if not professional, proficient) musicians. Woody Allen plays clarinet in a band, while Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen plays guitar, but it’s not just creative fields; Condoleezza Rice trained to be a concert pianist. …

Textbook Dropping Drones

Drones dropping books, interactive TV, Banksy's $60 art and more in our weekly look at the web

Australian startup Flirtley has developed new flying robots, all for the sake of mail-order delivery in Sydney. These drones will be dropping books, in conjunction with textbook rental service Zookal. The world’s first unmanned aerial delivery technology, Flirtley’s flyers will cut down the price of same-day delivery service to a fraction of what it currently costs. The robots are hexacopters; with six battery-powered rotors and …