Zip Around Your City on an Electric Skateboard

When you think about electric vehicles, skateboards are probably not first on the list. But thanks to new tech upgrades, the toy which was long considered just for teenagers is breathing new life into daily commutes. And not only do some use remote control technology, they can even be controlled with your mind.
With 50% of all trips people take in cars being under 5 miles and the last mile of public transportation routes often left for walking, manufacturers are starting to market electric skateboarding as an alternative eco-friendly way to beat traffic and save on gasoline.
"The electric skateboard is becoming a valid commuting option for anyone with balance," said William Hurley, the co-founder of electric skateboarding company Chaotic Moon. "In fact, in the past two years several new companies have emerged to try and grab a share of this emerging market."
Perhaps the two biggest trends popping up in the electric skateboarding market is control systems and battery options, he says.
"Several manufacturers have created new ways of interfacing with the boards, including new handheld radio controls and special inserts on the decks to allow hands-free operations," Whurley says. "By far the biggest innovation in electric skateboards so far comes from Sanjay Dastoor and the team at Boosted Boards, who have created an amazing board that is as beautiful from a physical perspective as it is from a technical one."

Boosted Boards, which started as a Kickstarter project and received nearly $500,000 in funding (beating its $100,000 goal), is touted as the world's lightest electric vehicle. It weighs less than a bicycle at 12 pounds and can be charged through a normal wall outlet in 15 minutes.

The motor is small enough to fit in your hand and features parts purchased from a toy store. It's so powerful you could ride the board up the hills of San Francisco at about 20 MPH. It comes with a hand-held remote so you can control acceleration and go in reverse.
"This uses 20 times less energy for every mile or kilometer you travel than a car, which means not only is it fast to charge and cheap to build, it also reduces the footprint of your energy use in terms of your transportation," Dastoor said during a recent TED talk. "Instead of looking at large amounts of energy for each person to get around, now you can look at much smaller amounts and more sustainable transportation. The next time you think about a vehicle, we hope that, like us, you are thinking about something new."
Meanwhile, the skateboards coming out of Chaotic Moon are among the first to incorporate brain control technology. Skateboarders wear a headset which reads your brains output in the form of brain waves (beta, alpha, theta and delta). It then transmits those signals over Bluetooth to a Samsung tablet computer running Windows 8, which is attached to the skateboard. It interprets that data and converts it into analog instructions for the board.
"Electric skateboards are already becoming more popular as a means of intra-city commuting, and brain computer interfaces are growing in popularity as the price of the technologies continues to drop and the capabilities get more refined," Whurley says.
Moving forward, Whurley says we might see a way to connect the directions on a smartphone to the board.
"But the top advancement right now that manufacturers are focusing on is battery power and some safety features, such as proximity and other sensors that would be very useful to the novice skater," he added.
Do you think electric skateboards are a fun fad, or could they become a more mainstream way to get around? Let us know in the comments below.

6 Creative Ways to Use Evernote

There's a reason the Evernote logo is an elephant. Because when used correctly, this helpful, versatile, free app will make sure you never forget anything ever. Just like an elephant.
If you're unfamiliar with Evernote, the app utilizes "notebooks" — basically a system of folders and subfolders that become increasingly helpful as you create more. Greater organization makes it easier to recall exactly what you need at a later date, across any platform.

 

When harnessed fully, Evernote can build an entire second brain for you, synced automatically across all devices. Every picture, article, website or personal note you might want to recall can find a place there.
That's a good thing, because you're probably aware that your own brain can be fallible at times. You'll operate more efficiently by shifting responsibilities onto something else, freeing up your own mind for more important tasks.
The applications for Evernote are limitless, but we thought we'd list a few here to get you going. Best of luck to you and your second brain.
What creative ways have you found to organize your life with Evernote? Let us know in the comments.

1. Save Clippings From Anywhere

If you're using Chrome, download the Evernote Web Clipper from the Web Store. Now the app is never farther than a right-click away. Evernote's UI is simple and intuitive, but its huge potential may intimidate you. Where to begin?

SEE ALSO: 9 Evernote Products You Have to Try

First things first: All of your future note-taking should take place in Evernote. Small groups, company-wide meetings, 8 a.m. lecture classes ... all of it. And beyond that? Well, we'd normally advise you to use the sleek service known as Pocket to bookmark articles for later. But if you're already comfortable with Pocket, you can create a "Read Later" folder in Evernote to do the same thing.

2. Deepen Your Reading

Image courtesy of Flickr, rocknroll_guitar Whether on mobile or desktop, the definition to an unfamiliar word or phrase is never far away. But don't equate instant access with retention. Evernote gives you a way to quickly catalogue new words, trivia and more for future reference. This is only one way the app can change your reading experience. Whether you're reading an article on Mashable or an e-book on your Kindle, you can save a passage or quote at any time.
Throw an inspirational quote into your "Inspiring" notebook. Bookmark a paragraph for discussion with friends or classmates. Save an illustration or photograph for later reference. Does your text cite myriad references you don't have time to examine right now? Don't be afraid to start too many notebooks; Evernote can handle it.

3. Win at Shopping

You might tell yourself to remember to pick up avocados after work, but when dinner time rolls around — no such guac. Or maybe it's not even your fault. You relied on your significant other to pick something up, but it didn't happen. Build all your future shopping lists in Evernote and share folders and notes with your roommates or spouse. Not only can they view the list — it will sync on his or her phone as you update it from your phone or home computer.

4. Make a Wish List

You only see things you want when you can't afford them, and you won't remember them when you have a surplus. That's how memory works. Let Evernote help. Not only can you create a "Wish List" notebook of fantastic items — they'll show up alongside your Google searches if you're looking for something similar.
Don't let your wishes end at products, though. Did you see a recipe online you simply must try out? Evernote can be your reliable recipe repository. Is there a DIY project you want to try out next weekend? Put it in your "DIY" folder.

5. Keep Track of Pages for House Hunting

The search for a new house or apartment can move pretty fast. You might look at dozens of options in a day, and you can only leave so many Craigslist tabs open at once. There are some services and apps that will catalogue your favorites, but Evernote can do it too. Use the web clipper to throw your selections into a notebook, while simultaneously adding tags like "Affordable" or "Good Location" to remind you why you liked the place.

6. Plan Your Future

There was a book you wanted to read this summer, but you can't remember it now. Luckily, Evernote can, because you dropped it in your "Summer Reads" notebook. There are other online resources for this kind of planning — Goodreads comes to mind — but you'll find Evernote's appeal is its universality. Instead of visiting several different sites, you can collect your otherwise scattered "second brain" into one place.

And don't stop at books. If you want to see a movie but know you'll forget its name, don't hesitate. Put it in Evernote. If your friend recommends an album that sounds decent, or if you hear about a cool restaurant in the area, do the same. Don't waste a single second — or brain cell — more than you have to.