New 'active' invisibility cloak design 'drastically reduces' visibility

A great headline from The Independent today. I don't know if it's a case of intentionally or unintentionally funny. Regardless, here's what it refers to:

A new type of “active” invisibility cloak that could operate over a broad range of frequencies has been developed by researchers at the University of Texas in Austin.
By employing a “superconducting thin film” that is electrically powered the cloak could overcome the limitations of current “passive” designs.
Scientists have previously created small-scale invisibility cloaks that work only in response to very limited types of light. The researchers at the University of Texas give the example of an object that is made invisible to red light, but becomes bright blue as a result, “increasing its overall visibility”.
"Our active cloak is a completely new concept and design, aimed at beating the limits of [current cloaks] and we show that it indeed does," Professor Andrea Alù, a lead author on the study, told the BBC.
"If you want to make an object transparent at all angles and over broad bandwidths, this is a good solution […] We are looking into realising this technology at the moment, but we are still at the early stages."

A great photo, too.

With New 'Starchase' Technology Police Can Fire GPS Trackers At Fleeing Suspects (Video)

The St. Petersburg, Florida police department is showing off a new tool meant to reduce the risks associated with high speed chases. A compressed-air launcher, mounted behind the grille of a police cruiser, uses a laser to target the fleeing vehicle. It discharges a projectile/tag containing the GPS module. The projectile adheres to the suspect vehicle and transmits coordinates back to dispatch. The dispatcher then views the location and movements of the tagged vehicle in near real-time on a digital road map via a secure Internet connection. The StarChase mapping platform is a secure, scalable Web-based solution that does not require special hardware to operate. It is compatible with existing CAD and AVL systems.

Starchase.com

This Exists: The Rolling Bedside iPad Stand.

From Hammacher Schlemmer: 

"This is the mobile iPad stand that places a tablet at the optimal position while lying in bed, reclining in a chair, or sitting on a sofa. The height-adjustable, articulating swing arm lets you place your device at the ideal eye level, distance, and angle (even upside down) while you lie supine, recline, or sit upright. The swing arm can be raised or lowered from 30"-56" H with sturdy clip locks, and folds out of the way when not in use or when you’re ready to rise from your bed or chair. The mount secures any iPad, tablet, or e-reader up to 8 1/2" x 11" (even while in its case) via four elastic bands, rotates easily for portrait or landscape viewing, and swivels 360º. The substantial weighted base won't tip over, requires just a 4" clearance to slide under furniture, and rolls smoothly on four double-wheel hooded casters. Assembly required. Gunmetal/Black. 48" H x 13" W x 13" D. (28 lbs.)"