Everyday technology plays a larger role in our lives as investors and companies push for products that increase convenience and accessibility of services. This has especially been true for computer technology, which has undergone a metamorphosis from a large desktop to portable handheld systems. In only a few years, cell phones evolved from simple screen capabilities to touch screen technology with Internet access. The increased usage of technology has caused many to rethink other inventions, which have barely changed since their inception.

Here are a couple of products that have received a technology-based makeover, thus changing the way they are advertised and used,

Cigarettes

Cigarettes, specifically tobacco smoke, have a long history in religious ritual, medicine, and recreational usage. Usage of tobacco can be dated back to 3000 BC when the substance was cultivated in South America. Tobacco found a home in the US in Jamestown around 1612 as a cash crop. The usage of tobacco was re-popularized upon the advent of advertising media and subsequently movie film. As smoking bans increase across the US, technology has served an alternative method for smokers, which is the exception to the smoking ban legislation – electronic cigarettes. The e-cigarette mimics the taste and nicotine content of a cigarette without the smoke.

Books

Writing systems can be traced to ancient civilizations, particularly the writings from ancient Egypt on papyrus scrolls, around 5,000 BC. The first recording of a book format was around 2400 BC. From their birth in ancient history, books have been created on wax, wood, clay, and metal. Book underwent a metamorphosis in consumption when Johannes Gutenberg invented the movable type printing press in 1450, which fueled education, book availability, and increased literacy across Europe. The development of digital printing began a new age for the consumption of reading material. Although electronic books or e-books were invented in the 1970′s, they weren’t widely available or affordable until the wide release of e-book readers, such as the Amazon Kindle, in 2009. The pageless “book” changed the way books are bought and stored, since hundreds of books can be stored and bought through one e-reader.

Music

Although music has seen many forms over the last few decades the change from the CD to mp3 changed the way most music is stored and bought. Using the increased popularity of personal computing systems, music stores and music labels have found another market for selling the music of musicians by song or album though availability online. Technology for portable storage of music in mp3 form has also become more affordable with the ability to hold thousands of songs.

While some technology will eventually lose relevance to the daily lives of consumers, other invention will benefit from a technological makeover that will refuel an interest in its benefits.

Learned about cold-brew coffee sometime ago, but this Black Blood of the Earth stuff . . . whoa. Keanu Reeves moment just reading about it.  It’s beyond most small-scale tech dealing with coffee caffeine:

By my calculations, I produced the equivalent of 145 cups of conventional coffee’s worth of caffeine in 5.7 cups of volume

Too bad the creator of BBotE only produces about 12 liters per week at the moment.

[via @warrenellis]

A Scotch enthusiast pointed out a site with a few fellows speaking the names of Scotches out loud.  If you were ever curious how to pronounce that one Scotch, this is your chance.  I’ve put them all together in a single MP3, clocking in at under two minutes.

Scotch Pronunciations [MP3 Download]

Scotches are not spoken in complete alphabetical order.  To play along at home, see the full list of Scotches, after the jump.

Allt a Bhainne

Aberfeldy

Aberlour

Ardmore

Aultmore

Balblair

Balmenach

Brackla

Bowmore

Bruichladdich

Bunnahabhain

Caol Ila

Caperdonich

Cardhu

Clynelish 2

Clynelish

Coleburn

Convalmore

Cragganmore

Craigellachie

Dallas Dhu

Dalmore

Daluaine

Dalwhinnie

Deanston

Dufftown

Edradour

Fettercairn

Glen Albyn

Glen Allachie

Glen Burgie

Glen Cadam

Glen Craig

Glen Deveron

Glen Dronach

Glen Dullan

Glen Elgin

Glen Esk

Glen Farclas

Glen Fiddich

Glen Garioch

Glen Glassaugh

Glen Goyne

Glen Grant

Glen Keith

Glen Kinchie

Glen Livet

Glen Lochy

Glen Lossie

Glen Mhor

Glen Morangie

Glen Moray

Glen Ord

Glen Rothes

Glen Scotia

Glen Spey

Glen Tauchers

Glen Turret

Glen Ugie

Glen Ury

Glen Wyvis

Highland Park

Imperial

Inchgower

Inchmurrin

Jura

Kinclaith

Kininview

Knockando

Knockdhu

Ladyburn

Lagavulin

Laphroaig

Ledaig

Linkwood

Littlemill

Lochnagar

Lochside

Lomond

Longmorn

Longrow

Macallan

Mannochmore

Millburn

Miltonduff

Mortlach

Mosstowie

North Port

Oban

Pittyvaich

Port Ellen

Pulteney

Rosebank

Scapa

Speyburn

Springbank

St Magdalene

Strathisla

Strathmill

Talisker

Tamdhu

Tamnavulin

Teaninich

Tomatin

Tomintoul

Tormore

Tullibardine

Slainte!

