Link About It: This Week’s Picks

A new Siri, a new Instagram, the Transit of Mercury and more in this week's look around the web

1. Watch the Shadow of Mercury Cross the Sun in Real Time The Transit of Mercury—an astrological event that takes place just 13 times per century—happened earlier this week. The event occurs when our solar system’s smallest planet, Mercury, appears to cross the sun from Earth; producing a tiny, dot-sized shadow moving across the massive face of the glowing sun. The phenomenon is only viewable …

Search Google Straight From Your Texts with Gboard

Google is making it easier than ever to search the web with its latest product: Gboard. Developed for iOS, Gboard is a third-party keyboard that allows users to instantaneously search Google straight from their text messaging app (or virtually any app that uses a keyboard). Search results, images, YouTube videos and even GIFs can then be quickly inserted into a conversation without having to copy/paste …

Use Your Skin as a Smartwatch Interface With SkinTrack

With their project “SkinTrack,” researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a way to expand the interface of smartwatches outside of just the screen and onto human skin. SkinTrack requires users to tie a slim, ring-like device to their finger, allowing a smart watch to track its movement. From there, games like Angry Birds or even just dialing a phone number can be done completely …