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If you’re like us, you’re sure to have fond memories of gathering around the radio in your jammies on Saturday morning and listening to the likes of Adventures in Odyssey and Life with Luigi; an experience that was only marred by the smell of your Dad’s rotting stereo speakers. Maybe that was just us? Well, perhaps you can learn to commiserate with this USB Aroma Radio + Speaker from Brando. It sounds a lot like that Aroma Geur radio we saw a while back, only it’s about $400 cheaper and probably much less likely to synchronize its aromas and LEDs to the music. You can also use the unit as a line-in speaker if you’ve had enough of radio — and who hasn’t. 

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For what it’s worth, marketing firms have been encouraging folks to interact with billboards and the like with their cellphones for some time now, but prototype software developed by gurus in the UK has enabled a cameraphone to control a desktop computer. As expected, the application enables users to “move and manipulate onscreen items simply by waving a handset around in front of a [display],” but giving mobile owners a second-rate 3D mouse is just the beginning. There is promise for it (or something similar) to one day be used in more public settings, but while it’s still locked inside the house, we’ll probably just continue using our entirely more comfortable Wiimote for any atypical mousing exercises. Hit up the read link for a video demonstration.

article source; Proinvention; 

Designer Georges Koussouros is out with a design for a ‘KissPhone’. Name is pretty much to define what the phone is, it is a revolutionary design that uses a pair of lips to allow users send kisses across the network. Kissing sensor uses stats like percussion speed, pressure, temperature, and sucking force to create a virtual kiss that is sent to the user on the other end (KissPhone again).

So, get ready to kiss people who are far far away from you or even get one from your beloved!

Aigopen, which was exhibited in CES 2008, is brand-new gadget for audio reading. By putting the gadget into the figures in the dedicated book, the user can listen the explanation of the figures via the earphone attached in the gadget.

article source; Aigo;

A Pen is mightier than a sword, but now lets modify the saying a little to fit our requirement. A pen is mightier than a say for example an MP3 player or a Walkie. No kidding! Check out the Chinese storyteller pen called the ‘Aigopen’ from Aigo, which is one of the leading brands selling storage devices, PMPs and MP3 players in China. In CES, 2008, Aigo recently unveiled this unique pen that is already available in Chinese market since Dec ’07.

The company whose name looks like the anagram for Shakespeare’s one of the most famous creation ‘Iago’ is looking for distributors to make this pen available in US markets as well. The unique thing about this pen is that it tells you stories. Just like your grandma must have done. All you have to do is to point to any character in a calendar than comes with it, and you can hear a story with the earphones on. The earphones have been designed and made to compliment this pen, Aigopen. You have the option to change the language with a simple push of a button.

This pen is already in demand in Chinese museums. The company is looking for potential market outside China as well. It will prove a great learning item for kids, who can learn by means of listening to stories. The storyteller pen has definitely the potential to be a rage among kids.

Now, if your kid is crying for a bedtime story, all you need is to get hold of one of this. I sincerely doubt though how many parents can resist the temptation not to listen to it themselves. It will definitely carry forward the losing grip of story telling tradition.

Firstly for openess, as some mobile operators take more open strategies and government policymakers enforce the openness of it, mobile network is becoming more open to another players such as Google. And mobile platform is becoming open to the world-wide develpers, as application develpers for PC can develop his own applications using the open API on the Operating Systems, such as Windows or Linux.

Secondly, it is relatively advantageous for mobile phone to collect such private data as preference, location, etc. , as compared to PC or TV. Using these kinds of private data, it is easy to provide the user of the mobile phone with personalized mobile advertisements. This is the point where new business model is born. For example, as a compensation for subscribing personalized mobile advertisement, the user can be provided free services such as voice calls, music download.

Lastly, by virtue of innovative multi-touch interface of Apple iphone, the attention of human-friendly interface is increasing. As Bill Gates addressed in the key note speech of CES 2008, technologies for human-related interactions – voice recognition, touch interface, gesture interface – will be more important in the future expecially in the mobile phone market.

