Cellphone News

Dockers Ad for iPhone Uses Accelerometer

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:02:44 +0000

A new, gimmicky ad from Dockers responds to shaking of the iPhone. According to AdvertisingAge magazine, the ad will seem in the iPhone games “iBasketball,” “iGolf” and “iBowl” and the lifestyle application iTV amoung game levels. In the ad, a “free-style dance expressionist” named Dufon is standing…

Apple Is Working On a Wii-Like Controller 'Wand'

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:02:42 +0000

AppleInsider reports that Apple filed a patent for a remote control unit for Apple TV that works like the controller for the Nintendo Wii. Called the “remote wand,” the controller enables TV viewers to move and control a mouse pointer on-screen.

Windows 7 Release Candidate Hits BitTorrent

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:02:41 +0000

The release candidate version of the upcoming Windows 7 operating system has presented on file sharing sites like BitTorrent.

Modified Roomba robot vacuum feels your pain

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:02:40 +0000

University of Calgary researchers combined an off-the-shelf Roomba vacuum bot with an off-the-shelf bioelectrical headband used for gaming, plus a smattering of fancy programming, to create a robot that knows how you feel, and responds accordingly. The research could lead to home robots that steer c…

Everybody wants a bailout. Even the IT giants!

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:02:39 +0000

At least a dozen large IT companies are proposing projects they say should be funded by federal stimulus funds (i.e. borrowed money to be repaid by taxpayers). They’ve formed a group to lobby for their projects, although they’re not ready to talk publicly about which companies are involved or what p…

Bars of the future to offer brew-to-order beer

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:02:38 +0000

The good public at Guinness (the Irish beer company) has sketched out a vision of the future: Bars that offer brew-to-order beer delivered with magnetic levitation, robot bouncers, and holographic images of your friends in far-away bars. I’ll drink to that.

Your cell phone is dirtier than a toilet. Here's help!

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:02:38 +0000

Cell phones harbor thriving colonies of bacteria and viruses. Researchers say, for example, that cell phones are major carriers of superbugs in hospitals. Now, a new gadget helps you sterilize your phone!

Giant $85 wristwatch does it all (including GPS!)

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:02:38 +0000

An $85 Australian wristwatch called the Kogan GPS Watch has GPS, Bluetooth, pedometer, altimeter, thermometer, speedometer, alarm, stopwatch and other goodies. The only downside is that it’s massively huge.

iPhone App boosts radio audience by 15 percent

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:02:36 +0000

An iPhone app that I highlighted in a recent column (”Why global is the new ‘local’”) has actually increased the number of listeners for Clear Channel Radio by 15 percent.

Thief used Google Earth to find lead roofing to steal

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:02:35 +0000

A thief named Tom Berge reportedly used Google Earth to find museums, churches and schools with lead roof tiles so he could steal those tiles and sell the lead as scrap.