Tag: BLUETOOTH

Memorializing the deceased with Facebook mausoleums may offer some digital consolation to bereaved friends and family, but a new product concept called the 'E-Tomb' has taken the idea of post-mortem social networking to an entirely new (and creepily literal) level. Designed by Huang Jianbo, Zhao Ting, Wang Yushan, Ran Xiangfei and Mo Ran, the E-Tomb sort of looks like a cross between a ...

So my city is cracking down big time on driving while talking, but my kids call me to pick them up from school. I need to use my phone on-the-go. I'm going to breakdown and ask for some help with a solid, non-flashy Bluetooth headpiece. I don't want to be that lady muttering to herself, but safety first. Also, I am a complete ditz when it comes to recharging my devices, so I need something with ...

Cell phones can monitor concrete factors like location, but could they possibly monitor our happiness? According to Physorg, University of Cambridge researchers have created a system, dubbed 'Emotionsense,' that cross-references voice samples recorded on cell phones with other data, like a caller's location, in order to find out whether or not a cell phone could monitor emotions. Given Nokia ...

The Web is teeming with the unrealized ideas of both students and established designers who set out to produce astonishing renderings and prototypes for unusual products. Unfortunately, due to the lack of time, money, or technology, many of those products never move from the planning stages to the mass market. But that doesn't mean we can't salivate over their creations, nevertheless. This ...

At first glance, BMW's new scooter prototype, the Mini Scooter E, seems like just another electric scooter. Unlike others, though, the Mini will never ask its drivers to waste time looking for specific charging points -- or, for that matter, their keys. As Fast Company reports, the Mini is set to be unveiled at next month's Paris Motor Show, where it's unique electrical design will surely get ...

The town of Dudley in West Midlands, England has just deployed a crime-fighting vehicle that's more cute than it is fearsome. According to the BBC, after a "slight increase" in the number of robberies since April, the Dudley Bobbies decided that a pedal-powered contraption in the shape of a giant, sideways apostrophe would help make civilians more protective of their valuables. The 'Digi-Bike,' as ...

Highlights from this morning's other big tech headlines.... Next fall, Adobe may be further distancing itself from HTML5, as an Adobe blog has claimed that the company will reveal details concerning a "Flash Player 3D" at October's Max 2010 conference. [From: Mashable] Hezbollah has come to the defense of fired CNN editor Octavia Nasr, saying that the Twitter-provoked incident represents ...

There are geek t-shirts and ridiculous wearable gadgets, and then there is this, occupying some weird middle ground. This t-shirt boasts an embedded micro-controller that communicates with an Android smartphone via Bluetooth in order to alert you of incoming e-mails. The shirt has LEDs that light up, telling you exactly how many messages are currently waiting for your discerning delete finger -- ...

A new security measure could leave many U.S. Air Force BlackBerry users grounded. According to Wired, Air Force officials recently announced changes to the service's cyber-security policy, which would effectively disable the Bluetooth functionality of most BlackBerrys. Forget sending or receiving pictures or videos; under this change, the only functional Bluetooth feature on enlisted men and ...

digg_url ='http://www.switched.com/2010/03/23/tsa-wants-to-use-bluetooth-at-checkpoints-to-follow-fliers-phon/'; Share In an effort to make air travel more efficient, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is looking into tracking travelers' cell phones. Naturally, this has privacy advocates up-in-arms. According to USA Today, the TSA would install a small chip at the entrance and ...

Eternally youthful as we are here at Switched, we try not to spend too much time thinking about the day when we may have to get a hip replacement. But, thanks to a new Bluetooth-enabled 'smart hip,' getting old now seems more cyborg-asmic than ever. With the help of measuring sensors and actuators, the new, high-tech smart hip can not only monitor any potential implant problems, but can also help ...

Extras At this point, USB ports and Gigabit Ethernet are standard features in desktops and laptops alike, so we won't waste your time talking about them. There are still a few hardware options worth mentioning, though. Wireless If you're getting a laptop, Wi-Fi is a given. You'll want to make sure you get one with an 802.11n card in it. Wi-Fi is less important in a desktop machine that ...

We're big fans of innovative electronic instruments, especially ones that look past the idea of human interaction and incorporate random input. Design outfit Fascination Workshop just unveiled its new prototype of the Winduino II, an electronic instrument that creates sound from wind. The company describes its creation as "a wireless, digital version of an Aeolian harp." The Winduino II is ...

If there's one thing we know about technology, it's that portability often trumps all other attributes. Sure, vinyl might sound warmer, but you're not carting your discs around with you. How do you make a mobile device loaded with music even more portable? You ditch those external speakers and wired headphones. At CES 2010, Silicon Valley Global revealed a new product that needs only a flat ...

Ancient Aboriginal instrument, we'd like you to meet modern technology. Who can you thank for this introduction? A nerdy white guy, not even from Australia. Musician and geek Kyle Evans took a didgeridoo, which is an Australian wind instrument, and modified it because he was interested in combining organic sound with modern technology. Evans can manipulate the noise that the custom-built ...