Social Networking for a Cause

From corporate-sponsored "Cool Apps" to niche spin-offs like Bakespace, Virb and I'm In Like With You, online communities are still largely about socializing and/or wasting time. Their potential as powerful tools for the greater good—beyond finding out where the party's at—has been largely untapped, but we managed to find a few. The following are some of the latest and best sites where social networking meets …

Vending Machine Safety

Vending machines are ubiquitous in big, crowded Japanese cities. Wouldn't it be great if they did more than dispense cold bottles of green tea and hot cans of coffee? Like, what if they could also protect people? In Osaka, they can. Security company Network Security Japan (NSJ) has created a network in the city's hipster hub Amerika-mura (American Village), an area packed with cafes, clothing …

Mini Cooper Clubman

Similar in looks and configuration to the Mini Traveller concept car, an all-new addition to the Mini range, the Clubman hits international streets this November. New proportions and a style reminiscent of the past distinguish this "stretched" Mini model. Not available in the States until next year, the 5-door Mini Cooper Clubman is longer, offering more leg room, and incorporates what some call a "suicide …