Mobile Devices

Posted Jan 21st 2008 7:21AM by Darren Murph
Filed under: Transportation
We’ve already seen whips that brake for us, steer for us and wheel us into that last remaining spot on 5th Avenue without marring someone’s BMW, so it follows logic that we’d see vehicles that peer into our minds, too. Research done by a crew at the Technical University of Berlin has shown that a “smart dashboard” could one day deactivate distractions within the vehicle in order to improve driver response if things simply get too hectic. Reportedly, the system could switch off in-car gadgetry (you know, navigators, radios, Hello Kitty headsets, etc.) when one’s brain became overloaded in order to speed up reaction time “by as much as 100-milliseconds.” Of course, this is assuming that said brain won’t melt down even further when that beloved iPod inexplicably shuts off just as Slash gears up for some serious shredding in Welcome to the Jungle, but nevertheless, we applaud the effort.

[Image courtesy of TAMU]

Do people call you “Fatty McButterpants”? Are you only a physical speciman in the virtual world? You know you want to be in shape, but you can’t keep up both your virtual body and your physical body… until now!

If you insist on being at your desk all day, whether it’s gaming, surfing, or being a spreadsheet jockey, why not hook up the Gamercize PC Sport to your Windows, Mac, or Linux computer’s USB, and get a nice workout at the same time?

The low-rise stepper sits surreptitiously under your desk – just set your feet on the pads, and gently step-step-step. If you can keep up a steady motion, your keyboard and mouse work fine. The moment you stop, however, they stop responding.

Step it up with the Gamercize PC-Sport Stepper!

Gimmie!

Suggested Price: $199.99

There’s something just so right about the design of this minimal lighting fixture from Japan. While it sits there on your tabletop, it casts a dramatic shadow of numeric shapes across the surface of your desk and walls.

While I’m not sure what all the numbers mean, I like to think that it’s the solution to some as yet unsolved mathematical problem with a name like the Farbmann Conundrum or the Hunterkleiner-Dirkastan Constant. More likely, it’s just a bunch of random digits (or maybe it’s the key to understanding the upcoming season of Lost).

The Memento lamp was designed by Hiroshi Yoneya and Yumi Masuko for design collective Tonerico. At this point, it looks like it’s is only available in Japan.

[via FFFOUND! via Inspire me, now!]

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bulb, japan, lamp, light, number, shadow

Tao Ma is at it again, cranking out another great phone concept. The new design, the LED Cellphone, incorporates hundreds of LEDs, all of which are used to create the cellphone’s striking UI. Check out the gallery below to see a cellphone your plastic white MacBook would fall head over heels for.galleryPost(’ledcellc’, 3, ”);

Depending on the function that is required, certain LEDs will illuminate, whilst others are switched off. This only gives rise to basic patterns, so you would not be sending any MMS messages using this phone, but the styling certainly earns it plus points. The device would be powered by two AAA batteries, which could be recharged by the chic USB dock. The LED Cellphone reminds us of O2’s Cocoon, and as that has already made it to the production line, we know this concept would not pose too many obstacles to a manufacturer. We can hear our slut Macbook making adulterous noises right now—it would trade its iPhone partner for a pretty bimbo without a second thought. Macbook, you should be ashamed. [Gizmo Watch]

The Nokia RM-358 certainly has a weird naming convention, but it has just been given the nod of approval by the FCC so never mind the name. It sounds much better as the 5610 - which is what it is actually. This handset definitely usurps the 5310 XpressMusc cell phone, and more with its list of specifications.

• Network: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 and UMTS 850/2100
• Operating System: Symbian Series 40 Edition
• Display: 2.2″ TFT, 16 million colors, 240 x 320 pixels
• Memory: 20MB internal with expansion via TransFlash microSD up to 4GB
• Camera: 3.15-megapixel with secondary VGA for video-calling
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR and USB 2.0
• FM Radio with music player with dedicated music buttons
• Battery: Li-ion 900 mAh
• Weight: 111 grams
• Dimensions: 98.5mm x 48.5mm x 17 mm

Sharp unveiled a new smartphone at CES 2008 that largely went unreported. Looking at the new Sharp PV250, I can understand why. As well as a plethora of weak features (1.3 megapixel camera on a smartphone, for example), it comes with a bizarre swivelling LCD screen that lets you view the screen in horizontal or vertical format.

More pics after the jump.

Unfortunately, when you switch it to vertical, the screen obstructs the keyboard. So it’s only use is…um…nope, can’t think of a single use for it! I know mobile phone manufacturers like to push the boundaries of a mobile phone’s form factor, but I think this is taking things a bit too far. If you’re gong to make weird-looking phones, at least give them a purpose!

[Source: Aving.net]

Posted Jan 20th 2008 5:06PM by Evan Blass
Filed under: CellphonesPizza Hut has joined rivals Domino’s and Papa John’s in implementing a nationwide order-by-text service, giving customers even easier access to its tasty-but-greasy fare. To take advantage of the “Total Mobile Access” feature, you have to visit the Pizza Hut website for a one-time registration of your mobile number, along with setting up your so-called “pizza playlist” to enable easier ordering. You can also satisfy your pizza jones by hitting up the same site on a mobile browser, which provides an optimized version of the desktop ordering system that has been in place for several years.

[Via InformationWeek]