The top 10 wireless trends for 2008

By Michal Lev-Ram A lot happened in wireless this past year, from the debut of the iPhone to Verizon Wireless’ move to open its network. But 2008 promises to be just as eventful, starting with the Federal Communication Commission’s spectrum auction in January. Here’s a look at the 10 most significant events and trends in the coming year.

1. Wireless networks will remain the domain of wireless operators: There’s been talk that the upcoming 700-MHz spectrum auction could present an opportunity for a new carrier to emerge, given that companies like Google (GOOG) and even oil giant Chevron (CVX) have registered to bid. But most analysts agree it’s unlikely anyone but the current big mobile operators will win the showdown. “AT&T (T) and Verizon Wireless (VZ) will be the most aggressive bidders,” says Forrester Research analyst Charles Golvin. But regardless of who wins, the wireless world will change given an FCC requirement that the 700-MHz spectrum be open to any device.

2. The first Android phones hit the market: Taiwanese phonemaker HTC has said it expects to launch the first cell phone based on Google’s Android mobile platform by midyear, and other phonemakers are expected to follow. (Android is a wireless operating standard that aims to make the mobile data experience more Internet-like.)

3. Cameraphones will get even fancier: Have you checked out Nokia’s (NOK) N95 – a picture-taking machine that comes with a five-megapixel camera and still fits in your pocket? That’s the future of multimedia phones. “For the first time, in 2007 cameraphones became the majority,” says Mark Donovan, an analyst with research firm M:Metrics. “In 2008 we’ll see the technology continue to improve.” In the United States, 61 percent of phones already have built-in cameras, and there’s a growing range of uses for them. In addition to uploading and sharing photos directly over cellular networks, people will be able to take pictures of ads to get coupons sent to them via SMS or get product information by taking a shot of a barcode.

4. Mobile ads will come to a cell phone screen near you: Sure, estimates of mobile advertising revenues have often turned out to be overblown, but that doesn’t mean the industry isn’t making headway. In 2007, many of the big players – Google, Yahoo (YHOO) and Microsoft (MSFT) – made mobile ad-related acquisitions. Expect to see the fruits of that shopping spree start to appear later in 2008. It will be a while before subscription-based models lose ground to ad-based ones, much like what happened on the Internet, but the wireless industry is slowly opening up to ads.

5. WiMax will become available: This is the year Sprint (S) will launch its Xohm mobile broadband service in select markets like Chicago, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. By end of 2008, Sprint expects to reach 100 million customers with its new ultra-fast mobile data service. While Nokia’s Internet tablet will be one of the first compatible devices available on Sprint’s new network, analysts don’t expect to see affordable WiMax-enabled phones anytime soon.

6. Openness will continue to dominate the wireless lexicon: You can thank Google for this one – ever since the Internet search giant began lobbying the FCC to open up the 700-MHz spectrum, “open” has become the latest buzzword in the cellular world. At first the big mobile operators tried to fight it, but once they realized they couldn’t beat Google they joined in. Look for holdout AT&T to become more open to the possibilities of open in 2008.

7. Nokia will become a major mobile software player: With its new chief technology officer based in the Silicon Valley, a reorganization that will make software and services one of the company’s main business groups and the upcoming launch of its Ovi web portal, expect the Finnish phonemaker to become much more than a hardware player in 2008. The company’s buying streak (it’s already snapped up startups like photo-sharing service Twango and digital mapmaker Navteq) is likely to continue.

8. Getting lost will get harder: What, you don’t have a GPS-enabled phone? Don’t worry, you will soon. That’s because the FCC’s “Enhanced 911″ rules is slowly forcing U.S. carriers to make their handsets GPS-capable. That in turn will drive more and more location-based services (think social networking and advertising) in 2008.