Believe it or not, I set out to give the gift of Jim Beam Red Stag. (For the record, the only salvageable Jim Beam is Jim Beam Rye.)  Turning to the Internets — specifically Google Shopping — I open up seven different sites selling liquor online. While most have different pricing, they all look like they could be using the same shopping cart software. At least there is the same little calculator icon to estimate shipping and “Promotional Code” field on all them.

Take a look at screen captures of these sites after the jump, if you are into that kind of thing.

A shout to Rob Stretch and his man gift site What to Get Guys.  Rob cherry-picks products for you, so when buying for males, go there first — it saves time and prevents frustration while delighting all involved in the resulting consumption.

He pointed me there to check the Digital Harinezumi Video Camera — a tiny, future-retro type camcorder that instantly applies a 60′s-ish Super 8 effect to everything it records.

The actual camera

Freeze frame from footage shot with the Digital Harinezumi

It’s a fun novelty concept, great for quickly achieving an aged analog feel, but for film heads, a very similar effect could be hand-created with your editing program once, saved as a template, then applied ad infinitum to any footage.

The Absinthe Gift Set slays.  Buy it, but don’t wait for the experience.  Lucid Absinthe is now available in all 50 states.  I quaffed some around the corner at the Heidelberg a while back so check your bar.

I still want to check Thomas Fink’s “The Man’s Book: The Essential Guide for the Modern Man” which allegedly answers many questions including:

Do you know how to tie a bow-tie, mix a martini, or make a potato gun?

Do you know when to get married and how to break up, or the difference between a bock beer and a bitter?

Do you know which urinal to choose or how to start a fire with a Coke can?

It would reside perfectly next to “The Alphabet of Manliness” on your bookshelf.

Dr. Pepper promised everyone free Dr. Pepper if Guns and Roses released their album, Chinese Democracy, in 2008. G n’ R at long last delivered, but not Dr. Pepper, at least not for me.  I tried foolishly for too long yesterday to get some at http://drpepper.com/freedrpepper .  The offer lasts for 24 hours.  As I write this post, roughly five hours remain.  I’ve tried filling out the form in Firefox, Safari and Opera and it goes to a blank page, so I doubt anything will come of it.

Update: NME is reporting that because the Dr Pepper servers crashed, a G n’ R lawyer is criticising the company for not being prepared for the influx of traffic, calling for more time and full page newspaper ad apologies.

Sometimes I find myself at Clover’s Natural Market, basking in the glow of light emanating from the drink cooler containing glorious assortments of hippy energy juices.  These things are good for you, man.  (Well, the drink shown above, known as “Cocaine”, while obviously not containing cocaine, is not available from the health food store.  But I list it on name alone.)

So what else can I do other than link to each one and offer a half assed review:

• Amazon Energy.  This sparkling beverage is made from the acai berry, a fruit high in antioxidants.  Also contains acerola fruit, yerba mate, 120 mg of caffeine, 120 calories and 28.5 mg sugar.  Offers a decent little boost and didn’t make me gag.
• Hi-Ball Energy.  Your dad’s energy drink.  It basically tastes like seltzer water, club soda or tonic water or a combo of any of those plus whatever flavor is stamped on the outside.  Highly carbonated.  I tried the grapefruit.  Meh.
• Steaz Energy.  I’ve guzzled the berry, lime and orange varieties.  Steaz registers as the “plain jane” of these concoctions.  It’s kind of like sex in a canoe.  It’s very near to water.
• Twinlab Energy Fuel.  Not merely “energy”, this stuff is also “fuel”.  I know a dude that buys it by the case.  It’s kind of fruity tasting.
• Guru Energy Drink.  A new arrival so I have not tried it yet.  Their site does not tout the product as much as it does the usual humor, sex, lifestyle thing.
• Micell Edge.  While not really an according to Hoyle energy drink it deserves mention on the basis of name and nutritional value.  This puppy sports a whopping 50g of protein and 1.5g of fat to boot.  It’s obviously some kind of protein shake, but ended up beside the others somehow.
• Methyl Speed.  Anything with “meth” in the title is bound to be at least a little scary.  One also should “never exceed more than two bottles daily or more than one bottle over a four hour period.”  The site also says it “provides long-lasting muscle pumps.”  Huh?  What are muscle pumps?  Clovers has discontinued this product.