9. More touchscreens: The iPhone wasn’t the only touchy-feely phone to come out in 2007. There was also the HTC Touch and Verizon’s Voyager and Venus devices, which launched in time for the holiday season. But expect to see even more all-touch devices in 2008. According to ABI Research, over 100 million handsets with touchscreens will be shipped in the new year By 2012, that number is expected to reach 500 million.

10. Silicon Valley will become a wireless industry hot spot: The Valley is home to iPhone-maker Apple (AAPL), Android creator Google, Nokia’s new CTO and countless mobile startups. With the increasing focus on software and services – not just phone manufacturing -  Silicon Valley will become even more prominent on the wireless map.

• Anti-snore technology - The bed recognize the vibration and snoring sound of the user and help the use stop snoring by moving the mattress of it.
• Sleep Diagnostic Center – Using the historical data measured by idenfifying the body pattern of the user, the device adjusts the temperature of the bed and optimizes the position of the mattress.
• Compatability with home automation system – Connected to the already commercialized home automation system, life|ware , the device allows the user to control other electrinoc devices such as lights, TV, air-controller, etc.

 article source; starry night

 

January 8, 2008 It’s not the first thing that springs to mind when you think consumer electronics, but this high-tech bed from Leggett & Platt is nonetheless making its mark at the 2008 International CES. The Starry Night™ Sleep Technology Bed packs in a range of entertainment hardware to play with when you are not asleep including Internet connectivity, an iPod docking station, a 1080p projector and a surround sound system with four eight-inch subwoofers. And when you do drift off, there’s plenty of technology left over to help you make the most out of your rest – dual programmable temperature control, a diagnostic system that monitors body movement and breathing pattern, plus anti-snore technology which detects vibration caused by snoring and tilts the bed to encourage you to stop.

Utilizing vibration-detection technology originally developed for military purposes, the anti-snoring system is designed to help alleviate mild to moderate snoring by automatically moving the mattress by seven degrees and then returning the bed to its original position when the snoring stops. Fortunately the separate mattress layout means that you wont have to suffer for the sins of your partner.

The mattress can be set to “pre-heat” or “pre-cool” on both sides of the bed (ranging from 68 degrees to 117 degrees Fahrenheit) and the body monitoring system aims to improve sleep over longer periods by measuring your movements during the night and comparing them to a 30-day baseline. Using this data and information gathered on breathing patterns (which indicate relaxation) the system then provides hints on how to improve your sleep quality.

The surround sound system incorporates four eight-inch subwoofers and a ribbon tweeter backed by 2,500 watt RMS amplification. There’s also a 1080p LCD based projector with a 6000:1 contrast ratio and 2,000 lumens nestled in the headboard, wireless RF remote via Microsoft’s Media Center, DVR functionality and 1.5 terabytes of disc storage.

The system uses a solid state hard drive for fast data transfer, has 4GB of ddr2 ram and both the diagnostic and entertainment features are connected to the life|ware™ home automation system, allowing you to control other electronic components in the bedroom and throughout the house and programmed to create custom multi-media experiences.

Due for consumer release in the first half of 2009, Starry Night™ will retail between USD$20,000 – $50,000 depending on the customizable features.

article source; pacemaker

The Pacemaker can turn anyone into a portable DJ, or at least will give that impression. The black handheld device has a 120 GB hard drive inside the system and is designed with the aim of bringing people closer to their music and allowing them to creatively interact with their entire music collection; Pacemaker is the first of its kind anywhere in the world.It has the ability to preview tracks, adjust speed, split and cut loops, alter levels, add special effects, and more.

Pacemaker will allow you to create mixes of any musical style, giving you the ability to seamlessly mix between tracks and to produce new sounds. What was once thought to be exclusively available to DJs and producers is now readily available to everyone and is the first product in the world that truly brings DJ’ing to the masses. We will have to wait until October to see this beauty hit the stores and costing $700 it’s a relatively low-cost convenient practice setup for DJs on the road or an appealing option for aspiring amateurs. Video after the jump.

Next2Friends is a Communications Platform that opens up a whole new world of interaction between people, their friends and family and others. One part intelligent Social Networking, one part breakthrough Mobile Technology, Next2Friends can be used for many things like keeping in touch with friends, sharing moments with others in real time, and meeting new people with similar interests. So while Next2Friends is a Social Networking website, it also interacts with most current Mobile Technology to create a level of communication and interaction never seen before.

You can do all the things that you’d expect from a Social Networking site like setting up a profile, uploading pictures and searching for and connecting with friends. But at the heart of Next2Friends are 6 new revolutionary services that run on and interact with your Mobile Device. They are:

• Live Streaming Video
  With Next2friends Live Streaming Video, you can broadcast live events from any capable mobile device or webcam to your family and friends wherever they are in the world! They can watch any event in real-time with you, as it happens!
• Next2Friends Tag
  You set up a profile detailing all your likes, your dislikes, your quirks and everything that makes you who you are. Then, if you load Next2Friends onto your mobile device and turn on Proximity Services, Next2Friends will look for other users you come into close proximity with that share your likes, dislikes, and yes, even your quirks. Finally, when you sign into your account you’ll receive notification of all the people you passed throughout the day who you have something in common with. And the rest is up to you!
• Ask-A-Friend
  Ask-A-Friend is a dynamic new way to get instant feedback from all your friends, or if you choose, the entire Next2Friends community. It works like this: You snap photos to create an instant opinion poll to send to whomever you choose for a vote. Your friends will receive notification via their mobile device or their Next2Friends profile that an opinion poll has been created. They choose their favorites among the pictures and the results are then sent directly back to you. Ask-A-Friend gives you real time results when you need them the most; in the real world!
• Video Messaging
  Video Messaging allows users to record a video message from any capable mobile device or standard webcam and send it to their friends or contacts. In its most basic form, it is an interactively media-rich email service via the Next2Friends site.
• Snap Up or SUP
  Snap Up, or SUP, stands for Snap and Upload. It is a simple way to snap and upload photos to your Next2Friends profile. Want to create a live photo gallery from an event for your friends to view? Or maybe you want to save space on your mobile device’s hard drive. Either way, Next2Friends allows you to just snap photos and upload them to your profile for later viewing and editing.

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Touch Screens
At Apple’s annual Macworld event last January, showman and CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone. Holding it onstage, Jobs tapped on its surface to type, flicked his finger to scroll through songs, and pinched his fingers to make pictures smaller. The crowd went wild. But while the iPhone is the world’s most prominent example of a multi-input touch screen, other equally innovative technologies came to prominence this year. Jeff Han, a researcher at New York University and founder of the startup Perceptive Pixel, believes that multi-input touch screens should be large–the size of a wall. (See “Touch Screens for Many Fingers” and “Jeff Han on a Better Interface.”) Microsoft, for its part, unveiled a multitouch computing table that lets users manipulate virtual objects on the surface. (See “Your Coffee Table as a Computer.”) And a Microsoft researcher, Patrick Baudish, is working on touch-screen technology that’s a few years away from consumers: a double-sided touch screen that lets a user see her fingers on the other side of a tablet PC or phone. (See “Two-Sided Touch Screen.”)

Tactile Feedback
When Apple did away with the keyboard on its phone, it also took away the tactile feedback that people experience when they press a button. Research suggests that smooth touch screens lead to more typing errors than a traditional keypad does, especially in bumpy environments such as a car or a train. Researchers, such as Stephen Brewster at the University of Glasgow, are exploring ways to add a tactile cue that lets a person know when a button on a smooth screen has been tapped. (See “Better Touch Screens for Mobile Phones.”) This burgeoning field, called haptics, is also used to make virtual-reality experiences more real. Yoshinori Dobashi, at the University of Hokkaido, in Japan, has simulated the feel of water. (See “Recreating the Feel of Water.”) And a company is adding tactile feedback to a vest that can be worn when playing video games. (See “Making Games Physical.”)

Context-Aware Gadgets
People are getting more and more accustomed to having their cell phones or laptops with them at all times. Useful as these gadgets are, they can be even more helpful if they can automatically suggest things to do or give directions to a restaurant nearby. This year, a number of products and research projects tried to make phones and other gadgets even smarter. Nokia, for instance, introduced a powerful tablet PC with a Global Positioning System (GPS) chip. (See “Nokia’s GPS-Enabled Pocket Computer.”) But not all gadgets have GPS capabilities. Google recently announced a technology that sidesteps the GPS issue and helps a person place himself on a map, within about 1,000 meters, using information from a cell-phone tower. (See “Finding Yourself without GPS.”) Similarly, the German startup Plazes offers a service that lets a person use a Wi-Fi signal to locate herself, among other services. (See “Marking Your Territory.”) And what to do with all this location information? Researchers at the Palo Alto Research Center have developed an application for a phone that suggests things that the user might want to do, places to eat and shop, and things to see, based on location, time of day, past preferences, and even text-message conversations. (See “Smart Phone Suggests Things to Do.”)

Brain-Computer Interfaces
As processing power increases, researchers and companies are looking at novel ways of taking advantage of it. One idea is to make the user interface better. Startup Emotiv is betting on a wireless electroencephalograph (EEG) cap for gamers that lets them control the game by concentrating on certain tasks. (See “Connecting Your Brain to the Game.”) Another startup, called Emsense, believes that EEG can help it collect better market-research data about how people respond to advertisements, video games, and political speeches. (See “Brain Sensor for Market Research.”) Microsoft researcher Desney Tan is leveraging EEG in a different way: he’s using it to collect people’s subconscious responses to pictures in order to try to teach computers to recognize certain types of images. Ideally, computers will be able to differentiate between images of an animate and an inanimate object. (See “Human-Aided Computing.”)

article source; SnapTell;

November 16, 2007 Marketers are always looking for new ways to reach customers and the ongoing boom in mobile phones has seen mobile marketing become an important part of the mix. Now SnapTell, a provider of image-recognition-based mobile marketing solutions, has announced the release of its “Snap.Send.Get” solution that converts every camera phone into an opt-in marketing device. Snap.Send.Get enables consumers to obtain information with the snap of a photo while marketers, in the process, get to create a personalized and targeted brand conversation with their customers. The SnapTell solution works with all camera phones, using existing collateral and product packaging, thereby doing away with the need for special barcodes or additional software.

The application allows consumers to take a photo of an advertisement that they are interested in receiving more information on, such as a billboard, and then send the photo to SnapTell where it is matched against a database of images using SnapTell’s algorithm for image matching known as ASG. Once the image has been recognized SnapTell is able to send the consumer content such as ringtones, games, videos and WAP links.

According to SnapTell, the technology works effectively on photos taken with almost all camera phones including lower end phones that have VGA cameras or low resolution (640×480) cameras. The technology also works with a wide variety of subjects including magazine print ads, outdoor billboards, posters, product packaging, branded cans, bottles and logos. SnapTell technology is also able to automatically extract text embedded in camera phone images and use the extracted text to drive a search – useful in scenarios in which the target image is not already registered in the database.

“Brands are using the mobile channel more than ever now to reach their desired audience. We saw a clear opportunity to apply our innovative image-recognition technology in the mobile environment to offer marketers something that wasn’t available before,” said Gautam Bhargava, Co-founder and CEO of SnapTell. “We make it easy for brands to reach out to consumers on the go. The SnapTell Snap.Send.Get solution simply uses existing packaging or collateral materials to create a personalized marketing experience that is fun and easy-to-use for the consumer. Our goal is to unleash the power of mobile marketing using the camera phone,” added Bhargava. “We believe that the mass adoption of camera phones makes the camera phone the ultimate marketing device, allowing brands to have a direct connection to their consumers.”

Currently, the company is in discussions with major brands and agencies with deployment expected in the upcoming weeks.

For further info and an online demo visit SnapTell.